#FDL: For Fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses
Check out these fantasy picks if you love Sarah J. Maas’s Court of Thorns series. Click on one of the titles to view them in our collection!
Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.
Fae Realm, Plot Twists, Engaging characters, Dark fantasy
Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she’ll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court. As Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she struggles to resist his seductive charm.
Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods.And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire.
Action packed, Fantasy Romance, Forbidden love
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king’s champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien. The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.
A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year, Prince Rhen, the heir of Emberfall, thought he could be saved easily if a girl fell for him. But that was before he turned into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. Before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope. Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, Harper learned to be tough enough to survive. When she tries to save a stranger on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s pulled into a magical world.
Fantasy Retelling, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Richly Detailed
-Annotations from the publishers
–Post by Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
FDL Reads: The Graveyard Book
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Reviewed by Julie Nutt, Reference Assistant
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Suggested age: Tween, Teen, Adult
What is this book about? Nobody Owens, despite his name, is no regular boy. After the brutal murder of his family, the clever infant escapes harm by finding his way to a graveyard. Like the boy, this is no regular graveyard. Growing up, raised and protected by ghosts, Nobody (or “Bod”) is still not safe from the danger that lurks outside the stone walls. Not only is his family’s killer still out there, Bod may not be prepared for life in the real world.
My review: This is one of my favorite books of all time! Many readers may be familiar with author Neil Gaiman because of the Amazon series Good Omens (which, by the way, started season 2 on July 28!), or the much darker Sandman graphic novels. A far cry from Sandman, The Graveyard Book is the winner of the Newbery, Carnegie, Hugo and Audie Awards for children’s literature. The bold, sharp illustration of the graphic novel version by award-winner P. Craig Russell is in stark contrast to Dave McKean’s (another award-winner) flowing pen and ink. I feel that McKean’s illustrations are more fitting to the ghostly, misty England setting. Bod’s friendships, both human and paranormal, represent selflessness, respect, the importance of community, the power to change, and the challenges of growing up.
Three words that describe this book: magical, frightening, dream-like
Give this a try if you like: Coraline by Neil Gaiman (book or movie); paranormal fiction; authors Terry Pratchett, Philip Pullman, Ursula LeGuin
Rating: 5/5
Join the FDL Team!
The library is hiring! We’re seeking a full-time Youth Services Specialist to join our team to serve our young library patrons and their caregivers. Please visit fondulaclibrary.org/about-us/jobs for more information, including job descriptions and qualifications.
FDL Reads: Much Ado About Nada
Much Ado About Nada by Uzma Jalaluddin
Reviewed by: Dawn Dickey, Library volunteer
Genre: Romance
Suggested Age: Adult, Young Adult
What is the book about? Techpreneur Nada Syed’s best friend, Haleema, tricks her friend into attending a large, popular, Muslim convention (“like ComicCon, except with hijabs”) run by Haleema’s fiancé, Zayn, and his family. Nada’s parents and best friend Haleema all think the convention would be a good way for Nada to get out of her shell and meet people, especially with the matrimonial speed-dating event on the agenda. Nada hasn’t yet met Zayn, something she has avoided doing because – unknown to Haleema or Zayn – Nada has a history with Zayn’s brother Baz. Nada is also dismayed and angry after learning that her traitorous, former business partner, Haneef, is attending the convention.
My Review: Author Uzma Jalaluddin says she was inspired in writing this novel by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, while the Shakespearean-style title hints at the complex muddle Nada’s life has become. Both connections – Austen and Shakespeare – hint at some (but not all!) of the plot line and heightened my interest in the tale. Layer by layer, alternating between the present and the past, Jalaluddin deftly unveils the back story that is key to the relationship between Nada and Baz. The history between the two is not pretty, which leads to some surprising developments as present-day interactions between Nada and Baz unfold. My favorite phrase from the book: “She [Nada] had buried her secrets and regrets in a small bundle she kept hidden in a floral hatbox inside her closet.” I loved this book and can’t wait to read Jalaluddin’s next work!
Three Words That Describe This Book: Romantic, funny, opportunity
Give This a Try if You Like… Romcoms and romances such as Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev, Love from A to Z by S. K. Ali, Jane Austen’s Persuasion.
Rating: 5/5
Children’s Books about Bike Riding
Summer Fun?!?
I’m bored! It’s too hot! It’s raining! Outdoor summer fun not an option? Are you looking for a way to fill your day when you can’t get outside? How about reading a book about the most fun summer activity? Bike Riding!!!
Learning how to ride a bike?
Syd Hoff’s Danny and the Dinosaur Ride a Bike
Adventure?
Getting a new bike?
Mystery?
The Case of the Missing Bicycles
The Mystery of the Stolen Bike
Nonfiction?
-Post by Kris Tyler, Youth Services Specialist
#FDL: Overdrive Big Library Read
Fondulac District Library provides access to a large collection of eBooks and audiobooks through the Libby app. Several times during the year, Overdrive hosts a Big Library Read, an online book club for readers around the world. Featured books are chosen by librarians and announced shortly before the Big Library Read begins. Our library is provided with unlimited copies of the eBook or audiobook, and our patrons can read without wait time through the Libby app from July 13-27. A library card number and PIN are required to access the book.
This summer, the Big Library Read has chosen A Very Typical Family by Sierra Godfrey.
Below is a little about the book from The Big Library Read’s website:
“All families are messy. Some are disasters.Natalie Walker is the reason her older brother and sister went to prison over 15 years ago. She fled California shortly after that fateful night and hasn’t spoken to anyone in her family since. Now, on the same day her boyfriend steals her dream job out from under her, Natalie receives a letter from a lawyer saying her estranged mother has died and left the family’s historic Santa Cruz house to her. Sort of. The only way for Natalie and her siblings to inherit is for all three adult children to come back and claim it—together.
Natalie drives cross-country to Santa Cruz with her willful cat in tow expecting to sign some papers, see siblings Lynn and Jake briefly, and get back to sorting out her life in Boston. But Jake, now an award-winning ornithologist, is missing. And Lynn, working as an undertaker in New York City, shows up with a teenage son. While Natalie and her nephew look for Jake—meeting a very handsome marine biologist who immediately captures her heart—she unpacks the guilt she has held onto for so many years, wondering how (or if) she can salvage a relationship with her siblings after all this time.”
Check it out on the Libby app and join the Big Reads discussion at https://biglibraryread.com/current-title/
–Post by Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.