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She's Becoming Bookish | Historical Fiction Fan
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Posts Tagged ‘classic novels’

Must Read Classic Novels

Classic novels can be intimidating if you don’t know where to start. Use this guide to discover six must-read classic novels!

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“Live long enough, and people open up like books.” –The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

@shesbecomingbookish

Carlie | Shes Becoming Bookish's books

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
really liked it
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
by Heather Fawcett
Bright and Deadly Things
really liked it
Bright and Deadly Things
by Lexie Elliott
Stars in an Italian Sky
liked it
Stars in an Italian Sky
by Jill Santopolo
The Paris Hours
liked it
The Paris Hours
by Alex George
The Club
really liked it
The Club
by Ellery Lloyd

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shesbecomingbookish

Historical Fiction Fan & Blogger ❤️s WWII fiction, literary fiction, & witchy books

Carlie | Historical Fiction Fanatic
✨book mail feature✨⁣ ⁣ The Disappearance o ✨book mail feature✨⁣
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The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard⁣
by Natasha Lester⁣
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Pub date: January 30, 2024⁣
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Thank you SO much @readforeverpub for the gift that was this package!!⁣
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Y’all, seriously I shed a quick tear or two when I opened this bookmail. Not only is this the SWEETEST, it’s also SO on-brand for me. The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre was one of my fav reads of 2023, so I have no doubt that Astrid Bricard will be any different. But to get both books with an author’s signature card AND a special note from the publishing team was just too much for this little bookworm! I love the Booksta and BookTok communities so much, and this is a perfect example of why! Where else do you get to interact directly with your favorite authors and publishers?!? Forever Pub has published a few of my favs this year, and I have no doubt that Astrid Bricard and several others will be on the 2024 list! ⁣
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Swipe for more shots of the best bookmail ever and for the publisher’s synopsis of this great new historical fiction book coming soon to a shelf near you!⁣
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QOTD: What 2024 book are you most looking forward to reading??
✨gifted book review✨⁣ ⁣ What Wild Women Do ✨gifted book review✨⁣
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What Wild Women Do⁣
by Karma Brown⁣
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⭐⭐⭐⭐/5⁣
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Pub date: October 24, 2023⁣
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Thanks @DuttonBooks for the gifted copy!⁣
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Quick and Dirty⁣
-contemporary women’s fiction⁣
-dual POV⁣
-flashbacks to 70s⁣
-strong self-discovery themes⁣
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Swipe for the full synopsis!⁣
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Thoughts⁣
Well, this book was a pleasant surprise. Not sure what I was expecting, but this one definitely surpassed by expectations. The feminist themes delivered for me, from the strong female MCs to the inner dialogue and personal growth. And while the big twist was entirely predictable, it was still revelatory and heart wrenching. I was completely caught up in the mystery of the treasure and eager to see how Rowan would navigate the choppy waters of a divisive situation with her fiancé. Eddie’s life was an inspiration to Rowan, but it’s clear that she represented so much more. Eddie embodied the spiritual movement of the late 70s and the profoundly impactful feminist movements of the time. As modern women I think we sometimes forget the advancements accomplished just a few decades ago. That we can own our own homes, open our own bank accounts, and live completely independently is such a stark contrast to the lives of our predecessors. This book is a great reminder of just that! ⁣
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QOTD: Do you enjoy reading outdoors? I took Fozzy to the park near our home and tried to read, but reading with a highly distracted dog in a squirrel-city park was not my idea of a good time. 😂😂 Swipe for a cameo!
✨eARC book review✨⁣ ⁣ The Heiress⁣ by Ra ✨eARC book review✨⁣
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The Heiress⁣
by Rachel Hawkins⁣
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⭐⭐⭐.5/5⁣
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Pub Date: January 9, 2024⁣
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Thanks @StMartinsPress for the advanced access!⁣
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Quick and Dirty⁣
-Domestic thriller⁣
-Alternating POVs and timelines⁣
-Epistolary flashbacks ⁣
-Fast-paced read with short chapters⁣
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Swipe for the full synopsis!⁣
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Thoughts ⁣
Domestic thrillers are not my go-to genre, but I do like them. In particular, I seem to be drawn to stories that have some flashback aspects, especially those with bold, unforgiving women with nothing left to lose. In The Heiress we find exactly that, though we have to wait to see which of our female protagonist is the most ruthless. Ruby, the deceased wealthy heiress has secrets to share with her beloved adopted son, Cam. Jules, his wife, has secrets of her own. And Cam, the good little boy that he is, has a few himself. As the book progresses we find out more and more about the state of affairs at the MacTavish estate, chiefly the not-so-secret loathing for Cam and his having inherited the family fortune despite his pedigree. The best part of this book were the letters Ruby left for Cam detailing the lives and deaths of all four of her husbands (Evelyn Hugo, anyone). Over the course of the book we start to realize things are not exactly as they appear, with Ruby’s role as innocent widow being the first thing called into question. The twists and turns in this book will keep you guessing, down to the last pages, which is exactly what I want from a thriller. Was anything super shocking or jaw dropping? Not really. But it was thrilling enough to keep my attention and keep me flipping pages to find out what everyone was hiding, what lies they were weaving, and what secrets would be unearthed in the end. Overall this is a solid domestic thriller that kept me engaged and guessing until the end. 
QOTD: What book would you bring with you on vacation if you were leaving tomorrow for a week? I am stumped and not sure what to bring!
✨ARC book review✨⁣ ⁣ The Frozen River⁣ b ✨ARC book review✨⁣
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The Frozen River⁣
by Ariel Lawhon⁣
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⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5⁣
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Pub Date: December 5, 2023⁣
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Thanks to @doubledaybooks and @prhaudio for the advanced copies!⁣
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Quick and Dirty⁣
-18th century Maine setting⁣
-based on true story of midwife ⁣
-middle aged female MC⁣
-highly feminist ⁣
-SA trigger warnings ⁣
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Swipe for the full synopsis!⁣
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Thoughts ⁣
I’ve been eagerly awaiting this book all Fall and couldn’t wait to read it. Why? Code Name Helene, one of Lawhon’s previous works, is my FAV historical fiction. Needless to say I had HIGH hopes for this new book. I didn’t know what to expect but I hoped her eloquent writing style would capture my attention and keep me engaged. Thankfully I was not disappointed! The Frozen River is such a terrific book from start to finish. The first chapter sucked me in immediately, and Lawhon’s masterful first person narrative kept me turning pages/listening compulsively for the entire book. The early settler style setting added a degree of lawlessness that made the events of the story so much more impactful. And as Martha stood up for wrongs against the local women she supported you can’t help but cheer for her, knowing that she risked everything to right wrongs. One of the reasons she was such an special character: the relationship with her family. As a mother and wife she has everything to risk and nothing to gain by standing up for others. Yet she still does what she believes is right and just, relying on the support of her loving husband throughout the story. The marriage between these two characters is something to admire. I loved the older female MC representation, and I think my over-40 friends will especially appreciate reading about aching knees and adult children. As for the mystery/suspense aspects of the story I can only say that Lawhon delivers! I was hanging on to her every word the whole book. Highly recommend!!!⁣
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QOTD: How do you cope with the Sunday scaries?
✨gifted book review✨⁣
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The Wildest Sun ⁣
by Asha Lemmie ⁣
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⭐⭐⭐.5/5⁣
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Pub Date: December 5, 2023⁣
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Thanks to @duttonbooks for the gifted physical copy and @prhaudio for the advanced listener copy!⁣
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Quick and Dirty ⁣
-coming of age story⁣
-Paris-NYC-Cuba settings ⁣
-spans several decades⁣
-great for fans of Hemingway ⁣
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Thoughts ⁣
It’s been a while since I’ve read such a moving coking-of-age novel, one that speaks to found family and overcoming childhood trauma. Delphine is the type of female protagonist that pulls at my little heartstrings. She’s wise beyond her years, a bit wizened yet simultaneously naive. She’s got something to prove even if she (and you the reader) are really sure yet what that is. We all know what it’s like to want something to be true so badly that it blinds us to the actual truth. Through the epic journey of Delphine’s we watch her come to that realization. The global adventure that is The Wildest Sun makes it perfect for lovers of travel, especially the pre-Civil War Cuba portion of the book (reminiscent of Chanel Cleeton) where readers are immersed in the sights and sounds of Havana. Lastly, I can’t ignore the one reason I wanted to read this book: Hemingway. By far one of my all-time favorite authors, Hemingway’s work is spell-binding, and the role he plays in this book (and his influence on Lemmie’s writing style) is profound yet simple (much like the man himself). For those of you who haven’t experienced The Sun Also Rises, please do me a favor and give it a shot. ⁣
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My only complaint about this book is that it felt much more YA than adult. There are hints of romance, hints of violence, and lots of trauma, but overall it was very tame. It’s a great read for teenage readers who love literature, but I wanted more adult themes than I got. Still, it’s a beautiful book. ⁣
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QOTD: What’s on the agenda this weekend? Any sales catching your eye?
🌟bookmail feature🌟⁣ ⁣ Did I recently sig 🌟bookmail feature🌟⁣
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Did I recently sign up for another bookish subscription? Yes. Yes, I did. ⁣
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Did I need more books? No, no I did not. ⁣
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Do I regret it? Nope. Not one bit. 😂⁣
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Enter @the.book.drop, the only bookish subscription I could find that offered monthly historical fiction features. ⁣
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Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of other great subscription services (some of which I use). But many either feature books that are outside my preferred genres, or feature books I've already received from publishers. ⁣
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I've received two Book Drop packages featuring the books shown here, and I'm already thrilled by my choice to sign up. Not only have I never heard of either of these books, but they are also not books I would have picked up on my own.⁣
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So, here's to discovering new authors and unsung titles that need hype, too! ⁣
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Swipe to read the publisher's synopsis for Midnight on the Marne and The Other Princess!⁣
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QOTD: If you had to choose one genre to read for the rest of your life (only one), what would it be? For me, it's histfic all the way!
🌟Sunday Shelfie🌟⁣ ⁣ I am IN LOVE with my 🌟Sunday Shelfie🌟⁣
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I am IN LOVE with my new bookcase, y'all! Like for real obsessed...⁣
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Here she is showcasing recent bookmail. Thanks to all the tagged publishers for the gifted books!⁣
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📚The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale (out December 5, 2023) from @berkleypub⁣
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📚The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard (out January 30, 2024) from @readforeverpub⁣
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📚Murder by Degrees (out now) from @simonbooks⁣
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📚The Paris Notebook (out December 5, 2023) from @harpercollins 
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📚I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died (out now) from @berkleypub⁣
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📚The Wildest Sun (out December 5, 2023) from @duttonbooks⁣
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📚The Framed Women of Ardmore House (out February 13, 2024) from @hanoversquarepress⁣
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📚What Wild Women Do (out now) from @duttonbooks⁣
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📚The Glutton (out now) from @scribnerbooks⁣
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📚Roman Stories (out now) from @aaknopf⁣
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📚The Frozen River (out December 5, 2023) from @doubledaybooks⁣
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QOTD: Which of these would you read first??
✨eARC book review✨⁣ ⁣ The Last Drop of Hem ✨eARC book review✨⁣
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The Last Drop of Hemlock⁣
by Katharine Schellman ⁣
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⭐⭐⭐/5⁣
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Pub Date: June 6, 2023⁣
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Thanks @stmartinspress and @minotaur_books for the advanced access!⁣
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Quick and Dirty⁣
-Prohibition era historical mystery⁣
-diverse cast of characters ⁣
-hint of sapphic romance ⁣
-second in a series⁣
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Swipe for the full synopsis!⁣
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Thoughts⁣
This book took me ages to finish, y’all. I didn’t dislike it, it just didn’t grab me. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I hadn’t read the first book. While there were efforts to set the stage and introduce characters/character arcs, I felt like I was missing pieces the entire book. So, best advice: read book one first. Don’t get me wrong, as a stand-alone the book this works, but I wanted the added context that the first book, Last Call at The Nightingale, would have given me. What did work for me was the characters! I really enjoyed the diversity represented in the cast of characters, something lacking in some historical fiction novels. The cast felt like a true representation of the diversity of Manhattan at the time. I also enjoyed the dark atmosphere the author conjures for readers, setting the scene for murder, intrigue, and speakeasies. I definitely recommend this series for anyone who likes a moody whodunnit!
QOTD: What’s a series you recommend?
✨Friday Feature✨⁣ ⁣ Roman Stories⁣ by Jh ✨Friday Feature✨⁣
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Roman Stories⁣
by Jhumpa Lahiri⁣
translated by Todd Portnowitz⁣
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Pub Date: October 10, 2023⁣
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Thanks to @aaknopf for the gifted finished copy!⁣
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Swipe for the full synopsis!⁣
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Rome as a main character?! Sign me up! Rome is one of my favorite places on earth. It’s simply magical, especially for lovers of history and archaeology. Walking the streets of Rome felt like stepping back in time, whisked away to another dimension. It’s the first place that made me feel small and completely insignificant, one of the things I love most about travel. My silly little problems are but a drop in the bucket of human existence, so why should they dominate my thoughts/time/experience? Now I’m not saying I throw caution completely to the wind, but that moment of realization in the Roman Forum was a profound shift for me. I’m hoping this new collection of short stories centered around the city will bring me back to my beloved Rome. ⁣
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QOTD: Have you had any profound travel experiences that changed your life?
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