Langley-Adams Library Recommendations

"Axton Betz-Hamilton grew up in small-town Indiana in the early '90s. When she was 11 years old, her parents both had their identities stolen. Their credit ratings were ruined, and they were constantly fighting over money. This was before the age of the Internet, when identity theft became more commonplace, so authorities and banks were clueless and reluctant to help Axton's parents. Axton's family changed all of their personal information and moved to different addresses, but the identity thief followed them wherever they went. Convinced that the thief had to be someone they knew, Axton and her parents completely cut off the outside world, isolating themselves from friends and family.  As a result, Axton spent her formative years crippled by anxiety, quarantined behind the closed curtains in her childhood home. Years later, her parents' marriage still shaken from the theft, Axton discovered that she, too, had fallen prey to the identity thief, but by the time she ...

"Beatrice Fox deserves to go straight to hell. At least, that's what she thinks. On her last day on Earth, she ruined the life of the person she loves most--her little sister, Emmy. So when Bea awakens from a fatal car accident to find herself on an airplane headed for a mysterious destination, she's confused, to say the least. Once on the ground, Bea receives some truly harrowing news: not only is she in purgatory, but she has been chosen to join the Memory Experience team. If she wants another shot at heaven, she'll have to use her master manipulation skills to help 5,000 souls suss out what's keeping them from moving on. There's just one slight problem. Bea's first assigned soul is Caleb, the boy who caused her accident, and the last person Bea would ever want to send to the pearly gates..." (Goodreads.com) Despite being written about purgatory and death this book made me physically laugh out loud. I have found that a lot of books are written withou...

The Bookwanderers by Anna James Genre: Fantasy Tilly discovers that she has the ability to walk inside books when she brings two of her favorite characters into her grandparents’ book shop! Brightstorm by Vashti Hardy Genre: Adventure Twins Maudie and Arthur go on an adventure to defend their family name – and to escape a bad situation. This book has an intriguing villain, wolves that talk telepathically, and disability representation!  Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega Genre: Fantasy Best friends Lucely, who can see ghosts, and Syd, whose grandmother is a witch, go on a supernatural adventure to save their town from an evil spirit. This book includes Latinx and Black representation! The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson Genre: Fantasy Marinka lives in a house with chicken legs with her grandmother, who is a Yaga, a witch who guides the dead to the afterlife. Marinka wants a normal life, but when she tries to have a normal life she faces dire consequenc...

In The City of Brass, twenty year old con artist Nahri lives in Cairo, Egypt. She has real healing abilities, but she keeps that fact to herself. During one of her cons, she performs a ritual she believes is just made up, but doing so she summons Dara, a Daeva (also known as a djinn) warrior. Dara says that Nahri is the last living member of a power family of healers and to stay safe she should go to the magical city of Daevabad. He agrees to escort her to Daevabad, though it’s clear he is apprehensive about returning to his home city due to his own history. Ali, who lives in Daevabad, is the son of the king. He is very devout in his faith, and isn’t too social, but he also has a secret. Against his father’s wishes, he is helping the shafit, part-djinn, part-human residents of Daevabad by giving them money and assistance on secret missions. When Nahri arrives in Daevabad with Dara, she begins to learn more about her own magical abilities as well as the tribes inhabiting Daevabad that h...

"In  Our Women on the Ground , nineteen of these women tell us, in their own words, about what it's like to report on conflicts that are (quite literally) close to home. From sexual harassment on the streets of Cairo to the impossibility of traveling without a male relative in Yemen, their challenges are unique—as are their advantages, such as being able to speak candidly with other women or gain entry to places that an outsider would never be able to access. Their daring, shocking, and heartfelt stories, told here for the first time, shatter stereotypes about Arab women and provide an urgently needed perspective on a part of the world that is often misunderstood." (Goodreads.com) For as long as I can remember there has always been conflict in the Middle East but I can't say that I know a lot about the Middle East in general (besides what I've learned in school). So when this book came out I picked it because not only is it about women journalists but the essays...

Morrigan Crow is a cursed child. This means whenever something bad happens, everyone around Morrigan believes it’s her fault. It also means that Morrigan is destined to die on the eve of her eleventh birthday. But before her birthday, her city’s Bidding Day takes place. On Bidding Day, children Morrigan’s age get bid on to apprentice for a job or attend a special school. Morrigan doesn’t expect to get bid on because of her cursed status, but when she does get a bid, her life gets turned upside down. Jupiter North, the mysterious man who bids on her, takes her to the land of Nevermoor to take place in the trials to join the prestigious Wundrous Society, which is made up of some of the most unique and powerful people in Nevermoor. If Morrigan can pass the four trials, she will get to join and stay in Nevermoor. Throughout her trials and her year, Morrigan learns more about her new home, the people around her, and her own strength. This book was delight to read. It was a blend of magic an...

The story opens with S, who is sixteen, pregnant, and at a boarding school that helps pregnant girls. She starts writing a letter to her baby, who will receive the letter when the baby is eighteen. Soon one letter turns into more and more and she starts to share more about her life and her feelings. Eighteen years later, Cass is interested in finding out about her birth parents. At first she is afraid to tell her mom and dad because she loves them. They are also dealing with her mom being sick in the hospital, potentially terminally. But as her story unfolds, she learns that her parents are supportive of her learning about her history and help her with her information-finding journey. I enjoyed this book because it handles hard topics in a very sensitive and subtle way. Cynthia Hand’s writing is easy to read, but enjoyable and interesting. I highly recommend this book! Darcy Lepore Library Director Available at the Langley Adams Library