Hi, historical fiction fans!
Snow days are for reading, or in this case, talking about reading. Both of our new releases this week are stories of spies and resistance fighters during WWII, so I thought we might as well keep the WWII action going with a few other new releases set during that period. All of the books feature women fighting for their futures, but not always for the better.
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Bookish Goods
Bookmark Loom Kit from Tabby and Tweed
Why use a regular old bookmark when you can make your own with this neat bookmark-weaving loom? I’m obsessed. $36
New Releases
Daughters of Warsaw by Maria Frances
Two women risk their lives to save the children of the Warsaw Ghetto, secreting them away during the night. But when the worst comes to pass, it’s up to Zofia to keep Irena Sendler’s mission alive.
The London Bookshop Affair by Louise Fein
A woman working at a London bookshop during the Cold War meets an American and soon finds herself drawn into the world of espionage. Decades prior, during WWII, a spy who risked her life behind enemy lines is betrayed and forgotten in history. Their stories are intertwined, but it’s only as Celia enters the world of spy craft herself that she begins to see how.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
WWII books are an evergreen historical fiction subgenre, so there’s never a lack of new releases to be found. These two novels, set in Nazi-occupied France and Japanese-occupied Malaya, follow women caught up in acts of espionage, for better or for worse.
Code Name Butterfly by Embassie Susberry
Josephine Baker was more than just a celebrity; she was also a member of the French Resistance during WWII. When an American girl is mistaken for Josephine after one of her shows, she’s drawn into an underground spy network resisting the Nazi occupation of France.
The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan
During the Japanese occupation of Malaya, a mother fears for the safety of her family, knowing the danger they face is her fault. Years before, Cecily Alcantara was swept up by the idea of an “Asia for Asians” and dreams of being more than just a housewife. As a spy, she inadvertently aided the Japanese invasion. Now, with her family and country on the brink of destruction, she will do anything to save them.
That’s it for now, folks! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.
If you want to talk books, historical or otherwise, you can find me @rachelsbrittain on Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy.
Right now, I’m reading Memoirs of a Polar Bear by Yoko Tawada, translated by Susan Bernofsky. What about you?