Hello, librarians!
We are thrilled to present our staff suggestions for the October LibraryReads List! Simply put: October is packed with propulsive, thought-provoking, masterful reads. We cannot wait to hear what you think.
Remember: votes for the October LibraryReads List are due September 1st!
-The LLF Team (Virginia, Chris, and Lainey)
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The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
For fans of: Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan and
Moonglow by Michael Chabon
The author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Beautiful Ruins delivers another "literary miracle" (NPR)—a propulsive, richly entertaining novel about two adventure-seeking brothers, the enemies who threaten them, and the women who reveal to them an unjust world on the brink of upheaval.
"The fact that the same author has written books as wildly different and all as transporting as The Zero (2006), The Financial Lives of the Poets (2009), Beautiful Ruins (2012), and now this latest tour de force is testimony to Walter’s protean storytelling power and astounding ability to set a scene, any scene…. We have heard that Jess Walter writes nonstop: Seven days a week, 365 days a year. Please, never stop."
—Kirkus Reviews review
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
For fans of: The Better Sister by Alafair Burke
and The River by Peter Heller
From the author of Rich and Pretty and That Kind of Mother, a magnetic novel about two families, strangers to each other, who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrong.
"Spectacular and ominous…. This illuminating social novel offers piercing commentary on race, class and the luxurious mirage of safety, adding up to an all-too-plausible apocalyptic vision."
—Publishers Weekly 
review
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
Listen to a podcast interview between Rumaan Alam and LLF's Chris Connolly!
For fans of: The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo and
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
The Favourite meets The Haunting of Hill House in this highly imaginative and original highbrow horror-comedy centered around a cursed New England boarding school for girls, a wickedly whimsical celebration of the art of storytelling, sapphic love, and the rebellious female spirit—and the highly-anticipated adult debut from the award-winning author of The Miseducation of Cameron Post.
"Plain Bad Heroines wears its brilliance lightly and like the Black Oxford apples described in these pages, it's dark, sweet, and addictive. emily danforth displays all the gothic wit of Edward Gorey and all the soaring metafictional ambitions of David Mitchell, alongside a generosity and humanity that is uniquely her own. Simply one of the best books I've read in the last decade."
—Joe Hill, New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
Listen to a podcast interview between emily m. danforth and Jessica Williams, Executive Editor at William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers!
For fans of: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides and
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
From "master of clever misdirection" (Kirkus Reviews) Aimee Molloy, author of the New York Times
bestseller The Perfect Mother, comes an irresistible psychological thriller featuring a newly married woman whose life is turned upside down when her husband goes missing.
"Constructed with house-of-cards precision, this cunning story surges forward as though powered by outboard motor. But Molloy proves equally skilled in the elusive arts of character and dialogue: Goodnight Beautiful isn’t only the most suspenseful novel you’ll read this year; it’s likely to be the funniest, too. I wish that every book, in every genre, were as deeply imagined and fully inhabited as this one."
—A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
Watch Aimee Molloy's guest appearance on Door to Door!
For fans of: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert and The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
Olivia Dade bursts onto the scene in this delightfully fun romantic comedy set in the world of fanfiction, in which a devoted fan goes on an unexpected date with her celebrity crush, who’s secretly posting fanfiction of his own.
"Spoiler Alert is a gentle, funny, and sexy romance that captivated me from the first page and kept me enthralled to the very (happy) end. I adored these characters and every moment of their journey to love. Olivia Dade has crafted an unforgettable story, one that’s earned an immediate spot on my comfort-reads shelf."
—Mia Sosa, USA Today bestselling author of The Worst Best Man
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
A Solitude of Wolverines by Alice Henderson
For fans of: Field of Bones by J. A. Jance and Bearskin by James A. McLaughlin
The first book in a thrilling series featuring a wildlife biologist who courts trouble as she saves endangered species…and a mysterious killer who buries his dead in the land she helps preserve—a fast-paced, action-driven tale of suspense with the atmosphere and propulsive tension of works by Jane Harper, C. J. Box, William Kent Krueger, and Nevada Barr.
"A true stunner of a thriller debut. Both a mystery and a survival story, here is a novel written with a naturalist’s eye for detail and an unrelenting pace. It reminded me of the best of Nevada Barr, where the wilderness itself is as much a character as the feisty wildlife biologist who must solve a crime in a remote town where no one is talking, and everyone is a suspect. It's so fraught with excitement and wondrous details that it demands to be read in one sitting and savored afterward. Don’t miss it."
—James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Odyssey
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
A Wild Winter Swan by Gregory Maguire
Also from the author: Hiddensee and After Alice
After brilliantly reimagining the worlds of Oz, Wonderland, Dickensian London, and the Nutcracker, the New York Times bestselling author of Wicked turns his unconventional genius to Hans Christian Andersen's "The Wild Swans," transforming this classic tale into an Italian-American girl's poignant coming-of-age story, set amid the magic of Christmas in 1960s New York.
"Maguire (Wicked) continues his fabulist fairy tale remixes with this enchanting story…. Maguire parallels the swan boy’s story of brokenness to Laura’s own struggles overcoming class and cultural differences. Fans of Maguire’s retellings will love this simple, elegant story."
—Publishers Weekly
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
The Forgotten Daughter by Joanna Goodman
For fans of: The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton and
The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter by Hazel Gaynor
From the author of the bestselling novel The Home for Unwanted Girls comes another compulsively readable story of love and suspense, following the lives of two women reckoning with their pasts and the choices that will define their futures.
Praise for The Home for Unwanted Girls: "A study of how love persists through the most trying of circumstances. Deep and meaningful, this novel captures the reader’s attention until they’re rewarded with a happy ending."
—Booklist
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
The Girl in the Mirror by Rose Carlyle
For fans of: Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson and
Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
Written with the chilling, twisty suspense of The Wife Between Us, a seductive debut thriller about greed, lust, secrets, and deadly lies involving identical twin sisters.
"Rose Carlyle's The Girl in the Mirror took my breath away, page after page. It has it all: a superbly taut plot. Unforgettable, haunting characters. A setting that will instantly transport you to the lush landscape of the Seychelles. And one of the best endings I've read in a very long time. Bottom line—this book is exactly what we're all craving right now: a delicious, perfect escape."
—Aimee Molloy, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Mother
and Goodnight Beautiful
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
A Walk Around the Block by Spike Carlsen
For fans of: Soonish by Kelly Weinersmith and Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik
The bestselling author of A Splintered History of Wood uses a walk around his hometown to explore how every part of our urban landscape—from manhole covers and recycling bins to pedestrian crossings and bike lanes—impact and shape our lives in this fascinating work of popular science.
"No neighborhood walk will ever be the same after Spike Carlsen reveals to you the extraordinary origins of your ordinary surroundings. His grand storytelling style will make you wonder why you’ve always taken for granted alleyways, asphalt, and manhole covers, and how your ancestors could ever have lived without them."
— Rebecca Martin, technical editor,
Mother Earth News and Grit
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
Watch Spike Carlsen's guest appearance on Door to Door!
The Lost Shtetl by Max Gross
For fans of: Forest Dark by Nicole Krauss
A remarkable debut novel—written with the fearless imagination of Michael Chabon and the piercing humor of Gary Shteyngart—about a small Jewish village in the Polish forest that is so secluded no one knows it exists…until now.
"Lively and imaginative….
alternately reminiscent of early Isaac Bashevis Singer and a Catskills comedian. Gross’s entertaining, sometimes disquieting tale delivers laugh-out-loud moments and deep insight on human foolishness, resilience, and faith."
—Publishers Weekly 
review
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
When We Were Young & Brave by Hazel Gaynor
Also from the author: Meet Me in Monaco and Last Christmas in Paris
The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home sets her unforgettable new novel in China during WWII, inspired by true events surrounding the Japanese Army’s internment of teachers and children from a British-run missionary school.
"Gaynor's story of courage and strength will make you believe in the heroic spirit in each of us."
—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
Christmas at the Island Hotel by Jennie Colgan
Also from the author: 500 Miles from You and Christmas as Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop
Another heartfelt and delightful Christmas tale from the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner and Christmas on the Island.
Praise for Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe: "This tale is even sweeter than the first. Festive and charming, it’s another triumph for Jenny Colgan."
—Cosmopolitan (UK)
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
The Fragile Earth edited by David Remnick and Henry Finder
For fans of: The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells
A collection of the New Yorker’s groundbreaking reporting from the front lines of climate change—including writing from Bill McKibben, Elizabeth Kolbert, Ian Frazier, Kathryn Schulz, and more.
"An informative, stimulating collection…. Top-shelf writers deliver urgent and compelling
calls for dramatic change."
—Kirkus Reviews 
review
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
Jane in Love by Rachel Givney
For fans of: The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn
A charming, romantic debut novel in which Jane Austen, heralded author, ends up time-traveling almost 200 years in the future. There she finds the love she's written about and the destiny she's dreamed of…but is it worth her legacy?
"Artfully written and engaging, Jane in Love is a lively effusion of wit and humor."
—Graeme Simsion, New York Times bestselling author of
The Rosie Project
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
The Cookbook Club by Beth Harbison
Also from the author: Every Time You Go Away and One Less Problem Without You
New York Times bestselling author Beth Harbison whips together a witty and charming—and delicious—story about the secrets we keep, the friends we make, and the food we cook.
Praise for Every Time You Go Away: "A heartwarming story about love transcending time and space…tempering tragedy with wry humor, heartfelt introspection, and an unexpected romance."
—Booklist
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
House of Correction by Nicci French
For fans of: Under a Dark Sky by Lori Rader-Day
In this heart-pounding standalone from the internationally bestselling author that People calls "razor sharp," a woman accused of murder attempts to solve her own case from the confines of prison—but as she unravels the truth, everything is called into question, including her own certainty that she is innocent.
"This well-written, psychological thriller has a gripping plot that will satisfy fans of Val McDermid and Sharon J. Bolton."
—Library Journal
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 1, 2020
Santa Monica by Cassidy Lucas
For fans of: What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
A debut novel in the vein of Liane Moriarty and Tom Perrotta, about dark secrets brought to life after the mysterious death of a handsome and charismatic trainer to the elite women in Santa Monica.
"Part riveting mystery, part incisive domestic drama, Santa Monica is a sharp look at the superficial lives of the pretending-to-be-perfect in gorgeous seaside California, expertly walking the line between satire, suspense and biting social commentary."
—Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia and A Good Marriage
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LibraryReads Votes Due: September 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