Jodi Picoult Calls Joyce Maynard's LABOR DAY "Simply a Novel You Cannot Miss" and I Have 10 Copies to Give Away!

Just on sale, Joyce Maynard's new novel Labor Day is one that I can just see my book group arguing over for a long time. The premise of this slender novel? Read on....

With the end of summer closing in and a steamy Labor Day weekend looming in the town of Holton Mills, New Hampshire, thirteen-year-old Henry—lonely, friendless, not too good at sports—spends most of his time watching television, reading, and daydreaming about his female classmates. For company Henry has his long-divorced mother, Adele—a onetime dancer whose summer project was to teach him how to foxtrot; his hamster, Joe; and awkward Saturday-night outings to Friendly's with his estranged father and new stepfamily. As much as he tries, Henry knows that even with his jokes and his "Husband for a Day" coupon, he still can't make his emotionally fragile mother happy. Adele has a secret that makes it hard for her to leave their house, and seems to possess an irreparably broken heart.

But all that changes on the Thursday before Labor Day, when a mysterious bleeding man named Frank approaches Henry and asks for a hand. Over the next five days, Henry will learn some of life's most valuable lessons: how to throw a baseball, the secret to perfect piecrust, the breathless pain of jealousy, the power of betrayal, and the importance of putting others—especially those we love—above ourselves. And the knowledge that real love is worth waiting for.

Acclaimed author Joyce Maynard weaves a beautiful, poignant tale of love, sex, adolescence, and devastating treachery as seen through the eyes of a young teenage boy—and the man he later becomes—looking back at an unexpected encounter that begins one single long, hot, life-altering weekend.

When I first heard about Labor Day, I knew I had to read it immediately and my interest was only further piqued when I read this essay by Joyce Maynard on bn.com -- guess what one of her favorite childhood books was? Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown! See, Betsy-Tacy fans ARE everywhere. But I digress...Here is what Jodi Picoult has to say about Labor Day: "Joyce Maynard is in top-notch form....From the perfect pitch of a teenaged boy narrator to the eloquent message of how loneliness can bind people together, this is simply a novel you cannot miss."

Watch Maynard talking about the writing of Labor Day below.

As you can see, there is much for book groups to discuss in Labor Day. And I have 10 copies of it to give away! What a perfect end-of-summer read. Enter to win by commenting on what books you've read or plan to read this summer. I'll choose 10 people randomly from all entries received by midnight Wednesday, August 5th (US and Canada only please).

And be sure to tune in and listen to Maynard about the novel on Authors on Air on Wednesday August 5th at 3 pm EST and look for her on tour near you.

Comments

[Julie Kibler]

Favorite reads of the summer so far:
Belong to Me/Marisa de los Santos
The Girl She Used to Be/David Cristofano
Secrets She Left Behind/Diane Chamberlain
Shelter Me/Juliette Fay
Deep End of the Ocean (reread!)/Jacquelyn Mitchard
Skeletons at the Feast/Chris Bohjalian

Would love to win a copy of Maynard's book. I haven't read anything by her before.

[Melissa C]

My favorite reads of the summer so far are:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Books 1-3
The Lost Quilter
The Middle Place
The Art of Racing in the Rain
True Colors
Belong to Me
Bitter is the New Black
Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

I would love to win a copy of the book! I have been hearing such good things about it!

[Alipet813]

A couple of books I have loved this summer:
Jantsen's Gift
Hannibal's Elephant Girl
Almost Human Series (technically read before summer started)
A Circle of Souls
Nothing But Ghosts
Oh I could just go on and on.

[Amanda]

I've been reading the sookie stackhouse series. I also read an older book--we need to talk about kevin.
Please enter me for the giveaway!
Thanks,
Amanda
catss99@yahoo.com

[Mary]

I'd love to read Labor Day!

My favorite books so far this summer:
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict
The Fixer Upper
Love in Bloom
Love Walked In
Shades of Gray: A Novel of the Civil War in Virginia
Summer House
The Lace Makers of Glenmara

Thanks,
Mary
meah56 at gmail dot com

[Sandra Furlotte]

So far this summer I have read:
Skylight Confessions - Alice Hoffman
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Last Rites - John Harvey
Here on Earth - Alice Hoffman

[Debbie]

Here is my reading list for this week. Keep your fingers crossed.
The Seamstress -almost finsihed.
The Art of Racing in the Rain.
The Chosen One
A Summer Affair- Elin Hilderbrand.
I would love a chane to add Labor Day to my list.
Thanks
Debbie
debdesk9(at)verizon.net

[Julie H.]

I've actually read a few popular books this summer, the year in which they actually came out!

Shanghai Girls
Best Friends Forever
Missing Mark (another MN connection)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen

I would love to check out Labor Day!
Thanks for the opportunity to win!

JHolden955 (at) gmail (dot) com

[Amanda]

I've read some great stuff this summer!

Pope Joan
Dead Fathers Club
Finding Nouf
Tenth Circle
The Help
Shakespeare: The world as stage

Thanks for including me in your giveaway!

[rhapsodyinbooks]

This summer I want to work on making a dent in my TBR pile but of course always new ones seem to work their way onto it! I might try some of the Sookie Stackhouse books and the ones I've been seeing in the Jane Austen challenge really look like fun too. So I think that will make a start!

Please enter me!

nbmars AT yahoo DOT com

[Mari Partyka]

Favorites read this summer include:

The Help
Olive Kitteridge
Eating Heaven
Julie and Julia

I would love to win a copy of this book, thanks for the chance to win.

Mari
mari.partyka@gmail.com

[Angela T.]

Some of the best books I read this summer are:
Undead and Unwelcome by MaryJanice Davidson
Marine One by James W. Huston
From Dead To Worse by Charlaine Harris
Blood Noir by Laurell K. Hamilton
Skin Trade by Laurell K. Hamilton
The Strain by Guillermo del Toro
Storm From the Shadows by David Weber
The Shadow Queen by Anne Bishop
Bonk by Mary Roach
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
Rescue Warriors: The U.S. Coast Guard, America's Forgotten Heroes by David Helvarg
Blood and Ice by Robert Masello
Deep Black: Payback by Stephen Coonts
Made To Be Broken by Kelley Armstrong
Goddess of Love by P. C. Cast
The Doomsday Key by James Rollins
No Warriors, No Glory by Harold Coyle
The Apostle by Brad Thor
The Coolest Race on Earth by John Hanc
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
California Wine For Dummies by Ed McCarthy
How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks
Hot Pursuit by Suzanne Brockmann

[Trish]

I have been reading mysteries this summer (the Greg Iles "Penn Cage" series). I am ready for a more serious read. This looks like a wonderful book.

[Sheila DeChantal]

1o copies? Wow! My summer reads that I would love to get to are:

Pride and Prejudice (currently started)

Harry Potter books (again!)

Alvor (very exciting!)

Julie and Julia

Circle of Souls

The Three Sisters Trilogy (have to get to these before the fiction character party in October to brush up on my character!)

[Sandra]

Am reading the Holly Barker series by Stuart Woods. Also read Fangland, The Hunger Games. On my TBR pile is Stormy Weather (biography on Lena Horne) and Best Friends by Jennifer Weiner.

[Diane LaRue]

Oh my gosh, I had tears in my eyes just reading the book summary. Thanks for offering this chance.

Books I have read this summer include:
Emma by Jane Austen
Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti
The Lie by O.H. Bennett
Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
The Girl Who Loved Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman
Shanghai Sisters by Lisa See
Die for You by Lisa Unger
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
Paul Newman- A Life by Shawn Levy

[Nely]

Count me in for Labor Day. I'd love to read it.

Some of my faves this summer are:
If I Stay
Wintergirls
The Devlin Diary
Last Light Over Carolina
The Grand Sophy

[Jackie Ford]

So far this summer I've read:

Story Sisters (loved it)
Third Angel (another Alice Hoffman, wonderfully plotted)
Loving Frank (gorgeous and surprising)
The Hour I First Believed (painful and moving)
Anne Frank, Diary of Young Girl (re-reading with my daughter)

Am now reading Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner - am finding the plot strains credibility but the characters are extremely well drawn

I'd love to read Labor Day!

[Mary-Frances Main]

My surprising favorite has been Steven King's On Writing
But I've also read:
The Miss Julia series (light and cute)
Just Breathe
Divine Circle of Ladies Making Mischeif
Lace Makers of GlenMara
Vanishing Acts

[anne]

My reading this summer has been enjoyable and diverse. A few of my favorites are: Now and Then, Sworn to Silence, East of the Sun, The Defector, and Angel's Game. Thanks for this great giveaway.