In case you didn’t know, historical fiction is one of our favorite genres here at THP. We can appreciate traveling to a distant (or in some cases, not-so-distant) past and immersing ourselves into that period. Learning about history while also getting to enjoy a beautiful story is our version of a good time.
This fall, we’re getting blessed with so many new historical fiction and nonfiction books! From Gilded Age New York to 1940s Japan, we’re rounding up just a few of our favorites for your TBR list! You can even find a side of mystery, romance, and/or fantasy with these historical books.
Content warning: The Honey POP encourages mindful reading and checking the author’s website for content warnings.
The Healers Of Harlem By Nina Chhita
Our first historical book recommendation is a nonfiction debut book by science writer and illustrator Nina Chhita. The Healers of Harlem: The Black Women Who Changed Medicine Forever takes us back to the history of Harlem Hospital from its opening in the late 19th century to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s to 60s. The author highlights four Black women whose work and research was crucial to modern American medicine and the fight for racial justice. Not only do we get a cohesive and informative history, but we also get two-color illustrations by Chhita herself!
Release date: August 25
Order The Healers of Harlem here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NINA CHHITA:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
The Chinese Lady By Bo Wang
Next, we have another lovely debut: The Chinese Lady by Bo Wang. Set in the 1800s, this novel depicts the life of Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to be brought to the States. It’s a piece of history we don’t get to learn about in school. She was known by many names, from “Little Sparrow” to “The Chinese Lady.” Her bound feet became an astonishing sight, her existence an exhibition. And as the story takes us from 1820s Canton to P.T. Barnum’s American Museum, we get a thorough, powerful narrative about a woman reclaiming her name and her story once and for all.
Release date: September 8
Pre-order The Chinese Lady here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BO WANG:
INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE
Bad Girls Go Everywhere By Ellen Sherman
We’re full of debuts in this historical book roundup! Ellen Sherman’s debut novel, Bad Girls Go Everywhere, transports us across the pond to the glittering backdrop of late-1960s London. It tells the coming-of-age story of 21-year-old Rin, an American who, against her family’s wishes, goes to London to study acting. Her new life is unpredictable and chaotic in the best way. Rin meets some questionable yet irresistible characters (the story of our 20s). She grapples with the rigor of drama school, while also giving in to the adventurous yet disastrous nights out on the town.
Release date: September 22
Pre-order Bad Girls Go Everywhere here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ELLEN SHERMAN:
WEBSITE
Foreigners By E. L. Shen
The next historical book rec we have is E. L. Shen‘s latest novel, Foreigners! Inspired by part of the author’s family lore, this historical romance is told in three points of view spanning three different generations. (We find that we’re huge fans of this multigenerational format lately, by the way.) We meet Dawn Chin in the present day, her grandmother Zheng Yi in 1960s New York City, as well as their ancestor Duanfang during the Qing Dynasty in 1878 China. Foreigners tells the story of one family’s secret that has survived for hundreds of years. One that would change their family legacy for good.
Release date: September 22
Pre-order Foreigners here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT E. L. SHEN:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE
Death By Misadventure By Jane Bitomsky
We fly (or sail) right back to Elizabethan Era England in Jane Bitomsky’s Death by Misadventure. It’s a historical murder mystery with a queer romance, which is right up our alley. This novel follows a 16-year-old maid named Rebecca Laurence who gets swept up in a murder investigation. In 1585 England, servants hardly ever get a second chance. But Rebecca moves through her small village, collecting clues and secrets while hiding her own affairs with a fellow maid. When an outsider shows up in Bramley after the murder, the investigation and Rebecca’s plans get even more messy.
Release date: October 1
Pre-order Death by Misadventure here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JANE BITOMSKY:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE
Red Seal By Rosa Kwon Easton
We’ve gotten plenty of debuts, and now we’re getting several historical novels inspired in part by the authors’ own family history! Red Seal by Rosa Kwon Easton follows a Korean mother and her son as they struggle to find a place to call home amid the backdrop of East Asia in the 1940s. Miyoung flees with her son to Japan-occupied Manchuria after defying an order to serve in the Japanese Imperial Army. Following the end of World War II, the pair gets displaced again. This novel spans multiple decades, as Miyoung and her son are torn between nations and cultural identities.
Release date: October 6
Pre-order Red Seal here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROSA KWON EASTON:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE
The Age Of Fury By John Stephens
Next up, we have John Stephens’ newest book, The Age of Fury. Set in the Gilded Age in New York (late 19th-century), this historical novel centers around a mystery told in two perspectives. An Irish girl named Caitlin is trying to hunt down her twin sister’s killer. She begrudgingly teams up with a notorious gangster named William in search of justice. The two of them go all over the city to find the killer, from the seediest alleyways to the most opulent ballrooms. With plenty of suspense and a buzzworthy romance, we plan to put this on the top of our TBR!
Release date: October 20
Pre-order The Age of Fury here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JOHN STEPHENS:
INSTAGRAM
Flyweight By Courtney Ellis
While we’re looking for lesser-known chapters of women’s history, we have to recommend Flyweight by Courtney Ellis, a novel set in London and inspired by boxers Annie Newton and Bella Burge. When her husband Robin is blinded in the Great War, Lucy must now find a way to support her family. She happens upon his former boxing club to find that it’s now being run by a female boxer named Siobhan. Lucy accepts a job as a cleaner and even trains with Siobhan. She hesitates to spar in a public match, considering the social backlash. But when she faces eviction, Lucy must decide what sacrifices are worth making for the sake of her family.
Release date: October 20
Pre-order Flyweight here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COURTNEY ELLIS:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE
A World Apart By Meghan Nesmith
Finally, we recommend Meghan Nesmith’s historical romantasy debut, A World Apart. We go back a little further in time to 1866 London. This novel follows Kit Finchley, who’s on a quest to find magic and master it. But a spell goes awry and opens a doorway into the Veil, where Wilfrith and his family have been trapped for 800 years. Kit and Wil quickly fall in love, and Kit makes it his mission to bridge their two realms. But Kit soon finds himself intrigued by a strong-willed, aristocratic woman who also believes in magic. With a queer, star-crossed love triangle spanning time and space, we’re living for this historical romantasy!
Release date: November 17
Pre-order A World Apart here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEGHAN NESMITH:
INSTAGRAM
Which of these historical fiction/nonfiction books caught your eye? Let us know which titles you’re adding to your TBR on Twitter! You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram!
Need some more book recs? We got them!
Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!
