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Big Books of the Week

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng (Penguin Press; LJ starred review) leads holds this week. Ng's third novel is also People's book of the week and Reese Witherspoon’s October book club selection. The Guardian speaks with Ng about the new book and the blockbuster success of her second book, Little Fires Everywhere. NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday talks to Ng, and NYT shares a previous interview with Ng on race and class in suburbia. 

Other titles in demand include:

Righteous Prey by John Sandford (Putnam)

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (Ballantine)

Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America by Maggie Haberman (Penguin Pr.)

Endless Summer: Stories by Elin Hilderbrand (Little, Brown)

These books and others publishing the week of Oct. 3, 2022 are listed in a downloadable spreadsheet.

Librarians and Booksellers Suggest

Six LibraryReads selections and eight Indie Next picks publish this week:

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (Ballantine)

“First love between golden boy Asher and intriguing new girl Lily ends with one teen dead and the other under suspicion of murder. This stellar collaboration is more layered, surprising, and emotional than any story has a right to be- and readers should eagerly devour every page. For fans of: The Bad Daughter, and Defending Jacob.”—Sharon Layburn, South Huntington Public Library, Huntington Station, NY

It is also and Indie Next pick:

“I’ve followed Jodi’s work for years — now she’s collaborated with the wonderful Jenny Boylan. This heart-thump of a mystery threatens the new-found happiness of our protagonist and her beloved son. It doesn’t get any better than this!”—Linda Bond, Auntie’s Bookstore, Spokane, WA

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng (Penguin Press; LJ starred review)

“Can a book shout quietly? This one does. In a dystopian society desperately seeking scapegoats, young Bird’s missing mother is deemed “un- American.” He traverses a perilous landscape in search of her: What’s left when a country sells its soul for a semblance of security? Unforgettable and heartbreakingly beautiful. For fans of Margaret Atwood and Octavia Butler."—Beth Mills, New Rochelle Library, New Rochelle, NY

It is also an Indie Next pick:

“Set in an uncomfortably plausible dystopian near-future, Our Missing Hearts pulls no punches. Ng wrestles with how to find hope for ourselves and our children against forces that bend toward authoritarianism and nationalism.”—Allyson Howard, Invitation Bookshop, Gig Harbor, WA

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese (St. Martin’s)

“This darkly bewitching reimagining of The Scarlet Letter centers Isobel Gamble as Hester. Estranged from her poppy-addled husband, Isobel works as a talented seamstress in puritanical Salem. A friendship with Nat Hathorne blooms into forbidden intimacy, highlighting America’s cruel and dangerous double standards. Try The Daughter of Dr. Moreau or other new takes on classics.”—Lori Hench, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD

It is also an Indie Next pick:

“A magical retelling of a strong woman coming into her power. I would have enjoyed The Scarlet Letter in high school if this was the book we were forced to read. I love the incorporation of synesthesia and the art of the needle and thread.”—Sebya Gorre-Clancy, A Seat at the Table Books, Elk Grove, CA

Jackal by Erin E. Adams (Bantam)

“Liz goes back to her small hometown for a wedding, but then Caroline, her friend’s biracial daughter, goes missing. Liz discovers that black girls go missing yearly, but the police don’t care, so she hopes to uncover this serial killer. This is a well- written suspense novel with supernatural elements. The plot was well-paced, and there were enough twists.”—Claire Sherman, Clearwater Countryside Library, Clearwater, FL

Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty (Ace; LJ starred review)

“A science fiction murder mystery that was a blast to read, cinematically written with amazing characters. Lafferty introduces new aliens and their culture slowly enough to take in the details. The plot is Murder She Wrote meets sentient Deep Space Nine. It‘s all over the place but comes together satisfyingly.”—Carri Genovese Indianapolis Public Library, Indianapolis, IN

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison (Berkley; LJ starred review)

“When Rory reluctantly returns to her hometown to support her pregnant twin sister, she doesn’t expect to be changed forever—by becoming a werewolf! This novel appeals with relatable characters, snappy dialogue and thoughtful commentary on what it means to have a body.”—Allison Moore, Fairfield County District Library, Lancaster, OH

Five additional Indie Next picks publish this week:

The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn (Knopf)

“Best friends putting on Shakespeare plays in the bones of a whale! Secret agents fighting Nazis! Joanna Quinn has given us fearless and fearsome Cristabel Seagrave, a heroine for the ages. The Whalebone Theatre is a magical adventure.”—Chantel McCray, Rainy Day Books, Fairway, KS

The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken (Ecco)

“Is this a memoir or a novel? Does it matter? A very well-written story about memoir writing, following a writer who, in the wake of her mother’s death, travels to London. A great examination of the grieving process and what it does to art.”—Alex Einhorn, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, VA

The Night Ship by Jess Kidd (Atria)

“Jess Kidd connects the true history of a brutal 1629 shipwreck with the story of a lonely boy in modern day Western Australia with tenderness and vivid storytelling. Epic in scope and heart-wrenchingly detailed, this is Kidd at her best.”—Yvette Olson, Magnolia’s Bookstore, Seattle, WA

Maybe We’ll Make It: A Memoir by Margo Price (Univ. of Texas Pr.)

“Margo Price’s memoir serves up what it takes to make it in country music. All the heartbreak, sacrifice, bad choices, late nights, triumphs, and travails that have made her one of the hardest working women in country music today are here.”—Keaton Patterson, Brazos Bookstore, Houston, TX

Which Side Are You On by Ryan Lee Wong (Catapult)

“An astounding novel that brings forth a tumultuous time between Asian and Black communities and the tensions between the two. Which Side Are You On underlines that the present is history in the making — and there’s still a long way to go.”—Thu Doan, East Bay Booksellers, Oakland, CA

In the Media

The People "Picks" book of the week is Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng (Penguin Press; LJ starred review). Also getting attention are Jacqueline in Paris by Ann Mah (Mariner), and Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese (St. Martin’s). There is a Q&A with Linda Ronstadt about her new book Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands, written with Lawrence Downes (Heyday).

The “Picks” section spotlights Blonde, based on the book by Joyce Carol Oates on Netflix, Interview with the Vampire, based on the book by Anne Rice on AMC, and Amazon’s Catherine Called Birdy, based on the book by Karen Cushman. Kelly Ripa tells all in the cover feature, highlighting her new memoir, Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories (Dey Street). Plus, Melissa Clark, Dinner in One : Exceptional & Easy One-Pan Meals (Clarkson Potter), shares a recipe.

Reviews

NPR reviews The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken (Ecco): “Is this book a novel or is it a memoir? It matters not at all. With every vital, potent sentence, McCracken conveys the electric and primal nature of that first fundamental love.” NYT also reviews: "This layered book is packed with consequence, with love, with funny observations, with reflections on writing and the risks of hurting yourself and others."   Plus, reviews of graphic novels for fall.

NYT reviews American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy's Forgotten Crisis by Adam Hochschild (Mariner; LJ starred review):  And, The Rupture Tense: Poems by Jenny Die (Graywolf): “The most resonant irony of The Rupture Tense is that its author’s first language, Mandarin, makes no use of verb tenses at all. There are other, maybe countless, ways of giving shape to time.” Also, Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus by David Quammen (S. & S.): “Quammen marries an old-fashioned love of colorful language to his passion for detail — an odd coupling that results not just in a lucid book about an important topic, but also in a book that’s a pleasure to read.” Also, Bully Market: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs by Jamie Fiore Higgins (S. & S.): “At a time when many white-collar workers are lobbying for the right to keep Zooming in sweatpants, Bully Market is a reminder of when offices were stage sets in the sky for dark, outrageous human drama.” Plus, Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain by Charles Leerhsen (S. & S.): "Bourdain — thin, tan (he was addicted to sunbeds) and mostly moral himself — is approaching secular sainthood. This book doesn’t merely light candles but scuffs him up. I doubt it will be the final word."

The Washington Post reviews Making a Scene by Constance Wu (Scribner): “Wu offers thoughtful observations about the pressures and prejudices of navigating Hollywood as an Asian American woman, particularly when it comes to countering cultural critiques of Fresh Off the Boat.”

Briefly Noted

October’s Costco Connection is out featuring a Q&A with Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan about their book, Mad Honey (Ballantine), and buyers’ pick It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover (Atria), which publishes October 18.

Audiofile announces the October Earphones Award Winners.

The 2021 Shirley Jackson Awards nominees are announced.

People chats with Fall Out Boy guitarist Joe Trohman about his new memoir, None of This Rocks (Hachette), “mental health and mutton chops.”

The Washington Post features renowned chef Jacques Pépin’s new cookbook, Jacques Pépin Art Of The Chicken: A Master Chef's Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird (Harvest).

Entertainment Weekly reveals details from Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences by Bev Vincent (Becker & Mayer), including the original title of Salem’s Lot.

FoxNews talks with Elvis Presley’s stepbrother Billy Stanley, about his new book, The Faith of Elvis written with Kent Sanders (Thomas Nelson).

LitHub teases a new Lauren Groff novel, The Vaster Wilds, as reported in Publishers Marketplace.

USA Today picks five books for the week.

CrimeReads suggests 10 books out this week.

HipLatina shares "12 Books by Latinas on Mental Health for All Ages."

NYPL has a booklist for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 

Authors On Air

CBS Sunday Morning has an interview with Maggie Haberman about her new book, Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America (Penguin Pr.).

NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday talks with chef Jacques Pépin about his new cookbook, Jacques Pépin Art Of The Chicken: A Master Chef's Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird (Harvest), “cooking, eating and painting chicken.”

CrimeReads shares the best new crime shows premiering in October. 

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