starred reviews header

 With starred reviews from publications including Booklist, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly—your patrons will want to read these much-anticipated books that reviewers are raving about.


Nonfiction:

Dog Flowers: A Memoir by Danielle Geller

 A daughter returns home to the Navajo reservation to retrace her mother’s life in a memoir that is both a narrative and an archive of one family’s troubled history.

“With both harrowing episodes and moments of beauty to linger in, Geller’s finely crafted work of extraordinary strength and survival spans worlds, encompassing life and after-life.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley.

On Sale January 12, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


The Lives of Lucian Freud: Fame by William Feaver

The first biography of the epic life of one of the most important, enigmatic and private artists of the 20th century. Drawn from almost 40 years of conversations with the artist, letters and papers, it is a major work written by a well-known British art critic.

“An extremely complicated man, artist, and icon, Freud requires a holistic portrayal, which Feaver, who knew the artist well, powerfully achieves.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

On Sale January 19, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


 

Religion and the Rise of Capitalism by Benjamin M. Friedman

From one of the nation’s preeminent experts on economic policy, a major reassessment of the foundations of modern economic thinking that explores the profound influence of an until-now unrecognized force–religion.

“A bracing challenge to narrowly secular assessments of economic theory.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

On Sale January 26, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


 

Unsolaced: Along the Way to All That Is by Gretel Ehrlich

From the author of the enduring classic The Solace of Open Spaces, here is a wondrous meditation on how water, light, wind, mountain, bird, and horse have shaped her life and her understanding of a world besieged by a climate crisis.

“Writing with fire and ice of beauty, risk, and devastation, Ehrlich shares wonder, wisdom, candor, and concern to soul-ringing effect.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

On Sale January 5, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


 

The Unusual Subject: The Rise and Fall of a Modern-Day Outlaw by Ben Machell

The remarkable true story of a modern-day Robin Hood: a British college student who started robbing banks as the financial crisis unfolded.

“Assured prose boosts Machell’s stranger-than-fiction true crime narrative. This balanced and sympathetic look at a troubled young man should have broad appeal.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

On Sale January 29, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad

A searing, deeply moving memoir of illness and recovery that traces one young woman’s journey from diagnosis to remission and, ultimately, a road trip of healing and self-discovery.

“Readers will feel her anxiety, fear, and despair, but also moments of hope as she pursues life through chemotherapy and a bone-marrow transplant. Jaouad addresses the psychological toll of the illness, from depression to grief to PTSD, and, in the end, confides that she is haunted and humbled by the thought that ‘it can all be lost in a moment.’ Boldly candid and truly memorable.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley.

Click to Watch Suleika’s Ted Talk on YouTube.

On Sale February 9, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


A Swim In a Pond in the Rain:In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders

From the New York Times bestselling, Booker Prize–winning author of Lincoln in the Bardo and Tenth of December comes a literary master class on what makes great stories work and what they can tell us about ourselves—and our world today.

“An invaluable and uniquely pleasurable mastercourse and a generous celebration of reading, writing, and all the ways literature enriches our lives.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley.

Watch George Saunders Talk About Writing Stories.

On Sale January 12, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


Fiction:

2034: A Novel of the Next World War by Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis

From two former military officers and award-winning authors, a chillingly authentic, geopolitical thriller that imagines a naval clash between the US and China in the South China Sea in 2034–and the path from there to a nightmarish global conflagration.

“Ackerman and Stavridis have created a brilliantly executed geopolitical tale that is impossible to put down and that serves as a dire, all-too-plausible warning that recent events could have catastrophic consequences.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley.

On Sale March 9, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


Dusk Night Dawn by Anne Lamott

From the bestselling author of Help, Thanks, Wow comes an inspiring guide to restoring hope and joy in our lives.

“We all need to march together and share our stories, Lamott observes, because in the end truth, science, and love almost always win. A message of reason and hope we all need to hear.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley.

On Sale March 2, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.


Girl A by Abigail Dean

For readers of Room and Sharp Objects, a propulsive and psychologically immersive novel about a young girl who escapes captivity–but not the secrets that shadow the rest of her life.

“Lex is a fascinating study in abnormal psychology, and the novel is, altogether, a tour de force, beautifully written, richly imagined, and compulsively readable. Add to this its grave, sometimes ominous tone, and the result is unforgettable.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley.

On Sale February 2, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


A Lady’s Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett

What is a Victorian lady’s formula for love? Mix one brilliant noblewoman and her enigmatic protection officer. Add in a measure of danger and attraction. Heat over the warmth of humor and friendship, and the result is more than simple chemistry–It’s elemental.

“Fans of Evie Dunmore’s A League of Extraordinary Women books or Olivia Waite’s historical romances will savor this fiercely feminist, achingly romantic, and intensely sensual love story.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley.

On Sale February 9, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


The Memory Theater by Karin Tidbeck

From the award-winning author of Amatka and Jagannath–a fantastical tour de force about friendship, interdimensional theater, and a magical place where no one ages, except the young.

“Highly recommended for fans of Tanith Lee, Michael Moorcock, or Mervyn Peake as well as any fantasy reader who prefers their writing sharp and glittering and their fairy worlds full of menace and thorns.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley

On Sale February 16, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


Northern Spy by Flynn Berry

The acclaimed author of Under the Harrow and A Double Life returns with her most thrilling novel to date: the story of two sisters who become entangled with the IRA.

“Berry’s portrayal of Irish life is uncannily accurate; give this to all who love an emotional thriller, but also to Irish and Irish American patrons seeking a no shamrocks look at Ireland in the not-so-distant past.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley

On Sale March 2, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.


Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

A lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this incredible new science-based thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Martian.

“Weir is no longer the self-published wunderkind of The Martian; with this novel, he takes place as a genuine star in the mainstream sf world.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley

On Sale May 4, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.


The Smash-Up by Ali Benjamin

A family is upended when their small-town life becomes the latest battlefield in the culture wars in this of-the-moment novel for readers of Meg Wolitzer and Fleishman Is in Trouble.

“Benjamin’s immediately engaging writing captures the complicated emotions and biting humor of these bruising times and their impact on relationships. As in Wharton’s novel, these lives will be forever changed by what is headed their way, leaving the reader reflecting on how events seemingly out of our control—violent, political, distant, selfish, or selfless—alter our lives and how we might steer our own sleds.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley

On Sale February 23, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.


Trio by William Boyd

From the award-winning, best-selling author comes a rollicking novel with a dark undertow, set around three unforgettable individuals and a doomed movie set.

“Boyd skillfully and with great subtlety moves from a largely comic treatment of the chaos on the film set to a sensitive portrayal of fracturing inner lives, though even the latter is rendered with a superbly Forsterian sense of tragicomedy. Boyd is a modern master, whether working on canvases large or small.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley

On Sale January 19, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook and, Audio Editions.


We Play Ourselves by Jen Silverman

After a humiliating scandal, a young writer flees to the West Coast, where she is drawn into the morally ambiguous orbit of a charismatic filmmaker and the teenage girls who are her next subjects.

“All of Silverman’s characters are memorable as they drive the carefully plotted, thought-provoking story. Happily, unlike Cass’ failed play, this memorable novel deserves a standing ovation.”—Booklist, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley

On Sale February 9, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook and, Audio Editions.


Malice by Heather Walter

A princess isn’t supposed to fall for an evil sorceress. But in this darkly magical retelling of “Sleeping Beauty,” true love is more than a simple fairy tale.

“The story grows deliciously darker at every turn, though the youthful protagonists still ensure plenty of YA crossover appeal. Fairy tale lovers of all ages will be thrilled.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

Click to Request an eGalley on Edelweiss.

Click to Request an eGalley on NetGalley.

On Sale February 16, 2021 | Hardcover, eBook and, Audio Editions.



AUDIO:

KIDS:

Get A Grip, Vivy Cohen! By Sarah Kapi; Read by Cassandra Campbell and JD Jackson

In this perfectly pitched novel-in-letters, autistic eleven-year-old Vivy Cohen won’t let anything stop her from playing baseball–not when she has a major-league star as her pen pal.

“Campbell’s voice is pitch perfect as she sounds just like a pre-teen girl, and Jackson’s deep sonorous tones match the biracial, big-league character, who is amazingly supportive and compassionate and also admits to his own failures on the pitching mound and incidents of past racism.”—Booklist, starred review

On Sale Now | Hardcover, eBook and, Audio Download Editions.


The Tower Of Nero by Rick Riordan; Read by Robbie Daymond

The fifth and final installment of the #1 New York Times bestselling Trials of Apollo series has Lester and Meg returning to where it all began: Camp Half-Blood.

“Narrator Robbie Daymond has been the smug, funny, and entirely convincing voice of Greek god Apollo from the very beginning. As Apollo, Meg, and their friends return to New York after a cross-country road trip and prepare to wage their final battles against baddies Nero and Python, Daymond is in perfect step with all of the action and emotion.”— AudioFile Earphones Award Winner

On Sale Now | Available in CD and Audio Download Editions.


This Is Your Time by Ruby Bridges; Read by the Author

Inspired by the recent wave of activism led by young people fighting for racial justice, civil rights icon Ruby Bridges—who, at the age of six, was the first black child to integrate an all-white elementary school in New Orleans—shares her story and offers a powerful call to action with this elegant gift book.

“Hearing Bridges speak her truth will have a deep and lasting impact, bringing a contemporary realism to a life that, to many young people, might otherwise seem unimaginably distant. ‘This is your time in history,’ she tells us, but it is hers as well.”—Booklist, starred review

On Sale Now | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Download Editions.


Super Fake Love Song by David Yoon; Read by Michael Bow

From the New York Times bestselling author of Frankly in Love comes a young adult romantic comedy about identity and acceptance. Perfect for fans of John Green and To All the Boys I’ve Love Before.

“Narrator Michael Bow expresses the cynical wit of Korean-American Sunny Dae…Bow embodies Cirrus with sarcasm, adding a soft accent that differentiates the two characters and highlights the magnetism of their personalities.”—AudioFile Earphones Award Winner

On Sale Now | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Download Editions


The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix; Read by Marisa Calin

A girl’s quest to find her father leads her to an extended family of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World of England when it intrudes on the modern world. From the bestselling master of teen fantasy, Garth Nix.

“Marisa Calin seems to take supreme enjoyment in narrating this romp of a book. . . Calin perfectly uses accents and varying tones to make all the characters memorable.”—AudioFile Earphones Award Winner

On Sale Now | Available in Audio Download Editions


The Way Back by Gavriel Savit; Read by Allan Corduner

Perfect for listeners of Neil Gaiman and Philip Pullman, a sweeping historical fantasy that follows two teens on a journey through the Far Country, a Jewish land of spirits and demons.

“Corduner’s immersive narration makes the careful attention required to appreciate Savit’s intricate storytelling well worth the effort.”—AudioFile Earphones Award Winner

On Sale Now |  Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Download Editions

 


Adult:

Oak Flat by Lauren Redniss; Read by the Author and a Full Cast

A powerful work of nonfiction about three generations of an Apache family struggling to protect sacred land from a multinational mining corporation, by MacArthur “Genius” and National Book Award finalist Lauren Redniss, the acclaimed author of Thunder & Lightning.

“The haunting performance of a girl’s Sunrise Dance on Oak Flat mesa—her rite of passage—stays with the listener long after the audio ends.”— AudioFile Earphones Award Winner


On Sale Now | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Download Editions


A Time For Mercy by John Grisham; Read by Michael Beck

Jake Brigance is back! The hero of A Time to Kill, one of the most popular novels of our time, returns in a courtroom drama that The New York Times says is “riveting” and “suspenseful.”

“Beck remains a preeminent narrator, and this audiobook shows why.”— AudioFile Earphones Award Winner

On Sale Now | Hardcover, eBook, CD, Audio Download, and Large Print Editions.


Sisters by Daisy Johnson; Read by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anna Koval

From a Booker Prize finalist and international literary star: a blazing portrait of one darkly riveting sibling relationship, from the inside out.

“As her aural ciphers, newbies Daisy Edgar-Jones (lead actress in Hulu’s Normal People) and Koval don’t even have a combined half-dozen audiobook credits to their names as yet, but demand for their intimate performances will surely multiply.”—Booklist, starred review

On Sale Now | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Download Editions.


Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America by Laila Lamami; Read by the Author

Brilliantly argued and deeply personal, Conditional Citizens weaves together Lalami’s own experiences with explorations of the place of nonwhites in the broader American culture.

“That Lalami herself narrates her nuanced, intimate nonfiction debut adds illuminating, indelible resonance. Remarkably composed and extraordinarily controlled, Lalami reveals, challenges, asserts, and ultimately claims her well-earned place: ‘Yet I am still here.’”—Booklist, starred review


On Sale Now | Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Download Editions.


 

Starred Reviews: December 2020

Category: Reviews
0
475 views

Join the discussion

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
https://penguinrandomhouselibrary.com/2020/12/01/starred-reviews-december-2020/
penguinrandomhouselibrary.com
crawl=CC-MAIN-2021-39
109148
application/http; msgtype=response
sha1:VZFZH2SBNOQDPN3KNO43L64HGKQQJBMS
<urn:uuid:86e2d242-2603-4ef3-89b5-d3a6b2a6a67d>
2021-09-25T08:31:25Z
23.185.0.4
text/html
sha1:I4WOULMJKXXJQA3Z5ME6DETFRE25M5HC
<urn:uuid:d0e7144d-d0ed-4c1f-b29b-2ff096a69505>
https://penguinrandomhouselibrary.com/2020/12/01/starred-reviews-december-2020/
response
<urn:uuid:6a0d9b28-b61b-494d-87c8-81ccdcfb9311>
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2021-39
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for September 2021
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-67-67-93
software: Apache Nutch 1.18 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 1.2-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: https://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/