Stephanie Beaver is a librarian who has worked in the fiction department at the Hoover Public Library for the past 10 years. While her specific collection responsibilities have earned her the title of “romance librarian” from her colleagues, she has a wide range of reading interests from historical fiction, mystery, fantasy, memoirs and narrative nonfiction. Here, she recommends her top five, favorite reading selections adults will love this season.
The Wager
By David Grann | Nonfiction
If you enjoy compulsively readable, thrilling nonfiction, David Grann is definitely the author for you. His latest book tells the story of a British warship–the HMS Wager–which became separated from its fleet and wrecked off the coast of Patagonia in 1741. Injured, starving and divided into factions, two groups eventually set sail in an effort to survive, and each later accuse the other of mutiny. The ensuing trial captivated an empire, and thanks to David Grann, we too can live the adventure, albeit far more comfortably.
Killers of a Certain Age
By Deanna Raybourn | Thriller
Race around the world with four retired female assassins who discover their luxury retirement cruise was meant to be their last adventure. Unwilling to go quietly, Billie, Mary Alice, Helen and Natalie band together to find out why they’ve been targeted by their former employers in this witty, original thriller that could only come from the mind of Deanna Raybourn. Nothing sums it up better than a “Booklist” reviewer, who invites you to “imagine if the Golden Girls were trained as elite assassins.” Thrilling, but a little bit bananas, this novel is truly one of a kind.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
By SA Chakraborty | Historical Fantasy
Does anything promise adventure more reliably than pirates? Threatened by the mother of a crewman whose death she feels responsible for, legendary pirate Amina al-Sirafi returns to the high seas to rescue the woman’s kidnapped granddaughter. Leaving her own daughter behind, Amina assembles her old crew only to discover their mission is not as straightforward as it seems. Set in a fantastical version of the Middle East filled with magic and monsters, this historical fantasy is the first in a trilogy that promises to be just as enthralling as SA Chakraborty’s beloved “Daevabad” series.
Raiders of the Lost Heart
By Jo Segura | Romance/Action and Adventure
Rivals since their days in graduate school, two expert archeologists find themselves on the same dig, searching for the remains of a renowned Aztec warrior in the jungles of Mexico. When a thief begins stealing artifacts from their site, the two must band together to save the project. Danger ensues, as does an undeniable attraction. If adventure in the vein of cinematic favorites “Indiana Jones,” “The Mummy” and “Tomb Raider” paired with a good, old-fashioned, enemies-to-lovers romance sounds like just the ticket, this steamy romance is definitely for you.
The River
By Peter Heller | Thriller
Two Dartmouth students on a canoe trip in rural Canada get more adventure than they bargained for as they face the many horrors of both nature and man. Trying to out-paddle a wildfire and save a woman—and themselves—from her murderous husband, the two put their wilderness skills and their friendship to the test. Intense, vivid and difficult to put down, this captivating thriller will take you on a journey you won’t soon forget.
