Win a Copy of the Audio Edition of Home Front by Kristin Hannah for Your Group

We are celebrating the upcoming release of Home Front by Kristin Hannah, which will be in stores on January 31st, with a special contest --- a chance to win one of 100 audiobooks and listen to this powerful story. You can hear an excerpt from the audiobook here. The deadline for entries is Friday, February 3rd at noon ET. We are excited about sharing with you a different way to experience a writer whose work we love.

More about Home Front:
From a distance, Michael and Joleen Zarkades seem to have it all: a solid marriage, two exciting careers, and children they adore. But after 12 years together, the couple has lost their way; they are unhappy and edging toward divorce. Then the Iraq war starts. An unexpected deployment will tear their already fragile family apart, sending one of them deep into harm’s way and leaving the other at home, waiting for news. When the worst happens, each must face their darkest fear and fight for the future of their family.

Click here to read all the contest details.

Win a Paperback Copy of Little Princes by Conor Grennan for Your Group

We are celebrating the paperback release of Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan --- the powerful story of a young man who traded his day job for a philanthropic quest around the globe --- with a special contest. 50 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the book, which is now available in paperback, for their group. The deadline for entries is Friday, February 3rd at noon ET.

More about Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal:
In search of adventure, 29-year-old Conor Grennan traded his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Orphanage in war-torn Nepal. But what began as a lark became a passionate commitment that would transform the young American and the lives of countless others.

Click here to read all the contest details.
Click here for the reading group guide.

The World We Found
by Thrity Umrigar

As university students in late 1970s Bombay, Armaiti, Laleh, Kavita and Nishta were inseparable. Spirited and unconventional, they challenged authority and fought for a better world. But much has changed over the past 30 years. Following different paths, the quartet drifted apart, the day-to-day demands of work and family tempering the revolutionary fervor they once shared. Then comes devastating news: Armaiti, who moved to America, is gravely ill and wants to see the old friends she left behind.

» Click here for the reading group guide.

The Peach Keeper
by Sarah Addison Allen

Now Available in Paperback
It’s the dubious distinction of 30-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam --- built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather and once the finest home in Walls of Water, North Carolina --- has stood for years as a monument to misfortune and scandal. Willa has lately learned that an old classmate --- socialite Paxton Osgood --- has restored the house to its former glory, with plans to turn it into a top-flight inn. But when a skeleton is found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, long-kept secrets come to light, accompanied by a spate of strange occurrences throughout the town.

» Click here for the reading group guide.

Smut: Stories
by Alan Bennett

The author of The History Boys and The Habit of Art explores the uncomfortable and tragicomic gap between people's public appearance and their private desires in two tender and surprising stories. In “The Greening of Mrs. Donaldson,” a recently bereaved widow finds interesting ways to supplement her income by performing as a patient for medical students, and renting out her spare room. And in “The Shielding of Mrs. Forbes,” a disappointed middle-aged mother dotes on her only son, Graham, who believes he must shield her from the truth.

» Click here for the reading group guide.

“There Are Things I Want You to Know” About Stieg Larsson and Me
by Eva Gabrielsson with Marie-Françoise Colombani

Now Available in Paperback
The keys to the "Stieg Larsson phenomenon" all lie with Stieg Larsson the man. No one knew him like his lifelong companion, Eva Gabrielsson. Here she tells the story of their 30-year romance, of Stieg's life-long struggle to expose Sweden’s Neo-Nazis, of his struggle to keep the magazine he founded, Expo, alive, his difficult relationships with his immediate family, and the joy and relief he discovered writing the Millennium Trilogy.

» Click here for the reading group guide.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
by Amy Chua

Now Available in Paperback
At once provocative and laugh-out-loud funny, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother set off a global parenting debate with its story of one mother's journey in strict parenting. Amy Chua argues that Western parenting tries to respect and nurture children's individuality, while Chinese parents typically believe that arming children with skills, strong work habits, and inner confidence prepares them best for the future.

» Click here for the reading group guide.

The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters
by Jeffrey Zaslow

Illuminating the poignant aspects of a woman's journey to the altar, The Magic Room tells the stories of memorable women on the brink of commitment. Run by the same family for years, Becker's has witnessed transformations in how America views the institution of marriage; some of the shop's clientele are becoming stepmothers, or starting married life for a second time.

» Click here for the reading group guide.

The Color of Rain: How Two Families Found Faith, Hope, and Love in the Midst of Tragedy
by Michael and Gina Spehn

When two childhood friends die of cancer six weeks apart, the shared experience of loss brings their grieving spouses together. After months of late-night phone calls, family dinners, and countless dreams and tears, this unlikely pair builds a trust, a love, and a shared life. Told from alternating points of view, The Color of Rain illuminates the stepping stones of healing that lead to a joyful new beginning for Michael and Gina Spehn and their five children.

» Click here for the reading group guide.

Wine to Water: A Bartender’s Quest to Bring Clean Water to the World
by Doc Hendley

Doc Hendley never set out to be a hero. In 2004, Hendley --- a small-town bartender --- launched a series of wine-tasting events to raise funds for clean-water projects and to bring awareness to the world's freshwater crisis. He planned to donate the proceeds through traditional channels, but instead found himself traveling to one of the world's most dangerous hot spots: Darfur, Sudan.

» Click here for the reading group guide.

Growgirl: How My Life After The Blair Witch Project Went to Pot
by Heather Donahue

After starring in The Blair Witch Project --- the tiny indie film-turned-blockbuster that Roger Ebert named one of the 10 Most Influential Movies of the Century --- Heather Donahue became a household name. But when the afterglow of the movie waned, her acting career stalled. Determined to start a new life, she left most remnants of the old one in the desert, meditated on things for a few days, then followed her brand-new boyfriend to her brand-new life --- growing pot.

» Click here for the reading group guide.

For January, we have two very special opportunities for Registered Book Groups. Our featured titles this month are The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great by Eva Stachniak and The Color of Rain: How Two Families Found Faith, Hope, and Love in the Midst of Tragedy by Michael and Gina Spehn. Groups that have registered with us by Monday, January 23rd will have the chance to win author chats and free books. If your group is not registered with ReadingGroupGuides.com, click here to register.

Click here for details.