June 29, 2023

June 29, 2023

Embracing Summer Reading

Ahhhh…the 4th of July is just around the corner, bringing with it a wonderful and sorely needed long weekend.

My book group is embracing summer reading; we will be reading Elin Hilderbrand’s THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND. The premise of the “Five-Star Weekend” is that a woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her life: her teenage years, her 20s, her 30s and midlife.

I have been thinking about who I would invite from each of the time frames that she mentions. I do wonder how the people from each of these phases of my life would get along. I feel that as much as I have stayed the same, I have changed a lot as well. Books always have been a part of my life, so I know that I would be tracking down my bookish friends.

Last night, we hosted our first “Bookaccino Live” Summer Reading evening program. I presented 50 books that are either out now or soon to be released this summer that we think you will enjoy reading over the next few months. Included are fiction, historical fiction, thrillers/mysteries, and memoirs/nonfiction. Click here to watch the event and here to see a list of the titles that I talked about. The turnout was amazing, and we were thrilled to see how enthusiastic our attendees were about the books that we shared.

Last Chance to Enter Our Monthly Contest
You have until Wednesday, July 12th at noon ET to enter our current “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest. Three groups will win 12 copies of FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliott Dark, a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that is newly released in paperback.

ORPHAN TRAIN author Christina Baker Kline raves, “FELLOWSHIP POINT is a marvel. Intricately constructed, utterly unique, this novel set on the coast of Maine is filled with insights about writing, about the perils and freedoms of aging, about the great mysteries, as well as the pleasures, of life. The story about the relationships between three women unfolds, as life does, through joys and losses, confrontations and confessions, with twists along the way that change your perception of all that came before. This is a world that is so closely and acutely observed that I felt I lived in it. I was sorry to leave.”

Please keep in mind that Alice Elliott Dark will be our first “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest of the fall. The event will take place on Wednesday, September 27th at 8pm ET; if you’d like to attend, click here to sign up and learn all the details. I enjoyed talking to Alice earlier this year when I interviewed her for a “Bookreporter Talks To” segment, so I look forward to hearing much more from her.

BANYAN MOON, Thao Thai’s much-talked-about debut novel, is July’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. Spanning decades and continents, from 1960s Vietnam to the wild swamplands of the Florida coast, BANYAN MOON is a stunning and deeply moving story of mothers and daughters, the things we inherit, and the lives we choose to make out of that inheritance.

Jenna Bush Hager says, “When Minh, the beloved matriarch of the Tran family, passes away, her granddaughter, Ann, goes back to the family house in Florida. It’s the story of Ann and her estranged mom Huong, and the sweeping love story of Minh in Vietnam.” Adds Thai, “It’s definitely a book where a little bit gets unfolded at a time because it’s got this rotating first person perspective. So I think for people who like hearing a lot of different voices in a novel, this will be a good one.” Click here for the discussion guide. It sounds like there will be plenty to talk about here, especially for mothers and daughters who may be in a book club together.

Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray paired up in 2021 to write the instant New York Times bestseller THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN, which was a “Good Morning America” Book Club pick and a Bets On selection. So I am happy that they are back with a new historical novel, THE FIRST LADIES, which tells the story of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Black civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune, the daughter of formerly enslaved parents.

According to Beatriz Williams, “This rich, compelling portrait of a friendship between two quiet revolutionaries overturns our ideas about class, race, and gender in the 20th century…a magnificently moving story, both intimate and monumental, that ultimately delivers a message of reconciliation and hope.” Be sure to take a look at the guide for topics and ideas that you may want to bring up during your discussion of this eye-opening book.

And speaking of Beatriz Williams, her new historical novel, THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY, is now in stores --- and we have the guide for it here. The book takes place in two different time periods, and here’s what it’s all about.

In June 1946, the residents of Winthrop Island prepare for the first summer season after the war. A glamorous new figure, Olive Rainsford, moves into the guest cottage at Summerly, the idyllic seaside estate of the wealthy Peabody family. While Emilia Winthrop spent the war years caring for her incapacitated mother, Olive traveled the world. As the summer wears on, Emilia develops a deep rapport with Olive. But the Peabody patronage is blown apart by the arrival of Sumner Fox, an FBI agent who demands Emilia’s help to capture a Soviet agent who’s transmitting vital intelligence on the West’s atomic weapon program from somewhere inside the Summerly estate.

Eight years later, Summerly is boarded up, and Emilia has rebuilt her shattered life when shocking news arrives --- the traitor she helped convict is about to be swapped for an American spy imprisoned in the Soviet Union. A reluctant Emilia is summoned to CIA headquarters, where she’s forced to confront the harrowing consequences of her actions that fateful summer.

We also have added guides for these three books:

THE SPARE ROOM: Andrea Bartz follows up the success of WE WERE NEVER HERE, a Reese’s Book Club pick in 2021, with a provocative new novel of domestic suspense. Kelly happily moves into the mansion of her childhood friend, Sabrina, and Sabrina’s high-powered husband, Nathan, hoping for a fresh start. But she soon realizes that she has entered a risqué new world --- and she may not get out of it alive.
YOU WERE ALWAYS MINE: Christine Pride and Jo Piazza, authors of the "Good Morning America" Book Club pick WE ARE NOT LIKE THEM, return in a novel that revolves around provocative and timely questions about race, class and motherhood. Is being a mother a right, an obligation or a privilege? Who gets to be a mother? And to whom? And what are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of marriage, friendship and our dreams?
EVERYTHING’S FINE: Cecilia Rabess’ debut novel introduces readers to Jess, who is less than thrilled to learn on her first day at Goldman Sachs that she’ll be on the same team as Josh, her white, conservative sparring partner from college. But when Jess finds herself the sole Black woman on the floor, it’s Josh who shows up for her in surprising ways.

I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My latest Bets On selections are LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See and THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN by Nancy Horan. Click on each of the titles to see why I’m betting you’ll love these books. LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN was Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites pick for June. Click here to watch Lisa talk about the book with two members of the S&S team.

SUNSHINE NAILS by debut novelist Mai Nguyen is July’s Book Club Favorites pick. On Tuesday, July 25th at 1pm ET, Mai will be on hand to discuss the book, which releases on July 4th. You can RSVP by clicking here.

This is your last ReadingGroupGuides newsletter reminder to sign up for our next “Bookaccino Live” book preview event, which will take place on Wednesday, July 12th at 2pm ET. The focus will be on titles releasing between July 11th and August 1st, in addition to a few from September, that we would like to get on your radar. Click here to register. 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.

Enjoy your 4th of July, whatever you decide to do!

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links that appear on our site for shopping, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound. As you check out the discussion guides and various features on our site, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!

New Guide: BANYAN MOON by Thao Thai
July’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club Pick

BANYAN MOON by Thao Thai (Fiction)
When Ann Tran gets the call that her fiercely beloved grandmother, Minh, has passed away, her life is already at a crossroads. In the years since she’s last seen Minh, Ann has built a seemingly perfect life, but it all crumbles with one positive pregnancy test. Now she returns home to Florida to face her estranged mother, Huơng. Huơng is simultaneously mourning her mother and resenting her for having the relationship with Ann that she never did. Then Ann and Huơng learn that Minh has left them both the Banyan House, the crumbling old manor that was Ann’s childhood home. Under the same roof for the first time in years, mother and daughter must face the simmering questions of their past and their uncertain futures, while trying to rebuild their relationship without the one person who’s always held them together.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to see why the book is July's "Read with Jenna" pick.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide: THE FIRST LADIES
by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

THE FIRST LADIES by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (Historical Fiction)
The daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Mary McLeod Bethune refuses to back down as white supremacists attempt to thwart her work. She marches on as an activist and an educator, and as her reputation grows, she becomes a celebrity. Eleanor Roosevelt is eager to make Mary's acquaintance. Initially drawn together because of their shared belief in women’s rights and the power of education, Mary and Eleanor become fast friends. When Franklin Delano Roosevelt is elected president, the two women begin to collaborate more closely. Eleanor becomes a controversial First Lady for her outspokenness, particularly on civil rights. And when she receives threats because of her strong ties to Mary, it only fuels the women’s desire to fight together for justice and equality.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide: THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY
by Beatriz Williams

THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY by Beatriz Williams (Historical Fiction)
Beatriz Williams’ novels inhabit a category all their own: nuanced yet propulsive, innovative yet addictive, packed with human truth and told in an incomparable narrative voice that evokes a stunning sense of period while still feeling new and immediate. Now the beloved author returns with another remarkable summer novel. In these gorgeous sun-washed pages, Williams sets THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY in the exclusive New England summer enclave readers first discovered in THE SUMMER WIVES and fills it with new love, old rivalries and the Cold War intrigue of the 1960s.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here for the discussion guide.

"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Enter to Win 12 Paperback Copies of
FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliott Dark for Your Group

Each month in our "What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" feature, 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.

Our latest prize book is FELLOWSHIP POINT, a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that is now available in paperback. Set across the arc of the 20th century, Alice Elliott Dark's novel is the masterful story of a lifelong friendship between two very different women with shared histories, divisive loyalties, hidden sorrows and 80 years of summers on a pristine point of land on the coast of Maine. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, July 12th at noon ET.

FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliott Dark (Fiction)
Celebrated children’s book author Agnes Lee is determined to secure her legacy --- to complete what she knows will be the final volume of her pseudonymously written Franklin Square novels and permanently protect the peninsula of majestic coast in Maine known as Fellowship Point. To donate the land to a trust, Agnes must convince shareholders to dissolve a generations-old partnership. And one of those shareholders is her best friend, Polly Wister, who exalts in creating beauty and harmony in her home, in her friendships and in her family. Polly soon finds her loyalties torn between the wishes of her best friend and the wishes of her three sons. But what is it that Polly wants herself?

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Alice Elliott Dark.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
- Click here to visit Alice Elliott Dark's website.
- Click here to sign up for our "Bookaccino Live" Book Group event with Alice Elliott Dark on Wednesday, September 27th at 8pm ET.

Click here to enter the contest.

New Guide: THE SPARE ROOM by Andrea Bartz

THE SPARE ROOM by Andrea Bartz (Domestic Thriller)
Kelly’s new life in Philadelphia has turned into a nightmare. The only bright spot is her newly rekindled friendship with her childhood friend, Sabrina --- now a glamorous bestselling author with a handsome, high-powered husband. When Sabrina and Nathan offer Kelly an escape hatch, volunteering the spare room of their remote Virginia mansion, she jumps at the chance to run away from her old life. There, Kelly secretly finds herself falling for both her enchanting hosts --- until one night, a wild and unexpected threesome leads the couple to open their marriage for her. At first, Kelly loves being part of this risqué new world. But when she discovers that the last woman they invited into their marriage is missing, she starts to wonder if they could be dangerous…and if she might be next.

- 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: YOU WERE ALWAYS MINE
by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza

YOU WERE ALWAYS MINE by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza (Fiction)
Cinnamon Haynes has fought hard for a life she never thought was possible. Her life’s mantra is to be good, quiet and grateful. Until something shifts, and Cinnamon is suddenly haunted by a terrifying question: “Is this all there is?” Daisy Dunlap has had her own share of problems in her 19 years on earth. Her hopes for her future are threatened when she gets unexpectedly pregnant. She hides this development from everyone close to her and then makes a drastic decision with devastating consequences. When Cinnamon finds an abandoned baby in a park and takes the newborn into her home, the ripple effects of this decision risk exposing the truth about Cinnamon’s own past, which she has gone to great pains to portray as idyllic to everyone…even herself.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide: EVERYTHING’S FINE by Cecilia Rabess

EVERYTHING'S FINE by Cecilia Rabess (Fiction)
On Jess’ first day at Goldman Sachs, she’s less than thrilled to learn she’ll be on the same team as Josh, her white, conservative sparring partner from college. But when Jess finds herself the sole Black woman on the floor, overlooked and underestimated, it’s Josh who shows up for her in surprising --- if imperfect --- ways. Before long, an unlikely friendship forms between the two that gradually turns into an electrifying romance. Despite their differences, the force of their attraction propels the relationship forward, and Jess begins to question if it’s more important to be happy than right. But then it’s 2016, and the cultural and political landscape shifts underneath them. And Jess is forced to ask herself what she’s willing to compromise for love and if, in fact, everything’s fine.

- 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 June Releases of Interest to Book Groups

Here are a number of books that released in June 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.

THE BRIGHTEST STAR by Gail Tsukiyama (Historical Fiction)
The beloved bestselling author of THE COLOR OF AIR, WOMEN OF THE SILK and THE SAMURAI'S GARDEN returns with this magnificent historical novel based on the life of the luminous, groundbreaking actress Anna May Wong --- the first and only Asian American woman to gain movie stardom in the early days of Hollywood.

FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN by Viola Shipman (Fiction)
Bursting with memorable characters and small-town lore, this enchanting new novel from the bestselling author of THE CLOVER GIRLS is a magical story about the family you’re born with, and the one you choose.

THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND by Elin Hilderbrand (Fiction)
After tragedy strikes, food blogger Hollis Shaw gathers four friends from different stages in her life to spend an unforgettable weekend on Nantucket.

THE GIRLS OF SUMMER by Katie Bishop (Psychological Thriller)
This dual timeline psychological novel for readers of MY DARK VANESSA is about the complicated nature of memory and trauma, power and consent, pitched against the backdrop of a life-changing summer in the Greek isles.

THE HAPPINESS PLAN by Susan Mallery (Fiction)
Three women search for joy in #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery’s new novel of hope, heartache and the power of friendship.

HOTEL LAGUNA by Nicola Harrison (Historical Fiction)
HOTEL LAGUNA follows trailblazer Hazel Francis, from the female-staffed factories of World War II to the sun-splashed beaches of southern California, on a daring journey to demand more for herself.

THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN by Nancy Horan (Historical Fiction)
Nancy Horan, author of the million-copy New York Times bestseller LOVING FRANK, returns with THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN, which tells the story of Abraham Lincoln's ascendance from rumpled lawyer to U.S. president to Great Emancipator and presents Lincoln's Midwestern home as a complex third home front of the Civil War.

LITTLE MONSTERS by Adrienne Brodeur (Fiction)
From the author of the bestselling memoir WILD GAME comes a riveting novel about Cape Cod, complicated families and long-buried secrets --- for fans of the New York Times bestsellers THE PAPER PALACE and ASK AGAIN, YES.

THE LONG WAY BACK by Nicole Baart (Domestic Thriller)
When an Instagram-famous teenager mysteriously disappears, her mother grapples with the revelation of dark secrets in this twisty, atmospheric thriller.

MY MAGNOLIA SUMMER by Victoria Benton Frank (Fiction)
Escape to the South Carolina Lowcountry, where family bonds and hidden secrets run deep. In this gripping tale of self-discovery, Victoria Benton Frank introduces us to Maggie, who is struggling to find her place in the world when she receives a phone call bringing her back to her hometown of Sullivan's Island.

SAVE WHAT'S LEFT by Elizabeth Castellano (Fiction/Humor)
This outrageously funny debut novel is about a woman who moves to a small beach town looking for peace, only to find herself in an all-out war with her neighbors.

SUCH KINDNESS by Andre Dubus III (Fiction)
To one man’s painful moral journey, Andre Dubus III brings compassion with an edge of dark absurdity, forging a novel as absorbing as it is profound.

WATCH US SHINE by Marisa de los Santos (Fiction)
Marisa de los Santos returns to the world of her beloved, bestselling novels LOVE WALKED IN and BELONG TO ME in an enthralling tale of sisterhood, sacrifice and the enduring power of love.

WELCOME TO BEACH TOWN by Susan Wiggs (Fiction)
Beloved New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs returns with a compulsively readable tale of an idyllic California beach town forced to reckon with scandal when a high school valedictorian’s speech reveals secrets that shake the town to its core.

THE WIFE APP by Carolyn Mackler (Fiction/Humor)
Three best friends decide they’re finally done with their ex-husbands taking their work as wives and moms for granted. They’re ready to monetize the mental load, stick it to their exes and have a wild ride in the process.

THE WIND KNOWS MY NAME by Isabel Allende (Historical Fiction)
This powerful and moving novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA and VIOLETA weaves together past and present, tracing the ripple effects of war and immigration on one child in Europe in 1938 and another in the United States in 2019.

ZERO DAYS by Ruth Ware (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Ruth Ware returns with this adrenaline-fueled thriller that combines Mr. and Mrs. Smith with The Fugitive about a woman in a race against time to clear her name and find her husband’s murderer.

ReadingGroupGuides.com’s 12th Annual Book Group
Speed Dating Event: Great Books for Book Groups

On May 12th, ReadingGroupGuides.com hosted its 12th Annual Book Group Speed Dating event for booksellers, librarians, book club leaders and bloggers. Ten small, medium and large-sized publishers shared their May through November 2023 recommendations for book groups --- more than 55 books perfect for discussing!

You can watch the entire presentation here. The video is timestamped, so if you want to jump ahead to a specific publisher, be sure to use the links below.

Hachette Book Group • Harlequin Trade Publishing • Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group • Random House Publishing Group • Simon & Schuster • Soho Press • Sourcebooks •
William Morrow • W. W. Norton • Zibby Books

If you would like to know more about these titles, here is a link to a page with a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation, as well as an Excel spreadsheet that lists the books both by publisher and alphabetically by title, along with a sheet to take notes.

Click here to watch our 12th Annual Book Group Speed Dating event.

Bookreporter.com Bets On:
LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See
and THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN by Nancy Horan

LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See (Historical Fiction)
I still remember where I was in 2005 when I read SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN. Having read all of Lisa See’s historical novels, as well as her memoir, ON GOLD MOUNTAIN, I am happy to report that LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN is her best book to date. The story is completely absorbing from page one. Honestly, if you told me that I would have interest in a woman who was practicing medicine in the 15th century, I would doubt you. But Lisa vividly weaves a story of the esteemed families of the time --- and those who surround them --- sharing details that had me feeling like I was inside the gates of these palatial homes.

- 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 watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Lisa See.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
- Click here to visit Lisa See's website.

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on
LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN.

THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN by Nancy Horan (Historical Fiction)
THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN is Nancy Horan’s first book since 2014. Having grown up in Springfield, Illinois, Nancy was quite familiar with Abraham Lincoln’s influence on the country, especially on that part of the state. The more she read and explored, the more she wanted to bring to life not just the man, but also the time in which he lived --- a time that was fraught with racial divide.

- 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 Nancy Horan.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN.

Bookreporter.com's 19th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature

Summer is here! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through mid-August, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.

This year’s featured titles are:

BANYAN MOON by Thao Thai
THE BLOCK PARTY by Jamie Day
CUTTING TEETH by Chandler Baker
FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN by Viola Shipman
THE FAVOR by Adele Griffin
THE GIRLS OF SUMMER by Katie Bishop
HER, TOO by Bonnie Kistler
HOMECOMING by Kate Morton
THE HOMEWRECKERS by Mary Kay Andrews
THE HOUSE ON PRYTANIA: A Royal Street Novel by Karen White
LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See
THE LIE MAKER by Linwood Barclay
MUSTIQUE ISLAND by Sarah McCoy
PIECES OF BLUE by Holly Goldberg Sloan
PROM MOM by Laura Lippman
THE QUANTUM SOLUTION: An Evan Ryder Novel by Eric Van Lustbader
WHAT REMAINS by Wendy Walker
WINDFALL by Wendy Corsi Staub

Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.

From left to right: Lisa See, Bonnie Kistler, Kristy Woodson Harvey

Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events

Here are seven upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.

Wednesday, July 5th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey and Patti Callahan Henry --- will talk to Marie Bostwick and Terah Shelton Harris about their new books: Marie's ESME CAHILL SPECTACULARLY FAILS and Terah's debut, ONE SUMMER IN SAVANNAH.

Tuesday, July 11th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Luis Alberto Urrea for a live book club event to discuss GOOD NIGHT, IRENE, June's B&N Book Club pick. He will be in conversation with Shannon DeVito, the Sr. Director of Book Strategy and Customer Experience at B&N, and Miwa Messer, the Executive Producer of B&N's “Poured Over” podcast.

Tuesday, July 11th at 9:30pm ET: San Mateo County Libraries: Join San Mateo County Libraries to virtually meet New York Times bestselling author Lisa See as she discusses her new historical novel, LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN, a triumphant reimagining of one woman physician's real life in 15th-century China.

Wednesday, July 12th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between July 11th and August 1st, along with a few from September, that she would like to get on your radar.

Wednesday, July 12th at 7pm ET: Burlington Public Library: Join Lisa See as she talks about her latest book, LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN, a triumphant reimagining of the life of a woman who was remarkable in the Ming dynasty and would be considered remarkable today.

Wednesday, July 12th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will celebrate the launch of Kristy Woodson Harvey's latest novel, THE SUMMER OF SONGBIRDS, in which four women come together to save the summer camp that changed their lives and rediscover themselves in the process.

Wednesday, July 12th at 7pm ET: Mystery Lovers Bookshop: Mystery Lovers Bookshop is excited to welcome author Bonnie Kistler to celebrate the launch of her latest thriller, HER, TOO. Bonnie will be joined in conversation with Wendy Walker, whose newly released novel is WHAT REMAINS.

"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:

Nancy Horan (THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN) Video | Podcast
Lisa See (LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN) Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed include:

Linwood Barclay (THE LIE MAKER) Video | Podcast
Rachel Beanland (THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE) Video | Podcast
Alice Elliott Dark (FELLOWSHIP POINT) Video | Podcast
J.T. Ellison (IT'S ONE OF US) Video | Podcast
Allegra Goodman (SAM) Video | Podcast
Jane Harper (EXILES) Video | Podcast
Sadeqa Johnson (THE HOUSE OF EVE) Video | Podcast
William Kent Krueger (THE LEVEE) Video | Podcast
William Landay (ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME) Video | Podcast
Kate Morton (HOMECOMING) Video | Podcast
Susan Patterson and Susan DiLallo (THINGS I WISH I TOLD MY MOTHER)
Video | Podcast
Shelley Read (GO AS A RIVER) Video | Podcast
Deborah Goodrich Royce (REEF ROAD) Video | Podcast
Hank Phillippi Ryan (THE HOUSE GUEST) Video | Podcast
Lisa Scottoline (LOYALTY) Video | Podcast

Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.

Our Latest Guides

We currently are featuring the following guides on ReadingGroupGuides.com:

BANYAN MOON by Thao Thai (Fiction)
This sweeping, evocative debut novel follows three generations of Vietnamese American women reeling from the death of their matriarch, revealing the family’s inherited burdens, buried secrets and unlikely love stories.

THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY by Beatriz Williams (Historical Fiction)
This ravishing summer read from New York Times bestselling author Beatriz Williams sweeps readers back to a mid-century New England rich with secrets and Cold War intrigue.

CASSANDRA IN REVERSE by Holly Smale (Fiction)
This morning, Cassie's boyfriend dumped her. By lunchtime, she has been fired from her PR job for not being a "People Person." Then her local café runs out of her favorite muffins. But now, something unexpected has happened: Cassie discovers that she has the ability to travel back in time and change the past.

THE CELEBRANTS by Steven Rowley (Fiction)
The bestselling and beloved author of THE GUNCLE has written A Big Chill for our times, celebrating decades-long friendships and promises --- especially to ourselves.

CROW MARY by Kathleen Grissom (Historical Fiction)
The New York Times bestselling author of the book club classics THE KITCHEN HOUSE and GLORY OVER EVERYTHING returns with a sweeping saga inspired by the true story of Crow Mary --- an indigenous woman torn between two worlds in 19th-century North America.

EVERYTHING'S FINE by Cecilia Rabess (Fiction)
A stunning debut that introduces Cecilia Rabess as a blazing new talent, EVERYTHING'S FINE is a poignant and sharp novel about two very different young people falling in love and falling apart in a deeply divided America.

FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliott Dark (Fiction)
FELLOWSHIP POINT is the masterful story of a lifelong friendship between two very different women with shared histories and buried secrets, tested in the twilight of their lives, set across the arc of the 20th century.

THE FIRST LADIES by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (Historical Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling authors of the "Good Morning America" Book Club pick THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN comes a novel about the extraordinary partnership between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune --- an unlikely friendship that changed the world.

LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See (Historical Fiction)
Perfect for fans of SNOWFLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN and THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN, this latest historical novel from New York Times bestselling author Lisa See is inspired by the true story of a female physician from 15th-century China.

THE PARIS DAUGHTER by Kristin Harmel (Historical Fiction)
From the bestselling author of THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES comes a gripping historical novel about two mothers who must make unthinkable choices in the face of the Nazi occupation.

THE SPARE ROOM by Andrea Bartz (Domestic Thriller)
Staying with a friend and her husband is sexier --- and deadlier --- than anyone could imagine in this provocative domestic suspense from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese’s Book Club pick WE WERE NEVER HERE.

THE SPECTACULAR by Fiona Davis (Historical Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of THE MAGNOLIA PALACE comes a thrilling story about love, sacrifice and the pursuit of dreams, set amidst the glamour and glitz of Radio City Music Hall in its mid-century heyday.

THE WHISPERS by Ashley Audrain (Domestic Thriller)
From the author of THE PUSH comes a page-turner about four suburban families whose lives are changed when the unthinkable happens --- and what is lost when good people make unconscionable choices.

YOU WERE ALWAYS MINE by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza (Fiction)
The acclaimed authors of the "Good Morning America" Book Club pick WE ARE NOT LIKE THEM return with this moving and provocative novel about a Black woman who finds an abandoned white baby, sending her on a collision course with her past, her family and a birth mother who doesn’t want to be found.

Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:

ACTS OF VIOLET by Margarita Montimore (Fiction)
From Margarita Montimore, the author of the "Good Morning America" Book Club pick and national bestseller OONA OUT OF ORDER, ACTS OF VIOLET is a dazzling and twisty novel about a famous magician who disappears, leaving her sister to figure out what really happened.

BITTERSWEET: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole by Susan Cain (Psychology/Personal Growth)
The author of the bestselling phenomenon QUIET explores the power of the bittersweet personality, revealing a misunderstood side of mental health and creativity while offering a roadmap to facing heartbreak in order to live life to the fullest.

LESS IS LOST by Andrew Sean Greer (Fiction/Humor)
In this follow-up to the “bedazzling, bewitching, and be-wonderful” (New York Times) bestselling and Pulitzer Prize-winning LESS, the awkward and lovable Arthur Less returns in an unforgettable road trip across America.

MERCURY PICTURES PRESENTS by Anthony Marra (Historical Fiction)
From the award-winning author of A CONSTELLATION OF VITAL PHENOMENA comes the epic story of a brilliant woman who must reinvent herself to survive in 1940s Hollywood and fascist Europe, a timeless tale of love, deceit and sacrifice.

MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW by Katie Gutierrez (Literary Thriller/Mystery)
MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW is an evocative drama about a woman caught leading a double life after one husband murders the other, and the true-crime writer who becomes obsessed with telling her story.

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June 29, 2023

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