3 Readalikes For Library Books With Long Hold Lists

⚓ Books    📅 2026-04-10    👤 surdeus    👁️ 1      

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Picture it: a patron comes to the desk looking for a copy of the latest bestseller and is disappointed to learn that while yes, the library has ordered 10 copies of said bestseller, all of the copies are checked out and there’s a waiting list to boot. But wait! Before the patron walks away empty handed, you say, “But can I interest you in this similar book while you wait?”

As a librarian, I love pulling out a good readalike for a patron. It feels like a secret customer service weapon, and it introduces the reader to an author they may not have heard about otherwise. To that end, I’ve pulled together a list of three new books that are probably checked out at your libraries right now, as well as alternate suggestions to give to patrons while they wait.

If your patron is looking for…

Cover image of The Keeper by Tana French

The Keeper by Tana French

The third book in the Cal Hooper trilogy finds the retired Chicago detective unwillingly drawn into an investigation when the suicide of a promising young woman threatens to unearth decades of buried secrets in the village of Ardnakelty.

You can suggest…

cover of Bluebird, Bluebird

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke

This is the first book in the Highway 59 trilogy, which also centers around a law enforcement officer with a complicated past. It focuses on a crime connected to dark secrets and powerful people in a small, rural town.

If your patron is looking for…

cover of How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay by Jenny Lawson

How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay by Jenny Lawson

Jenny Lawson’s latest book offers concrete (and slightly absurd) techniques and coping mechanisms to help readers get through their mental health struggles. But don’t fear – even though this isn’t her usual collection of essays, there’s still plenty of humor throughout.

You can suggest…

a graphic of the cover of Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

Although this is a more traditional collection of essays, Samantha Irby has an irreverent and self-deprecating sense of humor that shines a light on the absurdities of real life.

If your patron is looking for…

Cover Image of The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

Larissa is lucky to have two wonderful men in her life: her boyfriend Mike and her friend Chris, who also happens to be Mike’s best friend. Except Chris is hopelessly enamored with Larissa and is also the reason why Larissa believes Mike is such a thoughtful boyfriend.

You can suggest…

Too Wrong To Be Right by Melonie Johnson

This is a contemporary romance that keeps putting the hero and the heroine in each other’s orbits, despite their best efforts to keep each other in the friend zone. The Night We Met and Too Wrong To Be Right also feature strong friendships to round out the romantic storyline, as well as heartwarming animal sidekicks.


While your patrons are waiting for the above books, perhaps you can share with them other buzzy titles that have recently hit shelves.

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