Tag: starred reviews

#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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For Your Consideration: July LibraryReads titles

For Your Consideration: July LibraryReads titles

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Why not start your beach reading early with these great July 2014 titles? And while you’re at it, don't forget to nominate your favorites for the July 2014 LibraryReads List by June 1!

LANDLINE by Rainbow Rowell
From the bestselling author of ELEANOR & PARK and FANGIRL, comes a moving and hilarious tale of a marriage on the brink, and one woman's chance to either save it or make sure it never happens. “While the topic might have changed, this is still Rowell—reading her work feels like listening to your hilariously insightful best friend tell her best stories.” — Library Journal, starred review

Edelweiss button Download a copy from Edelweiss

Enter to win an advance copy of LANDLINE! (today thru May 15)

THE FORTUNE HUNTER by Daisy Goodwin
A beautiful empress, a handsome horseman, and a bluestocking heiress form a passionate love triangle in this historical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of THE AMERICAN HEIRESS. “An enchanting, beautifully written page-turner.” — Publishers Weekly

DRC button - fortune hunter Download a copy from Edelweiss 

THE DEAD WILL TELL by Linda Castillo
In Castillo’s latest electrifying Kate Burkholder mystery, the Amish town of Painter’s Mill is plagued by a series of murders made to look like suicides. “Castillo effectively combines an airtight plot with a revealingly complex look at what can happen when a fissure develops along the fault line separating an insular community from the secular world. Castillo shows again why the phrase 'gritty Amish mystery' is no oxymoron.” — Booklist

Edelweiss button Download a copy from Edelweiss

Meet Linda Castillo at the AAP’s Book-A-Licious Breakfast at ALA Annual! Details and RSVP here. 

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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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Friday Reads: Minotaur Stars Edition

Friday Reads: Minotaur Stars Edition

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Anne Spieth
TGIF friends! We're in Minotaur #FridayReads heaven with these three mysteries that have multiple starred pre-publication reviews!

THE WOLVERINE BROS. FREIGHT & STORAGE by Steve Ulfelder
As Conway Sax vows to avenge fellow AA member Eudora Spoon's murder, he gets increasingly caught up with family drama between her two sons.

“Action stoked, this complicated thriller-both for the character study and the murder plot-satisfies on many levels. The intense culture of AA and recovery is particularly well done. Pair with Robert Crais or Archer Mayor.”
— Library Journal, starred review

“Stellar... Sax, a Spenser-like paladin more plausible than Robert B. Parker’s original Spenser, makes mistakes that are front and center and whose consequences resonate from book to book. Fans will be interested to see what effect this entry’s hard knocks on Sax’s soul have down the line.”
— Publishers Weekly, starred review

THE DEVIL MAY CARE by David Housewright
The search for a suddenly missing man entangles unlicensed P.I. Rushmore McKenzie with one of the most powerful—and ruthless—local families.

“Exceptional... Wry humor helps balance the tension in this tale of misguided love and obsession.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Housewright not only delivers steadily growing suspense, but also provides a canny tour of the high and low life in and around the Twin Cities, including an unforgettable tour of the posh Lake Minnetonka. Housewright may be the best Minnesota Noir writer going.” — Booklist, starred review

THE LATE SCHOLAR by Jill Paton Walsh
Lord Peter Wimsey and his detective novelist wife, Harriet Vane, return to uncover a disappearance related to a valuable manuscript at Oxford in Walsh's brilliant new continuation of Dorothy L. Sayers's classic mysteries.

“Walsh’s pitch-perfect re-creation of the charismatic leads is a delight. Sayers fans can only hope for more.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Delicious.” — Booklist, starred review

What are you reading this Friday? Share your #FridayReads with us @MacmillanLib.

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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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Thriller Thursday (4/24/14 Edition)

Thriller Thursday (4/24/14 Edition)

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Happy #ThrillerThursday! Here are the latest mysteries keeping us up well beyond bedtime:

FROM THE CHARRED REMAINS by Susanna Calkins
In Calkins' next mystery with “rich, historical detail” (Publishers Weekly), chambermaid Lucy Campion must learn how a dead body discovered in the wreckage of the Great Fire of London actually perished.

DON'T EVER LOOK BACK by Daniel Friedman
In Friedman's “fine sequel and a must-buy!” (Library Journal), feisty octogenarian Buck Schatz has unfinished business from his past to take care of. “Edgar-finalist Friedman injects a darker tone into his alternately humorous and moving sequel to 2012’s DON'T EVER GET OLD. The howdunit of the 1965 crime will please Golden Age puzzle fans.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review 

THE POOR BOY'S GAME by Dennis Tafoya
A former U.S. Marshal's life turns upside down when the most dangerous criminal she's ever faced—her father—escapes from prison. “Tafoya delivers a gut-wrenching crime thriller as gritty and harsh as a Philadelphia winter. The equation seems simple, but Tafoya does a superb job keeping the reader guessing to the surprise end.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review  

THE FURIES by Mark Alpert
A shadowy clan with an ancient history has discovered a medical miracle—and will kill to keep it secret. “Alpert has a knack for making unbelievable things seem not only plausible but also completely real. Alpert’s carefully constructed alternate history of witchcraft—and sorcery, too—is very clever. Good stuff.” — Booklist 

THE BLOOD OF ALEXANDER by Tom Wilde
A modern Indiana Jones steals a relic of Alexander the Great in this thrilling debut novel. “Two of my favorite topics—the lost tomb of Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte—joined in a rip-roaring, across-the-globe adventure. A superb debut by an exciting new voice in the thriller genre.” — New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry

Share your reads with us @MacmillanLib this #ThrillerThursday. [...]

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Stars for AMERICAN INNOVATIONS

Stars for AMERICAN INNOVATIONS

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Who doesn't love a good short story collection? They're entertaining and easy to read when you don't have much time. They're like the 100 calorie snack packs of reading! 

We've got a good one for you: AMERICAN INNOVATIONS by Rivka Galchen. A “20 Under 40” writer for The New Yorker and recipient of several prizes and awards, Galchen's witty and lyrical collection has received three starred reviews and has a great media line-up:  

“Coming eight years after her widely acclaimed debut, ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES, Galchen dips further into the dazzlingly disorienting. These stories balance on the surreal, striking the borders of the logical and the hypothetical. With her second book, Galchen continues to secure a place for herself among today’s great prose stylists.”
— Publishers Weekly, starred & boxed review

“These are literary short stories, but there’s a detective lurking in their author, who peels back fine layers of life with close observation to uncover clues about the physics of daily living and how we process the world. Galchen’s stories feel remarkably believable, despite their suggestion of alternate worlds and lives. This is a collection to read and keep on the bookshelf. It will stand the test of time.”
— Kirkus Reviews, starred review, plus May cover photo feature

“The problem with the stories in this clever, urbane, and sometimes surreal collection from the author of the breakout novel ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES is that there are only ten of them.” — Library Journal, starred review

“Rivka Galchen’s second book—a series of playful, irreverent short stories—showcases her surrealist imagination, while also riffing on canonical tales.”
— The Wall Street Journal Magazine

“...spectral, demanding stories from a brilliant young writer.” — Elle Magazine

“AMERICAN INNOVATIONS marks a sharp step forward for American short stories… Galchen writes with a glorious and gentle lyricism, her sentences clear and sharp in their tracings of the world’s complexity. Her stories shine a light on hidden thoughts and desires, offering up unimagined possibilities for grace as her characters spin through their quiet lives.” — The Last Magazine

Upcoming reviews and feature coverage:
The New York Times Sunday Styles section, “Under the Influence” series interview
Harper's Bazaar review
Marie Claire review
GQ review
Vanity Fair review
The Washington Post review
The Los Angeles Times review
Mother Jones feature
Paris Review Daily featured Q&A

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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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TxLA 2014 Book Buzz

TxLA 2014 Book Buzz

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Anne Spieth

 

Thanks to everyone who came out to the TxLA Book Buzz this morning to listen to Anne "the sweet teeth" Spieth talk about her favorite Summer books! If you couldn't make it, don't worry, we've got you covered. 

 

Here are all the titles, plus a handy-dandy catified handout! 

Highly Anticipated Titles
THE SNOW QUEEN by Michael Cunningham
SAVE THE DATE by Mary Kay Andrews 
LANDLINE by Rainbow Rowell
THE FORTUNE HUNTER by Daisy Goodwin

Fractured Fairy Tales
DARK AEMILIA by Sally O'Reilly
ALIAS HOOK by Lisa Jensen
BITTER GREENS by Kate Forsyth

New Mysteries From Bestselling Authors
A DARK AND TWISTED TIDE by Sharon Bolton
THAT NIGHT by Chevy Stevens
THE DEAD WILL TELL by Linda Castillo

Debut Mysteries
INVISIBLE CITY by Julia Dahl
BONE DUST WHITE by Karin Salvalaggio
NEVER LOOK BACK by Claire Donoghue

Debuts with YA Appeal
THE HOLLOW GROUND by Natalie S. Harnett
BRUTAL YOUTH by Anthony Breznican
THE SPARK AND THE DRIVE by Wayne Harrison

Books for Teens
A GIRL CALLED FEARLESS by Catherine Linka
COMPLICIT by Stephanie Kuehn
HOW TO FALL by Jane Casey
REBORN by C.C. Hunter
RECKONING by Kerry Wilkinson
EXTRACTION by Stephanie Diaz

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Stars for COMPLICIT!

Stars for COMPLICIT!

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Anne Spieth
We loooooved the Morris Award-winning CHARM & STRANGE by Stephanie Kuehn and now she's made us fans for life with her second book, COMPLICIT. 

Two years ago, sixteen-year-old Jamie Henry breathed a sigh of relief when a judge sentenced his older sister Crazy Cate Henry to juvenile detention for burning down their neighbor’s fancy horse barn. The whole town did. But now Cate's out and she’s coming back for Jamie. Because more than anything, Cate Henry needs her little brother to know this one simple truth: She’s not the crazy one and never has been.

COMPLICIT has already received three rave starred reviews:

“Kuehn’s second novel, after her Morris Award–winning CHARM & STRANGE, powerfully examines how mental illness can turn into family tragedy that ripples far and wide beyond a single event. The prose is as hallucinatory as the madness Jamie seeks to uncover in a novel that’s tense and ambiguous from start to finish.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Kuehn writes with the fleetness of a trained thriller author, blending past and present (not to mention psychology and action) with the same fluidity as in her Morris Award–winning debut CHARM & STRANGE. Her confidence is what’s so invigorating: every page makes a firm, surprising choice, whether you like it or not. Cate, naturally, is the main event, the alternatingly irrational, gentle, explosive, and enigmatic center of this fast, black whirlpool of a novel.” — Booklist, starred review

“Alternating between past and present, Kuehn sustains the tension through first-person narration and revealing flashbacks. COMPLICIT ensnares readers from the first page with its surprising twists and revelations. Recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers.” — School Library Journal, starred review
 

Are you hooked yet? Get whitelisted and download the e-galley. 
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