The New York Times: Notable Books of 2014

It’s that time of year again when we start to see those ‘best of’ lists popping up everywhere. It’s a sign that another year has come and gone (too quickly, if we might add) but our favorite ‘best of’ lists are the book lists of course. When we stumble upon a ‘best of’ book list or a notable books of the year list, we do a little somersault (usually by ourselves in a corner hoping no one can see) because those are the kind of lists that give us tons of great books to add to our reading list.

We have a recurring New Year’s resolution to read more (because we don’t think you can ever really read enough) and for us, The New York Times Notable Books of the Year list is one of the first places we look for great reads.

Take a peak at this selection of the NYT editors’ picks for the most notable fiction and nonfiction of 2014. Discover your next favorite novel or completely immerse yourself in a non-fiction book because whatever you choose to read first, you won’t be disappointed.

Fiction:

Explore the emotional world of this National Book Award Finalist, from NYT Bestseller Anthony Doerr, about a blind French girl and German boy struggling for both their lives and their souls in WWII-occupied France.

In Matthew Thomas’ debut novel, 10 years in the making, an Irish-American family must navigate dreams, disappointment, and regret as this multigenerational story unfolds, heralded as a “masterwork” by Joshua Ferris (Then We Came To The End).

Take a trip to the small town of 1960s Wexford, Ireland, in this poignant NYT bestselling novel where widow Nora Webster must find a way forward after her husband’s death, raising their four boys as she finds comfort and new life through song.

Scandal, betrayal, and mystery abound in this acclaimed book about a woman who hires three men to present her art work as their own, only to be betrayed by one of them upon her explosive–and later deadly–reveal.

 Non-fiction:

Looking for “the first truly honest book ever written about climate change” (Time)?  Check out Naomi Klein’s account of how the challenges presented by climate change will require us to change everything–including, she argues, our free market economic system.

In this compelling biography, follow the young, smart, and talented Robert Peace as he navigates two separate worlds: the privileged, insular campus of Yale and the dangerous streets of his 1980s Newark hometown, all catapulting him to a violent and untimely end.

Pick up acclaimed journalist Rick Perlstein’s latest NYT bestselling presidential history, on the fall of Richard Nixon and the unlikely rise of Ronald Reagan–ushering in a new conservative political culture and vision for America.

In this gripping true story, writer Jennifer Percy explores the world of soldiers, PTSD, and psychological terror when she heads to a Christian exorcism camp in Georgia that promises to rid soldiers of their demons.  But should we believe in these demons–or their unconventional cure?

Tell us, have you read any of these books yet? Any eBooks that are must reads for your 2015 reading list? Share with us below because the longer our reading list, the happier we are!

Happy reading!

Source: http://nyti.ms/1vF1zo7

A Memoir to Remember

We all love a great story but these great stories written by ordinary people who have been through extraordinary times have moved us. They stay with us long after we turn the last page and they change us, for the better. They make us stronger and remind us how precious life is and how the world we live in is a place where we are taught real life lessons about love, compassion, tragedy, survival, redemption, and determination.

You may find yourself crying, smiling, or even laughing through chapters of these amazing books but as you are reading these unbelievably powerful stories, we know that the one thing you won’t be able to do is put any of these books down.

          

Cool Off With These Great Summer Reads

We’ve hit the middle of summer. Hot days, warm nights and the perfect time to dive into one of these great reads for a little ‘me time’. Whether you’re on the beach or by the pool, these page-turners transport you to another place and give you a vacation within your vacation. With a mix of romantic novels, humorous stories, thrillers, and modern fiction, here are some must-read titles to toss into your beach bag this summer.

 

Love stories and happily ever afters. But what about the not so happily ever afters and learning to love again. Trusting and learning about yourself, friendships, marriage, sisterhood, and family – these perfect beach reads will have you smiling and possibly shedding a few tears (which we can totally blame on the glare of the sun 😉 )

     

 

An edge of your “beach chair” espionage thriller depicting the collision course between two geniuses, a tortured hero and a determined terrorist, a mega-stakes, high-suspense race against time to stop a lone killer from blowing up thousands, or a beautiful novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France all come with a warning: you may not be able to put these eBooks down so don’t forget to reapply the sunscreen.

  

 

Tears of laughter!? If you’re looking for the perfect eBook to keep you laughing so hard that you may get a few strange looks from the people next to you, these guaranteed laugh out loud books are definitely ones to add to your reading list.

  

Happy reading 🙂

A Series of Great Reads: Part 2

We’re not encouraging low productivity this week but we know posting ‘Part 2 of A Series of Great Reads’ on a Monday could be cause for some serious binge reading behavior (which we totally think is fine – wait, did we say that out loud?) So, heed our warning, you may need to come up with an excuse to take some days off work to finish these great reads because it’s not going to be easy to put them down.

I think we can all agree that it’s an absolutely, horrible, no good very bad day when you finish the last page of a book or the last episode of a series and then you have to wait…and wait…and wait for the next book or episode. Well, we know we kept you in suspense for Part 2 long enough and now we’re kicking off this week with some romance series so that you don’t have to wait any longer because who really has time for that.

Go ahead and fill that summer reading list with these perfect beach reads (although you might want to have a beach towel ready in case these get a little too steamy and you start blushing)! Happy reading and of course, don’t forget the sunscreen!

 

Tangled – Emma Chase (Romance/Contemporary Romance)

 

 

 

Real – Katy Evans (Romance)

    

 

Beautiful – Jamie McGuire (Romance)

 

Beautiful Bastard – Christina Lauren (Romance)

  

 

The Collide Series – Gail McHugh (Romance/Contemporary Romance)

 

 

Thoughtless – S.C. Stephens (Romance/Contemporary Romance)

  

 

Rosemary Beach – Abbi Glines (Romance/New Adult)

 

 

The Pure Sin Series – Kyra Davis (Romance)

  

Your beach chair is officially ready.

Be sure to stay tuned for part 3….we promise we won’t make you wait too long.

A Series of Great Reads, Part 1

I know we aren’t the only ones that have finished a book and wished we could just keep on reading because we didn’t want the story to end. You know what we do in those moments? We turn to trilogies and series. Because what’s better than 1 book? 2 books, 3 books….and even better – when we lose count! We don’t mind staying in all weekend and reading 3 books in a day – please tell us you’re one of those people too!

Today, we’re looking at series on Entitle that make us want to give the authors a great big hug and say “thanks” for writing….and then writing even more 🙂

Oh, and of course this blog post has 3 parts because what’s better than 1 blog post? A part 2 and 3! Our 1st post features some gripping, utterly entertaining young adult, sci-fi, and fantasy novels that we would binge read again any day. So, if you can’t find us, you know where we’ll be.

The Mortal Instruments – Cassandra Clare (YA/Fantasy)

The Hush, Hush Saga – Becca Fitzpatrick (YA/Paranormal)

The Infernal Devices – Cassandra Clare (YA/Fantasy)

Unwind Dystology – Neal Shusterman (YA/Sci-Fi)

The Song of Albion Trilogy – Stephen R. Lawhead (Fantasy)

Visions Trilogy – Lisa McMann (YA, Fantasy/Paranormal)

The Wake Trilogy – Lisa McMann (YA, Fantasy/Paranormal)

Rot & Ruin Series – Jonathan Maberry (YA, Horror – Zombies)

The Fallen – Thomas E. Sniegoski (Fantasy)

Otherworld Assassin – Gena Showalter (Fantasy)

We can’t stop reading and you shouldn’t either. Let us know if you’ve read any of these and if there is one (or 2 or 3 😉 ) we forgot – we’d love to hear from you. Anytime we can add a new series to our reading list, we consider it a good day!

Make sure to stay tuned for part 2, we would tell you what’s coming but what’s the fun in that (….as if you couldn’t tell, we’re serious about our series here at Entitle). Happy reading!

Entitle Book Madness Elite 8 Match-Ups Tip Off Tonight!

Before you settle in for the championship game between UConn and University of Kentucky (don’t even get us started on that bracket, let’s just say we didn’t win $1B 😉 )…..the Entitle Book Madness bracket wants your picks!

Our Elite 8 match-ups are tipping off tonight and we’re only 2 days away from the championship game. Time to make sure your favorite book makes the final cut!

 

…..And Entitle Book Madness Sweet 16 is Set!

 

After 32 games we had some upsets and some buzzer beaters and now #entitlebookmadness’ Sweet 16 is set. There are some exciting match-ups coming up and we need you to vote! The madness continues tomorrow. Stay tuned and get ready to pick your winners!

Entitle March “Book” Madness Tournament

Let the games begin!

March Madness is here and Entitle is switching things up a bit. We’re taking March Madness and bringing it to the book world! Join Entitle’s March “Book” Madness Tournament Challenge for a chance to win 2 free months on Entitle!

Click on the link below to complete your bracket (see rules on how to submit). Good luck and may the best “book” win!

Entitle March Book Madness Tournament_2014

***Share your bracket or bracket selections on Twitter or Facebook using #Entitlebookmadness for extra points!
***Download any of the books on your bracket and get 2 extra points for each book downloaded to your Entitle account!

March “Book” Madness Rules & Eligibility

Rules

• Click on the link above (Entitle March Book Madness Tournament 2014) and submit bracket electronically via email to social@entitlebooks.com or post to Twitter/Facebook using #Entitlebookmadness
• Deadline to submit bracket is 11:59 pm on Monday, March 24th, 2014.
• One submission per person.
• Voting will begin March 25th.

Scoring

• Scoring will include votes from each bracket and votes by our social media followers from head to head competitions that will take place beginning on March 25th.
• You will be rewarded points for each correct selection. The number of points for a correct selection will increase as we move towards the championship round.
• Entitle will tally votes for each round. The book with the most votes for each round and in each bracket will advance to the next round.
• Logging into your Entitle account and downloading any of the books on your bracket will give you 2 extra points for each downloaded book.
• Sharing your bracket or bracket selections on Twitter or Facebook using #Entitlebookmadness will give you 1 extra point added to your total bracket score.

 Prize

• Member with the highest point total will win 2 free months on Entitle with 2 free eBook downloads per month (if a tie, all winners will received 2 free months).
• Winner will be announced April 10^th, 2014

Eligibility

• Entitle’s book madness bracket challenge is open to all!

The Contenders

                                                                          
 

We’re Reading Women (and British Lit), How About You?

When #readwomen2014 was first introduced by Joanna Walsh she had no idea that it would become so popular in such a short period of time. But as she said, revolutions start small so we’re starting our week featuring some women authors and tying them to another thing that well, we just want to talk about more – the season finale of Downton Abbey 😉

So, was anyone else left with as many unanswered questions as we were??

And until next season, when we hopefully get some answers….we’re going to be checking out these British lit novels written by fabulous women (of course) to get our fix. Happy reading!

Clouds of Witness is the 2nd novel featuring Lord Peter Wimsey. And this time, it’s not just a matter of him indulging his detective hobby–the family honor and his brother’s life is at stake. The clock is ticking, and only England’s premier sleuth can get to the bottom of this murky mystery.

A novel of dazzling breadth and scope, The Camomile Lawn, journeys from the end of childhood to the slings and arrows of old age with the humor and insight readers have come to expect from the beloved Mary Wesley.

An orphan of the WWII, Candida Sayle vacation goes off the rails when death strikes the house after she goes to the country to reconnect with old relatives, and the brilliant detective Maud Silver joins the party to investigate the possible murder. The Benevent family history is about to get a dark new chapter.

When a young man moves into a recently inherited Suffolk manor house, he falls into a summer idyll that gathers friends and strangers alike—and concludes in murder. Now investigators must piece together whodunit in this brilliantly constructed thriller.

The 1st book in Perry’s bestselling Victorian crime series, bringing together Inspector Thomas Pitt and Charlotte Ellison. Rich with authentic period details, The Cater Street Hangman hooks readers from the moment the sparks first fly between Charlotte and Thomas.

Welsh heir Robert Godwin knows everything about his powerful family’s interests, but what does he know of his own heart? Based on a true story that has been updated to modern times, The Wheel of Fortune is a timeless tale of love, hatred, revenge, redemption, and forgiveness.

In nineteenth-century Ireland, the de Salis family carries on through times of both riches and hardship, but their hard-won resilience will be threatened by tragedy of their own making. Cashelmara follows the fortunes of three generations as they struggle to survive both the tragedies of history and their own chaotic lives.

A warm, affectionate depiction of a postwar English village, Some Tame Gazelle, perfectly captures the quotidian details that make up everyday life. With its vibrant supporting cast, it’s also a poignant story of unrequited love.

From the Man Booker Prize–nominated author of The Yips comes an epistolary novel of startling originality a work of immense comic range, sparkling, disquieting, and thrilling all at once.. Reading other people’s letters is always a guilty pleasure. But for PC Roger Topping, who is contemplating a cache of 27 undelivered missives retrieved from a back alley in Skipton, it’s also work. The quaint English village of Burley Cross has been plunged into turmoil by the theft of the contents of its postbox, and no one is above suspicion.

Because the book is always better than the movie, right?

We’d consider the topic of ‘book vs movie’ to be one of the great debates of our time, wouldn’t you agree? 😉

If you ask people which is better, the book or the movie – it seems more often than not, the answer is the book. We may be a little biased to agree with that statement but you don’t have to take our word for it. 2014 seems to be a big year for books being adapted to film. Our suggestion, start turning the pages on these great reads before they hit theaters then head to the movies and let us know which reigns supreme in your book. (See what I did there – I told you we might be biased).

Happy reading…..and watching!

Orphan and mechanic Peter Lake attempts to rob a Manhattan mansion only to find Beverly Penn, the daughter who resides in the home Peter believed to be empty. Thus begins the love affair between a middle-aged Irishman and a fatally ill young woman in a magical New York City. If you’re looking for a novel laced with fantasy and romance, this is a good place to start.

Release date: 2.14.14 

A classic story of a privileged girl and a charismatic boy whose instant desire sparks a love affair made only more reckless by parents trying to keep them apart. Brilliantly written, Endless Love is the deeply moving story of a first love so powerful that it becomes dangerous—not only for the young lovers, but for their families as well.

Release date: 2.14.14

A small-town father who must find the courage and conviction to share his son’s extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world. When Colton Burpo made it through an emergency appendectomy, his family was overjoyed at his miraculous survival. What they weren’t expecting, though, was the story that emerged in the months that followed—a story as beautiful as it was extraordinary, detailing their little boy’s trip to heaven and back.

Release date: 4.16.14

 

The savage murders of 3 young children sparks a controversial trial of 3 teenagers accused of killing the kids as part of a satanic ritual. Award-winning journalist Mara Leveritt’s The Devil’s Knot remains the most comprehensive, insightful reporting ever done on the investigation, trials, and convictions of three teenage boys who became known as the West Memphis Three.

Release date: 5.9.14

When tragedy pushes Hassan and his family out of India, they eat their way around the world, settling in Lumière, a small town in the French Alps. The family opens an Indian restaurant that becomes wildly popular among the residents, infuriating their French rival Madame Mallory. After she wages a culinary war with the family, Mallory finally agrees to mentor Hassan, leading him to Paris and the launch of his own restaurant. A charming, endearing, and downright delicious read.

Release date: 8.8.14

A thrilling story that follows newlyweds George and Serena Pemberton on their journey to create a timber empire and ruthlessly kill all who fall out of favor. George fathered an illegitimate child, and when Serena discovers that she cannot bear children, she sets out to kill the son George fathered without her.

Release date: 2014

The tale of a passionate, independent woman and her 3 suitors, Far from the Madding Crowd tells the story of Bathsheba Everdene and her relationships with the devoted Gabriel Oak, the dashing Sergeant Troy, and the reclusive gentleman farmer, Mr. Boldwood. Through her wayward nature and a winding path of events propelled by Hardy’s recurring feminist themes, this is an unforgettable narrative of both beauty and devastation.

Release date: 2014

New spies with new loyalties, old spies with old ones; terror as the new mantra; decent people wanting to do good but caught in the moral maze; all the sound, rational reasons for doing the inhuman thing; the recognition that we cannot safely love or pity and remain good “patriots” — this is the fabric of John le Carré’s fiercely compelling work of deep humanity and uncommon relevance to our times.

Release date: 1.19.2014 (Sundance Film Festival)