Hi, historical fiction fans!
I’ve been enjoying the spring weather this week and doing a bit of gardening. I even found some time to read outside, which is always a treat. Whatever the weather is like where you are, I hope you’re finding time to enjoy it.
Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don’t. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.
Bookish Goods
Crocheted Fruit Bookmarks from POstudioBySHEN
These adorable crocheted fruit bookmarks are perfect for spring. Just imagine that little blackberry peeking out from the top of your book. $14
New Releases
Your Presence Is Mandatory by Sasha Vasilyuk (April 23, 2024)
Yefim Shulman was a celebrated Ukrainian WWII war veteran before his death. But when his widow discovers a letter to the KGB confessing secrets they knew nothing about, the entire family is forced to confront everything they thought they knew about Yefim and the country he served.
Kill Her Twice by Stacey Lee (April 23, 2024)
The author of The Downstairs Girl and Luck of the Titanic returns with another historical fiction novel about a murdered movie star and the sisters determined to uncover what really happened. May, Gemma, and Peony know the Los Angeles Police Department won’t investigate the death of a Chinese woman fairly, so they take matters into their own hands. But while their investigation may help save Chinatown from demolition, it will also put them in the crosshairs of a murderer.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Earlier this month, I featured Muslim historical fiction to coincide with Ramadan, and now with Passover taking place this week, it seems like the perfect opportunity to highlight some Jewish historical fiction as well.
City of Laughter by Temim Fruchter
A Jewish woman recovering from her first big heartbreak begins looking into her family’s past, uncovering secrets about her great-grandmother no one speaks about. Shiva’s search may bring her answers, but it also complicates her understanding of the past and present.
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
Exploring the tight bonds between the Jewish and Black community in a 1970s neighborhood, The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store shows how marginalized communities come together and protect each other. When a dead body is found in a well, the residents of Chicken Hill are forced to reckon with the secrets they’ve kept to protect each other and themselves.
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 most social media, including Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy.
Right now I’m reading Beyond the Door of No Return by David Diop. What about you?