Categories
Past Tense

Historical Fiction at the Top of My TBR

Hi historical fiction fans!

Can you believe it’s March already? It seems like February just flew right by. This week in the world of historical fiction, I have two gorgeous new historical novels about Black women making a place for themselves in an unforgiving society as well as a few of the historical fiction books that are at the top of my TBR. Let’s get into them, shall we?

Bookish Goods

Ban Bigots Not Books Navy shirt

Ban Bigots Not Books Shirt from First Amendment Merch

I think I might need to wear this shirt every day with book bans becoming ever more increasing. $22

New Releases

Time's Undoing Book Cover

Time’s Undoing by Cheryl A. Head (February 28, 2023)

In 2019, a young Black journalist for the Detroit Free Press investigates a longstanding family mystery: the murder of her grandfather in 1920s Birmingham. With its booming steel industry and vibrant nightlife, Birmingham is the place to be in 1929. But as the Klan’s presence grows, master carpenter Robert Lee Harrington worries that his fancy car and beautiful, light skinned wife might be drawing the wrong sort of attention.

Wild, Beautiful, and Free Book Cover

Wild, Beautiful, and Free by Sophfronia Scott (March 1, 2023)

Born to an enslaved woman and a plantation owner, Jeannette Bébinn is raised in the house alongside her white half sister until her father dies. Sold into slavery by her vindictive step-mother, Jeanette must find her way back to freedom, eventually finding safe haven at the Fortitude Mansion. But as much as she connects with the Mansion’s white proprietor, Christian Robichaud Colchester, Jeannette doesn’t know where she fits anymore in a society that tells her she doesn’t belong anywhere.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

The Underground Railroad Book Cover

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

I know I’m a bit late to the game on this one — Oprah Winfrey, Obama, and the Pulitzer all beat me to it — but I was reminded recently of just how much I want to read this book after discussing it in an article on alternate history. I’m fascinated by the idea of a version of the Underground Railroad involving actual underground trains to help transport escaped enslaved people.

All the Blood We Share Book Cover

All the Blood We Share by Camilla Bruce

After reading Lady Killers, a nonfiction book about female serial killers which mentions the Bender family of Kansas, I was reminded of this book. I’m not usually big into true crime (not good for my sleep or mental health), but when it has a more historical bent I sometimes find it interesting. And a family of killers running an inn in 1800s Kansas is certainly that.

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, Litsy, and occasionally Twitter.

Right now I’m reading Ghostland by Colin Dickey. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

WWI, Polio, and Historical Fiction in Translation

Hi historical fiction fans!

Time for new releases, recommendation, and all things historical fiction. This week I have two new releases for you, and for once they’re not just about WWII! One follows a young Chinese woman in France at the end of WWI, and the other tells the story of an incredible doctor involved in the discovery and creation of the Polio vaccine. Plus, I’m sharing some great historical fiction in translation. Let’s get into it!

Bookish Goods

Glass mug with white text reading "mood reader" surrounded by stars

Mood Reader Mug from Fable Bound

I love a glass mug, and this one also perfectly encapsulates a love of reading. $20

New Releases

The Porcelain Moon Book Cover

The Porcelain Moon by Janie Chang (February 21, 2023)

In order to escape an unwanted marriage arrangement waiting for her back in Shanghai, Pauline runs from her uncle’s home in Paris to the French countryside. There she meets a woman planning her escape from an abusive marriage who offers her a place to stay. But as Camille’s secrets come to light, threatening them both, she and Pauline will be forced to make an awful decision that will forever alter the rest of their lives.

The Woman with the Cure Book Cover

The Woman with the Cure by Lynn Cullen (February 21, 2023)

Dorothy Horstmann is often the only female doctor in a room full of men, and her determination to find a cure for Polio isn’t motivated by a desire for fame but to end the reign of a devastating disease. It’s only when she makes a discovery that leads a close colleague to claim a cure that she must decide whether to back him or reveal the truth.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

I love trying to expand my reading horizons by reading books in translation, and these two Korean historical fiction books are a great place to start.

Black Flower Book Cover

Black Flower by Kim Young-ha, translated by Charles La Shure

In 1904, in the midst of the Russo-Japanese War, Korea was annexed by Japan and thousands of Koreans chose to leave their home in search of a better life in Mexico. It was only when they arrived that they realized they had been sold into indentured servitude. An orphan who fell for the daughter of a noble searches desperately for his lost love after they are parceled out among haciendados, but when a revolution brings violence to their new home, he leads a group of Korean immigrants to a new home in Guatemala.

The Court Dancer Book Cover

The Court Dancer by Shin Kyung-sook, translated by Anton Hur

In the late Joseon era in Korea, a French diplomat finds himself enchanted by a young court dancer. After professing his love for her to the emperor, he is granted permission to bring her back to France. In France, she finds freedom from her courtly confines and begins translating and publishing Joseon literature into French. But even as her homesickness brings her home, jealousy and betrayal culminate in the death of an empress at the poisoned pages of a book.

That’s it for now, folx! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.

If you want to talk books (historical or otherwise), you can find me @rachelsbrittain on Instagram, Goodreads, Litsy, and occasionally Twitter.

Right now I’m reading The White Mosque by Sofia Samatar. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

WWII Fiction and Pre-Orders You Don’t Want To Miss

Hi historical fiction fans!

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some sunshine and reading this week. These long, cold winter nights that start too early in the evening are definitely getting to me, and I’m ready for them to be over. So, let’s soak up all the sunshine and good vibes we can this week to combat the winter blues, shall we?

And in the meantime, I have some WWII themed new releases for you as well as a few historical novels coming out later this year that I think should be on your radar. After all, there’s nothing better than pre-orders right? It’s a gift for your future self.

Bookish Goods

Gold necklace featuring the outline of an open book

Book Outline Necklace

Treat yourself to this book necklace from Witting Craft on Etsy, the perfect accessory to any bookworm’s outfit. $26

New Releases

The Vienna Writer's Circle Book Cover

The Vienna Writers Circle by J. C. Maetis (February 14, 2023)

In Nazi-occupied Austria, the S.S. is determined to root out Jewish intellectuals, including two members of Freud’s circle in Vienna. Mathias and Johannes once enjoyed talking about books and all their ideas in cafes, but daily life is becoming stricter and stricter. And one old photograph may provide just what the Nazi’s need to identify Jewish intellectuals and subversives like Mathias and Johannes. Their only option is to hide in plain sight, taking on fake names for themselves and their families. But even this may not be enough.

The War Pianist Book Cover

The War Pianist by Mandy Robotham (February 16, 2023)

A woman devastated by the loss of her grandfather in a London air-raid discovers he was working as a radio operator — or pianist — for the Dutch resistance and decides to take over his role. On the other side of Europe, in Amsterdam, another woman connected to Marnie across the wires fights to protect her family at any cost, even if it means sacrificing herself.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Let’s take a look at some more books coming out later this year that you should pre-order or request at your local library.

A Right Worthy Woman Book Cover

A Right Worthy Woman by Ruth P. Watson (June 13, 2023)

The history of Virginia’s Black Wall Street and Maggie Lena Walker are finally given their due in this novel about a woman determined to make a place for herself in a society that doesn’t welcome her. After seeing first hand the stark difference between her laundress mother’s Black and white clients growing up, Maggie vowed to secure a life of success and finery for herself–and to help others in her community do the same. From her beginnings as a school teacher, Maggie went on to found a newspaper, a bank, and a department store where Black customers were treated with courtesy and respect, revolutionizing Richmond in ways that still resonate today.

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store Book Cover

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (August 8, 2023)

The secrets of a small community of Black and Jewish neighbors come to light after the discover of a skeleton at the bottom of a well. The residents of Chicken Hill stick together, with a long history of helping each other out. But what does it take for those living on the margins of white, Christian America to survive? And how will they all react when the truth comes to light?

Learned By Heart Book Cover

Learned by Heart by Emma Donoghue (August 29, 2023)

The author of Room and The Wonder weaves another beautiful and heartbreaking tale about two girls who fall in love at a 19th century boarding school in York. Based on years of research into Ann Lister’s secret journals, Learned by Heart tells the story of a banished heiress named Eliza and a tomboy — that would be Ann — who meet at the Manor School for Young Ladies in 1805.

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, Litsy, Spoutible, and occasionally Twitter.

Right now I’m reading When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

Historical Romance for Valentine’s Day

Hi historical fiction fans!

I’ve been in a bit of a knitting frenzy lately, and let me tell you there’s nothing better than a knitting project paired with a good audiobook. It’s the peak of relaxation — and you get to chip away at your TBR while doing it! 10/10 highly recommend

If you’re on the lookout for the perfect last minute Valentine’s gift for your bookish sweetheart, be sure to check out Book Riot’s Tailored Book Recommendations. Our host of professional book nerds will take a look at what your sweetheart loves to read and what they don’t, what their reading goals are, and what they need more of in their bookish life. Then, our Bibliologists go to work selecting books just for them. TBR has plans for every budget. Surprise your favorite book nerd with Tailored Book Recommendations this Valentine’s and visit mytbr.co/gift.

Bookish Goods

Pink and Blue Pride and Prejudice Quote Art Print

Pride and Prejudice Art Print

This romantic art print featuring a quote from Pride and Prejudice is perfect for Valentine’s Day. Get it from Spilt Milk Press on Etsy. $20

New Releases

The House of Eve Book Cover

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson (February 7, 2023)

In 1950s Philadelphia and Washington D.C., two young Black women fall for men they’re not meant to fall for: one, a Jewish man, and the other hailing from an elite Black family with a status far above her own. Both women find themselves pregnant and fighting against prejudice — against both themselves and their loved ones — as they strive against all odds for the lives that they want.

Hungry Ghosts Book Cover

Hungry Ghosts by Kevin Jared Hosein (February 7, 2023)

In this historical novel of family, class, religion, and mystery, a wealthy man goes missing leaving his wife alone in their large house in Trinidad. Marlee Changoor offers a stipend to a farmhand living in the barracks below her house to keep guard. But as the mystery unfolds and the lives of the wealthy couple and the poverty-stricken families living in their shadow become increasingly entwined, it will change their community forever.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

With Valentine’s Day coming up in less than a week, it seems like the perfect time to talk historical romance. It’s an ever-popular genre full of standout authors like Beverly Jenkins, Alyssa Cole, and Courtney Milan. And these two recent releases are perfect for anyone looking for their Valentine’s Day historical romance fix.

The Davenports Book Cover

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

This Bridgerton-esque romance inspired by the real-life Patterson family, follows four determined young Black women looking for love and their way forward in life in 1910s America when wealthy Black families were few and far between. The Davenport sisters and their friends are surrounded by wealth and luxury — but following their hearts will be a challenge unlike any other.

The Siren of Sussex Book Cover

The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews

This Victorian romance follows an equestrienne with few hopes on the marriage market who finds her perfect match in a tailor who loves designing riding habits, particularly for the daring Evelyn. But will an unfashionably independent woman and a half-Indian tailor be accepted by society? Or will they have to make their own rules and their own way?

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, Litsy, and occasionally Twitter.

Right now I’m reading She and Her Cat by Makoto Shinkai. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

Getting Through Reading Slumps with Short Stories

Where oh where did January go? I feel like 2023 just started yesterday. Nonetheless, we’re moving into February now, and it’s time to recalibrate for a whole new month of reading. Personally, I’m happy for that since January was not a particularly good reading month for me.

And with only a few weeks left until Valentine’s Day, be sure to check out Book Riot’s Tailored Book Recommendations for your bookish sweetheart. Our host of professional book nerds will take a look at what your sweetheart loves to read and what they don’t, what their reading goals are, and what they need more of in their bookish life. Then, our Bibliologists go to work selecting books just for them. TBR has plans for every budget. Surprise your favorite book nerd with Tailored Book Recommendations this Valentine’s and visit mytbr.co/gift.

Bookish Goods

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Librarians Enamel Pin by LibraryCatDesigns

Show your support for librarians with this cheeky enamel pin from Library Cat Designs on Etsy. $12

New Releases

Night Angels Book Cover

Night Angels by Weina Dai Randel (February 1, 2023)

The American wife of the consul general of China is beginning to feel uneasy with the growing wave of Nazi sentiment at their posting in Vienna. And when Grace forms a friendship with a Jewish tutor, Dr. Ho initially tells her to keep her distance. But when Lola and her family are subjected to a brutal pogrom, he begins issuing Shanghai visas to the Jewish population of Shanghai, helping them escape when violence explodes after Kristallnacht. Night Angels is based on the true story of the diplomat and his wife who helped Viennese Jews escape the Nazis.

Skull Water Book Cover

Skull Water by Heinz Insu Fenkl (February 7, 2023)

The son of a Korean mother and GI father growing up near an army base in the aftermath of the Vietnam War searches for an elusive cure for his uncle’s gangrenous foot. But as Insu dives deeper into Korean folklore and Buddhist teachings, South Korea is changing and modernizing in ways he struggles to keep up with. And Big Uncle attempts to teach him that there is more to life than just what we see and know.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

January was not particularly good for my reading. I’m not going to give you a number because I know a bad reading month for a professional reader for me might still be a really good reading month for somebody else. Nonetheless it’s not a good feeling. Reading slumps are a double whammy when you read for work because being in a slump is bad both for both work and leisure.

But the one thing that’s become a shining light in the last few weeks is short story collections. For whatever reason — maybe because I’m able to read them in short, independent chunks — the only two books I’ve managed to finish in the last couple of weeks are short story collections. So for anyone else struggling to get into their reading groove this year, here are a few historical short story collections and anthologies to try out.

Stories from Suffragette City Book Cover

Stories from Suffragette City, edited by M.J. Rose and Fiona Davis

This collection of short stories from celebrated writers all take place on the same day: October 23, 1915. Over a million women marched on that day for the right to vote in New York City, and these stories take a peek into their lives and experiences, portraying a vast and varied array of women.

Astray Book Cover

Astray by Emma Donoghue

I talked about Emma Donoghue’s fiction last week and here we are again, because she has a collection of historical short fiction perfect for anyone looking for bite sized stories of the past. From gold miners to counterfeiters and attorneys, the characters in Astray explore centuries of wanderers and wandering across North America and beyond.

That’s it for now, folx! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.

If you want to talk books (historical or otherwise), you can find me @rachelsbrittain on Instagram, Goodreads, Litsy, and occasionally Twitter.

Right now I’m reading Tower by Bae Myung-hoon. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

The Wonder, Emma Donoghue, and the Magic of Slow Historical Fiction

I’m snowed in this week which means lots of hot chai lattes and watching my dog frolic and shove her face into the snow. (For some reason, that’s her favorite.) If I wasn’t also battling a migraine, it would pretty much be perfect! But I guess we can’t have it all, can we?

If you’re on the lookout for the perfect Valentine’s gift for your bookish sweetheart, be sure to check out Book Riot’s Tailored Book Recommendations. Our host of professional book nerds will take a look at what your sweetheart loves to read and what they don’t, what their reading goals are, and what they need more of in their bookish life. Then, our Bibliologists go to work selecting books just for them. TBR has plans for every budget. Surprise your favorite book nerd with Tailored Book Recommendations this Valentine’s and visit mytbr.co/gift.

Bookish Goods

Hanging Houseplant Bookmark from Etsy

Hanging Houseplant Bookmark

This silver houseplant bookmark is so pretty it might as well be jewelry for your book. Get it from Another Studio on Etsy. $9

New Releases

The Snow Hare Book Cover

The Snow Hare by Paula Lichtarowicz (January 31, 2023)

A Polish woman with a love of science longs to become a doctor, but WWII and life in an unforgiving Siberian work camp change the course of her life forever. As the end of her life approaches on a farm in Wales, she reflects on the choices that brought her here and tries to make peace with all that her life was — and wasn’t.

River Sing Me Home Book Cover

River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer (January 31, 2023)

Following the Emancipation Act of 1834, a woman escapes from a plantation in Barbados and sets out on a arduous journey to find the children that were taken from her and sold into slavery.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

I finally got around to watching The Wonder on Netflix last week, and as heartbreaking as it was I loved it. Donoghue’s stories often have a leisurely, atmospheric feeling to them that really draws readers in. The slow pace might be too sedate for some (I saw this complaint about the movie), but I think there’s something really special about an author who can keep your attention even when a story is more quietly contemplative than action-packed. Emma Donoghue does that so well.

The Pull of the Stars Book Cover

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

In an Irish hospital wracked by the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, a nurse in the overworked maternity ward is placed in charge of keeping her patients alive and seeing them through birth. But it’s the arrival of an inexperienced, young assistant with no training and an enthusiastic spirit that help her get through the horror, heartbreak, and joy of her work.

Haven Book Cover

Haven by Emma Donoghue

A priest and two monks set off to find an island sent to them in a vision from God in seventeenth century Ireland, determined to found a new monastery. They eventually come to an island inhabited only by birds, now known as Skellig Michael, and claim it for God. But what will it take to survive in such an isolated place, with only their faith to guide them?

Donoghue’s other historical fiction titles include Frog Music, Slammerkin, and her short story collections Astray and The Woman Who Gave Birth To Rabbits.

That’s it for now, folx! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.

If you want to talk books (historical or otherwise), you can find me @rachelsbrittain on Instagram, Goodreads, Litsy, and occasionally Twitter.

Right now I’m reading The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

New Historical Fiction From Your Favorite Authors

Hi historical fiction fans!

Get your TBR lists ready because this week we’re talking notable new releases and 2023 titles from some of your favorite historical fiction authors.

And, I know it’s a little early, but if you’re on the lookout for the perfect Valentine’s gift for your bookish sweetheart, might I recommend Tailored Book Recommendations? Our host of professional book nerds will take a look at what your sweetheart loves to read and what they don’t, what their reading goals are, and what they need more of in their bookish life. Then, our Bibliologists go to work selecting books just for them. TBR has plans for every budget. Surprise your favorite book nerd with Tailored Book Recommendations this Valentine’s and visit mytbr.co/gift.

Bookish Goods

White Wooden Book Planter Stack from Etsy

White Wooden Book Planter

A book stack planter for you book shelves? It’s a perfect fit. $39

New Releases

Independence Book Cover

Independence by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (January 17, 2023)

Set during the lead up to Partition, three sisters finds the paths of their lives diverging even as they struggle to stay together when the middle sister falls in love with a Muslim man just as India is declared for Hindus and Pakistan for Muslims.

The Mitford Affair Book Cover

The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict (January 17, 2023)

When two of the six Mitford sisters leave their privileged English life to marry Nazis, only Nancy Mitford stays in contact with them. So when the two become spies for the Nazi party, it falls to Nancy act. But will she be able to place her country — and doing what is right — above her own family?

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

What’s better than a beloved author coming out with a new book? Two beloved authors coming out with new books, of course. If you love historical fiction you probably already know of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Colson Whitehead, so let’s talk the new books they have coming out this year.

Silver Nitrate Book Cover

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

An unfinished film imbued with Nazi occultism might seem far fetched, but when a sound editor in 90s Mexico City and her actor best friend agree to help an old director finish the film he claims cursed him, strange things begin to happen. Montserrat feels a dark presence stalking her and Tristán becomes haunted by the ghost of his ex-girlfriend. Will finishing the film end the curse of has the horror only just begun?

Crook Manifesto Book Cover

Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead

In this sequel to Harlem Shuffle, former fence Ray Carney is just trying to keep his head down and his furniture store up and running — until his daughter asks for Jackson 5 tickets and suddenly he’s back in the game. Like Harlem Shuffle, Crook Manifesto is a portrait of family, friendship, and a city under siege.

That’s it for now, folx! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.

If you want to talk books (historical or otherwise), you can find me @rachelsbrittain on Instagram, Goodreads, Litsy, and occasionally Twitter.

Right now I’m reading The White Mosque by Sofia Samatar. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

Inuit Historical Fiction

Hi historical fiction fans!

I hope your reading is off to a good start in the new year! I’m still not quite used to the idea that it isn’t 2022 anymore, but I’m excited to have a clean slate to restart my reading with new goals and new releases. Let’s talk about a few new releases you might be interested in and some other book recommendations, shall we?

Bookish Goods

Green Velvet Ribbon Bookmark with Terrarium Charms

Terrarium Charm Velvet Bookmark from Wreath Coven

I’m obsessed with this bookmark. Green velvet? Check. Terrarium charms? Check. A dark academia plant-lover aesthetic? Check. Give it to me. $12+.

New Releases

The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre Book Cover

The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester (January 10, 2023)

After her PR prowess brings her to the attention of the United States government, Alix St Pierre is recruited as a spy to try to turn a Nazi who might be willing to help the Allies. Years later, Alix is living in Paris and working for the soon-to-be-launched House of Christian Dior when an old face from the war returns and threatens to destroy the future she is working so hard for. Can she right the wrongs of the past even as she tries to forget them?

In the Upper Country Book Cover

In the Upper Country by Kai Thomas (January 10, 2023)

In the Canadian town of Dunmore at the end of the Underground Railroad, a slave hunter is shot dead. As the woman who shot him refuses to flee, a young reporter is brought in to take down her testimony before she can be condemned for her crime. But the old woman isn’t interested in a confession. Instead she offers a trade: a story for a story. And the truth these stories unearth reveals the inextricably linked histories of Black and Indigenous people in the land that is now called North America.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

I’ve been thinking a lot about historical fiction set in cold climates recently (see: my last newsletter from December) and nothing encapsulated living in the coldest of climates more than Inuit historical fiction. Experience what it’s like growing up in the Arctic with these Inuit historical fiction books.

Sanaaq Book Cover

Sanaaq: An Inuit Novel by Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk, translated by Bernard Saladin d’Anglure

In the mid-nineteenth century, Inuit society was changed forever by the coming of the qallunaat, the white people. Sanaaq tells that story through the eyes of one outspoken Inuk woman and her daughter in their semi-nomadic community in northern Quebec. But their way of live, carefully balancing their needs with the harsh landscape around them, is threatened the encroaching missionaries and their battle to convert Inuit souls.

Life Among the Qallunaat Book Cover

Life Among the Qallunaat by Mini Aodla Freeman

In Life Among the Qallunaat, Mini Aodla Freeman tells her story as an Inuk woman growing up in the 1940s before her training as a nurse and then moving to Ottawa to work as a translator for the Department of Northern Affairs and National Resources. Though it’s technically a memoir, it’s a beautifully rendered account of the changes taking place in Inuit communities of the 40s and 50s that serves an important place alongside similar fictionalized accounts.

That’s it for now, folx! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.

If you want to talk books (historical or otherwise), you can find me @rachelsbrittain on Instagram, Goodreads, Litsy, and occasionally Twitter.

Right now I’m reading The Five by Hallie Rubenhold. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

Most Anticipated 2023 Historical Fiction

Hi Historical Fiction Fans and Happy New Year!

I hope the first few days of 2023 are off to a great start for all of you. One of my favorite things to do at the start of the new year is to set up this year’s reading tracker. I’m personally a big fan of the reading log Tirzah Price creates for Book Riot every year (and I’m probably only a little bit biased). You can track all sorts of data points, from genre to book length, and you get gorgeous graphs if you fill everything out — something I’m not always great at to be honest. I start off the year with good intentions and then by the end I’m lucky if I’ve filled out the author and read dates. But here’s to trying again in 2023!

Bookish Goods

Reading Journal from Etsy

My Reading Journal from writindstudios

Get your New Year reading off to a great start with this reading journal full of the perfect layouts to keep track of all your reading this year. $13.

New Releases

A Castle in Brooklyn Book Cover

A Castle in Brooklyn by Shirley Russak Wachtel (January 1, 2023)

In 1944 Poland, Jacob Stein and Zalman Mendelson met under terrible circumstances. They escaped and made their way to the United States where Jacob plows a farm and Zalman lives in New York City with his wife. They decide to all stay together in Brooklyn and build light-filled houses for themselves side by side. This place becomes a castle for them to call home — until a tragedy threatens to break all the bonds between them.

Moonrise Over New Jessup Book Cover

Moonrise Over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks (January 10, 2023)

At the beginning of the Civil Right movement in Alabama, Alice Young moves to the all-Black town of New Jessup, where integration has been rejected as a form of Black advancement. But as Alice falls for a man whose secret organizing could threaten the status quo of the town, she must reckon with her support of his work and her undying desire to protect New Jessup from the forces of upheaval inside and outside of town.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Speaking of the new year, let’s talk about a whole new year of reading historical fiction. There are so many great new books coming out this year like these 10 new historical novels hitting shelves this year. Here are four I’m particularly excited about.

River Sing Me Home Book Cover

River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer (January 31, 2023)

A woman on a plantation in Barbados escapes enslavement and sets out on a harrowing journey to track down the five children that were taken from her and sold away. It’s a journey that takes her from Barbados deep into the jungles of British Guiana and all the way to Trinidad as she determines the fates of her children.

Stone Blind Book Cover

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes (February 7, 2023)

The author of A Thousand Ships and The Furies is back with a retelling of the most famous Gorgon of them all: Medusa. As the only mortal in a family of gods, Medusa knows what it is to be an outsider. But when a god does the unthinkable, she is the one to pay the price. And now a life of loneliness and solitude is all she will ever know. At least, until the son of Zeus come to collect the head of a Gorgon…

The Cuban Heiress Book Cover

The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton (April 11, 2023)

I love Chanel Cleeton’s historical fiction about Cubans and the Cuban diaspora, and her new novel sounds like another surefire hit. A luxury cruise on its way from New York to Havana unearths the secrets of two women desperately trying to deal with the repercussions of their pasts.

Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea Book Cover

Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig (June 6, 2023)

This historical fiction novel about one of the most legendary pirates of all time as she schemes to keep her fleet amidst the death of her husband, her marriage to his second-in-command, and the birth of her child, all while the Chinese Emperor sets out to rid the South China Seas of pirates.

That’s it for now, folx! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.

If you want to talk books (historical or otherwise), you can find me @rachelsbrittain on Instagram, Goodreads, Litsy, and occasionally Twitter.

Right now I’m reading Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes. What about you?

Categories
Past Tense

Ice Cold Historical Fiction

Hi historical fiction fans!

Merry Christmas, Hanukkah Sameach, and Happy (almost) New Year! Can you believe 2022 is almost over and a whole new year is about to begin? I think I blinked and suddenly a whole year had passed me by. I’m wishing you all good friends, good food, and good vibes going into the new year. Here’s hoping 2023 treats us all right!

Before we move on, Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge is in its ninth year! Through a series of 24 tasks / prompts, Read Harder invites readers to expand their worldview through books. Read one book per task, or do some multi-tasking by counting one book for multiple tasks. We’re easygoing! The point of the challenge is to push yourself to expand your horizons. Thank you to Thriftbooks for sponsoring Read Harder 2023.

To find the tasks and subscribe to our newsletter for tips and recommendations, visit Read Harder 2023.

Bookish Goods

Brass Bookmark in the shape of an anatomical heart featuring a quote from Frankenstein

Frankenstein Brass Heart Bookmark

I love a good bookmark and this one from Literary Emporium on Etsy is just to die for. ($11)

New Releases

The Book of Everlasting Things Book Cover

The Book of Everlasting Things by Aanchal Malhotra (December 27, 2022)

A perfumer’s apprentice and calligrapher’s apprentice fall in love with their respective crafts and each other amidst the struggle for Indian independence. But when their city is torn apart by Partition, with one suddenly being labeled Indian and the other Pakistani, they find their love forbidden. Samir and Firdaus may be separated, but their love and their memories will inform how much they’re willing to give up for their future.

The Lipstick Bureau Book Cover

The Lipstick Bureau by Michelle Gable (December 27, 2022)

A newlywed in Rome is recruited to become one of the few American OSS operatives abroad, tasked with crafting stories and propaganda to lower the enemies’ morale. Along with a team of scrappy artists nicknamed The Lipstick Bureau, Niki tries to escape the painful truths she left behind in Czechoslovakia and the reality of her controlling American husband through her work. But one wrong move could be the difference between life and death.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Did someone say snow? We’ve been getting some intense winter weather here in the U.S. this past week so it seemed like an appropriate time to spotlight some historical fiction set in ice cold environments. If you’re looking to escape the cold, I’m afraid these books aren’t for you. But if you want a bit of snowy historical fiction to end out the year, these two reads are a perfect fit.

Winterland Book Cover

Winterland by Rae Meadows

A young girl moving up through the ranks of the Soviet-era gymnastics program looks for answers about her missing mother’s past from an old neighbor woman who survived the horrors of a Gulag. There is little room for error in the elite world of USSR gymnastics, and the further Anya rises through its ranks, the more she realizes how narrow that margin of error really is.

Split Tooth Book Cover

Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq

In 1970s Nunavut in northern Canada, a girl grows up amidst a world of ice and sky, animals and the all-too-human ravages of alcohol and violence. Weaving together myth and the electrifying proximity of the human and animal world, Tagaq crafts a story of life in the Arctic like no other.

That’s it for now, folx! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.

If you want to talk books (historical or otherwise), you can find me @rachelsbrittain on Instagram, Goodreads, Litsy, and occasionally Twitter.

Right now I’m reading Pages from the Textbook of Alternate History by Phong Nguyen. What about you?