
Discover@RRPL.org
The Paris Library

by Janet Skeslien Charles
In 1939, Odile Souchet is working her dream job at the American Library in Paris. She loves being surrounded by books, co-worker friends, and wonderful subscribers (patrons) including her boyfriend who shows up on a regular basis. When the Nazis occupy the city, the library director, Miss Reeder, cannot guarantee the safety of the collections, employees or patrons. Soon the Nazis dictate who cannot use the library, especially French Jews, and what materials can be available.
Much later in 1983, Odile is living in rural Montana. 7th grader Lily Jacobsen befriends her elderly neighbor. Odile becomes Lily’s confidant and support when her mother becomes ill and dies. At times Odile’s home becomes an escape after Lily’s father remarries and she has two brothers to help take care of. Regrettably Lily snoops through Odile’s things, and their friendship is almost destroyed. By invading Odile’s privacy Lily uncovers decades old secrets.
The novel is based on some historical facts. Dorothy M. Reeder was the director of the American Library. During WWII, the library did manage to stay open. It started the “Soldiers’ Service”, providing books and magazines to British and French troops. When Jews were barred from the library, Miss Reeder and her staff personally delivered materials to them putting themselves at great risk.
This is a great book for lovers of historical fiction.
~Emma
New Books Tuesday @ RRPL
These are the books we are adding to our collection this week. Click on the pink text to go to our catalog and place a hold today!
Hooked: Food, Free Will, and How the Food Giants Exploit Our Addictions by Michael Moss – The best-selling author of Salt Sugar Fat reveals how the processed food industry targets the human body’s evolutionary instincts with unsafe products while taking advantage of legal loopholes to avoid health liabilities.
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro – Waiting to be chosen by a customer, an Artificial Friend programmed with high perception observes the activities of shoppers while exploring fundamental questions about what it means to love. By the Nobel Prize-winning author of Never Let Me Go.
Life After Death by Sister Souljah – A sequel to the best-selling The Coldest Winter Ever continues the gritty experiences of a returned Winter Santiaga. By the author of No Disrespect and A Deeper Love Inside.
The Lowering Days by Gregory Brown – Growing up in a riverside region of 1980s Maine, three brothers from the Penobscot Nation find their childhood innocence shattered by a nearby paper mill fire that divides their community. A first novel.
Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig – Eschewed by her wealthy graduated classmates, a former scholarship student reluctantly volunteers to help World War I French civilians before finding herself surrounded by desperate families in villages decimated by German bombs.
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner – Secretly dispensing poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them, a London apothecary triggers unintended consequences that shape three lives across multiple centuries.
Haunted Hibiscus by Laura Childs – When their literary haunted house costume party is disrupted by an untimely double attack, Indigo Tea Shop proprietress Theodosia Browning and her sommelier, Drayton, investigate suspects including a man with a claim to the Bouchard Mansion property.
We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker – A guilt-ridden police chief and a tough-as-nails woman who was forced to support her family as a girl work together to protect loved ones when the latter’s father is released after 30 years in prison.
The Affair by Danielle Steel – A fashion magazine executive navigates a scandal involving her son-in-law’s affair with a Hollywood actress, while her daughters support each other through infidelity, commitment issues and personal secrets. By the best-selling author of Neighbors.
Lightning Game by Christine Feehan – Returning to his family’s Appalachian homestead only to encounter another GhostWalker on the property, Rubin helps the alluring stranger gain control over her lightning powers before uncovering her disturbing ulterior motive. By the best-selling author of the Carpathian series.
The Committed by Viet Thanh Nguyen – A sequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Sympathizer finds the unnamed “man of two minds” and his blood brother dealing drugs in 1980s Paris, where he navigates the worlds of privileged clients while trying to reconcile two politically polarized friends.
Dark Sky by C. J. Box – Reluctantly accompanying a Silicon Valley tech baron on an elk hunting trip, Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett finds himself defending his high-profile charge from a vengeful sharpshooter. By the Edgar Award-winning author of Long Range.
~Semanur
Discover Book Club Kits @RRPL
Choosing the next book for your Book Club can be daunting. Here’ a selection from our 18 Book Club kits, ready for you to check out. Keep in mind, a kit includes 8 copies of the same title and a set of discussion questions , available in a library canvas bag, to be checked out to the library card of the person picking up the kit. Stop by the adult reference desk and give it try.
Synopsis: On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate a wedding. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding fit for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?
Discover@RRPL.org
If Today Be Sweet
by Thrity N. Umrigar
Tehmina (Tammy), recently widowed from India, is visiting her only son Sorab, American daughter-in-law Susan, and young grandson Cavas (Cookie) in upscale suburban Cleveland. She needs to decide whether to return to Bombay or remain in the United States. Having previously relied on her husband, Rustom, to make all major decisions, Tammy cannot decide what to do. She realizes that as a longtime guest in Sorab’s home, that situation has put a lot of stress on her son’s marriage. When Tehmina witnessed the neighbor abuse her 2 little boys at Christmas, the police are finally called and the boys are taken away. Tehmina is a hero for intervening. Eventually Tehmina decides where she will live but only on her own terms.
A beautiful story published in 2007.
~Emma
Creativebug Ceramic Classes!
Whether you are just getting started or an experienced ceramic artist Creativebug can be a great place to find inspiration for your next project! Your RRPL gives you access to thousands of award-winning art & craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists.

New to Creativebug?
- Go to rrpl.org/digital-library/ .
- Click on Creativebug.
- Sign in with your Library Card #.
- Create an Account using an email.
- Explore and Learn!
What I’m Currently Reading & What’s Next
In typical librarian fashion, I am always reading a book or two, in addition to having a plethora of books sitting in various to-be-read piles in my house. Back in the days of spending time at my library office desk, I would always keep a book there to read during my meal breaks (stares nostalgically out window thinking of my desk…). Of course, now that I’m home most of the time I keep a book in the dining room to read during lunch breaks. There is always a book on my night stand (usually my Kindle hangs out there) as well and a book on my coffee table, so I’m prepared for reading at all times. Take a look below to see what I’m currently reading and what I have lined up for the next couple months!
I was so excited to snag an ARC of this book from NetGalley! I’m only about halfway through but it is great so far. After escaping a dangerously strict religious compound, where she was forced to marry the nefarious leader Reverend Sherman, teenage Vern escapes to the woods pregnant and alone. She gives birth to twins in the forest and tries her best to survive the harsh realities of this isolated life, all the while being pursued by a mysterious fiend, odd hallucinations, and experiencing uncanny changes in her body and abilities.
You can read a full review of this novel from my colleague Shannon by clicking here!
Something is Killing the Children: Volume 2 by James Tynion IV
Collecting issues #6-10 of this horror comic series, readers catch up with monster killer Erica Slaughter after she has slain the beast who was terrorizing the small town of Archer’s Peak. The only problem is that the monster had babies and now they are loose in the town. A mysterious man from The House of Slaughter arrives (is this the monster slayer version of a Watcher?) to help clean up the mess but seems to make matters worse.
The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
I am not usually an audiobook person, but every once in a while I check out an audiobook on Hoopla to listen to while I’m in the kitchen. I adore Shirley Jackson but have yet to read all her short stories and this audiobook has been a joy to listen to. Humorous, dark, and sometimes tragic, this powerful collection of haunting stories is read by a variety of voice actors making for an interesting and engaging experience.
What’s next for me? I have Tender is the Flesh by Agustina María Bazterrica, on deck, which was recommended by multiple authors in a recent Women in Horror author panel I viewed. It’s been on my want to read list for a while but after hearing some amazing authors highlight it as one of their favorite books of last year, I knew I needed to bump it up the pile! Another book that was shared in the panel and recommended to me by a friend is Maria Dahvana Headley’s Beowulf: A New Translation. I just got the ebook loaded on my Kindle thanks to OverDrive and can’t wait to start it. Finally, I’m patiently waiting for a digital copy of The Push by Ashley Audrain to arrive for me!



What is on your to-be-read pile? What are you currently reading? Share in the comments and happy reading!
New Books Tuesday @ RRPL
Here we have some new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!
The Kaiser’s Web by Steve Berry – Former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone investigates a World War II-era Soviet dossier that exposes crucial intelligence involving a German national election, billions in stolen Nazi wealth and the true fate of Adolf Hitler.
The Russian Cage by Charlaine Harris – A latest entry in a best-selling series finds Lizbeth reluctantly teaming up with her sister and navigating growing Grigori powers to rescue her estranged partner, Prince Eli, from an alternate-world Holy Russian Empire.
The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan – An indebted young widow, a freedom-seeking kitchen maid, the wife of a wealthy but unkind man and a trained chef navigating sexism compete for a once-in-a-lifetime spot hosting a BBC cooking program during World War II.
Those Who Are Saved by Alexis Landau – Given hours to report to an internment camp when Nazis occupy France, a Jewish-Russian émigré places her young daughter in the care of a trusted governess before an unexpected opportunity to escape to America leads to a heartbreaking separation.
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke – Racing through springtime orders at The Cookie Jar, Hannah investigates an unexpected number of suspects when her sister, Andrea, is implicated in the murder of Lake Eden’s bullying mayor. By the best-selling author of The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder.
Calder Brand by Janet Dailey – A first installment in a Calder series spin-off is set in the late 1800s and follows the experiences of a vengeful cowboy and an aspiring doctor whose respective ambitions are complicated by past demons and an illegitimate child.
Flowers of Darkness by Tatiana de Rosnay – Moving into an ultra-modern artist residency in scenic Paris, a novelist seeking tranquility in the aftermath of a divorce begins experiencing ominous trepidation about the apartment building and the true agenda of those behind its creation.
Smoke by Joe Ide – Going into hiding in a small California town, unlicensed detective Isaiah confronts a desperate man on the trail of a serial killer, while Dodson accepts a cutthroat advertising internship in his effort to go straight.
The Pegan Diet: 21 Practical Principles for Reclaiming Your Health in a Nutritionally Confusing World
by Mark Hyman – The UltraWellness Center director and best-selling author of The Blood Sugar Solution combines approaches from paleo and vegan lifestyles to outline a balanced, healthful diet that is both satisfying and environmentally responsible.
Intuitive Fasting – The Flexible Four-week Intermittent Fasting Plan to Recharge Your Metabolism and Renew Your Health by Will Cole. Foreword by Gwyneth Paltrow – A guide to intermittent fasting outlines a unique plan that merges the science behind fasting with a holistic approach to eating. By the best-selling author of Ketotarian and The Inflammation Spectrum.
~Semanur
Discover@RRPL – What I’m Eating While I’m Reading
I’m so excited when I get to read a brand-new, brand new book -that is, when I am the first person to check out and read a library copy of a book. Don’t get me wrong, I love to share, but right now I am really enjoying the “new car smell” of the experience. It helps that I’m also really enjoying what’s going on between the book’s fresh covers, as well.
Better Luck Next Time by Julia Clairborne Johnson is set in 1938, in Reno, Nevada at the Flying Leap dude ranch. There, women who are waiting for their divorces to come through can, for a fee, put up stakes for the six weeks it takes for them to declare state residency and file the paperwork legally. While nursing their (sometimes) broken hearts, these women are pampered and catered to by hunky ranch hands like Ward, the narrator of this story, who finds himself torn between the job and, you guessed it, one of the ranch’s visitors. So far, this look at marriage, divorce, friendship, love, and finding yourself, is proving to be engaging and original and is educating me about a slice of American history that I hadn’t known before. Also, it is providing me with plenty of opportunities to laugh out loud along the way. Reserve your copy here!
But, enough about the book. Let’s talk food! It’s been so cold here lately that this weekend I thought I’d conjure some warmth by recreating a cake I made over the summer, a lemon cake that is chock-full of blueberries and covered a cream cheese frosting. I dare you to bake one yourself and take a bite with your eyes closed. You can almost feel the sunshine pouring down on you. I found the recipe online at https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/lemon-blueberry-layer-cake/ but you can find cookbooks by the genius who created this recipe in our catalog! Hope you enjoy. ~Carol
Review of ‘Sorrowland’ by Rivers Solomon – Seminal Gothic Horror
Vern flees into the woods to escape the cult she grew up in, heavily pregnant. As she and her babies scrape out a living in the forest, they are pursued by a hellish fiend and the hauntings, visions that afflict her and everyone else belonging to the cult. Her body begins to change, becoming something more, something stronger and faster. When she and her children are forced from the safety of the trees, Vern must reckon with her upbringing and return to the place where it all began.
This excellent Gothic horror novel set in the present day United States features well-drawn characters and a mostly LGBTQ+ and BIPOC cast. Solomon deftly explores themes of identity, transformation of self, human intimacy, and grappling with generational trauma. A salient and incisive addition to the horror genre, this book is a deep meditation on the lasting effects of white supremacy and systemic racism.
For fans of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Changeling by Victor Lavalle, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and Kindred by Octavia Butler.
Look for Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon on May 4, 2021. Click the book cover above to be taken to our catalog, where you can place an advance hold with your library card number and PIN.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC (advance reader copy)!






