Blog Break

 

I'm taking some much needed downtime with the family this upcoming week, so the blog will be quiet. Before we know it, beach read season will be here!

I'll be back the week of the 22nd, ready to share some of the fantastic beach reads I've already picked up. While I am gone, don't forget to enter the SIX giveaways I have going on currently. I think that may be a record!

Thanks for visiting,

20 Historical Fiction Books To Read This Year

 

One of my favorite genres is historical fiction, and I'm excited about the numerous historical novels that will be released in 2024. Here are my top 20 anticipated historical reads for 2024.

1.  Jackie by Dawn Tripp

Pub. Date: June 18, 2024

 

Kennedy fans, you're going to want to read this latest biographical fiction about Jackie Kennedy.  

 

 

 

2. Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams 

Pub. Date: June 25, 2024

 

 

A new historical fiction from Williams is always a must-read for me. This one takes place in two different settings of New England and Egypt, two women, and a family heirloom.  

 

 

 

3. The Last Twelve Miles by Erika Robuck

Pub. Date: June 4, 2024

 

A cat and mouse chase between two women masterminds. Its based on real-life events and takes place in D.C. and Florida during the Prohibition Rum Wars.  

 

4. The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr 

Pub. Date: May 28, 2024

 

It's a compelling historical novel about a Hollywood starlet who is hiding secrets about her past at the Warsaw ghetto.  

5. The Passionate Tudor by Alison Weir

Pub. Date: May 28, 2024 

You can't go wrong with Weir's historical novels and this one focuses on Queen Mary, the daughter of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon.  

 

6. Long Island by Colm Toibin

Pub. Date: May 7, 2024 

 

This is the sequel to much loved Brooklyn and follows Eilis years later.

 

 

 

 

7. The Beautiful People by Michelle Gable 

Pub. Date: April 16, 2024

 

The setting is Palm Beach in the 60s and it involves that jetset crowd as well as fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer.

8. The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton

Pub. Date: April 2, 2024

 

I hear this novel has a lot of gothic atmosphere and captures Old World Florida perfectly.  

9. The Sweet Blue Distance by Sara Donati 

Pub. Date: April 2, 2024

 

 

This adventurous historical novel takes place in the 1800s in the New Mexico territory and has a midwife as the protagonist.

 

10. The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

Pub. Date: March 12, 2024

 

The novel takes place during the London Blitz during WWII and a community's beloved library.

11. The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang

Pub. Date: February 13, 2024

 

This historical novel takes place in San Francisco during the early 1900s and involves two wronged women and their search for justice.   

 

 

12. Finding Margaret Fuller by Allison Pataki

Pub. Date: March 19, 2024

An important woman from US history, Pataki reimagines her story and includes a star studded cast like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edgar Allan Poe, and Henry David Thoreau.  

 

 

13. The Women by Kristin Hannah 

Pub. Date: February 6, 2024

 

 

This sweeping saga follows a nurse during the Vietnam war and highlights the often forgotton contributions that women made during this time.  

 

14. The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

Pub. Date: July 9, 2024

 

This one takes place during the McCarthy era in Washington, D.C.   

 

15. The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin

Pub. Date: February 27, 2024

 

This historical novel follows a young Black woman who works together with other women to undermine the Confederate army.

 

16. The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez

Pub. Date: March 5, 2024

 

This epic novel puts a spotlight on the people who tirelessly worked to construct the Panama Canal.  

 

17. The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan

Pub. Date: January 2, 2024

This historical novel follows a Malayan mother who is living an ordinary life, but ends up becoming a spy during WWII.   

 

18. I am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo

Pub. Date: March 5, 2024

 

Part historical novel, part legal thriller, this internationally bestselling novel follows the trial that shaped Julius Caesar's life.  

 

19. Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner

Pub. Date: May 14, 2024

 

 

This story follows Vivien who takes a job as a script doctor on a movie set all the way to Rome in the 1950s.  

 

 

 

20. Last House by Jessica Shattuck

Pub. Date: May 14, 2024 

This historical novel is a multi-generational family saga set against the backdrop of our nation's history.

Did you add any of these books to your TBR list? Have you read a few already? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Fairy Day Games

 

Today I'm sharing another new picture book that is perfect for little readers who love an imaginative tale. Personally, I love a whimsical tale filled with magical creatures, so I'm excited to share Fairy Day Games by Mari Sherkin with you all today.

 

Learn More About the Book:

 

Fairy Day Games

Written by Mari Sherkin

Illustrated by David Gnass

Ages 4+ | 38 Pages

Publisher: Mascot Kids | ISBN-13: 9781637555064

Publisher’s Book Summary: Get ready for fun at the Fairy Day Games! Join children’s author Mari Sherkin as she peeks inside a secret world, where magical creatures come together to prepare for the most festive Fairy Day of the year!!

 

You can purchase your own copy of Fairy Day Games at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. To learn more about Mari Sherkin, you can visit her website and connect with her on Instagram and Twitter. 

 

 

The Giveaway:

 

I've partnered with Expound Publicity to host a fantastic giveaway to celebrate the recent publication of Fairy Day Games. One lucky winner will receive a signed copy of the book.  Good luck!  

 

Fairy Day Games: Giveaway

 

Book Review: The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza

Pages: 384

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: April 2, 2024

Publisher: Dutton

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Sara Marsala barely knows who she is anymore after the failure of her business and marriage. On top of that, her beloved great-aunt Rosie passes away, leaving Sara bereft with grief. But Aunt Rosie's death also opens an escape from her life and a window into the past by way of a plane ticket to Sicily, a deed to a possibly valuable plot of land, and a bombshell family secret. Rosie believes Sara's great-grandmother Serafina, the family matriarch who was left behind while her husband worked in America, didn’t die of illness as family lore has it . . . she was murdered.

Thus begins a twist-filled adventure that takes Sara all over the picturesque Italian countryside as she races to solve a mystery and prove her birthright. Flashing back to the past, we meet Serafina, a feisty and headstrong young woman in the early 1900s thrust into motherhood in her teens, who fought for a better life not just for herself but for all the women of her small village. Unsurprisingly it isn’t long before a woman challenging the status quo finds herself in danger.

As Sara discovers more about Serafina she also realizes she is coming head-to-head with the same menacing forces that took down her great-grandmother. At once an immersive multigenerational mystery and an ode to the undaunted heroism of everyday women, The Sicilian Inheritance is an atmospheric, page-turning delight."

 

Sara's life is unraveling. Her restaurant is going under, she is filing for divorce and custody of her daughter, and to top it off, her beloved great-aunt Rosie has died. Rosie has been a larger-than-life presence in Sara's life for so long. They had plans to travel back to their ancestors' home in Sicily, but they weren't able to make it happen until now. Sara is going to go to Sicily as Rosie has left her a plot of land that was Serafina's (Rosie's mother). This land could sell for a pretty penny and this would change Sara's life. But once she gets to Sicily, things become complicated. She is taken under the wing of Giusy, the innkeeper of the town, and she pretty much knows everything about the town and its people. She lets Sara know that Serafina didn't die of the flu, as her family thought, but rather she was murdered. It's a lot to take in, but Sara starts digging into her family's history and things get even more complicated. Plus, she is starting to ruffle some feathers in town. There's a dual timeline from Serafina's point of view and it takes readers back to the early 20th century in Sicily. Women barely had any rights, but when most of the husbands went off to the mainland for a job, women ruled the island. What could have made Serafina a target, so much so that it got her killed? Jo Piazza's The Sicilian Inheritance is a compelling historical mystery with a lot of family drama.

I was rooting for Sara from the start. She starts as a bit of an underdog and she is down and out. I liked how she slowly unraveled her family history and what exactly happened to Serafina. There are some romantic scenes as well, so there's something here for everyone in The Sicilian Inheritance. The chapters from Serafina's point of view satisfied my love for historical fiction and truly brought to life how things were for women in Sicily in the early 20th century. Essentially, The Sicilian Inheritance shines a bright light on motherhood, then and now, as well as the sacrifices many women made for their families. I did find some parts to be a little bit preachy and far-fetched as I did question Serafina's choices from time to time, but overall, that made the story much more entertaining. And no Sicilian story would be complete without the mafia! They play a part in the story as well.

My favorite aspect of The Sicilian Inheritance was the setting. Readers can tell that Piazza has visited Sicily many times and studied its history. She brought it to life so well, that it made me want to travel there immediately. The food, its people, its complicated history, and the beautiful scenery all made it memorable read for me.

If you love family sagas and you want to satisfy your wanderlust, look no further. The Sicilian Inheritance will have you daydreaming of sipping a glass of wine in a piazza and eating delicious food by azure waters. So, are you a fan of Jo Piazza? Is The Sicilian Inheritance on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.

 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Milo and His Magic Skateboard

I have some exciting news for you this week! I will be hosting three giveaways featuring new children's books that you won't want to miss. Today, I am featuring Milo and His Magic Skateboard by Kristina Tanso and I think you'll love it. 

As a dog lover, I was immediately drawn to the adorable premise of this book. The story follows a dog who travels to various stunning locations on his trusty skateboard. It's the perfect combination of my love for dogs and my wanderlust spirit.

 

Learn More About the Book:

 

Milo and His Magic Skateboard 

Written by Kristina Tanso

Illustrated by Sofie Engstrom Von Alten

Ages 4+ | 36 Pages

Publisher: Life Unfiltered Books | ISBN-13: 9781738414000

Publisher’s Book Summary: Join Milo – an adorable French Bulldog – as he embarks on his very first adventure! Simply by clapping his little paws together and jumping on his magic skateboard, Milo takes flight and explores Europe! This fun, heart-warming adventure will charm children and adults alike, while exploring different iconic places and cultures!

 

You can purchase your own copy of Milo and His Magic Skateboard at Bookshop, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. Also, you can learn more about the author, Kristina Tanso, by visiting her website. 

 

 

Enter the Giveaway:

  

I've partnered with Kristina Tanso to host a giveaway to celebrate the publication of Milo and His Magic Skateboard. One grand prize winner will receive a signed hardcover copy of the book and a customized sketch of Milo. Ten lucky winners will receive signed copies of Milo and His Magic Skateboard. Good luck!

  Milo and His Magic Skateboard: Book Giveaway