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Sarah Perry returns to the world of The Essex Serpent, multiple debuts of note, and a new series title.
Jane Austen’s classic second-chance romance, Persuasion, gets a modern twist, and her Sense and Sensibility is the inspiration for a work with super-sexy scenes, deeply emotional storylines, and strong Black and Indigenous characters.
Action and budding romances make this a fast-paced, thrilling ride. Readers of Lynette Eason and Colleen Coble will enjoy this first novel in the “Jeopardy Falls” series from Pettrey (The Shifting Current).
PREMIUM
Exordia
This stand-alone story from Dickinson (The Tyrant Baru Cormorant) thrives on the unexpected, and while the characters aren’t necessarily likable, the way they wrestle with doing the right thing versus doing the hard thing is authentic and thought-provoking.
PREMIUM
Night for Day
Lim’s (Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club) magical tale is like a cross between Lore by Alexandra Bracken and The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes as it leads readers on a twisted journey that will keep them guessing until the very end.
PREMIUM
Tales of the Celestial Kingdom
Tan’s compilation of stories allows readers more insight into the characters from Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun Warrior, allowing their perspectives to expand the view of this wonderful series.
PREMIUM
Day
Unevenly paced and structured, but Cunningham’s quietly powerful observations help mitigate its imperfections.
A well-crafted saga exploring the nature of evil, drawn from elements of the crime, horror, and science fiction genres. A perfect starting point for newcomers, while longtime Grendel readers should be thrilled at how Wagner has reinvigorated what was already considered a classic story.
Recommended for fans who are curious about Bishop’s journey as a writer and are interested in reading about the inspiration and motivation behind her stories.
In these literary mystery cases, two (fictional) best-selling authors die while in front of their adoring fans.
The Edge by David Baldacci is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
PREMIUM
City of Betrayal
Fans of the series will enjoy revisiting the characters, but readers expecting an engrossing mystery may be disappointed.
Beach read season kicks off with new titles by Mary Kay Andrews and Kevin Kwan, while John Grisham and Alexander McCall Smith have series returns.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
The claustrophobic atmosphere of a raging wildfire and the presence of an unreliable narrator add to this read, which fans of Jane Harper’s Australian novels will want to try.
Readers looking for a contemporary romance with a passionate and grand love story, characters that leap off the page, and an original storyline will relish screenwriter and director Kuang’s debut novel.
From romantasy to retellings and from flying creatures to interstellar travel, the sweep of SFF continues to forge new reading pathways that expand the genres while reconfirming time-honored tales.
These science fiction, fantasy, and horror short story collections contemplate life beyond Earth, conjure magic, and creep readers out.
Canadian SFF author Reid-Benta discusses her thought process when crafting stories, connecting with her characters, and what is next in her writing plans.
Purchase where fiction about celebrities or books about fashion, entertainment, and beauty are often requested.
This generational story alternates between Nell and Carmel, with a little time out for Phil and his poetry. Channeling her inner Sally Rooney as twentysomething Nell, Booker Prize winner Enright (The Gathering) is as convincing as when writing about Carmel, a woman closer to her own age. A poignant novel by a writer in peak form.
PREMIUM
Absolution
National Book Award winner McDermott frames this exquisite novel (a recent Barnes & Noble book club pick) against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. Social class, awakening feminist consciousness, the bladed side of “good works,” and the power of one seemingly small event that changes lives forever are perfectly revealed in this correspondence between two women, connected over six decades by their shared experience.
PREMIUM
Red String Theory
In Jessen’s enjoyable latest (after Lunar Love), readers will cheer Rooney’s beliefs about fate, as it’s obvious these two are destined to continue their adventures together.
A self-published hit picked up by a big publisher, this series launch from Broadbent (Mother of Death & Dawn) is a haunting, action-packed political fantasy with a doomed romance at its center, full of heartbreak and intrigue.
PREMIUM
The Daughters of Block Island
While there are numerous references here to horror icons such as Shirley Jackson and gothic novels, including Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, they do not fully resonate with the characters of Carmen’s debut novel (after the short story collection Something Borrowed, Something Blood-Soaked: Thirteen Stories), making it read like a disjointed collection of tropes.
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Lest She Forget
Fans of authors such as Alex Michaelides or Paula Hawkins will enjoy this amnesia thriller.
PREMIUM
Last Night
Readers of Rice’s previous novels involving art, family, and Conor (Last Day; The Shadow Box) will be most interested in this story, with its complicated conclusion.
PREMIUM
Twice Lived
West’s (Face) novel will speak to teens and their parents’ anxieties of identity and belonging but is reluctant to settle itself on the emotional aftermath.
PREMIUM
Cape Rage
Satisfying for crime aficionados of all stripes, especially those with a liking for nonstop action.
Readers of their first outing, The Mimicking of Known Successes, will be thrilled to have Mossa and Pleiti back on the case as it takes its surprisingly cozy mystery into this sci-fi setting and grounds it in an on-the-nose portrayal of academic politics in all of its delicious viciousness.
PREMIUM
One of the Good Guys
In the vein of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, this is a psychological thriller that will have readers on the edge of their seats, pushing them to ponder difficult questions.
Coming from five different countries, the space travelers represent a microcosm of humanity. This is a beautifully written, deeply thoughtful meditation on planet Earth and our place in it.
PREMIUM
Just Once
Reminiscent of timeless romantic tales such as The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks and Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller; librarians should hand this to fans of closed-door romance. While Kingsbury is best known for her long-running “Baxter Family” series, her stand-alones showcase her range as a writer, and her first foray into historical fiction is a fast and worthwhile read.
This artful novel keeps to the core of the Jane Austen source material, while allowing the updated story to soar on its own.
PREMIUM
Fragile Designs
With tons of suspects and plenty of danger, this is Coble (“Annie Pederson” series) at her best. Readers will appreciate a stand-alone offering that’ll keep them up all night with fast-paced and tightly written action. Similar romantic-suspense authors include Irene Hannon and Dani Pettrey.
This fantastical novel, in which the past and present collide in unusual ways, is sure to be popular where romance, African American fiction, and relationship fiction circulate well; highly recommended for all libraries.
PREMIUM
That Others May Live
Inspired by the collapse of Champlain Towers South in Florida, the seventh in Driscoll’s series (following Under Pressure) is filled with technical details of buildings and explosives. Fans of Meg and Hawk will overlook the technicalities to read about the search-and-rescue teams.
The sequel to Prose’s award-winning debut The Maid marks the return of a charming protagonist with awkward social skills and a big heart.
PREMIUM
The Liberators
Koh’s work should resonate strongly, with its focus on the desire of wanting to be seen and to belong, regardless of the histories that shape the individual.
PREMIUM
Fish Out of Water
Ruggle (Risk It All) writes the comedy and adventure aspects of this romance well, and readers will find themselves laughing out loud as they devour the book.
Readers of Ann Cleeves’s series will want to try this well-written story marked by complicated twists to the end and an interesting police team.
PREMIUM
The Dragons of Deepwood Fen
Provided readers can ignore its flaws, the first entry in the “Book of the Holt” series is worth the attention of those seeking an epic fantasy experience. Recommended for fans of Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan.
PREMIUM
The Threat
It doesn’t necessarily break new ground, but this debut is an enjoyable, easy recommendation to readers looking for a humorous escape.
PREMIUM
To Challenge Heaven
This is thrilling and philosophical military science fiction, in which vampires become saviors and aliens become allies. It will appeal to fans looking for a more fantastic take on what Star Trek could have become.
This contemporary romance is a must-have for all libraries and for readers who relish a bit of angst and a lot of joy with their happily-ever-afters.
PREMIUM
Grievar’s Blood
This remains a solid and innovative sci-fi fantasy series, and the precarious ending will leave readers hungry for more.
PREMIUM
The Gardins of Edin
Intergenerational women’s relationships, self-care, and setting healthy boundaries are only a few of the themes explored through this quirky and complicated yet lovable family. Fans of contemporary Christian fiction authors Pat Simmons and Robin W. Pearson will cheer at this new voice in the genre.
PREMIUM
Alice B. Toklas Is Missing
With a multilayered plot, real figures from Jazz Age Paris, and puzzles for Ida and her friends to figure out, this novel will appeal to fans of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code or Sulari Gentill’s A Few Right Thinking Men.
PREMIUM
The Vacation House
Best for deep collections that serve a high demand for psychological thrillers.
PREMIUM
The Spy and I
This mistaken-identity spy romance is fast-paced, mixing twists and turns with humor and not a small amount of chemistry. Recommend to fans of Gina Robinson’s “Agent X” series and The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter.
Women pathologists (Patricia Cornwell) and forensic anthropologists (Elly Griffiths) have starred in recent mysteries that appeared on best-of-the-year lists. Through her terrific new heroine, Labuskes has the fire and smarts to join them on the award dais.
PREMIUM
The Diamond and the Duke
This third installment in the “All the Duke’s Sins” series (following Desperately Seeking a Duchess) is a must-read for both fans and newcomers to Caldwell’s work.
PREMIUM
The Bitter Crown
The second entry in this saga is fast-paced, action-packed, and maintains its DnD and RPG undertones. Great for fans of Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan.
PREMIUM
Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair
This is the perfect balm for millennial new mothers learning to navigate love and life after having a baby. Recommended for fans of small-town romance and relationship fiction.
Nayler’s (The Mountain in the Sea) compelling sci-fi thriller contemplates human greed and de-extinction through science. Highly recommended for readers of ecoterrorism thrillers and climate fiction.
PREMIUM
River Mumma
Fans of magical realism, Jamaican folklore and culture, and the rediscovery of ancestral roots will enjoy this novel from the author of the award-winning Frying Plaintain.
PREMIUM
The Split
This is two thrillers in one, and readers will be enthralled with both. YA thriller author Frick (The Reunion), making her adult debut, expertly demonstrates how one decision can change a life, and how, despite those decisions, some things, and some people, remain the same.
PREMIUM
On the Isle of Antioch
A timely novel that captures the concerns of today and is an excellent addition to any library’s collection of dystopian fiction.
Upbeat, engaging, witty, and funny, this book from Stein (The Professor) will captivate readers. Highly recommended for all collections.
PREMIUM
All the Little Truths
The novel stands well on its own, but as in connected tales, it’s best read in order to experience character growth and story development. Webb’s fans and those who like Lisa Jackson will enjoy.
Miller bears watching. Readers will look forward to more adventures with Freya and Carole in the intriguing world of antiques.
PREMIUM
The Royal Game
Readers who can’t get enough of England’s royal family will enjoy this book; Jennie is a fun character whose Prince Charming loves her.
PREMIUM
Keep Your Friends Close
This twisty tale told by an unreliable narrator will appeal to fans of Gillian Flynn, Shari Lapena, and Paula Hawkins.
PREMIUM
Murder Checks Out
Fans of Jenn McKinlay’s “Library Lover’s Mysteries” will enjoy Gilbert’s follow-up to Death in the Margins. The charming story balances Christmas and family with a mystery with environmental themes.
PREMIUM
Projections
Within an intricately built fantasy world, Porter takes a character that had all agency unwillingly taken away from her and gives her an incredible voice.
Clinch’s compelling study conveys the complicated legacy of Grant, who had no pretense for pageantry, deeply loved his wife and children, and treated everyone with decent human kindness. A remarkable novel, utterly gripping.
PREMIUM
Canadian Boyfriend
Holiday’s (So This Is Christmas) heartwarming, engaging, slow-burn romance is character-driven, and the witty banter and outrageous situations keep the tone upbeat even as characters face challenging situations.
The lead detectives are new to each other and building trust, and readers will become invested in the fragile bond they currently have, as well as the mystery surrounding Foster and her former partner.
Perfect for literary-fiction fans, especially those who enjoyed other extraordinary novels about ordinary people, such as Lydia Millet’s Dinosaurs and Zorrie by Laird Hunt.
PREMIUM
Till There Was You
An overall charming tale that gets a little bogged down rehashing the main characters’ insecurities and issues.
PREMIUM
Dead in Long Beach, California
Readers interested in the current state of the world and the consequences of living in it will find this book both difficult and fascinating.
PREMIUM
Right on Cue
Ballard’s (Just My Type) latest is full of winks to the rom-com genre and packed with steamy tension.
PREMIUM
Trouble
Recommended for readers who enjoy found family, working-class historical romances, and stern sea captains with hearts of gold.
Like the fiddler himself, Arden’s (The Winter of the Witch) gripping historical fantasy will draw readers in and keep them engaged.
Recommended for readers of Charlaine Harris’s “Gunnie Rose” series and Gilman’s “Huntsmen” series and those who appreciated Wild, Wild West, as the stories in this collection take that wild and run with it.
PREMIUM
A Feast for Starving Stone
The sequel to A Thousand Recipes for Revenge is an intriguing intersection of culinary magic and political machinations.
PREMIUM
Prima Facie
Tessa is a compelling character who confronts the patriarchy. Recommended for all libraries.
Highly recommended for fans of Frankel and those who enjoy literary fiction featuring witty dialogue and thought-provoking topics.
In this historical fantasy of manners, Fawcett brings readers back to a beautifully atmospheric world in which faeries exist in the regular human realm. Recommend to fans of Marie Brennan’s A Natural History of Dragons and R.F. Kuang’s Babel.
Readers looking for a contemporary romance with a passionate and grand love story, characters that leap off the page, and an original storyline will relish screenwriter and director Kuang’s debut novel.
Brava! Historical-fiction enthusiasts, fans of La Callas, and others will relish this view into the tumultuous love affair of a power couple; they’ll offer a standing ovation when, in the novel’s “Final Curtain,” the opera singer discovers her true voice.
Barratt (Within These Walls of Sorrow) is a superb researcher, making readers feel as if they are living in World War II Poland fighting for freedom, for life, and for love of family. This is a hard but important read that will tug on heartstrings.
The claustrophobic atmosphere of a raging wildfire is handled well. Fans of Jane Harper’s Australian novels will want to try this debut featuring an unreliable narrator.
PREMIUM
Say You’ll Be Mine
Perfect for fans of grumpy-sunshine pairings and mostly closed-door romances.
Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy and steampunk mystery and readers searching for magically engineered combinations of alchemy and corruption in the same vein as Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham and In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan.
Scott takes readers on a journey of professional and personal discovery, making the novel an excellent pick for those who enjoy explorations of women’s independence.
PREMIUM
My Name Was Eden
This strong debut successfully explores intergenerational trauma in a twisty thriller with enough notes of horror to require reading with all the lights on. For fans of Zoje Stage and Lucinda Berry.
Cameo appearances by historical figures like Syngman Rhee, Sun Myung Moon, Ronald Reagan, and Phillip K. Dick underscore their connections to the literature, film, and politics that have created and divided the Koreas of today; this playfully serious must-read is highly recommended.
PREMIUM
At Her Service
Spalding (For Her Consideration) brings her twentysomething protagonists to life in this romance that delivers on both the heroine’s self-actualization journey and her happily-ever-after. A must buy for libraries looking for more fresh, queer contemporary romance to recommend to fans of Meryl Wilsner or Alexis Hall.
PREMIUM
A Winter by the Sea
This Regency coming-of-age novel is chock-full of fun, everyday history, and witty repartee. Klassen delivers another sweet story (following The Sisters of Sea View) in a romance series best read in order. Anglophiles and fans of Sarah E. Ladd and Kristi Ann Hunter will want to catch up with the Summers family.
PREMIUM
Exit Black
Pitkin’s (Stranger Bird) science fiction thriller is fast-paced and, with multiple points of view, shows off the unusual twists of individual perspectives. Fans of the movies Knives Out and Die Hard, plus authors such as Blake Crouch and Andy Weir, may want to add this to their to-be-read list.
The tension, unrequited feelings, lies and resentment, friendship and jealousy that permeate this suspenseful page-turner will keep readers guessing until the satisfying ending. Recommended for fans of closed-circle mystery writers such as Agatha Christie, Lucy Foley, and Alice Feeney.
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