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As November Slips Away, New Ideas for You!
My mailbox over the last week was filled with frantic emails about Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday. I felt like every one was packed with super urgency. I am sure many of you felt the same way. So take a deep breath as this newsletter is all about escaping to reading. WHEW!
I had such fun presenting book group titles to readers at the Miami Book Fair. And finally, after years of trying to do an event together, I was able to interview Ann Hood not just once, but twice! First up was at the Book Group panel where I talked book group titles and then spoke with her about MORNINGSTAR: Growing Up with Books and THE BOOK THAT MATTERS MOST, and later I interviewed her for Facebook Live (where we talked about many of the same topics that she had in her talk that morning, so you can hear what we chatted about by watching the live video).
I also interviewed Lisa See, who shared background on THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE, tea harvesting and a wonderful preview of the subject of her upcoming book. And I had a lovely time speaking with Will Schwalbe about his book, BOOKS FOR LIVING: Some Thoughts on Reading, Reflecting, and Embracing Life. He shared so many warm and wonderful stories about the books that had an impact on him through the years. We also loved the Miami weather and were plotting a way to stay there, but alas, we both flew back north.
I did snap the photo above of a beautifully lit holiday tree flanked by palm trees!
Numerous people have asked me if I would do a podcast about books and things I love, and I am seriously considering this. If you are a podcast listener, I have a couple of questions for you: 1) What do you listen to? and 2) How do you find these podcasts? Shoot me an email with the subject line “Podcast Intel” to share what you are doing. We have a few other ideas up our sleeves for 2018 and will have info about those in January.
I am looking forward to seeing The Man Who Invented Christmas, which is adapted from the book of the same name by Les Standiford. This indie film was produced by Paula Mazur and Mitchell Kaplan, the latter of whom is the co-founder of the Miami Book Fair and the owner of Books & Books, one of the country’s best-known and best-loved bookstores. I heard Mitchell talk about the movie at the Miami Book Fair recently. Seeing the trailer and the featurette was such fun for me since I remember he and Paula talking to me about this project almost a decade ago. It’s the story of Dickens writing A CHRISTMAS CAROL. At the time he wrote it, he was at a low point in his career. It was written and self-published in just six weeks. Fittingly, the film, which stars Dan Stevens (Matthew from "Downton Abbey") and Christopher Plummer, took six weeks to shoot. You can see me with the movie poster above. Click on it to find where it is playing near you! And let me know what you think when you see it. This would be a wonderful December outing for your book group.
Melanie, who edits our Bookreporter.com Word of Mouth and Sounding Off on Audio features, saw Wonder in the theater, and when we caught up in Miami, she was giving it high praise. If you are looking for something fun to do with family and visitors over the next few weeks, we recommend seeing Wonder. And if you and the young readers in your house have not read the book by R. J. Palacio, we highly recommend it. We have a guide for it, which you can see here. It’s truly a book for middle grade and up!
This latest update features two new titles you'll want to discuss with your group. First up is THE PARIS SECRET by international bestseller Karen Swan. When high-powered fine art agent Flora Sykes is called in to assess works of art in a Paris apartment that has been abandoned since WWII, she is skeptical at first --- until she discovers that the treasure trove of paintings is myriad…and priceless. The powerful Vermeil family to whom they belong is eager to learn more and asks Flora to trace the history of each painting. Despite a shocking announcement that has left her own family reeling, Flora finds herself thrown into the glamorous world of the Vermeils. But she soon realizes there is more to this project than first appears. Click here to read more about the book.
Discussion questions aren’t available for this title, but don’t despair! On this page, we let you know what to do when no discussion guide is available for a book. For THE PARIS SECRET, you can check out our list of fiction discussion questions here, along with more tips and pointers for having a great discussion with your group.
We also have the guide for Ellen Umansky’s debut novel, THE FORTUNATE ONES, which is now available in paperback. As the specter of war looms over Europe in 1939, Rose Zimmer’s parents manage to secure passage for their young daughter on a kindertransport and send her to live with strangers in England. Six years later, Rose is determined to search out one piece of her childhood: the Chaim Soutine painting her mother had cherished. In modern-day Los Angeles, Lizzie Goldstein has returned home for her father’s funeral. The Soutine painting that had provided lasting comfort to her after her own mother had died was stolen, and has never been recovered. This painting will bring Lizzie and Rose together and ignite an unexpected friendship, eventually revealing long-held secrets that hold painful truths. Click here for the discussion guide.
We continue to feature guides for THE IT GIRLS by Karen Harper, a novel based on the lives of two amazing sisters; IN THE MIDST OF WINTER, Isabel Allende’s latest work of fiction in which three very different people are brought together in a story that journeys from present-day Brooklyn to Guatemala in the recent past to 1970s Chile and Brazil; and THE HOUSE OF UNEXPECTED SISTERS, the 18th installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series.
Remember to enter our “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest for your chance to win 12 copies of THE HONEYMOON by Dinitia Smith for your group. The book, which is now available in paperback, recounts George Eliot’s honeymoon in Venice in 1880 following her marriage to a handsome young man 20 years her junior. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Tuesday, January 9th at noon ET. Dinitia would love to schedule time to chat with book groups about THE HONEYMOON. Interested? Then click here to get you and your group signed up!
In our previous “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest, here are the five books mentioned most frequently as titles that our book groups read: BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Lisa Wingate, NEWS OF THE WORLD by Paulette Jiles, A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW by Amor Towles, THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colson Whitehead, and LILAC GIRLS by Martha Hall Kelly. Rounding out the top 15 are LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng, SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult, THE ALICE NETWORK by Kate Quinn, BEARTOWN by Fredrik Backman, HILLBILLY ELEGY: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance, HOMEGOING by Yaa Gyasi, THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah, ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS by Bryn Greenwood, THE BOOK THAT MATTERS MOST by Ann Hood, and ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman.
Here's to turning the page to December tomorrow, but before you do, vow with me to relish and enjoy this holiday season. Pulling all the holiday drama back a notch or two would be really lovely.
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, including shopping for gifts, if you use the store links below, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
New Guide: WONDER by R. J. Palacio
Now a Major Motion Picture
WONDER by R. J. Palacio (Fiction)
A special movie tie-in edition of R.J. Palacio's #1 New York Times bestseller, now a major motion picture starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay, Daveed Diggs and Mandy Patinkin.
Over six million people have fallen in love with WONDER and Auggie Pullman, the ordinary boy with the extraordinary face, who inspired a movement to Choose Kind. This special movie tie-in edition features an eight-page full-color insert with photos from the film, a foreword by the director Stephen Chbosky, an afterword by R.J. Palacio, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie with anecdotes from the cast and crew, and a family discussion guide.
August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting fifth grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid --- but his new classmates can't get past Auggie's extraordinary face. WONDER, a #1 New York Times bestseller, begins from Auggie's point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community's struggle with empathy, compassion and acceptance.
In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope. R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel "a meditation on kindness" --- indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, who proves that you can't blend in when you were born to stand out.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: THE FORTUNATE ONES by Ellen Umansky
Now Available in Paperback
THE FORTUNATE ONES by Ellen Umansky (Fiction)
It is 1939 in Vienna, and as the specter of war darkens Europe, Rose Zimmer’s parents are desperate. Unable to get out of Austria, they manage to secure passage for their young daughter on a kindertransport, and send her to live with strangers in England.
Six years later, the war finally over, a grief-stricken Rose attempts to build a life for herself. Alone in London, devastated, she cannot help but try to search out one piece of her childhood: the Chaim Soutine painting her mother had cherished.
Many years later, the painting finds its way to America. In modern-day Los Angeles, Lizzie Goldstein has returned home for her father’s funeral. Newly single and unsure of her path, she also carries a burden of guilt that cannot be displaced. Years ago, as a teenager, Lizzie threw a party at her father’s house with unexpected but far-reaching consequences. The Soutine painting that she loved and had provided lasting comfort to her after her own mother had died was stolen, and has never been recovered.
This painting will bring Lizzie and Rose together and ignite an unexpected friendship, eventually revealing long-held secrets that hold painful truths. Spanning decades and unfolding in crystalline, atmospheric prose, THE FORTUNATE ONES is a haunting story of longing, devastation and forgiveness, and a deep examination of the bonds and desires that map our private histories.
Click here for the discussion guide.
Now Available: THE PARIS SECRET by Karen Swan
THE PARIS SECRET by Karen Swan (Fiction)
In this glittering tale of forgotten treasures and long-held secrets, international bestseller Karen Swan explores one woman’s journey to discovering the truth behind an abandoned apartment and a family whose mysteries may be better left undiscovered.
When high-powered fine art agent Flora Sykes is called in to assess objets d’art in a Paris apartment that has been abandoned since WWII, she is skeptical at first --- until she discovers that the treasure trove of paintings is myriad…and priceless. The powerful Vermeil family to whom they belong is eager to learn more and asks Flora to trace the history of each painting.
Despite a shocking announcement that has left her own family reeling, Flora finds herself thrown into the glamorous world of the Vermeils. But she soon realizes there is more to this project than first appears. As she researches the provenance of their prize Renoir, she uncovers a scandal surrounding the painting --- and a secret that goes to the very heart of the family. The fallout will place Flora in the eye of a storm that carries her from London to Vienna to the glittering coast of Provence.
Xavier Vermeil, the brusque scion of the family, is determined to separate Flora from his family's affairs in spite of their powerful attraction to one another. Just what are the secrets he is desperately trying to hide? And what price is Flora willing to pay to uncover the devastating truth?
While no guide is available for THE PARIS SECRET, be sure to check out our fiction discussion questions, which may help you in your group's discussion of the book.
Click here to read more about the book.
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Enter to Win 12 Copies of
THE HONEYMOON by Dinitia Smith for Your Group
Each month, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. Note: To be eligible to win, let us know the title of the book that YOUR book group is CURRENTLY reading, NOT the title we are giving away.
This month's prize book is the paperback edition of THE HONEYMOON by Dinitia Smith, a captivating account of George Eliot’s passions and tribulations that explores the nature of love in its many guises. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Tuesday, January 9th at noon ET.
THE HONEYMOON by Dinitia Smith (Historical Fiction)
Dinitia Smith’s spellbinding novel recounts George Eliot’s honeymoon in Venice in June 1880 following her marriage to a handsome young man 20 years her junior. When she agreed to marry John Walter Cross, Eliot was recovering from the death of George Henry Lewes, her beloved companion of 26 years. Eliot was bereft: left at the age of 60 to contemplate profound questions about her physical decline, her fading appeal and the prospect of loneliness.
In her youth, Mary Ann Evans --- who would later be known as George Eliot --- was a country girl, considered too plain to marry, so she educated herself in order to secure a livelihood. In an era when female novelists were objects of wonder, she became the most famous writer of her day --- with a male nom de plume. THE HONEYMOON explores different kinds of love, and of the possibilities of redemption and happiness even in an imperfect union. Smith integrates historical truth with her own rich rendition of Eliot’s inner voice, crafting a page-turner that is as intelligent as it is gripping.
If you and your book group would like to talk to Dinitia Smith about THE HONEYMOON, please fill out the form on this page to schedule a chat.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to enter the contest.
November Releases of Interest to Book Groups
BREAKING FREE: How I Escaped Polygamy, the FLDS Cult, and My Father, Warren Jeffs by Rachel Jeffs (Memoir)
Born into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Rachel Jeffs was raised in a strict patriarchal culture defined by subordinate sister wives and men they must obey. No one in this radical splinter sect of the Mormon Church was more powerful or terrifying than its leader, Warren Jeffs --- Rachel’s father. In BREAKING FREE, Rachel blows the lid off this taciturn community.
FUTURE HOME OF THE LIVING GOD by Louise Erdrich (Dystopian Thriller)
Cedar Hawk Songmaker is four months pregnant. Though she wants to tell the adoptive parents who raised her from infancy, Cedar first feels compelled to find her birth mother, an Ojibwe living on the reservation, to understand both her and her baby’s origins. As she goes back to her own biological beginnings, society around her begins to disintegrate. It will take all Cedar has to avoid the prying eyes of potential informants and keep her baby safe.
THE HOUSE OF UNEXPECTED SISTERS: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (18) by Alexander McCall Smith (Mystery)
Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are approached by their part-time colleague, Mr. Polopetsi, with a troubling story: a woman, accused of being rude to a valued customer, has been wrongly dismissed from her job at an office furniture store. Never one to let an act of injustice go unanswered, Mma Ramotswe begins to investigate, but soon discovers unexpected information that causes her to reluctantly change her views about the case.
A HUNDRED SMALL LESSONS by Ashley Hay (Fiction)
When Elsie Gormley leaves the Brisbane house in which she has lived for more than 60 years, Lucy Kiss and her family move in, eager to establish their new life. Lucy and her husband Ben struggle to navigate their transformation from adventurous lovers to new parents, taking comfort in memories of their vibrant past as they begin to unearth who their future selves might be. But the house has secrets of its own, and the rooms seem to share recollections of Elsie’s life with Lucy.
LITTLE BROKEN THINGS by Nicole Baart (Fiction)
I have something for you. When Quinn Cruz receives that cryptic text message from her older sister Nora, she doesn’t think much of it. They haven’t seen each other in nearly a year, and their relationship consists mostly of infrequent phone calls and an occasional email or text. But when a haunted Nora shows up at the lake near Quinn's house just hours later, a chain reaction is set into motion that will change both of their lives forever.
THE PARIS SECRET by Karen Swan (Fiction)
When high-powered fine art agent Flora Sykes is called in to assess objets d’art in a Paris apartment that has been abandoned since WWII, she is skeptical at first --- until she discovers that the treasure trove of paintings is myriad…and priceless. The powerful Vermeil family to whom they belong is eager to learn more and asks Flora to trace the history of each painting. Flora finds herself thrown into the glamorous world of the Vermeils, but soon realizes there is more to this project than first appears.
PROMISE ME, DAD: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose by Joe Biden (Memoir)
In November 2014, 13 members of the Biden family gathered on Nantucket for Thanksgiving. But this year felt different from all those that had come before. Joe and Jill Biden's eldest son, Beau, had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor 15 months earlier, and his survival was uncertain. PROMISE ME, DAD chronicles the year that followed, which would be the most momentous and challenging in Joe Biden’s life and career.
THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV by Elizabeth Berg (Fiction)
For the past six months, Arthur Moses’ days have looked the same: He tends to his rose garden and to Gordon, his cat, then rides the bus to the cemetery to visit his beloved late wife for lunch. Seventeen-year-old Maddy Harris comes to the cemetery to escape the other kids at school and a life of loss. She’s seen Arthur sitting there alone, and one afternoon she joins him --- a gesture that begins a surprising friendship between two lonely souls.
New Guide: THE IT GIRLS by Karen Harper
THE IT GIRLS by Karen Harper (Historical Fiction)
They rose from genteel poverty: two beautiful sisters --- ambitious, witty, seductive. Elinor and Lucy Sutherland are at once each other’s fiercest supporters and most vicious critics.
Lucy transformed herself into Lucile, the daring fashion designer who revolutionized the industry with her flirtatious gowns and brazen self-promotion. And when she married Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon, her life seemed to be a fairy tale. But success came at many costs --- to her marriage and to her children...and then came the fateful night of April 14, 1912 and the scandal that followed.
Elinor’s novels titillate readers, and it’s even asked in polite drawing rooms if you would like to “sin with Elinor Glyn?” Her work pushes the boundaries of what’s acceptable; her foray into the glittering new world of Hollywood turns her into a world-wide phenomenon. But although she writes of passion, the true love she longs for eludes her.
But despite quarrels and misunderstandings, distance and destiny, there is no bond stronger than that of the two sisters --- confidants, friends, rivals and the two “It Girls” of their day.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: IN THE MIDST OF WINTER by Isabel Allende
IN THE MIDST OF WINTER by Isabel Allende (Fiction)
IN THE MIDST OF WINTER begins with a minor traffic accident --- which becomes the catalyst for an unexpected and moving love story between two people who thought they were deep into the winter of their lives.
Richard Bowmaster, a 60-year-old human rights scholar, hits the car of Evelyn Ortega, a young, undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, in the middle of a snowstorm in Brooklyn. What at first seems just a small inconvenience takes an unforeseen and far more serious turn when Evelyn turns up at the professor’s house seeking help. At a loss, the professor asks his tenant Lucia Maraz --- a 62-year-old lecturer from Chile --- for her advice. These three very different people are brought together in a mesmerizing story that moves from present-day Brooklyn to Guatemala in the recent past to 1970s Chile and Brazil, sparking the beginning of a long overdue love story between Richard and Lucia.
Exploring the timely issues of human rights and the plight of immigrants and refugees, the book recalls Allende’s landmark novel THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS in the way it embraces the cause of “humanity, and it does so with passion, humor and wisdom that transcend politics” (Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post). IN THE MIDST OF WINTER will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: THE HOUSE OF UNEXPECTED SISTERS
by Alexander McCall Smith
THE HOUSE OF UNEXPECTED SISTERS: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (18) by Alexander McCall Smith (Mystery)
Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are approached by their part-time colleague, Mr. Polopetsi, with a troubling story: a woman, accused of being rude to a valued customer, has been wrongly dismissed from her job at an office furniture store. Never one to let an act of injustice go unanswered, Mma Ramotswe begins to investigate, but soon discovers unexpected information that causes her to reluctantly change her views about the case.
Other surprises await our intrepid proprietress in the course of her inquiries. Mma Ramotswe is puzzled when she happens to hear of a local nurse named Mingie Ramotswe. She thought she knew everybody by the name of Ramotswe, and that they were all related. Who is this mystery lady? Then she is alerted by Mma Potokwani that an unpleasant figure from her past has recently been spotted in town. Mma Ramotswe does her best to avoid the man, but it seems that he may have returned to Botswana specifically to seek her out. What could he want from her?
With the generosity and good humor that guide all her endeavors, Mma Ramotswe will untangle these questions for herself and for her loved ones, ultimately bringing to light important truths about friendship and family --- both the one you’re born with and the one you choose.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the discussion guide.
Bookreporter.com’s New Release Spotlight:
A HUNDRED SMALL LESSONS by Ashley Hay
A HUNDRED SMALL LESSONS by Ashley Hay (Fiction)
From the author of the highly acclaimed THE RAILWAYMAN’S WIFE, called a “literary and literate gem” by Psychology Today, comes an emotionally resonant and profound new novel of two families, interconnected through the house that bears witness to their lives.
When Elsie Gormley leaves the Brisbane house in which she has lived for more than 60 years, Lucy Kiss and her family move in, eager to establish their new life. As they settle in, Lucy and her husband Ben struggle to navigate their transformation from adventurous lovers to new parents, taking comfort in memories of their vibrant past as they begin to unearth who their future selves might be. But the house has secrets of its own, and the rooms seem to share recollections of Elsie’s life with Lucy.
In her nearby nursing home, Elsie traces the span of her life --- the moments she can’t bear to let go and the places to which she dreams of returning. Her beloved former house is at the heart of her memories of marriage, motherhood, love and death and the boundary between present and past becomes increasingly porous for both her and Lucy.
Over the course of one hot Brisbane summer, two families’ stories intersect in sudden and unexpected ways. Through the richly intertwined narratives of two ordinary, extraordinary women, Ashley Hay uses her “lyrical prose, poetic dialogue, and stunning imagery” (RT Magazine) to weave an intricate, bighearted story of what it is to be human.
Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.
Bookreporter.com’s Latest Bets On Selection:
PARTING SHOT by Linwood Barclay
PARTING SHOT by Linwood Barclay (Thriller)
I have been a longtime fan of Linwood Barclay’s work, and in PARTING SHOT he returns to Promise Falls, the upstate New York town where he has set many of his books, including the Promise Falls trilogy. Here longtime readers will reconnect with Cal Weaver, a local private investigator, and Detective Barry Duckworth. The subject here is revenge and the dark turns it can take.
Jeremy Pilford was accused of killing his girlfriend while driving under the influence. Drawing on a headline that many will remember, Jeremy’s defense was modeled after the real-life Texas boy who got off on an affluenza defense. Here he gets christened “Big Baby.” And people are out to make an example of him and are hunting him down. And then we have Brian Gaffney, who awakens with a tattoo crudely chiseled onto his back. What’s the meaning of the message there? And why was Brian targeted?
There’s boots-on-the-ground detective work, as well as back stories about all the characters, which enhance the storytelling. In his writing Barclay is about character, as well as plot. So many thriller authors sacrifice one for the other, at their peril, but for him multiple characters play off each other well to move the story along. Swipes at the media and the omnipresent challenges of social media layer into the story, making this a thought-provoking work, as well as one that has all the twists and turns that readers love from Barclay.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read our interview with Linwood Barclay.
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
Bookreporter.com’s Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature
At Bookreporter.com, we kick off the holiday season in style with our Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature. As our gift to you, on select days in November and December, we are spotlighting a book and giving five lucky readers the chance to win it. You have to visit the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter the 24-hour contest. As always, we are sending our special Holiday Cheer newsletter on the days when there are contests. Click here to sign up for these email alerts.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
Enter Our Ongoing Bookreporter.com Contests:
"Word of Mouth" and "Sounding Off on Audio"
Word of Mouth Contest:
Tell Us What You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from November 17th to December 1st at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV by Elizabeth Berg and THE WHISPERING ROOM: A Jane Hawk Novel by Dean Koontz.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.
Click here to enter the contest.
Please note: A new Word of Mouth contest will be up
on Friday, December 1st at noon ET.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest:
Tell Us What You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from November 1st to December 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke's EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE, read by Heather Lind, and IT'S ALL RELATIVE: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree written and read by A.J. Jacobs.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the audiobook, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For complete rules and guidelines, click here.
Click here to enter the contest.
Please note: A new Sounding Off on Audio contest will be up
on Friday, December 1st at noon ET.
The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
THE FORTUNATE ONES by Ellen Umansky (Fiction)
One very special work of art --- a Chaim Soutine painting --- will connect the lives and fates of two different women, generations apart, in this enthralling and transporting debut novel that moves from World War II Vienna to contemporary Los Angeles.
THE HOUSE OF UNEXPECTED SISTERS: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (18) by Alexander McCall Smith (Mystery)
Precious Ramotswe learns valuable lessons about first impressions and forgiveness in this latest installment of the beloved and bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series.
IN THE MIDST OF WINTER by Isabel Allende (Fiction)
New York Times and worldwide bestselling author Isabel Allende returns with a sweeping novel about three very different people who are brought together in a mesmerizing story that journeys from present-day Brooklyn to Guatemala in the recent past to 1970s Chile and Brazil.
THE IT GIRLS by Karen Harper (Historical Fiction)
From New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper comes a novel based on the lives of two amazing sisters. One sailed the Titanic and started a fashion empire. The other overtook Hollywood and scandalized the world. Together, they were unstoppable.
THE PARIS SECRET by Karen Swan (Fiction)
In this glittering tale of forgotten treasures and long-held secrets, international bestseller Karen Swan explores one woman’s journey to discovering the truth behind an abandoned apartment and a family whose mysteries may be better left undiscovered.
WONDER by R. J. Palacio (Fiction)
This special movie tie-in edition of WONDER features an eight-page full-color insert with photos from the film, a foreword by the director Stephen Chbosky, an afterword by R. J. Palacio, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie with anecdotes from the cast and crew, and a family discussion guide.
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
FATES AND TRAITORS: A Novel of John Wilkes Booth and the Women Who Loved Him by Jennifer Chiaverini (Historical Fiction)
The New York Times bestselling author of MRS. LINCOLN'S DRESSMAKER returns with a riveting work of historical fiction following the notorious John Wilkes Booth and the four women who kept his perilous confidence.
THE HONEYMOON by Dinitia Smith (Historical Fiction)
Based on the life of George Eliot, famed author of MIDDLEMARCH, this captivating account of Eliot’s passions and tribulations explores the nature of love in its many guises.
This Month's Poll: Celebrating the Holidays
with Your Book Group
Does your book group do anything special for the holidays? Please check all that apply.
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Yes, we have holiday-themed meetings.
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Yes, we read holiday-themed books.
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Yes, we prepare special meals for our meetings.
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Yes, we go to a restaurant.
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Yes, we exchange gifts.
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Yes, we do a charity-related project.
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Yes, we do a cookie exchange.
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Yes, we do a book swap.
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No, we meet as usual.
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No, we take a break from meeting during the holiday months.
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Other (Please specify)
Click here to vote in the poll by Wednesday, January 3rd at noon ET.
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