LibraryReads, the nationwide library staff-picks list, offers the top 10 October titles public library staff across the country love:
Favorite
Seven Days of Us: A Novel by Francesca Hornak (Berkley, $26, 9780451488756). "The Birch family will be spending the Christmas holiday in quarantine, thanks to eldest daughter Olivia's recent relief work in a disease-infested Liberia. She has returned to England but must be in quarantine for seven days. This family has not ever spent that much time in each other's company. Each person has secrets that are slowly revealed over the course of the seven days. It is particularly interesting to watch them become the family that they should have been all along: supportive and loving. An enjoyable read." --Cheryl Braud, Iberia Public Library, New Iberia, La.
The Last Mrs. Parrish: A Novel by Liv Constantine (Harper, $25.99, 9780062667571). "Daphne seems to have hit the jackpot by marrying Jackson Parrish. They live in a lovely Connecticut mansion and travel around the world, all the while raising two beautiful daughters. When Mrs. Parrish meets Amber, a kindred spirit, Daphne instantly feels a connection, perhaps someone to fill the endless void of sorrow that has plagued her since her sister's death. We learn that nothing is what it appears to be. The author sets an atmospheric pace for this story, leading up to its dramatic conclusion." --KC Davis, Fairfield Woods Branch Library, Fairfield, Conn.
The Last Ballad: A Novel by Wiley Cash (Morrow, $26.99, 9780062313119). "The story of little-known union hero Ella May Wiggins is central to this look at unionization during the late 1920s. Once she sings her first song at a union rally, she becomes a beacon for others. As her story becomes intertwined with the violence and fear of the clash between owners and workers, we are swept up in a powerful novel that exposes the prejudice and hatred among races, genders, and economic classes. The stories of Ella, her children, and friends woven throughout cement Cash's place among our great living writers. This one will be a huge book discussion hit!" --Ron Block Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, Ohio
From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty (Norton, $24.95, 9780393249897). "America's favorite mortician takes you on a tour of death cultures around the world in her latest book. Sharing what she's learned, Doughty presents everything from composting bodies to ma'nene', a ritual of periodically exhuming corpses to clean and redress them as a sign of respect. She encourages us to consider our options and become less distant from physically caring for the deceased and ultimately our own mortality. We've all got it coming. Honest, yet gentle and with the appropriate amount of humor, Doughty makes the morbid very readable." --PJ Gardiner, Wake County Public Libraries, Raleigh, N.C.
The Rules of Magic: A Novel by Alice Hoffman (Simon & Schuster, $27.99, 9781501137471). "The Rules of Magic is the prequel to Hoffman's Practical Magic. Here we learn the background of sisters Franny, Jet, and their brother Vincent. The story begins with all three as teens, ostracized for being witches. Their mother sets up rules designed to suppress their natural ability. When the siblings are sent to visit their aunt they learn family secrets and find out who they truly are. I was enraptured by this fabulous book, which is filled with magic and charm." --Terri Smith, Cornelia Habersham County Library, Cornelia, Ga.
The Stolen Marriage: A Novel by Diane Chamberlain (St. Martin's Press, $26.99, 9781250087270). "Interracial marriage, money fraud, and adultery are just a few elements of this historical fiction. Set during WWII, sweet Tess has dreamed of marrying Vincent Russo since she was a teenager. Plans have been made and a date has been set, but several decisions made in the course of the engagement will cause a detour in both Vincent's and Tess's lives. Will they be able to find their way back to one another?" --Debbie Frizzell, Johnson County Library, Overland Park, Kan.
Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks (Knopf, $26.95, 9781101946152). "Hanks writes about characters that he would love to play in the movies, had they been written. This collection of stories holds a myriad of emotions, settings, and time periods with two common threads: the typewriter and uncommonly normal men and women. You love the characters because you have something in common with all of them--some win, some lose, some are heroic and some timid, but they are all borne of the human existence and go largely unnoticed. Hanks's charm and wit come through." --Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, Tex.
We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True by Gabrielle Union (Dey Street, $26.99, 9780062693983). "Union writes with such heart and energy that it really does feel like she's talking to you while you share one (or several) bottles of wine. She touches on so many topics, including infidelity, women's sexual health, and teaching young black men to protect themselves in a world that fears them. She also manages to talk about multiple famous people without sounding fawning, with the exception of Prince, which makes sense because... it's Prince. I thoroughly enjoyed this title and can't wait to put it in the hands of others." --Lisa Hoffman, Bloomfield Public Library, Bloomfield, N.J.
Strange Weather: Four Short Novels by Joe Hill (Morrow, $27.99, 9780062663115). "Hill's four short novels expose the individual and societal pressures that motivate our sometimes fateful decisions. The first story is a coming-of-age tale with an added bit of horror. The second story is an unflinching look at what has become a common tragedy: mass shooting. The third story is an unrequited-love-meets-the-Twilight-Zone story that touches on loneliness. The final story is poignant and introspective. All four tales often gave me pause and made me think. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of character-driven works of horror and/or drama." --Jennifer Wilson, Delphi Public Library, Delphi, Ind.
Manhattan Beach: A Novel by Jennifer Egan (Scribner, $28, 9781476716732). "Anna and her father Eddie arrive at the home of Dexter Styles on Manhattan Beach searching for a job during the Depression. After Eddie goes missing five years later, Anna supports her mother and sister by working at the Brooklyn Naval Yard. One night, Anna approaches Styles for information about her father. They become involved, but he is still marked by his past relationship with Eddie. Egan's description of New York in the '30s and '40s is so immersive that you feel like you're waking up when you have to put the book down." --Barbara Birenbaum, Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles, Calif.
