Library Love Fest

New Podcast Episode: Editors Unedited: Lucia Macro interviews Lisa Berne, author of THE REDEMPTION OF PHILIP THANE

We're back with another wonderful Editors Unedited podcast episode! This week, we feature a conversation between LLF podcast pro Lucia Macro, VP/Executive Editor at William Morrow, in conversation with her author Lisa Berne! Julia Quinn calls Lisa “one of the most exciting new historical writers in a long time.” This conversation is a must-listen for romance fans! In addition to discussing Lisa's latest book in the Penhallow Dynasty series called The Redemption of Philip Thane, they also talked about the books that made them fall in love with the romance genre and the difficulties of writing redeemable heroes. 

Listen to the episode here:

Find out more about Lisa and the rest of the Penhallow Dynasty series on her website.

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The Redemption of Philip Thane goes on sale December 28, 2021. LibraryReads votes are due November 1st!

-Lainey

Door to Door Replay: LLF welcomes Jean Marie Kelly, Affiliate Publisher of HarperCollins 360

We had an afternoon packed-to-the-brim with reading recommendations on our Door to Door episode today. We welcomed our friend and colleague Jean Marie Kelly, Affiliate Publisher of HarperCollins 360, to talk about some forthcoming titles from the Fall/Winter list, including books by Jeffrey Archer, Dinah Jefferies, and Donna Hay.

Jean Marie has been with HarperCollins since 2003. In 2012, she launched HarperCollins 360 as a way to publish books from our sister companies around the world (India, Australia, UK, and others) and introduce these authors to a larger audience in the United States.

We love hearing what books Jean Marie and her team are bringing to the US market. Grab a cocktail (we chose Donna Hay's Grapefruit Vodka Punch. Find the recipe here.) and catch the replay of the event below:

Find a list of titles discussed on our Edelweiss+ catalog here.

We also mentioned our Door to Door episode with Jeffrey Archer and Anthony Horowitz, Jeffrey Archer's interview with Donna Seaman for Booklist's Shelf Care podcast, and our LibraryReads podcast episode with Meg Cabot.

Follow HarperCollins 360 on social media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Be sure to join us next Tuesday, August 24th at 2 PM ET for a conversation with Alice Henderson, author of A Blizzard of Polar Bears, and Blair Braverman, author of Dogs on the Trail.

-Lainey

The September 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 Meg Cabot officially joins the LibraryReads Hall of Fame with the selection of her upcoming novel No Words!

Want to hear how Meg reacted to the big news? Listen to our latest episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast below to hear her response!

Click here to see the full September LibraryReads List!

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No Words by Meg Cabot: Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Princess Diaries, returns to Little Bridge Island with a new story about a children’s book author with a case of writer’s block and an arrogant novelist who have to set aside their differences as they get through a weekend long book festival that just might change everything—including their feelings for each other.

"Effervescent.... witty prose, an entertaining cast of diverse characters, and a romance that’s enchanting."
—Publishers Weekly

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Previous LibraryReads Selections:
No Judgments (September 2019)
No Offense (August 2020)

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

Click here to learn more about LibraryReads.

-Chris

New Podcast Episode: LLF's Chris Connolly Interviews James Han Mattson, Author of REPRIEVE

On this week's episode of The Library Love Fest Podcast, LLF's Chris Connolly sits down with author James Han Mattson to discuss his upcoming novel Reprieve, on sale October 5th. 

In his second novel following the acclaimed The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves, James turns his sight towards a murder that takes place within a full-contact haunted escape room in Nebraska, and explores topics of racial fetishism, hate politics, the horror genre, and so much more. Biting, observant, and told through court transcripts and three unforgettable voices, Reprieve has garnered praise from authors and reviewers alike. Check out some of the praise below:

"Mattson (The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves, 2017) presents a brilliant hybrid, a thought-provoking look at marginalization and systemic oppression expertly nestled inside a high-anxiety tale about the horror industry itself.... This is a rare treat of a novel that will be devoured by fans of pulp horror titles like The Dark Game by Jonathan Janz (2019) and by those who like the juxtaposition of supernatural and real-world horrors found in the works of Victor LaValle."
—Booklist ⭐ review

"Reprieve is an eventual American classic that is unrelenting in its beauty and incisive cultural critique. But it is James Han Mattson's treatment of his fully flawed characters that clutches my heart and head. Every room in this book has a secret room. Every character has a shadow trying to swallow them whole. I'm not sure there is 'fearless' American writing, but a few times a generation, there is innovative writing that appears to confront, shred, and accept the fears of its author and its readers with a wicked joy. Reprieve is that book. It really is."
—Kiese Laymon, bestselling author of Heavy: An American Memoir

"Reprieve takes horror as its subject, while also using the genre as its means, delivering twists and fright and the kind of storytelling that keeps you turning pages. But the brilliance of James Han Mattson’s novel is in deploying the haunted house as a metaphor for our nation, where the true scare is a cultural reckoning with whiteness itself."
—Rumaan Alam, New York Times bestselling author of Leave the World Behind 

You can listen to the interview below! Also be sure to read James's Behind the Book essay, which illuminates many of the topics discussed during the interview.

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Thank you James! Reprieve goes on sale October 5th.

-Chris

LLF Staff Suggestions for the October LibraryReads List

Hello, librarians!

We are back with a fresh round of reading suggestions for the October LibraryReads List! Remember, votes for the October LibraryReads List are due September 1st.

Happy reading!

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

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Death at Greenway by Lori Rader-Day 
Also from the author: The Lucky One, Under a Dark Sky, and The Day I Died
From the award-winning author of The Day I Died and The Lucky One, a captivating suspense novel about nurses during World War II who come to Agatha Christie’s holiday estate to care for evacuated children, but when a body is discovered nearby, the idyllic setting becomes host to a deadly mystery.

"Death at Greenway is a book Lori Rader-Day was born to write. The characters are deeply moving, the suspense and World War II research are impeccable. The language, as is always the case with Rader-Day, is beautiful, but in Death at Greenway, she shows her suppleness: her pitch-perfect dialogue brings England in the Blitz to life."
—Sara Paretsky, New York Times bestselling author of Dead Land

Sign up to see Lori Rader-Day on Door to Door on Tuesday, 8/10, 2pm ET!

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall 
For fans of: Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman and
The Hellfire Club by Jake Tapper
The first in a thrilling new series from Emmy Award–winning journalist Tamron Hall, in which a reporter unravels the disturbing mystery around the deaths of two Black girls, the work of a serial killer terrorizing Chicago.

"A pulse-pounding story that also provides a fascinating and important look into the difficulties of reporting on and finding justice for Black victims.... Emmy Award–winning Hall’s extensive background as a TV journalist, including reporting for NBC and anchoring for MSNBC, infuses a great deal of credibility and behind-the-scenes verve to her first crime novel."
—Booklist ⭐ review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

Watch the replay of "In the Spotlight: Tamron Hall, Lori Rader-Day, and Sarah MacLean in Conversation"

 

 

A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz
For fans of: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
The New York Times bestselling author of the brilliantly inventive The Word Is Murder and The Sentence Is Death returns with his third literary whodunit featuring intrepid detectives Hawthorne and Horowitz.

"The most conventional of Horowitz’s mysteries to date still reads like a golden-age whodunit on steroids." —Kirkus Reviews

Previous LibraryReads Selections:
Moonflower Murders (November 2020)
The Word is Murder (June 2018)
Magpie Murders (June 2017)

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 Watch a must-see conversation between
Anthony Horowitz and Jeffrey Archer on Door to Door!

 

 

Reprieve by James Han Mattson
For fans of: Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam and 
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
A chilling and blisteringly relevant literary novel of social horror centered around a brutal killing that takes place in a full-contact haunted escape room—a provocative exploration of capitalism, hate politics, racial fetishism, and our obsession with fear as entertainment.

"Mattson (The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves, 2017) presents a brilliant hybrid, a thought-provoking look at marginalization and systemic oppression expertly nestled inside a high-anxiety tale about the horror industry itself.... This is a rare treat of a novel that will be devoured by fans of pulp horror titles like The Dark Game by Jonathan Janz (2019) and by those who like the juxtaposition of supernatural and real-world horrors found in the works of Victor LaValle."
—Booklist ⭐ review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

All the Feels by Olivia Dade
For fans of: Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai and 
Love at First Like by Hannah Orenstein
Following Spoiler Alert, Olivia Dade returns with another utterly charming romantic comedy about a devil-may-care actor—who actually cares more than anyone knows—and the no-nonsense woman hired to keep him in line.

"Dade’s charming, sexy contemporary romance (a sequel to Spoiler Alert) will be hard to put down. Alex and Lauren are likable, well-developed characters with emotional depth and relatable backstories.... The writing is excellent, with witty, banter-filled dialogue.... Highly recommended for public libraries."
—Library Journal ⭐ review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

The Last Checkmate by Gabriella Saab
For fans of: When We Were Young & Brave by Hazel Gaynor and The German Heiress by Anika Scott
Readers of Heather Morris’s The Tattooist of Auschwitz and watchers of The Queen’s Gambit won’t want to miss this amazing debut set during World War II following a young Polish resistance worker, imprisoned in Auschwitz as a political prisoner, who plays chess in exchange for her life, and in doing so fights to bring the man who destroyed her family to justice.

"The Last Checkmate is a winner. Gabriella Saab’s debut kept me turning the pages and I was rooting for our young, brave, and resourceful chess prodigy every step of the way."
—Elise Hooper, acclaimed author of Fast Girls

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers
For fans of: Old Baggage by Lissa Evans and 
Late in the Day by Tessa Hadley
The dark horse literary novel that has taken Britain by storm! In the best tradition of Tessa Hadley, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Ann Patchett—an astonishing, keenly observed period piece about an ordinary British woman in the 1950s whose dutiful life takes a sudden turn into a pitched battle between propriety and unexpected passion.

"Small Pleasures is a tender and heart-rending tale that will draw you in from the first page and keep you gripped until the very end. Exquisitely compelling!"
—Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

The Brides of Maracoor by Gregory Maguire
Also from the author: Wicked and A Wild Winter Swan
Multimillion-copy bestselling author Gregory Maguire unveils the first in a three-book series spun off the iconic Wicked Years, featuring Elphaba’s granddaughter, the green-skinned Rain.

Praise for Gregory Maguire: 
"Maguire’s work is melodic, symphonic and beautiful; it is dejected and biting and brave.... In fabulous details and self-mocking language, Maguire displays his gift for whimsical portrayals of the broken, the powerless, the hopeless, the bad."
—Los Angeles Times 

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

The Taking of Jemima Boone by Matthew Pearl
For fans of: Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
In his first work of narrative nonfiction, Matthew Pearl, bestselling author of acclaimed novel The Dante Club, explores the little-known true story of the kidnapping of legendary pioneer Daniel Boone’s daughter and the dramatic aftermath that rippled across the nation.

"A deliciously intricate and utterly absorbing retelling of the Daniel Boone family saga—and particularly the complex roles played by the Cherokee and Shawnee across Boone's southern Appalachian stamping grounds. The Taking of Jemima Boone adds an intriguing dimension to an issue of keen importance to modern society."
—Simon Winchester, New York Times bestselling author of Land

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

Watch the replay of Matthew Pearl on Door to Door!

 

The Hidden Child by Louise Fein
For fans of: The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester
In this new historical novel by the author of Daughter of the Reich, Londoners Eleanor and Edward Hamilton have wealth, status, and a happy marriage—but the 1929 financial crash is looming, and they’re harboring a terrible, shameful secret. How far are they willing to go to protect their charmed life—even if it means abandoning their child to a horrific fate?

"Louise Fein’s The Hidden Child is a poignant rendering of love and motherhood, human frailty and redemption, exquisitely told against the backdrop of the unthinkable. A heroine for the ages, Eleanor Hamilton’s predicament will tear your heart apart while her resolve is a testament to the power of intuition. Fein deftly takes the reader back to a terrifying turning point in history and, with grace and compassion, reminds us of the importance of standing up for what we believe in our souls to be true."
—Judithe Little, author of The Chanel Sisters

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfield
For fans of: The Perfect Wife by JP Delaney and 
Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson
A smart, witty, crackling novel of psychological suspense in which a girl from a hardscrabble small town meets a gorgeous Instagram influencer from the big city, with a murderous twist that will shock even the most savvy reader.

"A clever and surprising psychological thriller.... The superb character-driven plot delivers an astonishing, believable jolt."
—Publishers Weekly ⭐ review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
Also from the author: Sunrise by the Sea and 
500 Miles from You
Perfect for the holidays! A brand-new heartwarming Christmas novel from the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner and Christmas at the Island Hotel.

Praise for Jenny Colgan:
"An evocative sweet treat."
—Jojo Moyes on Little Beach Street Bakery

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

Alien Nation edited by Sofija Stefanovic
For fans of: Dancing in the Mosque by Homeira Qaderi
A collection of 36 extraordinary stories originally told on stage, featuring work by writers, entertainers, thinkers, and community leaders. Spanning comedy and tragedy, Alien Nation brilliantly illuminates what it’s like to be an immigrant in America.

"In this celebratory essay collection, Stefanovic (Miss Ex-Yugoslavia), host of the N.Y.C. storytelling series 'This Alien Nation,' spotlights the 'deep and complex' stories of immigrants in America.... A moving look at what the American dream means today."
—Publishers Weekly

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

Woodrow on the Bench by Jenna Blum
For fans of: Will's Red Coat by Tom Ryan
The New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Those Who Save Us pays tribute to her beloved black Lab, Woodrow, in this beautiful memoir that recalls the last six months of his life and the ways in which he taught her to live. 

"Woodrow on the Bench is a touching tribute as well as a gripping story that will make you laugh and cry. It will also make you understand the majesty and wisdom imparted by the animals we are lucky to keep by our sides for as long as we can."
—Elizabeth Berg, New York Times bestselling author of The Confession Club

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

Bat Fat Black Girl by Sesali Bowen
For fans of: God Save the Queens by Kathy Iandola
From funny and fearless entertainment journalist Sesali Bowen, Bad Fat Black Girl combines rule-breaking feminist theory, witty and insightful personal memoir, and cutting cultural analysis for an unforgettable, genre-defining debut.

"Sesali Bowen is poised to give Black feminism the rejuvenation it needs. Her trend-setting writing and commentary reaches across experiences and beyond respectability. I and so many Black girls still figuring out who they are in this world will gain so much from whatever she has to say."
—Charlene A. Carruthers, activist and author of Unapologetic: A Black, Queer and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

The Wicked Widow by Beatriz Williams
Also from the author: Our Woman in Moscow, Her Last Flight, and The Golden Hour
Gin Kelly, the wicked redhead, is back! Readers will delight in next installment of the Wicked City series by New York Times bestselling author Beatriz Williams. 

Praise for Beatriz Williams: 
"I think Beatriz Williams is writing the best historical fiction out there. It’s lush with period detail but feels immediate."
—Elin Hilderbrand

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

The Unheard by Nicci French
Also from the author: House of Correction and The Lying Room
 In this new heart-pounding standalone from the internationally bestselling author that People calls "razor sharp," a single mother suspects her young daughter has witnessed a horrible crime when she draws a disturbing picture—but the deadly path to unravel the truth could cost her everything. 

Praise for Nicci French: 
"Nicci French is a specialist in the kind of evil that burrows from within." —New York Times Book Review

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

Miss Eliza's English Kitchen by Annabel Abbs
For fans of: The Summer Country by Lauren Willig
In a novel perfect for fans of Hazel Gaynor’s A Memory of Violets and upstairs-downstairs stories, Annabel Abbs, the award-winning author of The Joyce Girl, returns with the brilliant real-life story of Eliza Acton and her assistant as they revolutionized British cooking and cookbooks around the world.

"A feast for the senses, rich with the flavors of Victorian England, I prepared every dish with Eliza and Ann and devoured every page. A literary—and culinary—triumph!"
—Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of When We Were Young & Brave

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday
For fans of: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday follows A Princess for Christmas with another delightful contemporary Christmas romance between a playboy baron and a woman who has said goodbye to love.

Praise for Jenny Holiday: 
"Delightfully sexy and sweet, Holiday knows how to deliver the perfect combination of sexual tension and happily-ever-after."
—Lauren Layne, New York Times bestselling author of To Sir, with Love on A Princess for Christmas

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

The Christmas Dress by Courtney Cole
For fans of: We Met in December by Rosie Curtis
An enchanted Christmas dress brings two generations of women together for the magic of the season in this delightful holiday story from New York Times bestselling author Courtney Cole. 

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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2021

 

Click here for more great October reads!

 

The deadline to submit your votes is September 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