The heat as of late gives us the perfect excuse to sit inside and read, and with these new titles, I can think of nothing else I’d rather be doing. August brings us thrillers, robots, reincarnation and love, among other things. Check out this month’s LibraryReads: the top 10 books librarians across the country recommend.
“Young Jane Young” by Gabrielle Zevin
“Aviva Grossman was involved in a relationship with her boss, who just happened to be a member of Congress. She becomes ostracized as her name is associated with scandal and reinvents herself as Jane Young. She has a daughter, Ruby, who decides to run away to look for her father. Ruby learns things are not always what they seem. I loved Zevin’s engaging style. The characters are flawed and real. You are rooting for them until the end.”
~Audra Bartholomew, Bossier Parish Library, Bossier City, LA
“How to Find Love in a Bookshop” by Veronica Henry
“When Emilia’s father dies, she returns to her small English village, takes over his beloved bookshop and begins working through both her grief and the myriad renovations and changes the store needs. The author weaves stories of multiple village residents and their romantic travails and triumphs. I admired the well-crafted nature of this story, with the interwoven storylines offering wide variety without becoming scattered or straining to remain believably interrelated. All in all, just lovely.”
~Carol Reich, Hillsboro Public Library, Hillsboro, OR
“Reincarnation Blues” by Michael Poore
“A witty and fascinating look at reincarnation. Milo has been reincarnated more than any other human. He’s been enjoying his lives and grown wise without quite achieving perfection, the ultimate goal. He is absolutely in love with Death, who’d rather just be called Suzi and ultimately would like to settle down and run a candle shop. Unfortunately, he comes to find out there’s actually a limit on how many chances you get at perfection. A moving and lovely story about love, meditation, the journey of life and becoming the best person you can be.”
~Jessica Trotter, Capital District Libraries, Lansing, MI
“Clockwork Dynasty” by Daniel Wilson
“When an inventor, employed by Peter the Great, creates two human-like clockwork automaton robots using anima discovered near a stream, he has no idea about the history behind those anima, nor could he imagine his creations’ futures. Weaving through the present and the past, this book creates a world where humans co-inhabit alongside a group of powerful automaton robots. Fun, intriguing and nearly impossible to put down! I loved reading this book.”
~Katherine Rose, Edwardsville Public Library, Edwardsville, IL
And here are the rest of the favorites for August:
- “Glass Houses” by Louise Penny
- “If the Creek Don’t Rise” by Leah Weiss
- “Morningstar: Growing Up With Books” by Ann Hood
- “The Address” by Fiona Davis
- “Emma in the Night” by Wendy Walker
- “The Burning Girl” by Claire Messud
Happy Reading!
