Historical Fictionistas discussion

Tell us.. what are you reading now?

Please remember to link the book and author whenever possible. If you can't use html, simple type the book title with the author. This helps members interested in your reads find them easily :)

I'll start off...

I'm currently finishing up Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and The One and Only Ivan.

I am reading the reckoning by rennie airth and so far so good

I'm reading one of my Christmas presents, Celia Garth, which was a book I loved in high school and decided I wanted to reread.

Happy New Year, everyone! I'm half through with The House Girl and enjoying it so far.

I just finished a delightful novel set in the 1820s in Kent, a romantic tale of smuggling, very well done: One Dark Night by Anna Faversham. Recommended for those who liked Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen, or even those who like the novels of Geraldine Brooks. It was a real page turner, and well researched.

Happy New Year! I'm in a re-read of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Linking The Reckoning by Rennie Airth for Zoe.
Just finished up The Tainted Relic: An Historical Mystery by several historical fiction writers who call themselves the Medieval Murderers. There are six or seven books in this series and they each contribute a story to the narrative. Going to do some light re-reading of the entire Tiffany Aching series by the late, great Terry Pratchett starting with . Happy 2016!

I love the medieval murderers series of books I have got them all :) also I love your other choice of read :P

Zoe wrote: "I love the medieval murderers series of books I have got them all :) also I love your other choice of read :P"

I'm a Terry Pratchett addict. I gladly admit it. :D

I just finished a really good quick read

My next book will be

I'm currently reading The Price of Blood by Patricia Bracewell and A Place Beyond Courage by Elizabeth Chadwick. Both are very interesting so far.

I am currently reading Muzzled by Eileen Brady

I'm currently reading Lamp Black, Wolf Grey by Paula Brackston. Also listening to Broken Harbor by Tana French.

I'm reading Independence Day Plague by Carla Lee Suson.

I e just finished The diary of Mattie Spenser. My first completed book this year and 5 stars. Mattie has a secret diary which she keeps hidden in a secret pocket in her wedding trunk. The diary was found recently in the possessions of her granddaughter. It chronicles her life with husband Luke as pioneer farmers in the nineteen eighties on the Colorado prairies. She vividly describes the hardships and challenges,loves and losses. It is beautifully written and successfully captures the era.

Sorry mistake it chronicled life from 1850 to 1900.

After waiting many months on hold at my library for The Marriage of Opposites, I finally started reading it this weekend. The protagonist's voice sounds similar to those in The Dovekeepers, but so far I like this novel better, especially the wonderful descriptions of 19th-century St. Thomas.

I'm reading Wolf Hall and Inside the O'Briens. Listening to The Prime Minister's Secret Agent.

Finished The House Girl which I very much enjoyed (review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...).

Started The Return of Little Big Man: A Novel which is a hoot so far.

I'm
Reading Deadly secret of the Lusitania by Ivan Light it's intriguing

am finishing the blood dimmed tide by rennie airth and its definitely living up to what I expected which is pretty damn good :)

Ruth wrote: "I'm reading one of my Christmas presents, Celia Garth, which was a book I loved in high school and decided I wanted to reread."

I read a lot of Gwen Bristow in high school. I recently picked up another one of her's, Deep Summer on sale on my kindle. I'm looking forward to rereading it.

Eileen wrote: "Ruth wrote: "I'm reading one of my Christmas presents, Celia Garth, which was a book I loved in high school and decided I wanted to reread."

I read a lot of Gwen Bristow in high scho..."

Someone else recommended that I read Jubilee Trail.

I'm reading A Place of Greater Safety. I like Mantel and I like French history. I'm not too far into it and it's a bit slow getting to know all the characters but I love she breathes life into figures from history and shows what it might have been like.

Robin wrote: "I'm reading A Place of Greater Safety. I like Mantel and I like French history. I'm not too far into it and it's a bit slow getting to know all the characters but I love she breathes ..."

I just listened to that on audio. It's a complex book, but it's really good.

Ruth wrote: "Eileen wrote: "Ruth wrote: "I'm reading one of my Christmas presents, Celia Garth, which was a book I loved in high school and decided I wanted to reread."

I read a lot of Gwen Brist..."

"Jubilee Trail" is the first real adult HF book I ever read, around age 11. It remains one of my favorites to this day - soooo good.

I'm reading "The Emigrants" by Vilhelm Moberg. A series of 4 books about Swedish families in the middle of the 19th century that decided to leave everything behind and go to the other side of the ocean to seek a better life in the USA. Amazingly realistically depicted. I am so far only in the middle of the first book and they are still in Sweden.

Kate wrote: "Ruth wrote: "Eileen wrote: "Ruth wrote: "I'm reading one of my Christmas presents, Celia Garth, which was a book I loved in high school and decided I wanted to reread."

I read a lot ..."

Kate, Celia Garth played a similar role in my life. Except that it wasn't my first. Gone with the Wind has that honor.

Gwen Bristow is not terribly well known, but her hist-fic is for my money some of the best out there. It's short on graphic violence or sex without white-washing historical truth; the writing is clear and sparkling; her female characters are wonderfully strong and engaging without ever crossing that fatal line into "spunky and annoying." And she often highlights lesser-known areas of American history: pre-Gold Rush California, the settling of Louisiana, etc.

Kate wrote: "Gwen Bristow is not terribly well known, but her hist-fic is for my money some of the best out there. It's short on graphic violence or sex without white-washing historical truth; th..."

Several of her books have been reissued, so maybe people are rediscovering her.

Robin wrote: "I'm reading A Place of Greater Safety. I like Mantel and I like French history. I'm not too far into it and it's a bit slow getting to know all the characters but I love she breathes ..."

If you love French History you should try the Languedoc series by Kate Mosse. They have a touch of fantasy to them: Modern female has connections with Medieval female - Story about both of them...but there is definitely some good French history in there :D

I'm taking a break from my beloved Historical Fiction and re-reading some of my Most Loved Terry Pratchett. This time I'm rediscovering the Tiffany Aching series starting with The Wee Free Men and finishing with The Shepherd's Crown.

It's going to rain all week here in LA, so in between reading The Marriage of Opposites, which is easy to put down when the POV changes, I'm starting to read Ecuador guidebooks in advance of a trip to Galagos Islands in March. I've started on Moon Handbooks Ecuador: Including the Galápagos Islands.

I'm reading Cleo.

Kate wrote: "Gwen Bristow is not terribly well known, but her hist-fic is for my money some of the best out there. It's short on graphic violence or sex without white-washing historical truth; th..."

@Kate & Ruth, My Mom had most of Gwen Bristow's novels so I read them in my teens and 20's. My favorites were Calico Palace and Celia Garth

Just finished All for Nothing My review www.goodreads.com/review/show/1491111014

Finished The Story of an Hour
Review:www.goodreads.com/review/show/1498601891

I finished "Muzzle" and started readingThe Nightingale

Kate wrote: "Gwen Bristow is not terribly well known, but her hist-fic is for my money some of the best out there. It's short on graphic violence or sex without white-washing historical truth; th..."

I read Gwen Bristow's books in high school. I think I read somewhere that they were best sellers when they came out, some of them back in the 60s. But I did love them. I recently picked one up on sale for my kindle.

I like that I've been seeing some of my old favorites on sale on kindle. I guess some of the publishing companies are finally figuring out that these books still have value!

Meri wrote: "I'm currently reading The Price of Blood by Patricia Bracewell and A Place Beyond Courage by Elizabeth Chadwick. Both are very interes..."

Those are both excellent books. If you haven't read it already, I suggest The Winter Mantle. After the other William Marshall novels.

I'm reading a A Sailor of Austria . An early submarine story, circa 1910, which since I served on the nuke subs, peaked my interest. After 'Austria' I'm back to fantasy with The Sword of Shannara Trilogy .

Eric wrote: "I'm reading a A Sailor of Austria[bookcover:A Sailor of Austria: In Which, Without Really Intending to, Otto Prohaska Becomes Official War Hero No. 27 of the Habsburg Empire|1354187..."

Eric, have you checked out the new MTV Shannara show? I know, I know...MTV...but, it's not so bad! I haven't read the books, so I can't say how it compares but I like the show so far (3 episodes in).

Jackie wrote: "Eric, have you checked out the new MTV Shannara show? I know, I know...MTV...but, it's not so bad! I haven't read the books, so I can say how it compares but I like the show so far (3 episodes in)."

I rarely do any TV let alone MTV, but I will check out the show. A friend/co-worker recommended the series. Thanks for the heads up!

I've just recently finished by Steven Saylor, which I liked a lot. The format was different—deeply-linked stories about a single family over 1000 years, from before the founding of Rome to the rise of Julius Caesar. Really well researched and easy to read (in spite of its length and fact-driven prose).

I'm reading Dead wake: The last crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson This as a follow up to Deadly secret of the Lusitania by Ivan Light. The mysteries linked to the tragic sinking of this ship during World War 1 are fascinating.

Renae wrote: "I've just recently finished by Steven Saylor, which I liked a lot. The format was different—deeply-linked stories about a single family over 1000 years, from before the found..."

I loved Roma. It was the book that started my interest in historical fiction. The sequel is good but I liked Roma better simply because the Emperor chart at the beginning is different from the original and I don't like change :D

I just started Secrets of a Charmed Life.

Am reading the English monster by Lloyd shepherd have been meaning to get this

I'm reading The Forgotten Garden, which is the first Kate Morton novel I've read. I'm enjoying it quite a bit, but it reminds me a lot of other books, particularly The Thirteenth Tale and (obviously) The Secret Garden. So far I don't like Morton's book as well as either of the others, but I still have almost half the book to go, so I may yet change my mind.