Library Love Fest

Nadia Hashimi, the internationally bestselling author, returns with A House Without Windows, a vivid, unforgettable story of an unlikely sisterhood. In today’s post Nadia writes about the importance of libraries in her childhood. We love her and her new novel!

For two decades, Zeba was an unremarkable woman. But her quiet life is shattered when her husband, Kamal, is found brutally murdered in the courtyard of their home. Nearly catatonic with shock, Zeba is arrested for the crime. Awaiting trial, she meets a group of women whose own misfortunes have landed them in jail, including Nafisa, imprisoned to protect her from an “honor killing” and Mezghan, pregnant and unmarried, waiting for a court order to force her lover’s hand. The prison is both a haven and a punishment; removed from the unforgiving world outside, the prisoners form a lively and indelible sisterhood. Is Zeba a cold-blooded killer, her cellmates wonder, or has she, like them, merely been unlucky? Has she truly inherited her mother’s powers of jadu—witchcraft—that can bend fate to her will? Can she save herself? Or them?

A House Without Windows is on sale today! 

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Later this year, what may be the world’s oldest library will open its doors to the general public. The library in Fez, Morocco, is believed to have been founded by a Muslim woman and first opened in 859. (Yes, 859…the age of the Vikings!) Pictures of the library are astounding—floral Andalusian art, intricate calligraphy and horseshoe arches. I can comfortably admit that I think “parchment” is a sexy word and I would even venture to guess I’m not alone.

The care with which this structure was originally built, with which it is has been rehabilitated over the years and with which it is now being restored speaks to the importance of libraries in our communities. These are cornerstones to our societies, past and present.

Next Tuesday, August 16th, a very special book will be hitting library shelves. That book,
Carry On by Lisa Fenn, tells the incredible story of two disabled African-American wrestlers from inner-city Cleveland and the unexpected family that formed when Lisa, an award-winning ESPN producer, documented their unlikely friendship.

The LLF team had the good fortune to meet Lisa at this year's ALA Annual conference in Orlando. Not only is she one of the kindest, most gracious authors we've had the pleasure of working with, but her book is, simply put, a story not to be missed. To learn more, check out the video below! Be sure to pick up
Carry On next Tuesday, August 16th.

The September LibraryReads list was just announced, and I'd like to give a big round of applause to Jenny Colgan and Ann Patchett for being the #2 and #3 picks!

Jenny Colgan's The Bookshop on the Corner is about Nina Redmond, a librarian with a gift for finding the perfect book for her readers, but can she write her own happy-ever-after?  You'll just have to read to find out!

In Commonwealth, Ann Patchett, the acclaimed, bestselling author and winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize, tells the enthralling story of how an unexpected romantic encounter irrevocably changes two families' lives.

Please join me in congratulating these two amazing titles, and make sure to check them out when they go on sale in September.

If you're not already participating in LibraryReads, visit their website to find out how you can join in the fun.

-Amanda

EDIT: Thank you for your interest.  This giveaway is now closed.

Growing up gay in pre-gentrified Brooklyn was a perilous process of self-discovery for Steven Gaines, the New York Times bestselling author of Philistines at the Hedgerow. In his upcoming memoir, One of These Things First, Gaines taps into his remarkable powers of observation and recall to tell his story, one that takes him from the streets of Brooklyn to Manhattan's infamous Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic, where a brilliant young psychiatrist promises to cure young Gaines of his homosexuality and provide him a "normal life."

As you can see from the below sampling of praise, One of These Things First is an incredible book worth celebrating...and that is exactly what we're going to do.  The first five people to email us at [email protected] will receive a free copy!

"An extraordinary book. Incredibly moving and beautifully written." ―Jay McInerney, bestelling author of Bright Lights, Big City

"By turns comic, honest, and riveting, Gaines tells the story of a well-meaning shrink and his troubled young charge locked in a war of wills to ease ‘the trauma of homosexuality’ and restore his humanity in a conservative world." ―Publishers Weekly

"A candid, entertaining memoir...A spirited narrative of a hard-won coming-of-age.” ―Kirkus

"Years ago Dominick Dunne called Steven Gaines 'a born storyteller.' If anything, we now know Gaines was meant to write his own powerful, heart-wrenching, and funny life story. I could not put it down." ―Steven Petrow, The Washington Post

"A poignant and funny book that proves it does get better." ―Joy Behar, co-host of The View                      

"This is a memoir for anyone who loves Paddy Chayefsky and Hanya Yanagihara. Gaines has turned his considerable journalistic talents onto his younger self, writing a lyrical, wry and precisely excavated book which zaps you back to that moment when you first wonder, ‘Is this really who I am? What does it mean to not be what I think I’m supposed to be? Can I change?’” ―Carl Swanson, New York Magazine                                    

"Growing up gay in pre-trendy Brooklyn wasn't always a joyride, as I personally realized ages ago. But Gaines knows it even better. His harrowing account of being a suicidal 15-year-old who checked into Payne Whitney is eye opening, touching and ultimately triumphant because of how well he turned out." ―Michael Musto, columnist and author of Manhattan on the Rocks

One of These Things First goes on sale tomorrow, August 9th.  Be sure to pick it up!

-Chris

The buzz for Nell Zink's Nicotine is lighting up faster than a decade-old Marlboro, and consider it no surprise: this is a wonderfully strange book with some serious bite but also no shortage of warmth.

The story of a young woman who returns to her recently deceased father's childhood home only to find it inhabited by a colorful cast of squatters who double as pro-smoking advocates, Nicotine delves into issues of race, gender, class, politics, and so much more, and it approaches these sensitive topics...well, not so much with sensitivity, but with honesty, grace, and wicked storytelling injected with keenly observant humor.

Nicotine just received a starred Kirkus review, who calls it “A rich, rewarding tale of love, rebirth, and chewing tobacco...Zink does such an incredible job of depicting weirdos as real, smart, vulnerable, complicated people. Social satire with a sharp wit and a big heart.”

Library Journal adds, “[Zink] writes with tongue firmly in cheek. Her jaded worldview, leavened by a well-honed sense of the absurd, reveals itself as she skewers millennials and boomers alike for failing to live up to their once tightly held convictions.” 

And from The Millions, “Few writers have experienced Zink’s remarkable arc, and by all appearances, Nicotine seems unlikely to slow her winning streak.” 

Nicotine is also one of our suggestions for the October LibraryReads list. The deadline to vote is August 20th, so download an egalley from Edelweiss here, give it a read, and vote! We can't wait to hear what you think at [email protected].

-Chris

Internationally bestselling author Nadia Hashimi has a new book on the horizon and it’s FANTASTIC.  

Her first book, The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, told the stories of two Afghan women separated by a century who found freedom in the tradition of bacha posh, which allows girls to dress and live as boys…until they are of marriageable age.  Khaled Hosseini, author of And the Mountains Echoed and The Kite Runner wrote: “Nadia Hashimi has written, first and foremost, a tender and beautiful family story. Her always engaging multigenerational tale is a portrait of Afghanistan in all of its perplexing, enigmatic glory, and a mirror into the still ongoing struggles of Afghan women.”

Hashimi’s next book, When the Moon Is Low, told the unforgettable story of an Afghan family’s escape from the Taliban and perilous trek across Europe to seek asylum, led by one extraordinarily courageous woman.

Her latest book, A House Without Windows, is the unforgettable story of an Afghan woman accused of murdering her husband, the American lawyer trying to free her, and the many women from all walks of life, who gather around her in prison.

In Fall 2016, Harper Children’s will be publishing Nadia’s first novel for young readers: One Half From The East.  This is an emotional, beautiful, and riveting coming-of-age journey to modern-day Afghanistan that explores life as a bacha posh—a preteen girl dressed as a boy.Though it is not a young readers' edition of The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, this novel does share a character with her first (wildly successful) adult novel, and addresses some of the same issues.

Check out this great interview with Nadia Hashimi.  [EDIT] This giveaway is now closed.  And send us an email at [email protected] if you’d like a complimentary copy of A House Without Windows.

-Virginia

The October LibraryReads deadline is fast approaching. Here are some titles we hope you will consider when voting for the LibraryReads list. Whether you're looking for deep-diving literary character inspections; dark, twisting fantasy adventures; or sleep-robbing, breath-shortening mysteries and thrillers—with this list, there is truly something for everyone. All of these titles publish in October so there's still time to cast your vote for LibraryReads. The deadline is August 20th. We’d love to hear what you think about all of these books! Write to us at [email protected].

News of the World by Paulette Jiles
For fans of: Historical fiction, the Old West
An aging war veteran's solitary existence giving public readings of the news is interrupted when he takes a job transporting an orphaned girl across post-Civil War Texas to her adoptive aunt and uncle. We ADORE this book which received a starred review from Booklist and is getting widespread librarian praise. Janet Lockhart from Wake County Public Libraries says, "Stupendous writing, characters that get under your skin and burrow deep into your heart, great pacing, and an ending that makes you cry with joy and relief. I feel sorry for the book I read next. News of the World is a hard act to follow."

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th

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The Terranauts by T.C. Boyle
For fans of: Literary inspections of the human psyche, environmentalism
Told through three distinct viewpoints, this look at four men and four women voluntarily sealed inside a man-made ecosphere for two years is at times hilarious, troubling, heart-wrenching, but wildly entertaining and enlightening throughout. It's also received starred reviews from both Booklist and Library Journal, who deemed it "quite possibly one of the best of the year."

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th

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Mister Monkey by Francine Prose
For fans of: Meg Wolitzer's The Interestings, Jess Walter's Beautiful Ruins
From the critically acclaimed author of Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932, this hilarious story of a cast of characters involved in an off-off-off Broadway musical was just called by Library Journal a "breezy read with hidden, and not so hidden, depths."                                                               

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads deadline: August 20th

This morning, Shelf Awareness shared an article from Tech Insider featuring the most beautiful library in each state.  For us here in New York, the gorgeous main branch of the New York Public Library was chosen.  Have you been to your state's most beautiful library?

-Virginia

The American Girl by Kate Horsley is a riveting psychological thriller about an American exchange student in France involved in a suspicious accident, and the journalist determined to break the story and uncover the dark secrets a small town is hiding. We're thrilled to be sharing a guest post from Kate on the blog today!

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I grew up in a town where the library was next door to the pool. I visited both once a week and I used to wonder if the library put the plastic covers on the books so kids could go swimming while they were reading. My mom never let me try this theory out for some reason.

I LOVED my library card. It was my first ID and I pretended it was my Secret Agent Card as I hunted down my next book-adventure: novels by Lois Duncan and Judy Blume, Angela Carter and V.C. Andrews, Ray Bradbury and Madeleine L'Engle. In summer, I’d check them out of the library and guzzle them down in one heady gulp, spread out on the grass in the park sun-bathe-reading. In winter, I’d sit cross-legged between the rows of books, reading half of A Wrinkle In Time before I’d even checked it out.

Other books have intervened between then and now. In fact, I decided I loved books so much I worked as a librarian for a year and once I even took a course in old books where the professor told us we could guess the date for the book by licking the vellum pages (I did and they tasted like dusty beef jerky). Still, I think it was that library I went to as a kid that really made me want to be a writer. Those first books I took out for myself—stories like The Eyes of Karen Connors, in which girls plunge into a world that’s intense and unknowable for the first time—held such magic between their plastic-bound covers. Years later I’ve sought them out again to recapture the feeling they gave. It’s the same feeling I get when I’m writing.

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Thanks, Kate! The American Girl went on sale today, so help us celebrate this book birthday by diving right in!

-Amanda

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a perennial library favorite, proven once again last week when you all voted her latest novel, First Star I See Tonight, onto the LibraryReads Top 10 picks for August.  Fans were so excited to see this beloved, award-winning, New York Times bestselling author return to her Chicago Stars football series with a long-awaited new entry about a star quarterback and a feisty detective playing for keeps.  In addition to all the librarian love, First Star I See Tonight received FOUR starred reviews!

Library Journal: "Laugh-out-loud funny, insightful, and touching, this latest gem from one of the genre’s best is a must-buy for all library collections."

Booklist: "Phillips’ literary star shines bright in her dazzling (and long-awaited) installment in her Chicago Stars series.... Writing with a deceptively easy sense of grace, equally enhanced by her distinctively dry sense of wit, Phillips fashions an irresistibly sexy love story that is guaranteed to hit every romance reader’s sweet spot"

Publishers Weekly: “Phillips continues her popular contemporary Chicago Stars series (after Natural Born Charmer) with an utterly delightful standalone gambol that pairs up recently retired Stars quarterback Cooper Graham and private detective Piper Dove.... (Phillips) has a knack for nuance and stage-setting that grounds her characters and makes them feel perfectly real. Fans and newcomers alike are certain to fall in love with this delightful pair as they scrimmage and score.”

Kirkus: "This thoroughly enjoyable novel delivers a swift kick to the heart—an essential summer read."

You can experience the love for yourself by downloading the egalley before it goes on sale August 23.  Whether you take it to the beach or nestle into your favorite reading nook with it, you will fall in love.  

-Amanda

When it comes to anything fantasy, my ears immediately perk up.  It will come as no surprise that I pounced on Sarah Beth Durst's The Queen of Blood as soon as the manuscript was available and subsequently tore through it over the course of one weekend.  This first entry follows an idealistic young student and a banished warrior who become allies in a battle to save their realm from malevolent spirits.  This will definitely be one of my new series to look out for, but I'm not the only one gushing about this adult debut.  TWO starred reviews have already come in:

“...a stellar and imaginative tale.... Durst ably dispenses with tropes of the genre, zooming through the standard 'young magician at the academy' plot to focus on Daleina’s growth as both a person and a potential queen. In addition to a solid cast of characters and great political intrigue, Durst delivers some fascinating worldbuilding, and the spirits are malevolent, cunning, wild, and mysterious antagonists.” —Publishers Weekly  *STARRED* review

"The captivating characters will draw readers into a world of magic and intrigue and keep them wanting more.... Durst, an award-winning YA author (Vessel) and three-time Andre Norton Award finalist, presents a thrilling beginning to a sweeping series about searching for sovereignty and truth in order to save one’s land." —Library Journal  *STARRED* review

If you're looking for political intrigue, thrilling adventure, and high stakes in your next fantasy read, look no further.  There's still time to download the egalley from Edelweiss, so dip in and let us know what you think!

-Amanda

Today I declare T.C. Boyle my spirit author (you know, like a spirit animal only...an author). In pictures, he is often donning a well-worn leather jacket, a barely perceptible grin on his face, as if he and the world just shared a profound yet slightly dirty joke. Check his twitter and you'll see he's found a way to turn his 140 characters into something almost literary. He exudes cool. And, most importantly, he is a fantastic writer. Author of the New York Times bestselling The Harder They Come, Boyle looks to have another winner on his hands with The Terranauts, on sale October 25th.

Boyle is a master of observing human nature, pitting our greatest ideals against our most debilitating flaws. While The Harder They Come confronted America's legacy of violence and anti-authoritarianism, The Terranauts examines humanity's ecological future. Following four men and four women voluntarily sealed inside a three-acre, glass ecosphere for two years in what is heralded as humanity's greatest experiment (or its most expensive PR stunt), The Terranauts quickly dives into the depths of the human psyche when placed in the most extreme of circumstances. Thrilling to the very end, The Terranauts was just declared by Library Journal in a starred review as "one of Boyle’s best—and quite possibly one of the best of the year." Booklist, in a starred review, calls Boyle "a virtuoso storyteller and a connoisseur of hubris" who "mesmerizes and provokes."

The good news is egalleys are available now on Edelweiss. The better news is if you prefer a physical galley, email us at [email protected] and we'll be glad to send you a copy. The best news would be for you to read it, love it, let us know, and cast your vote for LibraryReads! Nominations are due August 20th!

-Chris 

News of the World by Paulette Jiles is an exquisitely rendered, morally complex, multilayered novel of historical fiction that follows an aging itinerant news reader who agrees to transport a young captive of the Kiowa back to her remaining family in Texas in the aftermath of the Civil War.

We are such huge fans of this book in-house, and it's garnered wonderful support from the library community as well.  Here's just a sampling of the great praise for News of the World:

“Stupendous writing, characters that get under your skin and burrow deep into your heart, great pacing, and an ending that makes you cry with joy and relief. I feel sorry for the book I read next. News of the World is a hard act to follow.” —Janet Lockhart, Wake County Public Libraries, Raleigh, NC

“My respect for Paulette Jiles grows with every novel she writes, and News of the World is her best work yet...  She writes with great clarity, understanding, and a forgiving heart.” ― Nancy Pearl, librarian, bestselling author, literary critic

"Jiles’ lyrical style and minimal punctuation allow the reader to become immersed in the dusty Texan landscape, witnessing the anguish, fear, compassion, and joy in the unlikely pair’s journey." ― Booklist starred review

"Jiles makes the narrative so compelling... Lyrical and affecting, the novel succeeds in skirting clichés through its empathy and through the depth of its major characters." ― Kirkus starred review

Now hear from the author herself.  Our wonderful video studio visited Paulette at her home in Texas, and she wanted to share a message to librarians:

Thanks, Paulette!  If you haven't yet experienced this beautiful novel for yourself, there's still time to download the egalley from Edelweiss.  If you love it as much as we do, please let us know what you think!  LibraryReads nominations are due by August 20.

    
In a starred online review, Booklist calls Commonwealth "a sharply funny, chilling, entrancing, and profoundly affecting look into one family’s 'commonwealth,' its shared affinities, conflicts, loss, and love." To read the full review, please visit: http://booklistonline.com/Commonwealth-Ann-Patchett/pid=8182219

This stunning work by the award winning author of Bel Canto and State of Wonder follows two families irrevocably drawn together by a chance encounter and the resulting documentation of their strange family saga. Commonwealth goes on sale September 13th, so there is still time to nominate it for a LibraryReads pick!  The deadline is this Wednesday, July 20th, so head on over to Edelweiss now to leave your review and nominate it for the September list!

-Chris

The bestselling author of A Hundred Summers brings the Roaring Twenties brilliantly to life in A Certain Age, an enchanting and compulsively readable tale of intrigue, romance, and scandal in New York Society, brimming with lush atmosphere, striking characters, and irresistible charm.

A Certain Age went on sale last month and has continued to garner great reviews.  PopSugar recently included it as one of “The 31 Books You MUST Put in Your Beach Bag This Summer!” saying, “Prepare to be beguiled… A Certain Age is a charming story full of wit, romance, and surprising twists.”

And the love doesn't stop there:

“A rousing, enjoyable read... Williams’ historic details and detailed descriptions only add to the decadence. New money, old money and intrigue make for a lot of lively fun.” —Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Deliciously scandalous and elegantly written, A Certain Age is a dazzling reinterpretation of Richard Strauss’s opera Der Rosenkavalier, and a thoroughly satisfying love story.” —Shelf Awareness

“Passion, beauty, grace, and the ugliness not seen inside people drive this opera, I mean brilliantly written book to the very passionate, brilliant end.” —MomZinga

Grab this compelling novel off the shelf today and dive into the scandalous world of the '20s.

-Amanda

Drum roll, please!  The August 2016 LibraryReads list was just announced, and we're pleased to share that the latest addition to award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Chicago Stars series, First Star I See Tonight, was chosen by librarians from across the country as one of the best books of August!  Congratulations!

If you aren't already participating in the monthly LibraryReads action, visit their website to find out how to sign up.

And if you ARE already participating, don't forget to submit your votes for the September list!  The voting deadline is Wednesday, July 20.

Happy reading!

-Amanda

It was great seeing many librarians at the ALA Annual conference in Orlando, Florida a few weeks ago, and we're so happy many of you were able to attend our title presentation to learn about many of our upcoming books from the Fall 2016 and Winter 2017 lists.

If you weren't able to make it, don't worry!  The presentation was audio recorded and is hosted on EarlyWord.com.  There you can find information on all the titles we talked about and hear us rave about them.  Now to whet your appetite, below is just a sampling of the titles we discussed:

The Perfect Girl by Gilly Macmillan: From the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award nominated author of What She Knew comes this whip-smart, addictive, and harrowing novel of psychological suspense—perfect for fans of Paula Hawkins and Kimberly McCreight.  Request the egalley here.

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly: Set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow South and the civil rights movement, this is the never-before-told true story of NASA’s African-American female mathematicians who played a crucial role in America’s space program—and whose contributions have been unheralded, until now. Request the egalley here.

The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck: Set at the end of World War II, in a crumbling Bavarian castle that once played host to all of German high society, this is a powerful and propulsive story of three widows whose lives and fates become intertwined—an affecting, shocking, and ultimately redemptive novel from the author of the New York Times Notable Book The Hazards of Good Breeding.  Request the egalley here.

Click here to find all the information you need on even more great forthcoming titles.  Happy reading!

-Amanda

Looking for fresh titles for your book discussion group? Join HarperCollins along with representatives from Penguin Random House, Norton, Macmillan, and Sourcebooks as we showcase our favorite upcoming and backlist titles that are a perfect fit for adult book groups. This free, one-hour webinar is moderated by Rebecca Vnuk, Booklist Editor for Collection Management and Library Outreach.

Click the above picture to register!

-Chris

Meg Cabot fans, rejoice!  Today, Entertainment Weekly has released an exclusive excerpt from her newest book, The Boy is Back!  The eagerly awaited addition to her "Boy" series goes on sale October 18, but through the link you can read an excerpt and even pre-order a signed edition for your personal library.  Libraries will also be happy to hear that we are simultaneously releasing a hardcover edition perfect for your shelves.

The Boy is Back marks Cabot's first return to the series in years, when a scandal brings a celebrity golfer back home to the small-town, the crazy family, and first love he once left behind.  But of course, the girl he left behind wants nothing to do with the boy who broke her heart.  Check out the exclusive excerpt to get a sneak peek at what awaits these two when they're thrown back together after a decade.  Check it out and let us know what you think!

-Amanda

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs returns this August with Family Tree, a powerful, emotionally complex story of love, loss, the pain of the past, and the promise of the future.  

If you're excited as we are for the upcoming publication, we have a special offer for you!  We are offering a merchandising kit to librarians, which will be shipped out the week of July 25^th, that you can use to pre-promote and promote Family Tree in your libraries.  The kits include blank love notes (to use as staff picks cards), recipe cards, postcards, Facebook sharing image, and an author essay and Q&A (for posting on blogs & newsletters).

You can request your Family Tree media kit by clicking here and completing the form by July 24^th.

And if you want to get a head start reading Family Tree, you can request an egalley from Edelweiss here.

-Amanda