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Our Darkest Night: A Novel of Italy and the Second World War
by Jennifer Robson
Antonina Mazin, a young woman living in Venice with her father plans to become a doctor like him. However, in 1942-1943, it is illegal for Jews to practice medicine. In order to keep safe, with the help of a local priest and family friend Antonina assumes a new identity, Nina. Posing as the wife of Nicco Gerardi, Nina moves into his family’s home on a rural farm. All of a sudden, the “city girl” is expected to help with chores, cooking, cleaning, etc. At first their “marriage” is a sham, but eventually Nicco and Nina fall in love. Nicco works for the Resistance, helping other Jews escape, and is eventually arrested. A local Nazi official is suspicious of Nina from the beginning and eventually digs deep enough to learn her true identity. She is arrested and sent to a concentration camp.
A novel of acceptance, survival, sacrifice and kindness. I highly recommend this novel to fans of WWII historical fiction.
~Emma
February Featured Movie and Music Releases
February is Women in Horror Month
For the past twelve years, February has been celebrated as Women in Horror Month, a topic very near and dear to my heart. According to the Women in Horror Month website, “Women in Horror Month (WiHM) is an international, grassroots initiative, which encourages supporters to learn about and showcase the underrepresented work of women in the horror industries. Whether they are on the screen, behind the scenes, or contributing in their other various artistic ways, it is clear that women love, appreciate, and contribute to the horror genre.” WiHM aims to help horror works by and featuring women reach a wider audience. This inclusive and positive movement is open to everyone, of course, just as they believe the horror genre should be open to everyone.
WiHM recently announced that as of March 1, 2021 there will no longer be an official WiHM organization, but that they have found there is more than enough content, traffic, and engagement to bring this celebration to communities year round. So, Women in Horror Month might look different moving forward as everyone is now encouraged to choose their own month to celebrate, but I look forward to seeing the creativity and innovation from this community in the years to come!
You can take a look at events going on around the country celebrating WiHM here. Two events I was particularly excited about this month are the “Females of Fright: Zoom Edition” live author panels, both offered for free, thanks to the Horror Writer’s Association! The first panel took place on Friday, February 12th but luckily you can watch it on the HWA’s YouTube channel here. The first panel included Zoje Stage, author of Wonderland, which just so happens to be the next title up for discussion in our Novel Scares book club. Interested in joining us on March 18th to discuss this great creepy novel? Sign up here! The next “Females of Fright” panel is Friday, February 26th at 8 pm (EST) and you can register here.
Looking for more resources for WiHM? Check out two of my favorite blogs, RA for All: Horror, and Ladies of Horror Fiction. Finally, I want to share a recent discovery that is full of dark and horrific literary treasures- including some up and coming women authors- Nightmare Magazine. You can read and listen to full articles for free on their website, and the February 2021 issue includes this *amazing* short story from author E.A. Petricone, “We, the Girls Who Did Not Make It.” I cannot stop thinking about this piece and look forward to reading more from her!
Happy reading and stay safe and warm!
Non-fiction Recommendations
Michelle Obama, Becoming (2018): First Lady of the United States, 2009-2017
John Lewis, Across That Bridge (2012): United States Representative, D-GA, 1986-2020
Shirley Chisholm, Unbought & Unbossed (1970): United States Representative, D-NY, 1969-1983; Presidential candidate, 1972
Kamala Harris, The Truths We Hold (2019): United States Senator, D-CA, 2016-2021; Presidential candidate, 2020; Vice-President, 2021-present
Barbara Lee, Renegade for Justice and Truth (2008): United States Representative, D-GA, 1998-present
Condoleezza Rice, No Higher Honor (2010): National Security Advisor, 2001-2005; Secretary of State, 2005-2009
Barack Obama, A Promised Land (2020): United States Senator, D-IL, 2005-2009; President, 2009-2017
Stacey Abrams, Our Time Is Now (2020): Georgia gubernatorial candidate, 2018; voting rights advocate
Andrew Young, A Way Out of No Way (1994): United States Representative, D-GA, 1973-1977; United Nations Ambassador, 1977-1979; Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, 1982-1990
Colin Powell, My American Journey (1995): National Security Advisor, 1987-1989; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1989-1993; Secretary of State, 2001-2005
February Digital Book Display- Historic Romance Fiction
New Books Tuesday @ RRPL
Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!
Relentless by Mark Greaney – Attempting to secure an operative who is among several who have gone missing throughout the world, the Gray Man secures vital intelligence from a team of assassins, before an undercover agent in Berlin makes a life-threatening discovery.
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas – Nesta and Cassian must face their haunting pasts in order to stop a dangerous alliance of treacherous human queens in the fourth novel of the fantasy series following A Court of Wings and Ruin.
Dark Horses by Susan Mihalic – A darkly gripping debut novel about a teenage girl’s fierce struggle to reclaim her life from her abusive father.
A Fatal Lie by Charles Todd – Dispatched from London to investigate the discovery of an unidentified body in a peaceful Welsh village, Ian Rutledge uncovers a tangle of deception involving a child’s tragic fate and a woman bent on hiding the past.
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need by Bill Gates – The technologist, business leader and philanthropist who founded Microsoft draws on the input of experts in physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political science and finance to create an accessible, concrete plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and avoid certain environmental disaster.
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey – A precarious arrangement between a man, his wife and his wife’s clone explodes in a violent confrontation that forces the two women to figure out a creative way to stay out of prison.
Margaret Truman’s Murder on the Metro by Margaret Truman & Jon Land – Robert Brixton investigates the sudden death of the vice president. In Margaret Truman’s Murder on the Metro, Jon Land’s first thrilling addition to the New York Times bestselling Capital Crimes series, Robert Brixton uncovers a sinister plot threatening millions of American lives!
Black Church, The: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song by Henry Louis Gates – The Harvard University professor, NAACP Image Award recipient and Emmy Award-winning creator of The African Americans presents a history of the Black church in America that illuminates its essential role in culture, politics and resistance to white supremacy.
No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood – Elevated to prominence for her social-media posts, a woman begins suffering from existential anxieties while learning the languages, customs and fears of her fans throughout the world, before an urgent text from home transforms her virtual perspectives.
Dangerous Women by Hope Adams – A debut based on the true story of the 1841 transport ship Rajah follows the experiences of a crew of Englishwomen convicts, sentenced to a distant penal colony for petty crimes, who realize that a killer is among them.
~Semanur
Discover Films @RRPL
Did you know that RRPL is an online provider of entertainment to our patrons? We offer this entertainment through several streaming services. You may wonder, what is a streaming service? This service is a group of selected providers that delivers video and music content via an Internet connection to the subscriber’s computer, TV or mobile device. With a RRPL library card, a patron will have access to AcornTv, Hoopla and Kanopy, offering hundreds of free videos, tv shows, and movies. Simply go to our website at https://rrpl.org/digital-library/, click on the streaming service of your choice, create an account with your library card, and begin browsing & selecting entertainment of your choice.
On a monthly basis we offer two separate programs, Streaming Stories Spotlight and Film Club, which highlight a video selected from our streaming services.
In February, Streaming Stories Spotlight will highlight John Lewis: Good Trouble, to celebrate Black History Month. Go to YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/, search Rocky River Public Library, to view a 5-8 minute review by our staff , and learn why we think it’s a great movie pic.
Also in February, Film Club will be viewing Boy, a coming-of- age story of a young boy who finds that his father is a far cry from from the heroic adventurer he’s imagined the man to be. Boy is a love story to boyhood , a twist in celebrating Valentines Day. Consider joining us for a robust conversation about Boy with fellow film lovers on February 25th at 7pm. You can sign up for this program at http://rrpl.evanced.info/signup/calendar.
Get to know your library staff!
Discover@rrpl.org
Glamour Girls: A Novel
by Marty Wingate
As a teenager, farmer’s daughter Rosalie Wright wanted to become a pilot. She was encouraged by her father. During WWII, Rosalie got her wish. she became a second officer transporting aircraft cross-country for the British Air Transport Auxiliary. These pilots never saw action but suffered hardships and losses. Rosalie falls in love with an RAF pilot, Alan Chersey, but isn’t certain of their future together. Another pilot nicknamed Snug is also interested in her. After marriage women would be expected to quit flying, but that is definitely not Rosalie’s plan.
The novel is inspired by real-life pilot Mary Wilkins Ellis and the other female WWII pilots (168 in total) who became known as Attagirls. This is a story of family, friendship, adventure and romance.
~Emma
Read it or Weep 