Langley-Adams Library Recommendations

I was fortunate enough to have been invited to a zoom program with these two new authors. Their book caught my interest thus I checked our library’s copy out. On the night of their program, I had read the first 5 chapters. Needless to say, I was hooked! While listening to Jenny and Danielle, it made sense that these two women are huge fans of Jane Austen-Pride & Prejudice being their favorite!     So…with this said, if you enjoy historical fictions, Downton Abbey and are a fan of Jane Austen novels/movies, “The Last Season” is for you!        Well to do Cassandra Drayton first met Crispin St. John when they were adolescents. At that time, Crispin was working as her father’s stable boy. A friendship forms between them only to be forbidden when discovered by Cassandra’s father. Crispin is sent packing and ends up traveling to India while Cassie is locked in her father’s world. Years later, they meet up again.       Have their circ...

  "Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and the power of literature to bring us together, perfect for fans of  The Lilac Girls  and  The Paris Wife ." A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors— The Paris Library  shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places." (goodreads.com) I LOVE libraries and have since I was a child. I was that child who counted down the days until I could get my library card, sit among the stacks and read the day away. So, when Sue, our Adult Services Librarian, recommended this book to me, I didn't blink an eye. From the Art Deco book cover to the way the author wove a story of love, loyalty and bravery set amongst the backdrop of a library, I was hooked from the start.  I ap...

  “ To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.” (g oodreads.com ) This story is a sweet and complicated teen romantic comedy with many twists and turns, with suspense and laughter, and, of course, romance. Readers such as myself will love the almost real story- telling of Ms. Han and all her books. Jhanliz Guzman-Mata Langley-Adams Library Volunteer

" Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird.  Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life. Alternating between real and magic, past and present, friendship and romance, hope and despair,  The Astonishing Color of After  is a novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love." (Goodreads.com) The Astonishing Color of After  had an interesting way of processing grief. Pan did a lovely job of creating a magical twist to how families grieve, especially when th...

" Skye Shin has heard it all. Fat girls shouldn’t dance. Wear bright colors. Shouldn’t call attention to themselves. But Skye dreams of joining the glittering world of K-Pop, and to do that, she’s about to break all the rules that society, the media, and even her own mother, have set for girls like her.  She’ll challenge thousands of other performers in an internationally televised competition looking for the next K-pop star, and she’ll do it better than anyone else. When Skye nails her audition, she’s immediately swept into a whirlwind of countless practices, shocking performances, and the drama that comes with reality TV. What she doesn’t count on are the highly fat-phobic beauty standards of the Korean pop entertainment industry, her sudden media fame and scrutiny, or the sparks that soon fly with her fellow competitor, Henry Cho. But Skye has her sights on becoming the world’s first plus-sized K-pop star, and that means winning the competition—without losing herself." (Go...

" 1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, this author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London's most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry. And in truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consummate rake, nobody does it better...      —Lady Whistledown's Society Papers,  April 1814 But this time, the gossip columnists have it wrong. Anthony Bridgerton hasn't just decided to marry—he's even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended's older sister, Kate Sheffield—the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate is the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams... Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes do  not  make the best husbands—and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate is determined to protect her ...

" First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?" (Goodreads.com) This book was a fun, steamy, LGBTQ+ romance that I couldn't put down. If you like enemies to lovers roma...

" Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret--she's a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Because so few believe in the old tales anymore, and with so many evil men no one will miss, the modern city of Seoul is the perfect place to hide and hunt. But after feeding one full moon, Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she violates the rules of survival to rescue the boy, losing her fox bead--her gumiho soul--in the process. Jihoon knows Miyoung is more than just a beautiful girl--he saw her nine tails the night she saved his life. His grandmother used to tell him stories of the gumiho, of their power and the danger they pose to humans. He's drawn to her anyway. With murderous forces lurking in the background, Miyoung and Jihoon develop a tenuous friendship that blossoms into something more. But when a young shaman tries to reunite Miyoung with her...

" In  Find Me , Aciman shows us Elio’s father, Samuel, on a trip from Florence to Rome to visit Elio, who has become a gifted classical pianist. A chance encounter on the train with a beautiful young woman upends Sami’s plans and changes his life forever. Elio soon moves to Paris, where he, too, has a consequential affair, while Oliver, now a New England college professor with a family, suddenly finds himself contemplating a return trip across the Atlantic." (Goodreads.com) Find Me  was a satisfying sequel to "Call Me by Your Name." It was great to meet the characters again and see how their lives panned out. This book again focuses on Elio and Oliver but it also gives a whole story line through the perspective of Elio's father. Aciman does a wonderful job at describing the complexity of relationships, either familial or romantic, and conveying the emotions that the characters go through. They stick with you long after you've devoured this book. Meghan McCab...

"Nell is twenty-six and has never been to Paris. She's never even been on a romantic weekend away--to anywhere--before. Traveling abroad isn't really her thing. But when Nell's boyfriend fails to show up for their mini-vacation, she has the opportunity to prove everyone--including herself--wrong. Alone in Paris, Nell finds a version of herself she never knew existed: independent and intrepid. Could this turn out to be the most adventurous weekend of her life? Funny, charming, and irresistible,  Paris for One  is quintessential Jojo Moyes--as are the other stories that round out the collection." (Goodreads.com) If you are looking for book to read for Valentine's day this would be the one to pick. This book was very cute and I smiled the a lot while I was reading it. I am a fan of Jojo Moyes' Me Before You and this book is written in the same style along, which she does well, with lots of quirky characters. The novella portion of the book was my favorite ...

"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...

"A novel set in 1953 Tehran against the backdrop of the Iranian Coup about a young couple in love who are separated on the eve of their marriage, and who are reunited sixty years later, after having moved on to live independent lives in America, to discover the truth about what happened on that fateful day in the town square." (Goodreads.com) Starting out in time and place that is very different from our own, I enjoyed reading this book because you got to take a glimpse into another culture and the struggles that they faced. This was also a beautiful love story that shows just how love can sweep you off your feet but also how it can affect you when it is taken away. I would recommend this is you like historical romances. Kelsey Fitzgerald Library Assistant Available at the Langley Adams Library 

"Jess and her ten-year-old son William set off to spend the summer at Château de Roussignol, deep in the rich, sunlit hills of the Dordogne. There, Jess’s ex-boyfriend—and William’s father—Adam, runs a beautiful hotel in a restored castle. Lush gardens, a gorgeous pool, delectable French food, and a seemingly never-ending wine list—what’s not to like? Jess is bowled over by what Adam has accomplished, but she’s in France for a much more urgent reason: to make Adam fall in love with his own son..."   (Goodreads.com) Not your typical romance novel, Jess is on a mission to reconnect with the father of her son but obviously things don't go as planned. There are a lot of good lessons to be learned in this novel when it comes to family, relationships and health. I also found t he book is a good portrayal of parenthood and always trying to do what is best for your child.   Kelsey Fitzgerald Library Assistant Available at the Langley Adams Library

The premise of  Symptoms of a Heartbreak  is this: Saira Sehgal is sixteen and just starting her first job as a doctor. She's a "Girl Genius," having been in college at eleven and graduating med school at sixteen. Now she's ready for the professional world. But she's still sixteen, and her fellow interns and doctors at Princeton Presbyterian Hospital are very much not. Despite having graduated, she needs to prove herself as a professional, and as a doctor. Oh, and she needs to get her driver's license. But when she meets a cute patient that she starts to have feelings for, all bets are off.   I'm not usually the biggest fan of rom-com type books, but let me tell you that this is an #ownvoices author and that that's super important. The author wrote from the point of view of her own culture and it added an extra something. Because Saira, the protagonist, is more than a Girl Genius Doctor. Her family is a huge part of her story and you can tell how much ...

"Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn't exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there's a moment of pure magic... and then her bus drives away.  Certain they're fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and cafe in London for him. But she doesn't find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they "reunite" at a Christmas party, when her best friend Sarah giddily introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie. It's Jack, the man from the bus. It would be.  What follows for Laurie, Sarah and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered."* Usually the romance novels don't cover such a long period of time but because it covers a period of 10 years it really sets it apart from other romance novels. It is an angsty and som...

"Raina Anand may have finally given in to family pressure and agreed to let her grandmother play matchmaker, but that doesn't mean she has to like it--or that she has to play by the rules. Nani always took Raina's side when she tried to push past the traditional expectations of their tight-knit Indian-immigrant community, but now she's ambushing Raina with a list of suitable bachelors. Is it too much to ask for a little space? Besides, what Nani doesn't know won't hurt her... As Raina's life spirals into a parade of Nani-approved bachelors and disastrous blind dates, she must find a way out of this modern-day arranged-marriage trap without shattering her beloved grandmother's dreams." (Goodreads.com) This was a funny and charming romance book that kept me guessing who the main character, Raina, would end up with. Not only was this book about romance but also about the importance of family and friends. I would recommend this as a great summer read...

"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 ...