Library Reads for September 2018

New novels from Kate Atkinson and Gary Shteyngart, a new book in the October Daye series by local fantasy author Seanen McGuire, and another installment in a mystery series set in a library (by Jenn McKinlay) — plus six more books librarians across the U.S. are excited to see on the shelves next month.

The 7-1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton:
Imagine the movie Groundhog Day, except this time Aiden Bishop wakes up each day in a deteriorating manor house, as a different person, and must work out who he is and how he relates to everyone else at the party commemorating the long ago death of a child. If he can’t solve the murder that occurs at the party, he is doomed to continue the loop every eight days. A riveting page turner. ~ Becky Bowen, Kenton County Public Library, Erlanger, KY

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
Hazel is the eccentric, exuberant friend who’ll make you fall in love with her, and she’s not interested in being ‘dateable.’ Josh is busy being a workaholic, trying to make a long distance relationship work, and not pursuing romance with anyone else. But when his sister’s best friend Hazel blows back into his life, he is powerless to resist her genuine joie de vivre. If you’re looking for your next perfect read after The Kiss Quotient, look no further! A lovely slow burn. ~ Elizabeth Gabriel, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, WI

Lies by T.M. Logan
When Joe unwittingly discovers that his wife has been having an affair with her friend’s husband, his life starts to unravel. It seems that her lover now wants Joe out of the picture. Follow the cat-and-mouse plot as it explodes with a shocking finish! Great fun for those readers who love a good psychological thriller. ~ Paulette Brooks, Elm Grove Public Library, Elm Grove, WI

Night and Silence by Seanan McGuire
Toby is back in this latest installment of the October Daye series. Still reeling and recovering from the events of the last book, Toby and company are laying low. When her human daughter goes missing (again), Toby embarks on a twisty-turny race against time to find her. A solid entry and good choice for libraries with a strong demand for fantasy and urban fantasy. ~ Mei-Ling Thomas, Rochester Hills Public Library, Rochester, MI

Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird
A fascinating work of historical fiction about Cathay/Cathy Williams, a former slave turned Buffalo Soldier in post-Civil War America. Her raw and powerful story is sure to be popular with book clubs. ~ Sarah Fetterman, Upper St. Clair Township Library, Upper St. Clair, PA

Lake Success by Gary Shteyngart
Shteyngart delivers another painfully funny novel about ambition, disappointment, and the darker side of the American dream. For fans of witty, offbeat, satirical humor. ~ Jennifer Alexander, St. Louis County Public Library, St. Louis, MO

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle
If you could have dinner with any five people, living or dead, who would they be? On her thirtieth birthday, Sabrina finds herself at dinner with her best friend, her ex-fiance, her long lost father, her college mentor and Audrey Hepburn, all with something to say to her. A charming combination of magical realism and romance. ~ Tracy Babiasz, Chapel Hill Public Library, Chapel Hill, NC

Transcription by Kate Atkinson
In WWII era London, Juliet Armstrong is working as an espionage monitor for MI5. Ten years later she suddenly finds herself targeted by dangerous individuals from her past. For fans of smart, witty, suspenseful, historical or spy fiction and authors like Tana French, Laurie R. King, and John Le Carre. ~  Janet Lockhart, Wake County Public Libraries, Cary, NC

When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica
After her mother’s death, Jessie is trying is trying to rebuild her life. In her way is her debilitating insomnia and a secret that shakes the core of her identity. Psychological suspense with an unreliable narrator. This one’s for you Gone Girl fans. ~ Diane Gring, Chester County Library & District Center, Exton, PA

Hitting the Books by Jenn McKinlay
McKinlay’s Lindsay Norris is back for another adventure in Briar Creek. As a fellow librarian, I appreciate her spot on observations of the library world. An upbeat cozy mystery with great characters and strong sense of place. For fans of the Aurora Teagarden mysteries and the Isabel Dalhousie mysteries. ~ Carly Budzynski, Salem Public Library, Salem, VA

Library Reads is a monthly promotion of new books, hand-picked by librarians across the country.

~ posted by Linda J. 

 

 

 

Announcing Washington State Book Award finalists for 2018!

Congratulations to the finalists in the
2018 Washington State Book Awards

Place a hold on these winning Washington titles here!

Fiction:
This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, of Seattle (Flatiron Books)
The Cold Eye by Laura Anne Gilman, of Seattle (Simon & Schuster)
The Other Alcott by Elise Hooper, of Seattle (HarperCollins)
Solar Reboot by Matthew D. Hunt, of Clearview (Matthew D. Hunt)
George and Lizzie by Nancy Pearl, of Seattle (Touchstone)
Duplicity by Ingrid Thoft, of Seattle (Putnam)

Nonfiction:
Upstream: Searching for Wild Salmon, from River to Table by Langdon Cook, of Seattle (Ballantine Books)
Mozart’s Starling by Lyanda Lynn Haupt, of Seattle (Little, Brown & Company)
Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil to Life by David R. Montgomery, of Seattle (W.W. Norton)
Tides: The Science and Spirit of the Ocean by Jonathan White, of Orcas Island (Trinity University Press) Waterway: The Story of Seattle’s Locks and Ship Canal by David B. Williams and Jennifer Ott, of Seattle, and the Staff of HistoryLink (HistoryLink and Documentary Media)
Ghosts of Seattle Past, various authors, curated and edited by Jaimee Garbacik, formerly of Seattle (Chin Music Press)

#BookBingoNW2018: About the Environment

One of the many things I appreciate about the Book Bingo categories is that quite a few can be filled by both fiction or nonfiction, leaving the choice up to the reader. Today let’s look at the “About the Environment” category, which at first glance lends itself primarily to nonfiction, and instead see what fiction we could read.

T.C. Boyle has written several novels in which environmental concerns play

That Encouraging Voice in Your Ear

I’m a self help fan who hates reading self help books. When it comes to encouraging words, I want to hear them, preferably while I go about my household chores, tend my garden, or take a walk in the park. These encouraging little talks between me and my iPod are just the thing to add more creation to my recreation, or to revivify a draining commute. Here are a few recent self-help audiobooks written and read by seasoned performers that make for great listens.

Creative Quest, by Questlove.

#BookBingoNW: Suggested by a Young Person

We asked our young patrons at the Central Library Children’s Center to suggest books for our adult Book Bingo players and they delivered! These young people know their kid lit – they suggested classics both modern and older, video game tie-ins, realistic fiction, fantasy, adventure – there’s something for every reader of any age. Find the full list here: #BookBingoNW2018: Central Library Children’s Center patron suggestions for “Suggested by a Young Person”

Gregor the Overlander, the first novel by Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games trilogy, is something of an urban Alice in Wonderland. I’m not a fantasy reader, but once I picked it up I was hooked! I devoured the first hundred pages in one sitting.