I might be one of the few historical fiction fans that STILL prefer WWII -- can't get enough. What the Wind Knows was my first Amy Harmon read a couple years ago - loved that one - especially the cover! I remember reading The Red Tent ( another beautiful cover ) and thoroughly enjoyed that one. Non-WWII that I'd recommend to readers is anything by Ken Follett. Another author I'd suggest that I never see talked about on You-Tube, William Martin; calling attention to Back Bay and Cape Cod. Both of those were really good reads. happy reading!! thanks for all the recommendations. 😊
I do also like WWII books. I've read Pillars of the Earth, but nothing else by Follett. I'm not familiar with William Martin. I'll have to look him up. Thanks!
My fave non WWII Historical Fiction: “Agent 355” by Marie Benedict (about a woman spy in the Revolutionary war), “The Scarlet Pimpernel” by Baroness Emmuska Orczy (about a vigilante during the French revolution), and The Women by Kristin Hannah.
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead would be a great choice for the magical realism prompt-its an amazing book. These recommendations were so good and thanks for introducing us to a new readathon!
When you mentioned Magical Realism, I knew Kindred would be mentioned, but you hadn't. Then I saw why. I'll have to look into the readathon. I love historical fiction, but like many, I'm kind of burned out on WWII. I have a handful of what you mentioned and have read a few. Have a great day!
Historical Fiction is my go to genre too! So much so that when a friend retired last year and asked me to be her partner in a Historical Fiction book club I said Yes. We have already read 3 books: Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek, Indigo Girl and The Women. Our next book is We Were the Lucky Ones. Loving it and reading books I might not have otherwise known about. And Kindred is one of my absolute favorites of all time.
This a Readathon I will be participating in (saw it a few days ago). Going to try to complete a majority of the prompts. A recommendation for extraordinary but it is a chunky book is “Here Be Dragons” by Sharon Kay Penman (I think I got her name correct). It deals with King John’s illegitimate daughter marrying the Prince of Wales (late 12th into 13th Century). It is the first book of a trilogy. Thank you for all the recommendations. Happy reading!
These are great options Kirsty. Thank you. "The Four Winds" put me in a reading slump. The book by Amy Harmon could refer to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Thank you so much for those recommendations Krista. I adore historical fiction too and one book I thoroughly enjoyed is the shadow of the wind from Carlos Luis zafon which takes place in Spain under Franco regime.
Thank you Krista! Could you do a WW II recommendation video or maybe a middle grade historical fiction recommendation list? I really am only just getting into the genre although I have read a small number of these. A Gentleman in Moscow is my favorite book of the year so far!
I do need to do a WWII rec video one of these days. I think I do have a MG historical rec video. I may need to search back to find it. There are some great ones!
@@BooksAndJams I’ll try and search for it! I’ve read a few more recently and I did not know about them before participating in middle grade march. So thank you! 😊
I wish I could get into The Kite Runner! I’ve tried reading it on paper & listening to the audiobook & I just can’t seem to get into it. Can’t wait to check out some of your other recommendations 🙌
The Girl with the Louding Voice is the only one of these that I have read so far and I agree, it is excellent. Most of the others have been on my list to read but I just haven't got there yet.
The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow and Across the Blue are two of my favorite historical fiction books not set in WW2. I have also become a fan of Julie Klassen, so I would also include The Dancing Master and The Girl In The Gatehouse”. I am currently reading “The Maid of Fairbourne Hall” by her and enjoying it.
For the extraordinary person: Burma Sahib by Paul Theroux. You won’t understand why it’s in the category until the very end. It’s set in colonial Burma. Loved it.
I believe Kindred is definitely considered a classic. I’ve read a few of these and enjoyed them, and even more are on my want to read lists. I like historical fiction too. I have a few already chosen for June but not for this readathon particularly. I think some of my favorite time periods are the Victorian/Gilded Age, and the 1920’s.
Great vid! Added many of this to mu TbR. Personally, I love all HF including WW2, but I love Susan Meissner’s the nature of fragile things, its amazing ❤
I couldn't believe how many of these I have read, knowing I read them because of your rec. Have a fantastic week!!! Now to the ones I haven't read, lol!!!😃
Krista, I loved your list of Historical Fiction books! That's my favorite genre as well. I've read The Yellow Wife, The Orphan Collector, The House is on Fire, Take My Hand, The Four Winds, and Frozen River. I LOVED Necessary Lies and would compare it to Take My Hand - similar themes. I highly recommend that one to you!! I know this video was about NON-WWII books, do you have a video of favorite WWII Historical Fiction? I'm reading Bluebird by Sharon Cameron right now. Very interesting. It's categorized as YA, but I haven't seen anything YA about it yet. Two of my granddaughters are in high school (how did that happen?!) and one of them read The Book Thief and Kite Runner in school this year.
Could you do more historical fiction recommendations like the yellow wife I don't mind triggers. Absolutely enjoyed the yellow wife and need more books like it. Finished it in a day🥰
Wonderful content Krista! It appears the book world is classifying books that take place in the 1970’s as historical. YIKES--I graduated from HS in that decade. I wanted to give all subscribers to Audible’s 2-credits/month subscription program a heads-up that many of Octavia E. Butler’s books are currently on the Audible Plus playlist. This means many of Butler’s books can be read for free! I can recommend a series called The Country Club Murders by Julie Mulhern (a favorite author of mine). The books center around a woman who is an artist. She finds a dead body in Chapter 1 while swimming early one morning in the country club’s pool. She learns her husband is cheating on her…and he soon becomes dead body number 2. Of course, our MC becomes the prime suspect. The homicide detective who investigates the case looks like actor Steve McQueen (the father…not the son). As a little girl Steve McQueen was one of the first “boys” I had a crush on. My diary at 7 or 8 years old mentioned that McQueen didn’t have cooties like most boys. This series is entertaining, closed door, and full of interesting murder mysteries that our MC has to solve. I think the next release in this series is book 16 or 17. I love the characters…even the well-to-do country club members are likable with their first-world problems!
Thank you for these great recommendations. I read a book about the Russian Revolution of 1917, the last days of the Soviet Union. An epic novel of revenge, betrayal, following 3 Russian women in two eras- The Last Russian Doll by Kristen Loesch. I loved the book and learnt so much about the Russian revolution, I did not know anything about
Isn't the author of Yellow Wife from Richmond? Do you think she was referencing the James River Plantations in Charles City County? Great book. Have you read The Spectacular by Fiona Davis? It is about the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall. There is a crime/mystery that is true. I had no idea. What about House of Thieves by Charles Belfoure? Ooo Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl by Renee Rosen is about Estee Lauder and how she got her start in 1930's NY. Now I want to read!
Yes, Sadeqa Johnson is a local author. I haven't read The Spectacular yet, but have read other Davis books and really liked them. I haven't read House of Thieves either. Love all the recs. Thanks!
I've been reading a LOT of the 1632 Ring of Fire series by Eric Flint (and others). I know, technically it is alt history where a modern day West Virginia town is transplanted into the middle of Germany during the 30 years war. The short stories connected are a mixed bag, but the main books are all great.
A 1000 Spendid Suns is my fave from that author - I definitely think it’s because it’s from a woman’s perspective. I’m really keen to read the Dovekeepers. 😊
I loved The Yellow Wife (I needed an emotional support stuffed animal after reading it), The Girl With The Louding Voice, The Kite Runner and Kindred (I read it in like 2 days). I own A Thousand Splendid Suns and As Long As The Lemon Tree Grows, The Four Winds and The Red Tent but have not read them yet. After hearing you talk about/recommend them I may have to see if I can read them sometime this year. Looks like I am going to be changing my TBR for the 100th time this year. So many good books to read and I don't have as much time as I would like to read them all. :)
For real. Yellow Wife was intense toward the end there. Yowza! Sounds like you have some great reading ahead of you! haha. There's never enough time to do life and read all the things!
Love historical fiction and many of these books. Just finished Against the Loveless World, historical fiction about a Palestinian woman who is a refugee in Kuwait and Jordan and returns to Palestine. It broke me but such a good book, highly recommend! Thanks for the suggestions!
Yellow Wife was so good! I've actually read a lot of these or have them on my TBR list. Thanks for the great recommendations. Currently reading Where The Lost Wander.
Yesterday, I purchased Yellow Wife for a dollar at Goodwill So glad it was in your video. I didn't know anything about it but looking forward to reading it.
Ever since you mentioned that you were working on this video, I’ve been excited. Love Historical fiction. Several books I definitely need to check out. I hope you do more of these videos. I plan to check out the readathon. She is a new to me booktuber.
Idk if this counts as historical or just old, but what I’ve read of Anna Karenina was very good. It reads very much like modern writing but is set and written during the late 1800’s in Russia. I haven’t finished it yet, but definitely plan to.
I love historical fiction. I am going to participate in the readathon but like you I’m not sure if I’ll do the prompts. I loved The Kitchen House. I also love John Jake’s series of North and South, Heaven and Hell, and Love and War. They are huge. The take place before, during and after the Civil War. It follows 2 families who are best friends. One is from the north and one from the south. They are good.
I love historical fiction!!The attic child is phenomenal, and so is the giver of stars. ❤❤❤❤. The kite runner is another gem, I have a thousand splendid suns on my TBR. Kindred would be a good choice too. Take my hand is one I have, anxious to read it. I read the four winds and I almost dnf'ed it but finished it. I have both a girl called samson and where the lost wander. I read the red tent years ago but think of it still. The dovekeepers was also great. I've been to Israel so it made me think of my trip.
I love historical fiction too! I tend to always gravitate toward WWII historical fiction. Is the Four Winds a pretty clean read? What about The Frozen River? Those both sound really good to me! :)
I still love WWII fiction for sure, but I love other parts of world history too! Frozen River does deal with a rape situation that is rough. I don't think there are graphic bedroom scenes in either. I can't remember language.
I love Historical Fiction❤️. The Women by Kristen Hannah has to be one of my favorites. The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai is also one of my favs
I've been wanting to get to The Frozen River but have been trying to get it at Costco (and they haven't had it) because for some reason it is so expensive here in Canada. I may have to put my name on the library wait list. Some of my favorites historical fiction/non WWII have been The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter by Hazel Gaynor, Independence by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, I was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon, The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor, Bay of Secrets by Rosanna Ley, The Lost Daughter by Gil Paul, The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner, The Hope River series by Patricia Harmon, Above All Things by Tanis Rideout, The Kitchen Boy: A novel of the last Tsar by Robert Alexander are just some of the few from the last few years that I've loved. And I need to stop now. LOL.
I like Hazel Gaynor's books. I'd like to read more of them. I have Independence on my June TBR. I'm excited to hear you liked that one. I love Ariel Lawhon. Great recs. I have a few to look up. Thanks!
I love historical fiction and particularly WWI and WWII. As you know I really don’t care for hard books to read, although I am ok with hard parts of the story. Go figure as to why I liked Pachinko. I think if I don’t hear much about the book and just get started in it then I will be hooked. I loved Kindred too.
Anything by Susie Finkbeiner! I've read all of her books and they are all so good! My favorite is either "Stories that Bind Us" or "The All American". They both left me sobbing!
Ooh, three-named authors I haven't heard of... I tend to get some of these confused... also, just read a RObin Paige mystery...which turns out to be Susin Wittig Albert and her husband co-writing! How cool, right?
I still love WWII historical fictions but many of these went on my Goodreads want to read list. I also enjoy books about Afghanistan like The Kite Runner
If you're looking for a classic historical novel set in a less usual time and place and with some romance thrown in, try Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset. This is by far the best novel I've ever read in any genre; I've read it several times, and feel I might need to read it again soon. I won't go on about it here; there are plenty of reviews on RU-vid.
I love historical fiction but I must admit I'm kinda over WW2 historical fiction. I loved The Women and the Orphan Collector and the Giver of Stars and The Yellow Wife. All of those were so good. I'm intrigued by Indian Horse. 🤔 I am currently reading a middle grade, thriller and romance and listening to Matthew Perry's memoir. Guess I may as well add a historical fiction. 😂
My library website has a "list" option and my TBR list is ridiculously long. Do I add more at this point when I probably won't get through the list for a few years at this point? LOL So many possibilities!
This is me! I split my screen and have my library open and RU-vid so I can add books to my list. I look at it this way - reading is one hobby and adding books to my list is another - cheaper than therapy! 😂
Sure! I love MG historical fiction. Some of my favorites are The War that Saved My Life, Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster, Until Tomorrow Mr. Marsworth, and A Place to Hang the Moon.
I hear you. I like them too, but it's fun to find ones that are about different parts of the world during that time. Or events/people that I didn't know about.
I have read many of these but now I have some new ones. I love WWII but honestly I got burnt out and so I limit it. And I loved The .women By Kristen Hannah 😊
