#FDL: Popular Paranormal Fiction
It’s that spooky time of year! Check out this list of titles that have been popular in 2023! Click on a title to view it in our catalog and place a hold.
Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher
The Spite House by Johnney Compton
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
Cursed at Dawn by Heather Graham
Shadow Dance by Christine Feehan
The Witches of Bone Hill by Ava Morgyn
Last to Leave the Room by Caitlin Starling
Bad Luck Vampire: An Argeneau Novel by Lynsay Sands
The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin
The Forest Demands Its Due by Kosoko Jackson
Howl at the Moon: An Urban Fantasy Fairy Tale by Deborah Wilde
–Post by Susie Rivera, Adult Services Specialist
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
FDL Reads: Sunflower Sisters
Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly
Reviewed by: Becky Houghton, Reference Assistant
What is This Book About?: Told from the perspective of three women during the U.S. Civil War and based heavily on fact and historical documents, Sunflower Sisters details the roles of women during the war from nurses to spies to slaves. Georgianna “Georgy” Woolsey takes a very active role in the war by training and serving as a field nurse in Maryland, the Capital in Washington and the Gettysburg battlefield. Georgy, her mother, and sisters all aid the Union war efforts in various ways as abolitionists. In contract, Anne-May Watson is a southern slave owner originally from New Orleans, but an inheritor of a tabaco plantation in Maryland. Through a cruel, abusive overseer, Anne-May mistreats those working on her farm and does all she can to keep the institution of slavery alive and well in the south. Jemma, a young slave girl, and her family are Anne-May’s property and their efforts to escape slavery and serve to end the institution comprise the third perspective of the story. Told chronologically through each of these women’s stories, a gripping, vivid tale of the Civil War years is revealed.
My Review: I loved this book! Kelly’s writing style of relating the events through the eyes of three different women from very diverse backgrounds gives a strong sense of accuracy to her accounts and draws the reader into the story that she tells. While some events related are not pleasant, Kelly’s strong characters and how they handle the events kept me engrossed in story. It is realistic because many of the characters and events portrayed actually existed as is revealed in the author’s note at the end of the novel. I have always enjoyed both fiction and non-fiction about the civil war, so highly recommend this book to the lovers of historical fiction!
Three Words that Describe this Book: Gripping, Powerful, Realistic
Give This A Try if You Like… Martha Kelly’s previous titles Lost Roses or Lilac Girls or if you just enjoy books about the tumultuous Civil War years in the United States.
Rating: 5/5
These Books Are the Cat’s Pajamas!
These Books Are the Cat’s Pajamas!
Did you know that cats are the coolest pets ever? Well, Miss Alice thinks so anyway! And 46.5 million households across the country agree! These fantastic felines can make biscuits and purr their way into anyone’s hearts. Here’s a bunch of books featuring cats to delight readers of all ages with some mischievous antics and sweet kitties.
Picture books:
1. Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty
2. Stack the Cats by Susie Ghahremani
3. 10 Cats by Emily Gravett (also available in Spanish)
4. Cat’s Very Good Day by Kristen Tracy
5. This Little Kitty by Karen Obuhanych
Fiction:
1. Sparrow Being Sparrow by Gail Donovan
2. Don’t Trust the Cat by Kristen Tracy
3. Mia Mayhen and the Cat Burglar by Kara West
4. Katt Loves Dogg by James Patterson
5. Catalyst by Sarah Beth Durst
Graphic novels:
1. Sue and Tai-chan by Kanata Konami
2. The Evil Secret Society of Cats by Pandania
3. Sparks by Ian Boothby
4. The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza by Mac Barnett
5. Kitty Quest by Phil Corbett
Nonfiction:
1. Cats: Nature and Nurture by Andy Hirsch
2. Get Crafting For Your Cool Cat by Ruth Owen
3. Cats are Cats: Poems by Nancy Larrick
4. Cats & Kittens: Learn to Draw and Color 26 Different Kitties by Diana Fisher
5. Cats by Anna Milbourne
-Post by Alice Mitchell, Youth Services Manager
FDL Reads: The Spider and the Fly
The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
Reviewed by Julie Nutt, Communications Specialist
Genre: Poetry, horror
Suggested age: Ages 8 and up
What is this book about? “ ‘Will you walk into my parlor?’ said the Spider to the Fly.” Probably one of most-well known opening lines in the history of poetry, “The Spider and the Fly,” is a cautionary tale written by poet Mary Howitt in 1829. The Spider lures the unsuspecting Fly into his home with charming compliments and offers of the finer things in life. But Spider’s promises are actually part of his fiendish plan to trap and eat the Fly! Fly is suspicious throughout, but can she avoid the spider’s fiendish ulterior motives?
Mary Howitt wrote this story as a cautionary tale to her own children, “about those who use sweet words to hide their not-so-sweet intentions” (from the book jacket). This New York Times Bestselling adaptation of the story has been hailed by critics and illustrators alike.
My review: Sadly, to this day, the message is all to relevant. Author William Bennett said of the story, “Unfortunately, as long as there’s dishonesty in the world, there will be people ready to lay traps for us…” It is a harsh lesson in stranger-danger for children, but also a warning to adults to beware of the danger of false promises. Mary Howitt’s prose perfectly depicts the Spider’s dark intentions, as well as the Fly’s naivete.
Illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi takes the poem to a whole new level of macabre with his ghostly pencil and gouache illustrations that are reminiscent of silent movies and 19th century fairy tales. (I personally find old fairy tales, well…pretty creepy.) DiTerlizzi takes no liberties with the text, but adds subtle clues in his illustrations as to what will ultimately happen to the Fly.
A quick, deliciously dreadful read for parents and kids…or just parents! Warning: read it with the lights on!
Three words that describe this book: creepy, captivating, cautionary
Give this a try if you like: books by Alvin Schwarz, Edward Gorey, and Shel Silverstein
Rating: 5/5
*available in print and Hoopla ebook
Library Memories Instagram Photo Contest
Fondulac District Library is celebrating our 10th Birthday in our current location! Our building at 400 Richland Street hosted its grand opening November 2, 2013. In honor of this big anniversary, we’re inviting you to take part in our Instagram library memories photo contest!
Rules:
Contest runs October 4-November 1, 2023.
Winners will be announced November 4.
Pictures must feature some aspect of Fondulac District Library.
Any person featured in an image must provide consent before the picture is taken.
Post photos to Instagram using the hashtag #fondulaclibrary10 in your caption.
Make sure your profile is public OR follow Fondulac District Library (@fondulacdistrictlibrary) on Instagram so we can see your entry.
Three winners will be determined by our library board president, Ellen Hanks.
Join us in celebrating 10 years of supporting your freedom to read!
FDL Reads: Antimatter Blues by Edward Ashton
Antimatter Blues by Edward Ashton
Reviewed By: Jeremy Zentner, Reference Assistant
Genre: Science Fiction
Suggested Age: Adults/ Teens
What is This Book About? Mickey Barnes is an Expendable. Or at least, he used to be a couple years back. Expendables were sent on perilous missions on new colony worlds, specifically with the intent to die. They would then be reborn in cloned bodies with their last uploaded memories. In this way, nonexpendable colonists could order high risk missions without losing their people. But Mickey’s retired from all of that, now. He’s just trying to live the best life he can on the colony Nilfheim. There’s a problem though. Winter is coming, and their dome’s antimatter powerhouse is running out of fuel. The colony barely survived with fuel last winter and not having power this winter will turn their dome into a giant tomb. So, Mickey has been pulled out of retirement and reenlisted to perform another perilous mission. Get a fresh batch of antimatter fuel before winter sets in. To do this, however, Mickey will have to march into the middle of an alien war.
My Review: This is the follow-up sequel to Mickey7 and it did not disappoint! This book does a great job of illustrating what a rough “pioneer” life might look like on a colony planet. Some of the most dangerous situations were as simple as someone falling at the worst possible time. Preconditions and a lack of medical facilities also show up as a simple, yet very real threat. And, of course, there are the elements, such as the impending winter, low water supply, limited power, and carnivorous predators. We also get an interesting glimpse of what diplomacy with an alien species might look like as Mickey tries to retrieve an antimatter bomb. Negotiating with the aliens is a lot more complex than simply learning a foreign language. Mickey must convince the indigenous species that every human being is an individual lifeform and not just an ancillary limb that can be disposed of at any time. Mickey also has to navigate through interspecies conflicts and politics as two of the native species are actively at war with each other. It’s a quick read with a lot of action and snark.
Three Words that Describe this Book: sci-fi, space, aliens
Give This A Try if You Like… The Martian, Old Man’s War, The Expanse series, All Systems Red: The Murderbot Diaries
Rating: 4/5