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“Rebellion 1776” by Laurie Halse Anderson

For Teens

After losing her mother and siblings to smallpox, 13-year-old Elsbeth Culpepper and her father have started a new life in Boston just in time to be caught up in the British siege against the Patriots fighting for independence. Elsbeth works as a maid, first for a Loyalist judge, then for the boisterous Pike family. Through an eventful summer, Elsbeth’s father goes missing, her best friend goes to war, residents of Boston undergo smallpox inoculation, and the United States declares its independence. Through illness and revolution, Elsbeth must survive on her own, find her father, and protect those she cares about. Middle school-age readers should find it easy to connect with down-to-earth Elsbeth, who is feisty and self-determined while still fitting in believably as a girl of her era. Prepare for heartstrings tugged and tears shed as witness to the all-too-familiar trajectory of an epidemic. “Rebellion 1776” masterfully immerses the reader into the day-to-day life of a common person in a much younger but not entirely unfamiliar version of our United States.

“Happy Medium” by Sarah Adler

For adults

Ghosts, goats and grumpy guys. Though not really the typical formula for a budding romance, in the book “Happy Medium,” these are the ingredients for a love story. Gretchen Acorn can speak to ghosts. Or at least, that’s what it says on her resume. She has based her entire career on convincing the bereaved that she can communicate with their deceased loved ones. As one of the most successful spirit mediums in the D.C. area, Gretchen is hired by her wealthiest patron to perform an exorcism at a goat farm. Not her usual assignment, but with $10,000 in her pocket, she makes her way to Gilded Creek Goat Farm for quite possibly her easiest job yet. Or so she thinks. Besides being nibbled on by a curious (or potentially murderous) goat and falling face-first into a pool of mud, Gretchen is shocked to learn that the farm really is haunted by a ghost named Everett. And she can speak to him. What’s even more shocking is that the owner of the farm, Charlie Waybill, is cursed. According to Everett, if Charlie sells the farm, then he will die and forever haunt the property. In this hilarious and heartfelt enemies-to-lovers story, sometimes the scariest thing in life is confronting your past and opening yourself up to love and friendship – even if that means facing a curse. Or a career change.