LibraryReads, the nationwide library staff-picks list, offers the top 10 May titles public library staff across the country love:
Favorite
Furyborn by Claire Legrand (Sourcebooks Fire, $18.99, 9781492656623). "Fierce, independent women full of rage, determination, and fire. The first novel in the Empirium trilogy holds appeal for both young adult and adult readers. For fans of Game of Thrones, Once Upon a Time, and The Hunger Games." --Kristin Friberg, Princeton Library, Princeton, N.J.
The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick (Berkley, $27, 9780399585326). "Historical romantic suspense. Who would suspect that the quiet California seaside tea shop waitress is actually an escaped mental patient? The second book in Quick's Burning Cove series has the same 1930s vibe and glamorous, gossipy Hollywood ambiance as The Girl Who Knew Too Much." --Beth Mills, New Rochelle Public Library, New Rochelle, N.Y.
The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware (Gallery/Scout Press, $26.99, 9781501156212). "Ware's best book by far. I finally stopped trying to puzzle it out and just sat back to enjoy the ride." --Susanne Guide, Union County Public Library, Liberty, Ind.
The Perfect Mother: A Novel by Aimee Molloy (Harper, $27.99, 9780062696793). "A frank look at mommy culture wrapped in an original twist on the suburban, psychological thriller." --Jennifer Winberry, Hunterdon County Library, Flemington, N.J.
Love and Ruin: A Novel by Paula McLain (Ballantine, $28, 9781101967386). "Biographical and historical fiction. Another fascinating Hemingway wife from McLain who always writes interesting women and great period detail." --Elizabeth Angelastro, Manilus Library, Manilus, N.Y.
Tin Man: A Novel by Sarah Winman (Putnam, $23, 9780735218727). "A beautifully written story of love, loss, grief, friendship, and acceptance. The story winds in and out of time in a figure eight like waves reaching shore and receding again." --Donna Burger, Bryant Library, Roslyn, N.Y.
Our Kind of Cruelty: A Novel by Araminta Hall (MCD, $26, 9780374228194). "Disturbing psychological suspense with an unreliable narrator. This is a love story. Or is it? It's more a story of obsession." --Jennifer Ohzourk, St. Louis Public Library, St. Louis, Mo.
Paper Ghosts: A Novel of Suspense by Julia Heaberlin (Ballantine, $26, 9780804178020). "Grace has spent years secretly investigating the disappearance of her older sister. Grace's prime suspect is Carl Feldman, a photographer, who has been acquitted of the crime and now suffers from dementia. Grace decides that a road trip may jog Carl's memory." --Galen Cunniff, Scituate Town Library, Scituate, Mass.
The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll (Simon & Schuster, $26, 9781501153198). "Perfect for the reality TV addicted, this book is gossip laden, full of edge, and contains plenty of surprises." --Sharon Layburn, Huntington Public Library, Huntington Station, N.Y.
The Ensemble: A Novel by Aja Gabel (Riverhead, $26, 9780735214767). "Set against the backdrop of the highly-competitive and merciless world of classical music, this brilliantly written debut is an exquisite portrait of a group friendship spanning decades. Gabel weaves a lyrical tale of four young musician's journeys and their complex, yet resilient, relationships with each other. For fans of The Interestings, A Little Life, and A Secret History." --Mayleen Kelley, J.V. Fletcher Library, Westford Mass.
