Our GalleyChatter columnist, Robin Beerbower, reminds us that GalleyChat just passed a milestone, its 6th birthday. She claims it was “an immediate success” when it was introduced and she should know, she was there from the beginning. We also have to add that GalleyChat has continued to grow in popularity since Robin became our official GalleyChatter.

Below, she rounds up the highlights of the April chat.

If you’ve missed Robin’s earlier columns, link below, for more current and forthcoming titles:

March — GALLEYCHATTER Looks to the Merry Month of May

February — GALLEYCHATTER, Heading into Summer

January — GALLEYCHATTER, Spring Announcements

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Happy Sixth Birthday, GalleyChat.  Here’s to another six years!

It seems each chat gets more lively and April’s was no exception, featuring a range of novels, from one starring a librarian with an enviable job to others that are downright revolting and creepy.

Check here for the complete Edelweiss list of all the titles that came up.

We’ve also noted the deadlines for those that can still be nominated for LibraryReads.

Imaginative Fiction

The first book in a new fantasy series, The Invisible Library by by Genevieve Cogman (PRH/ROC, June), led the pack. Who can resist a plot involving an undercover librarian? Jenna Freibel of Deerfield Library (IL) said, “I had so much fun reading this first installment of a fantasy adventure series in which ‘Librarians’ travel to different realities to collect important books, even if it means stealing or fighting to retrieve them. It’s perfect for fans of Gail Carriger and Jim Butcher.” Fans will not have to wait long for the next two books in the series, which come out later this year, The Masked City (September) and The Burning Page (December). [NOTE: Pleas join us for a chat with the author on June 1]

In Lydia Millet’s Sweet Lamb of Heaven (Norton, May), Anna and her young daughter flee to Maine to hide from her sociopathic husband. What begins as a suspense novel quickly turns into something totally unexpected. Kelly Currie (Delphi Public Library, IN) said, “The story takes a strange and intriguing turn into a discussion of perception, the source of consciousness, language, and God. The author is adept at exploring and digging deep into such extrasensory perceptions and trying to understand and explain human consciousness in all its glory–and its ugliness. Fascinating food for thought.”

Whether you adore our eight-legged spider friends or have a case of arachnophobia, the first book in a new series, The Hatching, Ezekiel Boone (S&S/Atria/Emily Bestler, June) will keep you riveted and unable to look away. Susan Balla (Fairfield County Library, CT) said, “Would you prefer death by a swarm of flesh eating spiders, or death by an exploding spider egg sac laid within your body? This is an apocalyptic novel that preys upon our fear of those creepy, crawly, and in this case carnivorous, monsters we call spiders. It was highly entertaining and hair-raising at the same time, fast paced and addictive.”

Some readers are on the fence whether the very dark but well-constructed psychological suspense novel about a character’s musings about ending her relationship will strike a chord with readers, but I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid (S&S, June) has been gaining attention from many readers with seventeen “much love” Edelweiss votes. Carol Kubala, retired adult services librarian, said “This is the kind of book that is difficult to describe as well as unequivocally recommend. It will not be for everyone but for those of us who like a dark, brooding tale, it will be a winner. ‘I’m thinking I liked it.’”

Appealing Science

Ever since Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers was published, Mary Roach has been known for her combination of deep research and endless curiosity delivered with cheeky humor.  Three GalleyChatters raved about her newest title, Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War (Norton, June) and is surely destined for the bestseller list.  Darren Nelson, Sno-Isle Libraries collection development librarian, said, “With courageous curiosity, journalistic persistence, and a wry empathetic sense of humor, Roach once again delves into a topic few of us would openly explore but yes do want to know about – this time all the little-appreciated issues confronting the military in its attempt to protect and enable combat troops. Grunt is another triumph of sometimes uncomfortable but fascinating revelation.”

Read-Worthy Novels

Jennifer Haigh continues the Bakerton Stories (Baker Towers and News from Heaven) with Heat and Light (HarperCollins/Ecco, May). Set in Pennsylvania and featuring many of the same characters, Cynthia Baskin, frequent Galleychat contributor, said “Haigh’s book looks at fracking’s impact on here-today-gone-tomorrow speculators and disgruntled rural residents. Haigh’s success here is due to her multidimensional characters who show the gray areas surrounding a complex political issue. This is Haigh’s best book to date!”

Messy relationships, age-old secrets, and a creaky old family home all make for a gripping read so there is no doubt readers will love Arrowood by Laura McHugh (PRH/Spiegel & Grau, August; LibraryReads deadline: June 20). Jennifer Winberry of Hunterdon County Library (NJ) says, “Arden has returned to her family home in Southern Iowa to mourn the loss of her father. Overcome with memories, Arden relives the summer twenty years ago when her young twin sisters were abducted, never to be found. With vivid imagery and a steamy Gothic atmosphere, Arden’s grief is often tangible in this visceral novel.”

Kaite Stover, Kansas City (MO) readers’ services librarian is nationally known for forecasting what will be hot with readers so when she recommends Bryn Greenwood’s All the Ugly and Wonderful Things (Macmillan/Thomas Dunne, August; LibraryReads deadline: June 20), we listen. According to Kaite, “It’s the rare novel that shows readers how undeniably human we are. Every character in this novel makes hard and bad choices that tear them down, build them up, and flesh them out into people readers will identify with. A powerful and rewarding story that dares to imagine what would happen if Sons of Anarchy met Romeo & Juliet?” [Kindle Users: Macmillan eGalleys are now available on Kindle.]

Please  join our next GalleyChat on Tuesday, May 3, 4:00-5:00 with virtual cocktails at 3:30. For what is going to be hot at BEA in May, watch for my BEA special edition column.

Julian Fellowes appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition today to talk about his new project. Harking back to an old form, his book Belgravia will be released in installments, but using modern technology, it will be delivered via an app.

Unfortunately, there is a hitch. According to the Belgravia App Page on Facebook,

“Our nineteenth century story has been stalled by twenty-first century technology! … We are currently resolving an unexpected technical issue and the launch of Julian Fellowes’s BELGRAVIA app has been delayed.”

As we noted earlier, a hardcover edition of the full series, as well as an audio, is set for July.
 

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.

Each month, our GalleyChatter columnist Robin Beerbower rounds up the favorites from our most recent Twitter chat (#ewgc). Below is her post for March.

If you’ve missed Robin’s earlier columns, link below, for more  current and forthcoming titles:

February — GALLEYCHATTER, Heading into Summer

January — GALLEYCHATTER, Spring Announcements

December — GALLEYCHATTER Eyes 2016

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We know EarlyWord is a valuable tool for librarians, but it’s always great to hear it articulated. During our last GalleyChat, Darren Nelson, collection development librarian for Sno-Isle Libraries (Washington) mentioned how beneficial it was by saying, “Thanks to GalleyChat for the great recommendations! I have often increased order quantities and gone ahead and decided to order upcoming titles based on them and have never regretted it.”

Even if you can’t participate, all titles mentioned during the chat are compiled into an Edelweiss collection. The March list can be found here.

Of the many titles that came up during the March chat, some of the favorites will make the month of May even merrier. Unless otherwise noted, all titles are available as Digital Reading Copies on Edelweiss.

Tense Suspense

As usual, thrillers were on the tips of many tongues with favorite author Laura Lippman’s latest stand-alone, Wilde Lake (HarperCollins/William Morrow, May) at the top of the list. While preparing for a trial, Maryland state attorney Lu Brant finds herself reliving painful memories of a family occurrence in 1980. Janet Lockhart, Wake Co, NC, says, “We all think we know our family’s story, but do we, really?  Laura Lippman explores truth, lies and whether we ever know, or want to know, which is which.” This could be a prime choice for book groups.

Another top choice was City of the Lost (Macmillan/Minotaur, May; DRC for this one is only on NetGalley) by Kelley Armstrong, best known for her fantasy and paranormal novels . Elizabeth Kanouse from Denville Public Library (NJ) says of this first book in a new series, “What if there was a place you could go to start over, to run away and hide from your life. Well, Rockton is just such a place. Detective Duncan goes to Rockton to escape her past, and is immediately embroiled in the search for a killer. Fast-paced and mysterious, with a surprise ending, this is a new and fresh twist on the locked-room whodunit.”

It’s no surprise that film rights to  Before the Fall (Hachette/Grand Central, May) has already been acquired as the author is Noah Hawley, Emmy winner for the TV series Fargo. Poised to be a summer blockbuster, this slow-burn literary thriller about the aftermath of a private jet crash and the subsequent conspiracy theories raised by the quick-to-accuse news media didn’t have any big twists or surprises, but its unique storytelling kept me totally absorbed.

Pleasing Novels

Thorndike’s fiction selector Mary Smith reads a lot of novels, and one of her 2016 favorites is Phaedra Patrick’s Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper (HC/Harlequin/Mira, May). A year after the death of his beloved wife, Miriam, 69-year-old Arthur Pepper is cleaning out her closet when he finds an expensive bracelet hidden in a boot. Mary said, “I loved this charming, heartwarming story and enjoyed traveling with Arthur on his adventures searching for the meaning of the charms. Reminiscent of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, everyone I’ve handed this book to loves this sweet, poignant story.” It’s also a good readalike for The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin.

Swedish author Fredrik Backman’s Britt-Marie Was Here (S&S/Atria, May), the story of a socially inept and fussy woman who leaves her cheating spouse and finds her outlook changing after taking on the caretaking job at a local recreation center, has been quickly accumulating “much-love” votes on Edelweiss.  Vicki Nesting from St. Charles Parish Library (LA) also raved about it saying, “With its wonderful cast of oddball characters and sly sense of humor, this novel is sure to capture readers’ hearts. And who knew your favorite soccer team could say so much about your personality?”

Former reference librarian Camille Perry’s debut novel, The Assistants (PRH/GP Putnam’s, May) is delighting readers with its slyly funny plot of personal assistants discovering ways to pay off their student loans by siphoning funds from their one-percent bosses.  Adult services librarian Andrienne Cruz (Azusa City Library, CA) calls it, “An enjoyable read that you will zip through as Robin Hood Tina and her merry (wo)men find a way to set things right so they don’t end up in jail.” NOTE: This title was featured in First Flights, the Penguin Debut Author series. Read our chat with the author here.

Captivating Nonfiction

Betsy Lerner’s memoir The Bridge Ladies (HC/Harper Wave/May) is a winner according to Jennifer Dayton from Darien Library (CT). “When rebellious Betsy Lerner’s mom needs help after surgery, she finds herself back in New Haven chafing at decades old wounds. Enter the Bridge Ladies and their 50 year-old-game. Before you can say, ‘no trump,’ Betsy becomes enmeshed in their lives and fascinated by the ways that ritual can save. I loved this look at mothers and daughters, female friendship and the obsessive love bridge players have for the game.”

With endorsements from Cheryl Strayed and Ann Patchett, along with over 20 “much love” votes from Edelweiss readers, Lab Girl by Hope Jahren (PRH/Knopf, April) could be an unforeseen bestseller. Nonfiction collection development librarian for Wake County (NC), P. J. Gardiner, says this is her favorite so far this year. “Jahren’s back-to-back chapters of the plant world and her personal endeavors as a woman of science weave together in rich, powerful metaphors. Her symbiotic relationship with lab partner, Bill, and their passion for discovery is the heart of this splendid memoir.”

Please join us for another rousing GalleyChat April 5, from 4:00-5:00 ET, with virtual cocktails from 3:30-4:00.

To be added to my notification list of when lists and summaries are available, or to share how you use GalleyChat, email me at galleychatter@earlyword.com.

The world’s most prolific author has just figured out a way to publish even more titles. As reported by the New York Times, James Patterson plans to publish 3 to 4 “BookShots,” described as “short and propulsive novels” that are less than 150 pages long and sell for less than $5 each. He will write some himself, use co-authors on others and release some “James Patterson Presents” romances by other authors.

The first two will be published in June, reports the NYT, Cross Kill, featuring Alex Cross and  Zoo II, an SF novel with co-author Max DiLallo. Neither are yet listed on wholesaler or retailer catalogs.

Each month, our GalleyChatter columnist Robin Beerbower rounds up the favorites from our most recent Twitter chat (#ewgc). Below is her post for February.

Below are links to Robin’s most recent columns, which include other current and forthcoming titles:

January

December

November

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Librarians (and one intrepid bookseller) managed to talk about  125 books during the February chat. Below are a few you may want to move to the top of your TBR piles (all are available as eGalleys). We’ve also noted those that can still be nominated for LibraryReads..

For the complete list of titles, check here .

New Girls

It won’t be available until June, but Emma Cline’s The Girls (PRH/Random House) has already advance attention (see our roundup of titles On Most of 2016’s Most Anticipated Lists) and GalleyChat librarians attest it lives up to the excitement.

Set in Northern California during the late 1960s, the novel is about a lonely teen-ager who becomes obsessed with the older girls surrounding a charismatic cult leader. Collection development librarian Jennifer Dayton (Darien Library, CT) tweeted during GalleyChat, “I liked The Girls a lot. Great examination of how easily a young girl can get caught in a web of evil.” Janet Lockhart (Wake County Library, NC) added, “Cline uses a Manson-like cult to examine the experience of being female. Unsettling, brilliant writing.” LibraryReads deadline: April 20

Another book receiving over-the-top librarian reviews is Martha Hall Kelly’s Lilac Girls (PRH/Ballantine, April). Alene Moroni, Information Services Librarian (Forbes Library, MA) said, “I was so engaged with the based-on-real-events story of three women during and after World War II, I found myself calling it unputdownable on Twitter! Well researched, it illuminated details I had never considered and made me want to learn more.” Try this for fans of Kristin Hannah’s book club favorite, The Nightingale. The LibraryReads deadline has passed for this one, but we’re seeing “Much Love” for it from librarians on Edelweiss.

Unsettling Suspense

Readers never get enough of thrillers and February’s chat offered more than enough to keep fans busy. Here are a few titles guaranteed to create a gripping roller coaster ride.

In Gina Wohlsdorf’s Security (Workman/Algonquin, June), readers will experience a creeping sense of dread after reaching the realization that something is terribly wrong in Santa Barbara’s new luxury hotel, Manderley. Chapel Hill’s (SC) Tracy Babiasz said this “amazing” thriller is “clever, all-consuming, and gory. Readers who appreciate a unique point of view and love a race against time to solve the puzzle before the characters do will eat up this fast-paced take on a slasher novel.“  LibraryReads deadline: April 20

Known for the word-of-mouth bestseller, The Girl With All the Gifts, M. R. Carey’s new book, Fellside (Hachette/Orbit, April), has pleased many Edelweiss readers, including Joseph Jones of Cuyahoga County Public Library. After burning down a house  while under the influence of heroin, Jess is sent to a brutal female prison on the Yorkshire Moors but is haunted by the ghost of the little boy who was killed in that fire. Joseph said, “I loved Jess as a character and how the creepiness factor kept rising as the story unfolded. Carey continues to grow as a writer and each book is a new joy to read.”

The plot device of a hit-and-run accident involving a child is not new, but Clare Mackintosh takes it a few notches further in I Let You Go (PRH/Berkley, May), adding a heinous villain, twists galore, and an edge-of-the-couch pace that kept me reading nonstop. Because of the well-drawn characters and the multiple viewpoints, this is perfect for those who liked What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan. LibraryReads deadline: March 20.  NOTE: This title is part of the EarlyWord/Penguin Debut author program. Join a chat with the author on April 20th, 4 to 5 p.m., ET, here on EarlyWord.

“Crazy, racy, and just demented!” was how Andrienne Cruz (Azusa, CA, City Library) brought our attention to L. S. Hilton’s first in a trilogy, Maestra (PRH/Putnam, April). Andrienne goes on to say, “Judith, recently fired for doing the right thing, decides to go on a trip where she transforms into Lauren and hobnobs with the rich and glamorous. The main character is like a Talented Mr. Ripley [Patricia Highsmith] but much more unabashedly carnal.”

Enchanting and Delightful

To counteract the above chilling novels, The Decent Proposal by Kemper Donovan (HarperCollins/Harper, April), offers an appealing read. Tigard Public Library’s (OR) Ann-Marie Anderson, adult services librarian, wrote, “Lively and entertaining and an ode to the charms of Los Angeles. The lives of a hard-partying, struggling 29-year-old white screenwriter and a buttoned up, high powered, somber 33-year-old lawyer are thrown out of whack when they’re offered the opportunity to split a million dollars from an anonymous benefactor if they meet for conversation for two hours each week, for one year.”

The True Tails of Baker and Taylor: The Library Cats Who Left Their Pawprints on a Small Town (Macmillan/Thomas Dunne, May) by librarian Jan Louch, the felines’ main caregiver, is sure to please anyone who has a B&T shopping bag tucked under their desk or a poster of the Scottish Folds on the wall.

NOTE:  The cats are featured on a poster for the book. Talia and Anne at Macmillan Library Marketing are making them available to EarlyWord readers. Just
email them and don’t forget to include your mailing address.

Louch tells the complete story of the famous feline library residents that became the B&T mascots. I was smiling the entire time (as you can tell from the photo of me with Baker, at right. I am a fan of the subjects) except when I had to mop a few tears because, well, animals don’t live forever. It is a delightful read for any cat fan and is perfect for readers of Dewey by Vicki Myron and The Cat Who Went to Paris by Peter Gethers.  LibraryReads deadline: March 20

Please join us for another rousing GalleyChat this coming Tuesday, March 1, from 4:00-5:00 ET, with virtual cocktails from 3:30-4:00. To learn what I’m anticipating, “friend me” on Edelweiss, and for email notifications and reminders for anything related to GalleyChat, please contact me at galleychatter@earlyword.com to be added to the notification list.

Once fans got over the fact that the new Harry Potter 8 is not a book per se, but the script of a play, titled Harry Potter and the Cursed Child:Parts I & II (Scholastic) set to debut London’s Palace Theatre on July 30th, they woke up to a new reality. The play isn’t actually being written by J.K. Rowling, but by scriptwriter Jack Thorne.

Headlines like the Washington Post‘s “J.K. Rowling announces an eighth Harry Potter book” obscure the wording in the press release that it is  “based on an original new story by JK Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany. It is officially the eighth story in Harry Potter canon and a new play by Jack Thorne.”

The Guardian goes into detail about the collaboration, concluding it is”unlikely that Amazon will seeing a slew of cancelled orders” after fans understand who is real writer, but “Not many people read play scripts for fun, for the very good reason that they are created to be performed. For the Potter fans who queue up for the latest midnight release, this realisation may be a rude awakening.”

A news release from Pottermore.com is setting the internet ablaze.

Announcing an “exciting publishing program,” it confirms the expected news that the script for the upcoming play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be released in book form.

It will be released in the U.S. by Scholastic at 12:01 a.m. on July 31st. The play begins its run at London’s Palace Theatre the day before.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child :Parts I & II  (ISBN 978-1-338-09913-3; $29.99 U.S. and $39.99 Canada; simultaneous eBook from Pottermore).

The play, and the book catch up with Harry as an adult with children of his own (reminding us that it’s been nearly twenty years since HP first appeared on the scene).

Also released today are photos of Universal Studio’s theme park, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” set to open April 7th.

Just as the book award season ends, the most anticipated list begin to appear, fueling TBR piles and driving up holds queues.

Now that a number of lists have appeared, we can assess which titles fared the best. Looking at seven of the most influential lists, fifteen titles received the most nods.

Spring 2016 Previews — downloadable spreadsheet

A caution, since it’s early in the year, most of the list-makers haven’t yet read these books (Entertainment Weekly makes this clear, headlining their list “25 books we can’t wait to read in 2016“), so they are based on buzz and author reputation, and are not guarantees of success. Also, most of the lists are by critics, so they tend to focus on literary titles and rarely include genre titles destined to become bestsellers.

Innocents and Others, Dana Spiotta (S&S/Scribner; Mar. 8) makes it onto five of the seven lists we checked, with Entertainment Weekly writing, “The Stone Arabia novelist’s anxiously awaited new work is about two best friends — both L.A. filmmakers — who tangle with a mysterious older woman who likes to seduce men over the phone.”

Alexander Chee’s The Queen of the Night (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Blackstone Audio) and Emma Cline’s The Girls (Random House; Random House Audio; June 14) fared well too, making five of the lists.

As we reported earlier, Chee’s book, published last week, has received significant review attention and is even one of those rarities, a literary author who appeared on a late night talk show.

Cline’s novel was picked as one of the featured titles in PW‘s “Booksellers Pick Their Top Early 2016 Books.” Unlike the critics’ list, which represent titles they expect to review, this one features titles booksellers expect to handsell. Kris Kleindienst of Left Bank Books in Saint Louis, Mo. remarks that Cline’s novel about a murderous cult in the late 1960s (think Charles Manson) offers a “creative use of a historical incident to build a story [that] stays with you.”

Other titles that made the top 15 include two that librarians have been talking about on GalleyChat.

The Nest, Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney (HarperCollins/Ecco; Mar. 22) —  GALLEYCHATTER, November 2015, Winter Reading for 2016 Titles. Advance attention seems to doing the trick already, several libraries are developing holds queues.

Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice, Curtis Sittenfeld (Random House; April 19) —  GALLEYCHAT, December 2015, Eyes 2016 picks.

The chat has now ended — read the transcript below.

To join First Flight and receive advance galleys of titles from debut authors, sign up here.

The Winds of Winter may not be coming in book form soon, but spring, the most interesting season in book publishing, is. With the pressure over to get titles by big name authors into the hands of desperate gift-givers, the way is cleared for debuts, potential breakouts and follow ups to earlier breakouts

In their “First Look” issue on stands now, Entertainment Weekly picks the “25 books we can’t wait to read in 2016,” starting with February titles and running all the way in to September. A few are far enough out that they don’t have listings yet, like Tony Bennett’s untitled memoir coming in August.

For those who want to check their orders, we’ve put together a downloadable spreadsheet, Entertainment. Weekly — 25 books we can’t wait to read in 2016

Among the debuts is a title that received several thumbs up during yesterday’s GalleyChat, Sweetbitter, by Stephanie Danler (PRH/Knopf; May 24; DRC available), with the annotation,  “Danler, working as a waitress, stunned the publishing world with her exquisite manuscript for Sweetbitter, the coming-of-age story of — wait for it — a Manhattan waitress.” GalleyChatter Jen Dayton, Darien P.L. describes it more succinctly, “Puts Danny Meyer [major NYC restaurateur]  in The Devil Wears Prada hot seat.”

Called “one of 2016’s most talked-about debuts,” Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s The Nest (HarperCollins/Ecco; DRC available) features “adult siblings [who] squabble over their joint trust fund after their reckless brother Leo threatens to drain it.” One GalleyChatter commented, “Nothing says family like fighting over money …Sharp, funny debut.”

A note to those going to the AAP Library Reads Breakfast this coming Monday at ALA MidWinter, watch for Adam Haslett whose Imagine Me Gone, (Hachette/ Little, Brown; May 3) is called “one of spring’s biggest books — a heartbreaking, hilarious chronicle of one family struggling to love one another amid anxiety and depression.”

Also listed is Liane Moriarty’s as-yet-untitled novel coming this summer(Macmillan/Flatiron; July 26). There’s no description, but Entertainment Weekly doesn’t need one;  “We’ll read anything the author of Big Little Lies and The Husband’s Secret writes.” We agree, as does Hollywood.

Coming in memoirs is a new book that sounds like the real-life version of We Need to Talk about Kevin. Sue Klebold, the mother of Columbine shooter Dylan, publishes A Mother’s Reckoning  (PRH/Crown) described as “her utterly devastating side of the 1999 Columbine tragedy.”

For those looking for books arriving this month, Entertainment Weekly also lists “11 books you have to read in January.”

Steve Hamilton, the NYT bestselling author with several Edgar wins under his belt, created a bit of a publishing tempest last week when he pulled out of his contract with St. Martin’s just weeks before his new book, The Second Life of Nick Mason was due on the shelves. (Note: cover art, left, is for the now cancelled St. Martin’s/Minotaur edition).

Libraries have solid holds lists for the start of this new series, one Harlan Coben blurbs as “A gamechanger. Nick Mason is one of the best main characters I’ve read in years. An intense, moving, absolutely relentless book — it will grab you from the first line and never let go.”

Within 23 hours of news breaking that Hamilton had walked away from St. Martin’s he was fielding multiple offers from other publishers, according to Entertainment Weekly, but the fate of his forthcoming book seemed murky (you can read the backstory here).

Separately, the AP reports that Hamilton has accepted a 4-book deal with Penguin/Putnam to publish the first two books in his Nick Mason series. The first title is now due out in the middle of 2016.