Friday's Five

To give everyone something to think about before the weekend, I'm initiating Friday's Five.

Every Friday I'll list five things that captured my attention- books, TV shows, best places to find books, places to go in NYC- the possibilities are endless.

My initial list is BEA (Book Expo of America) related. It's
Five Books I'm Most Excited About Getting at BEA

1. As Husbands Go by Susan Isaacs. She is one of my favorite authors, and her Compromising Positions is one the first grown-up books I read. I got to meet her and get her autograph- what a thrill!

2. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. This book has had good buzz and it is one that I have meant to pick up, but did not for some reason. I was pleased to meet the author and get my book signed.

3. Ape House by Sara Gruen. Water for Elephants was her big breakthrough novel, so I guess she figured books with animals are a good sell. I loved Water for Elephants and again, I was so happy to meet her.

4. West of Here by Jonathan Evison. This book was one of the Editor's Buzz books at the panel this year, and Chuck Adams, the editor at Algonquin Books said he has been in the business since 1969 and this is the best book he has read. Algonquin means quality, so I know it will be great.

5. Room by Emma Donoghue was another book at the Buzz panel, and people have compared to The Lovely Bones. It's about a woman and her 5 year-old-son being held in a room by the man who kidnapped the woman and is the father of the boy. Everyone was talking about it, and the subject matter seems timely and serious.

What are your Friday Five books?