"Even better than the The Keeper of Lost Causes. Those Scandinavians must have an Ivy League college for mystery writers.

Detective Carl Morck, still grumpy and rebellious as ever, discovers a "closed file" between his lost cases. Nobody knows where it came from, not even his assistant Assad or his new team member, who seems to be more edgy than her boss. Against all odds Carl starts an investigation that will bring him in conflict with Denmark's high society. It's just ...don't challenge an old pitbull!"

--Jean-Paul Adriaansen, Water Street Bookstore
Exeter, NH

"Absolution is a powerful story of loss and reconciliation. Flannery delves into the consequences of apartheid and it's ramifications in present day South Africa in the personal stories of Claire, a world renowned novelist, and Sam, her biographer. It is a provocative story that compels the reader to confront the cultural and political reality of the past and present. Disturbing but engrossing and beautifully written. I loved it!"

--Stephanie Crowe, Page & Palette Bookstore
Fairhope, AL

"When this novel about Edith Wharton, one of my favorite authors, landed on my desk it moved immediately to the top of my reading list! Using information culled from Edith's personal correspondence and diaries, this intimate portrayal of her passionate mid-life love affair with the dashing young journalist, Morton Fullerton, reveals a vulnerability, insecurity, and neediness that only those who have been head-over-heels in love can fully understand. Her passionate, complex nature is at odds with her unfulfilling, failing marriage and she is determined to find happiness despite the potentially disastrous outcome, both to her reputation and her position in society.

I loved this book, especially the way it humanized a literary icon and reiterates that the highs and the lows of love remain the same throughout the ages!"

--Adrian Newell, Warwick’s
La Jolla, CA

"Not having read any of Edith Wharton's work, I nevertheless found myself instantly captivated by the portrait painted of her in this lovely debut novel. Here is a woman who is spoilt and in many ways unkind, and yet reading about her pathetic and dry marriage had me rooting for her to break out and enjoy life a bit, as she does end up doing in her early forties. In the end, this turned out to be a fascinating illumination of life for women of a certain class in the early 1900's. I thoroughly enjoyed it."

--Marci Johnson, Copperfield's Books
Healdsburg, CA

"The best thing I've discovered about Craig's books, what keeps me re-reading them, isn't just the beautiful sense of location he paints with words, and the laid back, sometimes subtle, humor laced throughout, but the people and their relationships. Craig captures the essence of people, their motivations, fears, and wonder at life and situations they face, and is able to project that onto the page.

Highly recommended series, and is slated for broadcast as a 10-episode, television series on A&E later this year, entitled 'Longmire.'"

--Gina ‘the cookie lady’, Customer, Seattle Mystery Bookshop
Seattle, WA

"I received an ARC the other day and am about 1/2 through. I already know that I do not want it to end. I think it's as good as The Whistling Season. The chapter introducing Zoey is fabulous!"

--Thom Chambliss, PNBA

"This is a truly stunning, gritty, and powerful collection of debut short stories that left me flattened against the Nevada desert floor, wondering why this girl just punched me in the face so hard. The characters populating these tales seem to hang just at the fringes of society, held just at an arm's length, but close enough to give the reader a whiff of their strange story. Watkins' Nevada is a land of broken hearts, bunny ranches, abusive spouses, gold diggers, dried-up lakebeds, and firecrackers in the desert. Despite myself, I can't wait to see more."

--Seth Marko, University of California San Diego
San Diego, CA

"This extraordinary debut collection by Claire Vaye Watkins is the short story form at its finest. Linked by setting in the tradition of Annie Proulx, these ten brave tales create a new mythology of the American West in a way that you've never heard it before: from the desperate gold rush of the 49ers, to a tragic experience in a casino hotel, to the small, safe world a heartbroken woman creates in her bathtub. The writing is impeccable, the characters complex, and the stories full of heart and humanity. Do not miss this book!"

--Alise Hamilton, Andover Bookstore
Andover, MA

"I was close to sobs as I finished The Book of Jonas. More than once, it took my breath away. What a beautifully crafted book"

--Charles Stillwagon, Tattered Cover Bookstore
Denver, CO

"This is a debut novel about a Muslim boy (in a never named foreign country), orphaned by an American military operation gone terribly wrong, and his new life in America thanks to an international relief organization. It is the story of Younis (who Americanized himself to Jonas during the air flight over), and how adjusts to life in Pittsburgh and his very Christian foster family. This is easier said than done, of course, and Dau takes us through Jonas' turmoils, the real time hostility around him as well as the inner nightmare of how and why he survived when his family did not. Told in short vignettes, we follow Jonas into young adulthood, steadily being fed faint details of his inner demons, many centering around the American soldier who saved him but then went missing in action. Piece by piece, the picture becomes heartbreakingly clear. The costs of war are not just in dollars, and they aren't always paid completely on the battlefield. This is a stunningly nuanced novel, and a gem of a debut."

--Jackie Blem, Tattered Cover Bookstore
Denver, CO

"I know that no matter what I say or write about The Book of Jonas, I cannot possibly do justice to this beautiful, brilliant, emotionally-charged and complicated debut. I am haunted by the story of Jonas, an orphaned Muslim teenager whose family is killed during a botched American military operation in an unnamed country, and his relationship with the soldier who saved his life. This will sound overly dramatic (and I try to avoid that at all costs) but my heart aches whenever I think about this wonderful and unforgettable novel."

--Kathryn, R.J. Julia Booksellers
Madison, CT

"The Book of Jonas is a meditation on war told from the viewpoint of a 15-year-old Muslim war orphan who has been given asylum in the US. The author's spare, lyrical style will be enjoyed by both male and female readers and the choices made by the book's main characters -- along with the consequences of those choices -- will make for fascinating bookclub discussions."

--Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction
Greenville, SC

"This debut novel deals with the aftermath of acts of war, told from the perspective of a war orphan, Jonas, relocated to the states, and Rose, the mother of the American soldier who aided him. Spare and moving, The Book of Jonas shows us the confusion and fear of both the soldiers and the civilians in an unnamed Muslim country. Tension builds as Jonas slowly reveals more about the event that destroyed his home, and the inclusion of journal entries by Rose's son, Christopher, serves to add yet another perspective on the consequences of battle. Believable, intelligent, and ultimately redeeming, The Book of Jonas demonstrates the lasting impact of relationships even, maybe especially, in a time of war."

--Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books
Tampa, FL

"This powerful novel of a boy who finds himself a refugee living in Pennsylvania following the destruction of his village by American forces is moving and insightful on many levels. One layer reveals a glimpse at the trauma of an orphaned teenager struggling to deal with violence, horror and an unspeakable secret. Another gives us a sense of the fear and anger and chaos that can overtake otherwise well meaning people. And then we see the way lives fall apart and are slowly rebuilt for families of fallen soldiers. Sympathetic and heartbreaking, The Book of Jonas opened my eyes and grabbed my heart."

--Cathy Langer, Tattered Cover Bookstore
Denver, CO

"Upon finishing the final page of The Book of Jonas, I went right back to the first page, and started it all over again! I have never, ever done that before but I couldn't help myself. WOW! Phenomenal! An utterly extraordinary and surpassing first novel! I loved everything about this book! Though I didn't entirely understand the author's style or where the storyline was going at first; that was okay--I LOVED that! It seemed as though he was just throwing little gems with tiny chapters written on them into a pot, and I was slowly pulling these out, reading them, and then setting them aside as I couldn't wait to see what the next revealed… The fact that Jonas, a war orphan who is sent to America to begin life anew, comes from an unnamed Muslim country, makes the entire story so very timely, and surreal, and perfect…a page-turning, brilliant reading experience. Somehow I am left with only being able to describe how this book made me feel, not wanting to give away any storyline or plot, because that was the genius and reward from reading The Book of Jonas. Being able to put all those little gems together, to make the story whole, watch it unfold as it really and truly does, take your breath away! I can't wait to share this with my fellow Diesel booksellers!"

--Linda Grana, Diesel Books
Oakland, CA

"Thanks so much for sending me The Book of Jonas. I finished it a couple of days ago and I am still having trouble picking up another book. I just can't let this book go. It's gorgeous, it's poetic, it's profound and on top of all that it's riveting. Jonas has moved right into my heart and Rose and Christopher moved right in with him. I can't believe that this is a first novel. Stephen Dau made war so personal and so vivid for all of them and for us. The ending is both shocking and oh so right. I'll be doing everything I can to get The Book of Jonas into the hands of my staff and my customers. It's a great novel."

--Elaine Petrocelli, Book Passage
Corte Madera, CA

"The Book of Jonas is a novel that begged to be written. It is so acutely sensitive to our times and yet such a work of literary art that one celebrates that accomplishment alone. It has both beauty and heft. Somewhere deep in the reading you realize you have become the story - there's a kind of tension that accompanies this experience as if you are given rare entry into parallel universe that most of us don't join, i.e., the universe of America's present day war with insurgents in a Muslim country. And in the end it is as sorrowful an experience as you could imagine where terrible things happen, reason has left the picture and only the why remains. I was quite moved by this book."

--Sheryl Cotleur, Book Passage
Corte Madera, CA

"The Book of Jonas pulled me in from the first page: I couldn’t stop reading, and I didn’t want it to end! Stephen Dau subtly explores the consequences of acts made in the name of truth and honor, and then probes the gray areas around those qualities. It is an amazing book by an amazing new writer and it will compel you to think about it and talk about it for a very long time."

--Diana Van Vleck, Penguin Group (USA) National Sales Manager
Ashland, OR

"Just wanted to let you know how absolutely enthralling Tana French's new novel is! When I read In The Woods, I thought, 'It doesn't get much better than this', but with each ensuing novel it has gotten better and better. Broken Harbor moves French up into that rare air of authors whose books take one's breath away and holds it to the very last word. A real 'Scorcher' of a novel!!"

--Gayle Bowen, Ingram
Nashville, TN

"Tana French gets better and better. Picking up the point of view of Scorcher Kennedy, (a peripheral character from Faithful Place), we follow the investigation of the brutal murder of a family in a posh housing estate. Scorcher comes off as arrogant, controlling and tunnel-visioned at first, but as the investigation progresses, he is slowly humanized through the interventions of his crazy sister, his bittersweet memories of Broken Harbor, and to his own wonderment, a young probie he has taken under his wing."

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"The title, The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns, aptly describes the main character, Galilee Garner, who is as prickly as the roses she breeds. Though Gal has been on dialysis for years and her diagnosis is grim she steadfastly perseveres with her life and unexpected obstacles, like her teenaged niece's surprise arrival for the summer. I recommend this satisfyingly enjoyable novel, which is full of heart and pluck, to bookclubs and fans of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt."

--Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction
Greenville, SC

"Thirty six year-old Galilee 'Gal' Garner is as prickly as the thorns on the Hulthemia roses that she breeds and enters in major rose competitions. A lifelong struggle with kidney disease and a regimen of dialysis every other day, coupled with her need for a third kidney transplant have necessitated her leading a highly structured life. Described by the students that she teaches as 'difficult and obstinate', she is forced to make some changes when her fifteen year-old niece Riley shows up unexpectedly one day, needing a home and guardian. Filled with fascinating details about rose breeding and competing, this book was hard to put down."

--Avery Dickey, Inkwood Books
Tampa, FL

"Galilee Garner needs a kidney transplant. At 31, single and teaching science in a private school, she breeds roses for pleasure. Every-other-day dialysis and her roses keep her life busy and organized. Then her 15 year old niece shows up at school needing a place to live, which turns Galilee's life upside down. No longer able to only think of herself, she must come to terms with her responsibilities, and eventually realizes that change is inevitable, and maybe even for the better.

What a great book! Can't wait to sell it."

--Beth Carpenter, The Country Bookshop
Southern Pines, NC

"I loved The Chaperoneby Laura Moriarty. Her point-counterpoint between the real-life precocious Louise Brooks, and her seemingly dull 'chaperone' are the perfect balance to the contrast to the very exciting New York of the twenties, and the seemingly dull Wichita, Kansas. Life is complicated and more than it seems everywhere in the world, and in her fourth novel, Moriarty does an amazing of showing the value of home, challenging our modern day definition of 'family values', the resilience of the human spirit, and the pull of an artistic temperament. I will be recommending The Chaperoneto everyone, everywhere."

--Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books & Cafe
Wichita, KS

"Silent film star Louise Brooks was accustomed to being the center of attention, but that is not the case in this exquisite novel about the summer of 1922 when 15-year-old Louise traveled to New York for dance training. At the center of this story is her chaperone, 36- year-old Cora Carlisle, who shines off the page from the very beginning and has reasons of her own for traveling to New York that fateful summer. Cora's story is classically American with a few unexpected twists and Laura Moriarty's writing captures it perfectly. I have not enjoyed a novel this much, since The Help."

--Katherine Osborne, Kennebooks
Kennebunk, ME

"From The New York Home for Friendless Girls to upper crust turn-of-the-century Wichita, Kansas ….quite a journey for a young girl to navigate. Laura Moriarty takes us on the remarkable, original, sometimes heartbreaking and shocking journey of Cora Kaufmann in her newest book, The Chaperone.

The Chaperone, telling the story of the homeless orphan street children of New York, and their subsequent “shipment” to the Midwest where they were poked, prodded and generally pawed over to see if they would make good workers for prospective farm families, is a totally unique and engaging story. That the protagonist, Cora, is a puckish, determined child who is able to wheedle her way from that orphanage to high society Wichita, only serves to make the story more delicious as we flip the pages. The fact that Moriarty drops a 'bomb' right into our unsuspecting laps is icing on the cake….it literally takes your breath away!

Laura Moriarty has struck a harmonious chord with The Chaperone, combining fascinating history, creative, attention-holding storytelling, unforgettable characters, and a unique, engaging plot. If you liked The Help by Katheryn Stockett, you will love The Chaperone. I highly recommend it!"

--Nancy Simpson-Brice, Book Vault
Oskaloosa, IA

"The Chaperone is the moving story of Cora Carlisle, a Wichita woman with a complicated past, who volunteers to chaperone an impudent 15-year-old Louise Brooks on a summer trip to New York in 1922. Caught in the sweep of changing times, Cora and Louise are both altered by their summer spent together. A remarkable and brave heroine, Cora had me rooting for her from the first page and disappointed to leave her behind when I closed the final cover. I wanted to restart this book the moment I finished it."

--Karyn Reis, Read Booksellers
Danville, CA

"Chaperones are traditionally under appreciated by their charges, and the charge in this case - Louise Brooks, is more devious than most. Her chaperone, Cora, has a hidden agenda too, so the combination offers a tantalizing intertwined story of characters with hidden pasts, or current secrets. You will be drawn in from the start, and pleased with the outcome at the end - a most engaging and satisfying read."

--Nicola Rooney, Nicola's Books
Ann Arbor, MI

"The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty tells the story of silent film star to be Louise Brooks and her chaperone, Cora, a very early feminist in the most polite way possible. Every one of the main characters are developed so well you feel like you know them and become vested in their lives. This historical tale of unconventional families and how they have struggled for their place will compel you to keep reading, so be sure your schedule is open before you begin."

--Jackie Willey, Fiction Addiction
Greenville, SC

"Laura Moriarty's The Chaperone is a fascinating trip back in time, a tour-de-force that whisks us from the open prairies of Kansas to the bustling metropolis of roaring 20's era New York City. Perfectly capturing the push-and-pull of the changing times - hemlines rising right along with the violent crime brought on by Prohibition, the noble suffragettes giving way to the anything-goes flappers - Moriarty goes beyond the headlines of the times to give us a lived-in, well-worn, yet still graceful look at the 1920s and beyond, proving in virtuoso style that family holds together, even in a constantly shifting world, regardless of how that family came to be."

--Drew Williams, Little Professor Book Center
Homewood, AL

"I couldn't read fast enough to learn what would happen as Sigrid gets drawn into helping others escape the Gestapo in Berlin during the midst of WW2. City of Women had me thinking what would I have done under those circumstances. Life in Berlin becomes a daily struggle for survival and this is intense and superb storytelling."

--Mary Ann Buehler, Penguin Field Rep
Nashville, TN

"City of Women delivers a rich atmosphere of hold-your-breath anxiety and animal desire with a literary economy of words, and a verisimilitude unmatched in recent novels of the period. Just when I thought I couldn't read another novel of WWII, City of Women abducted me from the safety of my bunker and thrust me into the heart of war-torn Berlin. They'll have to take me out feet first because I will never forget this novel."

--Nancy Oliveri, Penguin Inside Sales Rep
Kirkwood, NY

"Set in 1943 Berlin, City of Women tells the story of several remarkable women forced to make difficult choices during Hitler's reign in Germany. What makes this book so fascinating is how it shows ordinary German women (so many men were at the front) who may have never considered themselves brave or political or religious, suddenly(occasionally reluctantly) making life-changing and life-threatening choices in order to help someone. Gillham writes beautifully, and the drudgery and terror of wartime Berlin, the loneliness and desire for connection, the numbing horror of war and battle are made all too real. A literary page-turner, an illuminating historical novel, and a fabulous story of women during wartime. I can't wait to recommend this book. (I also would love to see it as a PBS mini-series...!)"

--Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books
Tampa, FL

"Main character, Silas Cade is ex-Black Ops and very cool. Investments bankers are dying but someone else is making a ton of money. It is not necessary to understand everything about the stock market in order to enjoy this fast-paced, exciting read about finance, technology and greed. In fact, I learned a lot about the market from this book. Best of all though, it gives us readers a new character who has some inventive moves, an interesting brain, and is very good at what he does. I hope we will see more of Silas Cade!"

--Susan Wasson, Bookworks
Albuquerque, NM

"It's not too often that I find myself reading a book that is virtually 'non-put-downable', but I definitely felt that when reading The Darlings by Cristina Alger. For instance, who of us wouldn't LOVE to spend even just a week living in a rich, high society, New York City family like theirs? A life style few of us will experience first hand, this behind the scenes look is somewhat of a guilty pleasure; until it becomes a tragic, downward spin toward total financial devastation. You just can't believe how quickly the mighty can fall. The Darlings is a timely and terrifying read."

--Linda Grana, Diesel Books
Oakland, CA

"I loved The Darlings! It's juicy and completely entertaining. The prose flowed effortlessly and I couldn't put it down! The Darlings is even better than Bonfire of the Vanities or The Firm because the characters are more likable and relatable! We can't wait to sell it! I believe it will be one fall 2011's must reads."

--Kathleen Caldwell, A Great Good Place for Books
Oakland, CA

"Nate Romanowski has lived off the grid for years, but his past is about to catch up with him. The secrets he has been keeping have become a liability, and a systematic plan has been set up to eliminate anyone who might have knowledge of them. This killer is ruthless, and organized enough to use the Picketts to get to Nate. Box at his best!"

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"This one's REALLY good! It's his best one yet... In my book, Chuck Box is now the best mystery writer out there in today's market. He is fine-tuning his style with each new adventure, and his books keep getting better and better, continually raising the bar not only for himself, but all other writers as well... Joe Pickett and company appeal to women as well as men...

Force of Nature delivers the goods. It is a white-knuckle Jeep ride through the (still) Wild West with the reader riding shotgun with Nate Romanowski behind the wheel. There is a bumper sticker common with Jeepers here in Kentucky 'Get In - Sit Down - Hang On - Shut Up' and I can certainly picture one on the back window of Nate's Wrangler. I could smell the dust in the Jeep's heater as I page-turned the roller coaster ride through snow- covered mountains, watching the body count mount as Joe and Nate careened toward the enevitable showdown, all the while uncovering the dark, closely-held secrets and demons of Nate's past. Story events exploded rapid fire with the shock and punch of Romanowski's 50 caliber hand cannon, making me eager to get to the next page and bend in the road, all the while with my pulse racing and my ears ringing from the Causill's explosive discharge.

Joe Pickett continues to be the hero and star that he is for all Box fans out here. As Joe says 'But I really do believe there's nothing wrong with doing your best and doing the right thing. Just because you have a badge and a gun, doesn't mean you're any better than these folks... I screw up sometimes, but I'd rather screw up trying to do the right thing than looking the other way.' Joe is real, he's human, he's believable. The other characters are just as well cast in their roles as well. All a tribute to the skill, talent, and fertile creativity of the author. The comment has been made around here that Joe Pickett is a mix of John Wayne and Daniel Boone."

--Bill Gordon, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Lexington, KY

"I read the new Lauren Willig, The Garden Intrigue which was, as expected, another enchanting installment in her Pink Carnation series. I'm not keen on the new direction they've taken with the covers, but I still love this series a ridiculous amount. As soon as I'd finished, I passed it on to a co-worker who "doesn't read romance", but loves this series almost as much as I do. Lauren Willig: Gateway Drug to Historical Romance."

--Billie J. Bloebaum, Powells PDX
Portland, OR

"A beautiful debut novel that far exceeded my already high expectations. Lyrical, enlightening, and wonderfully good for the soul."

--Emily Gatlin, Reed's Gumtree Bookstore
Tupelo, MS

"Tuccelli beautifully brings to life the pioneering people of the North Georgia mountains. Full of folklore, forbidden loves, and the strength of the human spirit."

--Emily Gibbs, Murder on the Beach
Delray Beach, FL

"Not that I don't *always* trust you when you tell me a book will be amazing, but God's Hotel is AMAZING. I'm taking my crash course before Wednesday and enjoying it immensely.

The book belongs, certainly, on the same shelf as My Own Country and The Spirit Catches You, but I actually think it's more wide-reaching and probably has a broader readership too. It's also better.

Not only is it really well written, but I'm really, really, really interested in the way it obliquely approaches the biggest medical question on the landscape right now: not how to make healthcare better or even more affordable or available, but, more fundamentally, how to think about the patient--who and what the patient comprises, where the body of the patient begins and ends, what its place is in society, in medicine, in the world. It's a totally readable, pretty monumental historical contextualization of the notion of The Patient, and an elegy for the death of the patient that occurred when western medicine isolated the diseased body from the rest of its life. It's also a pleasure to read: compassionate and loving, without compromising any of its acuity or analysis."

--Camden Avery, The Booksmith
San Francisco, CA

"Victoria Sweet is a wonderful writer. With this book she will join the ranks of others like Atul Gawande, Oliver Sacks, Tracy Kidder, Abraham Verghese, and Jerome Goopman. She is a remarkable storyteller and her stories speak to our hearts and minds. Not only did I think it was the best creative non-fiction book that I had read in many, many months but my niece who is an intern at Georgetown Hospital in Washington DC told me that she thought it was remarkable and helped her remember why she wanted to be a doctor. Sweet reminded her that medicine can be practiced one patient at a time and that doctors learn from their patients how to treat the whole body and mind not just the diseased organ or ailment."

--Gayle Shanks, Changing Hands Bookstore
Tempe, AZ

"I'd like to nominate God's Hotel by Dr. Victoria Sweet. It's an involving story that not only shows the fascinating and sometimes heartwrenching dramas of San Francisco's embattled almshouse Laguna Honda Hospital, but also of Dr. Sweet's personal pilgrimage for a more spiritual and conscientious form of medicine."

--Tracy Wynne, Books Inc.
Alameda, CA

"This is a very enthusiastic nomination of God's Hotel for the Indie Next List. My interest in this book about Laguna Honda Hospital in San Francisco was stirred by the fact that my bus trip to the bookstore every day takes me past its imposing and somewhat enigmatic presence on a hilltop in the westerly part of the City. The book delivered handsomely: The author, a physician at the hospital for more than twenty years, amply satisfied my curiosity about the place. But it's much more than the story of one venerable San Francisco institution. In that time she developed an interest in the medical works of Hildegard of Bingen, eventually earning a doctorate in medical history to complement her MD. She gives us a blend of history, anecdote, compassion, and forthright opinion in prose that's a great pleasure to read. The book has deep implications for the present state and the future of health care in our country."

--Bob Deloria, Books Inc. in the Marina
San Francisco, CA

"Just wanted to give you a rave for the book you sent me, God's Hotel by Victoria Sweet. Not only did I think it was the best creative non-fiction book that I had read in many, many months but my niece who is an intern at Georgetown Hospital in Washington DC told me that she thought it was remarkable and helped her remember why she wanted to be a doctor. She wants to return to the Bay area where she grew up and thinks she might want to work at Laguna Honda if they will accept her there. She has always wanted to practice medicine in a humane, caring way and felt at odds with the modern medicine machine that seems to dictate so much of a doctor's work with her/his patients. Sweet reminded her that medicine can be practiced one patient at a time and that doctors learn from their patients how to treat the whole body and mind not just the diseased organ or ailment. She said that this book, like Cutting for Stone which I had also shared with her, should be required reading for every medical school student or maybe the publisher would like to give them away to medical school graduates. If I could get her ten more copies she had ten friends who she wanted to give them to immediately.

Victoria Sweet is a wonderful writer. With this book she will join the ranks of others like Atul Gawande, Oliver Sacks, Tracy Kidder and Jerome Goopman. She is a remarkable storyteller and her stories speak to our hearts and minds. I will be proud to sell it in our store and look forward to its release in April."

--Gayle Shanks, Changing Hands Bookstore
Tempe, AZ

"Just wanted to let you know that I'm about halfway through God's Hotel, and I am finding it to be a profound and moving reading experience. On top of the great stories she has to tell, she is a fine writer. Definitely book of the month material."

--Kevin Ryan, Green Apple Books
San Francisco, CA

"The story of an old folks home and a last stop for down-and-outers shouldn't be this much fun. But it is. A medical provider takes a look at where she works, the last of the great almshouses, and brings that distressed old doyenne of a building richly alive in the tales of its inhabitants. These includes some feisty nurses, and a bunch of dedicated doctors working part time while keeping up their other amazing interests, versus some who isolate in distant administrative offices making decisions without any hands-on knowledge of patients. Just as remarkable are its other lead characters the patients who, as the reader discovers, often led heroic lives before being brought low, and whose abilities to deal with, if not always overcome, their current situations border on the miraculous. Here is a community as interwoven as the cast of Cheers, as varied as the inmates in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, as well-detailed as the folks in Grover's Corners, but tenaciously on our side of death.

The Chaucer of this set of tales is a physician with the doubly apt name of Victoria Sweet. As the free market finally begins to notice Laguna Honda Hospital, it dawns on her that the new push for improved efficiency at this last example of an hotel Dieu (like those run by nuns since medieval times) is not proving to be more efficient, nor is it much of an improvement. Not surprisingly, Dr. Sweet is also the protagonist of her own adventure. She is getting a second doctorate in medieval history, visiting original locations in the life and work of Hildegard of Bingen, a nun so talented that she wrote the top Gregorian chants of the XII century, and so butch that she took over the hospital of a monastery, and then opened two on her own. Thus explorations of pre-modern medicine, European health care delivery, religious pilgrimages and gardening are layered through an already fun and true story."

--Mark Freeman, Formerly a Family Nurse Practitioner, now working on a first feature documentary film, Transgender Tuesdays: A Clinic In the Tenderloin
San Francisco, CA

"I read 'Gods of Gotham' over the weekend and really, really liked it. Of course, I'm a sucker for historical mysteries, so it had an advantage from the start. But, I really liked that the case didn't end where I expected it to. I can usually see the who- how- why-dunnit coming, but this was almost wholly unexpected. I'm really hoping that the author writes more books about these characters. If she did, it could easily become a favorite, must-read series."

--Billie Bloebaum, Powells PDX
Portland, OR

"New York is a place of constant change but Lyndsay Faye takes the reader to the roots of much of the modern city's style, culture and substance in this gripping historical thriller. Tim Wilde and his brother Valentine are members of the first police force but are soon confronted with multiple murders of children which could destroy the nascent organization and overthrow established political power. The sights, sounds and smells of 1845 New York come alive in a novel that will hold readers spellbound."

--Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books
Ann Arbor, MI

"New York City, 1845. The first police force has just been formed (the Copper Stars), and Irish immigrants are arriving in droves to escape the potato famine. Here is everything you could want: language that brings alive place and time, characters delightfully revealing themselves layer by layer, and an infusion of well-researched history. Multiple springboards for book club discussion. Outstanding!"

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"Lindsay Faye weaves an enchanting tale in her newest novel! She introduces us to Timothy Wilde, a member of the newly formed New York Police Department with Sherlock Holmes-level powers of observation. He has a Herculean task ahead of him: besides solving a string of horrific murders, he must fight the growing tensions in the city between native New Yorkers and the growing number of Irish immigrants. The Gods of Gotham was wonderful historical fiction and a chilling mystery - I look forward to the rest of the series!"

--Lauren Peugh, Mrs. Nelson's Toy and Book Shop
La Verne, CA

"What a deliciously complex and captivating novel! Lyndsay Faye's striking imagery drips from each and every page, sending you down the darkened streets of 1840s New York, the fascinating backdrop for this stunning narrative. Impossible to place in one genre, The Gods of Gotham is riveting and mysterious like a crime novel, yet rich with historical detail and prose from the era. Above all, it is a daring, dazzling account of what we now know as New York's finest."

--Anderson McKean, Page & Palette
Fairhope, AL

"Food desertification in inner cities has been a subject of interest for me for about three years. Will Allen's story was particularly interesting for me because the link between nutritional independence and personal freedoms is a subject of increasing importance for all Americans. Mr. Allen's connection to his sharecropper roots may open the way against the larger stigma against raising our own food: a need to escape from an occupation equated with poverty and inequality."

--Karen Tallant, Booksellers at Laurelwood
Memphis, TN

"From the author of Snow Angels and Lucifer's Tears comes the third book in this series. It would seem that Mr. Thompson is intent on blowing the other Scandinavian writers out of the Arctic Circle with this newest outing. He takes it to the next level with more of everything - violence, sex, corruption, Finland's ongoing immigration issues. Our 'hero' Kari Vaara find his life and work becoming very complicated with a new baby daughter and a new job as head of a rogue police unit. The cast of characters that Thompson has put together will have you gasping, laughing and turning the pages as fast as you can."

--Peggy, R.J. Julia Booksellers
Madison, CT

"Liane Moriarty has done it again. The Hypnotist's Love Story is filled with that same witty, refreshing voice that drew readers to What Alice Forgot, taking us to the brink of what we are all capable of, but hate to admit. She splendidly captures the doubts and uncertainties of a new relationship; the facades we wear and the games we play to hide our true selves, and the secret hope that this might be 'the one.' If that weren't enough, she throws a stalker in the mix. Brilliant! Reading this novel will make you laugh out loud at every silly thing you said or did - and wished you hadn't - during the tender and tense days of a new relationship. It is a remarkable ride reminding us that we are all a little crazy when in love."

--Anderson McKean, Page & Palette
Fairhope, AL

"In The Hypnotist's Love Story, Ellen O'Farrell's new boyfriend reveals that his ex-girlfriend is stalking him. More intrigued than frightened, Ellen, a professional hypnotherapist, finds herself trying to mentally walk in the stalker's shoes and figure out what would make a supposedly smart, professional, woman behave that way. Liane Moriarty has a knack for capturing what I think is the essential difference (among a long laundry list) between men and women -- our intricate internal dialogues with ourselves -- and for creating fun yet intelligent and thought-provoking novels."

--Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction
Greenville, SC

"Juliet in August...a book of enigmas: prose that is spare and thrifty but never shallow, always rich with meaning and emotion; characters that are seemingly simple, salt-of-the-earth types, but who fill the book with unforgettable insights allowing the reader to walk in their shoes; a setting that is so harsh and unforgiving that few people would ever choose to live there. Most seem 'stuck' there.

Juliet is a small town in Saskatchewan, but except for it being in the middle of a desert (the Little Snake sand hills), it could be any small town in the States. (The speed with which gossip could be spread in Juliet would indeed rival ANY small town!)

Juliet is peopled by colorful, unique characters: a young man on the cusp of becoming a 'real' rancher, a couple with six children who are on the verge of losing their home, the banker who will be the one to call their mortgage, two 'over the hill' people who discover new/old desires, an awesome 'homeless' horse that leads a young man on a 100 mile journey of discovery, and even a missing camel! Warren employs these people to tell the story of Juliet in alternating chapters. As each chapter unfolds, we learn more and more about Juliet and its intertwined histories and lives.

The book jacket compares Dianne Warren to Larry McMurtry, Elizabeth Strout, and Alice Munro. It would be very easy to add Kent Haruf and Kent Myers, both authors who utilize the sense of locale and the emotions of the citizens to tell their stories. Dianne Warren has crafted a novel that is a piece of contrasting artwork, held together by an engrossing story. This is storytelling at its best.

Highly recommended!"

--Nancy Simpson-Brice, Book Vault
Oskaloosa, IA

"I am truly enjoying Juliet in August. The writing is transparent and flawless; I say that because I grew up in an Iowa farm town that is of the same size and I am vividly picturing each character and setting. Plus I love love love the intertwining stories! Each character's important story is a sum of the whole novel, full of life not just in a small farm town, but in the heart beat of neighbors, friends, family, ranchers, bankers, parents and children.

I will proudly recommend this lovely new author to our customers. This one gets a gold star from me."

--Tamera Walters, Capitola Book Café
Capitola, CA

"Its funny about Juliet in August - I loved it when I read it and as each day goes by and I think about it again, I realize even more what a really good book it is and grow fonder of it every time I think about it. I cant stop thinking about that little town, those people and their stories. Have decided I want to re-read it because I'm sure I missed little things here and there and I want to be in their lives again."

--Susan Wasson, Bookworks
Albuquerque, NM

"Warren has written an amazing book of overlapping stories, like a box of chocolates with every piece just the one you want. A tiny, dusty town of 1,011 people, Juliet manages to contain more than enough drama and humor, courage and passion within its borders: among them a shy couple, well past middle age, discovering a love no less diminished by its unexpectedness...a harried mother of six who, while never getting anything right, actually never loses sight of what is important...a rancher discovering the story behind his adoption...a bank manager, burdened by his knowledge and his sense of inadequacy. Warren alternates their stories in chapters covering a short span of hours, but the richness of her writing and the lives she examines makes you feel as though you have known the characters all their lives. I was reminded of the heartfelt simplicity of Plainsong, and the unassuming power of the writing of other Canadian treasures, Carol Shields and Alice Monroe. This is a book you hold to your heart."

--Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books
Tampa, FL

"Juliette Gordon Low isn't nearly as flashy or entertaining as Alice Roosevelt Longworth, the subject of Cordery's previous biography, but she does an excellent job of bring to life the restless Southern belle who spent much of her life looking for a way to be useful until she was inspired by Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts, to start a similar organization for girls.Cordery is a terrific writer whose biographies read like novels; what's not to like?"

--Susan Taylor, The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza
Albany, NY

"This is a great first book, a terrific financial thriller that takes the reader for a fast and fascinating adrenaline filled ride through the worlds of high finance and hedge funds. Drew Havens, the quant behind the success of the Rising Fund during the crash of 2008 senses that something is wrong when he learns that massive numbers of shorts are being placed through obscure brokers in various parts of the world. The brokers start dying and the story gets really interesting. I was reading faster and faster as the book progressed to the stunning climax."

--Douglas Westgate, Octavia Books
New Orleans, LA

"Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures is a debut novel by Emma Straub loosely based upon the life of depression-era actress Jennifer Jones. It is the story of a very sheltered small town girl who becomes a very sheltered wife of a rich and powerful man. But more than that it is the story of a woman's love for her family and how she can have the strength to do anything necessary to care for and protect that family. You will learn about Hollywood in the early days of movies and be inspired by a woman who becomes much more than anyone ever anticipated."

--Jackie Willey, Fiction Addiction
Greenville, SC

"If you like your humor over-the-top and irreverent, then Jenny Lawson - aka 'The Bloggess' - is for you. Between growing up in rural Texas with a taxidermist father, collecting stories of the most outrageous moments of a job in human resources, or trying to overcome anxiety about saying the wrong thing at a party, which she inevitably does, Lawson is full of extreme stories - many of which are illustrated with actual photos. Not for the faint-hearted!"

--Carol Schneck, Schuler Books and Music
Okemos, MI

"What if James Joyce's Ulysses were actually 1) mostly kinda true, 2) written by a girl, 3) somewhat readable despite the rants, and 4) really funny? Well, you would end up with a story(s) close to the one told by Jenny Lawson in her outrageous memoir. Except I think Jenny would still be funnier (those Irish never let up when it comes to depression! Hey! Where's MY editor? Do I have to bring up Angelina Jolie?) When your husband looks up from the pillow at 3:18am and says 'What's so funny? Are you EVER going to sleep?' you know you've got a winner. I laughed, and then I cried. No, I actually didn't cry; I just laughed. You will too."

--Grace Bogart, Copperfields Books
Petaluma, CA

"When I found myself cackling over Jenny Lawson's descriptions of what it means to clean a deer, I knew I was in for a good read. Lawson is the perfect mix of humor, crazy, acceptance, and brilliance. I'd be a member of her Unicorn Success Club any day.

I love her because I relate so much to her...except the taxidermy thing."

--Lindsey McGuirk, Village Bookstore
Bellingham, WA

"Do you engage in witty conversations in your head, or chuckle to yourself over the clever observations and comebacks you wish you made, on the spot? Well, you have company --only Jenny Lawson actually does this, and puts it all in her new book, Let's Pretend This Never Happened. Rather than gorging myself on Jenny's chapters, I try to dole them out to myself, like a box of good chocolate...but it's hard to resist 'just one more' when each laugh feels more satisfying than the one before. The Bloggess is one-of-a-kind, and I can't wait to hand sell her new memoir."

--Cheryl McKeon, Rakestraw Books
Danville, CA

"I have gone to work with a 'reading hangover' two days in a row now because I've stayed up too late giggling while reading in bed. She's a hoot!"

--Emily Stavrou Schaefer, Schuler Books & Music
Lansing, MI

"I just can't recommend highly enough Jenny Lawson's new memoir Let's Pretend This Never Happened! Wow! What a read! However, my recommendation does come with this warning: Do not read this in public unless you want others staring at you wondering if you've gone mad because you're laughing hysterically while reading. Yep, it's that funny. Growing up the daughter of an off-kilter taxidermist, and a mother who, for the most part turned her head the other way, Jenny talks about her issues resulting from having stood inside a dead deer at a young age, having grown up with live raccoons in the house and having been an arsonist at the age of three. Those embarrassing moments that we all wished had never happened, well Jenny tells all. God bless her husband Victor for taking her seriously during an argument in which she continues to eat her dinner--off of a Frisbee! Laughter really is the best medicine, so make sure you don't miss this one."

--Linda Grana, Diesel Books
Oakland, CA

"I personally have been a fan of Jenny’s blog for sometime. The book is hysterically fabulous and proof yet again, that truth is stranger and funnier than fiction. I defy anyone to read any of this book and not laugh, you’d hurt yourself holding the laughter inside. One coworkers comment was...we need Jenny and Victor!"

--Amy Loewy, Garden District Book Shop
New Orleans, LA

"It's the funniest book of the year. And even the most outrageous stories have the ring of truth behind the laughter and cursing."

--Todd A. Dickinson, Aaron's Books
Lititz, PA

"Up all night. That is an 'ouch' of a book. Outrageous and painful and dark and uncomfortable, but oddly redemptive. And very very funny. I laughed until I had tears coming a few times..."

--Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books
Tampa, FL

"A gentle bay, a looming Mt Vesuvius, more than 3600 years of history, and Naples still fascinates and startles. Benjamin Taylor meanders through the streets and surrounding hillsides of this earthy city and scratches deeply to delve into the past of this much- conquered, decimated and rebuilt community. Naples Declared is an affectionate look at the travelers, literature, people, architecture and memories that are a part of the city. I loved the history, gossip and architecture."

--Becky Milner, Vintage Books
Vancouver, WA

"Thank you for sending Overseas to me. I had seen it on the ARC shelves in the office, and considered it, but had such a large 'to read' stack already, that I put it back. When you sent it to me, I felt honor-bound to read it, which I did right away. I'm sorry I hadn't made the time to drop you a note because I really liked it. I found myself wishing it weren't so long because I was a bit impatient to see how it all worked out. It's amazing to me that someone can pen such a wonderful debut novel!"

--Becky Eblen, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Lexington, KY

"Philip Kerr conveys the interior life of Nazi Germany better than any novelist and, even more importantly, his writing contains a fierce moral imperative rarely seen in any level of fiction."

--Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books
Ann Arbor, MI

"Prague Fatale is sure to please fans of noir thrillers as well as those who love historically accurate detail. When he intervenes in an attack on a woman during a WWII blackout, German everyman Bernie Gunther finds himself caught in a web of intrigue between the Nazis in power and those who risk their lives to oppose them."

--Carol Schneck, Schuler Books and Music
Okemos, MI

"How do you identify a murderer in a house full of murderers? It's a tantalizing premise, and it's well-executed in Philip Kerr's latest Bernie Gunther novel Prague Fatale.

Prague Fatale brings Bernie Gunther right into the heart of darkness.

Tasked with identifying a would-be assassin by a high-ranking general, Gunther suddenly finds deeper trouble when a member of the general staff is murdered in the same house. Surrounded by the worst offenders in the Third Reich as suspects, Gunther must find the real villain.

With the wit and twisting talent of Michael Connelly combined with the historical precision of Erik Larson, Philip Kerr's latest demands your investigation."

--Geoffrey Jennings, Next Chapter Bookshop
Mequon, WI

"From here on out there should be a disclaimer about buckling up, as the cat and mouse game intensifies between the different parties. The reader isn't blindsided by the outcome, yet you can't stop turning the pages. It's like not being able to pull your eyes away from an impending wreck.

Laukkanen has successfully captured the idiosyncrasies of agencies attempting to work together, and the inability of individuals to give up hope even when facing insurmountable odds.

This isn't a story about good versus evil, but rather one of people caught in events beyond their control, using self-justification to try and shape a better world for themselves. It reads like watching a Die Hard movie. Sit down, strap in, and hang on."

--, Seattle Mystery Bookshop
Seattle, WA

"In an interesting switch of perspective, much of this book focuses on the villains of the story, four highly educated young people faced with a bad economy and no chance of putting their hard-earned skills to work in the job market. They formulate a kidnapping scheme, which works like a charm until they discover one of their victims has mob connections. With the FBI and the mob on their tail, what follows is as intense and absorbing a thriller as you could hope to find."

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"What do you get when a group of young, intelligent overachievers decide to turn their talents to the criminal world? The Professionals, that's what. This debut is whip-smart, crackles with energy and intensity and flows at a driven pace. As the young criminals not only try to evade two tenacious law enforcement officers, they also must contend with fierce pursuit by members of organized crime. Readers will be mesmerized and eagerly anticipating the next novel by this fine new author."

--Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books
Ann Arbor, MI

"Just finished The Professionals and, being a very experienced reader of John Sandford, Michael Connelly, Daniel Silva, Alex Berenson and Randy Wayne White I was very impressed with this debut novel of police drama. We will share the ARCs with staff and customers in order to help publicize this very talented writer's exciting thriller."

--Doug Robinson, Eagle Eye Books
Decatur, GA

"The Professionals puts a new twist to the murder-mystery; a bunch of college grad wanna-bes getting hooked into the gangster life and seeming to get away with it... It is a scary-real story line with fast-paced page-turner author writing style that kept me wanting to see what happened next. Expect great things from this author...if he writes more books like this one, there will soon be a huge following looking for the next Kirk Stevens case to solve, with the added spice of the return of FBI Agent Carla Windermere as well.

Congrats to Putnam for picking a winner at the gate, and to the author as well for a fine debut into the crime novel genre. I think The Professionals would make a good selection for an upcoming award nomination. Go for it."

--Bill Gordon, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Lexington, KY

"For a debut novel this one is a kicker. A classic page-turner, suspense novel from a new talent that I hope is hard at work on his next novel."

--Katy Tahja, Gallery Bookshop
Mendocino, CA

"Rory MacKenzie has returned to her Ransom River just in time to be saddled with jury duty. On the first day of the trial, two masked men break in to the courtroom and hold the entire courtroom hostage. In the ensuing chaos, three people die and the cops fasten on Rory as their primary suspect. As always, Gardiner moves beyond the formulaic thriller and creates a fresh, fast-paced mystery that you won't want to put down."

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"SO MUCH FUN!! Nathaniel Cade, the President's Vampire, is back in his third adventure, fighting an age-old evil that surfaces whenever his followers manage to summon him back with enough human sacrifice and devil worship. This time, his target is the President of the United States. Cade and his handler, Zach Barrows, try desperately to stay one step ahead of the Boogeyman as he slays campaign workers across the country. Riveting right up until the end--I can't wait for the next installment of this vampire series!"

--Susan Taylor, The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza
Albany, NY

"McCafferty not only captures the startling beauty of the Montana wilderness, but makes fly fishing seem pretty interesting, and in the meantime there's a delightfully mysterious woman who is searching for her missing brother, a very odd death, a little romance, and a detective who wants to be an artist. A great debut!"

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"I have read the Keith McCafferty book The Royal Wulff Murders. As a lover of the outdoors (I run a business called High Adventure Wilderness School and live off-grid in the wilderness of E. KY) and sometime fly fisher, I was intrigued as soon as I saw the cover. Not long after the pages began to turn I was struck with the similarities between McCafferty's style and that of CJ Box. Trade in Joe Pickett's Remington Wingmaster 12 gauge for a fly rod, and Sean Stranahan begins to materialize on paper. You know writing a captivating, best-selling novel is much like tying a good, productive fly. You need the hook to catch the fish, mixed with the right mix and combination of feathers and hair, a daub of glue, and a bit of baubles, beads or lead, and the finished product becomes a work of creativity in the hands of the artist. McCafferty is able to blend together a mix of down-home believable characters, ties them together in a quirky story line mixed with a real-life environmental issue (as does Box), and you have the makings for a great read and start of a blockbuster series. The stage is certainily set for the next adventure, and I look forward to finding out more about Stranahan, Martha ettinger, and Harold Little Feather. Keep me in mind when the next ARC comes out. Congratulations on carrying this author, I think he'll be a successful author for you in the years ahead."

--Bill Gordon, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Lexington, KY

"By the time Carissa Phelps was 15, she was a repeat runaway who had been raped multiple times, and pimped out by a series of violent men. She spent many months in juvenile facilities and group homes. With the help of a few caring adults, Carissa righted the wayward ship of her life, and eventually got a dual MBA/JD from UCLA. Her story is nothing short of miraculous, and gives hope that we can create the same story for other lost girls trapped in the world of drugs and sexual exploitation. Staggeringly raw; unbelievably inspiring."

--Amy Lahti, Bookworks
Albuquerque, NM

"Very well done. Nice mix of historical background and current events. Sad that after 42 years of a brutal dictatorship, Hilsum couldn't end on a positive note, in that too many people were intent on revenge and there were basically no institutions strong enough to hold things together. The future of Libya was a question mark. One of the leaders seemed more interested in making sure men had the right to marry multiple wives than in institutional reform. With no history of democracy to guide it, Libya is in danger of descending into further disaster. Not even its vast oil riches will save it from ruin if a stable government to run the economy isn’t forthcoming."

--Stephen Corrigan, Booksellers at Laurelwood
Memphis, TN

"A Discovery of Witches left readers teased for the sequel and Deborah Harkness has lived up to the promise. Using her historian’s knowledge, she has a major part of the action set in Elizabethan England as the conflicts between witches, vampires and demons continue to escalate, all the while also setting the stage for what is certain to be a rousing conclusion to this trilogy."

--Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books
Ann Arbor, MI

"WOW!!!!! I finished Shadow of Night in one day! I was off and I just stayed in my pjs and read all day long. I LOVED it. I actually thought it was better than Discovery of Witches in the sense that it was really full of history and magical lore, etc. She got all that sexual tension/romance out of the way in book 1 and did what I hoped in this book. The actual historical characters were so much fun to read about within the story. Anyway - thank you, thank you and I promise to sell tons of copies!!!"

--Laura Donohoe, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe
Asheville, NC

"It is about time for women's fiction to get a book like The Song Remains the Same by Allison Winn Scotch. Allison takes the familiar Zeppelin Song Title and plane crash/memory loss plot and creates an unique and engaging book that traps you from the start. No longer sure of who she is, Nell Slattery, has to piece together her life from the clues and cues of what is around her. Questioning our own lives as Nell questions hers... Is it our experiences, our reactions, or something innate inside of us that makes us who we are? I loved this book, stayed up all night reading, and have created a play list of the songs that Nell uses as thread to sew back together the pieces of her shattered life. Read it on the beach this summer!"

--Kimberly Daniels, The Country Bookshop
Southern Pines, NC

"Nell Slattery, plane crash survivor and victim of amnesia, must reconstruct her life based on what the people around her tell her of her past. But what happens when her memories start to return and they are at odds with what her mother, sister and husband tell her?"

--Susan Taylor, The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza
Albany, NY

"18 years after a terrible event, 3 people are still haunted by its aftereffects. Detective Broome is still investigating the case of a missing man; Ray, a photographer is stuck in a dead-end job, unable to move on after losing the love of his life; and Megan, the perfect suburban wife, is hiding the truth of her sordid past from her wealthy, preppy husband. When the same crime occurs exactly 18 years later, all 3 one of them are drawn back to the past to try to make sense of their current lives. A satisfying stand alone novel from Coben."

--Susan Taylor, The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza
Albany, NY

"This tale of madcap farce is lighthearted as well as bighearted. Constance Harding is busy keeping up with her lovely home and her bell ringing club when circumstances force her to take a step back and reconsider how perfect her life is. While some events would throw others to the ground, Radford's light touch with Constance makes you laugh instead. Yes, the Lithuanian housekeeper's panties keep turning up in her husband's study. Yes, she writes a personal ad for her son because he doesn't seem to making any moves on the romantic field -- possibly because Oscar Wilde is his profile picture on Facebook. It's a change of life book for those of us who know it only too well. Enjoy."

--Valerie Koehler, Blue Willow Bookshop
Houston, TX

"I badly needed a piece of brain candy last night and read this one straight through--it is ridiculously funny. For lovers of Hyacinth Bucket, or Lucia and Mapp this is a sure thing. An absolute delight."

--Audrey Bullar, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"A cross between Steve Berry and Justin Cronin, and he's done his homework on Biblical apocrypha. Should be a fun beach read for our customers."

--Karen Tallant, Booksellers at Laurelwood
Memphis, TN

"It is impossible to easily encapsulate this tale of fallen angels and a lone watcher in the bell tower of Lausanne cathedral. The novel is filled with tension, suspense, mystery and the supernatural, yet is also almost unbearably poignant. Every superlative cliché that is possible to be used to describe a debut novel is appropriate and Jon Steele will explode upon the literary scene."

--Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books
Ann Arbor, MI

"Though I'm not a teacher nor a parent, I, like everyone else, have had the experience of being a student. Mali's book is a love letter to the teaching profession and just by reading his short, vivid chapters you can tell what an amazing teacher he is. Celebrate the great teachers in your life by reading and then spreading the word about this jewel of a book."

--Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction
Greenville, SC

"I'm writing you to praise yet another historical mystery. I started The Yard on Monday night and finished it on the train into work yesterday and I've been trying to put my finger on exactly what was so compelling about it. I found myself compulsively turning pages. And, now, having had some time to think it over a bit, I realize that I kept reading because I enjoyed spending time with the characters which is why Downton Abbey is so watchable: No matter how outrageous the plot, the characters are such that you can't help but care what happens to them. In fact, if The Yard were made into a Masterpiece Mystery mini-series, I would be glued to my television during its entire run. I don't think that every mystery novel should be part of a series, but if Mr. Grecian wanted to go back at some point and revisit these characters, I'd happily follow along."

--Billie J. Bloebaum, Powells PDX
Portland, OR

"Hard on the heels of the failure of the Metropolitan police to catch Jack the Ripper, a London bobby is found murdered in a horrific fashion. With a style that is light and witty, juxtaposed with the grimness of the underbelly of 19th century London, Grecian has concocted a delightful recreation of the early days of Scotland Yard. Action, suspense, characters unsavory and sympathetic. It was a joy to read!"

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

“In this debut novel, survivors of World War II try to reconstruct a life as a family in a new country. The house at 22 Britannia Road offers hope but can't protect it's residents from the secrets they each keep. Hodgkinson knows how to let secrets simmer and boil over in surprising ways. She also has a talent for introducing complicated characters that tear at your heart and keep you worrying and wondering about them.”

--Rona Brinlee, The Book Mark
Neptune Beach, FL

"I love WWII novels, and this one is no exception. Polish citizens Silvana and her husband Janusz are separated during the war while he goes to serve his country and she tries to get her back to her family. After 6 years of a brutal life for her and her son living off the land in the forests, the family is reunited in England. Their new home on 22 Britannia Road is the scene of their attempt to start life again as a family, although both Silvana and Janusz have secrets they are afraid of letting each other know."

--Beth Carpenter, The Country Bookshop
Southern Pines, NC

"The ravages of World War II extended far beyond the actual combat. Janusz, his wife Silvana and son, Aurek, are Polish refugees, reunited in England after the war both the horrors they each suffered during the conflict linger and added to the trials of assimilating to a new society make success as a family a tenuous proposition. Their story is a beautiful rendition of people trying to cope, accommodate and build a new life and identity."

--Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books
Ann Arbor, MI

"From the first moment Silvana whispers, 'survivor', your heart will be lost to a woman, man, and child trying to piece together lives shattered by the inexplicable horror of war. Ending is not always escaping and sometimes secrets must become truth for those who have seen too much. The inhabitants of 22 Britannia Road become your own ancestors and you must finish the journey with them to understand what family truly means."

--Katie Kasben, Copperfields Books
Sebastopol, CA

"A gripping novel of forgiveness and the sacrifices made to start a new life in England after WWII, 22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson, will remind readers of the distant longings for people and places in Sarah Blake's The Postmistress and the feral child of Anne MIchaels' Fugitive Pieces.

Hodgkinson's 22 Britannia Road engrosses the reader in a story of the shared ghosts in all of our histories.

--Fred Powell, Main Street Books
Frostburg, MD

"I just finished reading 22 Britannia Road… It will be a good book for discussion in a book group--did the mother do the right things and of course she was extraordinarily courageous to survive the way she did. It's a book that is staying with me and I'm looking forward to discussing it with some of my fellow compatriots."

--Polly Gorder, Book Passage
Corte Madera, CA

"A Polish couple, separated through the war, is finally reunited in Post-War England. Janusz, the husband, had to leave Poland in the early days of the war and fled through France to serve in the British Air Force. His wife, Sylvana, and their son, both witnesses and victims of Nazi atrocities, survived the war deep in the Polish forests. Their reunion is not going as smooth as expected; it is not only because of the estrangement after all those years, but also because of the secrets of the past that spook them as ghosts in the night. This is a touching and captivating story with an interesting view on the daily English life after WW II."

--Jean-Paul Adriaansen, Water Street Bookstore
Exeter, NH

"Amanda Hodgkinson's debut is an engrossing novel about the unbreakable bond between a mother and son. It is a powerful story that kept me reading way past my bedtime."

--Anderson McKean, Page & Palette
Fairhope, AL

"If you're looking for a beach book, a right-before-sleep novel, a relaxing lazyboy read, this is the novel you need. Using email at work to share daily worries, newsflashes, or gossip with friends can have serious consequences, certainly when inappropriate words are used. Somewhere, somehow, a red flag might show up and someone will start reading those emails and send out a warning. But what if that person gets more and more interested in the daily chats to the point where he is clearly attracted to one of the violators of the house rules?

Funny, witty, captivating, and written with a good and easy pace; just the right roman to spend a good time with."

--Jean-Paul Adriaansen, Water Street Bookstore
Exeter, NH

"Having been a huge fan of Camilla Gibb's previous book, Sweetness In the Belly, I expected to immediately be swept up with her new one. I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't to happen right away in this book, but very much rewarded as she slowly wove her magic, unveiling an exquisite story of contemporary Vietnam, particularly her tying in of its art and literature. The main character, Old Man Hung, is a private, yet charming man who creates his own magic with his secret recipe for pho, an aromatic beef noodle soup that makes him sought after in the nearby towns. Among some of his frequent customers are a woman who is Vietnamese from the US in search of her artist father, and a young man named Tu, who is an enterprising tour guide that she enlists to show her around.

These characters, as well as others in the story, are very likable, and the author does a wonderful job in her descriptions of the foods, smells, the poverty, as well as the beauty of the land and the art. A lovely and gripping novel."

--Linda Grana, Read Booksellers
Danville, CA

"A Vietnamese women returns to the land of her birth to discover what she can about her dissident father last seen around the time of the fall of Saigon. Befriending a phenomenal pho (noodle soup) maker who may have known him she slowly learns the fate of the dissidents while rediscovering the culture she was removed from as a child. This is a lovely and touching story that provides a moving portrait of daily life of the Vietnamese people both during the war and now."

--Sheryl Cotleur, Book Passage
Corte Madera, CA

"The Beauty of Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb is a beautiful little book that I feel I can really sell. It has sparked an interest in the Vietnamese culture; I learned something about the Vietnamese people in the way that Orhan Pamuk taught me something of Turkey. It was so touching."

--Joanne Sealy, Faulkner House
New Orleans, LA

"As an avid reader and foodie who recently discovered the Vietnamese soup 'pho', it was easy to get caught up in The Beauty of the Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb. Old Man Hung’s perfectly concocted pho appears to be a backdrop to the “Humanity Movement”, a group of artists attempting to express the beauty of the Vietnamese culture in a time of great repression under Ho Chi Minh. But the pho itself, and the role it plays in the lives of the Vietnamese people, is as central to the culture of Vietnam as its writings and artwork. This is a book of history, love, heartbreak, personal growth, loyalty, honor and, of course, pho."

--Lynn Riggs, Books & Company
Oconomowoc, WA

"Bent Road is a stunning debut novel. The characters are have so much fullness and depth. The setting of small town Kansas is vivid. The secrets of the Scott family, and others in town, makes for palpable tension which builds with every page. The last few chapters, when the reader knows everything is going to boil over, are brilliant. From the point where Olivia, the cow, dies, I was glued to the book and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Lori Roy is an amazing new voice and I'll say it again: 'wow'!! Thank you, thank you! for sending me the ms. to read!"

--Susan Wasson, Bookworks
Albuquerque, NM

"Celia and Arthur Scott and their three children move from Detroit back to Arthur’s home town in Kansas. There is a slight tinge of strangeness to every person and place here, and an odd sense of menace and of things unspoken. A little girl disappears, something is wrong with Uncle Ray, and everyone changes the subject when Aunt Eve is mentioned. The suspense builds slowly, but gains in momentum, and the denouement is terrific!"

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"I've finished Bent Road. Overall, I liked it very much. Several times as I read, I thought I knew where the story would go, but I was never right, which makes for an extremely entertaining story. The plot was very plausible…. I was impressed by the way Ms. Roy writes about the Midwest in the late 60's. Having lived in Oklahoma and Texas in the 50's, her depiction of families with secrets, and the fact that they just did NOT talk about them… struck me as very accurate.

I found the writing to be taut and concise. No wasted prose at all, which is very hard to do. Because of the sparse prose, it did take me awhile to warm up to the characters, and care what happened to them … but I did get to care. … The 'bent' plot never became absurd and always led me to want to read on. I also loved the way she keeps the reader anticipating horrible things, then letting you down, but never enough to not anticipate that the next thing will be horrible. I just knew Ray was going to abduct Eve-ie! I was certain Celia was going to get raped and/or shot by Ray! That it didn't happen never lessened the suspense on the next page!

Thank you for letting me read the book."

--Anne Gatts, M is For Mystery
San Mateo, CA

"While I would hesitate to call Bent Road by Lori Roy psychological suspense or even a dedicated mystery, I can say that it is an engrossing read. This new novel brilliantly captures the small town aura of 1960’s Kansas. Flitting between the 3rd person narratives of four characters-Celia, her two youngest children Daniel and Eve-ee, and her sister-in-law Ruth-the novel manages to be both literary in its encapsulation of small town life and prejudice and intriguing in it’s presentation of its two mystery subplots-the unexplained death of Eve (Celia’s sister-in-law) decades before, and the sudden disappearance of a young girl. I say subplots because while both are essentially the blood in the veins of this story, their strength in terms of plot falls in comparison to the infinitely more interesting character study that this novel becomes. It is easy to become sucked into the world of these characters, to feel sorrow with them, fear for them, and to be angered by their actions. The ability of Roy to elicit this response from a reader as a first time novelist says a lot about her writing prowess. I would highly recommend this new novel to lovers of solid character-driven fiction."

--Heather Christman, Warwick's
La Jolla, CA

"Bent Road is a kind of modern prairie Gothic, with a heavy dose of Shakespeare thrown in. Very, very tense. A great debut that keeps you turning pages, even as shadows start taking the story into the darkness."

--Geoffrey Jennings, Rainy Day Books
Fairway, KS

"I LOVED The Borrower. It is such a booklover sort of book, especially if you love children's books. I thought the way the author handled the integration of classic children's stories into the novel brilliant. Sometimes the protagonist wasn't likeable, but I couldn't help identifying with her desire to help and protect Ian. What a great read!"

--Vicki Erwin, Main Street Books
St. Charles, MO

“This charming story had me from the first page. You will fall in love with ten-year-old Ian Drake, avid reader and sorely misunderstood by his parents and on the lam with local librarian Lucy Hull. When the two unintentionally set out on a cross-country road trip after Ian has camped out in the library over night, you won’t be able to stop reading to find out if the two will make it back home. Interspersed with ferret shampoo, a clingy boyfriend, and the Russian mafia, this debut from Makkai will go straight to your heart.”

--Sherri Gallentine, Vroman’s Bookstore
Pasadena, CA

“Rebecca Makkai takes us on an oddball road trip where the enduring power and magic of books is illuminated in each mile of the journey. Small-town children's librarian, Lucy Hull, takes Ian, a lost 10-year old, under her literary wing. She begins by recommending him books that his evangelist mother would not approve of and ends up quasi-kidnapping him after he tries to run away. Makkai perfectly balances Lucy's guilt over aiding the boy in his escape and her righteous indignation at his parents. They share the language of the children's titles they've read, and Makkai even writes chapters in homage to some of those books including a magnificent take off on If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.”

--Arsen Kashkashian, Boulder Bookstore
Boulder, CO

"Clever, witty, refreshing. A story for book lovers and addicted readers like myself; I found a 'surprise' in every chapter. Wonderfully entertaining, delightfully hilarious, spiced with moral riddles as the story's final chapters validate the power books can have to change people's lives. Loved Makkai's characters, especially 10-year-old Ian Drake and the young librarian, Lucy Hull, as I was taken along on their crazy road trip from Missouri to Vermont as this odd pair is thrown into the path of Lucy's family history... I will recommend it highly to our customers."

--Carol Hicks, Bookshelf at Hooligan Rocks
Truckee, CA

"What a darling book! I'll wager every bookseller and librarian (media specialist?) knows a kid just like Ian; or at least several kids that have some of his precocious characteristics in common with him. Not only did it remind me of several of our young patrons, but certainly made me wonder how a similar scenario would play out in our bookstore. The Borrower was a joy to read and I'll certainly recommend it."

--Mary, The Book Bin
Onley, VA

"Lucy Hull, a young children's librarian in Missouri, is drawn to ten year old Ian Drake who, as an avid reader, needs both Lucy's advice and aid in selecting books and getting them past his over-bearing mother. Ian's mother, fearing he may be gay, has enrolled him in an anti-gay religious school, and Lucy is presented with a moral dilemma when Ian enlists her aid to run away.The resulting road trip reveals as much about Lucy as it does about Ian, and both these bibliophiles have a story worth discovering. Makkai has a remarkable talent for creating both characters and settings; the library staff and the library itself are drawn with loving detail. The numerous homages to children's classics are wonderful. I can only hope Makkai will give us an update on these two unforgettable characters. A delight."

--Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books
Tampa, FL

“I wasn't sure what to expect from this little book, but I was absolutely, completely charmed. The love of books shared by the author and her two protagonists shines through on every page. Yes, Lucy was occasionally annoying and yes, the book sometimes got too precious for its own good, but never enough to derail the reading experience. I'm a sucker for a good road trip novel and this certainly fit the bill. There was the expected cast of unique/quirky/eccentric supporting players and a strong vein of humor throughout. I hope they keep this cover for the paperback, because it's the kind of thing I'd love to put on our Featured Title table.”

--Billie Bloebaum, Powell’s PDX.
Portland, OR

"Geraldine Brooks has written another remarkable novel, this time set in Martha's Vineyard in the 1660s. The narrator, Bethia, is a bright, young woman, daughter of a minister who hopes to convert the neighboring Wampanoag Indians, and it is her observant eye that makes this time and place so vivid. The historical basis of the book is the life of Caleb, the first Native American to graduate from Harvard University in 1665. Brooks' imagining of this great achievement, and its far greater cost, is the focus of the book, but Bethia's life and her achievements are equally compelling. The passion is understated, but the historical details and the way the two characters rise to the challenges of both the physical landscape and the limits of their expected stations in life is both absorbing and satisfying. This is a thoughtful novel that explores intellectual, spiritual and social issues while telling a story of love, friendship, and courage."

--Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books
Tampa, FL

“I knew I’d like the novel: some writers are a sure bet. You pick up their works immediately, without second thought. Geraldine Brooks has once again delivered on her promise of exceptional historical fiction. It is, as expected, a masterful literary construction placed over the solid bones of history. The added touch of the book’s narrator- a young woman of quick wit and boundless curiosity – is a poignant counterpoint: she was denied even the bones of education allowed to Caleb, the young Indian who lived between two worlds and was allowed no true place among either settlers or Indians. Brooks understands that it is this place outside of events where the magnificent lie that is Fiction can tell a larger truth.”

--Karen Tallant, Davis-Kidd
Memphis, TN

“My favorite Geraldine Brooks novel up to this point has been Year of Wonders. Caleb's Crossing is on a par. Colonial America is a period in history that I love reading about. The picture of life for women in that time period is both fascinating and appalling. The inventiveness that Bethia exhibited to get around all the constraints imposed on her was truly amazing. The characters were compelling, and the story line was wonderful. Loved it, loved it, loved it!”

--Anne McMahon, Boswell Book Company
Milwaukee, WI

"Geraldine Brooks has done it again! I am forever awed by her masterful and versatile talent. In Caleb's Crossing, she has left behind the Era of the Plague, the mysteries of an illuminated manuscript, Mr. March, and focused instead on the uncertain frontier of Martha's Vineyard in the 1660s. In Bethia, readers will find someone to cheer for – she is a character who grabs you immediately and carries you through the interesting and compelling story of Caleb Cheshahteaumuck, the first Native American man to graduate from Harvard. If you love Martha's Vineyard, this is a story that will capture your attention. If you've never been, this is a story that will make you want to go. If you don't give a lick about Martha's Vineyard, Bethia and Caleb will sweep you up in the drama of their story and win you over. I enjoyed this book from page one!"

--Elizabeth A. Lewis, Rainy Day Books
Fairway, KS

"This book was incredibly compelling. I didn't expect to like it, but as it turned out, I couldn't put it down. It's a funny and frank look at family relationships and faith. The main character, Ellen, gets left by her husband and loses her job, so she has to move back home with her parents. She commences behaving in a very un-Christian way, and her mother harps on her mercilessly. It turns out there's a lot more going on in the Carlisle family than meets the eye. Not far into the book, Ellen meets Mark, and he, for the most part, is what kept me reading obsessively. There was something strange about Mark, and I couldn't stop until I knew what it was. Trust me, it was worth it."

--Stacey Ward, Katy Budget Books
Houston, TX

"A TV reporter finds her world turned upside-down when she accuses a social worker of being a child predator and a local girl goes missing. Of course nothing is as it seems in this page-turner, and Caught further cements Coben's name as the master of the suburban thriller."

--Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books & Music
Millerton, NY

"A TV reporter finds her world turned upside-down when she accuses a social worker of being a child predator and a local girl goes missing. Of course nothing is as it seems in this page-turner, and Caught further cements Coben's name as the master of the suburban thriller."

--Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books & Music
Millerton, NY

"Lelic is a master of the carefully measured psychological thriller and his newest sucked me in from the very start! The Child Who is the perfect suspenseful book to read by a fire on a gloomy day!"

--Lauren Peugh, Mrs. Nelson's Toy and Book Shop
La Verne, CA

“Much like George Orwell turned the concept of government upside down in Animal Farm, Trevor Shane puts a chiling scramble on the idea of war. Frighteningly non-sensical, this tighly woven thriller keeps you sighting targets and checking over your shoulder alongside the savage yet tender protagonist Joseph - who is both assasin and hero.”

--Susan Tyler, The Book Bin
Onley, VA

"If you liked Don't Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight, I have a feeling you'll love this one even more. In what the publisher is calling a sequel and a prequel, Fuller continues on the subject of her family's life in Africa in the same riveting, deeply personal, highly accomplished style. If Dogs was Bobo's story, her explanation for her love of Africa, then Cocktail Hour is her parents' story. She thoroughly interviews both of them and tells the stories of their parents and their grandparents. From Nicola's Scottish ancestors to Tim's family farm in England, we get a better picture of why they value land so highly, why owning a farm in Africa was their life's pursuit. Fuller captures both of her parents' voices so perfectly, allowing them to tell their stories (including their reactions to the publication of Dogs, what Nicola calls the 'Awful Book.') in their own inimitable style. Perhaps through these interviews, and perhaps through an additional 10 years of ruminating on the subject, Fuller seems to have come to a deeper understanding of what her parents experienced and what it all meant--living through wars, constantly moving, losing three children, and battling manic depression, all while desperately loving Africa and being unwilling to leave. Fuller seems to have closed the loop that she left open with Dogs in an honest and satisfying way. You can feel how deeply healing the book must have been for her--not just the desperation to tell her story, like in Dogs, but also the peace that comes with understanding your family and where you came from."

--Stefanie Kiper, Water Street Bookstore
Exeter, NH

“Other than the film version of Out of Africa and Heart of Darkness, this is the first close experience I've had with the sort of British colonials you think of from movies. You know, khaki-wearing, gin-swilling, Land Rover-driving folks from the small islands. I say that with the utmost reverence, because Fuller's parents, Tim and Nicola, are made of tougher stuff than pretty much anyone I know, and they handle their tumultuous lives with the kind of grace we all wish we could have in tight spots.

The book is mostly in the form of essays about various topics, chronologically scrambled but moving more or less forward from the 1960s to present-day. The Fullers have lived in several countries (Kenya, Rhodesia, and now Zambia) and farmed all sorts of things. They come to life in full color in this book.

As Nicola Fuller is fond of toasting: “"Here's to us. There's none like us, and if there were, they're all dead."

And that, more than anything, is why you should read this book.”

--Evan Barker, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Lexington, KY

“You may not have heard of Norman Thomas, the primary focus of his great-granddaughter’s compelling group biography/history of the World War I era, but you’re surely familiar with the ACLU, which he helped found. Along with his brother Evan. Thomas was an outspoken objector to the Great War and both men faced official and unofficial persecution for their views. Norman’s office was raided and his publications were censored, then banned as treasonous. Evan was conscripted, court-martialed when he refused to serve and sentenced to solitary confinement. Sons of a minister, the brothers heeded the religious call, but were motivated more by the promptings of personal conscience. The author elucidates the many moral and philosophical ambiguities of doing one’s duty, showing the questions the brothers wrestled with and how they found ways to work for individual liberties as well as social justice.”

--Laurie, Politics & Prose
Washington, DC

"This is a welcome addition to the intellectual history of the United States. Norman Thomas' journey from the social gospel to pacifism and socialism gives a clear-sighted example of the interior debate that leads to decisions of conscience. Told within the background of one family's history during the build-up to WWI, it touches on so many levels of what we expect government to do for us and what government expects from us. Thoughtful, introspective, and thoroughly satisfying."

--Steve Corrigan, Davis-Kidd Booksellers
Memphis, TN

“What happens when the head of the Wyr is an ancient dragon whose hoard has been plundered? And the Thief, a half-wyr, who had been blackmailed into the theft in the first place, is then made to stay at the dragon’s side for her protection – Romance of course……This one went immediately on the Keeper Shelf!”

--Lauren Sheppard, Partners West
Renton, WA

"Dragon Bound is a delightful joy ride which takes the reader through a magical universe of dragons, trolls, elves and more. Strong willed characters with a sexual sizzle that pops off the pages....a keeper."

--Kathy Baker, Waldenbooks
Fort Worth, TX

"I really enjoyed Dragon Bound-loved the characters and the story, and I’m really looking forward to the next one."

--Ellen Higuchi, Borders
Santa Clara, CA

"I LOVED IT!!!! I spent the whole day reading Dragon Blood. Finished it a 1:35 am, did not want to put the book down, and can’t wait for the next one! What a good book. I loved the story, loved Pia and Dragos, heck I loved it all. I am so glad I read this book!!"

--Debra Vodden, Borders

"Continuing to cement his place as one of the superior historians of Nazi Germany, Ian Kershaw provides an in depth study of the factors that led the regime and people to continue desperately fighting a war that was obviously unwinnable by the start of 1944. He uses extensive documentation to show the history, stresses and psychology that led the German leaders and population to create an apocalyptic ending to the European theater in World War II."

--Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books
Ann Arbor, MI

"Field Grey really has an interesting comparison of Gestapo interrogation techniques and the US-not a lot of daylight between them. Setting the beginning of the story in Cuba will no doubt remind people of our little hellhole in Guantanamo Bay. It was very much like Furst or Le Carre but more noir."

--Mark Luther, New Leaf Distributing Company
Lithia Springs, GA

"If you liked Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie or The Kingdom of Ohio, you’d love The Girl Who Would Speak for the Dead. While this book is written for adults, it would be appropriate for teens as well.

Thirteen-year-old Emily discovers she can make a knocking sound with her ankle. With this newly discovered talent, she and her twin brother Michael start entertaining and amazing their friends with Emily’s ability to speak with spirits. When they get involved with adults who want to contact their deceased loved ones, things get more complicated. Now they’re interfering in people’s lives and playing with their deepest emotions."

--Rona Brinlee, The Book Mark
Neptune Beach, FL

“You can't always count on a sequel. It's not always easy to fall right back into the lives of beloved characters or return to a the atmosphere of a cherished setting. But the many fans of Lesley Kagen's Whistling In the Dark need have no such worries.

Sally and Troo are back for more misbegotten adventures, real danger blithely and summarily dismissed, and childhoods both rare and surprisingly familiar.

Kagen's genius is in the two-fold telling of her stories: the literal story, narrated by adolescent Sally O'Malley of Milwaukee, is a story of a 1950's summer in a working class neighborhood rife with the dangers of city living, but filtered by a child's perspective - her belief in the essential good in people and her kid's assumption of immortality. The SECOND story is the one we read in our mind's eye: the neighbor whose will has no sooner been changed than her health takes a turn for the worse; the string of burglaries in the neighborhood and the disappearance of a playground regular. We KNOW that none of this bodes well, but in Sally's eyes, it's all an adventure waiting to be lived or a mystery to keep her Irish twin, Troo, from sticking her naughty nose into.

If you've never read Whistling in the Dark, you'd still enjoy Good Graces, but once you get a glimpse into the O'Malley's world, there will be no stopping you from running back to the bookstore for that one, too. If you are already a fan, you won't want to wait to pick up Good Graces!”

--Jill Miner, Saturn Booksellers and The Coffee Cabin
Gaylor, MI

"Who knew that Milwaukee in 1960 could be such a dangerous place? In Lesley Kagen's follow-up novel to Whistling in the Dark, we find out just how perilous it can be.

Sally O'Malley and her sister, Troo, are still recovering from the sudden death of their father. Their neighborhood is hit with a string of burglaries, the escape of a bully from reform school, an orphan's disappearance, and the suspicious behavior of a beloved priest.

Sally is the voice of this novel, intelligent and funny, but also achingly naïve at times. Milwaukee natives will enjoy all the details of life in this city 50 years ago."

--Sharon Nagel, Boswell Book Company
Milwaukee, WI

"It requires a delicate balance to insert a beloved Southern writer into a novel as a character, but Napolitano has achieved her goal with subtlety and grace. Flannery O’Connor is a minor but pivotal character in this novel set in Midgeville. A very evocative and compelling examination of love and family. (And the peacocks are brilliant!)"

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"In a style often evocative of the great American writer herself, Ann Napolitano’s A Good Hard Look is a fictionalized account of Flannery O’Connor’s life that pays homage to this woman who lived life on her terms, regardless of her circumstances. From the cast of characters caught in the harsh realities of everyday life, to the shattering events that change all of them, this is a stunning book that realizes there are often no happy endings, but reminds us that if we focus only on the pain, we fail to see its’ transformative powers."

--Dawn Braasch, Bunch of Grapes Bookstore
Martha’s Vineyard, MA

"While A Good Hard Look is a fictional account of the final years of writer Flannerry O'Connor, it is also a beautiful examination of a certain time and place. Women's roles in the South were in painful transition, and Napolitano explores the consequences of following the pull of the heart, giving in to expectations or, as Flannery did, follow the call to write. The story is beautifully written, with unexpected images and characters, and is impossible to put down. Full of the very charm, tradition, heartbreak and resilience of the culture it describes, A Good Hard Look is a wonderful novel."

--Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books
Tampa, FL

"I hated for A Good Hard Look to end. It made me go back & reread Wise Blood & other Flannery O’Connor and that's a good thing!"

--Joanne Sealy, Faulkner House
New Orleans, LA

"A Good Hard Look is a brilliant, engaging novel about Flannery O'Connor's final years and the odd and difficult relationships in her small southern town of Milledgeville that might very well have been models for her wonderful and disturbing fiction. I was moved by it and completely drawn into the characters and their deeply flawed humanity. I will now go back and reread O'Connor, with different eyes and a new appreciation for her gifts and the tragedy of a life cut short. Of course I know it is fiction, but I feel like Ann Napolitano understood and conveyed Flannery's world and the truths behind her fiction. The novel is a gift to the reader, giving us all a new understanding of Grace."

--Cathy Langer, Tattered Cover Bookstore
Denver, CO

"Flannery O'Connor is on a short list of authors I re-read on a regular basis ... every few years I'll dive into her short stories and lose myself in her world, always uncovering some new wry insight or observation to enjoy. It was with both interest and trepidation, then, that I picked up Ann Napolitano's A Good Hard Look ... I was wary of having her writing 'ruined' for me by a characterization that didn't fit the (admittedly thinly informed) image I had of her. Curiosity won the day, though, and I'm glad it did! Napolitano's Flannery is lovely, and while I'll never know, really, exactly how 'true to life' she is, she feels right and real. Even aside from its famous protagonist, the book stands on its own as a clear evocation of a time and place: the mood and character of the town & its citizens are captured so well, not to mention the way she fits together all the nicely developed characters - with their foibles, triumphs, agonies and eccentricities - like a perfect, nuanced puzzle. I'll be recommending A Good Hard Look to my lovers of southern writing and fine literature for sure."

--Lynne, Spellbinder Books
Bishop, CA

"Flannery O'Connor fans will devour A Good Hard Look. Readers who are not familiar with the great writer, will be mesmerized by Ann Napolitano's brilliant gift of telling a story where every character is alive and breathing. This important book will make you want to holler at the people who populate the pages - and never look at peacocks the same for the rest of your life."

--Jake Reiss, The Alabama Booksmith
Birmingham, AL

"This book was fantastic. I absolutely loved it.

Flannery O'Connor raises peacocks and suffers from lupus as she writes books and stories in her hometown of Milledgeville, GA in the early 1960's. She befriends the husband of a young couple and in one afternoon their lives and that of another couple in town are torn apart. A fictional account of one of the south's greatest authors, and one you don't want to miss."

--Beth Carpenter, The Country Bookshop
Southern Pines, NC

"Napolitano was introduced to Flannery O’Connor’s work while recuperating from a long illness. She learned her lessons well from that master storyteller and she has given us a complex novel, filled with flawed characters--including O’Connor herself--, gothic plotting, and sublime writing. Unlike her mentor, Napolitano holds out just a hint of a possibility of a happy ending."

--Laura Key, Blue Elephant Book Shop
Decatur, GA

"Ann Napolitano's A Good Hard Look starts out with a few diverse incidents establishing the themes which expand throughout this superb biographical novel of one of the South's greatest fiction writers. The author's rich imagination is fed by the several generations of her family's contact with middle Georgia and even with Flannery and her mother, Georgia, which, no doubt, provides the authenticity pervading the book.

Although Flannery O'Connor's literary and personal history have been well examined, Napolitano shows an exquisite ability to capture the essence of mid-20th century Georgia and the fictional characters that live with Flannery. A true measure of this novel's believability is when the reader continues to flesh out Flannery's life after A Good Hard Look is put down, one is drawn to investigate happenings which only occurred in Napolitano's mind.

Some novelists might have been tempted to emulate Flannery's Southern Gothic or Grotesque style; Napolitano treads lightly, letting tragedy work where it best fits. She captures both the joys and weaknesses of her characters that parallel Flannery's belief, expressed throughout her writings and speech: Many times it is difficult to distinguish between blessings and curses.

Flannery wrote that the basis of art is truth, both in matter and in mode. A Good Hard Look is an artful novel that is as electrifying as her peacocks and as magnetic as her life."

--Bill Threlfall, Tattered Cover Bookstore
Denver, CO

"Heads You Lose is a rare example of a high-concept book - alternating chapters by different authors, with author commentary in between - that not only works, but reads like a dream. The hilarious, nuanced tale of two pot-growing siblings who discover a headless body in their yard, with the battles that ensue between both the characters and the authors, are fast-paced, fresh and engaging. Fans of Christopher Moore will love Heads You Lose!"

--Carol Schneck, Schuler Books and Music
Okemos, MI

“Ounce per ounce, Heads You Lose is the most pure fun I've had reading in a long time. The co-authors take turns writing chapters and argue about it in brief between-chapter notes and footnotes. It's a murder mystery that takes place in a NorCal pot-growing town, which adds to the appeal -- particularly for Mendo readers. Totally fresh and witty.”

--Christie Olson Day, Gallery Books
Mendocino, CA

"What's more fun: Heads You Lose as an entertaining mystery or the hilarious vitriol between the authors?

This starts as an unplotted mystery where marijuana growing siblings find a headless body in their front yard. Bodies pile up or heal, depending upon who is writing the chapter.

Tempers flare and old grudges come to the surface--and that's just the authors interacting."

--Becky Milner, Vintage Books
Vancouver, WA

"Heads You Lose was really fun. I especially enjoyed the interactions between the authors and seeing how they were abusing each other (and their characters) in the chapters. On more than one occasion I found myself laughing out loud which doesn't happen so often in the mystery genre."

--Luisa Smith, Book Passage
Corte Madera, CA

"After reading a couple of heady literary tomes, I felt the need for some wildly entertaining, comic relief, and struck gold with Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward. Lisa is the author of a humorous and fun mystery series about the Spellman family, David an editor and poet. The collaborative effort of this team of writing ex's is wild, and insanely funny! Lisa begins the story, and continues to write all the odd number chapters, David jumps in, taking over the even numbered chapters. Neither know where the other is going with plot lines or characters, and their notes to each other in between chapters is just as, if not more entertaining than the crime story itself. The novel is a murder mystery about pot-growing siblings Paul and Lacey Hansen, who find a corpse with a 'lost head' on their property. Not wanting to draw attention to their property, and the flora and fauna it contains, they move the body to another location, only to find it returned to them a few days later, and much more fragrant!

As the story continues, each author might insert a new story- line, or introduce a new character (which may or may not be killed off by the other in succeeding chapters!), making this a zany, and hugely entertaining story within a story. I can't recommend this highly enough for those, like me, looking for nearly 300 pages o' fun!"

--Linda Grana, Diesel Books
Oakland, CA

“HILARIOUS!! A MUST-READ… As in READ NOW! In a quiet, small town in Northern California, two pot-growing siblings are just trying to make a living and mind their own business. All of a sudden, a headless corpse ends up on their property. They can’t exactly contact the police, so they move the body themselves. A couple days later, and a couple days riper, the corpse returns. And the mystery begins! Written by former romantic partners, Lutz and Hayward take turns writing chapters, and at the end of each chapter there is a little side note from author to co-author, about the previous chapter, and about their previous relationship. A wonderful read!”

--Natalie, Bookshelf
Truckee, CA

"I finished The Idea of America by Gordon Wood this weekend. I remember reading his work as far back as my undergraduate days, and this book seems to be the culmination of an amazing career. He’s one of the pre-eminent historians in the country. His new book is a collection of essays and lectures he continues to edit, each with fresh insights that portray the characters of the Revolutionary Era as they were, not as how we would have them be. He explains why they considered themselves to be so oppressed at the same time that they might have been some of the freest people in the world, why the idea of a republic was as radical in the 18th century as Marxism was in the 19th, and why they felt like the states were becoming too democratic and needed to be framed by a Constitution. They had a belief that those who governed should be disinterested in commerce, members of a gentlemanly class, who could be impartial and not be swayed by self-interest. Wood gives us a clear picture of who they were, and in that regard, who we have become as a nation. This is an important book that deserves a wide readership. It would help to tame some of the misconceptions we have about ourselves."

--Steve Corrigan, Davis-Kidd Booksellers
Memphis, TN

"I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you about A Jane Austen Education, but our next Jane Austen Book Club is coming up shortly and we are reading Mansfield Park, so I'm sure you understand why it has taken me until now to get around to reading Mr. Deresiewicz's book. However, I finally finished both books and I will just go ahead and tell you that I WILL be promoting A Jane Austen Education at our next meeting! I loved it! I found myself actually setting aside Mansfield Park to read Mr. Deresiewicz's book. It was wonderful! Very rarely do you ever get a chance to read about, or see, Jane Austen from the male perspective since, as was pointed out at the beginning of the book, most men find her too “girlie”. So I greatly enjoyed how he openly declared his love for Jane from the first page to the last. I also enjoyed how he seamlessly weaved in his life story with how it related to the various novels, and his analysis of the text was so thorough, but easy to follow along at the same time. I might try introducing some of his ideas into our next JABC meeting! A wonderful book! I will not only recommend it to my Book Club, but I will also hand-sell it to customers!"

--Amanda Beverly, Jane Austen Book Club, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Lexington, KY

"For readers who enjoyed the emotional depth of Bauermeister's The School of Essential Ingredients, this new fiction will satisfy. A group of Seattle-area women, first formed to help a new mother with twins, are gathered to help one of the women plow through cancer therapy...now she challenges everyone to try something new. Love, friendship, and a good sense of adventure make for a good read."

--Katherine Cobb, Waucoma Bookstore
Hood River, OR

"Kate has conquered cancer, and now she is going to hit the rapids at the Grand Canyon. At a victory celebration she gives her six friends and equally personal challenge. Bauermeister masterfully weaves the stories of these seven friends, making the reader empathize with and root for each one as she conquers her own hurdles. Great for book clubs!"

--Sam, Aaron's Books
Lititz, PA

"Keeper of Lost Causes is well written, with good character development. I thought Carl and Merte are very believable, and well fleshed out. I particularly liked the character of Merte, who you couldn’t help but pull for, and identify with...The main 'who did it and why' part also worked well. You couldn’t anticipate what was to happen, but when it did, you could believe it could happen. I found the ending very suspenseful and compelling. I think readers will really get swept up with the story."

--Karl van Brenk, University of California Davis Bookstore
Davis, CA

“I just wanted you to know that I loved The Keeper of Lost Causes and finished it in two days. I intend to use it for the Gothic’s International Mystery Book Club and look forward to more in the series.”

--Kathy World, Gothic Bookshop
Durham, NC

“The continual search for the next Steig Larsson or Jo Nesbo may have come to a conclusion as Jussi Adler-Olsen is worthy of the same praise heaped upon his Scandinavian brethren. Copenhagen detective Carl Morck is delegated to cold cases but his own instincts and abilities will not let him rest and he is soon pursuing a missing person's case relegated to the dust bin. This is taut, edge of the seat crime fiction writing at its best.”

--Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books
Ann Arbor, MI

"Suzi mentioned loving Keeper of Lost Causes, so I decided to try that one. I liked it a lot and am glad it's a series. I guess it just takes a while for us to get the translation? Anyway, I look forward to reading more books about Department Q. I really enjoy the element of comedy that runs through it so you don't get completely dragged down."

--Becky Eblen, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Lexington, KY

“For those of us languishing after finishing Stieg Larsson’s trilogy, this may prove to be the antidote!

Carl Morck was wounded in a shootout that killed one of his partners and left the other paralyzed from the neck down. Now no one wants to work with the melancholy and bad-tempered detective, and Morck is shunted off to the windowless basement, ostensibly to head a new department dealing with cold cases. His Syrian assistant doesn’t speak the best Danish too, but his zeal for detective work spurs Morck reluctantly out of his doldrums, and provides an infusion of comic relief. A nod to the translator, Tiina Nunnally, who has done a splendid job. Don’t miss this one, it’s outstanding!”

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

“Jussi Adler-Olson's The Keeper of Lost Causes is easily the best of the newest crop of European mystery authors; for my money, it's a fair rival to the dominant king, Stieg Larsson. With relentless plotting, brutal forward momentum, terribly intense pressure, Adler- Olson plays with the conventions of the thriller perfectly - it's never really a whodunit at all. It's not even really about why - an astute reader can see that one coming a mile away, as well. No, it's all about pressure, and time.”

--Drew Williams, Little Professor Bookshop
Homewood, AL

"The Keeper of Lost Causesis one of the best Scandinavian novels I have recently had the pleasure of reading. Set in Denmark, the plot revolves around flawed (but tenured) Chief Detective Carl Morck, exiled to the basement to run the mysterious new 'Department Q' - a department funded for the explicit purpose of solving some of Denmark's most prominent 'cold cases'. Morck is soon assigned Assad - a Syrian immigrant - to help out around the office. When they become immersed in their first case of a popular politician missing for five years - Morck determines that Assad has a lot more in his past than making coffee - and wonders why he is really in Denmark. The Keeper of Lost Causeshas an excellent plot that alternates between the victim and detectives, a touch of humor, and a totally surprise ending. A GREAT read!! I loved this book and can’t wait for #2"

--Suzi Marques, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Lexington, KY

“Computers have made us all much more aware of fonts and the beauty (and occasional godawful ugliness) they bring to the world. Just My Type is a delightfully entertaining celebration of the printed word, one that is not afraid to criticize as well as glorify deserving fonts. Simon Garfield skips around typographic history and style, arranging his book by typeface and telling the stories of the (mostly) men who have created new letterforms and how those letters have been received. You will be surprised to learn how many contemporary-feeling fonts are anything but new. One especially amusing chapter, “The Worst Fonts in the World,” is marred by its inclusion of one of my favorite typefaces; I’ll leave it to you, dear reader, to decide which one it is.”

--Anne Edkins, Vroman’s Bookstore
Pasadena, CA

"Adler-Olsen delivers a masterful mystery which will keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire book. Carl Morck is the perfect jaded, middle-aged detective who is harsh, but you learn to love anyway. The language of the novel is amazing - so much better than any of the Stieg Larsson novels. The translation by Lisa Hartford AKA Tiina Nunnally is absolutely brilliant...Please, please read this book! I stayed up until 2 in the morning to finish it."

--Katie Fransen, One More Page Books
Arlington, VA

"A tribute to material culture, craftsmanship and skill in discerning the authentic from the schlock, Killer Stuff and Tons of Money is a fascinating foray into the world of antiques as well as a trove of unusual bits of Americana. It is both a brief history of collecting and a vivid look at the white-knuckle tension of auctions and the grueling labor of hauling hundreds of objects-from marbles to six-board chests-to weekend shows, setting up under tents, then packing it all up again. Stanton accompanied 'Curt Avery,' the pseudonym of an itinerant antiques dealer, observing the phenomenal mix of research, luck, timing and the errors of others that allow a dealer to profit from an overlooked gem. Beyond the deals, Avery is simply passionate about the stuff. Always eager to educate customers about early American culture and handcrafts, he is never too exhausted by weekend shows to stop at a yard sale on the way home, because he just might find..."

--Laurie Greer, Politics and Prose
Washington, DC

"This novel is a good, old fashioned read, painted on a large canvas, with unforgettable characters, taking place over decades. It opens with the main character, Jenny, in a hospital bed having survived a horrific auto accident. She has lost a lot of her memory, and that sets up the key tension in the first part of the novel. The tension gets really extreme, and at the end of this first third of the book sets up the transition period, set in the sixties. The author sets us up for what we think is what will be the resolution, and in the third part of the story, we are in the present, with some new people in the mix. I think this is the best part of the novel. The author gives these new people problems that show what has been happening decades earlier can be seen a different way. This suggests that we really don't know what will happen to resolve all of these mysteries. Jojo Moyes delivers with a really unforgettable ending, and a novel that I could not put down."

--Joe Cain, Penguin Group (USA) Sales Representative
Chicago, IL

"I can't remember the last epic love story I pored over with such attention to each word, action, reaction and nuance. Jojo Moyes has written an engrossing novel, true to the mores of its time, with intriguing characters and flawless pacing. A feverish love story set half in 2003 and half in 1960's London (think Mad Men) the book explores the timeless theme of human-kinds crucial need for connection to another, whatever the consequences."

--Lindsay Wood, Penguin Group (USA) Sales Representative
San Francisco, CA

"The Last Letter From Your Lover is a page turner! This fascinating little twisty historical romance will delight the romance reader AND the mystery reader. Jennifer Stirling wakes up in the hospital in late 1960 with temporary amnesia. Slowly the author unveils Jenny's story and in that wonderful way of bringing it to the present, we learn about her great love, and what happened to 'B'. It's a modern day fairy tale!"

--Valerie Koehler, Blue Willow Bookshop
Houston, TX

"This is definitely JoJo's breakout book! A very cleverly done two-stories-in-one saga, written with a hand deft in the unexpected twist, could easily become a best seller! Yes, there's a romance (actually two) that drew me in, but the intrigue, the mystery, the two- stories-in-one are what kept me reading long into the night. Months after reading I can still picture the characters - Jennifer's husband - was he the overbearing pompous creep that he initially appeared...or not? Is there more to Ellie than initially appears?

Jojo has written a timeless tale that will appeal to many for YEARS, because it will never become dated, or old."

--Liz Murphy, The Learned Owl Book Shop
Hudson, OH

"Jojo Moyes' The Last Letter From Your Lover starts with an account of forbidden love during the repressive post-war era. Moyes thoughtful examination of choices made and her nuanced portrayal of the people involved turns what could've been a cliché into a story of the redeeming and sustaining power of love that resonates even today."

--Ingrid Nystrom, Books Inc., Opera Plaza
San Francisco, CA

"As a reader who loves a good story, particularly one that hasn't been told over and over again, I found The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moves to be a delight. Forgetting the writer of your love letters is such a poignant result of memory loss, but the eventual memories are even sadder. This is a book that will make you cry, but read it anyway because it's a wonderful love story."

--Julie Barnard, Rakestraw Books
Danville, CA

"Life, on the Line is easily one of my favorite food memoirs of all time. It's honest and powerful. For those of us in the book industry, the lessons they teach about the perfection possible in ceaseless change that's solidly grounded in hard work are essential."

--Michael Barnard, Rakestraw Books
Danville, CA

"Grant Achatz, chef owner of Chicago's Alinea, would have a wonderful tale to tell, even if he didn't have his life-changing bout with squamous carcinoma, which led to major headlines about a chef losing his sense of taste. His drive to cook was there since his early years, working short order at his parents restaurant in Michigan. I didn't start tearing up at the diagnosis, but on his European tour of Michelin-starred restaurants, when Achatz learned a surprising lesson about greatness. I was hooked when he worked his way up at The French Laundry, and a goner when he connected with his first mentor, at the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids, during his culinary externship. The passion for food and for new ways to appreciate it seeps through the paper and sets my taste buds blazing. And when the restaurant starts to be more than a dream, Kakonas enters the narrative, the ideal business partner whose one passion is only matched by his smarts. Yes, this is a inspiring story to turn on any foodie, a must-read for all entrepreneurs, and yes, a survival narrative too."

--Daniel Goldin, Boswell Book Company
Milwaukee, WI

"When I first picked up the book I thought it was another self promotion by a well known chef. I was mistaken, it is the story of a man who rose to the top of his chosen profession by working incredibly long hours and paying meticulous attention to detail to produce food in the best way he could. He pushed the boundaries of how food was cooked and presented and won many fans and accolades as he did so.

Grant Achatz was backed by Nick Kokonas financially, as a mentor and as a partner, his part of the book gives the reader a very good idea of what it to takes to set up and run a high end restaurant.

The kicker comes in the last few chapters where we learn that Grant had a particularly insidious form of cancer that could destroy his career or possibly end his life; the reader will then fully understand the title of the book. We can all get inspiration and hope from the way Grant battled the cancer and won."

--Douglas Westgate, Octavia Books
New Orleans, LA

"Life On The Line, is obviously a book for foodies, but it is subtly a book for anyone in business. It could have been a book about growing up in kitchens, and the magic Achetz uses to come up with his artistic dishes. That would have satisfied me, and that would have been wonderful. However, Achetz's book goes a step further by being a book about ambition, drive, and passion. Achetz has made me look at my own career with fresh eyes. I love my job. Sometimes, you need a courageous voice to remind you of that. I have Mr. Achetz to thank."

--Jessilynn Norcross, McLean and Eakin Booksellers
Petoskey, MI

"The more I read the more I’m falling in love with Life on the Line. It will definitely be an 'Elaine’s Pick' for our March/April newsletter. Sheryl and I can’t stop talking about it. I was hooked from the very first page but as the hours passed and it was long past bedtime, I couldn’t stop reading. I was enthralled, fascinated, and moved by both Grant and Nick, their friendship, and the horrific illness that Grant had to come through. Don’t wait – read it now. It’s fabulous!"

--Elaine Petrocelli, Book Passage
Corte Madera, CA

"I just finished this book and see that you ask to hear from anyone who has. I loved this book so much I had to say so right away. Life on the Line is an intense book - perhaps the literary equivalent of eating the kind of food Grant prepares and I would expect nothing less. I feel like I now know him some as he shares his fascinating story of the trajectory of becoming the world class chef he is, then his cancer journey, my god, it just pulls you in intimately - from the arduous treatment to incredible pain to the sense of leaping into the void and even the dissonance with caring friends because nothing makes sense. It's all there bare and powerful. This is a story very worth reading, worth sharing and talking about for a long time to come. I am deeply moved."

--Sheryl Cotleur, Book Passage
Corte Madera, CA

"Myron Bolitar is simply one of my favorite characters in the mystery/thriller category. I find myself wishing I could be as fast with a snappy retort as he is and as good at ferreting out the answers to the problems he encounters. Big Cyndi is just a hoot, and I look forward to every time she appears. Live Wire is one of the best in this series, and, ending alert!, with the book ending up with Myron selling his business, I fervently hope that Coben is not going to give up this series--please,no!"

--Susan Diffenderfer, Tall Tales Bookshop
Atlanta, GA

"Lovers is absolutely compelling. Arsand invites the reader to pull back the curtain to view sensual, vivid tableaux of 18th century French life. Witnessing the first, fierce love of two beautiful young men, one aristocrat, one artistically gifted peasant, made me believe again in the undeniable power of love at first encounter."

--Linda Bubon, Women and Children First Bookstore
Chicago, IL

"A hypnotic work of great beauty and sympathy."

--Sarah McNally, McNally Jackson Books
New York, NY

"Lev Grossman's follow-up to The Magicians is beautifully written, deeply imaginative, and ultimately, very moving and haunting. Grossman's descriptions of magical realms and characters entranced me with their richness and funny, absurd details, but it was the continuing struggles of the human characters and their relationship with magic that kept me reading late into the night. As with The Magicians, I slowed down my reading pace so as not to miss a stunningly written passage, a humorous riff, or some important bit of wisdom. I can't wait till the book is out so I can sell the heck out of it!"

--Linda Barrett Knopp, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe
Asheville, NC

"Quentin Coldwater is finally a king of Fillory. Along with two Brakebill's classmates and a childhood friend named Julia, he rules the magical land from a gorgeous throne, hunts and celebrates and generally lives a good life. He allows his boredom with jewel-encrusted monarchical living to drive him into a dangerous quest that ends when he and Julia are abruptly expelled from Fillory. Interspersed with the story of their down-and-dirty attempts to get back into Fillory through the world of unsanctioned magic is Julia's tragic back story. The knowledge that the world holds real magic that Julia is not allowed to access drives her almost mad and shapes her into a powerful anti-hero and foil for Quentin's faith in the system. This is one of the book's recurring messages : power corrupts, not overtly but subtly, like a malignancy.

Grossman delights in repeatedly yanking the chair out from under the reader (to be fair, it's not egregious and in this grim context it works) who has just comfortably settled in for a read about wish-fulfillment. Fantasy writing generally has a certain rhythm. Part of that rhythm is the happy (or mostly happy) ending. Grossman has created something that will disturb readers on a more fundamental level that gore or megalomaniacal evil could ever achieve.

Magician King seems to both start and end slightly off the ground, hopefully indicating that a third book will be added to the story arc. But that's the worst thing I can say about this dark, layered, funny, heartbreaking fantasy. Lev Grossman could change the face of the genre if he keeps it up.

--Dylan Evans, Little Professor Book Center
Homewood, AL

"Quentin, king of the magical world Fillory and one of the most powerful magicians of two worlds, feels that he doesn’t deserve his position in life. After all his past mistakes and loss, he believes himself unfit to rule. When called on by forces greater than himself, he seizes the chance to become a hero, and hopefully, a better king. Up against ancient gods and deep layers of magic, Quentin begins a race against time to save the world he loves. Lev Grossman continues to amaze with his unique tale of magic and adventure in this follow up to The Magicians."

--Tyler Sheffield, The River's End Bookstore
Oswego, NY

"No second book curse here! I loved Magicians and the sequel, Magician King, tears through the worlds of Earth and Fillory, skewering us to our seats following Quinn and Julia on their quests to keep Fillory from destruction. These books tell the story of a group of teenagers in search of magic and a school in search of them. When they find it, they also find the magical land of Fillory, a world made whole in a series of books much like the Narnia tales. There is much danger and obsession in using magic, even if you are trained to do so, and in Magician King we find out just how much Julia gave up to join her friends in Fillory. These are not your child's books of magical lands and kings and queens. Inventive, funny, horrifying, it's all here in the stories of Quinn, Julia and the land of Fillory."

--Rene Kirkpatrick, Third Place Books
Lake Forest Park, WA

“I'm going to start with the thing I liked the most about The Magician King. It's a feeling. It's the same feeling I get when I'm at the movie theater (about once every six months) and the movie is something I'm really excited about, but while the previews are on I'm totally engrossed and not thinking about the feature film. Then the previews end and for a split second I forget what's coming next. And when I remember, I get this sudden jolt of nervous excitement.

Maybe it's just me--I don't get out much--but that's how this book made me feel whenever one of Julia's chapters came up.

Which brings me to my next point: Julia. Her chapters only occupy about 1/4 of the real estate in this novel, if that, but it's clear that she is the protagonist of The Magician King. This is partly because Quentin is still a mopey little wiener who sighs around his own story but mostly because Julia is a force of nature. Finally we get to hear what happened to her between her ill-fated Brakebills entrance exam and her ascension as Queen of Fillory.

Meanwhile, Quentin is looking for something to do. He settles upon a journey to Utter Island to collect three years' worth of back taxes, but being Quentin he has to make an ostentatious quest out of the expedition. And, of course, things start to get weird pretty fast. He and Julia make an interesting team: both with a caravan's worth of emotional baggage, both incredibly smart and powerful, both really good at screwing up their own lives.

Where Quentin (I love Quentin, I really do, but he's SO emo) is depressed in a kind of sad and pathetic way, Julia is depressed in a dark, fiery, angry way. She's totally hardcore in her unhappiness, and her magic is an extension of that. In The Magician King we finally get to see what the non-Brakebills-educated magicians are all about, and let me tell you, it's pretty awesome.

I'm going to stop there, before I give too much away. Suffice it to say that the dialogue is still hilarious, the prose is still luscious, and the characters are still irritatingly human. I plan to read this one again when it comes out in August.”

--Jake Hallman, A Great Good Place for Books
Oakland, CA

“The Magicians was a fantastic read, a Harry Potter story for adults, with magic, sex, and consequences. Needless to say, I and my colleagues were anxiously awaiting the sequel, and Lev Grossman does not disappoint. Quentin and his friends are residing in the magical land of Fillory, ruling it as kings and queens. When a quest goes terribly wrong, Quentin and Julia end up back on Earth, specifically, in front of his parents' house in Massachusetts, and must figure out how to make their way back to Fillory. Try not to race through this one too quickly, because it will be a long wait for the last book in the trilogy.”

--Sharon Nagel, Boswell Book Company
Milwaukee, WI

“Quentin is bored. Yes, he is a royal monarch in the fantasy land of his dreams, but he is bored nonetheless. Apparently, getting everything you want is not what is all cracked up to be. When he has a chance to go on something as benign as collecting taxes at a remote island, he jumps at the chance. That is when things go terrible awry. Lev Grossman throws in new twists into his world that I completely loved reading about--the background story on how Julia became a hedge witch is one that peels back the mystery that hangs over her and Quentin. I hope he writes another thirty novels in this world!”

--Jason Kennedy, Boswell Book Company
Milwaukee, WI

"As he did in 2004 with his novel about Henry James, Author, Author, Lodge creates the life of H.G. Wells in novelistic form, with far greater success. As Wells lays dying in 1944, embittered that his great literary achievements and political activism have been ignored, he thinks back to his years of success. In the first quarter of the 20th century, Wells was not only the author of many still popular and pertinent futuristic novels, including The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds, but he was a vocal socialist and member of the Fabian Society, a literary superstar and a public intellectual, despite a working class upbringing and spotty education.

Although many of Wells' utopian theories were thought outrageous at the time - he supported free love, woman suffrage, labor rights, a rapid evolution to a socialist society - his extremely active sex life, especially with much younger women, some of them the daughters of friends, got him into the most trouble and is the focus of this splendid book. Part in witty question and answer form which forces Wells to examine his flaws, part in narrative, the novel is a fine recreation of the political and social turbulence of the early 20th century, seen through the moving depiction of a brilliant man who only comes to know himself at the end of his life."

--Louise Jones, Northshire Bookstore
Manchester Center, VT

"Paul French tells a sordid story, about the murder of a young woman in Peking in 1937, that almost seems too sensationalistic to be true - but it is. Well-written and extensively researched, Midnight in Peking is a non-fiction read that is every bit as fascinating and unbelievable as any fictional murder mystery. I hope to see more from Paul French!"

--Lauren Peugh, Mrs. Nelson's Toy and Book Shop
La Verne, CA

"The nerd in question would be me. Also apparently, Simon Pegg. I just finished reading his memoir, Nerd Do Well last night and found myself actually laughing out loud in places. Please tell me that he'll be doing an event in Portland, or even Seattle? I will actually pay cash money to have him sign my book, which I don't say about a lot of authors. So, I'm pretty much his target demographic anyway and was predisposed to like his memoir, but it was actually very good and better written than most celebrity cash-grabs. (I'm hoping, now, for an audiobook read by the author.)"

--Billie Bloebaum, Powell's PDX
Portland, OR

"Have you ever finished a novel and loved it so much that you immediately went back to beginning and started rereading it? On Canaan's Side, the reminiscences of one Lily Bere, is just that sort of story. What beautiful imagery (those dreamlike bears)! What exquisite language! It may be the first Sebastian Barry novel I've read, but it surely won't be the last."

--Anne McMahon, Boswell Book Company
Milwaukee, WI

"After her grandson dies by his own hand, a grief-stricken elderly woman chronicles her life in exile in the U.S. while trying to decide if she can go on. Lily Bere's journal of events and emotions thrillingly carries the reader through the different eras of 20th-century America, with all the accompanying details of style, language, and mores. Amazingly, it manages to do this in a style that's both personal and inclusive. Lily's account also vividly captures her life in Revolutionary Ireland before being forced to flee for her life with her husband.

This great novel also seamlessly ties in members of the Dunne family that were featured in Barry's earlier novels. The best book I've read by the gifted Sebastian Barry, which is saying quite a lot."

--Carl Hoffman, Boswell Book Company
Milwaukee, WI

“The story opens as Lily Bere is mourning the death of her grandson. His death has loosed her final anchor to life, and she no longer has the will to contemplate a future. Instead, as she sits alone in her house, she writes of her past, the events that have brought her to this pass. Barry’s writing is wonderfully evocative, his prose rich with the delicate nuance of poetry. A wonderful book!”

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

“Oh my, but this Sebastian Barry novel is great beyond words. If he doesn't win the Booker for this there is no justice. On Canaan’s Side is so moving one is left breathless. One is invited, privileged more to the point, inside Lilly's Bere's life far enough that it is the workings of her heart we see. The love, the investment again and again into that ephemeral affair, so unfair as at the opposite of its promise beckons terrible loss. Sebastian Barry writes with such beauty & ache that finally words fail me in saying how fine this is. I was made still for some time afterward just taking it in.”

--Sheryl Cotleur, Book Passage
Corte Madera, CA

"Sebastian Barry conquers America in his new book On Canaan's Side. Long know for his Irish novels about the Dunne family, Barry once again makes use of his storytelling narrative style to weave the tale of Lilly Dunne as she reluctantly immigrates to America. On Canaan's Side shows how one can survive so much loss in one's life - loss of family, loss of country, loss of tradition, loss of identity - and still come to peace with yourself and the world."

--Fred Powell, Main Street Books
Frostburg, MD

"What a great book! Sebastian Barry is a fabulous writer. He nails the voice of an elderly Irish woman beautifully. In his subtle way, he reveals such an intricate, powerful story. You have to pay attention to every line. I loved it."

--Julie Slavinsky, Warwick’s
La Jolla, CA

"I finally got around to reading Sebastian Barry's new book. He's like one of those Irish writers like John McGahern, Edna O'Brien, and Seamus Deane who don't waste a word. Each sentence is written so poetically. It seems so effortless to him that it didn't occur to me until after I'd finished that it was such an unconventional novel. Gives a point of view of America that we might not be able to see so clearly ourselves. And it gives a point of view of Ireland that we don't usually hear, like what happens to those Irish who didn't rebel against the English during the independence days. Very impressive in all ways."

--Stephen Corrigan, Booksellers at Laurelwood
Memphis, TN

"This is the perfect vacation read if you enjoy romantic suspense. When Connie Bowskill sees a dead body on a real estate website's virtual tour, she is dismissed by her husband and the police as a crazy woman--until another woman reports that she has seen the same thing. Who is the woman? Why is Connie obsessed with the house? And why, above all, can the police find no evidence of a crime having been committed? Take my advice--do not read this book right before bed. You won't be able to get to sleep..."

--Susan Taylor, The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza
Albany, NY

"Strong recommendation for Pox by Michael Willrich. It fits in nicely with other books on epidemiology that we can feature with it. He gives a thorough account of the struggle between smallpox vaccionationists and anti-vaccinationists at the turn of the twentieth century and the debate concerning how much leeway the federal and state governments should have over the health care of its citizens. Hmmm. Sounds familiar. There were plenty of reasons for citizens to be wary of inoculation and vaccination, plenty of horror stories about tainted medicine and unprofessional procedure, and the vaccinators were often met with violence. And at the time there was little if any regulation on the manufacturers of the vaccines. Willrich puts all of it into historical perspective and that makes the narrative that much more interesting. One of the best chapters concerned the US military’s responsibility for the beginning of compulsory inoculation in the conquered territories of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines during the Spanish-American War where the people weren’t given the option to refuse. He’s careful to point out as well that inoculation often had the class struggle involved in our own country, as the same procedures employed in those territories were adopted here. For instance, immigrants coming to the country in steerage were often forced to be inoculated against their will while the passengers on deck weren’t. Poorer citizens in the immigrant communities were often the first targets of the vaccinators. There was a philosophical debate about the sanctity of the body and the uses and abuses of the government in maintaining the health of the community. For some it was a religious question, for others a matter of freedom of the individual and the intrusion of the government into the lives of its citizens. We take smallpox inoculation for granted today, but the debate about the role of government in the health of its citizens is being argued still. This book asks all the right questions."

--Steve Corrigan, Davis-Kidd Booksellers
Memphis, TN

"The Psychopath Test was fascinating, funny and discomfiting as Ronson's works so often are. He's brilliant at putting a human face on odd, obscure and downright crazy aspects of the world we live in. I've been a fan since Them: Adventures with Extremists and this latest title didn't disappoint.

I know he has things like a life and other writing gigs and all, but I really wish he'd put books out more often. Or maybe not, since anytime I read one of his works, whatever the book is about seems to pop up in my life and what I’m reading at that time, usually at odd moments."

--Billie Bloebaum, Powell's PDX
Portland, OR

"Who is baffling leading neurologists with a weird, handmade book? The search for an answer sends Jon Ronson around the world, leaving him at the mercy of some very strange people, as he tries to find out what it means to be insane, and who decides if you are. A fun and engaging book that takes us places we don't want to go, but makes us happy we did."

--Jim Tremlett, Schuler Books & Music
Lansing, MI

"This absolutely fascinating book is another hit for Jon Ronson, a journalist who has made his career nosing into the strange outskirts of society in the international bestsellers Them: Adventures with Extremists and The Men Who Stare At Goats, the basis for the George Clooney film adaption.

Beginning with a strange quest to determine the origins of a mysterious book that had been sent anonymously to a number of the most brilliant people in the world, Ronson's explorations lead him deep within the equally mysterious field of psychological diagnoses, particularly the diagnoses of psychopaths.

Ranging from individual cases of psychopathy to revelations regarding the shocking increase in the number of psychopaths in positions of power (think CEOs, politicians, etc.) vs. the normal population, Ronson's exploration is as gripping as any novel I've read this year."

--Whitney Spotts, Schuler Books & Music
Lansing, MI

"I just read Amanda Quick's Quicksilver, which I quite enjoyed. I've been a big fan for a long time. I admit to being a little concerned when she started taking her historicals into the psychic realm, but she handled the "woo-woo" stuff really well and won me over. I have no trouble recommending her books even to readers who don't think they like anything "paranormal" in their romances. Smart, independent female characters can overcome a lot of preconceived notions!"

--Billie Bloebaum, Powell's PDX
Portland, OR

"Ace Atkins has a winner with this book. Army Ranger Quinn Colson arrives back in his home town in North Mississippi for the funeral of his uncle, the county sheriff. He finds that the county has been taken over by methamphetamine cookers and dealers and that the good ole boy network is alive and well. Ably assisted by deputy sheriff Lillie Virgil and his old friend Boots, a one-armed ex-army black guy, he sets about cleaning up the corruption and getting rid of the methamphetamine dealers. Atkins knows Mississippi; his descriptions are right on the mark, the story is well written and fast moving. I do hope that we get to read more about Quinn Colson and his two side kicks."

--Doug Westgate, Octavia Books
New Orleans, LA

"Ace Atkins has a winner with this book. Army Ranger Quinn Colson arrives back in his home town in North Mississippi for the funeral of his uncle, the county sheriff. He finds that the county has been taken over by methamphetamine cookers and dealers and that the good ole boy network is alive and well. Ably assisted by deputy sheriff Lillie Virgil and his old friend Boots, a one-armed ex-army black guy, he sets about cleaning up the corruption and getting rid of the methamphetamine dealers. Atkins knows Mississippi; his descriptions are right on the mark, the story is well written and fast moving. I do hope that we get to read more about Quinn Colson and his two side kicks."

--Doug Westgate, Octavia Books
New Orleans, LA

"I miss Robert B. Parker. He can't be replaced. But luckily for us, his style can be resurrected. Jesse Stone is back. It's a world where the good guys triumph and the bad guys go down. In Paradise, MA, cars are disappearing, and Jesse has to track down the source of the problem before it escalates into something that will kill the all-important tourist season. He's the superhero of cops, tangling with the mob, romancing the ladies, all with his signature deadpan humor. Great, uncomplicated fun! Bravo Michael Brandman!"

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"While I attended a book show this past weekend in Charleston, I started reading Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, and I skipped several meetings in order to finish this smart, witty, debut novel that completely transports the reader to another time and place (late 30's in Manhattan). It's simply one of those fun to read (and compelling) stories about young people striving in both their work and their play (lots of jazz and drinking). Whether you like F. Scott Fitzgerald or not, you'll enjoy this classy novel, as I did."

--Nancy Olson, Quail Ridge Books
Raleigh, NC

"I wanted to share how much I enjoyed Rules Of Civility! I loved how it teased out the different paths that young, urban women in the 1930s could carve for themselves. I also marveled at the prose, how the dialogue could be so steeped in the language and cadences of the era and yet still read so modern and so fresh. Historical fiction might be my favorite genre when it's done this well.

Anyway, thank you again for my new go-to summer read. I’ve already given it to many, many people and I look forward to giving it to many more."

--Elizabeth Sher, Politics and Prose
Washington, DC

"I just finished Rules of Civility last night and WOW! It was so exquisite, I won't begrudge you the hours of sleep I lost staying up 'til 2 or 3am this past week. I'm a sucker for love letters to New York, but this is surely the gold standard by which all future New York novels will be judged. I am so grateful you passed this on. Merci Beaucoup."

--Johanna Hynes, W.W. Norton & Company Rep

“I have a soft spot for New York City in the first half of the 20th Century, so I picked this one up already inclined to like it. It was a little Fitzgerald, a little Capote, and a little My Fair Lady. Katey was a great narrator, balancing neatly between naive innocence and jaded worldliness. It's unfortunate to know from the start that things don't work out for Katey and Tinker, but the journey to understanding why they don't is well worth taking. My only real complaint is that I would have liked to know more about Katey and Val and how they ended up married. Unfortunately, the book focuses on the events of only one year, and Katey and Val's courtship happened in another time. But, really, is it a complaint that I want to know more about the protagonist? I'd say, rather, that the author has done his job quite well to make me care about the characters enough to want to know what happens to them outside the limited series of events he portrayed in this novel.”

--Billie Bloebaum, Powell's PDX
Portland, OR

"On New Year's Eve of 1937, Kate's life will be forever changed when she and her best friend meet Tinker Grey. Part of Manhattan's elite, Tinker introduces Kate and Eve to a world they had only dreamed of: money, art, travel, cocktail parties, limousines, and ivy league friends. But over the course of the following year, the truth about Tinker and the image he has crafted of himself will come to light, and Kate will have to make decisions that will change things forever. I was completely swept away by the setting of this beautifully written and well crafted novel, and by all the glitz and glamour of Tinker's world. A smart and interesting main character (Kate), captivating writing, and wonderful storytelling combine to make this a dazzling debut!"

--Kaley DeGoursey, R.J. Julia Booksellers
Madison, CT

“Read Rules of Civility then consider recalibrating your moral compass. Amor Towles's beautifully written debut novel captivates, charms and saddens on a 30's and 40's Manhattan backdrop straight out of a black and white film. Though great pleasures, champagne and cashmere will not make a satisfactory life and things may not be what they seem. Couldn't put it down, couldn't wait to finish, didn't want it to end. When's the next book?”

--Laura Tibbals, Moes Books
Berkeley, CA

"Amor Towles has written a sumputous novel about the glamorous life in New York City in a specific year, 1938. The world was gearing up to fight Adolph Hitler on so many fronts, and yet, the lifestyles of the young sophisticates in NYC seem unaffected and unchanged by these outside influences. Towles witty comments about his characters stay with you. Eve, the main character, who came from Indiana, could 'shed the unsalted tears of the Great Lakes' when she could not pay the rent in the boardinghouse. I loved the twists and turns taken by Tinker, the charming leading man. Towles has written a debut novel worth its while and a story haunted by F. Scott Fitzgerald of a decade before. I look forward to selling Rules of Civility to many of our good readers!"

--Roberta Rubin, The Book Stall at Chestnut Court
Winnetka, IL

"This is a grand read, a masterful yet seemingly effortless old-fashioned novel set in the late 1930's New York. Told as a flashback when Katey Kontent unexpectedly comes across a photo of a man she knew 28 years ago, the novel is an amazing look at a fascinating time in American history. Kontent is a thoughtful, unsparingly honest and perceptive narrator, and her chance encounters with unforgettable characters make this a book you can't put down. There is grace and wisdom in the writing, and the look into the life and loves of a young working woman in Manhattan is absorbing. One of the best books I have read in a long time."

--Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books
Tampa, FL

"This novel is so completely satisfying in all the ways I want a book to be satisfying. It has great characters, is a good story, well-told and well-written, and effortlessly transports the reader to another world. That world, seen through the eyes of the wonderfully spunky, 25 year old Katey Kontent, is late 1930s New York City. When she and her friend, Eve, meet the dashing Tinker Grey in a Greenwich Village jazz club on New Year's Eve, it sets off a chain of events that will forever change her life. It's a truly engrossing, pleasurable read."

--Amanda Friss, Three Lives Bookstore
New York, NY

"Rules of Civility combines the humor of P.G. Wodehouse, jazzy sensibilities of F. Scott Fitzgerald, & complicated interpersonal relationships of Henry James. Towles masterfully displays the human condition in times of tumult, joy, & duress, while encapsulating the impact of world events during the early 20th century. Check out this rising star author!"

--Rose Owens, Copperfields Books
Napa, CA

"In this breathtaking debut novel Mr.Towles provides, with his writing, a black and white snapshot of place and time, of a world on the brink of modernity. His style is reminiscent of the great authors of the 20's and 30's, and he deserves accolades for his authentic portrayal of love and redemption. I look forward to more from this talented new author."

--Karen Vail, Titcomb's Bookshop
East Sandwich, MA

"Named after George Washington's book of moral and social codes, Rules of Civility made me feel like I had stepped right into the 1930's. Amor Towles brings an immense depth to his characters, especially Katey Kontent. She is one of the most dynamic female characters I've read in a while. Kontent is smart, both practical and somewhat of a dreamer, and always able to come up with a clever retort. The other characters are just as fantastic and teach Kontent all manner of things about life and love, wealth and status. There are also so many memorable and smart lines in this book that stand out as quotable life lessons. This may just be my favorite book of summer 2011!"

--Lianna Nielsen, Bookworm of Edwards
Edwards, CO

"Lean back and enjoy a smart, scintillating, story about a group of young friends making their way in the late thirties, when manners and style still counted. This is a delicious read not to be missed."

--Jane Dawson, Porter Square Books
Cambridge, MA

"It's a wonderful portrait of late 1930s New York. I felt like I had stepped back in time. I was so inspired, I cut my hair short again! On the last night of 1937, Katey Konent and her roommate Eve end up at a Greenwich Village jazz bar where they meet Tinker Grey, a handsome well to do banker. The chance meeting sets up the rest of the novel. You see the wealthy and privileged, many who abuse their positions in society, and the young working class trying to eke out a living in the city. Towles brings an immense depth to his characters. I was sad to finish this remarkable book. The basic things to know about this novel: it's fantastic, it's set in the late 1930s in New York, I loved it."

--Megan Sullivan, Harvard Book Store
Cambridge, MA

"Every so often, someone comments to me that the main character in whatever novel they're reading is too uncommon or unconventional, and they seem frustrated by it. But why would one center a book around a mundane or bland character? As a reader, what I seek out are the characters who are unconventional, but who become real to me because of the author's talents on the page.

Katey Kontent, the main character in Amor Towles' debut novel Rules of Civility is not only uncommon for her era and gender, but uncommon enough to stand out as what I look for in a fictional character. Without being at all too 'goody two-shoes', she serves as the moral, ethical and emotional backbone of all the characters, while also serving as the backbone of the novel. The book opens with her and her husband walking through an art exhibit in the mid-sixties, so the reader immediately knows where Katey ends up with her life, and this partially sets the stage for how one reads into the story. She sees something in one of the pictures that jars her, and it takes her back to the late 30s- early 40s, when she was just setting out as a career girl in New York City. Love, loss, life and living ensue, with characters that mirror what it means to 'make it in New York', in all the possible permutations - the elusive, and highly individual search for wholeness, happiness, and people's very personal definitions of success. Everyone is self-made, everyone is a mirage, but everyone is also real and stands on their laurels. In addition to a rich story with memorable characters, this book has occasional passages that take my breath away with the caliber of their writing, and are just as prescient now as they were back in 1939. An excellent New York novel."

--Rebecca Fitting, Greenlight Bookstore
Brookyln, NY

"I am in awe of how Amor Towles evokes so effortlessly and with such skill the New York City of 1938, whether it be the secretarial pool of a law office to a Russian speakeasy to a lawn party of the gin-and-horses set. The dialogue is witty without being too self- aware and the characters finely drawn and sympathetic—the scene between Katey and Dicky at St. Patrick's seems almost a textbook example on how to underwrite. I have to repeat that Towles's technique seems effortless, that the novel flows so gently that I was fairly carried away with it. I found myself lost in the voice of the narrator to such a degree that the novel, quite against its genre, became a page turner. Rules of Civility is the sort of novel that you want to immerse yourself in for a weekend to the exclusion of anything else, where you highlight sentences and paragraphs, wanting to share the quotable bits. A novel that you want to wave from the rooftops and yell, 'Read this!'"

--Matthew Lage, Iowa Book & Supply
Iowa City, IA

“I … just want to stand up on a table and quote from this book! I have to say that Rules of Civility and Just Kids are two books that one wants to read with pencil in hand as there are so many memorable and striking and unique lines in both. I'm actually glad I read them back-to-back -- each is such a love letter to NY but in totally different but enjoyable ways. Just gorgeous writing! Pure joy!”

--Jen Reynolds, PGW/Perseus Rep

"Rules of Civility is like reading an old film. Somehow it reminds me of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn meets High Society - and Amor writes brilliant dialogue. PS: Amor Towles? Perfect name."

--Laura Kuechenmeister, Bookworks
Albuquerque, NM

“Am reading Rules of Civility now and loving it. Old New York comes alive as does a passing way of life. Very nostalgic.”

--Cathy Keller, Hooked on Books
Islamorada, FL

“Masterfully written and harking back to another time, in both style and subject, Rules of Civility is a richly pleasurable read. Memories of read pleasures past -- Somerset Maugham, Fitzgerald -- rise up to meet this new addition to The Novel's great writers. Absorbing, delightful, thoughtful, and well-crafted, it deserves to become a besteller and to be read on planes, in armchairs, and in bed.”

--John Evans, Diesel, A Bookstore
Oakland & Los Angeles, CA

"Rules of Civility is a delightful and unusual novel. Towles' evocation of New York City in the 1930's is masterful and I felt as if I had been transported into an Alfred Stieglitz photograph of that period. His attention to detail and his amazing mastery of dialogue – witty and acerbic – is on a par with Fitzgerald. One can't help compare this book to Gatsby but because the main character is a woman, it is vastly different, yet familiar in a delightful way. A few surprising plot twists will have you turning pages late into the night."

--Laura Shepherd, The Perseus Books Group
New York, NY

“ Rules of Civility is a sumptuous literary feast that I can't wait to share with our customers. Amor Towles' novel, set in late 1930's New York, is populated with finely drawn, fascinating characters and vivid descriptions of the city. Its spot on sense of place and era is cinematic, transporting the reader, suspending time and delivering a fabulous reading experience.”

--Cathy Langer, Tattered Cover Book Store
Denver, CO

"This book had me in the first chapter. A woman recognizes a man from her past in a series of photographs by Walker Evans at the Museum of Modern Art. They tell the story of someone who went from riches to rags. You just have to know who he is, how she knows him, and what happened that he fell from wealth to poverty. In finding out you meet characters who are nice, not so nice, and always complicated. And you are treated to a portrait of a time and place and relationships that are timeless."

--Rona Brinlee, The Book Mark
Neptune Beach, FL

"Rarely have I read a more satisfying book. Enchanting, and atmospheric, Manhattan has never seemed so magical as it does here in 1938. But, it is the characters who make the book. Anyone of them would be a great dinner partner. It is the book I will sell this summer."

--Betty Sudarsky, Wellesley Books
Wellesley, MA

"A small affluent California town experiences a second heinous crime in as many years. Hoag's second thriller in her Deeper Than the Dead three-part microseries brings back the previous cast of character who become involved in a new murder. Marissa Fordham is a single mother and aspiring artist who is found brutally murdered in her home after her 4-year-old daughter Haley makes a 911 call for help following her own vicious beating. This psychological thriller is a 1000-piece puzzle where the pieces don't seem to fit, leaving the reader sitting on the edge to find the matches, only to have the few remaining pieces able to complete the picture. Great suspense! But you must first read Deeper Than the Dead (now in paperback) since its exciting events and well developed characters become an important part of this second book in the author's microseries."

--Carol Hicks, Bookshelf at Hooligan Rocks
Truckee, CA

"Very good. Exciting and well written. I would have liked a little romance between the two protagonists. Maybe next book..."

--Patty, Blackwood & Brouwer Booksellers Ltd
Kinderhook, NY

"South of Superior by Ellen Airgood is an inviting read that transports the reader to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in a blink. Our strong-willed and stubborn heroine Madeline, simply will not let life knock her down. When her mother died 30 years ago, she took Madeline’s family history with her. The recent death of Madeline’s adoptive mother leaves her adrift once again. A few days later, a plea arrives from the wild and mysterious shore of Lake Superior asking for her help. The request is from her grandfather’s hometown, and she doesn’t have a reason to say no. Afterall, she has nothing to lose, and she just might find out if home really is where the heart is."

--Jessilynn, McLean and Eakin Booksellers
Petoskey, MI

"South of Superior is a pleasantly paced story that takes place in the UP of Michigan where towns are small, winters long and hardships abound. Ellen Airgood has captured the beauty of the area, the isolation and cast of local characters. After her adoptive mother dies, Madeline returns to her birth place in search of her roots. The reader is drawn into the pace of life and its colorful characters as they extend a welcome in their inimical way. The space allows her to form her own direction and roots that turn out to be re-opening the old long closed hotel."

--Barbara Siepker, The Cottage Book Shop
Glen Arbor, MI

“A Princess reluctant to become Queen because she can trust no one except the one person that her people will not accept, multiple assassination attempts and a passion that won’t quit……. Storm’s Heart enchanted me to the very last page, I couldn’t put it down!”

--Lauren Sheppard, Partners West
Renton, OR

"What defines our identity, our sense of self? Daniel Hayes finds himself washed up on a beach, naked, with no recollection of who he is or how he got there – and he's got to piece his life back together, to figure out what's happened to his wife and himself during the last days. Daniel evades the law, escapes a killer, and does all he can to keep those who help him from harm. The Last Days of Daniel Hayes has all the elements of a page turner – sprawling chase scenes, nightmares, murders, disguises, scheming – this is Sakey's first book that doesn't take place in Chicago, and as a Chicagoan I was not disappointed."

--Suzy Takacs, The Book Cellar
Chicago, IL

"Marcus Sakey's strengths as a writer are many, and all are on display here. This may be the strongest entry yet from this gifted suspense writer (though I still have a real soft spot for At the City's Edge). His ability to set a hook is first up. In this book, the main character finds himself almost drowned on a Maine beach, freezing, alone, and without his memory. Luckily he climbs into a nearby BMW, cranks it up to get warm, and finds some clothes that seem to fit, and he takes it from there.

Much like Anne Perry's great creation, William Monk, who has amnesia but whose memory comes back only in flashes, Daniel Hayes is in the same boat, though the memories that return to him are far more pleasant than Monk's. For the most part, anyway. Perry's Monk is a policeman, and it's his skills as a detective that help pull him through life. Sakey's Hayes turns out to be a writer, and the author brilliantly uses this skill to help his character figure out what to do next. There's nothing better than when an author uses the character's actual strengths in a believable way.

I'm sure this was a tricky book to write, but Sakey sure makes it look easy. He frequently shifts points of view, and the memories that come back to Daniel are frustratingly close – both for him, and for the reader. It makes for a real mind bender of a read. As a reader you're trying to evaluate the people and situations he encounters with only the information given to Daniel himself.

As Daniel finds money in the BMW he decides it must be his, and he checks into a motel, but eventually he's somehow drawn back across the country. He ends up in Los Angeles, which feels like home to him. Unfortunately when he gets home it also becomes apparent that he was married, but that his wife is dead, and he is suspected of killing her. His wife had been a fairly well known television star, so her death is receiving a lot of scrutiny.

It would be almost criminal to give away much more of this clever plot, because you really should discover the twists and turns for yourself as you read. But it's not giving anything away to say that Daniel is one of Sakey's better characters. He's well drawn

--Robin Agnew, Aunt Agatha's
Ann Arbor, MI

"Mr. Sakey has burst upon the fiction scene with several excellent stand alone crime thrillers. He returns with his newest, The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes. A man wakes up in the surf at a remote beach in Maine. Naked and with amnesia he walks up to the road and finds a $70,000 BMW with a registration that says Daniel Hayes from California. The only thing he can remember is a beautiful woman who turns out to be a tv character. He drives cross country to Los Angeles to discover who he is and why the police think he is a killer.

Since his first book, The Blade Itself, Mr. Sakey has been a breath of fresh air. He is excellent at the Hitchcock like thriller(in fact he has helped its return as a genre), placing ordinary people in dire jeopardy. What would you do if you found $300,000 in cash? Would you keep it, or return it? In Daniel Hayes the character gets to find out who he was, was he evil, did he do the terrible things the police say he has done?

Mr. Sakey is a fine author, his narrative is smooth, his plotting excellent. His characters could be you or me, thrown into unusual circumstances and forced to do whatever they have to to survive. I also love the endings of his books, he ties all loose ends together in a believable fashion. If you have not read Marcus yet, The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes is a good place to start."

--Richard Katz, Mystery One Bookshop
Milwaukee, WI

"What would happen if you woke up naked on a cold, rocky beach with your memory completely wiped, and you had to evaluate everything, including yourself, from a completely uncluttered perspective? That is the premise of this taut, suspenseful thriller. An excellent read!"

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"This was quite fun; a book about sex (or the lack of it) with not a single sex scene! All of the teenagers were quite believable, as were the adult couples; all quite likable, also. A quick read with a satisfying pace. Finally, a clever ending - what more can one ask?

I highly recommend it... Good title, very ordinary cover.

In its own way, that's high praise from us, hence an Indie nomination."

--Rondi Brower, Blackwood & Brouwer Booksellers Ltd
Kinderhook, NY

"As someone who lived in Hawai'i, I say Ms. Vowell's smart observations are right on. Her research is impeccable! I can feel the stilted lives of the missionaries in the cold, air-controlled pages of the museum just as surely as I can feel the trade winds that ruffled the feathers of the now-extinct o'o and mamo birds. I love this book."

--Katie Kasben, Copperfields Books
Sebastopol, CA

"This is Vowell at her best. Combining her quirky humor with solid research, she illuminates the complicated and contradictory relationship between Hawaii and the United States."

--Blake Hardy, Outwrite Bookstore
Atlanta, GA

"Just finished The Weird Sisters last night on the train -- with a long sigh, a few tears and a nice solid 'whomp' of closing a great book! Loved it! loved the sisters, loved the parents, loved the town. I am one of three sisters and Eleanor Brown got each of the sisters' personality traits exactly right in a birth order fashion. I am still thinking of that perfect ending , with them walking thru town, back to their home and mom and all that it means."

--Sessalee Hensley, Barnes & Noble

"'We came home because we were failures.' The first sentence in The Weird Sisters starts the reader on a journey with three sisters who come home, supposedly to take care of their ill mother. But they are also disappointed in the way their lives have turned out. As the oldest of three sisters, I empathized with each one of their very different stories on their path toward growth.

With a strong voice, the author has given us a story filled with intelligence and humor. I LOVED this book."

--Ann Shepard Stevens, The Brewster Book Store
Brewster, MA

"OK. My father was head of the English Dept. at Maryland University, and had three daughters. I am the oldest. I am perfect (and controlling); my middle sister violently rebelled against all that perfection, and my youngest sister tries to please. We never had TV until I had left for college. This is MY story - I loved it, and can't wait to send this ARC to my middle sister... The Weird Sisters is perfect for ANYONE with a sister, because isn't is so often true - we love our sisters, but to spend too much time with them drives everyone crazy. Brown is pitch perfect in her portrayal of the relationship between sisters."

--Liz Murphy, The Learned Owl Book Shop
Hudson, OH

"Any novel whose motto is 'There is no problem a library card can't solve' has the potential to be a favorite among die-hard readers, but The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown exceeds all expectations...

Cleverly and very effectively told in the third person plural, The Weird Sisters is a book you will want to share with everyone, especially your own weird sister. This point of view allows a very full view of each character and her individual concerns, fears and shortcomings. Rose, Bean and Cordy are wonderful characters that you will want to help work through their problems and even shake some sense into at times. Eleanor Brown's settings, especially those in the Andreas house, are so inviting, you will want to flop down on the couch and pick up the nearest book and start reading where the previous reader left off. Even the novice Shakespeare fan will love the way the family can casually toss out the Bard's quotations, even the more obscure, at the appropriate time. This is one of those rare books that you never want to see end."

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry, Hunterdon County Library
Flemington, NJ

"I read the advance copy of Weird Sisters a couple of weeks ago and have been meaning to write and let you know how much I loved the book. Being one of three sisters myself, I am no stranger to the lovely yet tenuous - or maybe strenuous, a better word - nature of the unique bond between female siblings, and Ms. Brown seems to have either been hiding in the wings of my history or is an astute observer of her own. The use of Shakespeare in the book was inspired ... not only in making the great writer all the more accessible but in deepening the reader's insight into each character.

It is obvious to me, as I am sure to many other readers, that you have a keen eye for amazingly entertaining and thought provoking books. As a bookseller I am thrilled to know you will be around to provide us with the next great read. Congrats on this lovely book."

--Kelly Kornegay, Turnrow Book Co.
Greenwood, MS

"I stayed up way too late finishing The Weird Sisters. Eleanor Brown tricks you into thinking this is a straightforward story of sisters and family and malcontents. Instead these people are believable, endearing, and-surprisingly hard to find in a lot of fiction these days-- interesting. So much so you might just stay up too late a few nights in a row to finish the book!

A really well written story of sisters and family, not one of those sappy stories that telegraphs the end of the story a hundred pages in. I really grew alongside the Weird Sisters as they wrestled with their shortcomings, their family hierarchy and their futures as productive human beings. I’ve not read a book in a long time where the characters are so well developed; I can imagine bumping into Cordy or Bean or Rose on the street and having a conversation with them or seeing their father and mother stroll past on a pre-prandial walk. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to sharing it with customers who enjoy a witty family meltdown story where the ending doesn’t end where you think."

--Jamie Fiocco, Flyleaf Books
Chapel Hill, NC

"A college town in Ohio is the setting for the reunion of three siblings. If Rosalind, Bianca, and Cordelia (their father is a scholar of Shakespeare)grate on each other's nerves, the friction sets sparks flying that ignite the will to change. Lots of good material for bookclubs."

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"I adored this book! It tells the story of three sisters riding the turbulent storm that is sisterhood, buoyed by their shared love of books. Eleanor Brown's voice is clever, captivating and filled with heart. Whether you have sisters, brothers, or just enjoy a good read, this brilliant novel is one you will consume eagerly and be compelled to share."

--Anderson McKean, Page & Palette
Fairhope, AL

"The Andreas family is made up of readers from a small college town. The three girls are named by their professor father after famous Shakespearean characters. Rose has earned her own PhD in mathematics and has elected to stay in town to manage the family to perfection. Her own life is secondary to that task. Bianca and Cordelia have fled the small town to break out on their own. When their mother is diagnosed with a grave illness, each sister returns carrying her own secrets and lifelong resentments. As they gradually unload their personal baggage to each other, they find their own true selves and a commonality they might never have imagined.

This is a fun read for anyone who has siblings. Does birth order play a role in who we become? You bet it does!"

--Nancy Salmon, Kepler’s
Menlo Park, CA

"I have to admit, it was the excerpt on the cover that pulled me to the book to begin with: 'See, we love each other. We just don't happen to like each other very much.' But it was the jewel of a story that I discovered on the inside that captured me. So much so that this was a 'one-sit' read, I started it on a Sunday morning and did not move until I had finished the book.

Rose, Bean, and Cordy are sisters in a family that, frankly, I would have LOVED to have grown-up with. Their father is a noted professor of Shakespeare and their mother, while loving, can be flighty. After learning that their mother has breast cancer, the three sisters return home under the pretense of helping their parents. In reality, each sister is home to lick the wounds that their own dysfunctional lives have afflicted on them and as we were warned on the cover, the sisters may love each other but certainly do not like each other. Reunions are not always a celebration.

You will laugh, you will cry and you will love theWeird Sisters. This is a story that lingers for days after you've finished it."

--Kathleen, Anderson's Bookshop
Naperville, IL

"I read this book in about two days, just buzzing right through. The three 'weird' sisters are all so completely different, and in coming home to care for their mother who has cancer, they discover that maybe they have more in common than they ever realized. They are a family of passionate readers, and the father, a literature professor, constantly quotes Shakespeare in his everyday conversation. This is a lovely, poignant story, and I recommend it highly."

--Susan Diffenderfer, Tall Tales Bookshop
Atlanta, GA

"I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed Weird Sisters. I loved the Shakespearean references and the quirky family – would love to have grown up with them (not be one of them!). I found myself transported to the small college town and being a part of their lives. I think this book will be very successful – it’s a great bookclub book – I’ve already passed the galley onto a few other people & have become a fan of Eleanor Brown on Facebook."

--Becky Anderson, Anderson's Bookshop
Naperville, IL

"The cover quote about family on Eleanor Brown's upcoming novel is perfect and stayed with me throughout the book and afterward. See, we love each other. We just don't happen to like each other very much. The Weird Sisters is a true to the heart story of three very different sisters who each return home to take care of their ill mother and listen to their father talk in the verse of Shakespeare, only to find that they all decided to do the same thing at the same time. Despite their apparent differences the three sisters find that they really do need each other and find that their family bond is as strong as ever. If you have a sister or five, this is a read that will stick with you."

--Annie Philbrick, Bank Square Books, Inc.
Mystic, CT

"Rose, Cordy and Bean--or, more formally, Rosalind, Cordelia and Bianca--are the very bright and very confused daughters of a Professor of Shakespeare at a fine small college in a lovely, small town in Ohio.

The weird sisters of the novel, in their late 20's to early 30's, all find themselves living back at home as their mother is undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The author is gifted in her depiction of the sisters’ dynamic and their roles within the family which inform, and perhaps cripple, the way they move forward in their lives. Shakespeare, ever present in their lives and language, is a delightful thread as this family struggles to deal with its pain, mistakes and healing."

--Cathy Langer, Tattered Cover Bookstore
Denver, CO

"I just finished reading The Weird Sisters. Your 'passion and enthusiasm' is well founded! What a wonderful book. This will be another huge winner. I couldn't put it down. Eleanor Brown has a very bright future."

--Alicia Greis, Member of Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers

"I can't begin to tell you how much I loved The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. I saved it to read and tried to read it slowly (of course I couldn't). From the very first line, "We came home because we were failures", I was hooked. The story of how each of these sisters (Rose, Bean and Cordy) comes into their own separately and together while caring for their mother is something that each and every one of us can relate to. The references to how much books mean really hit home with me. Then, of course, there are all the wonderful Shakespeare quotes and names. This is a must read for everyone! I could go on and on, but I'll stop now."

--Jennyfer Davis, Barnes & Noble
Long Beach, CA

"I grew to love each and every one of them and to be passionately interested in their well-being. That in itself tells me that The Weird Sisters is a great novel - a work of fiction that stirs your emotions, positive or negative, is always worth reading. Thank you for placing such a wonderful novel in my path!"

--Katherine Osborne, Kennebooks
Kennebunk, ME

"A fine & lovely novel about the failings and struggles of three sisters whose father quotes Shakespeare and mother battles cancer. The three sisters come alive and you find yourself willing them to let their past go and be happy. You won't soon forget Rose, Bean & Cordy. The author's writing style is so rhythmic, I felt as is she were speaking the words out loud to me."

--Christina Meek, Davis-Kidd Booksellers
Memphis, TN

"What Alice Forgot, by Liane Moriarty, is a charming tale of what might happen if we left all the anger, bitterness, and unhappiness of the past behind.

Alice, 29, finds herself lying on the floor at the gym (the gym? She never goes to the gym), apparently having fallen off of a stationary bike. More importantly, the last ten years of her life have already happened, unbeknownst to Alice, and she can't remember any of it. The child she was newly pregnant with is ten years old and has been joined by two more; her beloved husband is nowhere to be found; she is surrounded by a life that she has no recollection of building.

Liane Moriarty has skillfully set 29-year-old Alice next to 39-year-old Alice. She has successfully and realistically shown the effects of ten years on a life, marriage, and person.

You'll find yourself hanging onto every word, until you get to the very last page, where you'll find yourself wanting more. Will Alice regain her memory? Will she retain the relationships she's made that she still doesn't remember? The story is humorous and smart, peppered with adorable anecdotes and heartfelt scenes. You'll find yourself feeling as confused and baffled as Alice, and you'll laugh at all the craziness along with her. Moriarty has done an excellent job with her characters, each as realistic and developed as a live person.

An easy and fun read, yet with depth and substance. A can't miss book."

--Laura Miller, Peerless Bookstore
Alpharetta, GA

"It is a rare, remarkable thing to find a novel that grabs you on the first page and doesn't let go. What Alice Forgot is that novel - smartly written, filled with funny yet poignant observations on the type of person we expect to become, and wish we could be. Alice's attempt to uncover, examine and reclaim a decade of her life is a thought-provoking journey filled with moments of outright laughter. It is a delightful ride that should not be missed."

--Anderson McKean, Page and Palette Bookstore
Fairhope, AL

"A riveting entry in the Leonid McGill series. Mosley turns up the heat in this noir tale, with a nonpareil cast of characters. They include a billionaire art collector who may be a serial killer, the woman posing as his wife, an ex-con whom McGill is trying to help stay on the 'straight and narrow', and Twill, a young scam artist who happens to be McGill's favorite son. Leonid himself is one of the strongest detective types I've encountered in noir fiction. Combine the characters with a brilliantly-executed plot and you have classic Walter Mosley."

--Carl Hoffman, Boswell Book Company
Milwaukee, WI

"I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the new TC Boyle book, When The Killing's Done. I found it hard to put down- the characters were all interesting and their conflicts very believable. Also, the issue of invasive species is huge now- there is so much talk every day about how to restore ecosystems, and what is the least harmful manner to do it.

I read the new Jonathan Franzen book, which also dealt with a main character and his environmental work- this was much more meaningful and believable to me.

So, thanks for the read!"

--Nancy Braus, Everyone's Books
Brattleboro, VT

"Edie Kiglatuk is an Inuit guide on Ellesmere Island, in the Canadian Arctic. When a man is killed on an expedition she is leading, and the tribal council insists on calling it an accident, she is distressed, but resigned. A second murder she refuses to ignore. Get ready to lose your heart to an entrancing foreign land!"

--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH

"Name of the Wind is a classic trickster tale, except that the trickster gets to tell the story. We first meet Qvothe, a surprisingly likable rogue, as an unassuming innkeeper; but as he relates the astonishing events of his past we begin to wonder who he really is. The world that unfolds as he tells his story is full of adventure, magic and music. The magic (which is more like alchemy than wand-waving) somehow feels as real as science, while still maintaining its wonder. In the sequel, A Wise Man's Fear, the stories of the past and the present begin to merge. Now, I am eagerly awaiting the final volume of the trilogy."

--Anna Thorn, Politics and Prose
Washington, DC