Historical Fiction
Lonesome Dove
McMurtry, Larry.
FICTION McMurtry, Larry
Adventure, Classics, Historical Fiction
(For those who miss "Deadwood")
Code name Verity
Wein, Elizabeth.
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Wein, Elizabeth
Historical Fiction, Young Adult
In 1943, a British fighter plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France and the survivor tells a tale of friendship, war, espionage, and great courage as she relates what she must to survive while keeping secret all that she can.
(For those who miss "Agent Carter") The espionage, sharp wit, and trailblazing heroine that made "Agent Carter" great can be found in Elizabeth Wein's novel, "Code Name Verity." Though technically a young adult novel, this gripping WWII story is rich with emotion, bravery, and clever twists. It's a powerful tribute to the intelligence and courage of women -- qualities that made "Agent Carter" so compelling. -Madison C
Cloud atlas
Mitchell, David (David Stephen)
FICTION Mitchell, David
Dystopian, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction
"Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell is a genre-defying novel that weaves together six interconnected stories spanning centuries, from the 19th century to a distant post-apocalyptic future. Through its layered structure, the book explores how individual lives impact one another across time, highlighting recurring themes of power, freedom, and the consequences of human actions. It's a mediation on the interconnectedness of humanity and the enduring struggle between oppression and resistance.
(For those who miss "Sense8") If you're longing for the emotional intensity, global scope, and mind-melding magic of "Sense8," here is a book that captures the essence of what made the show unforgettable. Spanning continents, centuries, and souls, David Mitchell's novel is a literary journey through time and self that captures the heart of what made "Sense8" notable. -Madison C
The ladies of the secret circus
Sayers, Constance, author.
SCIENCE FICTION Sayers Constanc
Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery
Paris, 1925: To enter the Secret Circus is to enter a world of wonder--a world where women weave illusions of magnificent beasts, carousels take you back in time, and trapeze artists float across the sky. Bound to her family's circus, it's the only world Cecile Cabot knows until she meets a charismatic young painter and embarks on a passionate affair that could cost her everything. Virginia, 2004: Lara Barnes is on top of the world, but when her fiancé disappears on their wedding day every plan she has for the future comes crashing down. Desperate, Lara's search for answers unexpectedly lead to her great-grandmother's journals. Swept into a story of a dark circus and ill-fated love, secrets about Lara's family history come to light and reveal a curse that has been claiming payment from the women in her family for generations. A curse that might be tied to her fiancé's mysterious fate.
(For those who miss "Carnivàle") If you miss the eerie, magical brilliance of Carnivàle, Constance Sayers' novel, "The Ladies of the Circus" is a worthwhile substitute! Blending dark magic, buried family secrets, and a mysterious traveling circus, this story weaves a tale of love, loss, and legacy. Fans of the show will be sure to appreciate this novel's blend of supernatural intrigue and haunting atmosphere. -Madison C
The bear and the nightingale : a novel
Arden, Katherine, author.
SCIENCE FICTION Arden, Katherine
Fantasy, Historical Fiction
In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia a stranger with piercing blue eyes presents a new father with a gift - a precious jewel on a delicate chain, intended for his young daughter. Uncertain of its meaning, Pytor hides the gift away and Vasya grows up a wild, willful girl, to the chagrin of her family. But when mysterious forces threaten the happiness of their village, Vasya discovers that, armed only with the necklace, she may be the only one who can keep the darkness at bay.
(Into the Woods I Go!) Step into an enchanted forest where Slavic folklore comes alive. Katherine Arden's fantasy novel is a spellbinding tale filled with mischievous spirits, ancient magic, and fairy-tale wonder. It's a great read for anyone looking to get lost in a story as wild, dark, and timeless as the forest itself. -Madison C
There are rivers in the sky : a novel
Shafak, Elif, 1971- author.
FICTION Shafak Elif
Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
In the ancient city of Nineveh, on the bank of the River Tigris, King Ashurbanipal of Mesopotamia, erudite but ruthless, built a great library that would crumble with the end of his reign. From its ruins, however, emerged a poem, the Epic of Gilgamesh, that would infuse the existence of two rivers and bind together three lives.
(Waterside Escapes!) If cruises and road trips aren't for you, let your summer reading take you on a winding, lyrical river journey with Elif Shafak's novel. Weaving history, memory, and mysticism, Shafak crafts a poignant story that flows between continents and generations. This read is great for readers craving a thoughtful escape, where every river leads to new discoveries. -Madison C
The nightingale
Kristin. Hannah
FICTION Hannah Kristin
Historical Fiction
"Viann and Isabelle have always been close despite their differences. Younger, bolder sister Isabelle lives in Paris while Viann lives a quiet and content life in the French countryside with her husband Antoine and their daughter. When World War II strikes and Antoine is sent off to fight, Viann and Isabelle's father sends Isabelle to help her older sister cope. As the war progresses, it's not only the sisters' relationship that is tested, but also their strength and their individual senses of right and wrong. With life as they know it changing in unbelievably horrific ways, Viann and Isabelle will find themselves facing frightening situations and responding in ways they never thought possible as bravery and resistance take different forms in each of their actions. Vivid and exquiste in its illumination of a time and place that was filled with great monstrosities, but also great humanity and strength, Kristin Hannah's novel will provoke thought and discussion that will have readers talking long after they turn the last page"--
Added by Jessica
A ruse of shadows
Sherry (Sherry M.) Thomas
MYSTERY Thomas Sherry
Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery
"Charlotte's success on the RMS Provence has afforded her a certain measure of time and assurance. Taking advantage of that, she has been busy, plotting to prise the man her sister loves from Moriarty's iron grip. Disruption, however, comes from an unexpected quarter. Lord Bancroft Ashburton, disgraced and imprisoned as a result of Charlotte's prior investigations, nevertheless manages to press Charlotte into service: Underwood, his most loyal henchman, is missing and Lord Bancroft wants Charlotte to find Underwood, dead or alive. But then Lord Bancroft himself turns up dead and Charlotte, more than anyone else, meets the trifecta criteria of motive, means, and opportunity. Never mind rescuing anyone else, with the law breathing down her neck, can Charlotte save herself from prosecution for murder?"--
Added by Jessica
A tempest at sea
Sherry (Sherry M.) Thomas
MYSTERY Thomas Sherry
Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery
"Charlotte Holmes's brilliant mind and deductive skills are pulled into a dangerous investigation at sea in this new mystery of the bestselling Lady Sherlock series. After feigning her own death in Cornwall to escape from Moriarty's perilous attention, Charlotte Holmes goes into hiding. But then she receives a tempting offer: Find a dossier the crown is desperately seeking to recover, and she might be able to return to a normal life. Her search leads her aboard the RMS Provence, sailing from Southampton for the eastern hemisphere. But on the night Charlotte makes her move to retrieve the dossier, in the midst of a terrifying storm in the Bay of Biscay, a brutal murder also takes place on the ship. Instead of solving the crime, as she is accustomed to doing, Charlotte must take care not to be embroiled in this investigation, lest it become known to those who harbor ill intentions that Sherlock Holmes is still abroad and still very much alive"--
Added by Jessica
Miss Moriarty, I presume?
Sherry (Sherry M.) Thomas
MYSTERY Thomas Sherry
Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery
"Charlotte Holmes comes face-to-face with her enemy when Moriarty turns to her in his hour of need in the USA Today bestselling series set in Victorian England. A most unexpected client shows up at Charlotte Holmes's doorstep: Moriarty himself. Moriarty fears that tragedy has befallen his daughter and wants Charlotte to find out the truth. Charlotte and Mrs. Watson travel to a remote community of occult practitioners where Moriarty's daughter was last seen, a place full of lies and liars. Meanwhile, Charlotte's sister Livia tries to make sense of a mysterious message from her beau, Mr. Marbleton. And Charlotte's longtime friend and ally Lord Ingram at last turns his seductive prowess on Charlotte-or is it the other way around? But the more secrets Charlotte unravels about Miss Moriarty's disappearance, the more she wonders why Moriarty has entrusted this delicate matter to her of all people. Is it merely to test Charlotte's skills as an investigator, or has the man of shadows trapped her in a nest of vipers?"--
Added by Jessica
Added by Madison C