Tag: #BookBday

Happy #BookBday (6/3/14 Edition)

Happy #BookBday (6/3/14 Edition)

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Anne Spieth
It's a sunny summer day, perfect for a #BookBday! Today we celebrate:

SAVE THE DATE by Mary Kay Andrews
Cara Kryzik is on the verge of becoming the go-to wedding florist in Savannah, even though she doesn't believe in love. But when her latest bride spirals into a crisis and the wedding is in jeopardy, Cara must come to the rescue and figure out what she believes in. “A deft mixture of romance and humor in a story featuring a likable protagonist and cute critters: It’s a date Andrews fans won’t want to miss.” — Kirkus Reviews

THAT SUMMER by Lauren Willig
New York Times bestseller Willig takes readers on a journey through a mysterious old house, a hidden love affair, and one woman's search for the truth about her past—and herself. “A well-rounded group of characters, clearly connected ties between alternating time periods, and a jaw-dropping conclusion make for one engaging story. Fans will appreciate the author's nod to her 'Pink Carnation' series, but this title can be read alone. A winning suggestion for any age, this satisfying novel could also be a strong book discussion selection.” — Library Journal, starred review

SYLVIA, QUEEN OF THE HEADHUNTERS by Philip Eade
“British journalist Eade debuts with a well-written biography of Sylvia Brett Brooke (1885-1971), a tale that doubles as a history of the last days of the Raj. Sylvia’s husband, Vyner Brooke, became the third White Rajah of Sarawak in 1917, and she dubbed herself 'queen of the headhunters' in her fanciful memoirs. Vivid portraits of some fairly crazy Brits and a way of life that deserved to be doomed.” — Kirkus Reviews

THE GIRL WHO WAS SATURDAY NIGHT by Heather O'Neill
An enchanting story of twins, fame, and heartache by the much-praised author of LULLABIES FOR LITTLE CRIMINALS. “O’Neill has written a marvelously intriguing novel of a family in dissolution, each member of which is richly and memorably characterized. The book is beautifully written, particularly rich in simile and metaphor ('The pink clouds in the sky were delicates soaking in the sink'; 'The notes from the piano were like raindrops falling on the lake'). Compulsively readable, THE GIRL WHO WAS SATURDAY NIGHT is a delight for any night.” — Booklist, starred review  

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Happy #BookBday (5/27/14 Edition)

Happy #BookBday (5/27/14 Edition)

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Salutations and fine Book Day o'Birth to three historical novels: 

DARK AEMILIA by Sally O'Reilly
Perfect for readers of Deborah Harkness, Paula Brackston, and Sarah Dunant, O'Reilly's 17th century tale of William Shakespeare's dark lady and one true love is full of sorcery and passion. “O’Reilly casts her story with witches, doomed royals, evil courtiers, and star-crossed lovers, as if it were a Jacobean play. But her finest accomplishment is not the tribute she pays to these historical figures, but the bold imagination she displays in bringing them together.” — Publishers Weekly

THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE: or, On the Segregation of the Queen by Laurie King
Full of brilliant deduction, disguises, and danger, this 20th anniversary edition of the first book of the Mary Russell–Sherlock Holmes mysteries is “wonderfully original and entertaining...absorbing from beginning to end” (Booklist).

HANNIBAL: Enemy of Rome by Ben Kane
Rome’s greatest enemy is Carthage, and Carthage’s greatest general is Hannibal—this is Hannibal’s story, as his personal quest for revenge after his confidant’s son is sold into slavery, leads to the greatest conflict of the ancient world. 

Now let the festivities commence! (Or in modern parlance, let's have cake!) [...]

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#BookBday Bonus: THE SHELF

#BookBday Bonus: THE SHELF

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Anne Spieth
We've got another special Book Birthday this week: THE SHELF: From LEQ to LES: Adventures in Extreme Reading by Phyllis Rose.


Can you have an Extreme Adventure in a library? Phyllis Rose casts herself into the wilds of an Upper East Side lending library in an effort to do just that. Hoping to explore the “real ground of literature,” she reads her way through a somewhat randomly chosen shelf of fiction, from LEQ to LES. 


Praise for THE SHELF:

“A seasoned, open-minded, and passionate reader, inquisitive thinker, and delectably lucid and witty writer, Rose rallies readers to affirm our love of literature and libraries.” — Booklist, starred review  

“Rose's...understanding of readers and reading is candid and sincere.”
— Library Journal

“Rose’s experiment provides specific case studies to use in weighing the age-old question: which books are worth keeping? For skeptics of the canon, this book will make the cut.” — Publishers Weekly

“Chatty, enthusiastic and at times rambling, Rose is a welcoming guide on her latest journey of literary discovery.” — Kirkus Reviews

 

To celebrate the publication of THE SHELF, we’re offering librarians a chance to win an entire shelf of books from Macmillan (including THE SHELF) to those of you that are “extreme” enough to try Phyllis’s experiment! 

Simply select a shelf of adult books in your library according to the specified guidelines:
* No more than five books by the same author on the shelf
* The selection must include a diversity of authors
* The selection must include classics and modern work
* Children’s books are not eligible

Take a picture of the shelf and send it to us with a report about the books you read on your shelf. The report should include detailed summaries and your thoughts on each book—one or two sentences won’t count! And please remember that Children’s books are not eligible for this project.

Email your reports to library@macmillanusa.com with the subject line “The Shelf Project.” 

The sweepstakes is open from May 13 through November 14 and prize shelves of books are limited to the first five responders. 

We know we’re asking for you to do a lot of reading, but we also know that librarians are expert speed readers. We hope you have an extreme adventure in your library and perhaps you’ll add a nice collection to your stacks. Good luck!

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Happy #BookBday (5/13/14 Edition)

Happy #BookBday (5/13/14 Edition)

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Anne Spieth
We've got great new books for all kinds of readers today:

THE WITCH OF BELLADONNA BAY by Suzanne Palmieri
In Palmieri's follow-up to THE WITCH OF LITTLE ITALY, Bronwyn is forced to return home to Magnolia Creek, Alabama to unravel the mysteries surrounding the murder her brother has been convicted for. “Palmieri’s second magical family mystery is steeped in a vibrant mix of Southern charm and gothicism. A fascinating look at magic, mystery, family and love with a Southern gothic flair.” — Kirkus Reviews

SNOW IN MAY by Kseniya Melnik
A remote Siberian town with a darkly fascinating history teems with life in this luminous linked debut collection. “The Russian port town of Magadan, a former threshold into the Stalin-era gulags, links the characters in Melnik’s gorgeous debut collection of short stories. Achingly beautiful, this collection signals a writer to watch.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

ENDURING COURAGE: Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed by John F. Ross
With impeccable research, Ross tells the gripping true story of Eddie Rickenbacker, a man who overcame his father’s violent death, a debilitating handicap, and accusations of being a German spy to become the most celebrated flying ace of WWI. “Obviously this is exciting material to work with—after all, Rickenbacker was a man who drove in the first Indy 500 and dueled with the Red Baron’s flying circus—but Ross is never fawning in this thoroughly enjoyable and downright rollicking read.” — Booklist, starred & boxed review  

THE HOLLOW GROUND by Natalie S. Harnett
Set amongst the deadly coal mine fires of 1960s Pennsylvania, this extraordinary debut tells the coming-of-age story of Brigid Howley, a young girl struggling to keep her family together despite the "curse" laid upon them generations earlier. “Brigid is no ordinary hard-luck heroine; her voice rings true, offering a matter-of-fact telling that never falls into self-pity or melodrama. Set against the 1960s Pennsylvania coal mine fires, this debut novel is a dark and rewarding read.”
— Library Journal

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Happy #BookBday (5/6/14 Edition)

Happy #BookBday (5/6/14 Edition)

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Anne Spieth
What a lovely day for a #BookBday! Today we celebrate:

THE SNOW QUEEN by Michael Cunningham
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author's latest novel about the complex dynamics between a couple and a brother and a mysterious light in the sky received two starred reviews and “at its heart...is about family, and how we reconcile our closest human relationships with our innermost thoughts, hopes, and fears.” (Publishers Weekly)

ALIAS HOOK by Lisa Jensen
In this retelling of the Captain Hook story from Peter Pan, the villain’s one hope for redemption comes in the form of Stella Parrish, a grown woman who dreams her way to the Neverland in defiance of Pan’s rules. “Following in the footsteps of Gregory Maguire, Carolyn Turgeon, and Frank Beddor, Jensen offers a humanized take on Captain Hook that will be sure to entertain fans of the fairy tale-retelling genre.” — Library Journal

THE WATER RAT OF WANCHAI by Ian Hamilton
In this prequel to the series, we find out how forensic accountant and martial arts expert Ava Lee got her start working for the mysterious businessman, Uncle, as they globetrot to track down large sums of money that have disappeared. “[Ava Lee] is sort of a cross between James Bond and Sara Paretsky’s V. I. Warshawski. The action zooms from Toronto to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Guyana, and the British Virgin Islands, from five-star hotels to back alleys. Terrific fun.” — Booklist. Check out the whole Ava Lee series! 

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Stars for THE UNEXPECTED DUCHESS

Stars for THE UNEXPECTED DUCHESS

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Today we wish a very special #BookBday to THE UNEXPECTED DUCHESS by Valerie Bowman!

This sexy first book in a racy new Regency trilogy stars Lady Lucy Upton who uses her sharp tongue to shield her painfully shy friend from an unwanted suitor (who just happens to be the Duke of Claringdon!). It's received two starred reviews and is a Romantic Times Top Pick!

“Bowman gives playful nods to Shakespeare and Cyrano de Bergerac in this appealing start to a new series. A fun, smart comedy of errors and a sexy, satisfying romance.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review 

“Engaging characters, snappy banter, and judicious infusion of smoldering sensuality will have readers clamoring for the next installment in this smart and sexy series.” — Booklist, starred review 

“…a charming take on Cyrano de Bergerac.” — Publishers Weekly

“Smart, witty, sassy and utterly delightful!” — Romantic Times
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Belated #BookBday (4/15/14 Edition)

Belated #BookBday (4/15/14 Edition)

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Anne Spieth
We're a day late in wishing these books a Happy #BookBday, but it's only to keep the party going!

THE OTHER STORY by Tatiana de Rosnay
The internationally bestselling author of SARAH'S KEY returns with another absorbing novel about a young writer who, while digging into his family’s deeply buried secrets, finds the key to his future. A May 2014 Indie Next selection!
“...de Rosnay's fans and readers who enjoy contemporary interior novels will not be disappointed.” — Library Journal 

A PARIS APARTMENT by Michelle Gable
An antique furniture appraiser finds a treasure trove—and secrets of its courtesan owner—in a Paris apartment in the ninth arrondissement. “With its well-developed, memorable characters and the author's skillful transitioning between story lines...this stunning and fascinating debut will capture the interest of a wide audience but particularly those interested in stories about women behind famous men like Melanie Benjamin's THE AVIATOR'S WIFE or Nancy Horan's UNDER THE WIDE AND STARRY SKY. Highly recommended.” — Library Journal, starred review

THE SEA HOUSE by Elisabeth Gifford
Set in Scotland's remote Outer Hebrides, THE SEA HOUSE is a beguiling tale of love and loss, a meditation on motherhood, and how we find our identity through the stories we tell. “Hints of magic abound in Gifford’s haunting fiction debut, which follows two story lines... Gifford has an ability to bring depth to her characters, whether they live in the 19th century or the 20th, and this helps hold together her sweeping tale.” — Publishers Weekly

'TIL THE WELL RUNS DRY by Lauren Francis-Sharma
This buzzed about debut novel is a glorious and moving multi-generational, multicultural saga that begins in the 1940s and sweeps through the 1960s in Trinidad and the United States. “Francis-Sharma’s spellbinding, intimately detailed, psychologically lush, and suspenseful tale of racial and sexual trauma, hard work, love, and family devotion makes personal the injustice people endured in the years leading up to the civil rights movement in both multicultural Trinidad and segregated America.” — Booklist, starred review

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#BookBday Bonus: THE EMPATHY EXAMS

#BookBday Bonus: THE EMPATHY EXAMS

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Anne Spieth
We've got another special Book Birthday this week: THE EMPATHY EXAMS by Leslie Jamison, a riveting collection of essays from the winner of the Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize, an April Indie Next Pick and a Publishers Weekly Top 10 Essay Collection and Most Anticipated Book of Spring 2014! 

Beginning with her experience as a medical actor who was paid to act out symptoms for medical students to diagnose, Jamison’s visceral and revealing essays ask essential questions about our basic understanding of others. By confronting pain—real and imagined, her own and others’—Jamison uncovers a personal and cultural urgency to feel.

“A heady and unsparing examination of pain and how it allows us to understand others, and ourselves.... Jamison is ever-probing and always sensitive. Reporting is never the point; instead, her observations of people, reality TV, music, film, and literature serve as a starting point for unconventional metaphysical inquiries into poverty, tourism, prison time, random acts of violence, abortion, HBO’s Girls, bad romance, and stereotypes of the damaged woman artist.”
— Publishers Weekly, starred and boxed review

“Gutsy essays.... A tough, intrepid, scouring observer and vigilant thinker, [Jamison] generates startling and sparking extrapolations and analysis. On the prowl for truth and intimate with pain, Jamison carries forward the fierce and empathic essayistic tradition as practiced by writers she names as mentors, most resonantly James Agee and Joan Didion.” — Booklist, starred review

“Jamison writes with such originality and humor, and delivers such scalpel-sharp insights, that it's more like a rush of pleasure.” — Entertainment Weekly

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Happy #BookBday (4/1/14 Edition)

Happy #BookBday (4/1/14 Edition)

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Today we’re excited to wish a very happy #BookBday to:

SEDITION by Katharine Grant
In this "...witty, dark, and sophisticated tale" (Publishers Weekly, starred review), four nouveau rich fathers make their five marriageable daughters learn to play the piano in an effort to attract men and marry well. "[A] fun, lascivious gambol through the lives of women and men with decidedly carnal appetites... Suggest to fans of Sarah Dunant and Sarah Waters." — Booklist

MIMI MALLOY, AT LAST! by Julia MacDonnell
An April 2014 Indie Next pick! "MacDonnell captures perfectly the family dynamics between sisters, mothers, and daughters, as if she were sitting in on their gab sessions, taking copious notes. For readers who enjoy Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher, this is a highly engaging family chronicle, with a healthy dose of Irish history laced in as well." — Booklist 

THE VENETIAN BARGAIN by Marina Fiorato
An unforgettable love story set in sixteenth century Venice by the bestselling author of THE GLASSBLOWER OF MURANO. "Headstrong, smart, and likable, Feyra is a heroine who will resonate with most readers. Captivating language, intricate details, and a very dramatic story line combine to entice anyone interested in historical fiction and timeless tales." — Booklist

And in honor of April Fool’s Day, don’t forget to visit the Free Library of Philadelphia’s innovative new 'Cat'alog. #meow

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Happy #BookBday (3/25/14 Edition)

Happy #BookBday (3/25/14 Edition)

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Who wants punch and cake? It's #BookBday time! Today we celebrate:

THE MIDNIGHT WITCH by Paula Brackston
Brackston's third historical paranormal novel (after THE WITCH'S DAUGHTER and THE WINTER WITCH) follows Lilith, the daughter of the sixth Duke of Radnor, who also happens to be a witch. "There are balls and gowns as well as slums and opium dens, all painting a picture of a lost age, with just enough magic to keep things exciting for fantasy fans." — Library Journal  

THE OTHER HALF by Sarah Rayner
Told in the alternating voices of the mistress and the wife, this story of an affair between a bright feature writer and her magazine publisher boss is a sharp, seductive take on modern love "that straddles the line between chick lit and women’s fiction." — Booklist  

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S DAUGHTER by Anne Clinard Barnhill
When Mary Shelton, Elizabeth I’s young cousin and ward, falls in love with an unsuitable young gentleman against the Queen's wishes, the couple finds their very lives in danger as Elizabeth’s wrath knows no bounds. "Elizabeth’s court in miniature." — Kirkus Reviews

BookBdayCat

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