#ya historical fiction

[sapphicbookoftheday]

Reader, I Murdered Him by Betsy Cornwell

Today's sapphic book of the day is Reader, I Murdered Him by Betsy Cornwell!

Summary: "In this daring tale of female agency and revenge from a New York Times bestselling author, a girl becomes a teenage vigilante who roams Victorian England using her privilege and power to punish her friends' abusive suitors and keep other young women safe.

Adele grew up in the shadows--first watching from backstage at her mother's Parisian dance halls, then wandering around the gloomy, haunted rooms of her father's manor. When she's finally sent away to boarding school in London, she's happy to enter the brightly lit world of society girls and their wealthy suitors.

Yet there are shadows there, too. Many of the men that try to charm Adele's new friends do so with dark intentions. After a violent assault, she turns to a roguish young con woman for help. Together, they become vigilantes meting out justice. But can Adele save herself from the same fate as those she protects?

With a queer romance at its heart, this lush historical thriller offers readers an irresistible mix of vengeance and empowerment."

[brittanyacts]

16-year-old Joan Sands only wants to use her metalsmithing magic to make swords and choreograph fights for William Shakespeare's acting company, but when malevolent fae threaten London she discovers she's one of the few people who can protect her city.

That Self-Same Metal (Book 1 in the Forge & Fracture Saga) and Saint-Seducing Gold (Book 2 in the Forge & Fracture Saga)

[in-dire-read]

Immortality by Dana Schwartz (Book Review)

Summary

Alone and plagued by doubts about the surreal events of the past year, including encounters with immortality and mysterious vials, Hazel Sinnett grapples with uncertainty about Jack's fate and her sanity. Amidst the decay of Hawthornden Castle, she focuses on her medical duties until her arrest unexpectedly propels her into the role of Princess Charlotte's physician. Immersed in the intrigue of the British court, where secrets abound among the members of the clandestine Companions to the Death, Hazel realizes that her destiny as a surgeon entwines with the fate of the monarchy.

Thoughts

Hazel is living her dream as a medical practitioner, with aspirations soaring high. Reminiscent of the concept in "Death Becomes Her," she becomes the surgeon for a clique of immortal elites. However, it was disappointing that her cousin Bernard's life returned to its former state. I had hoped to witness him face some consequences for his actions. Despite my fondness for Jack and Hazel's relationship, I wouldn't have minded if she had chosen Simon instead.

[wizardteampod]

#WizardTeam is on hiatus but we've got a NEW bonus episode! We're so excited to have @brittanyacts on to talk about her upcoming sequel to THAT SELF-SAME METAL, SAINT-SEDUCING GOLD! Listen now and make sure to preorder/buy the book, which drops next Tuesday ✨

[litwitlady]

This was a super fun YA retelling of Treasure Island. Set in China during the 1800s with a Sapphic romance at the center.

[annafromuni]

Markus Zusak's The Book Thief Is A Modern Classic

A stunning book unlike any other, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak has been around for almost two decades now. In that time, it has proven to be a novel of distinction, and I strongly believe it stands as a modern classic and a historical fiction novel that everyone can enjoy. But what if I told you that while it is a beautiful novel, I struggle to get through it because of the battle between…

[mercerislandbooks]

Book Notes: A Suffragist’s Guide to the Antarctic

My reading in the first quarter of this year has had an inadvertent theme of suffragists and polar exploration. I haven’t gone out searching for them; these books keep finding me. Which was made all the more obvious when I picked up Yi Shun Lai’s YA historical, A Suffragist’s Guide to the Antarctic.

Clara Kettering-Dunbar is 18 years old and the sole female in a British expedition to the Antarctic in the close of the year 1914. An American veteran of the suffrage movement in Britain, posing as a Canadian, Clara knows she is already pushing the boundaries of what women are societally expected to do. She does have supporters amongst the expedition crew, namely the captain, but just as many who expect her to fail. It will take all of Clara’s strength of will, and an ability to reach beyond her own well-earned beliefs, to see the lessons to be learned from the Antarctic and from her fellow crew.

The account is told as journal entries, and Clara lays bare not only her various experiences, but also her unvarnished feelings in these circumstances. She slowly reveals her unconventional upbringing, her complicated parents, and how she became involved in the suffrage movement. In all that she faces, Clara boldly stands up for her beliefs. Despite coming up against unrelenting misogyny from certain members of the crew, she will not relent in demonstrating her fitness to be part of the team. And then there’s the cold. I could feel it in my bones reading about all the many layers Clara puts on to keep herself warm, and the constant juggling required to keep the crew marginally protected and fed. Let’s just say that the Antarctic is something I’d much rather read about than actually experience. If you’re looking for a YA historical (that’s not World War II) taking on an unexpected pocket of history, give A Suffragist’s Guide to the Antarctic a try!

And if you’d like to meet the author in person, you’re in luck! We’re happy to welcome Yi Shun Lai to Island Books on Saturday, April 6th at 4:30pm. She’ll be in conversation with Justina Chen, and it’s sure to be a fascinating talk. We look forward to seeing you!

— Lori

[elliepassmore]

We Are the Beasts review

4/5 stars Recommended if you like: historical fiction, feminist stories, girls saving girls, real life mysteries

Big thanks to Netgalley, Delacorte, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is about the harm that befalls women at the hands of their so-called protectors, but it's also about women standing up for each other and it's about community. Joséphine and Clara immediately spring to the aid of a battered six-year-old girl, and the number of people they protect only grows from there. But as the number of people they protect grows, so does the number of people stepping up to protect others, and Joséphine and Clara themselves. That being said, there's definitely a lot of telling going on re: the theme of the book. Particularly at the beginning I felt I was being hit over the head with the moral point of the story, though later on it feels developed in a more natural way. I definitely think my rating would've been stronger if it was all showing, but that first 20% or so really isn't strong in that department and brought me out of the story a little.

I enjoyed seeing the relationships develop in this book. Joséphine and Clara are already best friends teetering on the brink of something more, but their circle grows with the more people they help. Some of the friendships they develop are surprising, some are not quite friendships but alliances with surprising strength to them. The connections felt different and I liked seeing the ways they came together and grew.

This is a historical fiction book and so it has some real people mixed in with the fictional ones. That being said, I enjoyed the way certain things are set up to give nods to other 'beast' stories. For instance, one of the characters is named Belle and one of the (very obnoxious) hunters makes his entrance with a loud gunshot à la Gaston. Likewise, I also got some Little Red Riding Hood vibes at times with Joséphine especially, but I also kind of think Charlotte fits that vibe as well.

The Beast of Gévaudan was a real series of events that took place in France at the time and to this day there's speculation about what the beast roaming the French countryside actually was. National Geographic actually did an article on it in one of their recent History magazines. I wasn't sure what direction Griffis was going to go in for the beast, or if the beast was even going to be fully shown at all or just the aftermath. I was actually kind of wary to see what would happen with the beast, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked the direction Griffis took. Historically it makes a lot of sense, but it also serves very well with the theme of the novel (there's that nice showing) and I really enjoyed seeing how she connected this very real series of events to the fictional story she told in the book.

Joséphine is more than a little reckless when it comes to saving people or things she cares about. Our intro to her in the book is essentially her throwing herself over a cliffside to save one of her baby lambs that wandered off the side. While reckless, it's clear she has a big heart and is more than willing to stick her neck on the line for what she believes in and those she loves. That being said, Joséphine also carries trauma from her childhood and some of that reckless-savior-behavior comes from feeling like she needs to be more than enough to keep her loved ones around. Overcoming that and realizing that other people want to help if she'll open up and let them is one of her biggest struggles in this book. She can also be a bit blind to others at times.

Clara is a good balancing influence to Joséphine's recklessness and provides a more level head for planning. She's a healer and secret-keeper for those of the village, and knows enough of it's goings-on that she's immediately on board with Joséphine, but wants to be more strategic about things. I liked Clara's steadfastness and calmer brand of doing things.

One minor pet peeve: Joséphine says "Not today Satan" within the first two minutes of the book. Please, I am begging authors not to use modern slang and meme culture in historical fiction books, particularly not ones set in the 1760s. In France. Frankly, I don't want modern slang or meme culture in any of my fiction, even fiction set in modern day, because it 1) dates the book and 2) always feels forced to me. But especially don't include it in historical fiction.

Overall this is an entertaining book with a feminist storyline. The characters develop strong relationships with one another, sometimes in surprising places, and that is the core of the story. The 'telling' of the theme is a bit much in the beginning of the story, but it does even out later on.

[abigail-abridged-summaries]

"No," Kath said, stepping closer to her, still holding Lily's hand. "You're not stupid. Do you ... do you have feelings for her?" Kath whispered.

"For Tommy?" Lily wanted to laugh, but she had started to cry and her laughter came out of her in a choked sob. "No, I have feelings for you." Her words came out too loud—they seemed to reverberate in the empty street, and she forced her voice into a whisper as she said, "Everybody can tell. Even Tommy! I'm so stupid. So stupid."

Kath exhaled in a startled burst.

[maepolzine]

My Thoughts on Foul Heart Huntsman (Foul Lady Fortune, Book 2) by Chloe Gong

Sharing my thoughts on the final book in the Foul Lady Fortune duology (Foul Heart Huntsman) by Chloe Gong

Foul Heart Huntsman is the final book in the Foul Lady Fortune duology by Chloe Gong inspired by Shakespeare’s play As You Like It, which is a story about Rosalind, Oliver, Orlando (changed to Orion in this series), and Celia. In the original play, everyone ends up married. Oliver to Celia, Rosalind to Orlando, and Phoebe to Silvius (changed to Silas in this series). As I mentioned in my previous…

[bekah-reading]

33/120

5/5

SPOILERS

I really enjoyed this installation of this series. Reading this made me really wish that the rest of the books gave glimpses of Thomas’s POV. This was such a needed book- it showed the consequences of Audrey Rose’s interest in Mephistopheles during Escape from Houdini. It also showed a really sweet and fun moment with Thomas, Audrey, and Liza. I really hope that Capturing the Devil shows a follow up to Thomas’s proposal and I really want Daci back! I hope she shows up because of his letter to her.

[lilibetbombshell]

[sapphicbookoftheday]

Nothing Sung and Nothing Spoken by Nita Tyndall

Today's sapphic book of the day is Nothing Sung and Nothing Spoken by Nita Tyndall!

Summary: "Berlin, 1938

It is the summer before World War II begins, but Charlotte Kraus doesn’t know it yet. All she knows is the zing of electricity she feels every time her best friend, Angelika Haas, grabs her hand. Charlie would follow Geli anywhere—which is how she finds herself at an underground club one Friday night, dancing to contraband American jazz and swing music, suddenly feeling that anything might be possible.

Under the oppressive shadow of the Nazi regime, returning to the club is a risk. But Charlie does, unable to resist the allure of sharing a secret with the girl she can’t stop thinking about, or the thrill of disobeying the Party’s rules. Soon the Swingjugend movement becomes more than a simple escape. It’s a place where Charlie and her friends find acceptance, freedom, and camaraderie among others who are determined not to sit on the sidelines of history.

Increasingly terrified by the tightening vise of Hitler’s power, Charlie is drawn to larger and larger acts of resistance—even as Geli, the daughter of a senior Party officer, begins to pull away. But resisting the Nazis is a dangerous proposition, and the war will test what Charlie is willing to risk at the expense of her family, her friends, and the girl she loves."

[in-dire-read]

Anatomy by Dana Schwartz (Book Review)

Summary

In the atmospheric streets of 1817 Edinburgh, a gripping gothic narrative unfolds. It follows the journey of a determined female surgeon and a resurrection man, intertwining their lives in a blend of mystery and romance. Together, they unearth buried secrets, navigating a world where darkness and desire collide.

Thoughts

Hazel's defiance of the patriarchy and relentless pursuit of her dream was inspiring. Her story explores themes of misogyny and privilege, which is enough to make one root for the main character to push through whatever obstacles are thrown in Hazel's direction. Despite the ending being polarizing for some, I thought it was a great twist that only increased the stakes of her and Jack's relationship. Dr.Beecham's secret is foreshadowed throughout the book, so it isn't a complete shock when revealed in the end. I cannot wait to read the sequel and hope her cousin Bernard will receive his karma for ruining Jack's life.

[jannianni]

I’ll Tell You No Lies by Amanda McCrina - a 5/5 Star Review!

Shelby Blaine is the daughter of an intelligence officer that moved her overseas to America immediately following the sudden death of her mother.  Mostly alone in a new country she quickly finds friends - and trouble.  The plot thickens with adventure and deception keeping readers hanging on for the many twists and turns in this wild ride.

I would not consider myself a big fan of historical fiction, however, this book is an exceptional tale inspired by MIG pilots from the Cold War.  The pace of the story was so fast that the details of the war and the previous war (WWII) fit in seamlessly.  I liked the chemistry between Shelby and Maksym with there not being any doubt that Shelby could help Maksym despite her age.  They both struggled with their respective grief at a young age yet found strength and persisted.   I thought their romance added to their innocence and humanity.

I would recommend this book for fans of historical fiction.  The YA label is appropriate as the romance only goes so far as kissing.   At the time of this review, this book is set to be published on August 1, 2023.  

[stardustandrockets]

How's your February going reading wise?

I've read three traditional books this month and 11 volumes of manga. I'm on the verge of finishing an ebook tonight and then I may take a break from reading the rest of the month. My challenges are going well. I don't know that I'll complete the #ShopYourShelvesBingo for this first quarter, but I'm proud of my progress so far.

I recently received Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo from @readingdelinquent. It was perfect timing because I had completely forgotten that the January Rainbow Crate box had it for the magnet theme.