Okay, gentle readers, we admit it: Here in February, spring hasn’t quite sprung yet. But you know as well as we do that library life means staying prepared for whatever’s next.
Whether your spring preparations involve pulling out your rain boots, restocking your allergy meds, or planning Summer Reading programs, you can rest assured that the thoughtfully curated picks in NextReads will keep you (and your patrons) up-to-date when it comes to books.
What is NextReads, you ask? These are award-winning genre-based newsletters of reading recommendations, curated by the book experts at NoveList. They’re linked to your catalog and go out automatically to interested readers. NextReads is included in every LibraryAware subscription.
So, here’s a light sprinkle of author and book info. This is just a small selection of what you can expect from NextReads newsletters in March, April, and May.
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Valentine’s Day might be over, but you can still check out some sweet and/or spicy reads in the Romance newsletter this spring, including new books from Tia Williams, Olivia Dade, and Alexis Hall. And, don't forget to sign up for our free Crash Course in Romance webinar.
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Roll out the red carpet: The 96th Academy Awards are on March 10. NextReads customers will get the Page to Screen newsletter draft on February 27 (with the final newsletter distributed to subscribers on March 5), so you'll have plenty of time to plan a display of books that inspired Oscar-nominated films.
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For further bookish brushes with fame, check out the Spirituality and Religion newsletter featuring books by Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie and social media personality Tabitha Brown; plus Biography and Memoir featuring RuPaul’s latest recollections.
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For readers who prefer speedy reads or familiar frameworks, the themed lists in some of our April newsletters might help: Mystery offers several short story collections, while Fantasy and Science Fiction offers an array of retellings.
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Major League Baseball opens on March 28, and they’re not the only heavy hitters this spring. Books for Kids and Tweens highlights new novels from big names like Erin Entrada Kelly and Kate DiCamillo; and Picture Books boasts stories from Caldecott Medalists Michaela Goade and Sophie Blackall, as well popular creators Aaron Becker and Cece Bell.
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Look out for new books from some notable names in nonfiction, such as Hanif Abdurraqib (featured in Biography and Memoir) and Ijeoma Oluo (in History and Current Events).
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Get ready for long hold lists as several authors roll out highly anticipated follow-ups: in Mystery, Sulari Gentill (The Woman in the Library) is back with a fresh case while Janice Hallett (The Appeal) crafts another inventive puzzle; and in Horror, T. Kingfisher delivers gothic chills in a sequel to What Moves the Dead.
Mark your calendars: Near the end of April, we'll release our preview of books and authors to watch this summer.
Rebecca Honeycutt is Senior Readers' Advisory Librarian at NoveList. She is reading Gwen and Art are Not in Love by Lex Croucher.
