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, August 16, 2021

LibraryReads: September 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.
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.

And finally, here is LibraryReads' extremely helpful Resources page.

Now let's get to that list.... 

 

Announcing the September 2021 LibraryReads List! 


Under the Whispering Door 
by TJ Klune
Tor Books

After dying of a heart attack, Wallace ends up in Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats, a shop run by Hugo the ferryman, whose job is to help people come to terms with their death and cross over. Wallace learns and grows, becoming better in death than in life. For readers who enjoy character-driven, humorous, and heartrending stories and fans of A Man Called OveThis Is Your Life, Harriet Chance, and Less.
 
Andrea Roberts, West Hampton Library, West Hampton Beach, NY
NoveList read-alike: Daisy Cooper's Rules for Living by Tamsin Keily

And now the rest of the list:


The Charm Offensive: A Novel 

Allison Cochrun

Atria Books

“Charlie signed up for the reality dating show to rebrand his image. Little did he know he would fall for his producer, Dev. Can Dev and Charlie create the picture-perfect romance on screen, or will their behind-the-scenes romance derail both of their career plans? For fans of reality romance, One To Watch, and Something to Talk About.”

—Kari Bingham-Gutierrez, Olathe Public Library, Olathe, KS 
NoveList read-alike: Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston


Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel 

by Anthony Doerr

Scribner

“Several main storylines, all connected to a “lost” ancient Greek manuscript, are set in 15th century Constantinople, present day Idaho, and a spaceship in the future. Much of the beauty of this novel is in watching the pieces slowly come together to tell an eternal story that is both heartbreaking and hopeful. For fans of All the Light We Cannot See, and Cloud Atlas.”

—Jenifer May, Secaucus Public Library, Secaucus, NJ 
NoveList read-alike: Crossings by Alex Landragin


Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law 

by Mary Roach

W.W. Norton & Company

“Roach once again proves that she is one of the best pop science writers out there. From door knobs to divine intervention, with some lasers and effigies thrown in for fun, she chronicles the push and pull of the human/wildlife struggle for co-existence. You will laugh, you will likely cry, and you'll never look at Indian elephants quite the same way. For fans of Bill Bryson and Sarah Vowell.”

—Marianne Kruppa, Indianapolis Public Library, Indianapolis, IN 
NoveList read-alike: Poached: Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking by Rachel Love Nuwer


Harlem Shuffle: A Novel

by Colson Whitehead

Doubleday

“Read if you want a brilliantly plotted heist novel set in 1960s New York. The Harlem setting with its creeping gentrification is a significant part of the story. For readers who enjoyed Deacon King Kong and Black Bottom Saints.”

—Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton, VA 
NoveList read-alike: Only the Strong by Jabari Asim


The Last House on Needless Street 

by Catriona Ward

Tor Nightfire

"In a boarded-up house on a remote street live recluse Ted, his daughter Lauren, Dee (sister of a long-missing girl), and Olivia, a Bible-quoting cat. Wonderfully eerie and twisted psychological horror, with an ending you’re sure you’ve read before (until you realize you haven’t). For fans of Stephen Graham Jones and Shirley Jackson."

—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, TX
NoveList read-alike: The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay


The Love Hypothesis 

by Ali Hazelwood

Berkley Jove

“Stanford scientists Olive and Adam begin fake- dating out of mutual convenience, but their relationship causes all sorts of issues on campus. Readers will grow to root for this brainy duo in neuroscientist Hazelwood’s romcom debut. For readers of The Kiss Quotient and The Rosie Project."

—Cari Dubiel, Twinsburg Public Library, Twinsburg, OH 
NoveList read-alike: A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole


The Man Who Died Twice: A Thursday Murder Club Mystery 

By Richard Osman

Pamela Dorman Books

“The competent senior quartet of The Thursday Murder Club returns, this time tracking down stolen diamonds while dealing with a troublesome ex-husband, a local drug queenpin, the arrival of the mafia, and a growing number of murders. An utter delight. For fans of The Postscript Murders and the Flavia de Luce mysteries.”

—Julie Graham, Yakima Valley Libraries, Yakima, WA 
NoveList read-alike: An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten


Never Saw Me Coming: A Novel 

by Vera Kurian

Park Row

“A trio of psychopaths attending a Washington D.C. college take part in a study to see if they can be taught to live productively. When a murderer targets campus, they need to work together to determine if they’re among the hunted. This is a jaw- dropping, read-in-one-sitting thriller. For readers of Gillian Flynn and Caroline Kepnes.”

—Douglas Beatty, Baltimore County Public Library, Baltimore, MD 
NoveList read-alike: I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells


No Gods, No Monsters

By Cadwell Turnbull

Blackstone Publishing

“As creatures from myth and legend reveal themselves to be real, we’re reminded that people often are the actual monsters. Turnbull’s prose is gorgeous and lush, using contemporary fantasy as a lens to examine real-world oppression and injustice. For fans of Victor LaValle, Tade Thompson and Marlon James.”

—Carol Ann Tack, Merrick Library, Merrick, N.Y. 
NoveList read-alike: The Devourers by Indra Das


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.


 

The Last Graduate: A Novel 

by Naomi Novik

Del Rey


No Words: A Novel 

by Meg Cabot

William Morrow Paperbacks


Portrait of a Scotsman 

by Evie Dunmore

Berkley Jove


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