Novels
Novellas and Short Stories
Marie Benedict recommends
Miss Morgan's Book Brigade (2024)Janet Skeslien Charles"In this compelling ode to the astonishing power of libraries and librarians, readers are introduced to the intrepid, real-life heroine Jessie Carson who delivered hope along with books to children in war-torn France. Janet Skeslien Charles's latest novel is - to borrow the words of one of her own characters - 'unputdownable!'" The Romanov Brides (2024)Clare McHugh"In this sweeping, immersive novel, Clare McHugh draws readers into the mesmerizing world of the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria - Princess Vicky - as she emerges into a powerful force in her own right and ascends to become the first German Empress." Finding Margaret Fuller (2024)Allison Pataki"What a woman! What a story! Whether exploring Margaret's remarkable friendships or delving into her crucial legacy as a journalist, writer, and feminist, Finding Margaret Fuller promises to transform every reader it touches--much like Margaret Fuller herself." Becoming Madam Secretary (2024)Stephanie Dray"What a compelling, important story about a trailblazing woman! In Becoming Madam Secretary, Stephanie Dray takes readers on an enthralling journey as Frances Perkins rises to become the country's most important cabinet member during a crossroads in American history, one with lasting ramifications. Hers is a name we should all know, and this is a novel we should all read." The Queen of Sugar Hill (2024)ReShonda Tate Billingsley"On the heels of her greatest victory - winning the Oscar - famous actress Hattie McDaniel faces her greatest challenges, as explored in the pages of ReShonda Tate's eye-opening new novel, The Queen of Sugar Hill. In bringing to life the inimitable Hattie against the backdrop of her segregated times, The Queen of Sugar Hill introduces readers to the important, inspiring, heart-wrenching story of the legendary actress whose legacy deserve to be fully understood and celebrated." The Porcelain Maker (2023)Sarah Freethy"In her exquisitely crafted and poignant debut, Sarah Freethy brings readers an unforgettable tale of love and loss. The Porcelain Maker introduces us to a singular, riveting relationship forged between a talented Jewish architect and a gifted German painter during the heady days of the Bauhaus movement in the Weimar Republic of Germany. As the dark tide of Nazism washes over the land, the lovers face dangers unimaginable, learning that art alone can sustain and save them - and bear witness for the generations. Phenomenal." The Phoenix Crown (2023)Janie Chang and
Kate Quinn"An irresistible proposition for a gifted operatic soprano. The double lives of a talented young Chinese woman and her artist lover. A tenacious, globe-trotting female botanist. The legendary crown of an Empress. The devastating San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and the ensuing rampant, deadly fire. Brilliant authors Kate Quinn and Janie Chang weave these threads together into seamless, page-turning masterpiece of history and suspense -- shot through with women rising up from the margins of society to claim their own singular futures. I could not put this triumphant novel down." The House of Lincoln (2023)Nancy Horan"The gifted Nancy Horan once again brings readers into a story -- inspired by real events -- that will forever change the way they perceive famous historical figures and their times. In the captivating and important The House of Lincoln, the young Portuguese immigrant Ana is hired to help in the Springfield, Illinois home of Abraham Lincoln as the Great Emancipator is on the rise. Through Ana's relationship with Lincoln's wife Mary and her close friendship with Cal, a free Black girl, the novel explores a lesser-known aspect of a crucial historical period." The Brightest Star (2023)Gail Tsukiyama"In the riveting pages of The Brightest Star, Gail Tsukiyama once again invites her readers into an intriguing historical realm that remains in the shadows but should be widely known. Her latest novel lifts the veil on the rise of young Wong Liu Tsong, the Chinese American woman better known as the legendary first Asian American movie star, Anna May Wong, and shares the stereotyping and prejudices she was forced to navigate as she made her ascent. A fascinating portrait." No Two Persons (2023)Erica Bauermeister"In her lyrical, haunting new novel, No Two Persons, Erica Bauermeister shares the unexpected, exquisite ways in which one special book transforms its readers' lives. As the novel-within-the-novel passes through the hands of a vast array of people-ranging from an actor to a swimmer to a homeless student, among others-it acts as a guide for the lost, serving in different manners for different readers. A wondrous ode to the power of fiction, No Two Persons will linger with its readers in much the same way its fictional novel remained with its characters." The Friday Night Club (2023)Sofia Lundberg,
Alyson Richman and
M J Rose"In their important novel, The Friday Night Club, co-authors Sofia Lundberg, Alyson Richman, and M.J. Rose have unearthed the captivating story of the ground-breaking Swedish artist Hilma af Klint, arguably the world's first abstract artist who may well have inspired male painters like Wassily Kandinksy who typically receive credit for pioneering abstraction. This spell-binding exploration of the life and legacy of a long-forgotten woman and the circle of gifted friends who worked alongside her is a must-read." Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? (2023)Crystal Smith Paul"An engrossing saga, Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? explores the heartbreaking sacrifices that one woman must make in order to succeed in the Golden Age of Hollywood--and the way in which her difficult choices echo throughout later generations. Crystal Smith Paul's debut about family, celebrity, and racism--both historic and modern--captivates." Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl (2023)Renée Rosen"In this captivating novel, Renee Rosen invites readers to peer behind the lovely facade of the iconic Estee Lauder, at her real origin and hardscrabble rise. This illuminating tale about ambition and friendship between Estee and Gloria Downing, another young woman who has changed her name and her identity, explores the dangers inherent in embellishing the truth. A fascinating glimpse into a legend who has changed the face of cosmetics forever." Daughter, Dalloway (2023)Emily France"Beyond a compelling, imaginative retelling of the Virginia Woolf classic, Daughter Dalloway offers a unique take on what it means to sift through the remnants of the past. Elizabeth uncovers more than her legendary mother's fate--she uncovers her own." The Matchmaker's Gift (2022)Lynda Cohen Loigman"In the inviting The Matchmaker's Gift, Loigman takes the readers by the hand and leads them into the world of shadchanim, or matchmakers, of both a historic and modern variety. This charming story about a realm that is at once familiar and magical invites contemplation of the many ways in which the past reverberates into the present." The Paris Bookseller (2022)Kerri Maher"A captivating look behind the scenes at the life of the iconic Grace Kelly...as she searches for authenticity in a world clamoring instead for a picture-perfect princess." The Magnolia Palace (2022)Fiona Davis"Once again, using her trademark brilliance, Fiona Davis transports her readers into a mysterious past lurking beneath the surface of our modern day world. In THE MAGNOLIA PALACE, two very different women from two eras enter the Gilded Age realm of famous industrialist and art collector Henry Clay Frick and his imperious daughter Helen and become part of a thrilling mystery centered on the Frick mansion that stretches through the decades. Readers will never look at a historic building quite the same way again." The Dictionary of Lost Words (2021)Pip Williams"What a compelling, fresh look at historical women! In Pip Williams’s lyrically written novel, The Dictionary of Lost Words, readers explore the creation of the so-called definitive Oxford English Dictionary through the eyes of Esme, a fictional female laborer on that great endeavor, and as her eyes open to the flaws and gender biases in the selection of included words and the definitions themselves, so do readers’. This marvelous exploration into the ways in which spoken and written language impact us is a delight and an education." Surviving Savannah (2021)Patti Callahan"[S]pellbinding....Beautifully written with a masterfully crafted plot, Surviving Savannah leaves the reader breathless and marveling at the manner in which the past and present interweave in ways we almost cannot imagine." Half Life (2021)Jillian Cantor"Jillian Cantor exploes not only the fascinating inner life of the famous scientist Marie Curie but also the life that might have been if she'd chosen love over science." The Invisible Woman (2021)Erika Robuck"In this captivating, page-turning read, the talented Erika Robuck plunges her readers deep into the little-known, critical espionage undertaken by the brilliant and brave spy Virginia Hall during World War II. The Invisible Woman shines a light on this courageous historical woman, whose pioneering work as an agent deserves recognition." The Arctic Fury (2020)Greer Macallister"In her enthralling new novel, The Arctic Fury, Greer Macallister takes her readers on a thrilling, if arduous, journey to the Arctic north, alongside Virginia Reeve and her all female expedition in a quest to find the ships of a lost explorer. Through alternating glimpses into the voyage itself and the murder trial afterwards, the enterprise and its secrets -- both tantalizing and terrorizing -- reveal themselves in turn, sweeping readers along until they reach the story's spell-binding conclusion. A captivating look at the manner in which the 'truth' is formed by the lens through which it is perceived, a lens formed by time, place, and views on women." The Paris Children (2020)Gloria Goldreich"In The Paris Children, real-life Resistance fighter Madeleine Levy steps out from behind her famous grandfather, French political figure Alfred Dreyfus, to claim her own legacy of patriotism as she battled against anti-semitism in World War II. Author Gloria Goldreich shares the inspiring tale of Madeleine's brave and dangerous rescue of French children and the bittersweet nature of her ultimate sacrifice." The Jane Austen Society (2020)Natalie Jenner"Natalie Jenner's lovely debut novel, The Jane Austen Society, is a charming, yet bittersweet tale about the power of literature -- the beloved Jane Austen in particular -- to heal and elevate the human spirit in the aftermath of World War II." The Orphan's Song (2019)Lauren Kate"In a gorgeous ode to eighteenth-century Venice, Lauren Kate uncovers the intriguing, little-known origin of the era's most famous Baroque musicians in The Orphan's Song, in a tale brimming with love, deception, and ultimately, surprising truth." When We Left Cuba (2019)(Cuba Saga, book 2)Chanel Cleeton"Scintillating.... An intriguing dive into the turbulent Cuban-American history of the 1960s, and the unorthodox choices made by a strong historical woman." 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