Forget terrible twos, this is a terrific two: Happy Anniversary, LibraryReads! We’re so grateful for your support of the program that we’re giving away TWO super prize packs of ALL Macmillan LibraryReads picks to date! September 2015 #7 FURIOUSLY HAPPY by Jenny Lawson August 2015 #2 THE NATURE OF THE BEAST by Louise Penny #5 Know More » […]
Tag: Precious Thing
Thriller Thursday (2/26/15 Edition)
We’ve got a LibraryReads pick and two psychological thrillers this #ThrillerThursday: A MURDER OF MAGPIES by Judith Flanders A February 2015 LibraryReads pick! “Social historian Flanders makes her fiction debut with an amusing mystery set in the eccentric world of British book publishing… The array of delightful and believable characters, as well as a neat turn Know More » […]
Happy Birthday LibraryReads!
Happy Anniversary LibraryReads! Can you believe it’s already been a year? Thanks very much for your support of these great Macmillan LibraryReads picks: September 2013 #1: FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell #2: HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN by Louise Penny November 2013 #2: THROUGH THE EVIL DAYS by Julia Spencer-Fleming #8: THE RAVEN’S EYE by Barry Know More » […]
Booklist’s Best Crime
May is Mystery Month over at Booklist and to celebrate they’ve put together “Best of” reading lists with loads of Macmillan titles!
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THE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
Steinhauer follows his acclaimed Milo Weaver trilogy with a stand-alone that is as emotionally rich as it is layered with intrigue. A career diplomat is shot dead in Budapest in front of his disbelieving wife, who is determined to find out why. This complex tale leaves us with the feeling that, despite all the information won, lost, hoarded, and put to use, the world of intelligence is no stronger than the fragile, fallible human beings who navigate it.
HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN by Louise Penny
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache has a new case involving the murder of the last surviving sister of quintuplets, a woman with ties to Three Pines, the idyllic, off-the-grid village outside Montreal where several of Gamache’s previous adventures have been set. The novel not only puts Gamache in harm’s way but also exposes Three Pines to defilement—a cozy setting under attack from a decidedly hard-boiled world. Another bravura performance from the magnificent Penny.
THE ORPHAN CHOIR by Sophie Hannah
Teetering on the edge of sanity, Louise Beeston retreats to a country home in England, hoping to escape the haunting choir music she hears continually. This riveting stand-alone, in which suspense snowballs to a climax that is all the more dire for its everyday contemporary English setting, is absolutely haunting, in every sense of the word.
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Thriller Thursday (3/6/14 Edition)
Today we've got a super-sized #ThrillerThursday with mysteries to satisfy every reader, from cozies to psychological suspense and more!
PRECIOUS THING by Colette McBeth
A March 2014 Library Reads pick! "Debut author McBeth’s GONE GIRL-style psychological thriller will be a widespread hit for fans of dark drama with questionable narrators, including S. J. Watson’s BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP (2011), Sabine Durrant’s UNDER YOUR SKIN (2013), and Karen Perry’s THE INNOCENT SLEEP (2013)." — Booklist, starred review
THE BLACK-EYED BLONDE by Benjamin Black
Black's "pitch-perfect recreation" of Raymond Chandler's incomparable private eye Philip Marlowe goes "beyond mere thoughtful homage" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) when a seductive young heiress asks Marlowe to find her former lover. "Great fun for Chandlerians." — Booklist
CITY OF DARKNESS AND LIGHT by Rhys Bowen
In the 13th entry of Bowen's New York Times bestselling historical series, Molly Murphy and her infant son are in Paris where she unexpectedly gets entangled in the murder of an Impressionist artist. "Molly is a smart, feisty heroine who admirably defends her investigation to a very skeptical Sûreté. Though placed a decade or so earlier, this breezy historical mystery will appeal to fans of Carola Dunn’s Daisy Dalrymple and Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs." — Booklist
THE PLAYER by Brad Parks
In the latest book in Parks' award-winning series, Carter Ross investigates a suspicious disease, but it takes him down a path that leads directly into the arms of the local mob boss. "Parks, a gifted storyteller (with shades of Mark Twain, or maybe Dave Barry), shows his mastery of the comic absurd behind serious journalism in his fifth outing." — Library Journal, starred review
WRECKED by Tricia Fields
"Fields’ third Josie Gray outing is emotionally taut, building to a breathtaking climax and portraying, in the process, the danger inherent in a Texas border town and presenting Josie, previously wary of commitment, with new challenges. More fine southwestern crime fiction by an author who clearly loves the locale." — Booklist, starred review
PROVIDENCE RAG by Bruce DeSilva
“Edgar-winner DeSilva melds moral dilemmas with a suspenseful plot in his third novel featuring Providence, R.I.–based reporter Liam Mulligan, his best yet.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Mulligan’s character, played off the vicissitudes of his job, is skillfully layered and engaging. DeSilva, who worked for decades at the AP, won an Edgar for Best First Novel for ROGUE ISLAND (2010). He knows of what he writes.” — Booklist, starred review
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Thriller Thursday (2/20/14 Edition)
We're a day away from TGIF and you know what that means: #ThrillerThursday! Here's what we're reading this week:
RUNNER by Patrick Lee
You know how much Anne loves this "high-tech thriller that's hard to put down" (Library Journal, starred review) because she can't stop recommending it to anyone who will listen (hey casting directors: Channing Tatum!). She's not the only one–it's a March Indie Next pick, has three starred reviews, and the adoration of Lee Child, Steve Berry and Nelson DeMille.
THE INNOCENT SLEEP by Karen Perry
This psychological thriller about a couple restarting their lives five years after losing their son in a tragic accident is perfect for those of you who enjoyed the March 2014 LibraryReads pick, PRECIOUS THING. "This novel, with a premise that taps into the fears of every parent, is an entertaining thriller that fans of Tana French and Gillian Flynn will enjoy." — Library Journal
(get the free downloadable praise sheet)
DEAD WATER by Ann Cleeves
In the eagerly awaited new entry in Ann Cleeves' popular Shetland Islands series (now airing on BBC as the television series Shetland), Detective Inspector Willow Reeves and Inspector Jimmy Perez team up to investigate the murder of a journalist. "Cleeves has an unusually deft hand with characters; not one of them seems purely plot-functional, and Perez’s character keeps deepening with each book." — Booklist, starred review
BROTHERHOOD OF FEAR by Paul Grossman
It's 1933 and famed detective Willi Kraus is avoiding deportation back to Nazi Germany when he finds himself unwittingly drawn into a murder mystery in Paris. "Grossman again manages to make the past come alive, and his complicated investigator displays enough depth and frailty to warrant continued exploits, even without the series’ initial hook of a Jewish cop fighting for justice under the Nazis." — Publishers Weekly, starred review [...]
For Your Consideration: April LibraryReads titles
The March LibraryReads list may have just been announced (thank you to everyone who voted for PRECIOUS THING!!!), but we're already excited about April's potential picks. With February being such a short month and the Winter Olympics distracting us from reading time, the March 1 deadline to nominate April 2014 publications will be here faster than Shani Davis can break a new speedskating record!
Here's the inside track on our hot April titles:
KEEP QUIET by Lisa Scottoline
In New York Times bestselling author Scottoline's latest standalone, Jake Whitmore is enjoying a rare bonding moment with his sixteen-year-old son, Ryan, when they get in a terrible car accident that threatens to derail Ryan’s future. Jake makes a split-second decision that saves his son from formal punishment, but plunges them both into a world of guilt, lies, and secrecy. When a malevolent outsider comes forward with the power to expose them, Jake must do anything he can to prevent the further unraveling of his family.
THE PLOVER by Brian Doyle
When Declan O Donnell flees his troubled life on land by setting out on the Pacific Ocean in his boat, the Plover, he discovers something much more interesting than the solitude he sought. "Doyle (editor, Portland Magazine) has written a novel in the adventurous style of Jack London and Robert Louis Stevenson but with a gentle mocking of their valorization of the individual as absolute. Readers will enjoy this bracing and euphoric ode to the vastness of the ocean and the unexpectedness of life." — Library Journal, starred review
SEDITION by Katharine Grant
In this "...witty, dark, and sophisticated tale" (Publishers Weekly, starred review), four nouveau rich fathers make their five marriageable daughters learn to play the piano in an effort to attract men and marry well. However, the girls' lascivious (and French) piano teacher has an education beyond music in his plans. "[A] fun, lascivious gambol through the lives of women and men with decidedly carnal appetites... Suggest to fans of Sarah Dunant and Sarah Waters." — Booklist
DESTROYER ANGEL by Nevada Barr
In the next book in Barr's New York Times bestselling Anna Pigeon series, a camping trip in Minnesota goes harrowingly wrong when Anna's friends are taken hostage by armed thugs. "Once again, Barr lays down a riveting mystery and permeates the pages with scrupulous descriptions of Anna's struggle with the cold, with the night, and with the terror and fear of not rescuing her friends." — Library Journal, starred review
DON'T EVER LOOK BACK by Daniel Friedman
In this "alternately humorous and moving sequel" (Publishers Weekly) to the Edgar Award-nominated debut DON'T EVER GET OLD, feisty octogenarian Buck Schatz is trying to close the case on some unsolved robberies from his past.
'TIL THE WELL RUNS DRY by Lauren Francis-Sharma
This buzzed about debut novel is a glorious and moving multi-generational, multicultural saga that begins in the 1940s and sweeps through the 1960s in Trinidad and the United States. "Why the buzz: Voice, Voice, Voice! A story that takes you places you have never been and will stay with you forever." — Publishers Weekly, ABA's Winter Institute 9 round-up
MIMI MALLOY AT LAST by Julia MacDonnell
An April 2014 Indie Next pick! "MacDonnell captures perfectly the family dynamics between sisters, mothers, and daughters, as if she were sitting in on their gab sessions, taking copious notes. For readers who enjoy Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher, this is a highly engaging family chronicle, with a healthy dose of Irish history laced in as well." — Booklist
THE OTHER STORY by Tatiana de Rosnay
The internationally bestselling author of SARAH'S KEY returns with another absorbing novel about a young writer who, while digging into his family’s deeply buried secrets, finds the key to his future.
For more April LibraryReads title suggestions, view our collection on Edelweiss. Happy reading and happy nominating!
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PRECIOUS THING is on the March 2014 LibraryReads list!
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FABULOUS NEWS! Colette McBeth's thrilling debut novel PRECIOUS THING is #8 on the March 2014 LibraryReads list!
I know her inside out. I know what she’s thinking, I know what she wants. So I can’t give up on her, she knows I never will.
Imagine discovering something about your oldest friend that forces you to question everything you’ve shared together—so goes the story between Rachel and Clara.
They met in high school when Rachel was the shy, awkward new girl and Clara was the friend everyone wanted. Instantly, they fell under one another’s spell and promised their friendship would last forever. Flash forward to present day: now in their late twenties, Rachel's the one who has it all—the plum job as a television crime reporter, the apartment and the boyfriend; meanwhile, Clara’s life is spiraling further out of control.
Then Rachel’s news editor assigns her to cover a police press conference, and when she arrives, she's shocked to learn that the subject is Clara, reported missing. Is it abduction, suicide or something else altogether?
Booklist gave PRECIOUS THING a starred review saying, "Debut author McBeth’s GONE GIRL-style psychological thriller will be a widespread hit for fans of dark drama with questionable narrators, including S. J. Watson’s BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP (2011), Sabine Durrant’s UNDER YOUR SKIN (2013), and Karen Perry’s THE INNOCENT SLEEP (2013)."
Many of you agree, based on the early buzz:
See the complete March list at LibraryReads.org.
Thank you to everyone who voted! Keep in mind that February is a short month so nominations for the April list will be here soon (due March 1). Need help finding books? Check out our Edelweiss collection of April 2014 titles. Don't wait, nominate!
As for the current list, you can help support these great books by promoting each month's selections in a featured display in your library and by using the FREE downloadable marketing materials provided by LibraryReads, which includes flyers and online banner ads. [...]
For Your Consideration: March LibraryReads titles
Happy Monday to our dear librarian pals,
We’d like to remind y’all that the February 1 deadline to nominate March 2014 publications for the next LibraryReads list is just around the corner!
Get thee to edelweiss! Download a DRC, read it, love it and nominate it! REPEAT!
THE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
International politics are at play as an Egyptian agent, an American analyst, a CIA agent, and a bereaved wife all converge on Cairo to find out why a diplomat was assassinated.
"THE CAIRO AFFAIR is an elegant, elaborate clockwork of mystery and deception that should draw readers in and keep them on tenterhooks as they try to figure out what is really making it all tick." — Publishers Weekly, boxed signature review
"It has become de rigeur to compare Steinhauer to le Carré, but it’s nearly time to pass the torch: for the next generation, it’s Steinhauer who will become the standard by which others are measured." — Booklist, starred review
SHOTGUN LOVESONGS
by Nickolas Butler
Butler's debut novel about the relationship between four friends in a small Midwest town was selected by the ABA for the Spring 2014 Indies Introduce program.
"The hearty Midwest, which thrums and beats through tiny Little Wing, Wisconsin-an Anytown, USA, if there ever was one-assumes the whole soul of Butler's fetching debut. Readers can feel the winter cold on the other side of the neon sign and hear the peanut shells crunching underfoot." — Booklist
TEMPTING FATE by Jane Green
From the New York Times bestselling author of ANOTHER PIECE OF MY HEART comes a riveting new novel about the events leading up to one woman's affair—and its aftermath.
"A SCARLET LETTER for the 21st century." — Kirkus Reviews
PRECIOUS THING by Colette McBeth
"Debut author McBeth’s GONE GIRL-style psychological thriller will be a widespread hit for fans of dark drama with questionable narrators, including S. J. Watson’s BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP (2011), Sabine Durrant’s UNDER YOUR SKIN (2013), and Karen Perry’s THE INNOCENT SLEEP (2013)." — Booklist, starred review
I REMEMBER YOU
by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
"In a departure from her series featuring lawyer Thora Gudmundsdottir, Iceland’s queen of suspense combines modern crime detection with mysticism to chilling effect. Nordic mystery writers can raise goosebumps as few others can, and Sigurdardottir shows she’s one of the best." — Booklist, starred review
Let’s not forget the buzz that’s been building for this gem.
THE HAVEN
by Carol Lynch Williams
For the teens at The Haven, the world beyond the towering stone wall that surrounds the premises is a dangerous unknown and always has been since the hospital was established in the year 2020. It was built to help control the Disease that claims limbs and lungs-and memories-but what if it's not the safe place it claims to be? Award-winning YA novelist Williams' new novel is "Deliciously enigmatic." — Kirkus Reviews
PROVIDENCE RAG by Bruce DeSilva
“Edgar-winner DeSilva melds moral dilemmas with a suspenseful plot in his third novel featuring Providence, R.I.–based reporter Liam Mulligan, his best yet.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
Go beyond the book and read this Publishers Weekly interview with DeSilva.
For more March LibraryReads title suggestions, view our collection on Edelweiss. Happy reading and happy nominating!
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Happy New Year 2014!
Happy New Year! We hope your holidays were wonderful. We're rested, rejuvenated and ready for all that 2014 will bring!
Want to know what our New Year's Resolution is? It's for all the librarians we know to participate in LibraryReads!
Do you love to read? Do people often ask you what book they should read next? Are you a public librarian? If you answered yes to all of these, then my friend, you are ready for LibraryReads.
opens in a new windowWhat is this magical LibraryReads thing we speak of? It's a monthly list of the Top Ten newly released must-read books, voted on by librarians like you! By harnessing the value of "library staff picks" into a single nation-wide discovery tool, you can help connect books to as many readers as possible.
If you're ready to start, nominations are now being accepted for books publishing in March 2013 (due February 1). Here are some titles we recommend:
SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler
TEMPTING FATE by Jane Green
PRECIOUS THING by Colette McBeth
THE HAVEN by Carol Lynch Williams
THE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
DECODED by Mai Jia
NOTORIOUS by Allison Brennan
THE REVENANT OF THRAXTON HALL by Vaughn Entwistle
THE MIDNIGHT WITCH by Paula Brackston
THE OTHER HALF by Sarah Rayner
ALWAYS UNIQUE by Nikki Turner
QUEEN ELIZABETH'S DAUGHTER by Anne Clinard Barnhill
CODE ZERO by Jonathan Maberry
I REMEMBER YOU by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
NOTES FROM THE INTERNET APOCALPYSE by Wayne Gladstone
PROVIDENCE RAG by Bruce DeSilva
To vote, you must be an Edelweiss user and registered as a public librarian. If so, then you’re all set! To recommend a title, find the book page while logged into Edelweiss and click on “Your Review.” You will see the check the “Submit to LibraryReads” box on the bottom right of that box; click on it when saving your review to nominate that title.
If you are already an Edelweiss user, and logged in, but don’t see the option to “Submit to LibraryReads” when you click on “Your Review,” you may be in an Edelweiss organization that is not classified as a public library. In this case, please email support@abovethetreeline.com for help.
If you are not an Edelweiss user, please register for Edelweiss using the Organization Type “Library – Public” to join the LibraryReads community.
Read in any format you like–paper or digital–but please submit all your reviews electronically, via Edelweiss.
Speaking of Edelweiss, did you know you can get whitelisted* for access to Macmillan e-galleys? It's true! Here's how to get pre-approved:
1. Register for Edelweiss with your library-issued e-mail address.
2. Send Anne an email that includes the e-mail address you registered with, your full name, and your current library (subject: Edelweiss).
3. Wait for Anne to send you a confirmation message, then download to your heart's delight and nominate titles you love for LibraryReads
*Whitelisting is only available to librarians currently employed in the U.S.
For more on Edelweiss, including reading recommendations, click here. Want to know even more about LibraryReads? Check out our FAQ for nomination deadlines, guidelines for writing reviews, details on how each list gets decided, and FREE marketing materials for your library. Happy reading and happy nominating!
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