Genre Fiction

I hate spending money on hardback books: they are twice the price as paperbacks and take up more room on my shelves. Unfortunately, publishers have got in the habit of only releasing a hard copy for the first year of a new bestseller’s shelf life. This usually means that I wait in dire anticipation until the soft version comes out. But on vacation last year, my aunt bought me a hardback copy of The Friday Night Knitting Club (2007) by Kate Jacobs when it was still a brand new release.

This would be the best gift regardless of how the book turned out, but on top of it Knitting Club was fabulous! You don’t have to be a knitter to enjoy this book about both mother-daughter and women’s relationships. Any one can enjoy seeing such different personalities come together under a common bond and supporting each other through highs and lows.

Jacobs’s first read is now available in paperback - and her second one is here, too! (Albeit only in hardback, of course).

Comfort Foods (May, 2008) tells a similar tale of womanly strength and comraderie. This time, the setting is cooking show and the mother is a widow with two adult daughters.

Think you might be intrigued? Read the first chapter of Comfort Foods on Kate Jacobs’s Web site. A paperback edition of Comfort Foods is set to go on sale in April, 2009 … unless you’re lucky enough to stumble upon an aunt who splurges on you and buys you a newly released hard cover copy.

Vampires seem to be the hot theme of the moment in the fiction world. With Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga being all the rage amongst the young adult readers, and now Colleen Gleason is creating a stir with adult vampire reads.

Gleason combines historical fiction, romance, horror, and the paranormal to create books in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles. Like Meyer, Gleason is pumping the series out rather quickly: The first, The Rest Falls Away (2007), was released the same year that second, Rises the Night (2007) was completed. Less than one year later, The Bleeding Dusk (2008) was published as the third in the series. Now, the fourth - but not final - installment is out.

When Twilight Burns (2008) has just hit shelves. To celebrate (and advertise) in a “green,” money-saving manner, Gleason has set up a virtual book tour with Mediasite. The live web cast has passed: it was held on Tuesday, August 5. However, fans and interested readers can still view the video for the rest of the month.

Did you go to a Stephenie Meyer’s book release, vampire themed party this weekend at Borders or Waldenbooks? I did not, but apparently over 225,000 people did! The two stores proudly announce the huge success of the Breaking Dawn events, with a total of about 250,000 books being sold within the first few hours of the book hitting the market, including online sales.

Approximately 1,000 stores nationwide hosted a “From Twilight til Dawn: A Night with a Bite” party. The highly anticipated teen read came in second only to Harry Potter for number of pre-orders.

The photo shown here is a snapshot of a New York City party for Meyer this Friday evening. For everything Stephenie Meyer and the Twiglight Saga, head over to the ultimate and official fan page at TwilightLexicon.com.

Stephenie Meyer’s name is being tossed around the teen lit world a lot lately, especially now that she has a book releasing this weekend. But it wasn’t until all the Twilight Saga buzz that I had heard of the young author. So who is she?

Fast Facts on Stephenie:

* Her birthday is Christmas Eve, 1973, making her 35.

* She currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and three sons - Gabe, Seth, and Eli.

* Her husband, Christian, is nicknamed “Pancho.”

* Many of her five siblings’ names are used for characters in her books.

* In 2005, she was named one of the “most promising new authors of 2005″ by Publishers Weekly.

* She graduated from Brigham Young University, Utah, with an English degree. The college is known for being Mormon, and Meyer remains a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

* One story of hers is included in the memoir collection Prom Nights from Hell (2007), edited by Meg Cabot.

* Her novels include: Twilight (2005), New Moon (2006), Eclipse (2007), The Host (2008), Breaking Dawn (August 2, 2008), Midnight Sun (work in progress).

* All of her books are teen fiction, except for The Host, which was targeted for adults.

* Stephenie says that the idea for writing a vampire story came to her in a dream.

* Muse is one of her favorite bands. They are featured in many of her books, as well as Blue October, Coldplay, and Linkin Park.

* Twilight, in addition to earning numerous recognitions and “top lists” honors, has been translated into 20 different languages.

* A big-screen movie of Twilight is set to hit theaters December 12, 2008.

Over 900 Borders and Waldenbooks stores in the U.S. will celebrate the August 2 release of Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. The book is the fourth and final installment in Meyer’s best-selling vampire series, The Twilight Saga.

In-store book release parties will be held from 10 p.m. Friday, August 1, until midnight, when the book will officially be on sale. The parties will have a theme of “From Twilight til Dawn: A Night with a Bite,” and will include events such as costume contests (come dressed as a character!), trivia contests (kicking off the parties promptly at 10 p.m.), and debates on themes related to the book series. Locate your closest participating Borders or Waldenbooks store at the Borders’ Web site. The Web site also allows you to pre-order a copy that can be picked up at a party.

All events are free – with no purchase necessary to participate – and many have prizes!

Sisterhood stars Blake Lively, 20; Alexis Bledel, 26; America Ferrera, 24, and Amber Tamblyn, 25 attended the premiere of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 in New York City, today, Monday July 28.

The four actresses revisited their roles from the 2005 film version of the teen novel series written by Ann Brashares for a sequel this summer. Playing Bridget, Lena, Carmen, and Tibby (in order as the actresses stand, left to right), they bring four unique stories together on the big screen once again.

In addition to the quartet - who are each showing their own distinguished personal style here - three of Blake Lively’s Gossip Girl (also based on a teen novel series) costars showed up in support. Chace Crawford, Leighton Meester, and Ed Westwick all made appearances.

The new movie, in theaters next week (August 6 official release date), takes pieces of plot from the second and third novel in the series, but is largely based on number four: Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood.

After 20 minutes of browsing through the fiction racks of my favorite used bookstore on Sunday - Rainbow Music and Books - I had no heart-stopping find yet, but I had managed to select three little-known novels that sparked my interest. On a whim, I decided to give my favorite authors’ places in the ABC-ordered shelves a quick, second glance.

Burroughs, for Augusten Burroughs’s newest novel A Wolf at the Table (2008), which is his only published work that I have not yet devoured. Nothing was there.

Chevlier, for Tracy Chevalier’s latest, Burning Bright (2007), the only of hers that I have not yet savored. Score!

I picked up the hardback copy of Burning Bright. It was gorgeous: perfect condition, with a fake torn edge effect on the pages to elude an antique feel. It was inexpensive: a book that would cost $25 brand new or $8 used (the store’s seemingly standard pricing for new hardbacks), it was a mere $5.

I fear my true book nerd side showed as I cheered over my find; but, who could blame me? A favorite author? Check. An awesome copy of a book I’ve been coveting? Check. Money-saving price? Check.

Burning Bright follows suit with Chevalier’s other novels, weaving a story together of carefully researched historical aspects with well-written fiction characters. This one turns to look at poet and painter William Blake, with the title coming from one of his most-famous opening lines: “Tyger, tyger, burning bright/ In the forests of the night. …”

Now I just have to finish Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams (1990), which I am only 30 pages into, so that I can start reading Burning Bright!

Laura Dave announced her new novel - The Divorce Party (May 2008) - in style, yesterday, July 9!

Where bookstores and libraries might do for other authors, this stylish penner went for New York City’s upscale, women’s store Henri Bendel that sells everything a woman needs in life from clothes and accessories to makeup and gourmet food.

The book is already receiving rave reviews from readers and critics alike. It tells the story of two people who celebrate the anniversary of their divorce. And on the other end of the marriage spectrum: their son is newly engaged.

Laura Dave previously wrote London is the Best City in America (2006), and has also been published in Glamour, The New York Times, Self, Redbook, ESPN the Magazine, and The New York Observer.

Author Lauren Weisberger has a new novel – Chasing Harry Winston (May 2008) – topping the lists. Being her third novel, and the only whose scandals I have not yet devoured, it seems an appropriate time to review her first two: The Devil Wears Prada (2003) and Everyone Worth Knowing (2005).

If you have not yet read the best-selling debut novel, or seen the 2006 top-grossing film of the same name, here’s a one sentence summary: Editor-nerd Andrea finds herself lost, yet intrigued, by the fast-moving, label-loving, back-stabbing world of magazine publishing. It’s a good watch, and a better read. In fact, I loved the book so much so, that I bought Weisberger’s second novel the day it was released.

So did hundreds of other people, but then they told their friends not to bother. Sales from the first two weeks of Everyone Worth Knowing made it an instant bestseller; but, with nasty reviews it quickly tapered off. It’s story follows Bette as she quits her job in search of something more, and stumbles her way into working at a popular New York City PR firm … and in the headlines of the gossip columns.

Critics can be harsh, especially when your previous works sets such high expectations. I quite enjoyed reading both of Weisberger’s little-girl-meets-big-city stories, but I remember more details from The Devil Wears Prada.

Chasing Harry Winston is about three best girlfriends who, despite living an enviable, socialite life, want change so much that two of them make a pact to alter their lives drastically over the course of one year. It’s a tale of “Three best friends. Two resolutions. One year to pull it off.�?

The plot of her third novel certainly has notes of the previous two, but if Weisberger feels at home creating chick lit for the businesswoman, then I warmly welcome her books that allow me to live vicariously through her socializing, hard-working characters.

Bibliotherapist showed up on my career placement exam when I was graduating college. I had never heard the term before, and was definitely intrigued.

The practice of bibliotherapy merges psychological therapy with reading as a form of recreational therapy. Practitioners use books with a message, targeted toward their patient’s specific needs, to help portray the psychology of a situation through easy-to-relate-to characters and stories.

A new adult fiction book, released last week, sets out to help readers lose weight under these same theories.

A Novel Diet (2008) by Nikki Lang tells a story too familiar to many women today: 32-year-old Cheryl is tired of being overweight, and is ready to do something about it.

As readers follow Cheryl’s story, common weight-loss questions are answered, a format more appealing and memorable than reading an F.A.Q. guide. Topics addressed include: How is breakfast vital to shedding pounds? Why does is help to eat more, smaller meals? Why do people who weigh more tend to cook less? Which types of exercise are crucial for weight-loss?

Dr. Lang - that’s right, the author is an M.D. - has a similar book targeted to teens, and her own Web site - Novel Medicine - where you can learn more about her novel approach to health care through recipes, her blog, and more.

Cecily Von Ziegesar’s teen fiction series Gossip Girl (2002 - 2007) has become a household title since being turned into a hit - albeit controversial - prime time soap opera on The CW network. With 11 books (three were ghostwritten) and one prequel, Von Ziegesar has seemingly exhausted the tales of Serena, Blair, and their Upper East Side of Manhattan crew.

Now, she is turning to write for her growing adult fan base.

Hyperion, a book publishing division of Walt Disney and ABC, announced plans to print two new fiction books by Cecily Von Ziegesar, targeted at adults.

The first book, Cum Laude (2009), takes a natural progression in Von Ziegesar’s character development as she moves from writing about high schoolers - which she admits to exhausting - to college cliques, gossip, and drama. The story revolves around a handful of incoming freshmen who meet one another at orientation and immediately begin stirring up chaos in their new, small town. The college students face back-stabbing, crushes … and a tragic murder.

Von Ziegesar has also penned two Gossip Girl spin-off series: The It Girl (2005 - 2008) and Gossip Girl: The Carlyles (2008). These titles are all credited to her name; however, most are her ideas put together by a ghostwriter.

Did you know that Indiana Jones has been turned into a fiction book hero, too? Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) was the first novelization of the character, written by Campbell Black. Since then, the other films - and even the TV series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles - have all been published.

On sale today, is the latest and fourth installment of Indy’s adventures, releasing in book format just two days prior to the film’s premiere - May 22, 2008.

If you’re a super-quick reader you can get it all read in time to see the movie on opening night.

Both film and book share a plot surrounding the search for a mysterious legend: the Crystal Skull of Akator. According to its legend, the skull was stolen from a hidden City of Gold that is guarded by the living dead in the Amazon. The skull holds powers that will be controlled by whoever returns it to the city.

To order a copy online, check out Random House where you can get Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) in hardback for $26, an audiobook download version for $20, or on CD for $31.95.

This edition was written by James Rollins, a writer, practicing veterinarian, and an amateur spelunker and certified scuba enthusiast. Where do these authors find the time?

Other authors of Indiana Jones novels include James Kahn for Temple of Doom, and Rob MacGregor for numerous titles. Wolfgang Hohlbein has written 8 German versions which have not been translated. Wikipedia’s Indiana Jones Franchise page has a complete list of Indy books and authors.

Deeming a book a “best” is not an exclusive right of the New York Times. Although the Times are certainly top in the game, and pull from all genres, there are many other great - and fun - resources out there. Some create their own criteria, and others pull from NYT.

I’m going to randomly grab different sources’ lists, to find who thinks what books are “best.”

First up: HarperCollins Publishers, by total random chance.

On their Web site, HarperCollins will tell you which of their new releases (in the last three months) have made it onto the NYT bestsellers’ list. Out of the 31 adult books currently making the best of HarperCollins, here are the fiction ones. And since I am guilty of judging books by their covers, the two pictured are the ones that caught my eye based on cover design alone. Click a title to head to its page.

* Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos

* Lady Killer by Lisa Scottoline

* The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross

* Bulls Island by Dorothea Benton Frank

* The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison

* Sin No More by Kimberla Lawson Roby

* Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews

* Another Thing to Fall by Laura Lippman

* Sword Song: The Battle for London by Bernard Cornwell

* Rules of the Game by Neil Strauss

* The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich

* Wrath of a Mad God: Book Three of the Darkwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist

* Where the Heart Leads: From the Casebook of Barnaby Adair by Stephanie Laurens

* Manic: A Memoir by Terri Cheney