Categories
Past Tense

Historical Romance for Valentine’s Day

Hi, historical fiction fans, and Happy Valentine’s Day!

I got to spend the week with friends at AWP, which I’ll admit involved more good food and hanging out than conferencing. I did pick up some literary magazines from the book fair, and I am particularly excited to read F(r)iction Arcana and the Rainbow Issue of Fairy Tale Review. Good reading and good times.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

Pink crew neck sweatshirt with a grid of six red cartoon hearts reading books in various cute poses.

Valentine’s Book Hearts Sweatshirt from Studio Esme Rose

Okay, this sweatshirt may sell itself as Valentine’s specific, but let’s be real—it would be perfect for any time of the year. $47

New Releases

Neighbors book cover

Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver (February 13, 2024)

In this posthumous short story collection, Diane Oliver brings stories of the Jim Crow era to life in 1950s and ’60s America. From haunting portraits of integration and interracial relationships to parents willing to do the unthinkable to protect their children, these stories are a rediscovered gem of American literature.

The Fox Wife book cover

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo (February 13, 2024)

A fox woman seeking revenge against the man who murdered her daughter and a detective hunting down clues about a series of dead women trek across Manchuria and Japan in search of the answers they’re looking for. As their stories intersect, the complicated relationship between humans and fox spirits—and between justice and revenge—slowly comes to light.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Happy Valentine’s Day, historical fiction fans! Here are two historical romance novels to celebrate.

To Catch a Raven book cover

To Catch a Raven by Beverly Jenkins

The feelings in a fake marriage become all too real for a grifter tasked with spying on a former Confederate official who may have stolen the Declaration of Independence. Raven and Braxton each have their reasons for taking on this job, but what they’ll get out of it is more than they ever could’ve imagined.

Aphrodite and the Duke book cover

Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J. McAvoy

Aphrodite Du Bell may live up to the goddess of beauty she was named after, but that didn’t stop the man she loved from marrying another woman. The Duke of Everly has his own complicated reasons for rejecting Aphrodite, but now that he’s a widower free to marry again, will he be able to win back her trust? Or will the reasons they were torn apart in the first place come back to haunt 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 Uranians by Theodore McCombs. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

Historical Fiction for Black History Month

Hi, historical fiction fans!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Guess who went into a bookstore and came out with three unexpected books in their hands? That’s right; it was me! I’d say it was a surprise, but we all know that wouldn’t really be true. What kind of bookworm can leave a bookshop empty-handed? Not this one, at any rate. All three books I picked up were new-to-me short story collections I’m very eager to read: Hag: Forgotten Folktales Retold, Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction, and Uranians. Check them for yourself to determine if you, too, are unable to pass them up. Fair warning: the covers alone may get you.

Bookish Goods

Picture of two black bookmarks covered in small white text listing Black authors like Toni Morrison and Maya Angleou set on a black book against a marble background

Black Author Bookmark from Pounded Yam Pro

Celebrate your love of Black literature every month with these cool text-heavy bookmarks listing names of significant African American authors. $4

New Releases

A Sign of Her Own Book Cover

A Sign of Her Own by Sarah Marsh (February 6, 2024)

A Deaf student who studied under Alexander Graham Bell is torn between the loyalty she feels for her former teacher and confidant and betrayal when she discovers how his actions—and inventions—have harmed the Deaf community. The story is inspired by actual journal entries kept by Bell’s Deaf students.

The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West book cover

The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West by Sara Ackerman (February 6, 2024)

Inspired by real events, The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West tells the story of a woman who sets out to join the Dole Air Race. It’s a dangerous 2,400-mile crossing from the West Coast to Hawaii, and Livy is determined to be a part of it, even if it means joining in as a navigator and not a pilot.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

February is Black History Month in the U.S., so let’s highlight some great historical fiction by and about Black Americans.

The Queen of Sugar Hill book cover

The Queen of Sugar Hill: A Novel of Hattie McDaniel by ReShonda Tate

Hattie McDaniel was the first Black person to ever win an Oscar, but it didn’t bring her the acclaim she hoped. Instead, she found herself adrift, viewed only for her role as Mammy by white people and shunned for the portrayal by the Black community. But Hattie’s story doesn’t end there. Her determination to pave a path for Black people in cinema and fight against housing discrimination while also helping with the war effort in the 1940s are the true heart of her life story.

Night Wherever We Go book cover

Night Wherever We Go by Tracey Rose Peyton

Rebellion doesn’t have to be obvious to be effective. When the owners of a Texas plantation decide to increase their profits by impregnating six enslaved women, the women meet together in the dark of night to plan a covert rebellion. It’s one that won’t save them from what’s to come but at least puts some of the power back in their own hands. If all goes well, no one will be the wiser. But if they’re found out, the consequences will be dire for all the women.

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 At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

It’s Always a Good Time to Support Your (Historical) Local Library

Hi, historical fiction!

I’m excited to have some fun bookish opportunities coming up in the next few weeks, including a local event with the author of Chain Gang All-Stars, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Life is busy, and I haven’t had the opportunity to go to many author events, but I hope this one will be the first of many more to come in 2024. After all, what’s better than being in community with other bookish folks?

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

White canvas tote bag filled with fresh flowers with the saying "LOCAL LIBRARY LOVER" in black print across the front.

Local Library Lover Tote Bag from Glad Folk

I’m a tote bag person, for sure, and I can just imagine carrying library books around in this one. $20

New Releases

The Mayor of Maxwell Street book cover

The Mayor of Maxwell Street by Avery Cunningham (Jan. 30, 2024)

The debutante daughter of the wealthiest Black man in America is also an undercover journalist, and when her latest assignment leads her into the underworld of Prohibition-era Chicago, she must enlist the help of a Speakeasy owner who shows her a different side to life.

Hard by a Great Forest book cover

Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili (Jan. 30, 2024)

When Irakli returns to the former Soviet Republic of Georgia decades after he fled the violence there with his two sons, he disappears, leaving only a cryptic message behind: “I left a trail I can’t erase. Do not follow it.” But what else can Sandro and Saba do but try? It’s a journey that will lead them into the very heart of a conflict that has torn apart so many families, including their own.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

I don’t know about you, but I love my local libraries. Most of the ebooks and audiobooks I read come from them, and there’s no better treat than a little (or long) trip to the library to see what’s new. So, let’s celebrate libraries this week with two historical fiction books about libraries and librarians.

The Lions of Fifth Avenue book cover

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

Set generations apart at the New York Public Library, a grandmother and granddaughter confront similar problems when rare and valuable books are stolen from the library right under their noses. Are the thefts connected? And what will the investigation into them uncover about this family who has so long called the New York Library home?

Book cover of The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

The personal librarian to J.P. Morgan, Belle da Costa Greene, has become one of the most important people in the literary and art communities of New York because of her position. But she’s also hiding a secret that could unravel her life: she’s the daughter of the first Black man to graduate from Harvard and is only passing as white. Belle has sacrificed so much to get where she is, but what else will she have to give up to protect herself, her family, and her position in a racist society?

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 The Water Outlaws by S.L Huang. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

Stars of the Stage and Screen in Historical Fiction

Hi, historical fiction fans!

I hope you have a warm beverage and some free time because you’re not going to want to miss the historical fiction titles we’ve got for you this week. We’re talking historical stars of the stage and screen, from a Greek opera house to New York’s Great White Way. If you’ve ever secretly dreamed of stardom, you’ll love living vicariously through the stars of these historical fiction books.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

Book Lover Sweatshirt from Tindallclose

Keep cozy in this “book lover” sweatshirt that comes in a variety of comfort colors. $33

New Releases

Diva book cover

Diva by Daisy Goodwin (January 23, 2024)

Before he married one of the most famous women in the world, Jackie Kennedy, Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis introduced another woman to his world of glittering excess: an opera star named Maria Callas. Raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who exploited her beautiful voice, Maria learned early to protect herself from others. But she believed Aristotle Onassis saw through the star to who she really was. She was wrong.

Kinning book cover

Kinning by Nisi Shawl (January 23, 2024)

In this sequel to Nisi Shawl’s alternate history novel about a free state in colonial Congo, Everfair, peace has finally come. The Great War is over. A sister and brother spread empathy-generating fungus around the world from an aircanoe while the prince and princess of Everfair vie for the throne after the death of their father. Will the country remain a symbol of hope and freedom now that peace has come to its borders?

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

In Diva, you can explore the life of a star, but opera isn’t the only venue you can read about in historical fiction. These books feature stars of the stage and screen that will sweep you away with stories of both the glamour and harsh reality of life in the limelight.

A Tender Thing book cover

A Tender Thing by Emily Neuberger

A small-town girl with dreams of Broadway, Eleanor O’Hanlon is elated when she catches the attention of a famed composer putting together a new show. Now Eleanor is a leading lady. But “A Tender Thing” has a provocative storyline for 1950s America, featuring a white woman and a Black man falling in love. As the public gains wind of the show, tensions rise, and Eleanor is forced to confront the realities of life in the pre-Civil Rights Movement United States.

Did you hear about kitty karr Book Cover

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul

When movie star Kitty Karr dies and leaves her fortune to three young Black women, all starlets in their own right, questions abound. What was Kitty’s relationship with this family? And why should people who already have it all gain even more? Elise St. John has questions, too. But she loved Kitty like family, and uncovering the truth will be more complicated and painful than she ever could’ve imagined.

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 To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

Spies and Secret Agents in WWII Novels

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.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

Miniature rectangular wooden loom for making fabric bookmarks, featuring green, teal, and blue yarn.

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 book cover

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 book cover

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 Book Cover

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.

cover of The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan; blurred image of an Asian woman's face

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?

Categories
Past Tense

Manors are For Haunting

Hi, historical fiction fans!

In this week’s historical fiction, we’re focusing on haunted manors. I didn’t intend to let the cold, rainy weather of late influence this week’s topic, but it’s hard to deny that gray weather and creepy manors go hand in hand. Whether it’s dark or sunny where you’re reading from, gothic novels are always a good way to go.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

Spread of fern green card deck with prompts such as "Read a book with a historical setting."

TBR Card Deck from Magic and Books

I’m really intrigued by the idea of gamifying your TBR. These cards are definitely a gorgeous way to go about it, too. $40

New Releases

You Dreamed of Empires book cover

You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue (Jan 9, 2024)

Enrigue depicts Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire, at the height of its power. The Spanish have arrived, and everything teeters on the brink. But in this novel, the future remains uncertain. The fateful meeting between Cortés and Moctezuma approaches, but what will happen if things play out differently this time around?

cover of The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan; photo of woman kneeling on pillows with a red veil over her head

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan (Jan 12, 2024)

A once grand South African estate now serves as a boardinghouse for desperate tenants. Most are content to ignore the mysteries of Akbar Manzil’s dark corridors. But not Sana. Not content to leave the house’s secrets locked away, Sana unearths terrible secrets that will haunt the living–and the dead.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

If the idea of an ancient estate with a dark (and possibly haunted) past, as described in The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years, intrigues you, these other haunted manor books are perfect for you, too.

The Hacienda Book Cover

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Desperate for stability after the Mexican War of Independence and the execution of her father, Beatriz marries a man rumored to have a dark past. It’s the house itself that most worries Beatriz, though, as she begins her new life at Hacienda San Isidro. Her fears are dismissed by everyone around her. Everyone, that is, except a young priest who has had his own experiences with witchcraft.

The Woman in the Castello Book Cover

The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James

An aspiring actress gets a second chance at stardom after a canceled film shoot when she discovers her aunt’s eerie lakeside castle is to be the set of a new movie. Silvia snags the lead, taking on the role of an ingénue haunted by the past. But when her aunt disappears, and the horrors of the film begin to cross over into real life, Silvia’s reality begins to feel more and more like the horror film she’s making.

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 Litsy, Goodreads, and Instagram.

Right now, I’m reading Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

Start Off The New Year With These Books

Happy New Year, historical fiction fans!

I can’t believe we’re already at the start of a new year. I’ve got new reading logs to set up and planners to fill out and goals to make. As for your reading goals for 2024, the new releases and recommendations this week are a great place to get started.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

A white coffee mug with black text reading "library squad" laid against a pastel green knit blanket

Library Squad Mug from Love and Olive

Join the library support squad with this cute coffee mug from Love and Olive on Etsy. $10

New Releases

Split Book Cover

Split by Alida Bremer (January 1, 2024)

A murder mystery in a coastal Mediterranean town is complicated by a wide cast of suspects, including fascists, spies, and a German film crew in the lead-up to WWII. From a town that had become a tenuous port of refuge for Jewish immigrants to the site of a murder investigation, Split finds war already on its doorstep.

Code Name Butterfly Book Cover

Code Name Butterfly by Embassie Susberry (January 4, 2024)

Josephine Baker was a renowned performer, famous for her risqué dances in Paris, but she was also a member of the French Resistance. When a newly arrived journalist is mistaken for her during a show, she soon realizes Josephine’s work is far more dangerous than she ever could’ve imagined.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our  New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

These two books would both make a great read to start out 2024. They’ll tug on your heartstrings but leave you feeling hopeful in the end.

When the Angels Left the Old Country Book Cover

When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb

A Jewish angel and trickster demon, unlikely friends, set off on a journey to save a girl who’s gone missing from their small shtetl. Along the way, they discover the harsh realities of the world, a terrible conspiracy entrapping immigrants, and the depth of their friendship.

Lady Tan's Circle of Women book cover

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See

In a time when few women were offered medical assistance during childbirth, Tan Yunxian and midwife-in-training Meiling made the choice to dedicate themselves to the health of women. When Yunxian is forced into an arranged marriage and forbidden by her mother-in-law from helping the women of the household, this path seems lost to her. But with friendship and determination to back her, will she be able to overcome the limitations society is so determined to place upon her?

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 various social media platforms like Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy.

Right now, I’m reading One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

2024 Historical Fiction You’ll Want To Read

Hi historical fiction fans!

It’s our last historical fiction newsletter of 2023! Can you believe it? How has it been a whole year of books already?

Looking back at all the books I’ve read in the year and looking forward to a new year of reading is always one of my favorite parts of this time of year. I hope you take some time to reflect back and feel proud of all the books you’ve read this year, however few or many. Now, let’s start looking forward to all the good reading that awaits us in the New Year!

(And just in case you want to super-charge your New Year of reading, TBR now has paperbacks! Whether you (or a reader you know and love) hate carrying around bulky hardcovers, you’re on a budget, you want a wider range of recommendations or all of the above, you can now get a paperback subscription from TBR, curated just for you by one of our Bibliologists. We’ve got different levels to suit every budget. Get all the details at mytbr.co.)

Bookish Goods

Picture of a light green book being held up with a silver metal arch bookend, surrounded by plants on a white background.

Metal Arch Bookend from Highland Ridge Rustics

Show off your favorite books in style with this modern metal arch bookend from etsy. $21

New Releases

The Paris Housekeeper book cover

The Paris Housekeeper by Renee Ryan (December 26, 2023)

When Nazi tanks take over the streets of Paris, Camille Lacroix is one of many unable to flee. Her family back home depends on the money she makes working at the Hôtel Ritz. Rachel Berman, another employee of the Ritz, fears what will happen now that the Germans have come, but her father refuses to believe it will be that bad. As things grow worse for the Jewish people of France, Camille learns her wealthy American employer–whom she believed to be a Nazi sympathizer–is not exactly what she seems. Soon, the two are working together to get Rachel safely out of Paris. But will Camille and Vivian be able to keep their secrets safe under the roof of a Nazi officer?

The Storm We Made book cover

The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan (January 2, 2024)

In 1945, Cecily Alcantara knows that the horrors her family faces in Japanese-occupied Malaysia are partly her doing. She served as a spy for General Fuijwara a decade prior, after all, falling for his alluring promise of an “Asia for Asians.” Now Cecily’s son is missing, her youngest daughter in hiding, and her eldest daughter growing angrier about their situation by the day. Cecily will do anything to save them and make right her actions from the past.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our  New Books newsletter

Riot Recommendations

It’s time to start dreaming about what you’re going to read in the new year. You can find lots of great recommendations online, but these three historical fiction novels should definitely be on your list. Go ahead and request them at your library or pre-order them to get ahead of the curve.

The American Daughters book cover

The American Daughters
by Maurice Carlos Ruffin (February 27, 2024)

When Ady meets Lenore, a free Black woman, at the Mockingbird Inn, she’s invited to become one of The Daughters, a group of spies working to undermine the Confederacy. If they can help win the war and the right to freedom, Ady might be able to find the beloved mother she was separated from and build a life the two of them have always dreamed of.

The Titanic Survivors Book Club book cover

The Titanic Survivors Book Club
by Timothy Schaffert (April 2, 2024)

Yorick would’ve died as an apprentice librarian for the White Star Line if a superior hadn’t taken his place on the Titanic at the last minute. Soon, he’s invited to join a secret group of survivors, all ticket holders who bested fate by never boarding the doomed ship. As they grapple with the near miss and complicated feelings for each other, the group are brought together by books, only to be torn apart by the start of the First World War.

A Crane Among Wolves book cover

A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur (May 14, 2024)

One of my absolute favorite historical fiction authors, June Hur, has a new YA novel set in 16th century Korea coming out this year, and I couldn’t be more excited. Hur has pitched the book as a K-Drama-esque story about a girl trying to save her kidnapped sister from a tyrannical king and a prince determined to end his half-brother’s reign of terror.

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 Goodreads, Instagram, and Litsy, my favorite bookish social media.

Right now, I’m reading A Grandmother Begins the Story by Michelle Porter. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

My Favorite Historical Fiction Books of 2023

Hi, historical fiction fans!

As we draw ever closer to the end of the year, and questions like “How?” and “Wasn’t it 2020 just a few weeks ago??” plague us all, the inundation of Best Of lists begins. I’m sure you’ve already seen Book Riot’s list of the Best Books of 2023, but this week, I want to talk about the best historical fiction of 2023. This is by no means a definitive list, merely a sampling of a few of my favorites this year.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for that bookish special someone in your life this holiday season? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help! Here at TBR, we pair our customers with a professional book nerd (aka bibliologist) who just gets them. They fill out a survey and then sit back and relax as we pick books just for them. We’ve got three levels — recs-only, paperback, and hardcover — and you can gift a full year or one time, so there are options for every budget! Get all the details at mybtro.com/gift

Bookish Goods

Picture of a triangular wooden book holder on a nightstand with an open paperback book laying on top to hold its spot.

Wooden Book Holder from COLwoodcraft

If you can never find a bookmark or remember what page you stopped on the night before, this triangular wooden book holder is for you. $47.50

Riot Recommendations

There’s always a real dearth of new releases in December, so instead of covering new books this week, I’m going to share four of my favorite historical fiction books published in 2023.

The Bookbinder Book Cover

The Bookbinder by Pip Williams

I adored Pip William’s book about the making of the Oxford English Dictionary, The Dictionary of Lost Words, so I was so excited to find out she was writing another historical fiction book set in England during WWI, this time following the bookbinders of Oxford. It lived up to my expectations and then some.

Did you hear about kitty karr Book Cover

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul

I love a good dual-time-line historical fiction novel with a mystery, and while I clued into what was going on in this one pretty quickly, it didn’t make the journey any less enjoyable. When the daughters of a famous—and wealthy—Black family are named as the heirs for Kitty Karr, a late White movie star who was always close with the family, rumors swirl. Do they really deserve to have even more money? And why would Kitty leave her money to them in the first place?

Vampires of El Norte Book Cover

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

Isabel Cañas writes wonderful supernatural historical gothic fiction, and Vampires of El Norte lives up to its predecessor, The Hacienda. When childhood sweethearts are reunited after years apart, violence—and vampires—threaten to ruin their second chance at love.

The Glutton book cover

The Glutton by A.K. Blakemore

This historical account of what an infamous 18th century Frenchman’s life might have looked like, from his inauspicious birth to the accident that Blakemore imagines gave him his famously insatiable appetite. It’s a fascinating read based on true events.

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 Goodreads, Instagram, and Litsy, my favorite bookish social media.

Right now, I’m reading The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

Cold Weather Historical Fiction

Hi, historical fiction fans!

The cold has given me a cold. So, what could be a more appropriate topic this week than historical fiction set in icy cold climates? Of course, my almost two-year-old nephew is almost certainly the actual cause of my sore throat, but that’s a less exciting intro.

In addition to cold weather historical fiction, we’ve also got some WWII-era new releases and a cute greenhouse book nook to remind you of spring, even in the coldest months.

The holidays have arrived, and so has our new paperback level at TBR! If you (or a reader you know) are just over-carrying around bulky hardcovers or are looking for a more budget-friendly option, we’ve got you. Check out all the offerings at mybtro.com/gift, and give personalized reading recommendations customized for any and every reader.

Bookish Goods

A series of white books lined up with a rectangular book nook in the shape of a greenhouse garden featuring lots of plants in between.

Greenhouse Book Nook from Hands Craft US

Add some interest to your bookshelf with this lovely greenhouse garden book nook full of plants. It’ll brighten up the darkest days! $50

New Releases

The Jazz Club Spy book cover

The Jazz Club Spy by Roberta Rich (December 5, 2023)

A Jewish cigarette girl working in a night club is enlisted as a spy for the Chief Commissioner of Immigration at Ellis Island when she crosses paths with one of the Cossack men who burned her Russian village to the ground as a child—a man the Chief Commissioner believes is involved in a plot that could destroy Russian American relations. Will her quest for answers help her come to terms with the violence that forced her family to flee to New York? Or will it change everything she thought she knew about the world?

Bonfire Night book cover

Bonfire Night by Anna Bliss (December 26, 2023)

An Irish Catholic photographer and a Jewish medical student meet at an anti-fascism protest in 1936 London. The love they begin to feel for each other is hampered by the stark differences between them. Years later, as the Blitz rages on, fate may bring them together once again, but will the differences that kept them apart be any easier to bridge this time?

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our  New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Whether it’s icy cold where you’re at or warm, sunny weather, these snowy historical fiction novels will have you wanting to curl up under a blanket for the duration.

The Frozen River book cover

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

Based on the diaries of acclaimed 18th-century midwife Martha Ballard, The Frozen River tells the story of terrible crimes hidden within a small community. When Martha identifies the body of a man frozen in the river as that of a well-respected gentleman recently involved in an alleged rape, the physician rules it an accident. Martha’s years of experience tell her something different. But with the doctor’s verdict settled, she’ll have to take matters into her own hands as she uncovers even more shocking truths about her community, implicating even the people she holds most dear.

Snow Country book cover

Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata, translated by Edward G. Seidensticker

In the snowy mountains near an isolated hot spring, a wealthy man and a geisha fall in love. There is no way their relationship can last, but the doomed romance set against the snowy mountains of Western Japan is entrancing nonetheless.

The Fox Wife book cover

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo (February 13, 2024)

When a young woman is found frozen in the snow of Manchuria in 1908, rumors of a fox spirit luring her to an icy death swirl. A detective long interested in foxes searches for the truth about her identity and the events that led to her death, all while a family cursed to lose their sons before the age of 24 welcome a young woman into their house—but is she really who she claims to be?

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 Goodreads, Instagram, and Litsy, my favorite bookish social media.

Right now, I’m reading Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park. What about you?