Sponsored by The Boy in the Red Dress by Kristin Lambert. Available now!
It’s New Year’s Eve 1929, and Millie is running the show at her aunt’s French Quarter speakeasy. All of New Orleans is celebrating, but even wealthy partygoers’ diamonds can’t outshine Marion, the club’s star drag performer and Millie’s best friend.
Until a socialite is found dead, and all signs point to Marion as her killer. But Millie knows he’s innocent and vows to prove it. As she chases down clues, her attention is divided between a beautiful waitress and a charming bootlegger, but the clock is ticking for fugitive Marion, and the true killer might be closer than Millie thinks.
Welcome to Check Your Shelf. How the heck is it already the beginning of another week?
Collection Development Corner
Publishing News
- Caroline Reidy, president and CEO of Simon & Schuster has passed away.
- The Seattle Review of Books is going on indefinite hiatus.
- The Author’s Guild and National Book Critics Circle send an open letter encouraging media outlets to continue their book coverage.
- Barnes & Noble is slowly reopening.
- Inside the book industry’s battle to stay afloat during the COVID crisis.
New & Upcoming Titles
- Sarah MacLean announces a new romance series centered around a Victorian-era girl gang. Holy cow, this sounds amazing!
- Get a first look at Sandhya Menon’s first adult romance, Make Up Break Up, which will be written under the name Lily Menon.
- Sarah Gailey has a domestic thriller with a sci-fi twist coming out. Um, yes please!
- A first look at Courtney Summers’ upcoming thriller, The Project.
- 5 books you may have missed in April.
- May picks from Crime Reads (psychological thrillers) and Town & Country.
- 13 books feminists should read in May.
- Best spring books from O: Oprah Magazine and Esquire.
- 23 debut novels of 2020 that are too good to ignore.
- Best beach reads of the year.
- Best books of 2020 (so far).
What Your Patrons Are Hearing About
- Dark Mirror: Edward Snowden and the American Surveillance State – Barton Gellman (New York Times, Washington Post)
- The Last Trial – Scott Turow (New York Times, Washington Post)
- Yes No Maybe So – Becky Albertalli (New York Times)
- A Children’s Bible – Lydia Millet (Washington Post)
- My Mother’s House – Francesca Momplaisir (New York Times)
- Rodham – Curtis Sittenfeld (New York Times)
- Network Effect – Martha Wells (NPR)
RA/Genre Resources
- A queer author roundtable, including Nicole Dennis-Benn and Garth Greenwell.
On the Riot
- 7 great books by writers of color from the first half of 2020.
- 10 2020 queer women romance books to watch for.
- A reading pathway for Cat Sebastian.
- Book club questions and reading guide for The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead.
All Things Comics
- How to attend the virtual San Diego Comic Con from home.
- Since Diamond Book Distributors shut down, graphic novel sales from bookstores have risen 43%.
On the Riot
Audiophilia
- James McAvoy leads the cast of the Audible adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. Add James McAvoy to my personal list of celebrities who I want to read everything to me.
- The best books and audiobooks of 2020 so far.
- Here’s an audio excerpt of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
- 8 relatable audiobooks that will help you fill the void from missing your best friends.
- Pairing up favorite romance listens.
On the Riot
- 6 audiobooks you won’t believe are narrated by only one person.
- 7 audiobooks under 7 hours.
- 6 audiobooks for Mental Health Awareness Month.
- Put these sci-fi podcasts in your ears.
Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists
Children/Teens
- The Royal Family’s favorite children’s books.
- 20 vampire novels to read before Midnight Sun hits shelves.
- 32 cinematic YA novels to read while pop culture is on hold.
- 31 YA books to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month.
Adults
- AAPI Heritage Month reading recommendations from Mental Floss and Book Page.
- 50 of the best contemporary novels under 200 pages.
- 11 heartwarming books to make you laugh.
- 9 diverse books set in the American West.
- 10 fascinating celebrity memoirs to dig into.
- 8 books for the eerie days of summer.
- 7 novels about grieving a family member.
- Best vegan and vegetarian cookbooks.
- 7 classics to power through over a weekend.
- 11 books to make you feel like you’re on vacation.
- The 107 (!!!) female authors everyone should have on their bookshelves.
- 5 beauty books by black authors.
- 11 book series and collections to dive into.
- 17 books for people who have a hard time finishing books.
- The things we miss the most, and the books that can help.
On the Riot
- 10 science books for babies and curious kids.
- 20 must-read adult books for YA readers.
- Feel-good romance novels to dive into.
- 10 mystery & thriller authors like Agatha Christie.
- 5 great books for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
- 10 cozy culinary mysteries.
Level Up (Library Reads)
Do you take part in LibraryReads, the monthly list of best books selected by librarians only? We’ve made it easy for you to find eligible diverse titles to nominate. Kelly Jensen created a database of upcoming diverse books that anyone can edit, and Nora Rawlins of Early Word is doing the same, as well as including information about series, vendors, and publisher buzz.
Virtual hugs if you need them. Stay safe and healthy.
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading Shamed by Linda Castillo.