Hello again, librarians. Time for a fresh round of reading suggestions for the February LibraryReads list. As the holidays draw near, you most certainly deserve the gift of a great read. With this list, we're sure you'll find that special something. Don't forget, the deadline to vote is December 20th. Happy reading!
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A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline
For fans of: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
From the author of the smash bestseller Orphan Train comes a stunning and atmospheric novel of friendship, passion, and art, inspired by Andrew Wyeth’s mysterious and iconic painting “Christina’s World."
"With remarkable precision and compassion, A Piece of the World transports us to a mid-century farmhouse on the coast of Maine. But just like the painting that inspired it, this gorgeous novel is about so much more. Heartbreaking and life-affirming." —Nathan Hill, author of The Nix
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
A Book of American Martyrs by Joyce Carol Oates
For fans of: Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, The Round House by Louise Erdrich
In this striking, enormously affecting novel, Joyce Carol Oates tells the story of two very different American families intimately linked by the assassination of a small town abortion provider.
"This is a book for our times, challenging, surprising, powerful, and unmistakably from the imagination of Joyce Carol Oates." —Elaine Showalter, Professor of English, Emeritus, Princeton University
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
Garden of Lamentations by Deborah Crombie
For fans of: Elizabeth George, Louise Penny, P.D. James
Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are drawn into separate investigations that hold disturbing—and deadly—complications for their own lives in this powerful mystery in the bestselling series.
"We can always count on her for fabulous plots…But what puts Deborah Crombie among the greats is her sure hand in raising her characters off the page."
—Louise Penny, New York Times bestselling author
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
Their Finest by Lissa Evans
For fans of: The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain, The Heroes' Welcome by Louisa Young
From the author of the acclaimed Crooked Heart comes another “smart, funny, ingenious, revealing tale of London life during the Second World War” (The Independent)—longlisted for the Orange Prize upon its original publication in England.
"[Evans]…brilliantly evokes the disruption and dangers of wartime London. This funny, heart-warming and beautifully crafted novel is a must-read." —Daily Mail (London)
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
The Possessions by Sara Flannery Murphy
For fans of: The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood, The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi
In this electrifying literary debut, a young woman who channels the dead for a living crosses a dangerous line when she falls in love with one of her clients, whose wife died under mysterious circumstances.
"A gripping, chilling read that’s part love story, part mystery, and completely original, it’s sensuous, scary, and utterly thrilling. I’ve never read anything quite like it."
—Anton DiSclafani, author of The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
The Dressmaker's Dowry by Meredith Jaeger
For fans of: Hazel Gaynor, Lucinda Riley, Sarah Jio
This gripping historical debut novel tells the story of two women: one, an immigrant seamstress who disappears from San Francisco’s gritty streets in 1876, and the other, a young woman in present day who must delve into the secrets of her husband’s wealthy family only to discover that she and the missing dressmaker might be connected in unexpected ways.
"Meredith Jaeger sweeps us into nineteenth century San Francisco, painting harrowing images of poverty alongside excesses of wealth, weaving a multi-generational novel impossible to put down." —Lori Nelson Spielman, New York Times bestselling author of The Life List and Sweet Forgiveness
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
Bone Box by Faye Kellerman
For fans of: Fast-paced crime novels, previous entries in the Decker/Lazarus series
In this thrilling chapter in Faye Kellerman’s bestselling series, Rina Lazarus makes a shocking discovery in the woods of her upstate New York community that leads her husband, police detective Peter Decker, through a series of gruesome, decades old, unsolved murders, pointing to a diabolical serial killer who’s been hiding in plain sight.
"Hands down, the most refreshing mystery couple around." —People
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan
For fans of: The Lake House by Kate Morton, First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
A charming, clever, and quietly moving debut novel of endless possibilities and joyful discoveries that explores the promises we make and break, losing and finding ourselves, the objects that hold magic and meaning for our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us.
"From the attention-grabbing opening paragraph, to the joyful conclusion, Ruth Hogan has stirred together a charming fairytale in which the people may be more lost than the things; and generosity and compassion may be the key to finding a way home. Also there are dogs. Delightful." —Helen Simonson, author of The Summer Before the War and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari
For fans of: The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert, Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku
Yuval Noah Harari, author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller and international phenomenon Sapiens, returns with an equally original, compelling, and provocative book, turning his focus toward humanity’s future, and our quest to upgrade humans into gods.
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
The Stolen Child by Lisa Carey
For fans of: Eowyn Ivey, Sarah Waters, Angela Carter
From the author of the critically acclaimed The Mermaids Singing comes a haunting, luminous novel set on an enchanted island off the west coast of Ireland where magic, faith, and superstition pervade the inhabitants’ lives and tangled relationships.
"Steeped in dark Irish mythology, The Stolen Child is a piercing exploration of regret and desire, longing and love. It is a gorgeously written, inventive, and compelling novel." —Ayelet Waldman, author of Love and Treasure
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
The Girl Who Lied by Sue Fortin
For fans of: After Anna by Alex Lake, The Sisters by Claire Douglas, What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan
A newly-discovered secret will set two former friends on a deadly collision course in this gripping psychological drama.
"Sue Fortin writes with skill and pace, filling her pages with tension. With great characters and a gripping storyline, I was immediately pulled in and found myself desperate to turn the pages." —Amanda Jennings, author of In Her Wake
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
The Fortunate Ones by Ellen Umansky
For fans of: And After the Fire by Lauren Belfer, The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro
One very special work of art—a Chaim Soutine painting—will connect the lives and fates of two different women, generations apart, in this enthralling and transporting debut novel that moves from World War II Vienna to contemporary Los Angeles.
"Umansky’s richly textured and peopled novel tells an emotionally and historically complicated story with so much skill and confidence it’s hard to believe it’s her first." —Kirkus Reviews starred review
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: December 20th
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For more suggestions, click below!
We hope you enjoy the reads! Be sure to let us know what you think. If you love any (or ALL!) of these titles, please leave a review on Edelweiss and nominate your chosen titles for the February LibraryReads list. Remember: the deadline to vote for the February LibraryReads list is December 20th. For more information, visit LibraryReads.org. Happy reading, everyone!
-The LLF Team