Recommendations based on Doll-babyby Laura Lane McNeal

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The Invention of Wings

    by Sue Monk Kidd
    A powerful story about a girl's journey to freedom, despite the limitations of slavery.

    Writing at the height of her narrative and imaginative gifts, Sue Monk Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world—and it is now ... (Goodreads)

  2. Orphan Train

    by Christina Baker Kline
    A story of two women's intertwined lives, spanning generations and crossing continents.

    The #1 New York Times Bestseller “A lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to illuminate a fascinating and forgotten chapter of America’s history. Beautiful.”—Ann Packer Moving ... (Barnes & Noble)

  3. State of Wonder

    by Ann Patchett
    A journey in the Amazon rainforest to find a missing colleague and unlock the secrets of a mysterious drug.

    In a narrative replete with poison arrows, devouring snakes, scientific miracles, and spiritual transformations, "State of Wonder" presents a world of stunning surprise and danger, rich in emotional ... (Goodreads)

  4. Lilac Girls

    by Martha Hall Kelly
    A story of three women's lives, intertwined by World War II, and their remarkable courage.

    Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this powerful debut novel reveals an incredible story of love, redemption, and terrible secrets that were hidden for decades. On the eve of a ... (Goodreads)

  5. Inside the O'Briens

    by Lisa Genova
    A family's battle against Huntington's Disease, discovering strength in the face of tragedy.

    Joe O’Brien is a forty-four-year-old police officer from the Irish Catholic neighborhood of Charlestown, Massachusetts. A devoted husband, proud father of four children in their twenties, and ... (Goodreads)

  6. Before We Were Yours

    by Lisa Wingate
    Family torn apart is reunited across generations, revealing a powerful tale of resilience and hope.

    Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Lost Wife

    by Alyson Richman
    A love story set in WWII Prague, where a young couple is separated by war and reunited decades later.

    There on her forearm, next to a small brown birthmark, were six tattooed numbers. 'Do you remember me now?' he asked, trembling. She looked at him again, as if giving weight and bone to a ghost. ... (Goodreads)

  8. The Women in the Castle

    by Jessica Shattuck
    Three women unite in a quest to survive in war-torn Germany and seek justice for their pasts.

    The story begins at the site of a Bavarian castle in 1938, with detailed descriptions of the society of the pre-war days in Germany among a certain class of landed aristocrats. Countess Marianne von ... (Wikipedia)

  9. Life As We Knew It

    by Susan Beth Pfeffer
    A teenage girl's struggle to survive an apocalyptic disaster, relying on her resilience and resourcefulness.

    Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Beautiful Mystery

    by Louise Penny
    A priest and a nun join forces to solve a murder shrouded in secrets within a cloistered Quebec monastery.

    No outsiders are ever admitted to the monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups, hidden deep in the wilderness of Québec, where two dozen cloistered monks live in peace and prayer. Ironically, for a ... (Goodreads)

  11. The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

    by Robert Dugoni
    Sam Hell, born with ocular albinism, navigates life's challenges with the help of his mother, a nun, and a friend.

    Wall Street Journal, and, New York Times, bestselling author Robert Dugoni’s coming-of-age story is, according to, Booklist, “a novel that, if it doesn’t cross entirely over into John Irving ... (Barnes & Noble)

  12. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

    by Alvin Schwartz
    Collection of tales of horror and the supernatural, to be shared with friends around a campfire.

    This spooky addition to Alvin Schwartz's popular books on American folklore is filled with tales of eerie horror and dark revenge that will make you jump with fright. There is a story here for ... (Goodreads)

  13. This Tender Land

    by William Kent Krueger
    Four orphans escape a cruel boarding school and embark on a journey down the Mississippi River during the Great Depression.

    INSTANT, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER! “If you liked, Where the Crawdads Sing, you’ll love, This Tender Land, ...This story is as big-hearted as they come.” —, Parade, The unforgettable story of four ... (Barnes & Noble)

  14. These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901

    by Nancy E. Turner
    A young woman's struggle for independence, chronicles her journey through the American Southwest.

    “Belongs on your must-read list. This novel is a gem.” — Omaha World-Herald Nancy E. Turner's unforgettable, These Is My Words, melds the sweeping adventures and dramatic landscapes of, Lonesome ... (Barnes & Noble)

  15. Invasion of the Boy Snatchers

    by Lisi Harrison
    The Pretty Committee is back, and they're on a mission to find out who's stealing all the boys at OCD.

    The holidays are over and Massie's room is chock-full of new things from Santa: jeans, sweater, and a new . . . roommate? Once Claire unpacks, Massie's room feels more crowded than a Zac Posen sample ... (Goodreads)

  16. Because I'm Worth It

    by Cecily von Ziegesar
    A group of privileged teenagers navigate their way through the ups and downs of high society in New York City.

    The wickedly funny fourth book in the #1, New York Times, bestselling series that inspired the original hit CW show and the new series coming to HBO Max's Spring 2020 launch season (alongside hit ... (Barnes & Noble)

  17. The Golden Hour

    by Beatriz Williams
    A forbidden love affair between a journalist and a British royal in the Bahamas during WWII. Secrets and betrayals threaten their happiness.

    “ The Golden Hour is pure golden delight Beatriz Williams is at the top of her game.” —Kate Quinn, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Alice Network Beatriz Williams, the, New York Times, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  18. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

    by Jamie Ford
    A touching story of the intersection of love, family, and culture during World War II.

    Henry Lee, the son of Chinese parents in Seattle , Washington, is the only Asian child at his elementary school. His father makes him wear an "I Am Chinese" button so he will not be mistaken for a ... (Wikipedia)

  19. Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 5

    by Bisco Hatori
    The Host Club goes on a beach vacation, but things get complicated when they meet a girl who is searching for her father.

    In this sharp-witted romantic comedy about the clash of the classes (of all kinds), a poor girl at a rich kids' school ends up working at the school's toniest club-and gets mistaken for a boy! In ... (Goodreads)

  20. Go Set a Watchman

    by Harper Lee
    Confronting the past and present, a woman struggles to reconcile her beliefs with those of her hometown.

    Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, a single 26-year-old, returns from New York to her hometown, Maycomb, Alabama, for her annual fortnight-long visit to her father Atticus, a lawyer and former state ... (Wikipedia)

  21. The Secret of Platform 13

    by Eva Ibbotson
    A rescue mission to bring back a prince from a magical island through a secret portal at King's Cross Station.

    A forgotten door on an abandoned railway platform is the entrance to a magical kingdom–an island where humans live happily with feys, mermaids, ogres, and other wonderful creatures. Carefully hidden ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

    by Gabrielle Zevin
    Life of an isolated bookseller is transformed when an unexpected visitor brings unexpected joy.

    “Marvelously optimistic about the future of books and bookstores and the people who love both.”—, The Washington Post, A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his ... (Barnes & Noble)

  23. City of Dark Magic

    by Magnus Flyte
    A young musicologist travels to Prague to study Beethoven's manuscripts, but uncovers a sinister plot involving time travel, alchemy, and murder.

    Cosmically fast-paced and wildly imaginative, this debut novel is a perfect potion of magic and suspense, Once a city of enormous wealth and culture, Prague was home to emperors, alchemists, ... (Goodreads)

  24. The Magician's Lie

    by Greer Macallister
    A female magician accused of murder tells her life story to a detective, revealing secrets and illusions.

    Water for Elephants meets The Night Circus in The Magician’s Lie , a debut novel in which the country’s most notorious female illusionist stands accused of her husband's murder –and she has only one ... (Goodreads)

  25. Such a Pretty Girl

    by Laura Wiess
    A young girl must confront her mother's abuser as he is released from prison.

    They promised Meredith nine years of safety, but only gave her three. Her father was supposed to be locked up until Meredith turned eighteen. She thought she had time to grow up, get out, and start a ... (Goodreads)

  26. Amy Snow

    by Tracy Rees
    Abandoned as a baby, Amy Snow embarks on a journey of self-discovery and uncovers secrets that change her life forever.

    Left to perish on a bank of snow as a baby, Amy has never known love, never known family. Reluctantly given shelter at nearby Hatville Court, she is despised by the masters and servants alike. The ... (Goodreads)

  27. Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 6

    by Bisco Hatori
    The Host Club goes on a beach vacation, but things get complicated when they meet a girl who is searching for her father.

    In this sharp-witted romantic comedy about the clash of the classes (of all kinds), a poor girl at a rich kids' school ends up working at the school's toniest club-and gets mistaken for a boy! In ... (Goodreads)

  28. The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder

    by Rebecca Wells
    A young woman navigates life in a small Louisiana town, facing love, loss, and self-discovery along the way.

    In the small river town of La Luna, Louisiana, Calla Lily Ponder bursts into being, a force of nature as luminous as the flower she is named for. Under the loving light of the Moon Lady, the feminine ... (Barnes & Noble)

  29. Woman of God

    by James Patterson
    A young doctor becomes a Catholic nun and is sent to war-torn South Sudan, where she faces challenges to her faith and life.

    The central character of this book is Brigid Fitzgerald, a physician working with the fictional organization Kind Hands (similar to Doctors without Borders ). Brigid is in south Sudan in very ... (Wikipedia)

  30. The Light Between Oceans

    by M.L. Stedman
    A lighthouse keeper and his wife make a heartbreaking decision that has lifelong repercussions.

    Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found, here, Australia, 1926. After four harrowing years fighting on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns home to take a job as the lighthouse ... (Goodreads)