Tag: starred reviews

Thriller Thursday bonus: DECODED

Thriller Thursday bonus: DECODED

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Anne Spieth
HOT TITLE ALERT! We want to make sure this gripping debut novel is on your radar: DECODED by multi-award-winning author Mai Jia. 

One of China's bestselling novels, it reveals the mysterious world of Unit 701, a top-secret Chinese intelligence agency whose sole purpose is counterespionage and code breaking. Brilliantly combining the mystery and tension of a spy thriller with the psychological nuance of an intimate character study and the magical qualities of a Chinese fable, DECODED discovers in cryptography the key to the human heart.

The New York Times jumped on DECODED early and ran an interview with Jia on their Sinosphere Blog and reviews have been outstanding:

“Told by a shadowy narrator who draws on interview transcripts and declassified documents, the book ranges in style from mythic fairy tale to spy story to epistemological speculation. Within this fantastic framework unfolds the saga of Rong Jinzhen, a youngster of illegitimate origin and odd upbringing whose phenomenal success in his non-chosen field leads to international counterespionage.” — The Wall Street Journal 

“Finally, a great Chinese novel. It stands out among Chinese novels for its pace, liveliness and the sheer novelty of the tale it tells. It grips from the first page… [Jia] offers a beguiling and magical mystery tour of China. It is an absolute joy to read.” — The Economist 

“An espionage novelist who navigates the top-secret world of cryptography, Mai has been hailed as China’s Dan Brown. DECODED quite blithely—and deliberately—defies the genre expectations.” — The New Republic 

“Readers skate the line separating insanity from genius in Mai Jia’s riveting tale of cryptographic warfare. A denouement at once heartbreaking and thought-provoking leaves readers pondering the collective sanity of a world shrouding knowledge in enigmas. Gifted translators bring English-speaking readers a Chinese literary treasure.” — Booklist, starred review

“Mai’s careful attention to pacing and the folklore-inspired narration make for a fascinating story, neatly interwoven with complex mathematical theory.”
— Publishers Weekly

[...]

Know More...

Happy National Poetry Month!

Happy National Poetry Month!

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Happy National Poetry Month! We're fortunate to have an abundance of great poetry books—so many, that we've created an Edelweiss collection for you. Here are a few that we're loving:

CARIBOU by Charles Wright
Charles Wright’s truth—the truth of nature, of man’s yearning for the divine, of aging—is at the heart of the renowned poet’s latest collection. “Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, National Book Award, among other honors, Wright offers up a spare, no-nonsense approach that serves his subjects well, enabling a kind of spiritual poetry for those who resist spirituality. Pointed as ever, his work continues to engage and explore life's unsolvable mysteries.” — Library Journal, starred review 

DIRECTING HERBERT WHITE by James Franco
The debut poetry collection by the multi-talented James Franco (yes, THAT James Franco), has Hollywood—fame, celebrity, the promise of becoming an artist—at its center. “Franco’s bold and magnetic examination of life in the mirrored hall of make-believe and fame taps deeply into our collective mythology.” — Booklist

METAPHYSICAL DOG by Frank Bidart
Bidart's collection was a finalist for the National Book Award and recently won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry. “The poems of METAPHYSICAL DOG are at once emotionally bracing and full of intellectual reward. Bidart is widely admired by other influential poets; he seems in line for even more attention than he has received.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

[...]

Know More...

#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

[...]

Know More...

Stars for THE SNOW QUEEN!

Stars for THE SNOW QUEEN!

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Anne Spieth

When a new Michael Cunningham book comes out, it's an event. We love the Pulitzer Prize-winning author's latest novel, THE SNOW QUEEN, which examines the complex dynamics between a brother and a couple (much like his last book, BY NIGHTFALL).

Barrett Meeks sees a celestial light in the sky above Central Park and has a quasi-religious experience he knows means something big. Meanwhile, Barrett's brother Tyler is struggling to write a song for his dying fiancée, Beth.  

“Tender, funny, and sorrowful, Cunningham’s beautiful novel is as radiant and shimmering as Barrett’s mysterious light in the sky, gently illuminating the gossamer web of memories, feelings, and hopes that mysteriously connect us to each other as the planet spins its way round and round the sun.” — Booklist, starred review

“In concise yet descriptive language, Cunningham weaves the secret of transcendence through the mundane occurrences of everyday life. Those who enjoyed his Pulitzer Prize-winning THE HOURS will be pleased to see similar themes emerging in his newest novel.” — Library Journal, starred review 

DRC buttonGet whitelisted and download the e-galley.

Read it and loved it? It's not too late to nominate it for the May LibraryReads list! (nominations are due April 1) 

[...]

Know More...

Sneak Peek: April 2014 Indie Next list

Sneak Peek: April 2014 Indie Next list

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Indie Next logoThe April 2014 Indie Next list was recently announced and we're thrilled that it includes so many great Macmillan titles!

THE EMPATHY EXAMS by Leslie Jamison
"A tough, intrepid, scouring observer and vigilant thinker, she 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 & our most popular ARC at ALA Midwinter! 

THE PLOVER by Brian Doyle
Doyle's story about a man who flees his troubled life on land for the solitude of the Pacific Ocean, but ends up on a rousing adventure is, “A rare and unusual book and a brilliant, mystical exploration of the human spirit.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

MIMI MALLOY, AT LAST! by Julia MacDonnell
"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 CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
Steinhauer's geopolitical tale about the aftermath of a diplomat's assassination and his wife's relentless investigation is “Elaborate, sophisticated…a long, twisty road full of cleverly placed potholes and unexpected turns. Mr. Steinhauer draws his spies as flesh-and-blood characters in whom his readers invest both attention and emotion.” — Janet Maslin, The New York Times

ROOSEVELT'S BEAST by Louis Bayard
Bayard draws on Teddy and Kermit Roosevelt’s real-life ill-fated 1914 Amazon expedition to create "A suspense-filled re-imagining of history deepened by a confrontation with evil’s supernatural presence." — Kirkus Reviews

See the full April 2014 Indie Next List here.

[...]

Know More...

Thriller Thursday (3/6/14 Edition)

Thriller Thursday (3/6/14 Edition)

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Anne Spieth
Today we've got a super-sized #ThrillerThursday with mysteries to satisfy every reader, from cozies to psychological suspense and more! 

PRECIOUS THING by Colette McBeth
A March 2014 Library Reads pick! "Debut author McBeth’s GONE GIRL-style psychological thriller will be a widespread hit for fans of dark drama with questionable narrators, including S. J. Watson’s BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP (2011), Sabine Durrant’s UNDER YOUR SKIN (2013), and Karen Perry’s THE INNOCENT SLEEP (2013)." — Booklist, starred review

THE BLACK-EYED BLONDE by Benjamin Black
Black's "pitch-perfect recreation" of Raymond Chandler's incomparable private eye Philip Marlowe goes "beyond mere thoughtful homage" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) when a seductive young heiress asks Marlowe to find her former lover. "Great fun for Chandlerians." — Booklist 

CITY OF DARKNESS AND LIGHT by Rhys Bowen
In the 13th entry of Bowen's New York Times bestselling historical series, Molly Murphy and her infant son are in Paris where she unexpectedly gets entangled in the murder of an Impressionist artist. "Molly is a smart, feisty heroine who admirably defends her investigation to a very skeptical Sûreté. Though placed a decade or so earlier, this breezy historical mystery will appeal to fans of Carola Dunn’s Daisy Dalrymple and Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs." — Booklist  

THE PLAYER by Brad Parks
In the latest book in Parks' award-winning series, Carter Ross investigates a suspicious disease, but it takes him down a path that leads directly into the arms of the local mob boss. "Parks, a gifted storyteller (with shades of Mark Twain, or maybe Dave Barry), shows his mastery of the comic absurd behind serious journalism in his fifth outing." — Library Journal, starred review  

WRECKED by Tricia Fields
"Fields’ third Josie Gray outing is emotionally taut, building to a breathtaking climax and portraying, in the process, the danger inherent in a Texas border town and presenting Josie, previously wary of commitment, with new challenges. More fine southwestern crime fiction by an author who clearly loves the locale." — Booklist, starred review  

PROVIDENCE RAG by Bruce DeSilva
“Edgar-winner DeSilva melds moral dilemmas with a suspenseful plot in his third novel featuring Providence, R.I.–based reporter Liam Mulligan, his best yet.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Mulligan’s character, played off the vicissitudes of his job, is skillfully layered and engaging. DeSilva, who worked for decades at the AP, won an Edgar for Best First Novel for ROGUE ISLAND (2010). He knows of what he writes.” — Booklist, starred review

[...]

Know More...

Stars for THE PLOVER!

Stars for THE PLOVER!

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Anne Spieth

The great news keeps coming for THE PLOVER—Brian Doyle's story about a man who flees his troubled life on land for the solitude of the Pacific Ocean, but ends up on a rousing adventure. 

It's an April 2014 Indie Next Pick and has two starred reviews:

"Doyle has written a novel in the adventurous style of Jack London and Robert Louis Stevenson but with a gentle mocking of their valorization of the individual as absolute. Readers will enjoy this bracing and euphoric ode to the vastness of the ocean and the unexpectedness of life."
— Library Journal, starred review 

“A rare and unusual book and a brilliant, mystical exploration of the human spirit.” 
— Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A jack of all literary trades, Doyle augments his impressive oeuvre with this whimsical dreamscape of a nautical adventure about desolation and friendship. In stylized prose with frequent nods to Coleridge, Melville, and Stevenson, Doyle’s surreal world is alive with vivid characters, mysterious birds, and lyrical philosophy about contentment. A joyous journey of discovery."
— Booklist  

“Every sentence Doyle writes about the ocean smacks of authenticity…” 
— Publishers Weekly

DRC button - Plover


Get whitelisted and download your copy of THE PLOVER. [...]

Know More...

Friday Reads – Minotaur Stars Edition

Friday Reads – Minotaur Stars Edition

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Anne Spieth

TGIF! Today's #FridayReads are two Minotaur mysteries that are raking in the starred pre-publication reviews! 

Talia is avoiding the wilderness after reading

Destroyer Angel

DESTROYER ANGEL by Nevada Barr
In the next book in Barr's New York Times bestselling Anna Pigeon series, a camping trip in Minnesota goes harrowingly wrong when Anna's friends are taken hostage by armed thugs. 

"Once again, Barr lays down a riveting mystery and permeates the pages with scrupulous descriptions of Anna's struggle with the cold, with the night, and with the terror and fear of not rescuing her friends." — Library Journal, starred review

"Gripping... Barr's gift for depicting breathtaking scenery elevates the story, as does Anna's complex, ever-evolving personality." — Publishers Weekly, starred review  

"Anna Pigeon’s eighteenth adventure is equal parts psychological thriller and wilderness-survival tale sure to please series followers with a darker, no-holds-barred look at the emotional impact of Anna’s survival instinct, while beckoning newcomers with top-tier white-knuckle suspense." — Booklist  


Anne is reconsidering her vacation plans after reading

Cairo AffairTHE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
International politics are at play as an Egyptian agent, an American analyst, a CIA agent, and a bereaved wife all converge on Cairo to find out why a diplomat was assassinated.

"THE CAIRO AFFAIR is an elegant, elaborate clockwork of mystery and deception that should draw readers in and keep them on tenterhooks as they try to figure out what is really making it all tick." — Publishers Weekly, boxed signature review

"It has become de rigeur to compare Steinhauer to le Carré, but it’s nearly time to pass the torch: for the next generation, it’s Steinhauer who will become the standard by which others are measured." — Booklist, starred review

"In narrative arcs that vault between a 1991 honeymoon trip to Serbia and a few days in 2011, Steinhauer once again displays his mastery of complex and twisty storytelling. Readers yearning for a fiendishly complex plot, penetrating characterizations, and a new warrior in the ancient struggle between anomie and truth will welcome Sophie and her brash courage." — Library Journal

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

Know More...

Thriller Thursday (2/20/14 Edition)

Thriller Thursday (2/20/14 Edition)

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Anne Spieth
We're a day away from TGIF and you know what that means: #ThrillerThursday! Here's what we're reading this week:

RUNNER by Patrick Lee
You know how much Anne loves this "high-tech thriller that's hard to put down" (Library Journal, starred review) because she can't stop recommending it to anyone who will listen (hey casting directors: Channing Tatum!). She's not the only one–it's a March Indie Next pick, has three starred reviews, and the adoration of Lee Child, Steve Berry and Nelson DeMille. 

THE INNOCENT SLEEP by Karen Perry
This psychological thriller about a couple restarting their lives five years after losing their son in a tragic accident is perfect for those of you who enjoyed the March 2014 LibraryReads pick, PRECIOUS THING. "This novel, with a premise that taps into the fears of every parent, is an entertaining thriller that fans of Tana French and Gillian Flynn will enjoy." — Library Journal  
(get the free downloadable praise sheet)

DEAD WATER by Ann Cleeves
In the eagerly awaited new entry in Ann Cleeves' popular Shetland Islands series (now airing on BBC as the television series Shetland), Detective Inspector Willow Reeves and Inspector Jimmy Perez team up to investigate the murder of a journalist. "Cleeves has an unusually deft hand with characters; not one of them seems purely plot-functional, and Perez’s character keeps deepening with each book." — Booklist, starred review

BROTHERHOOD OF FEAR by Paul Grossman
It's 1933 and famed detective Willi Kraus is avoiding deportation back to Nazi Germany when he finds himself unwittingly drawn into a murder mystery in Paris. "Grossman again manages to make the past come alive, and his complicated investigator displays enough depth and frailty to warrant continued exploits, even without the series’ initial hook of a Jewish cop fighting for justice under the Nazis." — Publishers Weekly, starred review [...]

Know More...

#BookBday Bonus: THE SIXTH EXTINCTION

#BookBday Bonus: THE SIXTH EXTINCTION

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Anne Spieth
We've got another special Book Birthday this week: THE SIXTH EXTINCTION by Elizabeth Kolbert, which started as a two-part series in the New Yorker.

Over the last half a billion years, there have been five mass extinctions, when the diversity of life on earth suddenly contracted. Scientists are currently monitoring the sixth extinction, predicted to be the most devastating since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. The cause? Humans! (GULP.)

THE SIXTH EXTINCTION has FOUR outstanding starred pre-publication reviews and major media coverage is starting off with a Big Bang:
     * A front page rave New York Times Book Review from former Vice President Al Gore 
     * A New York Times daily review by Michiko Kakutani
     * Appearances on CBS "This Morning" and "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"
     * Interviews on NPR's "All Things Considered" and "Fresh Air"
     * Reviews to come in Scientific American Magazine, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and many more

Praise for THE SIXTH EXTINCTION:

“'People change the world,' Kolbert writes, and she vividly presents the science and history of the current crisis. Her extensive travels in researching this book, and her insightful treatment of both the history and the science all combine to make THE SIXTH EXTINCTION an invaluable contribution to our understanding of present circumstances, just as the paradigm shift she calls for is sorely needed.”
— New York Times Book Review by Al Gore

“New Yorker staff writer Kolbert accomplishes an amazing feat in her latest book, which superbly blends the depressing facts...with stellar writing to produce a text that is accessible, witty, scientifically accurate, and impossible to put down.”
— Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Rendered with rare, resolute, and resounding clarity, Kolbert’s compelling and enlightening report forthrightly addresses the most significant topic of our lives.”
— Booklist, starred review

“A highly significant eye-opener rich in facts and enjoyment.”
— Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This solid, engaging, multidisciplinary science title should appeal to a broad range of science enthusiasts, particularly those interested in environmental conservation.”
— Library Journal, starred review
(also featured in Neal Wyatt's RA Crossroads review)

[...]

Know More...

css.php The owner of this website has made a commitment to accessibility and inclusion, please report any problems that you encounter using the contact form on this website. This site uses the WP ADA Compliance Check plugin to enhance accessibility.