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As the summer winds down next week, I am planning to take time away from my computer to sit outside and relax with a stack of books. My book group is meeting here on Wednesday night, and we are discussing ONE ITALIAN SUMMER by Rebecca Serle. As it takes place in Italy, it was selected for some armchair travel. I read it a while back, and I feel like I need to do a refresher.
Now every time I have hosted book group during a summer month when we would like to hit the pool, it has rained. Fingers crossed; maybe this time it will be a charm. I usually bake Ghirardelli brownies for book group. Do I need to think about cannoli instead?
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Shari Lapena, whose new book, EVERYONE HERE IS LYING, is a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. I have christened Shari “the Queen of the One-Sit Read,” as every time I start reading one of her books, I do not stop until I finish it. And I’m not alone; we are hearing this from many other readers.
Shari talks about how the book opens and sets the story up, and from there how the neighbors all become part of the plot. The ending will make you stop and say, “That is so perfect.” Shari discusses her writing process, her drafts and early passes on her books, and how she works with her agent and editor. She also shares what she is hearing from readers about the audiobook, which is narrated by January LaVoy…and, yes, some hints about the next book, which will be her eighth. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
Alice Hoffman, the beloved New York Times bestselling author of THE MARRIAGE OF OPPOSITES and the Practical Magic series, is back with her latest book, THE INVISIBLE HOUR. Our protagonist, Mia Jacob, is on a journey to other worlds through the enduring magic of books, specifically THE SCARLET LETTER, which seems to tell the story of Mia’s mother, Ivy, and their life inside an oppressive cult. Click here for the discussion guide and here for our review on Bookreporter.
CALIFORNIA GOLDEN is the latest novel from Melanie Benjamin, whose previous historical works include THE CHILDREN’S BLIZZARD, MISTRESS OF THE RITZ, THE GIRLS IN THE PICTURE, THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE and THE AVIATOR’S WIFE. Here, two sisters navigate the turbulent, euphoric early days of California surf culture in a dazzling saga of ambition, sacrifice and longing for a family they never had.
According to bestselling author Beatriz Williams, “Benjamin vividly evokes the squalor and splendor of California surfing culture in this richly textured novel that explores sisterhood, motherhood, ambition and friendship, with characters who rise alive from the page. It’s rare to find such raw, honest sympathy for human beings and their capacity for mistakes and redemption. CALIFORNIA GOLDEN is a breath of bracing salt air.” Click here for the guide and here for our Bookreporter review. We will feature my interview with Melanie in the next newsletter.
Tracey Lange follows up her debut, WE ARE THE BRENNANS, with THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN, which is a Bets On selection. Testing the bounds of love and loyalty, this second novel explores the possibility of beginning our lives anew and reveals the pitfalls of shielding each other from the bitter truth. As you may recall from the last newsletter, I had a very insightful conversation with Tracey about the book and its various themes. If you missed it, you can watch it here or listen to the podcast here.
Our Bookreporter reviewer Rebecca Munro has this to say: “Lange kicks up the dysfunction and amplifies the heart, crafting a story of love and loyalty that solidifies her presence in the world of contemporary literature.... Compassionate and insightful, moving and raw, THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN is proof that Tracey Lange is here to stay and keeps getting better with every book. This emotionally charged novel is perfect for readers of Mary Beth Keane, Emma Straub and Ethan Joella.” You can read the full review here and access the guide here.
We also have added guides for these two books:
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WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP: A small town's dark secrets turn deadly in Joshua Moehling’s second novel, following the release of AND THERE HE KEPT HER. It marks the return of Deputy Ben Packard, and William Kent Krueger has much praise for the book: “With WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP, Joshua Moehling solidifies his place as one of the best new voices in the mystery genre. Moehling nails the spirit of small-town life in Minnesota’s unique North Country. His understanding of the darkness that can haunt the human spirit twists his story in wonderfully unpredictable ways.”
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PULLING THE CHARIOT OF THE SUN: Acclaimed and award-winning poet Shane McCrae was three years old when he was kidnapped by his maternal grandparents. Shane’s mother was white and his father was Black, and to hide his Blackness from him, his white supremacist grandparents stole him from his father, forever changing the trajectory of his life. This memoir is a revelatory account of a singularly American childhood that hauntingly echoes the larger story of race in our country.
Last Chance to Enter Our Monthly Contest
You have until Wednesday, September 13th at noon ET to enter our current “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest by letting us know what your group is reading (or what you read last month). Three groups will win 12 copies of EVERGREEN, the follow-up to Naomi Hirahara’s award-winning novel, CLARK AND DIVISION, and a Bets On title. If you missed my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Naomi, be sure to watch it here or listen to the podcast here.
We are excited to host our first “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event of the fall on Wednesday, September 27th at 8pm ET. Alice Elliott Dark will be our guest, and I will be talking to her about her novel, FELLOWSHIP POINT, a Bets On selection that recently released in paperback. Attendees also will have the opportunity to ask Alice a question on camera or in the Q&A section of Zoom. Click here for all the details and to sign up for the event. We so look forward to having you join us!
This is your last ReadingGroupGuides newsletter reminder to sign up for our next “Bookaccino Live” book preview event, which will take place on Wednesday, September 13th at 2pm ET. The focus will be on titles releasing between September 12th and October 3rd, in addition to a few from November, that we would like to tell you about. 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.
Have a great late August/early September book group meeting!
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: THE INVISIBLE HOUR by Alice Hoffman
Simon & Schuster’s
Book Club Favorites Pick for September
THE INVISIBLE HOUR by Alice Hoffman (Historical Fiction)
One brilliant June day when Mia Jacob can no longer see a way to survive, the power of words saves her. THE SCARLET LETTER was written almost 200 years earlier, but it seems to tell the story of Mia’s mother, Ivy, and their life inside the Community --- an oppressive cult in western Massachusetts where contact with the outside world is forbidden, and books are considered evil. But how could this be? How could Nathaniel Hawthorne have so perfectly captured the pain and loss that Mia carries inside her? Through a journey of heartbreak, love and time, Mia must abandon the rules she was raised with at the Community. As she does, she realizes that reading can transport you to other worlds or bring them to you, and that readers and writers affect one another in mysterious ways.
» THE INVISIBLE HOUR is September's pick for Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites. On Friday, September 29th at 1pm ET, members of the S&S team will talk to Alice Hoffman about the book. Click here to sign up.
- 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: CALIFORNIA GOLDEN by Melanie Benjamin
CALIFORNIA GOLDEN by Melanie Benjamin (Historical Fiction)
Southern California, 1960s. Carol Donnelly is a legendary female surfer struggling to compete in a male-dominated sport --- and her daughters, Mindy and Ginger, bear the weight of her unconventional lifestyle. The Donnelly sisters grow up enduring their mother’s absence, both physically and emotionally. To escape questions about Carol’s whereabouts --- and to chase her elusive affection --- they cut school to spend their days in the surf. From her first time on a board, Mindy is a natural, but Ginger, two years younger, feels out of place in the water. As they grow up and their lives diverge, Mindy and Ginger’s relationship ebbs and flows. But through it all, their sense of duty to each other survives, as they are forever connected by the emotional damage they carry from their unorthodox childhood.
- 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.
Don't miss Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview
with Melanie Benjamin in the next newsletter.
New Guide:
THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN by Tracey Lange
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN by Tracey Lange (Fiction)
When Tara Connelly is released from prison after serving 18 months on a drug charge, she returns home to live with her siblings. Her brother, a single dad, struggles with the ongoing effects of a brain injury he sustained years ago, and her sister’s fragile facade of calm and order is cracking under the burden of big secrets. Life becomes even more complicated when the cop who put her in prison keeps showing up unannounced, leaving Tara to wonder what he wants from her now. While she works to build a new career and hold her family together, Tara finds a chance at love in a most unlikely place. But when the Connellys’ secrets start to unravel and threaten her future, they all must face their worst fears and come clean, or risk losing each other forever.
- 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 Tracey Lange.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here for the discussion guide.
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Enter to Win 12 Copies of EVERGREEN
by Naomi Hirahara, a Bookreporter.com Bets On Title,
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.
EVERGREEN: A Japantown Mystery by Naomi Hirahara (Historical Mystery)
It’s been two years since Aki Ito and her family were released from Manzanar detention center and resettled in Chicago with other Japanese Americans. Now the Itos have finally been allowed to return home to California --- but nothing is as they left it. Aki is working as a nurse’s aide at the Japanese Hospital in Boyle Heights when an elderly Issei man is admitted with suspicious injuries. When she seeks out his son, she is shocked to recognize her husband’s best friend, Babe Watanabe. Could Babe be guilty of elder abuse? Only a few days later, Little Tokyo is rocked by a murder at the low-income hotel where the Watanabes stay. What secrets have the Watanabes been hiding, and can Aki protect her husband from getting tangled up in a murder investigation?
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Naomi Hirahara.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
- Click here to visit Naomi Hirahara's website.
- Connect with Naomi Hirahara on Facebook and TikTok.
New Guide: WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP
by Joshua Moehling
WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP by Joshua Moehling (Mystery/Thriller)
When an early morning call brings Deputy Ben Packard to the scene of a home invasion, he finds Bill Sandersen shot in his bed. Bill was a well-liked local who chased easy money his whole life, leaving bad debts and broken hearts in his wake. As the investigation begins, tragedy strikes the Sheriff's department, forcing Packard to make a difficult choice about his future: step down as acting Sheriff and pursue a quiet life, or subject himself to the scrutiny of an election for the full-time role of Sheriff, a job he's not sure he wants. There's a hidden history to Sandy Lake that Packard can't see. Bad blood and old secrets run deep. But an attempt on Packard's life means he's getting uncomfortably close to the dangerous legacy of the quiet Minnesota town. And someone will do anything to keep it hidden.
- 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: PULLING THE CHARIOT OF THE SUN
by Shane McCrae
PULLING THE CHARIOT OF THE SUN: A Memoir of a Kidnapping by Shane McCrae (Memoir)
When Shane McCrae was three years old, his grandparents kidnapped him and took him to suburban Texas. His mom was white and his dad was Black, and to hide his Blackness from him, his maternal grandparents stole him from his father. In the years that followed, they manipulated and controlled him, refusing to acknowledge his heritage. For their own safety and to ensure the kidnapping remained a success, Shane’s grandparents had to make sure that he never knew the full story, so he was raised to participate in his own disappearance. But despite elaborate fabrications and unreliable memories, Shane begins to reconstruct his own story and forge his own identity. Gradually, the truth unveils itself, and with the truth comes a path to reuniting with his father and finding his own place in the world.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New August Releases of Interest to Book Groups
Here are a number of books that released 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.
THE BREAKAWAY by Jennifer Weiner (Fiction)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner comes a warmhearted and empowering new novel about love, family, friendship, secrets and a life-changing journey.
CANARY GIRLS by Jennifer Chiaverini (Historical Fiction)
Rosie the Riveter meets A League of Their Own in New York Times bestselling novelist Jennifer Chiaverini’s lively and illuminating novel about the “munitionettes” who built bombs in Britain’s arsenals during World War I, risking their lives for the war effort and discovering camaraderie and courage on the soccer pitch.
THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BIG BAD WOLF: A Detective Varg Novel by Alexander McCall Smith (Mystery/Humor)
In this hilarious new novel in Alexander McCall Smith's Detective Varg series, Ulf Varg will need to resolve both a sensitive crime and his own delicate dilemma in the hopes of preserving the peace.
GOOD BAD GIRL by Alice Feeney (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Alice Feeney, our Queen of Twists and the bestselling author of DAISY DARKER and ROCK PAPER SCISSORS, returns with another thrilling mystery filled with drama and her trademark surprises.
HAPPINESS by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel comes an uplifting novel about an author who --- to her surprise --- inherits a grand estate near London.
HAPPINESS FALLS by Angie Kim (Mystery/Thriller)
When a father goes missing, his family’s desperate search leads them to question everything they know about him and one another.
LAS MADRES by Esmeralda Santiago (Fiction)
From the award-winning, bestselling author of WHEN I WAS PUERTO RICAN comes a powerful novel of family, race, faith, sex and disaster that moves between Puerto Rico and the Bronx, revealing the lives and loves of five women and the secret that binds them together.
LEARNED BY HEART by Emma Donoghue (Historical Romance)
This heartbreakingly gorgeous novel is based on the true story of two girls who fall secretly, deeply and dangerously in love at boarding school in 19th-century York.
MRS. PORTER CALLING by AJ Pearce (Historical Fiction)
From the author of the bestselling DEAR MRS. BIRD comes a charming and irresistible novel featuring journalist Emmy Lake as she fights for her readers, her friends and her found family in London during World War II.
THE PRESIDENT'S WIFE by Tracey Enerson Wood (Historical Fiction)
From the USA Today bestselling author of THE ENGINEER'S WIFE comes an incredible historical novel about the First Lady who clandestinely assumed the presidency.
SHARK HEART: A Love Story by Emily Habeck (Fiction/Magical Realism)
A gorgeous debut novel of marriage, motherhood, metamorphosis and letting go, this intergenerational love story begins with newlyweds Wren and her husband, Lewis --- a man who, over the course of nine months, transforms into a great white shark.
TERRACE STORY by Hilary Leichter (Fiction)
From the author of the acclaimed novel TEMPORARY comes an intimate exploration of time, a fable about love, and an epic daydream for a broken-hearted world.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
EVERYONE HERE IS LYING by Shari Lapena
and GONE TONIGHT by Sarah Pekkanen
EVERYONE HERE IS LYING by Shari Lapena (Domestic Thriller)
Longtime readers know that I call Shari Lapena “The Queen of the One-Sit Read.” Why? Because once I start reading one of her books, I do not stop. The action peaks at the end of each chapter, and you think, Ah, I can read one more. And you keep going like that. EVERYONE HERE IS LYING lives up to its title. These characters are filled with secrets.
- 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 Shari Lapena.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on EVERYONE HERE IS LYING.
GONE TONIGHT by Sarah Pekkanen (Domestic Thriller)
Sarah Pekkanen’s GONE TONIGHT is written in two voices. Ruth Sterling is 41 and is a fierce protector of her 24-year-old daughter, Catherine. Ruth left home when she became pregnant at 17, and it’s been just the two of them for years. When the book opens, Catherine is looking forward to relocating to Baltimore for a new job. Ruth does not want her to make this move, as it will bring her too close to something from Ruth’s past that she needs to keep left behind. As the novel unfolds, readers are given more looks into that past and why Ruth is so protective.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on GONE TONIGHT.
From left to right: Ann Patchett, Kim Coleman Foote, Angie Kim
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are eight upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Tuesday, August 29th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Angie Kim will talk to special guest host Chris Bohjalian about her latest novel, HAPPINESS FALLS, a riveting page-turner and a deeply moving portrait of a family in crisis.
Wednesday, August 30th 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 Tracey Lange and Aimie K. Runyan about their latest novels: Tracey's THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN and Aimie's A BAKERY IN PARIS.
Thursday, August 31st at 8pm ET: Women & Children First: Join Women & Children First for a virtual event celebrating the release of Hilary Leichter's new novel, TERRACE STORY. Hilary will be in conversation with the author of THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD MOTHERS, Jessamine Chan.
Wednesday, September 6th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Elizabeth Acevedo about her first novel for adults, FAMILY LORE, which is August's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.
Sunday, September 10th at 12pm ET: SJP Lit Salon: Kim Coleman Foote will be in conversation with Sarah Jessica Parker about her debut novel, COLEMAN HILL, the exhilarating story of two American families whose fates become intertwined in the wake of the Great Migration.
Tuesday, September 12th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Ann Patchett for a live book club event to discuss TOM LAKE, August's B&N Book Club pick. She will be in conversation with Shannon DeVito, the Sr. Director of Book Strategy and Customer Experience at B&N, and Miwa Messer, the host and Executive Producer of B&N's “Poured Over” podcast.
Wednesday, September 13th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between September 12th and October 3rd, along with a few from November, that she would like to get on your radar.
Wednesday, September 13th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Denene Millner and Jessica Ward about their latest novels: Denene's ONE BLOOD and Jessica's THE ST. AMBROSE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS.
"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 is our latest interview:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Melanie Benjamin (CALIFORNIA GOLDEN)
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William Kent Krueger (THE RIVER WE REMEMBER)
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Sarah Pekkanen (GONE TONIGHT)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
We currently are featuring the following guides on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
CALIFORNIA GOLDEN by Melanie Benjamin (Historical Fiction)
Two sisters navigate the thrilling, euphoric early days of California surf culture in this dazzling saga of ambition, sacrifice, and the tangled ties between mothers and daughters from the New York Times bestselling author of THE AVIATOR'S WIFE.
THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN by Tracey Lange (Fiction)
From Tracey Lange, the New York Times bestselling author of WE ARE THE BRENNANS, comes THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN: a story about fierce family loyalty, good intentions gone awry, and the consequences of improbable love.
EVERGREEN: A Japantown Mystery by Naomi Hirahara (Historical Mystery)
A Japanese American nurse's aide navigates the dangers of post-WWII and post-Manzanar life as she attempts to find justice for a broken family in this follow-up to the Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning CLARK AND DIVISION.
FAMILY LORE by Elizabeth Acevedo (Fiction)
From the bestselling, National Book Award–winning author Elizabeth Acevedo comes her first novel for adults, the story of one Dominican-American family told through the voices of its women as they await a gathering that will forever change their lives.
GONE TONIGHT by Sarah Pekkanen (Domestic Thriller)
Nothing is as it seems in New York Times bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen's GONE TONIGHT, a novel about a mother's secrets to protect her daughter and what happens when they begin to unravel.
THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE by James McBride (Historical Fiction)
From James McBride, author of the bestselling Oprah’s Book Club pick DEACON KING KONG and the National Book Award–winning THE GOOD LORD BIRD, comes a novel about small-town secrets and the people who keep them.
THE INVISIBLE HOUR by Alice Hoffman (Historical Fiction)
From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of THE MARRIAGE OF OPPOSITES and the Practical Magic series comes an enchanting novel about love, heartbreak, self-discovery and the enduring magic of books.
NONE OF THIS IS TRUE by Lisa Jewell (Psychological Thriller)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author known for her “superb pacing, twisted characters and captivating prose” (BuzzFeed), Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.
PULLING THE CHARIOT OF THE SUN: A Memoir of a Kidnapping by Shane McCrae (Memoir)
PULLING THE CHARIOT OF THE SUN is an unforgettable memoir by award-winning poet Shane McCrae about being kidnapped from his Black father and raised by his white supremacist grandparents.
THE ST. AMBROSE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS by Jessica Ward (Psychological Thriller)
Heathers meets THE SECRET HISTORY in this thrilling coming-of-age novel set in a boarding school where the secrets are devastating --- and deadly.
SUMMER SISTERS by Judy Blume (Fiction)
No writer captures the seasons of our lives better than Judy Blume. SUMMER SISTERS is an extraordinary novel of reminiscence and awakening --- an unforgettable story of two women, two families and the friendships that shape a lifetime.
TOM LAKE by Ann Patchett (Fiction)
In this beautiful and moving novel about family, love and growing up, Ann Patchett once again proves herself to be one of America’s finest writers.
WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP by Joshua Moehling (Mystery/Thriller)
A small town's dark secrets turn deadly in Joshua Moehling’s second novel, which marks the return of Deputy Ben Packard, to whom readers were introduced in AND THERE HE KEPT HER.
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
THE CHANGE by Kirsten Miller (Fantasy/Thriller)
"Big Little Lies" meets The Witches of Eastwick, THE CHANGE is a gloriously entertaining and knife-sharp feminist revenge fantasy about three women whose midlife crisis brings unexpected new powers --- putting them on a collision course with the evil that lurks in their wealthy beach town.
OUR MISSING HEARTS by Celeste Ng (Fiction)
OUR MISSING HEARTS is an old story made new, of the ways supposedly civilized communities can ignore the most searing injustice. It’s a story about the power --- and limitations --- of art to create change, the lessons and legacies we pass on to our children, and how any of us can survive a broken world with our hearts intact.
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