Book of the Month Live

Welcome back VBT listeners! This week, we sit down with 2019 BOTY finalist William Kent Krueger. We discuss his newest novel, The River We Remember; his love for small towns; making peace with the past; and why he dedicated this book to his editors. The River We Remember takes place on Memorial Day in Jewel, Minnesota, when the half-clothed body of a wealthy landowner is found floating in a river. The investigation of the murder falls to Sheriff Brody Dern—a war hero who still carries the emotional and physical scars from his service. Quickly, vicious rumors circulate through the small town that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran. The River We Remember is both a complex mystery and a masterful portrait of mid-century American life. Get The River We Remember at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

Welcome to VBT's Summer Special! We're taking you back to some of our favorite moments from past episodes. And for the first time ever, Brianna and Jerrod are facing off in our new game, VBT's Greatest Hits! Listen to the full episodes mentioned during our Summer Special: Amita Parikh thinks book people should care about sports. Live from New York, it's Curtis Sittenfeld! Lauren Kung Jessen is an online dating success story. Victor LaValle loves monsters. Stacy Willingham tells us why we're all so obsessed with stories about murder. Abby Jimenez says success is the greatest revenge. Kali Fajardo-Anstine is a 2-time dropout. Carolyn Huyhn celebrates messy women. Genevieve Wheeler on the power of female friendships. Sally Hepworth is in a "husband killers" group chat. Hopefully this will give you plenty to listen to while we're on our summer break. We'll be back with a new episode September 5th. New members can get their first book for just $9.99 at bookofthemonth.com with code VBT at checkout. Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

Let's define happiness! Angie Kim, the author of Happiness Falls, joins us live from the BOTM office to talk about her new novel, the meaning of happiness, and how BOTM members broke her Instagram. Mia is hyper analytical and has an explanation for everything, so when her father and younger brother Eugene don't return from a walk in a nearby park, she is not concerned. But when Mia's brother runs through the front door bloody and alone, it becomes clear that the father is missing and the only witness is Eugene, who has Angelman syndrome and cannot speak. Full of twists and questions of love, language, and human connection, Happiness Falls is a novel of profound philosophical inquiry. Get Happiness Falls at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

What would you do if your husband turned into a shark? Emily Habeck's debut novel Shark Heart focuses on the (animal) transformation of love, marriage, and letting go. We also discuss the relationship between mothers and daughters, the power a diagnosis has on a person, and the influence of fear. A few weeks after Wren and Lewis's wedding, Lewis receives a rare diagnosis - he is transforming into a great white shark. As he develops into a creature of the ocean, Lewis struggles to make peace with his unfulfilled dreams. His wife, Wren, struggles with the fate of her husband's diagnosis. Shark Heart is a novel of marriage, motherhood, metamorphosis, and letting go. Get Shark Heart at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

Need some new whale facts for your next dinner party? Well, this is the episode for you! Adrienne Brodeur joins us on this week's episode to discuss her new novel, Little Monsters! We discuss the turbulent family dynamics shown in the book, the differences between writing a memoir versus fiction, and the whale research that found its way into the book. Ken and Abby Gardner lost their mother when they were small; their father, Adam, an oceanographer, raised them on his own in Cape Cod. As the novel opens, Adam's seventieth birthday is approaching and he faces his mortality and fading relevance, alongside his bipolar disorder. As Adam grows more attuned to the deep sea and less so to the people around him, Ken and Abby each plan the elaborate gifts they will present to their father on his birthday. Get Little Monsters at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

Megan Goldin is here to talk about her new book Dark Corners! Learn more about this nail-biter book on this week's episode of Virtual Book Tour. We also discuss the life of influencers, internet rabbit holes, and extreme social media stunts. As Terence Bailey's prison release date approaches, Terence gets a surprise from an influencer with a huge social media following and only hours later, the influencer goes missing. When the investigation hits a wall, the FBI asks for Rachel Krall's help. Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel goes undercover and discovers a world of fierce rivalry that may have turned lethal. Get Dark Corners at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

We're discussing The Connellys of County Down on this week's episode of Virtual Book Tour! Tune in to hear Tracey Lange discuss how her past experiences helped influence the book, birth order dynamics, and the power of art. Plus, we play a game of Would You Rather. When Tara Connelly is released from prison after serving eighteen months on a drug charge, rebuilding her life is not easy. With no money and no job, she returns home to her siblings who each have their own problems. While Tara works to build a new career and hold her family together, secrets start to unravel and threaten her future. The Connellys of County Down is a tale about forgiveness, loyalty, and one's limits. Get The Connellys of County Down at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

For the first time in VBT history, we are welcoming not one, but TWO authors: Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. Tune into this week's episode to learn more about The First Ladies, how this co-author-duo met, and what they learned about each other in the process. The First Ladies is about the extraordinary friendship between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Civil Rights Activist Mary McLeod Bethune. When FDR is elected president, the two women begin to collaborate more closely, and Eleanor becomes a controversial First Lady for her outspokenness on Civil Rights. When she receives threats, it only fuels the two women's desires to fight for justice and equality. Get The First Ladies at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

If you received a gigantic bouquet of daisies from a potential suitor, what would you do? Tune into Lisa See's episode of Virtual Book Tour to hear what she would do! We also discuss her new novel Lady Tan's Circle of Women, the real history behind this extraordinary woman, and the importance of female friendships. Lady Tan's Circle of Women is a tale about female friendship and leadership in 15th-century China, challenging a woman's place in society. From a young age, Tan Yunxian learns about women's illnesses, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and mutual purpose, and vow to be forever friends. When Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, she must learn to break free of these traditions and lead a life of treating women. Get Lady Tan's Circle of Women at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.

We're talking to Emma Törzs on Virtual Book Tour about her new book Ink Blood Sister Scribe! Listen in to learn how her sister inspired the story, her love for fairy tale tropes, and the vibes of dark academia. Ink Blood Sister Scribe follows two estranged sisters bearing the responsibility to protect their magical family library. When Esther and Joanna's father dies while reading one of the magical books, the sisters must reunite to preserve the family legacy. In the process, they'll uncover a world of magic bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined. Get Ink Blood Sister Scribe at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout. Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.