Library Reads: March 2020

It's Library Reads day and that means four things here on RA for All:

1. I post the list and tag it “Library Reads” so that you can easily pull up every single list with one click.
2. I can remind you that even though the newest list is always fun to see, it is the older lists where you can find AWESOME, sure bet suggestions for patrons that will be on your shelf to actually hand to them right now. The best thing about Library Reads is the compound interest it is earning. We now have hundreds and hundreds of titles worth suggesting right at our fingertips through this archive OR the sortable master list allowing you to mix and match however you want.
3. You have no excuse not to hand sell any Library Reads titles because there is a book talk right there in the list in the form of the annotation one of your colleagues wrote for you. All you have to say to your patron is, “such and such library worker in blank state thought this was a great read,” and then you read what he or she said.
4. Every upcoming book now has at least 1 readalike that is available to hand out RIGHT NOW. Book talk the upcoming book, place a hold for it, and then hand out that readalike title for while they wait. If they need more titles before their hold comes in, use the readalike title to identify more readalike titles. And then keep repeating. Seriously, it is that easy to have happy, satisfied readers.

Also, the Library Reads Board has also started another great book discovery and suggestion tool for you, a monthly What We're Reading column. This means there are even more library worker approved titles, new and old, for you to choose from. 

So get out there and suggest a good read to someone today. I don’t care what list or resource you use to find the suggestion, just start suggesting books.

Also, please remember to click here for everything you need to know about how to participate. And click here to see a database of eligible diverse titles sorted by month. 

Click here for the March 2020 list Announcing the March 2020 LibraryReads list!

You voted, we counted, and March's LibraryReads Favorite is: My Dark Vanessa A Novel by Kate Elizabeth Russell (William Morrow) “A Lolita for the #MeToo era, it’s unsettling, but not necessarily for the reasons you might think.The narrative shifts from 2000, when Vanessa gains admission to an elite New England prep school, to 2017, when she tries to come to terms with her experience, her role in it, how it’s affecting her present, and the choices she faces to find resolution and move forward. For fans of Notes on a Scandal (Heller), Trust Exercise (Choi),  and His Favorites (Walbert).” Michelle Sampson, York Public Library, York, ME NoveList read-alike: The Coming Storm by Paul Elliott Russell And now, the rest of the LibraryReads March Top 10: Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel (Berkley) “Terrific psychological suspense based on an actual case where a mother deliberately made her daughter sick for years. The story is told in alternating perspectives from the points of view of Rose Gold and her mother, Patty, complex characters who are masterfully drawn, seeming sympathetic at some points and unsympathetic in others. For readers who liked The Silent Patient and The Execution of Noa P. Singleton.” —Alice Kober, Arapahoe Library District, Englewood, CO NoveList read-alike: Mother, Mother by Karen Zailckas The Glass Hotel A Novel by Emily St. John Mandel (Knopf ) “A gorgeously written, immersive book about how easy it is to cross lines into questionable moral territory. At its center is Vincent, who loses her mother when she's 13 and as an adult makes her way into the heart of the Country of Money in New York City. Narrated by a number of well-drawn characters in a shifting timeline. For fans of A Visit from the Goon Squad and The Goldfinch.” —Diana Armstrong, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR NoveList read-alike: The Luminous Heart of Jonah S. by Gina Barkhordar Nahai A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler (St. Martin's Press) “When a local businessman removes several old trees to build a mini-mansion, he isn't seen favorably by his new neighbor Valerie, an ecology professor. When their teenagers begin to secretly date you know it's not going to end well. Told from multiple viewpoints (including the neighborhood chorus), this heart-wrenching novel explores class, race, and what it means to be a good neighbor. For those who enjoyed Commonwealth, The Hate U Give, and A Place for Us." —Alissa Williams, Morton Public Library, Morton, IL NoveList read-alike: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng If I Never Met You A Novel by Mhairi McFarlane  (William Morrow Papterbacks) “When Jamie and Laurie become trapped in an elevator, they conjure up a fake relationship in order to get what they want from work and make an ex jealous. They end up falling for each other...but can they trust it? An enjoyable romance with characters you care about. For readers who liked Not the Girl You Marry and The Flatshare.” —Melissa Stumpe, Johnson County Public Library, Greenwood, IN NoveList read-alike: The Betting Vow by K.M. Jackson In Five Years A Novel by Rebecca Serle  (Atria Books) "An ambitious young lawyer disregards a prophetic dream that doesn’t fit into her five- year plan until she meets the man of her dreams five years later. Love has a plan of its own. For readers who enjoyed Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella, You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley, and The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory." —Kristin Friberg, Princeton Public Library, Princeton, NJ NoveList read-alike: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid A Murderous Relation by Deanna Raybourn (Berkley) "Veronica Speedwell and her partner, Stoker, find themselves involved in a mystery that coincides with the killing spree of Jack the Ripper. For fans of the Ladies Travelers Guide series and the Amelia Peabody mysteries. " —Stacy Tomaszewski, Alameda County Library, San Jose, CA NoveList read-alike: The House at Baker Street by Michelle Birkby The Return by Rachel Harrison (Berkley) "The story of a creepy hotel, a mysterious disappearance and reappearance, and the complexities of friendships. For fans of Stephen King and Thomas Harris." —Kate Currie, Hennepin County Library, Hennepin County, MN NoveList read-alike: My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix The Two Lives of Lydia Bird A Novel by Josie Silver (Ballantine Books) "A beautifully written exploration of heartbreak and grief, that takes place over the course of 18 months after Lydia loses her fiance Freddie in a tragic accident. For fans of Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan." —Ashley Giangregorgio, Virginia Beach Public Library, Virginia Beach, VA NoveList read-alike: Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams (Berkley Jove) "Take one romance- reading hero, his bromance book club, and add a wickedly strong heroine. This one strikes the right balance of snark, heart, and humor. For fans of Alexa Martin and Julie James." —Jennifer Asimakopoulos, Indian Prairie Public Library, Darien, IL NoveList read-alike: The Full Series by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes March 2020 Hall of Fame Authors The LibraryReads Hall of Fame designation honors authors who have had multiple titles appear on the monthly LibraryReads list since 2013. When their third title places on the list via library staff votes, the author moves into our Hall of Fame. Eight Perfect Murders A Novel by Peter Swanson (William Morrow) Read-alikes: Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martínez Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz The Honey-Don't List by Christina Lauren (Gallery Books) Read-alikes: Playing House by Ruby Lang Fix Her Up byTessa Bailey Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella The Red Lotus A Novel by Chris Bohjalian (Doubleday) Read-alikes: Outbreak by Robin Cook The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer Life Support by Tess Gerritsen