Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is an update with book recommendations to help you find your next great read! Lists are curated based on popular authors and novels, trending topics, seasons, and holidays. And don’t miss our occasional book giveaways!
#FDL: Contemporary Romance Authors
In the mood for romance? Try one of these authors who set their novels during modern times. These are character-driven stories that typically focus on the emotional growth of the protagonist who finds a new and exciting relationship, not without its challenges.
-Post by Susie Rivera, Adult Services Specialist
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
#FDL: Historical Fiction – January Giveaway
Historical fiction a genre of story-telling where events are set in a real place during a culturally significant time, usually at least 50 years prior to publication. The details of the story can include a mixture of actual and imagined people and events. Here are four upcoming historical fiction titles.
Expected publication: 04/02/24
Scotland, 1840s
John, an impoverished Scottish minister, has accepted a job evicting the lone remaining occupant of an island north of Scotland—Ivar, who has been living alone for decades, with only the animals and the sea for company. Though his wife, Mary, has serious misgivings about the errand, he decides to go anyway, setting in motion a chain of events that neither he nor Mary could have predicted.
Shortly after John reaches the island, he falls down a cliff and is found, unconscious and badly injured, by Ivar who takes him home and tends to his wounds. The two men do not speak a common language, but as John builds a dictionary of Ivar’s world, they learn to communicate and, as Ivar sees himself for the first time in decades reflected through the eyes of another person, they build a fragile, unusual connection.
Unfolding in the 1840s in the final stages of the infamous Scottish Clearances—which saw whole communities of the rural poor driven off the land in a relentless program of forced evictions—this singular, beautiful, deeply surprising novel explores the differences and connections between us, the way history shapes our deepest convictions, and how the human spirit can survive despite all odds. Moving and unpredictable, sensitive and spellbinding, Clear is a profound and pleasurable read.
The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson by Ellen Baker
Expected publication: 02/20/24
American Midwest, early 20th century
In 1924, four-year-old Cecily Larson’s mother reluctantly drops her off at an orphanage in Chicago, promising to be back once she’s made enough money to support both Cecily and herself. But she never returns, and shortly after high-spirited Cecily turns seven, she is sold to a traveling circus to perform as the “little sister” to glamorous bareback rider Isabelle DuMonde. With Isabelle and the rest of the circus, Cecily finally feels she’s found the family she craves. But as the years go by, the cracks in her little world begin to show. And when teenage Cecily meets and falls in love with a young roustabout named Lucky, she finds her life thrown onto an entirely unexpected—and dangerous—course.
In 2015, Cecily is now 94 and living a quiet life in Minnesota, with her daughter, granddaughter, and great-grandson. But when her family decides to surprise her with an at-home DNA test, the unexpected results not only bring to light the tragic love story that Cecily has kept hidden for decades but also throw into question everything about the family she’s raised and claimed as her own for nearly seventy years. Cecily and everyone in her life must now decide who they really are and what family—and forgiveness—really mean.
Sweeping through a long period of contemporary history, The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson is an immersive, compelling, and entertaining family drama centered around one remarkable woman and her determination to survive.
The Things We Didn’t Know by Elba Iris Pérez
Expected publications: 02/06/24
Massachusetts & Puerto Rico, 1950s
Andrea Rodríguez is nine years old when her mother whisks her and her brother, Pablo, away from Woronoco, the tiny Massachusetts factory town that is the only home they’ve known. With no plan and no money, she leaves them with family in the mountainside villages of Puerto Rico and promises to return.
Months later, when Andrea and Pablo are brought back to Massachusetts, they find their hometown significantly changed. As they navigate the rifts between their family’s values and all-American culture and face the harsh realities of growing up, they must embrace both the triumphs and heartache that mark the journey to adulthood.
A heartfelt, evocative portrait of another side of life in 1950s America, The Things We Didn’t Know establishes Elba Iris Pérez as a sensational new literary voice.
The Queen of Sugar Hill: A Novel of Hattie McDaniel by ReShonda Tate
Expected publication: 01/30/24
Los Angeles, 1940s
It was supposed to be the highlight of her career, the pinnacle for which she’d worked all her life. And as Hattie McDaniel took the stage in 1940 to claim an honor that would make her the first African-American woman to win an Academy Award, she tearfully took her place in history. Between personal triumphs and tragedies, heartbreaking losses, and severe setbacks, this historic night of winning best supporting actress for her role as the sassy Mammy in the controversial movie Gone With the Wind was going to be life-changing.
Or so she thought.
Months after winning the award, not only did the Oscar curse set in where Hattie couldn’t find work, but she found herself thrust in the middle of two worlds—Black and White—and not being welcomed in either. Whites only saw her as Mammy and Blacks detested the demeaning portrayal.
As the NAACP waged an all-out war against Hattie and actors like her, the emotionally conflicted actor found herself struggling daily. Through it all, Hattie continued her fight to pave a path for other Negro actors, while focusing on war efforts, fighting housing discrimination, and navigating four failed marriages. Luckily, she had a core group of friends to help her out—from Clark Gable to Louise Beavers to Ruby Berkley Goodwin and Dorothy Dandridge.
The Queen of Sugar Hill brings to life the powerful story of one woman who was driven by many passions—ambition, love, sex, family, friendship, and equality. In re-creating Hattie’s story, ReShonda Tate delivers an unforgettable novel of resilience, dedication, and determination—about what it takes to achieve your dreams—even when everything—and everyone—is against you.
Annotations from the publishers
–Post by Melissa Friedlund, Adult Services Specialist
Giveaway
Enter your name here for a chance to win ARCs of the books mentioned in this post. One entry per person. Drawing to be held approximately 7 days after this post.
ARCs are “advanced reading copies.” These are free copies of a new books given by a publisher to librarians and other reviewers before the book is printed for mass distribution.
#FDL is a weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria.
#FDL: Staff Favorites from 2023
FDL staff members read a wide variety of books last year! These are just a few of their favorites from 2023. Click on a title below to find it in our catalog.
Breaking Cat News series by Georgia Dunn “These are comic anthologies on the Libby app. They were a fun way to pack in just a few minutes of reading at a time as I was navigating becoming a parent this year. The comics are absolutely hilarious, whether you are a cat owner or not! Tip: don’t read these while rocking your newborn baby to sleep because you WILL laugh out loud and wake them.” – Chelsea, Youth Services
The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner “She also wrote The Lost Apothecary (another book I loved). What I liked: A skeptical assistant to a renowned psychic tries to solve her sister’s murder, only to find out things are not what they seem. This is a great book for those who love gothic tales of the paranormal with strong women characters. – Christy Schurter, Youth Services
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson “Tress is a fun adventure story on a planet with compelling worldbuilding.” – Nick, Circulation
The Housemaid, by Frieda McFadden. “It has twisty, exciting plot. I found myself rooting for people halfway through the book that I really disliked when the book started. It kept me on my toes!” -Sylvia, Circulation
Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel “It was an amazing story. I love reading about World War II and strong women of that time period” – Nancy Scott, Adult Services
Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway “This novel is about a detective who investigates crime involving pseudo-immortal plutocrats known as “Titans,” and a Titan has been murdered. This is a great book that blends genres reminiscent of Raymond Chandler and William Gibson: a hard boiled cyberpunk whodunit.” – Jeremy, Adult Services
Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson “I really liked this book for the twists and turns – there were multiple times the plot took an abrupt left turn away from my expectations of how fantasy books about dictators and the rebellions they spawn are supposed to go. All of the characters are really thought out and have a lot of depth to them, which helps make the world that much more immersive.” – Alice, Youth Services
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi “Mysterious, gothic and lyrical, this novel is beautiful and the story kept me wondering just how dark Indigo’s past really was.” – Susie, Adult Services
Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts “This is a beautifully written, but imagined, story of how the movie “The Wizard of Oz” was made with the involvement of L. Frank Baum’s wife, Maude Gage Baum, after his death. While parts of the story are true to fact, some embellishment keeps it from being a true biography. But it is still a great read!” – Becky, Adult Services
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
#FDL: Nordic Noir for Chilly Winter Days
Nordic noir is a subgenre of mystery fiction known for complex psychological plotlines set in Scandinavian locations. Mainly told from the perspective of detectives, these books feature page-turning stories surrounding violence, murder, and corruption. Captivating descriptions of snowy mountains and landscapes will take you to Scandinavia without leaving your own home!
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
#FDL: Native Voices for Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month. We pay tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans. Check out this list of Native authors who write fiction and nonfiction works.
Fiction
Nonfiction
–Post by Susie Rivera, Adult Services Specialist
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
#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.