BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE
Tops The May LibraryReads List
The #1 pick on the just released LibraryReads list for May is Britt-Marie Was Here, Fredrik Backman (S&S/Atria Books). Backman also wrote the NYT‘s bestseller A Man Called Ove as well as My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry.
Vicki Nesting, of St. Charles Parish Library, Destrehan, LA offers this annotation:
“Britt-Marie is a woman who is used to her life being organized. But when she leaves her cheating spouse and takes a temporary job as caretaker of the recreation center in the tiny town of Borg, her life changes in unpredictable ways. With its wonderful cast of oddball characters and sly sense of humor, this novel is sure to capture readers’ hearts. Highly recommended.”
Other very popular reader favorites such as Kelley Armstrong, Chris Cleave, John Hart, Joe Hill, and Laura Lippman also appear on the list.
Hill’s newest, The Fireman (HC/William Morrow; HarperAudio), detailing the very cinematic concept of humans infected by a virus that makes them spontaneously combust, is also being developed for a movie.
Mary Vernau, of Tyler Public Library, Tyler, TX says of the horror thriller:
“The Fireman is a novel that will keep you up reading all night. No one really knows where the deadly Dragonscale spore originated but many theories abound. The most likely is that as the planet heats up, the spore is released into the atmosphere. Harper Willowes is a young, pregnant nurse who risks her own health to tend to others.This is her story and I loved it! This is one of the most creative takes on apocalyptic literature that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommended for all Hill and King fans.”
After five years away, John Hart returns with Redemption Road (Macmillan/Thomas Dunne Books; Macmillan Audio), a literary thriller that was a GalleyChat hit as well. Kelly Currie, of Delphi Public Library, Delphi, IN shares what the excitement is all about:
“In Hart’s new suspense novel, we meet veteran detective Elizabeth Black, who is facing possible suspension for a suspicious shooting. At the same time, former police officer Adrian Wall is released from prison after serving time for the murder of Julia Stange. Stange’s son wants Adrian dead. Adrian has always claimed his innocence, but after his release, a couple of new bodies turn up at the church. This is a thrilling page-turner that starts at a rapid-fire pace and doesn’t let up. Great book for literary and thriller lovers alike.”
Two debut authors, Stephanie Danler and Clare Mackintosh, also break onto the list. Danler’s coming of age restaurant novel, Sweetbitter (PRH/Knopf; BOT) was a GalleyChat hit too and was named one of Entertainment Weekly’s Hottest Fiction.
Sonia Reppe, of Stickney-Forest View Public Library, Stickney, IL explains the buzz:
“At her new job at one of NYC’s posh restaurants, Tess falls for a mysterious bartender and negotiates the politics of the service industry while building a social life. Danler drew from her own experience and the writing is vivid and stimulating. I’m always interested in a story about a girl trying to find her place in the world and her adventures, but anyone who appreciates writing that pulses with life will drink this down.”
Mackintosh’s I Let You Go (PRH/Berkley; BOT) is a crime thriller that made waves in the UK when it hit shelves. NOTE: Join us for a chat with the author on Wed., April 20, 4 to 5 p.m., ET.
Jennifer Winberry, of Hunterdon County Library, Flemington, NJ says:
“Five-year-old Jacob is killed in a hit and run, an event that sends the police in search of the driver. Jenna Gray flees to Wales to mourn the loss of her son and recover from her past. As the anniversary of Jacob’s still unsolved death approaches, a tip to police results in an arrest and a very different picture emerges. This self-assured debut combines jaw-dropping moments with complex, believable characters and an ending that is hard to see coming.”
Pulitzer Prize finalist Lydia Millet also makes the list with Sweet Lamb of Heaven (Norton), another genre blend taking on the rich space between domestic thriller and psychological horror.
Andrienne Cruz, of Azusa City Library, Azusa, CA shares:
“An arresting story about a wife manipulated and what she goes through to escape her husband’s desperate means to keep her. When her daughter is born, Anna starts hearing a voice in her head that may suggest the supernatural or the divine. She and her daughter hole up in a motel where all the guests seem to hear a similar voice in their heads. The author jolts the reader into reading something unexpected and the effect is eerie and memorable. Highly recommended for a book discussions.”
The full list of recommendations was posted today.