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