Library Love Fest

We're Heading to ALA Annual in Washington, D.C.!

It's almost time to travel to Washington, D.C. for ALA Annual 2019! We're thrilled to announce a wonderful line-up of authors and events. You also don't want to miss our world-famous Adult Book Buzz, featuring breakfast treats, sound machines, and our verdict on some great upcoming books! Use our schedule below to mark your calendars so you don't miss a thing!

ALA Annual 2019 

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

8:30am-10:00am

HarperCollins Book Buzz
WCC, Room 202A Theater
RSVP: librarylovefest@harpercollins.com
Subject: RSVP Book Buzz

 

Don't forget to come to our booth #1222 and meet our authors!

 

9:00am-10:00am

Caitlin Starling booth signing, The Luminous Dead

 

11:00am-12:00pm

Alicia Menendez booth signing, The Likability Trap

 

12:00pm-1:00pm

Ann Patchett booth signing, The Dutch House

 

1:00pm-1:50pm

Pop Top Stage: Don’t Be Afraid of Horror with Charles Soule, Anyone

 

1:00pm-2:00pm

Linwood Barclay booth signing, Elevator Pitch

 

2:00pm-3:00pm

Charles Soule booth signing, Anyone

 

2:30pm-3:30pm

UFL Program: It’s a Mystery to Me with Linwood Barclay, Elevator Pitch
WCC, 207B

 

2:30pm-3:30pm

LibraryReads Program: Fiercely Female with Alicia Menendez, The Likability Trap
WCC, 204C

 

4:00pm-5:00pm

Laura Lippman booth signing, Lady in the Lake

 

4:00pm-4:45pm

Book Buzz Theater with Workman, Norton, & Sterling

 

8:00pm-10:00pm

Carnegie Awards with speaker Laura Lippman, Lady in the Lake
Renaissance Washington DC Downtown Hotel (Grand Ballroom South)
For tickets, visit www.ala.org

 

 

SUNDAY, JUNE 23

8:00am-10:00am

RUSA Literary Tastes Author Panel Breakfast with Chelsey Johnson, Stray City
Renaissance Washington DC Downtown Hotel, Congressional Ballroom
For information, visit: 2019.alaannual.org/registration/ticketed-events

 

9:00am-10:00am

UFL Program: Must-Read Memoirs with Doris Payne, Diamond Doris
WCC, Room 140B

 

10:00am-11:00am

Kevin Wilson booth signing, Nothing to See Here

 

10:30am-11:30am

UFL Book Club Central: How to Book Club with Stephanie Dray
& Laura Kamoie, Ribbons of Scarlet
Marriott Marquis Washington DC

 

11:00am-12:00pm

Doris Payne booth signing, Diamond Doris

 

12:00pm-1:00pm

Chelsey Johnson booth signing, Stray City

 

12:30pm-1:30pm

Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie booth signing, Ribbons of Scarlet

 

1:00pm-2:00pm

UFL Editor’s Panel with Kevin Wilson, Nothing to See Here
Conrad Washington DC Grand C

1:00pm

Now Showing @ ALA Film Program, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
WCC, Room 209

 

1:30pm-2:30pm

Clyde W. Ford booth signing, Think Black

 

3:00pm-4:00pm

Pop Top Stage, ALMA/Authors in Conversation: Finding Identity with Clyde W. Ford, Think Black

 

3:30pm-4:30pm

Josh Gondelman booth signing, Nice Try

5:30pm-7:30pm

UFL The Laugh’s On Us with Josh Gondelman, Nice Try
Renaissance Washington DC Downtown Hotel, Grand Ballroom South

 

 

MONDAY, JUNE 24

9:00am-10:00am

Kate Elizabeth Russell booth signing, My Dark Vanessa

 

11:30am-12:15pm

Book Buzz Theater with Harlequin

 

1:00pm-3:00pm

Stonewall Book Awards with Uzodinma Iweala, Speak No Evil
Marriott Marquis Washington DC, Salon 12 & 13

 

2:00pm-4:00pm

UFL Gala Author Tea with Kate Elizabeth Russell, My Dark Vanessa
Marriott Marquis Washington DC, Ballroom Salon 1-5

 

Click here for a printable version of our full conference schedule!

The July LibraryReads List is Here!

You voted, they counted, and the winners have finally been announced!

This month, we are thrilled to share that we have THREE authors selected for the LibraryReads Hall of Fame List!

Congratulations to Joshilyn Jackson, Laura Lippman, and Sarah MacLean for being selected for the LibraryReads Hall of Fame!  Click here to see the full list.

Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson: New York Times 
bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson—"an admired writer who deserves to be a household name" (Kirkus Reviews)—displays her masterful talent in this dark and deliciously addictive tale of domestic suspense.

"Nail-biting suspense.... Jackson builds on her talent for creating imperfect, capable, and multi-layered characters to write smart suspense, driven by the intelligence and determination of the instigator and her prey.... Never Have I Ever marks a new high in Jackson’s career."
                                 —Booklist review

Previous LibraryReads Selections: Someone Else's Love Story, The Opposite of Everyone, and The Almost Sisters

Request the egalley from Edelweiss
Request the egalley from NetGalley

 

Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman: The revered New York Times bestselling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.

"Smoldering.... Lippman’s fans will devour this sophisticated crime novel, which captures the era’s zeitgeist while painting a striking portrait of unapologetic female ambition."
—Publishers Weekly review

Previous LibraryReads Selections: After I'm Gone, Wilde Lake, and Sunburn

Request the egalley from Edelweiss
Request the egalley from NetGalley

 

Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean: New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with the next book in the Bareknuckle Bastards series about three brothers bound by a secret that they cannot escape—and the women who bring them to their knees.

"MacLean’s books should be required reading...She is, without question, the elegantly fuming, utterly intoxicating queen of historical romance."
—Entertainment Weekly

Previous LibraryReads Selections: No Duke Goes Unpunished
                                  and Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover

Request the egalley from Edelweiss
Request the egalley from NetGalley

Thanks to all who participated and submitted votes for the July LibraryReads list! Be sure to submit your votes for the Augst LibraryReads list by July 1st. You can see our recommendations here. Click here to learn more about LibraryReads.

-Chris

 

Editors Unedited: Editor Emily Krump in Conversation with Author Lori Rader-Day

On this week's episode of Editors Unedited on The Library Love Fest Podcast, William Morrow Senior Editor Emily Krump interviews Lori Rader-Day, Edgar Award®-nominated author of Under a Dark Sky. They discuss Lori's new book, The Lucky One, an unforgettable, chilling novel about a young woman who recognizes the man who kidnapped her as a child, setting off a search for justice. Lori also discusses the true crime story that was the inspiration for this novel. 

Listen to the episode below!

Lori is well known in the true crime world; she is the national Vice President of Sisters in Crime, a network for crime writers. Find out more on their website here. Be sure to check out The Lucky One, available on February 4, 2020.

-Lainey

Library Love Fest Is #BookinIt2DC! Be Sure to RSVP to One of Our Buzz Stops!

Hello, librarian friends!

Some exciting news from the Library Love Fest team: we're road trippin' to Washington D.C. for ALA Annual and will be stopping at libraries along the way! We'll be setting up our tiki hut and buzzing books at the Princeton Public Library in New Jersey, the Free Library of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, and the Baltimore County Public Library in Maryland. 
 

Monday, June 17th

12:00pm 
Princeton Public Library
65 Witherspoon St
Princeton, NJ 08542

3:30pm
Free Library of Philadelphia
Parkway Central Branch
1901 Vine St
Philadelphia, PA 19103 
Room 131/132


Tuesday, June 18th

2:00pm
Baltimore County Public Library
Arbutus Branch
855 Sulphur Spring Rd
Arbutus, MD 21227
 

If you live within driving distance of any of these libraries, please join us in person! Click here to RSVP!

If you can’t make it to one of these libraries, do not fret! We'll be live streaming our buzzes on Facebook and documenting all the hijinks along the way on social.

We'll be releasing additional details between now and when we hit the road on Monday, June 17th, so make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates.

The official hashtag of the Library Love Fest road trip is #BookinIt2DC.

Of course, if you can't join us at one of our library buzzes, we'll still be hosting our world-renowned book buzz at ALA Annual!

Saturday, June 22nd

8:30am-10:00am
HarperCollins Book Buzz
WCC, Room 202A Theater
RSVP: librarylovefest@harpercollins.com 
Subject: RSVP Book Buzz

 

Don't forget to let us know if you can make it to one of our book buzzes on the road to ALA in D.C. Click here to RSVP!

-Virginia, Chris, and Lainey

Editors Unedited: Editor Jessica Williams in Conversation with Author Kate Elizabeth Russell

On this week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast, Senior Editor Jessica Williams interviews author Kate Elizabeth Russell.

Kate's debut novel, My Dark Vanessa, explores the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher. It is a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.

Stephen King says: “I had the feeling you get at the end of some books, when you know the next one won’t be as good. My Dark Vanessa is a hard story to read and a harder one to put down...a well-constructed package of dynamite.”

The announcement of this book set off an industry-wide frenzy, selling in 25 territories and counting. Check out the Entertainment Weekly announcement here. My Dark Vanessa was also named a BookExpo 2019 Buzz Book! Find out more here.

Listen to the episode here:

We are all big fans of this book here at LLF and we can't wait for you to read it, too! It's truly a beautiful and unique reading experience.

You can also see Kate at ALA this June. She will be signing at our booth #1222 at 9 AM on Monday, June 24. She will also be speaking at the United For Libraries Gala Author Tea later that day at 2 PM.

Find out more about the book and download an egalley on Edelweiss and NetGalley now. LibraryReads votes are due December 1st, 2019.

-Lainey

William Morrow Has FIVE Nominations for the 2019 Anthony Awards!

We are excited to share that William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, has FIVE titles nominated for the 2019 Anthony Awards!

BEST NOVEL

November Road by Lou Berney (William Morrow): Set against the assassination of JFK, a poignant and evocative crime novel that centers on a desperate cat-and-mouse chase across 1960s America—a story of unexpected connections, daring possibilities, and the hope of second chances from the Edgar Award-winning author of The Long and Faraway Gone.

Sunburn by Laura Lippman (William Morrow): New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman returns with a superb novel of psychological suspense about a pair of lovers with the best intentions and the worst luck: two people locked in a passionate yet uncompromising game of cat and mouse. But instead of rules, this game has dark secrets, forbidden desires, inevitable betrayals—and cold-blooded murder.

 

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL

If I Die Tonight by Alison Gaylin (William Morrow Paperbacks): Reminiscent of the bestsellers of Laura Lippman and Harlan Coben—with a dose of Big Little Lies or Stranger Things—an absorbing, addictive tale of psychological suspense from the author of the highly acclaimed and Edgar Award-nominated What Remains of Me and the USA Today bestselling and Shamus Award-winning Brenna Spector series, in which a seemingly open-and-shut police case with a clear-cut hero and villain turns out to be anything but simple.

Under a Dark Sky by Lori Rader-Day (William Morrow Paperbacks): From the critically-acclaimed author of The Day I Died comes a terrifying twist on a locked-room mystery that will keep readers guessing until the last page, set in a remote dark sky park.

 

BEST CRITICAL OR NON-FICTION WORK

Dead Girls: Essays on Surviving an American Obsession by Alice Bolin (William Morrow Paperbacks): In this poignant collection, Alice Bolin examines iconic American works from the essays of Joan Didion and James Baldwin to Twin Peaks, Britney Spears, and Serial, illuminating the widespread obsession with women who are abused, killed, and disenfranchised, and whose bodies (dead and alive) are used as props to bolster men’s stories. Smart and accessible, thoughtful and heartfelt, Bolin investigates the implications of our cultural fixations, and her own role as a consumer and creator.

The Anthony Awards will be voted on by attendees at the 50th annual Bouchercon® World Mystery Convention in Dallas, Texas and presented on Saturday, November 2.

-Chris

The June LibraryReads List is Here!

                           

You voted, they counted, and the winners have been announced. We are excited to share that Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey has been selected for the June LibraryReads list! A huge congratulations to all the titles on the list! See the full list here.

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey: New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey delivers a fun, sexy romantic comedy—perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne—about a party planner and a professional baseball player-turned house flipper whose fake relationship takes a very real turn.

Request the egalley from Edelweiss
Request the egalley from NetGalley

Thanks to all who participated and submitted votes for the June LibraryReads list! Be sure to submit your votes for the July LibraryReads list by June 1st. You can see our recommendations here. Click here to learn more about LibraryReads.

-Chris

Editors Unedited: The Editors of Avon Books on HOW TO WRITE A ROMANCE

On this week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast, I sat down with Associate Editor Elle Keck and Editor Nicole Fischer to hear more about How to Write a Romance, an upcoming romance writer's journal from Avon Books.

Sharing wisdom and expertise from editors, How to Write a Romance guides you through the basic construction of a romance novel and highlights the most common pitfalls to avoid. It also includes 180 prompts touching on every aspect of romance writing: dialogue, character development, scene description, situational entries, and more.

This is a great resource for writers and romance readers alike. Be sure to listen to the interview with Elle and Nicole below:

Want to start reading romance novels but don't know where to start? We asked the Avon editors featured in this podcast interview to list their top five romance recommendations!

Elle's Top Five:

1. The Soldier's Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian
2. Love On My Mind by Tracey Livesay
3. Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
4. Dangerous Games by Tess Diamond
5. The Winter King by C.L Wilson

Nicole's Top Five:

1. Destiny’s Surrender by Beverly Jenkins
2. Ten Kisses to Scandal by Vivienne Lorret
3. A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole
4. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
5. Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

We hope you enjoyed this exclusive interview with two of our Avon editors. Be sure to check out How to Write a Romance, available July 9, 2019.

-Lainey

An Interview with Jaclyn Moriarty, Author of GRAVITY IS THE THING

On this week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast, Sarah Lambert, the Marketing Assistant at Harper, called her author Jaclyn Moriarty to talk about her upcoming U.S. adult debut, Gravity Is the Thing.

Gravity Is the Thing tells the story of single mother and cafe owner Abigail Sorenson. Twenty years ago, her brother Robert went missing one day before her sixteenth birthday, never to be seen again. That same year, she began receiving scattered chapters in the mail of a self-help manual, the Guidebook, whose anonymous author promised to make her life soar to heights beyond her wildest dreams. Now, two decades after receiving those first pages, Abi is invited to an all-expenses paid weekend retreat to learn “the truth” about the Guidebook.

Gravity Is the Thing is a smart, unusual, wickedly funny novel about the search for happiness that will break your heart into a million pieces and put it back together, bigger and better than before.

A book Marian Keyes calls “one of the most magical, different, interesting, likable, lovable, beautiful, sad, lovely, immensely uplifting books I have ever read. I read it in an agony of loving it but also being so humbled by the fact that if I lived to be 7,022 years old I would never be able to write a book as good as this. You will adore it—it’s an instant classic.”

Be sure to listen to the interview below!

You can download an egalley on Edelweiss and NetGalley now.

-Lainey

Patti Smith's JUST KIDS is the 2019 One Book, One New York Winner!

We are so excited to announce that Patti Smith’s New York Times bestselling and
National Book Award-winning book, Just Kids, has been declared the 2019
One Book, One New York winner!

In Just Kids, Patti Smith’s first book of prose, the legendary American artist offers a never-before-seen glimpse of her remarkable relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the epochal days of New York City and the Chelsea Hotel in the late sixties and seventies. An honest and moving story of youth and friendship, Smith brings the same unique, lyrical quality to Just Kids as she has to the rest of her formidable body of work—from her influential 1975 album Horses to her visual art and poetry. 

This is the third annual campaign in which New Yorkers vote on their favorite out of five books selected. This is the first year that all five selections were written by women! 

See the official press release here. There will also an event with Patti Smith at Symphony Space as part of the PEN America World Voices Festival on May 10th.

In celebration of Just Kids being selected, Ecco is donating 1,000 copies of Just Kids to New York City's 219 public library branches in an effort to ensure free access to the winning book!

Be sure to check out Just Kids and the Just Kids Illustrated Edition, available now!

-Lainey

Even More Mysterious Reads!

Looking for a new mystery read? Check out this list of upcoming mystery titles from the May 1st Booklist mystery issue.

I Spy by Claire Kendal

• From the author of The Book of You and The Second Sister, a twisty new thriller—perfect for readers of J.P. Delaney and Emily Elgar. Holly always wanted to be a spy. When at last she is given the chance, the experience proves more dangerous—and intimate—than anything she imagined.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss
• Request the egalley from NetGalley

Too Close by Natalie Daniels

• A haunting, edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller about a woman who has been institutionalized for a heinous crime, and the psychiatrist assigned to her case who must uncover the truth beneath the madness.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss
• Request the egalley from NetGalley

The Man in the White Linen Suit by David Handler

• The next clever, witty, and touching installment in the Edgar award-winning Stewart Hoag mystery series finds the beloved ghostwriter-sleuth and his faithful neurotic basset hound, Lulu, back in 1990’s New York City, investigating a bestselling author’s stolen manuscript and three murders linked to the crime.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss

Careful What You Wish For by Hallie Ephron

• From the New York Times bestselling author of There Was an Old Woman comes a novel about a professional organizer with a deadly problem she may not be able to clean up.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss
• Request the egalley from NetGalley

Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman

• The revered New York Times bestselling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss
• Request the egalley from NetGalley

The Last Widow by Karin Slaughter

• New York Times bestselling author Karin Slaughter returns with another electrifying thriller in the beloved Will Trent mystery series, this time pitting Will and Sara against a mysterious group planning to unleash a deadly epidemic.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss
• Request the egalley from NetGalley

The Gone Dead by Chanelle Benz

• An electrifying first novel from “a riveting new voice in American fiction” (George Saunders): A young woman returns to her childhood home in the American South and uncovers secrets about her father’s life and death.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss
• Request the egalley from NetGalley

Cold Storage by David Koepp

• For readers of Andy Weir and Noah Hawley comes an astonishing debut by the screenwriter of Jurassic Park: a wild and terrifying adventure about three strangers who must work together to contain a highly contagious, deadly organism.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss
• Request the egalley from NetGalley

The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup

• A heart-pounding debut from the creator of the hit Scandinavian television show The Killing. A psychopath is terrorizing Copenhagen. His calling card is a “chestnut man”—a handmade doll made of matchsticks and two chestnuts—which he leaves at each bloody crime scene.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss
• Request the egalley from NetGalley

The Playground by Jane Shemilt

• Big Little Lies meets Lord of The Flies in this electrifyingly twisty follow-up to Jane Shemilt’s breakout debut The Daughter. 
  Over the course of a long, hot summer in London, the lives of three very different married couples collide when their children join the same tutoring circle, resulting in illicit relationships, shocking violence, and unimaginable fallout.

The Lying Room by Nicci French

• In this thrilling standalone from the internationally bestselling author of the Frieda Klein series, a married woman’s affair with her boss spirals into a dangerous game of chess with the police when she discovers he’s been murdered and she clears the crime scene of all evidence.

Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha

• A powerful and taut novel about racial tensions in LA, following two families—one Korean-American, one African-American—grappling with the effects of a decades-old crime.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss

The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld

• The dark and haunting companion to Rene Denfeld’s acclaimed novel The Child Finder, a riveting story of lost children and one haunted woman’s search for what may never be found.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss

Sins of the Fathers by J. A. Jance

• Seattle investigator J. P. Beaumont is drawn into an intriguing, and shockingly personal, case in this superb tale of suspense from New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance.

The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan

• The New York Times bestselling author of What She Knew conjures a dark and unpredictable tale of family secrets that explores the lengths people will go to hurt one another.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss
• Request the egalley from NetGalley

Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay

• The New York Times bestselling author of A Noise Downstairs and No Time for Goodbye returns with an edge-of-your-seat thriller that does for elevators what Psycho did for showers and Jaws did for the beach—a heart-pounding tale in which a series of disasters paralyzes New York City with fear.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss
• Request the egalley from NetGalley

A Cruel Deception by Charles Todd

• In the aftermath of World War I, nurse Bess Crawford attempts to save a troubled former soldier from a mysterious killer in this eleventh book in the beloved Bess Crawford mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd.

The Network by L.C. Shaw

• A pulse-pounding, page-turning thriller involving corruption, secrets, and lies at the very deepest levels of government and media.

A Bitter Feast by Deborah Crombie

• New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie returns with a mesmerizing entry in her “excellent” (Miami Herald) series, in which Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are pulled into a dangerous web of secrets, lies, and murder buried beneath the surface of a picturesque Cotswolds village.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss

The House of Brides by Jane Cockram

• Jane Cockram makes her thrilling debut with this page-turning tale of psychological suspense in which a young woman whose life is in tatters flees to the safety of a family estate in England, but instead of comfort finds chilling secrets and lies.
• Request the egalley from Edelweiss

 

LADY IN THE LAKE has a Trifecta of Starred Reviews!

Laura Lippman’s forthcoming stand-alone novel Lady in the Lake has received a trifecta of starred reviews!

"The story is bigger than the crime, and the crime is bigger than its solution, making Lippman's skill as a mystery novelist work as icing on the cake. The racism, classism, and sexism of 50 years ago wrapped up in a stylish, sexy, suspenseful period drama about a newsroom and the city it covers."
—Kirkus Reviews review

 

"Riveting.... This is a superb character study, a terrific newspaper novel, and a fascinating look at urban life and racial discrimination in the ’60s.... Lippman's critical acclaim and sales figures continue to climb, and this genre-crossing thriller will extend her reach still further."
—Booklist review

 

"Smoldering...Lippman’s fans will devour this sophisticated crime novel, which captures the era’s zeitgeist while painting a striking portrait of unapologetic female ambition."
—Publishers Weekly review

Lady in the Lake goes on sale July 23rd. Click below to request the egalley on either Edelweiss+ or NetGalley. Votes for LibraryReads are due June 1st. Both of Laura's previous standalones—Wilde Lake and Sunburn—are LibraryReads selections, so submit your votes and let's make Laura Lippman a LibraryReads Hall of Fame author!

-V

And the Winner Is....

Some great news to share!  The Mystery Writers of America announced the Winners for the 2019 Edgar Allan Poe Awards.  Several HarperCollins authors made the cut!

They are:

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
Bearskin by James A. McLaughlin (HarperCollins Publishers – Ecco): A gritty and captivating debut about a caretaker of an Appalachian nature preserve who gets embroiled in a dangerous bear-poaching scheme—for fans of Smith Henderson, Ron Rash, and Daniel Woodrell.

 

 

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
If I Die Tonight by Alison Gaylin (HarperCollins Publishers – William Morrow): Reminiscent of the bestsellers of Laura Lippman and Harlan Coben—with a dose of Big Little Lies or Stranger Things—an absorbing, addictive tale of psychological suspense from the author of the highly acclaimed What Remains of Me and the USA Today bestselling and Shamus Award-winning Brenna Spector series, in which a seemingly open-and-shut police case with a clear-cut hero and villain turns out to be anything but simple.

THE G.P. PUTNAM’S SONS SUE GRAFTON MEMORIAL AWARD
Shell Game by Sara Paretsky (HarperCollins Publishers – William Morrow): Acclaimed detective V. I. Warshawski tackles a pair of perplexing cases involving those closest to her in this compelling and timely adventure that centers on some of the most divisive and pressing issues of our time.

For a complete list of all award winners, go to www.mysterywriters.org

The winners of the 31st annual Triangle Awards, honoring LGBTQ fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and trans literature published in 2018, have been announced.

The Publishing Triangle’s Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction, which honors emerging LGBTQ talent, was given to The House of Impossible Beauties by Joseph Cassara (HarperCollins Publishers - Ecco): A gritty and gorgeous debut that follows a cast of gay and transgender club kids navigating the Harlem ball scene of the 1980s and ’90s, inspired by the real House of Xtravaganza made famous by the seminal documentary Paris Is Burning.

For a full list of winners, go to www.publishingtriangle.org

Congratulations to all!

-V

Editors Unedited: Editor Hilary Swanson in Conversation with Author Shannon Watts

On the latest episode of Editors Unedited, Hilary Swanson, an editor at HarperOne, interviewed Shannon Watts, author of Fight Like a Mother.

Fight Like a Mother is the powerful story of how one mother’s cry for action started a national women’s movement—Moms Demand Action—to fight some of the richest and most powerful people in America: the gun lobby. It is an inspiring record of how outraged mothers became engaged citizens, creating a powerful grassroots network of local chapters in all 50 states. 

Fight Like a Mother explores the unique power of women. While not everyone can be on the front lines of the fight, every mom is already an organizer, and Shannon shows them how to put their skills to use in their own community, in their own way. Bringing activism into the everyday, Fight Like a Mother will inspire everyone—mothers and fathers, students and teachers, lawmakers, and every citizen outraged, angry, and motivated to work for change—transforming hearts, minds, and laws, and most importantly, show them how to honor their values with action.

In the interview, Shannon discusses how she started Moms Demand Action, explaining that you don't need a lot of experience to get involved in a cause you are passionate about to make a difference. Listen to the episode below:

Be sure to download an egalley of Fight Like a Mother on Edelweiss now and check out Moms Demand Action here. 

-Lainey

Editors Unedited: Andrew Blum, Author of THE WEATHER MACHINE

On this week's episode of Editors Unedited from The Library Love Fest Podcast, Assistant Editor Dominique Lear interviewed author Andrew Blum about his new book, The Weather Machine.

In The Weather Machine, Andrew takes readers on a fascinating journey through the weather, a foundation of our daily lives. In a quest to understand how the forecast works, he visits old weather stations and watches new satellites blast off. He follows the dogged efforts of scientists to create a supercomputer model of the atmosphere and traces the surprising history of the algorithms that power their work. He discovers that we have quietly entered a golden age of meteorology—our tools allow us to predict weather more accurately than ever, and yet we haven’t learned to trust them, nor can we guarantee the fragile international alliances that allow our modern weather machine to exist.

In the podcast episode, Andrew explains his writing and research process and how the weather has come to effect the way we live day-to-day. Learning more about our environment and the factors that contribute to the atmosphere is also a wonderful way to celebrate Earth Day today, April 22!

Listen to the conversation below:

Be sure to check out The Weather Machine, available on June 25th.

-Lainey

 

Magnificently Mysterious Reads

Looking for a new mystery read? Check out this list of upcoming mystery titles from the April 15th Library Journal mystery issue.

Never Look Back by Alison Gaylin

• Reminiscent of the bestsellers of Laura Lippman and Harlan Coben—with a Serial-esque podcast twist—an absorbing, addictive tale of psychological suspense from the author of the highly acclaimed and Edgar Award-nominated What Remains of Me and the USA Today bestselling and Shamus Award-winning Brenna Spector series.
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The Cutting Room by Ashley Dyer

• Detectives Ruth Lake and Greg Carver, introduced in the electrifying Splinter in the Blood, must stop a serial killer whose victims are the centerpiece of his macabre works of art.
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Girl in the Rearview Mirror by Kelsey Rae Dimberg

• The young nanny for a prominent political family gets drawn into a web of deadly lies—including her own—in this stunning debut thriller with the menacing twists of Megan Abbott and the exquisite suspense of Laura Lippman.
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Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson

• New York Times bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson—”an admired writer who deserves to be a household name” (Kirkus Reviews)—displays her masterful talent in this dark and deliciously addictive tale of domestic suspense.
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The New Girl by Daniel Silva

• From #1 New York Times bestselling author Daniel Silva comes a stunning new thriller of vengeance, deception, and betrayal.

Stone Cold Heart by Caz Frear

• From the beloved and internationally bestselling author of Sweet Little Lies comes the second novel featuring DC Cat Kinsella—an investigator “on par with Susie Steiner’s and Tana French’s female detectives” (Kirkus Reviews).

Beijing Payback by Daniel Nieh

• Victor Li is devastated by his father’s murder, and shocked by a confessional letter he finds among his father’s things. In it, his father admits that he was never just a restaurateur—in fact he was part of a vast international crime syndicate that formed during China’s leanest communist years.
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Full Throttle by Joe Hill

• The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman and Strange Weather returns with a dark and ingenious collection of thirteen compelling short stories that showcase his ability to “push genre conventions to new extremes” (New York Times Book Review).
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The Friend by Joakim Zander

• Joakim Zander delivers another “compelling, timely, and character-centered thriller” (Booklist) in this riveting story of international espionage.
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The Churchgoer by Patrick Coleman

• A haunting literary noir about a former pastor’s search to find a missing woman in the toxic, contradictory underbelly of southern California.
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After the Flood by Kassandra Montag

• An unforgettable, inventive, and riveting epic saga with the literary force and evocative imagination of Station Eleven, Zone One, and The Road, that signals the arrival of an extraordinary new talent.
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A Trace of Deceit by Karen Odden

• From the author of A Dangerous Duet comes the next book in her Victorian mystery series, this time following a daring female painter and the Scotland Yard detective who is investigating her brother’s suspicious death.

The Sacrament by Olaf Olafsson

• The haunting, vivid story of a nun whose past returns to her in unexpected ways, all while investigating a mysterious death and a series of harrowing abuse claims.
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The Perfect Fraud by Ellen LaCorte

• In this propulsive debut thriller, two women with their own dangerous secrets are thrown together by a chance meeting that plunges both their lives into chaos, with a sick little girl’s fate hanging in the balance.
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Oppo by Tom Rosenstiel

• A breathless and highly charged political thriller: the story of a senator who is offered the vice presidential slot by both parties’ presidential nominees and then gets ominous threats.
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The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea

• A young bride must contend with ancient superstitions, disturbing secrets, and her mysterious new husband in this gothic historical novel, set in late-seventeeth-century Iceland, with the eerie, romantic atmosphere of Jane Eyre and Rebecca and the dark, haunting mystery of Burial Rites.
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The Darwin Strain by Bill Schutt and J. R. Finch

• The authors of Hell’s Gate and The Himalayan Codex deliver their third high-octane thriller—a page-turning blend of science, history, and suspense featuring zoologist and adventurer Captain R. J. MacCready.

The Man Who Wouldn't Die by A. B. Jewell

• Penned by an anonymous tech insider, a hilarious and biting neo-noir send-up of Silicon Valley.
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The May LibraryReads List is Here!

 

You voted, they counted, and the winners have been announced. We are excited to share that The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna by Juliet Grames and Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev have been selected for the May LibraryReads list! A huge congratulations to all the titles on the list! See the full list here.

The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna by Juliet Grames: In this stunning debut novel, a young woman tells the story behind two elderly sisters’ estrangement, unraveling family secrets stretching back a century and across the Atlantic to early twentieth-century Italy. 

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Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev: Award-winning author Sonali Dev launches a new series about the Rajes, an immigrant Indian family descended from royalty, who have built their lives in San Francisco—a compelling, heartwarming romance between two strangers from completely different worlds, and a poignant exploration of cultural assimilation, identity, and the meaning of the word home.

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Thanks to all who participated and submitted votes for the May LibraryReads list! Be sure to submit your votes for the June LibraryReads list by May 1st. You can see our recommendations here. Click here to learn more about LibraryReads.

-Chris

Happy National Library Workers Day!

Today, we recognize National Library Workers Day, a day dedicated to all librarians, library staff, and administrators who contribute to the success of a library. In celebration of this day, the LLF team visited the New York Public Library and interviewed Lynn Lobash, Associate Director of Readers Services, and Gwen Glazer, Recommendations Librarian in Readers Services (pictured above). They discussed their day-to-day schedules, how librarians interact with readers, and the many services they provide to bring great books and readers together. This interview highlighted some of the topics that are important to all librarians, including: staff training, readers advisory, title discoverability, promoting books in the library, and much more. 

Listen to the round-table discussion on our podcast below:

Here's a list of the different resources that Lynn and Gwen mentioned in the podcast episode:

-Find the genre-specific crash course list on NoveList

-Check out Gwen's podcast: The Librarian Is In

-Find the virtual "Staff Picks" shelf here.

-Explore a ton of other great content on the NYPL website!

For more information, visit the ALA National Library Workers Day website. This day is also a part of National Library Week (April 7-13). To find more ways to celebrate, go here. 

A great big thank you to Lynn Lobash and Gwen Glazer for sitting down with us! 

-Lainey

These Summer Reads Will Make You Feel Fine!

Hello, librarian friends!

We've pulled together a list of upcoming summer reads we think you'll absolutely adore. Whether you seek mystery, sci fi, romcoms, historical fiction, or a genre-mashup, rest assured we have something for you. Enjoy!  

Reminder: A selection of HarperCollins titles are now available on NetGalley!

To be added to our Auto-Approved List for unlimited egalley downloads on NetGalley, please fill out this form.

To see the full list of titles from HarperCollins Publishers now available on NetGalley, click here.

-The LLF Team (Virginia, Chris, and Lainey) 

***

Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok
For fans of: The Leavers by Lisa Ko and Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
A poignant and suspenseful drama that untangles the complicated ties binding three women—two sisters and their mother—in one Chinese immigrant family and explores what happens when the eldest daughter disappears, and a series of family secrets emerge, from the New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Translation.

"Reading Kwok’s third novel is like watching an artist create a pencil drawing; she lays down the initial outline, then builds on it with shading and nuance until everything comes together at the stunning end. Her sharp and surprising language transports readers across the globe on a breathless and emotionally complex journey. Excellent from every angle, this is a can’t-miss novel for lovers of poignant and propulsive fiction."
—Booklist  review

Click below to listen to an exclusive interview with the author!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2019

The Gone Dead by Chanelle Benz
For fans of: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones and No One Is Coming to Save Us by Stephanie Powell Watts
An electrifying first novel from "a riveting new voice in American fiction" (George Saunders): A young woman returns to her childhood home in the American South and uncovers secrets about her father’s life and death.  

"The novel is beautifully written throughout, with descriptions of the land, sounds, and even Billie’s dog, Rufus, especially enthralling. Benz’s inclusion of Clifton’s lost work make Billie’s experiences authentic. Recalling Lalita Tademy’s Cane River, this work will appeal to lovers of African American, Southern, and historical fiction." 
—Library Journal  review

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Fall; or, Dodge in Hell by Neal Stephenson
Also from the author: The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O., Seveneves, and Reamde
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anathem and Cryptonomicon returns with a wildly inventive and entertaining science fiction thriller—Paradise Lost by way of Phillip K. Dick—that unfolds in the near future, in parallel worlds. 
    
"Stephenson devotees with a taste for Tolkienesque fantasy will revel in the author’s imaginative world building.... Still, there are enough futuristic, envelope-pushing ideas here, especially related to AI and digital consciousness, to keep even nonfans and science buffs intrigued." 
—Booklist review

Click below to listen to an exclusive interview with the author!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2019

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey
For fans of: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang and The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey delivers a fun, sexy romantic comedy perfect for fans of Christina Lauren.

"A lovable cast of meddling secondary characters... a charming subplot... The sexual relationship between Travis and Georgie is sizzling, but the emotional journey from fake relationship to true love is just as compelling. Don’t let the cover fool you: This romance is as steamy as it self-empowering." 
—Kirkus Reviews

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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2019

The Tenth Muse by Catherine Chung
For fans of: The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry and We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
An exhilarating, moving novel about a trailblazing mathematician whose research unearths her own extraordinary family story and its roots in World War II.

"The Tenth Muse is as ambitious and intriguing as the complex math problems Katherine, the protagonist of this remarkable novel, aims to solve. In this novel, the scope of which is staggering—Chung has crafted a story that is moving, elegant, and richly written. Her prose, as it unfolds, becomes an elusive equation readers will yearn to solve."
—Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author of Hunger and Bad Feminist

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The Perfect Fraud by Ellen LaCorte
For fans of: The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy and Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris
In this propulsive debut thriller, two women with their own dangerous secrets are thrown together by a chance meeting that plunges both their lives into chaos, with a sick little girl’s fate hanging in the balance.

"The Perfect Fraud is equal parts dark, creepy thriller and compelling character study with a little bit of magic and a little bit of heartbreak thrown in for good measure. Mothers and daughters, hindsight and clairvoyance, sickness and health twist and trade places in a delicious slow simmer and in ways we never see coming, and gluten-free eating finally gets the sendup it so richly deserves."
—Laurie Frankel, author of This Is How It Always Is

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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2019

The Snakes by Sadie Jones
For fans of: Nutshell by Ian McEwan and The Past by Tessa Hadley
The award-winning, bestselling author of The Uninvited Guests and The Outcast returns with a bold, brilliant, and beautiful novel, unflinching in its gaze, which holds the reader in its tense grip from start to unforgettable finish.

"Don’t be misled by this book’s title. Although a few creepy reptiles make an appearance, the real snakes in this twisty story are human ones. Another memorable novel from the versatile Jones."
—Library Journal  review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2019

The Summer Country by Lauren Willig
For fans of: I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon and Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende
The New York Times bestselling historical novelist delivers her biggest, boldest, and most ambitious novel yet—a sweeping, dramatic Victorian epic of lost love, lies, jealousy, and rebellion set in colonial Barbados.

"Powerful, emotional, beautiful, and historically fascinating, The Summer Country is a simply breathtaking saga. This is the kind of book you fall into, that absorbs you for the entire time you are reading it and that after, haunts you...long after."
—M. J. Rose, New York Times bestselling author of Tiffany Blues

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Girl in the Rearview Mirror by Kelsey Rae Dimberg
For fans of: The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani and The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
The young nanny for a prominent political family gets drawn into a web of deadly lies—including her own—in this stunning debut thriller with the menacing twists of Megan Abbott and the exquisite suspense of Laura Lippman.

"With hairpin twists and immense psychological acuity, Kelsey Rae Dimberg’s Girl in the Rearview Mirror is as seductive as the glamorous, privileged family at its center—and as cunning. An exciting, intoxicating debut, it will hold you until its startling final pages."
—Megan Abbott, bestselling author of Dare Me and Give Me Your Hand

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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2019

The Islanders by Meg Mitchell Moore
For fans of: The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand and By Invitation Only by Dorothea Benton Frank
J. Courtney Sullivan’s Maine meets the works of Elin Hilderbrand in this delicious summer read involving three strangers, one island, and a season packed with unexpected romance, well-meaning lies, and damaging secrets.

"Moore (The Captain's Daughter, 2017) has crafted a beautifully in- depth novel chronicling the intersection of the lives of three strangers during one fateful summer. Her characters are strong, and the realistic situations are both heartfelt and heartbreaking. Moore handles the emotional conflict of a divorced father, a rocky married couple, and a single mother with delicate care. An excellent combination of character exploration and intrigue."
—Booklist

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The Lemon Sisters by Jill Shalvis
For fans of: How to Keep a Secret by Sarah Morgan and Secrets of the Tulip Sisters by Susan Mallery
The New York Times bestselling author of Rainy Day Friends and Lost and Found Sisters returns to Wildstone, California, where two completely opposite sisters—who are still nursing wounds from the past—realize they need each other more than they think.

Praise for Jill Shalvis: "Jill Shalvis’s books are funny, warm, charming. and unforgettable." 
—RaeAnne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author of A Soldier's Return

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The Unbreakables by Lisa Barr
For fans of: The Intermission by Elyssa Friedland
From award-winning author Lisa Barr comes this delicious, sharp novel about a woman who jets off to France after her perfect marriage collapses, putting the broken pieces of herself back together while rediscovering her own joie de vivre—a lust for life, art, and steamy sex.

"Readers will delight in this effervescent cocktail of second chances, female strength, mother-daughter bonding and the truths that set us free. Smart, sure and sexy, The Unbreakables is unforgettable."
—Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan’s Tale

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One Night in Georgia by Celeste O. Norfleet
For fans of: Forty Acres by Dwayne Alexander Smith and Queen Sugar by Natalie Baszile
Set in the summer of 1968, a provocative and devastating novel of individual lives caught in the grips of violent history—a timely and poignant story that reverberates with the power of Alice Walker’s Meridian and Ntozake Shange’s Betsey Brown.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2019

Say No to the Duke by Eloisa James
Also from the author: Borne to be Wilde, Too Wilde to Wed, and Wilde in Love
New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James returns with the fourth novel in her breathtaking Wildes of Lindow Castle series.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2019

 

For more great reading suggestions for June, check out our
June LibraryReads Suggestions Edelweiss catalog! 

The deadline to submit your votes for the June LibraryReads list is May 1! 

 

Looking Ahead: Reading Suggestions for July

Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman
Also from the author: Sunburn, Wilde Lake, and Hush Hush
The revered New York Times bestselling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.

"The story is bigger than the crime, and the crime is bigger than its solution, making Lippman’s skill as a mystery novelist work as icing on the cake. The racism, classism, and sexism of 50 years ago wrapped up in a stylish, sexy, suspenseful period drama."
—Kirkus Reviews  review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: June 1, 2019

Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson
Also from the author: The Almost Sisters, The Opposite of Everyone, and Someone Else's Love Story
New York Times bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson—"an admired writer who deserves to be a household name" (Kirkus Reviews)—displays her masterful talent in this dark and deliciously addictive tale of domestic suspense.        

"Nail-biting suspense… Jackson builds on her talent for creating imperfect, capable, and multi-layered characters to write smart suspense, driven by the intelligence and determination of the instigator and her prey….  Never Have I Ever marks a new high in Jackson’s career." 
—Booklist  review

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Beneath the Tamarind Tree by Isha Sesay
For fans of: The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg and Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
The first definitive account of Boko Haram’s abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls, their years in captivity, and why this story still matters—by celebrated international journalist Isha Sesay.  

"Enthralling....  Peabody Award–winning Sesay's narrative is not only dramatically informative, it is also brilliantly structured, commandingly eloquent, and profoundly empathic. Her resounding and awed account of the girls' personalities, convictions, hopes, and achievements will stand with books by the Nobel laureates and women’s-rights heroes Malala Yousafzai (I Am Malala, 2013) and Wangari Maathai (Unbowed, 2006).... Sesay’s galvanizing Beneath the Tamarind Tree will recharge the global battle for women’s equality." 
—Booklist   review

Click below to listen to an exclusive interview with the author!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: June 1, 2019

The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams
Also from the author: The Glass Ocean, The Summer Wives, Cocoa Beach, The Wicked City, and A Certain Age
The New York Times bestselling author creates a dazzling epic of World War II-era Nassau—a hotbed of spies, traitors, and the most infamous couple of the age, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

"With her trademark skill, the author adeptly draws the threads of the two story lines together, culminating in a surprising, emotionally satisfying conclusion. Williams’ latest (after The Summer Wives, 2018) is moving, well-researched, and compulsively readable to the very last page" 
—Booklist

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LibraryReads Votes Due: June 1, 2019

The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
For fans of: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang and The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Alisha Rai returns with the first book in her sizzling new Modern Love series, in which two rival dating app creators find themselves at odds in the boardroom but in sync in the bedroom.

"I absolutely loved it…. volcano-hot sex and cackle-worthy dialogue…. I highly recommend this!"
—Sally Thorne, USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game and 99 Percent Mine

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Never Look Back by Alison Gaylin
Also from the author: If I Die Tonight and What Remains of Me
Reminiscent of the bestsellers of Laura Lippman and Harlan Coben—with a Serial-esque podcast twist—an absorbing, addictive tale of psychological suspense from the author of the highly acclaimed and Edgar Award-nominated What Remains of Me and the USA Today bestselling and Shamus Award-winning Brenna Spector series.

Praise for Alison Gaylin: "Right now, Alison Gaylin is at the very top of her game, crafting exhilarating and audacious crime novels that are both rich in character and rivetingly told. Her books are, quite simply, not to be missed."
—Megan Abbott, bestselling author of Dare Me and Give Me Your Hand

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LibraryReads Votes Due: June 1, 2019

The Marriage Clock by Zara Raheem
For fans of: Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal and The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory 
In Zara Raheem’s fresh, funny, smart debut, a young, Muslim-American woman is given three months to find the right husband or else her traditional Indian parents will find one for her—a novel with a universal story that everyone can relate to about the challenges of falling in love.

"An intimate and entertaining glimpse into the life of a young Muslim American woman whose family wants her married. Now! You’ll want to read this in one sitting."
—Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New York Times bestselling author of First Star I See Tonight

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The Churchgoer by Patrick Coleman
For fans of: Pirata by Patrick Hasburgh and IQ by Joe Ide 
A haunting literary noir about a former pastor’s search to find a missing woman in the toxic, contradictory underbelly of southern California.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: June 1, 2019

 

For more great reading suggestions for July, check out our
July LibraryReads Suggestions Edelweiss catalog! 

The deadline to submit your votes for the July LibraryReads list is June 1! 

***

We hope you enjoy the books! For more information about LibraryReads, visit their website. Remember: Vote early! Vote often!

-Chris

 

A Book Club Discussion of Claire Gibson's BEYOND THE POINT

What makes a great book club? What keeps a book club going? On this week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast, Linda Cohen, Sales Director at Booklist, discusses the formation of her close-knit book club group and how the group has continued meeting (without losing any members) for two years. The episode concludes with Linda facilitating a round table discussion of the book they selected this month. The photo above shows the Zumbettes, as they call themselves, with copies of Claire Gibson's Beyond the Point, their March book club pick.

You can find out how Linda has created and sustained a successful book club at the beginning of the audio and hear the discussion of their book selection at the 18 minute, 45 second mark. Listen below.

Claire Gibson's Beyond the Point is a powerful debut novel about three young women who attend The United States Military Academy at West Point on the eve of 9/11, and their struggles to maintain their friendships, marriages, and careers as their lives unfold amid heartbreak and ultimate triumph.

Check out this awesome praise:

"In Beyond the Point, Claire Gibson writes a stellar trio of heroines—women I want to hug, women I want to befriend, women I want to be...An inspiring tribute to female friendship and female courage!'
—Kate Quinn, New York Times Bestselling author of The Alice Network

"This heartening and heartbreaking story is an ode to the strength of friendship."
—Publishers Weekly

"...the rare novel that allow[s] you to feel the importance of family, friendship, and patriotism simultaneously. This compelling read...offers hours of page-turning fun with believable women...women you know...women you are...women you want to be."
—Nancy Fench, author of Home and Away

Here's a video of Claire Gibson explaining her background and the inspiration for Beyond the Point:

To find out more about starting a book club and find your next book selection, check out our new book club website.

Be sure to grab a copy of Beyond the Point, available now, and follow along with Linda's book club discussion.

-Lainey

Neal Stephenson's FALL; OR, DODGE IN HELL is an Eye-Opening Sci Fi / Fantasy Epic

Hello, librarians! I am thrilled to share a podcast interview I recorded with New York Times bestselling author Neal Stephenson! Listen in as we discuss Neal's upcoming novel Fall; or, Dodge in Hell (on sale June 4th), futurism, how current events have impacted his writing and vision of the future, Dungeons & Dragons, Lord of the Rings, and much much more.

I distinctly remember reading my first Neal Stephenson novel. It was the summer of 2015 and I was a young, doe-eyed intern just starting out at HarperCollins Publishers.

Earlier that summer, I'd been consumed by the Foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov and was hungry for more epic, sweeping science fiction. There was an extra copy of Neal's 2015 novel Seveneves sitting on an office bookshelf and it immediately caught my eye. I picked it up (or heaved it up—it's a BIG book), tore through it in a matter of days, and immediately emailed Neal's editor to gush about how much I LOVED it, even comparing the reading experience to the Foundation trilogy. As it so happened, Neal's editor had also edited Isaac Asimov, which I found awe-inspiring.

If you're at all a fan of science fiction and/or fantasy, Neal's upcoming novel Fall; or, Dodge in Hell is a must read. It has all the mind-bending futurism of his previous novels mixed with a deliriously fun fantasy quest, the results of which are wholly unique but distinctly Neal Stephenson. If you haven't read Neal Stephenson, or don't consider yourself a fan of science fiction or fantasy, I think Fall; or, Dodge in Hell is still well worth your time. There are sections of speculative fiction in this novel that are so in tune with our current political, social, and technological climates that you won't be able to read or watch the news without having flashbacks to moments in this book.

Being such a fan of Fall; or, Dodge in Hell, I'd be remiss not to mention that Booklist just gave it a STARRED review! From Booklist:

"Stephenson devotees with a taste for Tolkienesque fantasy will revel in the author’s imaginative world building as the story shifts more and more into Bitworld.... there are enough futuristic, envelope-pushing ideas here, especially related to AI and digital consciousness, to keep even non-fans and science buffs intrigued. Best-selling Stephenson is cutting-edge and his followers and all readers intrigued by shrewd speculative fiction will queue up." 
 
It was a privilege to record an interview with Neal and I'm so happy to share it with you. Click the Soundcloud player at the top of this post OR below to listen to the podcast! And remember to submit your votes for the June LibraryReads list by May 1!

-Chris