Books of the Week June 28 through July 2

Title: “Mary Jane” 

Author: Jessica Anya Blau 

Reading Level: Adult 

“Mary Jane” follows the life of a 14-year-old girl in the 1970s called Mary Jane.  

She could be described as the perfect daughter. She is quiet, follows the rules, attends church and isn’t rebellious.  

Her mom gets her as job as a summer nanny for a man she believes to be a respectable psychiatrist; however, the doctor and his wife are far from Mary Jane’s mother’s expectations. They keep their home a mess, and they act nothing like Mary Jane and her family. Their way of life shocks Mary Jane because they open her eyes to the world outside of the sheltered one created by her parents.  

Adding to the shock, the doctor moves his washed-up rock star patient into his house.  

Will Mary Jane still be the sheltered good girl after the summer? 

This book is perfect for readers who love contemporary fiction. This story is based on what happens when someone experiences culture shock. Do people change because of the new experiences, or do they remain the same?  

Title: “The Paris Dressmaker” 

Author: Kristy Cambron 

Genre: Historical fiction  

 This historical fiction novel is based on true events that occurred during the Nazi occupation of Paris from 1941-1944.    

It’s 1939, and Parisians are starting to hear rumors about the Germans bringing the war to them.  

Lila de Laurent, a seamstress for Chanel, is suddenly out of a job and in the ration line. Her childhood friend, Amelie, is in denial that anything will come of the rumors of war in Paris but gets a ride out of town anyway. Lila can’t ignore the cruelty of the Nazis that infiltrate her hometown, and she decides to join the Resistance as an undercover dressmaker.   

When called to the swanky Hotel Ritz to make dresses for all of the “women friends” of the Nazis, Lila sees a familiar face. No matter what the obstacle, Lila must press on and get the information the Resistance needs.   

Simultaneously, Sandrine Paquet is also secretly working for the Resistance by cataloging all of the art that has been stolen and brought to the museum for transfer to Germany.   

She is called upon to catalog a one-of-a-kind blush gown by Chanel. Upon inspection, she finds a message hidden in the waistband stitching that might indicate the whereabouts of the dressmaker wanted by the Nazi regime.   

Sandrine must hide what she knows from the ever-present Captain von Hiller until her husband returns for her and their son.   

This is a wonderful story of how regular women became the unsung heroes of maintaining art and culture and standing up for what is right.