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On Wednesday night, I went to see Min Jin Lee at her event in Montclair, NJ, where she was celebrating the release of her latest novel, AMERICAN HAGWON, which is one of my favorite books of 2026 and will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Her previous novel, PACHINKO, came out in 2017 and garnered so many awards.
I had been in New York City for a conference that day. After some crazy traffic delays, I was able to slip into the green room and have a quick catch-up with Min before the event started. I loved even that brief meetup where we talked in shorthand, and I got to share my good wishes with her. There were over 400 attendees at this event. I love seeing people excited about books like they were that night. I probably was one of the few people in the room who had read AMERICAN HAGWON, so hearing Min talk about it and read a bit from it was special. Earlier in the week, there was a profile of her in the New York Times, and it was one of the best author pieces that I have read.
We have our review of the book this week from Eileen Zimmerman Nicol, who has this to say about it: “We feel for the Koh family because we know what they are facing…. The narrative seamlessly travels between the omniscient and close third-person points of view. This rich detail provides an immersive setting and illuminates the lives and choices of a Korean family that readers will not only relate to but care about.” Find out why I’m betting you’ll love this book just as much as Eileen and I did later this month.
I did over five hours of driving on Wednesday. So it was perfect for listening to HOLLYWOOD, ENDING by John Green, his first novel in nine years, which hit the New York Times bestseller list at #1. Hollywood and the movie business are such fun to dissect. In HOLLYWOOD, ENDING, we have two actors who are being set up for the next step in their careers. Kai Laramie and Juniper Castillo are cast in a biopic called Andy Warhol Never Gets Old. The premise of the movie screams art film and small theaters, but Kai and Juniper are already getting offers for a new production --- a big movie --- that they will do together even before the first one hits theaters.
What I love is seeing the “other” side of the business. I am wise enough to know that nothing in Hollywood happens spontaneously. Press is set up, photographers are dispatched, clothes are sent to be worn, and by this point in the book, the game of Hollywood is in play with paparazzi shots, news leaking from Kai’s past, and two people planning their next character roles. We all know that most of Hollywood is not real. Green plays into that so we feel a sense of being on the inside. I will talk more about the book after I finish it, but I truly am enjoying it! We will feature our review in next week's newsletter.
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Amanda Peters. As you saw in last week’s newsletter, I made THE BIRTHING TREE a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick, just like her debut novel, THE BERRY PICKERS.
In the interview, Amanda shares the personal and professional inspirations behind the book. They include a childhood memory involving her grandmother, who had dementia and told her about a tree near the water where Mi'kmaq women used to give birth, as well as Amanda’s work with Nova Scotia's midwifery regulation committee.
Our conversation explores the importance of preserving Mi'kmaq traditions, intergenerational storytelling, and Amanda's personal journey reconnecting with her Indigenous heritage.
Click here to watch the interview or here to listen to the podcast.
Tuesday evening was such fun as we welcomed back Lisa See to our “Bookaccino Live” Book Group program. I interviewed Lisa in June about her latest novel, DAUGHTERS OF THE SUN AND MOON. But I am so glad that we were able to delve more deeply into the book --- and talk spoilers!
Lisa shared how a story that her grandmother told her when she was a child standing in downtown Los Angeles gave her the initial idea for the book. Research is always critical to her writing, and she explained how she created her three characters, basing them on four women she read about.
Click here to watch the event or here to listen to the podcast.
Lisa has terrific “Step Inside” sections on her website where readers can learn more about her work. And she also has curated teas that can enhance the reading experience. I ordered one of the individual tea kits and was going to have some tea during our conversation. However, I realized that hot water and a laptop was not a good combination, so I decided to play it safe and hold off. But I will be enjoying the tea very soon!
As we announced a few weeks ago, Kathryn Stockett will be joining us for our October “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event on Wednesday, October 28th at 8pm ET. We will talk about her most recent novel, THE CALAMITY CLUB, which is a #1 New York Times bestseller and a Bets On pick.
This bighearted novel from the multimillion-copy-selling author of THE HELP is about a group of unbreakable women fighting for what’s rightfully theirs --- and the power of friendship to change everything. In her review, Pamela Kramer says, “I think the power of THE CALAMITY CLUB lies in the beauty of the narration, the touching story, the display of the historic mistreatment of women, and the fact that these women hold the power --- even if it's just for a while.”
I will talk to Kathryn before handing it off to readers who would like to share a question for her on screen (we have special sign-in directions for these attendees, and they will get to chat with Kathryn in our “backstage green room” before the program starts), followed by audience questions. Click here to sign up.
For those who want to ask Kathryn a question, be sure to fill out this form by Wednesday, October 28th at noon ET. Please include your name, city, state, email address and phone number, as well as your question. And let us know if you would like to be on camera or off.
THE FRENCH ILLUSION is John Grisham’s first espionage thriller, and it opens with the kidnapping of a couple on their honeymoon in Paris. A race to find them --- encompassing the FBI, CIA and French intelligence --- ensues.
Stuart Shiffman has our review and says, “You start reading a John Grisham book and think it will take you several days to complete. Then the chapters unfold, the story pulls you in, and you simply cannot stop reading. THE FRENCH ILLUSION is no exception. This mesmerizing thriller is one that you will savor, enjoy and ponder. Prepare yourself for another extraordinary adventure from one of America’s finest writers.”
THE VANISHING FAMILY: Love, Fate, and the Quest to End Dementia is an upcoming Bets On title. Robert Kolker, who many of you know as the author of HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD, shares the heart-wrenching journey of a family facing an unthinkable destiny, whose flawed genetic code might hold the long-sought key to a cure for dementia.
According to Jane T. Krebs in her review, “This family is authentic, although no last names are used and several of the children choose pseudonyms as their collective frontotemporal dementia (FTD) manifestations and behaviors are revealed and catalogued by Kolker…. It...is an enormous undertaking to keep track of the siblings and their marriages and families, to record distinguishing patterns of behavior, to make sense of employment and education, to document moves, houses and apartments over a great deal of the United States. But Kolker pulls all of this off brilliantly.”
We will feature my Bets On commentary and a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Robert later this month.
But before filming the “Talks To” segment, I am excited to interview Robert at the Morristown Festival of Books next Saturday, October 10th. I also will be moderating panels featuring Brisa Carleton and Rachel Beanland, as well as Jenny Jackson and Mallory Kass. You can see the full schedule here. I will be attending panels beyond the ones that I am moderating. I hope to see many of you there; please say hello if you see me. I am going to bring our bookmarks, as well as Tom Donadio and Francesca Smith from our team!
We also are featuring reviews of these two books:
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SWAN SONG: In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in Westminster Abbey before a watching world and shared his grief at losing his beloved sister, Diana, in a eulogy that was judged to be one of the great speeches of the 20th century. Now, nearly 30 years later, he tells the astonishing story of his life with Diana and the tragic week of her death.
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THE MANY PRIVATE LIVES OF MISSY COOKE: In the face of a family crisis, a tech titan’s daughter must step into her own power to redefine a legacy. Our reviewer Norah Piehl says that Jane Green’s latest novel is “at its heart a character study, focused in large part on Missy's personal and family history.”
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My latest Bets On picks are THE MUNICH AFFAIR by James Patterson and David Ellis (our current Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight title) and TEN PERFECT GUESTS by Jonathan Santlofer. Click on each of the titles for my Bets On commentary. If you missed my interview with Jonathan from last week, you can watch the video here or listen to the podcast here.
Revisiting Our “Bookaccino Live” Book Group Event with Patrick Ryan
Out in paperback this week is BUCKEYE by Patrick Ryan, a Bets On title that weaves the intimate lives of two midwestern families across generations, from World War II to the late 20th century. Patrick was our “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest in March, and we had a fabulous conversation about the book. Be sure to watch or listen to it if you haven’t already.
On ReadingGroupGuides.com, we are hosting a contest for COME CLOSER: Childhood Wounds, Adult Love, and the Secrets of Emotional Intimacy. In it, Dr. Galit Atlas has identified six child archetypes --- the frightened child, the melancholic child, the ashamed child, the invisible child, the guilty child, and the chosen child --- and shows how each childhood wound plays out in our adult relationships.
We are giving away 20 copies of the book and suggesting that the winners talk about it with their book group or with their loved ones. All you have to do is fill out this form by Wednesday, October 28th at noon ET.
Finding out which of the “children” you are can lead to a better understanding of how you view life and the choices you have made in adulthood. While I am not going to share it here, it was very clear which of the children I am. It was fascinating to uncover that.
Fall Reading Contest Update
We also gave away COME CLOSER in this week’s Fall Reading contest. Our next prize books will be BLACKOUT: A Jake Bendel Thriller by J. Luke Bennecke and THE LADY ON ESPLANADE: A Royal Street Novel by Karen White. The 24-hour giveaways will be up at noon ET on Tuesday, October 6th and Wednesday, October 7th.
Books on Screen Offerings for October
We’ve updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. October’s roundup includes the films Verity, Sense and Sensibility, Klara and the Sun, Whalefall, Other Mommy and The Mosquito Bowl; the series premieres of “Carrie” on Prime Video and “East of Eden” on Netflix; the season premieres of CBS's “Tracker,” USA Network's “The Rainmaker,” and Prime Video's “The Terminal List”; the series finales of “A Tale of Two Cities” on MGM+ and “Marble Hall Murders” on PBS “Masterpiece”; the season finales of Apple TV's “Slow Horses” and USA Network's “Anna Pigeon”; the continuation of “R.J. Decker” on ABC and “Outlander: Blood of My Blood” on STARZ; and the DVD/Blu-ray releases of Frankenstein and Late Fame.
Once again, my hat goes off to Tom, who does a brilliant job of researching these releases!
Word of Mouth Contest Reminder
Our current Word of Mouth prizes are the aforementioned AMERICAN HAGWON and THE VANISHING FAMILY. The deadline for your entries is Friday, October 9th at noon ET. Both books are wonderful reads. Tom and I carefully select the prize titles every two weeks. To enter to win, all you have to do is tell us the name of the book you have read and the author, along with a line or two about it. We regularly look at Word of Mouth to see what you have been reading, which helps to inform our coverage.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 20 nonfiction titles releasing in September and October you have read or are planning to read. Click here to let us know by Friday, October 9th at noon ET.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail: Myra wrote about our “Bookaccino Live” Book Group with Lisa See: “Thank you for a wonderful hour plus with Lisa and YOU. You make these interviews happen, and I appreciate you and Tom. I continued to sit here at my computer and think about Lisa’s books. I was most surprised a few years ago when I discovered her series of three books, The Red Princess Mysteries. They were good and scary. I used to wonder if she had any problems going into China after writing those books because of what she was disclosing about the country.
“I finished THEO OF GOLDEN Saturday morning. Yesterday I decided to look up the author, Allen Levi. What a surprise. He was born in 1956, but the month and day were not disclosed. I could see so much of Allen’s personal life in his book about Theo, and I am excited that he is planning another book, ELLEN OF GOLDEN.
“Thank you again for letting us know about all the new books coming out, the reviews and the interviews with authors. Now I will be making a salad for dinner; I’m on the west coast. I hope you both have been safe from all the rain and flooding disasters we see on national news programs.”
Last Friday night, as my husband and I headed out to dinner, we caught the most beautiful sunset. It was like a painting. I am going to frame it. It was fleeting before the storms rolled into town for a nor’easter kind of a weekend. We had just rain and wind, no flooding. I used the time to head back to yoga and to read. I did a lot of the latter.
We love to cook around our house. Last Saturday night, my husband made ricotta pasta alla vodka with purple basil, along with a pear endive salad with goat cheese, figs and fig oil. We will make that again and add pistachios.
I have a business luncheon in Manhattan on Monday. Then on Tuesday, I am going to a book event featuring Yotam Ottolenghi and Ina Garten, presented by Watchung Booksellers. I am a fan of both of their cooking styles and am very much looking forward to it. The rest of the week will include a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Bonnie Garmus for her upcoming novel, PECK & PECK, and lots of prep for the Morristown Festival of Books!
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links that appear on our site for shopping, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop/IndieBound. As you read our reviews and features, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!
Featured Review:
THE FRENCH ILLUSION by John Grisham
THE FRENCH ILLUSION by John Grisham (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Beck
After Paul and Chelsea Tanner’s fairy-tale wedding, their future is full of promise. But their honeymoon to Paris takes a dark, shocking turn when they are kidnapped while on a day trip to the French countryside. Who would target them, and why? It turns out this is not the first crime of its kind. The search for clues soon stretches across borders, with the FBI, CIA and French Intelligence trying to work together to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Struggling to find answers, a young lawyer is recruited to be the bait in an elaborate CIA operation. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
AMERICAN HAGWON by Min Jin Lee
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
AMERICAN HAGWON by Min Jin Lee (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Yerin Ha
The men, women and children in AMERICAN HAGWON struggle to find satisfaction and meaning in a world that seems to grow less forgiving with each passing year. Once comfortably middle class in Korea, John and Helen Koh and their three children find their lives upended --- first by a shocking betrayal by John’s oldest friend, then by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Desperately striving to regain their footing, they leave Seoul for Sydney and eventually settle in Southern California --- where new vistas of opportunity open up for the children as their parents, strangers in a strange land, must adjust to a new life in which their experience and education mean little, and they set their sights on whatever it takes to provide for their children’s futures. Reviewed by Eileen Zimmerman Nicol.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
AMERICAN HAGWON will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary later this month.
Featured Review:
THE VANISHING FAMILY by Robert Kolker
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE VANISHING FAMILY: Love, Fate, and the Quest to End Dementia by Robert Kolker (Science/Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Sean Pratt
In Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania, there lived a family with nine siblings, the youngest a girl named Barb. As the older children headed off to college, only Barb was home to see their mother fall under a gothic spell, changing into someone she didn’t recognize. We learn that this family has a genetic mutation that causes dementia, but with an especially cruel twist. As early as their 40s, formerly loving parents and hard-driving executives will lose their jobs, have affairs, take up drinking, and become people their families hardly know. Their former personalities seem to vanish --- and there is a 50-50 chance that it will happen to their children, too. THE VANISHING FAMILY unfolds like a heartbreaking thriller as the siblings begin to realize that what happened to their mother is happening to them. Reviewed by Jane T. Krebs.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
THE VANISHING FAMILY will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Robert Kolker
and her Bets On commentary later this month.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE MUNICH AFFAIR by James Patterson & David Ellis
and TEN PERFECT GUESTS by Jonathan Santlofer
THE MUNICH AFFAIR by James Patterson and David Ellis (Historical Thriller)
We all are well aware of the atrocities that Adolf Hitler committed during his reign of terror. His ordering of the extinction of Jewish people was barbaric, and the ramifications of that and the other cruelties he imparted on millions cannot be justified in any way. He changed the course of history, first in Germany and then with his outreach to countries throughout Europe. His antisemitic feelings still have consequences today.
In THE MUNICH AFFAIR, James Patterson and David Ellis have nurtured a story that casts a new light on what Hitler was capable of --- and how he was surrounded by sycophants who would keep his secrets, even as they came too close to home.
- Click here to read the book description.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to see our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight feature.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE MUNICH AFFAIR.
TEN PERFECT GUESTS by Jonathan Santlofer (Psychological Thriller)
TEN PERFECT GUESTS by Jonathan Santlofer opens with 10 people being invited to a private island for a weekend memorial service for Victor D’Arcangelo, an artist who recently has died. Attendance is mandatory if they hope to reap part of the inheritance that he has left behind. All attendees arrive via first-class travel on planes and water vehicles. It feels very posh, and though there is tension among them, there is an expectation that this could be a pleasant weekend.
The guests include Victor’s art dealers, a critic, his ex-wife, his son…you get the picture. And they are all in it for the money.
- Click here to read the book description.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to watch Carol's “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Jonathan Santlofer.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on TEN PERFECT GUESTS.
New Special Contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
Win One of 20 Copies of COME CLOSER:
Childhood Wounds, Adult Love, and the Secrets of Emotional Intimacy, by Dr. Galit Atlas
What is the secret of emotional intimacy? How can understanding our childhood experiences give us the insights we need to be close to others in a truly satisfying, longer lasting and more meaningful way?
In COME CLOSER: Childhood Wounds, Adult Love, and the Secrets of Emotional Intimacy, Dr. Galit Atlas invites us inside the private lives of her patients --- and into her own --- to offer new, life-changing answers to these important questions.
On ReadingGroupGuides.com, we are giving 20 readers the opportunity to win a copy of COME CLOSER, which is now available and would be a great book to talk about with your book group or with your family. To enter the contest, please fill out this form by Wednesday, October 28th at noon ET.
COME CLOSER: Childhood Wounds, Adult Love, and the Secrets of Emotional Intimacy by Dr. Galit Atlas (Psychology/Personal Growth)
In COME CLOSER, Dr. Galit Atlas has identified six child archetypes --- the frightened child, the melancholic child, the ashamed child, the invisible child, the guilty child, and the chosen child --- and in these pages, she shows how each childhood wound plays out in our adult relationships.
In remarkably compelling and dramatic stories of both therapist and patient, Atlas illustrates how the child within us drives our love lives, forming patterns we repeat without awareness. Each narrative will have you on the edge of your seat, living the mystery alongside Atlas and her patients, uncovering roots, drawing parallels, and reaching insights and revelations just as they do.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to visit Dr. Galit Atlas' website.
- Connect with Dr. Galit Atlas on Facebook and Instagram.
Click here to enter the contest.
Featured Review: SWAN SONG by Charles Spencer
SWAN SONG: Diana, my sister by Charles Spencer (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Charles Spencer
In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in Westminster Abbey before a watching world and shared his grief at losing his beloved sister, Diana. Now, nearly 30 years later, he tells the astonishing story of his life with Diana and the tragic week of her death. In childhood, Charles and Diana, the youngest Spencers, were inseparable. Yet everything changed when Diana married the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, and overnight became a global icon. Charles saw his older sister serve the world’s marginalized and relish being mother to her treasured sons. But, pursued by a barbaric press as her royal marriage crumbled, she was left desperately alone. Charles always tried to be there for Diana --- until that black night in August 1997. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
THE MANY PRIVATE LIVES OF MISSY COOKE
by Jane Green
THE MANY PRIVATE LIVES OF MISSY COOKE by Jane Green (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw
Missy Cooke’s parents divorced when she was young. While her mother did her best to make ends meet, her father devoted his life to work --- and his new family. Missy only knew him from afar. But when he came to visit, his light shone bright. He was Silicon Valley tech titan Marty Cooke. Now an adult, Missy’s life is a constant negotiation between her own desires and the towering expectations of her father. But when a devastating diagnosis forces Marty to step down from his tech empire, ipryy, he chooses Missy. Thrust into a world of high-stakes board meetings and cutthroat corporate politics, Missy is completely out of her depth. When she uncovers a dark secret that threatens to destroy everything her father built, she must decide what kind of leader she will become. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 16th Annual
Fall Reading Contests and Feature
Fall is known as the biggest season of the year for books. The titles that release during this latter part of the year often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. In our Fall Reading Contests and Feature, we are spotlighting a number of outstanding books that we know people will be talking about this fall.
We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through mid-October, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next two contests will be up at noon ET on Tuesday, October 6th and Wednesday, October 7th. The prize books will be BLACKOUT: A Jake Bendel Thriller by J. Luke Bennecke and THE LADY ON ESPLANADE: A Royal Street Novel by Karen White.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
October’s Books on Screen Feature
Here is a preview of this month's movies, TV shows and DVDs/Blu-rays that are based on books. For a complete list of October's offerings, please click here.
Film Releases
Verity
Release Date: Friday, October 2nd (wide release in theaters)
Based on: VERITY by Colleen Hoover
Sense and Sensibility
Release Date: Friday, October 16th (wide release in theaters)
Based on: SENSE AND SENSIBILITY by Jane Austen
Whalefall
Release Date: Friday, October 16th (wide release in theaters)
Based on: WHALEFALL by Daniel Kraus
Klara and the Sun
Release Date: Friday, October 23rd (wide release in theaters)
Based on: KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Mosquito Bowl
Release Date: Friday, October 30th (limited release in theaters)
Based on: THE MOSQUITO BOWL: A Game of Life and Death in World War II by Buzz Bissinger
Series Premieres
"East of Eden" (7-episode limited series)
Release Date: Thursday, October 1st on Netflix (all episodes of the series are available)
Based on: EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck
"Carrie" (8-episode limited series)
Release Date: Wednesday, October 7th on Prime Video (all episodes of the series will be available)
Based on: CARRIE by Stephen King
Season Premieres
"Tracker"
Air Dates: Sundays at 9pm ET/PT on CBS; Season 4 Premiere on October 4th (the season premiere will air at 9:30pm ET/PT)
Based on: THE NEVER GAME by Jeffery Deaver
"The Rainmaker"
Air Dates: Fridays at 10pm ET/PT on USA Network; Season 2 Premiere on October 16th
Based on: THE RAINMAKER by John Grisham
"The Terminal List"
Release Date: Wednesday, October 21st on Prime Video (all episodes of Season 2 will be available)
Based on: THE TERMINAL LIST by Jack Carr
Series Finale
"Marble Hall Murders" (6-episode limited series)
Air Dates: Sundays at 9pm ET/PT on PBS "Masterpiece"; Series Finale on October 11th
Based on: MARBLE HALL MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz
Season Finales
"Anna Pigeon"
Air Dates: Fridays at 10pm ET/PT on USA Network; Season 1 Finale on October 9th
Based on: The Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr
"Slow Horses"
Release Dates: Wednesdays on Apple TV; Season 6 Finale on October 21st
Based on: JOE COUNTRY and SLOUGH HOUSE by Mick Herron
Ongoing Series
"Outlander: Blood of My Blood"
Air Dates: Fridays at 8pm ET/PT on STARZ; Season 2 continues
Based on: The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
On DVD and Blu-ray
Frankenstein
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: Tuesday, October 27th
Based on: FRANKENSTEIN; or, THE MODERN PROMETHEUS by Mary Shelley
Click here to see our Books on Screen feature for October.
What’s New on ReadingGroupGuides.com
GALINDA: A Charmed Childhood by Gregory Maguire (Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Edoardo Ballerini
Who was Glinda the Good Witch before she floated down in her bubble to greet Dorothy? Who was Glinda before she became Elphaba Thropp’s magnetic and popular roommate at Shiz University? The youngest of four children in a high-born family down on their luck, Galinda is both pampered and ignored. Her natural grace promises to elevate her in the district dance competitions. But these efforts distract her from seeing the growing resentments of local merchants who disapprove of her family’s business strategies. As her father deftly pivots around the snares and nets laid for him by his competitors, Galinda begins to dance toward a life that might lift her above her proud, if hardscrabble, childhood. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
DODGE CITY by Patrick deWitt (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Micky Shiloah
It’s 1967 in Los Angeles, and Lee Clarke has received his draft notice, calling him up to fight in the Vietnam War. A straitlaced, apolitical 23-year-old, Lee is studying at UCLA until a fistfight leads to his expulsion --- and his removal from the deferment list. Although he is happy in California and loves his girlfriend, he will leave the country and head for the border. Bringing only a single suitcase and a bag of amphetamines, he makes his stimulated progress against the width of the country, pining for the life he’s left behind and wondering what his decision will mean for his future. But he's not just saying goodbye to the country of his birth. In four different towns strung out along the northern United States, Lee visits each member of his immediate family. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
THOSE WHO ARE GONE by Laurie R. King (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Vivienne Leheny and Luis Moreno
SFPD Homicide Inspector Raquel Laing lives with her adoptive sister, Dee, an online investigator for organizations all over the world. Trouble arrives with an all-too-common case for Inspector Laing: the homicide of a drug dealer in a deserted corner of San Francisco. But the everyday rapidly spirals into complications --- just as a simple search into the family’s ancestry is throwing Dee into her own world of turmoil. Raquel’s case blows up far too close to home. While her unique skills are too valuable for the SFPD to suspend her entirely, she is removed from Homicide and put onto the Cold Case Unit. This leaves her free to look at some disturbing facts about her past --- and at the devastating news that Dee has uncovered in her own search for the truth. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
LONDON STATION by David McCloskey (Political Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Vanessa Daniels and George Naylor
A new US administration has taken office, installing a brash and unconventional CIA director. When the axe falls on the chief of London Station, the agency veteran decides to spy for the Brits --- a betrayal uncovered by his replacement, Artemis Aphrodite Procter. Caught between a turncoat spymaster and a ruthless new boss back at Langley, Procter now must navigate a tense environment as old friends become adversaries and no one knows whom to trust. Adding to the chaos is a new breed of private intelligence agency: a secretive and powerful company run by a reclusive billionaire. When assets begin dying, Procter and her team in London Station must find out who is leaking the sources’ identities --- and why --- before both agencies go blind. Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley.
TRAD WIFE by Sarah Langan (Psychological Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Stephanie Németh-Parker
Every day, millions watch Mia Wright, the “trad wife” queen, on her idyllic 300-acre farm. But behind every perfect image is a secret. And in this case, the secret is a horror. Desperate to save her tarnished career, journalist Jenny Kaplan arrives at Black Swan Farm to profile Mia. Jenny is ready to write a scathing exposé, determined to expose the deception behind Mia’s curated life. But soon, Jenny has more to contend with than staged videos and camera-ready poses. There’s something wrong at the farmhouse. Something slithers through Jenny’s dreams, and at night, the children sing strange nursery rhymes. She’s losing time. She’s losing her hair. She starts to worry that she’s losing her mind. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
HANNAH ARENDT: A Life of the Mind written by Thomas Meyer, translated by Shelley Frisch (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Gabra Zackman
Drawing on newly discovered archival materials and previously overlooked documents, Thomas Meyer tells the story of an intellectual icon whose character and ideas continue to captivate and challenge us to this day. Tracing anew Hannah Arendt’s journey from Königsberg to Paris, where she fled after being imprisoned in 1933, and finally to New York in 1941, Meyer illuminates her formative years and the development of her radical and brilliant books, as well as her lifelong philosophical debate with Martin Heidegger, whose Nazism was a permanent challenge for her. Meyer’s account centers on two pivotal phases: Arendt’s years in Paris after fleeing Nazi Germany and her time in the United States leading up to the landmark publication of THE ORIGINS OF TOTALITARIANISM in 1951. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
KISS SLAY REPLAY: A Time Loop Novel by Rachel Harrison
(Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Charlotte Lobdel
Willa Sullivan is excited to celebrate her best friends finally having the big wedding they’ve always wanted. But this is the first time she’s seen her ex-fiancé in months, and he brought a date. Everything feels off. Things start to look up, though, when Willa meets Danny, the groom’s charming and single childhood best friend. When they sneak off together, their rendezvous is interrupted by a masked killer terrorizing the reception. Willa and Danny fight to save the ones they love and survive the night, but the killer is unrelenting. Willa wakes up, and it’s the morning of the wedding. She just had the most intense nightmare of her life. But as the day unfolds, there are some uncanny coincidences that make her question whether it was really a dream, déjà vu or something more sinister. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
DAGGERBOUND by T. Kingfisher (Fantasy/Romance)
Audiobook available, read by Jesse Vilinsky
Learned Edmund, a disillusioned scholar, is transporting yet another precious relic from one stuffy temple to a different stuffy temple. But when Edmund is set upon by bandits, he breaks the cardinal rule and grabs for the relic, an ancient sword. To his surprise, an alarmingly handsome man appears, wielding daggers of blue steel and cutting the thieves down. This man is the Dervish, an immortal warrior who has been trapped for centuries in a sword of enchanted steel. He hates the curse that put him there, and he wants to hate Edmund. But the damned scholar is just so sweet and clever and kind. And while the Dervish may be able to protect Edmund from bandits, cultists, dragons and strange inhuman diplomats, he may find it much harder to protect his own heart. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
LADY OF UNCANNY CHARMS by Charlie N. Holmberg (Historical Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Graham Halstead and Billie Fulford-Brown
Owein arrives in England to marry Lady Cora of Leiningen, his dearest friend and confidante he’s known mostly through letters. However, Queen Victoria has other plans in store for the centuries-old wizard. The queen is obsessed with preserving magic, and she believes Owein is the key to pursuing her lofty ambitions. Torn from his family, his home and his betrothed, Owein is pushed into the Queen’s League of Magicians, where he learns that the Crown’s upheaval of his life is only the beginning of his problems. Meanwhile, Cora must push aside her broken heart and use her own spells and resources to uncover truths that the queen wants hidden. As new threats, former loves, untapped spells and even older souls than Owein collide, his next choice could be his last. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on October 6th
Below are some notable titles releasing on October 6th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks available the week of October 5th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
ADAM AND EVE by Jeffrey Archer (Historical Thriller)
From the green fields of England to the beaches of Dunkirk, Jeffrey Archer's final novel is a breathtaking epic of courage, sacrifice and love forged in Britain's darkest hour.
BAD WORDS by Ríoghnach Robinson (Romance)
BAD WORDS is a sharp and deeply felt debut about art, ambition, and the connections that both inspire and undo us.
BLACKOUT: A Jake Bendel Thriller by J. Luke Bennecke (Political Techno-thriller)
Perfect for fans of David Baldacci and Tom Clancy, BLACKOUT is a high-stakes techno-thriller packed with cutting-edge technology, geopolitical intrigue and relentless suspense.
CORMAC McCARTHY: A Legacy Revisited by Tracy Daugherty (Biography)
Cormac McCarthy is hailed as one of America’s greatest novelists. In his body of work, the nation’s story is told in incomparably vivid shades of violence, greed and love. And yet, most of his personal story has been largely untold --- until now.
DARK READING MATTER: The Last Thursday Next Novel by Jasper Fforde (Science Fiction & Mystery/Humor)
Will literary Special Ops agent Thursday Next find her happy ending? This outrageous, heartfelt conclusion to the New York Times bestselling series, which began with THE EYRE AFFAIR, will have you, Dear Reader, laughing out loud.
DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? by Peter Swanson (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
A writer is tasked with helping a famous novelist finish his next book. But when two dead bodies turn up at the seaside manor, he must uncover the killer before the clock ticks down to Christmas Day.
EVERY STORY IS A LOVE STORY by Imbolo Mbue (Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of BEHOLD THE DREAMERS and HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE comes a captivating novel about love lost --- and the weight of regret.
FORTUNE AND GLASS by John Mutter (Historical Fiction)
For readers who believe they’ve read every WWII novel, FORTUNE AND GLASS offers something rare: a deeply human story that restores the genre by shifting the lens inward, toward the moral choices that define us when history fractures beneath our feet.
LIFE OUT OF ORDER by Audrey Niffenegger (Fiction/Magical Realism)
The multi-million-copy bestselling author of THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE returns with an exhilarating speculative story set in a dystopian future where virtual reality and real life converge.
ONE HELLUVA RIDE by Michael Douglas (Memoir)
Beginning with his fractured childhood and a complex relationship with his superstar father, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas finally gives the full and uncensored account of a remarkable life.
OTHER WORLDS THAN THESE: A Talisman Novel written by Stephen King and Peter Straub, illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez (Supernatural Thriller/Dark Fantasy)
This is Stephen King and Peter Straub’s epic and unforgettable finale to the Talisman Trilogy (including the novels THE TALISMAN and BLACK HOUSE) and a wrapping up of the fate of the worlds in King’s iconic, fiercely beloved Dark Tower epic.
PARTITA by Barbara Kingsolver (Fiction)
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of DEMON COPPERHEAD comes a story of a brief, passionate, life-changing love affair, wrapped up in what might be the greatest romance of all: our eternal human longing for art and beauty.
PETRIFIED DREAMS: A Hap and Leonard Novel by Joe R. Lansdale (Mystery/Humor)
With women going missing across the Deep South, dynamic detective duo Hap Collins and Leonard Pine zero in on a horrific, chimerical villain protected and abetted by Texas’s most powerful.
RAVEN by Lyndsay Faye (Gothic/Historical Thriller)
An orphaned young woman in antebellum Maryland is pulled into a maelstrom of passion, pain and occult power in this Gothic homage to the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe.
SLEEPERS IN THE SNOW by Joanne Harris (Psychological/Supernatural Thriller)
SLEEPERS IN THE SNOW is a gripping and powerful suspense story of love, loss and the mysteries of memory by internationally bestselling author Joanne Harris.
WHAT HAPPENS AT NIGHTFALL by Lauren Willig (Paranormal Gothic Romance)
New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig returns with WHAT HAPPENS AT NIGHTFALL, a delightfully Gothic romantic adventure, complete with a little bit of demon-hunting.
THE WITCH by Freida McFadden (Psychological Thriller)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden comes THE WITCH, a chilling, twist-filled thriller about secrets --- those we inherit, those we bury, and those people will burn to keep silent.
Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
From left to right: Joanne Harris, Annie Hartnett, Barbara Kingsolver
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are three upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Tuesday, October 6th at 6pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner Barbara Kingsolver to discuss her new book, PARTITA, on a live B&N “Poured Over” podcast taping from Barnes & Noble Union Square in New York City. Barbara will be in conversation with “Poured Over” cohost Miwa Messer.
Wednesday, October 7th at 5pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Joanne Harris will talk about her new novel, SLEEPERS IN THE SNOW, a gripping and powerful suspense story of love, loss and the mysteries of memory.
Wednesday, October 7th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Annie Hartnett about her most recent book, THE ROAD TO TENDER HEARTS. This darkly comic and warmhearted novel is about an old man on a cross-country mission to reunite with his high school crush --- bringing together his adult daughter, two orphaned kids and a cat who can predict death.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers long-form, in-depth author interviews. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here is our latest interview:
Other authors we've interviewed recently include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Bonnie Garmus (PECK & PECK)
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Robert Kolker (THE VANISHING FAMILY: Love, Fate, and the Quest to End Dementia)
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John Mutter (FORTUNE AND GLASS)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll:
New and Upcoming Nonfiction Titles to Anticipate
Which of the following nonfiction titles releasing in September and October have you read or are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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ABANDONING A CAT: A Personal Story, written by Haruki Murakami and translated by Philip Gabriel
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THE AMERICAN WAY OF KILLING: The Invention of an Epidemic, by Malcolm Gladwell
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BETWEEN CHAPTERS: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot, by Zibby Owens
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COME CLOSER: Childhood Wounds, Adult Love, and the Secrets of Emotional Intimacy, by Dr. Galit Atlas
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CONFRONTING AMERICA: What Has to Change, by Bill O'Reilly and Josh Hammer
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CORMAC McCARTHY: A Legacy Revisited, by Tracy Daugherty
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ETHEL KENNEDY: The Extraordinary Life and Bold Legacy, by Kerry Kennedy
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FICTIONAL SELVES: A Memoir, by Kyle MacLachlan
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ONE HELLUVA RIDE by Michael Douglas
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THE PHANTOM: The Untold Story of the American Marine the Nazis Could Not Kill, by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin
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PLOT TWIST: Life, Craft, and the Messy First Draft: A Memoir on Writing, by Harlan Coben
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REDWOOD: The Untold Story of the Cold War's Most Extraordinary Spy, by Ben Macintyre
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THE RUSH: California Gold, the Civil War, and the Making of the Modern World, by Nathaniel Philbrick
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THE STEPS: A Memoir, by Sylvester Stallone
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STORY TELLING: A Writing Life, by Isabel Allende
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SWAN SONG: Diana, my sister, by Charles Spencer
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TRUE NORTH: On the Road in Canada, by Paul Theroux
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AN UNEXPECTED LIFE: A Memoir, by Gloria Steinem
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THE VANISHING FAMILY: Love, Fate, and the Quest to End Dementia, by Robert Kolker
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WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO RIGHT?: The Essential Journey to Scale an Enduring Culture, by Danny Meyer
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, October 9th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You've Read --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve read with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from September 25th to October 9th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of AMERICAN HAGWON by Min Jin Lee and THE VANISHING FAMILY: Love, Fate, and the Quest to End Dementia by Robert Kolker.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
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