Dava Shastri's Last Day

Dava Shastri's Last Day
Author: Kirthana Ramisetti
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Total Pages: 439
Release: 2021-11-30
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1538703858

In this novel "full of music, magnetism, and familial obligation" (Emma Straub, author of All Adults Here) a dying billionaire matriarch leaks news of her death early so she can examine her legacy—a decision that horrifies her children and inadvertently exposes secrets she has spent a lifetime keeping. Dava Shastri, one of the world's wealthiest women, has always lived with her sterling reputation in mind. A brain cancer diagnosis at the age of seventy, however, changes everything, and Dava decides to take her death—like all matters of her life—into her own hands. Summoning her four adult children to her private island, she discloses shocking news: in addition to having a terminal illness, she has arranged for the news of her death to break early, so she can read her obituaries. As someone who dedicated her life to the arts and the empowerment of women, Dava expects to read articles lauding her philanthropic work. Instead, her "death" reveals two devastating secrets, truths she thought she had buried forever. And now the whole world knows, including her children. In the time she has left, Dava must come to terms with the decisions that have led to this moment—and make peace with those closest to her before it's too late. Compassionately written and chock-full of humor and heart, this powerful novel examines public versus private legacy, the complexities of love, and the never-ending joys—and frustrations—of family. Includes a Reading Group Guide. A Good Morning America and Lilly Singh's Lilly Library Book Club pick Most anticipated in fall 2021 by TIME, The Washington Post, Bustle, Goodreads, and Debutiful • An Indie Next Pick • A Publishers Marketplace Buzz Book for Fall/Winter 2021 • Longlisted for the 2021 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize

Advika and the Hollywood Wives

Advika and the Hollywood Wives
Author: Kirthana Ramisetti
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Total Pages: 363
Release: 2023-04-11
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1538709295

A page-turning tale of marriage, scandal, and fame, perfect for readers of Taylor Jenkins Reid: “The glitz and underlying darkness of Hollywood make for a setting as complex and compelling as Ramisetti's characters . . . rings with insight—and with heart” (Meena Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author). At age 26, Advika Srinivasan considers herself a failed screenwriter. To pay the bills and keep her mind off of the recent death of her twin sister, she’s taken to bartending A-list events, including the 2015 Governors Ball, the official afterparty of the Oscars. There, in a cinematic dream come true, she meets the legendary Julian Zelding—a film producer as handsome as Paul Newman and ten times as powerful—fresh off his fifth best picture win. Despite their 41-year age difference, Advika falls helplessly under his spell, and their evening flirtation ignites into a whirlwind courtship and elopement. Advika is enthralled by Julian’s charm and luxurious lifestyle, but while Julian loves to talk about his famous friends and achievements, he smoothly changes the subject whenever his previous relationships come up. Then, a month into their marriage, Julian’s first wife—the famous actress Evie Lockhart—dies, and a tabloid reports a shocking stipulation in her will. A single film reel and $1,000,000 will be bequeathed to “Julian’s latest child bride” on one condition: Advika must divorce him first. Shaken out of her love fog and still-simmering grief over the loss of her sister—and uneasy about Julian’s sudden, inexplicable urge to start a family—Advika decides to investigate him through the eyes and experiences of his exes. From reading his first wife’s biography, to listening to his second wife’s confessional albums, to watching his third wife’s Real Housewives-esque reality show, Advika starts to realize how little she knows about her husband. Realizing she rushed into the marriage for all the wrong reasons, Advika uses the info gleaned from the lives of her husband’s exes to concoct a plan to extricate herself from Julian once and for all. Includes a Reading Group Guide.

Buzz Books 2021:Fall/Winter

Buzz Books 2021:Fall/Winter
Author:
Publisher: Publishers Lunch
Total Pages: 1024
Release: 2021-05-11
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1948586428

Buzz Books 2021 is a treasure-trove of what readers value the most: substantial excerpts from a curated selection of dozens of the most highly-touted books scheduled for publication this fall and winter. Such major bestselling authors as Mitch Albom, Noah Hawley, Natasha Lester, and Richard Osman are featured, along with literary greats Lauren Groff, Ruth Ozeki, Bernard Shlink and. Tiphanie Yanique. Other sure-to-be popular titles are by Patti Callahan, Anna Pitoniak and Shruti Swamy. Buzz Books has had a particularly stellar track record with highlighting the most talented, exciting debut authors, and this edition is no exception. Ash Davidson’s Damnation Spring, Julia May Jonas’s Vladimir, and Claire Oshetsky’s Chouette are among the literary standouts. Our nonfiction selections range from Yrsa Daley Ward’s inspirational guide that includes poetry to Gayle Jessup White, a descendant of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson on reclaiming her family’s legacy. Bestselling expert on the virtues, Ryan Holiday, addresses courage, while iconic naturalist Jane Goodall offers the Book of Hope. Be sure to look out for Buzz Books 2021: Romance, also out in May, and Buzz Books 2022: Spring/Summer, coming in January 2022.

The Writing Retreat: A New York Times bestseller

The Writing Retreat: A New York Times bestseller
Author: Julia Bartz
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 293
Release: 2023-02-21
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0861544447

'A five-star read that’s intelligent, accomplished and exciting. I dare you to put it down.' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal The dark, atmospheric, feminist offspring of Squid Game, The Hunting Party and Misery A book deal to die for. Five attendees are selected for a month-long writing retreat at the remote estate of Roza Vallo, the controversial high priestess of feminist horror. Alex, a struggling writer, is thrilled. Upon arrival, they discover they must complete an entire novel from scratch, and the best one will receive a seven-figure publishing deal. Alex’s long-extinguished dream now seems within reach. But then the women begin to die. Trapped, terrified yet still desperately writing, it is clear there is more than a publishing deal at stake at Blackbriar Estate. Alex must confront her own demons – and finish her novel – to save herself. This unhinged, propulsive, claustrophobic closed-door thriller will pull you in and spit you out…

Welcome Home, Caroline Kline

Welcome Home, Caroline Kline
Author: Courtney Preiss
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 369
Release: 2024-04-16
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0593715411

A debut novel sparkling with wit and insight about a young woman whose reluctant return to her Jersey Shore hometown gives her the second chance she didn’t know she needed. Caroline Kline isn't ready to strike out. In New York City, newly single Caroline is stumbling her way through the recent implosion of her life. After a surprise breakup leaves her with no job, no apartment, and no backup plan, she’s unsure of what to do next. That is, until Caroline’s father, Leo, injures himself in a bad fall and asks her to move home to the Jersey Shore suburb she’d always been desperate to escape. But Leo doesn’t want his daughter to be his caretaker; he needs her to replace him as third baseman in his local men’s softball league. This isn’t just any season, Leo claims. This is the year they have a real shot at the World Series, the pride and joy of Glen Brook, New Jersey. Caroline agrees to move home, concerned that Leo is hiding a more serious health condition than he’s willing to admit. As the first female player in a league full of old-school men, she’s up against more than a few challenges. And when a night gone wrong lands her in the path of her hometown crush—and first love—Caroline struggles to reconcile the life she thought she’d have with the life she might actually want. Sharply observed and full of humor and heart, Welcome Home, Caroline Kline is a touching tribute to the many unconventional paths that victory, and recovery, can take.

The Sun Sets in Singapore

The Sun Sets in Singapore
Author: Kehinde Fadipe
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Total Pages: 367
Release: 2023-10-31
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1538741512

Basking in Singapore’s nonstop sunshine, Dara, Amaka, and Lillian are living the glamorous expat dream—until a mysterious (not to mention handsome) new arrival infiltrates their tight-knit community and ruins everything: "Wanderlust-inducing" (Lola Akinmade Åkerström, international bestselling author). A Today Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club Pick “Dazzling . . . I loved this story about friendship, who we lean on, female ambition, and what defines us.” —Jenna Bush Hager The Lion City has gone by many names and is famous for many things—its decadent street food, its world-class shopping, its lush gardens that burst with tropical blooms. But paradise is always hiding a snake. For Dara, a workaholic lawyer from the UK, Singapore is opportunity. Every day, brokering deals for her firm’s wealthy clientele, she gets closer to her ultimate goal: making partner. For Amaka, a sharp-tongued banker from Nigeria, Singapore is extravagance. Gucci, Prada, Hermès—she loves nothing more than to luxuriate in the major department stores that call her name on Orchard Road. And for Lillian, a former pianist turned “trailing spouse” from the U.S., Singapore is reinvention. In a stunning apartment with 360° views, the island seems to glitter as far as the eye can see. But complications are looming in the form of an enigmatic stranger, whose presence exposes cracks in Singapore’s beguiling façade. Dara’s ambitions mean she has no life outside the firm, and her insecurities are threatening to derail the promotion she’s spent the last six years striving for. Amaka is desperate to escape the chaos she left behind at home and hiding a spiraling shopping addiction that’s endangering her very sense of self. And while Lillian’s life may be the envy of outsiders, a new obsession is imperiling everything—and everyone—around her. In The Sun Sets in Singapore, Kehinde Fadipe captures the richness of this metropolis through the eyes of three tenacious women, who are about to learn that unfinished history can follow you anywhere, no matter how far you run from home. Includes a Reading Group Guide.

Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawson's Creek

Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawson's Creek
Author: Thea Glassman
Publisher: Running Press Adult
Total Pages: 255
Release: 2023-06-27
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 0762480777

The untold stories of seven revolutionary teen shows (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, My So-Called Life, Dawson’s Creek, Freaks and Geeks, The O.C., Friday Night Lights, and Glee) that shaped the course of modern television and our pop cultural landscape forever. The modern television landscape is defined by influential and ambitious shows for and about teenagers. Groundbreaking series like Euphoria, Sex Education, and Pen15 dominate awards season and lead the way when it comes to progressive, diverse, and creative storytelling. So how did we get here from Beverly Hills, 90210? In Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawson’s Creek, entertainment journalist Thea Glassman takes readers behind the scenes of seven of the most culturally significant series of the last three decades, drawing on dozens of new interviews with showrunners, cast, crewmembers, and more. These shows not only launched the careers of such superstars as Will Smith, Michael B. Jordan, Claire Danes, and Seth Rogen, but they also took young people seriously, proving that teen TV could be smart, revolutionary, and “important”—and stay firmly entrenched in pop culture long after it finished airing. And while many critics insist that prestige dramas like The Sopranos and Mad Men paved the way for television, some of the most groundbreaking work was actually happening inside the fictional hallways of high schools across America in teen shows whose impact remains visible on our screens today.