The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker
For fans of: Inland by Téa Obreht and
Transcription by Kate Atkinson
In this enthralling historical epic, set in New York City and the Middle East in the years leading to World War I—the long-awaited follow-up to the acclaimed New York Times bestseller The Golem and the Jinni—Helene Wecker revisits her beloved characters Chava and Ahmad as they confront unexpected new challenges in a rapidly changing human world.
"A blend of romance, Mary Shelley-esque horror, and folklore…. Wecker skillfully combines the storylines of Chava the Golem and Ahmad the Jinni and numerous other players, good and evil, in an enchanting tale that pleases on every page."
—Kirkus Reviews ⭐ review
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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2021
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Impostor Syndrome by Kathy Wang
For fans of: Followers by Megan Angelo and
American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson
From the critically acclaimed author of Family Trust comes a new Silicon Valley satire, exploring the cutthroat world of women in tech through the lens of a thrilling tale of foreign espionage and secrets.
"Kathy Wang’s Impostor Syndrome is a smart, ambitious, and hugely original novel that succeeds on every level. It’s part gripping spy thriller, part sharp-eyed Silicon Valley satire, part nuanced character study—and fully, deeply entertaining every step of the way."
—Lou Berney, Edgar Award-winning author of November Road
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The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot
by Marianne Cronin
For fans of: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
A charming, fiercely alive and disarmingly funny debut novel in the vein of John Green, Rachel Joyce, and Jojo Moyes—about the unexpected friendship between 17-year-old Lenni, living on the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital, and Margot, an 83-year-old, purple-pajama-wearing, fruitcake-eating rebel, who transforms Lenni in ways she never imagined.
"With a sensibility that's as compassionate and quirky as those of her two indelible heroines, Marianne Cronin offers a deceptively lighthearted response to life’s heaviest questions. As Lenni and Margot leave their mark on one another, so too does this tearjerker of a book leave its mark on the reader."
—Kathleen Rooney, author of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk and Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey
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Dream Girl by Laura Lippman
Also from the author: Lady in the Lake
and Sunburn
Following up on her acclaimed and wildly successful New York Times bestseller Lady in the Lake—one of the top selling books of her career—Laura Lippman returns with a dark, complex tale of psychological suspense with echoes of Misery involving a novelist, incapacitated by injury, who is plagued by mysterious phone calls.
"My dream novel. I devoured this in three days. The sharpest, clearest-eyed take on our #MeToo reckoning yet. Plus: enthralling."
—Megan Abbott, Edgar Award-winning author of Dare Me and The Fever
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Previous LibraryReads Selections:
Lady in the Lake (July 2019)
Sunburn (March 2018)
Wilde Lake (May 2016)
After I'm Gone (February 2014)
Watch Laura Lippman on Door to Door!
When Stars Collide
by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Also from the author:
Dance Away with Me and
First Star I See Tonight
#1 New York Times bestseller Susan Elizabeth Phillips returns to her beloved Chicago Stars series with a romance between a Chicago Stars quarterback and one of the world’s greatest opera singers—and a major diva.
"Re-entering the world of the Chicago Stars is like a beloved friend come to call."
—Robyn Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author
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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2021
Previous LibraryReads Selections:
Dance Away with Me (June 2020)
First Star I See Tonight (August 2016)
Heroes Are My Weakness (August 2014)
An Unlikely Spy by Rebecca Starford
For fans of: The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton
A twisting, sophisticated World War II novel following a spy who goes undercover as a part of MI5—in chasing the secrets of others, how much will she lose of herself?
"Readers will travel breathlessly along with Evelyn as she navigates the treacherous waters of lifelong allegiances and new alliances, foreign dangers and secrets uncovered much closer to home. Starford has penned both a beguiling tale of espionage and a noteworthy commentary on torn loyalties and the unthinkable choices of war."
—Pam Jenoff, author of The Orphan's Tale and The Lost Girls of Paris
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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2021
Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams
For fans of: Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
From the author of the "full-throttle thriller" (A. J. Finn) No Exit—a riveting new psychological page-turner featuring a fierce and unforgettable heroine who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth behind her estranged twin sister's supposed suicide. But as her twin’s final hours come into focus, her search turns into a harrowing, tooth-and-nail fight for her own survival—one that will test everything she thought she knew about her sister and herself...
"A shot of adrenaline straight to the heart! Propulsive and unpredictable, Hairpin Bridge will have you on edge from the first page to the last."
—Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of Home Before Dark
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The Fiancée by Kate White
For fans of: Stranger in the Lake by Kimberly Belle
The New York Times bestselling author returns with an unsettling but riveting psychological thriller about a captivating woman who joins a family and threatens to upend their picture-perfect lives.
"A skillfully constructed page-turner.... Expert pacing, characters readers can love to hate, and an intelligent heroine make this a winner. White consistently entertains."
—Publishers Weekly
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Watch Kate White on Door to Door!
The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid
For fans of: The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden and
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
In the vein of Naomi Novik’s New York Times bestseller Spinning Silver, this unforgettable debut— inspired by Hungarian history and Jewish mythology—follows a young pagan woman with hidden powers and a one-eyed captain of the Woodsmen as they form an unlikely alliance to thwart a tyrant.
"A thought-provoking, thrilling magical twist on the history of religion and politics that I couldn't put down. In her stunningly rendered--and frankly terrifying--forbidden forests, Reid conjures up some of the ghastliest monsters I've ever read, and yet never lets us forget the worst horrors are perpetuated by human hands."
—S.A. Chakraborty, bestselling author of The Empire of Gold
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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2021
A Lowcountry Bride by Preslaysa Williams
For fans of: The Summer Deal by Jill Shalvis and
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
A heartwarming Avon debut of love, forgiveness, and new beginnings set in the beautiful South Carolina Lowcountry about a bridal gown designer returned home and a military veteran and widowed father trying to keep his business afloat.
"With superb character development and great emotional depth, Afro Filipina writer Williams stitches together a quietly powerful love story that is beautifully enriched by the deft and insightful incorporation of weighty issues such as grief and medical conditions into the compelling plot and brightly enhanced by glimpses into the vibrant culture and history of Charleston."
—Booklist ⭐ review
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How to Kidnap the Rich by Rahul Raina
For fans of: Beijing Payback by Daniel Nieh and
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
An exhilarating and propulsive debut novel from an emerging talent—a fresh, bitingly hilarious, sweeping satire of modern-day India for fans of Aravind Adiga, Trent Dalton, and Mohsin Hamid.
"Rahul Raina’s voice crackles with wit and the affecting exuberance of youth. His ripping good story grabs you on page one and doesn’t let go, taking you on a monstrously funny and unpredictable wild ride through a thousand different Delhis at top speed. How To Kidnap the Rich roars with brilliance, freshness and so much heart."
—Kevin Kwan, New York Times bestselling author of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy
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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2021
The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea
For fans of: The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
In the dark days of World War II, an unlikely romance blossoms between a Scottish woman and an Italian prisoner of war in this haunting novel with the emotional complexity of The Boat Runner and All the Light We Cannot See—a powerful and atmospheric story of love, jealousy, and conscience that illuminates the beauty of the human spirit from the author of
The Glass Woman.
"The story of true innocents caught up in the machinery of war. Exquisitely researched, beautifully told, this tiny corner of Scotland came alive for me in all of my senses and I found myself rooting for the central characters with all my heart."
—Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again,Yes
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Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams
Also from the author: The Golden Hour and The Summer Wives
The New York Times bestselling author of Her Last Flight returns with a gripping and profoundly human story of Cold War espionage and family devotion that proves again why Elin Hilderbrand says Beatriz Williams "is writing the best historical fiction out there."
"Williams sharply observes the inequities women faced at the end of WWII and the simmering suspense of the Cold War. Historical fiction fans will be riveted by the complex family relationships and the intriguing portrayal of espionage."
—Publishers Weekly
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The Godmothers by Camille Aubray
For fans of: The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams and
Tony's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
Big Little Lies set in World War II Greenwich Village! From the author of Cooking for Picasso, an irresistible, suspenseful novel about four women who marry into an elegant, prosperous Italian family, and then must take charge of the family’s business when their husbands are forced to leave them during the war.
Praise for Cooking for Picasso:
"With lively characters and a twisting plot, Aubray’s novel is a smart and satisfying tale of family, creativity, romance and intrigue."
—Booklist
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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2021
The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian
Also from the author: Two Rogues Make a Right and
Unmasked by the Marquess
Critically acclaimed author Cat Sebastian makes her trade paperback debut in a stunning historical romance about a reluctantly reformed highwayman and the aristocrat who threatens to steal his heart.
"Sebastian’s prose is entertaining and delightful, with many steamy scenes.... It’s also full of intelligent and thought-provoking political debates.... An irresistible story of love and adventure that will delight both newcomers and regular readers of queer romance."
—Kirkus Reviews ⭐ review
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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2021
Watch LLF's Lainey Mays Interview Cat Sebastian
on ALA's Diverse Characters Panel!
Sisters of the Resistance by Christine Wells
For fans of: The Winemaker's Wife by Kristin Harmel
Set in the thick of the Paris Resistance movement during WWII, this exciting novel tells of the deep involvement of Catherine Dior and two young women who risked their lives to support her efforts—perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Jennifer Chiaverini.
"As dazzling as a Dior gown! Sisters of the Resistance tells the fascinating story of two sisters working with Catherine Dior and the French Resistance during WWII. With a gorgeous blend of fashion, heartbreak, heroism, and love this book will transport you to France..."
—Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Secret
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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2021
The Vixen by Francine Prose
For fans of: The Burning Girl by Claire Messud
Critically acclaimed, bestselling author Francine Prose returns with a dazzling new novel set in the glamorous world of 1950s New York publishing, the story of a young man tasked with editing a steamy bodice-ripper based on the recent trial and execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg—an assignment that will reveal the true cost of entering that seductive, dangerous new world.
"A rollicking trickster of a novel, wondrously funny
and wickedly addictive."
—Maria Semple, New York Times bestselling author of Today Will Be Different
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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2021
Painting the Light by Sally Cabot Gunning
For fans of: Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini
From the critically acclaimed author of Monticello and The Widow’s War comes a vividly rendered historical novel of love, loss, and reinvention, set on Martha’s Vineyard at the turn of the nineteenth century.
Praise for Monticello:
"Gunning’s writing is elegant, the period details exact."
—USA Today
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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2021
Count the Ways by Joyce Maynard
For fans of: Night. Sleep. Death. The Stars.
by Joyce Carol Oates
In her most ambitious novel to date, New York Times bestselling author Joyce Maynard takes on the story of a family from the hopeful early days of young marriage to parenthood, divorce, and its costly aftermath—to illuminate how the mistakes of parents are passed down through generations to fester, or to be healed.
"How did Maynard know that this is exactly the book we all need now? This exhilaratingly brilliant novel isn’t just an indelible story of the falling dominoes of a family struggling through crisis and through generations, it’s also about the times we live through.... This gorgeous story reminds us that love is always, always worth it."
—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of With or Without You
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LibraryReads Votes Due: May 1, 2021
Anne of Manhattan by Brina Starler
For fans of: Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey
L. M. Montgomery’s classic tale, Anne of Green Gables, gets a romantic, charming, and hilarious modern adaptation, set in New York City.
"Adaptations of beloved children’s books are difficult to pull off, but Starler’s debut—a romantic, modern-day riff on Anne of Green Gables—brings impressive heart and sensuality to a classic."
—Publishers Weekly
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***
We hope you enjoy the books! For more information about LibraryReads, visit their website. Remember: Vote early! Vote often!
-Chris
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