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How do you pick which book to read next? I don’t know about you, but it’s a problem I run into frequently. I’m a mood reader with an extensive TBR, so there’s never any shortage of books to choose from—especially considering how frequently my fellow Boot Riot writers or bookish friends recommend even more great books for me to read. That often leaves me with an embarrassment of book titles to choose from—and that can be overwhelming. I know it is for me! When there are so many good books to choose from, how do you decide which book to read next?
I’ve learned some tricks over the years, and I’m going to share a few of them with you today. Specifically, we’re going to talk about how to pick which historical fiction book to read next. Whether you’re an avid historical fiction reader or someone interested in getting into the genre, these tricks should help you get started in looking for your next read. I’m going to break down four different ways to select what type of historical fiction book you’d like to read. Even if it doesn’t give you an exact title, these methods can help you narrow down what you’re looking for to make it easier to choose. All that, plus new releases, bookish goods, and a sneak peek into what I’m currently reading, lie ahead!
Bookish Goods
Born to Read Sticker from Stickers by CBD
Alas, aren’t we all? I can’t decide if this sticker would be better on my kindle or my computer, but either way, it needs to be somewhere everybody can see it. $2.50
New Releases
The House on Graveyard Lane by Martin Edwards
Release date: August 27, 2024
In this historical mystery, an artist invites a group of people to her latest show, “Artists in Crime.” But this is no ordinary art exhibit. Surrealist artist Damaris Gethin has brought everyone here to solve her murder, and before the night is through, she’ll be dead, seemingly of her own hand. If that’s true, though, why did she say she would be murdered? An amateur sleuth and a crime reporter must team up to uncover what really happened, and how, exactly, Damaris Gethin knew it was going to happen at all.
Yorùbá Boy Running by Biyi Bándélé
Release date: September 3, 2024
Yorùbá Boy Running is a fictionalized account of real-life linguist and clergyman Samuel Ajayi Crowther. At only 13, Àjàyí is kidnapped when slave traders invade his Nigerian town, tearing his life in two. But that’s not the end of Àjàyí’s story. He survives his enslavement and eventually goes on to become a missionary, linguist, minister, and abolitionist under his new name: Samuel Ajayi Crowther.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Stuck on what to read next? Let’s talk about some ways to pick which historical fiction book you’d like to read.
Pick a Historical Fiction Book by Subject
The Liar’s Dictionary by Eley Williams
Pick a Historical Fiction Book By Time Period
The Woman With No Name by Audrey Blake
Pick a Historical Fiction Book By Place
A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur
Searching for historical fiction books by region is a great way to narrow down which books you might like to read. Let’s say you’re really interested in Korean history. Looking into books set throughout Korean history narrows down the types of books you’re interested in to a much more limited category to look through, from the incredible historical mysteries and thrillers of June Hur to Juhea Kim’s Beasts of a Little Land. You can search for historical fiction books from any place to find specific titles. Book Riot has lots of great region-specific historical fiction recommendations, including books set in Korea, China, Ireland, Nigeria, France, and Mexico, to name just a few.
Pick a Historical Fiction Book By Subgenre
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Maybe just historical fiction isn’t your usual go-to. That’s okay, too. There are so many genres of historical fiction that will take you outside the realms of what people typically think of as historical fiction. Most of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books are set in the past, but they’re equally gothic thrillers and supernatural horror stories or fantasy adventures. You can read historical fantasy, historical romance, alternate history (or even more specific: alternate history westerns), historical mysteries, and historical science fiction. Pretty much any genre you can think of probably has a historical equivalent.
There are other ways to pick historical fiction books to read, of course. You can pick a book based on the author, the cover, the title, or even a recommendation. Nonetheless, I hope these methods give you some ideas for how to go about selecting which historical fiction books to read next.
If you want to talk books, historical or otherwise, you can find me @rachelsbrittain on most social media, including Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy.
