Langley-Adams Library Recommendations

“It’s 1942, and Maisie McCall is in the Scottish Highlands doing her bit for the war effort as a Women’s Timber Corps lumberjill. Maisie relishes her newfound independence and her growing friendships—especially with the enigmatic John Lindsay.”* This historical fiction novel was a great introduction to the Women’s Timber Corps of WWII. Leech does a good job at describing the everyday life of the women who joined the Corps as well as the mental impact the war had on soldiers. I enjoyed the diverse characters and that the romance wasn’t the main focus of the book. It was a nice side story. What I enjoyed most about the book was that Leech gave more information at the end on the lumberjills and how they inspired her to write this book. I recommend you read this book if you enjoy historical fiction set during WWII, light romance, and strong female characters. Meghan McCabe Youth Services Librarian Available at the Langley Adams Library *Goodreads.com

"Marianne is stuck in a loveless, unhappy marriage. After forty-one years, she has reached her limit, and one evening in Paris she decides to take action. Following a dramatic moment on the banks of the Seine, Marianne leaves her life behind and sets out for the coast of Brittany, also known as the end of the world. Here she meets a cast of colorful and unforgettable locals who surprise her with their warm welcome, and the natural ease they all seem to have, taking pleasure in life's small moments. And, as the parts of herself she had long forgotten return to her in this new world, Marianne learns it s never too late to begin the search for what life should have been all along."* I thoroughly enjoyed this book because the transformation of the main character is so heartwarming. You get to see her rediscover life in a beautiful setting. The author is very descriptive which adds a lot to the book as well, it made me want to hop on a plane and fly to France. Another draw

In the book “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, written by Stephen Chbosky, the main character Charlie is a freshman in high school. Charlie is a quiet kid but he’s always paying attention. He’s currently dealing with a lot but as the book unravels he comes more and more out of his shell. The book is written in the format of letters that Charlie, the main character writes. He writes them and addresses them all to a “friend” with the start of every letter being: Dear friend. The letters are always ended by “Love always, Charlie.” The “friend’ Charlie is writing to stays anonymous and never writes back.   The readers never find out who it is which is a cool concept. Charlie is only in his first year in high school and therefore learns many lessons, some of which even the readers can benefit from. This is a book that I had to read for a school project. It isn’t something that I would have picked out on my own but I enjoyed it. Emma Fandel Library Page Available at the Langle

“ In 1955, eighteen-year-old Janet Jones keeps the love she shares with her best friend Marie a secret... Sixty-two years later, Abby Zimet can’t stop thinking about her senior project and its subject—classic 1950s lesbian pulp fiction… In this novel told in dual narratives... author Robin Talley weaves together the lives of two young women connected across generations through the power of words. A stunning story of bravery, love, how far we’ve come and how much farther we have to go.”* Note: I listened to this book. The narrator does weird voices that are rather annoying to try and differentiate the characters. If you are interested in pursuing this book, I suggest reading it rather than listening to it. I was excited to read this book. The premise of two timelines dealing with queer characters and pulp fiction interested me. Unfortunately, I found that the characters annoyed me. This could have been influenced by the narrators voice. The only saving grace of this book was to

“A timely investigation into the campus assault on free speech and what it means for students, education, and our democracy… This is a book for anyone who is confused by what’s happening on college campuses today, or has children, or is concerned about the growing inability of Americans to live and work and cooperate across party lines.”* I really enjoyed this book. It was a good reflection piece on the culture within families and on college campuses today. What Lukianoff and Haidt did really well was state the facts without letting their political leanings influence the reader. They also provided copious resources from their research and they organized the book into easy to follow parts. I recommend that you read this book if you like topics on Education within the United States, reflection on family rearing, and political influences. Meghan McCabe Youth Services Librarian Available at the Langley Adams Library *Goodreads.com

Take two sisters living together on their own. Add a baking contest and a million dollar prize. Then add a new house, and a new school. And then top it all off with boys, drama, secrets, love, and mysteries. This book is about two sisters who have a lot going on, and who have really big plans. I read this book a while ago and it was a very entertaining and a good read. It took me a bit to actually get into it and enjoy the book, but it became one of my favorites at the time and I ended up really enjoying it. Emma Fandel Library Page Available at the Langley Adams Library

"A visit to her local prison brings DI Vera Stanhope face to face with an old enemy: former detective superintendent, and now inmate, John Brace. Brace was convicted of corruption and involvement in the death of a gamekeeper – and Vera played a key part in his downfall. Now, Brace promises Vera information about the disappearance of Robbie Marshall, a notorious wheeler-dealer who disappeared in the mid-nineties, if she will look out for his daughter and grandchildren. He tells her that Marshall is dead, and that his body is buried close to St Mary’s Island in Whitley Bay. However, when a search team investigates, officers find not one skeleton, but two. This cold case case takes Vera back in time, and very close to home, as Brace and Marshall, along with a mysterious stranger known only as ‘the Prof’, were close friends of Hector, her father. Together, they were the 'Gang of Four’, regulars at a glamorous nightclub called The Seagull. Hector had been one of the last people

For Amy Ettinger, ice cream is not just a delicious snack but a circumstance and a time of year—frozen forever in memory. As the youngest child and only girl, ice cream embodied unstructured summers, freedom from the tyranny of her classmates, and a comforting escape from her chaotic, demanding family.  Now as an adult and journalist, her love of ice cream has led to a fascinating journey to understand ice cream’s evolution and enduring power, complete with insight into the surprising history behind America’s early obsession with ice cream and her experience in an immersive ice-cream boot camp to learn from the masters. From a visit to the one place in the United States that makes real frozen custard in a mammoth machine known as the Iron Lung, to the vicious competition among small ice-cream makers and the turf wars among ice-cream trucks, to extreme flavors like foie gras and oyster, Ettinger encounters larger-than-life characters and uncovers what’s really behind America’s favorit

Laura Jean is a teen girl who writes letters to people when she feels the need to say something. She writes things she would never want them to actually hear. Laura writes letters when she has a big crush on someone, and then hides them in a box. The goal was for the letters to be seen only by her, but to Laura’s horror the letters and their owners are finding their way back to her. This is one of the books in a three book series. I loved this book and the others are very good as well. I was thrilled to hear that this book was coming out as a movie, but I enjoyed the book more, and would definitely recommend it. Emma Fandel Library Page Available at the Langley Adams Library