December 2008
New and Recommended Fiction
The Pre-Nup
by Beth Kendrick
For the residents of swanky Mayfair Estates, a pre-nup is just another item on the wedding to-do checklist --- but three friends get more than they bargained for when they promise to love, cherish... and sign on the dotted line.
As romance collides with real life, three very different women turn to each other for moral support and insights about how to safeguard their most valuable assets: their hearts.
Click Here for the reading group guide.
Home to Holly Springs: Father Tim, Book 1 by Jan Karon
Now Available in Paperback:
Jan Karon enchants us with the story of the newly retired priest's spur-of-the-moment adventure. For the first time in decades, Father Tim returns to his birthplace, Holly Springs, Mississippi, in response to a mysterious, unsigned note saying simply: "Come home." Little does he know how much these two words will change his life. A story of long-buried secrets, forgiveness and the wonder of discovering new people, places and depth of feeling, Home to Holly Springs will enthrall new readers and longtime fans alike.
Click Here for the reading group guide.
A Dog Named Christmas
by Greg Kincaid
Todd McCray is a developmentally challenged young man living with his parents on their Kansas farm. While listening to the radio one day, Todd hears that the local animal shelter is seeking temporary homes for dogs during the Christmas week; Todd immediately wants to participate. Once Todd wins over his reluctant father, George, the McCray family find themselves with Christmas, a loyal, obedient dog that weaves his way into the hearts of the McCray family and their friends. When the time comes to give Christmas back, however, it is George who finds he is having a hard time letting go.
Click Here for the reading group guide.
Good Luck
by Whitney Gaskell
After life as she knows it falls apart, Lucy Parker heads off to Palm Beach to hide out at the home of an old college friend. But just as Lucy begins to envision a new life for herself, the past catches up with her. Lucy would give up every penny to have her old life back ---- but just as she's ready to cash it all in, fate has one last surprise in store for her... one that will show her exactly what she's worth.
Click Here for the reading group guide.
Special Contests and Features
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
We celebrated the paperback release of Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay --- a mesmerizing story in which a mysterious past unfolds, the present is torn apart and the future is irrevocably altered --- with a special contest. Ten groups had the opportunity to each win up to 12 finished copies of Sarah's Key, which is now in stores, for their group. Click here to see our winners.
More About Sarah's Key:
Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten-year-old girl, is taken with her parents by the French police as they go door to door arresting Jewish families in the middle of the night. Desperate to protect her younger brother, Sarah locks him in a bedroom cupboard --- their secret hiding place --- and promises to come back for him as soon as they are released.
Six years later: Sarah's story intertwines with that of Julia Jarmond, an American journalist investigating the roundup. In her research Julia stumbles onto a trail of family secrets that link her to Sarah and to questions about her own future.
Click here for the reading group guide.
Shelter Me by Juliette Fay
We celebrated the upcoming release of Shelter Me by Juliette Fay --- a beautifully written debut novel about heartbreaking loss and emotional redemption --- with a special contest. Thirty-five readers had the opportunity to each win one advance copy of Shelter Me, which will be in stores on December 30th, for their group. Click here to see our winners.
More About Shelter Me:
After the sudden death of her husband, Janie LaMarche is swamped by tides of grief and rage. Yet she's forced to confront the onward march of her life by an unlikely cast of interventionists: her two small children, her Ipecac-toting aunt, the "unflinchingly nice" parish priest and the contractor hired by her husband to build her a porch, whose involvement in her family's life becomes more ingrained with every beam he installs.
This stirring debut from author Juliette Fay is filled with insight on how we carry on after a loved one's death --- and how we must often force ourselves to embrace solace from those who show up to help us weather the tides of our grief.
Click here for the reading group guide.
For Christian Readers
Registered Book Club Promotion
There are no registered book club contests for December. Please check back next month. If your group is not registered, and you are interested in future monthly contests, click here to register.
New Guides
Oprah's Book Club Selection
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
This month's prize:
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Get a Book Club Makeover
Whether your book club is just a few months old or has been around for a while, you might be in need of a Book Club Makeover from ReadingGroupGuides.com. After reading your emails --- and talking to book clubs across the country --- we see that book groups often can fall into a routine and need a bit of livening up. It's ReadingGroupGuides.com to the rescue! We'll select groups each month for makeovers, review the problems, and make suggestions. Interested in a Book Club Makeover for your group? Click here for details.
The Pre-Nup
by Beth Kendrick
For the residents of swanky Mayfair Estates, a pre-nup is just another item on the wedding to-do checklist --- but three friends get more than they bargained for when they promise to love, cherish... and sign on the dotted line.
As romance collides with real life, three very different women turn to each other for moral support and insights about how to safeguard their most valuable assets: their hearts.
Click Here for the reading group guide.
Home to Holly Springs: Father Tim, Book 1 by Jan Karon
Now Available in Paperback:
Jan Karon enchants us with the story of the newly retired priest's spur-of-the-moment adventure. For the first time in decades, Father Tim returns to his birthplace, Holly Springs, Mississippi, in response to a mysterious, unsigned note saying simply: "Come home." Little does he know how much these two words will change his life. A story of long-buried secrets, forgiveness and the wonder of discovering new people, places and depth of feeling, Home to Holly Springs will enthrall new readers and longtime fans alike.
Click Here for the reading group guide.
A Dog Named Christmas
by Greg Kincaid
Todd McCray is a developmentally challenged young man living with his parents on their Kansas farm. While listening to the radio one day, Todd hears that the local animal shelter is seeking temporary homes for dogs during the Christmas week; Todd immediately wants to participate. Once Todd wins over his reluctant father, George, the McCray family find themselves with Christmas, a loyal, obedient dog that weaves his way into the hearts of the McCray family and their friends. When the time comes to give Christmas back, however, it is George who finds he is having a hard time letting go.
Click Here for the reading group guide.
Good Luck
by Whitney Gaskell
After life as she knows it falls apart, Lucy Parker heads off to Palm Beach to hide out at the home of an old college friend. But just as Lucy begins to envision a new life for herself, the past catches up with her. Lucy would give up every penny to have her old life back ---- but just as she's ready to cash it all in, fate has one last surprise in store for her... one that will show her exactly what she's worth.
Click Here for the reading group guide.
Special Contests and Features
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
We celebrated the paperback release of Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay --- a mesmerizing story in which a mysterious past unfolds, the present is torn apart and the future is irrevocably altered --- with a special contest. Ten groups had the opportunity to each win up to 12 finished copies of Sarah's Key, which is now in stores, for their group. Click here to see our winners.
More About Sarah's Key:
Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten-year-old girl, is taken with her parents by the French police as they go door to door arresting Jewish families in the middle of the night. Desperate to protect her younger brother, Sarah locks him in a bedroom cupboard --- their secret hiding place --- and promises to come back for him as soon as they are released.
Six years later: Sarah's story intertwines with that of Julia Jarmond, an American journalist investigating the roundup. In her research Julia stumbles onto a trail of family secrets that link her to Sarah and to questions about her own future.
Click here for the reading group guide. Shelter Me by Juliette Fay
We celebrated the upcoming release of Shelter Me by Juliette Fay --- a beautifully written debut novel about heartbreaking loss and emotional redemption --- with a special contest. Thirty-five readers had the opportunity to each win one advance copy of Shelter Me, which will be in stores on December 30th, for their group. Click here to see our winners.
More About Shelter Me:
After the sudden death of her husband, Janie LaMarche is swamped by tides of grief and rage. Yet she's forced to confront the onward march of her life by an unlikely cast of interventionists: her two small children, her Ipecac-toting aunt, the "unflinchingly nice" parish priest and the contractor hired by her husband to build her a porch, whose involvement in her family's life becomes more ingrained with every beam he installs.
This stirring debut from author Juliette Fay is filled with insight on how we carry on after a loved one's death --- and how we must often force ourselves to embrace solace from those who show up to help us weather the tides of our grief.
Click here for the reading group guide.
For Christian Readers
- New Christian Guides:
- The Flower of Grass by James E. Robinson
- Hazardous Duty: Squeaky Clean Mysteries, Book 1 by Christy Barritt
- Suspicious Minds: Squeaky Clean Series, Book 2 by Christy Barritt
Registered Book Club Promotion
There are no registered book club contests for December. Please check back next month. If your group is not registered, and you are interested in future monthly contests, click here to register.
New Guides
- The Art of Social War by Jodi Wing
- Bitter Sweets by Roopa Farooki
- The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly
- Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat
- Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
- A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid
- The Flower of Grass by James E. Robinson
- Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips
- Good Luck by Whitney Gaskell
- Hazardous Duty: Squeaky Clean Mysteries, Book 1 by Christy Barritt
- Home to Holly Springs: Father Tim, Book 1 by Jan Karon
- It's Not About Me: Second Glances Series, Book 1 by Michelle Sutton
- Listening Is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project, edited and with an introduction by Dave Isay
- Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst
- One Holy Night by J. M. Hochstetler
- The Paper Bag Christmas by Kevin Alan Milne
- The Pre-Nup by Beth Kendrick
- Reporting the War: Freedom of the Press from the American Revolution to the War on Terrorism by John Byrne Cooke
- Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
- The Saturday Wife by Naomi Ragen
- Shelter Me by Juliette Fay
- The Smart One and the Pretty One by Claire LaZebnik
- The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama
- Suspicious Minds: Squeaky Clean Series, Book 2 by Christy Barritt
- This One is Mine by Maria Semple
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
- Three Minutes on Love by Roccie Hill
- When Southern Girls Grow Old: Three Homecomings by Elizabeth Doak Sherman
- While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky
- White Bird Black Bird by Val Wake
- The Whitest Wall by Jodee Kulp
Oprah's Book Club Selection
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
This month's prize:
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Get a Book Club Makeover
Whether your book club is just a few months old or has been around for a while, you might be in need of a Book Club Makeover from ReadingGroupGuides.com. After reading your emails --- and talking to book clubs across the country --- we see that book groups often can fall into a routine and need a bit of livening up. It's ReadingGroupGuides.com to the rescue! We'll select groups each month for makeovers, review the problems, and make suggestions. Interested in a Book Club Makeover for your group? Click here for details.
Labels: 2008
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