I've already got an order in for The Angel's Game.

The new Ishiguro came out in the UK yesterday - Nocturnes - it's subtitled Five stories of Music and Nightfall. I've got that too.

There are also three new books which have had everything from good to exceptional reviews - Brooklyn by Colm Toibin, The Children's Book by A S Byatt and Wolf's Hall by Hilary Mantel (this last has had an array of wonderful reviews). There's a new Sarah Waters out too, but I can't remember what that's called, and I haven't seen any reviews. All of these authors have been long- or short-listed for the Booker in the past - I reckon it could be a vintage Booker year. Can't wait!

Sarah Waters' new one is already out. Just finished it, and thought it was very good. No lesbian love affairs this time, just a decaying way of life and strange happenings in an old home that seems to have taken on a personality. I thought it was wonderfully creepy. If you like du Maurier or Shirley Jackson, I think you'll like this one.

I think a few posters here have read Sarah Micklem's Firethorn. The sequel to this one is finally coming out in July (in the US/may already be across the vast sea).

I had already checked on Wolf's Hall. Amzon shows it due out here in hardback in October.

Good news about Sarah Waters newest.

Oh, I remember reading Firethorn but forgot the title and author. LOL.

I listened to a review of Brooklyn yesterday on NPR-it was a positive review and the book sounds interesting.

For mystery lovers, stopyourekillingme.com has a running "what's new" section that gives upcoming publication months-usually about 4 months or so out.

Georgia Peach, thanks for the good news about Sarah Micklem's new book Wildfire. I was beginning to think the author had changed her mind.

Another new book that is finished and on its way, but does not yet have a release date, is All-Clear by Connie Willis. I am eager to get my hands on that one.

Rosefolly

I recently read an advanced copy of Wolf Hall (due out here in July I think, in trade paperback) and loved it. But I was interested to see that the Amazon reviews of it varied from one star to five! One reviewer said it was boring and a text book would be more exciting, whereas it was the first book I have read for a long time that I carried around with me for 5 minutes snatched here and there.
The Girl Who Played With Fire has been out here for a few months, and the third in the series, The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest is coming in October.
The Sarah Waters is called The Little Stranger, came out here this month.

Well, this thread has certainly lengthened my TBR list! I have placed everything mentioned here on it. Of course, some of them are not available here yet. I may have to visit The Sceptered Isle and Downunder in order to supplement my library -

Well you'd be welcome here Siobhan!

Zafon's new book is coming in June?! Ok, time to clear the decks and prepare. I don't care what my darned clients say, I'm going to set aside at least a few days to read that book!

(Anybody know if it's any good? I hope it won't be a disappointment like Caleb Carr's second book. The Alienist was a great read but The Angel of Darkness was a major letdown.)

I'm late in finding a new-to-me author Cassandra Clark, who's second books has just come out.
The first was Hangman Blind and the new one is The Red Velvet Turnshoe.
I suppose they could be described as 'history mysteries' and the write-ups say they are about Hildegard, a Cistercian Abbess of Meaux, in the Yorkshire of the 1380's.
Both books have good reviews for story and historical accuracy.
I shall order them from the library and, as usual, prepare for a long wait.

Kath, have they arrived in Australia yet?

Here is a link that might be useful: About Hangman Blind

Vee, I read an advanced copy of The Red Velvet Turnshoe about a month ago and thought it was OK, but it didn't make me go looking for the earlier one.
I have just finished a Tudor mystery called Martyr by Rory Clements, the first of a series (how I hate that as a selling point!). It features a would be lawyer called John Shakespeare, who is pressed into service as an intelligencer by Walsingham. He has an actor brother called William, surprise! suprise! Again, it was OK, but not one I would hurry to recommend. Some good characters, but quite heavy on the 'I have researched this period and this is what I know' and in some cases I thought he had it wrong.

Oh, I just read Hangman Blind! A sequel out already-- awesome!!!!

I am also looking forward to reading the next Sookie Stackhouse book. I admit the covers put me off for the longest time, but once I read the first one (intrigued because HBO made the True Blood series) I got hooked. The author, Charlaine Harris, is very talented, imo.
Another series in that genre, paranormal mystery, that I am hooked on is the Rachel Morgan series, by Kim Harrison, but the latest just came out in Feb, so I have another year to wait, darn it.

Dynomutt,
I read Carlos Ruiz Zafon's new book, The Angel's Game, last year in the original Spanish version, El Juego del Angel. His prose is as rich as ever, the setting is again old Barcelona, and there is a character from the previous book. I found the book dark, way too long, and I didn't like the story. I will eagerly wait to hear what you guys have to say when you read it.

reader_intransit,

Thanks for the heads up on the Zafon book! I'll (try to) temper my expectations. I guess the second book should be telling as to whether Zafon's really a good writer or just another flash in the pan. That being said, I do realize it would be hard to live up to something that big.

I wish I could read Spanish -- reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez in the original Spanish would be such a treat! And, of course, the original Shadow of the Wind....

It's rather sobering to realize that if I had started to study Spanish when I read Zafon's first book, I would be able to read it by now. I'm not sure I would ever be a good speaker, but I am confident I could learn to read another language, probably relatively quickly. Maybe this time I will really give it a try -

Dynomutt & Siobhan,
Just read your posts. I can't answer properly now, gotta run to catch the ferry, but will later.

Siobhan, go for it!

I have just asked my mum to buy "The Boy with the TopKnot: A Memoir of Love, Secrets and Lies in Wolverhampton" - Sathnam Sanghera. It's a memoir (duh) about an boy who grows up in England and looks to be really funny. Couldn't find it in the US so hoping to pick it up in person next autumn when I go to home (UK home) for a bit.

This book just came out in paperback in April in the UK. Probably not much call for memoirs from Wolverhampton in the US.

I just read that Richard Russo has a new book coming out in August...I will buy that for sure. Some books I just can't wait for, and want to savor, and not worry about due dates and past due fines (as well as the charge for reserving it!)

I just discovered another Isabel Dalhousie book coming out in September -- The Lost Art of Gratitude. I'm looking forward to it.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Lost Art of Gratitude

I saw a new Lisa See at the bookstore yesterday, Shanghai Girls, and have requested it from the library. I'm No. 22 on the waiting list.

I noticed someone posted that you are charged a fee for library requests. My library does not charge--thank goodness, because I really use it a lot. Do many of you have to pay?

I don't, although I would pay if they felt the need to charge. I use it constantly.

We are only charged a fee if a book is ordered through Inter-Library Loan and the postage is quite costly. (Then we are charged the postage).

I have been wondering lately if it costs the library anything for me to inter-library-loan things as I have been doing that a lot recently. I would hate to know that I am an expensive patron, although the books are worth it to me.

Do many people ILL books? I don't know anyone who does but then not many of my friends are as avid readers as I am.

I've only done ILL once and that was to get the other two books that went with Cranford. I didn't know how to do it, but the librarian showed me there is a place on their home page to click and the world awaits!

I used to do ILL quite a lot when my reading tastes were more exotic, about a decade ago. Then, I got tired of paying the postage. (A lot of the books I ordered came from faraway,obscure academic libraries).

I use ILL occasionally and so far, the library doesn't charge for it. The only minor inconvenience is that I have to phone or go in person to request an ILL, there's no way to request books outside the town's library system online. Not a deal breaker by any means, but I feel bad to waste a reference librarian's time doing something I could do myself. If they did charge for ILL, I'd be happy to pay, our library is wonderful and needs the support.