by Victoria Freeny
People calls it “an exquisite debut that combines a moving tale of friendship with a fascinating primer on bees,” while The Washington Post praises it as “a sweet story and a nice reminder that ‘flaws’ can actually be strengths.” In a starred review, Booklist describes it as “both buoyant and bittersweet…a luscious paean to the bonds of friendship.”
We are pleased to announce the 2026 Adams County Reads One Book featuring “The Music of the Bees” by Eileen Garvin. This book is a heartfelt novel about three lonely strangers who come together to heal, rebuild, and rediscover purpose through the unexpected magic of beekeeping.
Alice Holtzman, who is grieving the sudden loss of her husband, buys a struggling honeybee farm in search of a fresh start, but quickly finds herself in over her head. When Jake, a paraplegic teenager, and Harry, a troubled young adult, come into her life, the trio forms an unlikely partnership. As they work to revive the failing hives, each must confront the past and learn to trust again, discovering that healing, like beekeeping, takes patience, resilience, and connection.
Copies of “The Music of Bees” are available at each Adams County Library location. eBook and eAudiobook copies are also available through CloudLibrary. As in the past, discussions, programs, and events will take place in October. Look for more detailed information about all of the planned programs in the next few months as well as in the Fall edition of the What’s Happening calendar coming out later this summer.
Capturing the heart of the story, Eileen Garvin writes, “Disrupt old patterns. Find a path out of the old way of doing things to forge a new one. It might feel uncomfortable, but the only way out was through. Things needed to feel different to become different.”
We hope you enjoy this year’s One Book selection. Happy reading!
Victoria Freeny is Public Services Coordinator Librarian for the Adams County Library System.