Library Love Fest

Editors Unedited: Lucia Macro in Conversation with Elise Hooper, Author of FAST GIRLS

On the podcast this week, we welcome back William Morrow Executive Editor Lucia Macro for a conversation with author Elise Hooper. Elise and Lucia have worked on three books together: The Other Alcott, Learning to See, and her upcoming historical fiction title Fast Girls. In the episode they discuss the amazing female Olympic athletes behind Fast Girls. Take a listen and find some of Elise's photos from her research while writing this book below.

Elise was kind enough to send photographs she collected.

Here is a photo of Elise holding Helen Stephens' track shoes:

A shot of Helen's Williams Wood track uniform:

Helen's diary from the Berlin Olympics in which she describes meeting Hitler and the photo taken with Hitler:

Courtesy of the State Historical Society of Missouri.

The tracks where Louise Stokes ran in Malden, MA, now paved over into a strip mall:

A postcard of the 1936 American gold relay team Elise took while visiting the State Historical Society of Missouri and viewing the Helen Stephens collection:

Courtesy of the State Historical Society of Missouri.

Elise also mentioned the Dorothea Lange photos from her previous book Learning to See; find those images here.

Thanks, Elise!

Download an egalley of Fast Girls on Edelweiss now.

-Lainey

Posted at 01:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The February LibraryReads List is Here!

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

This month, we are thrilled to share that Mercy House by Alena Dillon and The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa have been selected for the February LibraryReads list!

Want to know how the authors reacted to being selected for the February LibraryReads list? We called each of them to let them know about the big news! Click below to listen!

Click here to see the full list.

***

Mercy House by Alena Dillon: A powerful debut novel of a refuge in Brooklyn for women in trouble—and the one woman who will risk all to protect them.

"In Mercy House, Alena Dillon gives us one of fiction’s more unlikely lovable heroines: elderly, dynamic Sister Evelyn, whose tale—and that of her housemates—is as unexpected as it is moving. This is a thoughtful, accomplished debut."
—Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald

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The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa: Critically acclaimed author Mia Sosa delivers a sassy, steamy enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about a woman whose new job requires her to work side-by-side with the best man who ruined her wedding: her ex-fiancé’s infuriating, irritating, annoyingly handsome brother.

"Sosa handles alternating viewpoints with perfect aplomb as she once again deftly dishes up for lucky readers another irresistibly fun romance spiced with a zesty sense of humor and spiked with love scenes as hot as the ghost chilis that pepper the Brazilian cuisine featured in this tantalizing tale of love, family, and friendship."
—Booklist review

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***

Thanks to all who participated and submitted votes for the February LibraryReads list!
Be sure to submit your votes for the March LibraryReads list by February 1st. Click here to find out what we're recommending!

Click here to learn more about LibraryReads.

-Chris

Posted at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LLF Staff Suggestions for the March LibraryReads List

Happy New Year, librarians!

We are thrilled to share our staff suggestions for the March LibraryReads list. This month, our picks include three powerful debut novels—Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore, My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell, and Lakewood by Megan Giddings—the latest from previous LibraryReads winners Louise Erdrich and Peter Swanson, and so much more. Keep reading to learn more about all of these special titles.

Remember, votes for the March LibraryReads list are due February 1st!

Happy reading!

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

***

Librarian Praise for Elizabeth Wetmore's Valentine

Reading Suggestions for March

Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore
For fans of: My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent and
The Leavers by Lisa Ko
Written with the haunting emotional power of Elizabeth Strout and Barbara Kingsolver, an astonishing debut novel that explores the lingering effects of a brutal crime on the women of one small Texas oil town in the 1970s.

Listen to an audiobook sample below!

"Stirring.... Wetmore poetically weaves the landscape of Odessa and the internal lives of her characters, whose presence remains vivid after the last page is turned. This moving portrait of West Texas oil country evokes the work of Larry McMurtry and John Sayles with strong, memorable female voices."
—Publishers Weekly review

"Fierce and complex, Valentine is a novel of moral urgency and breathtaking prose. This is the very definition of a stunning debut."
—Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of The Dutch House

Click below to listen to an interview with Elizabeth Wetmore!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
For fans of: My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent and
The Girls by Emma Cline
Exploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.

"Russell’s debut is a rich psychological study of the aftermath of abuse...[and] a devastating cultural portrait of enablement and the harm we allow young women to shoulder. 'The excuses we make for them are outrageous,' Vanessa concludes about abusive men, 'but they’re nothing compared with the ones we make for ourselves.' A gut-wrenching debut."
—Kirkus Reviews review

Click below to listen to an interview between Kate Elizabeth Russell and her editor!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
Also from the author: Future Home of the Living God, LaRose, and The Round House
Based on the extraordinary life of National Book Award-winning author Louise Erdrich’s grandfather who worked as a night watchman and carried the fight against Native dispossession from rural North Dakota all the way to Washington, D.C., this powerful novel explores themes of love and death with lightness and gravity and unfolds with the elegant prose, sly humor, and depth of feeling of a master craftsman.

"Through the personalities and predicaments of her many charismatic characters, and through rapturous descriptions of winter landscapes and steaming meals, sustaining humor and spiritual visitations, Erdrich traces the indelible traumas of racism and sexual violence and celebrates the vitality and depth of Chippewa life."
—Booklist review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

The Shape of Family by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
For fans of: A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza and Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal
From the internationally bestselling author of Secret Daughter and The Golden Son comes a poignant, unforgettable novel about a family’s growing apart and coming back together in the wake of tragedy.

Listen to an audiobook sample below!

"This beautifully written, poignant novel explores how one loving family deals with an unspeakable tragedy. It's a novel about race and culture, parents and siblings, marriage and love, but most of all, it's about finding hope after darkness. Shilpi Somaya Gowda is a compassionate and wise storyteller who keeps us riveted from beginning to end."
—Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of Searching for Sylvie Lee and Girl in Translation

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

Lakewood by Megan Giddings
For fans of: The Power by Naomi Alderman and Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
A startling debut about class and race, Lakewood evokes a terrifying world of medical experimentation—part The Handmaid’s Tale, part The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

"Chilling.... Giddings is a writer with a vivid imagination and a fresh eye both of the body and of society. This eerie debut provides a deep character study spiked with a dose of horror."
—Publishers Weekly

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

Separation Anxiety by Laura Zigman
For fans of: French Exit by Patrick deWitt and How Hard Can It Be? by Allison Pearson
From the bestselling author of Animal Husbandry comes a hilarious novel about a wife and mother whose life is unraveling and the well-intentioned but increasingly disastrous steps she takes to course-correct her relationships, her career, and her belief in herself.

Listen to an audiobook sample below!

"Sometimes a book finds its way to you and you just know instantly that this is the book you need now. That’s how I feel about Separation Anxiety. I think it’s the book everyone needs right now. It is compassionate and funny, articulating with gentle humor the terrible things that we’re all grappling with. To steal a phrase from my daughter, it made me happy-cry."
—Laura Lippman, New York Times bestselling author of Lady in the Lake

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
Also from the author: Before She Knew Him, All the Beautiful Lies, and Her Every Fear
From the hugely talented author of Before She Knew Him comes a chilling tale of psychological suspense and an homage to the thriller genre tailor-made for fans: the story of a bookseller who finds himself at the center of an FBI investigation because a very clever killer has started using his list of fiction’s most ingenious murders.

Listen to an audiobook sample below!

"A devilish premise combined with jaw-dropping execution…. Mystery fans will be salivating as the plot unfolds, trying to outsmart the confoundingly unreliable narrative…. Swanson hits every note in this homage to the old-school crime novel, and the turnabout ending will leave readers reeling in delight."
—Booklist review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

88 Names by Matt Ruff
For fans of: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
The critically acclaimed author of Lovecraft Country returns with a thrilling and immersive virtual reality epic—part cyberthriller, part twisted romantic comedy—that transports you to a world where identity is fluid and nothing can be taken at face value.

"The action inside the virtual gaming world is sleek and exciting, but the extrapolation of identity, friendship, and human relationships makes the narrative shine. Offer to readers who enjoyed the nostalgia and game action of Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One (2011) or the intricate evolution of an increasingly online population in L.X. Beckett’s Gamechanger (2019)."
—Booklist review

Click below to listen to an interview between Matt Ruff and LLF's Chris Connolly!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

Privilege by Mary Adkins
For fans of: The Ensemble by Aja Gabel and That Kind of Mother by Rumaan Alam
From the beloved author of When You Read This, a smart, sharply observed novel about gender and class on a contemporary Southern college campus in the spirit of The Female Persuasion and Prep.

"Adkins' writing provides a multifaceted portrayal of campus life and politics in the #MeToo era.... A timely and resonant novel."
—Kirkus Reviews

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
For fans of: Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella and My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
The internationally bestselling author of Don't You Forget About Me returns with another heartfelt romantic comedy perfect for fans of Josie Silver, Sophie Kinsella, and Sally Thorne.

"Mhairi McFarlane’s voice is as clear as a bell—she makes you laugh, but she also makes you feel. I adore her!"
—Sally Thorne, USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game and 99 Percent Mine

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+
Request the egalley from NetGalley
LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

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

The deadline to submit your votes is February 1!

***

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

-Chris

Posted at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

New Podcast Episode: Announcing the January 2020 LibraryReads Picks

This week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast is packed with announcements! First, we announced the three HarperCollins books that were selected for the January LibraryReads list: Highfire by Eoin Colfer; All the Ways We Said Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White; and Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey. We were fortunate to get Eoin Colfer and Tessa Bailey on the phone to congratulate them. They were so excited to hear the news. We also had a lovely audio clip from #TeamW, where Beatriz and Karen called Lauren to tell her the good news. Finally, we signed off with our new voicemail number: 212-207-7773. Give us a call, leave a message, and we might use it on the show! This week, we would love to hear from you if you voted for any of these titles for LibraryReads and why you loved the book!

Be sure to listen to the episode below:

A few links related to the show:

-Tessa Bailey has a romance podcast, Read Me Romance. Each week, they play original romance audiobooks from your favorite authors. Check it out here.

-Find Eoin's tour schedule here.

-You can also find a clip from the audiobooks of each title here: Highfire, Love Her or Lose Her, and All the Ways We Said Goodbye.

Did you vote on one of these titles? What did you love about it? Give us a call (212-207-7773) or tag us on social.

-Lainey

Posted at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The January 2020 LibraryReads List is Here!

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

This month, we are thrilled to share that All the Ways We Said Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, Highfire by Eoin Colfer, and Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey have been selected for the January LibraryReads list!

Want to know how the authors reacted to being selected for the January LibraryReads list? We called each of them to let them know about the big news! Click below to listen!

Click here to see the full list.

***

All the Ways We Said Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White: The New York Times bestselling authors of The Glass Ocean and The Forgotten Room return with a glorious historical adventure that moves from the dark days of two World Wars to the turbulent years of the 1960s, in which three women with bruised hearts find refuge at Paris’ legendary Ritz hotel.

"Full of heart and intrigue, the authors' latest collaboration captures women's perseverance and how history
connects us all."
—Booklist

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Highfire by Eoin Colfer: From the New York Times bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series comes a hilarious and high-octane adult novel about a vodka-drinking, Flashdance-loving dragon who lives an isolated life in the bayous of Louisiana—and the raucous adventures that ensue when he crosses paths with a fifteen-year-old troublemaker on the run from a crooked sheriff.

"Witty, well-developed characters, action, and fantastic violence from the author of the 'Artemis Fowl' series will appeal to a wide range of readers."
—Library Journal

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Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey: New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey returns with a unique, sexy romantic comedy about a young married couple whose rocky relationship needs a serious renovation.

"Bailey once again hits it out of the park in this companion novel to Fix Her Up (2018) that can be read as a standalone.... Perfect for fans looking for a sexy romp with a side of heart."
—Booklist

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***

Thanks to all who participated and submitted votes for the January LibraryReads list!
Be sure to submit your votes for the February LibraryReads list by January 1st. Click here to find out what we're recommending!

Click here to learn more about LibraryReads.

-Chris

Posted at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Editors Unedited: Rachel Kahan in Conversation with Leah Franqui, Author of MOTHER LAND

On this week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast, Executive Editor Rachel Kahan interviews author Leah Franqui. Leah is the critically acclaimed author of America for Beginners. Her second book, Mother Land, is a wonderfully insightful, witty, and heart-piercing novel, set in Mumbai, about an impulsive American woman, her headstrong Indian mother-in-law, and the unexpected twists and turns of life that bond them.

Check out the interview below:

Be sure to download an egalley below. You can also follow Leah's blogging adventures about sewing and living abroad in India here.

Be sure to check out Mother Land, available on July 14, 2020.

-Lainey

Posted at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LLF Staff Suggestions for the February LibraryReads List (and Beyond!)

Hello, librarians!

2020 is shaping up to be an incredible year of reading. Below, you will find our staff suggestions for the February and March LibraryReads lists. We can't wait to hear what you think!

***

Dead to Her by Sarah Pinborough
For fans of: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides and
An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
For fans of Liane Moriarty, Liv Constantine, and Lisa Jewell, a twisty psychological thriller about a savvy second wife who will do almost anything to come out on top—from the New York Times bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes.

"Soapy drama, illicit love affairs, [and] tension as stifling as the Georgia summer heat…. With Dead to Her, Pinborough plants her flag as the master of seductively sinister suspense. This absorbing tale will satisfy and even surprise fans of Jennifer McMahon and Gillian Flynn."
—Booklist review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

The Lucky One by Lori Rader-Day
For fans of: I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh and
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
From the Edgar Award®-winning author of Under A Dark Sky comes an unforgettable, chilling novel about a young woman who recognizes the man who kidnapped her as a child, setting off a search for justice, and into danger.

"Another harrowing nightmare by a master of the sleepless night."
—Kirkus Reviews

Click below to listen to an interview between Lori Rader-Day and her editor!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

Mercy House by Alena Dillon
For fans of: 300 Days of Sun by Deborah Lawrenson and
Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan
A powerful debut novel of a refuge in Brooklyn for women in trouble—and the one woman who will risk all to protect them.

"In Mercy House, Alena Dillon gives us one of fiction’s more unlikely lovable heroines: elderly, dynamic Sister Evelyn, whose tale—and that of her housemates—is as unexpected as it is moving. This is a thoughtful, accomplished debut."
—Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

Promises of the Heart by Nan Rossiter
For fans of: Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs and Good Luck with That by Kristan Higgins
The first novel in a new series from bestselling author Nan Rossiter tells the moving story of a couple struggling to start a family and the young foster girl with a heart condition who changes their lives forever.

"A multi-leveled, beautifully written story that will glow in readers’ hearts long after the last page is turned."
—Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author of Life and Other Inconveniences and Good Luck with That

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

The Only Child by Mi-ae Seo
For fans of: The Plotters by Un-su Kim and My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
An eerie and absorbing novel following a criminal psychologist who has discovered shocking and possibly dangerous connections between a serial killer and her stepdaughter.

"Wholly absorbing, but without any pandering on the author's part, so that the language, the style, and the mood grow about you, as you slip deeper into the story and realize, quite suddenly, you are immersed. An eerie, electrifying read."
—Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

Daughter from the Dark by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko
For fans of: Ball Lightning by Cixin Liu and Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
In this extraordinary stand-alone novel, the authors and translator of Vita Nostra—a "dark Harry Potter on steroids with a hefty dose of metaphysics" (award-winning author Aliette de Bodard)—return with a story about creation, music, and companionship filled with their hallmark elements of subtle magic and fantasy.

"This novel will appeal to those who like dark fantasy quests."
—Booklist

Click below to listen to Harper Voyager U.S. Editorial Director David Pomerico discuss Daughter from the Dark and other can't-miss sci-fi and fantasy titles!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

Perfect Little Children by Sophie Hannah
Also from the author: The Next to Die and Keep Her Safe
The New York Times bestselling author of The Monogram Murders and Woman with a Secret returns with a sharp, captivating, and expertly plotted tale of psychological suspense.

"No one writes twisted, suspenseful novels quite like Sophie Hannah."
—Liane Moriarty

"Her plots are ingenious—she’s a writer in complete command of her material—and it’s O.K. if you haven’t quite kept up. She keeps you puzzled and intrigued, right until the end."
—New York Times Book Review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez
For fans of: No Exit by Taylor Adams and
The Boy by Tami Hoag
Packed with the electrifying pacing and pulse-pounding suspense of Harlan Coben and Lisa Gardner, a thrilling debut about a mother desperate to find the connections between her missing husband and a deadly stalker who knows too much about her own dark family history.

"An extraordinary thriller from a debut author that may well become the book everyone is talking about, come February.... This one glows in dark."
—Booklist review

Click below to listen to LLF's Virginia Stanley read an excerpt from No Bad Deed!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa
For fans of: 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne and The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
Critically acclaimed author Mia Sosa delivers a sassy, steamy enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about a woman whose new job requires her to work side-by-side with the best man who ruined her wedding: her ex-fiancé's infuriating, irritating, annoyingly handsome brother.

"Smart, emotional, and sexy, this delightfully modern love story hits all the right notes. Sosa knows exactly what romance readers want, and delivers at every turn."
—Lauren Layne, New York Times bestselling author of Passion on Park Avenue

"Sosa handles alternating viewpoints with perfect aplomb as she once again deftly dishes up for lucky readers another irresistibly fun romance spiced with a zesty sense of humor and spiked with love scenes as hot as the ghost chilis that pepper the Brazilian cuisine featured in this tantalizing tale of love, family, and friendship."
—Booklist review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

Citizen Reporters by Stephanie Gorton
For fans of: Ninth Street Women by Mary Gabriel and The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone
A fascinating history of the rise and fall of influential Gilded Age magazine McClure’s and the two unlikely outsiders at its helm—as well as a timely, full-throated defense of investigative journalism in America.

"In an era newly-conscious of journalism driven by exposing wrongdoing, Citizen Reporters stands as an essential read of America’s long history with reporting on urgent matters of social justice."
—Eliza Griswold, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Amity and Prosperity

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+
LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

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

The deadline to submit your votes is January 1!

Looking ahead: Reading Suggestions for March

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
For fans of: My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent and The Girls by Emma Cline
Exploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.

"Russell’s debut is a rich psychological study of the aftermath of abuse...[and] a devastating cultural portrait of enablement and the harm we allow young women to shoulder. 'The excuses we make for them are outrageous,' Vanessa concludes about abusive men, 'but they’re nothing compared with the ones we make for ourselves.' A gut-wrenching debut."
—Kirkus Reviews review

Click below to listen to an interview between Kate Elizabeth Russell and her editor!

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+
Request the egalley from NetGalley
LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
Also from the author: Future Home of the Living God, LaRose, and The Round House
Based on the extraordinary life of National Book Award-winning author Louise Erdrich’s grandfather who worked as a night watchman and carried the fight against Native dispossession from rural North Dakota all the way to Washington, D.C., this powerful novel explores themes of love and death with lightness and gravity and unfolds with the elegant prose, sly humor, and depth of feeling of a master craftsman.

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+
Request the egalley from NetGalley
LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

Lakewood by Megan Giddings
For fans of: The Power by Naomi Alderman and Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
A startling debut about class and race, Lakewood evokes a terrifying world of medical experimentation—part The Handmaid’s Tale, part The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

"Chilling.... Giddings is a writer with a vivid imagination and a fresh eye both of the body and of society. This eerie debut provides a deep character study spiked with a dose of horror."
—Publishers Weekly

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+
Request the egalley from NetGalley
LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

Separation Anxiety by Laura Zigman
For fans of: French Exit by Patrick deWitt and How Hard Can It Be? by Allison Pearson
From the bestselling author of Animal Husbandry comes a hilarious novel about a wife and mother whose life is unraveling and the well-intentioned but increasingly disastrous steps she takes to course-correct her relationships, her career, and her belief in herself.

"Sometimes a book finds its way to you and you just know instantly that this is the book you need now. That’s how I feel about Separation Anxiety. I think it’s the book everyone needs right now. It is compassionate and funny, articulating with gentle humor the terrible things that we’re all grappling with. To steal a phrase from my daughter, it made me happy-cry."
—Laura Lippman, New York Times bestselling author of Lady in the Lake

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+
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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
Also from the author: Before She Knew Him, All the Beautiful Lies, and Her Every Fear
From the hugely talented author of Before She Knew Him comes a chilling tale of psychological suspense and an homage to the thriller genre tailor-made for fans: the story of a bookseller who finds himself at the center of an FBI investigation because a very clever killer has started using his list of fiction’s most ingenious murders.

"A devilish premise combined with jaw-dropping execution…. Mystery fans will be salivating as the plot unfolds, trying to outsmart the confoundingly unreliable narrative…. Swanson hits every note in this homage to the old-school crime novel, and the turnabout ending will leave readers reeling in delight."
—Booklist review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

88 Names by Matt Ruff
For fans of: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
The critically acclaimed author of Lovecraft Country returns with a thrilling and immersive virtual reality epic—part cyberthriller, part twisted romantic comedy—that transports you to a world where identity is fluid and nothing can be taken at face value.

"Ruff’s newest technothriller is an exciting page-turner that delves into the online gaming world and should appeal to both veterans and newbies. For fans of Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One and Marie Lu’s 'Warcross' series."
—Library Journal

Click below to listen to an interview between Matt Ruff and LLF's Chris Connolly!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

Privilege by Mary Adkins
For fans of: The Ensemble by Aja Gabel and That Kind of Mother by Rumaan Alam
From the beloved author of When You Read This, a smart, sharply observed novel about gender and class on a contemporary Southern college campus in the spirit of The Female Persuasion and Prep.

"Adkins' writing provides a multifaceted portrayal of campus life and politics in the #MeToo era.... A timely and resonant novel."
—Kirkus Reviews

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+
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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
For fans of: Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella and My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
The internationally bestselling author of Don't You Forget About Me returns with another heartfelt romantic comedy perfect for fans of Josie Silver, Sophie Kinsella, and Sally Thorne.

"Mhairi McFarlane’s voice is as clear as a bell—she makes you laugh, but she also makes you feel. I adore her!"
—Sally Thorne, USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game and 99 Percent Mine

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+
Request the egalley from NetGalley
LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

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

The deadline to submit your votes is February 1!

***

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

-Chris

Posted at 01:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LLF Guest Post: Anika Scott, Author of THE GERMAN HEIRESS

Today we welcome a guest post by Anika Scott, author of The German Heiress. Propulsive, meticulously researched, and action-fueled, The German Heiress is a mesmerizing page-turner that questions the meaning of justice and morality, deftly shining the spotlight on the often-overlooked perspective of Germans who were caught in the crossfire of the Nazi regime and had nowhere to turn.

“Anika Scott’s epic novel offers a captivating tour through the reckoning years that followed WWII when clarifying identities, unearthing truths, and facing judgements was the only way to rebuild a life.” —Devin Murphy, nationally bestselling author of The Boat Runner

A warm welcome to Anika Scott:

When I was a kid, we didn’t have much money. Raising me alone wasn’t easy for my mom; I could read by age 4, she told me, and from there, it was hard to keep up with all the stuff about the world I demanded to know. The library had the answers, and I dived in, dragging home bags full of books, or riding the bus home with a stack of books held steady by my chin.

I was an adult when Mom began working at our hometown library. At last, I got a glimpse behind the front counter. I followed her into the forbidden realm of cubicles decorated with librarian cartoons. I encountered trolleys stacked with books to be sorted and shelved. New books, old books, books with a torn page or a loose binding, needing care.

Before my debut novel The German Heiress was taken on by my publisher, the library was the only bookish place where I had a glimpse behind the curtain. I’d seen where books end up, and now I’ve had the joy of seeing where they’re created. But the true origin of The German Heiress was my imagination, and that was nurtured when I was a kid roaming the stacks at my neighborhood library.

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Thank you, Anika! Download an egalley below.

Be sure to check out The German Heiress, available on April 7, 2020.

-Lainey

Posted at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NEW on The Library Love Fest Podcast: An Interview with Meng Jin, Author of LITTLE GODS

On this week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast, I sat down with author Meng Jin, whose debut novel Little Gods goes on sale January 14th.

Little Gods is an unforgettable debut that is both ambitious and deeply intimate. It follows a young woman, Liya, who, after the sudden death of her enigmatic physicist mother Su Lan, travels to China to discover the truth behind her origins. After I finished this story, after following Meng down this lyrical, non-linear rabbit hole of ambition, motherhood, memory, time, and space, I found myself continually drawn back to the book. Trust me: this novel will STICK with you. It was such a joy to talk to Meng and dive deep into her history, her process, and the incredible amount of thought and care she put into this debut novel. You can listen to the interview below.

You can also find out more by reading this Behind the Book essay!

Request the egalley on either Edelweiss+ or NetGalley below:

Check out some of the praise for Little Gods:

"Artfully composed and emotionally searing, Jin’s debut about lost girls, bottomless ambition, and the myriad ways family members can hurt and betray one another is gripping from beginning to end. This is a beautiful, intensely moving debut."
—Publishers Weekly review

"With precocious dexterity, Jin...adroitly privileges her readers with a haunting omniscience she denies her characters, giving voice to Liya’s first caregiver and the runaway stranger whose genes are Liya's dubious legacy. Skillfully revealed, exquisitely rendered, Jin’s first novel undoubtedly presages future success."
—Booklist review

Hope you enjoyed the episode!

-Chris

Posted at 03:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The LibraryReads Voter Favorites 2019 List is Here!

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

We are thrilled to share that The Dutch House by Ann Patchett has been selected for the LibraryReads Voter Favorites 2019 list!

Click here to see the full list.

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The Dutch House by Ann Patchett: The New York Times bestselling author of Commonwealth and State of Wonder
returns with her most powerful novel to date: a richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go.

"Patchett’s splendid novel is a thoughtful, compassionate exploration of obsession and forgiveness, what people acquire, keep, lose or give away, and what they leave behind."
—Publishers Weekly review

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Congratulations, Ann!

Thanks to all who participated and submitted votes for the LibraryReads Voter Favorites 2019 list! Be sure to submit your votes for the February LibraryReads list by January 1st. You can see our recommendations here. Click here to learn more about LibraryReads.

-Chris

Posted at 01:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check Out the Cover of Meg Cabot's Next Book, NO OFFENSE, an Ode to Librarians Who Take Care of Business!

Earlier this year, beloved New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot introduced us to her Little Bridge Island series with No Judgments, a LibraryReads pick for September.

Now, we are thrilled to share an EXCLUSIVE first look at the cover for No Offense, the SECOND book in the series, coming August 2020! And, as if a new book by Meg Cabot isn't exciting enough, No Offense stars a librarian! We also have a short excerpt from the book, which you can check out via the link below.

Click here to read a (HILARIOUS) excerpt from the book!

Below, we have an overdue notice from librarian Molly Montgomery, the hero of No Offense!

More details on No Offense

A Paperback Original—Also Available as a Hardcover Library Edition

Welcome to Little Bridge, one of the smallest, most beautiful islands in the Florida Keys, home to sandy white beaches, salt-rimmed margaritas, and stunning sunsets—a place where nothing goes under the radar and love has a way of sneaking up when least expected...

A broken engagement only gave Molly Montgomery additional incentive to follow her dream job from the Colorado Rockies to the Florida Keys. Now, as Little Bridge Island Public Library’s head of children’s services, Molly hopes the messiest thing in her life will be her sticky-note covered desk. But fate—in the form of a newborn left in the restroom—has other ideas. So does the sheriff who comes to investigate the “abandonment”. When John Hartwell folds all six-feet-three of himself into a tiny chair and insists that whoever left the baby is a criminal, Molly begs to differ and asks what he’s doing about the Island’s real crime wave (if thefts of items from homes that have been left unlocked could be called that). Not the best of starts, but the man’s arrogance is almost as distracting as his blue eyes. Almost…

John would be pretty irritated if one of his deputies had a desk as disorderly as Molly’s. Good thing she doesn’t work for him, considering how attracted he is to her. Molly’s lilting librarian voice makes even the saltiest remarks go down sweeter, which is bad as long as she’s a witness but might be good once the case is solved—provided he hasn’t gotten on her last nerve by then. Recently divorced, John has been having trouble adjusting to single life as well as single parenthood. But something in Molly’s beautiful smile gives John hope that his old life on Little Bridge might suddenly hold new promise—if only they can get over their differences.

Clever, hilarious, and fun, No Offense will tug at readers’ heartstrings and make them fall in love with Little Bridge Island and its unique characters once again.

Posted at 09:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

HarperCollins Titles Included in 2019 Best Book Round-Ups

It's that time of year: the time for the best books of 2019 round-ups! We are so excited to share the following HarperCollins titles that were selected for the Chicago Public Library and the New York Public Library's best books of 2019.

Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books of 2019

The Best of the Best list represents the CPL's choices for the year’s most outstanding titles, books of exceptional quality for a diverse, city-wide readership.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (included in the Top 10!)

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha

Full Throttle by Joe Hill

Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman

Find the full list here.

The New York Public Library Best Books of 2019

The following books were selected as part of NYPL's top 100 best books published in 2019.

Historical Fiction

The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna by Juliet Grames

Mystery

Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman

The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan

Romance

A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cola

The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

Nonfiction

Parkland by Dave Cullen

Bottle of Lies by Katherine Eban

Find the full list here.

Congrats to all!

-Lainey

Posted at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Editors Unedited: Jessica Williams in Conversation with Elisabeth Thomas, Author of CATHERINE HOUSE

"I want to write a story about a girl who falls in love with a house."
—Elisabeth Thomas on writing Catherine House

On this week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast we sat down with William Morrow Executive Editor Jessica Williams and Elisabeth Thomas, author of Catherine House.

Catherine House is a gothic-infused debut of literary suspense, set within a secluded, elite university and following a dangerously curious, rebellious undergraduate who uncovers a shocking secret about an exclusive circle of students...and the dark truth beneath her school’s promise of prestige.

Be sure to listen to the podcast episode below to hear them discuss Elisabeth's inspiration for this novel, including an early love of gothic novels like Rebecca and Jane Eyre. They also talk about the house in the novel becoming a character in the story and how she wanted to write diverse characters in a novel in which race isn't the main conflict.

Find a letter from the editor here and a behind-the-book essay from Elisabeth here.

In the episode, Elisabeth spoke about her grandfather's class at Yale. She shared a photo with us of his Glee Club from 1953:

Hope you enjoyed the episode. Be sure to request the egalley from Edelweiss+ and let us know on social: Would you go to Catherine House?

-Lainey

Posted at 02:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

November Facebook Live Book List

Happy Holidays from all of us at the Library Love Fest team!

We presented some gifts and grub on our November Facebook Live on Wednesday, November 20th. Find the video below as well as a list of the books we discussed and any links we promised to share. We also included the recipes we used to make all of the yummy snacks!

For our grub, Lainey made Gelatina de mosaico/Mosaic Jello from Chicano Eats by Esteban Castillo. Recipe below:

Ingredients:
3 6 oz flavored gelatin packets in the flavors of your choice (I used cherry, lime, and lemon)
6 cups boiling water
4 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water
3 cups of milk
1 large Mexican cinnamon stick, broken in half
14 oz condensed milk
2 cups half and half
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Grease three 8-inch square pans and one 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside. Mix each packet of flavored gelatin with 2 cups of boiling water in three separate bowls, and pour each into its own greased square pan. Refrigerate for an hour.

2.After 30 minutes, make the milk gelatin. Mix the unflavored gelatin into the cold water in a 3 quart saucepan, and set aside so the gelatin can bloom for about 5 minutes. Place the pan on the stove and turn the heat on to medium low. Stir occasionally until the gelatin has dissolved, then add the 3 cups of milk and heat to just under a simmer. Add the cinnamon stick, turn off the heat, and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to let the cinnamon steep. Remove the cinnamon stick and whisk in the condensed milk, half and half, and the vanilla extract. Set aside while you prep the colored gelatin.

3. Remove the flavored gelatin from the refrigerator and cut each flavor into ¼-inch cubes. Evenly spread out half of each flavor in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan then repeat with the rest of the flavored gelatin. Pour the milk jello over the cubes then place in the refrigerator to set, about 1–1½ hours. When you’re ready to serve, invert the jello onto a cutting board, cut into 3-inch squares, and place on a serving platter.

Virginia made Granola Pink Yogurt Parfaits from The Adventurous Eaters Club by Misha & Vicki Collins:

Virginia also mentioned her family recipe for Artichoke Pie:

2 jars of marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 eggs
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon tabasco
1/2 cup Italian flavored breadcrumbs.

Drain and chop artichoke hearts finely. Beat eggs and add to artichokes with all of the other ingredients. Mix well. Bake at 375 for approx. 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. (It usually takes a little longer than that)

Chris made a vegan burger from Bosh!: Healthy Vegan by Ian Theasby and Henry Firth:

After we introduced our delicious masterpieces, Lisa Sharkey, Director of Creative Development, joined us in the tiki hut!

She presented The Other Side of the Coin by Angela Kelly and IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD by Russ.

AFRICAVILLE by Jeffrey Colvin Selected as a December LibraryReads Pick!

We are so excited that Africaville by Jeffrey Colvin was selected as a December 2019 LibraryReads Pick! On this week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast, we explained how LibraryReads works and gave Jeffrey a call (he called in from a local New York public library!) to offer our congratulations.

Africaville is a stunning debut novel featuring a richly woven story of a town settled by former slaves on the outskirts of Woods Bluff, Nova Scotia, that is both bound together and torn apart by family, faith, and fate. Find out more about the book in the podcast audio below.

Here are a few links that we mentioned!

-LibraryReads

-Find the podcast recording with Rebecca Vnuk, Director of LibraryReads, recorded LIVE on the show floor at ALA Annual here.

-Find our staff LibraryReads Suggestions for January here.

-Watch Jeffrey Colvin speak at our librarian preview at the HarperCollins offices in New York here.

Be sure to check out Africaville, available on December 10th, 2019. See you next week!

-Lainey

Posted at 01:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There's So Much to See with Kevin Wilson's NOTHING TO SEE HERE!

Hello, librarians!

The love for Kevin Wilson's Nothing to See Here continues to burn! You've already shown so much support for this unforgettable novel, including selecting it as a LibraryReads pick for October! If you haven't yet dipped into this quirky, heartfelt, one-of-a-kind novel, please do so now!

Want to learn more? Kevin sat down with LLF's Virginia Stanley at ALA Annual in Washington D.C. to discuss Nothing to See Here and his inspiration behind writing it. You can listen to the podcast interview below!

Click below to watch Kevin Wilson speak at the UFL Editor's Panel at ALA Annual!

More exciting news! Kevin will appear on Today to speak with Jenna Bush Hager about Nothing to See Here on Tuesday,11/26, for the culmination of Jenna’s Book Club for November.

PBS NewsHour will also be running an interview with Kevin very soon!

Last month, The New York Times Book Review ran a rave front page review for Nothing to See Here. You can read the review here. They also included Nothing to See Here as an Editor’s Choice pick!

TIME included Nothing to See Here in its Best Books of 2019!

Over the weekend, Elizabeth Gilbert posted a video about how much she loves the book, calling it "Buck wild amazing!" Check her post out below that’s been viewed over 73,000 times!

We can't wait to see what's next for this enchanting novel from Kevin Wilson!

-Chris

Posted at 01:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Celebrating National Native American Heritage Month

November is National Native American Heritage Month!

To celebrate, we've put together a collection of incredible works that illuminate the Native American experience and remind us how vital these stories are to the history and makeup of America.

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The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich: Based on the extraordinary life of National Book Award-winning author Louise Erdrich’s grandfather who worked as a night watchman and carried the fight against Native dispossession from rural North Dakota all the way to Washington, D.C., this powerful novel explores themes of love and death with lightness and gravity and unfolds with the elegant prose, sly humor, and depth of feeling of a master craftsman.

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+
Request the egalley from NetGalley

Also from Louise Erdrich:
Future Home of the Living God
LaRose
The Round House

The Death of Sitting Bear by N. Scott Momaday: Pulitzer Prize winner and celebrated American master N. Scott Momaday returns with a radiant collection of more than 100 new and selected poems rooted in Native American tradition.

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+

Also from N. Scott Momaday:
House Made of Dawn
The Ancient Child

House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday: A special
50th anniversary edition of the magnificent Pulitzer Prize-winning classic from N. Scott Momaday, with a new preface by the author.

Find out more on HarperCollins.com

Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden: An addictive and groundbreaking debut thriller set on a Native American reservation, Winter Counts is a tour-de-force of crime fiction, a bracingly honest look at a long-ignored part of American life, and a twisting, turning story that’s as deeply rendered as it is thrilling.

Find out more on Edelweiss+

Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline: A bold and brilliant new indigenous voice in contemporary literature makes her American debut with this kinetic, imaginative, and sensuous fable inspired by the traditional Canadian Métis legend of the Rogarou—a werewolf-like creature that haunts the roads and woods of native people’s communities.

Find out more on Edelweiss+

Don't Skip Out on Me by Willy Vlautin: From the award-winning author of Lean on Pete and The Free comes this moving novel—an ALA Notable Book and a finalist for the Pen/Faulkner Award—about a young ranch hand who goes on a quest to become a champion boxer to prove his worth.

Find out more on HarperCollins.com

The Tale Teller by Anne Hillerman: Legendary Navajo policeman Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn takes center stage in this riveting atmospheric mystery from New York Times bestselling author Anne Hillerman that combines crime, superstition, and tradition, and brings the desert Southwest vividly alive.

Find out more on HarperCollins.com

Also from the author:
Cave of Bones
Song of the Lion
Rock with Wings

In a Barren Land by Paula Mitchell Marks: Award-winning historian Paula Mitchell Marks reconfirms her status as one of the foremost contemporary chroniclers of the American West with this definitive account of American Indian cultures under siege from 1607 to the present.

Find out more on HarperCollins.com

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones: A spellbinding and darkly humorous coming-of-age story about an unusual boy whose family lives on the fringe of society and struggles to survive in a hostile world that shuns and fears them.

Find out more on HarperCollins.com

Two Old Women by Velma Wallis: Based on an Athabascan Indian legend passed along for many generations from mothers to daughters of the upper Yukon River Valley in Alaska, this is the suspenseful, shocking, ultimately inspirational tale of two old women abandoned by their tribe during a brutal winter famine.

Find out more on HarperCollins.com

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-Chris

Posted at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The December LibraryReads List is Here!

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

This month, we are thrilled to share that Africaville by Jeffrey Colvin has been selected for the December LibraryReads list!

Click here to see the full list.

We called Jeffrey to surprise him with the news that Africaville made the December LibraryReads list. You can listen below!

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Africaville by Jeffrey Colvin: A ferociously talented writer makes his stunning debut with this richly woven tapestry, set in a small Nova Scotia town settled by former slaves, that depicts several generations of one family bound together and torn apart by blood, faith, time, and fate.

"Colvin’s intriguing and memorable debut shines a light on a little-known black experience: the freed slaves from the Caribbean and U.S. who established a community in Canada in the 1800s. [He] expertly weaves in the subject of owning one’s heritage…this is a penetrating, fresh look at the indomitable spirit of black pioneers and their descendants."
—Publishers Weekly

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+
Request the egalley from NetGalley

Watch Jeffrey Colvin discuss Africaville and the true story that inspired it!

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Congratulations, Jeffrey!

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

-Chris

Posted at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Editors Unedited: A Conversation with Amistad Editorial Director Tracy Sherrod

On this week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast, we welcome back Tracy Sherrod, Editorial Director of Amistad. Tracy gives an overview of the imprint and a few of the books they have published, including some award winners! She also gives us a glimpse into their upcoming schedule and genres that she wants to explore in the future. You can find the podcast below as well as a list of all the titles—including author and on-sale dates—discussed.

Titles Discussed:

Think Black by Clyde W. Ford, available now

-Listen to Tracy's interview with the author here.

The Known World by Edward P. Jones, available now

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson, available now

Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick by Zora Neale Hurston, available on 1/14/20

Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston, available now

Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston, available now

The Universal Nature of Glory and Greed by Deborah G. Plant, available on 2/16/21

The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty, available now

Kosher Soul by Michael W. Twitty, available on 4/20/21

Infinitum by Tim Fielder, available on 8/18/20

Laughing to America by Gina Yashere, available on 2/16/21

The Mother of Black Hollywood by Jenifer Lewis, available now

The Great Mrs. Elias by Barbara Chase-Riboud, available on 2/2/21

Black Fortunes by Shomari Wills, available now

Three Strikes by Ursula Burns, available on 4/27/21

Own the Area by Katrina M. Adams, available on 7/7/20

Black Bottom Saints by Alice Randall, available on 8/18/20

The Secret Women by Sheila Williams, available on 6/9/20

Radical Reparations by Marcus Hunter, available on 3/15/22

Africaville by Jeffrey Colvin, available on 12/10/19

Sweat the Technique by Rakim, available now

Open Season by Ben Crump, available now

Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson, available on 10/20/20

Editor Toni Morrison and 1970's Black Literary World by Dana Williams, available on 1/15/22

Thanks for listening,

-Lainey

Posted at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Great Reviews for Mitch Albom's FINDING CHIKA

"Albom addresses Chika directly: “You never have to worry about us forgetting you...we’d lose every memory we ever had before we would let go of yours.” Both painfully sad and beautiful, this is an absolute tearjerker."
—Publishers Weekly review

Finding Chika marks Mitch Albom's return to nonfiction for the first time in over a decade. It is an intimate and heartwarming memoir about what it means to be a family and the young Haitian orphan whose short life would forever change his heart.

Read the USA Today review here. They also shared an excerpt from the book.

Watch Mitch's interview—with clips of Chika—on the Today show below.
Anderson Cooper devoted his entire CNN Full Circle Facebook show to the book. Mitch talks about how he came to run the orphanage in Haiti and care for Chika. Find the interview here.

Mitch also appeared on Fox & Friends and Dr. Phil.

Find the Associated Press' review here.

Finding Chika is available now. We can't wait to see what great reviews will come next!

-Lainey

Posted at 04:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)