Author: Rachel Brittain

Jewish Historical Fiction for Passover

Post author By Rachel Brittain
Post date April 23, 2024

Sponsored by

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

Picture of four tiny crocheted fruits, including a blackberry, a raspberry, and a persimmon, atop slender green bookmarks laid out on a white plate.

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 Book Cover

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?

Past Tense

Librarians throughout History

Post author By Rachel Brittain
Post date April 16, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, historical fiction fans!

Raise your hand if you have a newborn nephew and are completely sleep-deprived! Just me? Well, there’s more than enough sleep deprivation to go around. I’ve been alternating between audiobooks when I’m too tired to keep my eyes open and reading ebooks while I’m rocking a less-than-one-week-old all night. And bonus, according to Goodreads I’m six books behind on my yearly goal. So, you know, things are going well.

Bookish Goods

White shirt with rainbow bubble letters across the chest spelling out "Support Public Libraries"

Support Public Libraries Shirt from Angie Pea

You can never go wrong with a cute shirt supporting public libraries. $30

New Releases

All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore (April 2, 2024)

Charlotte escaped from the plantation where she was enslaved, but now she’s locked away in the basement of her white-passing father. It’s the only way to stay safe from the slavecatchers who could ruin their lives. She’s not content to stay hidden forever, though, and when she and a new abolitionist friend discover Charlotte’s old mistress has come to the city with one of her friends from the plantation, they’re determined to help her find freedom, too.

The Royal Librarian by Daisy Wood (April 11, 2024)

After fleeing the Nazis in Vienna, Sophie Klein is placed in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle and tasked with looking over documents from the royal family. When she uncovers a secret endangering the future queen of England, she’ll risk everything to protect her. Years later, Sophie’s granddaughter discovers a letter stamped with the Windsor Castle crest. Her grandmother has never spoken of her past, but Lacey is determined to get to the bottom of this mysterious letter and her grandmother’s role in WWII.

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

Riot Recommendations

The Royal Librarian may be a featured new release this week, but it’s not the only great historical fiction book about librarians out there. Here are two more:

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

The personal librarian to investment banker J.P. Morgan, Belle da Costa Greene, had a profound impact on New York society and the literary and arts scene through her work curating Morgan’s private library. But neither he nor anyone else knew she was hiding a secret that could upend her life and all her work. Belle was the daughter of a prominent Black man, the first to graduate from Harvard. Her light skin has allowed her to pass in white society, but it means giving up her family and everything she’s ever known.

The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenjé

Florence’s father, a bookbinder, has tried to tame her and make her look like other girls ever since he brought her back to England from Jamaica. Now, he’s kicked her out for good. But a job restoring old books at the library of Lord Francis Belfield offers an opportunity to make it on her own. Rose Hall is full of secrets, though, and solving them may be as dangerous as it is inevitable.

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 A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland. What about you?

Past Tense

New LGBTQ Historical Fiction

Post author By Rachel Brittain
Post date April 9, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, historical fiction fans,

Who was able to enjoy the Solar Eclipse passing over parts of the Americas earlier this week? My hometown was actually in the path of totality, but I couldn’t get home for the weekend, so I was stuck with 98% totality. Still pretty good if you ask me! I probably should’ve gone with a celestial theme for the newsletter this week, but the new releases hit me over the head with LGBTQ historical fiction, so I decided to go with that instead.

Bookish Goods

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Sticker Pack from Papio Press

Get a whole set of beautiful, bookish stickers to decorate your planner, water bottle, laptop, or Kindle. $20

New Releases

Rough Trade by Katrina Carrasco (April 9, 2024)

In this sequel to The Best Bad Things, former Pinkerton detective Alma Rosales has set up shop in Tacoma. But when a handsome stranger begins asking too many questions about opium, she worries there’s a spy in her midst. And if Alma wants to protect her business — and her way of life here in Tacoma’s flourishing queer scene — she’ll have to root them out before they ruin everything.

A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland (April 9, 2024)

In this historical retelling of “The Selkie Wife,” a woman working as a midwife on the Canadian East Coast takes in a strange woman she finds about to give birth on the shore. The woman’s husband, her neighbor, seems nice enough at first, but soon she realizes things are not what they seem.

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

Riot Recommendations

When I noticed both of the new releases featured this week explore queer women and queer communities in historical settings, I thought it was a good opportunity to shout out a few more!

The Sons of El Rey by Alex Espinoza (June 11, 2024)

Generations of the Vega family face down forbidden love and family secrets, from the luchador El Rey Coyote to his son and grandson contending with his complicated legacy as they try to build their own lives. It’s the story of a family ready to fight for themselves and for each other.

City of Laughter by Temim Fruchter

In 18th century Ropshitz, a city known as the City of Laughter, a holy jester and a mysterious stranger set off a series of events that reverberate down through the generations to Shiva, who hopes a trip to Poland will help her connect to her family’s mysterious past. There, she finds answers to the questions about her grandmother no one will answer, but also even more uncertainty about what it means for her own life.

Escaping Mr. Rochester by L.L. McKinney

Jane Eyre is not content to marry Mr. Rochester in this reimagining of the classic Bronte novel. In fact, she’s extremely suspicious of him, with his secrets and mercurial moods — suspicions that are all too founded. Bertha, Rochester’s first wife, is locked away in the attic for refusing to share her inheritance. Their only chance of freedom lies outside of this mansion, but will they be able to find it before Mr. Rochester’s temper burns everything down?

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 Learned by Heart by Emma Donoghue. What about you?

Past Tense

Muslim Historical Fiction

Post author By Rachel Brittain
Post date April 2, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, historical fiction friends!

Do you ever talk to people about books in real life who read such different genres than you that you don’t even know how to explain to them what you’re reading? I have that experience a lot, especially when people find out I write about books professionally. How exactly am I supposed to explain to them that I’m currently juggling a sapphic selkie fairy tale retelling and a story about a shape- and gender-shifting alien that uses dating apps to hunt their prey? I can tell you these kinds of answers are never what they’re expecting.

Bookish Goods

Image of a woman wearing a dusty blue sweatshirt with a rainbow and the words "reading rainbow" across the chest

Reading Rainbow Sweatshirt from Stella Vita Studio

Here’s one for all the former Reading Rainbow kids out there! $54

New Releases

1666 by Lora Chilton (April 2, 2024)

In Colonial Virginia, the Patawomeck Tribe faced a massacre, where their men were murdered, and the women and children marched south to board a slave ship headed to Barbados. But thanks to three brave women, whose story has been passed down among the Patawomeck people for generations, they were able to perform a harrowing escape and make their way back to Virginia, ensuring the preservation of their tribe.

The Titanic Survivors Book Club book cover

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

A book club for people who were meant to be on the Titanic’s fateful voyage brings together a bookshop owner named Yorick and a quirky group of other almost Titanic passengers. But even as they grow closer, the Great War looms on the horizon, threatening to destroy all the peace they’ve created with one another.

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

Riot Recommendations

With Ramadan having started at the end of March and lasting through the first week of April, it seems like the perfect time to feature some great Islamic historical fiction.

To Keep the Sun Alive by Rabeah Ghaffari

In 1979, the Islamic Revolution in Iran is fast approaching, as is a solar eclipse. For a couple living on an orchard in the small town of Naishapur, life goes on even as it changes. Over long terrace lunches, they discuss life and politics, and we watch a large cast of characters fight for, embrace, or avoid the future.

Every Rising Sun by Jamila Ahmed

This retelling of One Thousand and One Nights puts Shaherazade at the center of the story. In 12th century Persia, Shaherazade tries to save the man she loves—and her people—by telling the Malik a new story every night to stave off his violence. But his rage runs too deep, and Shaherazade conspires with her father to persuade him to set off for the ongoing Crusades, all the while trying to entrance the Malik with her stories and navigate the complicated intricacies of courtly life.

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 Walking Practice by Dolki Min, translated by Victoria Caudle.

Past Tense

Incredible Casts in Historical Fiction Audiobooks

Post author By Rachel Brittain
Post date March 26, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, historical fiction fans,

I didn’t get as much reading done this last week as I hoped, but I did manage to dive into a new physical book and audiobook while I was traveling over the weekend. Travel days are some of my best reading days since there’s not much else I can focus on except a good book and getting where I’m going. When do you have your best reading days?

Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We’ll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations, plus community features. In other words, we’ll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

Canvas tote bag featuring a teal colored vintage typewriter with a paper coming out of it with typed text that reads "no matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world."

Typewriter Tote Bag from Fly Paper Products on Etsy

I love a good tote bag, especially a bookish one. Just think how many books you could carry around in this typewriter tote bag! $20

New Releases

All the World Beside by Garrard Conley (March 26, 2024)

In Puritan New England, two men develop a bond that exists beyond words and beyond the norms of a religiously restrictive society in 18th-century America. Torn between their families, their dogmatic beliefs, and their feelings, they try to imagine a future beyond the confines of life as they know it.

Double Lives by Mary Monroe (March 26, 2024)

Twin sisters with a penchant for getting up to trouble in Depression-era Lexington frequently switch places to fool boyfriends, bosses, family, and even racist police. But when Fiona wants a break from her passionless marriage, wild child Leona finds she doesn’t mind the security of having a husband and home. Meanwhile, Fiona is finally able to explore what it means to be independent and maybe even fall in love.

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

Riot Recommendations

I love a good audiobook—and I’ll brook no arguments that they don’t count as “real reading” from pedants—especially when they feature compelling narrators and large casts of characters. Here are two I particularly recommend.

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

Books with multiple POVs are often very fun to listen to in audiobook format because they really distinguish between the voices and personalities of the characters. Wandering Stars follows generations of a Cheyenne family from the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and beyond, charting the inheritance of systemic trauma.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Book Cover

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

This is another book I was introduced to the first time in audio, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Some books are just particularly suited to being read aloud, and this is one of them. The epistolary format is perfect for audio, and the narrators really bring the eclectic cast of characters to life.

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.

Right now, I’m reading A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland. What about you?

Past Tense

Real Women in Historical Fiction

Post author By Rachel Brittain
Post date March 19, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, historical fiction fans,

Did you know March is Women’s History Month in the U.S.? It’s a great time to read fiction by and about women, whether that’s usual for you or something you want to be more intentional about in the future. I’ve got some great recommendations to get you started!

Bookish Goods

A set of seven wooden bookmarks set against an open book featuring various famous female authors with their portraits on top and quotes from them in pretty script below.

Famous Female Authors Bookmarks from Fly Paper Products on Etsy

Celebrate Women’s History Month with these bookmarks featuring famous female authors throughout history. $40

New Releases

A Home for Friendless Women by Kelly E. Hill (March 19, 2024)

At the Home for Friendless Women in Victorian-era Louisville, Kentucky, three young women consider what it means to spend time here for very different reasons. Ruth, a college student, is simply biding her time before getting her life back after a sexual assault. Belle, a queer sex worker, came by choice for a safe place to stay before she can set out to find her lost lover. Minnie, as the daughter of the home’s founders, is meant to view the women living here as a cautionary tale. But is it really the women themselves that are the problem or is it the society that condemns them?

James by Percival Everett (March 19, 2024)

In this reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jim takes center stage. After overhearing that he’s going to be sold to another plantation away from his wife and daughter, Jim flees, hoping to buy time to figure out a plan. It’s then that he meets a young Huck Finn, who recently ran away from his abusive father. Together they take off down the Mississippi on a journey toward the Free States that you may think you’re familiar with—but you’ve never heard the tale from Jim’s perspective.

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

Riot Recommendations

Let’s celebrate Women’s History Month with three great historical fiction reads based on the lives of real women.

Carolina Built by Kianna Alexander

Born on a plantation, Josephine N. Leary is determined to build a good life for herself and her family after emancipation. Balancing her duties as a wife, mother, daughter, and granddaughter is never easy, but Josephine teaches herself finance and makes smart investments, eventually becoming a North Carolina real estate magnate.

Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini

When Mildred Fish marries a German economist, it seems a bright future awaits. Art and culture thrive in 1930s Berlin, but the rise of the Nazi Party soon changes everything. Mildred and her husband are determined to resist the new regime, and soon, Mildred begins gathering intelligence for her American contacts. The network of German women she brings together works for years to target Nazi officials at the highest levels. But when a radio signal exposes them, the consequences are deadly.

Sister Mother Warrior by Vanessa Riley

During the Haitian Revolution, two incredible women from very different backgrounds, one a kidnapped and enslaved warrior and the other a free woman of color, help change the course of history. On a plantation, Toya raised the boy who would one day become the revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines as well as join the front lines of revolution herself. Despite her life of privilege and a marriage of convenience to a Frenchman, Marie-Claire would eventually become wife and empress alongside Dessalines. Together and apart, Toya and Marie-Claire play a pivotal role in ushering in a free Haiti.

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.

Right now, I’m reading The Woman With No Name by Audrey Blake. What about you?

Past Tense

What If History Didn’t Happen That Way?

Post author By Rachel Brittain
Post date March 12, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, historical fiction fans!

This week we’re talking about women acting as spies, saboteurs, and codebreakers in WWII, as well as great alternate history books. You know, the kind that makes you rethink everything about how history went down. I was inspired by reading You Dreamed of Empires this past weekend. Now, I can’t stop thinking about what it would’ve been like to actually tour Tenochtitlan.

Bookish Goods

A framed print of artwork featuring an illustration of Elizabeth Bennett alongside iconic moments from the book and movie such as her such as boiled potatoes, Darcy's hand, and the English countryside along with short descriptions of each.

Elizabeth Bennett Art Print from Carrington Story Art on Etsy

Can you ever have enough bookish art? I don’t think so! If you love Pride and Prejudice, this is definitely a print worth adding to your collection. $34

New Releases

The Woman with No Name by Audrey Blake (March 12, 2024)

After being faced with the devastation of war, a middle-aged woman joins up as Britain’s first female saboteur. She’s soon sent to France with a new name and a mission to cause chaos amongst the Nazis. With her skill for explosives, it doesn’t take long for her to become infamous. But will she be able to complete her mission without losing herself in the process?

Lady Codebreaker by K.D. Alden

Based on a true story, Lady Codebreaker follows Grace Smith, a woman who used her codebreaking skills to take on Prohibition-era gangsters and WWII Nazis before helping to found the CIA. Through it all, she balances life as a wife, mother, and works as a pioneering member of the U.S. government’s cryptanalysis program.

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

Riot Recommendations

I lost track of time this weekend getting lost in Álvaro Enrigue’s richly reimagined Tenochtitlan in You Dreamed of Empires, which made me want to look into even more great alternate history stories. These stories reimagine history by changing one death, one detail, or one moment that completely alters the course of events to come.

The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln book cover

The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln by Stephen L. Carter

What if Lincoln survived the assassination attempt made on his life in 1865? Now, two years later, he’s facing impeachment for overstepping his constitutional authority during and after the war. Abigail Canner is a young Black woman working for the law firm taking on Lincoln’s defense. She’s already lived a life that defies society’s norms. But when Lincoln’s lead counsel is found murdered just before they go to trial, Abigail has to dig even deeper into the lengths some people will go to keep the country divided.

Pages from the Textbook of Alternate History book cover

Pages from the Textbook of Alternate History by Phong Nguyen

This short story collection doesn’t just explore one alternate history; it explores dozens of them! Stories imagine a timeline in which Hitler died in WWI, Jesus was never crucified, and the atomic bomb was never dropped on Hiroshima.

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.

Right now, I’m reading Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett. What about you?

Past Tense

Women Endure Through History

Post author By Rachel Brittain
Post date March 5, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, historical fiction fans!

I got to enjoy some gorgeous weather this past weekend, and I took full advantage with a picnic with friends and lots of time outside. I’m definitely ready for sunnier spring weather to break me out of my winter blues. Spring has always been one of my favorite seasons—probably for that very reason. But while we wait for the first signs of spring, at least we have books to keep us company!

Bookish Goods

A framed print of four vintage book covers in shades of teal, mint, and green. The book covers are Anne of Green Gables, Jane Eyre, Pride and prejudice, and Little Women.

Vintage Book Cover Art from Lit Lover Merch

I’m not swooning over this gorgeous wall art collage of vintage book covers; you are. No, but seriously, I’m in love with how these Anne of Green Gables, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and Little Women book covers look together. $20

New Releases

Inside the Mirror by Parul Kapur (March 1, 2024)

Sisters in 1950s Bombay face the dual pressures of society and their father’s expectations as they work to satisfy his desires for them to become a doctor and a schoolteacher with their own artistic ambitions. When Jaya leaves home to pursue her art, her reputation as an unmarried woman is shattered, and her relationship with her sister is shaken. Inside the Mirror is a beautiful portrait of womanhood, family, and times of jarring political change.

Can’t We Be Friends by Eliza Knight and Denny S. Bryce (March 5, 2024)

Can’t We Be Friends is the story of the enduring friendship between a rising star of Hollywood and a renowned singer held back only by society’s racist limitations. Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald’s friendship came as a surprise to everyone but the two of them; both women were underestimated by all those around them and determined to succeed in spite of that. It’s a beautiful story of the divides friendship can cross and the determination and endurance of two incredible women.

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

Riot Recommendations

When I noticed a theme of women enduring turbulent times and difficult conditions in the two new releases featured this week, I knew I wanted to highlight even more books featuring those themes. So, let’s continue to celebrate women enduring and overcoming throughout history this week!

Mademoiselle Revolution by Zoe Sivak

After surviving—and escaping—the Haitian revolution, Sylvie de Rosiers flees to France with her brother. But despite their intentions, they haven’t managed to leave the revolution behind. A revolutionary fervor is growing in Paris, too, and soon Sylvie is caught up in it herself, torn between the radical ambitions of Robespierre and the equally compelling love and understanding of his mistress, Cornélie Duplay.

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

Luz begins seeing visions of her ancestors, five generations of Chicano women forced from their Indigenous land in the American West, come to light. Now, she must fight to preserve their stories from disappearing in the ever-changing landscape of 1930s Denver.

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.

Right now, I’m reading You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer. What about you?

Past Tense

Historical Fiction in Translation

Post author By Rachel Brittain
Post date February 27, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, historical fiction fans!

Today is a good day for reading, but what day isn’t really? I’ve been doing a lot of audiobook crocheting/knitting recently as I’ve finished up a baby blanket for my sister and various other projects. I crochet a lot like I read, which is to say I’m always juggling multiple projects and switching back and forth between them as the mood strikes. However and whatever you like to read, I hope this week is bringing you lots of good books and reading time. And just in case it’s not, I have a few recommendations I think you’ll enjoy.

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

Framed watercolor painting of a woodland forest with a wooden signpost in the center featuring the names of literary locations like "Narnia" and "Middle Earth."

Literary Locations Signpost Painting from Fox and Wild

How lovely is this watercolor print featuring directions to your favorite literary locations like Narnia and Middle Earth? $25

New Releases

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

After being separated from her mother, a young enslaved girl meets a society of Black women working as spies to undermine the Confederates. Doing so helps her discover the strength to fight for herself and for freedom.

No Better Time by Sheila Williams (February 27, 2024)

In this novel about the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only Black division of the Women’s Army Corps during WWII, a librarian joins the WAC hoping to help out with the war effort and find adventure overseas. What she and the other women find is both terrible and wonderful, as they face extreme discrimination but also untold freedoms abroad.

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

Riot Recommendations

I love reading translated works of fiction. They open up a world of ideas beyond our own limited cultural context. Here are two that are on my TBR right now, and I think all you historical fiction fans might find interesting, too.

You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer

Described as a “colonial revenge story,” You Dreamed of Empires reimagines the conquistadors’ arrival in Tenochtitlan. What if Cortés and his men hadn’t won and conquered Mexico? What if the Aztec Empire hadn’t fallen? What if history as we know it took a different turn?

A Woman of Pleasure by Kiyoko Murata, translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter

Based on the lives of sex workers in turn of the 20th century Meiji-era Japan, Murata paints a vivid portrait of the good and bad of life in Japan’s red-light district in Kumamoto. Ichi Aoi is only 15 when she’s sold to a brothel, eventually becoming the protégée of one of the highest-ranking courtesans. It’s here and from her mentor that she begins to understand the fundamental link between sex, power, and money.

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.

Right now, I’m reading Mister Magic by Kiersten White. What about you?

Past Tense

Short Stories, Surrealism, and Palestinian Historical Fiction

Post author By Rachel Brittain
Post date February 20, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, historical fiction fans,

I’ve been struggling through an upper respiratory infection for the past week, and I’d love to say I spent the time reading, but, uh, no. It was mostly sleeping, TV, and knitting as I tried to keep my mind off the searing pain in my throat. That said, if you’re in the market for a great cozy show to watch, I highly recommend The Great Pottery Throw Down. It’s The Great British Bake Off, but for pottery.

Bookish Goods

A green stamp with two open-winged birds flying toward each other with within a circle with the words "ex libris" and a place to personalize your own name around the outside on the inside of a book

Personalized Ex Libris Stamp from Every Stamp

This gorgeous ex-libris stamp would look at home in any book cover and what a way to make your home library collection stand out. $25

New Releases

Ours by Phillip B. Williams (February 20, 2024)

In the 1830s, a powerful conjurer destroys plantations across Arkansas and creates a magically concealed community north of St. Louis for all the people she’s helped free. Despite her best intentions, the magic and memories keeping this secret haven going begin to go awry, leaving them open to intrusions from outsiders with agendas of their own.

The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession by Jake Kendall (February 22, 2024)

This collection of short stories follows art and artists through 300 years of history, exploring Cubism, Surrealism, and Baroque styles through his inventive writing. Meet Monet, Van Gogh, and Michelangelo through their art and the lives they changed because of it, for better or for worse.

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

Riot Recommendations

I’ve been wanting to feature Palestinian historical fiction here in the newsletter for a while now, but was having a hard time finding the right titles until I stumbled across this excellent article on Lit Hub. I highly recommend checking it out for more great Palestinian books to read as well as this article on Palestinian fiction from Book Riot.

Salt Houses by Hala Alyan

Generations of a Palestinian family are uprooted following the Six-Day War of 1967, fleeing first to Kuwait and then Beruit, Paris, and Boston when Saddam Hussein’s invasion in the 1990s displaced them again. It’s a story of family, belonging, and the heartbreak of being unable to return to the place you call home.

Passage to the Plaza by Sahar Khalifeh, translated by Sawad Hussain

Originally published during the 1987 Intifada, this book explores the experiences of women during conflict. When a house of ill repute suddenly becomes a sanctuary for those in need in Nablus, Palestine, after fighting breaks out, ideas about gender, respectability, and Palestinian identity are brought to the fore.

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 Facemaker by Lindsey Fitzharris. What about you?