Thursday, June 5, 2014

Review: Buzz Books 2014: Fall/Winter by Publishers Lunch


SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:
BEA In A Book
More than 30 books for adults only are included in our fifth edition of Buzz Books, as we spin off young adults in a separate volume. We offer all the excitement of Book Expo America by sharing substantial pre-publication excerpts from forthcoming books of note. Now everyone has the same access to the newest voices the publishing industry is broadcasting for the fall/winter season. At the end of most excerpts, you will find a link to the full galley on NetGalley!
Highly-anticipated debuts include multi-generational family epic We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas, featured on the Book Expo America “buzz books” editors panel alongside another highly touted debut set for publication in over 30 countries, Jessie Burton’s The Miniaturist. We have Nayomi Munaweera’s novel longlisted for the 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize, Island of a Thousand Mirrors, and Audrey Magee’s The Undertaking, already shortlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize in Fiction.
Well-established authors such as Tana French, Marlon James, John Scalzi and W. Bruce Cameron are represented, and we include excerpts from the last books in two hugely popular series by from Lev Grossman and Deborah Harkness.
Our largest selection yet of new nonfiction is jammed with celebrities—Alan Cummings, Billy Idol, and Neil Patrick Harris—as well as investment star, PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. And there are penetrating real-life stories, from Pulitzer-winning journalist Matt Richtel on the darker side of what our technology is doing to us, and Morten Storm’s personal journey inside al Qaeda and the CIA.
In addition to the excerpts, there’s a comprehensive round-up from Publishers Lunch of dozens of noteworthy fall/winter books to add to your must-have list.
Start reading some of the best future books right now, and invite your friends and book groups to download their own free copy of the ebook from any major ebookstore or at buzz.publishersmarketplace.com.

MY TAKE:
I almost didn't request this book because I don't like starting good books then not being able to finish them, but I couldn't resist when I saw that there was an excerpt from Neil Patrick Harris' book.

Buzz Books 2014: Fall/Winter contains excerpts from some upcoming fiction and non-fiction books.

With these kinds of books, there's something for everyone, and most likely, not everything will be to your liking. There were some books that were not my style at all so after reading through the first few pages, I skipped ahead to the next one.

There were a few books that I found interesting, though. I thought Lock In by John Scalzi had promise, but it wasn't something I'd read. I think it would make a great TV show, however, and I'd probably watch that if it were on the air.

Agent Storm: My Life Inside Al Qaeda and the CIA by Morten Storm was a pretty fascinating look into the world of jihadis. I did wonder, though, if Morten Storm was still in active duty because the things he discussed in the book were pretty sensitive stuff that militants might not want people to know.

I wasn't disappointed with Neil Patrick Harris' Choose Your Autobiography. I thought it was quite creative of him to turn a pretty straightforward biography format into something fun. As you would expect, the entries are clever and hilarious. However, since the stories are presented in segments, the presentation of stories isn't always linear so some people might get confused.

Out of all the books in this sampler, the one I was intrigued the most by was The Magician's Land. I haven't read the other books in the series, but it was easy for me to follow along. The book reminds me a little bit of the 2009 movie Push, starring Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning, but with magic instead of superpowers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Publishers Lunch for the e-copy.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:
Sure, you'll stop by. It's Peyton F'ing Manning. (The "F" is for football.)
RATING:
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Note: This post contains Amazon and Book Depository affiliate links.

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