Library Reads: March 2019

Yay, It's Library Reads Day and this month's list has one of my current top contenders for best of 2019 lists-- THE BIRD KING by G. Willow Wilson. I read this back in December and had to languish alone in my absolute LOVE of this book with no one to talk to about its near perfection. I am so glad others have read it now and also loved it. And, soon the whole world can experience it.

Also, I am very excited that there are many books on the list this month that I would never have known about without-- I'm looking at you PROFESSOR CHANDRA FOLLOWS HIS BLISS. [leaves new blog post tab to place hold-- okay, I'm back.]

And finally, before I get to my standard Library Reads Day preamble and post, I also wanted to comment on how well the Hall of Fame is working out. Again, two titles that would not have made the list are there because of the Hall of Fame. The entire point of the Library Reads list is to show that library workers can identify and then promote excellent titles that many people would not know about without our great work. It is for us to flex our muscles and show our power to sell books. When we remove uber popular authors from the equation, we increase visibility of other great titles and give them a boost. Plus, the Hall of Fame page is becoming its own great resource of sure bets.

But even more importantly, as I predicted, the Hall of Fame has also allowed more diverse authors to be included on the list. When we remove something that has been there 2x before, we are allowing more voices "to the table." And when you include more voices, diversity should follow. I'm glad to see that has happened.

But now, on to the list.....

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Today is Library Reads day and that means three 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 Library Reads is the compound interest it is earning. We now have hundreds and hundreds of titles worth suggesting right at our fingertips.
3. You have no excuse not to hand sell any Library Reads 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.

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.

Also, please remember to click here for my Library Reads 101 recap for everything you need to know about how to participate. And click here to see a database of eligible diverse titles sorted by month. 

March 2019 LibraryReads

Don’t miss the March 2019 Hall of Fame Winners! Scroll down or visit the Hall of Fame page.

My Lovely Wife

by Samantha Downing

Published: 3/26/2019 by Berkley
ISBN: 9780451491725

“An incredible, dark, twisty psychological thriller with two of the most seemingly normal but disturbingly depraved people you will read about in fiction. This brilliant debut needs to be at the top of your must-read list. For readers who like taut suspense and works by Gillian Flynn, B.A. Paris, and Mary Kubica.”

Rachel Reeves, Weatherford Public Library, Weatherford, TX 
NoveList Read-alike: Behind Her Eyes / Sarah Pinborough

Beautiful Bad

by Annie Ward

Published: 3/5/2019 by Park Row
ISBN: 9780778369103

“Maddie the innocent travel writer and Jo the wild child are living quite the life abroad when Ian crosses their path and changes both their lives permanently. Moving backward and forward in time, the narrative slowly reveals hidden truths. For fans of Paula Hawkins and Ruth Ware.”

Selena Swink, Lake Public Library, Lake, MS 
Novelist Read-alike: Before I Go to Sleep / S.J. Watson

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The Bird King

by G. Willow Wilson

Published: 3/12/2019 by Grove Press
ISBN: 9780802129031

“Lush and wonderful language, characters, and worldbuilding make this an enjoyable read for fans of historical fantasy. The relationship between concubine Fatima and mapmaker Hassan is multifaceted and compelling. A good choice for readers who liked Uprooted and City of Brass.”

Nora Walsh, Princeton Public Library, Princeton, NJ
NoveList Read-alike: The Lions of Al-Rassan / Guy Gavriel Kay

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A Dangerous Collaboration

by Deanna Raybourn

Published: 3/12/2019 by Berkley
ISBN: 9780451490711

“In this fine addition to the series, Veronica Speedwell joins Stoker and his brother on an island off the British coast, attempting to solve a years-old mystery about the disappearance of a young woman on her wedding day. Recommended for fans of historical Victorian fiction, murder mysteries, and lepidoptery.”

Jill McKinney, Gunnison County Library, Gunnison, CO
NoveList Read-alike: Lady Travelers Guide series / Victoria Alexander

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The Last Woman in the Forest

by Diane Les Becquets

Published: 3/5/2019 by Berkley
ISBN: 9780399587047

“A suspenseful, surprising story that begins with every woman’s worst nightmare–a breakdown on a lonely road in the middle of the night and a bad feeling about the handsome guy who stops to help. This kick-in-the-gut start leads to a more thoughtful mystery with a big twist. Recommended for fans of Lee Child.”

Patricia Uttaro, Monroe County Library System, Monroe, NY 
NoveList Read-alike: The Wild Inside / Christine Carbo

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The Last Year of the War

by Susan Meissner

Published: 3/19/2019 by Berkley
ISBN: 9780451492159

“The story of two teenage girls who forge a life long friendship in an internment camp in Crystal City, Texas. For fans of historical fiction and readers who enjoy stories about immigration experiences and life during wartime.”

Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, TX 
NoveList Read-alike: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet / Jamie Ford

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The Library of Lost and Found

by Phaedra Patrick

Published: 3/26/2019 by Park Row
ISBN: 9780778369356

“Martha Storm volunteers at the local library and has a tendency to help others over taking care of herself. One day she receives a mysterious book from the grandmother she believed dead and begins digging into her family’s past. Who doesn’t love a book about books? For fans of Elizabeth Berg and Fredrik Backman.”

Shari Suarez, Genesee District Library, Genesee, MI 
NoveList Read-alike: The Bookshop on the Corner / Jenny Colgan

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Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss: A Novel

by Rajeev Balasubramanyam

Published: 3/26/2019 by The Dial Press
ISBN: 9780525511380

When Chandra fails to win the Nobel Prize in Economics, again, then suffers a heart attack, he decides to make changes in his life. A humorous journey of self-discovery similar to Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.”

Lora Bruggeman, Indian Prairie Public Library, Darien, IL
NoveList Read-alike: This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! / Jonathan Evison

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Queenie

by Candice Carty-Williams

Published: 3/19/2019 by Gallery/Scout Press
ISBN: 9781501196010

“Queenie, a 25-year-old British-Jamaican woman, struggles to have a sense of purpose after being dumped by her white boyfriend. This humorous and timely debut sheds light on society’s fetishization of black women and its impact on family, relationships and mental health.”

Molly Riportella, Westwood Public Library, Westwood, MA 
NoveList Read-alike: New People / Danzy Senna

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The River: A Novel

by Peter Heller

Published: 3/5/2019 by Knopf
ISBN: 9780525521877

“A love letter to the great outdoors. Both adventure story and elegant nature writing. Two college students on a canoe trip face a wildfire, white-water rapids, and two mysterious strangers. For fans of Tim Johnston and Dave Eggers.”

Sara Kennedy, Delaware County District Library, Delaware, OH 
NoveList Read-alike: The River at Night / Erica Ferencik

Daisy Jones & The Six: A Novel

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Published: 3/5/2019 by Ballantine Books
ISBN: 9781524798628

“Like the best episodes of Behind the Music, this chronicle of the rise and fall of a fictional ’70s rock group is impossible to resist. You’ll be tempted to look up the band’s hits, only to disappointedly remember that they don’t exist. A great rock ’n’ roll ride for readers.”

Becky Bowen, Kenton County Public Library, Erlanger, KY

Read-alikes:

A Visit From the Goon Squad / Jennifer Egan
Gold Dust Woman The Biography of Stevie Nicks / Stephen Davis
The Gangster of Love / Jessica Hagedorn
Juliet, Naked / Nick Hornby

The Stranger Diaries

by Elly Griffiths

Published: 3/5/2019
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9781328577856

“The author of the Ruth Galloway novels pens a chilling, atmospheric standalone. After a colleague is found dead, English teacher Claire Cassidy discovers messages from the murderer in her own private journal. Perfect for fans of both classic gothic horror and contemporary murder mysteries.”

Dawn Terrizzi, Denton Public Library, Denton, TX

Read-alikes:

The Magpie Murders / Anthony Horowitz
The Ghost Writer / John Harwood
The Broken Teaglass / Emily Arsenault
The Seduction of Water / Carol Goodman