Hi, historical fiction fans,
How is it almost the end of May? Didn’t 2024 start, like, two weeks ago? I guess time flies when you’re running around and reading books. I tried out a new reading challenge called Bookspin Bingo over on Litsy this month, and I do think it helped me read a little more after several months of lagging behind. What methods do you use to challenge/inspire yourself to read?
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Bookish Goods
Ceramic Book Mug from Erin Killian Pottery
Can you ever have too many mugs? Probably, but I refuse to believe it. This handmade bookshelf mug would be perfect for your collection. $55
New Releases
The Stolen Daughter by Florence Ọlájídé
When her Yorùbá village is attacked by slave raiders, 14-year-old Ṣìkẹ́mi is torn from her family and sold to a powerful slave trader named Madam Tinúbú. She’s eventually able to convince Madam Tinúbú to train her as a warrior, but Ṣìkẹ́mi never gives up on her determination to be reunited with her family once again.
The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
In a rural Dutch province in 1961, buildings are being rebuilt after the war and life is returning to how it should be. Isabel is content with life until her brother brings his girlfriend to stay with her for the season. Eva and Isabel are polar opposites, and Isabel is driven to distraction by Eva’s loud, impetuous nature. Soon, though, her infuriation turns to infatuation—and she realizes neither Eva nor the house she’s been living in are quite what they seem.
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Riot Recommendations
My community was hit by several tornadoes over the weekend, and while I am extremely fortunate to have come out of it fine, it got me thinking about how much storms impact humans and human history. Tornadoes don’t seem to make frequent appearances in historical fiction, but other types of storms certainly do.
The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton
The Last Train to Key West was the first book that came to mind when I thought about storms in historical fiction. In the book, three women are confronted with the fury of nature during the infamous Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 decimated Key West with winds of up to 200 mph.
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
Another book about a hurricane, Salvage the Bones follows a Black family in rural Mississippi in the lead up to Hurricane Katrina. We experience these events through the eyes of 14-year-old Esch, who invites us into the lives of her family as her absentee father grows increasingly concerned about the hurricane growing in the Gulf. It’s admittedly a more recent “historical” fiction novel, but considering it takes place almost 20 years ago, I think it counts.
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 Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons. What about you?