Speed Dating at the Book Expo

One of the most enjoyable events every year at the Book Expo is Book Group Speed Dating, organized by Carol Fitzgerald and her group at the Book Reporter Network. Nearly two dozen publishers present their upcoming fall books to the 200 librarians, booksellers and book club organizers. The publishers go from table to table and they each get a few minutes to make their pitch.

It's great because you get to hear about books that aren't necessarily on your radar, books from smaller publishing houses, as well as the more well-known publishers. These are some of the books that caught my eye.

Harlequin, known for their romance novels, is branching out with their Graydon House imprint. Kaira Rouda's Best Day Ever is described as a "wild ride of psychological suspense." A husband arranges for a special day for his wife on their anniversary, but his idea of a "special day" differs from hers. Click here for more information.

Sourcebooks presented Chelsea Sedoti's novel, As You Wish, is a young adult novel that will also appeal to adults. In the small town of Madison in the Mojave Desert, people on their 18th birthday get one wish. Some people wish for money, some wish for love, and Eldon has 25 days until his birthday to figure out what he should wish for. I don't normally like magical realism, but this one intrigues me. Click here for more info. 

St. Martin's Press had two books that interested me. Daren Wang's The Hidden Light of Northern Fires is a fictionalized version of a true story about an western New York town, near Buffalo, that seceeded from the Union during the Civil War. I grew up in central New York and have never heard of this story, and the fact that there is a female protagonist seals the deal for me. This book is available now, click here for info.

Janet Peery, a former National Book Award finalist for her first novel The River Beyond The World in 1996, is back with her second novel The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs, about a dysfunctional family with five adult children who all have issues. The mother is desparately trying to save her youngest son from his addiction, and the story sounds heartbreaking and deeply moving. This one is also available now here.

And this concludes my wrap-up of Book Expo 2017. It was a whirlwind two-and-half days filled with books and catching up with friends, and there is not much better than that.

 You can find all of the books presented here.