Check out what we love from the SFL Catalog!
APRIL 2023
Brian
Book: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Spooky atmosphere. Modern take on Gothic horror. Mushrooms.
Alyssa
Book: Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
Haunting story that highlights being Japanese American in the 1950s.
Laurie
Book: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
1790’s–an apothecary who distributes poison…A mysterious and clever read with compelling characters. I couldn’t put it down! Strongly recommend!
MARCH 2023
Dora
Book: The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman
A fun, light read about the power of love and family working together to rid their family of a curse. And it begins in a library!
Christie
Book: New and Selected Poems: Volume one by Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver shines a light on the small magic of living in the natural world. Some of my faves from the collection:
- When Death Comes
- Some Questions You Might Ask
- The Summer Day
- Wild Geese
- The Journey
- The Sea
- Last Days
Bex
Book: Then She was Gone by Lisa Jewell
The heartbreaking mystery of a mother who lost her child and her determination to find out what happened to her daughter.
FEBRUARY 2023
Micayla
Book: World Mythology: a very short introduction by David Leeming
The latest book by local author and professor David Leeming. Part of the Very Short Introduction series, this new title makes the topic of world mythology accessible for lifelong learning.
Heidi
Book: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
One of my favorites! A nice lighthearted sweet read.
Millie
Book: Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
Olga and her modern American family are a typical Brooklyn family chasing the elusive “American Dream.” You’ll find yourself desperately cheering them on as they deal with loss, abandonment, and exhaustion. This book deals with current affairs that make up many news headlines.
JANUARY 2023
Sarah
Book: The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
In this dystopian society, the government becomes involved when mothers make any child-rearing “mistakes.” Disturbing but well written, and thought provoking.
Laurie
Book: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry By Gabrielle Zevin
A.J. is a solitary but likable character who learns the power of love and companionship. The owner of “Island Books,” he cherishes words, books and stories! A book about caring.
Karla
DVD: Beasts of the Southern Wild
Strong child heroine.
DECEMBER 2022
Brian
DVD: Over the Garden Wall
A fall story that’s fun for the whole family. Amazing art and aesthetic.
Cathy
Book: Beartown by Fredrik Backman
The hopes and dreams of a small town rest on the success of a junior hockey team, but the courage of one individual threatens the community.
Sonya
Book: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
A fun read regarding a professor of genetics who designs a survey to find his wife. While doing this he encounters Rosie and helps her in finding her father, and possibly more than that…
NOVEMBER 2022
Molly
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
This book turns the English language inside out in a way that makes it new. Family history and self discovery!
Debbie
A teacher at a prestigious New England prep school uncovers a secret society called the Dark Rooms and sparks a gender war with deadly consequences.
Ivy
The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
This is a book-lovers book. It is beautifully crafted, darkly humorous, and full of heart.
OCTOBER 2022
Maris
Book: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Science fiction with the ultimate importance of friendship and loyalty–totally a page turner (and you can skim some of the complex science)!
Sarah
Book: One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
This was my introduction to historical fiction. It is the account of a woman sent to marry the chief of the Cheyenne Nation in 1875 as part of a secret government program to send 1,000 white women to the American West.
Karla
Book: The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
Be transported to beautiful Botswana, where the No. 1 Ladies mete out justice. First in a series!
AUGUST 2022
Dora
DVD: A Man Called Ove
An unexpectedly fun and heartwarming story. Unusual and unique. Worth watching!
Sandra
DVD: What We Do in the Shadows
Because everything Taika Waititi and Matt Berry do is great fun.
Debbie
Book: Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
This psychological thriller alternates between the past and present of a woman who wakes up in a hospital unable to move or speak. What is the truth and what is a lie?
JULY 2022
This month we feature Patron Picks!
Recent readers raved about these titles.
If you have a book to recommend, let us know so that we can add it to our display.
My Italian bulldozer : a novel by Alexander McCall Smith
Agent Sonya : Moscow's most daring wartime spy by Ben Macintyre
Every day is a gift : a memoir by Tammy Duckworth
The art of hearing heartbeats : a novel by Jan-Philipp Sendker
JUNE 2022
Sarah
Book: The Vanishing Half By Brit Bennett
“...at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of race, gender, and identity and the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person’s desires and expectations.”--from the publisher. A great read!
Ivy
Book: On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
Star-crossed lovers reunited with the help of a daring and loyal spaceship crew. If you don’t read it, at least look through the gorgeous illustrations.
Millie
DVD: Book Club
Who doesn’t love a comedy about feisty women, tawdry books, and falling in love?
MAY 2022
Ivy
The mercies by Hargrave, Kiran Millwood
A doomed historical romance about tragic events you have most likely never heard of.
Millie
Claude Monet's gardens at Giverny by Gilson, Jean-Pierre
What better way to get inspired for the growing season than a book filled with the gardens that inspired Monet? Happy spring!
Karla
The other black girl by Harris, Zakiya Dalila
A mysterious psychological thriller.
APRIL 2022
Sonya
Where’d You Go, Bernadette? By Maria Semple
Imagine leaving everything you have, including your family and career, and taking off. Fasten your seatbelt as you explore Bernadette’s adventures.
Millie
This is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf
A brutal murder, small town secrets, and broken trust make for a fast-paced thriller where anyone could be the killer.
Karla
Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead
Summer-at-the-beach capers that bump up against race and class in witty ways.
MARCH 2022
Ivy
Very cute contemporary queer romance. She married a stranger in Vegas, but could it be true love??
Molly
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
A dark, funny sci-fi story about a sword fighting competition…in space…with necromancers. The first in a series. Jarring, hysterical, and campy.
Alyssa
Imagine your own birth being considered a criminal act? Trevor Noah takes readers on a journey of growing up in South Africa during apartheid–extremely enlightening!
FEBRUARY 2022
Karla
Book: Beatrix Potter: A life in nature by Linda Lear
Beatrix Potter was the original conservationist. Also the author of this book, Linda Lear, attended Connecticut College.
Sarah
Book: Winter World:The ingenuity of animal survival by Bernd Heinrich
This book provides rich detail of the minutiae of the natural world. On winter walks, it is easier to notice more clues about what wildlife live in an area. If you are curious about these wildlife signs, you will appreciate this fascinating book.
JANUARY 2022
DECEMBER 2021
Millie:
A good Dan Brown book for lovers of intrigue, legends, historical mysteries, and suspense.
Brian:
Because even in the farthest reaches of space we are still human. “No more terrible disaster could befall your people than for them to fall into the hands of a Hero.”
Cathy:
28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
A beautiful story about love and letting go.
NOVEMBER 2021
Marion:
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
Brings together my love of art and literature. After reading I had to make a special trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan to view the painting.
Sonya:
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
Takes place in a Connecticut hospital. A nurse has to make a decision between a family request and the oath she took as a nurse.
Alyssa:
This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
Amazing perspective, told through the eyes of a parent whose child is going through the process of transitioning.
Who: Micayla
What: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
How: Book
Why: A solid Greek mythology retelling. I enjoyed both Ariadne & Phaedra’s points of views. Well written, introspective and gut wrenching. Focuses on the suffering and strength of women often overlooked in Greek mythology and how the exploits of well-known Greek gods/heroes affected them. Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller.
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Thanks to staff member Brian Walls, the Stonington Free Library now offers graphic novels for adults! What exactly is a graphic novel?
For those unaware, graphic novels focus on narrative storytelling that is often deeply intertwined with and reliant upon its visual structure. While we do offer graphic novels for kids and teens, this collection is aimed at an older audience and explores many themes like identity, race, and even trauma through concise writing and impactful imagery. However, if you are looking for something more lighthearted, educational, or even about cats, we’ve got you covered. The collection is comprised of authors and illustrators from around the world, each with their own unique and often gorgeous visual style. We at the Stonington Free Library hope that you will take the time to explore this new collection, and discover a story you won’t be able to take your eyes off of!
WHO: Micayla
WHAT: Beach Read by Emily Henry
HOW: Overdrive eBook and physical copy at SFL
WHY: A story about two authors of different genres, living in neighboring beach houses, who come up with an idea to cure their writers block…and maybe fall in love along the way? As the title suggests a great beach read (or poolside in my case)! Thoroughly enjoyed January and Gus’s characters and background. Funny and romantic, but includes harder hitting relatable life struggles as well. Will it end happily ever after like January’s novels or not so much like Gus’s? Pick it up to find out!
