April 2024

“Go get the book from the library. That's so romantic and sexy to do.”
—Chloé Caldwell

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Like many readers, I look for books that make me feel something. WOMEN by Chloé Caldwell is all feeling. In WOMEN, an unnamed narrator grapples with the heartbreak from her first queer relationship with fervor and vulnerability. It captured my attention with its visceral and punchy prose and held it with its intimate intricacies of queer love and fall out. This small but mighty novella lingered long after I finished it. Caldwell writes without inhibition and that is a gift to all of her readers. My hope is that WOMEN ends up in libraries, that it passes through hands of those who need it.
—Grace Caternolo, Library Marketing Assistant at HarperCollins

Listen to the full interview on YouTube:

Did you hear?! There's a new thriller from Kate White coming out on May 14th! Hear from Kate directly about her forthcoming novel THE LAST TIME SHE SAW HIM!

We are SO excited for librarians to read this one. Congrats, Kate!

Can you believe it's already time to vote for the JUNE LibraryReads List?! There are too many books and too little time, so we will get right to it.

Check out our staff picks for the June LibraryReads list and start downloading! Don't forget to get your votes for the June LibraryReads list in by May 1st!

Happy reading,

The Library Love Fest Team (Virginia, Lainey, and Grace)

As National Library Week comes to a close, we want to extend one more big THANK YOU to all of you. For the Library Love Fest team, it's National Library Week EVERY week.

Libraries have played an important role in all three of our lives and we aren't the only ones. Authors are always thrilled to do programming for libraries and share their own library stories. 

Five Minutes With…is a series where authors speak directly to librarians about their forthcoming titles. These bitesized videos are an accessible way to hear about new books from writers who love libraries! All of our previous videos can be found here, but check out this wonderful example from Yulin Kuang, author of the forthcoming novel HOW TO END A LOVE STORY:

Again, we are wishing you a very happy National Library Week! Thank you for all that you do. Librarians make the world go around! 

Love,
Virginia, Lainey, & Grace

Listen to Virginia gush about THE COAST ROAD by Alan Murrin! This is a poignant debut novel about the lives of women in a claustrophobic coast town and the search for independence in a society that seeks to limit it.

Want to hear right from the author? Check out Virginia's interview with him below:

It is never lost on us how many hats librarians wear and that's why we do our best to make things easier for you! We've worked on programs to help with readers' advisory, book clubs, and more. Check out a few below! 

Book Club Snug was a special program we did featuring Catherine Newman, author of the forthcoming novel SANDWICH, and Laura Zigman, author of SMALL WORLD. The episode was a treat for all! Watch the whole episode here:

Bookmarked by Lainey is Lainey Mays' personalized guide to the books that have given her “you must read this” glee. Check out Bookmarked by Lainey for books that resonate, hand-picked for librarians and their patrons to savor. Here are some recommendations to get you started:

We hope these resources are useful and make things easier for you. Another massive thank you for your dedication and hard work! 

Love,
Virginia, Lainey, & Grace

Watch the full episode on : https://youtu.be/8fH2o6be1S4?si=VSatlVARrTFpRwHw

When I read the first page of The Coast Road, I knew it was all over for me. I was all in. This debut novel is set in County Donegal in 1994 when divorce was not yet legal. The main characters, two women who find themselves in unhappy marriages, are so real and accessible, and their stories—their situations—are unique but in a larger sense, the same. Their voices and their conversations with friends, family, enemies, themselves are all so real. I was reminded of Wally Lamb’s writing in that Alan Murrin has that same sensibility to so fully and respectfully capture the essence, movement, and emotions of women. The Coast Road is a gift to anyone who loves a good story with characters you feel for, root for, and miss when the last page is turned. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
—Virginia, HarperCollins Library Marketing Directer

The Coast Road goes on sale 6/04/2024. Vote for LibraryReads by May 1st! Download an egalley here.

Watch the interview here:

This week, April 7th through 13th, is our favorite week of the year…National Library Week! Libraries are the heart of communities; connecting readers to books, resources, and so much more. Librarians like you make it all possible. From the bottom of our hearts: THANK YOU! 

On top of being vital to communities, librarians have been on the frontlines of the fight against book banning and censorship. The right to read freely is one that should not be infringed upon. We know that it has been incredibly difficult during this time of increased attacks on the freedom to read and access to crucial books. Books change lives and so do you. Thank you for fighting the good fight.

Throughout the years, we've been able to connect with so many librarians and authors through our online programming. From Writers to Watch to Galley Gab Fest to Instagram reels, we love spreading the library love and meeting so many of you. 

Speaking of authors who LOVE libraries…here's a message that Julia Quinn recorded for you a couple years ago! Hear from her below:

For the rest of the week, we'll be sharing more highlights of past programming, so stay tuned. Again, THANK YOU for all that you do! 

Love,
Virginia, Lainey, & Grace