January 2024

We are so excited! ALA has announced their 2024 award winners.

Chlorine by Jade Song received the Alex award. The Young Adult Library Services Association selected 10 adult books with special appeal to teen readers to receive the 2024 Alex Awards.

See the full list of winners here.

Side Notes from the Archivist by Anastacia-Renee, named one of three titles as a Notable Book in the Poetry category. The Notable Books List is an annual best-of-list comprised of twenty six titles written for adult readers and published in the US including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

Click here for the complete list of Notable Books List.

The Reading List is an annual best-of list comprised of eight different fiction genres for adult readers. There is also a shortlist of honor titles, up to 4 per genre:

Going Zero by Anthony McCarten were selected as a shortlist title for the Adrenaline list.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty was selected as a shortlist title for the Fantasy list.

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon was selected as a shortlist title for the Mystery list.

We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian was selected as a shortlist title for the Romance list.

Where Peace is Lost by Valerie Valdes was selected as a shortlist title for the Science Fiction list.

Congratulations to all of our winners!

See the full list of winners, read-alikes, and short list here.

Watch the full episode on : https://youtu.be/mP1wLQF-dM0?si=7oaCxmA1eTiL2PhG

Watch the full episode on : https://youtu.be/-VgZvien8P4?si=9IfPvsS2PfgGvV00

Watch the full episode on : https://youtu.be/hu0L-n62GEI?si=9OzYQJ5pZJ2FUCZf

Happy book birthday to True North by Andrew J. Graff! We LOVED his previous novel, Raft of Stars, and this one set our hearts aflutter just the same. True North is a heartfelt novel of marriage and whitewater rafting, following one couple as they navigate the changing currents of family, community, and the river itself. 

Love has been pouring in! Check it out:

“Graff (Raft of Stars, 2021) charts the path of a marriage in crisis, with small slights and missteps threatening to send either party overboard. Sam and Swami echo the stubborn, resilient couples found in works by Matthew Norman, Sarah Dunn, and Meg Wolitzer, and True North will appeal to anyone who can relate to giving everything you’ve got to one last plan.”
—Booklist ⭐️ review 

“True North is an engaging, character-driven portrait of a marriage under pressure from financial deception and conflicting desires. Graff writes about the outdoors, particularly rivers and river rafting, with an immersive blend of knowledge and passion.”
—Charles Frazier, author of The Trackers and Cold Mountain

“If you’ve ever loved a special place in the woods, True North will flood you with all the feels. Andrew Graff’s clear-eyed, sensitive examination of marriage, family, and community weaves through a delightful story of whitewater adventure and small-town tension that’s impossible to put down. I loved it!”
—Shelby Van Pelt, author of Remarkably Bright Creatures

“I adored Andrew J. Graff’s Raft of Stars, and his second novel does not disappoint. I couldn’t help but root for Sam and Swami and their family, as well as everyone else in their ragtag crew of river rafters. True North rolls seamlessly from humor to despair, from beauty to destruction—but in the end is a gorgeous story of family, community, and grace. I absolutely loved it.”
—Kimi Cunningham Grant, USA Today bestselling author of These Silent Woods

Hello, librarians!

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

We are thrilled to share that Gareth Brown’s The Book of Doors has been selected for the February LibraryReads list! Additionally, we have four Hall of Fame selections: Olivia Dade's At First Spite, Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Simply the Best, Janie Chang and Kate Quinn's The Phoenix Crown, and Tessa Bailey's Fangirl Down. Congratulations to all of our authors!

Find out more about these books 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 them:

Ann Patchett heard that two of her books—Bel Canto and The Patron Saint Of Liars—are banned in the Orange County, Florida school system. She quickly made a video in response to this news. Hear her legendary response below:

Round of applause for Ann! Add both books to your cart here. And head over to the PEN America site for more information on book banning.

Happy New Year!! Let's kick the year off strong with some exciting reads!

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

Happy reading,

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