Not Just Kid Stuff: Check Out Great Books From Pearl River Public Library

Throughout the summer, the Pearl River Public Library librarians have been highlighting the best in children’s and teen literature. Now that the children’s summer reading program is over, we thought we would focus on some great adult titles. Below is a list of books from adult librarian, Adrianne Fabio. She has picked some of her favorite summer reads to share with the community.

Fiction

The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly
British author Kelly weaves past and present in this dark twisted tale of psychological suspense.  Tensions never wane between a compliant college student, edgy actress, her bohemian brother and a convicted murderer, ending in a double homicide.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarity
Following an accident, a married mother of three suffers amnesia, losing all memory of the last ten years of her life.  This book is a funny, heartrending and deeply personal portrait of a woman trying to unravel her own mystery.

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Themes of friendship, life choices and betrayal are explored in this compelling novel about the relationship between two very different women.

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
In 1962 the reluctant proprietor of a dilapidated inn receives a surprise visit from an American actress. The story then moves to the sharks and wannabes of present day Hollywood. Walters flawlessly weaves past and present.

Historical Fiction

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
Hoffman vividly brings to life the events leading up to the Roman siege of Masada in 73 A.D., through the eyes of four women, who find beauty, strength and dignity despite the horror and bloodshed of the times.

The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani
Trigiani’s gift for using vibrant details to create a strong sense of place and warm affection for her characters make this a satisfying read about two Italian teenagers who immigrate to New York at the turn of the century.

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
In this rhapsodic tribute to 1930’s New York, a chance encounter between two working girls and a wealthy banker sets into motion a series of events with far reaching consequences.

Day After Night by Anita Diamant
Diamant, author of The Red Tent, gives voice to women survivors of the Holocaust. At a refugee camp in British Palestine (what is now Israel), four women with very different experiences struggle to survive and create new lives.

Dreams of Joy by Lisa See
In this anticipated sequel to “Shanghai Girls”, See paints a startling portrait of communist China in 1957. When a naïve college student travels to Shanghai in search of her estranged father, she learns first-hand the consequences of Maos ‘Great Leap forward’.

Non Fiction

Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman
After 20 years in the Ultraorthodox Satmar sect, Feldman knew that the Hasidic life was not the one she wanted to live. Her glimpse into this closed community, as well as her own transformation, makes for a fascinating read.

Women From the Ankle Down by Rachelle Bergstein
From Salvatore Ferragamo to Dorothy’s Ruby Red slippers and Sex and the City’s stillettos, Bergstein’s history of women’s shoes explores the relationship between footwear and popular culture.

For more great reads visit us at the library.