Editors Note: GalleyChatter Robin Beerbower is off this month and we’re grateful to one of our go-to readers advisors, Jennifer Dayton of Darien (CT) Public Library for stepping in to write about the titles librarians were buzzing about during July’s post-ALA GalleyChat:

There was still a lot of buzz this month among GalleyChatters for the titles by authors that thrilled them at BEA such as Kitchens of the Great Midwest, Fates and Furies, The Art of Crash Landing and Best Boy, (recently selected as the LibraryReads #1 pick for August), but excitement is also beginning to surface for some other titles.

The majority of the new titles are from familiar and beloved authors, titles we’d expect to see on everyone’s TBR piles, such as Louise Penney’s continuation of the Inspector Gamache series, The Nature of the Beast (Minotaur/Macmillan August), Geraldine Brooks’ The Secret Chord  (Viking/Penguin, October) as well as JoJo Moyes’ sequel to the surprise hit Me Before You entitled, of course, After You (Pamela Dorman/Penguin, September). But not all the authors are well-known and two debut memoirs are also getting word of mouth.

Familiar but not predictable:

Chris Bohjalian is a favorite among GalleyChatters, but he is always a surprise because you don’t know what subject he will tackle next. The Guest Room (RH/Doubleday, Jan) is the  story of a bachelor party that’s worse than anything imagined in the Hangover movies. The fallout opens the fault-line cracks in the life of main character, Richard Chapman. As always with Bohjalian, he is interested in larger topics, in this case the failure to ensure  women’s rights globally. Susan Balla (Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, CT) says, “Chris Bohjalian is a master of writing a woman’s point of view”.

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Kristi Chadwick (Advisor, Massachusetts Library System) was so engrossed in Karin Slaughter’s standalone Pretty Girls (RH/Delacorte, Sept.) that she got sunburned while reading it on the San Francisco docks during ALA. Kristi calls it “a fabulous standalone  There is a lot more to discover than the whereabouts of a missing girl, and the revelations keep coming long after you think the answers are found. It’s a stomach-dropping roller-coaster of a thriller.”

Katie Dunneback (@younglibrarian, Washington DC) was not alone in her excitement about Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams (Penguin/Viking, Nov).  “Williams ties off her Schuyler Sisters trilogy with the story of beautiful young woman trying to hide, a restored antique car whose origin in Nazi Germany is unknown, and the rich older woman who may have the answers for both.”

The hot-button topic of teen bullying is examined in The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs by Martin Dicks (Macmillan.St, Martins, September). Jennifer Winberry (Hunterdon County Library, NJ) says that readers will “be glad when Caroline Jacobs returns to confront her former BFF who turned on her and finds that things have not gone so well for her.” That IS the perfect comeback.

Non-Fiction:

Andrienne Cruz, (Adult Services Librarian, Azusa City Library, CA) managed to score a rare ARC of The Witches by Stacy Schiff (Hachette/Little, Brown, Oct) at BEA.  She says that, “It is not something you can regard lightly, the writing is very detailed in such a way that allows readers to discover for themselves how the Salem trials could have resulted the way they did. The reader will search for clues within and will feel bewitched in how Schiff’s research unfolds itself like magic.”

Black Man in a White Coat:  A Doctor’s Reflection on Race and Medicine by Damon Tweedy (Macmillan/Picador, Sept) was a BEA Editor’s Buzz choice and Tracy Babiasz (Chapel Hill Public Library, NC) backs that up. She calls this memoir of a black doctor trying to find his way “Equal parts objective and empathetic.” and applauds it for its “fascinating study of relationship between race and medicine.”

Two other memoirs, Home is Burning by Dan Marshall (Macmillan/Flatiron Books, Oct) and Furiously Happy; A Funny Book About Horrible Things  by Jenny Lawson  (Macmillan/Flatiron, Sept), got a lot of love from GalleyChatters for the humor used in exploring the serious subjects of cancer and ALS (Home is Burning) and depression (Furiously Happy).

And finally, The Natural World of Winnie the Pooh; A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood  by Kathryn Aalto (Workman/ Timber, Oct) seemed to be on multiple To Be Read piles.  While Vickie Nesting and I confessed that we do indeed pick it up and “fondle it” frequently, we haven’t cracked it yet.

Perhaps it will come up at the next GalleyChat, Tuesday, August 4th,  4:00-5:00 (ET) with virtual cocktails at 3:30. Please join us.

In our most recent GalleyChatter column, we highlighted the titles we expected to be hearing about at Book Expo America. We’re happy to report our predictions were accurate, but the real fun of the show is the unexpected gems.

During the post-BEA GalleyChat, those who had just returned from the show were so eager to share newly discovered titles that it was difficult to wait until the 4:00 pm start time. Below are titles that were most heavily buzzed. For a complete list of the 110 titles mentioned during the chat, check here.

Editors Note: Several publishers are making digital ARC’s of the books that ended up being “sold out” at BEA easily available to EarlyWord readers. Register here.

Unconventional Memoirs

Wall Street Journal sports writer Jason Gay’s presentation at the Penguin Random House breakfast was so delightful even non-sports fans left clutching the galley. Little Victories: Perfect Rules for Imperfect Living (RH/Doubleday, November), a collection of essays on “rules to live by,” doesn’t dictate but suggests in a humorous, wise, and entertaining way how to behave in the world today, and also includes a few snippets about Gay’s own personal struggles.

Mary-Louise Parker charmed the BEA lunch audience by calling librarians “bad-asses” and her memoir Dear Mr. You (S&S/Scribner, November) is now attracting readers. Tracy Babiasz (acquisitions manager, Chapel Hill Library, NC) says, “Parker’s unique approach to memoir, a collection of letters to the men who have impacted her life, showcases her talent for imaginative, and sometimes stream-of-consciousness writing. It should be read slowly, savoring the carefully chosen language that offer the reader a peek into Parker’s life.”

Book Group Worthy

Eli Gottlieb’s Best Boy (Norton/Liveright, August) has already received top marks from two GalleyChat regulars. Vicki Nesting (St. Charles Parish Library, LA) calls it “A brilliantly imagined and insightful story narrated by Todd, an autistic man in his 50s whose very orderly world is thrown into chaos when a new resident and a malevolent new staff member arrive at Payton Living Center.  This remarkable book will remain with readers long after they have turned the last page.” Jennifer Winberry (Hunterdon County Library, NJ) also endorsed it by adding it is “heartfelt and achingly beautiful.”

HarperCollins’ Virginia Stanley has been tirelessly advocating Melissa DeCarlo’s The Art of Crash Landing (Harper Paperbacks/HC, September) and it is now one of my favorite books of the year and a top choice for book groups. Pregnant and broke, and wearing a huge chip on her shoulder, Mattie flees Florida for Oklahoma, hoping to collect on her grandmother’s estate but ends up trying to unravel her deceased mother’s mysterious background. Mattie’s voice could come across as biting and annoying, but DeCarlo has made her funny and appealing.

Jennifer Dayton (Darien Library, CT) couldn’t stop talking about Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff (Penguin/Riverhead, September), the story of Mathilde and Lotto’s 20-plus year marriage as told from both points of view. Jennifer adds, “Be aware however that, as in life, there are always two sides to every story and be prepared for the literary whiplash that will be coming your way.”

The Best of Genre Fiction

Jim Butcher’s newest title is the first in the Cinder Spires fantasy series, The Aeronaut’s Windlass (Penguin/Roc, September). It got a big shout out during BEA’s Shout ‘n’ Share from Kristi Chadwick (Advisor, Massachusetts Library System)  who is excited that the author is returning to “pure fantasy.” Now that she’s finished reading the book she reports, “Definitely first-in-a-series world-building, but with an excellent pace and action. I am looking forward to the next one (alas, so far, far away). Oh, and it has sentient cats. ‘Nuff said.” (For a full list of the titles mentioned at Shout ‘n’ Share, download our spreadsheet, BEA 2015 Shout ‘n’ Share, or link to our Edelweiss collection, BEA 2015 Shout ‘n’ Share).

An unexpected find for many was the thriller After the Crash, Michel Bussi (Hachette Books, January; NOTE, cover is not final, so we are not showing it). Collection development librarian Patty Sussmann (Newburgh Free Library, NY) reports, “For lovers of a thrill ride, this is a page turning thriller that offers twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.” During her Speed Dating session, Hachette’s marketing rep Melissa Nicholas immediately hooked us by simply saying, “First there was Girl on the Train, this is Baby on the Plane.”

During her BEA interview, author Ruth Ware was quick to point out that her marriage is just fine and in no way resembled the impending nuptials in her debut psychological suspense thriller In a Dark, Dark Wood  (S&S/Galley/Scout Press, August).  After crime writer Nora wakes up in the hospital, all she can remember is running through the icy woods covered in blood after attending a “hen” party (English version of a bachelorette party). Only after being questioned by a detective investigating a murder do the details start to emerge. And yes, this is perfect as a Girl on the Train readalike.

Keep an eye on these titles. Given librarians’ reactions, they are likely to take off with the public.

Please join the next GalleyChat on July 7, 4:00-5:00 (ET) with virtual cocktails at 3:30.

Book Expo America is around the corner (Wed., May 27 through Fri., May 29; see our First-Timers Guide here as well as our Edelweiss collection of titles to  be featured at BEA 2015). There are bound to be more galleys grabbed than can be stuffed in a suitcase, so choosing just the right titles is paramount. Below is a rundown of highly anticipated titles road tested by our devoted GalleyChatters. Even if you’re not going to the show, this will give you a good idea of what’s going to be hot this summer and fall. Most are available as Digital Review Copies. — Robin Beerbower, EarlyWord’s GalleyChatter

Jonathan Evison will be signing galleys of his latest book, This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! (Algonquin/Workman, September) in the Workman booth. When Harriet Chance receives a reminder that her late husband’s Alaskan cruise tickets from a raffle are expiring, the 79-year-old decides to sail by herself, unaware of the family secrets that will emerge. As usual, Evison has such a clear eye for developing his characters and we love them despite their foibles.  I agree with Rosemary Smith, top Edelweiss reviewer and blogger, who said “Evison writes like a dream.”

Annie Barrows will be appearing at the Annual BEA Adult Librarians’ Author Lunch and has already received high praise from two Galleychatters for her new book The Truth According to Us (Dial Press/RH, June).  Janet Schneider (Bryant Library, NY) said this novel about a young woman writing for the Federal Writer’s Project in Depression-era West Virginia is “moving and complex, with fascinating main and secondary characters. Reminiscent in tone of Cold Mountain without the physical journey.”

Paula McLain is appearing at the Penguin Random House librarians’ breakfast to talk about her highly anticipated novel, Circling the Sun (Ballantine/RH, July), the story of aviation pioneer Beryl Markham whose own memoir, West With the Night was a sensation when it was first released (Hemingway said, in characteristically sexist terms, “this girl, who is to my knowledge very unpleasant and we might even say a high-grade bitch, can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers”) and again when it was rediscovered and republished in the 1980’s. Still in print, it was published in a new edition recently (North Point Press, 2013). New Rochelle (NY) Public Library’s Beth Mills says the novel can’t miss with its “compelling sense of place and the dramatic Karen Blixen/Denis Finch-Hatton/Beryl love triangle will pull in the Out of Africa fans.”

BEA regular Elin Hilderbrand will be signing copies of her forthcoming holiday novel Winter Stroll (Little Brown, October) in the Hachette booth as well as The Rumor (Little Brown, June) which arrives just in time for tossing in a vacation bag. As usual, Hilderbrand writes a juicy novel full of secrets, lies, and relationships. Stephanie Chase (Hillsboro Library, Oregon) said, “Full of everything that makes a Hilderbrand novel a wonderful read, from descriptions of food and Nantucket to a clash of privilege to friendships, rivalries, and affairs. So much fun!”

Sourcebooks Landmark will be giving away a large number of Katarina Bivald’s The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend (January 2016). St. Charles Parish Library’s (LA) Vicki Nesting suggests picking up a copy of  this charming tale of about a Swedish bookseller arriving in a dying town to visit her pen pal, only to find she has passed away. Vicki says it is  “full of life, love, and the power of books, and is perfect for fans of Lorna Landvik and Fannie Flagg.”

Glamour magazine books editor Elisabeth Egan’s
A Window Opens (S&S, August) could have been simply a good contemporary women’s novel about marriage, career, and children, but in Egan’s deft hands it becomes a novel that anyone who loves books will appreciate (one of Egan’s characters suggests those of us who read e-galleys, print galleys, and “carbon-based books” are “platform agnostics”). Simon & Schuster will be giving away galleys and Egan will be appearing in the session Debut Fiction from Industry Insiders.

BEA Editors’ Buzz Adult Books will feature Dan Marshall’s scorching memoir, Home is Burning (Macmillan/Flatiron, October). Painfully honest, shockingly irreverent, extremely crude, and at times side-splittingly funny, Marshall’s remembrances of the year of taking care of his father dying from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) while also dealing with his mother’s cancer battle had me laughing through my tears. The publisher says “Dave Eggers meets David Sedaris,” which is an apt description, and I would add Augusten Burroughs to the mix.

Garth Risk Hallberg’s ambitious debut City on Fire, set in gritty 1970s New York City is a high-profile title, because of reports that it sold to Knopf for almost $2 million with movie rights going to Scott Rudin. Many of us were wanted to know if it is worth the 900 plus page count. The good news is that regular chatter Janet Lockhart gives it double thumbs up. She says, “A New Year’s Eve attack on a young girl connects the stories of a wide cast of characters that includes punk rockers, artists, school teachers, high school students, financial advisors, police officers, journalists, fireworks experts and more.  A literary page turner that will appeal to fans of Tom Wolfe, Dickens, David Foster Wallace, and Donna Tartt.” Hallberg will also be appearing at the BEA Editors’ Buzz Adult Books session.

GalleyChatters have been clamoring for months for the galley of Ernest Cline’s Armada (Crown/RH, July), the followup to librarian favorite Ready Player One,  Not only is the Digital Review Copy available now, but he will speak at the AAP’s Librarians’ Dinner. Leslie Stokes (Heard Co. Public Library, Georgia) said “Cline retains his magical ability to pull the reader into his story and take us on a thrilling ride. Fans of his first novel will be glad to see the return of 1980s pop culture references, but they are not so plentiful or obscure as to need footnotes.“

See our downloadable spreadsheet for more GalleyChat road-tested BEA titles. And don’t forget to join us for the post-BEA GalleyChat, Tues., June 2nd, 4 to 5 pm, EDT #ewgc (more details here).

This month’s GalleyChat has now ended. Join us for the next one on Tues., June 2, 4 to 5 p.m. EDT (3:30 for virtual cocktails)

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Editor’s Note: Each month our “GalleyChatter” Robin Beerbower wrangles the many titles librarians buzzed during GalleyChat down to a select few that are candidates for nearly everyone’s TBR lists.

GalleyChats are held on Twitter the first Tuesday of each month. The next one, May 6, 4 to 5 p.m. EDT will focus on the titles librarians are hoping to find at BEA. Please join us (details here).

Take it away, Robin!

April’s GalleyChat yielded a nice variety of forthcoming books with something for everyone.

If you couldn’t keep up with the over 400 tweets, check out the complete listing of titles on Edelweiss.

Suspense Thrillers

Two suspense thrillers were at the forefront of our discussion starting with the second in the Jack White series, Vanishing Games (RH/Knopf, July). In 2013 Roger Hobbs had a hit with the first Jack White title, Ghostman, (even Michiko liked it!) and the second one is—if possible—even more intense. Set in the fascinating location of Macau, “Jack” reunites with his mentor, Angela, to find a missing treasure while trying to stay one step ahead of multiple bad guys. Stephanie Chase, Hillsboro Public Library (OR), said this is “a fast-paced and thrilling high-stakes caper that is enjoyable from start to finish.”

Patrick Lee introduced the intriguing ex-Special Forces operative Sam Dryden in his smart thriller Runner and Dryden is again featured in the follow-up, Signal (Macmillan/Minotaur, July). In her Edelweiss review, Janet Lockhart (Wake County Public Libraries) said “Think Lee Child with a sci-fi twist. Main character who is sympathetic despite the alarmingly large number of people he has to kill, great pacing, and mind blowing plot twists make this a great read.”

Book About Books

“A book is both doctor and medicine. It makes diagnoses and provides therapy. Bringing the right novels together with the appropriate people is the way I sell books.” Combine that quote from Little Paris Bookshop, Nina George (RH/Crown, June) with the setting of a floating bookshop on the Seine and no readers’ advisory librarian will be able to resist reading (and recommending) it. Joe Jones (Cuyahoga County Public Library, Ohio) said, “Lost loves, a search for forgiveness, and one memorable road trip featuring some unique companions and characters along the way. For anyone who loves books and how they affect us. A perfect book discussion title.”

Psychological Suspense at Its Best

“Eerie” and “unsettling” best describes Paul Tremblay’s Head Full of Ghosts (HarperCollins/ Morrow, June), the story of an 8-year-old grappling with her 14-year-old sister’s mental illness (real? fake? activated by paranormal activity?) and their family’s decision to have an exorcism filmed by a television crew. This was so intense I could hardly keep reading and recommend to readers who liked John Searles’ Help for the Haunted, especially for the sisterly bond.

Best of 2015 Contender

Every GalleyChat has at least one book deemed a “favorite of the year” and the heartbreaking debut by Bill Clegg, Did You Ever Have a Family (S&S/Gallery/Scout Press, September) is a definite contender. Discerning reader and devoted participant Cynthia Baskin loved this saying, “The author combines beautiful, empathetic writing with fully drawn realistic characters dealing with a horrible tragedy.” Janet Lockhart also agrees, saying this will appeal to fans of Elizabeth Strout and Ann Patchett and is a perfect title for all book groups.

Feverish for Gothics

The fever never wanes among GalleyChat participants; we just can’t get enough of these novels filled with nail-biting atmospheric suspense. The announcement that Kate Morton’s next book, The Lake House, is due next October (S&S/Atria), sparked discussion about two titles that can be read now. Both Kimberly Freeman’s Evergreen Falls (S&S/Touchstone, August) and Lucinda Riley’s The Seven Sisters S&S/Touchstone, May) have dual timeline stories in exotic settings. Freeman’s book is set in a spa hotel in Australia and features a story fraught with scandalous secrets and love affairs; it’s a perfect match for fans of the departed Victoria Holt. New Rochelle (NY) Public Library’s Beth Mills reported that the Riley book “is the first in a linked series of seven novels focused on the mysteries surrounding six girls adopted by an enigmatic billionaire and each book features one of the sisters. I can hardly wait for the second novel, promised for November 2015.”

Memoir to Remember

Bastards: A Memoir, Mary Anna King (WW Norton, June), mentioned a couple of months ago, now has a hold on Jennifer Dayton (Darien, CT, Library) who calls it a memoir to watch.  As a child King’s mother had multiple babies but gave them all up for adoption, then sent King to live with her grandparents. As an adult, King was haunted by the family she never knew and was determined to bring everyone back together. Janet Lockhart remarked that this is a “moving bio of girl trying to find a way to make sense of her fractured family life.”

I check Edelweiss for forthcoming books daily so you don’t have to, so “friend me” to see what I’m excited to read.

This month’s GallyChat has now ended. Join us for the next one to find out which galleys fellow librarians are loving – Tuesday, May 4th,
4 to 5 p.m. EDT (3:30 for virtual cocktails)

Editor’s Note: With this column, our “GalleyChatter” Robin Beerbower marks her first anniversary writing the column. We appreciate her tenacity in wrangling so many titles from each of our monthly chats (a dazzling 92 books  during the March 3 chat) down to several to move to the top of your TBR lists (if you don’t find something here, Robin’s compiled the full list into an Edelweiss collection).

GalleyChats are held on Twitter the first Tuesday of each month. The next one is on April 7, 4 to 5 p.m. EDT. Please join us (details here).

From Robin:

Of course librarians are drawn to books that feature fellow colleagues and the debut novel by Erika Swyler, Book of Speculation (Macmillan/St. Martin’s, June), has already received high praise from GalleyChatters. It features newly unemployed librarian Simon Watson who is working on saving his family house from falling into the sea and also trying to save his sister, who seems to destined to fall under a curse set by their female ancestors. Janet Lockhart (Wake County Public Libraries) and I believe that this fascinating and compelling story with touches of myth and magic is perfect for fans of Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants and the more recent Magical Lies by Greer McAllister.

It’s always fun to predict what book smart beach goers will be carrying in their totes come summer and Jennifer Dayton (Darien, CT, Library) thinks it will be the tale of a man’s obsessive love for a free-spirited woman, Girl in the Moonlight, Charles Dubow (HarperCollins/Morrow, May). Jennifer said this not-so-guilty pleasure “is a wonderful take on Brideshead Revisisted.” [Note: the cover doesn’t render well in this thumbnail size. Click on it to see a larger version]

St. Charles Parish Library’s (LA) Vicki Nesting‘s enthusiasm for Anna Freeman’s The Fair Fight (Penguin/Riverhead, April) had many of us scrambling to download the DRC from Edelweiss. This novel set in 18^th century England’s world of female boxers is already Vicki’s favorite historical novel of the year because, “From the backyard boxing rings to the disturbing long-term effects of smallpox, readers will be swept up in Freeman’s compellingly authentic, not-to-be-missed novel.”

Jamie Attenberg’s The Middlesteins landed on many “best of” lists in 2013, and her follow-up novel, Saint Mazie (Hachette/Grand Centra, June), has popped up in the last couple of GalleyChat discussions. Based on a real-life story of a woman in New York City, this novel of a theatre owner’s big-hearted move to open her establishment to help the needy during the Depression garnered rave reviews by Kansas City (MO) Library’s Kaite Stover, who said this epistolary novel has a “feisty female lead, quick pace, and is cinematic in scope. Would make a great flick.”

In J. Ryan Stradel’s Kitchens of the Great Midwest (Penguin/Pamela Dorman, July), a superstar chef’s rise to fame is told in a collection of short stories told from various viewpoints. Rich in unique characters and with enticing food descriptions, this is one to watch and would make a great book club choice. Even though the tone is a little different, try this for those who loved Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kittredge. [Note: this is one of the upcoming titles in the Penguin Debut Authors program. Join here]

Judging from the enthusiastic GalleyChatter raves for The Royal We, by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (Hachette/Grand Central, April), this charming novel is sure to be a hit, especially for Will and Kate watchers. Leslie Stokes of Heard Co. Public Library in Franklin, GA, said the authors “show that in today’s world of paparazzi, TMZ, and Twitter, dating a prince may not necessarily be a fairytale. Believable new adult romance that avoids the overabundance of angst present in so many teen dramas.”

This month’s nonfiction choice is The Nurses: A Year of Secrets, Drama, and Miracles with the Heroes of the Hospital, Alexandra Robbins (Workman, May), a fascinating and somewhat alarming examination of the contemporary nursing profession. Carol Kubala (retired librarian, Saxton B. Little Free Library, CT) gave it five stars on Good Reads, saying “Robbins not only shows, she tells in this revealing expose of the modern day state of nursing. It is an eye-opener not to be missed.”

GalleyChatters are also anticipating JoJo Moyes’ After You, the sequel to Me Before You, announced in late February. Sorry to say there is no DRC or print ARC available but Penguin’s library marketing rep said they are working on print ARCs for ALA annual. Is there any better reason to attend?

Please join us for our next spirited GalleyChat discussion on April 7, and “friend me” on Edelweiss to see what’s on my TBR pile.

This month’s YA & MG GalleyChat has ended. Join us for the next one, Tuesday, April 21, 5 to 6 p.m. EDT (virtual cocktails served at 4:30).

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This month’s GalleyChat has now ended. Join us for the next one, Tuesday, April 7, 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern (3:30 for virtual cocktails). PLEASE NOTE: We will have sprung ahead to DAYLIGHT time by then so make adjustments for your own time zone.

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GalleyChat regulars fell like proud parents when one of the books they spotted months ago begin to gain attention and head for best seller lists. That seems to be happening for one of the titles highlighted in December, debut author M.O. Walsh’s My Sunshine Away (Penguin/Putnam; Penguin Audio; OverDrive Sample; BOT Audio Clip). It went on to become both a LibraryReads pick and an IndieNext pick and has gotten the love from Entertainment Weekly (#3 on the “Must List” for the week, with a compelling review) and sister publication People picks it this week (“wrenching and wondrous … a mystery, a Louisiana mash note and a deeply compassionate, clear-eyed take on the addled teen-boy mind.”)

You could become a proud parent, too. Many of the titles highlighted below from the Feb. 3 GalleyChat are available as eGalleys on Edelweiss and/or NetGalley. Download the ones that appeal to you and let us know what you think during the next chat or in the comments section below (and don’t forget to nominate for your favorites for LibraryReads).

If you missed the Feb. 3 chat or simply couldn’t keep up (most of us can’t), click here for the complete list of titles mentioned.  If you would like to see what books I’m anticipating, “friend me” on Edelweiss.

The accolades for A God in Ruins (Hachette/Little Brown, May), Kate Atkinson’s sequel to the masterful Life After Life, arrived fast and furious with Stephanie Chase (Hillsboro Public Library, Oregon) calling it “An almost perfect book.”  Atkinson’s sequel picks up on the life of Teddy, the little brother of the main character in Life. In her Edelweiss review, Jennifer Dayton, Darien Library, commented, “At times funny and at others heartbreaking, Atkinson revels in the beauty and horror of life in all its messiness.” In addition to stocking up on this, librarians may want to buy extra copies of Life After Life.

When GalleyChat’s discerning readers start raving about book by an unknown author, calling it one of the best books of the year, and even the best book ever (Jessica Woodbury, blogger and Book Riot contributor), we take notice. A Little Life Hanya Yanagihara (Doubleday/Random House, March), covers the decades long friendship of four men in Manhattan, although it’s much more than that. Jessica also said that even though it’s not an easy read, and long (over 700 pages), “This is a book about love and what it means and what it can do and it is the humanity of its characters and their love for each other that will stick with me.” Could it be the next The Goldfinch (Donna Tartt)?

In Judith Clare Mitchell’s A Reunion of Ghosts (HarperCollins/Harper, March), three sisters agree to commit suicide by the year 2000 even though they have overcome a dark family past. Three GalleyChatters agreed it was wonderful with Janet Lockhart’s short but succinct review, “Gorgeous writing. Highlighted whole pages.”  Another book that received raves was James Hannaham’s Delicious Foods (Hachette/Little Brown, March), the tale of a son searching for his drug-addicted mother who was lured to a remote farm by a food company. This quirky story had Kelly Griffin, Collection Development Librarian from Chicago Public Library, saying, “Audacious, dark, funny and sometimes narrated by crack-cocaine. I have never read a book quite like this.”

Fans of Emily Giffin and Jennifer Weiner may want to watch for Eight Hundred Grapes, Laura Dave (Simon & Schuster, June), a contemporary story of a woman returning to her family’s Sonoma vineyard after her fiancé’s explosive secret is revealed. Andrienne Cruz of Azusa City (CA) Library said, ”Eight Hundred Grapes is your typical domestic fiction, part love story, part family drama and Georgia’s witty retorts make for a juicy read.”

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen was such a juggernaut that her next book At the Water’s Edge (RH/Spiegel & Grau/March), is highly anticipated by readers. Taking place during WWII, Maddie, her husband, and a friend search for the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland, and according to Susan Balla (Fairfield County Library, CT), “This novel is part drama, part romance, and part mystery. Maddie’s reawakening to what is really important in life is the focus of this story…” Readers might be also be intrigued by the publisher’s description, “Think Scottish Downton Abbey.”

Can’t Resist A Few Good Crime Novels:

With the fabulous setting of New Hebrides and the intriguing plot of a twin daughter dying only to have the surviving twin tell the parents the wrong girl was buried, S. K. Tremayne’s Ice Twins (Hachette/Grand Central, May) is sure to be a hit.  Jessica Moyer, Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin said, “Gripping! In a disturbing way, could not put it down once I started. Reminds me of SJ [Sharon] Bolton’s early works.”

A new Maisie Dobbs mystery is always cause for celebration and the eleventh entry in the series A Dangerous Place (Harper, March), is billed as her best yet. Stephanie Chase said it’s terrific and “features an unusual setting in Gibraltar at the time of the Spanish Civil War as well as a tender and nuanced look into the inner life of our heroine. Heartbreaking and intriguing.” DRC’s are available as of today.

For those of you whose patrons are clamoring for a Winspear readalike, suggest the new Ian Rutledge title by Charles Todd, A Fine Summer’s Day (HarperCollins/Morrow, Jan) the next in a series also set in the World War I era, along with Todd’s other series featuring Bess Crawford.

If you would like to join the fun, the next GalleyChat is Tuesday, March 3, 4:00-5:00 p.m. (EST).

Editor’s Note: Were you surprised by the rapidly growing holds list for The Girl on the Train or the continuing draw of All the Light We Cannot See months after publication?

You wouldn’t be if you took part in our monthly GalleyChats. Anthony Doerr’s book came up during the chat back in March and GalleyChatter Robin Beerbower was one of the first to spot Paul Hawkins book in August.

Read Robin’s latest GalleyChat roundup, below, to be prepared for the next big thing. For the complete Edelweiss list of what was mentioned during the chat, click here. Please join us for the next GalleyChat, Tuesday, February 3, 4:00-5:00, EST. If you would like to see what what books Robin is anticipating, “friend her” on Edelweiss.

Robin’s Roundup:

A Darker Shade of Magic, V. E. Schwab (Macmillan/Tor, February) is a new fantasy novel that appears on the February LibraryReads list. Librarians immediately swamped the January 6 chat with raves. Stephanie Chase (Hillsboro, OR, Public Library) said this atmospheric story of a magician who travels between parallel-universe Londons “moves with a wonderful fast and yet immersive pace; the fascinating story, with its twists and turns, is not to be missed.”

Another speculative novel, The Water Knife, Paolo Bacigalup (RH/Knopf, May), is a scary story with a plausible “what if” plot. Set in the American Southwest, the futuristic story of what could happen if water becomes a scarce commodity had Library Journal columnist Megan McArdle saying “good golly, is it awesome! “ NOTE: The author will appear at Midwinter, on Sunday, Feb. 1, Booth Signing — 2:00 to 2:30 p.m., Random House booth #4721 and will speak at the AAP Author Book Talk Breakfast, Mon 2/2 (now a sold out event).

After almost a year of monitoring GalleyChats, it is apparent that novels with regional atmosphere are popular. This month’s choice is David Joy’s Where All Light Tends To Go (Penguin/Putnam, March), a “country-noir” (publisher’s term) novel set in the North Carolina Appalachians featuring a man trying to escape the despair his life has become. Regular chatter Jennifer Winberry (Hunterdon County Library, NJ) says, “Achingly told, visceral prose will grab hold and stay with readers long past the heart wrenching but inevitable conclusion.”  It has also gained “much love” from ten Edelweiss peers.

The novel Mademoiselle Chanel by C. W. Gorner (HarperCollins/ Morrow, March) was loved by Susie Sharp (Eddy-New Rockford Library, New Rockford, ND) who says, “Enthralled, captivated, fascinated, enamored, I’m not even sure if these words come close to explaining how great this book was and how captivated I am with this woman.” NOTE: The author will appear at Midwinter, on Sunday, Feb. 1, Booth Signing — 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., HarperCollins booth #4526 and speaking at the Pop Top Stage, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Girl Underwater, Claire Kells (Penguin/Dutton, March) was a favorite of Mary Smith, fiction selector for Thornike Large Print. She said “Part adventure story, part love story, with dual timeframes—the crash survivors’ experience while lost in the wilderness and the story of how they rebuild their lives once they return home—was a real page-turner. ”

The Silver Linings Playbook author Matthew Quick’s next novel Love May Fail (Harper), doesn’t arrive until June but it has already received high praise from several GalleyChatters. The quirky story of a wife leaving a bad marriage in Florida and returning to her home in South Jersey caused Tracy Babiasz (Alachua County Library District, FL) to say, “Love love love! Great exam of the impact we have on others, even when we don’t know it.”

Since 2012, Margaret Dilloway’s Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns has been one of my “go-to” suggestions for readers who want a heart-tugging novel, and her next novel, Sisters of Heart and Snow (Penguin/Putnam, April), is even better. The story goes back and forth between  a woman warrior in 10^th century Japan and the present day drama of two sisters battling not only their rocky relationship but their mother’s dementia, and I didn’t want it to end. And yes, a tissue was in order.

Editor’s Note: Our intrepid GalleyChatter (some call her the “Galley Whisperer”) Robin Beerbower tirelessly tracks down galleys, making her an authority on what to read next. She is active on the Edelwiss Community board, using it to spot titles and gauge developing buzz among librarians (you can join in; just register on Edelweiss and “friend” Robin).

Below, she wrangles the many titles librarians were enthusiastic about during the most recent session of GalleyChat. Many of them are available now for free download via Edelweiss and NetGalley (remember to nominate your favorites for LibraryReads).

Join us for the next GalleyChat, Tuesday, Jan. 6th, 4 to 5 p.m., EST (details here),

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One of the many interesting aspects of monitoring GalleyChat is observing the various genre themes or appeal factors that emerge from the fun mess of tweets. In November love and romance were on the minds of many. This month the focus was on books noted for their moods and settings.

Not Your Grandfather’s Westerns

This past year an abundance of westerns has been published and leading the pack for 2015 is Mary Doria Russell’s retelling of the events leading to the O.K. Corral shootout, Epitaph (HarperCollins/Ecco, March). Collection development librarian Janet Lockhart (Wake County Public Libraries) called it “compulsively readable” and “A bravura piece of storytelling.“ Russell’s first book, The Sparrow, is still a top choice of books groups. It will be exciting to have something new to recommend.

Black River, S. M. Hulse (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, January) was also one of Janet’s favorites.  She says this novel of a former prison guard returning to his home town to bury his wife and come to terms with a violent act is “A haunting story of faith, forgiveness and grace set in a beautifully rendered rural Montana landscape.” It’s been chosen by the ABA as one of ten titles on their “Winter/Spring 2015 Indies Introduce Adult Debuts” promotion.

On the Edge of Your Couch

Even though we couldn’t technically call these titles “suspense thrillers,” they still kept us enthralled to the final pages.

When John Searles (Help for the Haunted) calls a book “intriguing, surprising, and even shockingly funny at times,” we listen, and a couple of us raced through Jessica Knoll’s Luckiest Girl Alive, (Simon & Schuster, May). This absorbing study of a woman trying to get out of a bad past by remaking herself into a perfect mold wasn’t quite the Gone Girl readalike we expected, but it was still a fascinating story.

Lori Lansens’ story of conjoined twins, The Girls, is a perennial library favorite and her latest, The Mountain Story, (S&S/Gallery, May), about a group of strangers who get stranded in the woods above Palm Springs, California, is already receiving attention. Stephanie Chase (Hillsboro, OR, Public Library) said it’s “a deeply moving story of survival, and of the choices we make in our lives. Lansens does a wonderful job of weaving in the stories of the four characters, and moving between the current desperate situation and events in the past.”

Creepy gothics are always hot and House of Echoes by Brendan Duffy (RH/Ballantine, April) has a great northern New York state mid-winter atmosphere, and the story of a clueless family moving into a crumbling manor house and dealing with inhospitable town residents reminded me of an M. Night Shyamalan movie.

Judging from the positive responses on Edelweiss and from GalleyChatters, I’m going to summon my psychic powers and nominate M. O. Walsh’s My Sunshine Away (Penguin/Putnam, February) as a 2015 contender for a word-of-mouth bestseller (Entertainment Weekly backs us up, saying this is “sure to be a breakout.”)  Three GalleyChatters gave this story of a crime in 1989 Baton Rouge told from the viewpoint of a teen boy high praise, including Vicki Nesting (St. Charles Parish Library, LA) who wrote, “The narrator’s voice is amazing — self-effacing and melancholy, humorous and heartbreaking as he slowly peels back the layers of his close-knit community in his attempt to solve the crime.” NOTE: Check out the video that author Walsh created for our Penguin’s First Flight program and join us for a chat with the author on January 21.

Favorite Authors

Three forthcoming novels by popular authors are sure to please library patrons.

Anne Tyler heads the list with the February release of her 20^th title, A Spool of Blue Thread (RH/Knopf), a novel full of her trademark quirky and sometimes exasperating characters who continually fumble with day-to-day relationships. Another book that undertakes the complexities of domestic relationships — only on a much broader scale — is the eagerly anticipated second book in Jane Smiley’s The Last Hundred Years trilogy, Early Warning (RH/Knopf, April).

Laura Lippman’s Hush Hush (HC/William Morrow) is a continuation of the Tess Monaghan series, and Stephanie Chase said “While Hush Hush features an interesting mystery and heartbreaking incident at the heart of the story, the real story of the novel is the home life of private investigator and long-time series lead.”

Other Favored Titles

Every once in a while a readers’ advisor receives a patron request to find novels with “teachable moments,” so Susie Sharp’s (Eddy-New Rockford Library, New Rockford, ND) mention of Helen Gaynor’s Memory of Violets (HC/William Morrow, February) was well received.  Susie described this historical novel based on actual events as an interesting look at a sad time in London history when many homeless children were required to sell flowers and watercress on the streets by day and sleep in doorways by night. This could be a great readalike suggestion for The Orphan Train by Christina Kline.

Salem Public (OR) librarian Ann Scheppke gave top marks to Rachel Joyce’s The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy (Random House, March), a companion novel to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. Ann said it’s “a bittersweet and funny examination of love and loss” and recommends that if a reader hasn’t read the first book, to perhaps read both simultaneously, alternating books as the story progresses.

By now, you may be feeling the pain of Joe Jones who ended the chat by saying “These chats always make my TBR list grow and completely ruin my well-made reading plans for the existing list.” If you want your own list to become even longer, join us for the next GalleyChat on Tuesday, January 6, 2015, 4-5 EST. Remember to “friend me” if you want to keep up with my Edelweiss recommendations.

Editor’s Note: Our intrepid GalleyChatter (some call her the “Galley Whisperer”) Robin Beerbower, wrangled the many titles librarians were enthusiastic about during the most recent session of GalleyChat, to give you titles to add to your own TBR pile (remember to nominate your favorites for LibraryReads). Many of these are available for free download via Edelweiss and NetGalley.

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This month’s GalleyChat became hot and heavy when the discussion turned to romance novels. The resulting list of forthcoming titles, along with the authors’ backlists, will help collection development librarians keep romance loving patrons satisfied.

From romance, we then turned to a more sinister subjects, learning about some compelling stories of murder and conspiracies.

If you missed the chat or couldn’t keep up with the 300 plus tweets, check here for the complete list of books discussed.

Romance, Mostly Regency

A Single Kiss
Grace Burrowes

Sourcebooks/Casablanca

Four Nights with the Duke
Eloisa James

HarperCollins/Avon, March

The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy

Julia Quinn
HarperCollins/Avon, January

Earls Just Want to Have Fun
Shana Galen

Sourcebooks/Casablanca, February

Say Yes to the Marquess
Tessa Dare

HarperCollins/Avon, December

It Started with a Scandal
Julie Anne Long

HarperCollins/Avon, March

Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover
Sarah MacLean

HarperCollins/Avon, November

Deb Margeson (Douglas County Librariers, CO) a Regency romance fan, was enthusiastic about her latest find, also a November LibraryReads pick,  Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLean (HarperCollins/Avon, November), saying it was “great escapist fun.” MacLean is clearly an author to know. Her earlier book, No Good Duke Goes Unpunished was the #1 Dec. 2013 LibraryReads pick.

Another Regency fan, Jane Jorgenson of Madison (WI) Public Library chimed in with her new favorite,  It Started With a Scandal, by Julie Anne Long (HarperCollins/Avon, March), the tenth in The Pennyroyal Green series, set during the long-running fictional feud of two wealthy families in Sussex.

Vicki Nesting (St. Charles Parish Library, LA) is now hooked on the sub-genre and her latest find is the sequel Tessa Dare’s Say Yes to the Marquess, (HarperCollins/Avon, December), the sequel to Romancing the Duke. That discovery is seconded by many librarians from around the country, showing massive love on Edelweiss for this title. Vicki also enjoyed Earls Just Want to Have Fun by Shana Galen (Sourcebooks/Casablanca, February). And to round out our round-up of regency romances, Stephanie Chase (Hillsboro Public Library, Oregon) recommended books by two big names in the field, Julia Quinn’s The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy, and Eloisa James’ Four Nights with the Duke (HarperCollins/Avon, March). A side note of interest, James, an English lit professor, is the daughter of poet Robert Bly and short-story author Carol Bly and is married to an Italian knight.

For a modern vibe, Grace Burrowes, who usually writes historical romances, has three titles in the Sweetest Kisses series coming out in early 2015. New Rochelle (NY) Public Library’s Beth Mills said she enjoyed the first, A Single Kiss (Sourcebooks/Casablanca, January) so much that she immediately downloaded the next two, First Kiss and Kiss Me Hello.

The Darker Side

But then the conversation turned to the darker side of love. Jill Alexander Essbaum’s Hausfrau (RH, March) is centered around a wife and mother who is falling apart despite having the perfect life. Last August Elliott Bay Bookstore staff member Kenny Coble teased us saying, “It is brave and vulnerable and a little inappropriate (don’t tell mom),” and Jenne Bergstrom from San Diego County Library said “it grabbed onto me HARD.” Another book about desire and obsession receiving attention is Jan Ellison’s A Small Indiscretion (RH, January).  Adrienne Cruz, librarian from Azusa (CA) Library says, “Annie is a complex character. The narration is written as if she were talking to her comatose son — a confessional almost. The treatment coupled with bold and richly-layered characters result in a satisfying debut.”

Murder and Mayhem

On to murder and mayhem. Inspired by a true event in a Utah Mormon community, The Bishop’s Wife, by Mette Ivie Harrison (Soho Crime, December) has seen much love over the past few GalleyChats. Vicki Nesting said, “While not strictly a mystery, this book will appeal to readers who enjoyed the introspective investigation at the heart of Reconstructing Amelia.“

Robin Nesbitt, readers’ advisor at Metropolis Columbia (OH) Library loved A Murder of Magpies, Judith Flanders (Macmillan/Minotaur, February), saying “What’s not to love – mystery, publishing, London!  Judith Flanders nails it with a funny protagonist who happens to be a book editor in London.  Bibliophiles will love this.” J.A. Jance is well known for her two series featuring J. P. Beaumont and Johanna Brady, but the lesser known Ali Reynolds series is starting to gain ground. Beth Mills was pleased that Jance is in her usual great form with Cold Betrayal (S&S/Touchstone, March), the tenth entry in the Reynolds series.

Two exceptional espionage titles were mentioned, All the Old Knives, Olen Steinhauer (Macmillan/Minotaur, March), and The Fifth Gospel, Ian Caldwell (S&S, March).  “A fun and twisty read” is Janet Lockhart’s  (Wake County Public Libraries, NC) description of the Steinhauer story about former lovers who reunite to reminisce about old times as spies. Caldwell’s Vatican-based thriller was compared to those by Dan Brown, Daniel Silva and Iain Pears.

For more raves about forthcoming titles, join our next chat on December 2, 4:00-5:00 (EST). To keep up with what I’m anticipating on Edelweiss, please “friend me.”

Editor’s Note:  Robin Beerbower is EarlyWord‘s regular “GalleyChatter” columnist. She was recently profiled by Rebecca Vnuk in Booklist Online’s Corner Shelf.

Below are her picks of the titles brought up during our most recent GalleyChat. Join us for the next one, Tuesday, Nov. 4th, 4 to 5 p.m., EDT — #ewgc.

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GalleyChat participants never fail to present a glorious mish-mash of titles with hardly any repeats from the previous months.  Here is a small sampling of the top titles mentioned during the last chat. As usual, a complete list of all 65 titles mentioned during the chat is available here.

Need a good “readalike” author for Diana Gabaldon? I’ve had great success in suggesting Susanna Kearsley to my library patrons and her next book A Desperate Fortune  (Sourcebooks Landmark, April) is a timeslip contemporary romance blended with a little history.  New Rochelle Public Library’s Beth Mills thoroughly enjoyed it, saying she loved Kearsley’s two main characters, and the cover is especially enticing. [Note: Sourcebooks has republished several of Kearsley’s backlist titles]

Bookmobiles hold a special place in the hearts of librarians so it’s not surprising that a fable about a group of misfits escaping abuse and injustice by fleeing in a gigantic bookmobile has already received high praise. Nancy Russell (Columbus Metropolitan Library) said David Whitehouse’s Mobile Library (Scribner/S&S, January)  is “witty and whimsical, this adventure story is sure to warm your heart.“

The Return of Two Favorite Book Group Authors! 

Anticipation is high for two novels by favorite book club authors who haven’t published novels in several years. In Anita Diamant’s new historical novel, The Boston Girl (Scribner/S&S, December), a grandmother born to immigrant parents narrates the story of her early 20^th century life. It has received much love from 11 peers on Edelweiss, and many reviewers on Good Reads are saying it’s a great “comfort read.” [Note that Diamant’s first book, The Red Tent, has been made into a two-part series, which will air on Lifetime, 12/7/2014 & 12/8/14; trailer here]

Years after they were first published, book groups continue to discover Stephanie Kallos’ Broken for You, (2005) and Sing Them Home (2008), so it’s good news that her next novel, Language Arts (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), is due to arrive next June.  Cynthia Baskin, a devoted GC participant, says that it’s a “a deeply moving story of ex-spouses and their young-adult autistic son, and how their pasts and presents inform their independent and cooperative futures. It maintains the top-notch standard set by Kallos’ earlier books, Broken for You and Sing Them Home.”

Memoirs, Travel, and Archeology

Kate Mayfield’s The Undertaker’s Daughter, (Gallery/S&S, January) earned a spot as one of Darien Library’s Jennifer Dayton’s favorite memoirs and according to her it has all of the elements needed for a good life story: death, alcoholism, mental illness, infidelity, and ultimately love and forgiveness. She adds “…think To Kill A Mockingbird but with dead bodies.”

Lives in Ruins: Archaeologists and the Seductive Lure of Human Rubble, Marilyn Johnson (HarperCollins, November) was a LibrayReads choice, and Stephanie Chase (newly appointed director of Oregon’s Hillsboro Public Library) said “Marilyn’s skill at sharing her adventures and the adventures of her subjects is fantastic: engaging, readable, and leaving the reader hunting for more information.”

Janet Lockhart (Wake County Public Libraries, Cary, NC) loved the memoir by Anna Lyndsey, Girl in the Dark, (Doubleday/RH, March), saying it is a, “Riveting memoir of woman suffering from rare condition that makes her super sensitive to light. Gave me insight into another person’s life while at the same time illuminating my own.” Another memoir of someone going through the impossible is The Kindness Diaries: One Man’s Epic Quest to Ignite Goodwill and Transform Lives Around the Word, Leon Logothetis (Readers Digest/S&S, December). Without a penny in his pocket, Leon travels the world depending on the altruism of strangers, and is the perfect book for readers who desire something inspiring and uplifting. There is no DRC so for a print copy email our marketing friends at Simon & Schuster (see Library Marketing — Adult]

Spicy Variety

Earlier this year Collette McBeth’s Precious Thing (a great Gone Girl read alike and a LibraryRead pick) was well liked by Chatters, so were thrilled to find out the author’s new title, The Life I Left Behind (Minotaur/Macmillan) will be out in February. The narration by the ghost of a murdered victim may not sound like everyone’s cup of tea, but Jennifer Winberry says it’s worth reading as the “characters are so good, the way they relate to each other and get involved with each other is AMAZING!”

Kristin Hannah is among the top women’s fiction writers and patrons will be anxious to read her next book, The Nightingale (St. Martin’s/Macmillan, February). Janet Lockhart said of this story of two sisters and their challenging relationship during WWII, “Good family fiction with a complex characters and dynamics; the characters got under my skin.”  Edelweiss is showing lots of love from peers and on  GoodReads, it has already received 4 and 5 stars.

Anyone who loved Gone with the Wind (and who doesn’t!), will be excited about Kate Alcott’s A Touch of Stardust (Doubleday/RH, February), the story of the passionate love affair between Clark Gable and Carole Lombard during the filming of the movie. And if that isn’t enough to get us interested, the publisher teases us further by saying Kate Alcott, who married into the Mankiewicz Family (of Citizen Kane, Cleopatra, & All About Eve fame), weaves into the novel delicious never-before-told stories from the period.

Now wasn’t that a nice variety? Join us next month on November 4 (4:00 p.m. EST) for even more great books you will be adding to your TBR lists. And, as usual, please “friend me” on Edelweiss to keep up with the titles I’m anticipating.

Editor’s Note: Robin Beerbower is EarlyWord‘s regular “GalleyChatter” columnist. In her day job, Robin is the readers’ advisor and homebound services coordinator for the Salem [OR] Public Library. Enthusiastic about the importance (and fun) of reading books ahead of publication, she tirelessly tracks down galleys, making her an authority on what to read next. She is also very active on the Edelwiss Community Board, using it to spot titles and gauge developing buzz among librarians (you can join in; just register on Edelweiss and “friend” Robin). Below is her latest:

Three titles that garnered rave reviews during past GalleyChats also recently received top accolades from People (Laird’s Neverhome, Hachette/Little, Brown and St. Mandel’s Station Eleven, RH/Knopf) and Entertainment Weekly (Station Eleven and Sarah Waters’ The Paying Guests, Penguin/Riverhead). Also, Station Eleven made the National Book Award Longlist! Are there a few crystal balls in library offices? No, we’re just a group of librarians with discerning eyes as to what will popular with readers.

What will the critics and the public be raving about in a few months? To find out, check out the following top titles from the September 9 chat. For a complete Edelweiss list of what was discussed, check here. Many are available in as egalleys; read them and remember to nominate your favorites on LibraryReads.

Storytelling at Its Best

There’s nothing like a good story to keep us reading and three titles stood out for their gripping plots.

A couple of us were so excited to chat about Greer Macallister’s The Magician’s Lie (Sourcebooks Landmark, January), we could hardly wait until the official chat time began. The story of a female illusionist in the early 1900s who flees her show after her husband is found hacked to death and is caught by the local constable kept us enthralled. Sharron Smith said the tale was hypnotic and the eerie dark tone reminded me of Goolrick’s A Reliable Wife.

Judging from the excited responses when I mentioned Fiercombe Manor, Kate Riordan (Harper, February), the gothic novel is alive and well. With its English manor setting, threads of madness, and hints of hauntings, it’s an obvious homage to Kate Morton, Victoria Holt, Sarah Waters, and Daphne du Maurier. Before reading, Google “Owlpen Manor” to see the house that inspired the setting.

Maria Dueñas’s first book, The Time In Between was a beautifully told epic story, and her follow-up, The Heart Has Its Reasons (S&S/Atria, November) is another clear winner. Beth Mills (New Rochelle Public Library) said this story of a female professor moving from Madrid to San Francisco and becoming obsessed with an exiled writer who died years before is “an absorbing read—it ties in academic politics, 20^th century Spanish history and early California history.”

Character Studies

It’s unanimous that GalleyChatters love Stewart O’Nan’s ability to build sympathetic characters and his next book, West of Sunset (Penguin/Viking, January) with its focus on F. Scott’s Fitzgerald’s last years in Hollywood doesn’t disappoint. In her Edelweiss review Darien Library’s Collection Development manager Jennifer Dayton said “This is a portrait of a man drowning in longing for lost chances, lost loves and lost worlds. I loved it.”

Appearing on the Booker Man 2014 longlist (but alas, not the shortlist), Us, David Nicholls (Harper, October), the witty story of a man trying to save his marriage of 30 years after his wife announces she wants a divorce, was very popular with readers. According to Janet Lockhart (Wake County Libraries, NC), Nicholls “blends humor and sadness with great dialog and engaging characters.”

Virginia Woolf is hot again — in the publishing world anyway. She’s featured in two new novels. Jennifer Winberry (Hunterdon County Library, NJ) is anticipating Vanessa and her Sister, (RH/Ballantine,December), a “biofic” about Virginia Woolf and her sister, saying “I’m very much looking forward to this as I’m addicted to Virginia Woolf & all things Bloomsbury.” Then Adeline: A Novel of Virginia Woolf, Norah Vincent (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, April), the imagined story of the events prior to Woolf’s suicide was posted on Edelweiss after our GalleyChat .

The Rest of What We Loved

Back in May Jill LePore impressed the audience with her spirited presentation at the BEA librarians’ breakfast and since then anticipation has been building for The Secret History of Wonder Woman (RH/Knopf, October), the amazing account of how Wonder Woman came into existence along with a crucial bit of feminism history.

I haven’t read many graphic novels but I am now addicted to Lucy Knisley’s series of personal experiences that started with Relish: My Life in the Kitchen and continued with An Age of License. Her latest, Displacement (WW Norton/Fantagraphics, February), received high praise from collection development librarian Janet Lockhart who said “Knisley is single handedly turning me into a graphic novel reader.”

I loved Michael Kardos’s The Three-Day Affair (2012) and was sorry it didn’t get the attention it deserved, so I’m keeping fingers crossed his newest, Before He Finds Her  (Grove Atlantic, Mysterious Press) will find a bigger audience of thriller lovers in February. This fast moving plot about a man who murdered his wife and may be looking for his missing daughter is told from multiple viewpoints and is perfect for Harlan Coben and Linwood Barclay readers.

Comparisons to Jacqueline Mitchard’s Deep End of the Ocean is enough to make most of us want to read Tim Johnston’s Descent (Workman/Algonquin, January) but Kaite Stover goes further, saying it is “moving, absorbing, and lyrical in telling the story of a family’s anguish at the disappearance of a child.” And nine other Edelweiss users agree giving it “much love.” Oprah, are you paying attention?

So what is destined to become hits with both the critics and the public? We shall see. In the meantime, if you want to test your psychic skills, join our next GalleyChat on October 7 from 4:00-5:00, Eastern, (more details here), and if you want to keep up on what I’m anticipating on Edelweiss, “friend me.”