Download, read, and nominate your favorite titles now for the April 2015* LibraryReads list! *Nominations are due February 20! Click here for the full list of 2015 deadlines. Academy Street by Mary Costello Short-listed for the 2014 Costa First Novel Award “In this gemlike first novel, Costello shows her Irish roots; the imagery-light-filled absences, wells, […]
Tag: Paula Brackston
Top eBook Lends for Libraries (as of 5/20/14)
Lovely librarians, just as the Care Bears do, we believe that sharing (circulation stats & other awesome data) is caring… So…
Here are the top 10 Macmillan e-lending titles* for March 2014
ELEANOR & PARK by Rainbow Rowell
ENDER'S GAME by Orson Scott Card
MR. PENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE by Robin Sloan
THINKING, FAST AND SLOW by Daniel Kahneman
THE WAY OF KINGS by Brandon Sanderson
BAD BLOOD by Dana Stabenow
KILLING LINCOLN by Bill O'Reilly
SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD by Orson Scott Card
THE FOURTH ESTATE by Jeffrey Archer
ONLY TIME WILL TELL by Jeffrey Archer
Here are the top Macmillan e-lending titles* to date:
ENDER'S GAME by Orson Scott Card
ELEANOR & PARK by Rainbow Rowell
MR. PENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE by Robin Sloan
WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel
THINKING, FAST AND SLOW by Daniel Kahneman
KILLING LINCOLN by Bill O'Reilly
SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD by Orson Scott Card
KILLING KENNEDY by Bill O'Reilly
ONLY TIME WILL TELL by Jeffrey Archer
“A” IS FOR ALIBI by Sue Grafton
THE WAY OF KINGS by Brandon Sanderson
THE HUSBAND LIST by Janet Evanovich & Dorien Kelly
WICKED APPETITE by Janet Evanovich
THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK by Matthew Quick
THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY by Louise Penny
THE MANOR: Three Centuries at a Slave Plantation on Long Island by Mac Griswold
MISTBORN by Brandon Sanderson
STILL LIFE by Louise Penny
THE WITCH'S DAUGHTER by Paula Brackston
XENOCIDE by Orson Scott Card
A TRICK OF THE LIGHT by Louise Penny
CRYSTAL COVE by Lisa Kleypas
[...]
Happy #BookBday (5/6/14 Edition)
What a lovely day for a #BookBday! Today we celebrate:
THE SNOW QUEEN by Michael Cunningham
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author's latest novel about the complex dynamics between a couple and a brother and a mysterious light in the sky received two starred reviews and “at its heart...is about family, and how we reconcile our closest human relationships with our innermost thoughts, hopes, and fears.” (Publishers Weekly)
ALIAS HOOK by Lisa Jensen
In this retelling of the Captain Hook story from Peter Pan, the villain’s one hope for redemption comes in the form of Stella Parrish, a grown woman who dreams her way to the Neverland in defiance of Pan’s rules. “Following in the footsteps of Gregory Maguire, Carolyn Turgeon, and Frank Beddor, Jensen offers a humanized take on Captain Hook that will be sure to entertain fans of the fairy tale-retelling genre.” — Library Journal
THE WATER RAT OF WANCHAI by Ian Hamilton
In this prequel to the series, we find out how forensic accountant and martial arts expert Ava Lee got her start working for the mysterious businessman, Uncle, as they globetrot to track down large sums of money that have disappeared. “[Ava Lee] is sort of a cross between James Bond and Sara Paretsky’s V. I. Warshawski. The action zooms from Toronto to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Guyana, and the British Virgin Islands, from five-star hotels to back alleys. Terrific fun.” — Booklist. Check out the whole Ava Lee series!
[...]
Happy #BookBday (3/25/14 Edition)
Who wants punch and cake? It's #BookBday time! Today we celebrate:
THE MIDNIGHT WITCH by Paula Brackston
Brackston's third historical paranormal novel (after THE WITCH'S DAUGHTER and THE WINTER WITCH) follows Lilith, the daughter of the sixth Duke of Radnor, who also happens to be a witch. "There are balls and gowns as well as slums and opium dens, all painting a picture of a lost age, with just enough magic to keep things exciting for fantasy fans." — Library Journal
THE OTHER HALF by Sarah Rayner
Told in the alternating voices of the mistress and the wife, this story of an affair between a bright feature writer and her magazine publisher boss is a sharp, seductive take on modern love "that straddles the line between chick lit and women’s fiction." — Booklist
QUEEN ELIZABETH'S DAUGHTER by Anne Clinard Barnhill
When Mary Shelton, Elizabeth I’s young cousin and ward, falls in love with an unsuitable young gentleman against the Queen's wishes, the couple finds their very lives in danger as Elizabeth’s wrath knows no bounds. "Elizabeth’s court in miniature." — Kirkus Reviews
[...]
Happy New Year 2014!
Happy New Year! We hope your holidays were wonderful. We're rested, rejuvenated and ready for all that 2014 will bring!
Want to know what our New Year's Resolution is? It's for all the librarians we know to participate in LibraryReads!
Do you love to read? Do people often ask you what book they should read next? Are you a public librarian? If you answered yes to all of these, then my friend, you are ready for LibraryReads.
What is this magical LibraryReads thing we speak of? It's a monthly list of the Top Ten newly released must-read books, voted on by librarians like you! By harnessing the value of "library staff picks" into a single nation-wide discovery tool, you can help connect books to as many readers as possible.
If you're ready to start, nominations are now being accepted for books publishing in March 2013 (due February 1). Here are some titles we recommend:
SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler
TEMPTING FATE by Jane Green
PRECIOUS THING by Colette McBeth
THE HAVEN by Carol Lynch Williams
THE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
DECODED by Mai Jia
NOTORIOUS by Allison Brennan
THE REVENANT OF THRAXTON HALL by Vaughn Entwistle
THE MIDNIGHT WITCH by Paula Brackston
THE OTHER HALF by Sarah Rayner
ALWAYS UNIQUE by Nikki Turner
QUEEN ELIZABETH'S DAUGHTER by Anne Clinard Barnhill
CODE ZERO by Jonathan Maberry
I REMEMBER YOU by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
NOTES FROM THE INTERNET APOCALPYSE by Wayne Gladstone
PROVIDENCE RAG by Bruce DeSilva
To vote, you must be an Edelweiss user and registered as a public librarian. If so, then you’re all set! To recommend a title, find the book page while logged into Edelweiss and click on “Your Review.” You will see the check the “Submit to LibraryReads” box on the bottom right of that box; click on it when saving your review to nominate that title.
If you are already an Edelweiss user, and logged in, but don’t see the option to “Submit to LibraryReads” when you click on “Your Review,” you may be in an Edelweiss organization that is not classified as a public library. In this case, please email support@abovethetreeline.com for help.
If you are not an Edelweiss user, please register for Edelweiss using the Organization Type “Library – Public” to join the LibraryReads community.
Read in any format you like–paper or digital–but please submit all your reviews electronically, via Edelweiss.
Speaking of Edelweiss, did you know you can get whitelisted* for access to Macmillan e-galleys? It's true! Here's how to get pre-approved:
1. Register for Edelweiss with your library-issued e-mail address.
2. Send Anne an email that includes the e-mail address you registered with, your full name, and your current library (subject: Edelweiss).
3. Wait for Anne to send you a confirmation message, then download to your heart's delight and nominate titles you love for LibraryReads
*Whitelisting is only available to librarians currently employed in the U.S.
For more on Edelweiss, including reading recommendations, click here. Want to know even more about LibraryReads? Check out our FAQ for nomination deadlines, guidelines for writing reviews, details on how each list gets decided, and FREE marketing materials for your library. Happy reading and happy nominating!
[...]
Library Journal’s Spring Adult Book Buzz!
This afternoon during Library Journal's Spring Adult Book Buzz (3pm Eastern, #ljadultbuzz), I'll be discussing all of the super fabulous upcoming titles listed below!
Join me, Virginia from HarperCollins, Kelly and Erica from Random House, Elenita from Perseus, and moderator Barbara Hoffert from Library Journal for an hour-long book buzz webinar party today! Register now!
A LADY CYCLIST'S GUIDE TO KASHGAR | Suzanna Joinson | 978-1-60819-811-5
SHINE SHINE SHINE | Lydia Netzer | 978-1-250-00707-0
BENEATH THE SHADOWS | Sara Foster | 978-0-312-64336-2
THE LAND OF DECORATION | Grace McCleen | 978-0-8050-9494-7
A SIMPLE MURDER | Eleanor Kuhns | 978-1-250-00553-3
DEAD SCARED | S. J. Bolton | 978-0-312-60053-2
KILL YOU TWICE | Chelsea Cain | 978-0-312-61978-7
THE OTHER WOMAN | Hank Phillippi Ryan | 978-0-7653-3257-8
BRING UP THE BODIES | Hilary Mantel | 978-0-8050-9003-1
WHERE WE BELONG | Emily Giffin | 978-0-312-55419-4
MEMOIRS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND | Matthew Dicks | 978-1-250-00621-9
THIS IS NOT A TEST | Courtney Summers | 978-0-312-65674-4
REDSHIRTS | John Scalzi | 978-0-7653-1699-8
GLAMOUR IN GLASS | Mary Robinette Kowal | 978-0-7653-2557-0
THE WITCH'S DAUGHTER | Paula Brackston | 978-0-312-62168-1
AMONG OTHERS | Jo Walton | 978-0-7653-2153-4
CHINESE WHISKERS | Pallavi Aiyar | 978-1-250-01448-1
PAW PRINTS IN THE MOONLIGHT | Denis O'Connor | 978-0-312-66829-7
[...]
Book Club Picks with a Touch of Magic
I'm going to do things a little bit differently today. Normally we're all, "Frontlist! Frontlist! Frontlist!" up in here, but I want to make sure that you hear about two of my favorite gems from last year straight from the horse’s mouth (me being the horse, in this case). Paula Brackston’s enchanting debut, THE WITCH’S DAUGHTER, and Jo Walton’s magical semi-memoir, AMONG OTHERS, are both captivating character-driven historicals that celebrate outcast women with a knack for magic.
I read both of these books late in the marketing game (they’re both already out in paperback!), but I’m so glad I did.
On THE WITCH’S DAUGHTER
From 17th century Wessex to Victorian London to the battlefields of World War I, immortal witch Bess Hawksmith attempts to redeem her soul by saving lives all the while pursued by the evil sorcerer who transformed her from mortal to witch.
Booklist said, “Brackston’s first novel offers well-crafted characters in an absorbing plot and an altogether delicious blend of historical fiction and fantasy.”
And we’ve made it oh-so-easy on book clubs! There’s an excellent reading guide in the paperback version including an interview, an essay, recommended reading, and discussion questions! See the Reading Group Gold guide here.
Read an excerpt from the beginning here on Tor.com!
On AMONG OTHERS
This book is at once the story of a young boarding school student struggling to escape a troubled childhood, her journey of first encounters with great novels, and the tale of conquering an ancient enchantment.
You know this one’s going to be good because it was just nominated for the 2011 Nebula Award for Best Novel! Nebulas not your thing? Well, in a starred review Publishers Weekly said, “World Fantasy Award–winner Walton turns the magical boarding school story inside out in this compelling coming-of-age tale.” Still not convinced? What if I told you that Nancy Pearl said it’s a gem? Now, we’re talking!
[...]
