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BookBrowse Highlights
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October 15, 2015
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Hello,
In this issue, among other features, we present a healthy crop of five books reviewed through BookBrowse's popular First Impressions program.
Our members get full access to BookBrowse's diverse range of online offerings and a chance to preview upcoming releases as part of First Impressions.
Join now and enjoy the many perks of membership. We'll even send you a free First Impressions book to get you started on your path to great reading discoveries. More on this below.
Thank you!
Your editor, Davina
PS: You may have heard that Marlon Jones won the Man Booker Prize this week for A Brief History of Seven Killings. We reviewed it last November. The review and beyond the book article are here.
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Subscribe by Sunday for a Free Book!
 BookBrowse features the kinds of books you can't wait to tell your friends about, providing insightful reviews, stories behind the books and previews of notable titles publishing soon. In addition, each month we share books with our members to read and review, or read and discuss. Most members who choose to take part regularly receive a book about once every 3 months. We prioritize new members - so if you subscribe and pick a book by this Sunday, 3pm you will receive it! Membership is $10 for 3 months or $35 for a year. Find out more! We have members all over the world but, sadly, the publishers who provide the books for First Impressions can only send to those resident in the USA.
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 1. First Impressions: Members Recommend
Here are BookBrowse members' views on five recent releases.
 The Devil in Jerusalem by Naomi Ragen
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: Oct 2015
Mystery, 320 pages
Number of reader reviews: 27
Readers' consensus: 4.0/5.0
Members Say "It is based on true events that occurred in Israel to a religious ultra-orthodox family. ... I think everyone should read this book as an insight as to what can happen to people who believe in phony prophets, ministers, rabbis, etc. it will make an excellent reading club book." - Anita S. (Boynton Beach, FL) "The characters are complex - becoming more so by the end of the story. I found myself changing opinions about each of them several times during the course of the book. The ending will take your breath away! Great read that will stick in your mind long after you have finished the book." - Sue from rural PA "We would like to believe that since we are intelligent, well read people that we would never be sucked into this type of lifestyle. Naomi Ragen's new novel shows us that it does happen to people just like us and throughout history happens time and time again." - Julie M. (Maple Grove, MN) "While the details are Judaic and the backdrop is mostly in Israel, Naomi Ragen describes with superb accuracy, insight and in frightening detail how a cult leader can ensnare followers into the fold." - Barbara K. (Brooklyn, NY) More about this book | Read all the reviews Buy at Amazon | B&N | Indie
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2. First Impressions: Members Recommend  We That Are Left by Clare Clark Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: Oct 2015
Historical Fiction, 464 pages
Number of reader reviews: 14
Readers' consensus: 3.5/5.0
Members Say "I absolutely loved this book. The prose is beautiful and so lovingly captures the Melville family. Their lives are so intertwined in ways they could hardly imagine. I found myself rooting for one character - then another - then another... I think this book would garner great discussion for any book club." - Christine B. (St. Paul, MN) "This is a very atmospheric book, with details about clothing, food, furniture, etc.; the author works on local history projects so gets much of her information about social history from first-hand accounts. Quirky characters add to the interest. It's a long read, over 400 pages, but holds one's attention; Downton Abbey fans especially will appreciate it." - Marion W. (Issaquah, WA) "I really enjoyed this book... The author does a good job of describing the social changes taking place, particularly the problems presented by the deaths of an entire generation of young men. I think that this book would make an excellent book club choice." - Sheila S. (Supply, NC) "I would recommend this book to friends as a good family saga with important things to say about the beginning of the 20th Century and WW1, and the changes that followed the War's end." - Sara P. (Longview, WA)
More about this book | Read all the reviews Buy at Amazon | B&N | Indie
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3. First Impressions: Members Recommend  Frank & Ava by John Brady Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Publication Date: Oct 2015
Biographies/Memoirs, 304 pages
Number of reader reviews: 19
Readers' consensus: 3.4/5.0
Members Say "I couldn't put it down. It was a quick read for me. I enjoyed learning more about two stars I didn't know much about. I also got a glimpse of other stars lives like Bogart and Bacall." - Karen L. (Wilton, IA) "Having grown up with a mother who adored Frank Sinatra and played his music almost every day, I felt I knew a lot about him and his on-and-off, dysfunctional relationship with Ava. However, I gained more insight and learned so much about their careers and them, both together and separate, in this book. Most of the time the narrative read like a page turner. ... I will be passing this book on to my mother and her friends. Anyone who is a fan of Sinatra or who wants to learn more about the stars of that era will enjoy this book." - Chris W. (Temple City, CA) "I have read several books on Frank Sinatra and also books on Ava Gardner. While they all touch on the relationship between Ava and Frank, it is more a skim. This book follows the relationship from start to finish... Hated to put the book down and hated for it to end. A wonderful guided tour through two peoples' lives. Cannot recommend this book highly enough." - Dorothy G. (Naperville, IL) More about this book | Read all the reviews Buy at Amazon | B&N | Indie |
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4. First Impressions: Members Recommend  The Good Neighbor by Amy Sue Nathan
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: Oct 2015
Novels, 272 pages
Number of reader reviews: 17
Readers' consensus: 4.1/5.0
Members Say "This is an uplifting and warmly written story without becoming sappy in the process." - Roseanne S. (Middlebury, CT) "Once I began reading The Good Neighbor, it was hard to put down. I would recommend this great read for anyone that would like a light-hearted yet, thoughtful journey into Izzy's world. I think we all have wanted a little excitement in our lives, Izzy just goes further than she should have to make that happen!" - Debb R. (Grand Island, NE) "From the first sentence I fully related to Izzy and her dilemma. What begins as almost a harmless fantasy, quickly escalates into a situation that is out of control. Unlike journaling or diary writing, blogging is 'out there' for all to see. (So don't write it if you don't mean it). The characters were so real. The relationship between Izzy and Mrs. Feldman was heartwarming. I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it." - Ellie "It is very contemporary, with an emphasis on the way that people communicate via the Internet. I think book clubs would enjoy reading and discussing the book." - Christine (WI) More about this book | Read all the reviews Buy at Amazon | B&N | Indie |
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5. First Impressions: Members Recommend
 The War Reporter by Martin Fletcher Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Publication Date: Oct 2015
Thrillers, 320 pages
Number of reader reviews: 22
Readers' consensus: 4.3/5.0
Members Say "So often we read reports of on-going conflicts in foreign countries and never consider what effect it has on its citizens. The War Reporter paints a very vivid picture of the daily life of these people and the tragedies that can occur under the guise of 'doing what is best'." - Rosemary T. (San Antonio, TX) "While The War Reporter is a novel, the fiction reads like factual war reporting. The plot captures moments of exciting action set against the tedium of daily existence in a war-torn country, both for the citizens and the reporters. Against the brutality there are threads of human kindness and a touching, believable love story... I recommend this war thriller to book groups... The discussion will, no doubt, be thoughtful." - Judith B. (Omaha, NE) "Was it worth it? Oh, yes, indeed. Very much so. What a writer! The War Reporter is the kind of book that draws one in, steals from your sleep but in the end rewards the reader with a tale of war and its sufferings, of love and its turmoil. This reader was grateful to have read this book which will long stay with me." - Lea Ann M. (Seattle, WA) "Fletcher's journalistic expertise paired with his stellar career to draw upon, his eloquent writing provides such an exciting story equal measures memoir, and thriller." - Melinda
More about this book | Read all the reviews Buy at Amazon | B&N | Indie |
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 6. Book Club Interview
 Cover Girls was established in August of 2006 in Indianapolis, Indiana and is made up of all women - mostly nurses and one homicide detective. Betty Averett talks about how their friendships have deepened with every book they've read. Read the interview |
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 7. Editor's Choice 
The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood
Hardcover (Sep 2015), 320 pages. Publisher: Nan A. Talese BookBrowse Rating: 5/5, Critics' Consensus: 4.4/5 Buy at Amazon | B&N | IndieCharmaine and Stan are a newly married couple, totally down on their luck. They're living in their car because Stan's unemployed and the only income is from Charmaine's few shifts at the local bar. Being homeless is dangerous what with all the hooligans and gang members prowling everywhere. When Charmaine sees an ad about the experimental town of Consilience and its Positron project, it sounds like the answer to their problems. In Consilience they'll get a fully furnished house and real jobs, with the only catch being that every other month they have to stay in the Positron prison. The deal... continued Full access to our reviews & beyond the book articles are for members only. But there are always four free Editor's Choice reviews and beyond the book articles available. |
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 8. Beyond the Book:
Afghan Women's Writing Project
 Every time we review a book we also explore a related topic. Here is a recent "beyond the book" article for When the Moon Is Low by Nadia Hashimi
When the Moon is Low has Fereiba narrate much of the action as she flees Afghanistan, along with her children, for refuge in England. While Fereiba's story is one of escape, there are countless women left behind who must endure daily life in a country where the Taliban's extremely stifling laws leave a suffocating footprint. The Afghan Women's Writing Project (AWWP) was founded in 2009 as an ... continued Read in full | More about this book
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 9. News
Oct 13 2015 Jamaican author Marlon James has won the Man Booker Prize for his novel inspired by the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in the 1970s. Michael Wood, chair of the judges, described A Brief History of Seven Killings as the "most exciting" book on the shortlist. Read our review & beyond the book article.
Oct 09 2015 Belarusian writer and journalist Svetlana Alexievich has won the 2015 Nobel Prize for literature. Announcing the prize in Stockholm, the chair of the Swedish Academy, Sara Danius, called her writing "a monument to courage and suffering in our time".
Oct 07 2015 Author James Patterson has already donated millions of dollars to bookstores, libraries and other literary organizations in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Now he has set up a fund in partnership with the American Booksellers Association to provide bonuses of $1000-$5000 to bookstore (more)Oct 05 2015 Henning Mankell, the Swedish crime writer best known for his Kurt Wallander books has died aged 67 after being diagnosed with cancer last year. Credited with almost single-handedly establishing Sweden as a crime writer's ideal dystopia, he was a dedicated political activist who packed a lot into his (more)Sep 30 2015 The National Book Foundation announced the 5 Under 35 honorees today (more)Sep 29 2015 Authors Ta-Nehisi Coates and Ben Lerner and poet Ellen Bryant Voigt are among the twenty-four 2015 MacArthur fellows. Each receives a no-strings attached stipend of $625,000 over five years....(more)
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 10. Win This Book
 Pop Goes the Weasel by M. J. ArlidgePublished Oct 2015
416 pages
Enter the Giveaway From the Jacket
A man's body is found in an empty house. A gruesome memento of his murder is sent to his wife and children. He is the first victim, and Detective Helen Grace knows he will not be the last. But why would a happily married man be this far from home in the dead of night? The media call it Jack the Ripper in reverse: a serial killer preying on family men who lead hidden double lives. Helen can sense the fury behind the murders. But what she cannot possibly predict is how volatile this killer is - or what is waiting for her at the end of the chase.... Paperback original Review"Readers will root for this admirable if flawed heroine every step of the way." - Publishers Weekly Praise for Eeny Meeny "Dark, twisted, thought-provoking, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Take a ride on this roller coaster from hell-white knuckles guaranteed." - Tami Hoag, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Cold Cold Heart "No doubt about it! Eeny Meeny debuts one of the best new series detectives, Helen Grace. Determined, tough, and damaged, she must unravel a terrifying riddle of a killer kidnapping victims in pairs to send a particularly personal message. Mesmerizing!" - Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Crash & Burn "What a great premise!... Eeny Meeny is a fresh and brilliant departure from the stock serial killer tale. And Detective Inspector Helen Grace is one of the greatest heroes to come along in years." - Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author of The Skin Collector and Solitude Creek "There are so many things about this novel that are expertly pulled off. It has a devious premise. DI Helen Grace is fiendishly awesome. It's scary as all hell... Eeny Meeny is a dark, edgy thriller." - Will Lavender, New York Times bestselling author of Obedience
5 people will each win a paperback copy of Pop Goes the Weasel. This giveaway is open to residents of the USA only, unless you are a BookBrowse member, in which case you are eligible to win wherever you might live. Enter the giveaway Past Winners
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