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Historical Fiction July 2019
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| The Stationery Shop by Marjan KamaliTehran, 1953: aspiring poet Roya Kayhani and political activist Bahman Aslan meet at a stationery shop and fall in love. But before they can wed, Bahman disappears during a CIA-instigated coup d'état.
Boston, 2013: Having immigrated to America and raised a family, Roya is unexpectedly reunited with Bahman, who reveals what happened.
Want a taste? "Roya's mother had always said that our fate is written on our foreheads when we're born. It can't be seen, it can't be read, but it's there in invisible ink, all right, and life follows that fate. No matter what." Audiobook and eBook on Overdrive |
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| The Orphan's Song by Lauren KateWhat it's about: Raised in a Venetian orphanage, singer Violetta and violinist Mino form a strong but complicated bond rooted in the music they share.
Read it for: sympathetic characters, a bittersweet love story, and an atmospheric setting.
You might also like: Vivaldi's Virgins by Barbara Quick, another richly detailed novel about musical orphans set in 18th-century Venice. Audiobook on RB Digital |
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| The Burning Chambers by Kate MosseWhat it is: a swashbuckling saga set in 1562 Carcassonne against the backdrop of France's Wars of Religion.
Starring: Minou Joubert, a bookseller's daughter who receives an anonymous message containing a warning; fugitive Huguenot Piet Reydon, who protects Minou while fleeing his pursuers.
Read it for: secrets, star-crossed lovers, stolen relics, and the Inquisition. Audiobook on RB Digital |
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The Yankee widow by Linda Lael MillerProtecting her child and Gettysburg farm at the height of the Civil War, a widow faces difficult choices when she offers shelter to a dedicated Union soldier, a passionate Southern rebel and a pregnant fugitive slave. Available in the library
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| The Summer Country by Lauren WilligWhat it is: a compelling family saga by the bestselling author of The English Wife, set in colonial Barbados and full of mystery and romance.
1812: Charles Davenant arrives in Barbados to run Peverills, his family's sugar plantation, which proves challenging to say the least.
1854: Englishwoman Emily Dawson inherits the now-derelict Peverills and, with the help of brusque but attractive local doctor Nathaniel Braithwaite, learns about its tragic past. Audiobook on RB Digital |
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| The Sisters of Versailles by Sally ChristieWhat it's about: the five de Nesle sisters, four of whom became mistresses of King Louis XV.
Why you might like it: Gossip and intrigue swirl as the young women navigate the gilded palace of Versailles, vying for power and influence.
Series alert: This is the 1st book in a trilogy that continues with The Rivals of Versailles and The Enemies of Versailles. Audiobook on Hoopla and Overdrive |
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| The Last Tudor by Philippa GregoryStarring: Lady Jane Grey and her sisters, Katherine and Mary, all potential heirs to the disputed throne of England.
For fans of: Susan Higginbotham's Her Highness, the Traitor, which also depicts the political drama of the succession crisis caused by Henry VIII's death.
Should you start here? Although it's the 7th installment of the Cousins' War series, The Last Tudor can be read and enjoyed on its own. Available in the library Audiobook on RB Digital |
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Sisters of treason by Elizabeth FremantleReeling from the brutal execution of their elder sister, Jane Grey, Lady Catherine and Lady Mary Grey struggle with insecurities and prejudice while bonding with royal portrait artist, Levina, and navigating the dangers of the court. By the author of Queen's Gambit. Audiobook on RB Digital and Hoopla
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| The Empress of Bright Moon by Weina Dai RandelThe situation: Concubine Mei's beauty, wit, and charm have helped her win the love of Pheasant, the new emperor -- as well as the undying emnity of his wife, Empress Wang, who seeks to destroy her.
Why you might like it: Set in Tang Dynasty China, this historical novel follows the life of the woman who would become Empress Wu, a saga that began with The Moon in the Palace.
Try this next: Sa Shan's Empress, another biographical novel that chronicles Empress Wu's rise to power. eBook on Hoopla |
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