historical fiction

  • Book Bingo NW 2026: Historical

    Book Bingo NW 2026: Historical

    One of the goals of Book Bingo is to have as many entry points as possible for readers, and the “Historical” category is a great example. An alternate history speculative fiction? Check! A biography of a historical figure? Perfect! A Regency romance? That works! If you’re looking for somewhere to start, try one of these,… Continue reading

  • Travel Through Time With These 4 Historical Fiction Novels

    Travel Through Time With These 4 Historical Fiction Novels

    Sometimes we all need to take a break from our current world. A wonderful way to do this is to read historical fiction that transports us to a distant time and place, filled with rich details and fully developed characters. Perhaps this is escapism, but the best historical fiction not only teaches us about a… Continue reading

  • Historical Fiction for Teens

    Historical Fiction for Teens

    We’ve updated our list of historical novels for teens. While World War II continues to feed authors’ imaginations, there are also a lot of fantastic stories from other times. Here are a few of our favorites.  In Kwame Alexander’s sequel to The Door of No Return, called Black Star, young Charley dreams of becoming the… Continue reading

  • Historical Fiction for Women’s History Month

    Historical Fiction for Women’s History Month

    Though nonfiction is a great way to learn about the past, historical fiction can also open readers’ eyes to the settings, lessons, and experiences of those who came before us. To celebrate Women’s History Month, here are some recent historical fiction titles celebrating women’s stories across time. In Harlem Rhapsody, Victoria Christopher Murray highlights Jessie Redmon… Continue reading

  • Interview with Robert Dugoni, local author of “A Killing on the Hill”

    Curious about what goes on in the mind of an author? Check out this deep dive with local author Robert Dugoni! Tell us a bit about your new book, A Killing on the Hill, coming out on Tuesday, April 9. What inspired you to write a book set in this specific time and place? I… Continue reading

  • Black History in Fiction

    Each February, many readers come to the library to check out the latest titles on Black history. Don’t read history books? No worries! Whether you enjoy historical or literary fiction, thrillers or fantasy, romance or mysteries, here are some recent books that immerse us in the lived experiences of Black Americans throughout our history. By… Continue reading

  • Witchy Reads

    Fiction has been awfully witchy this year, with strong showings across historical fiction, romance, and general fiction. For your reading pleasure, an incomplete list: HISTORICAL FICTION Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch by Rivka Galchen In 1615 Germany, 74-year-old Katharina Kepler is accused of witchcraft, an accusation she shrugs off until it starts to… Continue reading

  • A guide to exploring new genres

    Each year, groups of librarians from across the country hole up in a room (this year, a virtual room) to discuss and select the best books from the year before. The Notable Books List features literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry; the Listen List is all about outstanding audiobooks; and The Reading List, which I want… Continue reading

  • Queering Historical Fiction & Historical Fantasy

    Queer literature is booming right now, with more and better representation of LGBTQIA+ characters every year. Here are some recent historical novels and historical/alternate history fantasy to check out. First, some historical novels with queer protagonists: The Best Bad Things by Katrina Carrasco is one gritty historical debut. It has a pretty fast-paced bent, introducing… Continue reading

  • Nightstand Reads with author Sara Donati

    Where the Light Enters is the latest from Sara Donati, a bestselling author known for her riveting and well-researched historical novels. We asked her to share her own reading list with us: I read a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction out of personal interest and professional necessity. My novels are deeply researched, so I spend… Continue reading

  • Historical fantasy – the best of both worlds!

    I appreciate the way genre designations can make books easier to find, but I confess that I love the bleeding edges where books shade from one genre into another; my current bailiwick is historical fantasy. I find that it brings the best elements of historical fiction – a strong sense of time, place, and culture… Continue reading

  • The best of genre reading in 2018

    Coordinated by the American Library Association, each year a group of librarians from across the country form The Reading List Council with the goal to identify the year’s best books across eight genres. Here are the 2019 winners (for books published in 2018) in Adrenaline, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Women’s… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2018: History — and historical fiction

    #BookBingoNW2018: History — and historical fiction

    Still trying to fill that “history” square on your Book Bingo card?  If you are like me, you learn a lot of your history from historical fiction. So the historical details and events that provide such a rich background for these novels had better be accurate! Following are some of my favorite titles that incorporate meticulously researched history… Continue reading

  • A genre reading list for library insiders

    Chances are some of you haven’t heard of ALA’s Reading List Council, but trust me on this one: Their annual list of top books in several genres is a book lover’s gem. They pick the best in eight genres — including mystery, science fiction, and adrenaline (read: suspense/heart-thumping-page-turner) for adult readers. Librarians love that the Reading List is… Continue reading

  • Bringing Women’s Stories to Life

    For Women’s History Month this year, I’d like to highlight the way fiction can take a real person’s life and help fill in the gaps about what we historically know, using imagination in order to bring that person’s story back. In particular, since the historical register generally focuses on men, women’s full lives were often… Continue reading

  • History, only better!

    Don’t get me wrong, I love history, but sometimes I need a more satisfying narrative. Here are a few titles that will transport you to another time and place and you may learn a little history at the same time: Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F.G. Haghenbeck This fictionalized version of Frida Kahlo’s life… Continue reading

  • For Writers: Getting The Historical Details Right

    by Andrea There is no one season for writing, but often the fall feels like a time of rededication – students back to school, weather which encourages staying indoors, even National Novel Writing Month in November if sprint writing is your thing. To help you refocus, through November the Library is offering a variety of… Continue reading

  • Alaska beckons

    It’s been quite the hot summer — it has many of us dreaming of going even further north to catch some cool breezes and gain additional daylight hours to play in. Alaska beckons! Ann says: Alaska is vast, beautiful and unforgiving. Many men (and a few women) have been lured to Alaska by its beauty and its… Continue reading