Hello, librarians!
Below, you will find our staff suggestions for the May LibraryReads list. Propulsive debuts, unforgettable historical fiction, powerful memoirs, delicious rom-coms—it's all here. So without further ado, happy reading!
-The LLF Team (Virginia, Chris, and Lainey)
Remember, votes for the May LibraryReads list are due April 1st!
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Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas
For fans of: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and Tangerine by Christine Mangan
A gothic-infused debut of literary suspense, set within a secluded, elite university and following a dangerously curious, rebellious undergraduate who uncovers a shocking secret about an exclusive circle of students…and the dark truth beneath her school’s promise of prestige.
"Spellbinding…. Surreal imagery, spare characterization, and artful, hypnotic prose lend Thomas’s tale a delirious air, but at the book's core lies a profound portrait of depression and adolescent turmoil. Fans of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History will devour this philosophical fever dream."
—Publishers Weekly review
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
Click below to watch Elisabeth Thomas speak at the LibraryReads Author Breakfast at ALA Midwinter 2020!
Click below to listen to an interview between Elisabeth Thomas and her editor!
For fans of: The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy
Big Little Lies meets Presumed Innocent in this riveting novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia and Where They Found Her (a previous LibraryReads pick!), in which a woman’s brutal murder reveals the perilous compromises some couples make—and the secrets they keep—in order to stay together.
"A Good Marriage is a smart, provocative, insightful page-turner. I couldn’t put it down." —Harlan Coben
"Full of dark secrets and surprising twists, A Good Marriage explores what lies beneath the surface of friendships, families, and communities. A captivating, can’t-put-it-down psychological thriller that gripped me from beginning to end."
—Megan Miranda, author of The Last Guest House
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev
For fans of: The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai and The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
From the author of Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors (a May 2019 LibraryReads pick!) comes another clever, deeply layered, and heartwarming romantic comedy that follows in the Jane Austen tradition—this time with a twist on Persuasion.
"Dev continues the story of the Raje family…with this nuanced and powerful second chance romance…. Dev balances the toe-curling romance with high-octane family drama…. Dev’s candor and sensitivity in both story lines set this family-centric romance apart. Readers are sure to be impressed."
—Publishers Weekly 
review
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
For fans of: So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
From the acclaimed cultural critic and New York Times bestselling author of This Will Be My Undoing—a writer whom Roxane Gay has hailed as "a force to be reckoned with"—comes this powerful story of her journey to understand her northern and southern roots, the Great Migration, and the displacement of black people across America.
"Driven by a need to understand her own identity, cultural critic Jerkins mounted an investigation into her family's tangled history, recounting in this candid memoir the surprising discoveries that emerged from her emotional journey…. A revelatory exploration of the meaning of blackness."
—Kirkus Reviews
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
For fans of: The Lost Man by Jane Harper and An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the author of The Hunting Party.
"I didn’t think Lucy Foley could top The Hunting Party, but she did! I loved this book. It gave me the same waves of happiness I get from curling up with a classic Christie. A remote, atmospheric island, a wedding no one is particularly happy to be at, old secrets—and a murder. The alternating points of view keep you guessing, and guessing wrong. I can’t wait for her next book."
—Alex Michaelides, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz by Jeremy Dronfield
For fans of: The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton
The #1 Sunday Times bestseller—a remarkable story of the heroic and unbreakable bond between a father and son that is as inspirational as The Tattooist of Auschwitz and as mesmerizing as The Choice.
"Today, when studies are showing many Americans know little about the Holocaust, this will serve as a compelling remedy: a personal and universal account of brutality at its worst and of family devotion at its best."
—Kirkus Reviews 
review
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
These Women by Ivy Pochoda
For fans of: The Feral Detective by Jonathan Lethem and Sunburn by Laura Lippman
From the award-winning author of Wonder Valley and Visitation Street comes a serial killer story like you’ve never seen before—a literary thriller of female empowerment and social change.
"Heartbreaking…. This deep dive into the lives of women too often unseen in the shadows makes them vividly unforgettable."
—Publishers Weekly 
review
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
For fans of: Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave
From the critically acclaimed author of The Baker’s Secret and
The Curiosity comes a novel of conscience, love, and redemption—a fascinating fictionalized account of the life of Charlie Fisk, a gifted mathematician who was drafted into Manhattan Project and ordered against his morals to build the detonator for the atomic bomb. With his musician wife, he spends his postwar life seeking redemption—and they find it together.
"Rarely does historical fiction get everything so right as Universe of Two: compelling characters, faithful detail, a story packed with unexpected twists, and a sure, authentic voice that never wavers. In this novel of the dawn of the atomic age and its profound consequences, Stephen Kiernan leads us along a journey of conscience as complex and infinite as the science itself."
—Beatriz Williams, New York Times bestselling author of The Golden Hour
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
I'd Give Anything by Marisa de los Santos
For fans of: Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
From the New York Times bestselling author of Love Walked In and Belong to Me comes a profound and heart-rending story about a horrific tragedy that marks one woman and her hometown and about the explosive secrets that come to light twenty years later.
"As fans know, de los Santos uses exquisitely luxurious, poetic writing to tell her characters’ stories. She knows exactly where she’s going and how and when to get there. The rhythm of the prose will more than please those who love the thoughtful, precise language of Anne Tyler and Joshilyn Jackson."
—Booklist
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
Shakespeare for Squirrels by Christopher Moore
Also from the author: Noir, Secondhand Souls, and The Serpent of Venice
Shakespeare meets Dashiell Hammett in this wildly entertaining murder mystery from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore—an uproarious, hardboiled take on the Bard’s most performed play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featuring Pocket, the hero of Fool and The Serpent of Venice, along with his sidekick, Drool, and pet monkey, Jeff.
"Manic parodist Moore…returns with a rare gift for Shakespeare fans who think
A Midsummer Night’s Dream would be perfect if only it were a little more madcap…. A kicky, kinky, wildly inventive 21st century mashup with franker language and a higher body count than Hamlet."
—Kirkus Reviews
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
For fans of: An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and
When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica
The bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish returns with a psychological thriller, filled with chilling serpentine twists, about a woman fighting to hold onto the only family she’s ever loved—and how far she’ll go to preserve it.
"A twisty, engrossing house of mirrors…smart, propulsive, and tricky-in-all-the-best-ways psychological suspense."
—Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of The Stranger Inside
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
Almond by Won-pyung Sohn
For fans of: Convenience Store Women by Sayaka Murata and The Emissary by Yoko Tawada
This unforgettable novel follows a young man—born with a brain condition robbing him of emotions like fear and anger—whose life is shattered by a random act of violence and whose only hope is an unlikely friendship with the school bully.
"Won-pyung Sohn understands that those who think, feel, and communicate differently aren't society's villains, they are its saviors. Her writing possesses seemingly unlimited empathy and tenderness."
—Madeleine Ryan, author of A Room Called Earth
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
Also from the author: Lady in the Lake, Sunburn, and
Wilde Lake
New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman, a journalist for many years, collects here her recent essays exploring motherhood as an older mom, her life as a reader, her relationships with her parents, friendship, and other topics that will resonate with a large audience.
"Candid and quirky, this book will have special appeal to fans of her crime fiction. A wryly observed collection from a reliably good writer."
—Kirkus Reviews
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
For fans of: Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
From the author of The Islanders comes a warm, witty and suspenseful novel filled with small-town secrets, summer romance, big time lies and spiked seltzer, in the vein of Liane Moriarty.
Praise for The Islanders: "[Moore’s] characters are strong, and the realistic situations are both heartfelt and heartbreaking. An excellent combination of character exploration and intrigue."
—Booklist
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
A Taste of Sage by Yaffa S. Santos
For fans of: The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai and Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev
From talented new writer Yaffa S. Santos comes this unforgettable, heartwarming, and hilarious rom-com about chefs, cooking, love, and self-discovery that is a cross between The Hating Game and Sweetbitter.
"This delightful debut charms the reader with its unique conflict, savory dishes, and engaging characters that warm your heart."
—Priscilla Oliveras, USA Today bestselling author of Island Affair
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
The Queen's Secret by Karen Harper
Also from the author: American Duchess, The It Girls, and
The Royal Nanny
If you love Jennifer Robson or The Crown, you will love New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper’s novel about Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, that lifts the veil on one of the world’s most fascinating families, and how its "secret weapon" of a matriarch maneuvered her way through one of the most dangerous chapters of the century.
"If you thought the Queen Mum was a benign, plump, cheery old lady, think again. In Karen Harper’s novel she is tough, determined, and fabulously gossipy. Reading this novel is like sitting next to an indiscreet royal insider at a private dinner."
—Gill Paul, bestselling author of The Lost Daughter
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
Click below to listen to editor Lucia Macro present The Queen's Secret and other can't-miss upcoming titles!
My Vanishing Country by Bakari Sellers
For fans of: Heartland by Sarah Smarsh and When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors
What J. D. Vance did for Appalachia with Hillbilly Elegy, CNN analyst and one of the youngest state representatives in South Carolina history Bakari Sellers does for the rural South, in this important book that illuminates the lives of America’s forgotten black working-class men and women.
"My Vanishing Country solidifies Bakari Sellers as a major voice for his generation. He has taken the torch from his father Cleveland Sellers and soared. His brutally honest look at the systemic racism that continues to hold back the black working class is revelatory. His ownership of being Black, Country, and Proud is refreshing."
—Angela Rye, CNN Commentator and CEO of IMACT Strategies
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
Daughter of the Reich by Louise Fein
For fans of: The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff and The Paris Seamstress by Natasha Lester
A spellbinding story of impossible love set against the backdrop of the Nazi regime about the dutiful daughter of a high-ranking Nazi officer and a dangerous love affair that will upend her life—perfect for fans of The Nightingale and All the Light We Cannot See.
"Louise Fein's Daughter of the Reich is so real—a beautifully written and emotional wrenching journey into World War II tumult and tragedy. Amazingly, this novel is both sweeping and intimate. Although the book brings history to life, its dynamic characters present a timely truth we should all grasp and embrace: We must stand up against those who preach hate."
—Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of The Queen's Secret
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
The Greatest Beer Run Ever by John "Chick" Donohue and J. T. Molloy
For fans of: Smokejumper by Jason A. Ramos
Soon to be a major motion picture written and directed by Peter Farrelly, who won two Academy Awards for Green Book—a wildly entertaining, feel-good memoir of an Irish-American New Yorker and former U.S. marine who embarked on a courageous, hare-brained scheme to deliver beer to his pals serving Vietnam in the late 1960s.
"John Donohue happens to be one of the best storytellers anywhere. He knows that though life may be funny, it is no joke. In this book you will see through his eyes the absurdity of the human condition. Chick takes us thousands of miles on a hilarious quest laced with sorrow, but never dull. You will laugh and cry, but you will not be sorry that you read this rollicking story."
—Malachy McCourt, author of Singing My Him Song
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
Say Yes to the Duke by Eloisa James
Also from the author: Say No to the Duke and Born to Be Wilde
A shy wallflower meets her dream man—or does she?—in the next book in New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James' Wildes of Lindow Castle series.
Praise for Eloisa James: "Eloisa James’ new series, The Wildes of Lindow Castle, is addictive…. Eloisa James spins yet another entertaining romance with intelligent protagonists and a wonderful supporting cast."
—Historical Novel Society
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
Sorry for Your Trouble by Richard Ford
For fans of: Your Duck Is My Duck by Deborah Eisenberg
A landmark new collection of stories from Richard Ford that showcases his brilliance, sensitivity, and trademark wit and candor.
"A collection of stories about lives shattered by divorce or death, with protagonists discovering that the pieces they are trying to put together no longer fit, and perhaps never did…. Powerfully unsettling stories in which men nearing the end of their lives wonder, befuddled, if that's all there is."
—Kirkus Reviews
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LibraryReads Votes Due: April 1, 2020
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We hope you enjoy the books! For more information about LibraryReads, visit their website. Remember: Vote early! Vote often!
-Chris