Labor Day Weekend: Top Picks for Reading, Watching, & Playing

It’s Labor Day weekend, which sadly means another Summer is coming to an end. The kids are back in school and many of you are once again away from Avalon. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still serve you! The Library offers several ways to keep reading, watching, listening, and playing no matter where you are! And of course, we’ll always be here with another batch of Staff Picks every Friday!

Intricate decorative design featuring ornate silver and amber elements against a dark green background.

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

Odessa is the daughter of the king, and content to let her sister Mae take the crown as Sparrow. But when The Turah crown prince comes to meet his betrothed, he shuns Mae and instead selects Odessa, upending her life and taking her to Turah. But nothing is as it seems, and with the deadly Crux monsters coming, this princess must quickly learn which side she should trust and what her path is in all of this. Verdict: This slow burn is one of the top 5 best romantasy books I’ve ever read. The last book of the trilogy publishes March 2027. – Kara Buono

Illustration of a person enjoying a drink, with a beer glass raised in one hand, against a green background.

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

This 2019 novel follows a pair of sisters and the granddaughter of the oldest across several decades in the American Midwest. The sisters became estranged, not speaking for decades; one finds success and the other struggles financially, but neither’s life is without its hardships and traumas as all three women try to find what makes them happy. A heartfelt ode to community, family, following your dreams, and of course, beer, this is an irresistibly joyful book and one that will leave the reader with a greater appreciation of breweries, especially those that pride themselves on being at least a little bit different. – Sean Farrell

Two individuals working together outdoors, focused on a task, wearing matching dark shirts and caps.

A New Inferno

This short documentary by The New York Times takes a look at the impacts of climate change by highlighting the techniques being deployed by rescue workers on heat victims in Phoenix, Arizona during a Summer heatwave. Informative and interesting, but also deeply alarming, these kind of stories are only going to grow more prevalent going forward, and while I can’t imagine that temperatures of 118° are in our near-term future here in New Jersey, they’re likely coming at some point. – SFl

A cozy interior scene featuring various decorative elements, including a colorful wall art with flowers, a bust statue, and wooden furniture.

hozy

A very cozy renovation and decorator sim that combines beautiful graphics with relaxing music and simple mechanics. Pry up boards, repaint, wash windows, clean up leaves, lay new floors, then arrange the furniture in your newly decorated rooms. With no timer and no stress, you can decorate to your heart’s content! This whimsical game gets 5 stars! – KB