LibraryReads, the nationwide library staff-picks list, offers the top 10 February titles public library staff across the country love:
Top Pick
First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison (Berkley, $19, 9780593641194). "A cute story about Lucie, whose daughter calls into a radio show for people looking for love. Aiden, the show's host, is taken by her honesty and invites her to the show to document her quest for love. It's a bumpy ride, but Aiden is there the whole way! Readers will love the tension between Lucie and Aiden, and the secondary characters are chef's kiss." --Claire Schroeder, Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library, Ohio
Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis (Bramble, $19.99, 9781250359599). "This cozy romance features a librarian hiding out as a dark wizard, a witch queen who'd rather nerd out about experiments, and the most wonderfully supportive found family. This has all the tropes you love of romantasy with the added bonus of witty banter, snarky witch queens, and a heart-melting romance. Give this one to fans of The Princess Bride." --Sarah Bean Thompson, Springfield-Greene County Library, Mo.
The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens (Mulholland, $29, 9780316566315). "Hana, a librarian in a small town in Minnesota, lives a quiet life until the day a detective informs her of her close friend's murder. Knowing her friend's death is tied to her, Hana's afraid she's next. This historical thriller alternates between present day and 1995 Bosnia with a plot that's intense and gritty, and writing that's moving and heartbreaking." --Connie Laing, Great River Regional Library, Minn.
Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito (Liveright, $24.99, 9781631498633). "Dark and diabolical, this is a tale of a governess pushed to the limit. Arriving at an estate to care for two spoiled brats, she must deal with a barrage of verbal and physical abuse, until Christmas arrives and she can take it no more. This gruesome gothic tale full of dark wit and horror is reminiscent of Sweeney Todd." --Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, Tex.
Isola: A Novel by Allegra Goodman (The Dial Press, $28.99, 9780593730089). "This novel is based on the true story of Marguerite de la Rocque, an aristocratic French girl who was marooned with her lover on an island off of Canada in the 1500s. When her parents pass away, she's entrusted to a guardian who seeks adventure and uses her fortune to finance his travels. Readers will enjoy her adventures as she makes a new life." --Claire Talbot, Greece Public Library, Rochester, N.Y.
I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming (Berkley, $19, 9780593818633). "When Dory Valentine is abducted and transported to another planet, she ends up falling for not one, but two sexy aliens. As you might expect, this book is funny, sexy, and very fast-paced. The subplot about her alien abduction--and the reasons behind it--is interesting and intricate. Readers will absolutely look forward to more from this up-and-coming author." --Dontaná M., Oak Park Public Library, Ill.
A Killing Cold: A Novel by Kate Alice Marshall (Flatiron, $28.99, 9781250343055). "When Theo arrives at her new fiancé's family retreat, she realizes she has been there before. As the secrets this family has been holding onto for years start to come out, this drama goes in a dark, suspenseful direction. Just when you think you know where this is headed, it becomes full of twists and turns. Yes please!" --Paige N., LibraryReads Ambassador
Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister (Morrow, $30, 9780063338425). "Cam can't believe it when her husband Adam takes three hostages in an abandoned warehouse. Seven years later, Adam's betrayal rears its ugly head again. Will Cam turn to amateur sleuthing, or put everything behind her and find closure? McAllister uses her standard smooth and emotional style to make sure all the puzzle pieces click together for a satisfying ending." --Cari Dubiel, Twinsburg Public Library, Ohio
Something in the Walls: A Novel by Daisy Pearce (Minotaur, $28, 9781250334381). "Mina, a newly minted child psychologist, meets Sam, a journalist, who seeks her help on a piece about Alice, a teenager who claims to be possessed by a witch. Mina agrees, and they find themselves in a very unsettling small town, experiencing strange things that they can't explain. This book is just spooky enough that you may want to read it with the lights on!" --Melissa Turner, Maricopa Library & Cultural Center, Ariz.
The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker (Random House, $28, 9781984853943). "After Dr. Henry Byrd is summoned by police to see Jane O. at the psychiatric hospital, they want him to reveal her confidential information: has she really lost three days under a dissociative fugue, or is she faking it to cover up a crime? This unique novel explores the idea of alternate and parallel realities, grief, friendship, and trust." --Donna Ballard, LibraryReads Ambassador