Lists! Lists! Lists! Lists! Lists! I love lists. Library Reads is a list to look forward to. The book picks on this list represent what library workers in the U.S. are collectively excited about in the publishing world. It’s fine and dandy to have old favorites (Jason Pargrin; Becky Chambers; Shari Lapena; Daniel Pinkwater; etc for me) but it’s an awfully specific and good feeling that comes with reading a brand new author and getting that sense of discovery.
We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad (S&S/Marysue Rucci Books)
This atmospheric, wickedly funny prequel to Bunny is a treat. Readers get to know the bunnies and their first creation intimately. Arieus experiences many firsts: love, heartache, frat parties, being made a muse. Awad fans will rejoice and new fans will be made with this riotous little novel.
—Brooke G., DeKalb County Public Library, IL
NoveList read-alike: I’m Not Done with You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutano
People Watching: A Novel by Hannah Bonam-Young (Dell)
Milo, an eternal wanderer, and Prue, happily settled in her hometown, seem to have nothing in common. Through some tangled family challenges, they find that they have a lot to learn from each other. This wonderful romance features messy, moving, and complex characters who fight hard for their happily ever after.
—Sharon Layburn, South Huntington Public Library, NY
NoveList read-alike: Single Dads Club by Therese Beharrie
A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig (Pantheon)
Greer, a mapmaker in the town of Mistaken who fantasizes about leaving, notices strange things happening. Then her lover mysteriously leaves town. In her attempts to save him, she learns about herself, her cursed town, and the lore surrounding both. This suspenseful and emotional romantasy is well plotted with great world building.
—Margaret Balwierz, Villa Park Public Library, IL
NoveList read-alike: A Spell for Change by Nicole Jarvis
The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy (Mariner)
Over the course of 20 years in New York and Los Angeles, Desiree, Danielle, January, Monique, and Nakia face both the universal hardships of growing up and the specific challenges of doing so in 21st century America. These intertwining stories of five Black women finding their way into adulthood create a deeply moving portrait of friendship.
—Jennifer Alexander, St. Louis County Library, MO
NoveList read-alike: Wahala by Nikki May
The Phoebe Variations by Jane Hamilton (Zibby Publishing)
Told in flashback, Phoebe, about to graduate high school, is forced by her adoptive mother to meet her birth family, jumpstarting a search for identity and belonging that reveals layers of uncertainty and mistrust surrounding her best friend and the family of 14 who take her in. Illuminating and lush, this literary jewel will spark numerous discussions.
—Ron Block, Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH
NoveList read-alike: Sam by Allegra Goodman
Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature by Becky Siegel Spratford (Saga Press)
With introductions and readalikes by renowned horror expert Spratford and essays from contemporary writers, this collection will be a great resource for library staff. The essays get to the heart of why horror is such an important genre and why it speaks to such a diverse audience, with personal and entertaining passages. Horror fans and anyone who recommends books will find this invaluable.
—Kristin Skinner, Flat River Community Library, MI
NoveList read-alike: 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered by Sadie Hartmann
The Librarians by Sherry Thomas (Berkley) This intriguing mystery is also an in-depth character study of a group of people working for a small public library in Austin, TX. No one is quite who they seem, but when two suspicious deaths happen in the area, with both victims having recently been in the library, the staff must band together to try to decipher what happened. Books about librarians are always a win/win, and this one is particularly well done.
—Douglas Beatty, Baltimore County Public Library, MD
NoveList read-alike: The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
You Weren’t Meant to be Human by Andrew Joseph White (Saga Press)
Heed the trigger warnings. This book is about a selfharming, autistic trans man who finds himself unwillingly pregnant and forced to carry to term. The story is compelling and explicit enough as is, but then there’s the Hive…which brings in a gross, sci-fi element. Very political, important, and memorable.
—Sarah Hamil, Twin Lakes Library System, GA
NoveList read-alike: Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt
BONUS PICK:
It’s Me They Follow by Jeannine A. Cook (Amistad)
NOTABLE NONFICTION:
We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution BY Jill Lepore (Liveright)
TOP PICK SEPTEMBER 2025:
Heart the Lover by Lily King (Grove Press)
A young woman meets two friends, Sam and Yash, in her senior year college literature class. Impressed with their intellect, she gets pulled into their circle and starts dating Sam. This coming-of-age story begins as they are all completing college, then finishes as they reconnect as adults. With beautiful writing and a character-driven story, this novel is perfect for fans of Sally Rooney.
—Sophia Geron, Chesterfield Public Libraries, VA
NoveList read-alike: We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman
The Library Reads archive is well worth a gander. It’s a fascinating cultural record that tracks trends and changes in readership over time. Take a look at the archive by clicking HERE. If you are the sort who does not like to make decisions but does love to Always Be Reading, please consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Books service and/or Your Next Five Movies if you’d rather have a movie night. Happy reading, viewing, and listening to you.
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