Library Reads: April 2024

     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.

Note for April 2024: The Hall of Fame was created by LibraryReads to make sure that perennially popular authors on the LR list did not take spaces away from other authors. Discovery is the main point of this list. Encouraging discovery means that the list must always have new and different authors on it. This month is great example. There are 10 [!] titles on the Hall of Fame List, and these are not new to the HoF authors. These are library "bestsellers." Imagine that those 10 at the bottom of this page were all you got while the 10 titles who made the list, were nowhere to be found. How would you know about them, find other library workers booktalking them through their annotations for you, or even know which other popular titles they are most similar to? You might not. And on this list for April 2024 we have 22 titles (with the 2 bonus Board picks because they don't get to vote and this is a way they get a say as well.) Please make sure you are always clicking on the Hall of Fame archive link to find sure bet, library favorite authors on vernal, or by the month that they were honored.

Now let's get to the April 2024 list.... 

The Husbands: A Novel 

Holly Gramazio

(Doubleday)

Lauren, who's single, comes home to find that not only is she married, but she doesn’t recognize her husband. She discovers that by sending a husband to the attic, she can replace him with a new model—and there seems to be a never-ending supply. The quirky nature of the book, humorous writing, charming characters and the unbelievable situation will have readers completely engrossed.

—Douglas Beatty, Baltimore County Public Library, MD

NoveList read-alike: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

Now for the rest of the April 2024 list!

The Rule Book: A Novel

Sarah Adams
(Dell)

Nora lands her first client as a sports agent, and it happens to be her ex- boyfriend from college. Derek, a tight end pro football player, needs all the help he can get to revive his career Upbeat and engaging, this sports romance book is breezy with fun characters and plenty of heart.

—Andrienne Cruz, Azusa City Library, CA

NoveList read-alike: The Prospects by KT Hoffman

Happy Medium

Sarah Adler

(Berkley)

A medium reluctantly visits a goat farm to exorcise a ghost, and even though she’s a fake...the ghost is not. This is a story full of sweet love and friendship—and found family—with plenty of heat arising between the main characters. A very enjoyable romance with humor, cute animals, and deeper self examination leading to rich relationships.

—Di Herald, LibraryReads Ambassador, CO

NoveList read-alike: Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan

Ghost Station

S.A. Barnes

(Tor Nightfire)

This unsettling space horror novel follows Dr. Ophelia Bray as she is assigned to a crew exploring a deserted planet with ruins from an ancient civilization. Soon it's apparent that something suspicious happened to the previous crew and, even earlier, to the ancient society. Mystery, murder, and secrets keep the reader intrigued and guessing the outcome.

—Kristin Skinner, Flat River Community Library, MI

NoveList read-alike: We Have Always Been Here by Lena Nguyen

[Becky's review of this book is here]

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers

Samuel Burr
(Doubleday)

Baby Clayton is left on the steps of a puzzlemakers' society. Pippa, the society's founder, finds and raises him. When she passes away, Clayton, untethered,
longs to solve the mystery of his abandonment. Pippa has created a special puzzle for Clayton to find out the secrets of life and discover his origins. Readers will absolutely love this fun, quirky tale.

—Claire Talbot, Greece Public Library, NY

NoveList read-alike: Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel by Ruth Hogan

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods

Molly X. Chang
(Del Rey)

After a Roman prince discovers Ruying's death power, he uses her sister's addiction to make a deal with Ruying. He needs her to assassinate someone at the top of the food chain, and in return her family will live. The cost of unusual magic, trust issues, attraction to the enemy, and constant action carry this novel.

—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, TX

NoveList read-alike: The Jasad Heir by Sarah Hashem

Late Bloomer: A Novel

Mazey Eddings
(St. Martin's Griffin)

This sapphic romance is based on an adorable but outlandish scenario, where Opal accidentally buys Pepper's inheritance (a flower farm). The way they manage their insecurities and neurodiversity and communicate with tenderness is spectacular. Readers will love seeing them grow as they navigate their relationship.

—Danielle Aronowitz, South Plainfield Public Library, NJ

NoveList read-alike: Bet the Farm by Fiona Riley

Extinction

Douglas Preston

(Forge Books)

When newlyweds are attacked at Erebus Resort, investigator Frankie Cash and Sheriff Colcord team up to find the killers. There is more going on than meets the eye as the killers carry out more blatant attacks at this unique location featuring resurrected dinosaur species, including a family of wooly mammoths. An interesting concept with loads of science.

—Judy G. Sebastian, Eastham Public Library, MA
NoveList read-alike: The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler

Home Is Where the Bodies Are

Jeneva Rose
(Blackstone Publishing)

When three estranged siblings reunite after the death of their mother, things are bound to be tense. As they decide to revisit their childhood with a few home videos, the last thing they’d expect to see is their father carrying a dead body. But there’s no denying the evidence. Readers looking for complex family dynamics and hidden secrets will devour this one.

Karen Troutman, Peru Public Library, IN

NoveList read-alike: Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Table for Two: Fictions

Amor Towles
(Viking)

Towles's literary fiction never disappoints. In this collection of short stories and a novella, readers will be entranced by his use of sophisticated and smart language to convey aspects of the human condition. Highly recommended for book clubs and lovers of short stories.

—Julie Klein, The Bryant Library, NY
NoveList read-alike: After the Funeral by Tessa Hadley

Board Bonus pick:

Indian Burial Ground
Nick Medina
(Berkley)

[Editors note: I am giving away a HC of this book right now on the #HorrorForLibraries giveaway. Enter now.] 

Notable Nonfiction:

Sociopath: A Memoir

Patric Gagne
(Simon & Schuster)

See our social media for annotations of the bonus picks

Click here to see the entire Hall of Fame

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 the Hall of Fame. Click here to see the Hall of Fame authors organized in alpha order.

Truly, Madly, Deeply
Alexandria Bellefleur

(Avon)
NoveList read-alike: The Ex-Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

One of Us Knows: A Thriller
Alyssa Cole
(William Morrow)
NoveList read-alike: Liar, Dreamer, Thief by Maria Dong

Funny Story: A Novel

Emily Henry

(Berkley)
NoveList read-alike: Georgie All Along by Kate Clayborn

Darling Girls: A Novel

Sally Hepworth

(St. Martin's Press)
NoveList read-alike: The Secrets of Us by Lucinda Berry

Just for the Summer
Abby Jimenez

(Forever, Hachette Book Group)
NoveList read-alike: Maya's Laws of Love by Alina Khawaja

She's Not Sorry

Mary Kubica

(Park Row)
NoveList read-alike: Fit to Die by Daniel Kalla

Only and Forever

Chloe Liese

(Berkley)
NoveList read-alike: Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake

A Game of Lies

Clare Mackintosh

(Sourcebooks Landmark)
NoveList read-alike: Small Game by Blair Braverman

Daughter of Mine

Megan Miranda

(S&S/Marysue Rucci Books)
NoveList read-alike: The Good Son by Yu-Jong Chong

The Paris Novel

Ruth Reichl

(Random House)
NoveList read-alike: Main Character Energy by Jamie Varon