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Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. (This was a big indie favorite in hard cover.) St. Martins. $16.00

WINNER OF THE 2009 MAN BOOKER PRIZE, WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FOR FICTION, and A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?
 

Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain. St. Martins. $14.99

Chelsea Cain's novels featuring Portland detective Archie Sheridan and serial killer Gretchen Lowell have captivated fans through two New York Times bestselling entries,Heartsick and Sweetheart.

And Gretchen Lowell is still on the loose. These days, she's more of a cause célèbre than a feared killer, thanks to sensationalist news coverage that has made her a star. Her face graces magazine covers and there have been sightings of her around the world. Most shocking of all, Portland Herald reporter Susan Ward has uncovered a bizarre fan club that celebrates the number of days she's been free.

Archie Sheridan hunted Gretchen for a decade, and after his last ploy to catch her went spectacularly wrong, he remains hospitalized months later. When they last spoke, they entered a détente of sorts-Archie agreed not to kill himself if she agreed not to kill anyone else. But when a new body is found accompanied by Gretchen's trademark heart, all bets are off and Archie is forced back into action. Has the Beauty Killer returned to her gruesome ways, or has the cult surrounding her created a whole new evil?

With Evil at Heart, Chelsea Cain is in top form. Delivering heart-stopping thrills and chills, she is an unmatched master of suspense

 

September 7

Ape House by Sara Gruen. Random House. $26

Water for Elephants many fans will be happy to see this newest book by Sarah Gruen.
Sarah's interest in human-ape discourse lead her to the Great Ape Trust (www.greatapetrust.org) in Iowa and the bonobos. They inspired her to write this engaging novel.

Isabel Duncan, a scientist at the Great Ape Language Lab, doesn't understand people, but animals she gets-especially the bonobos. Isabel feels more comfortable in their world than she's ever felt among humans . . . until she meets John Thigpen, a very married reporter who braves the ever-present animal rights protesters outside the lab to see what's really going on inside. Sam, Bonzi, Lola, Mbongo, Jelani, and Makena are no ordinary apes. These bonobos, like others of their species, are capable of reason and carrying on deep relationships-but unlike most bonobos, they also know American Sign Language.

When an explosion rocks the lab, severely injuring Isabel and "liberating" the apes, John's human interest piece turns into the story of a lifetime, one he'll risk his career and his marriage to follow. Then a reality TV show featuring the missing apes debuts under mysterious circumstances, and it immediately becomes the biggest-and unlikeliest-phenomenon in the history of modern media. Millions of fans are glued to their screens watching the apes order greasy take-out, have generous amounts of sex, and sign for Isabel to come get them. Now, to save her family of apes from this parody of human life, Isabel must connect with her own kind, including John, a green-haired vegan, and a retired porn star with her own agenda.

Ape House delivers great entertainment, but it also opens the animal world to us in ways few novels have done, securing Sara Gruen's place as a master storyteller who allows us to see ourselves as we never have before.

Vermilion Drift by William Kent Krueger. Simon & Schuster. $25
Another great midwestern mystery.

William Kent Krueger's gripping tale of suspense begins with a recurring nightmare, a gun, and a wound in the earth so deep and horrific that it has a name: Vermilion Drift.
When the Department of Energy puts an underground iron mine on its short list of potential sites for storage of nuclear waste, a barrage of protest erupts in Tamarack County, Minnesota, and Cork is hired as a security consultant.
Deep in the mine during his first day on the job, Cork stumbles across a secret room that contains the remains of six murder victims. Five appear to be nearly half a century old-connected to what the media once dubbed "The Vanishings," a series of unsolved disappearances in the summer of 1964, when Cork's father was sheriff in Tamarack County. But the sixth has been dead less than a week.
Vermilion Drift is a powerful novel, filled with all the mystery and suspense for which Krueger has won so many awards. A poignant portrayal of the complexities of family life, it's also a sobering reminder that even those closest to our hearts can house the darkest-and deadliest-of secrets.

September 14
　
The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean by Susan Casey. Random House. $27.95 (I could not put this down. EAF)

From the bestselling author of The Devil's Teeth, an astonishing book about colossal, ship-swallowing rogue waves and the surfers who seek them out.

For centuries, mariners have spun tales of gargantuan waves, 100-feet high or taller. Until recently scientists dismissed these stories-waves that high would seem to violate the laws of physics. But in the past few decades, as a startling number of ships vanished and new evidence has emerged, oceanographers realized something scary was brewing in the planet's waters. They found their proof in February 2000, when a British research vessel was trapped in a vortex of impossibly mammoth waves in the North Sea-including several that approached 100 feet. 

As scientists scramble to understand this phenomenon, others view the giant waves as the ultimate challenge. These are extreme surfers who fly around the world trying to ride the ocean's most destructive monsters. The pioneer of extreme surfing is the legendary Laird Hamilton, who, with a group of friends in Hawaii, figured out how to board suicidally large waves of 70 and 80 feet. Casey follows this unique tribe of people as they seek to conquer the holy grail of their sport, a 100 foot wave.

A Secret Kept by Tatiana De Rosnay. St. Martin's, $24.99

This stunning new novel from Tatiana de Rosnay, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestseller Sarah's Key, plumbs the depths of complex family relationships and the power of a past secret to change everything in the present.
It all began with a simple seaside vacation, a brother and sister recapturing their childhood. Antoine Rey thought he had the perfect surprise for his sister Mélanie's birthday: a weekend by the sea at Noirmoutier Island. But the island's haunting beauty triggers more than happy memories; it reminds Mélanie of something unexpected and deeply disturbing about their last island summer. When, on the drive home to Paris, she finally summons the courage to reveal what she knows to Antoine, her emotions overcome her and she loses control of the car.
Recovering from the accident in a nearby hospital, Mélanie tries to recall what caused her to crash. Antoine encounters an unexpected ally: sexy, streetwise Angèle, a mortician who will teach him new meanings for the words life, love and death. Suddenly, however, the past comes swinging back at both siblings, burdened with a dark truth about their mother, Clarisse. 
By turns thrilling, seductive and destructive, with a lingering effect that is bittersweet and redeeming, A Secret Kept is the story of a modern family, the invisible ties that hold it together, and the impact it has throughout life.

Lady Gaga: Critical Mass Fashion by Elizabeth Goodman. St. Martins. $19.99

Photos, photos and more photos--120 to be precise. This is a collection of LG's fashions. From her highrise shoes and techno/neo-classical, tres uncomfortible'- looking, rad rags and masks, hats and veils, this 24-year old audio-visual sensation has us all agog. This book, priced at $19.99, will disappear. Remember Madonna's Sex book? This Gaga book will GoGo out the door. (Cover has not been revealed yet.) 

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. Grand Central. $25.99

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich. St. Martins. $27.99 (This title will sneak up on Evanovich fans.  This could be the start of something big... .)

Life in Marblehead has had a pleasant predictability, until Diesel arrives. Rumor has it that a collection of priceless ancient relics representing the Seven Deadly Sins have made their way to Boston's North Shore. Partnered with pastry chef Lizzie Tucker, Diesel bullies and charms his way through historic Salem to track them down-and his criminal mastermind cousin Gerewulf Grimorie. The black-haired, black-hearted Wulf is on the hunt for the relic representing gluttony. Caught in a race against time, Diesel and Lizzie soon find out that more isn't always better, as they battle Wulf and the first of the deadly sins.

With delectable characters and non-stop thrills that have made Janet Evanovich a household name, Wicked Appetite will leave you hungry for more.

 

September 28
　
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett. Dutton. $36

(An early Christmas present for the fans of Pillars of the Earth! Get it, we'll wrap it and you hide it till 12/25.) 

Fall of Giants is a magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families-American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh-as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.

Thirteen-year-old Billy Williams enters a man's world in the Welsh mining pits...Gus Dewar, an American law student rejected in love, finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson's White House...two orphaned Russian brothers, Grigori and Lev Peshkov, embark on radically different paths half a world apart when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution...Billy's sister, Ethel, a housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts, takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German embassy in London...

These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris. Little, Brown. $19.99 (It's no holiday without a new D.S. dessert.)

Featuring David Sedaris's unique blend of hilarity and heart, this new collection of keen-eyed animal-themed tales is an utter delight. Though the characters may not be human, the situations in these stories bear an uncanny resemblance to the insanity of everyday life. 

In "The Toad, the Turtle, and the Duck," three strangers commiserate about animal bureaucracy while waiting in a complaint line. In "Hello Kitty," a cynical feline struggles to sit through his prison-mandated AA meetings. In "The Squirrel and the Chipmunk," a pair of star-crossed lovers is separated by prejudiced family members.

"Kids like me didn't go to Vietnam."  Despite his privileged background; he was a graduate of an ivy league school, Jack was facing the draft and so he enlists in the U.S. Marine Corps. It's 1966 he is just barely 19 and the conflict in Vietnam was just ready to ramp up. After boot camp and duty stateside, Jack finished his service as a grunt infantryman in the hills of South Vietnam. The soldiers oft-times did not see the purpose of their country's involvement in this civil conflict.

This is a coming-of-age story we don't often read. The Vietnam vets were at best ignored and at worst vilified. It was an unpopular war both in-county and in the U.S. Jack honestly captures the mood of the soldiers who served and the views of the nation they served to protect and defend. If you read Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes you would also appreciate this memoir.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope       by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. Harper. $14.99

Malawian, William Kamkwamba, writes of growing up in rural Malawi with simplicity and optimism. You'll grin at some of his memories of stretching the limits of grown-ups' patience and rules. The memoir reads like any other childhood reflections from kids here in the U.S. or elsewhere. Kids are kids no matter where they grow up. But, gradually this memoir takes you deeper into a world we can barely imagine. In Malawi there are few social safety nets and if you can't grow or buy food you will starve. It reminded me of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. A father will do anything to feed his family and a boy will do anything to help his father and mother. Ultimately hope prevails and then gently expands.

William and his buddies Gregory and Gilbert are energetic, bright and they, with the inventiveness and leadership of William, reshape their world and bring hope to their families and community. You will be energized and inspired by this up-lifting story of the power one young boy has to change his world. A recommend this for church and school groups and book clubs.

Rachel K's Picks 

The Thin Executioner by Darren Shan. Little Brown. $17.99

Jebel Rum, the youngest son the royal executioner, is a runt. His small stature and lack of physic foreshadows a perilous journey to seek acceptance, fame, and honor. A journey that is realized when his father publicly dishonors him. With determination to keep his good family name he sets out as a "quester". A quester must travel on foot to a mountain of the God, Sabbah Eid. There he must sacrifice a slave and in return be awarded superhuman strength.

This story isn't about getting to the end for the prize. It is about the lessons to be learned. What Jebel learns is that his culture is of one of the many in the world and that his views are not always accepted. Perhaps the most important lesson Jebel Rum will learn is that class does not determine the quality of a person. All people are unique and deserve respect despite their misfortune.

This book is said to be loosely compared to Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huck Finn. The journey is unique and the story better. I enjoyed this book for its originality, twists, and characters.

Rachel H's Picks

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory. Simon and Schuster. $25.99

By the author of　The Other Boleyn Girl,　comes another colorful tale of royalty. Henry the VIII's　grandmother,　Margaret, is an　all-powerful　heroine. From a　child of nine, to a woman of twenty-nine, she proves she can be　in　control.　The powerful subject (War of the Roses) and story　of this intriguing queen will enchant　readers. I highly recommend it.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. Hachette. $10.99

Beau's Pick

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. Harper Collins. $17.99

I Am Number Four is a thrill ride, and a fantastic one at that. It is already being made into a movie. Lore delivers a fascinating account of intelligent aliens pretending to be humans while their evil counterparts try to hunt them down. There really isn't any part of this book that is boring. Even when Four is just assimilating into his new home, the anticipation of drama at school or the possibility of the Mogadorians (evil aliens) finding him makes everything a bit more manic and exciting. And when the real action hits, well, there's really nothing that will be able to stop readers from flipping those pages.

I loved that there was a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter, that wanted you to not stop reading. As a whole, I immensely enjoyed reading I Am Number Four and look forward to the rest of the series.　

Becca's Pick　

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater. Scholastic. $17.99

Now that Sam is human, he and Grace struggle to have the life they want. Sam is still tied to his past as a wolf, and then there is the horrible possibility that Grace is turning into one. Things only get more interesting when a new wolf, Cole, who has a less then perfect past, comes into the picture. So when things are falling apart around them, Grace and Cole can only wonder how long they can stay together. Can their love for one another keep them from straying apart?

People looking for that special book.