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Big Books of the Week

The 23rd Midnight by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown) leads holds this week.

Other titles in demand include:

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune (Berkley)

The Wedding Planner by Danielle Steel (Delacorte)

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (Grove; LJ starred review)

All the Days of Summer by Nancy Thayer (Ballantine)

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry (Atria)

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin (Ballantine; LJ starred review)

These books and others publishing the week of May 1, 2023 are listed in a downloadable spreadsheet.

Librarians and Booksellers Suggest

Seven LibraryReads and twelve Indie Next picks publish this week:

Hula by Jasmin Iolani Hakes (HarperVia)

"An unflinching look at the challenges and ties of family, of community, of culture, and of history. You cannot read this book and be unchanged, whether because of Its portrayal of the complicated love of mothers and daughters-here, spanning generations-or the clarity with which it lays clear the brutal disregard of Hawaiian sovereignty and the consequences of stolen land and colonization. Not to be missed. —Stephanie Chase LibraryReads Advisory Council

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry (Atria)

A poetic tribute to the power of story. Exploring the lifelong effects of the horrors of war, the richly developed characters endure loss that haunts them into adulthood. When a mysterious book appears, it sets in motion a search for answers, making sense of the past, and healing of broken hearts.— Ron Block, Cuyahoga County Public Library

It is also an Indie Next pick:

“This book is pure magic about the power of story, the bond between sisters, hope, perseverance, mystery, and an unexpected twist. Not to be missed, it may be Patti Callahan Henry’s best yet!”—Pam Sparks, Covered Treasures Bookstore, Monument, CO

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams (Dell)

A sweet Kentucky florist looking for love asks her sister-in-law’s bodyguard to help her sass up after a date accuses her of being too boring. With wonderful characters, this cute romance is a great second installment in the "When in Rome" series.— Sonya Skibicki, Bartlett Public Library District

The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane (Scribner)

What happens when your current life doesn't match your expectations? That's what's happening with Malcom and Jess. The married couple thought things would be easier, but life keeps throwing curveballs at them. Over the course of a blizzard, they are forced to reckon with their decisions and determine if they can move forward on a different path.—Melissa Tunstall, Charleston County Public Library

It is also an Indie Next pick:

“Keane’s latest novel explores marriage, middle age, and dreams lost and gained. What happens when we get what we want? What happens when we don’t? A brilliant exploration on long-term relationships and how they evolve over time.”—Stephanie Kitchen, City Lit Books, Chicago, IL

Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (Pantheon)

In a near-future America, prisoners can opt into a gruesome program of death matches against other prisoners. Their lives are broadcast to a bloodthirsty public, and they can win their freedom if they kill enough opponents. The novel employs an effective series of rotating narrators to tell all sides of this story, forcing us to look at how we dehumanize prisoners.— Laura Bovee, Chicopee Public Library

It is also an Indie Next pick:

“Some may read this novel as a dystopian take of our current prison system, but it’s really a version of the reality we are currently living. But make no mistake: there is love and hope in these pages which we could all use right now.”—Rosa Hernandez, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin (Ballantine; LJ starred review)

In a world where people don't die but are ferried away to be regenerated into a 16-year-old with no memories, Proctor is responsible for making sure the "retirees" go without a fuss. But he is quickly drawn into a mystery at the heart of their society. The multi-layered quality moves this from a poignant story into thriller, into world-exploring science fiction.—John Sloan, Chicago Public Library

It is also an Indie Next pick:

“The Ferryman was such an engrossing speculative fiction! With the flavor of The Giver at the beginning, and something entirely different by the end, Cronin comments on social class, society, and what makes us human. A must read!”—Danica Ramgoolam, Townie Books, Crested Butte, CO

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati (Sourcebooks Landmark)

“This triumphant retelling of Greek legend traces Clytemnestra's life through her childhood in warring Sparta to her marriage and the end of the Trojan War. Casati fully fleshes out the mythical queen’s character—fierce and unyielding but also soft and mournful. For readers of Madeline Miller’s historical fiction.”—Magen Hill, Braswell Memorial Library, Rocky Mount, NC

It is also an Indie Next pick:

“If you think you know Clytemnestra’s story, this book will surprise you. The emotional impact sneaks up on you like a summer storm — the world grows darker until lightning strikes! Brutal, visceral, layered, and so well-researched.”—Emily Lessig, The Violet Fox Bookshop, Virginia Beach, VA

Seven additional Indie Next picks publish this week:

The East Indian by Brinda Charry (Scribner)

“The East Indian is a coming-of-age novel rife with pivotal moments and riveting wonder as Tony traverses the world and perseveres through life’s hardships; he comes out the other side a forefather in the narrative of American history.”—Kristy Creager, Mitzi's Books, Rapid City, SD

The Night Flowers by Sara Herchenroether (Tin House)

“A gripping and suspenseful debut. Take one cold case, two women who are determined to discover the truth, entwine them with the voice of the victim, and you have one unforgettable and powerful read.”—Maxwell Gregory, Madison Street Books, Chicago, IL

You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg (Counterpoint)

“Karin Lin-Greenberg uses a failing mall as a symbol of our society in transition, showing us tragedy and hope. Disparate characters are brought together through the mall and learn to trust the people around them. A quietly powerful novel.”—Hannah Harlow, Book Shop of Beverly Farms, Beverly Farms, MA

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune (Berkley)

“I was totally invested in Fern and Will’s story. A gorgeous (but struggling) lakeside resort, relationship drama, longing, and great characters make Meet Me at the Lake the perfect summer read. It will be a star on our ‘Beach Read’ table!”—Susan Kehoe, Browseabout Books, Rehoboth Beach, DE

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (Tor Nightfire; LJ starred review)

“Khaw’s terrifying, beautiful fairy tale is drenched in horror, but under the violence and the blood, despite immeasurable loss, there’s a surprising strand of love striving to survive in an all-but-hopeless world.”—Emma Aprile, Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (Grove; LJ starred review)

“Another masterpiece by the great Abraham Verghese. The Covenant of Water will beguile and charm readers who loved Cutting for Stone and will win many new readers.”—Stephen Sparks, Point Reyes Books, Point Reyes Station, CA

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister (St. Martin’s)

“A compelling, uniquely written book about the power of stories, reading, and how finding the right story at the right time can affect us. I cannot wait to share No Two Persons with all the readers at the shop.”—Angela Sides, Monkey and Dog Books, Fort Worth, TX

In The Media

People’s book of the week is You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg (Counterpoint). Also getting attention are The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane (Scribner), and The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (Grove; LJ starred review). A “New in Nonfiction” section highlights Charles III: A King and His Queen by Chris Jackson (Rizzoli), Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer (Knopf), and Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy by Carl Sferrazza Anthony (Gallery; LJ starred review). 

The “Picks” section spotlights Tom Jones, based on the book The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling by Henry Fielding on PBS, and Frog and Toad, based on the books by Arnold Lobel on Apple TV+. The “Beautiful Issue” story includes librarian Tracy D. Hall. Plus, there is a feature on Laura Dern and Diane Ladd and their new memoir, Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life, Death, Love (and Banana Pudding) (Grand Central). 

The May Costco Connection is out with a cover story on Danielle Steel, whose newest book is The Wedding Planner (Delacorte). There is also an interview with Emily Henry, Happy Place (Berkley; LJ starred review), and a Q&A with Tom Hanks, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece illus. by R. Sikoryak (Knopf).

Reviews

NYT reviews The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane (Scribner): “The experience of reading Mary Beth Keane’s absorbing new novel, The Half Moon, feels — pleasantly — like breathing, or maybe just living.”; Birth: Three Mothers, Nine Months, and Pregnancy in America by Rebecca Grant (Avid Reader: S. & S.): “Birth is an important book. Yet it’s a frustrating one as well. Grant is a good storyteller, subtle and compassionate, but she can be inaccurate with numbers, language and the odd historical detail.”; La Tercera by Gina Apostol (Soho Pr.): “La Tercera expects a lot of non-Filipino readers, but the effort is profoundly rewarding, opening up a glorious new understanding of a country and a culture that ought to mean more to Americans than a twinge of guilty conscience.For a Filipino, I suspect reading it might just feel like coming home.”; Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral by Ben Smith (Penguin Pr.): “Traffic is instead a picaresque, set among the muckrakers, Jezebels, dweebs, addicts and wing nuts of Silicon Alley, the notional New York City tech zone that runs, in theory, from Flatiron to Dumbo.”; The Ferryman by Justin Cronin (Ballantine; LJ starred review): “The novel delivers everything you’d want from your nightly dreams: an anodyne, occasionally beautiful diversion, rife with patterns and the suggestion of deeper truth that vanishes as soon as you lift your eyes from the last page.”

The Washington Post reviews Double or Nothing by Kim Sherwood (Morrow): “In this subtle but refreshing way, Sherwood manages to shift the perspective in Double or Nothing. Because if the Bond of our imagination is really just a series of gestures — the martinis, the gunfights, the sex — then it opens up a much wider array of possibilities.”; Don't Call Me Home: A Memoir by Alexandra Auder (Viking): “Part of the book’s appeal is Auder’s ability to simultaneously worship Viva while she fantasizes about wringing her neck, making this book relatable to anyone, even for those without Warhol superstars for parents.”

The Guardian reviews The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks, illus. by R. Sikoryak (Knopf): “Reading it is to be reminded that Hanks, one of the greatest of all movie stars, must have had a good deal of time on his hands during lockdown.”

Briefly Noted

Jenna Bush Hager picks Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (Pantheon), for her May book club. 

B&N selects The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry (Atria). 

Audiofile announces the May Earphones Award winners. 

The Guardian asks: "what if censoring books only makes them more popular?"

USA Today looks at new Vietnamese voices in literature 48 years after the fall of Saigon. 

People has a first look at photographs from Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy by Carl Sferrazza Anthony (Gallery; LJ starred review). 

The Millions reflects on "AI, Authorship, and Algorithmic Literature."

USA Today has 5 new books for the week. 

CrimeReads suggests 10 new books for the week. 

WSJ shares 12 books for the week. 

Amazon Editors pick the best books of May. 

NYT shares 13 books coming in May. 

LA Times highlights “10 books to add to your reading list this May.”

LitHub has 25 new paperbacks for May.

The Guardian offers “writers and readers on the books they enjoyed in April.”

Esquire has a list of 20 favorite music memoirs. 

Tor shares 8 SFF books in verse.

PW rounds up last week's news in libraries. 

Rabbi Harold S. Kushner has died at 88. NYT has an obituary. 

Authors On Air

NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday explores the new exhibition at Princeton, Toni Morrison: Sites of Memory, which includes the late author’s diary entries, early drafts and letters. 

Washington Post book critic Ron Charles has a new edition of "The Book Report" on CBC Sunday. 

PBS Canvas highlights Women Photograph: What We See: Women and nonbinary perspectives through the lens ed. by Daniella Zalcman and Sara Ickow (White Lion Pubishing). 

LitHub shares “The Literary Film and TV You Need to Stream in May.”

Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian will be adapted for film. Deadline reports.

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