Library Reads: February 2020

It's Library Reads 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 Library Reads 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 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.
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.

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. 

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 everything you need to know about how to participate. And click here to see a database of eligible diverse titles sorted by month. 

Click here for the full list in the archive

You voted, we counted, and February's LibraryReads Favorite is:

The Authenticity Project
A Novel

by Clare Pooley
(Pamela Dorman Books)

“Julian, Monica, and others present themselves publicly in one way, but their entries in an Authenticity Project notebook reveal them to be more insecure, eager to change, and ultimately more interesting. A heartwarming story about how not everyone tells the truth about who they are. For fans of The School of Essential Ingredients, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and A Man Called Ove.”

Maggie Holmes, Richards Memorial Library, North Attleboro, MA
NoveList read-alike: Behind Her Eyes / Sarah Pinborough

The Bear
by Andrew Krivak
(Bellevue Literary Press)
“A young girl and her father live alone in a mountain forest that fronts a lake in a devastated world. She learns from him how to live off the land, hunting for food, and finding shelter. The Bear is the moving story of a journey they make together to the ocean, and the bear who helps her find her way back home. For fans of The Dog Stars (Heller) and The Road (McCarthy).”

—Sandy Jones Boyd, Mountain Regional Public Library, Young Harris, GA
NoveList read-alike: Train Dreams by Denis Johnson

The Girl in White Gloves A Novel of Grace Kelly by Kerri Maher(Berkley)
“An interesting, fictional take on the life of one of America’s favorite actresses, Grace Kelly. She struggles to break free from controlling parents and forge her own life. Although she marries her prince, the confinements of her marriage contract assure that she never truly succeeds at happily ever after. For readers who liked The Girls in the Picture (Benjamin) and A Touch of Stardust (Alcott).”

—Debbie Lease, Hillsdale Public Library, Hillsdale, NJ
NoveList read-alike: Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor

Golden in Death
An Eve Dallas Novel
by J. D. Robb(St. Martin's Press)“Hard to believe that this is #50 in this series. Even harder to believe that the stories remain fresh and the characters compelling, but it does not disappoint. There's a satisfying path to solving the very distressing murders, and particular pleasure in seeing the characters continue to change and grow. For fans of the In Death series, Linda Howard, and Lisa Gardner.”

—Beth Mills, New Rochelle Public Library, New Rochelle, NY
NoveList read-alike: Rizzoli and Isles series by Tess Gerritsen

Mercy House
A Novel
by Alena Dillon
(William Morrow Paperbacks)
“Mercy House, a battered women’s shelter run by nuns, is being investigated by an arrogant bishop and threatened by a violent gang leader. In a world full of predators, Sister Evelyn protects her traumatized and diverse flock of women with everything she’s got. She is a rousing, radical, literary hero of heart-stirring courage. Give to fans of Elizabeth Berg and Anita Diamant.”

—Jill Minor, Washington County Public Library, Abingdon, VA
NoveList read-alike: The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott

Oona Out of Order
A Novel
by Margarita Montimore
(Flatiron Books)
"During the New Year countdown, 19-year-old Oona Lockhart faints and wakes up in her 51-year-old body. I can't wait for my bookish friends to read this time-jumping debut novel so we can discuss it. For fans of Audrey Niffenegger, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Liane Moriarty."

—Darla Dykstra, Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, MO
NoveList read-alike: The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

he Other Mrs.
A Novel
by Mary Kubica
(Park Row)
"Sadie, Will, and their two children move to Maine following Will’s sister’s suicide, to care for her teenage daughter Imogen. Soon after, a strange murder happens in the house across the street. The family’s past is revealed along with the unraveling of the neighbor’s murder. For fans of You by Caroline Kepnes (both the book and the Netflix show)."

—Christine Edgar, Farmington Libraries, Farmington, CT 
NoveList read-alike:The Hidden Girl by Louise Millar

Saint X
by Alexis Schaitkin
(Celadon Books)
"Claire was a child when her much older sister Alison died and there are many gaps in her knowledge of who Alison was and how she died. This is a deep character study and a story about obsession, grief, and finding a path after loss. For readers who enjoyed What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons and The Other Americans by Laila Lalami."

—Rebecca Swanson, Fitchburg Public Library, Fitchburg, MA
NoveList read-alike: Going East by Matthew D’Ancona

The Splendid and the Vile
A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson
(Crown)
"Once again Larson's new book is nonfiction that is as hard to put down as the best fiction. The book recounts the early days of Churchill as prime minister when France fell to Germany and the British Empire stood alone against Hitler. For readers who like John M. Barry (The Great Influenza) and David King (Death in the City of Light)."

—Celia Morse, Berkley Public Library, Berkley, MI
NoveList read-alike: Their Finest Hour by Winston Churchill

The Worst Best Man
A Novel
by Mia Sosa
(Avon)
"A classic enemies to lovers plot told from the perspective of both sides of the would-be couple, both likable and the chemistry between the two was well-written and believable. For fans of Red, White & Royal Blue and The Wedding Party."

—Karma Campbell, Catoosa Public Library, Catoosa, OK
NoveList read-alike: Faker by Sarah Smith

The Sun Down Motel
by Simone St. James (Berkley)
"Another chilling ghost story from St. James, who seems to surpass the level of shiver with each book. A young woman uncovers old secrets and stirs up vengeful ghosts when she travels to upstate New York in search of an aunt who disappeared 35 years earlier."
—Patricia Uttaro, Monroe County Library System, Rochester, NY
Read-alike: The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon Read-alike: The Vanishing by Wendy Webb Read-alike: The Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman Read-alike: An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena