It’s not my fault! My foremothers were strong, capable, compassionate women. I have been passionate about restoring the voices and contributions of women to history and culture. While a voracious reader of history, I enjoy historical fiction (when it’s done well). History tells us what happened; historical fiction tells us what it was like to live through events. I love author’s notes and/or historical notes where the author explains what is real and what is imagined; and resources to learn more about the subject of the novel.
I loved and appreciated the way the life and writings of Christen de Pizan (the first woman to earn a living as an author) were revealed—Christine’s inner emotional world and the very real suspicion of women’s morality and intellect. I was immersed into the world of 14th Century Paris with all the politics that widow Christine needed to navigate to support her family and herself.
I loved the historical detail, although I had to look up some words (that’s okay!) from that era. Great characters.
“Sprightly and sparkling...dramatic incidents abound...a lively rendering of a life and mind that inspires.” In the year of grace 1396, Christine de Pizan is a young Parisian woman living in a tower overlooking the Seine, but hers is no fairy story. Since her beloved husband's death, she struggles daily to support her aged mother and two small children. Seeking to ease her broken heart, Christine begins to write poetry in a delicate blend of form and emotion that provides a much-needed outlet for her loneliness and sorrow.
In time, Christine begins reading her verses at court, attracting the interest of…
Wow! An excellent example of historical fiction. Powerful women (the Grimke sisters) bucking the system they were born into (a slave-owning plantation family) and told through the perspective of an enslaved woman and her intellectually hungry “owner” with several other historic characters filling out their “adventure.”
Each character is clearly delineated, and the social mores of slave “owning” families are clearly portrayed. I enjoyed the way, while still historically accurate, these women broke through seemingly impossible walls and impacted (for the better) US history. The characterization is great. The writing is beautiful with an easy flow. I had a hard time putting it down.
From the celebrated author of The Secret Life of Bees and the forthcoming novel The Book of Longings, a novel about two unforgettable American women.
Writing at the height of her narrative and imaginative gifts, Sue Monk Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world.
Hetty "Handful" Grimke, an urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimke's daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she is meant to do something…
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
I loved how the author tells the story of three women—Adrienne Lafayette, who was as important as her more famous husband, the Marquis Lafayette; Beatrice Chanler (WW I), and Marthe Simone (of the French Resistance)—connected by a castle, Chateau Chavaniac or Chateau Lafayette in France.
Women stand up for what is right, nurturing and saving children’s lives. It’s a clear but complex story. While the research behind this novel is impressive, I loved being drawn into the world of these three women and their collaborators. Powerful all! This is a compelling read, and you may lose sleep finding out what happens next.
Recommended by Oprah Magazine ∙ Cosmo∙ PopSugar∙ SheReads ∙ Parade ∙ and more!
An epic saga from New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray based on the true story of an extraordinary castle in the heart of France and the remarkable women bound by its legacy.
Most castles are protected by men. This one by women.
A founding mother... 1774. Gently-bred noblewoman Adrienne Lafayette becomes her husband, the Marquis de Lafayette’s political partner in the fight for American independence. But when their idealism sparks revolution in France and the guillotine threatens everything she holds dear, Adrienne…
I loved meeting Johanna Bonger, Vincent van Gogh's sister-in-law. What a gutsy, courageous woman. I loved her courage in the face of adversity. A widow with a baby in early 1800s France, she inherited van Gogh’s paintings, which were worthless at the time. But through perseverance, she “introduced” him to the world. And yet she was a person in her own right—with her own struggles and dreams.
I loved her compassion toward her brother-in-law. The settings are realistic and the characterizations are great. Another good example of historical fiction.
"This book draws all the emotions out of you. I went from tears to snorting with laughter. It was both lighthearted and heart breaking, yet it inspires me to live my best life! " Michelle Cox
When Hollywood auctioneer Emsley Wilson finds her famous grandmother's diary while cleaning out her New York brownstone, the pages are full of surprises. The first surprise is, the diary isn't her grandmother's. It belongs to Johanna Bonger, Vincent van Gogh's sister-in-law.
Johanna inherited Vincent van Gogh's paintings. They were all she had, and they weren't worth anything. She was a 28 year old widow…
Twelve-year-old identical twins Ellie and Kat accidentally trigger their physicist mom’s unfinished time machine, launching themselves into a high-stakes adventure in 1970 Chicago. If they learn how to join forces and keep time travel out of the wrong hands, they might be able find a way home. Ellie’s gymnastics and…
Wow! I loved the portrayal of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and the great Mary McLeod Bethune, the ‘First Lady’ of the work for civil rights (a businesswoman and founder of an HBCU college!). I loved their distinct personalities and passions while weaving a very real and lifelong friendship based both on personal losses and a passion for meaningful work.
I appreciated how human each woman was portrayed, and the tender work to build a friendship of trust. Each woman was a powerhouse in her own right, which clearly shines through. I so loved this that I listened to it twice!
A novel about the extraordinary partnership between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune—an unlikely friendship that changed the world, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian.
The daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Mary McLeod Bethune refuses to back down as white supremacists attempt to thwart her work. She marches on as an activist and an educator, and as her reputation grows she becomes a celebrity, revered by titans of business and recognized by U.S. Presidents. Eleanor Roosevelt herself…
A brilliant scholar, ancient libraries in danger due to war, suppressed women's religious history, and a renegade monastery. A doggedly determined Sofia Papandréou pursues evidence for women in leadership in early Christianity in the dusty corners of libraries, long ignored. Or worse, actively hidden away to deny women their heritage as leaders. Hot on the trail of the lost letters of Deacon Olympias, an important leader in Fourth-Century Constantinople, Sofia is soon involved in a perilous journey that leads to theft, murder, unexpected allies, and attempted murder. And who is Hannah?
A witchy paranormal cozy mystery told through the eyes of a fiercely clever (and undeniably fabulous) feline familiar.
I’m Juno. Snow-white fur, sharp-witted, and currently stuck working magical animal control in the enchanted town of Crimson Cove. My witch, Zandra Crypt, and I only came here to find her missing…
A fake date, romance, and a conniving co-worker you'd love to shut down. Fun summer reading!
Liza loves helping people and creating designer shoes that feel as good as they look. Financially overextended and recovering from a divorce, her last-ditch opportunity to pitch her firm for investment falls flat. Then…
