February Digital Book Display- Historic Romance Fiction
Overdrive
Your Library Staff at Home- What I’m Reading Now
I’ve been making great usage of both Hoopla and Overdrive over the past couple weeks to satisfy my reading appetite, but have also taken this time at home as an opportunity to pick up some titles in my home library that I’ve never read. Scroll on for some of my just finished and currently in progress reads.
In the House in the Dark of the Woods by Laird Hunt
Oh how I loved this book! This memorizing horror-fantasy- historical fiction-thriller novel grabbed me and wouldn’t let me put it down until I knew all it’s twisty secrets. Set in colonial New England, readers are led along by one seemingly innocent young woman who finds herself lost in the woods after berry-picking for her husband and son. Her wanderings bring her to meet other women in the woods and it quickly becomes clear not all is as it seems and the truth is hard to discern. Highly recommended if you enjoyed the 2015 film The Witch, or The Familiars by Stacey Halls. Available through OverDrive.
Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman ; Illustrated by Colleen Doran
This dark retelling of the Snow White fairy tale, by one of my all-time favorite authors, flips the classic story in a fresh and chilling way. Snow, Glass, Apples is narrated by the stepmother, who is actually quite good, and who must protect herself and her kingdom from the King’s monstrous daughter- Snow White. Beautifully illustrated and written, any fan of Gaiman or fairy tales will want to pick this up. Winner of the 2020 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel. Available through Hoopla.
I started reading this a while back and never finished it- probably because I had began this book while on my honeymoon in Hawaii and it’s not really a “beach read” sort of book. But! I am picking it back up and so far it is quite a curious, witty, and weird (perhaps even a bit romantic) mash-up of literary fiction and some magical realism. I think this time around I will finish this! Available through OverDrive.
The great Margaret Atwood tweeted this book was a combination, among other things, of the Witches of Eastwick and Mean Girls, so I was sold. I’ve only just begun this dark and funny novel but am very excited to see where it goes! Available through OverDrive.
Little Josephine: Memory in Pieces by Valerie Villieu; Illustrated by Raphael Sarfati
This heartwarming graphic novel is a first-hand account of the unlikely friendship that blossomed between a home nurse and her 84- year old patient stricken with Alzheimer’s, Josephine. Humor and laughter bring the two together, and readers will enjoy this story of human connection. The story takes place in Paris, but it’s critiques of an overloaded healthcare system and the frustrations of geriatric care easily translate to American healthcare and makes for a story that many can relate to. Available through Hoopla.
What is everyone else reading at home? I hope you have read some fabulous books and that perhaps one of my titles will spark your interest for your next digital checkout. Happy reading and stay safe!
eBook Displays of the Week
Your Library Staff at Home – Making & Crafting
It’s Saturday already – where did the week go? Between working, puttering, stressing, eating, drinking, and DuoLingo, it flew by a little too fast.
I promised a completed shawl, but, of course, it’s not finished yet – let’s try next week, o.k.?
In the meantime, let’s talk about what making and crafting mean to you. Are you a cook, a baker, a gardener? These are all forms of creativity that get overlooked when we talk about crafting. My son, a college student, has found that baking bread in these times is a soothing past-time. Here’s a loaf of sourdough and some focaccia that he made this week – delicious and creative. This morning he served us Crepe Suzette – yes I am very lucky! But also, it’s a good thing I’m taking daily walks.
I’ve been doing more cooking than I have in a very long time. Indulgent pot roast, healthy veggie pasta, and homemade pizza are a few dinners we’ve enjoyed. I’ve always loved cookbooks and have been checking out a few recently. Sam Sifton’s See You on Sunday is a keeper and I just checked out Small Victories by Julia Turshen on Overdrive. There are so many digital cookbooks – explore on Overdrive to see what you can find and try a new recipe!
Gardening has become my refuge in these days as well – cleaning out the garden and pruning, watching the plants come up, and dreaming and planning of all the things I want to do in my gardens this year. Again, Overdrive has some gardening titles to inspire – I’ve been looking all the shade garden and native gardening books – it gives me hope for the future.
So get out there and do something creative – cook, make, craft, garden, draw, paint, write – give your spirit a little soothing – we all need it! For more ideas, check out week 2 of Creativebug’s Crafting at Home series.
I’d love to hear what you’re making, so comment below. Stay safe and stay home!
~ Dori
Your Library Staff at Home – Making & Crafting
I have always bemoaned my lack of time to do many of the things that I really like to do, like knitting, drawing, sewing and baking. Now, during this challenging time, I’ve no excuse; I’ve got the time, plus making is soothing and helps with the anxiety.
First, I’ve got a shawl to finish. I started it, I’m embarrassed to say, about a year and a half ago for a trip to Iceland. My sister Barb and friend Lynn also began their shawls for our trip, but they completed theirs. Mine, on the other hand, is still on the needles. Here’s a shot of Barb and Lynn in their lovely shawls while we were in Iceland and a shot of my unfinished shawl with some bonus pet shots! The bright colors were to help i.d. our bodies in case we fell down a volcano or iceberg – lol.
The pattern is a traditional Icelandic shawl called Skakki by Helene Magnusson and uses traditional Icelandic wool. I’ll share the finished product next week – I promise!
As I’ve been knitting, I’ve been watching TV, a few movies, and have been listening to books and podcasts. I’ve signed up for Acorn TV through RBDigital and watched all of Agatha Raisin, a funny, tongue-in-cheek murder mystery series set in a small town in England based on the books by M.C. Beaton. I’ve also started an Irish mystery series called Blood, which is much more serious, so I’m taking that one slowly.
I’ve watched Jojo Rabbit, which I liked a lot more than I was expecting to, and Ad Astra, which is a deep dive with Brad Pitt into outer space.
Knitting and listening to audiobooks is an A+ combination. My latest listen is Himself by Jess Kidd, because I wanted an Irish narrator for the St. Patrick’s season. It’s available on the Libby app, which I’m addicted to! Don’t have a library card? It’s not a problem; you can create an instant digital card to access titles.
As far as podcasts, I really love the BBC Series In Our Time which covers historical events, famous people, science and nature – it’s fascinating. For these times, I enjoy the soothing voice of Krista Tippet at the On Being Podcast and it’s many offshoots.
If you could use some crafting inspiration, check out Creativebug. Log in using your library card and you get access to all kinds of video tutorials. They’ve shared a 7-week Home Crafting Guide to provide inspiration to begin a variety of projects, from easy to complex, with projects for children and adults. Week 1 includes a Kid’s Weaving Lesson and Color Meditation. These suggestions, however, are just the beginning; sign up and explore Creativebug to find something that speaks to you!
I’d love to hear what you’re making, so comment below. Stay safe and stay home!
~ Dori
Read it or Weep 