Now that spring has officially sprung, we thought it might be fun to share what we read and watched to keep us busy during this particularly frigid winter. You can find all of these titles in our catalog or on streaming services by clicking the images below.

“[I’m] watching the old Tom Clancy movies on Hoopla – the Hunt for Red October and Clear & Present Danger. They hold up well! Also reading new updated copies of the medieval mystery series Cadfael series by Ellis Peters.” -Karen

“The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali is a great coming of age story that shows the depth of a friendship across decades and places.  It chronicles the story of two young girls who became friends in the 1950s in Iran, and recounts their journeys both in Iran and in the United States.  This novel examines the concepts of love, betrayal, strength and courage in an unforgettable way. 

Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani is a tale told about a young woman growing up in an Italian American family in New York during the 1940s and 1950s.  This novel might appeal to fans of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn or similar.

Inside Out 2. An entertaining sequel to the original, viewers will be introduced to Riley’s new emotions as she reaches her teen years, and follow her as she learns to navigate the social world of beginning high school.

Descendants A fun movie that imagines what if….all the villains from Disney movies were trapped on an island?  What happens to their kids?  And what happens when their kids are introduced to a world where they attend school with the children of the heroes of everyone’s classic fairy tales?” -Tara

“Maybe you heard of Discworld and did not know where to jump in; there are 41 Discworld novels, after all. I suggest you start with the books that feature the young witch, Tiffany Aching. The Wee Free Men is the first in this series, and in addition to getting to know Tiffany, you will meet a clan of mischievous little blue men, more like soccer hooligans than Smurfs, that are a type of fae folk known as the Nac Mac Feegles. As you can imagine, anyone who’s heard of them does all they can to avoid them, but they respect and fear 9-year-old Tiffany Aching, sensing that there is much more to this seemly humble shepherd girl. When the Tiffany’s snot nosed little brother is taken by the evil fairy queen, the Feegles come to her aid and help her navigate the fairy realm. The book is very funny and ultimately inspiring. Love It!” -Paul

“How about catching up or rewatching (or reading) The Handmaid’s Tale in time for the final season coming out in April? There’s also talks about the sequel, The Testaments, being turned into a TV show as well. This story takes place 15 years after the events in The Handmaid’s Tale.” -Laura

“Lately, I seem to start more books than finish. One book that I would like to suggest is Twenty-One Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks. I also enjoyed The Wedding People by Alison Espach.” -Megan

“If you are looking for a thriller with lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing, Harlan Coben’s stories are perfect! The Stranger is the tale of a seemingly perfect family whose pregnant wife suddenly disappears right after the appearance of a stranger who implies that perhaps his wife is not really expecting. You’ll be on the edge of your seat right until the unexpected twist at the end. Fool Me Once is a creepy thriller which focuses on a former special ops soldier named Maya whose husband dies and yet . . . suddenly appears on secret nanny cam visiting their young daughter. Only to have the hard drive stolen so she can’t prove it. Both of these mysteries have been successfully adapted to Netflix limited series of approximately eight episodes each. Harlan Coben is a New York Times bestselling author whose mystery-crime thriller novels have been adapted by the British into mini-series for Netflix but Harlan himself was born, raised and continues to live in New Jersey!” -Lana

“I read Martha Wells’ (of The Murderbot Diaries fame) Wheel of the Infinite and found that to be a solid fantasy epic with older protagonists.

Also, I have been watching the French program Astrid [also known as Astrid et Raphaelle], currently available on [PBS]. It’s a crime drama about a woman with autism who works as an archivist in Criminal Records, but whose sharp mind, analytical skills, and obsessive love of puzzles are of great help to the police in solving crimes.  The real seller for me is the chemistry between her and the female officer, Commander Coste, who works most closely with her. There’s a lovely friendship that grows between them and the two actors do a great job in their roles.” -Helen

Recently Read: Red Dead’s History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America’s Violent Past by Tore C. Olsson, and The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. Recently watched: Ne Zha (on Hoopla). -Virginia

“I was totally captivated by Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass this winter. It’s all about reevaluating our relationship with nature, and how it should be based on reciprocity and gratitude rather than pure resource extraction. I have also been enjoying Taskmaster UK and This Old House, both available in their entirety on YouTube.” -George

What did you read and/or watch this winter? Let us know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading,
George, FTPL