Library Loans

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Life Hacks for a Little Alien by Alice Franklin
Published by Little, Brown and Company on February 11, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction

Goodreads

Perfect for readers of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Remarkably Bright Creatures, this is a charming, witty, and profoundly moving novel about what it feels like to grow up neurodivergent.

“An extraordinary debut that made me laugh, tear up, and feel hopeful.” —Angie Kim, author of Happiness Falls

“Climb up here, Little Alien. Sit next to me. I will tell you about life on this planet. I will tell you how it goes.”

Before she thinks of herself as Little Alien, our protagonist is a lonely girl who doesn’t understand the world the way other children seem to. So when a late-night TV special introduces her to the mysterious Voynich Manuscript—an ancient tome written in an indecipherable language—Little Alien experiences something she hasn’t before: hope. Could there be others like her, who also feel like they’re from another planet?

Convinced the Voynich Manuscript holds the answers she needs, Little Alien and her best (and only) friend Bobby decide they must find this strange book. Where that decision leads them will change everything.

Narrated by an unexpected guide who has arrived to give Little Alien the advice she’ll need to find her way, Life Hacks for a Little Alien is both a coming-of-age adventure and a love letter to language. Alice Franklin will have you swinging from stitches to tears on the uneven path to finding a life that fits, even when you yourself do not.

The unusual title of this book made me read the synopsis which was called this "a love letter to language" and made me want to read it. The book did include lots of tantalizing aspects of linguistics but was also a charming story of a girl trying to navigate a world that seemed alien to her.

Our little alien struggled from a very young age. She always felt she didn't belong, didn't fit in, and didn't seem to understand how this world worked. For years and years, she was treated as an outcast and underestimated. Then she stumbled upon a documentary about the Voynich Manuscript which was thought by some to be the work of aliens. The mere existence of this mysterious manuscript fueled her interest and gave her hope.

It was clear that little alien was undiagnosed and somewhere on the spectrum. The author did a beautiful job conveying the character's difficulties, obstacles, and confusion with things encountered in her life. I loved being in her head as she tried to make sense of things, and I also really enjoyed her love of language. I sometimes wish I had taken the impractical route and let my love of language guide my choice of college major. Alas, I did not, but at least I got to read some really interesting things about it in this book.

I not only enjoyed the story, but I enjoyed how it was told. The unnamed narrator and main character, the second person point of view. It was different but worked so well for this tale. And it was interesting that I grew to care so deeply for a character with no name. Yes, I felt so much in my heart for little alien. I worried about her, cheered for her, raged for her. I did know that she felt loved. Her mother struggled with mental illness, but little alien recalled warmth and affection and care that was shown to her by her mother. Her father was also loving though maybe a bit stressed, understandably.

Overall, this novel was a wonderful surprise. Quirky and unique, it captured my interest and my heart.

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Lulu's Cafe by T.I. Lowe
Published by Tyndale Fiction on June 4, 2019
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

When a damaged young woman is given a chance to reclaim her life in a small South Carolina town, she must reckon with the dark secrets she left behind in order to accept the love she deserves.

On the run from a violent past, Leah Allen arrived in tiny Rivertown, South Carolina, battered and broken, but ready to reinvent herself. By a stroke of fate, Leah is drawn to the Southern hospitality of a small cafe, looking for a warm meal but finding so much more. Lulu, the owner, offers her a job, a place to stay and a new lease on life. Through Lulu's tenacious warmth and generosity, Leah quickly finds herself embraced by the quaint community as she tries to put herself back together. Given she's accustomed to cruelty, the kindness is overwhelming.

Soon Leah meets Crowley Mason, the most eligible bachelor in town. A lawyer and friend of Lulu's, Crowley is wary of Leah's sudden, mysterious arrival. Despite his reserve, something sparks between them that can't be denied. But after all she's been through, can Leah allow herself to truly love and be loved, especially when her first urge is to run?

Exploring the resiliency of both the heart and the spirit, Lulu's Cafe gorgeously illustrates how old scars can finally heal no matter how deep they seem.

Leah was on the run and when she ran into Lulu's Cafe, she found a place where she could heal and be loved.

The first part of this book is not for the faint of heart. Leah was an abused wife, and it was pretty graphic. I found myself sobbing for her because of the level of violence she suffered at the hands of her husband, and how much I feared for her life.

It brought me so much peace when Leah found her way to Lulu. Lulu was just an incredible woman who saw someone in need. She showed her gentleness, kindness, patience, and love. Lulu had a big heart and lots of love to give, and she gave it freely to those who needed it.

And then there was Crowley. He was so suspicious of Leah, but he also became an important part of her healing journey. He was a very complex man who lost so much at such a young age, and it was wonderful to see him open his heart to love and possibilites.

This was a very emotional tale which made me laugh and cry. I love a comeback story, and this was Leah's comeback. She was a survivor who I could cheer for, and it was gratifying to see her get such a fantastic end to her story.

Any life hacks to share?
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