LibraryReads: January 2025

    

 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 the January 2024 list.... 

Good Dirt: A Novel

Charmaine Wilkerson

(Ballantine Books)

When Ebby was a child, she witnessed her older brother's murder. After being ditched at the altar years later, she escapes to France only to run into her exfiancé, Henry, and his new girlfriend. Ebby is forced to confront Henry and the trauma of her brother's death. Through a treasured heirloom pottery jar, the novel chronicles the history of Ebby's family and its resilience.

—Alison Zaya, Pollard Memorial Library, MA

NoveList read-alike: Acts of Forgiveness by Maura Cheeks

Now for the rest of the January 2024 list!

Out of the Woods: A Novel

Hannah Bonam-Young

(Dell)

In this follow-up to Out on a Limb, high school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb find that over a decade into marriage, their relationship has changed. They resolve to rekindle things through a weeklong couples retreat, camping in the wilderness. This second-chance romance features flashbacks and great character backstories that elevate it from the typical trope.

—Cari Dubiel, Twinsburg Public Library, OH

NoveList read-alike: Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

The Note: A Novel

Alafair Burke

(Knopf)

Three friends reunite in the Hamptons only to have chaos ensue after a night spent out drinking. The fastmoving narrative features multiple narrators and lots of unexpected twists. Burke has delivered another excellent psychological thriller

—Cyndi Larsen, Avon Free Public Library, CT

NoveList read-alike: We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz

Babylonia

Costanza Casati

(Sourcebooks Landmark)

Semiramis was abandoned by a fragile mother and raised by a cruel stepfather. She grows up learning that to belong in a maledominated society, she has to think and fight like a man. The author's research, vivid descriptions, and memorable characters make for a great read.z 

—Linda Sullivan, Mission Viejo Library, CA

NoveList read-alike: Wings of Fury by Emily R. King

The Favorites: A Novel

Layne Fargo

(Random House)

This novel looks at ambition and the elite figure skating world with a sharp eye and a fierce writing style. It's a dishy story of an Olympic icedancing couple with some truly romantic moments, the pacing of a thriller, and a documentary interview style that effectively propels the story along. 

—Jodi Prather, Bartholomew County Public Library, IN

NoveList read-alike: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Business Trip

Jessie Garcia

(St. Martin's Press)

Stephanie, heading to a work conference, meets Jasmine, who is running from an abusive relationship. They find themselves connected to Trent, a raging narcissist. When both women turn up missing, evidence is found at Trent's house. This fast-paced plot will keep readers guessing until the very last page of the book.

—Melissa Turner, Maricopa Library & Cultural Center, AZ

NoveList read-alike: Leave the Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz

Temple of Swoon

Jo Segura

(Berkley)

This delightfully madcap adventure through dangerous jungles and beautifully realized relationships will appeal to fans of Segura's first romance, but can be read on its own. Perfect for patrons who are looking for the quirky banter of India Holton or the academic wit of Ali Hazelwood.

—Clay Chiment, Ulysses Philomathic Library, Trumansburg, NY

NoveList read-alike: The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea

Water Moon: A Novel

Samantha Sotto Yambao

(Del Rey)

At Hana's pawnshop in Tokyo, people can sell their regrets. While Hana provides relief for them, she desperately seeks answers for her father's disappearance. Enter Key and his scientific mind. A fascinating blend of magical realism, mystery, romance, and hope.

—Crystal Faris, Kansas City Public Library, MO

NoveList read-alike: Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

The In-Between Bookstore

Edward Underhill

(Avon)

In this aching “what if?” story, Darby goes back to his Midwest hometown and finds everything has changed but the In Between Bookstore—in fact, when he walks in, the person behind the counter is the sixteen-year-old version of himself. A tender look at how events change and create us— and how not even the closest people to us can know what’s going on in our heads.

—Jessica Trotter, Capital Area District Libraries, MI

NoveList read-alike: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Tell Me What You Did

Carter Wilson

(Poisoned Pen Press)

Poe, a popular true-crime podcaster, has the tables turned on her when a caller claims to know her past. Poe took out her mother's killer years ago, but the caller says she got the wrong person. This tightly wound cat-and-mouse game asks all kinds of moral questions, and readers will enjoy the many twists and turns.

—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, TX

NoveList read-alike: Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

Board Bonus picks:

Wake Up and Open Your Eyes

Clay McLeod Chapman 

(Quirk Books)

Notable Nonfiction:

Y2K: How the 2000s Became Everything (Essays on the Future That Never Was)

Collette Shade

(Dey Street Books)

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.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal: A Novel

Sarah Adams

(Delacorte Press)

The Stolen Queen: A Novel

Fiona Davis

(Dutton)

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls

Grady Hendrix

(Berkley)

Beautiful Ugly

Alice Feeney

(Flatiron Books)

Once Smitten, Twice Shy

Chloe Liese

(Berkley)

The Crash

Frieda McFadden

(Poisoned Pen Press)

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear

Seanan McGuire

(Tordotcom)

Death of the Author: A Novel

Nnedi Okorafor

(William Morrow)

Accidentally Amy

Lynn Painter

(Berkley)

A Sea of Unspoken Things: A Novel

Adrienne Young

(Delacorte Press)