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Historical Fiction March 2026 |
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| When We Were Brilliant by Lynn CullenWhen up-and-coming starlet Marilyn Monroe meets documentary photographer Eve Arnold at a 1952 party for director John Huston, the two develop a friendship and working partnership that changes both of their lives. This fascinating look at two legendary women explores their strength, friendship, and ambition. Read-alike: Tatiana de Rosnay's Blonde Dust. |
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| Cleopatra by Saara El-ArifiCleopatra tells her own story, starting with her teen years when her father the pharaoh died, through power struggles with siblings and others, her relationships with her children and lovers, and on to her death and beyond. Sometimes directly addressing the reader, this richly detailed, well-researched novel presents a unique portrait of a strong woman. Try this next: The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George. |
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| Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna EverhartIn 1940s North Carolina, unmarried 24-year-old Ruth is unjustly accused of promiscuity by the sheriff and incarcerated at the State Industrial Farm Colony for Women. When 15-year-old Stella is raped and gets pregnant, her parents take her to the same place. There, Superintendent Dorothy Baker reigns, forcing medical treatments and more. This moving, eye-opening novel is based on a real government program. Read-alikes: Ellen Marie Wiseman's The Lies They Told; Meagan Church's The Last Carolina Girl; Dolen Perkins-Valdez's Take My Hand. |
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| Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa JohnsonIn 1948, Philadelphian Ozzie Philips deals with racism as he enlists in the military and is sent to Europe. In 1950s Germany, an American officer's wife finds homes in the United States for the abandoned children of white German women and Black GIs. In 1965 Maryland, biracial Sophia Clark attends a prestigious formerly all-white boarding school. Inspired by real events, this well-researched novel follows these three connected lives. Try this next: Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward. |
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| Skylark by Paula McLainWhen her father, a master dyer at Gobelin Tapestry Works, is unjustly imprisoned in 1660s Paris, teenage Alouette Voland tries to help, but is put in an asylum. In 1939, Dutch medical student Kristof Larson lives on the Rue des Gobelins near a Jewish family when the Nazis arrive in Paris. A GMA Book Club pick, this richly detailed, dual-timeline novel explores freedom, justice, and the tunnels under Paris. Try this next: Maia Caron's The Last Secret; Heather Morris' Cilka's Journey. |
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| Meet the Newmans by Jennifer NivenFor over ten years, the Newmans have starred in a hit TV show based on their lives. In 1964, when dad Del is in a mysterious car accident, his wife Dinah suddenly needs to write a script for the season finale or risk their show being canceled. Meanwhile, rock star son Shep gets a girl pregnant and steady Guy hides the truth about his love life. Try this next: Anita Abriel's American Housewife, Meghan MacLean Weir's The Book of Essie.. |
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Nightshade and Oak by Molly O'NeillAn Iron Age goddess must grapple with becoming human in this delightful historical fantasy of myth and magic. When Malt, the goddess of death, is accidentally turned human by a wayward spell, she finds she's ill-equipped to deal with the trials of a mortal life. Unable to fend for herself, she teams up with warrior Bellis on a perilous journey to the afterlife to try to restore her powers. As animosity slowly turns to attraction, these two very different women must learn to work together if they are to have any hope of surviving their quest. For fans of reinterpretations of classic mythology and hidden history from underrepresented perspectives.
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| Fireflies in Winter by Eleanor ShearerIn the freezing cold of 1790s Nova Scotia, Cora tries to adapt to where the British have exiled her and several hundred other Jamaican Maroons. In the woods, she meets formerly enslaved Agnes, who uses wilderness knowledge she learned from the Mi’kmaq to hide and survive. As the two spend time together, they unexpectedly fall in love, but neither has an easy road ahead in this evocative, lyrical tale. Try this next: This Other Eden by Paul Harding. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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