August 2019

On this week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast, I sat down with Editor Emily Griffin to speak with Elizabeth Wetmore, author of Valentine. This knockout debut is much loved within the the LLF team and it was such a pleasure to have a chance to talk with Elizabeth. We discussed how Emily received this book on submission, the editorial process, and the charming, perfectly imperfect, and ultimately, unforgettable characters Elizabeth has brought to life in Valentine.

Valentine is a haunting exploration of the intersections of violence and race, class and region in a story that plumbs the depths of darkness and fear, yet offers a window into beauty and hope. Told through the alternating points of view of indelible characters who burrow deep in the reader’s heart, this fierce, unflinching, darkly funny, and surprisingly tender novel illuminates women’s strength and vulnerability, and reminds us that it is the stories we tell ourselves that keep us alive.

Be sure to listen to the interview below:

You can download an egalley of Valentine on Edelweiss and NetGalley. If you would like a physical galley please write to librarylovefest@harpercollins.com. Valentine is coming out on April 7th, 2020.

-Lainey

“In reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself.” –C.S. Lewis

More than fifty years after his death, revered intellectual and teacher C.S. Lewis continues to speak to readers, thanks not only to his intellectual insights on Christianity but also his wondrous creative works and deep reflections on the literature that influenced his life. Beloved for his instructive novels including The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, and The Chronicles of Narnia as well as his philosophical books that explored theology and Christian life, Lewis was a life-long writer and book lover.

Cultivated from his many essays, articles, and letters, as well as his classic works, The Reading Life provides guidance and reflections on the love and enjoyment of books. Engaging and enlightening, this well-rounded collection includes Lewis’ reflections on science fiction, why children’s literature is for readers of all ages, and why we should read two old books for every new one.

A window into the thoughts of one of the greatest public intellectuals of our time, this collection reveals not only why Lewis loved the written word, but what it means to learn through literature from one of our wisest and most enduring teachers.

You can download an Egalley on Edelweiss now. We are also giving away finished copies of The Reading Life, available on October 15, 2019, to the first 25 librarians who email librarylovefest@harpercollins.com.

On our latest episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast, Editor Emily Krump interviews the English wife-and-husband team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French (together they make Nicci French, the internationally bestselling author of the Frieda Klein series) about their upcoming novel, The Lying Room. 

The Lying Room is a thrilling standalone about a married woman’s affair with her boss that spirals into a dangerous game of chess with the police when she discovers he’s been murdered and she clears the crime scene of all evidence.

Be sure to listen to the interview below. The authors talk about their writing process, managing writing as a duo, and what they are working on next.

You can download an egalley on Edelweiss and NetGalley now. We also have physical galleys to give away. If you are interested in receiving a galley, please email librarylovefest@harpercollins.com.

-Lainey

Here's a list of all the stellar titles that were included in the August 15th Sci-Fi issue of Booklist.

Anyone by Charles Soule

• Charles Soule brings his signature knowledge—and wariness—of technology to his sophomore novel set in a realistic future about a brilliant female scientist who creates a technology that allows for the transfer of human consciousness between bodies, and the transformations this process wreaks upon the world.

The Andromeda Evolution by Michael Crichton and Daniel H. Wilson

• Fifty years after The Andromeda Strain made Michael Crichton a household name—and spawned a new genre, the technothriller—the threat returns, in a gripping sequel that is terrifyingly realistic and resonant.

Cold Storage by David Koepp

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

A Lush and Seething Hell by John Hornor Jacobs

• The award-winning and critically-acclaimed master of horror returns with a pair of chilling tales—both never-before-published in print—that examine the violence and depravity of the human condition.

The General Zapped an Angel by Howard Fast

• An imaginative, strange, and boldly inventive collection of stories from a singular mind, with a new introduction from Mark Harris.

Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes

• A hilarious, offbeat debut space opera that skewers everything from pop culture to video games and features an irresistible foul-mouthed captain and her motley crew, strange life forms, exciting twists, and a galaxy full of fun and adventure.

To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

• A stand-alone science fiction novella from the award-winning, bestselling, critically-acclaimed author of the Wayfarer series.

Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden

• The Compton Crook award–winning author of The Prey of Gods and Temper returns with a dazzling stand-alone novel, set in deep space, in which the fate of humanity rests on the slender shoulders of an idealistic and untested young woman—a blend of science fiction, dark humor, and magical realism that will appeal to fans of Lauren Beukes, Ian McDonald, and Nnedi Okorafor.

Sudden Traveler by Sarah Hall

• Featuring her signature themes of identity, eroticism, and existential quest, the stories in Sarah Hall’s third collection travel far afield in location and ambition—from Turkish forest and coastline to the rain-drenched villages of Cumbria.

After the Flood by Kassandra Montag

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

Full Throttle by Joe Hill

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

Boundless by R.A. Salvatore

• This second book in New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore’s all-new trilogy—full of swordplay, danger, and imaginative thrills—features one of fantasy’s most beloved and enduring characters, Drizzt Do’Urden.

Additional upcoming Sci-Fi titles:

The Blue Eye by Ausma Zehanat Khan

• A band of powerful warrior women continues its resistance against an oppressive dark regime in this penultimate installment in the Khorasan Archives fantasy quartet—a series that lies “somewhere between N. K. Jemisin and George R. R. Martin” (Saladin Ahmed).

Aurora Blazing by Jessie Mihalik

• To save her brother and protect her family’s future, a powerful princess must join forces with a dashing man from her past in this thrilling space adventure, the second novel in the Consortium Rebellion trilogy.

Flamebringer by Elle Katharine White

• Monsters, manners, and magic combine in this exciting final volume in the Heartstone Trilogy—an exhilarating blend of epic fantasy and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice—in which a fearless healer and her dragon-riding husband must stop a reawakened evil from destroying their world.

Highfire by Eoin Colfer

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

Daughter from the Dark by Sergey and Marina Dyachenko

• In this extraordinary stand-alone novel, the authors and translator of Vita Nostra—a “dark Harry Potter on steroids with a hefty dose of metaphysics” (award-winning author Aliette de Bodard)—return with a story about creation, music, and companionship filled with their hallmark elements of subtle magic and fantasy.

Carved from Stone and Dream by T. Frohock

• In this sequel to Where Oblivion Lives, the first entry in the Los Nefilim series set during the Spanish Civil War, a coded notebook containing the identities of Los Nefilim’s spies falls into enemy hands, and Diago is faced with an impossible choice: betray Los Nefilim or save his family.

The Puzzler's War by Eyal Kless

• The intriguing futuristic dystopian story begun with The Lost Puzzler continues in this expansive speculative science fiction adventure.

Immortal Born by Lynsay Sands

• Nothing compares to the physical chemistry between an Immortal and his life mate—or to the spellbinding thrills in a new Argeneau novel by New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands.

Happy Reading!

-Lainey

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

This month, we are thrilled to share that we have THREE selections for the September LibraryReads List: The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, No Judgments by Meg Cabot, and Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane. Click here to see the full list.

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

"Patchett is at her subtle yet shining finest in this gloriously incisive, often droll, quietly suspenseful drama of family, ambition, and home…. Patchett gracefully choreographs surprising revelations and reunions as her characters struggle with questions of heredity, altruism, forgiveness, social expectations, and the need to be one’s true self."
 —Booklist review

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No Judgments by Meg Cabot: In New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot’s latest novel, a young woman must deal with the aftermath of a fierce hurricane—and an equally stormy romance.

"The ever-delightful Cabot charms in her latest, which is equal parts sweet and steamy. Animal lovers unite—this one’s for you."
—Booklist

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Click below to listen to an interview between Meg Cabot and LLF's Lainey Mays!
 

 

Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane: Bestselling author Mhairi McFarlane delivers a funny, romantic novel about a young woman who, after getting fired and dumped on the same night, takes the first job available without realizing the one that got away is her new boss—and he doesn’t recognize her.

"McFarlane strikes romantic comedy gold with this tale of reunited sweethearts who have to grapple with the past…. deeply satisfying on several levels…. a beautiful balance of tenderness, wry humor, and deep emotion."
—Publishers Weekly review

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

-Chris

We are back from ALA Annual and we have a lot of great book recommendations! On Friday, August 2, we jumped under a brand new tiki hut for our monthly Facebook Live video. Since August is "Read a Romance Month," we decided to present a wide array of titles and genres that all fall under the category of books we are LOVING! Below is a list of the titles we discussed.

If you couldn't join us, you can still watch the archived video above via Facebook, or on Youtube.

We started off our chat with Associate Publisher Tara Parsons, a special guest from the newly launched HarperVia imprint. HarperVia will publish books from around the world, mostly in translation. Find out more about our new imprint by reading a special article from Shelf Awareness. Tara brought four upcoming titles from HarperVia to the tiki hut:

It Would Be Night in Caracas by Karina Sainz Borgo

The German House by Annette Hess

The End of the Ocean by Maja Lunde

Lost in the Spanish Quarter by Heddi Goodrich

 

After Tara left us, Chris joined us in the hut for our regularly scheduled programing. Find a list of the titles discussed below:

No Judgments by Meg Cabot

• Lainey did an interview with Meg! Watch the video here or listen to the podcast episode.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams

• Want more Rom-Coms?? Find a digital version of the handout we referenced here.

Hunting for a Highlander by Lynsay Sands

• The 30th book in Lynsay's Argeneau series, Immortal Born, is coming out on September 24! Find the full list of books from the series here.

Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas

Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean

• We mentioned the interview between Sarah and Librarian Stephanie Anderson. Watch the video or listen to the podcast episode.

Over the Top by Jonathan Van Ness

Mercy House by Alena Dillon

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

How the Dukes Stole Christmas by Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan, and Joanna Shupe

Inside Out by Demi Moore

Face It by Debbie Harry

Little Gods by Meng Jin

The Little Book of Otter Philosophy by Jennifer McCartney

Kindness and Wonder by Gavin Edwards

Overtime by John U. Bacon

For The Love Of Greyhounds by Alex Cearns

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

• Be sure to listen to Virginia's interview with Kevin, live on the show floor at ALA here.

Hope you enjoyed the August Facebook Live and all of the book recommendations! See you next month.

-Lainey

Hello, librarian friends!

We hope you're enjoying these remaining weeks of summer. Here at the HarperCollins offices in muggy New York City, we can't help but look forward to the cool embrace of fall. In preparation, we've pulled together a selection of fantastic upcoming October reads we think you'll love. So cuddle up and treat yourself to a great book (or two, or THREE)!

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Full Throttle by Joe Hill
Also from the author: NOS4A2 and Horns
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman and Strange Weather returns with a dark and ingenious collection of thirteen compelling short stories that showcase his ability to "push genre conventions to new extremes" (New York Times Book Review).

"Every piece is driven by anxiety and unease and feature Hill's trademark characters who feel absolutely real. But it is also the sense of place that dazzles, whether it's a sinister version of Narnia in 'Faun,' on a coastal pier in 'Dark Carousel,' or on a plane as WWIII breaks out in 'You Are Released.' Hill lulls the reader into deep enjoyment, even as the terror lies just around the corner."
—Library Journal review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2019

 

A Bitter Feast by Deborah Crombie
Also from the author: Garden of Lamentations and To Dwell in Darkness
New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie returns with a mesmerizing entry in her Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series, in which Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are pulled into a dangerous web of secrets, lies, and murder buried beneath the surface of a picturesque Cotswolds village.

"The eighteenth entry in this bestselling series is notable for its portrayals of Duncan and Gemma's children (especially the oldest, Kit), and for the addition of food as an item of interest, a factor that will extend the appeal from the series' procedural-loving fan base to the foodie mystery crowd. This character-driven series just continues to get better."
—Booklist review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2019

 

Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha
For fans of: The Wife by Alafair Burke and Wonder Valley by Ivy Pochoda
A powerful and taut novel about racial tensions in LA, following two families—one Korean-American, one African-American—grappling with the effects of a decades-old crime.

"Cha, blend[s] a shrewd knowledge of cutting-edge media and its disruptive impact with a warm, astute sensitivity toward characters of diverse cultures weighed down by converging traumas. Cha's storytelling shows how fiction can delicately extract deeper revelations from daily headlines." 
—Kirkus Reviews review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2019

Ribbons of Scarlet by Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Sophie Perinot, Heather Webb, and E. Knight 
For fans of: Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and The Huntress by Kate Quinn 
Six bestselling and award-winning authors bring to life a breathtaking epic novel illuminating the hopes, desires, and destinies of princesses and peasants, harlots and wives, fanatics and philosophers—six unforgettable women whose paths cross during one of the most tumultuous and transformative events in history: the French Revolution.

"The French Revolution comes alive through the eyes of six diverse and complex women, in the skilled hands of these amazing authors." 
—Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2019

The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld
For fans of: The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena and All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda
The dark and haunting companion to Rene Denfeld's acclaimed novel The Child Finder, a riveting story of lost children and one haunted woman’s search for what may never be found.

"Equal parts chilling, tragic, and hopeful, Rene Denfeld's new novel combines her haunting, lyrical prose with a page-turning and harrowing mystery, putting The Butterfly Girl into a league of its own. Fans of The Child Finder will devour this."
—Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl

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It Would Be Night in Caracas by Karina Sainz Borgo
For fans of: Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
Told with gripping intensity, It Would Be Night in Caracas chronicles one woman's desperate battle to survive amid the dangerous, sometimes deadly, turbulence of modern Venezuela and the lengths she must go to secure her future.

"Sainz Borgo renders the psychological and emotional toll of government collapse with both nuance and authority, thrusting the reader into Adelaida's struggle for existence and the stark choices before her…. A propulsively written, harrowing story, as desperate as it is timely."
—Kirkus Reviews review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2019

 

Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden
For fans of: Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers
The Compton Crook award–winning author of The Prey of Gods and Temper returns with a dazzling standalone novel, set in deep space, in which the fate of humanity rests on the slender shoulders of an idealistic and untested young woman—a blend of science fiction, dark humor, and magical realism that will appeal to fans of Lauren Beukes, Ian McDonald, and Nnedi Okorafor.

"Everything about the Afrofuturistic worldbuilding is exquisitely imaginative, and the characters are three-dimensional, occasionally offering flashes of dark humor."
—Kirkus Reviews 

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2019

The House of Brides by Jane Cockram
For fans of:The Lake House by Kate Morton and The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
Jane Cockram makes her thrilling debut with this page-turning tale of psychological suspense in which a young woman whose life is in tatters flees to the safety of a family estate in England, but instead of comfort finds chilling secrets and lies.

"Jane Cockram captivates with her haunting debut novel, The House of Brides. Gripping, atmospheric, and with an ending you won’t see coming, this book held me in its spell long after the final page."
—Sally Hepworth, bestselling author of The Mother-in-Law

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2019

 

The Christmas Boutique by Jennifer Chiaverini
Also from the author: Resistance Women, Enchantress of Numbers, and The Giving Quilt
Twenty years after the publication of The Quilter's Apprentice, the novel that launched the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series, New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini returns with another delightful chapter featuring Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson and friends, a captivating, heartwarming tale sure to become a holiday favorite.

"This is an outstanding series of novels about a fascinating craft. Quilting, in the hands of Chiaverini, allows us to explore human relationships in all their complexity."
—Booklist

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2019

 

The Mistletoe Matchmaker by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
For fans of: Christmas on the Island by Jenny Colgan and An Island Christmas by Nancy Thayer
Beloved author Felicity Hayes-McCoy returns with an enchanting, cozy new novel—It’s Christmas in Ireland, and when Cassie Fitzgerald arrives from Toronto to visit her grandparents, she learns that it’s never too late to come home.

"A delightful read filled with wintry days, cups of tea, and more than few tidings of comfort and joy, the pages of The Mistletoe Matchmaker weave together the lives and secrets of a family—separated by years and distance, but with deep Irish roots, and leaves the reader longing to spend Christmas in Ireland."
—Nan Rossiter, bestselling author of More Than You Know

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2019

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

The deadline to submit your votes is September 1! 

 

Looking Ahead: Reading Suggestions for November

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
For fans of: French Exit by Patrick deWitt and My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Family Fang and Perfect Little World comes a moving and uproarious novel about a woman who finds meaning in her life when she begins caring for two children with remarkable and disturbing abilities.

"Laugh out loud funny. I love the way Kevin Wilson writes."
—Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award-winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming

Click below to listen to an interview between Kevin Wilson and LLF's Virginia Stanley!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: October 1, 2019

 

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
For fans of: The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory and The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Talia Hibbert, one of contemporary romance’s brightest new stars, delivers a witty, hilarious romantic comedy about a woman who’s tired of being "boring" and recruits her mysterious, sexy neighbor to help her get a life—perfect for fans of Sally Thorne.

"[An] incredibly funny, romantic, and uplifting book. Red is as charming, sexy, and vulnerable as can be, but Chloe steals the show with her sarcasm, wit, and eccentric coping mechanisms. Even better, Chloe is surrounded by a family of remarkable, glamorous women, including two sisters who will be featured in later installments…. A revelation. Hilarious, heartfelt, and hot. Hibbert is a major talent." 
—Kirkus Reviews review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: October 1, 2019

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

-Chris