Hello there, dearest librarians! This month's staff suggestions for the July LibraryReads list features some serious heavy-hitters, including Joshilyn Jackson, Matthew Quick, and even Wesley Snipes. Yes, THAT Wesley Snipes. Fantasy, romance, mystery—July has it all. We hope you find something your patrons will love while soaking up the summer rays (accompanied by a responsible amount of sunscreen!)
Don't forget: the deadline to vote for the July LibraryReads list is May 20th. Happy reading!
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The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson
For fans of: The Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown and Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson
With empathy, grace, humor, and piercing insight, the author of Gods in Alabama pens a powerful, emotionally resonant novel of the South that confronts the truth about privilege, family, and the distinctions between perception and reality—the stories we tell ourselves about our origins and who we really are.
"Book clubs will find much to talk about in this multi-generational, Southern tale of sisters, friendship, and small-town life, including the author’s signature quirky characters and deft touch with serious topics such as aging, race, and cultural identity."
—Library Journal 
review
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
The Reason You're Alive by Matthew Quick
For fans of: My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman and The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
The New York Times bestselling author of The Silver Linings Playbook offers a timely novel featuring his most fascinating character yet, a Vietnam vet embarking on a quixotic crusade to track down his nemesis from the war.
"Quick’s prose is sharp and cutting…. The Reason You’re Alive is a compact powerhouse of a novel. Though brief, it’s subversive, unexpected, and utterly compelling."
—Booklist 
review
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
Made for Love by Alissa Nutting
For fans of: Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff and Mislaid by Nell Zink
From one of our most exciting and provocative young writers, a poignant, riotously funny story of how far some will go for love—and how far some will go to escape it.
"Alissa Nutting’s Made for Love is so blisteringly smart and feverishly inventive…. This is a novel as frightening as it is hilarious, melding pathos, comedy, and delight as only great satire can." —Garth Greenwell, author of What Belongs to You
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
Talon of God by Wesley Snipes and Ray Norman
For fans of: Stalked by Kevin Hearne, Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs, and The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
The acclaimed actor makes his fiction debut with this enthralling urban fantasy in which a holy warrior must convince a doctor with no faith to help stop a powerful demon and his minions from succeeding in creating hell on earth—a thrilling adventure of science and faith, good and evil, damnation and salvation.
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
The Reluctant Queen by Sarah Beth Durst
For fans of: Uprooted by Naomi Novik and The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
Filled with political intrigue, violent magic, and malevolent spirits, the mesmerizing second book in Sarah Beth Durst’s Queens of Renthia epic fantasy trilogy.
Praise for The Queen of Blood, book one in the Queens of Renthia series: "Durst…. is an expert world-builder and has crafted an enthralling tale filled with an intriguing ensemble of characters." —Washington Post
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
Wildfire by Ilona Andrews
Also from the author: Burn for Me and White Hot
From Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling author, the thrilling conclusion to her Hidden Legacy series, as Nevada and Rogan grapple with a power beyond even their imagination.
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
The Lost Ones by Sheena Kamal
For fans of: Girl in the Dark by Marion Pauw and The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer
A dark, compulsively readable psychological suspense debut, the first in a new series featuring the brilliant, fearless, chaotic, and deeply flawed Nora Watts—a character as heartbreakingly troubled, emotionally complex, and irresistibly compelling as Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander and Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole.
"The rainy Pacific Northwest is a fitting setting for this sometimes grim tale that also shows how determination and love can break through the grittiest facades."
—Booklist
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
The Witches of New York by Ami McKay
For fans of: The Fifth Avenue Artists Society by Joy Callaway and The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
From the acclaimed bestselling author of The Birth House and The Virgin Cure comes a dark and riveting historical novel inspired by the cult and craft of Manhattan’s 19th-century mediums.
"Wonderfully wicked and deliciously dark, The Witches of New York had me totally spellbound. Reminiscent of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Ami McKay has written a book brimming with atmosphere, intrigue, and a cast of mesmerising characters. I loved it." —Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
The Lightkeeper's Daughters by Jean E. Pendziwol
For fans of: The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro
With the haunting atmosphere and emotional power of The Language of Flowers, Orphan Train, and The Light Between Oceans, critically acclaimed children’s author Jean E. Pendziwol’s adult debut is an affecting story of family, identity, and art that involves a decades-old mystery.
"The Lightkeeper's Daughters is a sensitive and moving examination of the nature of identity, the importance of family, and the possibility of second chances."
—Heather Young, author of The Lost Girls
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
Every Day Above Ground by Glen Erik Hamilton
For fans of: The Drifter by Nick Petrie and The Drop by Dennis Lehane
A favor for a dying ex-con turns into a violent battle against a mysterious enemy for Van Shaw in this emotionally powerful and gritty thriller from the award-winning author of Past Crimes and Hard Cold Winter.
"A tough and intriguing character…that will appeal to fans of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher."
—Library Journal
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
Dark Saturday by Nicci French
For fans of: I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
One of the world’s most acclaimed suspense writers—husband-and-wife team Nicci French—deliver a compelling story of old sins and fresh blood—a riveting thriller perfect for fans of Gilly Macmillan, Jane Shemilt, and Fiona Barton.
"Fabulous, unsettling, and riveting." —Louise Penny
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
My Sister's Bones by Nuala Ellwood
For fans of: What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan and The Daughter by Jane Shemilt
In the vein of Fiona Barton’s The Widow and Renée Knight’s Disclaimer, My Sister's Bones is a psychological thriller about a war reporter who returns to her childhood home after her mother’s death and becomes convinced that all is not well in the house next door—but is what she’s seeing real or a symptom of the trauma she suffered in Syria?
"A formidable debut thriller, My Sister's Bones rivals The Girl on the Train as a compulsive read (and beats it for style)." —The Observer (London)
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
The Boy Who Saw by Simon Toyne
For fans of: James Rollins, Steve Berry, and Dan Brown
Solomon Creed, the enigmatic hero introduced in The Searcher, must stop a killer tied to a conspiracy stretching back over generations to the dying days of World War II.
"Simon Toyne has got the gift." —Greg Iles, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mississippi Blood
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
His Guilt by Shelley Shepard Gray
Also from the author: A Daughter's Dream and A Son's Vow
New York Times and USA Today
bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray delivers the next novel in her Amish of Hart County series—a suspenseful tale of an Amish man who will risk all to protect the woman he loves.
Praise for Her Secret, the previous book in the Amish of Hart County series: "Gives the reader an intriguing look into the life and struggles of a very real Amish family and a believable heroine. Beautifully balancing a charming romance with suspense…"
—Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Fall from Pride
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
Tropic of Kansas by Christopher Brown
For fans of: Underground Airlines by Ben Winters and The Remaining by D.J. Molles
Acclaimed short story writer and editor of the World Fantasy Award-nominee Three Messages and a Warning eerily envisions an American society unraveling and our borders closed off—from the other side—in this haunting and provocative novel that combines Max Barry’s Jennifer Government, Philip K. Dick’s classic The Man in the High Castle, and China Mieville’s The City & the City.
"Futurist as provocateur!… the world is sheer batshit genius…. a truly hallucinatorily envisioned environment."
—William Gibson, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
Secret Sisters by Joy Callaway
For fans of: The Girl from The Savoy by Hazel Gaynor and America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray
From the author of The Fifth Avenue Artists Society comes this unforgettable historical novel based on the founding of the country’s first sororities.
"Full of friendship, romance and betrayal…. You’ll fly through this perfect summer read, and fall in love with the sisters of Beta Xi Beta."
—Karin Tanabe, author of The Gilded Years
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
The Painted Queen by Elizabeth Peters and Joan Hess
Also from the author: A River in the Sky
Egypt, 1912—Amelia Peabody and her dashing archaeologist husband, Radcliffe Emerson, are once again in danger as they search for a priceless, stolen bust of legendary Queen Nefertiti and Amelia finds herself the target of assassins in this long-awaited, eagerly anticipated final installment of Elizabeth Peters’s bestselling, beloved mystery series.
"…devoted Amelia Peabody fans (this reviewer counts herself as one) will read this book with tears in their eyes as they bid farewell to these much-loved characters (and author)." —Library Journal
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
Like a Fly on the Wall by Simone Kelly
For fans of: The Ultimate Betrayal by Kimberla Lawson Roby and Perfect Find by Tia Williams
From talented debut author Simone Kelly comes this suspenseful novel that crackles with intrigue, sex, and plenty of surprises—perfect for fans of Zane and Carl Weber.
"Simone Kelly is a welcome new voice to the fiction genre. She has crafted a modern-day hero who breaks the mold of the traditional archetype and a heroine that is sure to be his match. An entertaining read." —Donna Hill, bestselling author of My Love at Last and What Mother Never Told Me
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads deadline: May 20th
For more great suggestions for the June LibraryReads list, click here!
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As always, we'd love love LOVE to hear what you think! Write us at librarylovefest@harpercollins.com. We hope you enjoy the recommendations. Remember, the deadline to vote for the July LibraryReads list is May 20th. For more information, visit LibraryReads.org.
-The LLF Team