February brings another edition of LibraryReads, also known as: new books that library folk love! Of course, with it being February, we’ve got a fair amount of romance. But if you’re not much of a romance reader, fear not! There are also some murder mystery, historical and speculative fictions, and phycological suspense.
“First-Time Caller” by B.K. Borison
This is a cute story about Lucie, whose daughter calls into a radio show for people looking for love. Aiden, the show’s host, is taken by her honesty and invites her to the show to document her quest for love. It’s a bumpy ride, but Aiden is there the whole way! Readers will love the tension between Lucie and Aiden, and the secondary characters are chef’s kiss.
~Claire Schroeder, Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library, OH
“Isola” by Allegra Goodman
This novel is based on the true story of Marguerite de la Rocque, an aristocratic French girl who was marooned with her lover on an island off of Canada in the 1500s. When her parents pass away, she’s entrusted to a guardian who seeks adventure and uses her fortune to finance his travels. Readers will enjoy her adventures as she makes a new life.
~Claire Talbot, Greece Public Library, Rochester, NY
“The Strange Case of Jane O.” by Karen Thompson Walker
After Dr. Henry Byrd is summoned by police to see Jane O. at the psychiatric hospital, they want him to reveal her confidential information: has she really lost three days under a dissociative fugue, or is she faking it to cover up a crime? This unique novel explores the idea of alternate and parallel realities, grief, friendship and trust.
~Donna Ballard, LibraryReads Ambassador
“Wooing the Witch Queen” by Stephanie Burgis
This cozy romance features a librarian hiding out as a dark wizard, a witch queen who’d rather nerd out about experiments, and the most wonderfully supportive found family. This has all the tropes you love of romantasy with the added bonus of witty banter, snarky witch queens and a heart-melting romance. Give this one to fans of “The Princess Bride.”
~Sarah Bean Thompson, Springfield-Greene County Library, MO
“A Killing Cold” by Kate Alice Marshall
When Theo arrives at her new fiancé’s family retreat, she realizes she has been there before. As the secrets this family has been holding onto for years start to come out, this drama goes in a dark, suspenseful direction. Just when you think you know where this is headed, it becomes full of twists and turns. Yes please!
~Paige N., LibraryReads Ambassador
Other new books that library staff love:
- “The Quiet Librarian” by Allen Eskens
- “Victorian Psycho” by Virginia Feito
- “I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com” by Kimberly Lemming
- “Famous Last Words” by Gillian McAllister
- “Something in the Walls” by Daisy Pearce
