historical fiction – Page 6 – Derby Public Library's Blog

Early July new releases

Wow, it’s almost Independence Day, and the year is already half over! Where has the time gone? My reading list has been dented pretty well this year, and I’m staying on track with my Goodreads goal. How about you? Are getting as much reading time in this year as you would like? Let us know how your reading goals are going in the comments below.

And if you need some help finding something new to read, here are a few books that will be released this week and next. Click on the title of the book to find it in the library catalog.

July 4: The Lightkeeper’s Daughter by Jean Pendziwol
This story explores the relationship between an elderly woman, Elizabeth, and a teenager, Morgan, as they explore journals of a lightkeeper written decades before. The journals were written by Elizabeth’s father, and while the discovery sheds light on Morgan’s family mysteries, it makes Elizabeth question who she really is.

Cover of The Reason You're Alive by Matthew Quick — “The Reason You’re Alive” tells the story of a Vietnam veteran trying to return something he stole from a fellow soldier.

July 4: The Reason You’re Alive by Matthew Quick
The newest novel from the best-selling author of The Sliver Linings Playbook is the story of Vietnam veteran David Granger. After Davis crashes his BMW, he learns he has a brain tumor, which he attributes to his exposure to agent orange during the war. After surgery, he decides to return something to one of his fellow soldiers, and the journey takes some challenging turns.

July 11: Where the Light Falls by Allison Pataki and Owen Pataki
Paris during the French Revolution, and the lives of Sophie, a young, aristocratic widow; Jean-Luc, a young lawyer; and Andre, a nobleman’s son, become intertwined in this period of hope and freedom. The story moves from the battlefields to the courtrooms and even into the alleyways of Paris, three years after the storming of the Bastille.

Cover of the book Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson — “Almost Sisters” is the latest novel from best-selling author Joshilyn Jackson.

July 11: The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson
Leia comes from a conventional Southern family, with everything that entails, and when she finds herself pregnant at 38 after a one-night affair, she is faced with telling her family not only about being pregnant, but that the baby is biracial. On top of that, her sister’s marriage is falling apart and her grandmother has been hiding dementia. When Leia goes home to help put her grandmother’s affairs in order, she learns of a dangerous secret that dates back to the Civil War.

July 11: Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown
Billie Flanagan disappeared a year ago in the Desolation Wilderness a year ago, and her husband, Jonathan, and daughter, Olive, are coping as best they can. Then Olive starts having waking dreams that her mother is still alive. Jonathan is worried about Olive’s mental health, until he learns some secrets about Billie that have him questioning if he ever really knew her.

Book Review: Alex and Eliza

Alex and Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz

First Line: Like a latter-day Greek temple, the Schuyler family mansion sat atop a softly rounded hill outside Albany.

Summary: Eliza Schuyler is the daughter of a wealthy general. Alexander Hamilton is the right hand man of General George Washington. When the two meet at Eliza’s home, the first encounter is not the one of fairy tales. However, when they meet up again several months later their friendship grows and a romance for the ages is born in the midst of the American Revolution.

Highlights: This is a very quick read and great for a first book about Alexander Hamilton. With the popularity of the musical, Hamilton, this book is appearing at just the right time. I know very little about the man who had a key role in the establishment of our country. I am a huge fan of Melissa de la Cruz. I think she does a good job of bringing this story to readers in a YA version.

Lowlights: The book is almost more juvenile than YA usually are. I expected a little more surrounding the war. I do plan to read the next one as well.

FYI: Perfect introduction into the story of Alexander Hamilton.

Late June new releases

Register for the adult reading program, log your books, and be eligible for great prizes.

Are you participating in our adult summer reading program? If not, you ought to consider it. If you think you will read four books of at least 100 pages each, sign up! You will be entered to win some great prizes with every four books you read and log. Every week there will be a randon drawing for a book bag filled with books and swag. At the end of the program, three lucky random winners will receive a new Kindle HD tablet and a $50 Amazon gift card. Click here to register and log your books through July 23.

If you are looking for some new books to read this summer (then log them as part of summer reading!), here are some new releases scheduled for the second half of June.

June 20: The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz
This first book in the new Jane Hawk series promises a new series loaded with the signature suspense of Dean Koontz. Jane Hawk, the widow of a man who committed suicide, does everything in her power, despite her grief and anguish, to learn the truth behind his death. Jane’s husband was just one among a surprising number of people who are happy, talented, accomplished, and of sound mind who are killing themselves. As Jane seeks to learn why so many people are committing suicide, she becomes the most-wanted fugitive in America.

June 20: The Force by Don Winslow
A dirty cop that everyone thinks of as a hero, because he is the highly decorated leader of a special unit that has been given carte blanche to fight gangs, drugs and guns. What he really is has him caught in a trap, trying to avoid getting caught by the Feds while trying to protect his crew, his family and the woman he loves, all while the city is teetering on the brink of a disaster.

Cover image of "Every Last Lie" by Mary Kubica — “Every Last Lie” is the newest thriller by Mary Kubica.

June 27: Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica
Clara’s husband, Nick, and daughter are in a car accident and Nick is killed. When her daughter, Maisie, starts having night terrors following the accident, Clara starts to wonder if there’s a lot more at play than a simple accident. Driven by a desire to know what really happened, Clara will stop at nothing to learn the truth in this thriller that is told in the alternating voices of Nick in the months leading up to the crash and Clara’s investigation following it.

June 27: The Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young
This young adult novel explores the life and relationships of India, Eloise and Finn. India’s mom is engaged to Eloise’s father, and when India tried to befriend Eloise and become friends with Finn, it becomes apparent that what is visible to the outside world often hides the real truth.

June 27: Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams
A young American woman, Virginia, flees a family secret and becomes an ambulance driver in World War I France. A charming British army surgeon (Simon) pursues her, and they eventually marry. Five years later, the young widow and her daughter, the daughter whose father never met her, are in Florida to settle Simon’s estate. Simon’s brother and sister welcome Virginia to the lovely oasis of Cocoa Beach, but Virginia is determined to find out what really happened to Simon, because she is not convinced he died in the house fire that destroyed the seaside home he built for her.

Cover of the book "The Sisters Chase" — “The Sisters Chase” promises a whirlwind adventure with the Chase sisters as they cross country looking for a better life.

June 27: The Sisters Chase by Sarah Healy
Mary, Hannah, and their mother Diane run a seaside motel. When Diane is killed in a car accident, the daughters find out the value of the motel is less than the back taxes they owe on it. They set out across the country in the hopes of finding a new and better life, while the secrets Hannah carries threaten an even greater loss.

Early June new releases

Aaahhhh. Summer is finally here! The kids are out of school, the pools are open and the sun is (we hope!) shining. Summer just screams at me to pick up a new book — or several! — and climb into the hammock under the tree and ignore everything else for a while as I lose myself in the pages. When I was a teenager, we lived just a couple blocks from the local public library, so I would ride my bike over, pick up a few novels, come home and jump in the hammock to read. My family always knew where to find me in the backyard.

And now that I am, well, let’s just say not a teenager any longer, and my summers aren’t nearly as free as they were when I was 14, my heart still yearns for the hammock, a light breeze and a stack of good books. Luckily, with all the new releases to look forward to this month, my stack will stay nice and tall.

Here are a few titles we are looking forward to that will be released the first couple of weeks of June.

June 6: Once and For All by Sarah Dessen
This, the 13th novel from Sarah Dessen, takes place in the world of wedding planning, so a crisis is just about guaranteed. Louna is the daughter of a famous wedding planner, so she has seen weddings at beaches, hotels, and fancy clubs. After her first love ended tragically, Louna is pretty cynical about happy endings. So when she meets Ambrose, she works to keep her distance. However, now that he’s met a girl he really wants, Ambrose is hard to discourage.

“The Alice Network” is the newest historical novel by Kate Quinn.

June 6: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
This new historical novel by Kate Quinn brings together the stories of a 1915 woman, Eve Gardiner, recruited as a spy in France, and a 1947 unconventional American socialite, Charlie St. Clair. Charlie is sent to Europe to have a “little problem” taken care of, but while there she goes on the hunt for her cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war. There, Charlie meets Eve, who, desperate to fight against the Germans, is trained by the “Queen of Spies” and sent into enemy-occupied France during the World War I.

June 6: Camino Island by John Grisham
A daring heist from a vault deep below an Ivy League university’s library. A dealer in rare books, who also occasionally dabbles in the black market of stolen books and manuscripts. A young female novelist who goes undercover. Eventually, people learn too much. Suspense as only Grisham can deliver.

June 13: Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay
From the author of Bad Feminist comes an emotionally raw memoir of food, weight, self-image, and self-care. From Goodreads: “As a woman who describes her own body as ‘wildly undisciplined,’ Roxane understands the tension between desire and denial, between self-comfort and self-care. In Hunger, she explores her own past—including the devastating act of violence that acted as a turning point in her young life—and brings readers along on her journey to understand and ultimately save herself.”

Take a trip to Old Hollywood in this story of one actress’s story of her life, secrets, and all seven husbands.

June 13: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Evelyn Hugo, one of the most glamorous actresses of Old Hollywood, has decided the time has come to tell her story, and the truth, about her scandalous life. To do so, she chooses unknown magazine report Monique Gray, who is not exactly at the top of her own world, but is determined to use this chance to jump start her career. As Evelyn’s life unfolds, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s surprisingly in tragic and irreversible ways.

June 13: The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor
Kristoff, an apprentice stamp engraver in Austria, is forced to work for the Germans after his teacher, a master stamp engraver, disappears during the Kristallnacht. Fifty years later, Katie Nelson discovers a stamp collection of her father’s, which includes an unusual stamp from World War II Austria. The discovery leads Katie and Benjamin, an appraiser, on a journey to find the origins of the stamp.

Book Review: The Shadow Land

The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova

First Line: Sofia, the year 2008.

Summary: When Alexandra takes a summer job in Sofia, Bulgaria she thinks that it will be the perfect way to heal the loss of her brother who disappeared on a hiking trip. But things do not turn out the way she had planned. She meets a group of three people outside a hotel but when they go their separate ways she notices that she has kept one of their bags. Inside are human ashes. With the help of the friendly taxi driver, Bobby, she is determined to find the group and return the remains. Everything is not as easy as she expected when threats and warnings start to appear as they dig deeper into whose ashes are in the urn.

Highlights: I love the pieces near the end when you get to look into the life of Stoyan Lazarov. He details his time after the war and living in Communist controlled Bulgaria. The strength that he possesses is astounding. I have read a lot about prisoners during the Holocaust and it always scares me plus amazes me the will power and strength these people have.

Lowlights: The middle is slow moving as they are traveling around Bulgaria looking for the relatives of Stoyan. It was a lot of detail gathering and talking that leads up till the ending but it got long.

FYI: Read her other book, The Historian! Amazing read. But make sure you keep the lights on.

Summer reading for grown-ups!

If you are a parent, you may be familiar with summer reading programs for kids. You know, you come into the library, sign your child(ren) up, and then spend the summer convincing them to spend time with books to log all their minutes reading or being read to, and hope that the weather in the last couple weeks before school starts is nice enough to use your free passes to the water park. It’s fun. No, really, it is! But admittedly, it can be a little bit exhausting.

Even if you don’t have children, you may think that summer reading programs are only for kids. And our summer reading program for kids is super awesome, but it’s not the only summer reading program we have.

We have a summer reading program for you! Yes, every single person who loves to read and is 18 or older can enroll in our adult summer reading program. Registration for the adult summer reading program opens at 9 a.m., Tuesday, May 30. You can register and track your books online or you can come in to the library and pick up a paper log. All books must be logged by 5 p.m. July 23.

Oh, and let’s talk about the prizes! We love to give away prizes! Each week, anyone who has read at least 4 books will be entered in a drawing for a library tote loaded with books and swag. Tuesday, July 25, we’ll draw three names to win grand prizes — a Kindle Fire HD and $50 Amazon gift card — from all participants who have logged at least four books . All prize winners will be drawn at random.

The theme for all our summer reading programs is the same this year: Build a Better World. So help us build a better world this summer by participating in our adult summer reading program. And tell us in the comments below how reading helps build a better world for you!

Book Review: Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession

I have loved history since my 8th grade year when I had a teacher that made it fun and interesting. She was always excited about what she was teaching and it made me want to know more. I started reading about 90% historical fiction after this point. I had to learn about places and people while I was enjoying the story.

During my freshman year of college, as a history major, I finally bought a copy of a book I had had my eye on for several years. The book was The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. I was enthralled! Gregory’s writing was stunning and the characters were brought to life before my eyes. It centers around the younger sister of Anne Boleyn, Mary, who becomes the mistress of Henry VIII. Even though the story is centered around Mary it was Anne who fascinated me.

Anne Boleyn was the infamous second wife of Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I. She has been described in many ways from temptress, witch, whore, martyr and pawn. Her beliefs and stubbornness to stand up for them made her the target for many. Changes came to England during the years of her courtship and marriage to Henry that reshaped the world. She was executed in the Tower of London on May 19, 1536 on the charges of treason, witchcraft and adultery.

There are differing opinions about this woman who is still very unknown to historians even today. Little is known but many books have been written about her. One of the latest is by Alison Weir as part of her Six Tudor Queens series. As soon as I could get my hands on this book I was ready to read it!

Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession by Alison Weir

First Line: Her skin was rather sallow, Anne thought as she studied herself in the silver mirror, and she had too many moles, but at least her face was a fashionable oval.

Summary: Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, spent her early years in the courts of Burgundy and France. She learned from duchesses and queens on how to be a lady but it is a king that truly changes her life. When the King Henry VIII notices her and wants her to be his mistress Anne decides that she is not going to be used like other women of her time. She tries to discourage the king but to no avail. But when Henry proposes marriage to her, even though he is already married, she sets her sights on the ultimate power. After years of legal and religious battles she finally is crowned queen but it turns out to not be all that was promised.

Highlights: The descriptions are very detailed. I could feel the frustration with the Great Matter as much as Anne and Henry. Anne is a smart and passionate woman who knows what she wants and is willing to do whatever she can to achieve it. There is so much in this novel about a woman that very little is known. The author takes you all the way back to Anne’s childhood which most books do not do.

Lowlights: I have read many books about Anne Boleyn. And a book that is written by a historian like Alison Weir, I was expecting more. There were things that I did not agree with in her descriptions of Anne such as the sixth finger. Plus she makes Anne seem more like a child at times when she was a powerful woman with strong beliefs.

FYI: Some of this is written for a more dramatic and fictional account than most historians have been able to back up. Great for a fun and interesting book about the life of Anne Boleyn, the unfortunate second wife of Henry VIII.

If you are ever lucky enough to visit the Tower of London, visit her grave in the chapel and the memorial to Anne Boleyn (and many others who lost their lives inside this fortress). It has been 481 years since that fateful day on Tower Green and people still remember this fascinating woman.

Late May new release titles

It’s nearly summer and that (hopefully) means more reading time, right? What kinds of books do you like to read in summer? Are you a person who loves those easy “beach reads”? Or is summer your opportunity to get your teeth into something meaty while lounging in the backyard or by the pool? Share some of your favorite summertime reads in the comments!

Meanwhile, here are some brand-new books to look forward to, that will be out in the latter half of this month. Click on any of the titles to be taken to the catalog where you can see if the book is on the shelf or you can put it on hold.

“A Million Junes” by Emily Henry is scheduled to be released May 16.

May 16: A Million Junes by Emily Henry
Reading the summary of this book on Goodreads, I see the link to Romeo & Juliet, but I also see some Hatfields and McCoys here. The setting is Five Fingers, Michigan, and the century-old feud between the Angerts and the O’Donnells is as strong as ever. Jack “June” O’Donnell, 18, like the O’Donnells before her has nothing to do with any of the Angert family — until Saul Angert, son of June’s mortal enemy, returns to town after three years away. Suddenly, June finds she doesn’t hate Saul. The chain reaction sparked by Saul’s arrival threatens to reveal truths that have been hidden about the families’ feud for 100 years.

May 16: Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer
Are you looking for a good beach read for your Memorial Day weekend? This book from the author dubbed the queen of beach reads might be a great choice. Darcy Cotterill lives on Nantucket and is surprised when she finds out that her ex-husband is living next door with his wife and step-daughter for the summer. In addition, she’s trying to navigate the ups and downs of her own romantic relationship with a local carpenter.

May 18: Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession by Alison Weir
Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory, this novel tells the story of the second of Henry’s six wives. Anne is young and at the English court fresh from France. You know how she died. Now read how she lived.

The sequel to “Lady Midnight” by Cassandra Clare, “Lord of Shadows” continues the story of Emma, Julian and Mark.

May 23: Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2) by Cassandra Clare
Shadowhunter Emma Carstairs is fighting her feelings for her parabatai, Julian, and begins dating his brother Mark. Mark has just returned from spending five years trapped in Faerie and no one is sure whether he will ever be able to be a shadowhunter again. Emma, Julian and Mark are caught between the unsettled Faerie courts and the Clave.

May 23: The Long Drop by Denise Mina
Do you have a hard time finding books that aren’t part of a series? I do. Here’s a standalone psychological thriller about a “trial-of-the-century” in 1950’s Glasgow. A string of murders has occurred and Peter Manuel is found guilty of the crimes, but how did he end up there?

First in a new Gothic horror series from Madeleine Roux, “House of Furies” is scheduled to be released May 30.

May 30: House of Furies by Madeleine Roux
First in a new Gothic horror series by Roux. Finding herself happily out of the harsh school she’s been attending, 17-year-old Louisa finds employment as a maid at Coldthistle House, a boarding house. While she’s happy for the change, she quickly realizes that something isn’t quite right. This boarding house is a house of judgment, not rest, as Mr. Morningside and his staff are expected to execute their own justice. Louisa begins to fear for one kind young resident, but how can she know who to trust?

Book Review: The Hollywood Daughter

The Hollywood Daughter by Kate Alcott

First Line: Dropped something.

Summary: Jesse is the daughter of a Hollywood publicist in the 1940s. She attends a prestigious school where she gets to see the biggest star of the time, Ingrid Bergman. As she watches the stunning young actress in real life and on screen she comes to idolize her. After her mother believes that Jesse is becoming too involved with the Hollywood lifestyle her parents decide to send her to a Catholic school. She believes that her life has come to an end but it really is only the beginning. She learns more about herself and the world around her.

Highlights: Ingrid! The description of her is beautiful. I immediately had to place her movies on hold to see more of her work. The author does a wonderful job of making you feel the injustice that was thrown at Ingrid after her scandalous affair that ostracized her from her American fans. I was so mad at the public, the media and the Catholic Church but at the time it was normal.

Lowlights: There were little pieces in the story that seemed to be thrown in as fillers but didn’t seem to have much relevance to the overall story. Her friend seemed like a side story. She seemed like she should be more important but it was more in the background.

FYI: Place The Bells of St. Mary’s on hold! Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman are stunning.

Book Review: The Edge of Lost

Note: This review is from Linda, a member of the library staff.

“The Edge of Lost” by Kristina McMorris

First line: Alcatraz Island, October 1937 Fog encircled the island, a strangling grip, as search efforts mounted.

Staff member Linda sits in the break room and reads “The Edge of Lost.”

Summary: Shanley Keagen is a 10-year-old orphan in Ireland in the 1920’s. He lives with his drunken and abusive uncle in a run-down slum in Dublin. His uncle takes advantage of Shanley’s skills, pushing him into performing in low-class pubs and then taking what small wages Shanley earns.

Shanley convinces his uncle to migrate to America where they can make more money from Shanley’s entertaining. They make their way to America, but his uncle dies during the voyage. Alone at only 12, Shanley must figure out how to get through Ellis Island with no family contacts in his new country. He befriends a young Italian boy, Nick Capello, whose family has been visiting Italy and are on their way home to the U.S. The boys convince Nick’s parents to accept Shanley as their long deceased son Tommy, so Shanley now has a new family. So begins his new life in America as Tommy Capello.

The book details Tommy’s life growing up in an Italian family, his relationships with his siblings and the Italian mob during the 1930’s. After trying to save his brother Nick in a supposed bank robbery, Tommy is sent to Leavenworth Penitentiary.

Linda recommends “The Edge of Lost” to patrons who like historic fiction, or fiction with unexpected plot twists.

While there, he once again begins entertaining, this time his fellow inmates, with his jokes, stories and voice imitations. Tommy is then transferred to Alcatraz to serve the remaining time on his 20-year sentence. While there he becomes the model prisoner and eventually finds a way to escape with help from some unusual contacts.

Linda’s thoughts: I chose this book because of a post on Pinterest I saw that someone had shared. I found the very beginning of the book to be somewhat slow, but after about 25 pages I became interested in the plot. The story has a twist I never expected and it was difficult to stop reading! I highly recommend this book with its action, surprise situations, and plot-twisting end.