OK, Koontz' Deeply Odd drops today as does Beautiful Day by Hildenbrand but you don't need the Bookie to tell you that. The Bookie is hear to give you the dish on the best of the new releases NOT the most popular. Sometimes they are one in the same, but not usually. Enjoy this new crop of must-reads!
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| (Random House) |
Sisterland - Curtis Sittenfeld
(FICTION/CLOTH) Twins, creepy, am I right? If you're a
twin, big sorry but it doesn't make it not true. Curtis Sittenfeld, New
York Times bestselling author of American Wife and Prep
makes these girls psychic wunderkinds who can see other people’s
futures. One girl loves this, the other, not so much. They grow up and
go there separate ways. After an earthquake the happy psychic sister Vi
reports on TV her premonition of any even larger disaster to hit her
hometown. Kate,the other sister who just wants normalcy in her life
finds her sister’s celebrity making that but a dream. She also knows
that her sister’s prediction is right. Haunting at times, humorous at
others (how can you write about psychic twins and not be) the novel uses
this device as a way of freshening up the distant siblings who need to
bury the hatchet scenario.
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| (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) |
Cinnamon and Gunpowder - Eli Brown
(FICTION/CLOTH) What if a feminist foodie took a stab at
writing Treasure Island? This ribald adventure has it all;
swashbuckling, romance, banquets… Pirate Missy Mad Hannah kidnaps a
renown chef who she toys with by sparing his life as long as she has an
exquisite feast each Sunday. It becomes a Master Chef mystery box
challenge as the cook has to McGuiver together gourmet meals with what
is at hand. For the pirate captain their back and forth is a courtship
she hasn’t time for while repressing a mutineer and searching for her
nemesis the Brass Fox. A rollicking good read seaside as they ship of
well meaning fools bond together. One for all and to every captain a
chef! Arrgg! I mean, Bon Appétit!
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| (St Martins/Dunne) |
Reviver - Seth Patrick
(FICTION/CLOTH) Here’s a new take on a monster. Revivers
can wake the dead but they due so in a most sadistic manner; so that the
recently dead only to have them witness there death once again. They
are used by law enforcement to have murder victim testify during their
own trials. Jonah is a reviver who is sure that he has awakened more
than the recently demised. Investigating the recent murder of a news
reporter he discovers the truth about his kind and the presence that
watches from the shadows. An inventive mash-up of horror and crime drama
that is perfect for those fascinated with the whole futuristic crime
investigation wave we seem to be in as of late.
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| (Putnam) |
Loyalty - Ingrid Thoft
(FICTION/CLOTH) The bookie always takes a shine to novels
set in bean town. Here we have Fina, an all but outcast member of the
powerful Ludlow family and empire. She is ostracized from her family but
kept on as a P.I. for the many interests of her family’s empire. Her
sister-in-law goes missing and she is appointed to get her back without
police or the press ever the wiser. Not too easy to do when they as
thick as thieves into the abduction and subsequent cover-up. Fina makes
for a feisty character and you warm up to her chip on her shoulder
quickly. The novel makes for a fun and tense read; hopefully the beginning of a new Boston crime series.
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| (Algonquin) |
Antonia Lively Breaks The Silence - Davis Samuel Levinson
(FICTION/CLOTH) When Catherine’s author husband died she
had her suspicions as to the true cause. She stays in the college town
they once lived together intent on making a new start. An old haunt
arrives in town to work at the college, her old flame, a critic who
single-handedly destroyed her former husband’s credibility as a serious
writer. Old flames ignite but he did not come alone but with a young
lady poised to be the next be thing in literature. An unlikely
friendship between the two women starts until Catherine realizes the
writer’s only intent is to steal the story of her husband’s death for
her next novel. A weighty debut filled with an array of desires for
fame, purpose and, yes, love.
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| (Orbit) |
The Shambling Guide to New York City - Mur Lafferty
(FICTION/TRADE) With all the oh-so-series zombie
troupes out on the market its refreshing to find a novel that
understands that if you step back for a second, zombies are kinds funny.
This is one wacky, good-times zombie novel if there ever was one. Zoe
finds herself writing a tour guide of New York for, you guessed it,
zombies (didn’t know they read, better than a lot in our community who
are dead from the neck up.) Landing the job was no easy feat do to all
the human-ists out there prejudicing against her because
of her living status and all. She delves deep into the monstrous city
finding that her investigation has unearthed a problem that will divide
the beasts from the humans once and for all. Run, Zoe, Run as the story unfolds.Even the Litchenstein-esque cover lets you know its a satire of our culture.
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| (Skyhorse) |
Behind the Burly Q: The Story of Burlesque in America - Leslie Zemeckis
(NON-FICTION/CLOTH) No matter what coast you decide to be hip
on, you realize that burlesque has come back big time. All the girls who
practice the fine art of seductive theatricality are keenly aware of
the heritage. Back in the first half of the last
century it was all the rage, a melting pot where our musicians,
comedians and starlets would be forged. While the
book is a feat just as an archival work, its real charm is in the heart
revealed beneath. Zemeckis loves everything about this art form’s past
and resurgence and shared it in an accompanying documentary. The same
warmth and adulation shared in the film comes across in book form as
well as she presents the word-of-mouth tales of the heyday.
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| (White Cloud) |
The Shark's Paintbrush; Biomimicry and How Nature is Inspiring Innovation - Jay Harman
(NON-FICTION/CLOTH) The more scientists discover and brainiacs
invent the more they learn that Mother Nature has already beat them
hands down. As climates change so do they creating organic modifications
honed for survival. Businesses can learn a lot about evolving by such a
model and Harmen goes on an exhaustive quest to prove that cost
efficiency and ecologically sensitive innovation can be a win-win in
business and in nature. Who knew a bumblebee is aerodynamically more
advanced than a modern plane? Biomimicry may be the new business buzz
word after this.
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| (Little Brown) |
When You Were Here - Daisy Whitney
(YOUNG ADULT) Here’s a powerful novel who’s moral is in a
nutshell if you want to move forward after death has touched your life
you do it by embracing life. Danny loses his Mom to cancer just before
his graduation. He is left alone with his dog Sandy Koufax and the
former love of his life. Happiness seems a lifetime away. When a letter
comes from Tokyo where his mother was undergoing treatment he is privy
to a side of his mother he never knew existed. Her final months appeared
to be filled with joy, not grieving. Danny packs up to find the source
of her happiness immersing himself in the culture of the land in hopes
of connecting with his mother one last time.
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| (Redhook) |
The Universe Versus Alex Woods - Gavin Extence
(YOUNG ADULT) Alex is like the Bizarro version of Ferris
Bueller, misfortune seems to follow him. Even at ten he was struck by a
meteorite. How’s that for bad luck. In this novel we get to follow this
nebbish through a series of misadventures. In Alex experience
cohesiveness and chaos go hand in hand and as we follow him on his trek
with the seasoned widower Mr. Peterson we learn that to enjoy life you
just have to buckle up and forage through to make it count. All this and
references to Kurt Vonnegut? We’re on board for the ride.
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| (Random Hous for YR) |
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library - Chris Grabenstein
(INDEPENDENT READER) A new town library becomes a labyrinth of
clues and puzzles to challenge Kyle and his classmates during a weekend
purposely locked inside by the imcomparable puzzlesmith Lemoncello. Kyle
is a gamer amongst gamers but nothing compared him for the challenges
ahead. This is a highbred independent reader
combing some of the favorite conventions of the classics. Award-winning
mystery writer Grabenstein uses Snicket’s humor, Dahl’s glib wordplay
and ads the clue structure so popular in the latest serial books to
great effect maing the library a place where all adventure begins. A
great read, a fun game in itself and, alas, no batteries required!
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| (Harper Collins) |
The Wig In The Window - Kristen Kittscher
(INDEPENDENT READER) Sophie and Grace are BFFs and PIs; best
friends and spying is their game. On night they see a bloody crime at
the house of Dr. Awkward from school. They are sure of it, with all that
blood! It starts to turn into a junior high Rear Window or Suburbia as
they girls suspicions are raised. The doctor was always awkward but now
he looked awkward and guilty. Lots of suspicious characters and spooky
times lie ahead for these girls. A fun, light-hearted romp for a sum.
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| (Philomel) |
The Day the Crayons Quit - Drew Daywalt, illus. Oliver Jeffers
(CHILDRENS) Do your kids like to color? Of course they
do, what child doesn’t? But what would happen if the crayons went on
strike! That’s the premise of this cute book of bickering colors and
their colorful grievances. Jeffers, gifted children writer on his own
(The Moose is with Me, a classic) brings a lot to the book with his
simple but humorous illustrations. Sure to have your kids whipping up
puns of there own. Follow reading time up with a coloring session and
you have a perfectly creative afternoon.
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| (Disney/Hyperion) |
Count The Monkeys - Mac Barnett, illus. Kevin Cornell
(CHILDREN) Not since 5 monkeys jumped on beds was
there as much primate fun (and fear) as in this delightful counting
book. Forget about the monkeys count THAT and then THAT; all the things
that make the monkeys scatter. Each page is a novel reveal as we rush
though the jungle with our furry friends. Filled with many a
monkeyshine, just count’m all…1…2…3…4…
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