RA FOR ALL...THE ROAD SHOW!

I can come to your library, book club meeting, or conference to talk about how to help your readers find their next good read. Click here for more information including RA for All's EDI Statement.

Monday, January 18, 2021

LibraryReads: February 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.... 


The Four Winds: A Novel
By Kristin Hannah
St. Martin’s Press

“Elsa, abandoned by her husband, leaves Texas with her two children to save her young son from dust pneumonia. Beautifully written historical fiction about a mother’s love and strength holding a family together as they leave the Dust Bowl and head West to fulfill dreams of green lands, only to find themselves unwelcome and with conditions worse than what they left. For readers who enjoy historical fiction with unforgettable characters, and fans of The Giver of Stars and Cilka’s Journey.” —Michele Coleman, Iredell County Public Library, Statesville, NC
NoveList read-alike: I Will Send Rain by Rae Meadows

The Echo Wife
By Sarah Gailey
Tor Books

"This book asks questions about identity, morality, and genetics, and resists giving easy answers. The man Evelyn and Martine claim as “husband” is lying dead. Gailey invites us to consider a world where clone technology is almost perfect, and its creations are regarded as little more than cattle. What happens when a clone rejects her programming? And what happens when a woman can’t resist the influence of her upbringing? For fans of Black Mirror and Orphan Black.”

—Krista Feick, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus, OH 
NoveList read-alike: Foe by Iain Reid


Finlay Donovan Is Killing It
By Elle Cosimano
Minotaur Books

“What a fun, enjoyable romp! Finlay Donovan is mistaken for a hit woman, a desperate wife hires her to kill her husband, and it gets crazy from there. An entertaining, hilarious distraction. Perfect for all the Stephanie Plum fansout there.”

—Rosemarie Borsody, Lee Library Association, Lee, MA
NoveList read-alike: A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones

Honey Girl: A Novel
By Morgan Rogers
Park Row

“One of the best parts of this book is the friendships. These friends listen to, support, and love each other. Grace Porter has just finished her PhD in astronomy and goes to Las Vegas to celebrate. She meets a beautiful woman, Yuki, and by the end of the night, they are drunk and married. When Grace goes to New York to visit Yuki, they fall in love all over again. For fans of Queenie and The Bride Test.”

—Patti Lang, Pima County Public Library, Tucson, AZ NoveList read-alike: Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

The Kindest Lie: A Novel
By Nancy Johnson
William Morrow

“This novel begins on the eve of the 2008 election at a watch party hosted by Ruth and Xavier. Ruth must soon confess a secret: she had a child as a teenager, but walked away to begin a new life. When she returns to her hometown, she begins a friendship with a troubled 11-year-old white boy. Their connected paths are brilliantly told and explore themes of race, money, and finding your way back home. For fans of Tayari Jones and Jacqueline Woodson."

—Ron Block, Cuyahoga Public Library, Cuyahoga, OH
NoveList read-alike: he Mothers by Brit Bennett

The Kitchen Front: A Novel
By Jennifer Ryan
Ballantine Books

"WWII era, Great Britain, four women vie for the chance to copresent a BBC radio program helping housewives create tasty meals with their war rations. As these women compete against themselves and each other, the contest threatens to tear the community apart unless they can find common ground and work together for a common good. For readers who enjoyed The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion and The Ship of Brides."

—Jennifer Winberry, Hunterdon County Library, Flemington, NJ
NoveList read-alike: Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce

Much Ado About You
By Samantha Young
Berkley

"Feeling overlooked in her career and her personal life, Shakespeare-loving Evie Starling takes a leap of faith and goes to Northern England to run the Much Ado About Books bookshop. There, she meets a very sexy farmer who makes her want to break her one and only rule for her trip: no men. For readers who loved The Tourist Attraction and Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune."

—Laura Collins, Lexington Main Library, Lexington, SC
NoveList read-alike: Paris is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay


The Paris Library: A Novel
By Janet Skeslien Charles
Atria Books

"Parallel narratives, one set in WWII Paris and the other in the U.S. in the 1980s, both featuring librarians and bookstore owners. Your patrons will love it. For fans of The Lions of Fifth Avenue (Davis) and Sarah’s Key (de Rosnay)."

—Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton, VA
NoveList read-alike: Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini

The Vineyard at Painted Moon
By Susan Mallery
HQN

"Mackenzie is abruptly divorced, loses her job as winemaker at a prestigious family winery. She hasn't had to be on her own in years. Now she has all kinds of decisions to make. Great relationship fiction with the bonus of learning the inner workings of the wine industry. For fans of Kristin Hannah."

—Gail Christensen, Kitsap Regional Library, Bremerton, WA
NoveList read-alike: The Future She Left Behind by Marin Thomas


The Witch’s Heart
By Genevieve Gornichec
Ace

"Weaves the rich story of the witch who taught the magic of prophecy to Odin and Freya, married Loki the trickster, and raised the "monsters" who would help bring down Asgard's mightiest rulers. For fans of Circe and The Mists of Avalon. "

—Stacy Lienemann, Waseca-Le Sueur Regional Library System, Waseca, MN
NoveList read-alike: The Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia



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.


First Comes Like: A Novel
By Alisha Rai
Avon

“Dev, actor and grandson of a Bollywood star, is making the move to U.S. cinema. He meets YouTube influencer Jai at a party and can’t get the encounter out of his mind. Wonderfully developed characters populate this sweet own-voices novel about falling in like, and then love.

—Heather Cover, Homewood Public Library, Homewood, AL
Read-alike: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert Read-alike: Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade Read-alike: The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams


The Nature of Fragile Things
By Susan Meissner
Berkley

“Just before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Sophie, a poor Irish immigrant, answers an ad from a man looking for a wife and mother to his child. Sophie is complex, strong and a bit mysterious, and details of the earthquake and subsequent fires add to the story’s depth.”

—Ellen Firer, Merrick Library, Merrick, NY
Read-alike: The Two Mrs. Carlyles by Suzanne Rindell Read-alike: A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick Read-alike: The Dressmaker’s Dowry by Meredith Jaeger


The Survivors
By Jane Harper
Flatiron Books

“Harper’s latest gripping murder mystery is set in a seaside town on the coast of Tasmania, where suspicions surrounding three deaths following a shipwreck resurface when a young woman is murdered years later.”

—Paul Lane, Palm Beach County Public Library, Boca Raton, FL
Read-alike: A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh Read-alike: I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh Read-alike: And Now She’s Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall

No comments: