New Novel By Hoboken Author, 'Days Of Wonder,' Selected For CBS Book Club

HOBOKEN, NJ — Best selling novelist Caroline Leavitt, who's lived in a Hoboken brownstone since 1992, just saw her newest novel come out on Tuesday. It's also her 13th book — but that doesn't make it any less dear to her than the first.

In fact, Leavitt found out last week that "Days of Wonder" has been selected as one of three picks for CBS Calvi Book club, and is encouraging all readers and friends to vote (voting closes Sunday) here.

Days Of Wonder "follows the afterlives of two 15-year-old New York City kids from different classes who are wildly, passionately in love. When the father of the boy, Jude, tries to separate them, the kids fantasize about killing him — until the fantasy borders on reality."

Perhaps this sounds destined for the next Netflix series, especially since, according to the book's description, "Both kids are charged with attempted murder, though neither one of them (they were sleep deprived and drinking) remembers quite what happened. Jude, wealthy, goes free, but Ella, the daughter of a single mom who was kicked out of her Hassidic community when she got pregnant, is given 25 years.

"Early released after six years, Ella is desperate to find her ex, find the child she was forced to give up for adoption while in prison, and learn the truth of what really happened that night."

Appearing At Your Local Indie Bookstore

This Saturday happens to be Indie Bookstore Day, a good time to check out the next month's coming events at Little City Books. Among them, Leavitt will be interviewed there on May 21 by Christina Baker Kline. (You can register for that event here.)

Leavitt did much research to write the novel, she noted, speaking with women on probation from prison, people who had left their Williamsburg Hasidic communities, with attorneys, and even with the famous "Poison Lady," who helps writers decide which poisons to include in their mysteries.

Days of Wonder was most anticipated from Oprah Daily, Read with Jenna page, She Reads, Zibby Owens magazine and more. Leavitt will make 28 stops on her tour.

Leavitt grew up in Massachusetts and raised her family in Hoboken. Learn more at www.carolineleavitt.com and subscribe to Caroline's newsletter here.