This is something that I have been noticing for a long time. Why do all historical fiction covers look the same? What is it about having someone facing away that seems to captivate fans of the genre? Does seeing a cover like this make you more likely to buy it? I saw this display at my local Target, and it made me laugh. Then it made me curious to look at my own shelves at home!
The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale ~ 336 pages ~ published April 26, 2022 by Berkley Books
Fearless reporter Nellie Bly will stop at nothing to chase down stories that expose injustices against women—even if it comes at the risk of her own life and freedom—in this exciting novel inspired by the true story of one remarkable woman.
In 1887 New York City, Nellie Bly has ambitions beyond writing for the ladies pages, but all the editors on Newspaper Row think women are too emotional, respectable and delicate to do the job. But then the New York World challenges her to an assignment she’d be mad to accept and mad to refuse: go undercover as a patient at Blackwell’s Island Insane Asylum for Women.
For months, rumors have been swirling about deplorable conditions at Blackwell’s, but no reporter can get in—that is, until Nellie feigns insanity, gets committed and attempts to survive ten days in the madhouse. Inside, she discovers horrors beyond comprehension. It’s an investigation that could make her career—if she can get out to tell it before two rival reporters scoop her story.
I’m posting this a little bit late this month, but better late than never, right? This month I read a total of 10 books! I made my yearly goal smaller this year, so I am definitely on track to hit my goal of 100 books for the year. I am, once again, doing a ton of different reading challenges, so I will be including those in my monthly wrap-ups as well.
Let’s get into it!
A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox ~ 320 pages ~ published 2/1/2022 by Graydon House/HarperCollins
Two women. A history of witchcraft. And a deep-rooted female power that sings across the centuries.
Once there was a young woman from a well-to-do New England family who never quite fit with the drawing rooms and parlors of her kin.
Called instead to the tangled woods and wild cliffs surrounding her family’s estate, Margaret Harlowe grew both stranger and more beautiful as she cultivated her uncanny power. Soon, whispers of “witch” dogged her footsteps, and Margaret’s power began to wind itself with the tendrils of something darker.
One hundred and fifty years later, Augusta Podos takes a dream job at Harlowe House, the historic home of a wealthy New England family that has been turned into a small museum in Tynemouth, Massachusetts. When Augusta stumbles across an oblique reference to a daughter of the Harlowes who has nearly been expunged from the historical record, the mystery is too intriguing to ignore.
Continue reading “Blog Tour: A Lullaby for Witches”
The Storyteller by Kathryn Williams ~ 368 pages ~ to be published 1/11/22 by HarperTeen
It’s not every day you discover you might be related to Anastasia…or that the tragic princess actually survived her assassination attempt and has been living as the woman you know as Aunt Anna.
For Jess Morgan, who is growing tired of living her life to please everyone else, discovering her late aunt’s diaries shows her she’s not the only one struggling to hide who she really is. But was her aunt truly a Romanov princess? Or is this some elaborate hoax?
With the help of a supremely dorky, but undeniably cute, local college student named Evan, Jess digs into the century-old mystery.
But soon Jess realizes there’s another, bigger truth waiting to be revealed: Jess Morgan. Because if she’s learned anything from Aunt Anna, it’s that only you can write your own story.
Do you like to read seasonally? At this time of year, I enjoy reading books about the holiday season, as well as moody, atmospheric winter stories. If that sounds up your alley, then I have a great list of Christmas and winter reads that you should pick up this holiday season!
Whit Reads Lit 