LibraryReads: March 2026

      

 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. 

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

Now let's get to the March 2026 list.... 

No Matter What: A Novel

Cara Bastone

(Dial Press Trade Paperbacks)

Roz and Vin have been married 8 years, but a terrible accident ripped their lives apart and left them  reeling. This story is their slow journey back to one another. No tropes here—this romance is quiet and ordinary, and in that it's so powerful. It's a beautiful exploration of how even the strongest relationship can fracture, and how we repair and recover from damage. It's also a love letter to drawing and art, to storytelling and friendships, to how we care for and harm each other.

—Nyssa Fleig, Salt Lake County Library, UT

NoveList read-alike: L eft of F orever by Tara DeWitt

Now the rest of the list...

The Secrets Lives of Murderers' Wives 
Elizabeth Arnott
(Berkley)

Three wives of convicted killers, fighting the guilt that they didn't know what was happening with their husbands, band together to search for a killer. Continuing the trend of stories of brave women who aren't taken seriously, this tightly woven crime novel has a bang of an ending.

—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin TX
NoveList read-alike: Good Husbands by Cate Ray

Two Kinds of Stranger
Steve Cavanagh
(Atria)

Conman-turned-attorney Eddie’s reputation precedes him. When Elly, a TikTok star, is convicted of a double murder she didn’t commit, she requests his help to prove her innocence. He soon realizes he may have gotten more than he bargained for. When the case hits a little too closento home, Eddie relies on his (maybe not so legal) skills to save her life.

—Jessica Heatherly, Kingston Public Library, TN
NoveList read-alike: Jack Swyteck series by Michael Grippando

This Story Might Save Your Life
Tiffany Crum
(Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar)

Joy and Benny are the perfect podcasting team, best friends who explain to listeners how to survive life-threatening situations. But when Joy and her husband go missing, it’s time for long-held secrets to be
revealed. This compelling mystery with a likable pair at its heart will keep readers turning the pages to find out if a happy ending awaits.

—Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign Public Library, IL
NoveList read-alike: Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

Lady Tremaine
Rachel Hochhauser
(St. Martin's Press)

This Cinderella retelling is particularly powerful at portraying the challenges of motherhood and surviving in the world as a woman. The dissection of what traumas and choices create a villain are a fascinating character study, and readers will love that Lady Tremaine is given depth beyond the stereotypical evil stepmother trope—after all, everyone could be a villain in someone else's story.

—Kara Seal, Arapahoe Libraries, CO
NoveList read-alike: Malice by Heather Walter

It Girl: A Novel
Allison Pataki
(Ballantine Books)

A compelling fictionalized story based on the life of Gibson Girl and Gilded Age "It Girl," Evelyn Nesbit. The author writes masterful historical fiction that illuminates exceptional women: their lives, their hopes, their triumphs and downfalls. Highly recommended!

—Karen Troutman, LibraryReads Ambassador, IN
NoveList read-alike: Laura Lamont’ s Life in Pictures by Emma Straub

Innamorata
Ava Reid
(Del Rey)

Haunting and atmospheric, this gothic tale of necromancy, revenge, and forbidden love will draw readers in. Lush writing, eerie vibes, and a heroine torn between duty and desire. Darkly beautiful.

—Emily Snodgrass, Rogers Public Library, AR
NoveList read-alike: The Bone Orchard by Sarah A. Mueller

Lake Effect: A Novel
Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
(Ecco)

In 1977, Nina and Finn begin an affair and make difficult choices that will ripple through their families and small community for years to come. Twenty-five years later, Nina’s eldest daughter makes a selfish choice that sends shock waves from Manhattan back to Rochester. Keenly and sensitively written, readers will have great compassion for these women despite their choices.

—Jennifer Winberry, Hunterdon County Library, NJ
NoveList read-alike: Commonweal thby Ann Patchett

You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom 
Vincent Tirado
(William Morrow)

This slow, luxuriously paced gothic hinges on toxic family relationships. When Papi Ramon dies, the reading of the will mentions a demon among the family. Fans of Knives Out or The House of Usher will want to give this one a try!

—Adam Lopez, Lawrence Public Library, KS
NoveList read-alike: They Drown Our Daughters by Katrina Monroe

Nobody's Baby
Olivia Waite
(Tordotcom)

Our favorite "old lady" sci-fi detective is back at it, this time solving the mystery of a new baby on board (when that should be impossible on many levels!). A quick read, but Waite does a great job balancing a heck of a lot of world-building with a satisfying mystery and forward emotional movement by the heroine.

—Casey Chwiecko, Lincoln Public Library, MA
NoveList read-alike: The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti series by Malka Older

Board Bonus picks:

Seasons of Gl Seasons of Gl ass and Ir ass and Ir on: Stories on: Stories

Amal El-Mohtar

(Tordotcom)

Notable Nonfiction: 

The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on the End: Notes on a World of Change
Rebecca Solnit
(Haymarket 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. Please note, the current year's Hall of Fame lists are pulled out at the top of the page.

Ilona Andrews
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me
(Tor Books)

Marie Benedict
Daughter of Egypt
(St. Martin's Press)

Elizabeth Berg
Life: A Love Story: A Novel
(Random House)

Tana French
The Keeper: A Novel
(Viking)

Talia Hibbert
A Girl Like Her
(Sourcebooks Casablanca)

Joshilyn Jackson
Missing Sister
(William Morrow)

Abby Jimenez
The Night We Met
(Forever)

T. Kingfisher
Wolf Worm
(Tor Nightfire)

Jenny Lawsom
How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay: Tips and Tricks That Kept Me Alive, Happy, and Creative in Spite of Myself
(Penguin Life)

Freida McFadden
Want to Know a Secret?
(Poisoned Pen Press)

Deanna Raybourn
A Ghastly Catastrophe
(Berkley Mystery)

Cat Sebastian
Star Shipped
(Tor Books)

Rebecca Searle
Once and Again
(Atria)

Benjamin Stevenson
Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief
(Mariner Books)