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We're bringing you just one newsletter this month, but we’re packing it full of news and ideas. Last month I mentioned that my group was planning to add new members. A number of you wrote sharing how you added members to your groups. Here are suggestions from three of our readers:
Julie wrote, “Finding new members has never been an issue for my book club, the Brown Bag Book Club (BBBC). We started 24 years ago with a dozen members, mostly in the neighborhood, when we were elementary school moms. Hence, a lunchtime meeting (bringing our own 'brown bag' lunch with beverages and a small dessert provided by the hostess) before school pickup. All new members were brought into the group by original members with the understanding that they were readers too.
“We stopped when the kids were in high school but rekindled the BBBC when one of our original members had a double mastectomy and asked if I’d start up the book club following her recovery. Of course we returned but met later in the afternoon (wine included with the beverages offered) as all our kids have grown up! As before, existing members may bring in new members. We even read a couples book in the summer and at holiday time in December, meeting for dinner and discussing the book.”
Laura wrote, “I’ve been leading the Friends Evening Book Discussion at the Mount Prospect Public Library (Illinois) for over 31 years. Because it is a Friends of the Library sponsored program, and because we meet at the Library, we are open to one and all. We started out with five or so members, and it grew to 28 members at our pre-pandemic high. Our problem isn’t finding new members because word of mouth is the best recruitment method we have. Our problem is that when the group gets to be too large, it’s too hard to handle and have everyone get a chance to talk.
“Since the Library closed in 2020 because of the pandemic, we have been meeting virtually via Zoom. It’s different and not quite as satisfying, and nobody brings cookies. But we are hanging in there. I am a volunteer and keep thinking this is my last year. Somehow January rolls around and I’ve picked out another 12 books. The Library includes our reading lists at the Reader’s Advisory Desk, but we no longer advertise. If people 'discover' the group, they are welcome. It’s truly been a labor of love.”
Liz said, “I founded a book club with a neighbor when we moved to an area where I knew very few people, simply by taking a chance and inviting the few people I knew and asking them if they knew anyone who was a reader who might like to join. Surprisingly the book club is still going strong after 17 years. We’ve had as many as 11 members but currently have only nine, and just five from the original group, some of whom I only knew from greeting while walking my dog.
“I have a friend who lives on Lake Tahoe, though, who also moved there without knowing people in the area, and I recently asked her how she found a book club. She said she started it by inquiring online via the Nextdoor app if anyone was interested in forming a book club. She said she met great people that way. Readers are special anyway, right?
“Our club canceled meetings for a few months during the pandemic, but we missed it so much that we started meeting virtually. With my co-founder, we even put on a virtual Christmas party, delivering party favors and an agenda prior to the meeting. After months of meeting virtually, we met outdoors for a few months with a champagne celebration for our first meeting. And last month, with everyone vaccinated, we finally met indoors. Nice to be able to hug again.”
We have four new “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews to share with you in this newsletter. First up is Chandler Baker, whose latest novel, THE HUSBANDS, is this month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick and a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection (it also was a recent contest prize title here on the site). “GMA” describes the book as “a searing and fun page-turner that’s a STEPFORD WIVES gender-swap --- about how far someone will go to truly have it all.” Adds Chandler: “The novel imagines a world where the burden of the second shift is equally shared and what it might take to get there. I know we’re going to have a lot to discuss.”
I talked to Chandler about “the second shift” and what it means for women, especially those with young children --- as well as the nod that THE HUSBANDS gives to THE STEPFORD WIVES. She mentions the book that her friends were reading and discussing that inspired the story. We zero in on the characters and relate their choices to our own lives, all while doing our best not to give anything away. And she talks about writing the screenplay for the book. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast. Also, be sure to check out the recently posted discussion guide, along with our Bookreporter review and my Bets On commentary.
My second interview is with Megan Abbott, whose new thriller, THE TURNOUT, is this month’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. Jenna says, “As a profound lover of mysteries, I cannot tell you how excited I am to announce my first Read with Jenna book club pick in this genre…. I love how Megan Abbott looks at the darker sides of things that we all remember, such as ballet classes as children.”
My conversation with Megan is fast-paced as we talk plot, characters and what a "turnout” is, as well as how tension is built in her writing. We also touch on her work in the entertainment industry, both on HBO’s “The Deuce” and her role as the creator, executive producer and showrunner of USA’s “Dare Me”, which is based on her book of the same name. Megan will be adapting THE TURNOUT for film as well, and we talk about the differences between writing a book and writing for the screen. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast. And don’t miss the newly added guide and our review on Bookreporter.
A summer favorite of mine is MALIBU RISING, a Bets On title that we featured in the early June newsletter. So I was thrilled to snag an interview with its author, Taylor Jenkins Reid, whose novel follows four siblings over the course of 24 hours in August 1983, the day of their annual party, which is legendary. All the “right” people are there. But by the end of the night, their lives will be changed, secrets will be revealed --- and the house where the party is taking place will be burned down. The Rivas are connected to fame. Two are beloved surfers, one is a renowned photographer, and all four are the children of singer Mick Riva, who is estranged from them. The party happens on the night of August 27th, which this year falls on a Friday. Hmmm...time for a book club party?
Taylor shares her thoughts on the book’s appealing setting (1980s Malibu) and why it has become a mecca for stars. We also cover her earlier books, THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO and DAISY JONES & THE SIX, which took place in the 1960s and 1970s, respectively. She fills us in on the decade in which her next novel will be set, which will pull these books together in a quartet. In addition, we talk about fame and how it impacts people’s lives. And there’s an update on the film adaptation of DAISY JONES & THE SIX! Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
Our final interview is with Jonathan Santlofer, whose new book, THE LAST MONA LISA, is his first novel featuring a historical setting. It explores the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, giving readers a backstage look at what happened with the painting and the thief behind it all. With forgeries popping up in its wake, the ensuing years became a mystery for the art world. Where is the real painting? And what if the Mona Lisa that ended up in the Louvre has been a replica all along? Luke Perrone, a descendant of the thief, tries to sort out what happened and ends up deep in the underworld of art forgery.
Jonathan, who is not only a gifted writer but also an artist, shares his expertise on the art world and dives deep into his research for the famous painting, which included sitting in the cell where the culprit was jailed. He also explains how his work as an artist has influenced his writing and reveals what he is working on now when it comes to both his painting and his writing. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
Our Latest Monthly Contest is Live!
THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray was last month’s “GMA” Book Club pick and a recent Bets On selection. We featured the guide in the late June newsletter, but I’m so excited about this book --- and the conversations it can lead to --- that I decided to make it our latest “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest title.
Here’s the premise: Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. She becomes a fixture in New York City society and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world. But Belle has a secret that she must protect at all costs. Her father is Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. Belle’s complexion is dark, not because of her supposed Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white, but because she is African American.
Three groups will win up to 12 copies of THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, September 8th at noon ET. As I mentioned in the last newsletter, I had the pleasure of talking to Marie and Victoria about their first collaboration. You can watch it here and listen to the podcast here.
In our previous “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest, here are the 15 books mentioned most frequently as titles that our book groups read: THE FOUR WINDS by Kristin Hannah, THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger, ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman, THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett, THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by Matt Haig, ETERNAL by Lisa Scottoline, THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES by Kristin Harmel, THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides, THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley, THE GIVER OF STARS by Jojo Moyes, THE BOOK OF LONGINGS by Sue Monk Kidd, the aforementioned MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid, THE LAST FLIGHT by Julie Clark, THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME by Laura Dave, and THE PARIS LIBRARY by Janet Skeslien Charles.
We also have added discussion guides for these five books:
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WE WERE NEVER HERE: Andrea Bartz’s latest novel is this month’s Reese’s Book Club pick. Here’s what Reese has to say about it: “As a rule of thumb, coverups are good for the beach, but horrible if we’re talking about a dead backpacker on your hotel room floor. As you might have guessed, our latest Pick is less floral sarong, and more girl friendship gone terribly wrong. Wrapped up? Just wait until things start to close in and reveal secrets that will make you want to call your BFF to say: Read this right now!”
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WE ARE THE BRENNANS: Sunday Brennan left home for California five years ago, leaving lots undone behind her. Now she is back in Westchester County, New York, after being convicted of a drunk driving charge. Back in her childhood room. Back dealing with her brothers and her widowed father. And back where her former fiancée still lives. But in just one plot twist here, he married someone else while she was finding and losing herself on the coast. There are so many family secrets that threaten this already fractured group. Tracey Lange’s debut novel is fast-paced and laced with believable characters and action.
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DAMNATION SPRING: First-time novelist Ash Davidson’s book is set in 1977 in northern California in a logging town where Rich Gundersen’s family has chopped redwoods for generations. Beyond Damnation Grove, where they live, there is another treasure trove: the 24-7 Ridge. Without telling his wife, Rich buys the 24-7 Ridge using all of their savings. After logging it, he hopes to bring his loved ones the financial security that can only be dreamed about. But something else is going on here. I am looking forward to interviewing Ash next week as I have not been able to stop thinking about this book since I read it last month.
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BILLY SUMMERS: The legendary Stephen King is back with a new thriller, which introduces readers to a killer for hire who now wants to get out of the business. But before he does, there is one last hit that this decorated Iraq war vet must handle. Billy is a Houdini when it comes to vanishing after the job is done. So what could possibly go wrong? How about everything.
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BLIND TIGER: The year 1920 comes in with a roar in Sandra Brown’s new historical thriller. Thatcher Hutton, a war-weary soldier on the way back to his cowboy life, jumps from a moving freight train to avoid trouble...and lands in more than he bargained for. On the day he arrives in Foley, Texas, a local woman goes missing. Thatcher, the only stranger in town, is suspected of her abduction, and worse.
Announcing a New Bookreporter Feature!
Sometimes you hear about a book and just do not have time to read it. Other times, you have missed hearing about a book, and we would like to tell you about it. We do not want you to miss books that we think you will enjoy! In our new Bookreporter feature, which we are calling “In Case You Missed It…and a Look Ahead”, we are sharing a book that you might not have read, and we also are getting the author’s next book on your radar. So then you never will need to say, “I missed it!”
We are kicking off this feature with two books by Lisa Unger: CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 (“In Case You Missed It”) and LAST GIRL GHOSTED (“A Look Ahead”).
CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 released in paperback in July and was a Bets On pick when it came out in hardcover last year. In it, a chance encounter unravels a stunning web of lies. I had a blast chatting with Lisa last year for a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview. You can watch it here and listen to the podcast here.
Lisa’s next book, LAST GIRL GHOSTED, will be in stores on October 5th. Secrets, obsession and vengeance converge in a riveting psychological thriller about an online dating match turned deadly cat-and-mouse game. I am intrigued by the book’s tagline, Think twice before you swipe, and look forward to checking it out soon.
We hosted this month's “Bookaccino Live” event last week. I presented 24 books releasing between now and September 7th, along with nine from October, that I wanted to get on your radar. You can watch it here and see a list of the featured titles here.
Next month’s event will take place on Wednesday, September 15th at 2pm ET. I will talk about titles releasing between September 14th and October 5th, along with a few from November, that I think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up. Those attending the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win a prize.
Sandie Jones’ new psychological thriller, THE GUILT TRIP, is this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. Rachel and Jack. Paige and Noah. Will and Ali. Five friends who’ve known each other for years. And Ali, Will’s new fiancée. The three couples travel to Portugal for Ali and Will’s destination wedding. Arriving at the gorgeous clifftop villa, the weekend away is a chance to relax and get to know Ali a little better. A newcomer to their group, she seems perfectly nice, and Will seems happy after years of bad choices. But when Rachel discovers a shocking secret about Ali, everything changes. As the wedding weekend unfolds, the secrets each of them holds begin to spill, and friendships and marriages threaten to unravel.
On Tuesday, September 14th at 3pm ET, Sandie will be discussing THE GUILT TRIP with Clare Mackintosh during a virtual event. Click here to learn more and sign up. Last week, Miranda Cowley Heller talked to Mackenzie Newcomb about THE PAPER PALACE, which was July’s B&N selection. If you missed their conversation, you can watch it here. My interview with Miranda will be up on our YouTube channel later today!
On Tuesday, August 31st at 12pm ET, members of the Simon & Schuster team will discuss this month’s Book Club Favorites pick, the newly released YOURS CHEERFULLY, with author AJ Pearce. You can RSVP for the event here.
For more August selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
My group is meeting with our new members next Tuesday, and we are going to be discussing the aforementioned THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN. I am looking forward to seeing what everyone has to share. We will be back to you with our next update the week of September 13th. Enjoy the weeks leading up to Labor Day, and to those of you celebrating Rosh Hashanah, Happy New Year!
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, 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: THE HUSBANDS by Chandler Baker
August’s “Good Morning America” Book Club Pick
and a Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE HUSBANDS by Chandler Baker (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
Nora Spangler is a successful attorney, but when it comes to domestic life, she packs the lunches, schedules the doctor appointments, knows where the extra paper towel rolls are, and designs and orders the holiday cards. Her husband works hard, too...but why does it seem like she is always working so much harder? When the Spanglers go house hunting in Dynasty Ranch, an exclusive suburban neighborhood, Nora meets a group of high-powered women with enviably supportive husbands. When she agrees to help with a resident’s wrongful death case, she is pulled into the lives of the women there. As the case unravels, Nora uncovers a plot that may explain the secret to having it all. One that’s worth killing for.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Chandler Baker.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
- Click here to see why the book is August's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: THE TURNOUT by Megan Abbott
August’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club Pick
THE TURNOUT by Megan Abbott (Thriller)
With their long necks and matching buns and pink tights, Dara and Marie Durant have been dancers since they can remember. Growing up, they were homeschooled and trained by their glamorous mother, founder of the Durant School of Dance. After their parents' death in a tragic accident nearly a dozen years ago, the sisters began running the school together, along with Charlie, Dara's husband and once their mother's prized student. Circling around one another, the three have perfected a dance, six days a week, that keeps the studio thriving. But when a suspicious accident occurs, just at the onset of the school's annual performance of "The Nutcracker," an interloper arrives and threatens the sisters' delicate balance.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Megan Abbott.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
- Click here to see why the book is August's "Read with Jenna" pick.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: WE WERE NEVER HERE by Andrea Bartz
Reese’s Book Club Pick for August
WE WERE NEVER HERE by Andrea Bartz (Psychological Thriller)
Emily is in the mountains of Chile with her best friend, Kristen, on their annual reunion trip, and the women are feeling closer than ever. But on the last night of the trip, Emily enters their hotel suite to find blood and broken glass on the floor. Kristen says the cute backpacker she brought back to their room attacked her, and she had no choice but to kill him in self-defense. The scene is horrifyingly similar to last year’s trip, when another backpacker wound up dead. Back home in Wisconsin, Emily struggles to bury her trauma. But when Kristen shows up for a surprise visit, Emily is forced to confront their violent past. The more Kristen tries to keep Emily close, the more Emily questions her motives. As Emily feels the walls closing in on their cover-ups, she must reckon with the truth about her closest friend.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to visit the Reese's Book Club website.
Click here for the discussion guide.
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Enter to Win Up to 12 Copies of
THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict
and Victoria Christopher Murray 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 up to 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.
Our latest prize book is THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, a "Good Morning America" Book Club pick and a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. This instant New York Times bestselling novel tells the remarkable story of J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, September 8th at noon ET.
THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (Historical Fiction)
In her 20s, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture in New York City society and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating for critical works as she helps create a world-class collection. But Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. Belle’s complexion isn’t dark because of her alleged Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white --- her complexion is dark because she is African American.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to enter the contest.
New Guide: WE ARE THE BRENNANS by Tracey Lange
WE ARE THE BRENNANS by Tracey Lange (Fiction)
When 29-year-old Sunday Brennan wakes up in a Los Angeles hospital, bruised and battered after a drunk driving accident she caused, she swallows her pride and goes home to her family in New York. Sunday is determined to rebuild her life back on the east coast, even if it does mean tiptoeing around resentful brothers and an ex-fiancé. The longer she stays, however, the more she realizes they need her just as much as she needs them. When a dangerous man from her past brings her family’s pub business to the brink of financial ruin, the only way to protect them is to upend all their secrets --- secrets that have damaged the family for generations and will threaten everything they know about their lives.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: DAMNATION SPRING by Ash Davidson
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
DAMNATION SPRING by Ash Davidson (Fiction)
For generations, Rich Gundersen’s family has chopped a livelihood out of the redwood forest along California’s rugged coast. Now Rich and his wife, Colleen, are raising their own young son near Damnation Grove, a swath of ancient redwoods on which Rich’s employer, Sanderson Timber Co., plans to make a killing. In 1977, with most of the forest cleared or protected, a grove like Damnation --- and beyond it 24-7 Ridge --- is a logger’s dream. So when the opportunity arises to buy 24-7 Ridge, Rich grabs it. Colleen has lost several pregnancies. And she isn’t alone. As a midwife, Colleen has seen it with her own eyes. For decades, the herbicides the logging company uses were considered harmless. But what if these miscarriages aren’t isolated strokes of bad luck?
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: BILLY SUMMERS by Stephen King
BILLY SUMMERS by Stephen King (Thriller)
Billy Summers is a man in a room with a gun. He’s a killer for hire and the best in the business. But he’ll do the job only if the target is a truly bad guy. And now Billy wants out. But first there is one last hit. Billy is among the best snipers in the world, a decorated Iraq war vet, a Houdini when it comes to vanishing after the job is done. So what could possibly go wrong? How about everything.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: BLIND TIGER by Sandra Brown
BLIND TIGER by Sandra Brown (Historical Thriller)
On the day that Thatcher Hutton, a war-weary soldier, arrives in Foley, Texas, a local woman goes missing. Thatcher, the only stranger in town, is suspected of her abduction, and worse. Standing between him and exoneration are a corrupt mayor, a crooked sheriff, a notorious cathouse madam, a sly bootlegger, feuding moonshiners…and a young widow whose soft features conceal an iron will. What was supposed to be a fresh start for Laurel Plummer turns to tragedy. Left destitute but determined to dictate her own future, Laurel plunges into the lucrative regional industry, much to the dislike of the good ol’ boys, who have ruled supreme. Her success quickly makes her a target for cutthroat competitors, whose only code of law is reprisal.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the discussion guide.
Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks for August
Each month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads, as well as the Target Book Club title and Costco's "Buyer's Pick." We also feature a number of other prominent picks, including Oprah’s Book Club, the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Reese's Book Club, Jenna Bush Hager's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club, the "Good Morning America" Book Club, and Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites.
Below is a preview of August's "Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks." For the complete Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, as well as additional links pertaining to this month's selections, please click here.
Indie Next
#1 Pick: ONCE THERE WERE WOLVES by Charlotte McConaghy
DAMNATION SPRING by Ash Davidson
NIGHTBITCH by Rachel Yoder
SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN by Shelley Parker-Chan
THE MANNINGTREE WITCHES by A.K. Blakemore
LibraryReads
Top Pick: IF THE SHOE FITS: A Meant to Be Novel by Julie Murphy
BATTLE ROYAL by Lucy Parker
DARK ROADS by Chevy Stevens
THE LAST CHANCE LIBRARY by Freya Sampson
MRS. MARCH by Virginia Feito
Target Book Club
THE NIGHT SWIM by Megan Goldin
Costco's "Buyer's Pick"
THE OTHER PASSENGER by Louise Candlish
Barnes & Noble Book Club
THE GUILT TRIP by Sandie Jones
Reese's Book Club
WE WERE NEVER HERE by Andrea Bartz
Jenna Bush Hager's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club
THE TURNOUT by Megan Abbott
"Good Morning America" Book Club
THE HUSBANDS by Chandler Baker
Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites
YOURS CHEERFULLY by AJ Pearce
New August Releases of Interest to Book Groups
Below are a number of books releasing in August for the first time (which we aren't currently featuring on the site or in the newsletter) that we think will be of interest to book groups.
ALL IN: An Autobiography by Billie Jean King, with Johnette Howard and Maryanne Vollers (Autobiography)
ALL IN is an inspiring and intimate self-portrait of the champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice.
BREATHE by Joyce Carol Oates (Fiction)
Part intimately detailed love story, part horror story rooted in real life, BREATHE is an exploration of hauntedness rooted in the domesticity of marital love, as well as our determination both to be faithful to the beloved and to survive the trauma of loss.
COMPLICATIONS by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
Scandal and tragedy erupt against the backdrop of an exclusive Paris hotel in Danielle Steel’s riveting new novel.
THE LAST MONA LISA by Jonathan Santlofer (Thriller)
From award-winning crime writer and celebrated artist Jonathan Santlofer comes an enthralling tale about the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, the forgeries that appeared in its wake, and the present-day underbelly of the art world.
LIGHTNING STRIKE by William Kent Krueger (Historical Mystery)
The author of the instant New York Times bestseller THIS TENDER LAND returns with a powerful prequel to his acclaimed Cork O’Connor series --- a book about fathers and sons, long-simmering conflicts in a small Minnesota town, and the events that echo through youth and shape our lives forever.
NIGHT MUSIC by Jojo Moyes (Fiction)
Now published in the United States for the first time, NIGHT MUSIC is an early novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE GIVER OF STARS.
ONCE THERE WERE WOLVES by Charlotte McConaghy (Fiction)
From the author of the beloved national bestseller MIGRATIONS comes a pulse-pounding new novel set in the wild Scottish Highlands.
THE PERFECT FAMILY by Robyn Harding (Psychological Thriller)
The bestselling author of THE SWAP explores what happens when a seemingly perfect family is pushed to the edge, and beyond, in this twisty, page-turning thriller.
THE READING LIST by Sara Nisha Adams (Fiction)
THE READING LIST is an unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.
A SLOW FIRE BURNING by Paula Hawkins (Mystery/Thriller)
With the same propulsion that captivated millions of readers worldwide in THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN and INTO THE WATER, Paula Hawkins unfurls a gripping, twisting story of deceit, murder and revenge.
SONGBIRDS by Christy Lefteri (Fiction)
From the prize-winning author of THE BEEKEEPER OF ALEPPO comes SONGBIRDS, a stunning novel about the disappearance of a Sri Lankan domestic worker and how the most vulnerable people find their voices.
YOURS CHEERFULLY by AJ Pearce (Historical Fiction)
From the author of the international bestseller DEAR MRS. BIRD comes a new charming and uplifting novel set in London during World War II about a plucky aspiring journalist.
New Spotlight Feature on Bookreporter.com:
"In Case You Missed It…and a Look Ahead"
Our First Featured Titles: CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45
and LAST GIRL GHOSTED by Lisa Unger
Sometimes you hear about a book and just do not have time to read it. Other times, you have missed hearing about a book, and we would like to tell you about it. We do not want you to miss books that we think you will enjoy! In our new feature, "In Case You Missed It...and a Look Ahead", we are sharing a book that you might not have read, and we also are getting the author’s next book on your radar. So then you never will need to say, “I missed it!”
We are kicking off the feature with two books by Lisa Unger: CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45, which released in paperback in July and was a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick when it came out in hardcover last year, and LAST GIRL GHOSTED, which will be in stores on October 5th.
CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 by Lisa Unger (Psychological Thriller)
Now Available in Paperback
Selena Murphy is commuting home on the train when she strikes up a conversation with a beautiful stranger in the next seat. The woman introduces herself as Martha and soon confesses that she has been stuck in an affair with her boss. Selena, in turn, confesses that she suspects her husband is sleeping with the nanny. When the train arrives at Selena’s station, the two women part ways, presumably never to meet again. Then the nanny disappears. As Selena is pulled into the mystery of what happened, and as the fractures in her marriage grow deeper, she begins to wonder who Martha really was. But she is hardly prepared for what she will discover.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Lisa Unger.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
LAST GIRL GHOSTED by Lisa Unger (Psychological Thriller)
On Sale October 5th
She met him through a dating app. An intriguing picture on a screen, a date at a downtown bar. What she thought might be just a quick hookup quickly became much more. She fell for him --- hard. It happens sometimes, a powerful connection with a perfect stranger takes you by surprise. Could it be love? But then, just as things were getting real, he stood her up. Then he disappeared --- profiles deleted, phone disconnected. She was ghosted. Maybe it was her fault. She shared too much, too fast. Soon she learns there were others. Girls who thought they were in love. Girls who later went missing. Chasing a digital trail into his dark past --- and hers --- she finds herself on a dangerous hunt. And she's not sure whether she's the predator --- or the prey.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read more in our
"In Case You Missed It...and a Look Ahead" feature.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
NOT A HAPPY FAMILY by Shari Lapena
and CLARK AND DIVISION by Naomi Hirahara
NOT A HAPPY FAMILY by Shari Lapena (Psychological Thriller)
NOT A HAPPY FAMILY is the latest from perennial Bets On author Shari Lapena. The book opens with a family at Easter dinner. Fred and Sheila Merton and their adult children --- Catherine, Dan and Jenna --- have gathered at the sizable home (yes, it could be called a mansion) where the siblings grew up. The setting is beautifully pulled together; it looks like an idyllic family meal being served by their longtime housekeeper, Irena.
What should be a festive holiday is completely upset by Fred’s pronouncement that he plans to sell the family home, one that Catherine wants desperately to inherit. This is not the only slight from Fred; recently he undermined Dan by selling the business that he was in line to inherit and run. Earlier in the evening, when Dan began to hint about asking for money, he was blown off before the request could be made. And Jenna has been chastised for her bohemian lifestyle. The following night, Fred and Sheila are brutally murdered.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on NOT A HAPPY FAMILY.
CLARK AND DIVISION by Naomi Hirahara (Historical Mystery)
CLARK AND DIVISION by Naomi Hirahara was one of the books that readers who attended July's "Bookaccino Live" event were most looking forward to reading --- and their anticipation is well founded.
It is set in Chicago in the early '40s as a Japanese family is resettled there after spending time in an internment camp in California. The title refers to the two streets at the crossroads in the city where this family lives. The book is told through the eyes of Aki Ito, and readers get a strong sense of place as well as story. Aki and her parents arrive in Chicago to learn that her sister, Rose, died in a subway accident. Was it truly an accident, was she pushed, or was it a suicide? The latter seems unfathomable to Aki. She takes it upon herself to defend her sister’s honor and learn what happened, all while juggling her parents' readjustment issues with life in Chicago, as well as her own.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on CLARK AND DIVISION.
ReadingGroupGuides.com’s 10th Annual
Book Group Speed Dating Event:
Great Books for Book Groups
On May 14th, we hosted our 10th Annual Book Group Speed Dating event for booksellers, librarians and book club leaders. More than 75 books that would make great book group selections for Summer/Fall 2021 were presented by 21 publishers.
You can take a look at the video of the entire presentation here, or watch individual publisher presentations by clicking on the links below.
Bloomsbury • Consortium (And Other Stories, Blair, Deep Vellum, Feminist Press, Haymarket Books, World Editions) • Hachette Book Group • Harlequin Trade Publishing Houghton Mifflin Harcourt • Ingram (Godine, Keylight Books, Spiegel & Grau, Two Dollar Radio) • Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group • Random House Publishing Group
Simon & Schuster • Soho Press • Sourcebooks • William Morrow • W. W. Norton
If you would like to know more about these books, here is a link to a page with the PowerPoint presentation of the featured titles, as well as an Excel spreadsheet that lists the books both by publisher and alphabetically by title. Included in the video is a retrospective of the last 10 years of Speed Dating, where we spotlight 12 books from each year that have been popular with readers over the past decade. A spreadsheet of these titles also can be found here.
Click here to watch our 10th Annual Book Group Speed Dating event.
From left to right: William Kent Krueger, Sandie Jones, Paula Hawkins
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
As so many book and author events are happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.
Friday, August 20th at 1pm ET: Women & Children First: Join Women & Children First for a virtual lunch date with the New York Times bestselling author of WHISPER NETWORK, Chandler Baker, and the one and only Samantha Irby for the release of THE HUSBANDS, which is this month's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.
Sunday, August 22nd at 5pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": For this special bonus episode, the "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Alice Monroe --- will talk to award-winning author and New York Times columnist Leslie Lehr and her husband, screenwriter John Truby.
Monday, August 23rd at 10pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: William Kent Krueger will discuss his latest novel, LIGHTNING STRIKE, a prequel to his acclaimed Cork O’Connor series.
Wednesday, August 25th at 7pm ET: Cuyahoga County Public Library: Jonathan Santlofer will discuss his latest novel, THE LAST MONA LISA, an enthralling tale about the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, the forgeries that appeared in its wake, and the present-day underbelly of the art world.
Wednesday, August 25th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Karin Slaughter, whose latest novel is FALSE WITNESS.
Thursday, August 26th at 7pm ET: Octavia Books: Join Octavia Books with bestselling author Jonathan Santlofer presenting his new novel, THE LAST MONA LISA, in conversation with New Orleans author Tom Piazza.
Saturday, August 28th at 2pm ET: Murder By The Book: Paula Hawkins will be in conversation with Lee Child about her new thriller, A SLOW FIRE BURNING, a gripping, twisting story of deceit, murder and revenge.
Tuesday, August 31st at 12pm ET: Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites: AJ Pearce will join members of the Simon & Schuster team for a Facebook Live Book Club chat about YOURS CHEERFULLY, which is August's pick for S&S's Book Club Favorites.
Wednesday, September 1st at 5:30pm ET: Valley Bookseller: Valley Bookseller's Totally Criminal Cocktail Hour event will feature William Kent Krueger in celebration of his new Cork O'Connor mystery, LIGHTNING STRIKE.
Wednesday, September 1st at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Megan Abbott (THE TURNOUT) and Laura Lippman (DREAM GIRL).
Thursday, September 2nd at 8pm ET: Boswell and Books & Company: Boswell and Books & Company present a joint virtual event with William Kent Krueger, author of LIGHTNING STRIKE.
Thursday, September 9th at 3pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Alice Feeney will discuss ROCK PAPER SCISSORS, the latest exciting domestic thriller from the queen of the killer twist.
Saturday, September 11th at 7pm ET: Politics and Prose Bookstore: Lauren Groff will discuss her new novel, MATRIX, a defiant and timely exploration of the raw power of female creativity in a corrupted world, with Hernan Diaz.
Tuesday, September 14th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Barnes & Noble will host a Facebook Live discussion for their August Book Club selection, THE GUILT TRIP, featuring Sandie Jones in conversation with Clare Mackintosh.
Wednesday, September 15th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between September 14th and October 5th, along with a few from November, that she would like to get on your radar.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here are our latest interviews:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews includes:
-
Ash Davidson (DAMNATION SPRING)
-
Miranda Cowley Heller (THE PAPER PALACE)
-
William Kent Krueger (LIGHTNING STRIKE)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
We currently are featuring the following guides on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
BILLY SUMMERS by Stephen King (Thriller)
From legendary storyteller and #1 bestselling author Stephen King, whose “restless imagination is a power that cannot be contained” (The New York Times Book Review), comes a thrilling new novel about a good guy in a bad job.
BLIND TIGER by Sandra Brown (Historical Thriller)
The year 1920 comes in with a roar in this rousing and suspenseful novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown. Prohibition is the new law of the land, but murder, mayhem, lust and greed are already institutions in the Moonshine Capital of Texas.
THE BONE CODE: A Temperance Brennan Novel by Kathy Reichs (Thriller)
#1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs returns with her 20th gripping novel featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan, whose examinations, 15 years apart, of unidentified bodies ignite a terrifying series of events.
COUNT THE WAYS by Joyce Maynard (Fiction)
A story of holding on and learning to let go, COUNT THE WAYS is an achingly beautiful, poignant and deeply compassionate novel of home, parenthood, love and forgiveness.
DAMNATION SPRING by Ash Davidson (Fiction)
An epic, immersive debut, DAMNATION SPRING is the deeply human story of a Pacific Northwest logging town wrenched in two by a mystery that threatens to derail its way of life.
THE HUSBANDS by Chandler Baker (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
From Chandler Baker, the New York Times bestselling author of WHISPER NETWORK, comes THE HUSBANDS, a novel that asks: To what lengths will a woman go for a little more help from her husband?
INTIMACIES by Katie Kitamura (Fiction)
From Katie Kitamura, the author of A SEPARATION, comes an electrifying story about a woman caught between many truths.
THE MAN WITH THE SILVER SAAB: A Detective Varg Novel by Alexander McCall Smith (Mystery/Humor)
In this hilarious new novel in Alexander McCall Smith's bestselling Detective Varg series, an eminent art historian is framed and the ace investigators of the Department of Sensitive Crimes are on the case.
THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (Historical Fiction)
Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray have penned the remarkable story of J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation.
THE THERAPIST by B. A. Paris (Psychological Thriller)
The multimillion-copy New York Times bestselling author B. A. Paris returns to her heartland of gripping psychological suspense in THE THERAPIST --- a powerful tale of a house that holds a shocking secret.
THE TURNOUT by Megan Abbott (Thriller)
Bestselling and award-winning author Megan Abbott's revelatory and mesmerizing new novel is set against the hothouse of a family-run ballet studio.
WE ARE THE BRENNANS by Tracey Lange (Fiction)
In the vein of Mary Beth Keane’s ASK AGAIN, YES and Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney's THE NEST, Tracey Lange’s WE ARE THE BRENNANS explores the staying power of shame --- and the redemptive power of love --- in an Irish Catholic family torn apart by secrets.
WE WERE NEVER HERE by Andrea Bartz (Psychological Thriller)
A backpacking trip has deadly consequences in this “eerie psychological thriller...with alluring locales, Hitchcockian tension and possibly the best pair of female leads since Thelma and Louise” (BookPage), from the bestselling author of THE LOST NIGHT and THE HERD.
Please note that this title, for which we already had the guide when it appeared in hardcover, is now available in paperback:
HIS ONLY WIFE by Peace Adzo Medie (Fiction)
HIS ONLY WIFE is a witty, smart and moving debut novel about a brave young woman traversing the minefield of modern life with its taboos and injustices, living in a world of men who want their wives to be beautiful, to be good cooks and mothers, to be women who respect their husbands and grant them forbearance.
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