BPL Book Discussion: Peony in Love

This week we had our discussion group at the Berwyn Public Library. We discussed Lisa See's Peony in Love. I first read this book in December of 2007 and wrote about it here, including some suggested read alikes.

Peony in Love, recounts the story of a young, Chinese girl in the 1500s, named Peony, who starves herself to death, rather than be forced to "marry out." Except, here it turns out she knew and loved the man she was betrothed to. What follows is a story of how ghosts live in the Chinese after world, how Peony is able to find peace for herself and her love, and how she manges to become a famous female poet whose voice is finally heard.

Most of our group enjoyed the book. The two who did not were turned off by the ghost story and/or how terrible women were treated (even though it was based in fact, it was to much for one participant to take). A few participants mentioned how they would have never read this book on their own, but they were glad the did for the discussion.

Overall, everyone did agree that See's writing is beautiful. The language was as lyrical as the opera which is constantly referred to. In fact, a few wished they got more info about the opera in the novel. For those people I have this link.

One woman in the group is the godmother of a girl adopted from China, and she had some experience with the Chinese customers involving ancestors, but she loved how this novel made the Chinese beliefs and customers about the after world very concrete. The group agreed that See took what are complex, and unfamiliar (to us) customs and made them clear. In general, the group has a fascination with Chinese culture and history, and we were happy with this novel's depictions of it.

We did spend a great deal of time talking about the role of women in society, both then and now. How different was Peony's love sickness from girls with anorexia today? We decided they are one and the same. Both are about young girls longing to have control of something in their lives. See also illustrates the domestic world of the women as one filled with jealousy and back biting. Again, we thought that was similar to women's experiences today. One participant argued that all the back biting is a way for women to have power in a world where they are powerless. If you are not heard, you pick on small things.

We continued talking about how much and, surprisingly, how little the role of women in society has changed.

We also talked about See's characterizations. First, Peony is not a completely sympathetic character. By the end we are rooting for her, but she has a lot of maturing to do before we were all behind her. One participant pointed out how See took her time with each character. She would present each as almost perfect, then knock them down, showing major faults, but then allow each to rebuild themselves in our eyes, ending up somewhere in the middle at the end. We all felt this added reality to her characters, which we enjoyed.

If you want to read more by Lisa See, click here.

Also, if you want to see my read alike suggestions for Peony in Love, click here.

Next month we are reading Studs Terkel's last book, P.S.

What I'm Reading: The Man From Beijing

While I waiting for The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest to come in on audio for me, I listened to Henning Mankell's non-Wallandar title, The Man From Beijing. I have read the more traditional Nordic Noir Wallander books and watched the PBS series based on these books and enjoyed them. I also have an interest in books with a Chinese frame, so I thought this would be a good choice for me.

However, I am sad to report that I was not fully satisfied by The Man From Beijing.

We begin with a man stumbling upon a remote Swedish village in which it appears everyone was murdered. After a bit more suspense building and being introduced to a few more characters who will think will be our protagonist, Mankell finally settles on a Judge who it seems has a family connection to the murder victims (although it is a stretch). We follow her as she puts the pieces of the murder together.

The book bounces around in time and perspective as the murders are related to a centuries old revenge plot involving a Chinese man who was enslaved to build the railroad in the American West. Confused yet? Well hang on. We still have to hear from his modern day ancestor, that guy's sister, and then back to the judge.

The problem here is that each section is interesting, but put together, the whole thing feels a bit too spread thin. Just as I started to care about one storyline/character, the focus shifted. Also it all felt very forced to me. I could never really care about a character because he or she may disappear for a hunmdred pages, or seem interesting at first but then turn out to mean nothing to the plot.

An example are the Swedish missionaries who befriend the Chinese freed slaves as they make their way back to America. Once their part is over, they are gone, yet Mankell seemed to build them up so that we should really care about them; that they will be important. Yeah, not so much.

Also annoying, he includes a final chapter in which we see the murders from the perspective of the killer but it is wholly unsatisfying  because we are already certain of who did it and why. This chapter adds nothing.

Overall, I was underwhelmed. Or can you not tell?

Three Words That Describe This Book: mutliple-points of view, china, historical detail

NOTE: my three words have no hint of how I felt about the book. These are there to help you (and me) suggest this book to possible readers who may enjoy it. My work does not concern itself with who would NOT enjoy it. These three words are objective about why would it be appealing.

Readalikes: If you want to read other Scandinavian Mysteries, use this link where I have talked about the multitude of reading options.

However, I suspect that many people may be more interested in novels and nonfiction about China after reading The Man From Bejing.  This I can also help you with. Try:

• The Man Who Loved China by Simon Winchester
• On Gold Mountain by Lisa See or really anything by her
• The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
• Anything by Anchee Min
• The Banquet Bug by Geling Yan
• Anything by Ha Jin

And if that is not enough for you, Lit Lists offers the following links:
5 Good Short Books on China
Top 10 Unputdownable Chinese Books
Lisa See's Suggestions: Notable Books About China
Best China Books of 2008
Best Books About Chinese Women in 2008
Top 10 Books on Beijing
Top Books on Modern China
Five Best: Guides to China and Its History

Library Reads: June 2014

Here is the June list.  Click here to pull up past months' lists.

June 2014 Library Reads List

Elizabeth is Missing: A Novel

by Emma Healey

Published: 6/10/2014 by Harper
ISBN: 9780062309662

“Maude sinks into a confusing world in this gripping psychological mystery written in the voice of an aging woman with Alzheimer’s. She can’t remember what she’s doing or where she is, but she is obsessed with one thought–her good friend Elizabeth is missing. Book groups will enjoy this satisfying and entertaining read!”

Mary Campanelli, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus, OH

China Dolls: A Novel

by Lisa See

Published: 6/3/2014 by Random House
ISBN: 9780812992892

“Set in 1938 San Francisco, this book follows the lives of three young women up through WWII. Grace travels to California seeking stardom, where she meets Helen, a young woman from Chinatown, and the two find jobs as nightclub dancers. While auditioning, they cross paths with Ruby, and the book alternates between all three viewpoints. Lisa See is one of my favorite authors, and her newest title doesn’t disappoint.”

Catherine Coyne, Mansfield Public Library, Mansfield, MA

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The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street: A Novel

by Susan Jane Gilman

Published: 6/10/2014 by Grand Central Publishing
ISBN: 9780446578936

“In the tenements of old New York, a young Russian Jewish immigrant woman is taken in by an Italian family who sells ice. Through sheer persistence and strong will, she manages to build an ice cream empire. Lillian Dunkle is a complex character who will both make you cheer even as you are dismayed. Have ice cream on hand when you read this book!”

Marika Zemke, Commerce Township Public Library, Commerce Twp, MI

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I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You: A Novel

by Courtney Maum

Published: 6/10/2014 by Touchstone
ISBN: 9781476764580

“Set mainly in Paris, this love story for grown-ups tells the story of a decent man who almost ruins his life and then goes to great lengths to restore his marriage. If your path to a happy marriage has been straight-forward, you may not appreciate this book – but it’s perfect for the rest of us!”

Laurel Best, Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, Huntsville, AL

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The Matchmaker: A Novel

by Elin Hilderbrand

Published: 6/10/2014 by Little, Brown and Company
ISBN: 9780316099752

“Set in romantic Nantucket, Hilderbrand’s newest novel is a heartwarming and moving story about the power of love. Dabney Kimball Beech, long denied her own true love, is determined to match up those closest to her before it is too late. This captivating book had me weeping through the last few chapters. A beautifully written and heartbreaking story!”

Jill Kaufman, Desloge Public Library, Desloge, MO

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Summer House with Swimming Pool: A Novel

by Herman Koch

Published: 6/3/2014 by Hogarth
ISBN: 9780804138819

“A deliciously nasty study in sociopathy, veiled in the alluring sheen of European upper class lifestyles and sensibilities. Summer House with Swimming Pool will grip you with an uneasy dread and won’t let you stop turning the pages until the riveting end. Fair warning: you will never look at your family doctor the same way again.”

Kristin Cole, The Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA

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The Lobster Kings: A Novel

by Alexi Zentner

Published: 5/27/2014 by W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 9780393089578

“This well-crafted story truly captures the beauty and brutality of living by the sea. The characters show what it’s like to have saltwater in your veins and commitment to family and community. Zentner depicts a way of life that is fast disappearing. Perfect for summer reading.”

Lisa Marie Joyce, Portland Public Library & South Portland Public Library, Portland, ME

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The Hurricane Sisters: A Novel

by Dorothea Benton Frank

Published: 6/3/2014 by William Morrow
ISBN: 9780062132529

“Having just completed my annual trek to the Carolina Lowcountry, compliments of Dorothea Benton Frank, I’m happy to report that a good time was had by all. It was, as ever, a pleasure to meet her new characters, travel down Highway 17 (llama optional), sit back with a glass of wine and take in the beautiful sunsets and ocean breeze, all without leaving the comfort of my easy chair.”

Yvonne Jefferson, Pittsylvania County Public Library, Dry Fork, VA

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The Quick: A Novel

by Lauren Owen

Published: 6/17/2014 by Random House
ISBN: 9780812993271

“This book starts out slowly, with an unconventional Victorian-era romance and builds to an unexpected development by the end of part one. Owen continues the slow boil of suspense with a curiously-enticing plot, centering on members of an exclusive London gentleman’s club who are testing the boundaries of their own organization. For those who enjoy historical fiction with a twist.”

Lucy Lockley, St. Charles City-County Library, St. Peters, MO

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Rogues

edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois

Published: 6/17/2014 by Bantam
ISBN: 9780345537263

“This anthology is worth reading for the Rothfuss’s story alone! ‘The Lightning Tree’ follows Bast spending a day outside the tavern, which left me anxious for Kingkiller Book 3 to come out. Other stand-outs are stories by Garth Nix, Cherie Priest and Connie Willis. Rogues should enjoy a large audience of Martin fans and is a good entry point to the other contributing authors’ works.”

Keith Hayes, West Regional Library, Wake County Public Libraries, Cary, NC

Happy Halloween: Here's A Recommended List of Halloween Books from the Foremost Expert on the Holiday

Happy Halloween! We made it. See and you didn't get too scared this month.

This year I have asked Lisa Morton, international Halloween expert, author, and the current President of the HWA back to the blog to help us celebrate [click here for her past appearances].

She wanted to share with you six Halloween titles that she feels are perfect for public library collections. She made sure they were in paperback [to save us money] and in print. She also included the link for you to order them directly from the publisher. Thanks to Lisa and HAPPY HALLOWEEN to you all.

Remember, just because Halloween is today that doesn't mean you cannot suggest great scary reads all year long; in fact, I will have a few options perfect for a wide range of readers here on the regular blog tomorrow. [See even if you hide from my horror blog, I will come and find you.]

Now, Lisa, take it away...

☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠

Six Halloween Books Every Library Should Have 
By Lisa Morton 

As a Halloween expert, I’ve been known to refer to my favorite day of the year as “the most misunderstood holiday.” I encounter a lot of misconceptions about the holiday, everything from the notion that it’s based on a day when ancient Celts worshipped a Lord of Death (it’s not), to “trick or treat is centuries old” (again – it’s not), to concerns that anonymous psychos tampering with candy is a real problem every year (surprise answer: it’s not). 

Fortunately, over the last twenty years a number of excellent books about Halloween have been published, so I consider it my civic duty to let librarians know that they can assist in countering these mistaken notions of Halloween by putting these titles on their shelves. 
Plus, they’re all really fun books that patrons will enjoy, and will likely want to check out even when it’s not October. 

Here are six that are still in print as trade paperbacks and are all worthwhile additions to any collection: 

A Halloween Reader: Poems, Stories, and Plays from Halloweens Past, edited by Lesley Pratt 

Bannatyne, published by Pelican Publishing. Bannatyne is one of the world’s leading authorities on the holiday, so you know this anthology of stories, poems, and articles was chosen with knowledge and care. The book includes classic works (Robert Burns’s poem “Hallowe’en”), pieces by great authors (James Joyce, Edith Wharton, Edgar Allan Poe), and lesser-known but equally wonderful entries. It works as either a reference volume or just an enjoyable, casual reader. Younger readers will find plenty to scarf down here, too. 

The Mammoth Book of Halloween Stories, edited by Stephen Jones, published by Skyhorse Publishing. 

Halloween fiction has become immensely popular over the last twenty years, and there are a number of fine anthologies out there. This one, just released two months ago, packs twenty-six stories into nearly 500 pages, so every reader is sure to find new seasonal favorites in this “mammoth book.” Authors include such genre luminaries as Ramsey Campbell, Jane Yolen, Neil Gaiman, Joe R. Lansdale, Nancy Kilpatrick, and many more. Be aware that these stories are not intended for very young readers. 

Drawn to the Dark: Explorations in Scare Tourism Around the World, by Chris Kullstroem, published by Pelican Publishing.

This is the only title on this list that’s not 100% about Halloween (although it has a wonderful chapter on playing a monster in a Halloween haunted attraction), but I’m recommending it because it offers a compelling examination of similar festivals and attractions around the world and makes us realize why the things we love about Halloween are universal. Don’t be surprised if you want to book some airline tickets after reading this!

The Halloween Encyclopedia (2nd edition), by Lisa Morton, published by McFarland and Co., Inc. 

Although this book is really intended for either academics or serious Halloweenaholics, it’s also illustrated throughout and written in an accessible style that makes for fun, enlightening browsing. 

Halloween and Other Festivals of Life and Death, edited by Jack Santino, published by the University of Tennessee Press. This is the one truly academic title on this list, but the papers assembled here have made it the classic for Halloween scholars. Santino is a folklorist who is without peer in the field of serious Halloween studies, plus the selections offer up some wonderful takes on Halloween (like the importance of noisemakers in the past) that you won’t find elsewhere. 

Halloween: The History of America’s Darkest Holiday, by David J. Skal, published by Dover Publications. Originally released under the title Death Makes a Holiday, this is an entertaining pop culture history by the always-reliable Skal. Dover has reprinted it in an affordable paperback with a kickin’ new cover. 

Happy Halloween, everyone! 
---------------------------------------------

BIO: Lisa Morton is a screenwriter, author of non-fiction books, and award-winning prose writer whose work was described by the American Library Association’s Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror as “consistently dark, unsettling, and frightening”. She is the author of four novels and more than 130 short stories, a six-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award®, and a world-class Halloween expert. She co-edited (with Ellen Datlow) the anthology Haunted Nights; other recent releases include Ghosts: A Haunted History and the collection The Samhanach and Other Halloween Treats. Forthcoming in 2019 is an anthology of classic ghost stories, co-edited with Leslie Klinger, and short fiction in books including Odd Partners, edited by Anne Perry. Lisa lives in Los Angeles and online at http://www.lisamorton.com .

What I'm Reading: Boxers and Saints

Today’s review is really for two books, the graphic novel box set by Gene Luen Yang which contains the books Boxers & Saints.

Boxers & Saints tells parallel stories set in 1898 during the height of the Boxer Rebellion. What, you don’t know all about the Boxer Rebellion? Well don’t worry, neither did I, nor did Yang know a lot before he began. But after reading both sides of the story as Yang presents them, not only are you treated to a good story, but you learn something too.

The set up of this box set is deceptively simple.  Boxers is the story of Little Bao, a Chinese peasant whose life is turned upside down by the intrusion and pillaging of Westerners, specifically Christians.  This fatter volume follows Bao as he trains an army that harnesses the power of the Chinese opera and traditional gods to challenge the Westerners who are trying to take over his country. Together they march to the city and try to fight for their traditional ways.

The slimmer volume, Saints follows the life of a young girl, who Little Bao meets at one point in his volume.  She is an unwanted fourth child and a girl to boot.  She is abused by her family but finds acceptance, care, food, and love in the Christian church. In fact, until she converts and leaves home to join the Westerns, she has no name.  After, she is Vibiana.

So the story of a complicated war and era are clearly told in moving images and a humanized, character focused story.  It is the same story told from opposites sides of a violent conflict.  Nothing explains how complicated war is better than seeing it through the eyes of richly drawn characters from both sides of the lines.  These character centered volumes first draw the reader into Bao’s world.  We feel his pain, and cheer with him as he defeats [read: kills] the enemy.  We believe in him and his cause.  He can do no wrong, that is until we open the second volume and follow Vibiana’s story.  From reading Boxers we know what will become of Vibiana, but like with Bao’s story, we get caught up in Vibiana’s tale.  We root for her, agree with her choices, and hope for the best for her.

You know Yang has done a good job here if you can see a reason to root for both sides.  We all know war is difficult in theory, but when you see it unfolding from an intensely personal view on both sides of the battle lines, that difficulty is better appreciated. How can I agree with both, yet they are waging a violent and prolonged battle? Hmmm, just asking this question is the entire point of Yang’s work.

Yang’s pictures are perfect.  They fit the part of the story we are in.  They are drab and simple when the story calls for it and colorful, beautiful, and intricate when they need to be.  Like the plot, the pictures too are deceptively simple. You can race through the story with cursory glances and the pictures will guide you through the tale, but spend a little more time looking a bit more closely, and you will be rewarded with a deeper and more emotional story.

The senselessness of the violence, from both sides is also magnified by the images.  One of my favorite examples of how the pictures flesh the story out comes early in Boxers (the first volume) as Bao watches the Christians destroy the town’s god statue.  My heart broke for him as the god shattered in front of both of us.  And then, a mended version is put out. When Bao tells us it is not the same, we can see it for ourselves.

Boxers & Saints is an amazing reading experience. It is a rich, moving, character centered story, that is thought provoking, educational, and beautifully rendered.

Three Words That Describe This Book: character centered, moving, both sides of the story

Readalikes: If you are looking for more serious graphic novels that both entertain and teach you something about a place and time Jason Lutes’ Berlin Trilogy or the war graphic journalism of Joe Sacco are excellent choices.

Lisa See’s historical fiction novels about China have the same character centered focus and are moving and serious while also teaching the reader something about life in China. Specifically Peony in Love uses Chinese Opera as an inspiration as in Boxers.

Finally, Yang has an extensive list of further reading included at the end of each volume.  You can seen the list for yourself by going to Amazon and searching inside the book for “Further Reading.” It pops right up. I would highly suggest looking here for further nonfiction readalikes as Yang turned to these resources himself when writing the books.

What I'm Reading: December 2007

This month I read 3 different books which all came out (at least in America) over the last half of 2007. I don't always read only "new" books, but these were books that couldn't wait.

After loading it on my computer back in July, I finally listened to Lisa See's Peony in Love. Much like her best selling Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love tells the story of the experiences of young girls in China, this time in the 17th-century. Along with the details of how women lived at this time and place, See also introduces a famous Chinese opera, its effect on young women, the study of literature, and a ghost story into her seemingly traditional historical family saga. I was pleasantly surprised and very much enjoyed the supernatural aspects.

Readers who enjoyed the use of opera in the storyline would also like Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Those who are interested in historical women's lives should try A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini or The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. However, I would also highly recommend See's own memoir of her racially mixed family, On Gold Mountain to any reader who has enjoyed any of her novels or those by Amy Tan.

You may have noticed in my Favorite books I Read This Year post that Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts made the cut. I finished this collection of short stories by 2007's it boy (and Stephen King's son) and was blown away. Granted, I like my stories to be a bit off, so I was probably going to enjoy this read, but what I really appreciated was how creative the stories were. Even a reader such as myself who has been there, and done that with "horror" stories was able to be surprised. The stories range from out right horror, to genre spoofs, to suspense, all the way to even a bit sweet. This collection was originally published in England, but with the success of Heart-Shaped Box, it was finally published in the US late in 2007.

Similar authors who also write short stories and novels with the same feel and depth of imagination as Joe Hill are Stephen Millhauser and Kevin Brockmeier.

Right at the close of 2007, I also finished Tom Perrotta's The Abstinence Teacher. I have been a Perrotta fan way back to the early days of The Wishbones and although I did enjoy his newest offering, it was not my favorite. The basic plot revolves around the lives of a female Sex Ed teacher being forced to teach an abstinence curriculum and a male former drug-addict turned evangelical. The two are both missing something in their lives and are drawn to each other in their quest to fulfill themselves. The novel is told from their alternating points of view, and sometimes, we see the same scene from each character's pov.

I appreciated Perrotta's even handed look at both perspectives. He also did a great job, as usual, of not simplifying complex issues and feelings. And, the book has a realistically open ending, which I loved but may drive some readers crazy. However, with his last two books, I feel Perrotta may have lost a bit of his sense of humor. Maybe it is just part of his personal "growing-up" process. No matter, he is still the best at capturing authentic suburbia. right now.

There are many readalikes for Perrotta and this novel in particular. Richard Russo's Empire Falls works here, as do all of the books in Richard Ford's Frank Bascombe trilogy. For a female perspective on modern family and how abstinence may or may not work, try Julia Glass' Three Junes

Here's to Happy Reading in 2008.

LibraryReads: June 2023

 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.

New in February 2023-- a bonus pick with an annotation by a LibraryReads Board member. See this month's pick at the end of this post. It also appears on the PDF list for printing and displaying at your library.

Now let's get to the June 2023 list.... 

The Quiet Tenant: A Novel 

Clémence Michallon

Knopf

The entire town feels sorry for Aidan Thomas when his wife dies. But the mysterious woman staying in the house Aidan shares with his teenage daughter has seen a very different side of him … and knows her every move has life-or-death stakes. A great pick for thriller fans looking for a page-turner with strong female protagonists.

--Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL

And here is the rest of the June 2023 list

All the Sinners Bleed 
S.A. Cosby
(Flatiron Books)
As a Black sheriff in rural Virginia, Titus Crown is caught in political turmoil while a pedophile mass murderer runs amok. A brilliant perfectionist and former FBI agent, Titus ran for office to change things for the better, but can anything honestly change?

—Jill Minor, Washington County Public Library 
NoveList read-alike: When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash

The Brightest Star: A Novel 
Gail Tsukiyama 
(HarperVia)
This moving historical novel spotlights Chinese-American icon Anna May Wong, a talented and ambitious actress caught in a film industry that denied her the roles she was born to play, even as she was expected to teach white actresses how to "act Chinese".

—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library
NoveList read-alike: Siren Queen by Nghi Vo

A Crown of Ivy and Glass
Claire LeGrand
(Sourcebooks Casablanca)
Gemma is the only person in her powerful family not to possess magic; in fact, she’s physically sickened by it. But when a dashing man tells her of a demonic curse, Gemma engages in a quest to find her tormentor. This is a sweeping, romantic fantasy with the promise of more to come.

—Mary Lovell, Seymour Public Library

NoveList read-alike: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

The First Ladies
Marie Benedict and
Victoria Christopher Murray (Berkley)
An illuminating read about the unlikely friendship between Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune as both overcame obstacles pursuing equal rights during the Great Depression/WWII and formed a close relationship through their personal struggles.

—Debbie Lease, Hillsdale Public Library
NoveList read-alike: The Thread Collectors by Shaunna J. Edwards

A Most Agreeable Murder: A Novel
Julia Seales
(Knopf)

Beatrice has had enough of Regency societal rules about what is proper and loves true crime and Lord Huxley. When Huxley's former assistant shows up in her village, Beatrice immediately dislikes him. When another guest to the village is murdered, Beatrice helps the vile man solve the case. Much laughter is had on the way to personal freedom and autonomy.

—Michelle Ogden, Crawfordsville District Public Library
NoveList read-alike: The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray

The Rachel Incident: A Novel
Caroline O'Donoghue (Knopf)

Rachel and James meet while working at a bookshop in Cork and decide to hold a book release event for Rachel's professor. Ten years later, a pregnant Rachel reflects on this time in her life and how it led her to where she is now. Capturing university life where friendships are strong, emotions are deep, and money is tight, this is a wonderful novel.

— Tara McGuinness, Cuyahoga County Public Library
NoveList read-alike: Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

Same Time Next Summer
Annabel Monaghan
(G.P. Putnam's Sons)

Sam and Wyatt have met up every summer since they were young and fall deeply in love. Even at their young age they know this love is forever. This starts out as a basic romance novel, but when something terrible happens to our two lovers, the writing changes, becoming more compelling and more nuanced.

—Judy G Sebastian, Eastham Public Library
NoveList read-alike: Every Summer After by Carly Fortune

The Seven Year Slip 
Ashley Poston 
(Berkley)

Suspend belief, forget logic, and don't ask questions, just go with the love in this romance set in a magical apartment. Clementine and Iwan fall in love and then lose each other in a seven- year time slip. Their lives are filled with good friends and family and eventually a happy ending.

—JR Ring, Baltimore County Public Library
NoveList read-alike: The Impossible Us by Sarah Lotz

Bonus pick: Much Ado About 

Nada Uzma Jalaluddin (Berkley)

Notable Nonfiction: Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World
Christian Cooper (Random House)

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.

The Beach at Summerly: A Novel 
Beatriz Williams 
(William Morrow)

Emilia, who lives on Winthrop Island, becomes good friends with glamorous Olive when she arrives in 1946. But when Emilia helps an FBI agent capture a Russian spy, she must deal with the fallout eight years later. Williams writes great historical novels, and this well-researched story brings the Cold War to life.

— Beth Emmerling, Enoch Pratt Free Library 
NoveList read-alike: Woman of Intelligence by Karin Tanabe

The Five-Star Weekend 
Elin Hilderbrand 
(Little, Brown and Company)

When popular food blogger Hollis Shaw unexpectedly becomes a widow, she decides to move on by inviting four friends from different phases of life to spend an all-expenses paid weekend together. Hollis hires her daughter to film the weekend—which turns out to be full of secrets, deceptions, and surprises. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy novels about women’s friendships.

— Sandy Ruhmann, Allen Park Public Library 
NoveList read-alike: Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave

Lady Tan's Circle of Women
Lisa See
(Scribner)

Inspired by a true story, this novel set in 15th century China follows Yunxian (Lady Tan) from her childhood to marriage and motherhood. She learns the art of medicine from her grandmother alongside Meiling, a midwife-in-training who becomes a close friend. After entering an arranged marriage, Yunxian is forbidden to apply her skills and knowledge to help other women. See’s description of this remarkable woman and her remedies will fascinate readers.

—Madeleine Felder, San Francisco Public Library
NoveList read-alike: The Picture Bride by Kum-i Yi

Love, Theoretically
Ali Hazelwood
(Berkley)

Theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway works as both an adjunct professor and fake girlfriend. This works out fine until she has to contend with Jack Smith, the arrogant experimental physicist who is her professional enemy. Hazelwood makes it easy to get wrapped up in this science-based story with her relatable and witty characters. This is a quick and easy read; a good heartfelt book.

—Elisabeth Byers, Prairie du Chien Memorial Library
NoveList read-alike: Love, Hate & Clickbait by Liz Bowery

Mortal Follies: A Novel
Alexis Hall
(Del Rey)

Maelys Mitchelmore thinks she is cursed, and every time something embarrassing, tragic, or downright terrifying happens, Lady Georgianna Landrake is right there. Rumor has it that Lady Georgianna is a wicked enchantress–is she behind the curse, or can she save Maelys from the spirits that plague her? A rollicking queer Regency romance featuring charming characters and a clever premise; ideal for fans of historical rom-coms.

—Nanette Donohue, Champaign Public Library
NoveList read-alike: Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

What I’m Reading: We Sold Our Souls and Cross Her Heart

The June issue of Booklist features two of my reviews of two high profile, high demand, forthcoming titles. As usual, I am posting my draft reviews here on the blog with bonus appeal and readalikes for you to more easily booktalk these titles to patrons and make readalike suggestion.

Let’s start with my star review!

We Sold Our Souls.

Hendrix, Grady (author).
Sept. 2018. 336p. Quirk, hardcover, $24.99  (9781683690122); Quirk, e-book (9781683690214). First published June 1, 2018 (Booklist).

With his third novel, best-selling author Hendrix brings his quirky sense of humor and pop culture references, but this time, he positions the fear front and center, in a terrifying tale that energetically flips the well worn, Faustian bargain trope on its head. Twenty years ago, Kris was the lead guitarist and creative force behind Dürt Würk, a heavy metal band about to break into the big time, but after a night no one can fully remember, the band tragically split, leaving the music behind, except for one member, Terry, who went on to become the biggest rockstar of his generation. Now washed up and empty inside at 47, Kris is barely holding it together, night managing a motel in working class Pennsylvania, until the morning a horrific murder makes her question the nefarious power behind Terry’s success, a dark power that may have come at the cost of Kris’ own soul. Inspired to take control of her life once again, Kris goes on a road trip from hell, one that reconnects her with old bandmates and puts her on a collision course with Terry, in Las Vegas, for Hellfire ‘19, an epic music festival of demonic proportions. No one is emerging from the desert unscathed, but no matter how high a mountain of horror she is up against, as long as Kris has her guitar, she might have just enough left in the tank to save us all. This is a fast paced, yet thought provoking ride, firmly rooted in the tradition of pulp horror from the end of the last century, but with fear and social criticism spawned from today, anchored by the terrifying implication that we are a society willing to sell our souls on of the cheap. Yes, this is Hendrix’s darkest novel yet, but it will leave readers begging for an encore.

Further Appeal: The frames of midlife regret, classic metal bands, huge music festivals, conspiracy theorists, and the social commentary about commercialism will appeal to many.

Selling your soul to the devil is one of the oldest stories in the Western storytelling tradition, but in Hendrix’s hands it get a refreshing twist, someone else is selling all of our souls, and we are fine with how cheap the price is.

This story is throughly entrenched in a 21st century sensibility but it also has the pulp feel of the classic paperbacks Hendrix combed through for his award winning Paperbacks From Hell. It’s not an homage, but you see the influence, in a good way. The climax also has a Lovecraftian feel, which like the pulps of the 1970s and 80s is also a huge horror trend right now.

One of the things Hendrix learned while doing his research for the nonfiction book was how much women drove those classic pulp novels. He talks about this at length in the book and his stage version of the book too. We Sold Our Souls is female driven. Kris is the focus. Kris is the strong one. Kris will save us all, even though we don’t necessarily want to be saved.

The fear here comes in ways traditional, the demons coming to get their payment and existential, midlife crisis, but one that isn’t your fault, but also in unexpected ways. Here’s an example, much like Joe Hill managed to make Christmas the scariest holiday ever, Hendrix turns the UPS van and it’s drivers into a terrifying army. Seriously, every time I see a UPS truck now, my heart races for a moment until I remind myself that it was novel-- a made up story-- that is making me feel real fear. That is success in horror terms. It is one of the main reasons why this book got a star. To make a reader, even a seasoned horror reader like myself, feel real fear when seeing a mundane object....that is AMAZING.

Finally, like all of Hendrix's novels, their is an underlying humor to everything here. I think you can see that from the idea of making UPS drivers terrifying. It is satire and black humor. It is wink and nod humor [the rehab place in the novel is  great example]. I could go on, but just make sure you read this one.

Three Words That Describe This Book: pulp, satire, terrifyingly realistic

Readalikes: This is hard because no one writes like Hendrix. Yes the old pulps, but this is way more sophisticated.  Parts of this books reminded me of parts of all 3 of Paul Tremblay’s novels, but only parts of each, not 1 totally.

The satire and epic scope of the story, with a great road trip storyline also reminded me of American Gods by Neil Gaiman, but We Sold Our Souls is not nearly as literary or detailed. It’s like the cliff notes version of that classic-- but in a good way. It’s fast paced and thought provoking.

There is a huge influx of music framed horror right now. It might be an emerging trend; for example, Black Mad Wheel by Josh Malerman and Corpsepaint by David Peak are two good recent examples.

Cross Her Heart.

Pinborough, Sarah (author).

Sept. 2018. 352p. Morrow, hardcover, $26.99  (9780062856791); e-book, $12.99  (9780062856814). First published June 1, 2018 (Booklist).

Pinborough [Behind Her Eyes] is back, aggressively taking on the deluge of domestic suspense titles, throwing down the gauntlet, and challenging all comers with her latest tension driven page turner. Opening with a prologue that announces in no uncertain terms that bad things are on the horizon, the story then pulls back to Lisa, a 40 yr old, slightly overprotective single mom of teenage daughter, Ava. She lives a quiet life in the suburbs, has a successful career and a supportive best friend, Marilyn. But, it quickly becomes apparent to that all three women are each hiding something from the others and the reader, especially Lisa. Someone is toying with Lisa, threatening to bring her horrifying past back from the dead and thrusting it into the spotlight, but who, and why? Narrated by Lisa, Ava, Marilyn and an extremely evil and obsessive antagonist, the anxiety builds relentlessly, clues and red herrings are revealed in excruciatingly small snippets, as both Lisa and the reader look over their shoulders waiting for the twist to come. But when it does arrive, no one will be ready. One of the most satisfying aspects here is that unlike most of the “girl” books being published today, Cross Her Heart is truly, honestly and unapologetically feminist, from top to bottom, a novel driven by the strong relationships between women, for better or worse. This will be an easy sell for fans of all domestic suspense but you should especially target fans of Liane Moriarty and Megan Abbott.

Further Appeal: Okay first things first, Behind Her Eyes had a supernatural twist at the end. This one does not. This is a scary and tense read, but it is grounded 100% in reality. It is the perfect example of how psychological suspense can be as scary as horror as long as you don’t need a speculative element to enjoy the story.

Don’t let the title fool you. This is like no “girl” book you have ever read-- in a good way. Women are the only actors here. There are a few men in the story, but they are window dressing. Women are good, women are bad, women are smart, women make dumb choices, etc... It is truly feminist because it shows the good and bad of women, their relationships, and their actions. No one is only a bad guy or a good guy here. No one is only a hero or only a victim. The shades of grey make this a more enjoyable story. Reading a domestic suspense story that doesn’t “talk down” to the reader, that assumes we are intelligent and can handle nuance, while still presenting a fast paced, suspense story was refreshing.

The time line here is fluid. We have chapters of “Then” and “Now,” but we aren’t exactly sure where we are in time. Don’t worry though, you are never confused. It all flows very well and keeps you moving, feeling uneasy, but still wanting to see where Pinborough will take you next. I couldn’t put this one down.

Three Words That Describe This Book: claustrophobic, anxiety, female relationships

Readalikes: The most nuanced and literary of the “girl” books of all domestic suspense is where you take these readers. So the examples above, as well as Gillian Flynn and Ruth Ware to start. Also Shirley Jackson. Shirley Jackson, 100% Shirley Jackson! We Have Always Lived in the Castle, go read that now if you haven’t. Cross Her Heart owes much to this classic.