Special EventsiCAL Export

Since publishing in 2015, Leigh Bardugo’s highly popular Six of Crows has taken the world of YA literature by storm–and it’s not hard to see why. The complex fantasy setting, thoughtfully-structured magic system, and deliciously morally gray characters all collide in a world you won’t want to leave and you don’t have to! Join us as we pick the brain of the New York Times bestselling author herself, celebrating the release of her Six of Crows (The Dregs Edition). 

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone. . . .

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

In celebration of its decade-old status, the duology will be rereleased in special Dregs Edition paperback copies featuring beautiful new cover art by Harol Bustos, black stained edges, and updated maps. Whether you’re a new reader or a loyal fan, register today to take part in the adventure!

About the Author: Leigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Familiar, Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles and is an associate fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University.

The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Mountainside Free Public Library.

When you register, you will receive an email with the link to the live feed. You may also watch past recordings at any time.

Click here to register: https://libraryc.org/mountainsidelibrary

Learn how to celebrate Halloween without the sugar crash. This session covers smart treat swaps, blood sugar management, and healthy habits that work for kids and adults.

To register for this virtual program, please go to https://mountainside.librarychef.com

To create your account on the website, you must create your own account using your library barcode, email and password (not your pin, your own password). 

Coined as the “queen of British historical fiction,” Philippa Gregory returns to the infamous Tudor Court with a tale that is both timely and timeless. We invite you to sit down with us for an intriguing conversation with Gregory about her newest novel Boleyn Traitor (forthcoming October 14, 2025). 

Jane Boleyn watches from the shadows of the Tudor Court, where secrets are currency, every choice is dangerous, and even the faintest whisper can seal the fate of queens.

For Jane, survival demands playing every role required of her: a loving wife who conceals her doubts, a devoted sister to Anne Boleyn at the height of her power, and an obedient spy who carefully wields her words. But in a court ruled by ambition and a tyrant’s sword, Jane must rely on her sharp wit and skillful maneuvering to outthink those around her, knowing that one wrong move could cost her everything. 

With a rich tapestry of new historical insights and lyrical language honed over decades of writing, Gregory's return to the Tudors is a new definition of this most fascinating era. As the world becomes more extreme and unpredictable, Jane’s story of survival and ingenuity offers a

compelling parallel, serving as both a powerful historical narrative and an echo of the challenges we face. This is a riveting tale of loyalty and betrayal, ambition and love—one that should not be missed by readers this fall.

Register today for this exciting glimpse into the perilous 16th century royal court!

About the Author: Dr. Philippa Gregory is one of the world’s foremost historical novelists. She wrote her first ever novel, Wideacre, when she was completing her PhD in eighteenth-century literature and it sold worldwide, heralding a new era for historical fiction. Her flair for blending history and imagination developed into a signature style and Philippa went on to write many bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen. 

Dr. Gregory studied history at the University of Sussex and was awarded a PhD by the University of Edinburgh where she is a Regent and was made Alumna of the Year in 2009. She holds an honorary degree from Teesside University, and is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff. Philippa is a member of the Society of Authors and in 2016, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction Award by the Historical Writers’ Association. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Platinum Award by Neilsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire book output. In 2021, she was awarded a CBE for services to literature and to her charity Gardens for the Gambia, and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

When you register, you will receive an email with the link to the live feed. You may also watch past recordings at any time.

https://libraryc.org/mountainsidelibrary

You’re invited to learn from journalist and author Joseph Lee as he chats online with us about his stirring memoir, Nothing More of This Land: Community, Power, and the Search for Indigenous Identity. In it, he explores Indigenous identity in proximity to land that serves as an iconic vacationing spot for the wealthy–the “island paradise” Martha’s Vineyard.

Growing up Aquinnah Wampanoag, Joseph Lee grappled with what it means to be an Indigenous person in the world today, especially as tribal land, culture, and community face new threats. Starting with the story of his own tribe, which is from the iconic Martha’s Vineyard, Lee tackles key questions around Indigenous identity and the stubborn legacy of colonialism.

Lee weaves his own story—and that of his family—with conversations with Indigenous leaders, artists, and scholars from around the world about everything from culture and language to climate change and the politics of belonging. As he unpacks the meaning of Indigenous identity, Lee grants us a new understanding of our nation and what a better community might look like.

Register now to join the author online as he delves into the true and vulnerable story, Nothing More of This Land. 

About the Author: Joseph Lee is an Aquinnah Wampanoag writer based in New York City. He has an MFA from Columbia University and teaches creative writing at Mercy University. His writing has been published in The Guardian, BuzzFeed, Vox, High Country News, and more. He was a Margins Fellow at the Asian American Writers Workshop and a Senior Indigenous Affairs Fellow at Grist.

The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Mountainside Free Public Library.

When you register, you will receive an email with the link to the live feed. You may also watch past recordings at any time.

https://libraryc.org/mountainsidelibrary

To celebrate the soon-to-be arrival of Wicked Part II, Francine Evans & Joel Zelnik will take you on this memorable musical camp cabaret featuring America’s number one female vocalist, Judy Garland. “Forever Judy” presented with love is an inspiring musical experience, highlighting song hits from the “The Wizard of Oz”, Judy’s concert years, plus selections from the Broadway musical “The Wiz”.

Please register in advance as space is limited.

Join us in an online conversation with acclaimed writer Amanda Peters as we discuss her instant bestselling novel, The Berry Pickers, as well as her tender short fiction collection, Waiting for the Long Night Moon: Stories. 

Influenced by Peters’ own Mi’kmaq heritage, The Berry Pickers is a riveting exploration of family, grief, and the bonds we share. 

July 1962. A Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family’s youngest child, vanishes. She is last seen by her six-year-old brother, Joe, sitting on a favorite rock at the edge of a berry field. Joe will remain distraught by his sister’s disappearance for years to come.

In Maine, a young girl named Norma grows up as the only child of an affluent family. Her father is emotionally distant, her mother frustratingly overprotective. Norma is often troubled by recurring dreams and visions that seem more like memories than imagination. As she grows older, Norma slowly comes to realize there is something her parents aren’t telling her. Unwilling to abandon her intuition, she will spend decades trying to uncover this family secret.

The Berry Pickers is an intimate portrait of race, love, and loneliness–and the power of forgiveness. Register now to take part in the discussion!

About the Author: Amanda Peters is a mixed-race woman of Mi’kmaq and European ancestry, born and raised in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. Her short fiction and non-fiction have been published in The Antigonish Review, Grain Magazine, The Alaska Quarterly Review, The Dalhousie Review, and Filling Station Magazine.

Amanda’s first novel, The Berry Pickers, was a finalist for the Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize in Canada, and won the Barnes and Noble Discover Prize and the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction in the US. The Berry Pickers won the Dartmouth Book Award and the Crime Writers of Canada First Crime Novel Award, and has been translated into sixteen languages around the world. Her most recent book of short fiction, Waiting for the Long Night Moon, was published August, 2024, to critical acclaim.

The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Mountainside Free Public Library.

When you register, you will receive an email with the link to the live feed. You may also watch past recordings at any time.

https://libraryc.org/mountainsidelibrary

Get yourself primed for the holiday season and join us for an online conversation you won't want to miss! Charles Duhigg, author of the bestselling books The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better, presents the ultimate guide on how to communicate and connect with anyone at work, home, and in life in his latest work, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. 

In this groundbreaking book, Duhigg unravels the secrets of the supercommunicators to reveal the art - and the science - of successful communication. He unpicks the different types of everyday conversation and pinpoints why some go smoothly while others swiftly fall apart. He reveals the conversational questions and gambits that bring people together. And he shows how even the most tricky of encounters can be turned around. In the process, he shows why a CIA operative was able to win over a reluctant spy, how a member of a jury got his fellow jurors to view an open-and-shut case differently, and what a doctor found they needed to do to engage with a vaccine skeptic.

Above all, he reveals the techniques we can all master to successfully connect with others, however tricky the circumstances. Packed with fascinating case studies and drawing on cutting-edge research, this book will change the way you think about what you say, and how you say it.

Register now to take part in the online discussion, learn how to enhance your everyday conversations, and add a new title to the holiday wishlist!

About the Author: Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist and the author of Supercommunicators, The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better. A graduate of Harvard Business School and Yale University, he is a winner of the National Academies of Sciences, National Journalism, and George Polk awards. He writes for The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine, and was the founding host of the Slate podcast How To! with Charles Duhigg.

The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Mountainside Free Public Library.

When you register, you will receive an email with the link to the live feed. You may also watch past recordings at any time.

https://libraryc.org/mountainsidelibrary