Backlist Author Suggestions

[Ed note: Yesterday, I mentioned I would need a few days to get back on track, but it turns out I only needed yesterday.]

Recently I was working on this review and I thought, "You know who would be a great readalike for this? Hannah Tinti." When I had that thought, I stopped what I was doing and immediately went  to see if she had something new. She does not. But it had me getting nostalgic for how much I loved her first 2 novels.

Tinti's books captivate me. I literally cannot get them out of my head. They are slightly askew, creppy, unsettling, and immersive. They overlap with so many genres that they also appeal to a wide range of readers. And, they have received critical acclaim, so you probably have them on your shelves. I could go on and on, but instead look at all of these times I have mentioned her on the blog, many of those mentions as a readalike to something else.

This got me thinking about reminding all of you about Tinti specifically, but also of backlist authors in general, especially  those who haven't had something new in a while. Their backlist titles fall off of our radar when new books aren't coming. And in this case, they should not. These are great reads for a wide audience. 

As I say frequently, we are here to help get the books into our patrons hands that they would never find without our help. I have a much longer post about this from February here. One fun way to discover backlist gems is to go peruse your own reading logs from years ago, best lists from past years, or even old LibraryReads lists because they are 10 years old now!

So today, I am encouraging you to take a trip in the wayback machine and find a gem that you used to love and suggest to everyone. Revive that title. Put it out on display. Suggest it to a reader for whom it is new to them. Ask others to look for titles and authors that fit this category for them. And turn it all into a "Backlist Gems" display in your building, on your websites, and social media. Our backlist is our biggest asset. We have way more backlist books than new ones. It's a huge investment and it is hiding literally gems. Let's get to work.

To help you get started or to at the very least give you one backlist author you can suggest with confidence, using my words if you want. I have links below.

The Good Thief

• Here is my original review of the book in October 2008
• It made my Best Books I Read in 2008 list. 
• Here is the book discussion report from when my old library book group read it in 2010

The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley

• Here is my original review from April 2018
• It made my Best Books I Read in 2018 list.

What I'm Reading: The Insatiable Volt Sisters

Today, I have my draft review of a second novel that is an excellent choice for all library collections.nThis review appears in print and online in the March 1, 2023 issue of Booklist. Here is my draft review with additional appeal and readalike info including my three words.

The Insatiable Volt Sisters
By Rachel Eve Moulton

Apr. 2023. 464p. MCD x FSG, paper, $18 (9780374538323). 
First published March 1, 2023 (Booklist).

After numerous accolades for her first novel Tinfoil Butterfly, Moulton returns channeling classic Shirley Jackson with a guest appearance by Lovecraft. B.B. and Henrie, the Volt Sisters, are the last in the line of the founding family of Fowler Island in Lake Erie, macabrely famous for the mysterious disappearance of its female visitors, including B.B.’s own mother. Opening in 2000 B.B. contacts Henrie about the death of their father. Henrie agrees to return home, bringing her mother, Carrie. Told in two time frames, 2000 and 1989– the year Henire and her mother escaped the island, and from the perspective of four realistically flawed women-- B.B. Henrie, Carrie, and the island’s museum curator, Sonia-- readers will be immediately hooked by the women, the place, and the dark, mysterious history that surrounds it all. As details are slowly unveiled, this weird tale morphs from unsettling to terrifying as a monstrous explosion erupts from its core, propelling the story to its satisfying finish. A timely, haunting fable about women fighting back, uniting to defeat their demons, this is a perfect suggestion for fans of Rachel Harrison, Gwendolyn Kiste, and Lucy Snyder.

Further Appeal: As mentioned above, this is Moulton's second novel. The first, Tinfoil Butterfly, I reviewed here, and it was WEIRD (in a good way). It made the Shirley Jackson ballot and the Stoker Award ballot and the Center for Fiction First novel prize ballot. She got every accolade for that novel, and I am here to tell you that this one is WAY more accessible to a general audience.

Other appeal notes from when I was reading this book:

• Starts very uneasily. There is clearly a huge problem. Once that is bigger than what we are seeing. We know this, and so, we are hooked. Gets creepy, and then unsettling, and then there is a Monster explosion. It has a little bit of everything in terms of Horror appeal, but in a good way.
• The island is a character and it is FASCINATING.
• Haunting turns into terrifying and even though you know something big is coming, it is still an original and pleasant Horror fueled surprise.
• It is not what you expect at first. Seems quirky, slightly askew, weird, but clearly unsettling andd then BAM! 
• Has a fable feel– a very scary fable with real monsters– about sister, women, place, inheritance, family secrets and regaining power over a curse.
• Yes they defeat a monster, and it is a real monster not a metaphor, but the story is also a metaphor for women who have been oppressed to rise up, speak up, and fight, for each other and themselves.
• Very emotion driven
• Four female protagonists– all realistically flawed (and they are aware of their flaws) and all relatable, Well developed and honest portrayal of complicated feelings and situations. Resolves with all of them being forced to confront their faults and fight for each other.
• There is a power in ALL of the women working together. Even the dead ones.

Three Words That Describe This Book: unsettling, strong sense of place, 4 flawed but relatable female narrators

Readalikes: Besides what is above and linked in the review, I found that the themes were very similar to Lone Women by Victor LaValle, which I reviewed in the Feb 1 issue of Booklist and here.

Here are a few more titles and authors this book made me think of:

• Little Eve by Ward
• Plain Bad Heroines by Danforth
• The Hollow Kind by Davidson
• Frankenstein in Baghdad by Saadawi
• The weird, slightly askew vibes of Hannah Tinti's work

As you can see, there are many places where the appeal of this book intersects with the popular titles. The appeal really will be wide here. Make sure you have this April release on order now.

What I'm Reading Flashbacks to Stephen Graham Jones and Tim McGregor

Today, 2 books are out in the world, both which I gave STARS to in Booklist. One I bet you already have on order, the other, you may not know about for good reason. Today I would like to feature them both. And please note, both reviews included a YA statement as they are excellent for teens.

The first is Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones. This is Empire Strikes back level of 2nd in a trilogy stories. From my original post when the review dropped:

STAR Review
Don’t Fear the Reaper
By Stephen Graham Jones
Feb. 2023. 464p. Saga, $27.99 (9781982186593); e-book, $14.99 (9781982186616). 
REVIEW. First published December 1, 2022 (Booklist).

December 12, 2019, four years after the Independence Day Massacre at Indian Lake, Jade Daniels returns in the midst of an epic blizzard, just as notorious serial killer, Dark Mills South, has murdered his entire armed transport team, and escapes at the Proofrock, ID exit ramp. For the next 36 hours, the citizens of town will be forced to relive their trauma, some from four years ago, others from further in the past, as killers, out for revenge, go on a bloody rampage. Once again, Jade is at the center of it all. Armed with not much more than her slasher knowledge, indefatigable spirit, and strong moral compass,  Jade will need to make another final girl stand if there is any hope of making it to Friday the 13th. Unlike the first book, there is no need to set the scene, the unease builds to terror and bursts with gory action sequences immediately, a pacing that only lets up for brief gulps of air. Readers are given access to a multitude of voices, characters who get a chance to be heard, fleshed out, and ultimately set the stage for Jade’s return. More than the slasher it presents itself as, this is a contemplation on the allure of the genre itself, a novel that acknowledges the well trod ground upon which it stands while simultaneously and ingeniously burrowing new tunnels straight into readers’ nightmares. A superior example of 21st Century horror, an awesome reading experience, a blood soaked thrill ride, with a strong emotionally heartfelt core, where every detail matters, delivered by an author at the top of his game.

YA Statement: Jade made be a full fledged adult now, but the action, carnage, and many of the points of view, are centered around the town's high school seniors. The strong ties and references to well-known slasher films will also be a huge draw.

Further Appeal: While the first book was a survey of the slasher genre the key shift here is that it is a contemplation of the genre– its allure, its grip on humans, and its trauma. And yet, it is non stop action– bloody gorey action– with surprising moments of thoughtful contemplation

Also unlike the first book– which must set the scene and build the backstory– meaning it takes until the last third for it to burst open, here we have a second book in a trilogy and the 2nd book is always all about action. For context-- I normally hate 2nd books in a trilogy-- but, here SGJ does not write a typical 2nd book in a trilogy. I don't want to give anything away because this book unfolds so differently from the first, and yet, so much of the appeal is the same. And, to be honest, I might like this novel even better than the first [and I loved that one].

Like a good second in a slasher series– revenge is the theme– but on a few different fronts. It cannot all be explained with 1 killer or even one motive. Revenge is too complex.

One big difference here is that Jade is not the only voice speaking to the reader. There are so many chances for the reader to see into the thoughts and motivations of others-- both as things are happening, but also how they processed [or didn't process] the past 4 years. Every character, even those destined to be part of the body count, even those on the periphery of the story [from last time as well] get a moment to shine and be further developed.

Next book– when Jade will return again… not going to share when or how, but you get the set up clearly at the end.

There is a new history teacher and a new student turning in an idenpendent study-- this time it is a history of the July 4th Massacre.

Speaking of the next book and the student, this book is set in December 2019, and the student writing the independent study is clearly doing it virtually due to Covid. The next book will be after Covid [due to ending]. But the anxiety that we all know Covid is coming also adds to the atmosphere here.

Here are a few more random reading note:

• Again with the touching ending. An expected gift from every SGJ novel at this point.
• The “lake witch” is still there and still part of the action, her trauma still driving much of the killing. Perfect mix of slasher and lake witch
• Still a focus on trauma – Native American trauma, individual trauma, trauma of surviving a massacre.
•  Uses genre knowledge– well trod– but also masterfully created something new.

A note on my word choice in this review: many of my word choices in this review, and others, are spoilers, but only after you have read the book will you see them as such. With only 175- 200 words I pride myself on making those words work.

Finally, and this came as no surprised because I see it as one of SGJ's trademark now: Every. Detail. Matters. Even when they are coming at you fast. They come back and they matter. It makes for an awesome reading experience, one that many authors cannot deliver on. 

Three Words That Describe This Book: multiple povs, fast paced, ingenious 

Readalikes: I also had to sacrifice a readalike statement in the review itself to word count; however, those of you who look at the review online will see these that I directed my editor to pick titles by Paul Tremblay, Grady Hendrix, and Silvia Moreno Garcia as readalikes. 

Here is a photo from the Book Tour Kick-off Event Stephen and I did with Barnes & Noble. They posted it here, so all of you can watch it now!

Click here to view the B&N live event

Now on to another book I absolutely loved when it was first SCHEDULED to come out. "Scheduled" because the publisher folded before it could come out.

Thankfully, it was picked up by one of my favorite small presses-- Raw Dog Screaming Press-- who have release it so all of you can read it. My original Booklist Star review is below, but understand, I am not exaggerating about this one. It is one of the best coming of age Horror novels you will read...EVER! And Raw Dog Screaming Press titles are easily available from Ingram. From my original post back in March of 2022 but I have changed the publication information to match this current edition:

STAR REVIEW
Wasps in the Ice Cream

by Tim McGregor

Feb.. 2022. Raw Dog Screaming Press, 

$29.95 Hardcover ISBN: 9781947879522; $17.95 Paperback ISBN: 9781947879539. First published March 15, 2022 (Booklist).

In the summer of 1987, Mark worked at the local ice cream stand, where the product was subpar and a wasp nest ominously hung outside the window. It is the summer he fell in love with the middle Farrow sister, a Horror reading witch, a complex and beguiling girl whose family are the town pariahs. And, it is also the summer when a very real ghost began haunting him for the rest of his life. Looking back as an adult, Mark is able to own his mistakes, as he spins a vivid tale of the shattered innocence that defines him as an adult. Filled with evocative and captivating scenes, strong female characters, and an engaging narration, readers will become engrossed immediately, while the threat and fear at the heart of this story, satisfyingly, sneaks up on them. The provocative title, paired with the equally intriguing chapter titles, allows the tension and pacing to steadily increase until that titular nest and all of the consequences from a lifetime of choices come violently crashing down upon Mark and the reader. This spectacular example of coming of age Horror, the best since Janz's Children of the Dark and Kiste’s The Rust Maidens, and reminiscent of McCammon’s Boy’s Life, will delight and chill this subgenre’s numerous fans.

YA Statement: With its 1980s nostalgia, vivid cast of realistically depicted teenaged characters, touchingly awkward descriptions of first love, and a chillingly realistic haunting, this novel will attract a swarm of teen readers.

Further Appeal: McGregor is a name to watch. I gave his historical Horror novel from 2021-- Hearts Strange and Dreadful-- a star in Library Journal.

Here are some more of my notes from when I read this novel which go into more detail about the appeal:

• This is a novel of expertly described individual scenes that capture bring a teen in 1987, the places and people, the tedium and excitement, first love etc….. And they all flow smoothly. You don’t appreciate how great and descriptive these scenes are because you are engaged in the story, and yet, after, many have come back to me vividly! 
• The overall tone is in equal measures innocent and threatening-- at the same time. 
• Strong female characters overall. I especially appreciated the step-mom. She is a whole person. As a secondary character of some importance, this is key. Even the popular girl character has depth.
• The TWIST!!!! With only 30ish pages to go. Jarring in a good way. You are feeling it all build up and know it is all going somewhere not great, but you are enjoying the ride so much that when the TWIST comes—- WHAM. And looking back, author tries to prepare you, but he still gets you and it is gut wrenching.

Three Words That Describe This Book: engaging narration, compelling, innocent and threatening at the same time

Readalikes: Regular readers of the Horror blog know I feel very strongly about the Janz and Kiste titles in the review above. They are both in my Top 20 of the 2010s list. And Boy's Life is a classic. 

The Kiste recommendation is important here because the way she writes young women as strong, powerful, and independent actors, McGregor captures that as well, but without sacrificing his teenage boy pov.

This novel also reminded me of Hannah Tinti's novels as well. She is a favorite author for me, and while she does not write Horror, her novels are very uneasy and creepy, with a perspective that is slightly askew from reality. Click here and here for reviews of her two novels.

What I'm Reading: Wasps in the Ice Cream by Tim McGregor

I have 1 review in the March 15th issue of Booklist and it was an unequivocal star. As usual, this post has my draft review and more appeal information to help you handsell this to readers.

STAR REVIEW
Wasps in the Ice Cream

by Tim McGregor

Apr. 2022. Silver Shamrock, paper, $14.99  (9781951043537). 
First published March 15, 2022 (Booklist).

In the summer of 1987, Mark worked at the local ice cream stand, where the product was subpar and a wasp nest ominously hung outside the window. It is the summer he fell in love with the middle Farrow sister, a Horror reading witch, a complex and beguiling girl whose family are the town pariahs. And, it is also the summer when a very real ghost began haunting him for the rest of his life. Looking back as an adult, Mark is able to own his mistakes, as he spins a vivid tale of the shattered innocence that defines him as an adult. Filled with evocative and captivating scenes, strong female characters, and an engaging narration, readers will become engrossed immediately, while the threat and fear at the heart of this story, satisfyingly, sneaks up on them. The provocative title, paired with the equally intriguing chapter titles, allows the tension and pacing to steadily increase until that titular nest and all of the consequences from a lifetime of choices come violently crashing down upon Mark and the reader. This spectacular example of coming of age Horror, the best since Janz's Children of the Dark and Kiste’s The Rust Maidens, and reminiscent of McCammon’s Boy’s Life, will delight and chill this subgenre’s numerous fans.

YA Statement: With its 1980s nostalgia, vivid cast of realistically depicted teenaged characters, touchingly awkward descriptions of first love, and a chillingly realistic haunting, this novel will attract a swarm of teen readers.

Further Appeal: McGregor is a name to watch. I gave his historical Horror novel from 2021-- Hearts Strange and Dreadful-- a star in Library Journal.

Here are some more of my notes from when I read this novel which go into more detail about the appeal:

• This is a novel of expertly described individual scenes that capture bring a teen in 1987, the places and people, the tedium and excitement, first love etc….. And they all flow smoothly. You don’t appreciate how great and descriptive these scenes are because you are engaged in the story, and yet, after, many have come back to me vividly! 
• The overall tone is in equal measures innocent and threatening-- at the same time. 
• Strong female characters overall. I especially appreciated the step-mom. She is a whole person. As a secondary character of some importance, this is key. Even the popular girl character has depth.
• The TWIST!!!! With only 30ish pages to go. Jarring in a good way. You are feeling it all build up and know it is all going somewhere not great, but you are enjoying the ride so much that when the TWIST comes—- WHAM. And looking back, author tries to prepare you, but he still gets you and it is gut wrenching.

Three Words That Describe This Book: engaging narration, compelling, innocent and threatening at the same time

Readalikes: Regular readers of the Horror blog know I feel very strongly about the Janz and Kiste titles in the review above. They are both in my Top 20 of the 2010s list. And Boy's Life is a classic. 

The Kiste recommendation is important here because the way she writes young women as strong, powerful, and independent actors, McGregor captures that as well, but without sacrificing his teenage boy pov.

This novel also reminded me of Hannah Tinti's novels as well. She is a favorite author for me, and while she does not write Horror, her novels are very uneasy and creepy, with a perspective that is slightly askew from reality. Click here and here for reviews of her two novels.

What I'm Reading: Becky's Best of 2018

For the second year in a row I am doing my best books that I read in 2018 list in a category list rather than ranking them. Why? Because why I loved these books matters more than anything. How I interacted with them, how they affected me, how they stayed with me are what I have carried throughout the year. That is why they are "Best."

Some of the categories are the same, while others are new. This is because the books I read create their own experiences and categories to me personally. In each year that passes in my reading life, some things stay the same, but other things change, just like for you or your patrons. We are not robots, we are all human readers, even those of us who do read and suggest books for a living. This is a best list that celebrates and acknowledged that.

Also, lots of people have already weighed in with critically acclaimed "best" lists for weeks now, so why do you need more of that from me. I have nothing more to add to that. I played my part in that side of the "best" debate with my Best Horror of 2018" list. That is a place where my opinion on what is the BEST matter from that expert perch.

What I bring here on the general blog that is most helpful to all of you out there in the trenches, is a list that reflects my best experiences as a reader. This is a list that is personal to me, my tastes, and my weird quirks. You can use it to help other readers, yes, but because it is so specific to me, it is actually better used as a conversation starter.

For example, you can ask people "What is the most fun you had reading a book this year?" That is a question readers can answer much more quickly than "What was your favorite book?" Or what was the best Audiobook you listened to?"

The categories I have listed here provide great questions to offer to your patrons and you can use my answers to keep the conversation going by saying, "I was thinking about this question because Becky said [fill in the title] as her answer."

The point of my "Best" list is to both offer books that I loved this year, but also present an example of a regular reader view of the "best" list ideal.

Below you will find my list of the best books I experienced in 2018 [regardless of publication year] in 12 categories created by me. It is arbitrary but so what, it's my list of what mattered to me the most this year. Each title links to a longer review which will explain why it is the "best" book for that category, and my "Three Words."

I am off on vacation until 1/7/19. Happy New Year.

Becky's Best Books I Read in 2018

Most Fun I Had Reading a Book This Year: My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite 

Best Audio: There There by Tommy Orange

Best Surprise: Mr and Mrs American Pie by Juliet McDaniel

Best Horror: Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay.

Click here for my full Best of Horror 2018 post which has many of my favorite reads of the year in general included there.

Best Nonfiction: I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

Best Historical: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Best Speculative: Borne by Jeff VanderMeer

Best Story Collection: Florida by Lauren Groff 

Best Books from 2017 That I Read In 2018: Sing, Unburied, Sing [fiction] and Killers of the Flower Moon [Nonfiction]

Best Book That Came Out in 2018 but I read in 2017: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

One of the best things about my job is that I get to read books early. Super early sometimes. But it also means I sometimes forget to include the book in the best list for its correct year.

Best Debut: Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo

Wildcard: These two titles could each fit into other categories here, but weren't perfect for a single category overall. They were however at the top of my overall favorite reads of the year; titles that really stayed with me. I have listed the other categories they also fit into after each title.

• Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti [audio, best of 2017 read in 2018]
• Dread Nation by Justina Ireland [debut, speculative, historical, surprise- because YA and I usually don't like YA]

What I’m Reading: A Dozen Goodreads Reviews in Audio and Print

Today I have more links to my reviews of books the have appeared on Goodreads but not here on the blog. I periodically post the authors and titles here mostly so that they are searchable for both me and you. All of these titles were read in 2018.

The links go to my Goodreads review each of which have my three words and readalikes, although I have indeed the three words here in the post too.

I have really enjoyed putting my “non-paid” reviews on Goodreads and linking them here. First of all, I feel more open and casual about the way I write them on Goodreads. I don’t stress about making them perfect and I really focus on the appeal.

Second, indexing them here is important because I need to be able to pull them up here on the blog with a search. Some of you may have seen these reviews, when they posted on Goodreads, but this is their first appearance on the blog.

And third, these are the books I read on my own time, for myself and my own enjoyment, not because someone assigned them to me. And as you will see, one appeal factor that unites just about every book I pick for myself...character centered].

Read in Audio:

• The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti [Character Centered, Flashbacks, Suspenseful]
• Borne by Jeff VanderMeer [Surprisingly Uplifting, Thought Provoking, Weird Fiction]
• Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan [History From Female POV, Richly Detailed, Character Centered]
• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee [Compelling, Character Centered, Saga]
• There, There by Tommy Orange [Collage of Voices, Strong Sense of Place, Character Centered]

Read in Print:

• The Power by Naomi Alderman [Tables Turned, Thought Provoking, Dramatic]
• Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward [Character Centered, Stylistically Complex, Heartbreakingly Beautiful]
• I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara [Haunting, Compelling, Journalistic]
• Dread Nation by Justina Ireland [Character Centered, Compelling, Moving]
• The Buffalo Soldier by Maurice Broads [Steampunk, Story About Stories, Engaging]
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells [Intense First Person, Robots With Emotions, Snarky] 
• Florida by Lauren Goff [Nuanced, Strong Sense of Place, Unsettling]

Becky's WAY BACK MACHINE Suggestions

I am not a re-reader, but recently, I was looking for a quick, fun audio book and I decided to re-read Redshirts by John Scalzi; yes the Wil Wheaton one. I had meant to do that for a previous meeting of the genre study, but time was tight and I had read it before so I read something I never had before instead.

I was compelled to re-read it recently because two newer books-- Dark Matter and All Our Wrong Todays reminded me so much of Redshirts that I wanted to revisit it. I will write more about that re-read in my review for All Our Wrong Todays soon.

But what this re-read also made me realize is that I have a lot of these WAY BACK MACHINE suggestions that work really well right now, ones I am finding myself suggesting to people again after a many years drought.

Since these titles keep coming up in conversation with library workers and readers, I thought I would compile them here as WAY BACK MACHINE suggestions. It's a cute moniker [and can you tell, I like writing it in all CAPS?], but it is also another reminder of the treasure trove that is the backlist-- all of those titles, sitting on your shelves, not being read by anyone at the moment, yet would make for a great read for the right person, right now.

Here are some books from at least 5 years ago (or more) that I think work as great suggestions for today's reader. Where applicable, I have linked to my review:

The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier: I read this book pre-blog but it has never left me; I still think about it, all the time. It is beautiful and haunting. I have suggested it hundreds of times. over the years. It is not uplifting, yet it is elegiac. It takes the idea of the destruction of society to a whole new level, making you understand why people and their relationships to each other, no matter how tenuous, matter. I think this is a message all of us, on every side of every divide, can learn from these days. Here is an annotation for the novel that I wrote on the blog back in 2008:

A deadly virus is quickly killing off everyone on Earth, and Laura Byrd, a researcher in Antarctica is apparently the last person left alive. This apocalyptic story alternates between Laura’s struggle for survival and an alternate universe called “the city,” populated by the dead who still are remembered by those living on Earth. This compelling and original tale is chilling and thought provoking.

The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti: her new book is out this month, but while people wait, this is a great suggestion. It was also my favorite book I read in 2008. For today's reader, beyond the fact that her new book is out, this novel is a smart, fun, fast paced and historical escape. Click here to see the report from a 2010 book discussion I led on this novel. From my initial review:

We begin the story in 19th Century, New England, in a Catholic orphanage. 12-year-old Ren has lived here for as long as he can remember. He also has no recollection of how he came to lose his hand either. Ren is worried about his future because he is nearing the age when, if not adopted, he will be sold into the army and never know what it is like to have a home and a family. One day, Benjamin arrives,claiming to be Ren's brother, and adopts Ren. As you can imagine, Benjamin is not who he claims to be and the two begin an exciting adventure together.

The Good Thief is, refreshingly, a traditional adventure story (with a historical background) in a literary landscape where adventure is being consumed by thrillers and terrorism plot lines. It is fast paced, the hero is resourceful and lucky (maybe unbelievable so, but that goes with the genre), and it has a resolved, happy ending. Tinti uses many of Dicken's own tricks and themes to propel her story along., including a wonderful cast of eccentric secondary characters such as a dwarf who lives on the roof, a murdering giant, and a hard of hearing landlady. The novel is appropriately funny, heart-warming, melodramatic, and bittersweet, with each occurring in the right places.

Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow: Novels in verse are coming back into popularity thanks to Kwame Alexander and Jacqueline Woodson. Their books for younger readers are not only priming kids and teens to read novels in verse, but these authors are drawing in adult readers too. Sharp Teeth is a great option for Adults and Teens as I explain in this excerpt from my review from 2009:

...it is a novel-in-verse. Barlow's novel is an inventive mix of horror, traditional noir, and epic poetry, all rolled into one entertaining, but bloody novel. Make no mistake, this is first and foremost a werewolf story, so there is plenty of sex and gore, but it is still fine for Young Adults as none of it is too graphic. In fact, Sharp Teeth won a 2008 Alex Award for best adult fiction to suggest for teens. 

The story goes that in the seedy underbelly of LA there are three competing packs of werewolves fighting for supremacy and seeking revenge for past injustices. Connecting the packs and their separate, yet converging story lines, is Detective Peabody, who is investigating some suspicious murders which are somehow connected to dogs. The free verse is unsettling at first, but ultimately it enhances the chaos of the plot. As someone who reads and writes about a lot of horror, I appreciated this novel's originality.

The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan: I led a book discussion on this title back in 2008 [click here to read out notes] and I have not stopped telling book groups to read this book since. Seriously, it is still in all of my book discussion training materials. Below I have attached some of the thoughts from the beginning of our discussion. Click through for more, but understand that all of the issues brought up in this book apply even more so to today, and are not limited to the specific Israel situation. These are discussions worth having everywhere about how all different groups of people relate to each other.

This Nonfiction title begins in 1967 as three young Arab men sneak back into Jewish Israel in order to see the homes they were forced to abandon in 1948. The men had no luck at the first two homes, but at Bashir's former home, the one with the lemon tree planted by his father, a young Israeli college student, Dalia, opens the door and lets the young men in. So begins a dialog between the two which continues despite bombings, exiles, and imprisonments. Tolan tells Dahlia and Bashir's stories, recounts their histories, and explains the minutia of the conflict from the 1930s to the present day.

The main theme of Tolan's book is an encouragement of mutual witness and empathy for the story of the "other." Our group was most impressed by this point. We were all awed by Tolan's ability to be fair and tell both sides of the conflict. Many people in the group expressed how difficult it was, until recently, to hear the Arab side of the story. This also led to an interesting discussion about how much easier it is for Americans of European descent (like our group participants) to identify with the Jewish perspective because of our shared cultural backgrounds. A book like this was appreciated for its ability to let the reader into the Palestinian history and perspective in a way that they had never experienced before.

And last, my favorite current WAY BACK MACHINE suggestion-- Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde. From my original review:

...Fforde began a new series with Shades of Grey set in a dystopian, post apocalyptic world (after "the thing that happened") where people can only see a limited color range and the world is run by a series of odd rules set by a long dead leader. No one is allowed to think for themselves and what colors you can see (and how much) dictates your place in society, with the color-blind relegated to near slavery. Unlike his highly literary previous series, in the Shades of Grey world, librarians are left to roam bookless stacks. The horror!

That's the set up but what is important to tell readers is that they have to be okay with the fact that Fforde has yet to publish book two in this series. It's a dystopia that ends on a cliff hanger, but if that isn't a perfect metaphor for life in American right now, I am not sure what is. You need to let people know this before you give it to them, however. Let the readers decide if they can handle it. Seriously, I have friends and family who will not read this book precisely because they know there is no book two yet. But, I have suggested this book to a lot of people recently as the perfect dystopian novel for our dystopian times. The lack of any resolution or further explanation in subsequent books is eerily reminiscent of living life right now in 2017.

Now what about you? Why don't you take the time to make a list, or even better, a display, for your library of your WAY BACK MACHINE Suggestions. Steal the name from me, I don't care.

It was really fun and easy to travel back in time to my old reviews and find the best titles. But more importantly, it also shows how much you can help your patrons. These are titles that will go unread without you pointing patrons to them.

Flex your muscles and dig into the backlist. Way back. You may be surprised by how timely your finds are.

Library Reads: March 2017

This is your monthly Library Reads announcement.

Library Reads day means 3 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 Library Reads is the compound interest it is earning. We now have hundreds and hundreds of titles worth suggesting right at our fingertips.
3. You have no excuse not to hand sell any Library Reads 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.

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. 

March 2017 LibraryReads

The Twelve Lives of
Samuel Hawley:
A Novel

by Hannah Tinti

Published:3/28/2017 by The Dial Press
ISBN: 9780812989885

“Meet Samuel Hawley, a man in a constant struggle with his violent past, doing the best he can to raise his daughter.  Meet Loo, his daughter, a girl with an obscure past and an uncertain future, on the cusp of adulthood.  And meet Lily, the dead woman who connects them both. In this finely woven novel, the past and the present gradually illuminate the story of a man’s life through the bullet wounds he carries with him and makes readers consider what it is to be both good and evil.”

Dawn Terrizzi, Denton Public Library, Denton, TX 

The Women in the Castle: A Novel

by Jessica Shattuck

Published: 3/28/2017 by William Morrow
ISBN: 9780062563668

“Three German women’s lives are abruptly changed when their husbands are executed for their part in an attempt to assassinate Hitler. They band together in a crumbling estate to raise their children and keep each other standing. Rich in character development, this book is narrated by each of the women, giving us a clear understanding of their sense of loss, inner strength and the love they have for each other. This story examines the human side of war, where the lines are blurred between hero and victim.”

Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, TX

---

The Wanderers

by Meg Howrey

Published: 3/14/2017 by Putnam
ISBN: 9780399574634

“A private space exploration company is mounting a manned mission to Mars. To prepare for the actual event, the company plans an elaborate training program to match the conditions and potential problems the team might face. The ordeal, though simulated, is no less dramatic for the astronauts, their families, and the crew. The lines cross between fiction and reality and none of the participants is left unchanged. Part literary fiction, part sci-fi, all amazing.”

Marie Byars, Sno-Isle Libraries, Oak Harbor, WA

---

The Bone Witch

by Rin Chupeco

Published: 3/7/2017 by Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN: 9781492635826

“Fifteen-year-old Tea discovers that she has a power that sets her apart from the other witches in her village and will incur their hatred. She is a “bone witch” who can raise the dead. Aware that a darkness is coming, Tea agrees to leave her home and family so she can learn to save the very people who hate her. Her training, outlined in rich and fascinating detail, includes the courtly arts of singing and dancing, as well as classes in fighting. Told in short chapters, Tea reflects on her life, revealing how she becomes a courageous warrior. Although written for young adults, this will equally appeal to adults. The cliff-hanger ending will make readers eager for the promised sequel.”

Trisha Perry, Oldham County Public Library, Lagrange, KY

---

The Hearts of Men: A Novel

by Nickolas Butler

Published: 3/7/2017 by Ecco
ISBN: 9780062469687

“In the summer of 1962, we are introduced to popular Jonathan and social outcast, Nelson, aka ‘The Bugler.’ The only thing the two seem to have in common is that they both spend a few weeks of one summer at Camp Chippewa in the woods of Wisconsin. Yet, over the course of decades, their lives and the lives of those they love the fiercest are intertwined.  This wonderful novel peels back the layers of male friendship and shows what loyalty, compassion, and selflessness looks like.” 

Jennifer Dayton, Darien Library, Darien CT

---

Eggshells

by Caitriona Lally

Published: 3/14/2017 by Melville House
ISBN: 9781612195971

“Whimsical and different, this novel’s humor hooked me.  Vivian is an eccentric, living in Dublin and searching for a place where she can feel she belongs. How can you help but love a character who checks every wardrobe for Narnia and every yellow road for an Emerald City?  This novel movingly explores the outcasts and the different among us, showing that they are only hoping to fit in and find a friend.” 

Linda Quinn, Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, CT

---

Say Nothing: A Novel

by Brad Parks

Published: 3/7/2017 by Dutton
ISBN: 9781101985595

“Fans of crime fiction and fans of domestic drama will find much to love in Parks’ genre-blending thriller. Judge Scott Sampson is a devoted family man and a respected jurist thrown into every parent’s worst nightmare: his 6-year-old twins are kidnapped, and the kidnappers blackmail Scott into increasingly immoral legal decisions. Cue marital meltdown, ethical dilemmas, paranoia, and a thrill ride that suspense lovers will race through to learn what happens next. It’s a departure from the author’s lightly snarky Carter Ross series, but a welcome one for readers of Harlan Coben and Gregg Hurwitz.”

Donna Matturri, Pickertington Public Library, Pickerington, OH 

---

The Stranger in the Woods:
The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit

by Michael Finkel
Published: 3/7/2017 by Knopf
ISBN: 9781101875681

“There are three types of hermits in the world, according to Finkel: protesters, pilgrims, and pursuers. But Christopher Knight doesn’t seem to fit any of these categories. So why, at the age of 20, did he drive into a forest in Maine and disappear for 27 years, his only human interaction a single ‘hi’ with a passing hiker? This book uses the incredible but true story of Knight, ‘the last true hermit,’ to explore themes of solitude, introversion and the meaning of life.”

Megan Tristao, San Jose Public Library, San Jose, CA 

---

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

by Lisa See

Published: 3/21/2017 by Scribner
ISBN: 9781501154829 

“Li-Yan and her family, devote their lives to farming tea. Like her mother, Li-Yan is being groomed to become a midwife in her Chinese village. She yearns for more and is allowed to pursue her schooling. The arrival of outsiders seeking the Pu’er tea of Yunnan brings the modern world into this isolated village. When Li-Yan finds herself alone and pregnant, she leaves her child, wrapped with a tea cake, at an orphanage. Her daughter is adopted by a couple from California, but she is drawn to the study of tea. A sweeping historical novel that juxtaposes ancient China with its modern incarnation.”

Catherine Coyne, Mansfield Public Library, Mansfield, MA

---

If Not For You: A Novel

by Debbie Macomber

Published: 3/21/2017 by Ballantine Books
ISBN: 9780553391961

“High school music teacher, Beth, and tattooed auto mechanic, Sam, are set up by mutual friends, but neither sees a relationship developing. Their mutual disinterest quickly turns into friendship and then develops into much more. Just as their romantic relationship truly begins, Beth’s controlling mother and Sam’s hidden past get in the way and threaten to break them apart. As fans have grown to expect from Macomber, this tale tugs the heartstrings in every direction but is ultimately uplifting. It’s impossible not to fall in love with her characters.”

Jenna Friebel, Oak Park Public Library, Oak Park, IL