RA FOR ALL...THE ROAD SHOW!

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Tuesday, December 15, 2020

LibraryReads: January 2021

 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.
The LibraryReads 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.

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.


Now let's get to that list.... 

Announcing the January LibraryReads List!


The Wife Upstairs: A Novel 

by Rachel Hawkins

St. Martin's Press


“Mild-mannered Jane cobbles together a living as a dog walker for the wealthy residents of Thornfield Estates, when an encounter with Eddie Rochester turns into a whirlwind romance. But plain Jane has a mysterious past...and so does everyone else in this upscale neighborhood. Loosely inspired by Jane Eyre, this domestic suspense novel features the twists and turns that fans of the genre expect. Perfect for fans of Liv Constantine and Louise Candlish.” —Nanette Donohue, Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL NoveList read-alike: The Winters by Lisa Gabriele



The rest of the list.....

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The Children's Blizzard: A Novel 

by Melanie Benjamin

Delacorte Press


“A deadly snowstorm roared through the Great Plains on January 12, 1888, at a time when many children were in school with teachers little older than themselves. Based on actual oral histories of survivors, and told from perspectives of teachers, students, and the media, this book is perfect for readers who enjoy historical fiction by Ariel Lawhon and Marie Benedict.


—Wendy Paige, Shelby County Public Library, Shelbyville, KY

NoveList read-alike: Answer Creek by Ashley E. Sweeney


The Ex Talk 

by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Berkley Jove


“Shay's lifelong dream has been to be in radio, and she's been working at a Seattle NPR station since she was 19. Ten years later, she and new wunderkind Dominic create a show around the idea that they're exes talking about relationships. The burn between Shay and Dominic is slow, intense, and HOT. Give to fans of The Kiss Quotient and The Hating Game.”


—Jessica Werner, Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA NoveList read-alike: Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park


The House on Vesper Sands 

by Paraic O'Donnell

Tin House Books


“Three stories—a mysterious suicide, a wayward young man searching for his uncle, and a young journalist investigating the story behind several missing girls—unfold before finally converging. The dark mood is palpable as Inspector Cutter, Gideon Bliss, and Octavia Hillingdon travel through Victorian London to fit the puzzle pieces together. Perfect for fans of The Night Circus and Jane Steele.”


—Maribeth Fisher, Scotch Plain Public Library, Scotch Plains, NJ

NoveList read-alike: The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry


Outlawed 

by Anna North

Bloomsbury


“Bank robberies and women's health may not seem like natural companions, but North weaves them together seamlessly in this alternate history Western. Cast out of her hometown for failure to get pregnant after a year of marriage, Ada joins the notorious Hole in the Wall Gang and becomes an outlaw, all the while seeking real information about pregnancy and fertility. For fans of Inland and The Power.”


—Emily Calkins, King County Library System, Issaquah, WA

NoveList read-alike: Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey


The Perfect Guests 

by Emma Rous

Berkley


"When down-on-her-luck Sadie is offered a lucrative weekend acting job at a sumptuous Raven Hall, as a guest in a period mystery event, she jumps at the chance. Before the weekend is over, Sadie and the other "perfect guests" will learn about Raven Hall's tragic past."


—Cynthia Hunt, Amarillo Public Library, Amarillo, TX

NoveList read-alike: The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware


The Push: A Novel 

by Ashley Audrain

Pamela Dorman Books


"Blythe comes from a long line of women not cut out to be mothers. When she falls in love with a man who wants nothing more than a happy family she tells herself she can be a good mother. When her daughter is born however she finds that motherhood is just not that simple. For readers who enjoyed The Woman in the Window (Finn) or Baby Teeth (Stage.)"


—Linda Quinn, Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, CT 

NoveList read-alike: The Unprotected by Kelly Sokol


Remote Control 

by Nnedi Okorafor

Tordotcom


"As a girl living in a future version of Ghana, Yatima was given an object from space that gave her the ability to emit a green light that brings death to all she touches. Now, as a young teen, she occasionally leaves death behind her as she searches for the alien object that was stolen from her. Afrofuturism, sci-fi, and magic. For readers who enjoyed The Fifth Season and Monstress."


—Katie Kalil, Sterling Library, Sterling, VA 

NoveList read-alike: The Deep by Rivers Solomon


Shipped 

by Angie Hockman

Gallery Books


"Graeme and Henley are competing for the same job at their adventure cruise company. When their boss sends them on a familiarization trip of the company's cruise in the Galapagos the enemies to lovers’ plot gets steamy. For readers who enjoyed A Sweet Mess (Lee) and The Unhoneymooners (Lauren)."


—Laura Bonds, Harris County Public Library, Houston, TX

NoveList read-alike: Simmer Down by Sarah Smith


Siri, Who Am I?: A Novel 

by Sam Tschida

Quirk Books


"Mia awakes in a hospital in a gold cocktail dress, a cape covered in her blood, a head wound and her cell phone, and no memory of who she is or how she got there. She uses her Instagram account to begin to piece together her life. For readers who enjoyed Surprise Me (Kinsella) and What Alice Forgot (Moriarty)."


—Douglas Beatty, Baltimore County Public Library, Baltimore, MD 

NoveList read-alike: The One that Got Away by Leigh Himes


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 our Hall of Fame.

 

Across the Green Grass Fields 

by Seanan McGuire

Tordotcom


“In under 200 pages, McGuire again perfectly creates a detailed and expansive fantasy world, this time in a lush tale of non-conformity and finding one’s place in the world. For all the girls, teens, and women who’ve felt confined by labels placed on them by others--this one’s for you.”


—Annie Pruitt, West Georgia Regional Library Systems, Carrollton, GA

Read-alike: Among Others by Jo Walton 

Read-alike: Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh 

Read-alike: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

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