Resposting: Introducing The Art and Practice of Providing Outstanding Reading Recommendations from Learn with NoveList with a COUPON (And a Teaser)

I am reposting this both because I want to make sure people saw it and because I am off to pick up my son from camp today. 

Original post from last week is here.

Click here to enter the course 
introduction page

Today I am ecstatic to announce a brand new course from Learn with NoveList entitled, "The Art and Practice of Providing Outstanding Reading Recommendations."

From the course page:

*️⃣ This course is for anyone who is a practitioner of readers’ advisory, or RA. Connecting readers with books they love is a core library service. But talking with readers about their tastes, and then trying to match those readers to books is a lot harder than it sounds.  

*️⃣ In this course, you’ll learn how to navigate common scenarios librarians face when working with readers. You’ll learn techniques from library staff working in the field, who share how they handle situations that can stump librarians. You will also learn how to find and use the best tools and resources available to you, including the NoveList database. And you'll learn how to evaluate whether your readers’ advisory services are making an impact. When you have finished taking this course, you will have the training and the confidence to work with readers in a variety of different scenarios. You'll be more confident in your ability to respond to reader requests. 

Email learnwithnovelist@ebsco.com for information about group registration and rates. 

*️⃣ Here are the core skills you will learn in this course: 

- How to master common situations and conversations when working with readers using tips the readers’ advisory experts have learned from years of experience. 

- How to position your library as the primary source of trusted reading recommendations by engaging readers inside and outside of the physical library space.  

- The tools and resources that library staff can use to ensure their reading suggestions are engaging, inclusive, and serve the needs of all readers. 

- The importance of measuring and advocating for your readers’ advisory services.  

*️⃣ Course format:  

You have 24/7 access to this course, and it can be completed at your own pace. This course offers four broad lessons with multiple small units in them. Lectures are presented in video format and include closed captions. You will have automatic graded quizzes and assignments to assess your learning level, but there is no final class grade. Complete each lesson to receive your course completion certificate. 

*️⃣ Course instructor: 

Halle Eisenman leads the Editorial Content Team of NoveList which oversees the creation of the lists, articles, NextReads newsletter, and read-alike recommendations. Prior to that, Halle spent a dozen years working for a public library system. Halle teaches courses on readers' advisory.  

This course also includes advice from readers’ advisory experts including: 

- Abby Hargreaves, a Teen Services Librarian in Washington, DC. 
- Barry Trott, an Adult Services Consultant at the Library of Virginia. 
- Becky Spratford [MLIS], a Readers' Advisor in Illinois specializing in serving patrons ages 13 and up. 
- Helen Sharma, a school library media coordinator in Raleigh, North Carolina. 
- Jennifer Lohmann, a librarian, and a marketer. 
- Kate Fais, a Senior Young Adult Librarian at the Bloomingdale Library. 
- Michelle Morris, a Collection Development Librarian at Fort Worth Public Library. 
- Rebecca Vnuk, the Executive Director of LibraryReads. 
- Susen Shi, a Young Adult Librarian at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (NYPL). 

As you can clearly see, I am a part of the class providing content and expertise. But, I also took the class as a participant when it was in draft form and I can tell you with 100% confidence that it is worth your time and money. Look, I am one of the country's leading RA expiters and I learned something from this course. More than something, I learned 5 new things and was reminded of a few other things I haven't been doing and had forgotten about. And I cannot stress enough how useful the expert NoveList searching advice was. I had forgotten a few of the tips and didn't know a few others. Look, if it was good enough for me, I know you can learn from it.

The course is $249 for 1 person, although there are also group rates available if you want to train your whole staff. For that information or with any questions, please email learnwithnovelist@ebsco.com.

And, because I lent my expertise to them, NoveList has created a coupon code for me to share with all of you. The code ExpertRA will get you 20 percent off the course. The coupon expires October 31, 2022. 

This course is a great deal. For ex, it is more compressive than my basic classes and costs a lot less than bringing me out there to train you. I know I cannot physically get to all of you and was happy to offer my services to help NoveList help more of you. I stand behind this product, proudly.

Learn with NoveList is just getting started as well. You can click here to see all of the current courses. But, and this is BREAKING NEWS..... there are new classes coming soon. I know this for a fact because Robin and I have started working on a course and I am SUPER excited about it. News on that is coming in September, but for now, I would highly suggest taking advantage of this offer to try this course for 20% off. Again click here and use the coupon code: ExpertRA. 

You will see me on a video giving live advice and also see a lot of the information I give in my trainings used here in this course, yes, but you also get the advice of others. It is a great deal. I hope you take advantage of it.

Using Awards Lists As A RA Tool: Eisner Awards and Booker Prize Editions

This is part of my ongoing series on using Awards Lists as a RA tool. Click here for all posts in the series in reverse chronological order. Click here for the first post which outlines the details how to use awards lists as a RA tool. 

Just checking in quickly today to remind you all that the Eisner Awards-- the top awards in graphic novels and comics-- were given out last week and you can access the current winners here. The is super easy drop down menu access to all past winners here.

Also the Booker Prize announced its long list here. And, they have excellent backlist access here. I personally love the Booker because while it is first and foremost a "literary" award, they always include genre titles of merit. This year for example, The Trees by Percival Everett is THE BEST book I have read this year. It came out at the end of 2021 and I am so glad it is still being considered for awards. Read my review here, but this title is a mystery, alternative history, and horror all wrapped into one. And it is stunning!

Of course, use the links at the top of this post to see all the best ways to use awards lists as a RA tool but please note, these 2 awards are NOT genre based. These awards contain many genres-- especially the GNs. Books from past and current Eisner and Booker nominees can be incorporated into many different displays. 

Especially with Graphic Novels, you should be going out of your way to include a few in every display you make. Don't make the mistake of thinking a format is a genre. 

RA for All Repeat: Stop Spreading the Fake News That Library Books Are Free

I has something else planned for today, but it can wait until tomorrow. Why? Because the other day I was giving one of my standard talks and slipped in the reminder that we should not tell people our books are free, but rather remind them that they are prepaid. 

I say this all of the time, but I often forget it is the first time some people are hearing it when I say it. The chat in this presentation lit up after I talked about "pre-paid" vs "free," and I made a note [an actual note on a post-it] to re-post this Call to Action where I explain the position.

So here it is. 

Call to Action: Stop Spreading the Fake News That Library Books Are Free

Today I have a quick Call to Action, one that is very easy for all of you to start doing right now. It is a small language change, but it can make a huge difference for our entire profession. Here it is:

You need to stop telling people that our services are free and instead say they are PRE-PAID.

First, "free" is NOT accurate. People do not pay to check out the books and movies as they borrow them, but everyone does pay for the library and its services through their tax dollars. Yes, even renters pay because their rent pays for the taxes for the owner of the building.

We are a profession which is all about accuracy, about combatting "fake news," and yet we perpetuate our own fake news by telling people our services are free.

Reminding people that for example, they can take more than 1 book because they are free is NOT TRUE. They have paid for them, just earlier, as part of their taxes. We need to be more accurate on principle, yes but there is more to it.

Second, when we aren't being honest about the cost of our services, when we dismiss them as "free," we lull our patrons into a false sense that these services will always be there no matter what. If they forget that they have paid for these services as taxes, when the talk of tax freezes or tax cuts comes around, it will be much easier for the public to argue for cutting the library's tax line because they forget that they pay for it. All that "free" talk means they aren't reminded about the actual cost.

We need to be advocates for the good feels that the library gives people and equate that as a cost benefit. I live in a high tax area. I get it. But when my friends and neighbors complain about their taxes, I remind them what a great deal they are getting through the library [and the schools]. I tell people to think what it would actually cost them to check out those materials, stream those shows, buy audio books, go to great programs, etc.... Now look at your library tax line. It is a steal.

We have to talk about the money openly, honestly, and accurately or we will loose the financial support we need to survive.

Third, and this one is just human nature, people don't value things that are free as much as they value things they pay for. Reminding people, frequently, that they have pre-paid for the library and all of its services, elevates the value of the institution.

Every time you remind patrons that the services and items they are so please with are PRE-PAID you are advocating for your public library, actually for every public library. You are advocating for the institution itself. You are advocating for equal service to all, everywhere, all of the time.

But every time you tell people the service is free, you are undermining everything. I know you think you are trying to help by letting people know there is no charge at the time of service, but there is a charge. We have budgets, budgets that are shrinking. We do a lot with very little already, any less and we will disappear. People need to know that. They need to realize that their tax dollars are key to our survival.

So please, consider using PRE-PAID when you talk about user costs of our services. And remind them often so that if a time comes when people in your town start talking about budget cuts, they won't even consider the library's tax line. Why? Because that line is one they respect, one they use, one they know has monetary value, one that isn't free, one that requires dollars to survive. And it is our responsibility to stop the fake news of free and accurately proclaim...PRE-PAID!

For past Call to Action posts, click here

A New Booklist Shelf Care Podcast Featuring Kelly Jensen on Censorship

The latest episode of Shelf Care is up. This is the podcast that brings you:

"all things readers’ advisory, collection development, and reference right to your earbuds. Hosted by Susan Maguire, Senior Editor, Collection Management and Library Outreach, each episode of Shelf Care will introduce you to rock star librarians, hot topics in publishing, and books you need to know from colleagues at Booklist." (from the podcast landing page)

This episode features Kelly Jensen from Book Riot, the woman behind their excellent and necessary censorship coverage. Jensen is a former librarian and is leading the charge nationally on both informing the world about the dire situation in regards to book challenges and offering useful action steps.

If you work with books in any way, with any age of user, you MUST listen to this. Below is the information from the landing page for the podcast as well as the show notes with links.

Click here to access all episodes 

In this episode of Booklist’s Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire talks to Kelly Jensen about the current state of book banning, what’s behind the recent slate of challenges, and what to do when collection development policies are not enough. Then, Rebecca Vnuk of LibraryReads joins Susan to share some forthcoming titles that they think your patrons are going to want to know about.

Here’s what we talked about:

Book Riot’s coverage of book censorship

Gender Queer, by Maia Kobabe, art by the author

Shutter, by Ramona Emerson

The Lost Ticket, by Freya Sampson

By the Book, by Jasmine Guillory

If the Shoe Fits, by Julie Murphy

Mad about You, by Mhairi McFarlane

I Remember You, by Brian Freeman

Lark Ascending, by Silas House

52 Award-Winning Titles Every Book Lover Should Read

52 Diverse Titles Every Book Lover Should Read

52 YA Books Every Book Lover Should Read

NetGalley

Edelweiss

Using Awards List As a RA Tool: World Fantasy Awards Edition [w/ a Locus Magazine SF Awards Database Reminder]

This is part of my ongoing series on using Awards Lists as a RA tool. Click here for all posts in the series in reverse chronological order. Click here for the first post which outlines the details how to use awards lists as a RA tool. 

Click here
for the
nominees

Late last week, the World Fantasy Awards announced their final ballot. The World Fantasy Awards are chosen by an appointed jury of experts [this year it includes librarian, and my friend, Misha Stone]. From their website for the 2022 nominees:

The World Fantasy Awards℠ are given each year for outstanding achievement in fantasy fiction published during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by the World Fantasy Convention, the awards are given each year at the eponymous annual convention as the central focus of the event. 

This award statement is very important, as are all award statements. Why? Because they explain how and by whom the awards are given. In the case of this specific award, the World Fantasy conference organizers have control over the awards for each year. The awards are tied to that year's event and attendees and a jury is appointed for just that year. 

[Speaking of check out the event in NOLA this year and their amazing list of special guests. I am sad that I cannot attend due to a family commitment.]

The fact that each year's World  Fantasy Awards is its own contained system within the website for that convention means that you cannot easily access  the backlist of titles though their site. BUT, never fear, Locus Magazine is here.

Locus Magazine keeps THE most comprehensive database of all SF/F/H awards allowing you to have access to current announcements of all industry awards and then clickable access to each individual award with its backlist archived access. 

So remember, the backlist of all awards nominees make for great suggestions and displays, but also the World Fantasy Award is also a great way to assess trends in the large umbrella that is "Fantasy."

If you use the database and go back a few years for this award, you see a creeping of dark fantasy coming in to dominate and then this year.....WHAM! look at all the straight up Horror. 

But even better than looking just at the World Fantasy Award backlist of nominees, you can also look at all of the speculative fiction awards to get a quick snapshot of the speculative fiction world with very little effort-- so you can stay in genre shape.

Don't forget to use the series note at the top of this post for more reasons why I think awards lists are your most versatile RA Tool.

The Millions' Most Anticipated Coverage Both For Being Prepared and As a Backlist Resource

I wanted to alert you to The Millions' excellent "Most Anticipated: The Great Second Half of 2022 Book Preview" to help all of you prepare for the coming months. Obviously those who do collection development will want to use this list to get their orders in while those who work at the services desk need this information to get ready with their "while you wait" readalike suggestions for many of of the high demand titles and to get ready to promote some promising new voices.

But this post is not only about upcoming books, it is also here to remind you that these "anticipated" lists make an even better recourse after the fact. Let me explain using The Millions and their excellent and ongoing "Most Anticipated" coverage as the example.

Use this link to see, but The Millions is always doing lists of upcoming titles to be excited about. Vetted by their editors and contributors, these lists feature fiction, nonfiction, poetry, graphic novels, books in translation, literally everything of note that adult services library worker who are helping leisure readers should be aware of. These lists are diverse and inclusive as well. But, most importantly, they are also annotated! This means for every title you have a talking point about it to share with a patron. You don't need to know anything other than how to access these lists; then you read the annotation written by an expert. 

[Remember you can and should use the words of others to book talk a book.]

Not only are the titles all annotated, you can pull up every "most anticipated" list in reverse chronological order with this link.

Why use the backlist? I mean if you read this blog you should know, but some of you are new here and others need the reminder.

Any title that has appeared on any of their "most anticipated" lists, especially those from 1-4 years ago, make great suggestions. Why?

First, the titles were vetted by experts meaning they are worth your attention at any time, not only when they are new or upcoming. 

Second, there is a good chance if they were on lists like this that you ordered them for your collections so you own them and probably have not weeded them yet. 1-4 years means they are probably still relevant as well. 

Third, the book talk for you to handsell the title-- verbally or on a list [web or in the library]-- is right there for you on that list. No work beyond knowing where to click to pull up these lists.

Fourth, and this is the most important point, when you suggest titles to your patrons that they could not have found on their own, that's when you shine. Reminding people of the treasures that are in the stacks is fun and useful. We need to show them that we are here to help with their leisure reading needs so that they continue to value and seek out our services. When we recommend great titles they may have missed, our users understand the breadth of our collections  and the care with which we have built them, which is something we are not great at communicating to the public.

So yes, go look at the bright and shiny list of the Most Anticipated: The Great Second Half of 2022 Book Preview list, but also make sure you are also using the backlist of The Millions' "most anticipated" content to help readers all the time.

Introducing The Art and Practice of Providing Outstanding Reading Recommendations from Learn with NoveList with a COUPON (And a Teaser)

Click here to enter the course
introduction page

Today I am ecstatic to announce a brand new course from Learn with NoveList entitled, "The Art and Practice of Providing Outstanding Reading Recommendations."

From the course page:

*️⃣ This course is for anyone who is a practitioner of readers’ advisory, or RA. Connecting readers with books they love is a core library service. But talking with readers about their tastes, and then trying to match those readers to books is a lot harder than it sounds.  

*️⃣ In this course, you’ll learn how to navigate common scenarios librarians face when working with readers. You’ll learn techniques from library staff working in the field, who share how they handle situations that can stump librarians. You will also learn how to find and use the best tools and resources available to you, including the NoveList database. And you'll learn how to evaluate whether your readers’ advisory services are making an impact. When you have finished taking this course, you will have the training and the confidence to work with readers in a variety of different scenarios. You'll be more confident in your ability to respond to reader requests. 

Email learnwithnovelist@ebsco.com for information about group registration and rates. 

*️⃣ Here are the core skills you will learn in this course: 

- How to master common situations and conversations when working with readers using tips the readers’ advisory experts have learned from years of experience. 

- How to position your library as the primary source of trusted reading recommendations by engaging readers inside and outside of the physical library space.  

- The tools and resources that library staff can use to ensure their reading suggestions are engaging, inclusive, and serve the needs of all readers. 

- The importance of measuring and advocating for your readers’ advisory services.  

*️⃣ Course format:  

You have 24/7 access to this course, and it can be completed at your own pace. This course offers four broad lessons with multiple small units in them. Lectures are presented in video format and include closed captions. You will have automatic graded quizzes and assignments to assess your learning level, but there is no final class grade. Complete each lesson to receive your course completion certificate. 

*️⃣ Course instructor: 

Halle Eisenman leads the Editorial Content Team of NoveList which oversees the creation of the lists, articles, NextReads newsletter, and read-alike recommendations. Prior to that, Halle spent a dozen years working for a public library system. Halle teaches courses on readers' advisory.  

This course also includes advice from readers’ advisory experts including: 

- Abby Hargreaves, a Teen Services Librarian in Washington, DC. 
- Barry Trott, an Adult Services Consultant at the Library of Virginia. 
- Becky Spratford [MLIS], a Readers' Advisor in Illinois specializing in serving patrons ages 13 and up. 
- Helen Sharma, a school library media coordinator in Raleigh, North Carolina. 
- Jennifer Lohmann, a librarian, and a marketer. 
- Kate Fais, a Senior Young Adult Librarian at the Bloomingdale Library. 
- Michelle Morris, a Collection Development Librarian at Fort Worth Public Library. 
- Rebecca Vnuk, the Executive Director of LibraryReads. 
- Susen Shi, a Young Adult Librarian at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (NYPL). 

As you can clearly see, I am a part of the class providing content and expertise. But, I also took the class as a participant when it was in draft form and I can tell you with 100% confidence that it is worth your time and money. Look, I am one of the country's leading RA expiters and I learned something from this course. More than something, I learned 5 new things and was reminded of a few other things I haven't been doing and had forgotten about. And I cannot stress enough how useful the expert NoveList searching advice was. I had forgotten a few of the tips and didn't know a few others. Look, if it was good enough for me, I know you can learn from it.

The course is $249 for 1 person, although there are also group rates available if you want to train your whole staff. For that information or with any questions, please email learnwithnovelist@ebsco.com.

And, because I lent my expertise to them, NoveList has created a coupon code for me to share with all of you. The code ExpertRA will get you 20 percent off the course. The coupon expires October 31, 2022. 

This course is a great deal. For ex, it is more compressive than my basic classes and costs a lot less than bringing me out there to train you. I know I cannot physically get to all of you and was happy to offer my services to help NoveList help more of you. I stand behind this product, proudly.

Learn with NoveList is just getting started as well. You can click here to see all of the current courses. But, and this is BREAKING NEWS..... there are new classes coming soon. I know this for a fact because Robin and I have started working on a course and I am SUPER excited about it. News on that is coming in September, but for now, I would highly suggest taking advantage of this offer to try this course for 20% off. Again click here and use the coupon code: ExpertRA. 

You will see me on a video giving live advice and also see a lot of the information I give in my trainings used here in this course, yes, but you also get the advice of others. It is a great deal. I hope you take advantage of it.

Booklist July Spotlights

Since I posted my reviews from the current issue of Booklist yesterday, I thought today would be a great time to post all of the other great content that you can access for free this month including the annual lists centered around leading book discussions. 

Click here for more information from the Booklist homepage.

Here at Booklist, we love talking about books almost as much as we love reading them. We suspect many librarians and patrons feel the same, which is what makes our July Spotlight on Book Discussions such a treat to share! Why gossip about real people when you could be abuzz about the characters found in our Top 10 Book-Group Books, The Essentials: Pleasure Reads for Book Groups, or Top 10 Discussable Audiobooks? Or, if you really want to get people talking, ask them whether they agree that the books featured in this issue's Booklist Backlist will truly be better than their upcoming movie or TV adaptations.

The graphic novel genre continues to flourish, which is lucky for those of us who enjoy alluring art paired with exciting stories, not to mention growing readers who need images to help them along their literary journey. In addition to our Spotlight on Graphic Novels—which includes Top 10s for Adults and Children as well as a collection of scary comics for teens and tweens and a trend alert about graphic novels on audio—we published our renowned Guide to Graphic Novels this month. It's free to all; check it out now!

For those of you who missed us at ALA Annual, we have an exciting announcement! Starting in January 2023, Booklist Reader—our monthly, patron-facing magazine—will be available in print(!!). We are currently taking advanced, no-obligation reservations for bulk orders via this interest form, and you can learn more about this brand-new patron product on our blog.

What I'm Reading: Ghost Eaters and Sallow Bend

This month's Booklist has 2 #HorrorForLibraries reviews by me. The first is a star and the second is just shy of a star. Both are going to be wildly popular with patrons. As usual, I have my longer draft review, three words, extra readalikes, and bonus appeal discussion.

Let's start with current Summer Scares author, Clay McLeod Chapman's upcoming release. I have read and reviewed his 2 previous Horror novels and while I liked all of them, I did not give them stars. This one though, this one is all STARS.

Ghost Eaters

Clay McLeod Chapman

Sept. 2022. 304p. Quirk, $21.99 (9781683692171); e-book, $12.99  (9781683692188). 
First published July 2022 (Booklist).

Erin, Silas, Tobias, and Amara are best friends living in Richmond, VA. While three of them have begun their adult lives, Silas, their ringleader and Erin’s on-again, off-again partner, has been in and out of rehab. After Silas is found dead of an overdose, the group learns that he discovered a drug that allowed him to see the dead. Erin, wanting one more chance to see Silas, takes the pill and begins a descent into a squirm inducing world filled with desperate souls, wandering ghosts, and inescapable nightmares. Told entirely from Erin’s point of view, this is an original story of being physically haunted, but it is also depicts the true horrors of addiction. Is Erin an addict or is she actually surrounded by ghosts who want a taste of the drug that is taking over her body? Either way, Chapman has created an experience so anxiety inducing, immersive, and intense that readers will feel like something is actually there, lurking over their shoulder, as they turn the pages. A great choice for fans of A Head Full of Ghosts by Tremblay, Mexican Gothic by Moreno-Garcia, and the addiction horror anthologies edited by Matthews.

Three Words That Describe this Book: high anxiety, addiction, original twist on haunting

Further Appeal: This is an intense book. Really intense, but in a good way if you like Horror. As I was finishing it up, I was contemplating if it would get a star or not, and then I realized as I was reading it, I felt like there were ghosts everywhere, surrounding me, the claustrophobia and anxiety of the story was intruding upon my real life. As I realized this, I was like, well if that doesn't merit a star nothing does.

This is the story of what it means to be haunted, how the ghosts haunt a person not a place. That is terrifying on its own, but it is also a realistic depiction of the horrors of addiction. You can take this book on reality based face value that Erin is an addict who is too deep into her dependence to stay connected to the real world OR you can take it as the "Ghost" drug she is addicted to really does allow her to see and attract the ghosts surrounding her, us, everywhere we go. Either way it works-- this is also why it is a star-- and why it reminds me a lot of Paul Tremblay's work because this is what he does with every novel.

Readlaikes: Besides Tremblay in general and the specific readalikes above, there is an awesome list of books Chapman read for this book-- lots of excellent and related fiction choices. This is not just a research list; he lists a lot of novels that inspired him. 

Next up, the first American publisher release by one of the most popular Horror authors in Australia, Alan Baxter.

Sallow Bend

Alan Baxter

Aug. 2022. 336p. Cemetery Dance, paper, $18.99  (9781587678325). 

First published July 2022 (Booklist).

School is out for summer, the Carnival has just set up, but the town of Sallow Bend awakens to darkness. Two girls from the high school have gone missing. When they return a couple of days later, they are now three, and yet no one but Caleb, the well-meaning, if socially awkward school janitor, thinks this is odd. Everyone claims they have always known the third girl, Hester, but no one can remember any details about her. Told from many points of view, but with a focus on Caleb and Tricia, a mother whose son went missing last year, Sallow Bend is an immersive, page-turner, where details about the characters, the place, and its eerie history, are effortlessly fleshed out, but paired with the unceasingly intensifying dread, quickly escalating from unsettling to terrifying and Baxter, already an award winning Horror author in his native Australia, seems poised to take over America as well. Suggest to readers who enjoyed other original entries into the small town Horror trope like Hex by Olde Heuvelt or Daphne by Malerman.

Further Appeal:  An excellent small town horror, page turner with folk horror elements. The sense of place is strong, and is huge part of what makes this book so immersive and awesome.

Multiple points of view add character development and increases the pacing. History of the town is VERY important. A Carnival in town as well-- for me personally this is a frame I LOVE!!!!

The tone begins very uneasily-- kids are missing but it escalates steadily and intensely to terror.

Missing children is the overall frame and there is harm to children, but it is not gratuitous.

Baxter wins awards and is very popular in his native Australia and this should be his coming out party in America. Buy this one. Your horror readers will love it.

This book was excellent-- 4.5 out of 5. The only things keeping it from 5 stars are-- I thought it took place in Australia because there were some words that are used in their version of English rather than American English, which was fine, but then somewhere in the middle Atlanta was mentioned and that threw me off. I was fine thinking it was Australia. This is editing, bit Baxter's issue and a very  minor detail because this could take place anywhere in any small town.

And this-- I don't want to spoil but there is a character from the Carnival workers who becomes important and I wish there was more time about who he really is and what power he holds. I'dd read a whole book about him. Maybe that is a good thing that I want more.

Three Words That Describe This Book: multiple points of view, small town horror, intensifying terror

Readalikes: This was Hex by Olde Heuvelt meets Daphne by Malerman. If you smooshed them together and added a carnival. Old school Stephen King fans will like it as well.

The focus here is on the adults, not the kids, and how they address the horror and come to terms with their own mistakes and choices. So while on the surface books like Something Wicked This Way Comes by Bradbury or even Children of the Dark by Janz may seem like comp titles, they might not be. For me they are, but those titles give the pov to the teens. This does not. I liked that and found it refreshing.

A must buy for every library. Just the Hex comp alone will draw in readers immediately.

LibraryReads: August 2022

  It's LibraryReads 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 LibraryReads 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 LibraryReads 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.

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.

Please remember to click here for everything you need to know about how to participate. Click here to see a database of eligible diverse titles sorted by month.

And finally, here is LibraryReads' extremely helpful Resources page.

Now let's get to that list.... 

  

August 2022 LibraryReads List!

Love on the Brain 

by Ali Hazelwood

Berkley

“Bee’s worked hard to get her big break leading a NASA project. However, she learns that she’ll be working with Levi, an old acquaintance who detests her. Or does he? Hazelwood’s done it again with another fantastic romance filled with the real-world struggles of being a woman in STEM. For fans of Helen Hoang and Christina Lauren.”

—Brenna Timm, High Plains Library District, Greeley, CO 

NoveList read-alike: The Marriage Code by Brooke Burrough

And now the rest of the list...

Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution

By R.F. Kuang

Harper Voyager

“What power do words really have? Kuang explores this question in a unique standalone fantasy where a magical system drawn from translation and silverwork fuels colonialism. With beautiful writing and well- developed characters, this is a fabulous book. For readers of Katherine Addison, Zen Cho and N.K. Jemisin.”

—Danielle Deaver, Montgomery County Public Libraries, Bethesda, MD
NoveList read-alike: The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

The Couple at Number 9: A Novel 

by Claire Douglas

Harper Paperbacks

“Pregnant Saffy and her partner Tom are thrilled when her ailing grandmother gives them a cottage to make their home–until they find two bodies buried on the property. Featuring multiple points of view and realistic characters, the latest twisty thriller from Douglas will appeal to fans of taut page-turners like The Turn of the Key and The Guest List.”

—Amy Medeiros, Westport Free Public Library, Westport, MA
NoveList read-alike: The Witch Elm by Tana French

Daisy Darker: A Novel 

by Alice Feeney

Flatiron Books

“Darker isn’t just Daisy’s surname: it’s the mood of this closed-room mystery as Daisy’s family members die one by one at a remote island home. Deftly told, this nod to Agatha Christie’s
And Then There Were None mixes suspense and secrets with heartbreaking and poignant observations about family and childhood.”

—Jennifer Ohzourk, West Des Moines Public Library, West Des Moines, IA
NoveList read-alike: The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

The Hookup Plan 

by Farrah Rochon

Forever

“Dedicated pediatric surgeon London looks to de-stress through a no-strings- attached hookup with her former high school nemesis (and current millionaire) Drew. But Drew wants more than a one-night stand. London jumps off the page with her vibrant personality, and it’s fun to see a man pursuing a woman in an enemies to lovers tale. For fans of Abby Jimenez and Talia Hibbert.”

—Hannah Spratt, New York Public Library, New York, NY
NoveList read-alike: How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams

Husband Material 

by Alexis Hall

Sourcebooks Casablanca

“Luc has grown up and feels the pressure to get married. Oliver is still a devoted boyfriend, but his problems are now acknowledged. It's great to see character development even in minor characters, and how they've progressed in the two years since Boyfriend Material.”

—Claire Sherman, Clearwater Countryside Library, Clearwater, FL
NoveList read-alike: True Colors series by Annabeth Albert

The Last Housewife: A Novel

by Ashley Winstead

Sourcebooks Landmark

"When yet another of her college roommates turns up dead, Shay investigates with the help of her BFF true crime podcaster. Will Shay find answers in her past, which includes a misogynistic sex cult, or will she be lured back in? Psychological thriller fans, take this to the beach! For fans of I’ll Be You or This Might Hurt."

—Lori Hench, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD
NoveList read-alike: Don't Call It a Cult by Sarah Berman

Other Birds: A Novel

by Sarah Addison Allen

St. Martin's Press

“To keep a connection to her late mother, Zoey moves into her old apartment on Mallow Island, S.C. The complex and its residents are characters, too. This book is a quick and sweet read about the stages of love from the tickle of a spark to the longing its absence can bring.”

—Sara Schettler, Scottsdale Public Library, Scottsdale, AZ 
NoveList read-alike: Midnight at the Blackbird Café by Heather S. Webber

Shutter 

by Ramona Emerson

Soho Crime

“Rita Todacheene, a crime scene photographer for the Albuquerque PD, can communicate with the dead. Her latest job involves a woman who allegedly killed herself... but she won't leave Rita alone. A cinematic thriller set on the edge of the Navajo Nation, Emerson's debut is a must-read.”

—Erin Downey Howerton, Wichita Public Library, Wichita, KS
NoveList read-alike: When the Reckoning Comes by Latanya McQueen

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches 

by Sangu Mandanna

Berkley

“Mika is one of the few witches secretly living in Britain when someone reaches out for help teaching three young witches. She becomes entangled in the lives of her pupils and the household, including the handsome yet grouchy librarian Jaime. A cozy romance for fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea.”

—Danielle Geiger, Brentwood Public Library, Brentwood, TN
NoveList read-alike: Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper

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.

Click here to access the Hall of Fame Archive with annotations and readalikes 

 

Carrie Soto Is Back: A Novel 

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Ballantine Books

Ruby Fever: A Hidden Legacy Novel 

by Ilona Andrews

Avon 

Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club

By Roselle Lim

Berkley