HARDCOVER FICTION

Top 5 at a Glance

1. Fearless Fourteen, by Janet Evanovich

Available in Hardcover (Sorry no Kindle Edition Yet)
Janet Evanovich is the #1 bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author. She lives in New Hampshire and Florida.

2. Sail, by James Patterson and Howard Roughan

Since the death of her husband, Anne Dunne and her three children have struggled in every way. In a last ditch effort to save the family, Anne plans an elaborate sailing vacation to bring everyone together once again. But only an hour out of port, everything is going wrong. The teenage daughter, Carrie, is planning to drown herself. The teenage son, Mark, is high on drugs and ten-year-old Ernie is nearly catatonic. This is the worst vacation ever.Anne manages to pull things together bit by bit, but just as they begin feeling like a family again, something catastrophic happens. Survival may be the least of their concerns. Written with the blistering pace and shocking twists that only James Patterson can master, SAIL takes "Lost" and "Survivor" to a new level of terror.

3. Tailspin, by Catherine Coulter

Available in Hardcover (Sorry no Kindle Edition Yet) FBI Special Agent Jackson Crowne is flying his Cessna over the Appalachians, with a very important passenger: renowned psychiatrist Dr. Timothy MacLean; their destination is Washington, D.C. Upon their arrival, the FBI will protect the doctor—and ascertain just who wants him dead.But they don’t make it.

4. Rogue, by Danielle Steel (Sorry no Kindle Edition Yet)

5. The Host, by Stephenie Meyer (Sorry no Kindle Edition Yet)

The author of the Twilight series of # 1 bestsellers delivers her brilliant first novel for adults: a gripping story of love and betrayal in a future with the fate of humanity at stake. Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

Top 5 at a Glance

1. When You Are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris

"David Sedaris's ability to transform the mortification of everyday life into wildly entertaining art," (The Christian Science Monitor) is elevated to wilder and more entertaining heights than ever in this remarkable new book.

2. Fleeced, by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann

The United States has released 425 terrorists from Guantanamo, at least 50 of whom have returned to the battlefield to fight our troops.
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both say they're fiscally responsible. But each has called for $1 trillion in tax increases over the next ten years -- and dressed them up as tax cuts!
Mainstream Media has been given marching orders from the Society of Professional Journalists: never refer to "Islamic terrorists" or "Muslim terrorists." And they are obeying! Whenever our brave agents disrupt a terror plot, The media dismisses the culprits as a gang of idiots -- lulling us into a false sense of security.

3. What Happened, by Scott McClellan

When it comes to lying, tone of voice is the best way we can tell. It was the exact right choice to have President Bush's former White House press secretary read his own book. He's got an strong, even baritone, with just a fringe of his Texas background. McClellan's a professional and speaks clearly and with conviction. We believe him. On the other hand, he is a professional and sounds as if he might be reading about somebody else. He sounds an even-tempered, likable guy. But that's how he sounded when he was living the life he now so regrets. Is he a great actor, or no actor at all? I wouldn't know how to bet. But the drama of that question makes this timely book a thrilling piece of audio. B.H.C. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

4. Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, by Chelsea Handler

"THE EAGERLY AWAITED COLLECTION OF PERSONAL ESSAYS FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MY HORIZONTAL LIFE- When Chelsea Handler needs to get a few things off her chest, she appeals to a higher power -- vodka. You would too if you found out that your boyfriend was having an affair with a Peekapoo or if you had to pretend to be honeymooning with your father in order to upgrade to first class. Welcome to Chelsea's world -- a place where absurdity reigns supreme and a quick wit is the best line of defense.In this hilarious, deliciously skewed collection, Chelsea mines her past for stories about her family, relationships, and career that are at once singular and ridiculous. Whether she's convincing her third-grade class that she has been tapped to play Goldie Hawn's daughter in the sequel to Private Benjamin, deciding to be more egalitarian by dating a redhead, or looking out for a foulmouthed, rum-swilling little person who looks just like her...only smaller, Chelsea has a knack for getting herself into the most outrageous situations. Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea showcases the candor and irresistible turns of phrase that have made her one of the freshest voices in comedy today. "

5. The Monster of Florence, by Douglas Preston with Mario Spezi

Amazon Best of the Month, June 2008: When author Douglas Preston moved his family to Florence he never expected he would soon become obsessed and entwined in a horrific crime story whose true-life details rivaled the plots of his own bestselling thrillers. While researching his next book, Preston met Mario Spezi, an Italian journalist who told him about the Monster of Florence, Italy's answer to Jack the Ripper, a terror who stalked lovers' lanes in the Italian countryside. The killer would strike at the most intimate time, leaving mutilated corpses in his bloody wake over a period from 1968 to 1985. One of these crimes had taken place in an olive grove on the property of Preston's new home. That was enough for him to join "Monsterologist" Spezi on a quest to name the killer, or killers, and bring closure to these unsolved crimes. Local theories and accusations flourished: the killer was a cuckolded husband; a local aristocrat; a physician or butcher, someone well-versed with knives; a satanic cult. Thomas Harris even dipped into "Monster" lore for some of Hannibal Lecter's more Grand Guignol moments in Hannibal. Add to this a paranoid police force more concerned with saving face and naming a suspect (any suspect) than with assessing the often conflicting evidence on hand, and an unbelievable twist that finds both authors charged with obstructing justice, with Spezi jailed on suspicion of being the Monster himself. The Monster of Florence is split into two sections: the first half is Spezi's story, with the latter bringing in Preston's updated involvement on the case. Together these two parts create a dark and fascinating descent into a landscape of horror that deserves to be shelved between In Cold Blood and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. --Brad Thomas Parsons

Other Top 5's on the NY Times List

PAPERBACK TRADE FICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. THE SHACK, by William P. Young
2. WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, by Sara Gruen
3. THE KITE RUNNER, by Khaled Hosseini
4. THE FRIDAY NIGHT KNITTING CLUB, by Kate Jacobs
5. NINETEEN MINUTES, by Jodi Picoult

PAPERBACK MASS-MARKET FICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN, by Janet Evanovich
2. DOUBLE TAKE, by Catherine Coulter
3. STEP ON A CRACK, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
4. THE NAVIGATOR, by Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos
5. FAST TRACK, by Fern Michaels

PAPERBACK NONFICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. WISDOM OF OUR FATHERS, by Tim Russert
2. THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
3. BIG RUSS AND ME, by Tim Russert
4. EAT, PRAY, LOVE, by Elizabeth Gilbert
5. THE AUDACITY OF HOPE, by Barack Obama

HARDCOVER ADVICE
Top 5 at a Glance
1. THE LAST LECTURE, by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow
2. THE SECRET, by Rhonda Byrne
3. END OF DAYS, by Sylvia Browne
4. THE SOUTH BEACH DIET SUPERCHARGED, by Arthur Agatston with Joseph Signorile
5. WOMEN AND MONEY, by Suze Orman

PAPERBACK ADVICE
Top 5 at a Glance
1. A NEW EARTH, by Eckhart Tolle
2. THE POWER OF NOW, by Eckhart Tolle
3. SKINNY BITCH, by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
4. YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE, by Louise L. Hay
5. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel

CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Top 5 at a Glance
1. GALLOP!, written and illustrated by Rufus Butler Seder
2. ALPHABET, by Matthew Van Fleet
3. A VISITOR FOR BEAR, by Bonny Becker
4. ZEN TIES, written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth
5. SMASH! CRASH!, by Jon Scieszka

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