Titles to Know and Recommend, Week of January 23, 2017
Among the peer picks coming next week is the number one LibraryReads title for January, considered this season’s heir to the “Girl” mantle and showing strong holds, The Girl Before, JP Delaney (see below).
The titles highlighted in this column, and several other notable titles arriving next week, are listed with ordering information and alternate formats, on our downloadable spreadsheet, EarlyWord New Title Radar, Week of Jan, 23, 2017
Media Attention
Reality Is Not What It Seems (PRH/Riverhead Books; BOT/Penguin Audio; OverDive Sample)
Follows Italian theoretical physicist’s Carlo Rovelli’s surprise best seller, Seven Brief Lessons on Physics. A profile in this week’s New York magazine says this one is a “more expansive book on physics from the ancient Greeks to contemporary quantum mechanics … with its warm, enthusiastic language and tone, the book is also deeply humanistic in approach.” He is scheduled to appear today on NPR’s Science Friday.
Why Time Flies: A Mostly Scientific Investigation, Alan Burdock, (Simon & Schuster; S&S Audio; OverDrive Audio Sample)
Continuing the science theme, this book on the science of time has been excerpted in the New Yorker. The author is set for an interview on NPR’s All Things Considered tonight.
The Fourth Way: The Conservative Playbook for a Lasting GOP Majority, Hugh Hewitt, (Simon & Schuster; OverDive Sample)
The conservative talk show host, whose book was just reviewed in the Washington Post, under the headline, “A conservative’s plan for Trump to win, win, win — or at least avoid impeachment,” is scheduled for several talk shows:
• NBC Meet the Press, Jan. 22
• MSNBC Morning Joe, and Steve Kornacki, Jan. 23
• Fox-TV Hannity, Jan. 23
• CBS Face the Nation, Jan. 29
Peer Picks
Two LibraryReads titles come out this week, including the #1 pick for January:
The Girl Before, JP Delaney (PRH/Ballantine; RH Audio/BOT; OverDrive Sample)
“A page turner that is sure to be a hit. Each chapter alternates between two time periods. Back “then,” there is Emma, looking for the perfect flat. Her agent suggests One Folgate Street, built by architect Edward Monkford. In present day, Jane, a single thirty-something also ends up on Folgate Street. Both women learn the sinister history of the property and readers won’t know who to trust as Delaney’s debut clutches you by the throat and won’t let you go.” — Kara Kohn, Plainfield Public Library District, Plainfield, IL
Additional Buzz: Holds are strong for this one. The Washington Post included it in a piece entitled “What Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train have wrought,” writing “Already optioned for a film by Ron Howard, [it] is deservedly the anointed “top girl” of this season’s suspense novels.” InStyle picks it as one of “The 8 Books We’re Most Excited for in 2017” and Bustle includes it on their list of “17 Of The Most Anticipated Thriller Novels Of 2017.” It also impressed our GalleyChatters and is an Indie Next selection for February.
The Fifth Petal, Brunonia Barry (PRH/Crown; RH Audio/BOT; OverDrive Sample)
“Barry takes her readers back to Salem with a mesmerizing tale filled with familiar characters from her previous works and new ones as well. Towner Whitney and John Rafferty come to the aid of Callie Cahill as they attempt to piece together the circumstances surrounding the brutal murder of her mother while trying to keep herself from becoming a victim as well. This is a beautifully written story, full of twists and turns. Fans of The Lace Reader will love The Fifth Petal, though the book stands on its own and can be recommended to all readers.” — Marianne Colton, Lockport Public Library, Lockport, NY
Additional Buzz: It is an Indie Next selection for February.
Two more Indie Next titles debut this week:
Rise: How a House Built a Family: How a House Built a Family, Cara Brookins (Macmillan/St. Martin’s Press; Macmillan Audio; OverDrive Sample)
“It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book with such a strong female character—and it’s not fiction! Cara Brookins has survived three bad marriages. After the abusive third marriage dissolves, Brookins resolves not to be scared anymore and decides with steadfast determination to take charge of her family. She takes her kids on a road trip to a cabin in the Ozarks, where they begin to dream about having a new house that represents their new life. Though it’s hard for them not to be scared at every turn, their recovery and growth parallels the structure of their home. As they build, they tear down emotional walls. I kept looking at the photo of that amazing house on the back of the book with wonder that she was able to do this on her own. What an amazingly strong woman! I loved this book.” —Marya Johnston, Out West Books, Grand Junction, CO
Additional Buzz: CNN, and a large number of local stations, have featured stories on the house-building project. The Huffington Post ran a story, pointing out Brookins learned to build by watching YouTube videos. So did USA Today. The story is featured in CountryLiving and Refinery29.
Perfect Little World, Kevin Wilson (HC/Ecco; HarperLuxe; HarperAudio; OverDrive Sample)
“Izzy Poole is 18, pregnant with her erratic art teacher’s baby, and without any family or money to help her raise her child. Dr. Preston Grind is tragically widowered and estranged from his parents, who raised him using unconventional and unhealthy methods in the name of science. Dr. Grind invites Izzy and nine other couples also expecting their first child to join the Infinite Family Project, an experiment in communal parenting and an attempt to rebuild Dr. Grind’s broken family. This is a fascinating and touching exploration of what makes or breaks a family.” —Marisa Langlois, Northshire Bookstore, Saratoga Springs, NY
Additional Buzz: It is on The Millions Most Anticipated List and GQ includes it on their “These Are the Books You Should Read in January” list, writing it is “persistently compassionate” and “Wilson’s crisp language and smart plotting make Perfect Little World immensely likable and absolutely enjoyable.”
Tie-ins
There are no tie-ins this week. For our full list of upcoming adaptations, download our Books to Movies and TV and link to our listing of tie-ins.