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Philip Fracassi offers a technothriller with a different take on time travel, while Andrew Ludington debuts with a time-travel caper wrapped around a slice of historical fiction.
This month's historical novels include a Jane Austen–inspired tale from Natalie Jenner, a World War II story set on Martha's Vineyard by Martha Hall Kelly, and a matriarch's tale of land and legacy in the Lowcountry of South Carolina from Mary Alice Monroe.
To Die For 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.
Blue Bloods showrunner Wade showcases his talents on the page with this compelling police procedural.
Highly recommended for readers of sci-fi thrillers, cli-fi, and bioterrorism thrillers, and Tom Clancy fans who enjoy a bit of SF in their political thrillers.
PREMIUM
Church Girl
Simone’s (An Off-Limits Merger) latest is a sexy story that’s sure to be catnip for fans of the bad boy/good girl trope and single dad/nanny romances.
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The Grump Whisperer
James’s (Too Hot To Touch) first Afterglow title will appeal to readers who enjoy a low-key grumpy/sunshine dynamic and romances with relatively little angst.
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Godwin
An intriguing look into unsavory backroom deals and the pressures and legacies of colonialism, late capitalism, and greed. This makes an impact.
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Wild Ground
A raw and harrowing narrative, beautifully narrated. Listeners will feel the characters’ heartbreak, underwritten by their desire for connection and acceptance.
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The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia
Listeners will appreciate the wildness of Grames’s setting while the realistically voiced mystery unfolds.
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Sleeping Giants
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking an intricate suspense about cruelty and corruption in the child welfare system. Recommended for fans of Sally Hepworth, Jennifer McMahon, and Lisa Jewell.
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Camp Jeff
This exuberant satire, rich in biting caricatures of uniformly over-the-top characters, is the opposite of neat or tidy. The result is a novel that’s insightful and hilarious in parts but eventually runs out of steam.
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What It’s Like in Words
Obsessive love is at the heart of this compulsively readable debut novel, which should appeal to fans of Colleen Hoover.
By day, Michael Nayak is Doctor/Major Nayak at DARPA (the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). He talks with LJ about his debut novel, Symbiote, his tenure at the South Pole, his writing inspiration, and the work of DARPA imagining the future.
This year’s investigation into the realms and labs of fantasy and science fiction reveals a genre with pure magnetic attraction, while genre blends—from romantasy to SF mystery to SFF horror—redefine what’s possible and rocket toward their day in the sun.
With fluid writing and an unputdownable story, Jessen’s witty rom-com leans hard into the fake-dating trope with great success.
This momentous tour de force overtops existing works on robots by leaps and bounds, approaching the subject with a subtlety that allows readers to focus on the effects robots are sure to have in the future.
Appearances are deceiving in this fast-paced thriller, and the characters are introduced gradually so as not to overwhelm the outstanding series debut.
LJ Best Booker Shokoofeh Azar has a new book, Lambda Award winner Marisa Crane returns with a coming-of-age novel, and Scotiabank Giller Prize winner Madeleine Thien offers a story that leaps across centuries; plus five debuts to note.
Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
GMA Book Club pick author Disha Bose offers a coming-of-age story about a woman who moves from Calcutta to Ireland, while Oprah’s Book Club author Wally Lamb returns with a novel about a young father in prison who finds kinship with the prison librarian.
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The Map of Bones
A satisfying and dramatic conclusion to Mosse’s centuries-spanning family saga. The detailed, woman-centric series showcases her talents as a storyteller and is both well-considered and well-written. Devoted Joubert fans will adore the finale, but new readers can also enjoy the novel, which works as a stand-alone.
This page-turner from bestselling Bohjalian (The Princess of Las Vegas) will not disappoint fans of American Civil War narratives. The vividly drawn characters and historical details make for a compelling read.
PREMIUM
The Delicate Beast
An optional purchase for libraries seeking literary historical fiction about political violence and the Caribbean diaspora.
PREMIUM
Cloaked in Beauty
Each book in this series can be read as a stand-alone and will keep readers guessing at how beloved fairy tales might play out in the turbulent Texas of the 1880s. For fans of Western romances from authors such as Regina Jennings and Robin Lee Hatcher.
Short (a.k.a. “Ruby Vaughn Mysteries” author Jess Armstrong) masters the descriptions of the fierce winter lake in an atmospheric suspense novel of murder, gangsters, and desperation.
PREMIUM
A Girl Like Us
With its fast-paced intriguing prose, this story filled with complicated family dynamics à la Saltburn or Succession, coupled with the isolation of a Ruth Ware novel or Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, will appeal to mystery/thriller lovers.
PREMIUM
The Reluctant Sheriff
The sequel to Code of the Hills is an atmospheric, exquisitely written Southern noir.
Blue Bloods fans will delight as Wade delivers a complicated police drama of the Don Winslow variety, written in the neo-noir style of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser books.
PREMIUM
The Case of the Missing Maid
Osler has created a likable heroine, a good mystery, and a solid LGBTQIA+ fiction entry.
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The Matchmaker
An engaging, quick read, Saeed’s mystery-romance hybrid will be popular at public libraries.
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My Darling Boy
Readers who like the slow burn of a mystery will enjoy this atmospheric thriller. Recommend to fans of Tana French or Kate Morton.
The author of The End of the Road introduces a determined, innovative courier in the vein of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher or James Byrne’s Dez Limerick. Appearances are deceiving in this fast-paced thriller, and the characters are introduced gradually so as not to overwhelm the outstanding series debut.
PREMIUM
Shoot the Moon
Barry captures her protagonist’s history of trauma, loss, and addiction in ways that help this somewhat formulaic mystery ring true.
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You Can’t Hurt Me
Pages fly by as secrets rise to the surface, and the engrossing premise keeps readers speculating. This debut builds alluring suspense into an exhilarating twist.
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The Lodge
Readers will love Olson’s (The Reunion) trademark blend of romance and pop culture and the unique spin on the traditional third-act conflict, which ultimately leads to a satisfying conclusion.
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Once Smitten, Twice Shy
Told from alternating points of view, with main characters who are autistic and living with a chronic illness, and featuring a large and supportive network of friends and family, this satisfying romance is a celebration of love, family, and inclusivity.
PREMIUM
Book Boyfriend
Readers who enjoyed Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game will love this charming enemies-to-lovers story, and it will be adored by anyone who’s passionate about their favorite book fandoms.
Randall (The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic) has created an appealing cozy magical world. This enemies-to-lovers romance has plenty of twists and secrets that build tension alongside the slow-burn of Calliope and Lucien’s relationship. Hand to fans of Sangu Mandanna and Sarah Hawley.
Originally self-published and now traditionally published with bonus content, Bishop’s (“Lost & Found” series) scorching hot, smart, hilarious, and touching novel is highly recommended for all collections.
PREMIUM
The Trouble with Anna
A unique heroine elevates this enemies-to-lovers, engagement-of-convenience tale that will delight historical romance fans.
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You Between the Lines
Naymon’s sparkling, propulsive writing, well-drawn secondary characters, and believable conflicts make this perfect blend of sweet and sexy a must-read debut. Perfect for fans of Jessica Joyce.
PREMIUM
The Last Raven
With a young naive heroine and big plot twists, Jones (“Ambeth Chronicles” series) writes a drama-filled take on vampires in the modern world that will hold most appeal for readers of YA and new adult romance.
PREMIUM
Let’s Call a Truce
Buchanan’s debut hits all of the right notes, leading up to a sweet and satisfying ending for Ben and Juliana. This twist on the enemies-to-lovers trope that also sensitively explores dating while grieving is perfect for fans of workplace romances.
PREMIUM
Work in Progress
Mackenzie’s debut is a rewarding, banter-filled enemies-to-lovers rom-com that checks every box with a cozy cast of supporting characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and two main characters readers will care about.
PREMIUM
Spiral
Khabra’s skillful portrayal of her characters’ personal struggles and their growing bond makes for an engaging read that goes beyond the typical sports romance formula. Thanks to its well-paced narrative and ample steamy moments, readers will find themselves engrossed in this hockey-meets-ballet romance.
PREMIUM
I Think They Love You
A fake relationship becomes a real second chance at love in YA author Winters’s adult debut that delivers a thoughtful message amid steamy scenes and tropey plot twists.
Showcasing what she does best, Chase pens another winner. Series fans will be delighted, and new readers can jump into the story here.
PREMIUM
Celebrity Crush
Set against a Hollywood backdrop, readers will enjoy Swift’s fun and glitzy debut novel filled with just enough twists to keep them guessing.
A stunning book by Bastone (Ready or Not), who delivers another slow-burn and emotional romance that doesn’t shy away from also exploring life’s hardest moments. Recommended for readers who also enjoy Abby Jimenez.
PREMIUM
Spring Fling
Noblin (Christmas at Corgi Cove) offers a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance, perfect for fans of small-town charmers and authors such as Sarah Adams.
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A Tempest of Desire
Fans of Sophie Jordan and Eloisa James will be captivated by this story of passion, romance, and overcoming life’s obstacles.
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Lightfall
A promising layered series starter that offers plenty for fantasy fans and mystery lovers alike.
PREMIUM
An Honored Vow
The climactic final volume of the “Halfling Saga,” after A Vicious Game, is filled with high-stakes action, choices, and consequences. Romantasy fans should add this series to their reading list.
Originally self-published and now being released by a traditional publisher, this gripping sequel to Spark of the Everflame finds Diem trying to defeat the Descended out to see her fail. Readers will be clamoring for the next in the series after the cliffhanger ending.
PREMIUM
The Martian Contingency
This well-paced novel and satisfying fourth title in Kowal’s series, after The Relentless Moon, brings back familiar characters and continues to balance scientific details with character relationships.
PREMIUM
Galaxy Raiders: Abyss
Douglas writes a thrilling military space adventure that pits a powerful woman captain against evil galactic overlords.
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Hammajang Luck
Fans of Ocean’s Eight and Leverage will find this a delightful ode to team heists. The enemies-to-lovers trope, queer characters, and Hawaiian culture and language create a unique backdrop for a familiar plot line.
PREMIUM
Gate to Kagoshima
Fans of Outlander will appreciate Kuroki’s (“Black Diamond” series) treatment of a familiar story, while the Japanese setting, language, and culture sprinkled throughout are a fresh addition to the genre.
This momentous tour de force overtops existing works on robots by leaps and bounds, approaching the subject with a subtlety that allows readers to focus on the effects robots are sure to have in the future; a meditation on and an illustration of human and robot relationships in which it is difficult to distinguish between them.
PREMIUM
Splinter Effect
Ludington’s thrilling debut is a time-travel caper wrapped around a slice of historical fiction, but the heart of this story is Rabbit’s desperation to fix the things and people that he broke even if he has to outrun shadowy criminal time-looters and shady government agencies looking for scapegoats, in the past and in the present.
PREMIUM
A Harvest of Hearts
Eames (The Secret Circus) offers a delightful modern fairy tale in which the heroine is determined to save herself. The atmospheric setting and layered plot will please fantasy readers.
PREMIUM
The Third Rule of Time Travel
Fracassi (Boys in the Valley) turns from horror to sci-fi in his latest. Recommended for fans of technothrillers and those looking for a different take on time travel.
PREMIUM
Harlem Rhapsody
While the historical facts could be more smoothly woven into the flow of the story, this bibliophilic novel will please fans of the bestselling historical novels that Murray coauthored with Marie Benedict (The Personal Librarian and The First Ladies).
PREMIUM
The Unbecoming of Margaret Wolf
This historical novel may be of interest to readers who enjoy fiction about theater and the United States at midcentury, especially if they prefer slow-moving stories with an emphasis on atmosphere and characterization. A good pick for fans of Patti Callahan Henry and Marie Benedict.
PREMIUM
The Memory Dress
Readers who enjoy dual-timeline novels will enjoy Beer’s (The Last Dress from Paris) latest, which also includes a sweet, low-key romance for Jayne.
With empathy and insight, Allegri crafts a vividly realized historical novel that not only illuminates one of history’s saddest times but also illustrates the power of compassion and kindness to drive away the dark.
PREMIUM
When We Grow Up
This novel leans heavily on its setting and will appeal to readers who gravitate toward dramatic relationship fiction, a sort of cross between Hanya Yanihariga’s A Little Life and the 1985 Brat Pack movie St. Elmo’s Fire.
PREMIUM
The Champagne Letters
This intriguing and engaging blend of real history and fiction includes well-rounded characters. General fiction readers will enjoy this recommended novel, and so will fans of French wine. A good pairing with the recent 2023 biopic Widow Clicquot directed by Thomas Napper.
PREMIUM
Only Here, Only Now
This recommended novel aptly emphasizes the challenges of poverty, orphanhood, and food and housing insecurity for a teen trying to have a good life.
The harsh reality of animal death, animal cruelty, and elimination of invasive species (i.e., killing one species to save another) depicted here might turn off those who are sensitive to these subjects, but readers who enjoy heavy topics and an intensifying slow-burn will enjoy this highly recommended novel.
PREMIUM
To Save the Man
Culturally sensitive and impressive storytelling resonates alongside disconcerting points of view of those claiming to help children. Recommended for fans of David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon.
PREMIUM
Marriage & Masti
Not to be missed, this charming series closer is sure to please fans of Sara Desai’s The Marriage Game and Sonali Dev’s Recipe for Persuasion.
PREMIUM
Heavy Hitter
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a short, steamy celebrity/sports romance with Swift/Kelce vibes. Recommended for fans of Simone Soltani, Elena Armas, and Libby Hubscher.
Holton’s charm-, joke-. and wit-filled banter is brought to excellent realization through Knowelden’s pitch-perfect and perfectly timed reading. A pure delight.
PREMIUM
Holy City
This notable Southern noir debut is a welcome addition to the genre. For fans of gritty, small-town crime fiction and S.A. Cosby.
PREMIUM
Tiny Threads
A slow-burn horror that deftly explores class, race, politics, power, and gender. Recommended for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Silver Nitrate and Zakiya Dalila Harris’s The Other Black Girl.
PREMIUM
The Kiss Countdown
Contemporary romance readers and fans of Denise Williams and Kristina Forest will be rooting for these two to get their HEA from the very start. This engagingly narrated debut will make an excellent addition to any audio romance collection.
PREMIUM
I Know She Was There
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a complex thriller with a deeply unreliable narrator. Recommended for fans of A.J. Finn, Ruth Ware, and Lisa Jewell.
PREMIUM
The Royals Upstairs
Halle’s latest royal-adjacent romance checks all the boxes, with plenty of steam, sweetness, seriousness, and fun. Fans of the author’s “Nordic Royals” series will be pleased.
This gorgeously narrated, woman-centered reimagining of a spectacularly gifted musician crackles with energy, emotion, and longing. Highly recommended.
PREMIUM
Haven
This spooky listen is highly recommended for gothic fiction readers and fans of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House.
PREMIUM
I Think I Was Murdered
This fast-paced thriller incorporating today’s headline news along with compelling family drama proves that the Coble-Acker partnership (What We Hide) will continue to produce hits. Recommend to fans of psychological thrillers such as Lies We Believe by Lisa Harris and Criss Cross by C.C. Warrens.
With witty banter, a crusade for social justice, and a not-so-cookie-cutter romance, this novel has a lot to love. Readers will want to binge the whole unique turn-of-the-century series.
PREMIUM
The Bitter Roots
Anticipating the historical fiction of Ivan Doig and Ken Kesey, Macleod vividly immerses the reader in the adolescent angst of one young man, and of a nation.
A clever marriage of the cold unease of Le Carré and the cozy charm of Christie, these highly addictive tales of intrigue will appeal to a wide range of readers; here’s hoping the duo’s other collection, Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens, gets reprinted soon.
Updating the earnest spiritual fantasy of Charles Williams and C.S. Lewis, Blish conjures a startlingly effective hellscape worthy of Hieronymus Bosch.
Roth’s psychological insight and complex moral vision, deftly captured in David Le Vay’s graceful 1982 translation, are distilled in this pitiable, poetic tragedy, which proceeds with the grim logic and economy of a fairy tale.
Decades ahead of its time, this taboo-defying work of unproblematized queer Black identity is less successful as a novel than as a front-row seat to a momentous era, spent in the vibrant company of a truly original iconoclast.
PREMIUM
Office Politics
With a pitch-perfect ear for inner and outer dialogue and a searching wit as hilarious as it is humane, Sheed illuminates the dingiest and most discomfiting corners of that curious home away from home known as the office.
PREMIUM
Mask of the Deer Woman
Strongly consider this for public libraries, particularly those serving tribal land.
PREMIUM
Schooled in Murder
The first in the “Campus Sleuth Mysteries” series isn’t quite up to the quality of Gilbert’s “Blue Ridge Library” or “Hunter and Clewe” mysteries. However, fans of cozies set in the world of academia might enjoy.
PREMIUM
A Lethal Walk in Lakeland
The sequel to A Deadly Walk in Devon is an atmospheric mystery with delightful descriptions of the countryside in the Lake District. The story may appeal to fans of closed-house or Golden Age mysteries.
PREMIUM
The Next Deadly Chapter
Fans of this long-running cozy series will find two delightful mysteries in one, contemporary and historical, in the sequel to Murder on Tour.
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