#ya historical fiction

[elliepassmore]

We Are the Beasts release!

When a series of brutal, mysterious deaths start plaguing the countryside and whispers of a beast in the mountains reach the quiet French hamlet of Mende, most people believe it’s a curse—God’s punishment for their sins.

But to sixteen-year-old Joséphine and her best friend, Clara, the beast isn’t a curse. It’s an opportunity.

For years, the girls of Mende have been living in a nightmare—fathers who drink, brothers who punch, homes that feel like prisons—and this is a chance to get them out.

Using the creature’s attacks as cover, Joséphine and Clara set out to fake their friends’ deaths and hide them away until it’s safe to run. But escape is harder than they thought. If they can’t brave a harsh winter with little food… If the villagers discover what they’re doing… If the beast finds them first...

Those fake deaths might just become real ones.

Bookshop.org

Barnes & Noble

This is a historical fiction that reads like a fantasy. The setting is the French countryside, mid-18th century, and there's a whole lot of scheming and a whole lot of suspense going on. That being said, this book also deals with heavier topics, such as the abuses women suffer at the hands of men, and how those who are different are often villainized.

Joséphine is the headstrong one in this book and she's willing to dive straight into danger (or trouble) if it means saving someone. Clara is more cautious, but she's also the heart of their duo, and she provides the stabilization their efforts require. The two of them work well together and I liked seeing the various friendships in this book.

Looking for a more in-depth opinion? Check out my full review!

[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."

[mercerislandbooks]

Book Notes: Under the Same Stars

I wonder if one of the comforts of historical fiction is that we know the ultimate outcome? We know who won World War II. We know the Berlin Wall eventually fell. We know we made it through the early days of the pandemic. Reading stories about these times, even these recent times, we're hopeful in the awareness that periods of tumult eventually give way to freedom and peace. Libba Bray’s new YA novel, Under the Same Stars, weaves together three distinct time periods, connecting the past to the present in ways large and small. Not to mention the book is gorgeous, with stained edges and a beautiful, embossed cover.

Northern Germany, 1941. In the small town of Kleinwald, there is an oak rumored to bring you letters from your love. Best friends Sophie and Hanna are young women, sentimental and imaginative, and they hope the Bridegrooms Oak will bring them true love. But Germany on the cusp of war is a dangerous place to believe in magic and romance, especially for Sophie, whose father owns the town bookshop and quietly questions the Reich.

West Berlin 1980. Jenny’s family has just moved from Dallas, Texas to accommodate her father’s job. Jenny isn’t excited about leaving America but in exploring West Berlin, she meets Lena, an anarchist musician living in a squat who takes it upon herself to teach Jenny about all things punk. With Lena, Jenny finally finds a way to break out of the cage built by her parent's expectations of what she, as a girl, is supposed to be. With Lena, Jenny is challenged to discover her true self.

New York City, 2020. Teenagers Miles and Chloe, trapped in their respective homes by the pandemic, stumble onto a long-ago unsolved mystery. After a stroke, Chloe’s grandmother sends her a package filled with tapes and papers, all relating to two teenagers who went missing in the Dodauer forest of northern Germany in the winter of 1941. Chloe enlists Miles to help her untangle the puzzle, and what they find brings to light unexpected connections that are deeply personal.

Libba Bray does an amazing job of braiding together each timeline so that every revelation feels earned. This is an incredible and timely read, filled with an honest reckoning of the reverberations of action. With meticulous plotting, she's interspersed chapters with a fairy tale that, the further you get into the narrative, illuminates the central mystery. Each of the characters, Hanna and Sophie, Jenny and Lena, Miles and Chloe, have to decide what path they will take, some in the midst of incredible hardship and turmoil. Will they go along or resist? Will they live into the truths they discover about themselves, or continue to hide? As Bray says in this novel:

Frau Hermann did not remove her hand. "In the end, Liebchen, we must always become ourselves. It is the only way."

Read Under the Same Stars if you like historical fiction with an unfolding mystery that asks how will you show up when your world needs you?

— Lori

[annafromuni]

Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross - The Finale I Devoured (But Was I Satisfied?)

I wasn’t sure if I would pick up Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross, not because I thought it would be bad, but because I wasn’t sure if the magical realism and historical fiction aspects of the novel would gel with me. I loved elements of Divine Rivals, but I felt something was hiding from view and I didn’t want to read Ruthless Vows and not get that satisfaction. Alas, I have now read Ruthless Vows.…

[judgeitbyitscover]

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman by Brian Jacques

Cover art by Michael Koelsch

Philomel Books, March 2001

A boy and dog trapped aboard the legendary ship, the Flying Dutchman, are sent off on an eternal journey by an avenging angel, roaming the earth throughout the centuries in search of those in need.  Their travels lead them to Chapelvale, a sleepy nineteenth century village whose very existence is at stake.  Only by discovering the buried secrets and solving the dust-laden riddles of the ancient village can it be saved.  This will take the will and wile of all the people-and a very special boy and dog!  

[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.

[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)

[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.

[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.

[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.

[lilibetbombshell]

[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

[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.  

[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.