Wednesday, June 23, 2010

May and June 2010 Releases

All good things must come to an end. Fortunately for Enola fans around the globe, some good things, at least, manage to end quite well. Enola's relationship with her famous brothers Sherlock and Mycroft is finally resolved in Enola's final adventure, in a most unlikely context at that--including gypsies, a peculiar coded message from Mum, tracking dogs, quantities of mud, midnight, cutthroats, and, of course, the daring rescue of a lovely and helpless missing lady.

“In this concluding book in the series, Enola, true to her previous adventures, uncovers multiple social injustices lurking beneath the pomp of Victorian England....Enola, the quintessential spunky heroine, navigates the historical setting with the pluck of Nancy Drew but within the constraints of her upbringing....Springer takes time with her conclusion, letting this final series installment play out well and wrap up loose ends.” --Horn Book Review

Philomel May 2010

Driving side-by-side with her son on the way to a week-long family vacation, Laura Lucas watches helplessly from the adjoining highway lane as her son Whit is killed in an accident. Three months later she remains paralyzed with a grief that strains her marriage and family. Trouble brews when Elliot Hatcher moves in next door. Twenty-eight-years-old, engaging and outgoing, Elliot draws Laura out of her despondency with his cavalier grace and joie de vivre. Does her affection for this boy-child arise out of her need to fill the void left by lost son? Or is it something else entirely . . . something transgressive, dangerous—and yet alluring all the same?

Secrets, betrayal, and the cold, hard brutality of chance collide in this captivating exploration by an award-winning, developing talent.

Pegasus May 2010

New York Times Bestselling author Phillip Margolin's SUPREME JUSTICE opens with a bang during an attempted one-man mutiny on Captain John Finley's The China Sea, a vessel packed with the kind of lucrative goods that criminals would kill for. Finley is the sole member of his crew to survive the attack, and he escapes with contraband in tow. Too bad he doesn't notice the car trailing him as he flees the scene of the crime.

This high-octane opening by the New York Times bestselling author of FUGITIVE (“a plot set on full boil”--Publisher's Weekly) and EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE (“.38 special hot”--USA Today) becomes linked with a controversy that envelopes the US Supreme Court. The Court is split over a case weighing the validity of the protection of state secrets against the rights of a convicted citizen on death row. Amidst the failed assassination of a Supreme Court Justice and the blackmailing of the president that results in a corrupt judge's entrance into the case, law clerk Brad Miller must navigate the cross-hairs of a conspiracy of murder and drug smuggling.

Harper May 2010

Stalking your ex. Meeting your new in-laws. Dancing like a fool at your high school reunion. Procreating. Chances are, you will find yourself taking on at least one of these regrettable activities during a long life of unwise choices. And the situation will undoubtedly call for a cocktail – but which one?

Other books may teach you how to mix drinks, but How to Booze goes one step further, serving up the one perfect cocktail for every situation that might arise in your life (and a few that hopefully won't). With nearly 100 classic, easy-to-make recipes, How to Booze offers clear instruction on how to mix a masterful drink with a minimal amount of fuss -- and plenty of insight into managing your life, too.

“This book’s gimmick—half bartender’s guide, half advice column—is a good one, and reading it is like getting a talking-to from a bartender who’s seen it all...[Kaye and Altier] keep the patter snappy...with entertaining entries for such unique crises as “Drowning Out the Ticking of Your Biological Clock” and “Realizing Your Child Is a Fucking Idiot”....The drinks advice is remarkably good, from empowering explanations of cocktail fundamentals to variations on classics that are well worth trying.” —Booklist

Harper May 2010

To some she was the ruthless queen who led France into an era of savage violence. To others she was the passionate savior of the French monarchy. In this brilliantly imagined novel, C.W. Gortner brings Catherine to life in her own voice, allowing us to enter the intimate world of a woman whose determination to protect her family's throne and realm plunged her into a lethal struggle for power. From the fairy-tale chateau in the Loire Valley to the battlefields of religious wars to the mob-filled streets of Paris, THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI is the extraordinary, untold journey of one of the most maligned and misunderstood women ever to be queen.

Remarkably thoughtful in its insight into an unapologetically ruthless Queen.” --Publishers Weekly

Meticulously researched . . . vivid.” –Library Journal

Ballantine May 2010

Set in the small town of Hartfield NY, Tedrowe's debut depicts the shock waves set into motion by the marriage of one middle-class family's 78 year-old-matriarch to a wealthy, 81-year-old outsider. Winnie Easton has finally found love with Jerry Trevis, but their decision to buy one of the town's biggest homes ignites an outburst from Jerry's family, grounded in facts about Jerry that Winnie has yet to discover. With so much riding on Jerry's money, Jerry's rapid physical decline forces hard decisions within the family, as well as renewed loyalties, and surprising alliances.

Reminiscent of Jonathan Franzen's THE CORRECTIONS, but with dash of feminine perspective, Emily Tedrowe's debut novel is a powerful, heartbreakingly funny drama about the powerful, combustible forces of love and money, how the intersection of both can pull a family together--or threaten to take it all down.

“Tedrowe...shows great promise in her compassionate, nuanced depiction of love--among the old and young alike--and her confident handling of alternating, multigenerational narrators.” --Publisher's Weekly

“In her wonderfully cohesive debut novel, short-story writer Tedrowe graduates to elegant novelist with a winding, convincing familial drama about the ties that bind and the bonds that bend to the breaking point...A lovely and literate family drama that wins bonus points for its sincerity and open-hearted delivery.” --Kirkus

Harper Perennial June 2010

Freshly back from a weekend in Paris with her beau Sage, Quinn becomes engaged, with the flashy diamond solitaire to prove it. The proposal was everything she'd ever hoped forso why does that fast-approaching wedding ceremony feel more to her like a sentence than a cause for celebration? Maybe it has something to do with the wild side she never could manage to shake, the way she can still put down drinks “like a college girl.” Or is it the buried grief over her father's untimely demise?

Whatever it is, she better figure it out fast. As Quinn wobbles uncertainly through the months leading to The Big Day, she comes into contact with universal truths about self-acceptance, grief, and loss, finally reaching an understanding of love, commitment, and the imperfections of life.

“First-novelist Rowley creates credible characters and situations with sharp dialogue and apt descriptions, and wisely lets a personal perspective embody the story of a national disaster.” —Booklist

Avon June 2010

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Upcoming April 2010 Releases


















In the tradition of PERFECT MADNESS and THE FEMININE MISTAKE, Laurel Kennedy's THE DAUGHTER TRAP is the first book to identify a hot-button issue that directly affects 39.2 per cent of Boomer women: No matter how many husbands and siblings factor into the equation, it's almost always the daughter who gets handed the parental role in taking care of aging parents. And women (who are caught between the competing demands of frail parents, a working spouse, school-aged kids and a full-time career) are being taxed to their physical and emotional limits.

St. Martin's Press April 2010


















Hailed as the saviors of democracy, vilified as a scourge on the native biota everywhere they have been introduced, rainbow trout are the repository of more than a century of American's shifting relations with the natural world. Through a series of fascinating characters, this book will chronicle the discovery of rainbow trout, their introduction to every state in the country and every continent except Antarctica, and the reasons that, even while they are being eradicated in some waters, they are still the most commonly stocked fish in the United States.

"With prose as engaging as it is thoughtful, Halverson has crafted a cautionary tale of ecological trial and error, documenting our tardy but increasing understanding of biological interdependence and its immeasurable value.”--Washington Post

Yale University Press April 2010


















Reaching a milestone of 400 million active users, Facebook, the Web’s dominant social ecosystem and an essential personal and business networking tool in the wired world, continues to grow at a record-breaking pace. What comes of these millions of connections? Stories.

A modern-day CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL from a seasoned lifestyle writer with extensive experience writing people profile articles, FACEBOOK FAIRYTALES is a collection of roughly twenty-five of the most inspiring stories that have resulted from these “kismet connections,” and includes material from an exclusive interview with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

"What does the world look like when a billion people are using social networks and they can share even more than they're able to today? A lot more things will be possible . . ." --Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO, from the Introduction of FACEBOOK FAIRYTALES

Skyhorse April 2010


















New York Times Book Review Editors' Pick!!

"Very, very good . . . page after page [of] unrelenting truth ... When asked if Night Navigation is based on her own life, Ms. Howard replied, '... the core of the story springs from real events in my own family's life . . . Like Del Merrick, the mother in Night Navigation, I have received many calls in the night, driven many miles on snowy roads to support meetings: Al-Anon, where I've been encouraged to “let-go,” and to National Alliance on Mental Illness groups, where I've been advised to “hang on.” . . . So smooth a telling of a rough ride that you'd think it was the author's fourth, fifth or sixth book, not her first . . . A major accomplishment. Ginnah Howard is a writer to watch.” --Washington Times

"The strength of this story pulls Howard's readers along, unable to turn away from a fierce mother and son who are determined to negotiate the future without having to 'detour around every moment of their past." --New York Times Book Review


Mariner paperback April 2010


















Edgy and disarming, Springer's newest is tale of Jessie, a young teenager who has recently lost her older brother Jason, the apple of her mother's eye. Her mother, paralyzed by grief, has been neglecting Jessie. Struck with an unusual idea, Jessie decides to dress up just like Jason in an attempt to pull her mother out of the shocked stupor of her loss. The plan works wonders.

But trouble brews when Jessie continues on to school still dressed as her brother, and is confronted by her friends, teachers, and the administration. Things take a turn for the worse when Jessie, visiting Jason's grave, is seized by--something as her novel plan begins to spiral dangerously out of control...


Holiday House April 2010


















Think A DANGEROUS BOOK FOR YOUNG WRITERS!

Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter have received thousands of fan letters. They majority of them have asked the same question: How do you write?

Ao Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter being the industrious, intrepid, and experienced writers that they are--Anne is the uathor of over forty books for young readers, Ellen is the author of SLOB, PISH POSH, and the Olivia Kidney series--decided to coauthor a lively and upbeat book about that very topic. Eschewing strict and boring writing rules, Anne and Ellen talk about their own approaches to writing and guide young readers to find what works best for them.

"Agreeable, practical, and commonsensical . . . engaging and always appealing” --Booklist

"Cogent and invaluable." --Publishers Weekly


Roaring Brook Press April 2010


















Raised by her loving father, Hallie has been told all her life that her mother died tragically during Hallie's infancy. What happened to her family thirty years ago that lead her father to steal her away and hide the truth past even his own demise?

Searching for answers, Hallie travels to the remote island where her mother lived, where she quickly realizes her family's dark secrets are enmeshed in the history of this strange community. Maybe it's just the eerie atmosphere, but Hallie can't shake the feeling that strange things are about to happen . . .

"An engaging modern gothic tale with a strong female protagonist and well-done suspense. Fans of Mary Higgins Clark and Barbara Michaels and readers who like supernatural elements in their fiction will enjoy this debut.” --Library Journal

Holt April 2010

Monday, February 8, 2010

First Review for Webb's TALE OF HALCYON CRANE!!!

Waiting for that very first review from the press must be stressful, especially for a debut novelist like Wendy Webb.

But if this
Library Journal review, the first for the upcoming HALCYON CRANE, is any indication of what's to come, Wendy's got nothing to fear (expect maybe that creepy girl from Holt's spectacular cover art, or the many chills 'n thrills from Wendy's imagination lying in wait within the book's covers . . .)


















An engaging modern gothic tale with a strong female protagonist and well-done suspense. Fans of Mary Higgins Clark and Barbara Michaels and readers who like supernatural elements in their fiction will enjoy this debut.”—Library Journal

THE TALE OF HALCYON CRANE has it all . . a complex, atmospheric tale that will remind you of why you first loved reading.” --Patry Francis, author of THE LIAR'S DIARY

The perfect cozy read.”—Mary Sharratt, author of The Vanishing Point and Daughters of the Witching Hill

Holt April 2010

Monday, January 25, 2010

Upcoming February and March 2010 Releases


















What are the Four Rs? Reading 'riting, 'rithmetic, and Rufus, of course!
Rufus is back, with even more of his puppy friends. Spend a day in school with the clever canine as they read, write, count, and sing--and make mischief in the library.

Charlesbridge, February 2010


















There's nothing ten-year-old Lily Sinclair likes about her new life in the city with her single mom. She misses her best friend, who seems to have forgotten her and their secret place, Willowood. She almost never sees her hard-working mom, can't get her to tell Lily anything about her absent father. Her only source of comfort is her beloved pet gecko, Weemis. Everything changes when Mrs. Hiller introduces Lily to the owner of the Pet Palace, a nearby pet store, and his adult Down's syndrome son, Nate. Lily finds herself with an unofficial after school job--and forges a tentative friendship with Nate that's threatened by a dark secret about Nate that Lily has yet to discover.

Aladdin (Simon & Schuster), March 2010












THE LANGUAGE OF SECRETS is a psychological mystery with emotional under-pinnings that will have you puzzled and intrigued right up to the moment Dixon’s sleight-of-hand is revealed.”Sue Grafton

"A lovely, compelling debut novel. Aptly titled, THE LANGUAGE OF SECRETS explores the ramifications of loss, the aftermath of tragedy, and the sometimes terrible cost a child can pay for a parent's guilt." --Kristin Hannah, New York Times-Bestselling author of Firefly Lane


DoubleDay, March 2010

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

CASE OF THE CRYPTIC CRINOLINE nominated for Edgar Award!!

Nancy Springer is no stranger to the Edgar Award, having won in the Best Juvenile category not once, but twice--for LOOKING FOR JAMIE BRIDGER in 1994 and for TOUGHING IT in 1996.

But two things make her current nomination for 2009 Edgar Award THE CASE OF THE CRYPTIC CRINOLINE extra-special: this is the second time that Springer's critically-acclaimed Enola Holmes series, starring the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes, has been nominated for the award; the first title in the series, THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS, was also up for the award in 2006.

Secondly, the double nomination for the series (could it be Springer's third win?) will likely to provide a nice boost to the concluding chapter in the Enola Holmes saga: CASE OF THE GYPSY GOODBYE, coming May 2010!


















Philomel May 2010

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

New Booklist Reviews, December and January Realeases

The December 15th edition of Booklist has positive words for the second titles from both Lesley Livingston (WONDROUS STRANGE) and Jillian Cantor (SEPTEMBER SISTERS).

After the "action-packed" DARKLIGHT, the sequel to Livingston's WONDROUS STRANGE, coming next week from Harper Teen, Booklist has no doubt that "readers will anxiously await the concluding volume."

DARKLIGHT, Harper Teen December 2009



As for Cantor's LIFE OF GLASS, coming January 2010 from Harper Teen, Booklist states that the talented Cantor succeeds in painting "a gentle portrait of a girl growing through her grief."

LIFE OF GLASS, Harper Teen January 2009