USA TODAY International Edition
New and noteworthy
USA TODAY’s Jocelyn McClurg scopes out the hottest books on sale each week.
1 Stolen Beauty
by Laurie Lico Albanese ( Atria, fiction, on sale Tuesday) WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Historical fiction about painter Gustav Klimt and his muse, Adele BlochBauer, better known as the “Woman in Albanese Gold,” and the niece ( Maria Altmann) who years later tries to protect the paintings during World War II. Altmann’s story ( as THE BUZZ: an older woman) became movie fodder when Helen Mirren portrayed her in 2015’ s Woman in Gold.
2 My Not So Perfect Life
by Sophie Kinsella ( The Dial Press, fiction, on sale Tuesday) WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Katie Brenner’s seemingly fabulous life in London hits the skids when she’s fired from her marketing job in this funny, romantic novel by the author of the
Shopaholic series. Kinsella will do a THE BUZZ: USA TODAY Facebook Live chat with fans Feb. 7 at 1 p. m. ET/ 10 a. m. PT.
3 Norse Mythology
by Neil Gaiman ( Norton, fiction, on sale Tuesday) WHAT IT’S GaiABOUT: man’s take on Norse myths that have helped inspire his own work. The THE BUZZ: author’s fantasy American
Gods is in production as a series for Starz, starring Ian McShane.
4 Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
by Giles Milton ( Picador, non- fiction, on sale Tuesday) WHAT IT’S ABOUT: The true story of the six men Winston Churchill hand- picked in 1939 to sabotage Hitler’s war machine. “An exciting, THE BUZZ: suspenseful tale of international intrigue,” says Kirkus Reviews.
5 The Lonely Hearts Hotel
by Heather O’Neill ( Riverhead, fiction, on sale Tuesday) WHAT IT’S Two ABOUT: children, raised as orphans, fall in love when they get older and create a magical circus troupe. It’s an Indie Next pick THE BUZZ: of independent booksellers. “Fantastic and fabulous in the truest sense of both words,” says Susan Taylor of Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany, N. Y.