10 Favorite Biographies and Memoirs for Book Clubs

book clubTen favorite biographies and memoir suggestions for your book club to read and discuss:

  1. Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander
  2. Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl
  3. Born to Run: a hidden tribe, super athletes, and the greatest race the world has ever seen by Christopher McDougall
  4. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by Mindy Kaling
  5. Tiny Beautiful Things: advice on love and life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
  6. Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
  7. Kitchen Confidential: adventures in the culinary underbellyby Anthony Bourdain
  8. Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: the lost legacy of Highclere Castleby Countess Fiona Carnarvon
  9. Where Men Win Glory : the odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer
  10. Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder

Summer Left Behind- Top 20 Books Left Behind in Hotel Rooms

summerIt’s the last day of summer, your vacation’s  just a memory.  But did you leave something behind in your hotel room?

Travelodge has released its list of the top 20 books left behind in their rooms.

  1. Fifty Shades Freed by EL James
  2. Bared to You by Sylvia Day
  3. The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst
  4. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  5. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
  6. Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James
  7. Reflected in You by Sylvia Day
  8. My Time by Bradley Wiggins
  9. Entwined with You by Sylvia Day
  10. Fifty Shades Darker by EL James
  11. Cheryl: My Story by Cheryl COle
  12. The Marriage Trap by Jennifer Probast
  13. Camp David by David Walliams
  14. The Midwife by Jennifer Worth
  15. Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson
  16. The Marriage Mistake by Jennifer Probst
  17. The Racketeer by John Grisham
  18. The Carrier by Sophie Hannah
  19. Oh Dear Silvia by Dawn French
  20. The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald

A total of 22,648 books were left behind – 1,209 were Fifty Shades Freed!  No surprise that many of the top 20 are sizzling romance novels!

Mystery/Thrillers Coming This Fall

book leavesThe days are getting shorter, nights longer.  Soon you’ll be looking for that perfect book to curl up with.  Here are some great mystery/thrillers to look forward to this fall.

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King – Stephen King returns to the character and territory of one of his most popular novels ever, The Shining, in this instantly riveting novel about the now middle-aged Dan Torrance and the very special twelve-year-old girl he must save from a tribe of murderous paranormals.

Sycamore Row by John Grisham – John Grisham’s A Time to Kill is one of the most popular novels of our time. Now we return to that famous courthouse in Clanton as Jake Brigance once again finds himself embroiled in a fiercely controversial trial-a trial that will expose old racial tensions and force Ford County to confront its tortured history.

The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly – Defense attorney Mickey Haller returns with a haunting case in the gripping new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly.

The Spook Lights Affair by Marcia Muller – Fans of Marcia’s Muller’s bestselling Sharon McCone novels and Bill Pronzini’s Nameless Detective series will applaud The Spook Lights Affair and future exploits from the annals of Carpenter and Quincannon, Professional Detective Services.

The Death Trade by Jack Higgins – The master of suspense returns with a cutting-edge tale that pits his heroes Sean Dillon and Sara Gideon against the nuclear ambitions of Iran.

Ask Not by Max Allan Collins – Fifty years after JFK’s tragic death, Collins’s rigorous research for Ask Not raises new questions about the most controversial assassination of our time.

Accused by Lisa Scottolini – New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–winning author Lisa Scottoline revolutionized crime fiction when she introduced her all-female law firm of Rosato & Associates, thrilling readers with her twisty, fast-paced plots and capturing their hearts with her cast of strong and relatable female characters. Now Bennie Rosato, Mary DiNunzio, Judy Carrier, and Anne Murphy are back with all cylinders firing in Accused.

Critical Mass by Sara Paretsky – New York Times-bestselling author Sara Paretsky’s brilliant protagonist V.I. Warshawski returns in another hard-hitting entry, combining razor-sharp plotting and compelling characters with a heady mix of timely political and social themes.

Other titles debuting this fall:  W Is For Wasted by Sue Grafton, Innocence by Dean Koontz, Hazardous Duty by W.E.B. Griffin, Police by Jo Nesbo, Going Dark by James W. Hall, The Mayan Secrets by Clive Cussler, Never Go Back by Lee Child, Second Watch by J.A. Jance. The October List by Jeffery Deaver, White Fire by Lincoln Child, Tatiana by Martin Cruz Smith, Silencing Eve by Iris Johansen

Linda Reads: Some Like It Hot by Susan Andersen

New York Times, USAToday and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author Susan Andersen’s newest book, Some Like It Hot, is a heart- warming romance and the second title in her Razor Bay series.

Harper Summerville has taken over for her beloved late father as the investigator of needy non-profit organizations to see if they meet the guidelines of her family’s philanthropic foundation.  Like her father, she loves the vagabond lifestyle, but her mother wants her to settle somewhere permanent.  Her latest job leads her to Razor Bay, Washington where she works undercover at the local resort so she can evaluate the Cedar Village home for troubled boys.  She is an energetic, fun loving, and independent woman.  Even though Harper is uncharacteristically attracted to the town of Razor Bay, she has every intention of leaving as soon as her evaluation of Cedar Village is done.

Max Bradshaw recently returned to Razor Bay after serving as a Marine and works for the local sheriff’s office.  He’s a pretty reserved and quiet guy who is trying to overcome some demons from his childhood.  His emotional baggage from his childhood makes him the perfect volunteer at Cedar Village.  He’s determined to make a new, permanent life in Razor Bay.

There are sparks when Max and Harper first meet, but they are both determined not to give in to any attraction they have because they have entirely different goals in life.  But sometimes, the heart just doesn’t want to listen to the brain!  Their relationship bounces from highs to lows and bottoms out when Max finds out why Harper is really in Razor Bay.

This is a wonderful story, with relatable characters and sensual romance.  It blends family, friends and romance into an intriguing and believable story that takes place in a beautiful setting.

On Our Shelves: New Paperbacks

New paperbacks to suit a variety of tastes.

Big Sky Wedding (Parable, Montana) by Linda Lael Miller – Wedding bells are ringing in Parable, Montana, but Brylee Parrish hasn’t enjoyed the sound since being jilted at the altar by Hutch Carmody. She’s over Hutch now, and running a multimillion-dollar business is challenging enough for this country gal. So she should avoid falling head over boot heels for A-list actor Zane Sutton.

Gentle On My Mind (Caribou Crossings Series) by Susan Fox – Brooke Kincaid knows second chances don’t come cheap. She’s spent five years repairing past mistakes and making her life in Caribou Crossing steady and predictable. But now a stranger’s Harley has shattered her fence and her peace of mind in one swoop.

Against The Mark (The Against Series) by Kat Martin – A young woman’s quest to find the murderer of her estranged father and the private investigator who helps her.

Love Overdue by Pamela Morsi – Buttoned-up book lover DJ is all sensible shoes, drab skirts and studious glasses. After an ill-advised spring-break-fueled fling left her mortified, she’s committed to her prim and proper look. When she’s hired by a rural library in middle-of-nowhere Kansas, she finally has the lifestyle to match—and she can’t wait to get her admin on.

The Hero (A Thunder Point Novel) by Robyn Carr – In a moment of desperation, Devon McAllister took her daughter and fled a place where they should have been safe and secure. She has no idea what is around the next bend, but she is pretty certain it can’t be worse than what they’ve left behind. Her plan is to escape to somewhere she can be invisible. Instead, an unexpected offer of assistance leads her to Thunder Point, a tiny Oregon town with a willingness to help someone in need.

For The Love of Magic (Spellbound Falls Series) by Janet Chapman – After forty years of marriage, Rana Oceanus has done the unthinkable and run away from her mighty, magical husband. Not that she ran very far, having purchased a house in Spellbound Falls right on the shore of the Bottomless Sea, where she intends to prepare for the scariest battle of her life. The only flaw in her plan, however, is that she is still very much in love with Titus…

The Knight’s Temptress by Amanda Scott – Sir Ian Colquhoun has never feared danger. So when Lady Lachina MacFarlan is captured by a ruthless enemy, mounting a daring rescue seems only natural for the courageous knight.

Realm of Shadows (The Alliance Vampires) by Heather Graham – Tara Mason wants more than tourist sights out of her trip to the city of dreams, something strange and off the beaten path. But is it her own curiosity that draws her to an ancient cemetery on the outskirts of Paris? Or is she lured by a dark, immortal force she is powerless to resist?

 Clammed Up (A Maine Clambake Mystery) by Barbara Ross – Summer has come to Busman’s Harbor, Maine, and tourists are lining up for a taste of authentic New England seafood, courtesy of the Snowden Family Clambake Company. But there’s something sinister on the boil this season.

Love Inspired selections:  The Boss’s Bride by Brenda Minton, The Doctor’s Family Reunion by Mindy Obesnhaus, A Father’s Promise by Carolyne Aarsen.