November 2017

Stephanie Powell Watts’ debut novel No One Is Coming to Save Us has been nominated for two NAACP Image Awards in the following categories: Outstanding Literary Work of Fiction and Outstanding Literary Work by a Debut Author. Click here to see the full list of nominees.

No One Is Coming to Save Us, the inaugural selection for Sarah Jessica Parker’s Book Club Central, is a revelatory debut novel from an insightful voice; with echoes of The Great Gatsby, it is an arresting and powerful novel about an extended African American family and their colliding visions of the American Dream. In evocative prose, Stephanie Powell Watts has crafted a full and stunning portrait that combines a universally resonant story with an intimate glimpse into the hearts of one family.

“Imagine The Great Gatsby, only set in the contemporary American South, and retold with black characters, rather than the lily-white Long Island set. Watts’ retelling is smart, unsettling, at times hilarious, and a wonderful update to this classic American novel.”
—Nylon Magazine

“Watts is so captivating a writer. She’s unusually deft with dialogue…[The novel is] conveyed in a prose style that renders the common language of casual speech into natural poetry, blending intimate conversation with the rhythms of gossip, town legend, even song lyrics…An indelible story.” —Washington Post

Congratulations, Stephanie!

-Lainey

The Library Love Fest team recently had a staff change! The lovely Amanda Rountree decided to spread her wings and join the sales team at another publishing house.  We’re sad to see her go but we know where she lives!  Chris Connolly has taken on Amanda’s role and has been promoted to Marketing Associate.  If anyone can fill Amanda’s shoes, it’s Chris! Rounding out our team of three is Lainey Mays, the new Marketing Assistant. We’re thrilled to have her on board and we think she’ll feel right at home talking up books in the Library Love Fest Tiki Hut!

So…good-bye, Amanda, Congratulations Chris and Welcome, Lainey!

-Virginia

Felicity Hayes-McCoy's delightful U.S. debut, The Library at the Edge of the World, goes on sale today! An extraordinarily charming novel about a local librarian, her mobile library van, and a wonderful cast of characters surrounding her in a struggling community on Ireland's West Coast, The Library at the Edge of the World is already a librarian favorite, as it was voted a LibraryReads pick for November!

"The spot-on descriptions of Ireland’s country roads and expansive sky all but leap off the page and provide the true joy of Hayes-McCoy’s first novel…. Maeve Binchy and Patrick Taylor fans will find much to enjoy." —Booklist

"An appealing novel that will delight Maeve Binchy fans. There are plenty of good discussion points about the nature of community for book clubs and thoughtful readers." —Library Journal

To celebrate, we will send a copy of the book to the first TEN people to email us at librarylovefest@harpercollins.com. Happy book birthday, The Library at the Edge of the World!

-Chris

 

Couldn't join us for the Hawai'i Library Association 2017 Annual Conference? Well sit back, throw on a lei, and watch the replay of our book buzz! More information on the titles we discussed can be found below!

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Don't Skip Out on Me by Willy Vlautin
From award-winning author Willy Vlautin comes this moving novel about a young ranch hand who goes on a quest to become a champion boxer to prove his worth.

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: December 20th

I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
A masterful true crime account of the Golden State Killer—the elusive serial rapist turned murderer who terrorized California for over a decade—from Michelle McNamara, the gifted journalist who died tragically while investigating the case.

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: December 20th

Varina by Charles Frazier
In his powerful fourth novel, Charles Frazier returns to the time and place of Cold Mountain, vividly bringing to life the chaos and devastation of the Civil War.

Check back soon for the egalley on Edelweiss!
LibraryReads voting deadline: February 20th

Tangerine by Christine Mangan
A stunning debut novel—a chilling and unexpected portrait of a female friendship set in 1950s Morocco.

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: January 20th

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Here’s What We Buzzed About for the Hawai’i Library Association 2017 Annual ConferenceRead More »