| By Elyse Monahan |
April Editors’ Picks
Jump to the Library Reads List
Hand-picked titles from our expert editorial team are here! At Thorndike Press, our editors have a knack for picking the next great reads. They have been doing so for over thirty years! Here is a list of April titles they know your patrons will enjoy.
SIRIUS: A Novel About the Little Dog Who Almost Changed History by Jonathan Crown (9781410498847). This novel is seen through the eyes of a fox terrier who helps his Jewish family escape from Berlin to Hollywood. He becomes a Hollywood star and circus performer, friend to Rita Hayworth and Cary Grant. But, when a magic trick goes wrong, Sirius ends up back in war-torn Berlin. Never one to despair, he finds himself in the Führer’s headquarters as Adolf Hitler’s lapdog — and an informant for the resistance. Eventually, Sirius helps bring down the Third Reich. With charisma, heart, and delightfully spry prose, this fairy tale about love and humanity will make you stand up and cheer. Booklist said: “Crown’s charming tale is an odyssey in the vein of Black Beauty and Lassie, and will no doubt find plenty of fans among animal lovers.” Library Journal said: “This quick-paced, entertaining first novel will appeal to dog lovers and fans of light historical fiction.” (Perspectives — 4/19/2017)
PRINCE CHARLES: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life by Sally Bedell Smith (9781410498533). The New York Times bestselling author returns once again to the British royal family to give us a new look at Prince Charles, the oldest heir to the throne in more than three hundred years. This vivid, eye-opening biography — the product of four years of research and hundreds of interviews with palace officials, former girlfriends, spiritual gurus, and more, some speaking on the record for the first time — is the first authoritative treatment of Charles’s life that sheds light on the death of Diana, his marriage to Camilla, and his preparations to take the throne one day. This first major bio of Charles in more than twenty years is perfect for fans of The Crown. (Biography and Memoir — 4/5/2017)
THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS by Laurie Frankel (9781410499042). When Rosie and Penn and their four boys welcome the newest member of their family, no one is surprised it’s another baby boy. At least their large, loving, chaotic family knows what to expect. But Claude is not like his brothers. One day he puts on a dress and refuses to take it off. He wants to bring a purse to kindergarten. He wants hair long enough to sit on. When he grows up, Claude says, he wants to be a girl. Rosie and Penn aren’t panicked at first. Kids go through phases, after all, and make-believe is fun. But soon the entire family is keeping Claude’s secret. Until one day it explodes. This is a novel about revelations, transformations, fairy tales, and family. And it’s about the ways this is how it always is: Change is always hard and miraculous and hard again; parenting is always a leap into the unknown with crossed fingers and full hearts; children grow but not always according to plan. And families with secrets don’t get to keep them forever. Publishers Weekly’s starred review called it “a wonderfully contradictory story — heartwarming and generous, yet written with a wry sensibility.” And Booklist said: “Inspired by her daughter’s own transition, Frankel tells Poppy’s story with compassion and humor.” A great selection for book discussion groups. (Basic — 4/5/2017)
KILL THE FATHER by Sandrone Dazieri (9781410499073). In this fascinatingly complex thriller, two people, each shattered by their past, team to solve a series of killings and abductions — a ruthlessly planned escalation that turns out to be merely the visible surface of something far more sinister. Booklist’s starred review said: “Don’t be surprised if Kill the Father becomes the next Big Thing in international crime fiction.” Library Journal’s starred review called it “a breakout hit in Europe, this captivating novel keeps readers guessing and on edge until the final page. Fans of international crime novels will eagerly anticipate subsequent stories.” For fans of Sara Pinborough and Thomas Perry. (Thriller — 4/19/2017)
April Library Reads
LibraryReads publishes a list of the top books released every month that librarians across the country love. Thorndike Press honored to have many of these titles available in Large Print. Below is the full list of Large Print LibraryReads picks just for you and your patrons!
BEARTOWN by Fredik Backman (9781410498120). This title was also one of Goodreads Big Spring titles. (Core — 5/3/2017)
MISS YOU by Kate Eberlen (9781432838690). This wryly romantic debut novel asks what if you just walked by the love of your life, but didn’t even know it? A chance meeting brings these eighteen-year-olds together for a brief moment — the first of many times their paths will crisscross as time passes and their lives diverge from those they’d envisioned. Over the course of the next sixteen years, Tess and Gus will face very different challenges and choices. Separated by distance and circumstance, the possibility of these two connecting once more seems slight. But while fate can separate two people, it can also bring them back together again. Booklist’s starred review said: “Eberlen excels in creating realistic characters whom readers will adore . . . Eberlen also shines at keeping the story moving through 16 years of friendship, purpose, and love. Swoon-worthy.” For fans of Jojo Moyes and Elin Hilderbrand. (Women’s Fiction — 8/16/2017)
GONE WITHOUT A TRACE by Mary Torjussen (9781432839826). In this jaw-dropping novel of psychological suspense, Hannah Monroe’s boyfriend, Matt, is gone. His belongings have disappeared from their house. Every call she ever made to him, every text she ever sent, every photo of him and any sign of him on social media have vanished. It’s as though their last four years together never happened. How far will Hannah go to find out why? Publishers Weekly said: “The deliciously dark conclusion is perfect for this tale of all-consuming obsession, jealousy, and the secrets that lie beneath the most perfect of exteriors. For fans of Clare Mackintosh and B. A. Paris. (Peer Picks — 6/21/2017)
April Indie Next List
The American Books Association publishes the Indie Next List every month. Drawn from bookseller-recommended favorite handsells and epitomizes the heart and soul of passionate bookselling. Independent booksellers are and have always been discoverers of the next big thing, the next great read, the next bestseller and the next undiscovered gem. Here is the full list of titles published on the Indie Next List that we have available in Large Print.
THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE by Lisa See (9781410498014). This title was also one of GoodReads Big Spring titles. (Wheeler Hardcover — 3/22/2017)
THE RIVER OF KINGS by Taylor Brown (9781432840983). Taylor Brown artfully weaves three narrative strands ― two brothers’ journey down an ancient river, their father’s tangled past, and the buried history of the river’s earliest people ― to evoke a legendary place and its powerful hold on the human imagination. The River of Kings is a dramatic and rewarding adventure through history, myth, and the shadows of family secrets. Library Journal said: “Drawing comparisons to James Dickey’s -Deliverance and Charles Frazier’s Cold -Mountain, Brown’s impressive second novel (after Fallen Land) is an intense, solidly written story of family loyalty, Southern traditions, and haunting historic landscapes, all bound up in the mythical powers of the Altamaha River.” For fans of Wiley Cash and Robert Morgan. (Wheeler Hardcover 4 — 7/5/2017)
GIRL IN DISGUISE by Greer Macallister (9781410497833). Inspired by the real story of investigator Kate Warne, this spirited novel follows the detective’s rise during one of the nation’s times of crisis, bringing to life a fiercely independent woman whose forgotten triumphs helped sway the fate of the country. In a bold move that no other woman has tried, Kate convinces the legendary Allan Pinkerton to hire her as a detective. Battling criminals and coworkers alike, Kate immerses herself in the dangerous life of an operative, winning the right to tackle some of the agency’s toughest investigations. Publishers Weekly’s starred review called it “an exciting, wel-crafted historical novel. Loaded with suspense and action, this is a well-told, superb story.” For fans of historical fiction featuring smart female characters. (Peer Picks — 3/22/2017)
MISS YOU by Kate Eberlen (9781432838690). This title is also a LibraryReads Pick for April. (Women’s Fiction — 8/16/2017)
To learn more about Thorndike Press or to place an order for any of these titles on the Goodreads Big Books of Spring list visit gale.com/thorndike or contact your Thorndike Press representative. Don’t forget…shipping is always free!Nike