I just said that to get your attention. What can I really do to make the 13th straight week of recommendations exciting? Not much. But here they are anyway:
Marcia Lynn McClure, A Good-Lookin' Man, romance (big surprise, eh?) - BookHounds
Danny Seraphine, Street Player, My Chicago Store, memoir, drummer for Chicago -
Bookish Ardour
Kristin Ludwig, Nulo: A Little Bird with a Big Story, children's illustrated, true story -
Under My Apple Tree
Jessica Toper, Louder Than Love, romantic suspense - BookHounds
Marlen Suyapa Bodden, The Wedding Gift, historical fiction, plantation life - Bookfan
Silver's Reviews
Sara Pennypacker, Summer of the Gypsy Moths, middle grade - BermudaOnion
Richelle Mead, Last Sacrifice (#6, Vampire Academy - All the Books I Can Read
Todd Blackledge, Taste of the Town: A Guided Tour of College Football's Best Places
to Eat - Booking Mama
Tom Franklin, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter - Joe Bolin (reader)
David A. Adler, Danny's Doodles: The Jelly Bean Experiment, middle/elementary school
fiction - Booking Mama
Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave, post-apocalyptic - Rhapsody in Books
Gene Luch Yang, American Born Chinese, YA fantasy - Bookish Ardour
Sherrill S. Cannon, The Magic Word, children's illustrated, rhymes - MazorBooks
Sue Grafton, W is for Wasted - Booking Mama
Connie Willis, The Best Connie Willis: Award-Winning Stories, 10 science fiction short
stories - Under My Apple Tree
Tim Winton, The Turning (2005), short stories - book'd out
Stephen King, Doctor Sleep (sequel to The Shining) - Bibliophile by the Sea
Elisa Nader, Escape from Eden, YA romance - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
John Searles, Help for the Haunted, part ghost story, part mystery, part coming-of-age
Booking Mama
Alan Bradley, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (#1, I read it and thought it was
okay - for 1 book only), British mystery, 10-year old protagonist - Estella's Revenge
Carrie Cariello, What Color Is Monday: How Autism Changed One Family For the Better
- Stacy's Books
Karen Spears Zacharias, Mother Rain, novel of Appalachia - BermudaOnion
Rainbow Rowell, Attachments (1999), romance, cultural references - Tales of Whimsy
Jill Shalvis, Always on My Mind (Lucky Harbor series), romance - BookHounds
Robertson Davies, What's Bred in the Bone (volume 2) - Rose City Reader
And the winner this week is (drum roll, please) - Booking Mama, with 4.
NOTE: Even posting 51 last week, I still had over 25 this week. Crazy!
Friday, September 27, 2013
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Robin Sloan Appears at the JCC in San Francisco
I know, the title is not too exciting. But, in this case, I wanted to get you into the meat of the event right away. Bottom line is that Robin Sloan was at the JCC in San Francisco on Tuesday night. This happened(?) to coincide with his book, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, coming out in paperback. In fact, Green Apple Books, a(nother) independent bookstore, in San Francisco, had a representative there selling both the hardcover and the paperback editions. It looked like quite a few sold. Good for Robin and Green Apple. (Take a look at my review of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore on June 11- I liked it and gave it a solid 3 out of 4).
There were approximately 75 people in attendance. And, considering that the event cost $15 per person, that's pretty darn good. The great majority of author events are free - and don't typically draw that large of a crowd. The format was an "in conversation with" kind of thing. The moderator was someone whose name escapes me (actually, I never really heard it the 1st time). He asked Robin questions for about 45 minutes. Then, it was opened up to the audience. After that, Robin signed books. It was an entertaining and enjoyable evening.
NEWS FLASH! Robin will be one of the featured authors next year for Silicon Valley Reads. I'm working with their executive director, Diane McNutt, to get Village House of Books on the touring schedule. That would be very cool.
There were approximately 75 people in attendance. And, considering that the event cost $15 per person, that's pretty darn good. The great majority of author events are free - and don't typically draw that large of a crowd. The format was an "in conversation with" kind of thing. The moderator was someone whose name escapes me (actually, I never really heard it the 1st time). He asked Robin questions for about 45 minutes. Then, it was opened up to the audience. After that, Robin signed books. It was an entertaining and enjoyable evening.
Robin is in the middle. The other man is the Green Apple Books rep, and the woman was in charge of the event for the JCC.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Author Bios for the Grand Opening at Village House of Books - October 23-26
Here are the bios, in order, of the 6 authors who will be appearing during the Grand Opening week, October 23-26, at Village House of Books.
Steve Sporleder is a life-long resident of Los Gatos. His family has been in town for five generations. He is the father of two grown children, and the grandfather of four. Sporleder spent 32 years in the fire service. He has written 3 books and the 4th is due in October.
Elisabeth Barrett lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and spends her days teaching, editing, writing sexy contemporary romance, and enjoying time with her sometimes-bearded husband and three spirited children. She is constantly perfecting her home-work-writing juggling act, but in her free time she loves to hike open space preserves, grow orchids, bake sweet things her husband won’t eat, and sing in grand choruses.Find out more about Elisabeth at www.elisabethbarrett.com, or on Twitter @ebarrettwrites.
Jennifer Ryan, national bestselling author of The Hunted Series, writes romantic suspense and contemporary small-town romances. Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children. When she isn’t writing a book, she’s reading one. Her obsession with both is often revealed in the state of her home and how late dinner is to the table. When she finally leaves those fictional worlds, you’ll find her in the garden, playing in the dirt and daydreaming about people who live only in her head, until she puts them on paper. Please visit her website at www.jennifer-ryan.com for information about upcoming releases.
Meg Waite Clayton is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of four novels, including The Wednesday Sisters and The Wednesday Daughters, a Chicago Tribune and Fort Worth Star-Telegram summer read. Essays in the L.A. Times, Runner's World, Writer's Digest, and public radio, and on The New York Times and Forbes online. You can find her on Twitter at @MegWClayton and go to her website at megwaiteclayton.com. Finally, feel free to friend her on Facebook.
Tracy
Guzeman lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a Pushcart Prize
nominee, and her work has been published in Vestal Review, Glimmer Train, and Gulf Coast, where her story “Einstein,”
received honorable mention for the Donald Barthelme Prize for Short Prose. Her
first novel, The Gravity of Birds, a tale of love, art, loss, and resilience, was published
by Simon and Schuster in August, 2013. More information about her work can be
found at www.tracyguzeman.com and http://www.simonnovels.com/authors/tracy-guzeman.
Please join Julie Dart as she reads her children’s book, “Ellie Stands Up To The Bully.” Julie Dart has a background in teaching, has two children and is now an author. “Ellie Stands Up To The Bully" is a book that has been reviewed by teachers who claim it to be a valuable tool in dealing with issues of bullying. Recently, Julie was able to add resources to her book and include bios for each character along with some fun recipes. On October 26th, from 2-4, Julie will be at Village House of Books, 326 Village Lane, Suite A, Los Gatos 95032. This is an event that will start right at 2:00 so be sure to be on time. Julie and Ellie (the puppet) will be thrilled to see you at their event as they will be able to meet with you and read this wonderful story to all of you.
Please join Julie Dart as she reads her children’s book, “Ellie Stands Up To The Bully.” Julie Dart has a background in teaching, has two children and is now an author. “Ellie Stands Up To The Bully" is a book that has been reviewed by teachers who claim it to be a valuable tool in dealing with issues of bullying. Recently, Julie was able to add resources to her book and include bios for each character along with some fun recipes. On October 26th, from 2-4, Julie will be at Village House of Books, 326 Village Lane, Suite A, Los Gatos 95032. This is an event that will start right at 2:00 so be sure to be on time. Julie and Ellie (the puppet) will be thrilled to see you at their event as they will be able to meet with you and read this wonderful story to all of you.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Recs #12 - Part B
How shocked are you that I have another 25 strong recommendations in the same week? And how REALLY shocked are you that I'm posting the 2nd 25 today - when I said I would? Well, get over your shock long enough to check these out.
Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow - Estella's Revenge (1 of the best books she's ever
read)
David Whish-Wilson, Zero at the Bone, crime & mystery - book'd out
Rainbow Rowell, Attachments, excellent dialogue, laugh-out-loud - Rhapsody in Books
Nicole Alexander, Sunset Ridge, contemporary/historical fiction- book'd out
Kendare Plake, Dressed in Blood (#1, Anna), YA horror - Tangled in Pages
Catherine Gilbert Murdock, Heaven Is Paved with Oreos, middle-grade/young YA -
Booking Mama
Kim Baccellia, No More Goddesses, YA paranormal, pre-teens/young teens -
BookHounds
Sarah Weinman (editor), Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives, Stories from the
Trailblazers of Domestic Suspense, crime fiction anthology, all female authors from
the 1940's-1970's - Bibliophile by the Sea
Taste of Home, Recipes Across America, covers all 5 regions of the U.S. -
Booking Mama
Laurie Harman Wilson, The Treasures of Destiny, children's kidlit - MazorBooks
Ednah Walters, Immortals, (#2, Runes), paranormal romance, 16+ - Feed Your Fiction
Addiction
Claire Freedman/BenCort, Dinosaurs Love Underpants, children's illustrated - Musings of
a Bookish Kitty
Gretchen McNeil, 3:59, science fiction horror - BookHounds
Cassandra Rose Clarke, The Assassin's Curse, pirates, magic - Tangled in Pages
Alice Hoffman, Survival Lessons, cancer survival memoir - BermudaOnion
Sherrile S. Cannon, Peter and the Whimper-Whineys, children's illustrated - MazorBooks
Rachel Hauck, The Wedding Dress, contemporary Christian fiction - Tales of Whimsy
Hannah Kent, Burial Rites, based on historical event in Iceland - Silver's Reviews
Daniel Woodrell, The Maid's Version - Booking Mama
Giulia Belloni/Marco Trevisan, Anything Is Possible, children's illustrated
Gabriel Roth, The Unknowns (debut) - Booking Mama
Patrick Ness, The Ash and the Answer (#2, Chaos Walking Trilogy) - Estella's Revenge
Liane Moriarty, The Husband's Secret - Stacy's Books (2nd rave review by a blogger)
Joyce Maynard, After Her, part mystery, part coming-of-age - BermudaOnion
John Green, The Fault in our Stars, teen dealing with cancer - Bibliophile by the Sea
Patrick Ness, More Than This - Rhapsody in Books
Marie Lavender, Upon Your Return, historical fiction - S.A. Jones, author and blogger
Remember I told you that there were a lot of bloggers in the mix this time. Well, I was right. Booking Mama had 4 entries, but 8 others had 2 recommendations on this list. That's a lot of sharing of the wealth.
This leaves me only 4 to start the weekend. We'll see how the list progresses.
Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow - Estella's Revenge (1 of the best books she's ever
read)
David Whish-Wilson, Zero at the Bone, crime & mystery - book'd out
Rainbow Rowell, Attachments, excellent dialogue, laugh-out-loud - Rhapsody in Books
Nicole Alexander, Sunset Ridge, contemporary/historical fiction- book'd out
Kendare Plake, Dressed in Blood (#1, Anna), YA horror - Tangled in Pages
Catherine Gilbert Murdock, Heaven Is Paved with Oreos, middle-grade/young YA -
Booking Mama
Kim Baccellia, No More Goddesses, YA paranormal, pre-teens/young teens -
BookHounds
Sarah Weinman (editor), Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives, Stories from the
Trailblazers of Domestic Suspense, crime fiction anthology, all female authors from
the 1940's-1970's - Bibliophile by the Sea
Taste of Home, Recipes Across America, covers all 5 regions of the U.S. -
Booking Mama
Laurie Harman Wilson, The Treasures of Destiny, children's kidlit - MazorBooks
Ednah Walters, Immortals, (#2, Runes), paranormal romance, 16+ - Feed Your Fiction
Addiction
Claire Freedman/BenCort, Dinosaurs Love Underpants, children's illustrated - Musings of
a Bookish Kitty
Gretchen McNeil, 3:59, science fiction horror - BookHounds
Cassandra Rose Clarke, The Assassin's Curse, pirates, magic - Tangled in Pages
Alice Hoffman, Survival Lessons, cancer survival memoir - BermudaOnion
Sherrile S. Cannon, Peter and the Whimper-Whineys, children's illustrated - MazorBooks
Rachel Hauck, The Wedding Dress, contemporary Christian fiction - Tales of Whimsy
Hannah Kent, Burial Rites, based on historical event in Iceland - Silver's Reviews
Daniel Woodrell, The Maid's Version - Booking Mama
Giulia Belloni/Marco Trevisan, Anything Is Possible, children's illustrated
Gabriel Roth, The Unknowns (debut) - Booking Mama
Patrick Ness, The Ash and the Answer (#2, Chaos Walking Trilogy) - Estella's Revenge
Liane Moriarty, The Husband's Secret - Stacy's Books (2nd rave review by a blogger)
Joyce Maynard, After Her, part mystery, part coming-of-age - BermudaOnion
John Green, The Fault in our Stars, teen dealing with cancer - Bibliophile by the Sea
Patrick Ness, More Than This - Rhapsody in Books
Marie Lavender, Upon Your Return, historical fiction - S.A. Jones, author and blogger
Remember I told you that there were a lot of bloggers in the mix this time. Well, I was right. Booking Mama had 4 entries, but 8 others had 2 recommendations on this list. That's a lot of sharing of the wealth.
This leaves me only 4 to start the weekend. We'll see how the list progresses.
The Lost Saints of Tennessee - My 5th 4.0 of the Year (out of 58 books)
Let's start by quoting Pat Conroy, that literary god, on the front cover of The Lost Saints of Tennessee, shall we?
A riveting, hardscrabble book on the rough, hardscrabble south, which has rarely been written about with such grace and compassion. It reminded me of the time I read Dorothy Allison's classic, Bastard Out of Carolina.
If it's good enough for Conroy, it should be good enough for me. But, actually, it's not. Neither Conroy nor anybody else is going to tell me what book to like. And, in fact, I didn't like The Lost Saints of Tennessee - I LOVED IT! Amy Franklin-Willis's debut novel is a humdinger. About 2/3 of the way through, I was ready to give it a 3.5, still pretty darn good. But from that point on, especially the last 50 pages, it was simply outstanding. In fact, I basically cried through those entire 50 pages. Yes, I'm a bit of a softy (a euphemism for a blubbering baby). But I believe that everybody would like this book. And some of you, yea, maybe quite a few of you, would shed a tear or 10 in the final pages.
What's it about, you ask? Zeke is a 42-year old who has lost his way. He's got 3 sisters, a mother, an ex-wife, 2 daughters - and a deceased brother, a twin, who still, 10 years later, has a major presence in Zeke's life. His relationship with all of them is just so well portrayed and so poignant (an overused word, yes, but appropriate in this case). Other than his youngest sister, they all live in or around the small town in Tennessee (did you already figure the state out?) Zeke grew up in.
When I'm reviewing a book about relationships, like Beth Hoffman's Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and Looking for Me, it's tough to give much detail. Suffice it to say that each and every one of the people mentioned above, plus a few others as well, has a major role in the man he has become. These, then, are the big questions:
Will he find romance again?
Will he (re)connect with his 2 daughters, ages 15 and 12?
Will he ever get over the death of his brother?
And, most important:
Is life still worth living?
People, don't take my word for it. Go to Amazon's ratings. 70 out of 84 people gave the book either 4 stars or 5 (I'm about the only one I know who rates on a 4-star basis; what a rebel I am!). You can't do much better than that.
CONFESSION: This isn't exactly the mini-reviews blog I promised, but it's not the end of the week yet. Chill.
A riveting, hardscrabble book on the rough, hardscrabble south, which has rarely been written about with such grace and compassion. It reminded me of the time I read Dorothy Allison's classic, Bastard Out of Carolina.
If it's good enough for Conroy, it should be good enough for me. But, actually, it's not. Neither Conroy nor anybody else is going to tell me what book to like. And, in fact, I didn't like The Lost Saints of Tennessee - I LOVED IT! Amy Franklin-Willis's debut novel is a humdinger. About 2/3 of the way through, I was ready to give it a 3.5, still pretty darn good. But from that point on, especially the last 50 pages, it was simply outstanding. In fact, I basically cried through those entire 50 pages. Yes, I'm a bit of a softy (a euphemism for a blubbering baby). But I believe that everybody would like this book. And some of you, yea, maybe quite a few of you, would shed a tear or 10 in the final pages.
What's it about, you ask? Zeke is a 42-year old who has lost his way. He's got 3 sisters, a mother, an ex-wife, 2 daughters - and a deceased brother, a twin, who still, 10 years later, has a major presence in Zeke's life. His relationship with all of them is just so well portrayed and so poignant (an overused word, yes, but appropriate in this case). Other than his youngest sister, they all live in or around the small town in Tennessee (did you already figure the state out?) Zeke grew up in.
When I'm reviewing a book about relationships, like Beth Hoffman's Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and Looking for Me, it's tough to give much detail. Suffice it to say that each and every one of the people mentioned above, plus a few others as well, has a major role in the man he has become. These, then, are the big questions:
Will he find romance again?
Will he (re)connect with his 2 daughters, ages 15 and 12?
Will he ever get over the death of his brother?
And, most important:
Is life still worth living?
People, don't take my word for it. Go to Amazon's ratings. 70 out of 84 people gave the book either 4 stars or 5 (I'm about the only one I know who rates on a 4-star basis; what a rebel I am!). You can't do much better than that.
CONFESSION: This isn't exactly the mini-reviews blog I promised, but it's not the end of the week yet. Chill.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
More Authors Lined Up for Village House of Books
I've been telling everybody about our fantastic lineup of authors for the Grand Opening week, October 23-26, at Village House of Books, in Los Gatos, CA. Well, guess what? We've already got a whole bunch of additional authors gracing the store in November and December. And heeeeeeeere they are:
Wednesday, November 6, 7:00-
Jasmine Haynes, erotic romance
Adina Senft, Amish fiction (she will do an Amish makeover) and steampunk, in the alternate history genre
Saturday, November 9, 2:00-
Hannah Jayne, paranormal and YA (Truly, Madly, Deadly)
Thursday, November 14, 7:00-
Ellen Kirschman, police psychologist who has written her 1st novel, Burying Ben, after 3 non-fiction books about police psychology
Thursday, November 21, 7:00-
Katie Hafner, reading from her nationally acclaimed memoir, Mother, Daughter, Me
Saturday, November 30, 2:00-
Pascal Lee, children's book about journeying to Mars - works for NASA
Thursday, December 5, 7:00-
Carmen Rutlen, musings on life in Dancing Naked in Fuzzy Red Slippers (2004)
Mark your calendars. And keep looking as we add more authors - because every author wants to be seen at Village House of Books!
Wednesday, November 6, 7:00-
Jasmine Haynes, erotic romance
Adina Senft, Amish fiction (she will do an Amish makeover) and steampunk, in the alternate history genre
Saturday, November 9, 2:00-
Hannah Jayne, paranormal and YA (Truly, Madly, Deadly)
Thursday, November 14, 7:00-
Ellen Kirschman, police psychologist who has written her 1st novel, Burying Ben, after 3 non-fiction books about police psychology
Thursday, November 21, 7:00-
Katie Hafner, reading from her nationally acclaimed memoir, Mother, Daughter, Me
Saturday, November 30, 2:00-
Pascal Lee, children's book about journeying to Mars - works for NASA
Thursday, December 5, 7:00-
Carmen Rutlen, musings on life in Dancing Naked in Fuzzy Red Slippers (2004)
Mark your calendars. And keep looking as we add more authors - because every author wants to be seen at Village House of Books!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Recs #12 - PART A
That's right. I've got so many recommendations that I need to post twice this week. Then, and only then, can I get caught up. Now, will I be able to stay caught up? That is the question. Here's the next 25 (actually 26).
Elizabeth Rusch/Oliver Dominguez, Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit up the World,
illustrated biography for early readers - BermudaOnion
Dianne Blacklock, The Best Man, relationship story - book'd out
Matt Tavares, There Goes Ted Williams, illustrated biography - Rhapsody in Books
Dr. Esther Elisha, Positive Affirmations for Little Girls: The ABC Book of Rhymes, designed
to build self-esteem Kids' Book
Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor & Park, YA love story about 2 misfits - Booking Mama
Gina Damico, Rogue (#3), YA dystopia - BookHounds
Stephanie O'Dea, 365 Slow Cooker Suppers - Bibliophile by the Sea
Better Homes & Gardens, Baking - Bibliophile by the Sea
Fine Cooking Magazine, Fine Cooking Thanksgiving Cookbook - Bibliophile by the Sea
Liane Moriarty, The Hypnotist's Love Story - Amused by Books
Liane Moriarty, What Alice Forgot - Amused by Books
Liane Moriarty, The Husband's Secret - Amused by Books, Bookfan
Jeanine Pirro, Clever Fox, mystery/thriller - Booking Mama
Jessica Brockhole, Letters from Skye, historical fiction/epistolary - Bookfan
Rebecca Coffey, Nietzsche's Angel Food Cake: And Other "Recipes" for the Intellectually
Famished, novelty - Rose City Reader
Heather L. Earnhardt, The Wandering Goose: A Modern Fable of How Love Goes,
novelty - Rose City Reader
Ann Hite, The Storycatcher, historical fiction, gothic -book'd out
Emily Liebert, You Knew Me When, women's fiction/book club - Booking Mama
Lottie Moggach, Kiss Me First (debut novel), psychological thriller - Bibliophile by the Sea
JoJo Moyes, The Girl You Left Behind, historical fiction - Booking Mama
C.S. Richardson, The End of the Alphabet, love and loss, life and death - My Reader's
Block
Terry Pratchett (I have never read him), The Wee Freemen (Tiffany Aching series),
middle-grade/YA - Estella's Revenge
A.S.A. Harrison, The Silent Wife - BermudaOnion
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun, novel of civil war in Nigeria, mid-60's -
Bibliophile by the Sea
C.W. Gortner, The Tudor Conspiracy (#2, Spymaster Conspiracy), historical mystery -
To Be Continued
Marlene Perez, Dead Is Just a Dream (#8, Dead Is), paranormal - BookHounds
Bibliophile by the Sea wins this list with 5 entries, and Booking Mama has 4. We'll see what happens later this week. There are a bunch of contenders on this next list.
PROGRAM NOTE: Do you remember a little over a month ago I said that I would have more mini-reviews in the next 1-3 days? I obviously was just kidding. This time I'm really serious, though. I will have those mini-reviews THIS WEEK. I swear.
Elizabeth Rusch/Oliver Dominguez, Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit up the World,
illustrated biography for early readers - BermudaOnion
Dianne Blacklock, The Best Man, relationship story - book'd out
Matt Tavares, There Goes Ted Williams, illustrated biography - Rhapsody in Books
Dr. Esther Elisha, Positive Affirmations for Little Girls: The ABC Book of Rhymes, designed
to build self-esteem Kids' Book
Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor & Park, YA love story about 2 misfits - Booking Mama
Gina Damico, Rogue (#3), YA dystopia - BookHounds
Stephanie O'Dea, 365 Slow Cooker Suppers - Bibliophile by the Sea
Better Homes & Gardens, Baking - Bibliophile by the Sea
Fine Cooking Magazine, Fine Cooking Thanksgiving Cookbook - Bibliophile by the Sea
Liane Moriarty, The Hypnotist's Love Story - Amused by Books
Liane Moriarty, What Alice Forgot - Amused by Books
Liane Moriarty, The Husband's Secret - Amused by Books, Bookfan
Jeanine Pirro, Clever Fox, mystery/thriller - Booking Mama
Jessica Brockhole, Letters from Skye, historical fiction/epistolary - Bookfan
Rebecca Coffey, Nietzsche's Angel Food Cake: And Other "Recipes" for the Intellectually
Famished, novelty - Rose City Reader
Heather L. Earnhardt, The Wandering Goose: A Modern Fable of How Love Goes,
novelty - Rose City Reader
Ann Hite, The Storycatcher, historical fiction, gothic -book'd out
Emily Liebert, You Knew Me When, women's fiction/book club - Booking Mama
Lottie Moggach, Kiss Me First (debut novel), psychological thriller - Bibliophile by the Sea
JoJo Moyes, The Girl You Left Behind, historical fiction - Booking Mama
C.S. Richardson, The End of the Alphabet, love and loss, life and death - My Reader's
Block
Terry Pratchett (I have never read him), The Wee Freemen (Tiffany Aching series),
middle-grade/YA - Estella's Revenge
A.S.A. Harrison, The Silent Wife - BermudaOnion
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun, novel of civil war in Nigeria, mid-60's -
Bibliophile by the Sea
C.W. Gortner, The Tudor Conspiracy (#2, Spymaster Conspiracy), historical mystery -
To Be Continued
Marlene Perez, Dead Is Just a Dream (#8, Dead Is), paranormal - BookHounds
Bibliophile by the Sea wins this list with 5 entries, and Booking Mama has 4. We'll see what happens later this week. There are a bunch of contenders on this next list.
PROGRAM NOTE: Do you remember a little over a month ago I said that I would have more mini-reviews in the next 1-3 days? I obviously was just kidding. This time I'm really serious, though. I will have those mini-reviews THIS WEEK. I swear.
The Books that Our 6 Authors Will Be Promoting for the Grand Opening
The "Big 6" have identified which books they will be reading/signing/selling for Village House of Books' Grand Opening.
Wednesday, October 23, Launch Party -
Steve Sporleder, Hobo Ashes
Thursday, October 24, "Date Night" -
Elisabeth Barrett, Long Simmering Spring
Jennifer Ryan, Saved by the Rancher (book 1)
Friday, October 25, "Proseco and Prose" -
Meg Waite Clayton, The Wednesday Daughters (sequel to The Wednesday Sisters)
Tracy Guzeman, The Gravity of Birds
Saturday, October 26, Bully Awareness Month
Julie Dart, Ellie Stands Up to the Bully
36 days from today!
Wednesday, October 23, Launch Party -
Steve Sporleder, Hobo Ashes
Thursday, October 24, "Date Night" -
Elisabeth Barrett, Long Simmering Spring
Jennifer Ryan, Saved by the Rancher (book 1)
Friday, October 25, "Proseco and Prose" -
Meg Waite Clayton, The Wednesday Daughters (sequel to The Wednesday Sisters)
Tracy Guzeman, The Gravity of Birds
Saturday, October 26, Bully Awareness Month
Julie Dart, Ellie Stands Up to the Bully
36 days from today!
Friday, September 13, 2013
Grand Opening Line-Up Set!
We've got our lineup for the Grand Opening at Village House of Books. The dates, again, are October 23-26. Here's who we've got:
Wednesday, October 23, 7:00 - "Launch Night" - Steve Sporleder, lifetime Los Gatos resident, author of 3 books, with the 4th, Hobo Ashes, being launched on this night.
Thursday, October 24, 7:00 - "Date Night" - with romance writers Elisabeth Barrett and Jennifer Ryan.
Friday, October 25, 7:00 - "Proseco and Prose" - NY Times/USA Today bestselling author Meg Waite Clayton (she of The Wednesday Sisters and The Wednesday Daughters fame) and Tracy Guzeman, whose 1st book, The Gravity of Birds, is drawing national attention (I loved it!)
Saturday, October 26, 2:00 - Julie Dart, who wrote Ellie Stands Up to the Bully. The timing for this reading and book signing is spot on because October is Bully Awareness Month.
This is a line-up that is guaranteed to get butts in the seats. Come be a part of this 4-day extravaganza. And, if you haven't already, come meet the owners, Cheryl and Steve Hare. They're doing everything they can to make Village House of Books a community center.
Saturday, October 26, 2:00 - Julie Dart, who wrote Ellie Stands Up to the Bully. The timing for this reading and book signing is spot on because October is Bully Awareness Month.
This is a line-up that is guaranteed to get butts in the seats. Come be a part of this 4-day extravaganza. And, if you haven't already, come meet the owners, Cheryl and Steve Hare. They're doing everything they can to make Village House of Books a community center.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Week 11 of Recommendations - Busier Than Ever
And the recs keep on comin'. This week I actually had 37 highly recommended books. And, again, they are across the genre board. You'll see when you go through them.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet - My Reader's Block
SI, Stats, The Greatest Numbers in Sports - Booking Mama
Douglas Corleone, Good as Gone - To Be Continued
Russ Ryan, It's Just a Dog - BookHounds
Paul Thomas, Death on Demand, New Zealand mystery - Quirky Bookworm
Jason Mott, The Returned - book'd out
Michali Mazor (15 years old), When I Grow Up, children's - John Gatehouse
Robyn Carr, The Hero (#3, Thunder Point), contemporary romance - Bookfan
Brian Despard, You Are Not Your Thoughts, children's - Mazorbooks
William Kent Kreuger, Ordinary Grace, Beth - Beth Hoffman
Nancy Tillman, I'd Know You Anywhere, children's - Bibliophile by the Sea
Sarah Beth Durst, Conjured, horror/thriller - BookHounds
Joneal Falor, You Are Mine (#1, Mine) - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Susan Gregg Gilmore, The Funeral Dress, Southern fiction - Booking Mama
Yona Zeldis McDonough, Two of a Kind - BookHounds
Jaye Ford, Blood Level, psychological thriller - book'd out
Shelley Adina (local author), Her Own Devices (#2, Magnificent Devices), steampunk - To
Be Continued
Karen Marie Moning, Beyond the Highland Mist, romance/magic - Musings of a Bookish
Kitty
Ron Carlson, Return to Oshpine, male book clubs - Booking Mama
Louise Penny, Still Life (#1, Chief Inspector Armand Ganache) - Stacy's Books
Gene Luan Yang, American Born Chinese, graphic novel/YA - Estella's Revenge
Keothi Zan, The Never List - BermudaOnion
Jillian Cantor, Margot, fictionalized account of Anne Frank's real-life sister - Booking
Mama
Helen Fitzgerald, The Cry, psychological thriller - book'd out
Michelle Gagnon, Don't Look Now (#2, Don't Turn Around), YA - To Be Continued
The winning blogger this week is Booking Mama, with 4. There's a tie for 2nd with 3 each, by To Be Continued, BookHounds, and book'd out. And let's not forget our own NY Times/USA Today best-selling author, Beth Hoffman, is on the list this week, with a strong recommendation for Ordinary Grace, by William Kent Kreuger.
See you next Monday (or Tuesday or Wednesday or...).
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet - My Reader's Block
SI, Stats, The Greatest Numbers in Sports - Booking Mama
Douglas Corleone, Good as Gone - To Be Continued
Russ Ryan, It's Just a Dog - BookHounds
Paul Thomas, Death on Demand, New Zealand mystery - Quirky Bookworm
Jason Mott, The Returned - book'd out
Michali Mazor (15 years old), When I Grow Up, children's - John Gatehouse
Robyn Carr, The Hero (#3, Thunder Point), contemporary romance - Bookfan
Brian Despard, You Are Not Your Thoughts, children's - Mazorbooks
William Kent Kreuger, Ordinary Grace, Beth - Beth Hoffman
Nancy Tillman, I'd Know You Anywhere, children's - Bibliophile by the Sea
Sarah Beth Durst, Conjured, horror/thriller - BookHounds
Joneal Falor, You Are Mine (#1, Mine) - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Susan Gregg Gilmore, The Funeral Dress, Southern fiction - Booking Mama
Yona Zeldis McDonough, Two of a Kind - BookHounds
Jaye Ford, Blood Level, psychological thriller - book'd out
Shelley Adina (local author), Her Own Devices (#2, Magnificent Devices), steampunk - To
Be Continued
Karen Marie Moning, Beyond the Highland Mist, romance/magic - Musings of a Bookish
Kitty
Ron Carlson, Return to Oshpine, male book clubs - Booking Mama
Louise Penny, Still Life (#1, Chief Inspector Armand Ganache) - Stacy's Books
Gene Luan Yang, American Born Chinese, graphic novel/YA - Estella's Revenge
Keothi Zan, The Never List - BermudaOnion
Jillian Cantor, Margot, fictionalized account of Anne Frank's real-life sister - Booking
Mama
Helen Fitzgerald, The Cry, psychological thriller - book'd out
Michelle Gagnon, Don't Look Now (#2, Don't Turn Around), YA - To Be Continued
The winning blogger this week is Booking Mama, with 4. There's a tie for 2nd with 3 each, by To Be Continued, BookHounds, and book'd out. And let's not forget our own NY Times/USA Today best-selling author, Beth Hoffman, is on the list this week, with a strong recommendation for Ordinary Grace, by William Kent Kreuger.
See you next Monday (or Tuesday or Wednesday or...).
Monday, September 9, 2013
Dates for Village House of Books Grand Opening
Okay, people, we've got the dates. The Grand Opening for Village House of Books will be Wednesday, October 23 through Saturday, October 26. MARK YOUR CALENDARS. We'll have the lineup to you sometime this coming week. There will be author events Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights and Saturday afternoon. We will have a number of local authors on hand, including some who are prominent nationally. We are also going to have some fun events surrounding all of these authors. Just make sure you get over to the bookstore for at least part, if not all, of the festivities. And why wait? Come on in any time Wednesday-Saturday, 10:00-6:00, and Sunday 10-2 and meet Cheryl and Steve. Onward!
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Tracy Guzeman's The Gravity of Birds - Get Your Hands on It
Tracy Guzeman's 1st novel, The Gravity of Birds, is some kind of debut. The story takes place over a 44-year period. Here is Goodreads' synopsis of the book:
Sisters Natalie and Alice Kessler were close, until adolescence wrenched them apart. Natalie is headstrong, manipulative—and beautiful; Alice is a dreamer who loves books and birds. During their family’s summer holiday at the lake, Alice falls under the thrall of a struggling young painter, Thomas Bayber, in whom she finds a kindred spirit. Natalie, however, remains strangely unmoved, sitting for a family portrait with surprising indifference. But by the end of the summer, three lives are shattered.
Decades later, Bayber, now a reclusive, world-renowned artist, unveils a never-before-seen work, Kessler Sisters—a provocative painting depicting the young Thomas, Natalie, and Alice. Bayber asks Dennis Finch, an art history professor, and Stephen Jameson, an eccentric young art authenticator, to sell the painting for him. That task becomes more complicated when the artist requires that they first locate Natalie and Alice, who seem to have vanished. And Finch finds himself wondering why Thomas is suddenly so intent on resurrecting the past.
In The Gravity of Birds histories and memories refuse to stay buried; in the end only the excavation of the past will enable its survivors to love again.
There are more protagonists than bit players, and each is interesting in his/her own way.
Alice Kessler - sister with rheumatoid arthritis
Natalie Kessler - sister with beauty and lots of secrets
Thomas Bayber - tortured artist
Dennis Finch - university professor and Thomas's personal authenticator
Stephen Jameson - disgraced art expert
The book is beautifully written. In fact, the only reason I gave it a 3.5 instead of a 4 is on me, not Tracy. This is a book that does not rely on dialogue, although there's plenty of it. Instead, it oftentimes relies on long and descriptive passages. And, although the writing is excellent, I found my mind, on occasion, wandering. Let me restate that this is about my concentration and not Tracy's writing.
If I can make a comparison, I would liken it somewhat to Barbara Kingsolver. I finally read my 1st Kingsolver, Flight Behavior, last year. I have been hearing for many years what a great writer she is. I have to tell you that I liked the book but didn't love it. But, just like Tracy, the writing is largely descriptive, with some dialogue. And let me also tell you that I thought Tracy's writing beat the heck out of Kingsolver's writing.
I know that there are 4 months left in the year, but I'm pretty darn sure that The Gravity of Birds will be in my top 10 for all of 2013. And out of 70+ books, that ain't too shabby.
Sisters Natalie and Alice Kessler were close, until adolescence wrenched them apart. Natalie is headstrong, manipulative—and beautiful; Alice is a dreamer who loves books and birds. During their family’s summer holiday at the lake, Alice falls under the thrall of a struggling young painter, Thomas Bayber, in whom she finds a kindred spirit. Natalie, however, remains strangely unmoved, sitting for a family portrait with surprising indifference. But by the end of the summer, three lives are shattered.
Decades later, Bayber, now a reclusive, world-renowned artist, unveils a never-before-seen work, Kessler Sisters—a provocative painting depicting the young Thomas, Natalie, and Alice. Bayber asks Dennis Finch, an art history professor, and Stephen Jameson, an eccentric young art authenticator, to sell the painting for him. That task becomes more complicated when the artist requires that they first locate Natalie and Alice, who seem to have vanished. And Finch finds himself wondering why Thomas is suddenly so intent on resurrecting the past.
In The Gravity of Birds histories and memories refuse to stay buried; in the end only the excavation of the past will enable its survivors to love again.
There are more protagonists than bit players, and each is interesting in his/her own way.
Alice Kessler - sister with rheumatoid arthritis
Natalie Kessler - sister with beauty and lots of secrets
Thomas Bayber - tortured artist
Dennis Finch - university professor and Thomas's personal authenticator
Stephen Jameson - disgraced art expert
The book is beautifully written. In fact, the only reason I gave it a 3.5 instead of a 4 is on me, not Tracy. This is a book that does not rely on dialogue, although there's plenty of it. Instead, it oftentimes relies on long and descriptive passages. And, although the writing is excellent, I found my mind, on occasion, wandering. Let me restate that this is about my concentration and not Tracy's writing.
If I can make a comparison, I would liken it somewhat to Barbara Kingsolver. I finally read my 1st Kingsolver, Flight Behavior, last year. I have been hearing for many years what a great writer she is. I have to tell you that I liked the book but didn't love it. But, just like Tracy, the writing is largely descriptive, with some dialogue. And let me also tell you that I thought Tracy's writing beat the heck out of Kingsolver's writing.
I know that there are 4 months left in the year, but I'm pretty darn sure that The Gravity of Birds will be in my top 10 for all of 2013. And out of 70+ books, that ain't too shabby.
Friday, September 6, 2013
(Reasonably) BIG ANNOUNCEMENT
You all know about the new bookstore in Los Gatos, Village House of Books. Well, as of this week, Joni and I are responsible for all of the author events for the store. I will handle the selection and scheduling of the authors. And Joni (an author herself), with her 2-decade experience in all manner of event planning, will take care of the logistics of the events. Her credo has always been to build community, so these events will emphasize that with Village House of Books as the hub.
We are incredibly excited to be bringing authors to Village House of Books! We will make sure that you all receive notice, well in advance, of each event.
Cheryl and Steve Hare, owners
front of bookstore
We are incredibly excited to be bringing authors to Village House of Books! We will make sure that you all receive notice, well in advance, of each event.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Author Taylor Stevens Tells Us How to Keep Our Favorite Authors and Books on the Shelves
Taylor Stevens, an author herself, talks about the new trend in which publishers stop printing books that don't sell to their expectations. Taylor tells us what we readers can do to make sure our favorite authors and books stay on the bookshelves. She gives very practical advice.
Let’s say you found a book you love, or an author you love, or series you adore—something like that. It would be a tragedy, wouldn’t it, if all of a sudden the books stopped coming and the author just faded away?
It happens. It happens a lot. Especially in this day and age with traditional publishing in such turmoil, many authors find themselves getting turned down for new contracts. Because they’re not mega bestsellers, publishers don’t want to waste resources. With digital publishing now so readily available, a number of these authors do find an alternative way to build their audience, but you’ll no longer accidentally stumble across their books on a shelf or table in your bookstore. Might not even know they exist on Amazon unless you specifically search for them.
If you have an author you love to read, there are three things you can do to keep the author writing and the books coming—and every one of these matter:
Although I can’t speak for all authors, most of the ones I know truly appreciate feedback and interaction from fans. I live something of an isolated life and spend more time with my imaginary characters than I do with real life people. I spill my blood onto the pages and send them into the world, and nothing means more to me than to know that someone out there has connected with me through my creation.
Like everyone else, I have good days and bad days, and on my bleakest days when I’m full of self-doubt and frustrated with the industry, I wonder if it's worth slogging my way through the next one. Then I get a letter from a fan telling me how much my work has meant to them, and I change my mind and carry on. If you have an author whose work you love, three minutes to email them and tell them how much you enjoy their work might be just what they need to keep on bringing characters to life. Even if you never hear back, I can guarantee that your support is appreciated.
P.S. Please forgive all of the extraneous lop-overs. You know I am technologically challenged! |
Monday, September 2, 2013
25(+) Recommendations in 5 Days? A Bunch of Good (great?) Books Out There
Well, week (in this case, 5 days) 10 came fast. I actually got 30 recommendations in those 5 days. Since I'm only giving you a maximum of 25 per week, I'll keep 5 for next week. But, come on. The talent out there is pretty amazing. Here are the latest:
Debbie Levy, Imperfect Spiral, YA - Booking Mama
Shirley Jackson, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, ghost story - Estella's Revenge
Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House, ghost story - Estella's Revenge
Jamie Ford, Songs of Willow Frost (I LOVED Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet) -
Silver's Reviews
Lori Nelson Spielman, The Life List, for women of all ages - Booking Mama
Sue Halpern, A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home: Less in the Good Life from an Unlikely
Teacher, non-fiction, dog as therapy - Bibliophile by the Sea
Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon (#1 of 8), fantasy - Diary of an Eccentric
Jennifer Blackstream, Before Midnight, paranormal, Cinderella - Feed Your Fiction
Addiction
Menna van Praag, The House at the End of Hope Street, magic - Bibliophile by the Sea
Charles Todd, A Question of Honor (Bess Crawford series), British mystery, WWI -
Bookfan
Laura Morrigan, Woof at the Door (#1, Call of the Wilde), cozy mystery - To Be Continued
Carey Neesley, Welcome Home, Mama and Boris, non-fiction, animals - BookHounds
Jessica Verday, The Beautiful and the Damned, YA, grades 7 and up - BookHounds
Annabel Monaghan, Double Digit, YA, grades 7 and up - BookHounds
Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles, reimagining of Achilles from The Iliad - Estella's
Revenge
Mary McCarthy, The Groves of Academe (1951), campus novel - Rose City Reader
Will Kostakis, The First Third, YA - All The Books I Can Read
Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca, classic - Estella's Revenge
Stephenie Meyer, The Host - Tangled in Pages
Agatha Christie, The Body in the Library - Tales of Whimsy
Laura Bickle, The Hallowed Ones (#1), Amish horror/paranormal - Feed Your Fiction
Addiction
Richelle Mead, Shadow Kiss (#3, Vampire Academy) - All The Books I Can Read
Elin Kelsey/Soyeon Kim, You Are Stardust, people and nature - Rhapsody in Books
Dianne Dixon, The Book of Someday - Silver's Reviews
Lisa Wingate, Larkspur Cove, romantic suspense (I'm a fan of this genre) - Bookaholic
There's your 25 for the week. Plus the 5 I've already got for next week. You guys are killing me! I mean, I love giving you these recommendations (until you tell me to stop).
Debbie Levy, Imperfect Spiral, YA - Booking Mama
Shirley Jackson, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, ghost story - Estella's Revenge
Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House, ghost story - Estella's Revenge
Jamie Ford, Songs of Willow Frost (I LOVED Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet) -
Silver's Reviews
Lori Nelson Spielman, The Life List, for women of all ages - Booking Mama
Sue Halpern, A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home: Less in the Good Life from an Unlikely
Teacher, non-fiction, dog as therapy - Bibliophile by the Sea
Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon (#1 of 8), fantasy - Diary of an Eccentric
Jennifer Blackstream, Before Midnight, paranormal, Cinderella - Feed Your Fiction
Addiction
Menna van Praag, The House at the End of Hope Street, magic - Bibliophile by the Sea
Charles Todd, A Question of Honor (Bess Crawford series), British mystery, WWI -
Bookfan
Laura Morrigan, Woof at the Door (#1, Call of the Wilde), cozy mystery - To Be Continued
Carey Neesley, Welcome Home, Mama and Boris, non-fiction, animals - BookHounds
Jessica Verday, The Beautiful and the Damned, YA, grades 7 and up - BookHounds
Annabel Monaghan, Double Digit, YA, grades 7 and up - BookHounds
Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles, reimagining of Achilles from The Iliad - Estella's
Revenge
Mary McCarthy, The Groves of Academe (1951), campus novel - Rose City Reader
Will Kostakis, The First Third, YA - All The Books I Can Read
Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca, classic - Estella's Revenge
Stephenie Meyer, The Host - Tangled in Pages
Agatha Christie, The Body in the Library - Tales of Whimsy
Laura Bickle, The Hallowed Ones (#1), Amish horror/paranormal - Feed Your Fiction
Addiction
Richelle Mead, Shadow Kiss (#3, Vampire Academy) - All The Books I Can Read
Elin Kelsey/Soyeon Kim, You Are Stardust, people and nature - Rhapsody in Books
Dianne Dixon, The Book of Someday - Silver's Reviews
Lisa Wingate, Larkspur Cove, romantic suspense (I'm a fan of this genre) - Bookaholic
There's your 25 for the week. Plus the 5 I've already got for next week. You guys are killing me! I mean, I love giving you these recommendations (until you tell me to stop).
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