December 2013

Happy New Year everyone!  Now is the perfect time to create a new you for the New Year, whether it’s renewing that old gym membership, revamping your hair style to something particularly 2014ish, or catching up on all the great books of 2013 you somehow missed, definitely keeping in mind Kimberly McCreight’s Reconstructing Amelia.  If you haven’t yet devoured this suspenseful tale of a single mother piecing together the last few days of her daughter’s life after her apparent suicide, make sure to put it on your to-read list.  Entertainment Weekly named Reconstructing Amelia the Best Book of the Year, and Huff/Post 50 Senior Editor Shelley Emling has also named it one of her favorite books of 2013, saying “If you've ever been baffled by the mysterious world of teenagers, read this book. It will open your eyes.”  AND it was Number 9 in CNN’s readers’ favorite books of 2013.  Quite a list, eh?  So while you’re waiting in the salon or peddling away at the gym, bring along one of the best books of the year, now available in paperback.

-Amanda

This week we are pleased to introduce Darragh McKeon, author of All That Is Solid Melts into Air.

Under a crimson sky, Artyom Telvatnikov stands in a field of cows, his fingertips glistening with the warm blood that streams from their ears. It is April 1986, and ten miles away, above the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, swathes of sparks flood the air, forever changing a cluster of ordinary lives that pass their days in supermarkets and railway tunnels, in factory floors and recital rooms, inciting them to actions of violence, strangeness, and terrible beauty.

In his debut novel, Darragh McKeon spotlights one of the most enduring tragedies of recent history and reveals its contribution to the fall of the Soviet Union.  The book delicately weaves an array of real and imagined characters into an intricate tapestry of a society undergoing the first moments of its unraveling, in a place where all natural order has been distorted, and at a time where nothing is so incredible that it cannot be true.

This noveldramatizes the immense human cost of the Chernobyl accident through the interconnected stories of some of its survivors: there is Grigory, a doctor from Moscow who is sent to the region to deal with the radiation victims; Maria, his estranged wife who comes to the attention of the authorities due to some ill-advised articles she has written for underground papers; and her nephew, Yevgeni, a nine-year-old musical prodigy who has suddenly lost his sense of rhythm. Chernobyl and its aftermath will change their lives forever.

Darragh has already made a name for himself as a major theater talent, and now he is transitioning his skills to the page with All That Is Solid Melts into Air, which you can check out on Edelweiss.

-Amanda

There are few periods of history I find more riveting then Paris in the 20s and 30s (I'm hardly alone in this). What a fascinating period of history to write about, and Francine Prose does just that in Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932, a story told from varying view points by colorful characters; a visionary photographer, his rich baroness art patron, his brave – if insecure – lover, his best friend and future famous Hemingway-esq writer, and the present day biographer of the central character, Lou Villars, who tries to reach back through time and interpret all the events.

The title refers to a photograph that launched the career of the photographer, Gabor Tsenyi: two women, lovers, lean against each other at a nightclub table. One is slight and pretty; the other-dressed like a man, with cropped hair and a heavy build-stares into the distance.

The latter person is Lou Villars, whose life is the general focus around which every narrative is wound, an extraordinary athlete, a famous race car driver, and finally a Nazi torturer and interrogator during the German occupation of France. 

The book reads quickly because you are so engaged in each story (also I love novels where each character's insight provides a new take on the same situation). Prose does a good job of showcasing Paris from the height of the Jazz Age through the terror of the Nazi invasion, and also raises questions about the difficulty of discovering historical truth and the unreliability of narrative. Check it out on Edelweiss.

– Annie

Imagine the joy on my face when I arrived at my office to find this on my desk. An original creation by the one and only amazing Annie Mazes, who has managed to capture all of my favorite things on one frame. Nothing says Christmas like Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand and Cher, all topped off with I Love Lucy! All of my favorite things made by one of my favorite people. Also note the Maker’s Mark, my Nancy Pearl doll, Blistex, and me and Pat in Greece, so many favorites. From my Happy Desk to yours. 

And as a bonus, since a present is only great if you can share it.  

Bette Midler’s Cool Yule album is AWESOME!

Cher sings O Holy Night better than anyone. ever. You’re welcome.

Barbra Streisand sings Jingle Bells like noone else.

And finally, the I Love Lucy (Rarely Seen) Christmas special just aired IN COLOR. Mind. Blown. 

Merry Christmas!

– Virginia

PS: Happy Holidays everyone…hope Santa is good to all of you! – Annie

For our next debut author, allow me to introduce Emma Healey, author of Elizabeth is Missing. 

Simultaneously a sophisticated mystery and a heartbreakingly honest meditation on memory and identity, Elizabeth is Missing possesses an unforgettable narrator in Maud, a grandmother fighting a losing battle against the devastating effects of memory loss.

But while she may be losing her grip on everyday life, much to the frustration of her family—particularly her daughter, Helen—she’s determined not to forget about her best friend Elizabeth, who has mysteriously vanished. To Maud’s frustration, no one will take her seriously: not Helen, not her carers, not the police, and especially not Elizabeth’s mercurial son, Peter. Armed only with the pocketfuls of reminder notes that she writes dozens of times a day, and a vague hunch that something is wrong, Maud resolves to discover the truth.

This singular obsession forms a cornerstone of Maud’s rapidly dissolving present, but the clues she discovers seem only to lead her deeper into her past, which was dominated by another unsolved disappearance; that of her sister, Sukey, who vanished just after World War II. Vivid memories of what happened over fifty years ago come flooding back to give her quest new momentum. Could the mystery of Sukey’s disappearance help Maud uncover the truth about Elizabeth? 

Kimberly McCreight, author of Reconstructing Amelia, says this novel is "ingeniously structured and remarkably poignant…. A riveting story of friendship and loss that will have you compulsively puzzling fact from fiction as you race to the last page.”

– Annie

Last night, I finally finished all my Christmas shopping (I think; I hope).  I also hope you have been equally as lucky in your shopping endeavors, as we’re officially down to the last few days before the Big Day.  If you still haven’t quite crossed off all those names, we have one more list of suggestions for you, this time for your foodie friends and family.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays by Ree Drummond: an assortment of meal ideas for holidays throughout the year—from a Resolution Smoothie on New Year’s Day to Dessert Shots on New Year’s Eve—accompanied by dozens of Ree’s signature step-by-step photos.

L.A. Son by Roy Choi: the maverick chef and co-founder of the Kogi BBQ trucks compiles his favorite recipes that reflect the creative, inventive, and border-crossing spirit of his hometown.  Roy is a personal friend of TV chef personality Anthony Bourdain, who also happens to love the next lady on the list, renowned food critic Marilyn Hagerty.

Grand Forks by Marilyn Hagerty: rather than making a cookbook, this 86-year-old, down-to-earth, food critic brought together a collection of her best, no-nonsense restaurant reviews—from Red Lobster to Le Bernadin— from across her fifty-year career.

All right everyone, this is it.  The final countdown.  Good luck, and Happy Holidays!

-Amanda

Dear Librarian,

My wife and I recently moved back to our beloved North Carolina after a ten year hiatus, and before we even had a house of our own I had a library card with the New Hanover County Public Library system. Kipp, a librarian at the Myrtle Grove branch, must’ve seen the desperation on my face when she allowed me to use my in-laws’ mailing address as my temporary residence. My wife and I were staying in her old bedroom at her parents’ house while our new home was being built, and Kipp understood that my need for the library went beyond a need for reading material and internet access; I had those things at my in-laws’ house. What I needed was a place to go. And that’s what I did. I went to the library every single day and spent hours in a dedicated study space, writing essays and blog posts and responding to email interviews about my new novel, This Dark Road to Mercy. I also found plenty of time (and peace and quiet) to get some serious work done on a new novel. None of this would’ve happened if the library hadn’t been there when I needed it. 

Libraries give many of us a place to go, and librarians like you offer us much needed assistance once we arrive. Kipp and her colleague Laura gave me a tour of the library, told me about the research databases, and explained how to use my iPad to check out e-books, something I never would’ve figured out on my own.

Libraries and librarians have always been invaluable to me. In my family, my siblings and I all got our first library card the day we turned 6. It was one of the defining moments of my life. I got my New Hanover County Library card a few days after turning 36. It was one of the defining moments of my life.

I wanted to write this note and say how much I appreciate the support you’ve given me not just as an author, but also as a reader and a community member. I hope to have the opportunity to one day thank you in person. Until then, Happy Holidays and my best to you and yours.

With so many end-of-years lists coming out in tandem with the season of gift giving, it seems appropriate that beloved librarian Nancy Pearl would offer up some of her own favorites from 2013 and suggestions for the perfect literary gift for one and all. 

For any of your mystery-lover friends and family, Nancy suggests James Rollins’ Innocent Blood and its prequel Blood Gospel as great mystery books to give this season.  Maybe next year you can give his forthcoming The Kill Switch and The Sixth Extinction and make it a James Rollins holiday tradition? 

Also making Nancy’s perfect gift list is, of course, the Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth, for fans of YA adventure and fantasy books.  Now that the final book in the series, Allegiant, has finally come out, it is the perfect time to give—and the perfect excuse to subsequently borrow—the books before the movie adaptation of Divergent, the first in the trilogy, releases in March. 

Nancy also names David Wayne’s Back to Wando Passo, a sweeping tale of love, betrayal, race, revenge, and redemption carried across generations, as a great fiction book to give this season. 

You can check out the full list of Nancy’s picks and suggestions here.  I don’t know about y’all, but if I were going to choose an end-of-year list to pick my holiday gifts from, who better to listen to than someone who has spent years and years selecting the perfect books for people to read?

-Amanda

We are going to start a new blog feature that introduces you to debut authors. First up is Yvette Manessis Corporon, author of When the Cypress Whispers. a richly-told story of one woman’s journey to her grandmother’s home in Greece, where the past and present collide and a fateful decision must be made.

Daphne’s young husband died in a car accident, leaving her with a newborn and stacks of bills. She immersed herself in work to push aside her grief, eventually opening her own Greek restaurant and becoming an acclaimed chef. She is about to marry her wealthy and powerful fiancé, and all seems right in the world, but appearances aren't everything.

One person can see through the storybook perfection of Daphne’s new life—the one person who, despite the miles between them, can always read Daphne’s deepest thoughts and hear her secret, silent prayers. That one person is Daphne’s beloved Yia-yia.

Daphne and her young daughter return to Greece to find nothing is as remembered, but Yia-Yia has brought Daphne home to help her one last time: to teach her that she is meant for greater things, that security is not the same as love, that her life can be filled with meaning again. 

This is a beautiful story about love and family, set against the gorgeous island landscape of Greece (somewhere I'd love to be right now instead of watching snow pelt my window. At least I have a window, I suppose). Available on Edelweiss.

– Annie 

The votes were counted and HarperCollins is honored to have been rewarded THREE spots on the January LibraryReads list! 

The Days of Anna Madrigal by Armistead Maupin: The ninth and probably final novel in Armistead Maupin’s bestselling “Tales of the City” series, following Anna Madrigal’s family road trip to Burning Man and told through the interweaving tales of several familiar characters.

The Wind is Not a River by Brian Payton: A gripping tale of survival and an epic love story in which a husband and wife—separated by the only battle of World War II to take place on American soil—fight to reunite in Alaska’s starkly beautiful Aleutian Islands.

The Kept by James Scott: Reminiscent of Charles Portis, Cormac McCarthy and Flannery O’Connor, a gothic western transferred to the ice-locked wilds of upstate New York at the turn of the 20th century, a brutal and searing debut novel about a mother’s obsession and a son’s search for answers in the wake of a terrible and violent tragedy.

All three can be found on Edelweiss, so get reading. 

– Annie

All right everyone, we’re getting down to the wire: less than two weeks until Christmas to get all of your shopping done.  You’ve gotten something for your general reader, your historian, and your movie buff.  How about something for the romance lover?

No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean: A favorite of librarians across the country (#1 LibraryReads pick for December!) about the Killer Duke and the woman he supposedly murdered years before who reappears with a tempting bargain that could help him get his life back.

The Supreme Macaroni Company by Adriana Trigiani: fan favorite Valentine Roncalli returns in a story that travels from Greenwich Village to New Orleans to Italy, about work, romance, family, and the unexpected turns of life and fate (and also happens to be a Top 10 LibraryReads Pick for December).

Wait for You by J. Lynn: from the hot New Adult genre (college-aged romance plotlines usually on the steamier side), about a college freshman and the hunky guy who may be the key to her finally escaping her dark past.

-Amanda

Hopefully you were able to get a lot of quality holiday shopping done with the help of a few  of our previous suggestions.  However, if you haven’t yet found that perfect fit, we’re back with a few more ideas, this time for the historian in your lives.

The Men Who United the States by Simon Winchester: A comprehensive look at the individuals—explorers, thinkers, and innovators—who worked tirelessly to discover, connect, and bind the citizens and geography of the U.S.A from its beginnings.

Camelot’s Court by Robert Dallek: An authoritative portrait of JFK and his inner circle of advisors—their rivalries, their personality clashes, and their political battles—who influenced the most crucial and lasting policy decisions of JFK’s years in office.

1356 by Bernard Cornwell: A gift for someone who likes their history with a little fiction mixed in, about war between the French and the English—led by the heir to the throne, the Black Prince—and the search for a holy weapon that could change the tide of battle.

-Amanda

A story of prison and death row inmates, The Enchanted (available on Edelweiss) could easily be categorized as something very different than what it actually is – an imaginative and lyrical debut. It is told from the point of view of a convict whose magical interpretations of prison life allow him to find absolute joy while isolated from the rest of humanity. For readers of Alice Sebold and Toni Morrison, it's a very unique and engaging read. 

FYI: Library Journal just gave it a starred review, and I tend to listen to those smarty pants people over there:

"Filled with themes of pain and suffering and still a pleasure to read, this impressive debut from author/journalist Denfeld (All God’s Children) is set in a decaying, dark, corrupt prison, but as the opening line reveals, it “is an enchanted place.” The Lady, a death-row investigator (similar to mitigation specialist Denfeld) uses her unique perspective as a victim of terrible childhood abuse and conditions to research the lives of inmates. Working with her are a fallen priest, who is hiding secrets and hurt of his own, and the warden, whose wife is dying of cancer. Much of the story is told from the fantastical perspective of a reclusive prisoner on death row, preferring to remain unseen for his own protection and those around him. In many ways, this is a tale about being seen, understood, possibly forgiven, and maybe even loved. VERDICT While dark enough to appeal to fans of fantasy and horror (think Stephen King’s The Green Mile), this is also a work of love and redemption. Read this magical book, and prepare to be spellbound." —Shaunna E. Hunter, Hampden-Sydney Coll. Lib., VA

– Annie

Like Annie, I’ve left my holiday shopping to the very last minute, but unlike Annie, I’ve done it because giving good gifts is really hard!  To save some of you a similar pain, over the next few days I will post targeted lists for an assortment of tastes to help you give gifts you know that special someone will enjoy.  For anyone wondering what to get the movie buffs in their lives, here are a few ideas to toss around.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Art & Design– A companion to the second movie in The Hobbit series coming out in a few weeks, this book contains more than one thousand images of concept art, photographs, development paintings and more by the artists working behind the scenes to bring Middle-earth to life.

Doctor Who: The Vault-The ultimate guide to 50 years of the BBC cult classic, filled with many previously unseen photos and other material from the BBC archive as well as from private collections.

Labor Day by Joyce Maynard- Over a long Labor Day weekend, a mother and son are forever changed when a mysterious man enters their lives.  The movie adaptation comes out January 31; just enough time for you and your giftee to read the book before seeing the movie together!

I hope this helps cross one more name off your list!

-Amanda

Happy Holidays!!

If you are like me, you have completely left Christmas shopping to the last minute, and are scrounging around for ideas. Let's hope not many are like me or else a lot of people are getting high-fives and hugs for the holidays.

As a helpful guide, I thought I'd put together my top fave novels for 2013…

1. The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell: A debut about two young sisters who attempt to keep on living their lives without the outside world finding out about the mysterious death of their parents. I am a sucker for sister stories!

2. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker: Such a unique, engaging and well researched debut; a combination of vivid historical fiction and magical fable, about two supernatural creatures in turn-of-the-century immigrant New York. Have recommended to everyone I know.

3. The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Sean Greer: From the author of The Confessions of Max Tivoli comes the romantic story of a woman who undergoes electroshock therapy and finds herself transported to the “other lives” she might have lived, where she must wrestle with the unpredictability of love and the consequences of even her most carefully considered choices.

4. Help for the Haunted by John Searles: Who doesn't love John Searles?! A fantastically creepy novel about a young girl's search for the person responsible for her parent's murders. 

5. Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight: The story of a mother's investigation into her daughter's apparent suicide. Full of mean girls, old rivalries and a really excellent use of social media.

6. Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson: The moving story of a single mom who falls in love with a damaged man, and discovers that her love story definitely is not what she intended it to be. 

I hope you read, gift, enjoy all these books – they really are fantastic.

– Annie

I’ve never been scuba diving or to anywhere in the Caribbean, but after finishing Night Diver by Elizabeth Lowell, I feel like I could zip down there and discover centuries-old sunken treasure all by myself.

Business advisor Kate Donnelly hasn’t returned to the Caribbean since she was eighteen years old, after the truly horrifying night both of her parents died while diving.  However, after a phone call from her brother Larry—now the owner of the Diving Donnellys’ empire—asking for her help to save the failing family business, Kate knows she has to return to the place of her nightmares to try to save the only family she has left.  Larry has signed a one-sided contract that could drive the diving business into ruin (sink it, if you will), but he and his crew believe they have finally found one of the greatest shipwrecks in the Caribbean—the same wreck that Kate’s parents were looking for when they died.  The threat is sexy, British, ex-military diver Holden Cameron, who has been sent by the agency who is funding the dive to investigate why so little treasure is being found.  Sparks fly between Kate and Holden as they get closer and closer to discovering where the missing treasure may be hidden and who is sabotaging the dive. 

Fans of Lisa Gardner, Linda Howard, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Nora Roberts will enjoy the romantic suspense elements, and long-time fans of Lowell will revel in her return to the mystery genre.  Sunken treasure, hot beaches, hotter romance, and a heaping spoonful of action and suspense: check it out on Edelweiss!

-Amanda

Welcome to the HarperCollins READing Terminal Market!

Pick up the latest hot titles at the
HarperCollins Adult Book Buzz 

Amanda, Virginia, and Annie

 Saturday, January 25, 2014
10 – 11:15am
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Room 114 Lecture Hall

 Seating is limited, so RSVP to librarylovefest@harpercollins.com today!

See you there!