Langley-Adams Library Recommendations

“ Lucy Strange takes a seafaring myth and grounds it in the stark reality of World War II. Growing up in a lighthouse, 11-year-old Pet's world has been one of storms, secret tunnels, and stories about sea monsters. But now the country is at war and the clifftops are a terrifying battleground. Pet will need to muster all her bravery to uncover why her family is being torn apart. This is the story of a girl who is afraid and unnoticed. A girl who freezes with fear at the enemy planes ripping through the skies overhead. A girl who is somehow destined to become part of the strange, ancient legend of the Daughters of Stone.”   (Goodreads.com) This book caught my attention because it dealt with coastal towns during WWII and the lighthouses that guarded the sea. I wasn’t sure if this book was going to be historical fiction or fantasy. The book was strange in the sense that it intimated at mythical creatures and a sense that something bigger was going to happen, but it didn’t, not in ...

In this historical novel, Jo Kuan is a Chinese girl living in Atlanta. She and her guardian secretly live in the basement of a newspaper that could use some help. The newspaper’s readership has declined and it is in trouble. But Jo pulls from her experience of dealing with sexism and racism every day and decides to send the anonymous “Miss Sweetie” column to the newspaper, hoping a woman’s perspective on women’s issues will gather public interest. And it works! “Miss Sweetie” is a hit, but nobody knows it’s her. It’s a strong contrast to her day job as a maid for the wealthy Caroline Payne, who is her age and very spoiled. But when the secrets of her life begin to unravel, will she be able to continue to be Miss Sweetie, or will it come crashing down? Though this book is young adult fiction, I believe it will appeal to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. The book is available in regular book format and it is available in audio format on Libby and Hoopla through our library. Darcy L...

Will my cat eat my eyeballs after I die?  Can I give my grandma a Viking funeral?  What happens if an astronaut dies in space?  Can I be buried with my beloved pet? The answers to all of these questions and more are in this fun book! Caitlin Doughty, a professional mortician and Youtube star explains the science behind death and facts we might not know surrounding death. Did you know that different states have different laws about whether a realtor has to disclose if someone died in a home? This is just one of the fun facts I learned while reading this book! Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs  is written in a way that is easy to read. The answers are for everybody, even if the questions came from children. We have a physical copy of the book here at the library. The ebook is also available on Libby within our consortium. I listened to the audiobook through RBDigital via the Boston Public Library, which was narrated by the author. I highly recommend reading it either way; y...

“Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley's dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There's just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend.”  (Goodreads.com) Let me start with two things, I hate Laura Dean, and Frederica needs to grow a backbone. Tamaki did a great job at creating characters that depict poor relationship habits. The main character keeps choosing a poisonous relationship over her friends time and time again. As an outside observer it’s easy to see what’s wrong, and easy to get frustrated when characters make the same mistakes over and over again. I think this graphic novel will be a good example for teen readers to see what it’s like to be blinded by “love” and then hopefully learn what some of those warning signs look like. If the characters annoy you, like they did me, at least you get to enjoy Rosemary Valero-O'Connell’s beautiful illustrations.  I recommend this book if you like LGBTQ stories, te...

“Maya Angelou recounts the story of her life up to the birth of her child. Though she faces many hardships in her life, including being raped and living in a junkyard, she's able to find love and happiness as a mother.” (Goodreads.com) It took me a long time to finish this book. I almost gave up on it, and I’m glad I didn’t. Angelou’s writing is beautiful. You can tell she loves the English language. This book jumps around to different moments in her life and I connected with some stories more than others. It wasn’t an easy read, for me, but it was worth it. I recommend this book if you enjoy personal narratives, African American History, classic literature. Meghan McCabe Children & Youth Services Librarian Available at the Langley Adams Library

"When childhood sweethearts Justine (Sagittarius and serious skeptic) and Nick (Aquarius and true believer) bump into each other as adults, a life-changing love affair seems inevitable. To Justine, anyway. Especially when she learns Nick is an astrological devotee, whose decisions are guided by the stars, and more specifically, by the horoscopes in his favorite magazine. The same magazine Justine happens to write for. As Nick continues to  not  fall headlong in love with her, Justine decides to take Nick’s horoscope, and Fate itself, into her own hands. But, of course, Nick is not the only Aquarius making important life choices according to what is written in the stars." (Goodreads.com) Do you often find yourself reading your horoscope in the newspaper? If so then this book is for you. It could be hard to imagine that your horoscope is written for many people and not just yourself and Justine definitely doesn't...