Hi, historical fiction fans,
Happy May! I know spring technically begins in March in the Northern Hemisphere, but May is the month I always most associate with spring. All the wildflowers are blooming and there’s a nice breeze to temper the hotter days. It’s just the perfect time of year, and I’m not just saying that because it’s also my Birthday month.
Looking for a thoughtful Mother’s Day gift? Go beyond the tried and true flowers and chocolate and give the gift of reading with Tailored Book Recommendations! Our bibliologists are standing by to help your mom find her next favorite read, delivered right to her inbox or doorstep. And with gifts starting at just $18, there’s something for any budget! Head to mytbr.co/gift to send the gift of reading to the book nerd in your life!
If the weather is as nice in your neck of the woods as mine right now, I highly recommend checking out one of the books on this list for a little reading in the park. It’s the best time of year for it.
Bookish Goods
Flower Bookmarks from Celestial Flowers by B
Celebrate your birth month and your love of nature with these gorgeous pressed flower bookmarks from Etsy. $27
New Releases
Ella by Diane Richards (May 7, 2024)
In this biographical historical fiction novel, author Diane Richards brings to life the incredible story of Ella Fitzgerald. From her mother’s death during the Great Depression, which led Ella to work for the mob to make ends meet, to her unlikely career as the bestselling female vocalist in the United States, it’s the story of one talented and determined woman’s triumph over the harshness of life.
Monkey King: Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en (May 7, 2024)
This new hardcover edition of the Chinese classic follows a shapeshifting trickster on a quest to find eternal life. Along with a group of fallen immortals, Sun Wukong must protect a monk on his 14-year journey to India in order to redeem himself in the eyes of the Buddha after stealing from Heaven’s Orchard of Immortal Peaches.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
I’ve had the phrase “April showers bring May flowers” stuck in my head recently, so this first week of May seems like an appropriate time to share some historical fiction books set in the era of flower power. Of course, it wasn’t all good times. Cults and communes cropped up like wildflowers during the ’60s and ’70s and these two books describe the allure and dysfunctional relationships that fueled them.
Arcadia by Lauren Groff
An idealistic group of dreamers set off to create a better way of life in the 1960s, settling their commune in a decaying manor called Arcadia House. Through the eyes of the first child born into the group, Bit, Arcadia recounts the rise and fall of a hippie commune and all the people who hoped it would be perfect.
The Girls by Emma Cline
When Evie spots a group of carefree girls at the park, she’s immediately drawn into their orbit. Suzanne especially enthralls her. As Evie grows ever nearer to the center of the cult and its charismatic leader, she fails to see the violence and horror hurtling their future.
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 Faebound by Saara El-Arifi. What about you?