LibraryReads: February 2025

     

 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 the February 2025 list.... 

FirstFirst-Time Cal-Time Caller

B.K. Borison

(Berkley)

A cute story about Lucie, whose daughter calls into a radio show for people looking for love. Aiden, the show’s host, is taken by her honesty and invites her to the show to document her quest for love. It's a bumpy ride, but Aiden is there the whole way! Readers will love the tension between Lucie and Aiden, and the secondary characters are chef's kiss.

—Claire Schroeder, Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library, OH

NoveList read-alike: Is She Really

Now for the rest of the February 2024 list!

Wooing the Witch Queen 

Stephanie Burgis

(Bramble)

This cozy romance features a librarian hiding out as a dark wizard, a witch queen who'd rather nerd out about experiments, and the most wonderfully supportive found family. This has all the tropes you love of romantasy with the added bonus of witty banter, snarky witch queens, and a heart-melting romance. Give this one to fans of The Princess Bride.

—Sarah Bean Thompson, Springfield-Greene Cty Library, MO

NoveList read-alike: Sword Crossedby Freya Marske

The Quiet Librarian

Allen Eskens

(Mulholland Books)

Hana, a librarian in a small town in Minnesota, lives a quiet life until the day a detective informs her of her close friend's murder. Knowing her friend's death is tied to her, Hana’s afraid she's next. This historical

thriller alternates between present day and 1995 Bosnia with a plot that’s intense and gritty, and writing that's moving and heartbreaking.

—Connie Laing, Great River Regional Library, MN

NoveList read-alike: Groundskeeping by Lee Cole

Victorian  Psycho

Virginia Feito

(Liveright)

Dark and diabolical, this is a tale of a governess pushed to the limit. Arriving at an estate to care for two spoiled brats, she must deal with a barrage of verbal and physical abuse, until Christmas arrives and she can take it no more. This gruesome gothic tale full of dark wit and horror is reminiscent of Sweeney Todd.

—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin,TX

NoveList read-alike: Maeve Fly by CJ Leede

Isola: A Novel

Allegra Goodman 

(The Dial Press)

This novel is based on the true story of Marguerite de la Rocque, an aristocratic French girl who was marooned with her lover on an island off of Canada in the 1500s. When her parentspass away, she's  entrusted to a guardian who seeks adventure and uses her fortune to finance his travels. Readers will enjoy her adventures as she makes a new life.

—Claire Talbot, Greece Public Library, Rochester, NY

NoveList read-alike: Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Tw I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com 

Kimberly Lemming

(Berkley)

When Dory Valentine is abducted and transported to another planet, she ends up falling for not one, but two sexy aliens. As you might expect, this book is funny, sexy, and very fast-paced. The subplot about her alien abduction—and the reasons behind it—is interesting and intricate. Readers will absolutely look forward to more from this up-and-coming author.

—Dontaná M., Oak Park Public Library, IL

NoveList read-alike: Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

A Killing Cold

Kate Alice Marshall

(Flatiron Books)

When Theo arrives at her new fiance's family retreat, she realizes she has been there before. As the secrets this family has been holding onto for years start to come out, this drama goes in a dark, suspenseful direction. Just when you think you know where this is headed, it becomes full of twists and turns. Yes please!

—Paige N., LibraryReads Ambassador

NoveList read-alike: The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak

Famous Last Words

Gillian McAllister

(William Morrow)

Cam can't believe it when her husband Adam takes three hostages in an abandoned warehouse. Seven years later, Adam's betrayal rears its ugly head again. Will Cam turn to amateur sleuthing, or put everything behind her and find closure? McAllister uses her standard smooth and emotional style to make sure all the puzzle pieces click together for a satisfying ending.

—Cari Dubiel, Twinsburg Public Library, OH

NoveList read-alike: The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

Something in the Walls

Daisy Pearce

(Minotaur Books)\

Mina, a newly minted child psychologist, meets Sam, a journalist, who seeks her help on a piece about Alice, a teenager who claims to be possessed by a witch. Mina agrees, and they find themselves in a very unsettling small town, experiencing strange things that they can’t explain. This book is just spooky enough that you may want to read it with the lights on!

—Melissa Turner, Maricopa Library & Cultural Center, AZ

NoveList read-alike: The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister

The Strange Case of Jane O: A Novel

Karen Thompson Walker

(Random House)

After Dr. Henry Byrd is summoned by police to see Jane O. at the psychiatric hospital, they want him to reveal her confidential information: has she really lost three days under a dissociative fugue, or is she faking it to cover up a crime? This unique novel explores the idea of alternate and parallel realities, grief, friendship, and trust.

—Donna Ballard, LibraryReads Ambassador

NoveList read-alike: The Possibilities by Yael Goldstein

Board Bonus picks:

A Forty Year Kiss

Nickolas Butler

(Sourcebooks Landmark)

Notable Nonfiction: 

Fearless and Free: A Memoir

Josephine Baker

(Tiny Reparations Books)

See our social media for annotations of the bonus picks

Click here to see the entire Hall of Fame

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 the Hall of Fame. Click here to see the Hall of Fame authors organized in alpha order.

Dream Girl Drama

Tessa Bailey

(Avon)

The Queens of Crime: A Novel

Marie Benedict

(St. Martin's Press)

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales

Heather Fawcett

(Del Rey)

Back After This: A Novel

Linda Holmes

(Ballantine Books)

Swordheart

T. Kingfisher

(Bramble)

The Bones Beneath My Skin

TJ Klune

(Tor Books)

We All Live Here

Jojo Moyes

(Pamela Dorman Books)

Three Days in June: A Novel

Anne Tyler

(Knopf)

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10

Lisa Unger

(Park Row)