7 Books for Adults on Your Holiday Gift List

Need I remind you that the holidays are quickly approaching? Do you have friends and family with distinct tastes? Are there people on your list who are just plain difficult to buy for? Here are seven books that could solve some of your shopping problems. I hope you find just what you were looking for.

For People Interested in Art, Fashion, and Culture

Lorraine Geiger's Fashion Fads & Fantasies: Three Decades of Outrageous Dressing (Wisdom House Books, Aug.) Artist-designer Greiger has a passion for street fashion. Born out Grreiger's habit to sketch the people and clothing she sees on the streets of New York and everywhere she travels, this collection of affecting drawings and paintings document not only the fashions and hairstyles of the 1970s through 1990s but also the people and attitudes of an ever-changing society. You'll recognize yourself on many of the pages, but you'll also have many wow and ha-ha moments as you re-live three decades of fashion history. (review copy from the publisher)

For the Knitter

Jody Long's Contemporary Cables (Dover, Sept.) Do you have a yarn lover on your list? Knitters of all skill levels would be thrilled to have this collection of 21 cabled projects. Besides stylish sweaters for both men and women, the book also includes several smaller projects, like shrugs, a beret, a tote, mittens, and more. There's a cozy wrap as well as a long scarf to keep winter's cold at bay. The introduction helps crafters pick yarns and follow the instructions, which are presented in both charts and written form. Each project is rated by skill level and is accompanied by one or more full-color photos. (review copy from the publicist)

For the Film Buff

Jay Jorgensen and Manoah Bowman's Grace Kelly: Hollywood Dream Girl (Dey Street, Oct.): Before Princess Di, the world had Grace Kelly. Everyone was enthralled with her transformation from daughter of American businessman to Hollywood star and then to real-life princess. This collection of photographs, costume sketches, and Hollywood memorabilia is a gorgeous tribute to Kelly's life and work. The book concentrates on her film career and is organized by movie. The images include some of the more familiar publicity shots of Kelly with her directors and costars, but you'll also find reviews, contact sheets, candid shots, and a look behind the scenes of the movies that made her famous. (review copy from the publisher)

For the Food Lover, Photographer, or Francophile

Alex Prud'Homme and Katie Pratt's France Is a Feast: The Photographic Journey of Paul and Julia Child (Thames and Hudson, Oct.) Everyone knows who Julia Child is but few know much about her husband, Paul, who was--among other things--a serious photographer. Fortunately for us, the Childs' great-nephew got together with Pratt, a photography curator, to compile this stunning collection of Paul's black and white photos taken in France after the war. Among Child's subjects are, of course, his famous wife and the beautiful French countryside, but he also focused his lens on street scenes, architecture, and everyday people. His talent for capturing light and mood is breathtaking.

For the Feminist Thinker, Writer, and Activist

Anna Katz's The Nasty Woman Journal: A Journal for Women Who Refuse to Sit Down (or Shut Up!) (Weldon Owen, Aug.) This colorful, lined journal can be used to capture daily thoughts, plot ideas, and record dreams. However, the quotations from strong, independent women from throughout history and the prompt questions that appear on many of the spreads can serve as inspiration to form and solidify thoughts on feminism and social activism. This journal can help channel reactions to the daily doses of news, inspiring us to stay strong and never give up. The back of the journal includes organizations and resources for getting involved in a number of social issues, including climate change, women's health, and immigration. (review copy from the publisher)

Two Stocking Stuffers for the Bookish

• Faber & Faber's Poetry Planner 2018 (Aug) is perfect for the organized poetry lover on your list. This beautifully constructed weekly planner includes a poem or book cover art for every week. The layout is simple, making this a good choice for those who want an uncluttered place to record their appointments. The poetry is a mix of classic and more contemporary. (review copy from the publicist)
• Joelle Herr's A Far, Far Better Thing to Do: A Lit Lover's Activity Book (Running Press, Sept) is small collection of fun puzzles, word games, coloring pages, and quizzes for book lovers of pretty much all ages.  Activities cover the Harlem Renaissance, Shakespeare, classic literary romantic couples, pen names, and more. (review copy from the publicist)

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12 Nonfiction Recommendations for November

If you've been reading book blogs this week, then you are likely to have seen a least a couple of nonfiction reading lists because (as I mentioned on Monday) Nonfiction November is up and running. Here are just some of the true stories that are awaiting my attention.

About this list: I restricted myself to books published this fall and chose only a few titles in three broad categories. In addition I decided to feature books I own. The backlist is brimming over with fabulous nonficiton titles, and I hardly own even a small percentage of the frontlist. Consider this list a good jumping-off place, and be sure to visit the official Nonfiction November post to learn how you can participate and to discover more recommended nonfiction books.

Memoir

Memoirs come in many forms from inspirational to autobiography to humor. My picks today have a literary foundation and are written by three novelists and the daughter of a publisher.

• The Fortress by Danielle Trussoni (Dey Street Books): The author of Angelology writes about her ex-marriage to a Bulgarian writer and their isolated life in France that she eventually needed to leave.
• North of Crazy by Neltje (St. Martin's Press): The daughter of publishing great Nelson Doubleday takes us inside the life of privilege to reveal its less glamorous side and her decision to take a different, independent path.
• The Pigeon Tunnel by John le Carre (Viking Books): The best-selling author opens up about his work for British intelligence during the cold war, his travels around the world, and the people and events that influenced his work and his life.
• Marrow by Elizabeth Lesser (Harper Wave): The author of Broken Open talks about her love for her sister, her decision to donate bone marrow to her, and their life together.

Food Writing

Oh I bet you're really surprised that food writing would appear on my list of recommended nonfiction titles. I had a hard time narrowing down my choices, but here is a mix of science, history, and cultural perspectives.

• Modified by Caitlin Shetterly (Putnam): When she learned that her son was allergic to genetically modified corn, this journalist set out to investigate the prevalence of GMOs from the cornfield to the food manufactures to the home kitchen.
• Butter by Elaine Khosrova (Algonquin): The fascinating history of butter from early herders to modern-day artisans, told by an award-winning food writer and pastry chef.
• Treyf by Elissa Altman (NAL): A memoir of food, family, cultural  traditions, and adapting to modern life from the 1940s to modern times. (Note: also good for Jewish Book Month.)
• Grape Olive Pig by Matt Goulding (Harper Wave): Part travelogue, part culinary guide, part love story to a country, a well-known food writer takes us on an unforgettable journey through Spain, his adoptive home.

Women in History

From a very young age, I've rated biography among my very favorite books. Today I feature books that introduce us to a variety of fascinating women: authors, mathematicians, trailblazers, and ordinary women in extraordinary circumstances.

• Not Just Jane by Shelley DeWees (Harper Perennial): Meet seven other women--besides Austen and the Bronte sisters--who were writing and publishing books in Brittan from the mid-eighteenth century on.
• Les Parisiennes by Anne Sebba (St. Martin's Press): A well-researched examination of how the Nazi occupation of Paris affected the lives of the city's women.
• Wonder Women by Sam Maggs (Quirk Books): The stories of twenty-five real-life women heroes, who were "innovators, inventors,  and trailblazers who changed history."
• Hidden Figures by Margo Lee Shetterly (William Morrow): A NASA historian tells the world about the five African American women mathematicians who helped lay the foundations of the U.S. space program. (Book to movie alert!)

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BEA Preview: Must-Read Books from HarperCollins 2016 (Part 2)

I hope you took note of the excellent books I featured on Monday. I also hope you didn't put your wallet away yet, because you're going to want so many of the books I talk about today. There's a reason HarperCollins is one of my favorite publishers: the variety of quality books they release each season is impressive.

I'm going to follow the same format I did on Monday: For each imprint, I've listed all the presented titles (with my own description). For my top pick, I've shown book cover and publisher's summary. You have a lot of good reading ahead!

Harper Perennial

• Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan: A psychological thriller involving an English teacher who moonlights as an advice columnist. When a teen goes missing and a clue is sent to the newspaper, the teacher becomes involved in the rescue attempt.
• The Infinite by Nicholas Mainieri: A coming-of-age story set in post-Katrina NOLA and the wilds of northern Mexico. Both a love story and a look at the violence of the drug cartels.
• Not Just Jane by Shelley DeWees: The lives of seven woman authors from the early 1800s who, despite success, have faded from our collective memories. Biography.
• The Waiting Room by Leah Kaminsky: Set in Haifa over the course of a single day, a young physician attempts to reconcile her inner and outer selves and her family's past and present while the city prepares for a possible terrorist attack.

Maranifesto by Caitlin Moran: Although I loved the other books from this imprint, I just had to go with Moran for my top pick.

When Caitlin Moran sat down to choose her favorite pieces for her new book, she realized that they all shared a common theme—the same old problems and the same old ass-hats. Then she thought of the word ‘Moranifesto’, and she knew what she had to do…

Introducing every piece and weaving her writing together into a brilliant, seamless narrative—just as she did in Moranthology—Caitlin combines the best of her recent columns with lots of new writing unique to this book as she offers a characteristically fun and witty look at the news, celebrity culture, and society. Featuring strong and important pieces on poverty, the media, and class, Moranifesto also focuses on how socially engaged we’ve become as a society.

And of course, Caitlin is never afraid to address the big issues, such as Benedict Cumberbatch and duffel coats. Who else but Caitlin Moran—a true modern Renaissance woman—could deal with topics as pressing and diverse as the beauty of musicals, affordable housing, Daft Punk, and why the Internet is like a drunken toddler?

Covering everything from Hillary Clinton to UTIs, Caitlin’s manifesto is an engaging and mischievous rallying call for our times. 

Harper 360

• After Anna by Alex Lake: A psychological thriller about a kidnapped girl and a custody battle between her parents. Sounds pretty gripping.
• Who's That Girl? by Mhairi McFarlane: Romantic comedy about a young woman who kissed the wrong guy and now must move past the social media attention.

Six Days in Leningrad by Paullina Simons: this memoir calls to me for several reasons, not least of which is that my grandfather escaped Russia during the revolution.

The never-before-told story of the journey behind Paullina Simons’ most beloved novel, The Bronze Horseman, now in print for the first time.

From the author of the celebrated, internationally bestselling Bronze Horseman saga comes a glimpse into the private life of its much loved creator, and the real story behind the epic novels. Paullina Simons gives us a work of non-fiction as captivating and heart-wrenching as the lives of Tatiana and Alexander. Only a few chapters into writing her first story set in Russia, her mother country, Paullina Simons traveled to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) with her beloved Papa. What began as a research trip turned into six days that forever changed her life, the course of her family, and the novel that became The Bronze Horseman. After a quarter-century away from her native land, Paullina and her father found a world trapped in yesteryear, with crumbling stucco buildings, entire families living in seven-square-meter communal apartments, and barren fields bombed so badly that nothing would grow there even fifty years later. And yet there were the spectacular white nights, the warm hospitality of family friends and, of course, the pelmeni and caviar. At times poignant, at times inspiring and funny, this is both a fascinating glimpse into the inspiration behind the epic saga, and a touching story of a family’s history, a father and a daughter, and the fate of a nation.

Dey Street

• The Fortress by Danielle Trussioni: This is a memoir that reads like a psychological thriller. The author writes about her marriage to a possessive man.
• The Hostage's Daughter by Salome Anderson: The daughter of Terry Anderson, the journalist who was held hostage by Hezbollah for six years, talks about his return, her meeting him for the first time, and the complex after affects of his ordeal.
• It's Okay to Laugh by Nora McInerny Purmort: A memoir of a love story cut short by illness. Grab a box of tissues and explore survival, grief, and finding the humor.
• Sex Object by Jessica Valenti: This collection of essays focuses on feminism and what it means to be a woman in the twenty-first century.

The World According to Star Wars by Cass R. Sunstein: I think this is going to be a must-have for all Star Wars fans everywhere.

A deeply original celebration of George Lucas’s masterpiece as it relates to history, presidential politics, law, economics, fatherhood, and culture by Harvard legal scholar and former White House advisor

There’s Santa Claus, Shakespeare, Mickey Mouse, The Bible, and then there’s Star Wars. Nothing quite compares to sitting with down with a young child and hearing the sound of John Williams’ score as those beloved golden letters fill the screen. In this fun, erudite and often moving book, Cass R. Sunstein explores the lessons of Star Wars as they relate to childhood, fathers, the Dark Side, rebellion, and redemption. As it turns out, Star Wars also has a lot to teach us about constitutional law, economics, and political uprisings.

In rich detail, Sunstein tells story of the films’ wildly unanticipated success and what it has to say about why some things succeed while others fail. Ultimately, Sunstein argues, Star Wars is about the freedom of choice and our never-ending ability to make the right decision when the chips are down. Written with buoyant prose and considerable heart, The World According to Star Wars shines new light on the most beloved story of our time.

William Morrow Paperbacks

• The Girl in the Castle by Santa Montefiore: Set in Ireland about a hundred years ago, it's the story of three women who grow up on a family estate in happiness until The Troubles come to their door. First in a trilogy.
• Girl Unbroken by Regina Calcattera: A second memoir for the author. This one focuses on her rescuing her younger sister from their alcoholic and abusive mother.
• Inheriting Edith by Zoe Fishman: This is about a single mother who unexpectedly inherits a house--and its elderly inhabitant. Contemporary fiction with themes of made families, Alzheimer's, and women's friendships.
• The Perfect Girl by Gilly McMillan: A psychological thriller involving a mother and daughter working on a second family but living with a secret, until one fateful day the secret is a revealed and someone is murdered. Takes place in twenty-four hours.

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan: Who can resist a story about a book matchmaker? Plus I enjoy Colgan's writing.

Nina Redmond is a literary matchmaker. Pairing a reader with that perfect book is her passion… and also her job. Or at least it was. Until yesterday, she was a librarian in the hectic city. But now the job she loved is no more.

Determined to make a new life for herself, Nina moves to a sleepy village many miles away. There she buys a van and transforms it into a bookmobile—a mobile bookshop that she drives from neighborhood to neighborhood, changing one life after another with the power of storytelling.

From helping her grumpy landlord deliver a lamb, to sharing picnics with a charming train conductor who serenades her with poetry, Nina discovers there’s plenty of adventure, magic, and soul in a place that’s beginning to feel like home… a place where she just might be able to write her own happy ending.

William Morrow Hardcover

• The Bitch Is Back edited by Cathi Hanauer: This collection of essays by some of today's leading woman authors look at the varied experiences of being a woman in the modern world.
• Forty Autumns by Nina Willner: The true story of a family divided by the Iron Curtain/Berlin Wall. How each side coped and their joyous reunion all those years later.
• Monticello by Sally Cabot Gunning: Well-researched historical fiction about Thomas Jefferson's daughter Martha and her relationship with both her father and their plantation.

Hidden Figures by Margo Lee Shetterly: The true story of the African American women who were critical for the success of our country's space program. Why is it that we've (I've) never heard of these smart, capable women before?

Before John Glenn orbited the Earth or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of professionals worked as “Human Computers,” calculating the flight paths that would enable these historic achievements. Among these were a coterie of bright, talented African-American women. Segregated from their white counterparts by Jim Crow laws, these “colored computers,” as they were known, used slide rules, adding machines, and pencil and paper to support America’s fledgling aeronautics industry, and helped write the equations that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.

Drawing on the oral histories of scores of these “computers,” personal recollections, interviews with NASA executives and engineers, archival documents, correspondence, and reporting from the era, Hidden Figures recalls America’s greatest adventure and NASA’s groundbreaking successes through the experiences of five spunky, courageous, intelligent, determined, and patriotic women: Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, Christine Darden, and Gloria Champine.

Moving from World War II through NASA’s golden age, touching on the civil rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War, and the women’s rights movement, Hidden Figures interweaves a rich history of scientific achievement and technological innovation with the intimate stories of five women whose work forever changed the world—and whose lives show how out of one of America’s most painful histories came one of its proudest moments.  

Note: Up next week are features of the books I discovered at BEA.

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8 Books to Satisfy the Nonfiction Reader in You

The other day I was chatting with friends on Twitter about reading nonfiction and was encouraged and inspired by them to write about true stories that I've read and/or that have caught my attention. Here then is roundup of eight nonfiction reads picked at random from my shelves. Look for more suggestions in the coming weeks.

Science and Medicine

Margaret Lazarus Dean's Leaving Orbit (Graywolf, 9781555977092, May 2015): This award-wining account of the end of the American Dream in space is both well researched and very personal. If you're too young to remember the first manned space program or weren't yet born when we first stepped foot on the moon, it's hard to convey the collective excitement and interest Americans had for NASA and space travel. Dean brings those feelings alive in Leaving Orbit, detailing a variety aspects of the U.S. space program, from the vehicles to the funding issues to the personalities. I agree with the Kirkus reviewer who predicts that you won't be able to stop reading.

Alexandra Robbins's The Nurses (Workman, 9780761171713, April 2015): This book-length piece of investigative journalism looks at the women and men who become our anchors when we're at our worst. Robbins followed four RNs for a year, shedding light on the truth of what it's like to be a nurse. These important healthcare providers are caught between patients and doctors and between policy and compassion, working long hours under enormous pressure. But The Nurses isn't just a song to the profession, it's an insiders' look at the way hospitals really work. Be prepared to be both shocked and awed.

Manners and Secrets

Henry Hitchings's Sorry! (Picador, 9781250056153, December 2014): One of the many things I learned when I lived (briefly) in the UK was that despite our historical connections, social norms in England are not necessarily the same as they are in the States. I haven't read this one yet, but the publisher's summary caught my attention: "Sorry! presents an amusing, illuminating, and quirky audit of English manners." Hitchings uses a "blend of history, anthropology, and personal journey [to help] us understand the bizarre and contested cultural baggage" of what passes as good manners. Looks good, eh?

Julie Tibbott's Members Only (Zest Books, 9781936976522, February 2015): This is a fun and informative look at all things secret society. Ever want to better understand the Knights Templar, wish you knew what it really means to be a Freemason, curious about cults, or how about getting a peek inside the famous Magic Castle in L.A.? I loved learning the meaning behind various familiar symbols, the requirements to join exclusive clubs, and some of the associated stories and scandals. This was great fun to read.

Spies and the Mafia

Scott C. Johnson's The Wolf and the Watchman (Norton, 9780393349436, May 2014): I'm not at all sure why I haven't read this yet because it sounds amazing. Johnson writes about what it was like to be the son of a real-life CIA spy. Here's what I've learned about Johnson's book: Although being the son of a spy sounds kind of glamorous, the reality is that your father makes his living by hiding the truth and manipulating situations to gain knowledge and data. In reaction, Johnson grew up to be a foreign correspondent, making his living uncovering the truth about wars and other global situations. Johnson writes about the tensions and reconciliations that colored his relationship with his father, especially when their careers were at cross-purposes.

George Anastasia's Gotti's Rules (Dey Street, 9780062346872, January 2015): What is it about the American Mafia that fascinates us? We can't seem to get enough movies, books, and TV shows about the mob. Anastasia takes a look at the Gotti family and the code they lived by to run the infamous Gambino syndicate. Using firsthand accounts, insiders' information, interviews, and FBI files, Anastasia unveils the truth behind the legend. It's probably no surprise that the Mafia code is less about honor and more about power and greed, but the details of the crimes and violence and of the behavior of the bosses are fascinating and startling.

History and Mystery

Andrew Roberts's Napoleon (Viking, 9780670025329, November 2014): Biography is one of my all-time favorite genres, especially when as well-written as is this account of the famous general. Although other biographies exist, Roberts's is the first to have been based not only on historical accounts but also on the tens of thousands of surviving letters from Napoleon himself. This is an amazingly accessible and utterly fascinating story of a man who has often been misrepresented and misunderstood. He was smart and curious, loved art, and ran an army and empire while trying to stay true to his vision and hold off his detractors. From Napoleon's birth to his political rise and fall, you'll be glued to the pages.

Hannah Nordhaus's American Ghost (Harper, 9780062249210, March 2015): True confession: I'm never going to read this book! I'm pretty much a wimp when it comes to ghosts, and this true story is probably a little too creepy for me. My husband, however, is looking forward to American Ghost and will give me the scoop when he finishes reading about the author's great-great-grandmother and the reports of her haunting of a present-day Santa Fe hotel, which used to be her home in the 1800s. To determine the veracity of the stories, Nordhaus studied her family history and the pioneer life as well as twenty-first-century psychics and ghost hunters. Will Nordhaus's investigation prove the existence of the ghost? I'm waiting for somebody to tell me.

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BEA 2015: Must-Reads from HarperCollins

Over the next few days I'm going to be talking about books I learned about at this year's Book Expo America (BEA). I'll have a book club post or two and at least one post highlighting my favorite discoveries from walking the floor of the Javits.

As you know, I'm a big supporter of the Harper Perennial and Ecco imprints; today, however, I feature nine HarperCollins imprints and list a sampling of some of the books their publicists are excited about this year. In the following, you'll find everything from nonfiction to women's lit; historical fiction to memoir.

For each imprint, I've listed a few of the recent and upcoming titles (with my own description) and then post the book cover and publisher's summary for my top pick.

Harper

• The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen: epic fantasy; this second in a planned trilogy continues the adventures of one tough, smart young woman; Kelsea is a super heroine and I loved the first book.
• The Race for Paris by Meg Waite: historical fiction; based on the true story of a woman photographer who documented the liberation of Paris during World War II.
• The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr: nonfiction; a treatise on how the author overcame her struggles with this form; advice on finding your own voice

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee: fiction; who isn't looking forward to this surprise second book by Lee? There are no galleys, so we must wait for July:

An historic literary event: the publication of a newly discovered novel, the earliest known work from Harper Lee, the beloved, bestselling author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Originally written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman was the novel Harper Lee first submitted to her publishers before To Kill a Mockingbird. Assumed to have been lost, the manuscript was discovered in late 2014.

Go Set a Watchman features many of the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird some twenty years later. Returning home to Maycomb to visit her father, Jean Louise Finch, Scout, struggles with issues both personal and political, involving Atticus, society, and the small Alabama town that shaped her.

Exploring how the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird are adjusting to the turbulent events transforming mid-1950s America, Go Set a Watchman casts a fascinating new light on Harper Lee's enduring classic. Moving, funny and compelling, it stands as a magnificent novel in its own right.

Ecco

• The Girl from the Garden by Parnaz Forutan: contemporary fiction; told from the point of view of an elderly Jewish woman living in Los Angeles, who recalls her childhood in Iran and the events that tore apart her family.
• Undermajordomo Minor by Patick deWitt: mixed genres, fiction; part mystery, part love story, part adventure this novel tells the story of Lucien Minor's journey from outcast to a life in a castle and the secrets he lays bare.

Above the Waterfall by Ron Rash: fiction; I've liked everything by Rash that I've read and am looking forward this edgy novel:

In this poetic and haunting tale set in contemporary Appalachia, New York Times bestselling author Ron Rash illuminates lives shaped by violence and a powerful connection to the land.

Les, a long-time sheriff just three-weeks from retirement, contends with the ravages of crystal meth and his own duplicity in his small Appalachian town.

Becky, a park ranger with a harrowing past, finds solace amid the lyrical beauty of this patch of North Carolina.

Enduring the mistakes and tragedies that have indelibly marked them, they are drawn together by a reverence for the natural world. When an irascible elderly local is accused of poisoning a trout stream, Les and Becky are plunged into deep and dangerous waters, forced to navigate currents of disillusionment and betrayal that will force them to question themselves and test their tentative bond--and threaten to carry them over the edge.

Avon

• The Match of the Century by Cathy Maxwell: historical romance; a light, funny new series featuring a woman who's attracted to two brothers, one respectable and the other a highwayman.

Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas: historical romance; although I'm not a romance reader, Kleypas has to be my top pick because she has such an enormous fan base; no galleys for this much-anticipated fall book:

A twist of fate . . .

Devon Ravenel, London's most wickedly charming rake, has just inherited an earldom. But his powerful new rank in society comes with unwanted responsibilities . . . and more than a few surprises. His estate is saddled with debt, and the late earl's three innocent sisters are still occupying the house . . . along with Kathleen, Lady Trenear, a beautiful young widow whose sharp wit and determination are a match for Devon's own.

A clash of wills . . .

Kathleen knows better than to trust a ruthless scoundrel like Devon. But the fiery attraction between them is impossible to deny and from the first moment Devon holds her in his arms, he vows to do whatever it takes to possess her. As Kathleen finds herself yielding to his skillfully erotic seduction, only one question remains:

Can she keep from surrendering her heart to the most dangerous man she's ever known?

Harper Voyager

• Zer0es by Chuck Wendg: technological thriller; hackers around the world are given the choice of jail time or using their skills to help the government
• A Crucible of Souls by Mitchell Hogan: epic fantasy; first in a series; a orphan raised in a monastery leaves the monks to apprentice with the sorcerers guild; a tale of good vs. evil.

Departure by A. G. Riddle: fantasy, thriller; has been compared to Lost, this novel involves time travel, a mystery, and a plane crash; the movie rights have been bought:

Harper Lane has problems. In a few hours, she'll have to make a decision that will change her life forever. But when her flight from New York to London crash-lands in the English countryside, she discovers that she's made of tougher stuff than she ever imagined.

As Harper and the survivors of Flight 305 struggle to stay alive in the aftermath of the crash, they soon realize that this world is very different from the one they left. Their lives are connected, and some believe they've been brought here for a reason.

In addition to Harper, several other passengers seem to hold clues about why Flight 305 crashed. There's:

Nick Stone, an American on his way to a meeting with The Gibraltar Project, an international group dedicated to building a dam across the Strait of Gibraltar and draining the Mediterranean. . . .

With time running out to save the survivors of Flight 305, Harper and Nick race to unravel the conspiracy that crashed their plane. As they put the pieces together, they discover that their decisions have already doomed one world and will soon determine the future of ours.

Harper Perennial

• Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor: paranormal; based on a popular podcast; think Prairie Home Companion meets Twin Peaks; mysterious happenings in the American southwest.
• Paulina & Fran by Rachel B. Glaser: literary fiction; two women who meet in art school begin a lifelong competitive friendship; sexy, funny, angsty.
• The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo: literary fiction; a down-and-out woman returns to her Oklahoma roots to claim an inheritance; small-town quirkiness, smart, sweet, funny.

The Social Sex by Marilyn Yalom: nonfiction; should be a fascinating look at women's friendships and social trends throughout the ages:

In today's culture, the bonds of female friendship are taken as a given. But only a few centuries ago, the idea of female friendship was completely unacknowledged, even pooh-poohed. Only men, the reasoning went, had the emotional and intellectual depth to develop and sustain these meaningful relationships.

Surveying history, literature, philosophy, religion, and pop culture, acclaimed author and historian Marilyn Yalom and co-author Theresa Donovan Brown demonstrate how women were able to co-opt the public face of friendship throughout the years. Chronicling shifting attitudes toward friendship both female and male from the Bible and the Romans to the Enlightenment to the women's rights movements of the 60s up to Sex and the City and Bridesmaids, they reveal how the concept of female friendship has been inextricably linked to the larger social and cultural movements that have defined human history.

Armed with Yalom and Brown as our guides, we delve into the fascinating historical episodes and trends that illuminate the story of friendship between women: the literary salon as the original book club, the emergence of female professions and the working girl, the phenomenon of gossip, the advent of women's sports, and more.

Harper 360

• It's about Love by Steven Camden: by a spoken-word poet; a first-year college student on the brink of manhood; experimental.
• Art in the Blood by Bonnie MacBird: historical mystery; a new Sherlock Holmes mystery written in the classic style; murder and art theft in Paris

Goddess by Kelly Gardiner: historical fiction; based on the true story of a 17th-century opera singer turned swordswoman turned nun:

A sparkling, witty and compelling novel based on the tragic rise and fall of the beautiful seventeenth century swordswoman and opera singer, Julie d'Aubigny (also known as La Maupin), a woman whose story is too remarkable to be true--and yet it is.

Versailles, 1686: Julie d'Aubigny, a striking young girl taught to fence and fight in the court of the Sun King, is taken as mistress by the King's Master of Horse. tempestuous, swashbuckling and volatile, within two years she has run away with her fencing master, fallen in love with a nun and is hiding from the authorities, sentenced to be burnt at the stake. Within another year, she has become a beloved star at the famed Paris Opera. Her lovers include some of Europe's most powerful men and France's most beautiful women. Yet Julie is destined to die alone in a convent at the age of 33.

Dey Street

• Almost Interesting by David Spade: memoir; not ghost written; the actor recalls his life so far; funny, good, real.

The Way Around by David Good: memoir; the son of an anthropologist and an Amazon tribeswoman reconnects with his mother and struggles with his self-identity:

Rooted in two vastly different cultures, a young man struggles to understand himself, find his place in the world, and reconnect with his mother—and her remote tribe in the deepest jungles of the Amazon rainforest—in this powerful memoir that combines adventure, history, and anthropology. . . .

For much of his young life, David Good was torn between two vastly different worlds. The son of an American anthropologist and a tribeswoman from a distant part of the Amazon, it took him twenty years to embrace his identity, reunite with the mother who left him when he was six, and claim his heritage.

The Way Around is Good’s amazing chronicle of self-discovery. Moving from the wilds of the Amazonian jungle to the paved confines of suburban New Jersey and back, it is the story of his parents, his American scientist-father and his mother who could not fully adapt to the Western lifestyle. Good writes sympathetically about his mother’s abandonment and the deleterious effect it had on his young self; of his rebellious teenage years marked by depression and drinking, and the near-fatal car accident that transformed him and gave him purpose to find a way back to his mother. . . .

Morrow Paperbacks

• Orphan Number Eight by Kim van Alkemade: historical fiction; based on true events; a young girl is sent to a Jewish orphanage and is subjected to medical experiments; later in life she has a chance for revenge--will she take it?
• The Sparrow Sisters by Ellen Herrick: women's fiction; features three sisters, healers, folk lore, a curse, and a witch hunt; think Practical Magic or Witches of East End.

Everything She Forgot by Lisa Ballantyne: psychological thriller; a woman is saved from a car crash by mysterious stranger:

Driving home, Margaret Holloway is rear-ended and trapped in the wreckage of her car. Just as she begins to panic, a stranger pulls her free and disappears. Though she escapes with minor injuries, Margaret feels that something's wrong. Flashbacks to the crash are dredging up lost associations from her childhood. And somehow, Margaret knows that it's got something to do with the man who saved her life. As Margaret uncovers a mystery with chilling implications for her family and her very identity, Everything She Forgot winds through a riveting dual narrative and asks the question: How far would you go to hide the truth-from yourself?

William Morrow

• Carrying Albert Home by Homer Hickam: historical fiction; set in the 1930s, tells the story of a thousand-mile road trip a family takes to return their pet alligator to Florida; madcap, charming.
•  The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan: contemporary fiction; a hospice nurse dividing her time between her primary patient, who is a World War II veteran, and her husband, who has returned from Iraq with post-traumatic stress syndrome

Darkness the Color of Snow by Thomas Cobb: suspense; a routine cop pullover that goes terribly wrong:

. . . [A]n electrifying crime drama and psychological thriller in which a young cop becomes the focal point for a community's grief and rage in the aftermath of a tragic accident.

Out on a rural highway on a cold, icy night, Patrolman Ronny Forbert sits in his cruiser trying to keep warm and make time pass until his shift ends. Then a familiar beater Jeep Cherokee comes speeding over a hill, forcing the rookie cop to chase after it. The driver is his old friend turned nemesis, Matt Laferiere, the rogue son of a man as beaten down as the town itself.

Within minutes, what begins as a clear-cut arrest for drunk driving spirals out of control into a heated argument between two young men with a troubled past and ends in a fatal hit and run on an icy stretch of blacktop.

As the news spreads around town, Police Chief Gordy Hawkins remains certain that Ronny Forbert followed the rules, at least most of them, and he's willing to stand by the young cop. But a few manipulative people in town see opportunity in the tragedy. As uneasy relationships, dark secrets, and old grievances reveal themselves, the people of this small, tightly woven community decide that a crime must have been committed, and someone--Officer Ronny Forbert--must pay a price, a choice that will hold devastating consequences for them all.

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6 Books for Music Lovers: Reading on Topic

You don't have to have to know how to play an instrument nor do you have to be able to carry a tune to enjoy and appreciate music. I know, because my musical abilities are pretty slim, yet music has been a big part of my life, as I'm sure it has been for you.

Today's Reading on Topic: Music takes us from pop to punk to rock n roll. We learn about the music business through fiction, memoir, biography, and sociology. There are books for teens and for adults. Crank up your speakers, loosen your vocal cords, and get ready to rock out.

The Sound Truth

• Rick Bragg conducted a number of interviews over two years to collect the foundational material for Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story (Harper, 2014, ISBN: 9780062078223). Lewis's story is more than a rags to riches to rags story of a rock star who indulged in life with abandon. Lewis was there at the start of rock and roll and saw it through to the next century, surviving despite his fall from grace, his many divorces, the death of children, too many drugs, and several car crashes. Bragg gives us insight into both an era and one of rock's greats.
• In Girl in a Band (Dey Street, 2015, ISBN: 9780062295897), Kim Gordon reflects on her life in New York during the 1980s and 1990s and her journey from childhood through art, music, and fame to marriage, motherhood, and divorce. This well-written memoir (illustrated by many photos) features Gordon's years with Sonic Youth and includes stories of other musicians, but it is also a tale of feminism and the music industry. After reading this, you'll understand why Gordon has become a role model for younger generations.
• Ben Yagoda's The B-Side (Riverhead, 2015, ISBN: 9781594488498) is based on meticulous research and dozens of interviews with twentieth-century songwriters and examines, as the subtitle says, "The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great American Song." This very accessible study looks at music trends and how business, technology, media, and socioeconomic factors affect the making of pop music and the careers of songwriters from all genres. Music lovers shouldn't miss this easy-to-read take on the popular American music scene.

Musical Stories

• Driftwood (Skyhorse, 2014, ISBN: 9781629144993) by Elizabeth Dutton is about twenty-seven-year-old Clem Jasper, daughter of a famous rock musician who dies unexpectedly, leaving her a series of letters as part of her inheritance. The notes, which contain clues to her father's past and hint at secrets he was unable to reveal in person, lead Clem on an epic road trip through her native California. The novel addresses, grief, self-discovery, family, and the power of music.
• Ravi Howard's Driving the King (Harper, 2015, ISBN: 9780060529611) is a fictional account of the famous singer Nat King Cole's relationship with his childhood friend and driver, Nat Weary. The story, set in the postwar years, is told through Weary's eyes and spotlights issues of race, class, and the entertainment industry. Although the novel takes liberties with the facts of Cole's life, Howard accurately evokes the issues faced by southern black musicians in the mid-twentieth century.
• Written by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Cynthia Weil, I'm Glad I Did (Soho Teen, 2015, ISBN: 9781616953560) is set in 1963 Manhattan. Despite her parents' disapproval, sixteen-year-old JJ Green applies for and wins an internship with a Brill Building music publisher. Armed with talent and enthusiasm, JJ enters the dark, competitive world of the music industry. This young adult novel shows the unromantic side of the business, as JJ witnesses stiff competition, racism, and questionable ethics. Drawing on her own experiences, Weil paints a vivid picture of the underbelly of the music scene at the dawn of a new age.

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Weekend Cooking: My Drunk Kitchen with Hannah Hart

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

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Do you know Hannah Hart? Even if you don't know her name, the chances are good that you've heard about her My Drunk Kitchen YouTube videos, which started out as way for Hart to connect with a few friends and ended up being watched by a gazillion followers.

After about three years of videos, Hart's recipes, tips, and philosophy have been collected into book form. My Drunk Kitchen is full of good fun, adult humor, recipes of a sort, and lots of drinks.

Here's a warning, though: If you're looking for an actual cookbook with step-by-step instructions, timing, and oven temperatures, you might be a wee bit disappointed. On the other hand, if you put your pretensions aside, pour yourself a great big drink, look in your cupboards, and get crazily creative, you'll end up with a smile, even if you haven't managed to make dinner.

Hart's quirky sense of humor and playful outlook are evident throughout the book. And the designers have done her text and Robin Roemer's photos justice by using bright colors, slanted text, eye-catching fonts, and cute graphics.

Frankly, I don't know what else to say. You'll like Hannah Hart's humor or you won't. I don't love every episode, but I admire her generally upbeat attitude. The book was fun to read and would make a great gift for Hart's fans. The most important thing to remember is that My Drunk Kitchen is comedy, not a usable cookbook.

Here's a sample video, which gives you an idea of what Hannah Hart is all about. This episode appears in the book as the chapter titled "Things in a Blanket." Note that this video is not for family viewing. (Check out Thursdays: My Drunk Kitchen for all 95 videos.)

HarperCollins / Dey Street, 2014
ISBN-13: 9780062293039
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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