Check it out!
We are thrilled to share this list of Best Fiction of 2015 from Kirkus—which includes library faves Karin Slaughter, Laura Lippman, Eloisa James, Lisa Kleypas, Tessa Dare and more.
Congratulations, all!
-Virginia
If you don't yet know Frankie Presto, I hope this great video helped you out! The ficitonal hero of Mitch Albom's latest novel, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto, was the greatest guitar player who ever lived, with the power to change lives with the magic blue strings of his guitar.
You can also find individual clips about Frankie from the famous musicians in the above video here. The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto went on sale earlier this week, so we hope you take this chance to join the movement and learn about the legend. Enjoy!
-Amanda
You'll recognize Gayle Tzemach Lemmon as the bestselling author of The Dressmaker of Khair Khana, and more recently Ashley's War, the story of a unique team of warriors—women who could not be Army Rangers and Navy SEALS in their own right, but who answered the call to get as close to the fight as the Army had ever allowed women to be—including Ashley White, a beloved soldier who was killed serving her country’s cause.
If the book's status as a New York Times bestseller isn't enough proof of the book's power and popularity, Ashley's War was also recently nominated as one of the Best History & Biography books of the year in the Goodreads 2015 Choice Awards! And it was also named to the Commander's Reading List in the leadership category for 2016 by Special Operations Command!
Congratulations, Gayle and Ashley's War! If you've already had the pleasure of reading Ashley's War, we hope you'll consider voting for it and the many other HarperCollins titles currently nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards. If you haven't, now's the perfect time to check it out.
-Amanda
Pound for Pound is the brave, inspiring story of one woman's recovery from a debilitating eating disorder, and the remarkable shelter dogs who unexpectedly loved her back to life. Today, author Shannon Kopp joins us to share a story about her first library conference experience and how dogs continue to affect her life.
***
Silly Girl
The 2015 ALA Conference was a weekend of firsts for me. My first time in San Francisco. My first time holding my memoir in my own two hands. My first time turning around to see a butt naked man standing beside me on Castro Street. My first time watching a friend hop on a motorcycle with a guy she barely knew. My first time celebrating Pride in the city where it all began.
But of all the awesome moments I experienced that weekend, my favorite happened as I was walking to the convention center to do my (first-ever) book signing. I had already spilled coffee on my white shirt that morning, and as much as I told myself not to be nervous, anxiety flowed through my body.
I took a deep breath while waiting at a crosswalk, and then, there she was. A red pit bull. I’d seen all kinds of dogs in San Francisco, many of them wearing rainbow ribbons and t-shirts and tutu’s in celebration of Pride. This one wasn’t dressed up, but still, she was in a festive mood: tail wagging, body loose, eyes brimming with light. A little slobber dripped from her mouth and a blaze of white spanned across her chest. Seemingly for no reason, she circled around herself twice and got tangled in her leash. Her owners, a friendly looking couple in their forties, laughed and picked up her back legs to untangle her. “You silly girl,” the woman said, and I couldn’t help but smile.
I’d met so many silly girls over the years working in animal shelters. Most of them were pit bulls. During the toughest time of my life, when I was suffering from a debilitating eating disorder, the shelter dogs were often the only reason I got out of bed. Their distinct faces and eyes and stories. Their attentive eyes and steady tail wags telling me that I still mattered to someone. Their all around goofiness quieting the ever-serious voices in my head.
The crosswalk sign flashed “WALK” and the pit bull pranced ahead of me with her owners. I had only watched her for a few brief seconds, but suddenly, I realized that I was calmer. And still smiling.
Thank you to all the librarians for the important work that you do! I believe that books, like shelter dogs, can save lives. I hope that you enjoy my story, and thank you for making so many other stories available to us.
***
Thanks, Shannon! Pound for Pound is available now, so make sure to check out this inspiring story of love, triumph, and dogs.
-Amanda
Hear ye, hear ye! Our October book club video is here! Even though Halloween is just around the corner, there's nothing scary here, just juicy reads for all to enjoy!
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton: Set in 17th century Amsterdam—against the backdrop of the Calvinist Church’s oppressive grip, the gossip of the Guilds, and the overblown trading of the Dutch East India Company —this is a masterful, mystery-laden debut in the tradition of Emma Donoghue, Sarah Waters, and Sarah Dunant.
The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo: a poignant, darkly funny debut novel about a young woman who travels—penniless, pregnant, and homeless—to her deceased mother’s small southern hometown, and becomes embroiled in a local mystery: what forced her mother to flee that town thirty-five years previously?
We already know you librarians love these two books: both were LibraryReads picks when they first came out. Now you can help us share our collective love for these titles with all your book club friends.
-Amanda
EDIT: Thank you for your interest. This giveaway is now closed.
Say nothing. Not a word to anyone. Whatever you see. Whatever you heard. Do you understand? Say nothing. Ever.
So begins the aptly named historical thriller THE SILENT BOY by multi-award-winning author Andrew Taylor.
One of the best writers of commercial historical fiction working today, Taylor, the author of such blockbusters as THE AMERICAN BOY and THE SCENT OF DEATH delivers another powerful, brilliant page-turner — this one set in Paris during the French Revolution.
Terror reigns as the city writhes in the grip of revolution. The streets run with blood as thousands lose their heads to the guillotine. Edward Savill, working in London as agent for a wealthy American, receives word that his estranged wife Augusta has been killed in France. She leaves behind ten-year-old Charles, who is brought to England to Charnwood Court, a house in the country leased by a group of émigré refugees.
Savill is sent to retrieve the boy, though it proves easier to reach Charnwood than to leave. And only when Savill arrives there does he discover that Charles is mute. The boy has witnessed horrors beyond his years, but what terrible secret haunts him so deeply that he is unable to utter a word?
THE SILENT BOY was published first in the UK to critical acclaim:
“Taylor has not only succeeded in constructing a labyrinthine plot that is gripping to the last page, but he also created an entirely believable child, traumatized but resolute, whose plight is the fuel for true suspense” —Guardian
Now Harper 360 is proud to announce the US publication which has already received glowing praise including this starred review from Booklist: “This compares well to the suspense and sheer adventure of Robert McCammon’s Matthew Corbett mysteries and even Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped.”
If you’d like to dive into the world of Andrew Taylor, send us an email and we’ll send you a copy of this unforgettable read.
—Virginia
An admitted sci-fi/fantasy nut, I often harp on the importance of world-building. Richard Kadrey, author of the bestselling Sandman Slim series and the upcoming The Everything Box, doesn’t just build worlds, he inhabits them.
Watch Kadrey’s nighttime tour of the LA locales featured in his books. This guy is all in and genre fans are better off because of it. The Everything Box trades some of the pulpy noir of the Sandman Slim series for fast-paced, whimsical fantasy while still maintaining his signature blend of irreverent humor, page-turning action, and an interminable sense that SOMETHING is writhing, squirming, or lurking around every corner.
The story centers on Coop, a wise-cracking, unassailable purloiner of magical objects, as he takes a job acquiring a long-lost doomsday device…and another job to undo the mess from THAT job. Added involvement from a wide-range of bumbling occultists, shadow agents, ghosts, ghoulies, and other oddities ensures things definitely do not go according to plan. Fast-paced, hilarious, and exceedingly clever, this is another home-run for Kadrey.
As Halloween looms, Richard Kadrey serves up a perfect treat (mixed with some equally-pleasant tricks) for fans of his Sandman Slim series as well as work by Christopher Moore and Matt Ruff. The Everything Box goes on sale 4/19/2016. For more information on Richard and his work, visit his website at www.RichardKadrey.com.
-Chris
EDIT: This giveaway is now closed.
You know Mitch Albom from his multiple bestselling novels, including Tuesdays with Morrie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and The First Phone Call From Heaven. But you haven't yet experienced his new novel, The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto. This is the epic story of Frankie Presto—the greatest guitar player who ever lived—and the six lives he changed with his six magical blue strings.
And you're in luck, because we're giving away galleys! Click here to enter for a chance to win, but don't wait! We have a limited supply, so make sure you sign up soon to receive this heartrending and inventive ode to music and love.
-Amanda
Happy book birthday, All the Stars in the Heavens! This is the biggest and boldest novel yet from Adriana Trigiani, the bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife. In this new novel, Adriana takes us back to the Golden Age of Hollywood to tell the imagined story of Loretta Young and Clark Gable. Publishers Weekly says, "Eminently readable and richly imagined, Trigiani’s latest will thrill her fans and surely collect new ones," and Library Journal called it "A tinsel-trimmed treat for movie buffs and Trigiani fans alike.”
She was on the Today Show yesterday to celebrate the publication of All the Stars in the Heavens and to talk about her movie Big Stone Gap, in theaters now. You can watch the clip here.
All the Stars in the Heavens is on sale today, so don't wait to experience this spellbinding tale rooted in a true story and filled with Adriana's signature elements: family ties, artistry, romance, and adventure.
-Amanda
Bouchercon, the world's largest mystery convention organized completely by fans of the genre, took place this past weekend in Raleigh, NC. And guess what? Both Greg Iles's Natchez Burning and Laura Lippman's After I'm Gone came home with top honors. No big mystery there!
Natchez Burning, a thrilling small town story of a son, his father, and a series of horrible crimes tearing apart their community, won The Barry Award for Best Thriller of the Year. Praise for the book includes:
“It is rare when a book as impactful and daring as Natchez Burning appears . . . Its intriguing plot demands to be read from beginning to end . . . It is compelling reading that awes [and] entertains at the same time.” —Huffington Post
After I'm Gone, a detective mystery following the case of a man, his disappearance, and the lives of those he left behind, won The Anthony Award for Best Novel of the Year. Critics have been equally thrilled:
"She's one of the best novelists around, period."—Washington Post
Congratulations to both Greg and Laura for this well-deserved recognition. If you love mysteries and thrillers, be sure to crack one or both of these titles for an experience you won't soon forget.
-The LLF Team
Calling all Patricia Cornwell fans! From October 6th through October 16th, follow a trail of daily evidence on Patricia Cornwell's Facebook page. Solve the puzzle to learn the password that unlocks the excerpt of Depraved Heart, on sale October 27th! http://decodedheart.com/
-The LLF Team
EDIT: Thank you for your interest. This giveaway is now closed.
Karin Slaughter is one of our favorites here on the LLF team (see her heartfelt and hilarious message to librarians here.) Her latest release, Pretty Girls, is her best yet (in our humble opinion!) It's a twisted, psychological thriller with an ending you won't see coming! Not convinced? Check out some of this praise:
“Slaughter’s eye for detail and truth is unmatched. . . . I’d follow her anywhere.” — Gillian Flynn
“A stunning family tragedy and a hold-your-breath pedal-to-the-metal thriller magically blended by Karin Slaughter’s trademark passion, intensity, and humanity. Certain to be a book of the year.” — Lee Child
In celebration of this release, we are giving away galleys to the first 20 people to email us at librarylovefest@harpercollins.com. Be sure to mention the giveaway and provide your mailing address.
Ms. Slaughter might send chills down your spine but missing out on a free book? Now that would be truly disturbing. So don't delay! And be sure to check out this great interview and review of Pretty Girls featured on ShelfAwareness.com. For more info on Karin, visit her website at KarinSlaughter.com.
-The LLF Team
We've mentioned the excellent book blog – Harper/Bookselling – before. Run by our friend and HarperCollins sales rep, Kate McCune, the blog is chock-full of wonderful insights and reviews for booksellers, book readers, and everyone in between.
She just posted a fantastic video for the upcoming title PT 109: An American Epic of War, Survival, and the Destiny of John F. Kennedy by William Doyle.
The book goes on sale tomorrow, October 6th, so be sure to check it out here! And don't forget to subscribe to Kate's blog for other great reading suggestions.
-Chris
EDIT: Thank you for your interest. This giveaway is now closed.
Big news, everyone! We are offering a giveaway of galleys of Mendocino Fire, the new short story collection from Elizabeth Tallent.
This long-awaited return by a rare literary talent offers a diverse, deeply-felt collection of stories with observations on love, marriage, aging, and the myriad foibles that make us human. Here are just a few of the glowing reviews this book has garnered:
“In her fourth collection, Tallent explores the spaces between people through 10 expertly crafted stories…Tallent’s collection offers a smart, thought-provoking study of desire and disappointment.” —Publishers Weekly
“Elizabeth Tallent is, and always has been, a vivid, meticulous, and astutely inviting writer. These new stories vitally tell us how things are for us, in the most acute and memorable ways. Her ear is perfect; her gaze searing and unmistakable.” —Richard Ford
So don’t delay! The first twenty people to email us at librarylovefest@harpercollins.com mentioning the giveaway will receive a galley. Be sure to provide your mailing address. For more information on Elizabeth and her work, please visit www.elizabethtallent.com. Good luck and good reading!
-Chris
We at LLF are really excited about The Decent Proposal by Kemper Donovan, a debut novel set in Los Angeles that follows two characters approached by a mysterious benefactor with a "decent proposal" that will change their lives forever.
Richard is handsome and charming, but struggling in his career as a movie producer. Elizabeth is a cool and collected lawyer who logs more hours than she should and doesn't have many friends. They're each offered half a million dollars by a mysterious benefactor if they can stand to spend two hours together every week—just talking required, nothing scandalous—for an entire calendar year.
And what follows is a love story, but also so much more than that. There's a whole cast of characters outside the main two that add a real depth of emotion to the story, exploring the love between friends and family and all the complications that can ensue. It's funny and sweet, but still deep and moving, perfect for both fans of quirky romantic comedies like I Love You Beth Cooper and romantic literary novels like The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! You can get started reading now by downloading the egalley here.
-Amanda
If you’re a fan of truly twisted psychological thrillers with brilliant story lines, clever dialogue, authentic voices and tension so tight you find yourself anxiously eating an entire box of Costco-sized Wheat Thins while flying through the pages to solve the mystery…well, then…look no further. Pretty Girls by the aptly named and oh-so-smart Karin Slaughter delivers all that and more. This is a riveting story of two estranged sisters who must come together to find the truth about two harrowing tragedies, twenty years apart, that devastate their lives.
Pretty Girls… The title itself is enticing. Just wait until you start reading.
“Slaughter’s eye for detail and truth is unmatched. . . . I’d follow her anywhere.” —Gillian Flynn
“A fearless writer. One of the boldest thriller writers working today.” —Tess Gerritsen
“Her characters, plot, and pacing are unrivaled among thriller writers.” —Michael Connelly
On sale today. Pick up a copy, get the Wheat Thins and keep the lights on…
-Virginia
Homer Hickam (also known as Homer H. Hickam, Jr.) is the bestselling and award-winning author of many books, including the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir Rocket Boys, which was adapted into the popular film October Sky. Today, Homer joins us on LLF to share his love for libraries and more about his upcoming novel, Carrying Albert Home.
***
During a long book tour that sometimes found me at loose ends during the day in towns and villages across the USA, I discovered the best way to learn about a town was to visit its library and take a gander at its bulletin board. This was usually a rectangle of cork hung off in a remote corner where, amidst notices of yard sales and offers to mow lawns, were also announcements of arts and craft fairs, church services, club meetings, and school events. I would study these, salting away the information, with the idea of talking knowledgably about the town during my book event later in the day. This tended to endear me to my audience which I took as a very good thing, indeed.
Visiting its library also gave me a sense of the overall health of the town. The number of patrons was certainly a clue to the literacy of the population but a palpable sense of excitement inside the library was even better. Libraries that had things going on—adults reading to children, students diligently doing their research, folks reading newspapers and magazines, and whispered requests at the desk for the best of the new books just in (I always hoped it would be one of mine)—meant to me that this was a town on its way up. An empty, dull library invariably meant the town was on its way down and out. My presumptions, based on my library sleuthing, were rarely wrong.
It occurs to me that I scarcely have a book that doesn't include a library scene in it. Certainly, the Coalwood books, of which Rocket Boys is best known, have lots of things happening in school libraries, including whispered assignations and passed notes between boys and girls. In The Dinosaur Hunter, Mike Wire, a detective turned cowboy, confesses to a small town librarian his inability to understand things about certain diabolical events, whereupon the woman slides her glasses down to the tip of her nose and explains everything. Librarians know their towns and the people in them. In Carrying Albert Home, Elsie (my future mom) heads for the library after she takes a job as a nurse, a profession about which she knows very little. Books soon tell her a lot of what she needs to know and, from that acquired foundation, she is able to figure out the rest herself, at least enough to keep her employer fooled. The point is that authors should always consider the local library as a place where things can happen and where certain plots points might be resolved. From my perspective, a visit to the local library by my protagonists also gives me the opportunity to write about some of my favorite people in the world, those fine folks who know more than most of us about everything and carry with them that most exalted title: Librarian.
Note: More on Homer Hickam and his books and his profound (and perfectly understandable) adoration of librarians can be found on www.homerhickam.com
***
Thanks, Homer! You still have a bit of time to download an egalley of Carrying Albert Home—the emotionally evocative story about a man, a woman, and an alligator—before it goes on sale on October 13th.
-Amanda
Back in June of 2014, LibraryLoveFest debuted our Book Club Suggestions website, and since then it has been continuously updated with new titles and even a book club videos section where the LibraryLoveFest team talks about our favorite book club picks.
We recently released our 9th book club suggestions video, which you can check out below.
We hope you consider Beautiful Ruins and A Line of Blood (click here for a Reading Group Guide) as potential titles for your book clubs, and we hope you will sign up for our newsletter here to receive these videos with new suggestions every month!
-Amanda
Sweetgirl has us excited here on the Library Marketing team. A stunning debut set in the snowy isolation of Northern Michigan, Travis Mulhauser weaves an emotional story of love and survival that runs at breakneck speed, with rich atmosphere and unique characters sure to resonate with fans of Winter’s Bone and Fargo.
Sixteen-year-old protagonist Percy’s chapters, told from first-person perspective, are lush with hard-earned insight and resilient glimmers of hope. Things move quickly from Percy’s search for her wayward meth-addict mother, to her rescue of the baby girl of local terror/drug dealer Shelton Potter, to her flight across the wilderness, a “nor’easter” dangerously looming. Yet via third-person limited narration, Mulhauser also delves into the mind of Shelton Potter on his drug-fueled hunt for his child. Terrifying in ways you might expect (he’s a meth-addict who left his infant alone in a freezing room!), Mulhauser injects moments of humanity and even poetry into Shelton’s drug-addled passages that as a reader challenged my desire to hate him from the darkest reaches of my heart.
Ron Rash states, “Sweetgirl is a gritty, compelling novel of a world where even a sixteen-year-old must confront what Edith Wharton called ‘the hard considerations of the poor.’ Mulhauser depicts his people and their landscape with uncompromising fidelity.” Sweetgirl’s multiple perspectives are masterfully realized, the setting integral and fierce, and the journey one we highly recommend you join. Click here to download an egalley from Edelweiss.
If you are a public librarian who is not already white-listed, send us an email at librarylovefest@harpercollins.com from the email address you used to register with Edelweiss, and we will add you to our VIP list.
-Chris
The longlist for the 2015 National Book Awards was announced last week, and a big congratulations goes to Welcome to Braggsville by T. Geronimo Johnson and Mislaid by Nell Zink for making the fiction list!
From the PEN/Faulkner finalist and critically acclaimed author of Hold it ‘Til it Hurts, Welcome to Braggsville is a dark and socially provocative southern-fried comedy about four liberal UC Berkeley students who stage a mock lynching during a Civil War reenactment. Their journey, through backwoods churches, backroom politics, waffle houses and drunken family barbecues, is uproarious to start but will have surprising (aka disastrous) consequences for everyone they meet.
Mislaid is a sharply observed, mordantly funny, and startlingly original debut about the making and unmaking of the American family that lays bare all of our assumptions about race and racism, sexuality and desire.
I hope you've all had a chance to read these two excellent books, and if not, now's your chance to catch up before the 2015 National Book Awards finalists are announced on October 14!
Click here to see all of the longlisted titles.
-Amanda
Romance novels are always fun to read, but there's just something about the fall—with its cooling weather, cozy sweaters, camp fires, and hot chocolate—that makes them especially enjoyable. For those of you out there who feel the same way, we have an excellent list of romance titles either already out for you to enjoy or coming soon for you to get excited about. Check out this great list of historicals, contemporaries, westerns, and everything in between to warm your heart this fall.
When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare: The third book in the New York Times bestselling author’s Castles Ever After series.
Her Lucky Cowboy by Jennifer Ryan: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Ryan is back with the third book in her Montana Men series.
Undaunted by Ronnie Douglas: The first in a sexy, dark New Adult series about a girl with a plan, but when her life comes crashing down, she finds herself pulled into the inner circle of a Southern motorcycle club.
A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn by Shelley Shepard Gray: a wedding brings together two young widowed parents…and gives them a second chance at love.
Forever with You by Jennifer Armentrout: two free spirits find their lives changed by a one-night stand.
The Legend of Lyon Redmond by Julie Anne Long: the USA Today bestselling Pennyroyal Green series concludes with the romance fans have been waiting for.
Forever Your Earl by Eva Leigh: the first book in the smart and sexy Wicked Quills of London series.
A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft by Shelley Shepard Gray: the final Amish Brides of Pinecraft novel—an uplifting story that proves anything is possible when you follow your heart.
Missing Dixie by Caisey Quinn: the stunning final installment in the Neon Dreams trilogy.
All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani: the biggest and boldest novel yet from the New York Times bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife set in the golden age of Hollywood.
Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas: The first book in a brand new historical romance series.
Falling into Bed with a Duke by Lorraine Heath: the first in a dazzling new series that introduces the Hellions of Havisham—three charismatic rogues destined to lose their hearts.
Tryst by S.L. Jennings: a scandalously sexy story about a woman who knows what she wants and the two men who are dying to give her what she needs.
Lone Star by Paullina Simons: an epic new romantic saga from the author of Tully and The Bronze Horseman.
I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Lori Wilde: the matchmaking members of the Cookie Club are up to their old tricks again in Twilight, TX.
The Match of the Century by Cathy Maxwell: the first novel in the brand new Marrying the Duke series.
Rescued by the Ranger by Dixie Lee Brown: a thrilling romantic suspense story in which a former Army Ranger meets his match.
I Need a Hero by Codi Gary: the first in the new Men in Uniform series with a sexy and sweet story of forbidden romance…and a dog named Beast.
Best Worst Mistake by Lia Riley: the third sexy and emotional novel in the Brightwater series set in the mountains of Northern California.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton: a novella from the Dukes Behaving Badly historical romance series.
All I Want for Christmas Is a Duke anthology: four rising stars of historical romance come together to bring readers delightful tales of Christmas magic and the dukes that make us swoon.
Dirty Deeds by Megan Erickson: the third sexy story in her contemporary new adult series, the Mechanics of Love.
The Bride Wore Red Boots by Lizbeth Selvig: the second in the author's newest series, Seven Brides for Seven Heroes, following the fun and sexy Crockett sisters.
To find even more information on great upcoming romances, check out www.AvonRomance.com, and also make sure to peruse our curated catalog on Edelweiss for egalleys you can download and start reading today.
-Amanda
Whooosh…or perhaps a sharp ssshliiiice…it’s almost easier to describe the pulpy energy of Ron Rash’s prose in Above the Waterfall with sounds. The words jump from the page, they grind and they bite. They sing. They are felt. And from the first paragraph on, I was swept up and away. But this is no fairytale. A story of rural life colliding with the grit of modernity, Rash, whose prizewinning work includes the bestselling novel Serena and The Cove, weaves together the past and present with poetry and grace while confronting the ugliness of a small town in North Carolina tormented by meth addiction and poverty.
I particularly love small town settings as characters are thrust into moments of often unwanted intimacy, leading to memories long-hidden bubbling back to the surface. So it is with Sheriff Les and Park Ranger Becky, the former soon to retire, worn by the daily degradation of the place he loves, the latter haunted by past trauma who finds solace in the poetry and solitude of nature. As a mutual friend is accused of poisoning the stream of a nearby resort—one of the town’s few remaining vestiges of prosperity, and thusly of power—the characters are forced to question long-held allegiances and revisit pasts better left behind.
Come for the prose, stay for the haunting setting, complex characters, the whirling tension as the main conflict builds…I could keep this list going. Author Richard Price describes Rash as “a gorgeous, brutal writer.” Gorgeous and brutal is as apt a description as I’ve seen. I hope you’ll see for yourself. Click here to check out the egalley now available on Edelweiss.
-Chris
Chris Connolly is the newest addition to our LibraryLoveFest Family.
Chris will serve as Library Marketing Assistant, learning the ropes from the fabulous Amanda Rountree and yours truly.
Here’s Chris’ inaugural post on LLF!
-Virginia
We are proud to announce that librarians have chosen Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor as a LibraryReads pick for October!
Based on the wildly popular podcast of the same name, Welcome to Night Vale is a topsy-turvy mystery set in the fictional town of Night Vale, where ghouls and goblins, angels and demons, aliens and shadowy government ops are part of everyday life. No one leaves Night Vale…that is until a mystery man and a scrap of paper reading "KING CITY" invade our characters' lives, beckoning them towards a quest for answers, no matter how strange the journey.
Thanks so much for voting and being part of the LibraryReads community. Now let's get back to reading!
-The LLF Team
The Art of Crash Landing, one of my favorite books on this season’s list, went on sale yesterday, September 8th.
This book hits all the sweet spots. It’s straight up family dysfunction at its best—with a wise ass protagonist you’ll want to throttle and hug throughout the book’s pages. Great story, fabulous voice, unforgettable characters. Very few books make me laugh out loud—or well up with tears. This one did. I love this book.
Librarians love this book, too. They voted it the #1 book on the September LibraryReads list.
Reviewers love this book. Read what they have to say:
“Mattie’s voice is fresh, her penchant for off-color language balanced with a revealing earnestness and vulnerability. Gandy’s other residents are vibrant and well-developed…DeCarlo’s debut is confident and accomplished, filled with heart and humor.”—Kirkus
“First novelist DeCarlo deftly weaves in flashbacks about Mattie’s childhood and creates a cast of wonderfully full-blooded, fallible characters, from kind and ailing Queeg to Karleen, Mattie’s mother’s closest childhood friend, to potty-mouthed Goth teenager Tawny, the “summer project” of a no-nonsense librarian. Best of all is Mattie herself, who has cultivated a measure of humanity in addition to impressive survival skills and whose briskly told story is instantly involving. An impressive debut.”—Booklist
“DeCarlo manages to make her heroine endearing despite her many flaws: she creates clever private jokes with the reader and slips in the occasional heartbreaking memory between brash shows of pushiness…DeCarlo’s writing bristles with Mattie’s vibrant personality…a triumphant first novel.”—Publishers Weekly
I hope you love it, too.
Congratulations, Melissa DeCarlo. I can’t wait to see what you do next.
-Virginia
