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April 2013

ReadingGroupGuides.com Newsletter April 2013

Quick Links to Features on ReadingGroupGuides.com
 
Spring is in the Air!
As I look at the handy dandy weather feed on my desk here. I am seeing 70s and 80s. I like those numbers! It was a looooong winter. Remind me that I feel this way when I am melting in the heat of the summer!

Since I last wrote you, we went on a trip to Crested Butte to go skiing. My husband and I met there 31 year ago, and we have a lot of fond memories of that town. I had not skied in 19 years, so this really was a trip down memory lane. While in town we stopped at Towne Books, which was a terrific store with lots and lots of recommendations. I talked to Diane there, pictured here, with their “Recommends” shelf. We were going through their shelves talking about the books that we both loved. She was giving high kudos to Elizabeth Gilbert’s upcoming novel….she really loved it. It was a great few moments of “shop talk” in the middle of the Rockies, which came the day we were leaving town. I saw it as a bridge between vacation and home…and made me realize that it is not as tough to leave vacation when you are heading home to a job you love.

The latest book in our "What Are You Reading" contest is Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline, which I recently announced as a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly Ayer out of juvie and worse. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that they aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children. Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life --- answers that will ultimately free them both.

Let us know what your group is reading by filling out this form, and you could be one of three winners who will receive 12 copies of Orphan Train for you and your group members. The deadline for entries is Monday, May 6th at noon ET. And don’t forget to take a look at the guide and our Bookreporter.com review. Also, those of you who remember The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty from last year know that the orphan train was referenced there.

Among our featured guides this month is Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg, which I’ve talked about a lot on Bookreporter.com. Sheryl is the chief operating officer of Facebook and is ranked on Fortune’s list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business and as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. In the book, she examines why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers solutions that are meant to empower women to achieve their full potential.

Reading the book, I remembered a lot of times when I leaned back and did not raise my hand when working...and I have to say I have been thinking about the concept of leaning in more since I read it. Thinking back, I also realize that my four years at an all-girls high school in the ’70s were empowering for my getting some key roles sans competition from “the boys,” though they made dates for the prom a lot more challenging. Sure, Sheryl is privileged, and to many I am as well. But the ideas here can make for some constructive conversations, and I suggest there not be a quick dismissal of the ideas. In fact, I think it would be helpful for men to read it as well. Click here for the guide and here for our Bookreporter.com review. By the way, there has been a lot of conversation and press about this book and comments from people who clearly have NOT read it, which is endlessly annoying.

Our next featured guide is Reconstructing Amelia, Kimberly McCreight’s debut novel. Fifteen-year-old Amelia has been suspended from school, but when her mother Kate arrives at St. Grace, she finds a scene far worse than she could have ever imagined. Despondent over having been accused of cheating, Amelia has jumped to her death from the school’s roof. Kate believes that story until she gets an anonymous text: She didn’t jump. According to Entertainment Weekly, “Like GONE GIRL, it should be hailed as one of the best books of the year.” Our reviewer calls it "a book that should be read by parents, teachers and students alike."

This is a perfect crossover title for teens (think mother/daughter book clubs); in fact, it’s one of the prizes we’re awarding to the winners of our Spring Fling Giveaway on Teenreads.com. Enter by Tuesday, April 30th at noon ET for your chance to win this book, along with eight others. Click here for the guide and here for our Bookreporter.com review.

The film adaptation of The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire will be in theaters May 21st. I saw trailers ALL weekend for it, and while I am not sure how great the movie is going to be, in anticipation, we’re featuring the guide for the movie tie-in edition of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic. Be sure to check out the section of the guide called “Enhance Your Book Club,” which offers suggestions for making your discussion of the book livelier and more memorable. Here’s a fun one: “Come to your book club meeting dressed like your favorite Great Gatsby character! If you don’t happen to own a pink suit like Gatsby’s, consider donning a partygoer’s pearls, Daisy’s white dress, Owl-eyes’ oversized glasses, Jordan’s golf gloves, Tom’s riding pants, or any other accessory inspired by the Jazz Age.” Click here for the guide.

By the way, when thinking all things Gatsby, you may want to explore Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, the new novel by Therese Anne Fowler, which is just out and hit a solid slot on the New York Times Bestseller List. It’s a Bookreporter.com Bets on selection and I am crazy about it. Those who enjoyed Loving Frank and The Paris Wife are raving about it.

Now available in paperback is Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, a much-talked-about bestseller when it released in hardcover last year. Remember it was the first Oprah 2.0 Book Club Pick? At 22, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State --- and she would do it alone. Click here for the guide. It made me want to dust off my hiking boots and challenge myself!

Also out in paperback is Broken Harbor, the fourth book in Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series. Mick “Scorcher” Kennedy plays by the book and plays hard, which is what puts the biggest case of the year into his hands. On one of the half-built, half-abandoned “luxury” developments that litter Ireland, Patrick Spain and his two young children are dead. But Broken Harbor holds memories for Scorcher, and working this case could resurrect something he thought he had tightly under control. Click here for the guide. Tana gets raves from readers; see our review of the book here.

Speaking of paperbacks, we’ve posted this month’s roundup of New in Paperback titles on Bookreporter.com, one of which is Love Anthony by Lisa Genova, a Bookreportter.com Bets On selection when it released in hardcover. This heartfelt novel is about an accidental friendship that gives a grieving mother a priceless gift: the ability to understand the thoughts of her eight-year-old autistic son and make sense of his brief life. Fittingly enough, the paperback released Tuesday, April 2nd on World Autism Awareness Day; in fact, April is World Autism Awareness Month.

Other paperbacks releasing this month are The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian, The World Without You by Joshua Henkin, Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected: A Memoir by Kelle Hampton, and The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo.

Since last month’s update, I’ve added a number of titles to our Bookreporter.com Bets On feature. (There have been plenty of outstanding new book releases to start the year!) In addition to Orphan Train and Z, see why I’m betting you’ll love Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger, Life After Life by Jill McCorkle, The Paradise Guest House by Ellen Sussman, and The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood.

I found out some exciting news last week from Barbara Delinsky. She has made available a FREE e-short story called “The Right Wrong Number” in anticipation of her upcoming full-length novel, Sweet Salt Air, which releases on June 18th. As you may remember, we ran a contest in February where we gave 250 book groups a chance to win up to 12 advance copies of Sweet Salt Air and share their comments about it. In “The Right Wrong Number,” Carly Kelly has just been presented with a life-changing business opportunity for tiny nursery and flower store, Plant People. But she only has four days to decide, which means she will most likely have to cancel her weekend trip away. She dials her friends to let them know, and excitedly launches into a speech about the opportunity. But when she pauses, a sexy, inquisitive stranger is on the other end, and he’s eager to hear about her store, her passions and her life. She’s dialed the wrong number --- and the man on the other end, with his deep voice, his charming jokes and his excellent advice, is a surprise she never expected… Click here to download this fun read now…and also get a sneak peek of Sweet Salt Air!

By the way, we’ve told you how Barbara loves book groups. If your group was one of the winners of the Sweet Salt Air contest, she would love to hear YOUR ideas for discussion questions.

For those of you curious as to what book groups will be reading this fall, we’d like to tell you about TWO events taking place at BookExpo America in New York City that you may want to consider attending. On Friday, May 31st, from 9:30am to 10:50am, representatives from a dozen publishers will gather at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to share selections and book group news from their publishing houses in a speed-dating format designed to give book group leaders, booksellers, librarians and bloggers an inside look at what book groups will be tempted by for fall and winter. Galley giveaways and ideas for enhancing book group discussions will be part of this event. Advance signup is required and seating will be assigned. Fill out the form found on this page to sign up. Please note: You must be registered to attend BookExpo America in order to attend this session. If you are not, click here to register.

This year, BookExpo America is going to be offering a Power Reader Day, where members of the public are invited to this trade-only show on Saturday, June 1st. You can see complete details on how you can participate here and meet authors and hear about upcoming books for the $49 admission fee! A second speed-dating session will take place that day from 11:00am to 11:45am for Power Readers. Fill out the form found on this page to sign up for the Saturday session. One important note: You must be registered to attend BookExpo America as a “Power Reader” on Saturday, June 1st in order to attend this session. If you are not, click here to register.

I’d like to point out that National Library Week takes place April 14-20; this year’s theme is “Communities matter @ your library.” Click here to read more about it and find out how you can celebrate in your area.

Whew, it’s a really busy month…and looking ahead, things show no signs of slowing down. So, read on….

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

PS. When you use the links below to purchase books, you also support ReadingGroupGuides.com as we have affiliate arrangements with each of them. Please consider this when shopping for books online!


ReadingGroupGuides.com’s “What Are You Reading?” Monthly Contest Feature: Win 12 Copies of ORPHAN TRAIN by Christina Baker Kline for Your Group
Let us know what your group is reading in April, and you will be entered in a giveaway to win multiple copies of a book for your group! Our latest prize book is Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline, a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are. We have 12 copies of the book, which is now in stores, to give away to three groups. Enter here by Monday, May 6th at noon ET for your chance to win copies for you and your group members.

More about Orphan Train:
Nearly 18, Molly Ayer knows she has one last chance. Just months from “aging out” of the child welfare system, and close to being kicked out of her foster home, a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvie and worse.

Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly discovers that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.

The closer Molly grows to Vivian, the more she discovers parallels to her own life.

-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to see why Bookreporter.com is betting you'll love this book.

Click here to enter the contest.

 
LEAN IN: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, by Sheryl Sandberg
Thirty years after women became 50 percent of the college graduates in the United States, men still hold the vast majority of leadership positions in government and industry. This means that women’s voices are still not heard equally in the decisions that most affect our lives. In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg examines why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers compelling, commonsense solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential.

Click here for the reading group guide.

 
RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA by Kimberly McCreight
During the most important meeting of her career, single mother Kate Baron is summoned to pick up her daughter from the exclusive Park Slope private school she attends. Fifteen-year-old Amelia has been suspended, but when Kate arrives at St. Grace, she finds a scene far worse than she could have ever imagined. Despondent over having been accused of cheating, Amelia has jumped to her death from the school’s roof. At least that’s the story St. Grace tells Kate. And it is the one Kate believes. That is until she gets an anonymous text: She didn’t jump.

Click here for the reading group guide.

 
THE GREAT GATSBY: Movie Tie-In Edition, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. This exemplary novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted “gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession,” it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.

In anticipation of the May 10th film adaptation, a movie tie-in edition of the book will release on April 23rd.

Click here for the reading group guide.

 
Now Available in Paperback: WILD: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed
At 22, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State --- and she would do it alone.

Click here for the reading group guide.

 
Now Available in Paperback: BROKEN HARBOR by Tana French
Tana French’s rise can only be called meteoric. Starting with her award-winning debut, French has scored four consecutive New York Times bestsellers and established herself as one of the top names in the genre. Broken Harbor is quintessential French --- a damaged hero, an unspeakable crime, and an intricately plotted mystery --- nestled in a timely examination of lives shattered by the global economic downturn.

Click here for the reading group guide.

 
JUST ANNOUNCED!!! Attend a Special Speed-Dating Session for "Power Readers" at BookExpo America! Sign Up Now for This Event on Saturday, June 1st
This year, BookExpo America is going to be offering a Power Reader Day, where members of the public are invited to this trade-only show on Saturday, June 1st. You can see complete details on how you can participate here and meet authors and hear about upcoming books for the $49 admission fee!

A speed-dating session will take place that day from 11:00am to 11:45am for Power Readers at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Representatives from a dozen publishers will share selections and book group news from their publishing houses in an effort to give book group leaders, booksellers, librarians and bloggers an inside look at what book groups will be tempted by for fall and winter. Galley giveaways and ideas for enhancing book group discussions will be part of this event. Fill out the form found on this page to sign up.

Please note: You must be registered to attend BookExpo America as a “Power Reader” on Saturday, June 1st in order to attend this session. If you are not, click here to register.

Click here to sign up to attend BookExpo America’s Speed-Dating Session for Power Readers on June 1st.

 
Attend a Special Speed-Dating Session for Booksellers, Librarians, Bloggers and Book Group Leaders at BookExpo America on Friday, May 31st
On Friday, May 31st, from 9:30am to 10:50am, representatives from a dozen publishers will gather at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City to share selections and book group news from their publishing houses in a speed-dating format designed to give book group leaders, booksellers, librarians and bloggers an inside look at what book groups will be tempted by for fall and winter. Galley giveaways and ideas for enhancing book group discussions will be part of this event. Advance signup is required and seating will be assigned. Fill out the form found on this page to sign up.

Please note: You must be registered to attend BookExpo America in order to attend this session. If you are not, click here to register.

 
Click here to sign up to attend BookExpo America’s Speed-Dating Session on May 31st.

 
Recent “Bookreporter.com Bets On” Selections
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
Christina Baker Kline’s latest novel, Orphan Train, introduces readers to Vivian Daly, a now-90-year-old woman who has had a chaotic past --- from her difficult childhood in Ireland to her turbulent adulthood Midwest. This story specifically documents the “orphan trains” that transported more than 200,000 orphaned, abandoned and homeless children to the Midwest for indentured servitude. Those of you who read The Chaperone, another Bookreporter.com Bets On selection, will remember that its plot touched on the orphan trains. It left me wanting to hear more about it, which made this book even more of a delight. Christina did very extensive research, which authenticates her characters.

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
In Ordinary Grace, William Kent Krueger departs from his Cork O’Connor series with a stand-alone title, and it is a winner. Set in New Bremen, a small town in Minnesota in 1961 during what we know as “The Kennedy Years,” this coming-of-age story is beautifully told in a style that reminds me of some of my favorite Southern writers, which is interesting since Krueger is Midwestern through and through. The prose wraps around you, and suddenly you look up and wonder where you are as the writing has been so vivid and clear that your sense of place has been redefined.

Life After Life by Jill McCorkle
Jill McCorkle’s Life After Life, her first novel in 17 years, is something to celebrate. Set in the Pine Haven retirement center, the cast of characters --- and they are all characters --- touched me as I came to know each of them. Their “stories” meant even more as I learned how they each connected with one another as the book unfolded with many “aha” moments. The residents, staff and neighbors of Pine Haven include a retired schoolteacher, a prominent lawyer who is now fighting dementia, a woman who has moved there from Connecticut for reasons no one understands, a feisty young mother who runs the beauty shop, a hospice volunteer who sees her work as a calling, and a 12-year-old girl named Abby who sees the nursing home as her second home.

The Paradise Guest House by Ellen Sussman
Like many of you, I follow my favorite authors. Thus, when I saw that Ellen Sussman’s new book, The Paradise Guest House, was coming out, I was eager to read an advance copy (I loved her 2011 title, French Lessons). Here, Sussman sets her story in Bali. Jamie, who is an adventure guide, returns to Bali years after she was injured in the 2002 nightclub bombings. She longs to reconnect with Gabe, who rescued her that evening. I confess that while I remember these bombings, I had forgotten the details. The intertwining of that history along with their personal stories was so well handled here.

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
Before F. Scott Fitzgerald was a literary darling, he was a young World War I army lieutenant who fell hard for a spirited Southern belle named Zelda Sayre, who lived in Montgomery, Alabama. The life he and Zelda would lead together in New York, Long Island, Paris, Hollywood, and on the French Riviera made them legends even in their own time. Set amidst the glamour of the Jazz Age and the Lost Generation’s vivid world abroad, Z by Therese Anne Fowler brings Zelda and Scott’s romantic, tumultuous, extraordinary journey to life. It is one of the most highly anticipated books of the season; when I read it, I immediately saw why.

The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood
Looking at the cover of Ann Hood’s The Obituary Writer, I was not sure what to expect. I know that she is well known for her works The Knitting Circle and The Red Thread, but this looked very different. It opens in 1960 when the country is caught up in the Kennedy/Nixon election. Claire is a young mother who, along with her friends, idolizes Jackie O. Over dinner parties and cocktails, couples are caught up in the moment when the country feels young and vibrant and ready for a change. Young housewives are greeting their husbands as they come home from dinner, but as they move through their routines, they also are restless. And Claire’s restlessness prompts her to start an affair that unlocks parts of her that makes her feel alive. She also finds herself pregnant, which leads to new questions.

Click here to see all the books Bookreporter.com is betting you'll love.

 
April’s New in Paperback Roundups on Bookreporter.com
April’s New in Paperback roundups include the following highlights:

The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian
The Sandcastle Girls, Chris Bohjalian's 15th book, is a spellbinding tale that travels between Aleppo, Syria, in 1915 and Bronxville, New York, in 2012 --- a sweeping historical love story steeped in the author’s Armenian heritage, a subject his legions of fans have been asking him to write about for years.

Love Anthony by Lisa Genova
From the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of Still Alice and Left Neglected comes a heartfelt novel about an accidental friendship that gives a grieving mother a priceless gift: the ability to understand the thoughts of her eight-year-old autistic son and make sense of his brief life.

The World Without You by Joshua Henkin
On July 4, 2005, the Frankel family descends upon their summer home in the Berkshires for a memorial to Leo, the youngest Frankel sibling, who was killed while on assignment in Iraq a year before. Over the course of three days, the Frankels will contend with sibling rivalries and marital feuds, volatile women and silent men, and, ultimately, the true meaning of family.

Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected: A Memoir by Kelle Hampton
When Kelle Hampton learned she was pregnant with her second child, she and her husband were ecstatic. But the moment her new daughter was placed in her arms in the delivery room, Kelle knew that something was wrong. She was certain that Nella had Down syndrome --- a fear her pediatrician soon confirmed.

The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo
Meet the Keller family, five generations of firstborn women --- a line of daughters unbroken --- living together in the same house on a secluded olive grove in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California. Told from varying viewpoints, Courtney Miller Santo’s debut novel captures the joys and sorrows of family --- the love, secrets, disappointments, jealousies and forgiveness that tie generations to one other.

-Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of April 1st, April 8th, April 15th, April 22nd and April 29th.

 
Recent Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight Features on Bookreporter.com
Fly Away by Kristin Hannah
Fly Away is the story of three women who have lost their way and need each other --- plus a miracle --- to transform their lives. An emotionally complex, heart-wrenching novel about love, motherhood, loss and new beginnings, this long-awaited follow-up to Firefly Lane reminds us that where there is life, there is hope, and where there is love, there is forgiveness.

-Click here to enter to win a copy of the book and submit your comments on it.

And Then I Found You by Patti Callahan Henry
Katie Vaughan has a secret, something tucked away in her past. She has a strong relationship with her family, and a devoted boyfriend, Rowan, whom she wants to love with all her heart. But when she discovers a small velvet box hidden in Rowan's drawer, she panics. For the first time in her life, Katie knows that she won't fully love Rowan until she confronts the demons from her past, and it's time for her to act.

The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig
As a lawyer in a large Manhattan firm, just shy of making partner, Clementine Evans has finally achieved almost everything she’s been working towards --- but now she’s not sure it’s enough. Her long hours have led to a broken engagement, and she feels her messy life crumbling around her. But when the family gathers for her grandmother Addie’s 99th birthday, a relative lets slip hints about a long-buried family secret, leading Clemmie on a journey into the past that could change everything.

Palisades Park by Alan Brennert
Growing up in the 1930s, there is no more magical place than Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey --- especially for seven-year-old Antoinette (nicknamed “Toni”) and her brother, Jack. However, both their father and Jack face the dangers of war, while their mother has ambitions of her own --- and Toni is determined to take on a very different kind of danger in impossible feats as a high diver. Yet they are all drawn back to each other --- and to Palisades Park --- until the park closes forever in 1971.


Heart of Palm by Laura Lee Smith
Utina, Florida is a small, down-at-heels southern town about to meet the tide of an economic growth that it hasn't seen in decades. The Bravos, a local family held together in equal measure by love, unspoken blame, and tenuously brokered truces, have been complacent with the stagnant ways of the sleepy town. So when opportunity knocks, tempers ignite, secrets are unearthed, and each of the Bravos is forced to confront the tragedies of their shared past.
Click here to see all our Women's Fiction Author Spotlights on Bookreporter.com.

 
Bookreporter.com’s Books On Screen Feature for April
With winter weather finally showing signs of letting up and spring firmly taking charge, April will be a good month to stay outside a little longer to stargaze. However, the night sky isn't the only place you're going to see stars this month. With movies such as The Company You Keep, Pain & Gain and The Reluctant Fundamentalist featuring plenty of big names, including Robert Redford, Susan Sarandon, Mark Wahlberg and Kate Hudson, you will see plenty of stars on the silver screen, too.

On your small screens at home, you can return to some of your established favorites with season three of "Game of Thrones" and the DVD release of Silver Linings Playbook. For the more adventurous viewers looking to make new favorites, we suggest "Hemlock Grove," a Netflix series that is sure to keep you guessing.

Since the days are getting longer, go ahead and stay up a little later to catch some great books on screen.

 
Click here to see Bookreporter.com's Books on Screen feature for April.

 
New Guides Now Available
The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:

Broken Harbor by Tana French: Broken Harbor is quintessential Tana French --- a damaged hero, an unspeakable crime, and an intricately plotted mystery --- nestled in a timely examination of lives shattered by the global economic downturn.
The Great Gatsby: Movie Tie-In Edition by F. Scott Fitzgerald: In anticipation of the May 10th film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, a movie tie-in edition of the book will release on April 23rd.
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg: In Lean In, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg examines why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers compelling, commonsense solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential.
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline: Rich in detail and epic in scope, Orphan Train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are.
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight: A stunning debut novel from an emerging voice in fiction, Kimberly McCreight, Reconstructing Amelia is the story of a young girl’s tragic death, unraveled by her single mother and reconstructed through her own emails, texts and status updates.
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed: A powerful, blazingly honest memoir: the bestseller Wild is the story of an 1,100-mile solo hike that broke down a young woman reeling from catastrophe --- and built her back up again.

Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:


Paris in Love: A Memoir by Eloisa James: In 2009, Eloisa James took a leap that many people dream about: she sold her house, took a sabbatical from her job as a Shakespeare professor, and moved her family to Paris. Paris in Love chronicles her joyful year in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
The Unruly Passions of Eugénie R. by Carole DeSanti: Eugénie R., born in France’s foie gras country, follows the man she loves to Paris, but soon finds herself marooned, pregnant and penniless. She gives birth to a daughter she is forced to abandon and spends the next 10 years fighting to get her back.
The World Without You by Joshua Henkin: From the author of the New York Times Notable Book Matrimony (“Beautiful…. Brilliant” - Michael Cunningham) comes a moving, mesmerizing new novel about love, loss, and the aftermath of a family tragedy.


The following new guide is now available for Christian book groups:

The Gate by Dann A. Stouten: When a man on the edge of burnout responds to an ad for a vacation cottage, he discovers a beautiful place that will change the way he looks at life forever.


 
Contests Running on Other Sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com
We have a number of contests currently running on our other sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com. Please take a look at them below, and enter for your chance to win some fabulous books!

Bookreporter.com


Fly Away by Kristin Hannah
We have 50 copies of Fly Away by Kristin Hannah, which releases on April 23rd, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. The deadline for entries is Thursday, April 18th at noon ET.

A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn
We are celebrating the April 30th release of A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn with a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book. The deadline for entries is Thursday, April 18th at noon ET.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
If you’ve read The Kite Runner and/or A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, we’d love for you to share your thoughts about them, which we then will post on the site. Those who do so by Thursday, April 11th at noon ET will be entered to win one of 25 copies of Hosseini’s highly anticipated new novel, And the Mountains Echoed, which releases on May 21st.


Word of Mouth
Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from March 29th to April 12th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, and Starting Now: A Blossom Street Novel by Debbie Macomber.

Teenreads.com

Spring Fling 2013
We are celebrating the weather warming up and the flowers beginning to bloom with our first-ever Spring Fling Contest! Between now and Tuesday, April 30th, teens can enter to win a prize package that includes all of our featured titles along with some necessary springtime essentials.


FaithfulReader.com


The Guardian: Home to Hickory Hollow, Book 3 by Beverly Lewis
We are celebrating the release of The Guardian with a special contest that will give 50 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this third installment in Beverly Lewis's Home to Hickory Hollow romance series. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 14th at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com’s Monthly Contest
In our latest monthly contest, one reader will received a signed copy of Taylor's Gift: A Courageous Story of Giving Life and Renewing Hope. Todd and Tara Storch tragically lost their 13-year-old daughter in a skiing accident; their decision to donate Taylor's organs would help save the lives of five desperate people who were anxiously awaiting a miracle. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 14th at noon ET.



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