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Showing posts with label Jodi Picoult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jodi Picoult. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Top Ten Tuesday: Thirteen Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026
It doesn't seem to matter how many hundreds of unread books are loading down my bookshelves, my head still swivels when I see a shiny, new release! I haunt NetGalley and Edelweiss, always on the lookout for my next great read. If you are like me, then today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is one you've been looking forward to as well: Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026. (As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.) Thanks to the websites mentioned above and generous publicists sending me physical ARCs, I've actually already read a lot of my most anticipated new releases for July-December, including:
Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox (July 7) - ***1/2
Our Marriage is Murder by Carol Goodman (July 21) - ****
How to Kill a Crime Writer by Sarah Lotz (July 21) - ****
The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen (August 4) - ***
Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty (August 4) - ***1/2
The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society by Lindsay Currie (September 15) - ***1/2
A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard (September 22) - ****
The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson (September 29) - *** 1/2
Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong (October 6) - ****
The ones I have not been able to get my hot little hands on yet are on my list today. And because I really can't resist them, I have thirteen new releases instead of ten. #TheStruggleIsReal
Top Ten Thirteen Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026
- in order of release date -
1. Everything She Didn't Say by Jane Casey (July 16)—In this standalone mystery/thriller, two friends are enjoying a month-long holiday on the Irish coast. One morning, Ruth wakes up, covered in someone else's blood. Maura is nowhere to be seen. Ruth becomes the number one suspect in her friend's murder, but she's also the only witness. What happened to Maura? Does Ruth know more than she's telling?
2. The Unknown by Riley Sager (August 4)—Actress Marin Keane is stunned when she secures a role in what promises to be a blockbuster movie. The gig requires a month of research on location at New Avalon, Vermont, where five women mysteriously disappeared 100 years ago. As Marin and her castmates settle in on the island, they notice weird noises and strange symbols that seem to confirm rumors that something supernatural took the missing women. When the island's occupants are stranded there, things get even more sinister. What is happening on New Avalon? Is someone trying to sabotage the movie or is something even more nefarious at work?
3. A Thousand Little Goodbyes by Lucy Gilmore (August 11)—Gilmore's newest is receiving mixed reviews, but I'll still give it a go. It's about two lifelong friends who decide to finally take the road trip they've been planning for forever. As the journey goes on, it becomes apparent that it's about more than having fun—it's about saying goodbye.
4. My Killer Family Reunion by Dinesh Thiru (August 11)—Jayshree Devi's family reunions are never without drama. She's still shocked, though, when her wealthy Grand Mom has an accident that looks suspiciously like something much more sinister. With the help of her irritating cousins and their hot friend, Jay launches an investigation, one that will unearth long-buried family secrets on the way to finding out who was behind her grandmother's "accident."
5. My Sister is Going to Kill Me by Nina Simon (August 18)—For this year's sisters trip, Liv and Mandy Chisolm have booked a rafting excursion through the Grand Canyon. Although they will be traveling with a group of strangers, they're looking forward to bonding with each other while enjoying an incredible adventure. The two get more than they bargained for when one of their number is found dead and another body is discovered in the water. Trapped on a raging river with a killer and a bunch of people they don't know, all of whom seem to be hiding dangerous secrets, Liv and Mandy have to unmask a murderer before it's too late for all of them.
6. Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty (August 25)—The much-anticipated sequel to Moriarty's well-loved Big Little Lies, this novel is set ten years after the events of the previous book. The moms are back and all of them are dealing with their own challenges and troubles. When the principal of the high school their children attend receives a severed human finger in the mail and a strange man is spotted lurking around campus, the parents are up-in-arms. Confronting this new problem will mean facing secrets from the past, secrets they hoped their children would never have to know. But now? The stakes are too high to keep hiding...
7. Find Me by Holly Craig (August 25)—Two years ago, Pete went missing in the Tasmanian wilderness after visiting a mysterious commune whose members enact rituals to appease a malevolent presence they say dwells in the mountains. From her deathbed, Pete's mother begged his estranged sisters to work together to find their brother. This is easier said than done as they navigate the mountain, the issues between them, and another perplexing disappearance.
8. The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon (September 8)—Inspired by a real Irish sea captain, this historical novel tells the story of Grace O'Malley, the proper daughter of an Irish clan chief who defied all the odds and became a famous pirate.
9. Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult (September 15)—After her mother died in the 9/11 tragedy, Molly Fitzgerald developed a fear of disasters. Now the director of the Rhode Island Department for Emergency Preparedness, she channels her anxiety into saving others in crisis situations. When an unexpected crisis descends on Molly and her husband, their lives turn upside down. Can she save herself from disintegrating under the pressure of her own disaster?
10. We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman (September 15)—This book is actually #1 in terms of 2026 releases I've been looking forward to. I adored We Solve Murders, so I'm stoked for this sequel. This time, Amy, Rose, and Steve team up to solve the case of a suspicious death at a private villa in the Italian hills. Everybody is hiding something. Whodunit?
11. The Undercover Bookshop by Katherine Reay (October 6)—Book lover Gemma Brown has just moved to a sleepy village in the Cotswolds, where she runs the town's first-ever bookstore. Finding it difficult to fit in, Gemma is thrilled to make friends with the enigmatic local baker. It's not long, though, before she begins to suspect that her new pal is a spy. It's 1950; anything is possible. Or is Gemma's fiction-fueled imagination running amok? Soon, she finds herself embroiled in an international intrigue the likes of which she's never seen outside of a book.
12. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Ally Carter (October 13)—The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year was a super fun read. This companion novel (as far as I can tell, it's not a sequel) sounds equally as entertaining. The story revolves around a billionaire's son and the housekeeper's daughter, who have been rivals since childhood. When the former goes missing, leaving only a pool of blood behind, it's up to the latter to prove he's alive—and find the person who desperately wants him dead. Sounds confusing, but entertaining.
13. A Reunion to Die For by K.J. Whittle (October 26)—When a group of classmates gather for a reunion, talk turns to the school bully who tortured all of them with his cruel taunting. As the drinks flow, the victims joke about ways they could get revenge on the guy who made them all so miserable. The next day, the bully is found dead, killed in a way that is suspiciously similar to the hypothetical plans made by the classmates. When a recording of that conversation is given to the police, the group members become suspects. Desperate to clear their names, they scramble to solve the murder they unknowingly planned.
There you go, thirteen books releasing in the second half of 2026 that I want to read. Have you read any of them? What did you think? Which up-and-comers are you most excited about? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Thursday, September 19, 2024
Bloggin' 'Bout Jodi Picoult
As much as I love books and their creators, I'm not really big on author events. I'm a typical book nerd—an introvert who prefers to be at home, far away from noisy crowds. When I heard that Changing Hands Bookstore would be hosting an evening with Jodi Picoult, a writer I've enjoyed reading for decades, though, I couldn't resist. Meeting a writer I've long admired while supporting my local indie? Clearly, it was a win-win situation! Originally, Diana Gabaldon, who lives here in Arizona, was supposed to be the one interviewing Jodi, but she had to cancel. Since I've only read one of Gabaldon's books, that didn't bother me. Jodi's longtime editor, Jennifer Hershey, filled in instead.
The event was held to promote the author's newest book, By Any Other Name. It's a dual-timeline novel about two female playwrights who are trying to get their work taken seriously by male producers. The past story explores the idea that William Shakespeare did not write all of the plays attributed to him, that perhaps some of them at least were penned by women who paid for the use of his name in order to disguise their gender. It's an interesting concept. Most of the dialogue between Jodi and Jennifer had to do with By Any Other Name. Not only is it the author's newest novel, but she said repeatedly that it's the one she was "born to write." She's very passionate about its subject matter, so the discussion was interesting, lively, and delightful. After that, the two women talked about how editors and authors work together, which was also super intriguing. Jodi then answered some general questions from the audience. Jodi's got such a warm, bubbly personality that it was lots of fun to listen to her. Even my husband—who had heard of Jodi only vaguely from me—said he really enjoyed the presentation. (Also, kudos to the man for accompanying me to an event for someone he wasn't familiar with and which was attended by an audience of at least 90% women. He's a good sport.)
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A copy of By Any Other Name was included in the price of the event ticket. It was pre-signed, so we couldn't get any personalization, but we did get to take a photo with Jodi. We only got a quick minute with her, but she was sweet, friendly, and very gracious. Even though this is very much not my favorite picture of myself (I hate all snaps of myself, to be honest), it's a fun momento of a very enjoyable evening.
I haven't read By Any Other Name yet, but I'm even more excited to dive in now. Have any of you read it? Any other Jodi Picoult fans out there? What's your favorite of her books? I think Leaving Time is mine.
Tuesday, March 01, 2022
Top Ten Tuesday: To All the Books I've Loved Before...
Feeling listy? Be sure to join in the TTT fun by visiting That Artsy Reader Girl, then making your own list, and hopping around the book blogosphere to share the love. It's a good time, I promise!
Top Ten Authors I Used to Love, But Haven't Checked In With Recently
- in alphabetical order -
1. Piers Anthony—I went through a brief sci-fi/fantasy phase in high school in a futile attempt to impress a boy. SFF has never been my favorite genre, but I did fall in love with Anthony's Incarnation of Immortality series. It's been years since I've read it and occasionally I get the hankering to revisit it just for nostalgia's sake. Now in his late 80s, Anthony is still publishing books. He's had a remarkable career, even if I haven't kept up with it.
2. Mary Higgins Clark—My dad introduced me to Clark's clean, compelling murder mysteries when I was in junior high school and I quickly became a rabid fan. In the ten or so years before Clark's death in 2020, my enthusiasm for her books started to wane. They just didn't hold my attention like they had in the past. Still, I'll always love Clark for those many nights her books kept me up way past my bedtime racing through the pages, desperate to see what was going to happen next.
3. John Grisham—Like Clark, Grisham's books from the 1990s kept me absolutely spellbound. His newer titles just haven't had the same spark for me. I did tackle The Reckoning a couple years ago, but that one was such a disappointment that I haven't picked up a Grisham book since and don't plan to do so again.
4. Stephen King—When I was a teenager, horror was the only genre it was acceptable to be seen reading in public. Horror was cool, so I read a lot of it. King was my go-to guy for spooky stories long after high school. Apparently, I've gotten much wimpier with age because I can't handle his books now. They're just too gory and too disturbing for this old lady with her delicate constitution!
5. Dean Koontz—Like King, Koontz is an author whose books I devoured back in the day. I'm still a fan, even though I haven't read anything of his since Odd Thomas a number of years ago. I really should pick up the next book in the series one of these days.
6. Jodi Picoult—Up until about House Rules in 2010, I inhaled everything Picoult wrote. Her stories sucked me in, kept me turning pages, and made me think. I tuned out about the time she started writing YA novels with her daughter since those didn't interest me. She's published a handful of novels since then that I probably should check out eventually. I'm not rushing, though, which is weird since I used to be such a devoted fan.
7. Christopher Pike—Pike is another author for whom I went absolutely crazy in the 1990s. He was my hands-down favorite, even though he never did answer any of the fan letters I sent him as a teenager! As of a few years ago, he was still writing scary books for teens. I wonder what I would think of his creepy tales now?
8. Ann Rule—I used to read a lot of true crime back in the day. Rule's books are well-researched and interesting, so I flew through a number of them in the late 1990s and early 2000s. These days, I just can't stomach the genre, which is ironic since it's gotten so crazy-popular!
9. John Saul—This is another author I adored during my horror-reading phase. His last novel was published in 2009, but I haven't read him since high school (which was a looonnnggg time ago).
10. Adriana Trigiani—I've long loved Trigiani's warm, Italian-themed women's novels. For some reason, though, I haven't picked up anything by her in about a decade. I really need to check out her newer books as I'm sure I've missed out on some good ones.
There you have it, ten authors I've loved in the past but haven't really kept up with in the present. Have you read any of them? Which authors fit this category for you? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. Please note that I will be out of town from tomorrow until Saturday, so you won't see comments from me until I return. Thanks for your patience.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Top Ten Tuesday: If You Can't Stand the Heat, Get Out of the (Arizona) Kitchen
Although I reveled in the lovely Gorge weather, I was really there to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Since COVID pretty much nixed our plans for a blow-out party with lots of family and friends, my siblings and I decided to surprise Mom and Dad instead. Five of their seven children were able to be there. Although my youngest brother accidentally spilled the beans a little bit, we still pulled off a great surprise. I was hiding at the top of my parents' long driveway when my oldest sibling approached them in the backyard and I heard my mom's astonished gasp clear from where I was standing. It was awesome! I think this picture of me and my dad (taken by Renée Alumbaugh) says everything about how the weekend went:
(Since someone is bound to ask, the device on my arm is an Omnipod insulin pump. You may also sometimes spy my Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitor [CGM] in pictures of me, since I wear both on the backs of my arms. Although Type 1 diabetes is a horrendous, not-fun-at-all disease, these devices are literally life-changing for diabetics.)
Now that I'm back to the scorching heat, I guess it really is time to start thinking about what I want to read this summer. I've got some library books I need to finish as well as a few new releases I'm looking forward to. It's too hot to read by the pool (ours doesn't have much shade and I burn at the mere thought of sunshine), so I'll be enjoying these books inside under the ceiling fan with the a/c blasting.
As always, if you're interested in joining the TTT party, you can find all the details at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Books On My Summer To-Read List
1. The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny—I brought this mystery on my trip as a back-up book (I never travel without one!) and it's a good thing I did since I couldn't get my stupid Kindle to connect at all. It's the 11th book in the incomparable Armand Gamache series, which I love. It's about a young boy who goes missing and the shocking thing that is found in the woods because of the ensuing search for him.
2. Searcher of the Dead by Nancy Herriman—I've enjoyed a couple of Herriman's historical mysteries, so I'm interested to see how I like this series opener. It's about a woman in Tudor England who's hiding from a killer in a bucolic little town. When someone close to her is murdered, it appears she has been found and that she's next on someone's hit list.
3. The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn—I'm always up for a dual-timeline novel featuring old secrets and new discoveries. This one revolves around a woman in the present who discovers a cache of love letters written during another woman's stint in a mental hospital on a remote island in the 1950's. As she digs into the past to learn more about the letters, she finds an intriguing mystery that just might answer questions about her own family.
4. The Hours Count by Jillian Cantor—A month or so ago, I read and enjoyed my first Cantor book. I'm excited to try another one. This historical concerns a neighbor of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, with whom the spies' children were left after their arrest. Sounds interesting.
5. Survive the Night by Riley Sager (available June 29, 2021)—I've already talked about this thriller, which is about two strangers on a road trip that goes awry. I'm 31 of 32 on the library's waiting list, so we'll see how long it takes for me to get my hands on this one.
6. A Cup of Silver Linings by Karen Hawkins (available July 6, 2021)—I just received this novel from the publisher. It's the second book in a series, so I'll have to read The Book Charmer first (I've been meaning to anyway). This one is about three women who "embark on a reluctant but magical journey of healing, friendship, and family." Sounds like a nice, feel-good read perfect for summer.
7. Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult (available November 30, 2021)—I'm a Picoult fan, although it's been a hot minute since I read anything by her. To be honest, her newer novels haven't been as good for me as her older ones. However, I am intrigued by this one, her newest. It's about a woman who's on a dream trip to the Galà pagos Islands by herself when the pandemic hits. I've heard some people say it's too soon for them to enjoy a book like this, but I'm all in for it.
8. The Pact by Sharon Bolton—I'm *trying* to take a break from dark thrillers, but I'm a big Bolton fan, so I probably won't be able to resist this one. It's about a woman who agrees to take the fall for a group crime in exchange for "favors" done by each member of the group after her release from prison.
9. A Solitude of Wolverines by Alice Henderson—While this doesn't sound like a very summery book, it's still one I want to read soon. The first in a series, it's about a marine biologist who is researching wolverines in Montana, a mission that angers some locals. When she discovers a different kind of predator in the wildlife sanctuary, the authorities are strangely dismissive of her claims. Just what
exactly has she stumbled upon?
10. The Next Ship Home by Heather Webb (available February 8, 2022)—As you probably know, I'm very into researching family history. While most of my ancestors came to the United States before Ellis Island opened, I'm still fascinated by the place and its role in the nation's history. I have an e-ARC of this novel, which concerns a woman emigrating from Italy and an American woman who has just started a job at the immigration center. Their fates entwine as they both struggle to navigate their new lives.
There you are, ten books I'm hoping to read this summer. Have you read any of them? Any look like novels you would enjoy as well? What's on your list today? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, July 07, 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: My Most Read Authors
All of us have favorite auto-buy (or at least auto-read) authors. Some of them publish dozens of books, all of which we clamor to consume. This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic—Top Ten Authors I've Read the Most Books By—made me think about the writers I've loved over my 44 years of life and how many of their books I've read. Using Goodreads, Fantastic Fiction, and my not-very-reliable memory, I managed to come up with a list that's fairly accurate (I think).
Before we get to that, though, I want to encourage you to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give our host, Jana, a little love. If you want to join in the TTT fun, her blog has all the deets.
Top Ten Authors I've Read the Most Books By
1. Mary Higgins Clark (20+ books read)—I've mentioned this grand dame of mystery many times on my blog. My dad is a big MHC fan; he's the one who introduced me to her. As a junior high/high schooler I inhaled her engrossing suspense novels (many times late at night, long after I was supposed to be asleep). I haven't been as impressed by her more recent offerings and haven't actually read her for a number of years. Still, the recent passing of this mystery maven made me sad.
2. Jodi Picoult (21 books read)—Picoult's books rarely fail to engage me, so it's no wonder I've read almost everything she's ever written.
3. Kathy Reichs (19 books read)—I love Reichs' forensic mysteries starring Temperance Brennan and have read every book in the series. As of yet, I haven't tried her YA series, Virals, which she pens with her son, Brendan.
4. Maeve Binchy (15+ books read)—Binchy's recent-ish death is another I was saddened by. She was a wonderful Irish writer whose novels I've enjoyed greatly over the years.
5. Judy Blume (12+ books read)—Like many girls of my generation, I grew up reading books like Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; Super Fudge; Deenie; and Blubber. Although I haven't read a Blume book in decades, I zoomed through a whole bunch of them as a kid.
6. Adriana Trigiani (13 books read)—It's been a little while since I've read anything by this Italian-American author, but I've enjoyed a number of her books. Her Big Stone Gap series is my favorite.
7. Sharon Bolton (12 books read)—Although her British crime novels can be super dark and disturbing, I can't resist Bolton.
8. Jane Casey (12 books read)—Ditto this Irish author of crime fiction. I'm especially enamored of her Maeve Kerrigan series.
9. Stephen King (11 books read)—Reading wasn't considered very cool when I was a teen, so I generally hid my bookwormish tendencies from anyone who wasn't family. If I did risk being seen reading in public, I made sure it was with a socially acceptable author, of which King was definitely one. I'm a lot wimpier now than I used to be, so I haven't read anything from the "Master of Horror" in a decade or so. Still.
10. Christopher Pike (10+ books read)—Pike is another author I loved as a teen. His YA thrillers kept me up way past my bedtime on many a night.
There you go, the top ten authors whose books I've read most throughout my life. What do you think? Do we have any in common? Whose works have you consumed most? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll return the favor on yours.
Happy TTT!
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