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Read Alikes

Not sure what to read? First choice not available? Try one of these read-alikes based on the book you wanted, or one you've enjoyed in the past. Suggestions have been compiled with the help of the NoveList database (available through NebraskAccess) and include titles we have in our Book Club Kit collection.

A Man Called Ove Where'd You Go, Bernadette? Lilac Girls Little Fires Everywhere The Lovely Bones The Handmaid's Tale The Help The Rosie Project The Aviator's Wife Where The Crawdads Sing Educated After the Flood The Perisan Pickle Club Major Pettigrew's Last Stand The Alchemist One Tuesday Morning All the Light We Cannot See Gone Girl The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night The Memory Keeper's Daughter The Joy Luck Club Cold Sassy Tree Bel Canto How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents The Boy in the Black Suit New Kid Eleanor and Park Harbor Me Piecing Me Together Adventures of Beanboy Stupid Fast Orphan Train Meaning of Names Four Winds Anxious People The Henna Artist

If you liked A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (quirky/sympathetic characters, upbeat tone, witty writing, mainstream fiction), you might try…

• The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley - amusing tone, relationship fiction, character-driven storyline.
• The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin - quirky characters, moving tone, witty writing, mainstream fiction.
• The Curious Charms Of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick - heartwarming tone, engaging writing, relatable characters, mainstream fiction.
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion - quirky characters, heartwarming tone, engaging writing, mainstream fiction.
• The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce - quirky characters, heartwarming tone, engaging writing, mainstream fiction.
• Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler - quirky/complex chacters, reflective tone, engaging writing, domestic fiction.
• My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman - quirky chacters, heartwarming tone, engaging writing, mainstream fiction.
• Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman - quirky chacters, heartwarming tone, engaging writing, mainstream fiction.

If you liked Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple (precocious narrator, quirky characers, sardonic/witty, intricately plotted, mainstream fiction), you might try…

• Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman - precocious narrator, character-driven, moving tone, compelling writing.
• The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley - precocious narrator, upbeat tone, witty writing, intricately plotted, mystery

If you liked Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (love during wartime, strong female characters, moving tone, compelling writing, historical fiction), you might try…

• The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris - love stories, religiously-diverse characters, historical fiction.
• The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - love during wartime, dramatic/moving tone, compelling writing, historical fiction.
• The Alice Network by Kate Quinn - strong female characters, flawed characters, dramatic tone, compelling writing, historical fiction.
• The Soldier's Wife - love during wartime, historical fiction.

If you liked Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (unreliable narrator, twisted/unlikeable characters, intricate plot, fast-paced psychological suspense), you might try…

• Under the Harrow by Flynn Berry - flawed characters, intricately plotted, psychological suspence.
• The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - unreliable narrator, unlikeable characters, intricately plotted, fast-paced, psychological suspence.
• The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn - unreliable narrator, intricately plotted, menacing tone, psychological suspence.
• The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware - intricately plotted, menacing tone, psychological suspence.
• Dark Places by Gillian Flynn - brooding characters, intricately plotted, disturbing tone, psychological suspence.
• Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - brooding characters, intricately plotted, disturbing tone, psychological suspence.
• In the Woods by Tana French - flawed characters, disturbing tone, police procedural, psychological suspence.
• Into the Water by Paula Hawkins - unreliable narrator, unlikeable characters, intricately plotted, fast-paced, psychological suspence.
• Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight - sympathetic characters, intricately plotted, fast-paced, suspenceful tone, mystery.
• The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian - flawed characters, intricately plotted, suspenceful tone, thriller.
• Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan - unreliable narrator, well-developed characters, intricately plotted, compelling writing, legal thriller.
• Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith - unreliable narrator, twisted characters, bleak/disturbing tone, compelling writing. pyschological suspence.

If you liked Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (complex characters, character-driven storyline, multiple perspectives, literary fiction), you might try…

• Digging To America by Anne Tyler - flawed characters, character-driven storyline, moving tone, mainstream fiction.
• Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - flawed characters, character-driven storyline, darkly humorous tone, compelling writing, mainstream fiction.
• Commonwealth by Ann Patchett - large cast of characters, sweeping storyline, moving tone, engaging writing, multiple perspectives.
• The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling - large cast of characters, character-driven storyline, darkly humorous tone, gritty writing, multiple perspectives, mainstream fiction.

If you liked The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (complex characters, moving tone, compelling writing, psychological fiction), you might try…

• Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng - character-driven storyline, moving tone, compelling writing, psychological fiction.
• The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty - character-driven storyline, suspenseful tone, compelling writing, mainstream fiction.

If you liked The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (Dystopian fiction, complex characters, character-driven storyline, disturbing tone, lyrical writing), you might try…

• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - dystopian fiction, twisted charcters, disturbing tone, gritty writing.
• The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist - dystopian fiction, thought-provoking tone.
• Divergent by Veronica Roth - dystopian fiction, courageous characters, intricately-plotted, suspenseful tone, compelling writing, young adult.
• Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - dystopian fiction, strong female characters, character-driven storyline, suspenseful tone, compelling writing, young adult.

If you liked The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Southern fiction, social issues, moving tone, historical fiction, women's lives), you might try…

• Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe - Southern fiction, heartwarming tone, women's lives.
• The Secret Life of Bees - Southern fiction, social issues, heartwarming tone, coming-of-age stories, women's lives.
• The Dry Grass of August - Southern fiction, social issues, coming-of-age stories, historical fiction.
• The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas - heartwarming tone, hisotrical fiction, women's lives.
• Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns - Southern fiction, moving tone, coming-of-age stories.
• The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg - small town life, relatable characters, engaging writing, mainstream fiction.

If you liked The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin (strong female character, moving tone, lyrical writing, biographical/historical fiction), you might try…

• The Paris Wife by Paula McLain - character-driven storyline, moving tone, lyrical writing, biographical/historical fiction.
• Loving Frank by Nancy Horan - strong female character, haunting tone, lyrical writing, biographical/historical fiction.

If you liked Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (Quirky/sympathetic characters, character-driven storyline, atmospheric tone, coming-of-age stories), you might try…

• Tell The Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt - quirky characters, character-driven storyline, atmospheric tone, coming-of-age stories.
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah - well-developed characters, strong sense of place, engaging writing, domestic fiction.
• The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister - lush/lyrical writing, atmospheric tone, coming-of-age stories.
• Beartown by Fredrik Bachman - authentic/sympathetic characters, small town life, moving tone, mainstream fiction.
• The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - brooding/complex characters, character-driven storyline, melancholy tone, coming-of-age stories.

If you liked Educated by Tara Westover (memoir, eccentric/neglectful parents, heartwrenching tone, candid writing), you might try…

• The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls - memoir, eccentric/neglectful parents, reflective tone, engaging writing.
• The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner - memoir, eccentric/neglectful parents, moving tone, candid writing.
• Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt - memoir, bleak tone, witty writing.
• The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah - eccentric/neglectful parents, well-developed characters, strong sense of place, engaging writing, domestic fiction.

If you liked After the Flood by Kassandra Montag (apocalyptic fiction, strong female characters, action-packed storyline, haunting tone, compelling writing, science fiction), you might try…

• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel - apocalyptic fiction, flawed characters, nonlinear storyline, haunting tone, lyrical writing, science fiction.
• The Line Between by Tosca Lee - apolcalyptic fiction, sympathetic characters, intricately-plotted storyline, suspenseful tone, compelling writing.
• The Dog Stars by Peter Heller - apolcalyptic fiction, action-packed storyline, moving tone, compelling writing.
• The Road by Cormac McCarthy - apolcalyptic fiction, flawed characters, haunting tone, lyrical writing.
• Wool by Hugh Howey - apolcalyptic fiction, well-developed characters, world-building storyline, strong sense of place, compelling writing.

If you liked Major Pettigrew's Last Stand (likeable characters, character-driven stoyrline, romantic tone, engaging writing, gentle reads, mainstream fiction), you might try…

• The Elegence of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery - quirky characters, character-driven storyline, melancholy tone, literary fiction.
• Our Souls At Night by Kent Haruf - flawed characters, character-driven storyline, bittersweet tony, love stories, literary fiction.

If you liked The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (voyages and travels, plot-driven storyline, inspiring tone, lyrical writing, literacy fiction), you might try…

• Life of Pi by Yann Martel - survival stories, intricately-plotted storyline, moving tone, psychological fiction.
• The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom - inspiring tone, spare writing, pyschological fiction.

If you liked All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (complex characters, character-driven storyline, haunting tone, lyrical writing, literary/historical fiction), you might try…

• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - family saga, flawed characters, haunting tone, lyrical writing, literary fiction.
• Charming Billy by Alice McDermott - flawed characters, moving tone, spare writing, literary fiction.
• The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson
- well-developed characters, haunting tone, engaging writing, historical fiction.
• The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
- complex characters, character-driven storyline, moody tone, lyrical writing, literary/historical fiction.

If you liked The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Haddon (Ability-diverse, character-driven, psychological fiction), you might try…

• Best Boy by Eli Gottleib - ability diverse, character-driven, psychological fiction.

If you liked The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards (unhappy families, character-driven storyline, moving tone, pyschological fiction), you might try…

• We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates - unhappy families, chacters-driven storyline, moving tone, compelling writing, psychological fiction.
• The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon - sympathetic charcters, charcter-driven storyline, moving tone, mainstream fiction.

If you liked The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (women's lives and relationship, immigrant expericnes, authentic characters, characer-driven storyline, moving tone, lyrical writing, historical fiction), you might try…

• The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult - complex characters, issue-oriented storyline, fast-paced, disturbing tone, compelling writing, mainstream fiction.
• A Mercy by Toni Morrison - complex characters, character-driven storyline, haunting tone, lyrical writing, historical fiction.
• Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng - character-driven storyline, moving tone, compelling writing, psychological fiction.

If you liked Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (moving tone, lyrical writing, literary fiction), you might try…

• A Gentleman In Moscow by Amore Towles - literary fiction, lyrical writing, strong sense of place.
• Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward - literary fiction, moving tone, lyrical writing, strong sense of place.
• The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht - haunting tone, lyrical writing, literacy fiction.

If you liked How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez (immigrant experiences, authentic characters, character-driven storyline, emotionally-intense tone, theme of coping with death) ), you might try…

• Make Your Home Among Strangers by Jennine Capo Crucet - immigrant experiences, character-driven storyline, reflective tone, coming-of-age story.
• The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz - immigrant experiences, complex characters, character-driven storyline, bittersweet tone, lyrical writing.
• Digging To America by Anne Tyler - immigrant experiences, flawed characters, character-driven storyline, moving tone, mainstream fiction.

If you liked The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds (Young Adult realistic fiction, African-American fiction character-driven storyline, heartwarming tone), you might try…

• What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee - Young Adult realistic fiction, sympathetic characters, emotionally-intense tone, theme of coping with death.
• Ghost (Track Series) by Jason Reynolds - Young Adult realistic fiction, African American fiction, sympathetic characters, character-driven storyline, emotionally-intense tone.
• House Arrest by K.A. Holt - Young Adult realistic fiction, authentic characters, character-driven storyline, moving/serious tone.

If you liked New Kid by Jerry Craft (Young Adult realistic fiction, graphic novel, African-American fiction, funny/moving tone), you might try…

• Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff - Young Adult realistic fiction, sympathetic characters, emotionally-intense tone, theme of coping with death.
• Ghost (Track Series) by Jason Reynolds - Young Adult realistic fiction, African American fiction, sympathetic characters, character-driven storyline, moving tone.
• Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhoades - Young Adult realistic fiction, African American fiction, sympathetic characters, theme of facing racism.

If you liked Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (Young Adult realistic fiction, awkward/sympathetic/diverse characters, character-driven storyline, angst-ridden/romatic tone), you might try…

• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - Young Adult realistic fiction, diverse characters, character-driven storyline, angst-ridden/funny tone.
• Looking For Alaska by John Green - Young Adult realistic fiction, introspective characters, character-driven storyline, emotionally-intense tone.
• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie - Young Adult realistic fiction, diverse characters, character-driven storyline, angst-ridden/upbeat tone.

If you like Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson (middle grade fiction, realistic fiction, theme of "trouble at home", sympathetic characters, character-driven storyline, moving tone), you might try...

• Mustaches For Maddie by Chad Morris - middle grade fiction, realistic fiction, likeable characters, character-driven storyline, theme of dealing with illness, moving tone.
• Paper Things by Jennifer Jacobson - middle grade fiction, realistic fiction, sympathetic characters, character-driven storyline, moving tone.
• Wish by Barbara O'Connor - middle grade fiction, realistic fiction, theme of "trouble at home", symphathetic characters, character-driven storyline, moving tone.

If you like Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson (YA fiction, African-American fiction, realistic fiction, authentic characters, character-driven storyline, lyrical tone), you might try...

• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - YA fiction, realistic fiction, African-American fiction, authentic characters, character-driven storyline, theme of facing racism, issue-oriented.
• The Skin I'm In by Sharon G. Flake - YA fiction, realistic fiction, African-American fiction, character-driven storyline, emotionally-intense tone.

If you like The Adventures of Beanboy by Lisa Harkrader (middle grade fiction, realistic fiction, quirky characters, amusing tone), you might try...

• Brave by Svetlana Chmakova - middle grade fiction, graphic novel, realistic fiction, diverse, relatable characters, character-driven storyline, theme of dealing with bullies, thought-provoking tone.
• Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not REading by Tommy Greenwald - middle grade fiction, realistic fiction, sarcastic characters, humorous tone.
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney - middle grade fiction, realistic fiction, humorous, awkward/relatable characters, character-driven storyline, funny tone.

If you like Stupid Fast by Geoff Herback (YA fiction, sports fiction, realistic fiction, character-driven storyline, angst-filled tone), you might try...

• QB1 by Mike Lupica - middle grade fiction, sports fiction, realistic fiction, character-driven storyline, angst-filled tone.
• Getting the Girl by Markus Zusak - YA fiction, realistic fiction, coming-of-age story, relatable characters, character-driven storyline, emotionally-intense tone.

If you like Orphan Train by Christina Baker Klein (Literary fiction, unlikely friendship, character-driven storyline, leisurely pace, moving tone), you might try...

• The Forgotten Home Child by Genevieve Graham - historical fiction, inspired by real events, moving tone.
• Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate - historical fiction, inspired by real events, character-driven storyline, heart-wrenching tone.
• The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh - psychological fiction, chosen-family theme, moving tone, lyrical writing style.
• The Forgotten Seamstress by Liz Trenow - historical fiction, web-of-connection theme, moving tone, engaging writing style.

If you like Meaning of Names by Karen Shoemaker (Historical fiction, epidemics, authentic characters, haunting tone), you might try...

• The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen - historical fiction, epidemics.
• Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks - historical fiction, epidemics, sympathetic characters, haunting tone.

If you like Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (Historical fiction, Depression/Dust Bowl era, dramatic tone, lyrical writing style), you might try...

• The Well and the Mine by Gin Phillips - historical fiction, Depression era, Southern fiction, bittersweet tone, lyrical writing style.
• The Grapes of Wrath by John STeinbeck - historical fiction, Dust Bowl era, sympathetic characters, haunting tone, lyrical writing style.
• The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim MIchele Richardson - historical fiction, Depression era, likeable characters, atmospheric tone, engaging writing style..

If you liked Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (quirky/sympathetic characters, amusing tone, witty writing, intricately-plotted storyline, theme of "thrown together", mainstream fiction), you might try…

• Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman - quirky/sympathetic characters, amusing tone, engaging writing, women's lives and relationships.
• 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson - quirky characters, upbeat tone, engaging writing, intricately-plotted storyline, humorous stories.
• Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty - relatable characters, darkly humorous tone, witty writing, character-driven storyline, theme of "thrown together", mainstream fiction.

If you liked The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi (historical fiction, culturally-diverse characters, moving tone, engaging writing), you might try…

• His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie - culturally-diversecharacters, fast-paced, moving tone, engaging writing, relationship fiction.
• The Tea Planter's Daughter by Janet Macleod Trotter - historical fiction, spirited characters, atmospheric tone, engaging writing..
• Chocolat by Joanne Harris - likeable characters, atmospheric tone, engagin writing, leisurely-paced, literary fiction.