It's LibraryReads day and that means four things here on RA for All

I post the list and tag it “Library Reads” so that you can easily pull up every single list with one click.I can remind you that even though the newest list is always fun to see, it is the older lists where you can find AWESOME, sure bet suggestions for patrons that will be on your shelf to actually hand to them right now. The best thing about LibraryReads is the compound interest it is earning. We now have hundreds and hundreds of titles worth suggesting right at our fingertips through this archive OR the sortable master list allowing you to mix and match however you want.You have no excuse not to hand sell any LibraryReads titles because there is a book talk right there in the list in the form of the annotation one of your colleagues wrote for you. All you have to say to your patron is, “such and such library worker in blank state thought this was a great read,” and then you read what he or she said.Every upcoming book now has at least 1 readalike that is available to hand out RIGHT NOW. Book talk the upcoming book, place a hold for it, and then hand out that readalike title for while they wait. If they need more titles before their hold comes in, use the readalike title to identify more readalike titles. And then keep repeating. Seriously, it is that easy to have happy, satisfied readers.So get out there and suggest a good read to someone today. I don’t care what list or resource you use to find the suggestion, just start suggesting books.
Please remember to click here for everything you need to know about how to participate. 

And finally, here is LibraryReads' extremely helpful Resources page.

Now let's get to the November 2025 list.... 

 , Medusa

Ayana Gray

I, Medusa

Ayana Gray

(Random House)

Medusa—legend, myth, monster—was once an innocent girl named Meddy who longed to see the world beyond her island. Meddy is a mortal born of two immortal sea gods in Poseidon's kingdom. When she catches the attention of the goddess Athena and is taken on as an acolyte in her temple, she thinks she has found her purpose, but a misstep angers the Gods and she becomes Medusa. A feminist tale that will capture readers’ attention from the first page.

—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, TX

NoveList read-alike: Medusa by Nataly Gruender

Now the rest of the list....

Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore 

Char Adams

(Tiny Reparations Books)

An extremely informative and well-researched book on a worthy topic.This comprehensive work looks at Black history in the United States through the lens of Black-owned bookstores, covering their functions as pillars of community engagement and social justice organizations as well. Readers will appreciate the book recommendations and the bookstores listed in the endnotes.

—Autumn Raw, Hennepin County Library, MN

NoveList read-alike: Prose to the People by Katie Mitchell

Cursed Daughters: Novel

Oyinkan Braithwaite

(Doubleday Books)

Eniiyi has been haunted her entire life by her strong resemblance to her mother's cousin Monife, who drowned shortly before Eniiyi's birth. She has also been told that the women of her family are cursed to never find lasting romantic happiness. Is there any way for her to break free of her family's painful past? A beautifully told and emotional page-turner about confronting family trauma

and finding peace and forgiveness along the way.

—Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign Public Library, IL

NoveList read-alike: My Mother Cursed My Name by Anamely Salgado Reyes

Daddy Issues: A No Daddy Issues: A Novel

Kate Goldbeck

(Dial Press Trade Paperbacks)

The pandemic blew up every plan Sam ever had post-college, and now she's stuck living with her mom, working a deadbeat job. Her sad status quo is disrupted when Nick moves in next door with his young daughter. As Sam confronts her relationship with her father, she starts a relationship with Nick. This romance hits on the ways the pandemic affected everyone's lives.

—Olivia Wojnar, Seymour Public Library, NY

NoveList read-alike: Totally and Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman

The Ferryman and His Wife

Frode Grytten

(Algonquin Books)

This tale of a widowed Norwegian ferryman’s last day of life is simple, quiet, and effortlessly moving. Nils navigates through his cherished memories, converses with the dead, and reevaluates his connection to all who crossed his path, whether in a single trip across the forge or a decades-long marriage.

—Sharon Layburn, South Huntington Public Library, NY

NoveList read-alike: T he Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

Best Off Wins

Marisa Kashino

(Celadon Books)

The housing market can be murder. Find out how far one woman will go when she sets her sights on her dream home. And just when it seems our main character, Margot, can’t surprise any more, she stuns readers once again. Once you settle in with this deliciously dark and twisty thriller, you won’t be able to look away.

—Jennifer Winberry, Hunterdon County Library, NJ

NoveList read-alike: The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore

Emily Krempholtz

(Ace)

Violet's a witch who used her powers for terror and destruction as a sidekick to the ultimate bad guy. Now she's moved into a small village and is trying to start over, running a flower shop. But her landlord doesn't seem to like her, and it's hard to cover up the past. Can she be "good" and make her new life a success? This is a sweet, cozy romantasy.

—Jayna McDaniel-Browning, Delaware County. Dist. Library, OH

NoveList read-alike: A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

An Academic Affair

Jodi McAlister

(Atria)

Sadie and Jonah start off as rivals faking a relationship for job security, and accidentally fall into something real, messy, and deeply felt. With a sharp critique of institutional academia and a great sister-drama subplot, this is set to be one of the smartest, sexiest romances of the year.

—India Cureau, Cary Memorial Library, MA

NoveList read-alike: Taste the Love by Karelia Stetz-Waters

The Bridesmaid

Cate Quinn

(Sourcebooks Landmark)

The Kensingtons invite you to the society wedding of the decade. There's just one hitch. You might not make it out alive. This book is full of intrigue and suspense that will draw readers into the pitfalls of high-society life, where nothing matters more than your social media clicks and lavish parties. Great characters and a shocking ending.

—Karen Troutman, LibraryReads Ambassador, IN

NoveList read-alike: A Killer Wedding by Joan O'Leary

The Forget-Me-Not Library

Heather Webber

(St. Martin's Press)

Tallulah and Juliet are in need of healing and love from friends and family, and the town of Forget-Me-Not offers that in spades! The lovely townsfolk want nothing but the best for their community and those in need of its special magic. Perfect for readers who want a cozy, magical read to soothe away the troubles

of the real world.

—Carmen Hughey, Greenville County Library System, SC

NoveList read-alike: The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins

Board Bonus picks:

Lucky Seed

Justinian Huang

(MIRA) 

Notable Nonfiction: 

Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been T one Who Has Been Told They're Too Much

Cynthia Erivo

(Flatiron Books)

See our social media for annotations of the bonus picks

Click here to see the entire Hall of Fame

The LibraryReads Hall of Fame designation honors authors who have had multiple titles appear on the monthly LibraryReads list since 2013. When their third title places on the list via library staff votes, the author moves into the Hall of Fame. Click here to see the Hall of Fame authors organized in alpha order. Please note, the current year's Hall of Fame lists are pulled out at the top of the page.

Baldree, Travis    

Brigands & Breadknives        

Tor Books      

Cousens, Sophie    

And Then There Was You        

Putnam    

Dade, Olivia    

Second Chance Romance: A Harlot's Bay Novel   

Avon      

Macmillan, Gilly    

The Burning Library 

William Morrow        

Roberts, Nora    

The Seven Rings: The Lost Bride Trilogy, Book 3   

St. Martin's Press      

Young, Adrienne    

Fallen City        

Saturday Books