Check 'Em Out: Historical Fiction & Fantasy Picks

Brianna Liu

Fantasy

Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer: When a stranger rides into town offering Jax and Callyn silver in exchange for holding secret messages for an anti-magic faction, the choice is obvious--even if it means they may be aiding in a plot to destroy their new king. It's a risk they're both willing to take.

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede: Alessa has a gift from the gods that’s supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, but instead it’s killing every suitor she touches, and with her island in danger and a powerful priest convincing her soldiers that her death is the island’s only hope, she hires Dante, a cynical outcast who could either help her or destroy her.

The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni: A fresh start will mean a perilous quest, forcing mortal enemies and uneasy allies together in a race against the clock to save not just Evalon, but all of Wenderall. With her loyalties now set, Kiva can no longer just survive—she must fight for what she believes in. For who she believes in. But with danger coming from every side, and the lives of everyone she loves at risk, does she have what it takes to stand, or will she fall?

Ordinary Monsters by J M Miro: Charlie Ovid, despite surviving a brutal childhood in Mississippi, doesn't have a scar on him. His body heals itself, whether he wants it to or not. Marlowe, a foundling from a railway freight car, shines with a strange bluish light. He can melt or mend flesh. When Alice Quicke, a jaded detective with her own troubled past, is recruited to escort them to safety, all three begin a journey into the nature of difference and belonging, and the shadowy edges of the monstrous.

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah: Loulie al-Nazari is the Midnight Merchant: a criminal who, with the help of her jinn bodyguard, hunts and sells illegal magic. When she saves the life of a cowardly prince, she draws the attention of his powerful father, the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an ancient lamp that has the power to revive the barren land—at the cost of sacrificing all jinn.

Historical Fiction

The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys: Madrid, 1957. Under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcoming promise of sunshine and wine. Among them is eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of an oil tycoon, who arrives with his parents hoping to connect with the country of his mother's birth through the lens of his camera.

Lovely War by Julie Berry: They are Hazel, James, Aubrey, and Colette. A classical pianist from London, a British would-be architect-turned-soldier, a Harlem-born ragtime genius in the U.S. Army, and a Belgian orphan with a gorgeous voice and a devastating past. 

Sense and Second-Degree Murder by Tirzah Price: When Elinor and Marianne’s father is murdered and leaves everything to their half-brother in his will, the two team up to solve the mystery of who killed their father. Perfect for fans of Jane Austen and murder mysteries, this next installment in the series is a fantastic exploration of what it means to be a woman in a man’s world.

When The World Was Ours by Liz Kessler: Three young friends—Leo, Elsa, and Max—spend a perfect day together, unaware that around them Europe is descending into growing darkness and that they will soon be cruelly ripped apart from one another. With their lives taking them across Europe—to Germany, England, Prague, and Poland—will they ever find their way back to one another? Will they want to?

Bluebird by Sharon Cameron: Equal parts enthralling and frightening, Bluebird is a fictionalized story based on true events following World War II. German teenager Eva Gerst arrives in New York City in 1946 under the pretense that she is there to start a new life. However, she holds the key to a deadly secret and will stop at nothing to exact revenge against a Nazi in hiding. This sweeping tale is perfect for fans of Ruta Sepetys.

 

This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.

 

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