Library Reads: June 2019

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.

***NEW*** Also, the Library Reads Board has also started another great book discovery and suggestion tool for you, a monthly What We're Reading column. This means there are even more library worker approved titles, new and old, for you to choose from. ***NEW*** 

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. 

June 2019 LibraryReads

Evvie Drake Starts Over: A Novel

by Linda Holmes

Published: 6/25/2019 by Ballantine Books
ISBN: 9780525619246

“Relationships are hard, whether with a spouse, a best friend, a new love interest, or ourselves. Evvie navigates all of these after a life-changing series of events. An engaging novel that explores relationship nuances without being too dark or too cutesy. For fans of Jenny Colgan, Cecilia Ahern, and Sophie Kinsella.”

Maribeth Fisher, Scotch Plains Public Library, Scotch Plains, NJ 
NoveList Read-alike: The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

Ayesha at Last

by Uzma Jalaluddin

Published: 6/4/2019 by Berkley
ISBN: 9781984802798

“Ayesha puts aside dreams of poetry and works in Toronto as a teacher to repay debts to her family. A deep-rooted family trauma ties Khalid to his controlling mother and gives him a rigid understanding of the world. Can these two young Muslims forge a healing path? A sweet modern romance perfect for readers of The Wedding Date and The Kiss Quotient.”

Ariel Yang, Forest Grove City Library, Forest Grove, OR 
Novelist Read-alike: The Matchmaker’s List by Sonya Lalli

Call Your Daughter Home: A Novel

by Deb Spera

Published: 6/11/2019 by Park Row
ISBN: 9780778307747

“Three strong women support each other through tough times in 1924 South Carolina. Gertrude, Retta, and Annie unite against injustice in their small town in this beautifully written story in which time and place come to life. For readers who enjoyed The Twelve Tribes of Hattie and The Invention of Wings.”

Suzy Card, Grapevine Library, Grapevine, TX 
NoveList Read-alike: The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash

City of Girls: A Novel

by Elizabeth Gilbert

Published: 6/4/2019 by Riverhead
ISBN: 9781594634734

“Free-spirited Vivian recounts her life, focusing on her formative years in the 1940s. Nineteen and new to NYC, she became the costumer for her aunt’s struggling theater company. Colorful characters, misadventures, triumphs, and trials populate this fun, frolicking read. For fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.”

Sonia Reppe, Stickney-Forest View Public Library, Stickney, IL
NoveList Read-alike: The Seamstress of Hollywood Boulevard by Erin McGraw

Fix Her Up: A Novel

by Tessa Bailey

Published: 6/11/2019 by Avon
ISBN: 9780062872838

“After her brother’s best friend (and her longtime crush) Travis is injured, Georgie makes it her goal to bring him back to the land of the living. When he needs help cleaning up his wild image, she is happy to help…and maybe score some action on the side. A funny, endearing, and spicy romance. For readers of Christina Lauren.”

Jessica Batten, Marion County Public Library System, WV 
NoveList Read-alike: The Real Deal by Lauren Blakely

Kingdom of Exiles

by Maxym M. Martineau

Published: 6/25/2019 by Sourcebooks Landmark
ISBN: 9781492689386

“An epic fantasy love story that hooks readers from the beginning with its expert world-building. The characters are skillfully crafted, realistic and sympathetic. Readers will look forward to continuing the journey in this new series. For fans of Whims of Fae by Nissa Leder and Blood Oath by Raye Wagner.”

Leanna Frankland, New York Public Library, New York, NY
NoveList Read-alike: A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Magic for Liars: A Novel

by Sarah Gailey

Published: 6/4/2019 by Tor Books
ISBN: 9781250174611

“A blend of fantasy and murder mystery. Magic meets noir, throw in some romance and some witty dialog and you have a great pick for summer reading. For fans of Jasper Fforde and the Charley Davidson novels.”

Joseph Jones, Cuyahoga Public Library, Cuyahoga, OH 
NoveList Read-alike: The Rook by Daniel O’Malley

Mrs. Everything: A Novel

by Jennifer Weiner

Published: 6/11/2019 by Atria Books
ISBN: 9781501133480

“A sweeping story about sisters Jo and Bethie, following them from their 1950s roots in Detroit to the present day. This novel is both heartwrenching and funny, and readers will cry and laugh with them along the journey. For fans of Juliet McDaniel’s Mr. and Mrs. American Pie.“

Cari Dubiel, Twinsburg Public Library, Twisnburg, OH
NoveList Read-alike: Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune

by Roselle Lim

Published: 6/11/2019 by Berkley
ISBN: 9781984803252

“Natalie inherits her grandmother’s restaurant in quickly-gentrifying Chinatown in San Francisco. A tea leaf reading tells Natalie she must cook three recipes from her Grandmother’s cookbook for her neighbors who are being pushed out in order for the restaurant to succeed. For fans of The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship and Like Water for Chocolate.

Meghan Marong, Lackawanna Public Library, Scranton, NY 
NoveList Read-alike: Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li

Recursion: A Novel

by Blake Crouch

Published: 6/11/2019 by Crown
ISBN: 9781524759780

“Compelling and accessible to the non-science-fiction reader. It is a suspenseful, thought-provoking book about altered memories, and how technology can be used for good, or for ill, or should never be used at all. For fans of Michael Crichton.”

Will Harbauer, Toledo Library, Toledo, OH 
NoveList Read-alike: Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami