Library Love Fest

The October LibraryReads List is Here!

Hello, librarians!

You voted, they counted, and the winners have finally been announced! We have an AMAZING list of selections this month!

We are thrilled to share that Jean Kwok’s The Leftover Woman, Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy's A Holly Jolly Ever After, and Thea Guanzon's The Hurricane Wars have been selected for the October LibraryReads list! We also are thrilled to announce that Tessa Bailey's Wreck the Halls has made the Hall of Fame! Congratulations to all! Find out more about these books, watch the replay of events with these authors, and download egalleys here.

Want to hear how our authors reacted to the big news? Listen to our latest episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast to hear from our authors:

 

🍁 We're here with staff suggestions for the November LibraryReads List!

Hello, librarians!

You just finished voting for the October list...now it's time for the next round of reading recommendations!

Here you will find a list of titles eligible for the November LibraryReads list. Don't forget to get your votes for the November LibraryReads list in by October 1st!

Happy reading,

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

On Sale Now: AFTER THAT NIGHT by Karin Slaughter!

Happy Book Birthday to Karin Slaughter! After That Night, her latest installment in the Will Trent series, is on sale today, August 22, 2023. 

More about After That Night: 

Will Trent and Sara Linton are back in an electrifying thriller featuring GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton. Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton’s life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves, she has finally managed to leave the past behind her. Until one evening, on call in the ER, everything changes.

This book is getting SO much love! Check out these reviews: 

“It’s a signal achievement of Slaughter that the climactic revelations add still another layer of horror to her tale.” —Kirkus ★STARRED★ review 

“Slaughter's fans will be avid for the latest in this bestselling series, while its costar, state investigator Will Trent, has inspired a show on ABC, further expanding Slaughter's already vast audience.” —Booklist ★STARRED★ review 

“Slaughter skillfully weaves misogyny, wealth, violence, power, and control into a thrilling police procedural while poignantly addressing the lasting effects of trauma and the toll cases take on investigators.” —Library Journal 

Be sure to take a look at Karin's website for all you need to know about her books and the TV series!

Congrats to Karin on another fantastic thriller! 

The September LibraryReads List is Here!

Hello, librarians!

You voted, they counted, and the winners have finally been announced! We have an AMAZING list of selections this month!

We are thrilled to share that Hannah Kaner’s Godkiller has been selected for the September LibraryReads list! We also are thrilled to announce that Sy Montgomery's Of Time and Turtles has been selected as the Bonus Pick and Meg Cabot's Enchanted to Meet You has made the Hall of Fame! Congratulations to all!

Want to hear how our authors reacted to the big news? Listen to our latest episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast to hear from our authors:

🌟 We're here with staff suggestions for the October LibraryReads List!

Hello, librarians!

How is it almost Fall??? We are coping by downloading some egalleys and going to the park to soak up the last few rays of Summer. Will you join us? 

Find out more about our picks for the October list and download egalleys here. Don't forget to get your votes for the October LibraryReads list in by September 1st!

Happy reading,

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

"Dear Librarians..." a love letter to librarians by Nina Simon, author of MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT

Library Love Fest is thrilled to share a letter to librarian by Nina Simon, author of Mother-Daughter Murder Night! She details her background in the library world in this compelling piece to librarians.

More about Mother-Daughter Murder Night (on sale 9/5/23): The Maid meets The Last Thing He Told Me in this fun, fresh, and twisty debut whodunnit about a grandmother-mother-daughter trio who come together as amateur sleuths to solve a murder in their coastal California town.

Download an egalley on Edelweiss+ or NetGalley. 

***

Dear Librarians,

I’m thrilled my debut novel, Mother-Daughter Murder Night, is coming out so soon, September 5, 2023.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would write a murder mystery. I’ve spent the past two decades working with museums and libraries to build more relevant, joyful community spaces. But I’ve always been a voracious reader. My mom first introduced me to whodunnits as a young girl, at the Buena Vista branch of the Burbank Public Library. My love started with Nancy Drew, but I quickly graduated to my mom’s picks—Sue Grafton, Faye Kellerman, Janet Evanovich. Every week, we’d borrow stacks of books featuring savvy female detectives and pass them back and forth.

When life hit me hard in 2020, I found myself going back to the books that bring me comfort. And then, I decided to try to write my own mystery, with a character like my mom—a tough, smart California businesswoman—as the amateur detective. Now, Mother-Daughter Murder Night is being published, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Libraries have always been central to my life, both personally as an enthusiastic user and professionally as a designer and advocate for equity and inclusion. Over the past twenty years, I've collaborated with thousands of librarians on in-service days, IMLS projects, and global library conferences. I love visiting my neighborhood branch and volunteering with my local Friends group. And when I’m on the road, I always stop into the public library. I know I’ll find diverse communities and passionate professionals behind your doors. 

Some authors dream of bestseller lists. Me? I hope I might someday write a book worthy of a Lucky Day shelf at a public library. I like to imagine a reader walking in, perusing the shelves, stumbling on this story of mothers, daughters, and murder. Mother-Daughter Murder Night brought so much pleasure to me while writing, and I hope this story might bring joy to the readers in your community—and to you, too.

With appreciation,
Nina Simon

***

Thank you, Nina, for your heartfelt message to librarians. We know that everyone will love Mother-Daughter Murder Night as much as we do!

Check out Nina's website here.

-Grace

The August LibraryReads List is Here!

Hi, librarians! 

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

This month, we are thrilled to share that we had THREE books make the LibraryReads list and TWO authors make the Hall of Fame! Elizabeth Acevedo's Family Lore, Ally Carter's The Blonde Identity, and Lucy Parker's Codename Charming made the list. Ann Patchett made the Hall of Fame with Tom Lake and Sarah MacLean with Knockout. Congrats to all of the authors and their fantastic books! 

Want to hear how our authors reacted to the big news? Listen to our latest episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast to hear their responses:

The Library Love Fest Podcast · Announcing the August 2023 LibraryReads Picks (Feat. author reactions!)

HarperCollins Library Marketing Associate Lainey Mays in conversation with internationally bestselling author Graham Norton!

We were thrilled to feature author Graham Norton at the American Library Association (ALA) 2023 Annual Conference & Exhibition as part of their Digital Experience.

This was a wonderful conversation that covered everything: the writing life, the banning of books, the importance of libraries (Mr. Norton’s sister is a librarian), and the transformative power of a good novel.

Graham Norton is the author of multiple novels, winning numerous awards and gaining bestseller status for his writing. His most recent novel, Forever Home, became an instant bestseller in both the UK and Ireland, earning him dazzling reviews. It goes on sale in the US on September 19, 2023. Download the egalley on Edelweiss+ or NetGalley.

This was an intimate, warm, and funny conversation between Graham Norton and Lainey Mays. 

Enjoy!

🍉 We're here with staff suggestions for the September LibraryReads List!

Hello, librarians!

We hope you had a great holiday and are ready to jump back into the summer reading zone. Hope that everyone returning home from Chicago/ALA got home safely. It was a conference full of energy and we were so happy to see long-time friends (and make new ones)!

Find out more about our picks and download egalleys here. Don't forget to get your votes for the September LibraryReads list in by August 1st!

Stay cool out there!

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

On Sale Now: THE BODY IN THE WEB by Katherine Hall Page!

The LLF team is crazy about Katherine Hall Page's latest, The Body in the Web! On sale now, this is the 26th installment in the Faith Fairchild mystery series. Her fans will love this latest novel! If you're new to the series, start here with The Body in the Web. We're sure you'll be so hooked you'll want to go back and start the series from the beginning with The Body in the Belfry.

More about The Body in the Web: Katherine Hall Page’s beloved amateur detective is hunkered down with her family during the pandemic when a Zoom-bombing scandal sends the community into a tailspin…and a dead body is discovered.

Katherine was joined by Lori Rader-Day and Kate White for our special mystery episode of Galley Gab Fest in March! You can watch that here to get a behind-the-scenes look at what inspired the book and more. 

 

We know libraries love Katherine and her series, but she loves libraries just as much. Hear her message for National Library Week:

 

The Library Love Fest Podcast · Katherine Hall Page - National Library Week

 

We know you're going to love this one, but if you don't believe us check out this ★STARRED★ review from Library Journal:

 

"The 26th Faith Fairchild mystery (after The Body in the Wake) is fresh and remarkable in its ability to bring back memories of the day-to-day aspects of living through COVID. The reader and the victim are both trapped in a web in this skillful combination of mystery and pandemic story."

 

Congrats to Katherine on The Body in the Web! 

 

-Grace

THE LIBRARIANIST by Patrick deWitt: on sale now!

Happy book birthday to The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt!

There has been so much wonderful and well-deserved buzz for this moving novel from the bestselling and award-winning author Patrick deWitt about the story of Bob Comet, a man who has lived his life through and for literature, unaware that his own experience is a poignant and affecting novel in itself. Buy your copy here!

We were thrilled when The Librarianist was announced as a LibraryReads pick for the month of July! Patrick recorded his reaction and message to librarians for The Library Love Fest Podcast. 

Listen here:

The Library Love Fest Podcast · Announcing the July 2023 LibraryReads Picks (Feat. author reactions!)

No wonder it was a LibraryReads pick! There was so much love for this book:

"Readers come to deWitt (French Exit, 2018) for his brand of slightly off-kilter storytelling blessed with exuberant characterizations, gleeful dialogue, and a proprietary blend of darkness and charm, all strung up in lights here. Gripping, random, and totally alive? Check, check, and check."
—Booklist ★starred★ review

"deWitt imbues the people he meets with color and quirks, leaving a trail of sparks through an otherwise low-key narrative. This one gradually takes hold until it won’t let go."
—Publishers Weekly

"A quietly effective and moving character study."
—Kirkus ★starred★ review

 

If you're interested in hearing more about The Librarianist, we had the pleasure of hosting Patrick on our Writers to Watch program in March! 

 

Catch the replay here:

Congratulations to Patrick on all of the love for The Librarianist. Run, don't walk, to get your copy now!

-Grace

The July LibraryReads List is Here!

Hello, librarians!

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

This month, we are thrilled to share that Patrick deWitt’s The Librarianist has made the July LibraryReads list! We are also thrilled to announce that Laura Lippman's Prom Mom has made the Hall of Fame! Woohoo! Congratulations to both.

Want to hear how our authors reacted to the big news? Listen to our latest episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast to hear from our authors:

 

🔆 We're here with staff suggestions for the August LibraryReads List!

Hello, librarians!

We are in full ALA planning mode but don't think we forgot about our titles that are eligible for the August LibraryReads list! 

Find out more about our picks and download egalleys here. Don't forget to get your votes for the August LibraryReads list in by July 1st!

For a full ALA 2023 schedule, go here.

—The LLF Team (Virginia, Lainey, and Grace)

Library Love Fest's Full ALA Annual Conference 2023 Schedule + Adult Book Buzz RSVP!

Hi, librarians! The Library Love Fest team is incredibly excited for the ALA Annual Conference 2023 this year. We're taking on Chicago with Books, Breakfast, and All That Jazz! Below, you'll find our full schedule for ALA along with our RSVP link to our world famous book buzz.

Did you miss our buzz? No worries! Here is a link to our handout which includes all the titles we presented. The QR code will take you to an Edelweiss+ catalog.

***

Appearing virtually at the ALA digital experience:

GRAHAM NORTON
Internationally bestselling author and host of The Graham Norton Show discusses his forthcoming novel, Forever Home, with Lainey Mays, Library Marketing Associate at HarperCollins Publishers.
This will be a pre-recorded session available on demand. Register here.

***

See a full list of our author signings and programs below. Stop by booth #3511 and say hello!

SATURDAY, JUNE 24TH:

8:30-10:00
HarperCollins Adult Book Buzz
McCormick Place Convention Center
Room W192
RSVP link above

8:30-10:00
PLA President's Program*
Hilton Chicago, Continental A
Jean Kwok, The Leftover Woman
*PLA members only
bit.ly/3BAeDCr

9:00-10:00
Nancy Johnson, The Kindest Lie
Booth signing

10:00-11:00
Sy Montgomery, Of Time and Turtles
Booth signing

11:00-12:00
Jean Kwok, The Leftover Woman
Booth signing

11:30-1:30
Lori Rader-Day, The Death of Us
Signing in Sisters in Crime Booth #1951

12:30-1:30
Ally Carter, The Blonde Identity
Booth signing

2:00-3:00
Wanda Morris, Anywhere You Run & All Her Little Secrets
Booth signing

2:30-3:30
UFL Program: Isn't It Romantic?
McCormick Place CC, Room W185d
Ally Carter, The Blonde Identity

3:00-4:00
Susan Elizabeth Phillips, When Stars Collide
Booth signing

4:00-5:00
ALMA/LibraryReads Adult Author Program: Feel-Good Reads
McCormick Place CC, Room W184A
Sy Montgomery, Of Time and Turtles
RSVP: bit.ly/FeelGoodReadsALA2023

4:00-5:00
Lillian Stone, Everybody's Favorite
Booth signing

5:30-7:30
UFL Program: The Laugh's On Us
Hyatt Regency McCormick, Jackson Park ABCD
Lillian Stone, Everybody's Favorite

SUNDAY, JUNE 25TH:

8:00-10:00
Literary Tastes Breakfast
McCormick Place CC, Room W183B
Piper Huguley, By Her Own Design
Wanda Morris, Anywhere You Run 
Lori Rader-Day, The Death of Us
Register here for this RUSA ticketed event: bit.ly/436g6fz

9:00-10:00
Mary Kay Andrews, Hissy Fit
Booth signing

10:00-11:30
Lori Rader-Day, The Death of Us
Signing in Sisters in Crime booth #1951

11:00-12:00
Piper Huguley, By Her Own Design
Booth signing

12:30-1:30
Lori Rader-Day, The Death of Us
Booth signing

2:00-3:00
Ehigbor Okosun, Forged by Blood
Booth signing

2:30-3:30
UFL Program: It's a Mystery to Me
McCormick Place CC, W185a
Lori Rader-Day, The Death of Us

8:00-10:00
BCALA Awards
Hilton Chicago Hotel

MONDAY, JUNE 26TH:

8:30-10:00
ALMA/LibraryReads Adult Author Program: Your Morning is Booked
McCormick Place, Room W175ab
Jean Kwok, The Leftover Woman
RSVP: bit.ly/YourMorningIsBooked2023

10:00-11:00
Kim van Alkemade, Counting Lost Stars
Booth signing

2:00-4:00
UFL Gala Author Tea
Hyatt Regency McCormick, Grant Park ABCD
Kim van Alkemade, Counting Lost Stars

LLF Staff Suggestions for the July LibraryReads List

Hello, librarians!

How is it May?? We have so many book-related events this month. We just had Juan Mila, Editorial Director of HarperVia, on our Galley Gab Fest event. We also had fun tweeting at Early Word Galley Chat and hearing authors speak at Library Journal's Day of Dialog—it's a month full of reading recommendations! If that weren't enough, we have even more book picks for you to peruse.

Check out these books eligible for the July LibraryReads list. Find out more about our picks and download egalleys here. Don't forget to get your votes for the July LibraryReads list in by June 1st!

—The LLF Team (Virginia, Lainey, and Grace)

New Podcast Episode: An Interview With Aisha Harris, Author of Wannabe, Bonus Material From Writers to Watch, & a Book Buzz From HarperVia!

Hi, librarians! The Library Love Fest team hopes you’re enjoying May’s flowers and the warmer weather. To keep you company as you’re lounging in the sun, we’ve got a new podcast episode for you!

Listen here:

The Library Love Fest Podcast · An interview with author Aisha Harris, bonus material, and new books from HarperVia!

Lainey sat down with Aisha Harris, author of Wannabe, for a nostalgia-filled conversation! It is an absolute joy to listen to, and you’re going to want to take a deep dive into your 90s faves after! More about Wannabe (on sale 6/13/2023): In nine lively, incisive essays, NPR Pop Culture Happy Hour co-host Aisha Harris reflects on the cultural touchstones of her childhood and adolescence that have shaped her, setting them in context with current sensations transforming culture now.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our April Writers to Watch episode! We spoke with Mona Susan Power, Kim van Alkemade, Lena S. Andrews, and Jennifer Chiaverini. All of their books centered women in history. They discussed their research, personal stories/histories, and inspiration. It was a lovely discussion, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Check out that episode of Writers to Watch episode here: 

This episode also grabs some highlights from our May Galley Gab Fest episode! We went live with Juan Mila, Editorial Director of HarperVia, to talk about forthcoming books. HarperVia is an imprint dedicated to publishing extraordinary international voices, offering readers the chance to encounter other lives and other points of view via the language of the imagination.

We showed this amazing video of HarperVia authors reading the first line of their novels. Check out the whole video!

Hear the whole book buzz from Juan here:

HarperCollins titles discussed:

• Wannabe by Aisha Harris. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• Counting Lost Stars by Kim van Alkemade. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• Valiant Women by Lena S. Andrews. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• Canary Girls by Jennifer Chiaverini. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• Walking Practice by Dolki Min, translated by Victoria Caudle. Buy this title now.
• The Tatami Galaxy by Tomihiko Morimi, translated by Emily Ballistieri. Buy this title now.
• The Tatami Time Machine Blues by Tomihiko Morimi, translated by Emily Ballistieri. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• My Husband by Maud Ventura, translated by Emma Ramadan. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout. Learn more about this title on Edelweiss.

Want more from us? We have an exciting episode of Writers to Watch for May! The Library Love Fest team will be sitting down with Jonathan Lethem, author of Brooklyn Crime Novel; Jean Kwok, author of The Leftover Woman; Rachelle Unreich, author of A Brilliant Life; and Dinah Jefferies, author of Night Train to Marrakech. Join us on May 18^th at 7 PM ET!

RSVP on FB: https://fb.me/e/wpRE9ARh

Register on Crowdcast: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/writerstowatch/5

So much wonderful content in this episode! Thank you for listening, and until next time…

Best,

Virginia, Lainey, & Grace

🕶 We're here with staff suggestions for the June LibraryReads List!

Hello, librarians!

We hope some warmer weather has made it your way. April is packed with great reads, and we have some fabulous programs later this month. Be sure to join us for our Galley Gab Fest and Writers to Watch events.

But, first, we have a list of books eligible for the June LibraryReads list. Find out more about our picks and download egalleys here. Don't forget to get your votes for the June LibraryReads list in by May 1st!

And! Listen to our latest podcast episode below for even more reading suggestions:

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

New Podcast Episode: An Interview With Wesley Lowery, Author of American Whitelash, and a Book Buzz!

Happy April, librarians! We’re here to spring a new podcast episode on you! The Library Love Fest team will tell you about the books that are currently blooming on our shelves. Okay, okay, enough with the puns.

Listen here:

The Library Love Fest Podcast · An interview with Wesley Lowery, author of AMERICAN WHITELASH, and a book buzz!

The true highlight of this episode is a conversation between Wesley Lowery, author of American Whitelash, and his editor, Rakia Clark! More about American Whitelash (on sale 6/27/2023): Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Wesley Lowery confronts the sickness at the heart of American society: the cyclical pattern of violence that has marred every moment of racial progress in this country, and whose bloodshed began anew following Obama’s 2008 election.

Stick around after Wesley and Rakia’s insightful conversation to hear a voicemail from a librarian like you and reminders about our upcoming events.

HarperCollins titles discussed:

• American Whitelash by Wesley Lowery. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• The Happy Couple by Naosie Dolan. Learn more about this title on Edelweiss.
• The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• Canary Girls by Jennifer Chiaverini. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• Counting Lost Stars by Kim van Alkemade. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.
• Valiant Women by Lena S. Andrews. Download this title on Edelweiss or NetGalley.

RSVP to our April episode of Galley Gab Fest to get the inside scoop on upcoming titles, and Writers to Watch to hear from Jennifer Chiaverini, Mona Susan Power, Kim van Alkemade, and Lena S. Andrews!

Until next time,

Virginia, Lainey, and Grace

The April LibraryReads List is Here!

Hello, librarians!

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

This month, we are thrilled to share that Kate Morton's Homecoming and HelenKay Dimon's Moorewood Family Rules have made the April LibraryReads list! And we have two books that made the Hall of Fame list: Alexandria Bellefleur's The Fiancée Farce and Elly Griffiths' The Last Remains. Find out more about these titles and download egalleys here.

Want to hear how our authors reacted to the big news? Listen to our latest episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast to hear their responses:

-LLF Team (Virginia, Lainey, and Grace)

LLF Guest Post: "The library helped me dream, create, escape all at once" by Arielle Estoria, author of THE UNFOLDING

The Library Love Fest Team is excited to welcome Arielle Estoria, author of The Unfolding, to the blog for a guest post! 

More about The Unfolding (on sale 3/7/23): In this beautiful collection of poems, essays, and meditations, Arielle Estoria tenderly reveals the places in her life where she has been broken open and mended back together in new ways. In doing so, she shows each of us how when we walk through our own process of “unfolding,” though it may be uncomfortable at times, there is light on the other side. Let these words guide your soul, and return home to the person you were always meant to be.

***

So many of my pivotal memories as a child and a youth were created in the bookshelves of a library. Spending Saturday mornings tucked away in a corner not many ventured to, holding whatever book bound adventure I was devouring that day in my hands. The library helped me dream, create, escape all at once. It was a portal to a dimension outside of my present reality and into a space where I could be the detective or the damsel without the distress or the heroine or even the villain when I so chose to be. There was something that a trip to the library always offered: the realm of possibility. There are no limits when entering the sacred world of books, the stories of so many cradled between wooden hugs.

The accessibility of a library is one that will never not be necessary. Not everyone is able to afford a handful of book purchases a month or a year. The opportunity that libraries offer to learning the sacred art of borrowing and returning is a vital memory I personally have on practicing responsibility and trust. Though never perfectly executed because I also vividly remember my mother reprimanding us many times for keeping books for way too long, or hoarding too many under our beds to reach for when we needed to settle or activate our minds.

Now I think back on these core memories, as an adult who has fully entered, embraced, and owned her creative titles as poet, author, actor, and storyteller it is a beautiful realization to play part in the wonders of a library. To be able to contribute to other youth or adult persons experiencing the captivating, life-shaping deep connection to the books on the seemingly infinite shelves, where they can be reminded not only of who they are but who they can be, is a great honor and one I do not take lightly.

***

Thank you, Arielle! We are so appreciative of your thoughtful words, and are very excited for readers to experience The Unfolding.

Learn more on Edelweiss+, and watch the book trailer for The Unfolding here:

-Grace