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Download Songs for your Summer Playlist on Freegal

Summer has arrived! I put together a Summer Playlist of songs available to download for free from Freegal. You are able to download 5 songs a week per library card, so I recommend adding songs to your Wish List so you don't forget any! For many of the songs, the link below goes to the album, so you'll have to scroll through the track listing to find the song for your summer playlist.

Collage of album covers featuring songs in the Summer Playlist

"Summertime" - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

"Feels Like Summer" - Childish Gambino

"Summer Girl" - HAIM

"Steal My Sunshine" - Len

"Summer Love" - Justin Timberlake

"Cruel Summer '09" - Bananarama

"Smooth" - Santana featuring Rob Thomas

"Summertime" - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

"Summertime Blues" - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

"Summer Girls" - LFO

"Summer Love" - One Direction

"Pocketful of Sunshine" - Natasha Bedingfield

"Watermelon Sugar" - Harry Styles

"Summer in the City" - The Lovin' Spoonful

"Dancing in the Street" - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas

"Hot Fun in the Summertime" - Sly & The Family Stone

"Summertime" - Janis Joplin

"Eternal Summer" - The Strokes

"The Boys of Summer" - The Ataris

"Paradise Cove" - Pete Yorn

"Summertime, Summertime" - Corina

"Summertime" - Kenny Chesney

"A Little More Summertime" - Jason Aldean

"Walking on Sunshine" - Katrina & The Waves

"Lovely Day" - Bill Withers

Danielle's blog

Fiction You Might Have Missed

Now that FRVPLD has begun delivery service, maybe you're ready to give your Kindle or iPad a rest and are itching to pick up a physical book again. Here are some fiction titles that were released in the weeks leading up to our closure that maybe you didn't have a chance to take a look at. These books are all available on the shelf at the time of writing. Place your holds now to have them delivered to your doorstop!

Daisy Cooper's Rules for Living by Tamsin Keily- Daisy Cooper's life is just getting started, when suddenly it ends. Surprised to find herself in an Afterlife processing center, she is even more stunned to learn that she wasn't meant to die for another fifty years. One terrible, embarrassing clerical error is behind it--and an administrator named Death is to blame. But death, as they say, is final, and Daisy must now navigate this impossible new world. With the help of an unlikely ally, Daisy begins to realize that letting go isn't just a challenge faced by those left behind. And as she learns how to survive this strange reality, friendship, hope and love begin to come alive in the most unexpected ways.

Good Citizens Need Not Fear by Maria Reva- A bureaucratic glitch omits an entire building, along with its residents, from municipal records. So begins Reva's "darkly hilarious" (Anthony Doerr) intertwined narratives, nine stories that span the chaotic years leading up to and immediately following the fall of the Soviet Union. But even as the benighted denizens of 1933 Ivansk Street weather the official neglect of the increasingly powerless authorities, they devise ingenious ways to survive.

This Town Sleeps by Dennis E. Staples- Set on an Ojibwe reservation in northern Minnesota, This Town Sleeps is the story of Marion Lafournier, a gay Ojibwe man, and his search for meaning in a town he cannot seem to leave. When he begins a romance with a closeted former high school classmate Shannon, Marion finds himself struggling to connect with the volcanic and unstable man. One night, while roaming the dark streets of Geshig, Marion unknowingly brings to life a dog from underneath the elementary school playground. The mysterious revenant leads him to the grave of Kayden Kelliher, an Ojibwe basketball star who was murdered at the young age of seventeen, and whose presence still lingers in the memories of the townsfolk. While investigating the fallen hero's death, Marion discovers family connections and an old Ojibwe legend that may be the secret to unraveling the mystery he has found himself in.

Blackwood by Michael Farris Smith- In this timeless, mythical tale of unforgiving justice and elusive grace, rural Mississippi townsfolk shoulder the pain of generations as something dangerous lurks in the enigmatic kudzu of the woods. The town of Red Bluff, Mississippi, has seen better days, though those who've held on have little memory of when that was. Myer, the county's aged, sardonic lawman, still thinks it can prove itself -- when confronted by a strange family of drifters, the sheriff believes that the people of Red Bluff can be accepting, rational, even good. The opposite is true: this is a landscape of fear and ghosts -- of regret and violence -- transformed by the kudzu vines that have enveloped the hills around it, swallowing homes, cars, rivers, and hiding a terrible secret deeper still.

Without Sanction by Don Bentley- Defense Intelligence Agency operative Matt Drake broke a promise. A promise that cost three people their lives and crippled his best friend. Three months later, he's paralyzed by survivor's guilt and haunted by the memories of the fallen. Matt may have left Syria, but Syria hasn't left him. In the midst of his self-imposed exile, Matt is dragged back into the world of espionage and assets that he tried to forget. A Pakistani scientist working for an ISIS splinter cell has created a terrifying weapon of mass destruction. The scientist offers to defect with the weapon, but he trusts just one man to bring him out of Syria alive - Matt Drake.

Photos of You by Tammy Robinson- When Ava Green turns twenty-eight, she discovers this will be her last birthday. The cancer she thought she'd beaten three years ago is back, only this time it's terminal, and she's not going to waste any of the time she has left. There's one thing she's been dreaming of since she was a little girl: her wedding. There's only one problem. She doesn't have a groom. Ava's friends and family rally around her and decide they will help her throw the wedding of her dreams, just without the groom. As word spreads on social media, the wedding planning goes viral, attracting the attention of a prominent women's magazine. But when a photographer volunteers to help document the whole event, it becomes heartbreakingly clear that it's never too late to discover the love of your life.

Frying Plantain by Zalika Reid-Benta- Kara Davis is a girl caught in the middle--of her Canadian nationality and her desire to be a "true" Jamaican, of her mother and grandmother's rages and life lessons, of having to avoid being thought of as too "faas" or too "quiet" or too "bold" or too "soft." Set in "Little Jamaica," Toronto's Eglinton West neighbourhood, Kara moves from girlhood to the threshold of adulthood, from elementary school to high school graduation, in these twelve interconnected stories. We see her on a visit to Jamaica, startled by the sight of a severed pig's head in her great aunt's freezer; in junior high, the victim of a devastating prank by her closest friends; and as a teenager in and out of her grandmother's house, trying to cope with the ongoing battles between her unyielding grandparents. A rich and unforgettable portrait of growing up between worlds, Frying Plantain shows how, in one charged moment, friendship and love can turn to enmity and hate, well-meaning protection can become control, and teasing play can turn to something much darker.

Ball Park by John Farrow- Montreal, 1975. Detective Émile Cinq-Mars is transferring from the Night Patrol--the notoriously tough department of officers in charge of watching over the city as it sleeps--to the day shift. His old superior has seen to it that he's assigned to partner Yves Giroux, another ex-Night Patrol detective some say isn't on the 'up and up'. Getting in a house is easy for teenage thief Quinn Tanner. The stress comes in getting out clean. On finding her getaway driver dead after her latest heist, she goes underground. For his first case on the day shift, Émile is sent to the property that Quinn has just visited, and their paths are set to cross. But has she stolen something more valuable than she realizes...and who is hunting for her now?

The Land Beyond the Sea- Sharon Kay Penman- The Kingdom of Jerusalem, also known as Outremer, is the land far beyond the sea. Baptized in blood when the men of the First Crusade captured Jerusalem from the Saracens in the early twelfth century, the kingdom defined an utterly new world, a land of blazing heat and a medley of cultures, a place where enemies were neighbors and neighbors became enemies. At the helm of this growing kingdom sits young Baldwin IV, an intelligent and courageous boy committed to the welfare and protection of his people. But despite Baldwin's dedication to his land, he is afflicted with leprosy at an early age and the threats against his power and his health nearly outweigh the risk of battle. As political deception scours the halls of the royal court, the Muslim army--led by the first sultan of Egypt and Syria, Saladin--is never far from the kingdom's doorstep, and there are only a handful Baldwin can trust, including the archbishop William of Tyre and Lord Balian d'Ibelin, a charismatic leader who has been one of the few able to maintain the peace.

The God Child by Nana Oforiatta Ayim- Maya grows up in Germany knowing that her parents are different: from one another, and from the rest of the world. Her reserved, studious father is distant; and her beautiful, volatile mother is a whirlwind. And then Kojo arrives one Christmas, like an annunciation: Maya's cousin, and her mother's godson. Kojo has a way with words--a way of talking about Ghana, and empire, and what happens when a country's treasures are spirited away by colonialists. But then Maya and Kojo are separated, shuttled off to school in England, where they come face to face with the maddening rituals of Empire. Returning to Ghana as a young woman, Maya is reunited with her powerful but increasingly troubled cousin. Her homecoming will set off an exorcism of their family and country's strangest, darkest demons.

The Keeper by Jessica Moor- When Katie Straw's body is pulled from the waters of the local suicide spot, the police are ready to write it off as a standard-issue female suicide. But the residents of the domestic violence shelter where Katie worked disagree. These women have spent weeks or even years waiting for the men they're running from to catch up with them. They know immediately: This was murder. Still, Detective Dan Whitworth and his team expect an open-and-shut case--until they discover evidence that suggests Katie wasn't who she appeared. Weaving together the investigation with Katie's final months as it barrels toward the truth.

Red Letter Days by Sarah Jane Stratford- Amid the glitz and glamour of 1950s New York, Phoebe Adler pursues her dream of screenwriting. A dream that turns into a living nightmare when she is blacklisted--caught in the Red Menace that is shattering the lives of suspected Communists. Desperate to work, she escapes to London, determined to keep her dream alive and clear her good name. There, Phoebe befriends fellow American exile Hannah Wolfson, who has defied the odds to build a career as a successful television producer in England. Hannah is a woman who has it all, and is now gambling everything in a very dangerous game--the game of hiring blacklisted writers. Neither woman suspects that danger still looms ... and their fight is only just beginning.

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend by Jenny Colgan- Sophie Chesterton is a girl about town - she knows all the right people, goes to all the right parties, and wears all the right clothes. But deep down she suspects that her best friends are actually rather nasty, and that her lifestyle doesn't really amount to much. Her father wants her to make her own way in the world, to make him proud. But after one shocking evening her life is changed for ever. Scraping a living as an assistant to a 'glamour' photographer; living in a hovel on the Old Kent Road with four smelly boys; eating baked beans from the can - this is one spectacular fall from grace. Sophie is desperate to get her life back - but does a girl really need diamonds to be happy?

And I Do Not Forgive You by Amber Sparks- In prose that beats with urgency, these contemporary stories read like the best of fairytales--which are, as Sparks writes, just a warning disguised as a wish.In "Mildly Happy, With Moments of Joy," a friend is ghosted by a simple text message; in "Everyone's a Winner at Meadow Park," a teen precariously coming of age in a trailer park befriends an actual ghost. Indeed, the depths of friendship are examined under the most trying circumstances. Humorous and unapologetically fierce, other stories shine an interrogating light on the adage that "history likes to lie about women"? as the subjects of "You Won't Believe What Really Happened to the Sabine Women" (it's true, you won't) will attest. Sparks employs her vast knowledge of the morbid and macabre in "The Eyes of Saint Lucy," in which a young girl creates elaborately violent dioramas of famous saints with her mother. And in "A Short and Speculative History of Lavoisier's Wife," the great efforts of French chemist Lavoisier's widow to ensure his legacy are chillingly revealed.Taken together, this hypnotic and otherworldly collection seeks to reclaim the lives of the silenced. And what is history, Sparks asks, but the chance to dig up our skeletons and give them new stories? Humorous and unapologetically fierce, And I Do Not Forgive You offers a mosaic of an all-too-real world that too often fails to listen to its goddesses.

Coming Up for Air- Sarah Leipciger- L'Inconnue is a young woman lost in turbulent Paris at the turn of the nineteenth century. Amund is a Norwegian toymaker and father to two young children in the 1950s. Anouk is a contemporary Canadian suffering from cystic fibrosis, a medical condition that leaves her constantly fighting for air, swimming through the boundary between life and death as she awaits a lung transplant that could save her life. The way their stories intersect takes us effortlessly through time and space, revealing how our lives can be changed by strangers -- and how we, in turn, can shape events far beyond our apparent reach.

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd- Bridie Devine--female detective extraordinaire--is confronted with the most baffling puzzle yet: the kidnapping of Christabel Berwick, secret daughter of Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick, and a peculiar child whose reputed supernatural powers have captured the unwanted attention of collectors trading curiosities in this age of discovery. Winding her way through the labyrinthine, sooty streets of Victorian London, Bridie won't rest until she finds the young girl, even if it means unearthing a past that she'd rather keep buried. Luckily, her search is aided by an enchanting cast of characters, including a seven-foot tall housemaid; a melancholic, tattoo-covered ghost; and an avuncular apothecary. But secrets abound in this foggy underworld where spectacle is king and nothing is quite what it seems.

Before Familiar Woods by Ian Pisarcik- On the outskirts of a town too tired for its own happenings, the boys were found dead inside a tent. Three years later, their fathers have disappeared, too. Ruth Fenn's son was the boy they blamed. For three years, Ruth has accepted her lot as pariah, focusing on her ailing mother and the children left in her care by the struggling single parents of North Falls, Vermont. But now the additional loss of her husband is too much to bear, and she has no choice but to overcome the darkness or be consumed by it. But as she edges closer to the truth, she begins to uncover some secrets that are better left buried. That's when she meets Milk Raymond, a war vet who comes home to find his nine-year-old son abandoned by his mother. Unable to find work, with no idea how to be a father, Milk turns to Ruth for help. But as the mystery of Ruth's missing husband deepens, the fragile stability Milk has created for Daniel is shattered by the ill-fated return of Daniel's mother, who will stop at nothing to get her boy back. As these unsettled and interconnected lives hurtle towards a devastating conclusion, both Ruth and Milk are about to learn that their dying Vermont town has more secrets than they ever thought possible--and there are those who will do anything to protect them.

sbunte's blog

New Nonfiction eBooks

Many people have been turning to eBooks during these trying times. We at FRVPLD have been working hard to make sure more titles get added to our eBook platforms so our patrons can have access to the latest titles in some capacity. We have three different eBook platforms: Overdrive, Axis 360, and Hoopla. Below are some of the newest adult nonfiction titles that can now be found in each of those three platforms.

Overdrive

The Lincoln Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch

An enthralling story that history buffs are sure to enjoy, Meltzer and Mensch share the little-known story of the original consipiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln in 1861 (4 years prior to when he actually ended up being assassinated) when he was on the way to his first inauguration. The plot was investigated by Allen Pinkerton, who infiltrated the group of conspirators along with a group of other undercover agents (including one of the first female private detectives in the United States). Had this plan succeeded, it would have greatly changed American history.

The Compton Cowboys by Walter Thompson-Hernández

This book shares the story of a group of African-American men and women in Compton, California who are known as the Compton Cowboys. Today, Compton is mostly known for being the home of famous rappers NWA and Kendrick Lamarr, as well as for having a lot of gang violence. Compton has a lot of history tied to black cowboys in American culture. This group, based out of one of the last ranches in that area, embraced that history and formed to provide the local youth another path, one that has camaraderie, healing from trauma, recovery from incarceration and is away from all the violence.

American Cozy by Stephanie Pedersen

Pedersen takes the Danish lifestyle known as hygge - meaning comfort, togetherness and well-being - and gives it an American twist. She explores organization and decluttering, home décor, entertaining, cooking, creating a happier, more productive work life, and more.

Axis 360

24: Life Stories and Lessons from the Say Hey Kid by Willie Mays and John Shea

Legendary baseball player Willie Mays shares stories and lessons from his time on the baseball field and from experiences off the field as well. Mays shares how he had a lot of support and inspiration from people around him, and with this memoir he hopes to inspire people of all generations and backgrounds in a positive way.

More Myself by Alicia Keys

In this autobiography, Alicia Keys shares her journey as a woman, daughter, wife, mother, musician and becoming who she is today. Keys realized that she was not fully recognizing or honoring her own worth, so she set off on a quest for truth about herself so she could define who she wanted to be. Through her story, she wants to inspire other people to be themselves, not someone elses version of them, but fully themselves.

Cover art for Relationship Goals by Michael Todd

Relationship Goals by Michael Todd

Todd, who has a viral sermon series on YouTube, shares his own story of heartbreak and healing, discusses truths from God's word, and offers advice on how to have better, stronger relationships of all kinds in your life. He answers common questions about relationships and addresses common pitfalls as well.

Hoopla

In Praise of Paths by Torbjørn Ekelund

Ekelund began walking everywhere after an epilepsy diagnosis affected his ability to drive. The more that he walked, the more he began to truly appreciate the beauty of nature. In this memoir, Ekelund shares stories of his walks through nature, and also discusses other literature about, and the history of, paths and nature that he examined as his love of walking grew.

Officer Clemmons by François S. Clemmons

This autobiography explores the life of François Clemmons, from his early years to his time studying as a music major in college. Clemmons also tells the story of his chance meeting with Fred Rogers, which changed his life completely as he earned the role of Officer Clemmons on Mister Roger's Neighborhood and became the first African American actor to have a recurring role on a children's television program. This is a touching autobiography about a man who brought joy to millions of people.

Detox Your Thoughts by Andrea Bonior, Ph. D.

Bonior is a clinical psychologist with over twenty years of experience. In this book, she identifies the ten most prevalent mental traps that make people feel anxious and insecure. With each trap, she offers a new, positive habit to practice. Bonior provides specific actionable steps to conquer self-sabotaging thoughts so you can improve your mental and emotional health.

Sean's blog

New Romance to Check Out on Hoopla

I enjoy reading romance novels and have been taking advantage of downloading eBooks from the library to find new authors and series. I am drawn to stories with electric chemistry, quick banter, strong heroines, and a plot line that takes me away from reality. I'm currently making my way through Maisey Yates' Copper Ridge books, a contemporary western series set in a small Oregon town; Joanna Shupe's The Four Hundred (#1: A Daring Arrangement) and Uptown Girls (#1: The Rogue of Fifth Avenue), both set in Gilded Age New York City; and the historical regency Ravenels series by Lisa Kleypas (#1: Cold-Hearted Rake). I'm reading as much as I can while I bide my time waiting for the publication of Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean, the Queen Author of Historical Fiction as far as I'm concerned. I've been dying to read the final book in her Bareknuckle Bastards series since I devoured Brazen and the Beast last summer. In this post I'm focusing on new romance eBooks/eAudiobooks across several subgenres available on Hoopla, because these books are immediately available. Remember, you get 10 borrows per library card per month--don't forget to use up your May borrows!

Historical Romance: New Series
Felice by Kathleen Bittner Roth Bayou Bad Boys series	Never Kiss a Duke by Megan Frampton Hazard of Dukes series	An Inconvenient Duke by Anna Harrington Lords of the Armory series	Heiress for Hire by Madeline Hunter A Duke’s Heiress series

Lord Holt Takes a Bride by Vivienne Lorret The Mating Habits of Scoundrels series	His Secret Mistress by Cathy Maxwell Logical Man’s Guide to Dangerous Women series	The Most Eligible Lord in London by Ella Quinn Lords of London series

Historical Romance: Continuing Series
A Duke Too Far by Jane Ashford Way to a Lord’s Heart #4	Every Bit a Rogue by Adrienne Basso Ellinghams #4	Engaged to the Earl by Lisa Berne Penhallow Dynasty #4	Seduce Me with Sapphires by Jane Feather London Jewels Trilogy #2

The Bachelor by Sabrina Jeffries Duke Dynasty #2	An Heiress to Remember by Maya Rodale Gilded Ages Girls Club #3

Contemporary
The Kissing Game by Marie Harte	Owner of a Broken Heart by Cheris Hodges New Richardson Sisters series	Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai Modern Love #2	Beachside Beginnings by Sheila Roberts Moonlight Harbor #4

Contemporary- Western
Under a Firefly Moon by Donna Kaufman Blue Hollow Falls #4	Tall, Dark and Cowboy by Joanne Kennedy Acquainted with the Night #4	The Billionaire in Boots by Julia London Princes of Texas #3	Wind River Undercover by Lindsay McKenna Wind River Valley #9

Contemporary- for Dog Lovers
Head Over Paws by Debbie Burns Rescue Me #5	Cold Nose, Warm Heart by Mara Wells New Fur Haven Dog Park series

Science Fiction & Paranormal
Starbreaker by Amanda Bouchet Endeavor #2	Bears Behaving Badly by MaryJanice Davidson New BeWere My Heart series

Suspense
Pivot by Kat Martin, Alexandra Ivy, and Rebecca Zanetti

Danielle's blog

Fall in Love with Jane Austen

It is time to discover or maybe re-discover a favorite author of so many around the world, Jane Austen.

Jane was born on December 16, 1775, at Steventon Rectory in Hampshire, England, the seventh child of a country vicar and his wife, George and Cassandra Austen. Jane was mostly educated at home and began writing at a young age. Though written years earlier, Sense and Sensibility was finally published in 1811, which identified the author only as “a Lady.” Pride and Prejudice followed in 1813, Mansfield Park in 1814, and Emma in 1815. The title page of each book referred to one or two of Austen’s earlier novels—capitalizing on her growing reputation—but did not provide her name.

Austen began writing the novel that would eventually be titled Persuasion in 1815 and finished it the following year. At this point Jane's health was suffering.

Austen died probably of Addison’s disease on July 18, 1817. She was 41 years old.

Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were published together in December 1817 with a “Biographical Notice” written by Jane’s brother, Henry, in which Jane Austen was, for the first time, identified as the author of Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma.

This amazing woman who came from humble beginnings has created some of the best loved novels ever published.

Below are links to find electronic versions of the books, audiobooks and movies. You can also check our online catalog and if FRVPLD has a copy you want, put it on hold and then fill out the form for HOME DELIVERY and we will bring it right to your door. This would be a good time to brush up on your Jane Austen knowledge, because we will be scheduling a FRVPLD Live: Jane Austen Trivia program in the near future.

Sense and Sensibility: Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve when she falls in love with the charming but unsuitable John Willoughby, ignoring her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behavior leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Elinor, sensitive to social convention, struggles to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Will the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love? Overdrive, Hoopla, Axis360

Pride and Prejudice: The story of lively and rebellious Elizabeth Bennet, one of five unmarried daughters living in the countryside of 19th century England, in a world where an advantageous marriage is a woman's sole occupation. Overdrive, Hoopla, Axis360

Mansfield Park: This Regency drawing-room comedy follows the development of sweet, honest and courageous Fanny Price from the shy little poor girl into the woman who marries her cousin, the goody-goody clergyman Edmund Bertram. Fanny could be looked upon as almost insufferably good, virtuous and dull, if she were not presented with such imagination and placed among the many diverse and interesting people who frequent the house of Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram at Mansfield Park. Overdrive, Hoopla, Axis360

Emma: Handsome, clever, and rich, Emma Woodhouse is a restless queen bee without rivals in her sleepy little town, In this glittering satire of social class and the pain of growing up, Emma must adventure through misguided matches and romantic missteps to find the love that has been there all along. Overdrive, Hoopla, Axis360

Northanger Abbey: When young Catherine Morland is invited to Northanger Abbey, a house which seems to come straight from the pages of a Gothic novel, a world of adventure and romance opens up. Over the course of an eventful visit, Catherine learns to see peopole for what they really are and to distinguish reality from fiction. Overdrive, Hoopla, Axis360

Persuasion: The last novel completed by Jane Austen before her death, Persuasion is often thought to reflect on the author's own lost love. Sir Walter Elliot has raised his three daughters with his own sense of haughty pride. Elizabeth, at twenty-eight, has found no one good enough to marry, while Mary has, with some condescension, married the son of the local squire. The youngest, Anne, was persuaded to throw off her fiancé eight years ago due to his lowly station in life. When Captain Frederick Wentworth returns from the Napoleonic Wars a man of wealth and rank, Anne must confront her remorse and her unrequited love for him as he courts another woman. This is a story of second chances, humility, and the perseverance of love. Overdrive, Hoopla, Axis360

cpoweziak's blog

Cookbook Favorites on Hoopla

Baking is one of my hobbies, and I always have my pantry stocked with several types of flour, chocolate, sugars, and extracts. Sally's Baking Addiction, Sally's Cookie Addiction, and Dorie's Cookies are all available on Hoopla and are what I consider to be "Go-To" cookbooks in my personal library, with pages covered in sticky notes and well-thumbed pages. Since I've baked many recipes from these books for my co-workers, friends, and family, I thought I'd share some highlights from a couple of my baking superheroes.

Collage of cookbooks: Sally's Baking Addiction, Sally's Baking Addiction, and Dorie's Cookies

Sally’s Baking Addiction by Sally McKenney

Sally McKenney is one of my favorite baking bloggers. This book covers muffins, breakfast baked goods, brownies, cookies, cupcakes, pie, and more. I love the different types of bars she features. Fudge Ripple Monster Bars, Cinnamon Roll Blondies, and Sugared Lemon Bars are all hits. The Fudge Ripple Monster Bars are basically a bar version of a monster cookie, made with oats, peanut butter, and M&Ms, with a layer of fudge in the center. These are so rich, I cut them first into bars, and then diagonally to make triangles.

I've baked Sally's Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies, which are the most popular recipe on her blog, for several occasions. These cookies include two types of chocolate chips--semi-sweet and white--plus sprinkles (jimmies). These are so festive, because you can switch up the sprinkles to match the season. The cake batter flavor comes from adding some yellow or white boxed cake mix along with the all-purpose flour. Watch out, these are addictive! Pictured below on the left is a Christmas version of her Cake Batter cookies.

Pretzel Peanut Butter Cups (made without the pretzel on top) are pictured on the right. One Christmas I made a batch of these homemade peanut butter cups to give to my cousin, who is gluten-free, and she said they were better than the store-bought kind.

On left: Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies, right: Peanut Butter Cups

Sally’s Cookie Addiction by Sally McKenney on Hoopla
Sally's Cookie Addiction physical book - Place on hold

I cannot get enough cookie recipes, and this cookbook hits the spot. Throughout the book Sally offers Make Ahead Tips and Sally Says tips, which are extremely helpful, especially if you want to make the dough ahead of time. This cookbook features some unique shortbread recipes, including Chai Tea Spice Shortbread, Coconut Lime, Coffee Toffee, and Chocolate Cashew Shortbread Wedges.

Pictured below are a couple favorites from this cookbook. On the left: Kitchen Sink Cookies. Semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, mini M&Ms, and crushed potato chips make this an off-the-hook and colorful oatmeal cookie recipe. Although the recipe calls for walnuts, I do not add them.

On the right: Chocolate Cashew Shortbread Wedges, a salty and sweet combination that is great to package and give as gifts.

On left: Kitchen Sink cookies on cooling rack; on right: Chocolate Cashew Shortbread Wedges

Dorie’s Cookies by Dorie Greenspan on Hoopla
Dorie's Cookies physical book - Place on hold

With over 300 recipes, this is a Baking Bible. Dorie includes clear, detailed steps and lots of tips in her recipes, along with beautiful photos. “Playing Around” variations are included with many of the recipes, with instructions on how to change up the recipe with different flavor combinations. I've had my copy for several years and have barely scratched the surface of the cookies, bars, and doughs in this cookbook, plus the many variations on shortbread, including the sablé, the French shortbread cookie. I could spend three months baking my way through all her brownie recipes: Classic Brownies, Peanut Butter and Fudge Brownies, Salted Chocolate-Caramel Bars, Fudgy Mocha Bars, and on and on!

Pictured below are two of the recipes from this cookbook I've returned to multiple times. On the left: Two-Bite One-Chip Cookies. You take one chocolate chip and wrap a teaspoon of dough around it. I’ve used semi-sweet, dark, and butterscotch chips for the center. So small and addictive, you can’t eat just one; I won't judge you for eating them by the handful. And while they’re called Two-Bite cookies, a co-worker has informed me, “Nahhh, these are One-Bite Cookies.”

On the right: Chocolate-Oatmeal Biscoff Cookies. Chocolate combined with Biscoff cookie butter is a heavenly combination, and the texture from the oatmeal makes this a must try!

On left: Two-Bite One Chip Cookies; on right: Chocolate-Oatmeal Biscoff Cookies

As I went through these cookbooks to point out recipes I’ve tested, I started to remember the occasions behind why I baked the cookies. Many of those occasions involved bringing treats in for co-workers, whether it be to celebrate a birthday or accomplishment, or just because I felt like baking. I've missed baking for everyone at the library and hope I will be able to make for my co-workers again soon.

Danielle's blog

Series Opening Books

Apart from lengthy books, which I wrote about here, extended time at home is also a great time to dive into a new series. The possibilities are endless, but here’s a selection of first books in popular series that you can get through our e-resources. If there's a hold list on one source, see if it's available with no wait on another!

Some series are complete and some are ongoing so you have more to look forward to. Even better- many of these have been developed into TV series, so there’s even more to sate your appetite when you’re done reading.

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (MaddAddam trilogy)- "Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved. In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey–with the help of the green-eyed Children of Crake–through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride." Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis360 audiobook

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (Broken Earth series)- "This is the way the world ends...for the last time. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world's sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester. This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy." Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon- "Scottish Highlands, 1945. Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an "outlander"—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding clans in the year of Our Lord . . . 1743. Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of a world that threatens her life, and may shatter her heart. Marooned amid danger, passion, and violence, Claire learns her only chance of safety lies in Jamie Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. What begins in compulsion becomes urgent need, and Claire finds herself torn between two very different men, in two irreconcilable lives." Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (The All Souls trilogy)- "In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont." Overdrive ebook; Axis 360 ebook

The Passage by Justin Cronin- "It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born. An epic and gripping tale of catastrophe and survival, The Passage is the story of Amy—abandoned by her mother at the age of six, pursued and then imprisoned by the shadowy figures behind a government experiment of apocalyptic proportions. But Special Agent Brad Wolgast, the lawman sent to track her down, is disarmed by the curiously quiet girl and risks everything to save her. As the experiment goes nightmarishly wrong, Wolgast secures her escape—but he can't stop society's collapse. And as Amy walks alone, across miles and decades, into a future dark with violence and despair, she is filled with the mysterious and terrifying knowledge that only she has the power to save the ruined world." Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

Never Mind by Edward St Aubyn (Patrick Melrose series)- "Never Mind, the first installment in Edward St. Aubyn's wonderful, wry, and profound Patrick Melrose Cycle, follows five-year-old Patrick through a single day, as the Melrose family awaits the arrival of guests. Bright and imaginative, young Patrick struggles daily to contend with the searing cruelty of his father and the resignation of his embattled mother. But on this day he must endure an unprecedented horror—one that splits his world in two. In Never Mind, St. Aubyn renders this vivid tragedy with profound grace and precision, and introduces us to the unforgettable, complex figure of Patrick Melrose." (Links are for the collected series) Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel- "England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years, and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. The quest for the king's freedom destroys his adviser, the brilliant Cardinal Wolsey, and leaves a power vacuum. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell is a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people and a demon of energy: he is also a consummate politician, hardened by his personal losses, implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?" Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 audiobook

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett- "The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known . . . of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect—a man divided in his soul . . . of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame . . . and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state and brother against brother." Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian (Aubrey-Maturin series)- "It is the dawn of the nineteenth century; Britain is at war with Napoleon's France. When Jack Aubrey, a young lieutenant in Nelson's navy, is promoted to captain, he inherits command of HMS Sophie, an old, slow brig unlikely to make his fortune. But Captain Aubrey is a brave and gifted seaman, his thirst for adventure and victory immense. With the aid of his friend Stephen Maturin, Aubrey and his crew engage in one thrilling battle after another, their journey culminating in a stunning clash with a mighty Spanish frigate against whose guns and manpower the tiny Sophie is hopelessly outmatched." Overdrive audiobook

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas (Lady Sherlock series)- "With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London. When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She'll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her. But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society's expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind." Hoopla audiobook; Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (Cormoran Strike series)- "After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, creditors are calling, and after a breakup with his longtime girlfriend, he's living in his office. Then John Bristow walks through his door with a shocking story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry — known to her friends as the Cuckoo — famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man." Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy (Jack Ryan series)- "Somewhere under the freezing Atlantic, a Soviet sub commander has just made a fateful decision. The Red October is heading west. The Americans want her. The Russians want her back. The chase for the highly advanced nuclear submarine is on—and there's only one man who can find her... Brilliant CIA analyst Jack Ryan has little interest in fieldwork, but when covert photographs of Red October land on his desk, Ryan soon finds himself in the middle of a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek played by two world powers—a game that could end in all-out war." Overdrive ebook; Axis 360 ebook

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (Neopolitan series)- "Beginning in the 1950s in a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples, Ferrante's four-volume story spans almost sixty years, as its protagonists, the fiery and unforgettable Lila, and the bookish narrator, Elena, become women, wives, mothers, and leaders, all the while maintaining a complex and at times conflictual friendship. Book one in the series follows Lila and Elena from their first fateful meeting as ten-year-olds through their school years and adolescence. Through the lives of these two women, Ferrante tells the story of a neighborhood, a city, and a country as it is transformed in ways that, in turn, also transform the relationship between her protagonists." Hoopla ebook; Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole (Reluctant Royals series)- "Between grad school and multiple jobs, Naledi Smith doesn't have time for fairy tales...or patience for the constant e-mails claiming she's betrothed to an African prince. Sure. Right. Delete! As a former foster kid, she's learned that the only things she can depend on are herself and the scientific method, and a silly e-mail won't convince her otherwise. Prince Thabiso is the sole heir to the throne of Thesolo, shouldering the hopes of his parents and his people. At the top of their list? His marriage. Ever dutiful, he tracks down his missing betrothed. When Naledi mistakes the prince for a pauper, Thabiso can't resist the chance to experience life—and love—without the burden of his crown. The chemistry between them is instant and irresistible, and flirty friendship quickly evolves into passionate nights. But when the truth is revealed, can a princess in theory become a princess ever after?" Hoopla ebook; Hoopla audiobook; Overdrive ebook; Axis 360 ebook

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid (Winston Brothers series)- "Identical twins Beau and Duane Winston might share the same devastatingly handsome face, but where Beau is outgoing and sociable, Duane is broody and reserved. This is why perpetually level-headed Jessica James has been in naïve and unhealthy infatuation with Beau Winston for most of her life. Whereas Duane and Jessica have always been adversaries. She can't stand him, and she's pretty sure he can't stand the sight of her… But after a case of mistaken identity, Jessica finds herself in a massive confusion kerfuffle. Jessica James has spent her whole life paralyzed by the fantasy of Beau and her assumptions of Duane's disdain; therefore she's unprepared for the reality that is Duane's insatiable interest, as well as his hot hands and hot mouth and hotter looks. When Jessica finds herself drawn to the man who was always her adversary, how much of her level-head heart is she willing to risk?" Hoopla audiobook

sbunte's blog

Businesses and the pandemic

As we continue to battle the Coronavirus pandemic, businesses have had to make adjustments and incredibly difficult decisions. Whether it meant switching to a work-from-home model, doing curbside pickup and delivery only, or deciding to close altogether, businesses have been struggling and business owners may still be trying to figure out what to do during these difficult times. Lynda.com has made some new courses available that are meant to help businesses during this pandemic. While there are only a few courses currently, LinkedIn is always working to continuously add new content to Lynda.com, so even more courses may be added as the pandemic continues. I am pleased to see that LinkedIn is doing what it can to offer some kind of support to businesses, and I am happy that we are able to provide this platform to our patrons and hope that business owners in our community find these courses helpful.

Lynda.com is free to access with an FRVPLD card. To access it, go to the Research page on our website (the databases on this page will be listed alphabetically), then scroll down to the Ls and click on Lynda.com. If you have used Lynda.com before, you will just have to enter your card number and the password you created for Lynda.com. If you have never used Lynda.com, you will have to click on "Create a Profile" and then you will be able to put in your card number and create a password. You will then be able to log in with that information moving forward. Once you are in Lynda.com, you can access the pandemic-related courses by searching "covid" in the search bar. Four courses will come up (so far, at least).

These courses cover topics such as: leading during a crisis, making adjustments to your business to increase the chances of it surviving the pandemic, how supply chains work and how they've changed during the pandemic, and more. In addition to these courses, Lynda.com also provides courses about working from home. While these courses were created before the pandemic, there still could be very useful information to help make that adjustment. Simply search "work from home" and many videos come up.

Lynda.com even has some videos about eLearning. These can be especially helpful now that schools have turned to eLearning for the remainder of the current school year. These are just a few different areas that Lynda.com can really help with, whether you're a business owner, an employee, a teacher, a parent, or a student. All of Lynda.com's content is available, so even if you just want to brush up on some computer skills, other workplace skills, or keep up with academic subjects, Lynda.com can be a big help. If you need help accessing Lynda.com or if you have any questions, please feel free to email us at libraryhelp@frvpld.info. Stay strong and be safe!

Sean's blog

Down the Rabbit Hole: BiblioBoard

Biblioboard is one of those eResources we have posted on our website, that probably doesn't get as much traffic as it should. While you probably won't find highly popular or bestselling items in BiblioBoard, you will find a wide array of random and odball things: little know indie books, self published things, teaser freebies from educational publishers, essays, interviews, lectures and copyright free classics. There is a LOT of interesting content there, but navigating the site is a bit strange and takes some getting used to. For starters, when you click on the link to it from our library page, you are brought to a login screen. Don't worry, you don't need to create a login to view the resources. The site boasts that if you do, you will have access to more features, so I created a login last week, but when I tried to login today, my attempt failed. Undeterred, I used the login recovery option and received an email with a new temporary password, but that failed to let me in as well. So I say, why bother with the hassel, you don't really need it. Besides, you may notice that our library is not even listed in the drop down menu of libraries that have access to the site. Oh well...

What you can do is click on any of the three icons on the left side of the screen. It doesn't really matter which of the three you choose, since you can freely navigate between all the choices via the menu icon that is alwasy at the top left of the webpage.

You can also browse by curation, category or format. BiblioBoard is arranged in a series of levels that can get a bit confusing. For example, search results can show you individual items, collections and curations, modules, images, movies and sound clips. As you click through, you can dig deeper and deeper into specific topics. Retracing your steps won't always lead you back to the same place. If you get lost, you can always type a keyword or topic in the search bar to get back on track.

biblioboard menu

Let's dive in...

If any of the links in this article don't take you all the way there, all you have to do it click the BiblioBoard Icon and it will finish loading. It really can get confusing.

biblioboard refresh link

What I repeatedly found heaps of, were facsimile copies of classic and older books, many of which had beautiful illustrations that are sadly lacking from many modern digital copies of classics. I found an interesting facsimile of a guide to night life in Victorian London (published in 1908), but I didn't find it because I was looking for it. It's just one of those things that I came across by clicking down through descending layers or organization. Books may be included in multiple collections, and any number of collections may appear under anthologies. Curations can include any and all of these things plus additional types of resources.

Title Page

Facsimile of the 1908 edition

The more you sift through the offerings, the more familiar you will become with the Bibliofind layout.

Another gem I came across by accident and cannot remember how, is Loving Eleanor by Susan Wittig Albert. I am very familiar with her popular herb shop mystery series, but I had no idea that she also wrote biographical fiction. When I tried to find it again later, I had to use the search function and it brought up a lot more than I had hoped.

Loving Eleanor By Susan Wittig Albert

When AP political reporter Lorena Hickok—Hick—is assigned to cover Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1932 campaign, the two women become deeply involved. Their relationship begins with mutual romantic passion, matures through stormy periods of enforced separation and competing interests, and warms into an enduring, encompassing friendship documented by 3300 letters. Set during the chaotic years of the Great Depression, the New Deal, and the Second World War, Loving Eleanor reveals Eleanor Roosevelt as a complex, contradictory, and entirely human woman who is pulled in many directions by her obligations to her husband and family and her role as the nation's First Lady. Hick is revealed as an accomplished journalist, who, at the pinnacle of her career, gives it all up for the woman she loves. Then, as Eleanor is transformed into Eleanor Everywhere, First Lady of the World, Hick must create her own independent, productive life. Loving Eleanor is a profoundly moving novel that illuminates a relationship we are seldom privileged to see, celebrating the depth and durability of women's love.

Curation

Golden Age Comics

Anthology

Fox Feature Syndicate

Anthology

Fiction House Comics

Anthology

Western Comics

If you enjoy old comics, you may like the Curation "Golden Age Comics" . It is a mix of anthologies, collections, books, articles, issues and images from the 1940s and 1950s. But this is where things can get confusing. Six of the results are nothing more than a single image of a cover. Some of the results are single issues, even though more issues of that comic are available. For example, you will see a link for the book 'Firehair, issue 01", but if you first select the "Fiction House Comics" Anthology, that will lead you to a groups of "collections", one of which is the "Firehair" collection. Once you click through to that, you will find 12 individual issues (books).

The Fox Feature Syndicate Anthology includes: All Top, Big Three, Blue Beetle, Bouncer, Dagar Desert Hawk, Famous Crimes, Fantastic Comics, The Flame, Green Mask, Jo-Jo Congo King, Murder Incorporated, Mystery Men, Phantom Lady, Rulah, Samson, Science Comics, Weird Comics, Women Outlaws, Wonder Comics, Wonderland, Zago, Zegra, Zoot.

The Fiction House Comics Anthology includes: Famous First Issues, Fairehair, Ghosts and Monster Comics, Kaanga, Movie Comics, Planet Comics. Sheena:Queen of the Jungle, The Spirit, War Birds and Jet Aces, Wing Comics.

The Western Comics Anthology includes: Cow Puncher, Kit Carson, The Masked Raider, Outlaws of the West, Western Adventures, Wyatt Earp.

You can find treasure in every category. Take For instance the Illinois Author's Romance Collection.

Romance

Collection

Punk Charming

by Laura Quinn

Afternoon Delight

by Janet Gillett

The Boss lady

by Lolah Lace

These selections from the Romance Collection cover 80's teen travel adventure, cozy tea shop romance and interracial urban erotica.

Punk Charming by Laura Quinn

This is the story of Kate Spenser, an American teenager who travels to Europe in 1986, to attend Oxford University. Along the way, she escapes peril in Paris, explores Spain with her pen pal, and meets her Punk Charming on the train to Calais. James escorts Kate across the Channel and up to London, where they share many adventures until Kate must leave to begin her classes. Fate, chance and sabotage seem to conspire against the soul mates, preventing their reunion that summer and perhaps forever. The story continues from both sides of pond, until it reaches its dramatic conclusion. Imbued with the music, fashion, and events of the evolving time period, Punk Charming is a veritable pop culture vault of the pre- and post-Internet era.

Afternoon Delight by Janet Gillett

A book about tea, relationships, and life but mostly about how tea can show us what we can learn about life.Carmela owns a tea store where she has a knack for finding the perfect blend for her customers. To her, each ingredient is a powerful medicine that paired together will provide deeply needed healing and encouragement. Cinnamon has a warming property that helps inflammation, hibiscus celebrates one's passions, green tea provides a gentle caffeine intake while increasing one's health. Will the masterful art of blending teas help her find her own healing and peace? When an upstairs neighbor moves in, Carmela's carefully constructed life threatens to fall apart. She must confront parts of herself that she has long buried. Despite her inner struggles, she finds nourishment in friendships, support from customers, and peace in the most unexpected place.

The Boss Lady by Lolah Lace

Paralyzed with grief over a sudden tragic loss, Lukas Hamilton wonders if life is worth living. A chance meeting with a single mother distracts him from his pain. Nicole Nevels is the devil but underneath her harsh demeanor is exactly what Lukas never imagined he needed. He is stuck in the past and forced to deal with issues he has vowed to avoid. Can Nicole help Luke to rebuild his will to live and love again? Or will her selfish deeds forever hurt an already broken man? ***This eBook is for mature readers only. It contains adult language and strong sexual content.

But what about audio books?

This is why I originally began exploring BiblioBoard. When you click on the "listen" tab in the main menu, Biblioboard shows 401 results that can be browsed through on 21 pages. It is mostly a mixture of lectures, interviews, and music, but you can find some fiction in there too. However, this is a branch of the rabbit hole that I shall leave for a future blog post.

Explore at your own benefit!

Katie's blog

Keeping Busy During Quarantine

With all this unexpected downtime we can easily become restless. The days seem longer and quarantine appears to stretch on forever with no end in sight. To combat the restlessness i've been feeling I have finally started the journey into organizing my space; something that I always said I would get around to but was always busy, well not anymore!

Staring at the areas of a home and just opening the cabinets and closets can be overwhelming but thankfully our Overdrive app has books in this subject to lend a hand and guide you through this adventure.

One of the first books that really helped was The Home Edit: The ever famous instagram organizers, Joanna and Clea, take you through organizing all your home areas and making them look like they came from one of those home magazines. They are present in just about every famous celebrity house from Khloe Kardashian to Retta.It's a fun enjoyable book that puts you at ease, their fun banter and tidbits make it a light pool read, and with a step by step journey they give crucial advice, never start organizing with your pantry first. These two ladies just might convince you to ROYGBIV all aspects of your life; except for books, thats where I drew the line. Overdrive eBook

The second book I used was Homebody: HGTV star Joanna Gaines didn't really help with organizing but it was more for decoration. Now that spring is knocking on our door it was time to change the winter decor that was up into something brighter. Not only would that be in tune with the seasons but it would make me happier to see brighter colors; I still had gnome winter pillow covers on the sofa. Homebody helps curate your style into one tailored to you and your needs; and since it appears we aren't leaving our homes anytime soon it would be like a whole new place with just a few tweaks. Overdrive eBook

Going back to organizing, Simple Organizing Wisdom was the third book I perused. The experts from Good Housekeeping explain a tyding up process room by room. It ranges from the typical kitchen organizing to decluttering your desk and digital spaces. Working from home, the decluttering and making a space dedicated for work has helped me differentiate that area from the rest of my home. Not only does it look nice but it helps me switch from work to home mode. Overdrive eBook

For all those who are still going to work and do not want to be left behind on this journey, then the book Unf** your Habitat is the right one for you. The author, Rachel Hoffman, stresses that not everyone has the time to do a marathon day of organizing and cleaning. To solve this, she shares a 20/10 system; 20 min cleaning with 10 min break. She stresses the goal is to develop habits to use in your life to help achieve that clean home that we all would love to have. Overdrive eBook

Happy decorating and organizing! We will have amazing looking houses after this is over.

Jasmin's blog

2020 Teens' Top Ten Nominations

The Teens' Top Ten is a list voted on by teens in public and school libraries across the country about their favorite books of the previous year. The nominations for the 2020 Teens' Top Ten were announced last month. Download a PDF copy of the nominees, or check out the list below with links to the eBooks and eAudioboks in our catalog. Voting for the Teens' Top Ten is open to readers ages 12-18, and runs August 12 through October 15.

2020 Teens' Top Ten Nominations:

#MurderFunding by Gretchen McNeil

Cover of #Murderfunding by Gretchen McNeil

Hoopla eBook

Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden

Cover of Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Cover of Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

eBook: Overdrive, Axis 360
Overdrive eAudiobook

The Beast Player by Nahoka Uehashi

Cover of The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi

Hoopla eAudiobook

Between Worlds: Folktales of Britain and Ireland by Kevin Crossley-Holland

Cover of Between Worlds by Kevin Crossley-Holland

Hoopla eAudiobook

Broken Throne: A Red Queen Collection by Victoria Aveyard

Cover of Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard

eAudiobook on Hoopla
Axis 360 eBook

Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones (YA edition)

Cover of Dreamland by Sam Quinones

Axis 360 ebook (original ed.)

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe

Cover of The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe

eAudiobook on Hoopla

Frankly in Love by David Yoon

Cover of Frankly in Love by David Yoon

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Cover of The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Last Bus to Everland by Sophie Cameron

Cover of Last Bus to Everland by Sophie Cameron

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki

Cover of Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki

Lovely War by Julie Berry

Cover of Lovely War by Julie Berry

The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy

Cover of The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy

Hoopla eBook
Hoopla eAudiobook

My Ideal Boyfriend is a Croissant by Laura Dockrill

Cover of My Ideal Boyfriend is a Croissant by Laura Dockrill

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

Cover of Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

Hoopla eAudiobook
Overdrive eBook

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

Cover of Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

Stolen Time by Danielle Rollins

Cover of Stolen Time by Danielle Rollins

Hoopla eBook

Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon by Mary Fan

Cover of Stronger than a Bronze Dragon by Mary Fan

Hoopla eBook

These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling

Cover of These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling

Overdrive eBook

Warhead: The True Story of One Teen Who Almost Saved the World by Jeff Henigson

Cover of Warhead by Jeff Henigson

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

Cover of Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

eBook: Overdrive, Axis 360
Overdrive eAudiobook

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

Cover of We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

Overdrive eBook
Overdrive eAudiobook

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Cover of Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Overdrive eBook

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Cover of With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

eBook: Hoopla, Overdrive, Axis 360
eAudiobook: Hoopla, Overdrive, Axis 360

Danielle's blog

Cinco de Mayo at home Help

“Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. The day, which falls on Tuesday this year, is also known as Battle of Puebla Day. While it is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations.” (https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/cinco-de-mayo)

In America Cinco de Mayo has also become a day when Americans enjoy a little taste of Mexican culture by enjoying some delicious Mexican food. Unfortunately, this year we will all have to stay home and attempt to make our own tacos, carne asada or enchiladas.

Have no fear! The library has e-resources to help your at home Cinco de Mayo celebration!

Hoopla has cookbooks, children’s books, music and movies available for you to check out electronically today! We have also upped the number of checkouts on Hoopla to 10 per month. You can click the link above to go directly to the Hoopla sign in page, or from our website click on ELIBRARY, then on HOOPLA.

Hoopla is very easy to navigate, and I’ll show you how to find items using the Hoopla SEARCH bar.

The first search I did was by typing “Cinco de Mayo” in the Search bar. It gave me 45 results. A lot of them were Children’s books with the phrase “Cinco de Mayo” in the title, but further down the list there were some music options.

When I searched “Mexican Cooking” in order to find some good recipes, I found these four eBooks.

I also wanted to find a little bit more about the history of our southern neighbor, so I searched “Mexico History” and was rewarded with these four titles. I think I will start listening to the History of the Conquest of Mexico today as I work.

Finally to set the proper mood for our meal, I searched “Mexico Music” and found over 1,400 music titles that I can check out and play as we eat our meal and maybe even play a game of Loteria tonight.

Speaking of Loteria, Google has a fun online version of Loteria you can play for free. It’s a fun game to play and will help you learn some new Spanish words.

ꜟFeliz Cinco de Mayo a todos!

cpoweziak's blog

Long Reads

"You can never have a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me."- C.S. Lewis

Many FRVPLD community members, both staff and patrons alike, have a bit more time on their hands lately. What better time than now to power through some lengthier books to which you could never commit the time before? The books on this list are at least 500 pages long (there might be one or two just under the 500 mark, but I made the rules, so I’m allowed to break them). At this point in your life, I’m guessing you’ve probably already made a decision about whether you care about ever reading Moby Dick or Middlemarch, so I’m not listing “classics” or books on the typical school list.

The following novels can all be found on one or more of our e-resources (Hoopla, Overdrive, and Axis 360). If there's a hold list on one source, see if it's available with no wait on another!

The Stand by Stephen King- Due to current events, this one's been getting a lot of love lately. The plot centers around a flu pandemic that wipes out most of the world's population, with survivors trying to recreate social structures. Two powerful leaders take opposing viewpoints on how to move forward, and the survivors must choose with whom they stand.

Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon- Two teenage cousins, one a refugee from Hitler's Europe and the other a native Brooklynite, bond and develop complementary creative skills, eventually building a comic book empire together. A dual coming of age novel, many of the events are based on the lives of real-life comic creators.

Axis 360 audiobook

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova- Set in the 1930s, 1950s, and1970s, the story follows an unnamed historian, her father, and his mentor as they search for Dracula across the world at separate times. Mixing history and folklore, this story is a slow burn for those who like an eerie atmosphere, archives, and libraries.

Hoopla audiobook; Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt- 13-year old Theo survives a musuem explosion that kills his mother. Overcome with both grief and guilt, he is drawn to a painting of a goldfinch that reminds him of his last moments with her. Thrust into unusual circumstances, Theo continuously reinvents himself, clinging to art as part of his identity, and ends up drawn further and further into the underworld of art.

Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

American Gods by Neil Gaiman- Shadow Moon is released from prison and soon meets a con man named Mr. Wednesday, who offers Shadow a position as his bodyguard while he undertakes a mysterious journey across America. Shadow figures out that he has unwittingly been mixed up in Wednesday's mission to gather the Old Gods to try to fight against the New American Gods who are depleting their powers. (Links are for the 10-year anniversary edition, featuring the author's preferred text. The original release edition is also available.)

Hoopla ebook; Hoopla audiobook; Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara- The novel follows four friends from college graduation to middle age as they each obtain success in their chosen fields. It sounds like a traditional coming of age tale, but be warned that this novel deals with extremely heavy topics and is not a feel good story. Dealing with abuse, self-harm, addiction, and more, some readers give it their vote for the most depressing novel ever written. But there is beauty in the strength of the relationships portrayed between the friends.

Overdrive ebook; Axis 360 ebook

The Witch Elm by Tana French- French's first standalone novel, the story picks up after narrator Toby is beaten to the brink of death and struggles through recovery, both physical and mental. The former golden boy goes to stay with his uncle at the family ancestral home. While he reconnects with family, a human skull is unearthed from the Witch Elm tree on the property, beginning Toby's quest to recover memories from his youth and discover the fate of the victim in the tree.

Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie- Young lovers escape the military dictatorship in Nigeria, but are separated due to circumstances beyond their control. Ifemelu ends up in America, where as an academic she struggles with being treated differently as "black" for the first time. Obinze eventually ends up an undocumented immigrant in London, with all the struggles inherent in that position. The two later reunite in a newly democratic Nigeria and wonder if they can reconnect after drastically different life experiences.

Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern- A labyrinthine collection of tunnels and rooms filled with stories resides under the earth in the Starless Sea, with doors awaiting every individual's entry. Zachary Ezra Rawlins doesn't realize he is searching for his door, but a strange book discovered in his campus library grants him the knowledge that he is meant for another place, and his journey begins.

Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

The Parisian by Isabella Hammad- In the aftermath of WWI, a young Palestinian man makes his way through the Middle East into Europe, stumbling into a restless Paris, where he learns the positive and negative sides of love and friendship. Personal tragedies are interwoven with a backdrop of the world's polticial turbulence of the era.

Hoopla ebook

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles- Count Alexander Rostov, an "unrepentant aristocrat", is sentenced to house arrest in an attic room in the Metropol hotel by a Bolshevik tribunal. In his reduced circumstances, he watches some of the most tumultuous times in Russian history unfold outside the hotel. Observing the world change makes Rostov examine his worldview and discover a greater emotional understanding.

Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra- The novel follows two parallel tracks, taking the reader through the criminal underground of 80s and 90s Mumbai and a modern day hunt relating to a gangster's death. Sacred Games mixes elements of mysteries, thrillers, social novels, Bollywood films, as well as research and the author's personal experience of modern day Mumbai.

Hoopla ebook

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke- Magic once existed in England, but died out and is now studied by "theoretical magicians". Mr. Norrell brings magic back in the practical sense, with physical manifestations. Jonathan Strange becomes both Norrell's pupil and rival as they explore different sides of how they believe magic should be used.

Overdrive ebook

Underworld by Don DeLillo- DeLillo captures the history and culture of Cold War America in non-linear stories featuring a wide variety of characters. Historical events shape their lives over the course of decades, with a baseball (the one Bobby Thomson hit off Ralph Brana known as "the shot heard 'round the world") passing amongst them and linking their stories.

Hoopla audiobook

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell- An ambitious story broken into 12 parts (2 parts for each of the 6 tales). Each separate story is written as a different genre, but with some point linking it to the other stories. Questions of reality and identity are found throughout the novel that travels through time and location before eventually bringing the reader back to the starting point.

Overdrive ebook; Overdrive audiobook; Axis 360 ebook; Axis 360 audiobook

sbunte's blog

Shelter in place crafts with Creativebug

As we shelter in place, we all might be going a little stir crazy trying to find things to do. One of the online resources that we have available is Creativebug, which has free videos showing you how to do a variety of arts and crafts type projects. On May 1, Creativebug added a new video called "Daily Creativity at Home." It is a video series with a variety of projects that use materials commonly found at home.

There are a total of 31 videos in this series - one for each day of the month of May. The first two videos are already available and a new video is made available each day. Each video is roughly 5-10 minutes long and at the beginning of the video, the instructor will tell you what materials you will need for that particular project and will walk you through how to do that project.

These are fun, simple projects that anyone can do. You will only need items that are commonly found in a home, like paper, glue, scissors, paint, yarn, and more. You can even make a game out of it and try to see if you can complete all of the projects for the month. You can access these videos, plus many others, for free by going to the Research Page on the library website, clicking on Creativebug, and then putting in your library card number and PIN. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at libraryhelp@frvpld.info. Feel free to share what crafts you are working on too!

Sean's blog

True Medieval

durham cathedral illuminated manuscript

The last book I checked out from the library before it’s temporary closure was a copy of Murder at Midnight by Avi. I had just started reading a paperback copy of Midnight Magic by Avi at home and I like to keep track of my reading with Goodreads. When I added this title, it informed that it was book #2….. So I stopped reading and placed a hold for the first title on the library website. I like to read my books in order.

Midnight Magic #1

Murder at Midnight 2009

Midnight Magic #2

Midnight Magic 1999

Now, Midnight magic was published in 1999, and Murder at Midnight wasn’t published until 2009. Chronologically, Murder at Midnight comes first. The two books can be read separately and are independent of each other, but I didn’t know that at the time. The main character is an orphaned street urchin and the setting is Italy during the 1490’s. Both books were wonderful!

One I’ve logged in to place one hold, I usually end up placing a lot more holds. What else could I request by Avi? The Dundee Library had a copy of “The Cross of Lead” (newberry award winner) on the shelf, so I requested that too. After finishing the Midnight Magic duology, I immediately turned to “Cross of Lead” and began my immersion into 14th century medieval England.

Crispin
The Cross of Lead	At the Edge of the World	The End of Time

I have always loved historical adventures and mysteries, especially from the medieval period (beginning just after the fall of Rome and ending before the start of the renaissance) . As a young teen, my favorite book from this time period was “Captives of Time” by Malcolm Bosse.

captives of time malcolm bosse

Imagine how thrilled I was as an adult when I came across a copy in a used bookstore, especially since I didn’t actually remember the title. Re-reading it as an adult, I enjoyed it just as much as I remembered. Nowadays, there are LOTS of books and lengthy sagas available with a medieval flavor, but most have elements of magic and high fantasy thrown in, or focus solely on the lives and court of well known kings and queens.

With my goal clear, TRUE MEDIEVAL, I set forth to sift through the thousands of titles that come up on OverDrive and Axis360 under the broad terms of historical fiction. After 4 hours of digital panning, here are the nuggets of gold I found appropriate for 6th grade and up.

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

Cecily longs to return to her beloved Edgeley Hall, where her father was lord of the manor. He is moving them to Caernarvon, in occupied Wales, where he can get a place for almost nothing, since the king needs good strong Englishmen to keep down the vicious Welshmen. Gwenhwyfar knows all about that house. Once she dreamed of being the lady there herself, until the English came and destroyed the lives of everyone she knows. Now Gwenhwyfar must wait hand and foot on this bratty English girl who has taken what should have been hers. While Cecily struggles to find her place amongst the snobby English landowners, Gwenhwyfar struggles just to survive. And meanwhile the Welsh are not as conquered as they seem.

	Overdrive eBook
	Overdrive Audiobook
	Axis 360 eBook
	Axis 360 Audiobook

Will in Scarlet by Matthew Cody

Will Shackley is the son of a lord, and though just thirteen, he's led a charmed, protected life and is the heir to Shackley House, while his father is away on the Third Crusade with King Richard the Lionheart.

But with King Richard's absence, the winds of treason are blowing across England, and soon Shackley House becomes caught up in a dangerous power struggle that drives Will out of the only home he's ever known. Alone, he flees into the dangerous Sherwood Forest, where he joins an elusive gang of bandits readers will immediately recognize.

Blood Red Horse by K. M. Grant

You need three things to become a brave and noble knight: A warhorse. A fair maiden. A just cause. Will has a horse-a small chestnut stallion with a white blaze in his brow. Ellie is a fair maiden, but she's supposed to marry Will's older brother, Gavin. And as for the cause, King Richard is calling for a Crusade. The Knights of England must go to the Holy Land to fight. Will and Gavin will go. Blood will be shed. Lives will be taken. But through it all, there is a blood-red horse called Hosanna. . . .

OverDrive eBook

Axis 360 eBook

The Book Of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

A Newbery Honor Book * Booklist Editors' Choice * BookPage Best Books * Chicago Public Library Best Fiction * Horn Book Fanfare * Kirkus Reviews Best Books * Publishers Weekly Best Books * Wall Street Journal Best of the Year * An ALA Notable Book

Boy has always been relegated to the outskirts of his small village. With a hump on his back, a mysterious past, and a tendency to talk to animals, he is often mocked by others in his town—until the arrival of a shadowy pilgrim named Secondus. Impressed with Boy's climbing and jumping abilities, Secondus engages Boy as his servant, pulling him into an action-packed and suspenseful expedition across Europe to gather seven precious relics of Saint Peter. Boy quickly realizes this journey is not an innocent one. They are stealing relics and accumulating dangerous enemies in the process. But Boy is determined to see this pilgrimage through until the end—for what if St. Peter has the power to make him the same as the other boys?

	OverDrive eBook
	OverDrive Audiobook
	Axis 360 eBook
	Axis 360 Audiobook

The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz

1242. On a dark night, travelers from across France cross paths at an inn and begin to tell stories of three children. Their adventures take them on a chase through France: they are taken captive by knights, sit alongside a king, and save the land from a farting dragon. On the run to escape prejudice and persecution and save precious and holy texts from being burned, their quest drives them forward to a final showdown at Mont Saint-Michel, where all will come to question if these children can perform the miracles of saints.
Join William, an oblate on a mission from his monastery; Jacob, a Jewish boy who has fled his burning village; and Jeanne, a peasant girl who hides her prophetic visions. They are accompanied by Jeanne's loyal greyhound, Gwenforte . . . recently brought back from the dead. Told in multiple voices, in a style reminiscent of The Canterbury Tales, our narrator collects their stories and the saga of these three unlikely allies begins to come together.

Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

The thirteen-year-old daughter of an English country knight keeps a journal in which she records the events of her life, particularly her longing for adventures beyond the usual role of women and her efforts to avoid being married off.

The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman

In medieval England, a nameless, homeless girl is taken in by a sharp-tempered midwife, and in spite of obstacles and hardship, eventually gains the three things she most wants: a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world.

Katie's blog

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You can find treasure in every category. Take For instance the Illinois Author's Romance Collection.

But what about audio books?

Explore at your own benefit!

2020 Teens' Top Ten Nominations:

Midnight Magic #1

Murder at Midnight 2009

Midnight Magic #2

Midnight Magic 1999

Crispin

Will in Scarlet by Matthew Cody

The Book Of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz

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