dragons, dragon-related science, emotional and physical ties to dragons, and the cultural importance, historical Because the restrictive Anglish world--and its selective history of the destruction of the Indigenous

despair, and hope with a richly drawn Australian backdrop--while laying bare the country's often-painful history She exposes the raw truths of tough situations in character-driven historical fiction so deftly, I have I'm really greedily excited about reading all three of these books--historical fiction (Austraaaaalia

She read the words on the paper out loud: “History is not your destiny. Uncover your destiny, and you will remake history.” Stout is also the author of the Penelope Crumb series, the Not-So-Ordinary Girl books, and the historical

Now they've been engaged for six years, they're so in love, and they've been dating long-distance while

(I mentioned the author's Shadow and Bone series in the Greedy Reading List Six Royally Magical Young Adult Series, and I adored her Six of Crows duology even more.) Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse is made up of her Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, and

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading The Help author Kathryn Stockett's newest historical fiction, set 01 The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett In Kathryn Stockett's newest, hefty (656-page) historical fiction

of Black's The Queen of Nothing; I mentioned the Folk of the Air trilogy in the Greedy Reading List Six

Reva's Ukraine-set darkly comic novel of an unlikely journey; and I'm reading Jo Harkin's Tudor-era historical Here, Harkin builds a rich historical fiction story of John Collan, a ten-year-old who transforms from

If you like books that play with time, you might also enjoy the books on the Greedy Reading List Six

and the fascinating, messy nature of life, The Bright Years ; I'm listening to Elizabeth DeLozier's historical NetGalley and Simon & Schuster . 02 Eleanore of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozier In Elizabeth DeLozier's historical

Here are the six cookbooks that I'm most interested in giving as gifts these holidays. Six More Book Gift Ideas for the Holidays Shhh! More Book Gift Ideas for the Holidays Shhh!

In The Office of Historical Corrections, Evans offers short stories centering around themes of race, relationships, identity, the fallibility of those shaping historical "fact," grief, and loss. In the longest story in the book, at approximately 100 pages, "The Office of Historical Corrections, " a black student from Washington, DC, finds herself involved in unraveling a complicated historical the final book in Black's Folk of the Air trilogy (I mentioned the series in the Greedy Reading List Six

ICYMI: This is excellent, layered historical fiction with memorable characters and a great big story has also written a series of four books in her Wilderness series, which sounds like an epic romantic historical

She's eager to dig in and learn more about her mother's wartime history, yet desperate not to be defined So if you're in for Fiona Valpy historical fiction like I now am, you have lots of lovely reading to

His newest novel centers around college friends who made a pact after one of the six died before graduation

Whether you're into time travel, memoirs, historical fiction mysteries, riveting nonfiction, witchy tales

I mentioned Station Eleven in the Greedy Reading List Six Fantastic Dystopian and Postapocalyptic Novels

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading favorite author Maggie O'Farrell's newest novel (out tomorrow), historical Maggie O'Farrell Maggie O'Farrell is a favorite author of mine, and in her newest novel, she offers a historical

immersion program felt expected; I most appreciated Lily's eventual examination of her own family's history of what she had been seeking from her Taiwanese experience, her eventual exploration of her family's history

The first mystery in King's 19-book series builds an irresistibly layered professional partnership and personal, friends-like-family bond between Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. The story's detail, pacing, plot, and character development are all fantastic. I look forward to reading more titles in this series. It's 1915 and Sherlock Holmes is bored out of his mind and languishing in retirement...until he happens to meet 15-year-old Mary Russell on the Sussex Downs. She's curious, clever, doesn't mince words, and isn't concerned about social niceties. Holmes is drawn back into a vibrant, exciting life by Mary's promising intellect--and her initially vague interest in his extensive knowledge and methods of investigation. Soon he is teaching Mary all he knows, and she is reluctantly absorbing his information, then adding her own observations. Soon they're faced with the urgent mystery of a senator's kidnapped daughter, and they work together to solve the case. Mary shows herself to quickly be growing into Holmes's equal. It's satisfying to witness Holmes's initially begrudging acceptance of Mary's instincts and talent as his own abilities wane with his age, then to see the duo's heartfelt, eccentric, growing father-daughter bond. Soon a broader, more dangerous, thrilling mystery emerges: Someone is targeting Holmes, and now all those in his small orbit are in grave danger: Mary, Watson, Holmes's steadfast housekeeper Mrs. Hudson, and Holmes's brother Mycroft. But Holmes's longtime nemesis Moriarty is dead. So who is after Holmes? And will each of the people Holmes cares about survive this complicated revenge quest? I loved the steady but patient pacing, which allows for rich character development, particularly regarding Holmes and Mary (the Watson characterization is also fantastic, although limited). The story's details of the time and the setting are fantastic, the plot twists are intriguing, and the complicated, shifting dynamic between Mary and Sherlock is endearing. The layered, sinister long game aimed at besting Holmes is chilling and wonderfully imagined. I look forward to reading more mysteries in this series. I listened to this title as an audiobook courtesy of Libby and my local library. More Mysteries to Dive Into There are currently 19 full-length novels in this series, plus related works. Laurie R. King is also the author of many other mysteries. You can find more Bossy mystery reviews here.

In Erin Kate Ryan's historical fiction mystery, she uses a fascinating story structure to explore different In Erin Kate Ryan's recently published historical fiction mystery Quantum Girl Theory, Mary Garrett focuses Ryan explores various alternate histories and life tracks for Paula Jean while "Mary" digs more deeply The title and cover made me think "science fiction," but Quantum Girl Theory is rooted in historical

included the wonderful Ron Rash short story collection Nothing Gold Can Stay in my Greedy Reading List Six

stark climate-change dystopian future, in which her small community fights to survive and to preserve history --from the roof of the American Museum of Natural History--before a horrific storm sends them fleeing Their settlement is on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH, or "Amen), and they in a confined boundary of existence, wandering the partially destroyed museum and wondering at the history Nonie and her group carry a book holding precious history preserved from Amen, and on their journey they

If I figured anything out in these last six years, it is this: human beings are unknowable. If you like books with a postapocalyptic feel, check out the books on the Greedy Reading List Six Fantastic

challenges and realizing their fortitude, you might also like the standout books on the Greedy Reading List Six For more books about songwriting and making music, check out Six Rockin' Stories about Bands and Music

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading Paula McLain's newest historical fiction told in two timelines, 01 Skylark by Paula McLain Paula McLain's Skylark is a historical fiction story set in Paris and told

Kline takes what might be a voyeuristic-feeling story of two North Carolina sisters (distant relations of hers) who married the world-famous conjoined twins from Siam, Chang and Eng, and builds a suitably complicated set of dynamics; a layered story of hope, emotion, and tragedy; and enough details of the time to bring it all to life. Here's the truth: even the most extraordinary life feels ordinary when you're living it. In The Foursome, Kline offers the imagined day-to-day reality of the real-life nineteenth-century rural North Carolina sisters--distant relatives of hers--who astonished the world when they married famous conjoined twins from Siam. Chang and Eng Bunker were known worldwide for their enormously popular stage show, built upon the curiosity of their physical connection and the seeming impossibility of being separated. After the twins made a home in Wilkes County, North Carolina, buying up land, slaves, and establishing themselves as increasingly powerful businessmen, word went out that they were seeking wives. And Adelaide and Sallie Yates, sisters who had been brought low in society by scandal were seeking a broader scope in their lives. (Side note, the imbalance of power of men and women and the females' responsibility to keep up appearances of piety are a rage-inducing element.) It's strange how relief and longing can live side by side in the same heart. Kline paints a fascinating story of of the uncommon family structure and its logistics. The couples collectively had twenty-one children, and the novel delves into supposing the how-to of procreation and sex--including the participants' imagined mental tricks to creating distance in the mind to cope with complications around physical ability, emotional reactions, and lack of privacy. As with all relationships, things get complicated; here, the stakes are higher and the ability to create space or have one-on-one conversations is impossible. The relationships between the sisters, the brothers, and the four adults evolve and show cracks, are repaired, then threatened again. As time passes, Sallie becomes increasingly uncomfortable with the family's slave-holding, and matters come to a head when a devastating dynamic within the houshold is revealed. Sallie's desire to set free their slaves and her lack of power are set against the coming of the Civil War in a potent recipe for destruction and change. The land held the war like a bruise. Kline puts forward plausible doubts, magnetism, conflict, seeming impossibilities, and outsiders' desire for salacious details in this sympathetic, layered story. She is skilled at building a story within a specific place and time, and the details made this story come alive. I received a prepublication version of this novel courtesy of NetGalley and Mariner Books. More Books You Might Like Christina Baker Kline is also the author of Exiles, which I liked, Orphan Train (which I really liked), and A Piece of the World (which I loved).

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the author of Daisy Jones & the Six, a book I included in the Greedy Reading List Six Rockin' Stories about Bands and Music. 03 Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens Chevy Stevens's Dark Roads

If you're interested in books that explore mortality, you might want to check out Six Powerful Memoirs

far. 02 The Dream Builders by Oindrila Mukherjee Maneka Roy has temporarily returned to India after six

You might also be interested in the books on one of my earliest Greedy Reading Lists on the site, Six

If you're interested in this title, you might also like the books on my Greedy Reading List Six Musicians

She weaves songs into her stories and personal history, and the placement of the music feels seamless For other light fiction books I've enjoyed, check out the Greedy Reading List Six Lighter Fiction Stories in immigrant stories, you might also want to check out some of the books on the Greedy Reading List Six

I mentioned Circe in the Greedy Reading List Six Wonderfully Witchy Stories to Charm You, and I recently

but now that 2021 is halfway over, it feels like time to share the best books I've read in the past six Cosby; I loved Blacktop Wasteland last year (it was one of my Six Favorite Summer Reads) and I just read of essential projects—the creation of Central Park, the founding of the Met Museum and the Natural History

She's eager to learn more about her mother's wartime history, yet desperate not to be defined and constrained Last week I offered a roundup of Six Lighter Fiction Stories for Great Escapism; this week I'm bravely

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading a historical fiction story set just before the Civil War, about a young enslaved woman haunted by her sister's ghost, Junie ; I'm listening to middle-grade historical War II-focused books here , and you can also check out my review of Kate Quinn's great codebreaking historical

He tracks historical concerns, ways of thinking, and trends in political parties. I was particularly interested in the history of political leanings and the reasoning for the entrenched

one of McCracken's short story collections, Thunderstruck & Other Stories, in the Greedy Reading List Six

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm listening to Stephen Graham Jones's historical fiction-horror story, The The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a horror/historical fiction story with key supernatural elements.

For more light fiction with heart, you might check out the Greedy Reading List Six Lighter Fiction Stories For other great young adult books, you might try the titles on the Greedy Reading List Six Fantastic And for more young adult stories about royalty, you might try Six Royally Magical Young Adult Series.

Dark , the newest novel by Chris Whitaker ( We Begin at the End ); I'm listening to In Memoriam , a historical set in World War I from Alice Winn; and I'm reading Elliott Gish's fascinating gothic horror feminist historical the End , a novel I adored. 02 In Memoriam by Alice Winn Alice Winn's gorgeous, brutal, captivating historical

Grossman's reimagined Arthurian legend gives center stage to a ragtag band of misfits, celebrates diversity, and builds a patchwork of adventures, discovery, and widened horizons culminating in a satisfying new, reimagined path forward. Collum is an instinctually gifted, strong knight who has literally fought for sword training as a lowly ward; his family has little use for him; and his heart is set upon joining King Arthur's court. But when he finally makes his way to the Round Table, only elderly, impaired, has-been knights are left, and he learns that Arthur was killed weeks earlier. But Collum refuses to believe that a life as a knight is no longer possible for him. Along with Merlin's apprentice, Nimue, he becomes determined to usher in a new age, where Excalibur will be reclaimed, Camelot will be secure from would-be usurpers, and the kingdom will be inspired again by bravery and might. I loved the twist on Arthurian legends, in which an unlikely young upstart and a ragtag group of aging, grumbling, disillusioned knights try to do right by Camelot and by their idol, Arthur. I appreciated the epic length of the book (688 pages), in which each remaining knight gets page time and a recounting of key adventures. But the many points of view and meandering stories also felt a little broad at times, and I wished for more focus on Collum, while understanding that his early-days position didn't warrant the majority of the storytelling. The Nimue-Merlin-Morgan le Fay conflicts were an intriguing side plot, and I enjoyed Grossman's unexpected take on the (misunderstood) Lancelot-Guinevere dynamic--and Guinevere's own power and promise as a leader. Grossman addresses issues of diversity in satisfying fashion; a transgender knight, a Muslim knight, and a gay knight are all represented. The full roster of knights--and the women who hold important roles in the tale--are all misfits who don't inspire great confidence, but collectively, they fight to find a path forward in a world that is changing around them. I listened to The Bright Sword  as an audiobook (it was twenty-three hours long). More from Lev Grossman Lev Grossman is also the author of the Magicians trilogy. I read the first in that series, The Magicians , for but me it was short on magic and fantastical elements and long on unsympathetic characters' entitlement and malaise.

are Talking About: The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett The Help author's 656-page Depression-set historical by Elizabeth Strout In Strout's newest novel, we meet an irresistible new character in high school history Artie Dam is a high school history teacher, father to a grown son, longtime husband to his wife, and

Gideon the Ninth was also mentioned in my Greedy Reading List Six More Postapocalyptic and Dystopian

In Strout's newest novel, we meet an irresistible new character in high school history teacher Artie In Elizabeth Strout's newest novel, we meet Artie Dam, high school history teacher, father to a grown

For more memoirs you might like, check out the Greedy Reading List Six Fascinating Memoirs to Explore

If you like nonfiction books, you might like the titles on the Greedy Reading List Six Compelling Nonfiction

but now that 2021 is halfway over, it feels like time to share the best books I've read in the past six Cosby; I loved Blacktop Wasteland last year (it was one of my Six Favorite Summer Reads) and I just read of essential projects—the creation of Central Park, the founding of the Met Museum and the Natural History

also wrote the fantastic Spinning Silver and Uprooted, both of which appear on the Greedy Reading List Six the final book in Black's Folk of the Air trilogy (I mentioned the series in the Greedy Reading List Six