Library Love Fest

Join Library Love Fest at ALA Midwinter Virtual 2021

The Library Love Fest team has many thoughts about ALA Midwinter. Mainly...

We can't wait to see you all at the virtual ALA Midwinter conference! Check out all of the amazing author events, panels, and booth chats we have planned below.

Friday, January 22

11:00-11:30 AM ET

Featured Speaker in the Diversity in Publishing Stage
Natalie Baszile, author of We Are Each Other's Harvest 
Find out more here.

12:00-1:00 PM ET
Library Love Fest Team Live Chat! Stop by the HarperCollins Booth so we can answer your questions and offer reading recommendations!

Saturday, January 23

9:00-10:00 AM ET
Library Love Fest Team Live Chat! Stop by the HarperCollins Booth so we can answer your questions and offer reading recommendations!

1:00-1:15 PM ET
Don’t miss the Library Love Fest Book Buzz! HarperCollins Buzzes Upcoming Adult Books from the Spring/Summer 2021 Seasons. Watch it here.

Sunday, January 24

9:00-10:00 AM ET
Library Love Fest Team Live Chat! Stop by the HarperCollins Booth so we can answer your questions and offer reading recommendations!

1:30-2:00 PM ET

Featured Speaker Cicely Tyson, author of Just As I Am
Find out more here.

Monday, January 25

9:00-10:00 AM ET
Library Love Fest Team Live Chat! Stop by the HarperCollins Booth so we can answer your questions and offer reading recommendations!

4:00-5:00 PM ET
Forget Your Troubles: Hear about books from authors and publishers that will lift your spirits and gladden your heart! 
Register here.

On Demand Programs

• Diversity in Publishing Stage — Representing: HarperCollins Authors on the Importance of Diverse Characters. Featuring:
  
  
  Watch on demand here.
  
  
• Listen to The Library Love Fest Podcast in the Sound Garden Pavilion’s 'Live from the 25.'
  
  
• Mark your calendar! Don’t Miss the next Library Love Fest World-Famous Book Buzz on February 10th! Register here.

Happy Book Birthday to Viola Ardone's THE CHILDREN'S TRAIN

Happy book birthday to Viola Ardone's The Children's Train. There are so many great reviews for this powerful novel, based on true events, that tells a heartbreaking story of love, family, hope, and survival set in post-World War II Italy about poor children from the south sent to live with families in the north to survive deprivation and the harsh winters. You can get your copy here.

The New York Times Book Review included The Children's Train in their Globetrotting preview for 2021. Read the feature here.

Just check out some of the praise below!

"With a mix of stark realism and wistful reflection, Ardone succeeds in portraying the challenges of growing up under trying circumstances."
—Publishers Weekly

"Beautifully written in Amerigo’s first-person voice, this sometimes melancholy novel, translated from Italian, offers a deeply satisfying portrayal of the universality of love."
—Booklist

"Ardone’s novel will appeal to fans of Elena Ferrante, but it stands on its own as a fictionalized account of an exceptional—and exceptionally complicated—social experiment."
—BookPage

"Ardone’s beautifully crafted story explores the meaning of identity and belonging...recommended to fans of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels."
—Library Journal

Congratulations to Viola Ardone for this wonderful publication.

-Chris

Watch Willy Vlautin and Andrew J. Graff on Door to Door!

Hello librarians!

We simply cannot wait for our upcoming episode of Door to Door with Willy Vlautin, author of The Night Always Comes and Andrew J. Graff, author of Raft of Stars, on Tuesday, January 12th at 2:00pm ET.

If you've followed Library Love Fest over the years, then you know we're HUGE fans of Willy Vlautin's work, whether it's The Motel Life, Northline, Lean on Pete, The Free, or his most recent novel Don't Skip Out on Me, which was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and an ALA Notable Book. As Ann Patchett stated, "The straightforward beauty of Vlautin’s writing, and the tender care he shows his characters, turns a story of struggle into indispensable reading."

Truly, Willy Vlautin's combination of beautiful prose, unforgettable characters, and a tender eye for the stories of people struggling to persevere in a world in which they're rarely seen results in heart-wrenching and redemptive reads that earned Willy praise from Ursula K. Le Guin, who compared him to an "unsentimental Steinbeck, a heartbroken Haruf."

In his upcoming book The Night Always Comes, Willy Vlautin confronts many of the anxieties of our changing world, including working-class greed, class division, home ownership, and mental health. Set in contemporary Portland, Oregon, the novel takes place over the course of two days and two nights and follows a young woman on a desperate quest to collect enough funds to put a down payment on her family's long-time home before it's too late. 

The book has received enormous early praise:

"The story resonates, with characters we come to feel we know and dialog that is so natural we hear it, not just read it....This is literary art that will keep readers in their seats until the last page."
—Library Journal ⭐ review

"This gritty page-turner sings with pitch-perfect prose, and Lynette’s desperation is palpable. Vlautin has achieved a brilliant synthesis of Raymond Carver and Jim Thompson."
—Publishers Weekly ⭐ review

"I finished reading this novel dripping with admiration for Willy Vlautin and the tough wonder he has brought forth. The Night Always Comes hits the high-water mark; there is skillful and beautiful objectivity to the writing, characters so real that when they bleed you get a few drops on your sleeve, and a story of economic want and desperation and heart."
—Daniel Woodrell, author of Winter’s Bone and The Maid’s Version

Another incredible aspect to Willy Vlautin's literary work is how closely connected it is to his life as a musician. The founding member of the bands Richmond Fontaine and The Delines, Willy has often talked about his novels beginning as songs, and growing from there. 

We are very excited to share one of the songs from the upcoming The Night Always Comesbook soundtrack that Willy wrote and recorded with his band The Delines, titled "Lynette's Lament." Click below to listen!

To learn more about Willy's thoughts on the connection between his music and his writing, check out the short clip below from our interview in 2018 on the publication day of Don't Skip Out on Me:

This was a very special interview, which Willy capped off spectacularly by playing the titular song "Don't Skip Out on Me." You can watch his performance below!

The full book soundtrack for Don't Skip Out on Me is available on Spotify. Click below to listen! You can also read Willy's notes on the soundtrack here.

                                                                                                                                                      

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also cannot wait to talk to Andrew J. Graff, whose debut novel Raft of Stars publishes in March. This novel about two hardscrabble young boys who think they’ve committed a crime and flee into the Northwoods of Wisconsin is filled with heart and with a poised, clear-eyed consideration of a town and a people who've fallen on hard times. 

The timelessness and hope of this novel immediately swept through the HarperCollins Publishers sales staff when we first read it. We even selected it as our Lead Read pick for Winter 2021! If you're unfamiliar with the Lead Read program, every season the HarperCollins sales staff votes for one special title we think has a chance for both critical and commercial success. Past picks include News of the World by Paulette Jiles, November Road by Lou Berney, My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell, and Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey. Just as these works were welcomed and beloved by the library community, we think Raft of Stars will also be an instant classic and a cherished title in library circulations for a long time to come.

You can check out a sample of the early praise below!

"The characters are expertly drawn in their shifting relationships, and the two boys’ closeness and bravery are especially affecting.... facing the life issues examined here in an unforgiving if beautifully rendered wilderness is no easy feat.... Highly recommended, whether you want literate thrills or thoughtful, affirming meditation."
—Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal ⭐ review 

"In ruggedly beautiful prose, and with a deep affection for his damaged, but always loveable characters, Graff delivers a novel with real heart and soul.  An authentic look into the heartland of America, into one-parent households, where mothers and grandparents are supporting the next generation while fathers are either absentee, or should be. Like a barrel going over a waterfalls, Raft of Stars sweeps its reader downstream, and fast.  Hold on for the ride."
—Nickolas Butler, author of Little Faith

There is so much to love about this novel, whether it be "Bread" and "Fish", the two young boys at the heart of the story, the resounding sense of hope in the book's pages, or the absorbing sense of place that immediately sweeps the reader away. Below, you can watch a short video Andrew J. Graff recorded, where he shows us one of the locations that inspired the book!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please be sure to join us on Tuesday, January 12th at 2pm ET for this must-see conversation with two talented, heart-filled authors!

-The LLF Team

LLF Staff Suggestions for the March LibraryReads List

Hello librarians and happy New Year!

Well, 2021 couldn't get here soon enough. 2020 was an unimaginably tough year for so many of us, grappling with stress, loss, and uncertainty. Throughout it all, we were incredibly grateful that we were able to connect virtually with so many of you in the library community.

We hope you'll join us as we hit the ground running in 2021! We have some very exciting reading suggestions for the March 2021 LibraryReads List. Happy reading!

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

***

Raft of Stars by Andrew J. Graff
For fans of: This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger and 
The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
An instant classic for fans of Jane Smiley and Kitchens of the Great Midwest: when two hardscrabble young boys think they’ve committed a crime, they flee into the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Will the adults trying to find and protect them reach them before it’s too late?

"The characters are expertly drawn in their shifting relationships, and the two boys’ closeness and bravery are especially affecting.... facing the life issues examined here in an unforgiving if beautifully rendered wilderness is no easy feat.... Highly recommended, whether you want literate thrills or thoughtful, affirming meditation."
—Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal ⭐ review 

Join us on Tuesday, January 12th, to watch Andrew J. Graff on Door to Door!

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

 

Foregone by Russell Banks
For fans of: Quichotte by Salman Rushdie 
A searing novel about memory, abandonment, and betrayal—and a man’s end-of-life need for forgiveness and redemption—from the acclaimed and bestselling Russell Banks.

"Banks, a conduit for the confounded and the unlucky, a writer acutely attuned to place and ambiance, is at his most magnetic and provocative in this portrait of a celebrated documentary filmmaker on the brink of death."
—Booklist ⭐ review

"[A] dark, affecting work.... Banks explores aging, memory, and reputation in thoughtful and touching ways.... A challenging, risk-taking work marked by a wry and compassionate intelligence."
—Kirkus Reviews ⭐ review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

Watch Russell Banks on Door to Door with special guest Nancy Pearl!

 

The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett
For fans of: A Cruel Deception by Charles Todd 
and The Sentence Is Death by Anthony Horowitz
The first book in a highly original and delightfully clever crime series in which Queen Elizabeth II secretly solves crimes while carrying out her royal duties, perfect for fans of The Crown.

"[A] pitch-perfect murder mystery…. If The Crown were crossed with Miss Marple…the result would probably be something like this charming whodunnit."
—Ruth Ware, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One by One

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

Watch SJ Bennett on Door to Door!

 

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
For fans of: We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Huntress and The Alice Network returns with another heart-stopping World War II story of three female code breakers at Bletchley Park and the spy they must root out after the war is over.

"The Rose Code effortlessly evokes the frantic, nervy, exuberant world of the Enigma codebreakers....  Quinn’s meticulous research and impeccable characterization shine through this gripping and beautifully executed novel."
—Beatriz Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Her Last Flight

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

Let's make Kate Quinn a LibraryReads Hall of Fame author!

Previous LibraryReads Selections:
The Huntress (February 2019)
The Alice Network (June 2017)

Watch Kate Quinn on Door to Door!

Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi
For fans of: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and 
The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
An Afghan American woman returns to Kabul to learn the truth about her family and the tragedy that destroyed their lives in this brilliant and compelling novel from the bestselling author of The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, The House Without Windows, and When the Moon Is Low.

Praise for Nadia Hashimi: "Her always engaging multigenerational tale is a portrait of Afghanistan in all of its perplexing, enigmatic glory, and a mirror into the still ongoing struggles of Afghan women."
—Khaled Hosseini, author of The Mountains Echoed and The Kite Runner

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

Watch Nadia Hashimi on Door to Door!

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson
Also from the author: All the Beautiful Lies and Her Every Fear

In this electrifying psychological thriller from the acclaimed author of Eight Perfect Murders, a bride’s dream honeymoon becomes a nightmare when a man with whom she’s had a regrettable one-night stand shows up.

"The further we go into [Swanson’s] devilishly twisty tales, the more hooks he sets…. Bride-to-be Abigail had a booze-fueled one-night stand… and is now being stalked by the man with whom she dallied. Fatal Attraction, right? Well, maybe, but we quickly see there's more to it than that."
—Booklist

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

 

A LibraryReads Hall of Fame author!

Previous LibraryReads Selections:
Eight Perfect Murders (March 2020)
All the Beautiful Lies (April 2018)
Her Every Fear (January 2017)

 

The Note Through the Wire by Doug Gold
For fans of: The Choice by Edith Eva Eger
Praised as an "unforgettable love story" by Heather Morris, New York Times bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, this is the real-life, unlikely romance between a resistance fighter and prisoner of war set in World War II Europe.

"Gold delivers a cinematic account of an unlikely romance that blossomed in Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia.... Gold...sets a brisk pace and vividly describes the landscape of war-torn Europe. This WWII love story enthralls."
—Publishers Weekly

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

 

Half Life by Jillian Cantor
For fans of: The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton 
The USA Today bestselling author of In Another Time reimagines the pioneering, passionate life of Marie Curie using a parallel structure to create two alternative timelines, one that mirrors her real life, one that explores the consequences for Marie and for science if she’d made a different choice.

"Jillian Cantor's beautifully written Half Life is a poignant exploration of ambition, family, gender, and love. I couldn't put down this tender, nuanced, and inspiring novel."
—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

Watch Jillian Cantor on Door to Door!

When Women Invented Television
by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
For fans of: The Lady from the Black Lagoon by Mallory O'Meara
The New York Times bestselling author of Seinfeldia tells the little-known story of four trailblazing women in the early days of television who laid the foundation of the industry we know today.

"With crisp, electrifying prose, Armstrong recounts the hard work and struggles of four women trailblazers who shaped the dawn of television.... Armstrong deftly illustrates how this quartet of women battled skepticism, sexism, and even the infamous Cold War blacklist to become vital players in the burgeoning days of the small screen."
—Booklist ⭐ review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

 

Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig
Also from the author: The Summer Country 
A group of young women from Smith College risk their lives in France at the height of World War I in this sweeping novel based on a true story—a skillful blend of Call the Midwife and The Alice Network—from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig.

"A crackling portrayal of everyday American heroines…. A triumph."
—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue 

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Request the audiobook egalley on NetGalley
LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

 

The Lowering Days by Gregory Brown
For fans of: Bearskin by James McLaughlin and 
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
A promising literary star makes his debut with this emotionally powerful saga, set in 1980s Maine, that explores family love, the power of myths and storytelling, survival and environmental exploitation, and the ties between native land and cultural identity.

"In The Lowering Days Gregory Brown gives us a lush, almost mythic portrait of a very specific place and time that feels all the more universal for its singularity. There’s magic here." 
—Richard Russo, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Empire Falls and Chances Are...

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LibraryReads Votes Due: February 1, 2020

The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst
Also from the author: Race the Sands and The Deepest Blue
From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a standalone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.

Praise for Sarah Beth Durst:
"Sarah Beth Durst is one of the most prolific authors I know, yet each of her beautiful stories is infused with exciting action and fully rounded characters whose struggles are both relatable and fantastical."
—Peter V. Brett, New York Times bestselling author of The Demon Cycle series

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

 

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
For fans of: Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey
In USA Today bestselling author Talia Hibbert’s newest rom com, the flightiest Brown sister crashes into the life of an uptight B&B owner and has him falling hard—literally.

"Their biting banter and saucy looks will delight readers.... Hibbert concludes the brilliant Brown Sisters series on high a note."    
—Booklist ⭐ review

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

Let's make Talia Hibbert a LibraryReads Hall of Fame author!

Previous LibraryReads Selections:
Take a Hint, Dani Brown (June 2020)
Get a Life, Chloe Brown (November 2019)

 

The Consequences of Fear by Jacqueline Winspear
Also from the author: The American Agent and To Die but Once
As Europe buckles under Nazi occupation, Maisie Dobbs investigates a possible murder that threatens devastating repercussions for Britain's war efforts in this latest installment in the New York Times bestselling mystery series.

Praise for Jacqueline Winspear:
"In Winspear’s capable hands, Maisie has evolved into a deeply sympathetic character. Readers will eagerly await her next outing."
—Publishers Weekly ⭐ review

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

Watch Jacqueline Winspear on Door to Door!

Wilde Child by Eloisa James
Also from the author: My Last Duchess and Say Yes to the Duke
Eloisa James returns to the Wildes of Lindow Castle series with the next Wilde child who runs and joins a theatre troupe—and the duke who tries to save her reputation.

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

 

 

The Secret Talker by Geling Yan
For fans of: Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
Combining the dark twists of The Silent Patient with the unsettling beauty of The Vegetarian, a tense, gripping, and wholly original psychological tale of a woman with a secret admirer—who is hiding secrets of her own.

Request the egalley from Edelweiss+
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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 February1!

***

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

-Chris

New podcast episode: What's new in audio? (Featuring Andrew Kaberline, Senior Audio Marketing Associate)

This week, we wish you a happy holiday break with our last episode of 2020! The library team is joined by Andrew Kaberline, Senior Marketing Associate from HarperAudio. We talk all about recent audiobooks that will make your holiday drives fly by and a few audio egalleys that are available on Edelweiss+ and NetGalley. We also play a few clips from the audios that Andrew brought. We hope you enjoy this discussion and have a wonderful, safe holiday season! 

Listen to the episode:

Titles discussed:

• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, read by Patton Oswalt, Melissa McBride, and Alex Brightman
  -Listen to a clip from the audiobook here.

• Pirate Stew by Neil Gaiman, read by Neil Gaiman
  -Listen to a clip from the audiobook here.

• Mistletoe in Paradise by Jill Shalvis, read by Erin Mallon
  -Listen to a clip from the audiobook here.

• Dearly by Margaret Atwood, read by Margaret Atwood
  -Listen to a clip from the audiobook here.

• Talking to GOATS by Jim Gray, read by Tom Brady and Jim Gray, featuring appearances by Bob Costas, Vin Scully, Carol Burnett, and Snoop Dogg. 
  -Listen to a clip from the audiobook here.

• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy, read by Charlie Mackesy
  -Watch Charlie's interview on CBS This Morning
  -Listen to a clip from the audiobook here.
  

• Alright, Alright, Alright by Melissa Maerz, read by Brittany Pressley and George Newbern
  -Listen to a clip from the audiobook here.

• The Killer’s Shadow by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker, read by Holt McCallany
  -Listen to a clip from the audiobook here.

• Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson, read by Marin Ireland
  -Listen to a clip from the audiobook here.

• Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy, read by Val Toomey, George Newbern, Marin Ireland, and Joel Froomkin
  -Listen to a clip from the audiobook here.

• Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam, read by Marin Ireland
  -Listen to a clip from the audiobook here.

Audio Egalleys:

• The Light of Days by Judy Batalion, read by Mozhan Marno (on-sale April 6, 2021)
  -Request the audio egalley on Edelweiss+
  -Request the audio egalley on NetGalley
  -Listen to our podcast episode with Judy Batalion, in conversation with her editor.

• The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett, read by Jane Copland (on-sale March 9, 2021)
  -Request the audio egalley on Edelweiss+
  -Request the audio egalley on NetGalley
  -Watch our Door to Door with SJ Bennett

• Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, read by Marin Ireland (on-sale April 6, 2021)
  -Request the audio egalley on Edelweiss+

Check out of all our audio egalleys available on Edelweiss+ and NetGalley.

-Lainey

Let's Make Nancy Johnson's THE KINDEST LIE a LibraryReads Pick!

Download the egalley on Edelweiss+
Download the egalley on NetGalley
LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2021

Hello friends! Happy holidays!

Nancy Johnson’s stunning debut novel, The Kindest Lie, is a powerful story set in 2008 as Obama takes office and Black communities are filled with a sense of hope and promise. We meet Ruth, an Ivy League-educated Black engineer searching for the son she walked away from and Midnight, a poor, young white boy who finds himself adrift in a dying Indiana factory town. This unlikely connection sets the scene for The Kindest Lie: a prescient, beautiful inspection of motherhood, race, class, and the pursuit of the American Dream. If you haven’t read this novel yet, we urge you to dip in. (And good luck finding a place in this book to stop reading for the night!)  Librarians and authors who have read The Kindest Lie have, well, the kindest words to say about this unforgettable debut. Check out some of the praise below!

"Nancy Johnson leads her readers into a story about race and family, weaving her characters in nuanced ways that are relevant today. It will be a long time before I stop thinking daily about Ruth and Midnight. Their emotional and very human stories will leave readers breathless and wanting to talk about every scene of this stunning and important book."
—Ron Block, Cuyahoga County Public Library (OH)

"Johnson’s sharp debut takes a deep dive into the life of a Black Chicago woman after the 2008 presidential election…. Powerful insights emerge on the plurality of Black American experience and the divisions between rural and urban life, and the wealthy and the working class. Johnson’s clear-eyed saga hits hard."
—Publishers Weekly STARRED review

"The Kindest Lie is a deep dive into how we define family, what it means to be a mother, what secrets we owe to those we love, and what it means to grow up Black. This beautifully crafted debut will keep you asking these questions and more."
—Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Two Ways and Small Great Things

"The Kindest Lie is the story of one family that reveals the larger story of America itself. Taut and surprising, Nancy Johnson’s debut novel tackles complex issues—ambition, romance, class—with the lightest of touches."
—Rumaan Alam, New York Times bestselling author of Leave the World Behind

"A gloriously written, stunning heart scorcher about who we are and what we could be."
—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You and Cruel Beautiful World

We were thrilled to welcome Nancy Johnson on our recent Door to Door episode, which also featured renowned poet Nikki Giovanni. These two incredible writers had a wonderful conversation to open the episode. You can watch the replay below!

Watch on  : https://youtu.be/EGM23kdcX0Q

The Kindest Lie is an important, all-encompassing debut novel that will appeal to a wide range of readers. We hope you will give it a read and submit your votes for LibraryReads. As a reminder, votes are due January 1, 2021.

Download the egalley on Edelweiss+
Download the egalley on NetGalley
LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2021

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

An Interview with Alisha Rai, author of FIRST COMES LIKE

This week, we welcome romance author Alisha Rai to the podcast! We talk about her latest, and final, book in her Modern Love series, First Comes Like. The first book in the series, The Right Swipe, was the #1 LibraryReads selection for August 2019, and the second book, Girl Gone Viral, was selected for the April 2020 LibraryReads list.

Listen to the episode below:

A few mentions from the episode:

• Find Alisha's TikTok feed here.
• Read the HuffPost article Alisha wrote here.
• Alisha mentioned Big Bad Wolf by Suleikha Snyder as well as author Nalini Singh

Download an egalley of First Comes Like on NetGalley and Edelweiss+ now.

The book publishes on February 16th, 2021. LibraryReads votes are due January 1st!

-Lainey

Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series is coming to Netflix on December 25th!

Watch the official trailer for Bridgerton, a new series created by Shonda Rhimes for Netflix, based in the Regency-set world of New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn's charming, powerful Bridgerton family.

You can read the first book now before the series comes out on December 25th. Find the TV tie-in edition here. This novel includes the 2nd epilogue, a peek at the story after the story.

Listen to an interview with author Julia Quinn on the Book Club Girl Podcast.

The Skimm also created an interactive "scandal sheet" written from the perspective of the fictional Lady Whistledown in the series. Check it out here.

We can't wait for the series—and to hear more scandals from Lady Whistledown. Watch on Netflix starting December 25th.

-Lainey

THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE by Charlie Mackesy is the gift that keeps giving

In The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, British illustrator, artist, and author Charlie Mackesy has created an insightful story that takes us on an exploration of life’s universal lessons, featuring 100 color and black-and-white drawings. It is the perfect book for readers of all ages. It is a #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller. This story is a complete delight to read and we hope you will pick up a copy for yourself and anyone else who might need a pick-me-up this holiday season.

Listen to an audio excerpt from the book:

Check out Charlie's Instagram feed.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is available now.

-Lainey

NEWS OF THE WORLD Movie Adaptation Starring Tom Hanks to Premiere Nationwide 12/25

Hello librarians! 

We've all been eagerly anticipating the movie adaptation of Paulette Jiles's beloved novel News of the World starring Tom Hanks. Well, the wait is almost over: it will officially premiere in theaters nationwide on December 25th! You can watch the trailer below and keep reading for the early RAVE reviews! We also recommend you read a recent Wall Street Journal holiday film roundup where Paulette Jiles shares her thoughts on the film adaptation.

 

"Every day it seems this story becomes more urgently vital in shining a light on contemporary America, perhaps much more than the filmmakers ever could have imagined while they were making it. In so doing, this is a tale of another time in America that couldn’t be more important for these times. Journalistically, I shouldn’t be burying the headline, but News of the World is a towering piece of moviemaking." —Deadline review 12/11/2020 (read the full review here)

"The touching story of these two refugees of a divided country is entirely different in mood and tempo from anything Greengrass has done up to now. With its painstakingly detailed production and costume design and stirring sense of time and place, this is a lovingly crafted drama that conveys a gentle message about examining the pain of our past to find a place of peace, belonging and even joy in our future." —Hollywood Reporter review 12/11/2020 (read the full review here)

You can stay up-to-date with additional clips and news via the News of the World movie Instagram page. The trade paperback edition of News of the World is available now and the movie tie-in edition goes on sale December 29th!

-Chris

Bookreporter's Carol Fitzgerald interviews Sue Miller, author of MONOGAMY

We have a new interview from Carol Fitzgerald, President of the Book Report Network! She recently interviewed Sue Miller, author of Monogamy—on sale now. Monogamy has been named a New York Times Notable Book of 2020, NPR Best Book of 2020, and O, the Oprah Magazine called it: “A sensual and perceptive novel.... With humor and humanity, Miller resists the simple scorned-wife story and instead crafts a revelatory tale of the complexities—and the absurdities—of love, infidelity, and grief.” Don't miss this great conversation!

You can watch Carol's video interview or listen to the audio on Carol’s podcast!

Be sure to visit The Book Report Network and Bookreporter.com for more great content! 

-Lainey

Editors Unedited: Emily Griffin in Conversation with Meg Mason, Author of SORROW AND BLISS

This week, we welcome Harper Executive Editor Emily Griffin back to the podcast. Emily interviewed Meg Mason, author of the debut novel Sorrow and Bliss. There have been so many amazing quotes for this book. Ann Patchett said: "Sorrow and Bliss is a brilliantly faceted and extremely funny book about depression that engulfed me in the way I'm always hoping to be engulfed by novels. While I was reading it, I was making a list of all the people I wanted to send it to, until I realized that I wanted to send it to everyone I know." Wow! Check out some of the other great reviews:

"Brutal, tender, funny, this novel—a portrait of love in all of its many incarnations—came alive for me from the very first page. I saw myself here. I saw the people I love. I am changed by this book."
—Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes

“Sorrow and Bliss is hilarious, haunting, and utterly captivating. Meg Mason has created a heroine as prickly as Bernadette in Where’d You Go, Bernadette. Her humor is as arch and wise as the best work of Joan Didion and Rachel Cusk, yet completely original. What a thrilling new voice!”

—Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters

 

“Mason excels in her heartbreaking U.S. debut, an account of a woman’s self-discovery amid her struggle with mental illness.... Witty and stark, Martha’s emotionally affecting story will delight fans of Sally Rooney.”

—Publishers Weekly review

 

Listen to the podcast episode below:

Sorrow and Bliss goes on sale February 9th, 2021.

 

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-Lainey

LLF Staff Suggestions for the February LibraryReads List

Hello librarians! 

We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! It's hard to believe winter is almost here, but alas, Jack Frost waits for no one. But not to worry! We're here to help prepare for his arrival with a fresh round of reading suggestions for LibraryReads. Enjoy!

Remember: Votes for the February LibraryReads List are due January 1st.

***

The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson
For fans of: The Leavers by Lisa Ko and
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
A thought-provoking, page-turning debut about race, class, identity, and the pursuit of the American dream.

"The Kindest Lie is a deep dive into how we define family, what it means to be a mother, what secrets we owe to those we love, and what it means to grow up Black. This beautifully crafted debut will keep you asking these questions and more."
—Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Two Ways

"Taut and surprising, Nancy Johnson’s debut novel tackles complex issues—ambition, romance, class—with the lightest of touches."
—Rumaan Alam, New York Times bestselling author of Leave the World Behind

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida
For fans of: Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
An achingly beautiful and wickedly funny story of female friendship, betrayal, and a mysterious disappearance, set in the changing landscape of San Francisco.

"A nimble and arresting drama about the spell cast by beauty, the compulsion to lie, the valor of forthrightness, and the inevitability of the inexplicable." 
—Donna Seaman, Booklist STARRED review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

Watch Vendela Vida on Door to Door!

The Removed by Brandon Hobson
For fans of: Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli
Steeped in Cherokee myths and history, a novel about a fractured family reckoning with the tragic death of their son long ago—from National Book Award finalist Brandon Hobson.

"Brandon Hobson has given us a haunted work, full of voices old and new. It is about a family’s reckoning with loss and injustice, and it is about a people trying for the same. The journey of this family’s way home is full—in equal measure—of melancholy and love. The Removed is spirited, droll, and as quietly devastating as rain lifting from earth to sky."
—Tommy Orange, New York Times bestselling author of There There

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

 

Raceless by Georgina Lawton
For fans of: This Will Be My Undoing by Morgan Jerkins
From The Guardian’s Georgina Lawton, a moving examination of how racial identity is constructed—through the author’s own journey grappling with secrets and stereotypes, having been raised by white parents with no explanation as to why she looked black.

"Lawton’s examination of identity and family is a compelling account that will resonate with many readers."
—Booklist

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

Watch Georgina Lawton on Door to Door!

The Upstairs House by Julia Fine
For fans of: The Need by Helen Phillips and
Red Clocks by Leni Zumas
The author of What Should Be Wild returns with a provocative meditation on new motherhood—Shirley Jackson meets
The Awakening—in which a postpartum woman’s psychological unraveling becomes intertwined with the ghostly appearance of children’s book writer Margaret Wise Brown.

"Macabre and funny, spooky and soulful, Julia Fine's 
The Upstairs House lets the reader inhabit a massively entertaining and slyly enlightening story nestled inside another story like a ghost within its host. Love and resentment, madness and clarity compete and comingle in this unforgettable tale of literature and legacy."
—Kathleen Rooney, author of Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey and Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

 

Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins
Also from the author: On the Corner of Hope and Main 
and Rebel
USA Today bestselling author Beverly Jenkins continues her captivating Women Who Dare series with a female rancher who forges her own path in the wake of the Civil War.

"Memorable characters and fun, if fraught, dialogue make the highly anticipated second book in romance star Jenkins' Women Who Dare series a refreshing and keenly innovative historical romance. Readers will be clamoring for more well-researched and inclusive love stories featuring strong women in the American West." 
—Booklist STARRED review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

Watch Beverly Jenkins on Door to Door!

First Comes Like by Alisha Rai
For fans of: Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey
Alisha Rai, author of The Right Swipe and Girl Gone Viral, returns with a story about finding love in all the wrong inboxes.

"Another win from this rising romance star."
—Booklist

Let's make Alisha Rai a LibraryReads Hall of Fame author!

Previous LibraryReads selections:
The Right Swipe (Top Pick - August 2019)
Girl Gone Viral (April 2020)

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

Lola on Fire by Rio Youers
For fans of: If She Wakes by Michael Koryta and No Exit by Taylor Adams
British Fantasy Award nominee Rio Youers combines vengeance and deceit, love and bullets, secrets, and twists in this high-octane action thriller with a vibrant emotional core.

"Lola on Fire serves up all the gonzo action, quotable lines, and unforgettable characters a reader could want, in a novel that rivals Killing Eve in intensity and atmosphere."
—Joe Hill, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

 

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
For fans of: The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer
A compulsively readable debut novel—spiky, sharp, intriguingly dark, and tender—about a woman on the edge that combines the psychological insight of Sally Rooney with the sharp humor of Nina Stibbe and the emotional resonance of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.

"Sorrow and Bliss is a brilliantly faceted and extremely funny book about depression that engulfed me in the way I'm always hoping to be to be engulfed by novels. While I was reading it, I was making a list of all the people I wanted to send it to, until I realized that I wanted to send it to everyone I know."
—Ann Patchett

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

We Can Only Save Ourselves by Alison Wisdom
For fans of: The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker
With echoes of The Virgin Suicides and The Fates Will Find Their Way, Alison Wisdom’s debut novel is the story of one teenage girl’s unlikely indoctrination and the reverberations in the tight-knit community she leaves behind.

"In this tense, complicated novel, the loss of a daughter is observed through the singular, haunting voice of the town’s mothers as they wage a daily battle for safety under the guise of conformity and belonging.... taut, steely prose reveals new complexities, questions, and dangers with each turn of the page."
—Elizabeth Wetmore, New York Times bestselling author of Valentine

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

City of a Thousand Gates by Rebecca Sacks
For fans of: Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok
A novel of great humanity, compassion, and astonishing immediacy, this inventive and unique debut captures the emotional reality of contemporary life in the West Bank and the irreconcilable Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a collage of narrative voices and different viewpoints centered on a particular set of events.

"A stunning first novel…imbued with foreboding at every turn…. Through her vibrant characters, Sacks paints a moving and powerful portrait of those who love the region passionately despite its many tensions and dangers."   
—Booklist STARRED review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: January 1, 2020

 

Love and Other Lies by Ben McPherson
For fans of: The Wife by Alafair Burke and
Grace is Gone by Emily Elgar
A mother and father search for the truth behind their daughter’s disappearance in this stunning psychological suspense novel that takes Nordic noir to a level that is "emotional, painful, and utterly memorable" (Alex Marwood, Edgar Award-winning author of
The Poison Garden).

"[A] stunning psychological thriller.... McPherson dramatically highlights the tensions between Norway’s native and immigrant populations as the plot builds to a devastating conclusion. This powerful, thought-provoking novel deserves a wide readership."
—Publishers Weekly STARRED review

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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! 

 

***

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

-Chris

Editors Unedited: Rachel Kahan in Conversation with Molly Greeley, Author of THE HEIRESS

"The ending of this book is one of the most beautifully written final chapters that I have ever worked on in my twenty-plus year career.... It's the most contemplative and gorgeously realized piece of writing about characters who you have really come to hold close to your heart."
—Rachel Kahan, editor of The Heiress

This week's podcast episode features a conversation between Molly Greeley, author of The Heiress, and her editor at William Morrow, Rachel Kahan. The Heiress is a spellbinding historical novel based on Pride and Prejudice that combines the knowing eye of Jane Austen with the eroticism and Gothic intrigue of Sarah Waters to reimagine the life of the mysterious Anne de Bourgh. This is the second book Molly has written with characters from Jane Austen's beloved novel Pride and Prejudice, the first being The Clergyman’s Wife. 

This novel is jam-packed with historical detail and unforgettable characters, sure to interest fans of Pride and Prejudice as well as general historical fiction readers.

Read a behind-the-book essay from Molly here.

A big thank you to Molly and Rachel for taking time to come on the podcast! 

The Heiress goes on sale January 5, 2021.

Download an egalley of The Heiress on Edelweiss+ and NetGalley now.

-Lainey

Bookreporter's Carol Fitzgerald Interviews Aimee Molloy, Author of GOODNIGHT BEAUTIFUL

Our friend Carol Fitzgerald, President of the Book Report Network, recently interviewed the “master of clever misdirection” (Kirkus Reviews) Aimee Molloy, author of Goodnight Beautiful—on sale now. Carol had such insightful thoughts on this book as well as Aimee's first book, The Perfect Mother. They talk about plotting a suspenseful read and how Aimee decided to change the whole book in the middle of the publishing process. 

You can watch Carol's video interview or listen to the audio on Carol’s podcast!

Be sure to visit The Book Report Network and Bookreporter.com for more great content! 

-Lainey

New podcast episode: The Library team wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving! (Feat. THE NIGHT ALWAYS COMES by Willy Vlautin)

On our latest podcast episode, The Library Love Fest team wishes you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. We sat around our virtual dinner table to discuss a book we all love: Willy Vlautin's The Night Always Comes, on-sale April 6, 2021.

Take a listen:

Find out more about The Night Always Comes here. You can also see the full video from Willy to librarians below:

We had to include a photo of Willy’s long-time editor (in his dreams), Myrna Loy:

We also mentioned Willy's album for Don't Skip Out on Me. Find that audio here. You can listen to Chris' interview with Willy here. Find a list of all of Willy's books here.

Download an egalley of The Night Always Comes, on-sale April 6, 2021, on Edelweiss+ or NetGalley.

Thanks for listening and have a safe Thanksgiving!

-Lainey

J.D. Vance's HILLBILLY ELEGY is now streaming on Netflix!

Hillbilly Elegy, the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir from J.D. Vance about a culture in crisis and the loss of the American dream for a large segment of this country, is now a Netflix film directed by Ron Howard and starring Amy Adams, Glenn Close, Freida Pinto, and Gabriel Basso!

Watch the trailer below:

 

 

 

 

You can order a copy of the book here.

Watch on Netflix here.

-Lainey

Four HarperCollins Titles Selected for THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW's 100 Notable Books of 2020

The editors of The New York Times Book Review have selected 2020’s top 100 works of notable fiction, poetry and nonfiction. We are proud to share that HarperCollins has FOUR titles on the list! Keep reading for details and click here to see the full list. Congratulations to our wonderful authors!

The Book of Eels by Patrik Svensson: Part H Is for Hawk, part The Soul of an Octopus, The Book of Eels is both a meditation on the world’s most elusive fish—the eel—and a reflection on the human condition.

"Poses questions about philosophy, the metaphysical, and the spiritual, as well as scientific issues, in a way that will stir readers. This beautifully crafted book challenges us not only to understand eels but our own selves. Highly recommended."
—Library Journal STARRED review

Click here to purchase your copy.

 

The Boy in the Field by Margot Livesey: The New York Times bestselling author of The Flight of Gemma Hardy delivers another "luminous, unforgettable, and perfectly rendered" (Dennis Lehane) novel—a poignant and probing psychological drama that follows the lives of three siblings in the wake of a violent crime.

"Every character rings true; every observation and reaction feels real. Braiding three separate views of the same incident, Livesey weaves a masterful tapestry of emotion and action focused on the indelible impact of random events."
—Booklist STARRED review

Click here to purchase your copy. 

 

Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey: A finalist for the 2021 Carnegie Medal for Nonfiction—a chillingly personal and exquisitely wrought memoir of a daughter reckoning with the brutal murder of her mother at the hands of her former stepfather, and the moving, intimate story of a poet coming into her own in the wake of a tragedy.

"I've not read an American memoir where more happens in the assemblage of language.... Memorial Drive forces the reader to think about how the sublime Southern conjurers of words, spaces, sounds and patterns protect themselves from trauma when trauma may be, in part, what nudged them down the dusty road to poetic mastery.... The more virtuosic our ability to use language to probe, the harder it becomes to protect ourselves from the secrets buried in our—and our nation's—marrow. This is the conundrum and the blessing of the poet. This is the conundrum and blessing of Memorial Drive."
—The New York Times Book Review

Click here to purchase your copy.

 

Monogamy by Sue Miller: A brilliantly insightful novel, engrossing and haunting, about marriage, love, family, happiness and sorrow, from New York Times bestselling author Sue Miller.

"A robust, character-driven examination of the inner workings of a lengthy marriage.... The novel is grounded by vibrant prose, vividly portrayed secondary characters, and the resiliency of everlasting love.... A spectacular, powerful return."
—Publishers Weekly STARRED review

Click here to purchase your copy.

Congratulations to these wonderful authors!

-Chris

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 we have THREE titles selected for the December LibraryReads List: How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole, Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane, and Ten Things I Hate About the Duke by Loretta Chase. Congratulations, all!

Want to hear how our authors reacted to being selected for the December LibraryReads List? Listen to our latest episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast below to hear their responses!

Click here to see the full list.

***

How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole: An arranged marriage leads to unexpected desire, in the first book of Alyssa Cole’s Runaway Royals series.

"Cole’s majestic new Runaway Royals series spins off from her excellent Reluctant Royals trilogy, adding more dazzling depth... Cole’s contemporary romances shine with unique settings and complex characters. Fans will eagerly await her next royal match." —Booklist STARRED review

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Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane: Debut author Darby Kane thrills with this twisty domestic suspense novel that asks one central question: shouldn’t a dead husband stay dead?

"Debut mystery author Kane blends tense domestic suspense with procedural details and legal thriller–like verbal sparring. A page-turner built on skillfully layered plotting and an intriguing protagonist." —Booklist STARRED review

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Ten Things I Hate About the Duke by Loretta Chase: USA Today bestselling author Loretta Chase continues her Difficult Dukes series with this delightful spin on Shakespeare's classic, 
The Taming of the Shrew.

Praise for Loretta Chase: "One of the finest romance authors of all time." —Julia Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of the Bridgerton series

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***

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. Click here to find out what we're recommending!  

Click here to learn more about LibraryReads.

-Chris

Cover Reveal: ANNE OF MANHATTAN by Brina Starler

When I heard that William Morrow was planning to publish an Anne of Green Gables Rom-Com retelling called Anne of Manhattan, I immediately started emailing the editor for a manuscript. What started as a simple call-to-action tweet from the editor melded into an amazing story sure to make the hearts of all Anne fans soar. I am so excited to share the final cover and an excerpt of Anne of Manhattan with librarians!

-Lainey

 

Read a note from the author, Brina Starler, here.

And now, kindreds, we are excited to share an excerpt from Anne of Manhattan:

   ***

August 25, 2009

TODAY I MET THE MOST HORRIBLE BOY ON THE FACE OF THIS PLANET. HE IS NOW MY MORTAL ENEMY AND I WILL BRING HIM DOWN IF IT’S THE LAST THING I DO.

Yours furiously forever, Anne

Chapter One

If there was one thing Anne Shirley would stand firm against all arguments, it was that a person could never have too many books. That being said, it was possible she’d taken more than was strictly practical when she packed up her childhood room for her final year in grad school at Redmond College. Her adoptive mother Marilla Cuthbert had tried to persuade her to leave most of the collection in the attic of Green Gables, her home for the last eight years. But picking which books to leave and which ones to take was a Sisyphean task. Every time she thought she’d managed it, a book in the “stay” pile would catch her eye, and then another, and another, and yet another.

The result was having to navigate a maze of cardboard boxes squeezed into every available space whenever she needed something across her new bedroom. The mess was making her eye twitch, disorganized spaces just added unnecessary stress to her life. Everything in its place and all that. One of the downsides to the tiny Hell’s Kitchen apartment she was renting with her best friends Diana Barry and Phillippa Gordon was that it didn’t have much storage. Or any, to be exact. The only solution was to try and convince their landlord to let her build bookshelves that would cover one of the bedroom’s walls. And maybe some in the living room. Perhaps a lone shelf above the toilet. There were a lot of books. But that was a problem for another day, because tonight the roommates were abandoning the never-ending chore of unpacking and going out instead.

It was nice to be back in the city with two of the three girls she loved best in the world.

Phillippa’s family was from Connecticut and she’d been gone for the entire summer, but Diana and Anne were both from Avonlea, a small tourist town in the Hamptons. They’d seen plenty of each other over the last few months, barring the Barry family’s annual two week vacation spent in the south of France. Most of Anne’s time had been split between working in the Green Gables Winery, helping inspect the vines with Marilla’s brother Matthew, or bartending in the tasting room. Perpetually single and not in the least disturbed by it, Matthew had lived up at the family home that shared the property with the winery since well before Anne came to foster there at twelve years old. Walking the fields with the elderly man had been one of her favorite summer activities for years, he’d become a wonderful father figure for her over time, and she wouldn’t give up those afternoons for a hundred trips to Europe.

Although, Anne always missed Diana desperately when she was gone. The stories her friend told when she came home again helped make up for it, since Anne herself had never actually been off the island before college.

Although she’d had a great summer at Green Gables, Anne did appreciate having a wider variety of choices again for an evening out. The sum of Avonlea’s night spots were either pricey restaurants with white tablecloths and a dress code or dive bars that smelled like the fishing docks. The town was a perfect example of the odd mixture of old and new, unimaginable wealth and those struggling to just get by, untouched preservation beaches and the gentrified boutique tourist towns that made up the Hamptons.

Shoving aside a stack of boxes with a grunt, Anne finally managed to get to her closet, clothes being the one thing she had unpacked fully. She pulled out a dress she’d been saving since last spring that she’d found for a steal in a vintage shop not far from her old dorms. Loving the feel of the thin cotton, she dropped it over her head, twisting to slide the metal zipper up one side. It was a pretty thing, blue polka dotted with white, capped sleeves, and a scoop-neck collar. Closely fitted down to her waist, the material flared out in soft folds until it just brushed the tops of her knees. It was shockingly comfortable and the deep blue complimented her pale, freckled skin nicely. But best of all...it had pockets.

***

Whether you are a life-long Anne fan or just love a great enemies-to-lovers tale, we can't wait for you to dive into this delightful Rom-Com publishing on June 1, 2021.

LLF Staff Suggestions for the January LibraryReads List

Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson
The long anticipated second novel from the bestselling author of Be Frank with Me, a charming story of endings, new beginnings, and the complexities and complications of friendship and love, set in late 1930s Reno.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

Watch Julia Claiborne Johnson on Door to Door!

 

The Rib King by Ladee Hubbard
The acclaimed author of The Talented Ribkins deconstructs painful African American stereotypes and offers a fresh and searing critique on race and class in this story centered on the Black servants of a down-on-its heels upper-class white family.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

Watch Ladee Hubbard on Door to Door!

 

The Captive by Fiona King Foster
A rural noir set in a near-future secessionist state that follows a mother who, along with her family, must venture on a pulse-pounding expedition to deliver a dangerous fugitive to the authorities—and who is forced to confront her own past on the journey.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, a gorgeous retelling of the Trojan War from the perspectives of the many women involved in its causes and consequences—for fans of Madeline Miller.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames by Justine Cowan
A riveting family drama evocative of Angela’s Ashes and The Glass Castle, about a woman who discovers the shocking secret at the center of her mother’s life.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

Register for our upcoming 11/17 episode of Door to Door featuring Justine Cowan and Georgina Lawton, author of Raceless.

People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd
A razor-sharp, wickedly smart suspense debut about an ambitious influencer mom whose soaring success threatens her marriage, her morals, and her family’s safety.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

A Crooked Tree by Una Mannion
A haunting, suspenseful literary debut that combines a classic coming-of-age story with a portrait of a fractured American family dealing with the fallout of one summer evening gone terribly wrong.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

The Divines by Ellie Eaton
With the emotional power of Normal People and the reflective haze of The Girls, a stunning literary debut set in a secluded boarding school, exploring the intoxicating, destructive relationships between teenage girls.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

Watch Ellie Eaton on Door to Door! 

The Children's Train by Viola Ardone
Based on true events, a heartbreaking story of love, family, hope, and survival set in post-World War II Italy about poor children from the south sent to live with families in the north to survive deprivation and the harsh winters.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

 

The Frozen Crown by Greta Kelly
A princess with a powerful and dangerous secret must find a way to save her country from ruthless invaders in this exciting debut fantasy, the first novel in a thrilling duology perfect for fans of R. F. Kuang.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

The Historians by Cecilia Ekbäck
The Secret History meets The Alice Network in this riveting tale of murder and conspiracy in Sweden during WWII by the critically acclaimed author of Wolf Winter.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

Surrender the Dead by John Burley
From the award-winning author of The Absence of Mercy comes an emotionally powerful and gripping psychological thriller about the dark secrets dividing a family and community and the dangers of digging into the past.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

The Heiress by Molly Greeley
In this gorgeously written and spellbinding historical novel based on Pride and Prejudice, the author of The Clergyman’s Wife combines the knowing eye of Jane Austen with the eroticism and Gothic intrigue of Sarah Waters to reimagine the life of the mysterious Anne de Bourgh.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson
To survive the Holocaust, a young Jewish woman must pose as a Christian farmer’s wife in this unforgettable novel from USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Robson—a story of terror, hope, love, and sacrifice, inspired by true events, that vividly evokes the most perilous days of World War II.

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

Nora by Nuala O'Connor
Acclaimed Irish novelist Nuala O’Connor’s bold reimagining of the life of James Joyce’s wife, muse, and the model for Molly Bloom in Ulysses is a "lively and loving paean to the indomitable Nora Barnacle" (Edna O’Brien).

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LibraryReads Votes Due: December 1, 2020

 

For more great reading suggestions for January, check out our

January LibraryReads Suggestions Edelweiss catalog!
 

The deadline to submit your votes is December 1! 

 

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

-Chris