Shelfari's Favorite Books in April

April books you don't want to miss!

This month we have recommendations for readers of popular fiction, mysteries, young adult novels as well as some books that have recently appeared on the big screen. Popular April Books If you like Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout or Netherland by Joseph O'Neill, you might also like: The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman Set against the gorgeous backdrop of Rome, Tom Rachman’s wry, vibrant debut follows the topsy-turvy private lives of the reporters, editors, and executives of an international English language newspaper as they struggle to keep it--and themselves--afloat. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more …   If you like Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer, or One Minute to Midnight by Michael Dobbs, you might also like: Hellhound on His Trail by Hampton Sides From the acclaimed bestselling author of Ghost Soldiers and Blood and Thunder, a taut, intense narrative about the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the largest manhunt in American history. Magnificent in scope, drawing on a wealth of previously unpublished material, this nonfiction thriller illuminates one of the darkest hours in American life. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more …   If you like Atonement by Ian McEwan, or Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon, you might also like: The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell A stunning portrait of motherhood and the artist’s life in all their terror and glory, Maggie O’Farrell’s newest novel is a gorgeous inquiry into the ways we make and unmake our lives, who we know ourselves to be, and how even our most accidental legacies connect us. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more …   If you like the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer or the Southern Vampire Mystery series by Charlaine Harris, you might also like: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more … Mystery Nominees Need a little mystery in your life? The Edgar Awards will be announcing the winner of their 2010 Best Novel award on April 29th. Get a reading head start and see if you’re right about who the winner should be. A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn Award-winning screenwriter Malla Nunn delivers a stunning and darkly romantic crime novel set in 1950s apartheid South Africa, featuring Detective Emmanuel Cooper -- a man caught up in a time and place where racial tensions and the raw hunger for power make life very dangerous indeed. In a morally complex tale rich with authenticity, Nunn takes readers to Jacob's Rest, a tiny town on the border between South Africa and Mozambique. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more …   Nemesis by Jo Nesbo Gripping and surprising, Nemesis is a nail-biting thriller from one of the biggest stars in crime fiction. Grainy closed-circuit television footage shows a man walking into an Oslo bank and putting a gun to a cashier's head. He tells the young woman to count to twenty-five. When the robber doesn't get his money in time, the cashier is executed, and two million Norwegian kroner disappear without a trace. Police Detective Harry Hole is assigned to the case. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more …   The Last Child by John Hart John Hart’s second book, Down River, won him the 2008 Edgar Award for best novel. Now, with The Last Child, he achieves his most significant work to date, an intricate, powerful story of loss, hope, and courage in the face of evil. Traveling the wilderness between innocence and hard wisdom, between hopelessness and faith, The Last Child leaves all categories behind and establishes John Hart as a writer of unique power. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more …   The Odds by Kathleen George Kathleen George’s latest work pushes the edge--a spectacularly original crime novel. The Homicide Department is upside down--Richard Christie is in the hospital, Artie Dolan is headed away on vacation, John Potocki’s life is falling apart, and Colleen Greer is so worried about her boss’s health, she can hardly think. A young boy in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood dies of a suspicious overdose. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more …   The Missing by Tim Gautreaux The author of The Clearing now surpasses himself with a story whose range and cast of characters is even broader, with the fate of a stolen child looming throughout. The suspense--and the complicated web of violence that eventually links Sam to complete strangers--is relentless, urgently engaging and, ultimately, profoundly moving, the finest demonstration yet of Gautreaux’s understanding of landscape, history, human travail, and hope. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more … Discuss these and other mysteries in the Suspense & Thrillers or True Crime groups. Coming Soon! Crossing by Andrew Fukuda (Exclusive Amazon Q&A with the author) Question: Crossing is the story of Xing Xu, a Chinese teenager growing up in a small town in upstate New York. Xing is a loner who doesn’t fit in at school and when a rash of disappearances rattle the town, suspicion is immediately cast in his direction. Where did you get the inspiration for this book? Andrew Fukuda: I worked for a few years with immigrant teens in Manhattan's Chinatown. What really struck me was how acutely they felt isolated from society at large. Shoved out of the way, really. And they shared a real disenchantment with America. (full interview) Young Adult Author We’re thrilled to have New York Times bestselling author, Laurie Halse Anderson as a member of Shelfari. Anderson has authored popular & award winning books like Speak, Prom, Twisted and Wintergirls showing an insightful view into the teenage experience. Her 2008 novel Chains, tell the gripping story of two sisters, slaves during the Revolutionary War, who show what lengths we can go to cast off our chains, both physical and spiritual. Her compelling sequel, Forge, will be released later this year so make sure you add Chains to your reading list today. Find other YA books to read and discuss in the YA Books that Adults Should Read group. Coming Soon! Greyhound by Steffan Piper (Exclusive Amazon Q&A with the author) Question: Greyhound has an interesting title and cover. How would you describe what the book is about to readers? Steffan Piper: Greyhound is the story of an 11-year-old boy named Sebastien Ranes who is abandoned by his mother. As the book opens, we find her dropping him off at the Stockton Greyhound bus station to travel across country, unaccompanied, to go live with his grandmother in Altoona, Pennsylvania--over 2,500 miles away. (full interview) Books on the Big Screen They say the book is usually better--we’ll let you be the judge. Check out the story behind these recent and upcoming releases. The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn Imagine a drug that makes your brain function in a fantastically efficient way, tapping in to your fundamental resources of intelligence and drive. Alan Glynn’s techno-thriller is a riveting and thought-provoking must read. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more …   Neon Angel by Cherie Currie The Runaways (movie) is based on Neon Angel, which chronicles the story of The Runaways one of the first female only rock bands in the 1970’s. The lead singer, Cherie Currie, shares her story about being involved in drugs, violence, sexual abuse and the high pressure music scene as a teenager. Currie’s story is inspiring, hilarious and shocking. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more …   Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Mystic River comes a hair raising tale you don’t want to miss. The year is 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed, because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is what it seems. But then neither is Teddy Daniels. Members have added characters, quotes, settings and more … Thank you! Kudos to our Top Editors & Librarians! These amazing Shelfarians help us find books to read by adding information to the book detail pages and cleaning up our catalog. See what edits you’ve made to books on Shelfari. Happy Reading, Amanda & the Shelfari team

© 2010 Amazon, Inc., Click here to modify your email preferences. Amazon.com, 701 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104

Shelfari Recommends Books & Series for 2010

Don’t miss these popular books and series!

Can you believe it’s already March? Three months into 2010 and we hope you’re on track for reaching your reading goals. If you need a little inspiration, check out these books and series. Popular Books If you like Ender’s Game or the Harry Potter series, you might also like: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins Catching Fire is the second book in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Trilogy. It is the sequel to the 2008 bestseller, The Hunger Games, continuing the story of Katniss Everdeen and the fictional futuristic nation of Panem. Members have added 19 characters, 6 quotes, and more…   If you like The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, you might also like: The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow In the tradition of Jamaica Kincaid’s Annie John and Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, here is a portrait of a young girl ? and society’s ideas of race, class, and beauty. It is the winner of the Bellwether Prize for best fiction … Members have added 5 characters, 4 quotes, and more…   If you like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, you might also like: The Help by Kathryn Stockett Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step. Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be … Members have added 24 characters, 6 quotes, and more…   If you like Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, you might also like: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee introduces many diverse characters that help tell the story of racism and its domino effects: Scout, the main character, is 9 years old and struggles with understanding racism and … Members have added 10 characters, 8 quotes, and more…   If you like books by Stephen King and Charlie Huston, you might also like: Horns by Joe Hill Ignatius William Perrish wakes up bleary and confused after a night of drinking and “doing terrible things” to find he has grown horns. In addition to being horribly unsightly, these inflamed protuberances give Ig an equally … Members have added 2 characters, and more… Popular Series Use the new Your Series link on your home page to discover new books in your favorite series, or check out these popular series you might not know about. The Midnighters by Scott Westerfeld This Sci-Fi fantasy series follows the adventures of “Midnighter” Jessica Day, by the author of The Uglies, Peeps and more. Kane & Abel by Jeffrey Archer Kane & Abel have little in common except their birthday and ruthless drive to succeed in this excellent example of Jeffrey Archer's storytelling ability. Aurora Teagarden by Charlaine Harris Join this petite librarian as she investigates and unravels unusual crimes in her small Georgia community. House of Night by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast A spellbinding series about Zoey Redbird and her journey become a full-fledged vampyre by the well-known mother-daughter duo. Tommy and Tuppence by Agatha Christie Husband and wife team starts out as blackmailers and ended up as detectives in this series by the famous author or Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and other classic mystery series. The African Trilogy by Chinua Achebe Focusing on the themes of personal and moral struggle within the context of colonization in Nigeria, this trilogy is one of the most well known in African literature. Browse by Subject Browse popular books in your favorite subject. Click Subjects from the Books tab to find anything from Birdwatching to Vampire Romance, from Paleoclimatology to Limericks & Humorous Verse. Remember, all of our book pages are editable. When you add information to these pages, we’ll create fun new ways to discover books. Happy Reading, Amanda & the Shelfari team P. S. Check out Shelfari’s Twitter feed for quirky & interesting book info!

© 2010 Amazon, Inc., Click here to modify your email preferences. Amazon.com, 701 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104

Award Winners of 2009

Award Winners of 2009

Enjoy the upcoming holiday season with critically-acclaimed books. From cookbooks to romance, biographies to thrillers - have an award-winning meal with an award-winning book this year! A16: Food + Wine by Nate Appleman, Shelley Lindgren and Kate Leahy Winner of the IACP Cookbook Awards   Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Winner of the Man Booker Award   The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman Winner of the Newbery Medal and Hugo Award for Best Novel   American Lion by Jon Meacham Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography   Blue Heaven by C. J. Box Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel   The Land of Green Plums by Herta Muller Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature   Tribute by Nora Roberts Winner of the RITA Award for Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements We dare you with 115 characters! Can you describe your favorite book using 115 characters or less? We think you can with our Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis feature on the book page. For example: Why you never want to play a tree in a school production of The Wizard of Oz. Vampire falls in love with his dinner. Sort of like the Hope/Crosby road movies, only with baby-eating cannibals. Write a ridiculously-simplified synopsis for your favorite book and it could be featured on our Twitter feed or in a future email. Happy Reading, Amanda & the Shelfari Team

© 2009 Amazon, Inc., Click here to modify your email preferences. Amazon.com, 701 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104

Shelfari Fall Reads & Recommendations

Fall Reads & Recommendations

Fall is here! The leaves are turning, kids are back in school and it's time to find that perfect book to read. Check out our new book detail pages to discover what you should read next. The following Memorable Quotes, Ridiculously Simplified Synopses and other fascinating facts were added by Shelfari members; find your favorite books and add your own contributions. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay Quote: "I caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror as we glided. I looked as eroded as the groaning lift. What had happened to the fresh-faced belle from Boston, Mass.? The woman who stared back at me was at the dreaded age between forty-five and fifty, that no-man's land of sag, oncoming wrinkle, and stealthy approach of menopause. 'I hate this elevator, too,' I said grimly. Zoe grinned and pinched my cheek. 'Mom, even Gwyneth Paltrow would look like hell in that mirror.' I had to smile. That was such a Zoe-like remark." See more Memorable Quotes, Character descriptions, Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis and more for this book. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis: As heroines go, Olive Kitteridge is about as far away from a Disney princess as Maine is from Florida. See Character descriptions, Memorable Quotes and more for this book. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson This is what you get when you cross popular tags for: computer hacker, revenge, thriller and Sweden. Discover a prominent character who "felt like a bag of bananas that had been left too long in the sun." See Character descriptions, Series information, Summary and more for this book. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Quote: "'And now,' cried Max, 'let the wild rumpus start!'" See more Memorable Quotes, Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis, Summary and more for this book. More Popular Books in September

Happy Reading, Amanda & the Shelfari Team

© 2009 Amazon, Inc., Click here to modify your email preferences. Amazon.com, 701 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104

Learn more about your favorite books

Learn more about your favorite books

Shelfari Members, We just launched a beta version of an exciting new feature! We've created all-new book pages with information that's editable by everyone in the Shelfari community. Some good examples can be seen on these popular books: Check out the book pages for your favorite reads and start to fill in some of the different sections, like Cast of Characters, Memorable Quotations and Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis. Each of the sections makes it easy to fill in missing information using the "edit" link to the right of the section title. When editing a section you'll note there are guidelines to help you understand the intended usage of each. Please send feedback if you have ideas or suggestions to improve the guidelines or the sections we've made available. In case you have questions about how to add information to your favorite books, we've created a new group called Shelfari Book Page Editors. We'll do our best to help answer related questions in that group. We're starting with pages where the content is often sparse (especially for many of your more obscure favorites), but this is where you come in -- just like when we started with empty bookshelves, we know that the Shelfari community will rapidly begin participating and contributing to what will become the world's best book information resource.

Happy Reading, Amanda & the Shelfari Team

© 2009 Amazon, Inc., Click here to modify your email preferences. Amazon.com, 701 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104