The October LibraryReads deadline is fast approaching. Here are some titles we hope you will consider when voting for the LibraryReads list. Whether you're looking for deep-diving literary character inspections; dark, twisting fantasy adventures; or sleep-robbing, breath-shortening mysteries and thrillers—with this list, there is truly something for everyone. All of these titles publish in October so there's still time to cast your vote for LibraryReads. The deadline is August 20th. We’d love to hear what you think about all of these books! Write to us at librarylovefest@harpercollins.com.
News of the World by Paulette Jiles
For fans of: Historical fiction, the Old West
An aging war veteran's solitary existence giving public readings of the news is interrupted when he takes a job transporting an orphaned girl across post-Civil War Texas to her adoptive aunt and uncle. We ADORE this book which received a starred review from Booklist and is getting widespread librarian praise. Janet Lockhart from Wake County Public Libraries says, "Stupendous writing, characters that get under your skin and burrow deep into your heart, great pacing, and an ending that makes you cry with joy and relief. I feel sorry for the book I read next. News of the World is a hard act to follow."
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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The Terranauts by T.C. Boyle
For fans of: Literary inspections of the human psyche, environmentalism
Told through three distinct viewpoints, this look at four men and four women voluntarily sealed inside a man-made ecosphere for two years is at times hilarious, troubling, heart-wrenching, but wildly entertaining and enlightening throughout. It's also received starred reviews from both Booklist and Library Journal, who deemed it "quite possibly one of the best of the year."
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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Mister Monkey by Francine Prose
For fans of: Meg Wolitzer's The Interestings, Jess Walter's Beautiful Ruins
From the critically acclaimed author of Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932, this hilarious story of a cast of characters involved in an off-off-off Broadway musical was just called by Library Journal a "breezy read with hidden, and not so hidden, depths."
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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The Comet Seekers by Helen Sedgwick
For fans of: Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist, Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife
A magical, heart-felt tale of two astronomers whose fates align on a trip to Antarctica, Booklist calls this debut a "beautiful, character-driven novel, which is reminiscent of the work of Amy Bloom and Elizabeth Strout."
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan
For fans of: Psychological suspense in the vein of Jennifer McMahon and Mary Kubica
When her student disappears, a young teacher/part-time advice columnist begins receiving letters claiming to be from the victim of a strikingly similar 20-year-old cold case. Booklist exclaims: “There is much to draw readers into this ripped-from-the-headlines debut novel…Callaghan definitely shows plenty of promise, and this debut may attract some attention from fans of the unflinching Jennifer McMahon.”
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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Yesternight by Cat Winters
For fans of: Haunting historical mysteries, Jennifer Robson's After the War Is Over
A child psychologist new to Gordon Bay, a foggy seaside Oregon town, encounters a fascinating seven-year-old mathematical genius who claims to vividly recall her past life as a 19-year-old drowning victim. Winters' previous novel, The Uninvited, was praised by New York Times bestselling author April Henry as “Evocative and lushly written…features a twist I never saw coming.”
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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Lost Gods by Brom
For fans of: Dark adult fantasy, Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Joe Hill
This fast-paced adventure of one man's descension into purgatory to save his wife and unborn child is darkly imaginative, consistently terrifying, and wickedly entertaining. Brom's previous work, Krampus, was praised by Mike Mignola, creator of Hellboy, as “Terrific. A wild ride—the idea sounded like a stretch and I’m not sure how many guys could have really pulled it off, but Brom sure has. I loved it. It hooked me and I couldn’t put it down. Plus, the illustrations are amazing.”
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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Our Hearts Will Burn Us Down by Anne Valente
For fans of: Coming-of-age stories, Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven, Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You
The lives of four teenagers and their small suburban St. Louis town are capsized by a horrific school shooting and a series of mysterious house fires plaguing the families of the victims. From Kate Hamer, author of The Girl in the Red Coat: “Our Hearts Will Burn Us Down is a beautifully written, lyrical book wrapped up in a compelling mystery with shades of Stephen King. Gripping and profound, a terrific debut.”
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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Just Fine with Caroline: A Cold River Novel by Annie England Noblin
For fans of: Mary Kay Andrews, Dorothea Benton Frank
A tender, terrific novel complete with long-buried secrets, a three-legged pot belly pig, and an irresistible dog—an unforgettable story about love, friendship, and community. New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Evanovich praises Just Fine with Caroline as "all heart. Annie England Noblin knows how to make characters come to life. I was completely charmed on my trip to Cold River.”
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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The Rift Uprising by Amy S. Foster
For fans of: The Hunger Games, Divergent, Ender's Game
The first entry in a fast-paced action-adventure sci-fi trilogy is an enthralling mix of speculative fiction and military thriller in which a young super-soldier comes to question the monsters she's trained to fight against…and those she fights for.
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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Nicotine by Nell Zink
For fans of: Rachel Kushner's The Flamethrowers, Patrick deWitt's The Sisters Brothers
An audaciously funny and unrelentingly sharp whirlwind inspection of modern America through the eyes of a young woman who abandons the guise of a traditional life when she moves in with a group of pro-smoking squatters. From Library Journal: "Zink, whose novel Mislaid entered the literary scene amid effusive praise, writes with tongue firmly in cheek. Her jaded worldview, leavened by a well-honed sense of the absurd, reveals itself as she skewers millennials and boomers alike for failing to live up to their once tightly held convictions."
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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Nujeen by Nujeen Mustafa with Christina Lamb
For fans of: Farewell Kabul, I Am Malala
The stunning true story of a remarkable young hero: Nujeen Mustafa, a teenager born with cerebral palsy who made the dangerous journey from war-torn Syria to Germany.
Check back here soon for an egalley
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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Girl Unbroken by Regina Calcaterra and Rosie Maloney
For fans of: True tales of perseverance and survival, Three More Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
The New York Times bestselling author of Etched in Sand tells the harrowing story of her sister, Rosie, who was kidnapped by their emotionally abusive mother but who fought to propel herself out of her dire circumstances. In a Kirkus review, Girl Unbroken is called “As engrossing as Etched in Sand, this book is a testament to Maloney’s remarkable resilience and a moving tribute to the unbreakable bond of love she shared with her siblings. Courageous and emotionally intense.”
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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The Boy Is Back by Meg Cabot
For fans of: Contemporary women's fiction
In this brand-new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author, a scandal brings a young man back home to the small town, crazy family, and first love he left behind. Booklist praises Cabot as "a master at entertaining and amusing readers.”
Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th
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So there you have it: our suggestions for the October LibraryReads list! We hope you love them as much as we do. As always, we can't wait to hear what you think. Pass along the love to librarylovefest@harpercollins.com! And don't forget, the deadline to vote for LibraryReads is August 20th.
-Chris