The results of our Spooky Halloween Writing Contest are in! Three winners were chosen from each of the Teen and Adult categories. We’d like to congratulate the winners and thank all of you who participated!
Teen Winners
Fondulac District Library offers automatic renewals as a time-saving convenience to its patrons!
Effective November 1, 2024, items checked out at Fondulac District Library eligible for renewal will be renewed automatically on their due date.
Please carefully read the courtesy notices sent by the library. Email notices will show you which items renewed and which did not. Providing your current email address allows you to receive courtesy notices from the library.
As a reminder, no overdue fines will be charged on any item checked out at FDL, regardless of who owns the item, which library issued your card, or where the item is returned. Learn more about the library’s fine-free procedures here.
FAQs
What is Automatic Renewal?
You no longer need to manually renew your library items! The library’s automatic renewal service will take care of the renewals for you! All items checked out at Fondulac District Library that are eligible for renewal will be automatically renewed on their due date.
How does it work?
Any items on your account that are eligible for renewal will now renew automatically on their due date.
How will I know an item renewed?
If you have an email address associated with your account, you will receive notification via email that lists which items were successfully renewed and which items were not, if applicable. (To sign up for email notifications, login in to your library card account or call or visit the library.)
Patrons without an email address registered with their account can check their account online or via the RSACat app. Patrons may also contact the library.
Which items are eligible for renewal?
Most items are eligible for one renewal, as long as another patron has not placed a hold on the item and your account is in good standing.
Items will not renew automatically if:
Can I still renew my items manually?
Yes. If you wish to renew an item prior to its due date, simply renew it through your account online or speak to a staff member at the library. Manual renewals will extend the borrowing period from the date of the manual renewal.
Patrons may manually renew eligible borrowed items in-person, over the phone at (309) 699-3917, by text, or online. To renew items over the phone, please have your library card number ready. To renew items in-person, please have the items, and your library card or a current photo ID in hand.
To renew items online:
Can I opt-out of automatic renewals?
Patrons cannot opt-out of automatic renewals at this time.
The Butcher of the Forest Premee Mohamed
Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Reference Specialist
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Twisted Fairy Tales
Suggested Age: Teen, Adult
What is the book about? Veris is a middle-aged woman living with her aunt and grandfather in a land controlled by a deplorable foreigner known as the “Tyrant.” Between her home and the Tyrant’s castle is the foreboding Elmever; a dark forest that all locals know to NEVER enter. However, the Tyrant’s two young children have disappeared and the all signs point to them entering the Elmever under cover of night. Now, under threat of death for herself and her loved ones, Veris must attempt something that she miraculously accomplished once before…many years ago; go into the Elmever and come out of alive WITH the children.
My Review: I liked this novella quite a bit. It was a quick read and a good change of pace from my usual genres. The pace of action was brisk, which kept the suspense at the forefront. Premee Mohamed has a descriptive writing style that paints a comprehensive picture without getting lost in minor details. This twisted fairy tale has so many macabre elements it borders on horror, but wasn’t overly gory. The tension leaves you constantly wondering if there will be a happy ending or not.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Spooky, Intense, Grim
Give This a Try if You Like…Grimm’s Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm, One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig, The Parliament by Aimee Pokwatka
Rating: 4.5/5
National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated September 15 through October 15 – a time to lift up the cultures and contributions of Americans tracing their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean. Learn more about the diverse history and culture of Hispanic Americans, amplify their voices, and support their businesses – and get started by reading books by one of these authors.
Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez
– Post by Susie Rivera, Adult Services Specialist
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
Beyond our community, Library Card Sign-Up Month is celebrated in September by the American Library Association and libraries nationwide to remind everyone that a library card is the first step towards academic achievement and lifelong learning. So this September, sign up for a new FDL card, renew your expired card, or replace your lost card to be entered into a prize drawing for an Amazon Fire tablet! Already have an FDL card in good standing? Use it to check out physical materials within FDL throughout September, and you could win an Amazon Fire tablet, too! Encourage your friends and neighbors to get their library cards, and discover all of the great resources and programs available at FDL!
For more information about how to sign up for your library card, visit fondulaclibrary.org/library-cards/.
Check out one of these dark academia titles that feature Gothic elements, academic settings, mysteries, or autumn imagery.
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
If We Were Villians by M. L. Rio
Bunny by Mona Awad
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
Vicious by Victoria Schwab
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
– Post by Susie Rivera, Adult Services Specialist
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
FDL staff has been reading this summer! Here are some our our favorites.
Deanna: You With a View by Jessica Joyce – “This summer romance was tender, sweet, and so unbelievably cozy. Grief and expectations are also major plot points throughout the book that brought me both heartache and closure.”
Jeremy: The Last Colony by John Scalzi – “This is a sequel to Old Man’s War and The Ghost Brigades, but can be read as a standalone sci-fi adventure as ex-colonial soldier John Perry and his super-soldier wife, Jane Sagan, get roped into fighting a new type of battle, founding and leading humanity’s last colony.”
Grace: Ready or Not by Cara Bastone – “I just finished Ready or Not by Cara Bastone and I really liked it! It was a very wholesome romance that felt realistic but sweet, while also being something I think many people could relate to.”
Julie: Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach by James Dean– “I love Pete the Cat’s unflappable positivity, so it’s interesting to see how he conquers his fear of water! I can identify, since I am also afraid of oceans, lakes, rivers…but not pools.”
Sylvia: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World By Stephen Brusatte– “This book was science-y enough to make me feel smart by following along, and the author is very knowledgeable about his subject.”
Susie: A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid- “This novel is a gothic fantasy romance for literature nerds! A two college students investigate a renowned manor and uncover shocking secrets about it’s former owner.”
The Bangalore Detectives Club
By: Harini Nagendra
Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Adult Services Specialist
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Historical Fiction
Suggested Age: Teen/Adult
What is the book about? Young wife, Kaveri, moved to Bangalore a few months ago to live with her new husband, Ramu, a doctor at the local hospital. As she has slowly been acclimating to the social setting in Bangalore, she has been attending more and more outings, including a party at the Century Club. It is here where a stunning murder occurs sending ripples of fear and anxiety through the community. Kaveri’s curiosity takes hold and she can’t seem to stop herself from investigating. Her new friendship with Deputy Inspector Ismail of the local police department only encourages her onward. People continue to be attacked while Kaveri is relentlessly hunting the killer. Can she stay safe while closing in on the violent offender? Or will she be the next victim?
My Review: I found this book to be an enjoyable cozy mystery. The main character, Kaveri, is charming and likable. She has some progressive ideas about how she wants to live her life that clash with the culture of 1920’s British India. However, her supportive husband begrudgingly allows her the freedom to indulge her curiosity and investigate the murder like it’s a new hobby. That may be a bit fanciful, but the story wouldn’t work if Kaveri were held to firm caste and gender rules. I listened to the audiobook on hoopla and thought the voice actor’s performance enhanced the experience with authentic pronunciation and accents.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Whimsical, Enchanting, Endearing
Give This a Try if You Like…The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey, and A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao
Rating: 4/5
When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi
Reviewed by: Dawn Dickey
Genre: Fiction
Suggested Age: Adults, Teens
What is the book about?: Fereiba, a teacher, and her engineer husband, Mahmoud, are middle class parents in Afghanistan, raising their family of two amidst a quickly changing and dangerous political scene. After Mahmoud is murdered, things change drastically and for the worse for Fereiba. She plans a daring escape with her three children, the youngest of whom would never meet his father.
My Review: Opening this book, I was instantly drawn into Fereiba’s story. The characters and their experiences are true to life and could have been drawn from the news. Their story is compelling, containing both joy and tragedy and dangers I could never have imagined. I marveled at their courage, cried at their misfortunes, and was thankful for the help they received during their dangerous adventures. The tale alternated voices between Fereiba and her son, Saleem. This dual perspective made the audio book especially enjoyable. I highly recommend this book, in text or audio format!
Three Words That Describe This Book: Courageous, enlightening, hopeful
Give This a Try if You Like… We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls around the World by Malala Yousafzai or A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende or While the Earth Sleeps We Travel by Ahmed M. Badr
Rating: 5/5
Finish out Pride Month with one of these LGBTQ+ book recommendations from our library!
Delilah Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake
These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever
Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Thing by Lauren Hough
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
The Hours by Michael Cunningham
Blackmail, My Love by Katie Gilmartin
Bodies of Water by T. Greenwood
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Let’s Get Back to the Party by Zak Salih
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
Zara Hossain Is Here by Sabina Khan
Between Perfect and Real by Ray Stoeve
Nightcrawlers by Bill Pronzini
Post by Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.