First Look Book Club

Join First Look Book Club and discover some great new reads. Sign up for the free email book club and receive daily excerpts from just published books in Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Nonfiction, Literary Fiction, and more. Excerpts come with witty introductions, recipes, contests, links to readers guides and/or author websites. Below are some recent titles:

Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren






Martha Amerson
Materials Selector

#ShelfLife - June 24, 2016

Visit our online catalog at www.forsythpl.org and be among the first to place a request for these new materials. When you pick up your book, we hope you'll join the conversation by posting a picture of your own #ShelfLife on Instagram.

Frank and Joe haven’t gone out of style since the series debut in 1927, but they have gotten a new look! #SummerReading #ForsythReads #ShelfLife #TBT #librariesofinstagram

A photo posted by Forsyth County Public Library (@forsythpubliclibrary) on Jun 23, 2016 at 8:05am PDT

Worlds you've only seen in your imagination come to life through the creative illustrations and maps of Andrew DeGraff in PLOTTED: A LITERARY ATLAS. #andrewdegraff #SummerReading #ShelfLife #librariesofinstagram

A photo posted by Forsyth County Public Library (@forsythpubliclibrary) on Jun 22, 2016 at 11:01am PDT

"Barkskins is a massive love letter to trees--both the green kind and the ancestral kind." - Virginia Beam, Goodreads User BARKSKINS by Annie Proulx will be available in hard cover, large print, and audiobook at the library this month. Proulx also wrote the short story on which the film BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN was based and the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel THE SHIPPING NEWS.

A photo posted by Forsyth County Public Library (@forsythpubliclibrary) on Jun 21, 2016 at 9:38am PDT

For the first time in franchise history, the Cleveland Cavaliers are NBA Champions! And, coincidentally, RISING ABOVE featuring LeBron James and 10 more athletes for young readers hits the shelves this week at the Cumming and Sharon Forks libraries. #cavs #ShelfLife

A photo posted by Forsyth County Public Library (@forsythpubliclibrary) on Jun 20, 2016 at 10:10am PDT

It's barely summer, but some of our staff are already wishing for cooler temperatures. WINTERING by Peter Geye should give them the chills...Bruce Jacobs of Shelf Awareness says the book is "a Jack London-like tale of survival blended with a Richard Russo-like picture of small-town intrigue." #ShelfLife #SummerReading #PeterGeye #librariesofinstagram

A photo posted by Forsyth County Public Library (@forsythpubliclibrary) on Jun 20, 2016 at 8:49am PDT

New to #ShelfLife? Each week we feature a selection of new materials arriving at the library on Instagram. Not an Instagram user? No worries. We'll collect our #ShelfLife posts here on the Bookmarked Blog for you at the end of each week.

Living the #ShelfLife

Welcome to #ShelfLife at the Forsyth County Public Library! Each week we'll feature a selection of new materials arriving at the library on Instagram. Not an Instagram user? No worries. We'll collect our #ShelfLife posts here on the Bookmarked Blog for you at the end of each week.

Visit our online catalog at www.forsythpl.org and be among the first to place a request for these new materials. When you pick up your book, we hope you'll join the conversation by posting a picture of your own #ShelfLife on Instagram.

Just in time for summer road trips, Stephen King (father) and Joe Hill (son) have new thrillers available on CD! END OF WATCH, narrated by Will Patton, concludes the Bill Hodges Trilogy (MR. MERCEDES and FINDERS KEEPERS). THE FIREMAN is a chilling novel about a worldwide pandemic of spontaneous combustion that threatens to reduce civilization to ashes. #loveaudiobooks

A photo posted by Forsyth County Public Library (@forsythpubliclibrary) on Jun 14, 2016 at 7:29am PDT

Too young to read THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green? Try WHEN FRIENDSHIP FOLLOWED ME HOME by Paul Griffin. A boy's chance encounter with a scruffy dog leads to an unforgettable friendship in this deeply moving story about life, loss, and the meaning of family. #ShelfLife #forsythreads #FCPLstories #librariesofinstagram

A photo posted by Forsyth County Public Library (@forsythpubliclibrary) on Jun 13, 2016 at 11:42am PDT

"If you have an older dog, or any dog, he or she is going to be licking plenty of eye rain off your face through the final chapters of this book. In his funny, ardent, and staunchly kooky way, Rowley expresses exactly what it's like to love a dog." - Kirkus Media review of LILY AND THE OCTOPUS #ShelfLife #adultfiction #forsythreads #librariesofinstagram #SummerReading #StevenRowley

A photo posted by Forsyth County Public Library (@forsythpubliclibrary) on Jun 10, 2016 at 9:07am PDT

Art lovers: Take a summer vacation to Italy without leaving town! Go on a virtual trip through the pages of the over-sized and lavishly illustrated FLORENCE: THE PAINTINGS & FRESCOES, 1250-1743 by Ross King and Anja Grebe. #ShelfLife #Bookface #librariesofinstagram

A photo posted by Forsyth County Public Library (@forsythpubliclibrary) on Jun 8, 2016 at 8:18am PDT

#ShelfLife BONUS:

June is audiobook month, so pack one (or several) for your next roadtrip!

Road trip? June is Audiobook Month at the library, so take a spin through our books on CD or cruise through our eLibrary and download an eAudiobook. #libraryinmyhand #loveaudiobooks #forsythreads

A photo posted by Forsyth County Public Library (@forsythpubliclibrary) on Jun 2, 2016 at 11:23am PDT

Staff Pick: Adult Fiction

After the Crash
by Michel Bussi

A night flight from Istanbul bound for Paris, filled with 169 holiday travelers, plummets into the French Alps in December 1980. The sole survivor is a three-month-old girl thrown from the plane onto the snowy mountainside before fire engulfs the plane.

But two infants were on board. Is the miracle baby Lyse-Rose de Carville or Emilie Vitral? Both families step forward to claim the child--one poor and one powerful, wealthy, and dangerous.

I enjoyed this novel from French crime novelist Michel Bussi, the first of his works to be translated into English. The story takes place over 18 years, and is told in large part through the journal of Credule Grand-Duc, a private investigator hired by the de Carvilles to find out if the miracle baby is really their granddaughter. There are plenty of twists and turns in this story of intrigue and murder to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Trina Schlecht
Library Trainer

Staff Picks - All Things Jane Austen!

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

The Girl from Summer Hill by Jude Deveraux




I love all things Jane Austen! I also enjoy audiobooks for my daily commute up and down 400. While both of these two recently released novels are inspired by Pride and Prejudice, Eligible features a reality-show twist while The Girl from Summer Hill features a novel-within-a-novel as a local theater production acts out the classic roles on stage and off. Some of my older favorites based upon Jane Austen's works include: Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler, Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford, Definitely not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos, Austenland by Shannon Hale, and Me & Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter.

Meredith Causey
Information Services Supervisor

Staff Picks

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Mass

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas







After catching up on Sarah Maas's The Throne of Glass series, I needed more of her wonderfully developed characters, so I picked up A Court of Thorns and Roses and then I eagerly awaited the next book in the series, the recently released, A Court of Mist and Fury.

Feyre is a young human woman forced to breach the wall dividing the human world with the Fae world to hunt food to provide for her nearly-starving family (Hunger Games anyone?). She kills a wolf, who was really a Fae in disguise and agrees to live among the Spring Court Fae in exchange for sparing her family. The overall plot features many themes from the Beauty and the Beast fairytale.   Feyre learns that life among the Fae is full of strife and danger. The story is full of suspense and well-developed characters. It does feature a love-triangle between Feyre and two High Fae Lords, Tamlin and Rhysland.

I really love how Maas masterfully develops her characters and realistically describes how people mature and grow.  I especially appreciate that this book series shows a young woman learning from her experiences and accepting herself and learning that it's ok to break up with someone if that person is abusive rather than thinking she was "stuck" with that person or that something was wrong with her own character or that the abuse was her fault.  This is a series for older teens and adults. It does contain multiple graphically detailed sex scenes.

Meredith Causey
Information Services Supervisor

Kids Strive to Reach #SummerReading Goals

On your mark, get set…READ! Children, teens, and adults are running to participate in Summer Reading Fun, the Forsyth County Public Library’s annual summer reading program.

One proud young patron shows off the racecar
he made at the Cumming Library’s Summer
STEAM Team program this week. The program
 teaches science and math concepts with fun,
hands-on activities for children ages 8 to 11.

Registration for the program opened on the last day of school and over 4,000 patrons have already signed up and set a summer reading goal, says Laura Bradley, Program Manager. Over 2,300 patrons attended the Summer Reading Kick-Off Carnivals held at the Forsyth Conference Center and the Cumming and Hampton Park Libraries just after Memorial Day.

“This year’s Summer Reading Fun theme is focused on health and sports,” says Bradley, “so patrons will see programs and storytime activities that they may not usually associate with the library.”

The theme was selected by the Collaborative Summer Reading Program (CSLP), a consortium of states working together to provide high-quality summer reading program materials for children, teens, and adults at the lowest cost possible for public libraries.

“In addition to traditional summer programs like puppet shows, animal visits, and music and magic performers, we’ll be offering programs that educate patrons of all ages about health and wellness,” says Bradley.

The Library is working with the UGA Extension to present programs for adults on cooking with fresh herbs, healthy eating on a budget, preserving foods from the garden, and ideas for packing healthy lunches. Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre will present programs on safety and nutrition for kids. And a local chef will also give two workshops for teens in July on preparing healthy no-bake meals.

The Library’s popular STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) programs have also been adapted to include sporting events and sports science. Early this week at the Cumming Library, young patrons studied the physics of drag racing and then constructed their own racecars and tested them on a ramp to see which designs and materials made the fastest cars.

Later this month, STEAM programs at the Post Road Library will explore the effects of motion and force in athletic activities and answer the question “What did you eat?” with a study of human and animal digestive systems. A full schedule of STEAM programs is planned for each library branch and students in 3rd through 5th grade are invited to participate.

Patrons can register for Summer Reading Fun online or in-person at any Forsyth County Public Library branch through July 31. Participants have until August 6 to record books toward their summer reading goal.

The Library and its Summer Reading sponsor, FCPL Friends and Advocates, will reward children and teens who set and reach a summer reading goal with a free paperback book.

All registered Summer Reading participants who meet their reading goal will also be entered in a raffle drawing for several grand prizes. Readers up to grade 5 will be entered to win a Family Fun Pack, graciously donated by Stars & Strikes. Readers in grades 6 to 12 will be entered to win a gift card and basket from AMC Theatres. Adult readers will be entered to win an Apple iPad mini.

For information about summer events for children, teens, and adults, check the Library’s online event calendar at www.forsythpl.org to view programs by age group or by location. Printed Summer Program Guides are also available at each branch.

Battle of the Books at Forsyth County Schools

Students and parents are eager to start reading Battle of the Books titles for the 2016-2017 school year over the summer. The library is here to help!

We've placed orders for additional copies of all the books on the Battle of the Books reading list for grades 3 - 4 and grades 4 - 6 and the materials will be in the branches soon. If you'd like to place a hold on these or other reading materials, you'll find book lists and links to our catalog in the Elementary Reader's Corner at www.forsythpl.org.

Not sure what all the fuss is about? Battle of the Books is a national reading incentive program. Schools in Forsyth County participate at the local level, so ask your teacher, principal, or media specialist to learn how your child can get involved.

Staff Picks

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson

It’s 1914 in a small village in East Sussex, just before England enters the Great War, and Agatha Kent (who would have been played by Rosalind Russell in the 1950s), one of the prominent ladies of the town, has risked her reputation to advocate for the hiring of a female Latin teacher, Beatrice Nash.  Other main characters include Agatha’s nephews Hugh (an aspiring surgeon) and Daniel (an aspiring poet), and the prominent author Mr. Tillingham (a fictionalized version of Henry James).

In its review, the Washington Post summed up the appeal: “A novel to cure your Downton Abbey withdrawal . . . a delightful story about nontraditional romantic relationships, class snobbery and the everybody-knows-everybody complications of living in a small community.”

I absolutely loved this book and didn’t want it to end.  I found it to be both very witty and surprisingly moving.  It’s not only a great follow-up to Simonson’s first novel, Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, it’s the perfect way to start the summer.

Stephen Kight
Assistant Director for Public Services

Library Limelight: Elise Herbst, HR Representative, Library Headquarters

Library Limelight is intended to be a quick read to help FCPL patrons get to know our librarians and staff.  We hope you enjoy learning about the people who make our libraries great!

Elise is pictured here waiting to see her children perform
as part of the “Marching Owls” in the KSU Marching Band.

Elise Herbst
HR Representative
Library Headquarters

Where is your hometown?

I grew up in Topsfield, Massachusetts.In my teenage years, my family moved to Baltimore, Maryland.

How long have you been at FCPL?

1 year and 10 months

What other jobs have you had at FCPL?

HR Representative is the only position I have held at FCPL.

Why did you choose to work in a library?

I had been in education for seven years and was ready for a change when I saw the job posting from FCPL for a HR Representative. I have always been community-oriented and I saw a way to return to the field that I love (HR) and serve the community, as well.  

Describe your job in five words or less.

Recruitment, Volunteers, Multi-tasking, Benefits, Reports

What is unique about your job?

In Human Resources we interact with every department, employee, and volunteer at FCPL. 

What is your favorite part of your job?

Every day presents new challenges and opportunities, but my favorite part is recruitment. I love being able to call someone to extend a job offer! 

What’s the most interesting place you’ve lived or traveled?

I have traveled to Israel twice, once before having children and then again when my children were teenagers. It was really interesting to experience Israel again through the eyes of my children.

What are your hobbies?

I love to cook and collecting cookbooks.

What are you reading right now?

I just finished A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Blackman.

Paper books or eBooks?

I used to mainly read eBooks, but since coming to FCPL I have rediscovered how much I like holding a paper book!

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I love working at FCPL!