For the month of January, Jenna Bush Hager selected "Dear Edward," by Ann Napolitano as her Read With Jenna pick. The thought-provoking novel is about a 12-year-old boy named Edward, who is the sole survivor of a plane crash that claims the lives of 186 passengers, including his mother, father and older brother.
Throughout the novel, the story flips between Edward's attempt to recover and rebuild his life and the doomed flight.
While the story has tragedy at its core, it is a book about shared humanity, new beginnings and finding hope through even the most trying experience.
"Dear Edward," by Ann Napolitano
Book of the Month is a subscription-based book club that delivers hardcover books to your door at an affordable price. Each month, Book of the Month Club selects 5 hot, new titles – starting in January, one of these will always be the #ReadwithJenna pick. Subscribers then choose which book you want delivered — your first month is $9.99 with code READWITHJENNA and after that, it’s $14.99 a month. You can easily pause your subscription at any time or skip a month and roll your credit from one month to another.
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If you've already read "Dear Edward" and loved it as much as we did, check out the five books author Ann Napolitano recommends the Read With Jenna book club dive into next.
1. "A Tale for the Time Being," by Ruth Ozeki
Author Ruth Ozeki's third book tells the story of Noa, a young girl living in Japan. The 16-year-old plans to end her life to escape classroom bullying and consuming feelings of loneliness. However, before she does so, she plans to document the life of her great-grandmother, a Buddhist nun who's lived more than a century.
On the other side of the world, a novelist named Ruth discovers a collection of artifacts in a Hello Kitty lunchbox washed ashore on a remote island. As she explores its mysterious contents, Nao's story and uncertain fate begin to unfold for Ruth.
If you enjoyed the mixing storylines of "Dear Edward," you will love the way Ozeki twists past and present, fact and fiction, and history and myth to tell a story of shared humanity and the search for home.
2. "Everything I Never Told You," by Celeste Ng
Celeste Ng's debut novel, "Everything I Never Told You," tells the story of a Chinese-American family living in a small Ohio town in the 1970s. When Lydia, the middle daughter and favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee is found dead in a local lake, the Lee family is sent into a spiral. As they grieve, the family's carefully put-together image unravels and secrets emerge.
The gripping story is a beautiful study of difficult family relationships and at the same time, an unrelenting mystery about Lydia's untimely death.
3. "Home Fire," by Kamila Shamsie
The story of a Muslim immigrant family living in Britain, "Home Fire," follows twin siblings Aneeka and Parvaiz and their older sister Isma, who raises them after the death of their mother. When Isma leaves her siblings in search of a new start in America, Parvaiz sets out in pursuit of his own dream, to follow the legacy of the jihadist father he never knew. When Parvaiz realizes he has made a grave mistake, will it be too late for his family to save him?
The book tackles concerns about the identity and safety of Muslims in Britain. It explores the thin line immigrants are forced to walk between holding onto their heritage and expressing loyalty to their new home. Suspenseful and heartbreaking, the novel asks readers to consider how far they will go in the name of family and love.
4. "The Heart's Invisible Furies," by John Boyne
From the bestselling author of "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," "The Heart's Invisible Furies" is a heart-wrenching exploration of self and the redemptive power of the human spirit.
When a young teenager from a rural village in Ireland gets pregnant out of wedlock, she entrusts the life of her child with a nun and flees in search of a new start for herself. Her son, Cyril, is adopted as a baby but has been told by his new family that he is not a real Avery.
For the rest of his life, Cyril tries to find out who he is and where he came from. He struggles to create an identity, home country and much more.
5. "The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley," by Hannah Tinti
Samuel Hawley is an outlaw who raised his beloved daughter, Loo, on the road as he ran from the sins of his past. When Loo becomes a teenager, Hawley attempts to give his daughter a normal childhood by settling down in his late wife's hometown and getting a job as a fisherman. However, Hawley is constantly reminded of his past by the 12 scars he bears.
The story weaves between the past and present as Loo learns the truth behind each of her father's 12 scars and her mother's mysterious passing. As a dark history emerges, Hawley's past spills into his daughter's present until they are forced to face it head-on.
Author Hannah Tinti beautifully crafts a novel that is equal parts thrilling and touching.
For past #ReadWithJenna book club picks, you can read the announcements for her March pick, April pick, May pick, June pick, July pick, August pick, September pick, October pick, November pick and December pick. Also, check out our Read With Jenna page.
To stay involved all month long, be sure to follow us on Instagram (don't forget to tag your photos with the hashtag #ReadWithJenna), join our Read With Jenna Facebook group and follow along on Goodreads to continue the conversation about "Dear Edward."
