Nancy Bilyeau features a nun, actually a young novitiate, as the main character in her first novel, an historical thriller set in the Tudor period. This is another great recommendation for teen fans of Philippa Gregory, notable for taking readers beyond the royal court and into another important realm of the time — the monastery. Adult/High School – Joanna Stafford is a novitiate in 1535 England, when her dearest cousin is sent to be burned at the stake for fomenting rebellion against Henry VIII, the self proclaimed head of the new Protestant Church of England. Defying the Rule of the Order, Joanna slips out to see the burning and support her cousin. On the way, she is accosted by two ruffians. Saved by the constable, Geoffrey Read more…

Only two month ago I posted a review of The Women of the Cousins’ War, the nonfiction book Philippa Gregory shared with historians David Baldwin and Michael Jones. Now she releases a novel based on the life of Jacquetta, one of the women featured there. The Lady of the Rivers has many teen elements, from the author herself to story elements of witchcraft, romance and court intrigue, even Jacquetta’s connection to Joan of Arc. Given that this is the first in a new series from Gregory, it makes for a nice entry point for new readers, too. GREGORY, Philippa. The Lady of the Rivers. 443p. (The Cousins’ War series). Touchstone. Oct. 2011. Tr $27.99. ISBN 978-1-4165-6370-9. LC number unavailable. Adult/High School–Teen fans of Read more…

Today we review Kimberly Cutter’s exciting historical fiction debut. Although Joan of Arc’s story has been told many times before, Cutter’s telling is particularly accessible, dramatic, and exciting for modern audiences. Jehanne is an uneducated, young teenager growing up in a small French village, and we experience her story from the beginning, from her point of view. The murder of her sister, living with an abusive, unpredictable father, and her first communications with the Saints are vividly communicated. Hers is a visceral, violent world. She is full of conviction, but not immune to doubt and fear. She’s human. The writing style could be considered a bit flowery and melodramatic, but that is a matter of taste. Cutter Read more…

Anna Solomon has a fun story about coming across the idea for The Little Bride. She was googling herself, and found a woman named Anna Solomon Freudenthal who was a Jewish pioneer in  the 19th century. The launch party for The Little Bride was held at the Tenement Museum. Although not found on most tourist agendas for New York City, it is a fascinating place and a wonderfully appropriate venue for a book about a young woman immigrating to the United States. Next time you’re in the city, take a tour! Twice the winner of a Pushcart Prize for her short fiction, this is Solomon’s first novel. SOLOMON, Anna. The Little Bride. 312p. Riverhead. 2011. pap. $15. ISBN 978-1594485350. LC number unavailable.   Adult/High School– In Read more…

Alice Hoffman’s new novel is, overall, a departure for the popular author which nevertheless retains her favorite elements. The Dovekeepers is weighty historical fiction that features strong women and a touch of magic. It centers on the Roman siege and tragedy at Masada 2,000 years ago, told in the voices of four women who tend the doves in the mountain fortress. This is a special book for Hoffman, and she devoted years to its research and writing. For more on what inspired her interest in Masada, take a look at this letter to her readers or listen to her tell the story on video, including images of the dovecote ruins. Obviously, this is not a book that will appeal to the majority of teens. But do offer it to those who enjoy Read more…

By Stacy Carlson A lot of teenagers have heard of P.T. Barnum and his awesome circus (as well as his “There’s a sucker born every minute” slogan) but wait, how many are aware of his American Museum? In this unique book, which is actually based upon the actual American Museum and revealed through the points of views of a number of people, readers can easily step straight into the realm of early 19th-century New York and experience it all for themselves. The 2 major figures are Emile Galliadeu, who was a taxidermist passed down to Barnum when he acquired the original museum from John Scudder, who founded it to spotlight the very best in American fauna and wildlife; along with Ana Swift, a professional giantess. The strain Read more…

I am sure we are all familiar with Philippa Gregory’s historical fiction, which is very popular with teens and especially with girls. The Other Boleyn Girl (Touchstone, 2001) and sequels are still her most popular books in my library. The Women of the Cousins’ War is Gregory’s first nonfiction title. It all began when she realized that no biography of Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford exists. As long as she was researching a novel based on Jacquetta’s life, why not publish her findings? Gregory explains it all herself on a video available on the Simon & Schuster Educator’s site. The entire introduction to The Women of the Cousins’ War is posted on the same webpage, and on the author’s website. I should point out Read more…

From graphic novel blogger, Francisca Goldsmith: Rick Geary’s Sacco and Vanzetti isn’t just a question of who-really-dunnit, but a fine exposure of how prejudice, temper, arrogance, and even regionalism played their roles in the messed up trial the pair of Italian immigrants got after they were arrested for murder during a daylight robbery in 1920 Massachusetts. Accuracy during the evidence collection phase was a bit sloppy, but its tattered remains during the trial and then during the appeals process are shown by Geary as being criminally negligent. As is his typical method, Geary provides exquisite levels of detail within highly compressed space: he shows us how some witnesses couldn’t possibly see what they claim, what Read more…

For anyone who has ever looked at a royal family and wanted to be a part of it, or who thought just how wonderful and romantic it would be to be a princess, this book is a wakeup call. Becoming Marie Antoinette tells Marie’s story from the moment she realizes, at age 10, that her mother, Austrian Empress Maria Theresa, has only one thing in mind: getting her married to the dauphin of France, Louis-Auguste. In order to make this happen, Marie must undergo a complex “makeover,” including makeup, hair, teeth (she wore braces -– 18th century braces!), and wardrobe in order to become acceptable to the French. The transformation works, and she is sent to France to be wed. Once there, Marie must navigate the spider web of Read more…

Julie Otsuka’s new novel is the story of picture brides traveling from Japan to San Francisco in the early 20th century. Perhaps most striking is the collective voice with which it is told. Otsuka spoke during the Library Journal Day of Dialog that preceded BookExpo in late May, and called being a picture bride the equivalent of an internet date except that it was for life and there was no going back. Think of these girls, 13-15 years old at the beginning of the novel, leaving everything they’ve ever known to marry men they have never met. Many arrived to find that their husbands-to-be had greatly exaggerated their prospects, or enclosed a younger man’s photograph with their letters. Otsuka’s debut novel, When the Emperor Read more…

Lucinda grows up at the very end of the Cold War, the daughter of a military family who has never lived in the United States. They have moved from one base to another her whole life. This book is about how she copes during her teen years, particularly with a volatile mother, an oblivious father, and unreliable friendships. It is also about her saving grace — rock and roll. The specific time period, circumstances and setting make it feel like historical fiction, as recent as it is. I found myself quite absorbed by this coming-of-age story. There is no struggle to reading Along the Watchtower. The writing is smooth, the characters are interesting yet perfectly realistic, and the setting almost steals the show. A lot happens — a Read more…

This historical mystery is the first in a series that is very popular in Germany. (Two more titles in the series are already available there, but not yet translated into English.) Oliver Pötzsch is a screenwriter for television, and his novel reads quite vividly. It’s also fun to know that Pötzsch is a descendant of the executioners in the Kuisil line. Adult/High School -– In 1659 in a small town in Bavaria, an orphan has been murdered and there is a symbol etched on his body pointing to witchcraft. The town clerk is certain that midwife Martha Setchlin is the witch and she is rushed to prison to be made ready to confess. When two more orphans are found dead with the same symbols on their bodies, and two others go missing, Read more…

by Napoli, Donna Jo This tale is based on a line from an Icelandic saga in which the slave of an Icelandic lord remarks that she was once an Irish princess. The resulting story of princess Melorka is vividly imagined, well-researched, and beautifully written. Set in early medieval times, it follows an Irish princess as she is captured by wandering slave traders. Melorka doesn't want her captors to know she is royal, so she opts not to speak. Napoli has an astounding talent for detail, capturing everything from the sights and smells to the collective imagination and accepted truths of the society. The lyrical language and strong, intelligent main character are added bonuses to what is already a captivating story. — reviewed by Read more…

by Doyle, MarissaLiving in 1827 London, twin sisters Persy and Pen Leland are beginning their first season out in society. They are wealthy, loved by family, AND… witches! Their beloved governess, Miss Allardyce disappears at the same time they meet a strange gentleman with odd eyes. Is Miss Allardyce attending to an ill relative or is her disappearance more sinister? Things become even more complicated as the sisters struggle through their first balls, Persy realizes she has strong feelings for a certain gentleman and they discover a secret plot to kill the Queen! How will the sisters find their governess and thwart the murder of the Queen? Can Persy find true love and will he accept her as a witch? This is recommended for Read more…

Fourteen-year-old Calogero leaves his native Sicily to live with relatives in Louisiana after the death of his mother. As he soon finds out, Tallulah in the 1890′s is a harsh environment for an outsider. Ostracized by the white community, Calogero finds solace in the company of local African Americans, particularly the lovely and tenacious Patricia. This mercilessly frank view of a little known slice of our past describes complex Jim Crow laws, rampant bigotry, and the unique challenge for Italian immigrants in Louisiana, who were neither white nor black. Based on extensive historical research, the story does more than remind southern Americans of our ugly past, delving into the reasons behind state-sanctioned bigotry in the post Civil Read more…

by Whitney, Kim Ablon A cruise liner ploughs the Atlantic, passengers fixed in a moment of luxury in lives of terror. Based on a true story, this is the tale of a group of Jewish refugees on a cruise ship heading from Germany to Cuba in 1939. Not knowing whether the new port will take him, Thomas can do little more than fight to survive until he meets Priska, a girl who has seen a different side of life to him, and who gives him something to live for instead of just surviving. This is accurate, gripping Young Adult fiction that creates a dangerous and terrifying world.- reviewed by Ian, North County Regional, Read more…

by Forman, Gayle We all have to make choices. Think about a difficult choice you’ve had to make. Did you have help making it? For Mia, some choices have been easy, like playing the cello, which always called to her, even though her family is more rock-and-roll than classical music. Others, like applying to Julliard, thousands of miles away from her family and her boyfriend Adam, have been more difficult. But then on one weekday morning, Mia’s life completely changes, and she realizes she has to make the biggest and most difficult decision imaginable. And she has to do it completely on her own. – reviewed by Emily, University City Regional, Read more…

by Fletcher, Christine Set in Chicago 1941, Ruby Jacinski is only 15 but she has to quit school to support her family. Her Mom is ill and her father has been dead for many years. She quickly realizes that working at the slaughterhouse in her lower class Yards neighborhood will only lead to poverty and an early death. When handsome Paulie Suelze suggests she would make ten cents a dance as a taxi hall girl, she realizes that would be a small fortune to her struggling family! Little does she know the job opens her up to a world she’s never known, decisions she’s not old enough to make, and danger beyond any thing she’s ever experienced. A sobering, spellbinding read on the plight of women in the 1940′s.- reviewed by Julie, South Read more…

by MacLean, Sarah The social season in London has begun! Lady Alexandra’s mother has waited for this moment to introduce her daughter to society and get her married. Unfortunately Alex and her best friends, Ella and Vivi, have other plans. These young ladies have no desire to marry they want adventure not romance. Adventure is what they find, when the Earl of Blackmoor is killed and his handsome son Gavin is determined to discover the truth. As Alex and Gavin grow closer can true love prevail? Follow along for the longing looks and exciting twists and turns in this fun, quick read. – reviewed by Angela, Cornelius Branch, Read more…

by Hooper, Mary Eliza Rose hates her stepmother, never feeling as if she belongs with her brothers and stepsiblings. At 15, Eliza leaves her country home and sets out to find her father in busy 17th century London. Eliza quickly gets in trouble and is thrown in a London jail where the conditions are terrible. Luckily, she catches the eye of an older woman, who pays for Eliza to be released; although her plans for Eliza make her wish she was still in jail. Hanging all her hopes on finding her father, Eliza frantically continues to search for him, only to discover that he has kept a horrible secret from her all these years. An adventurous tale of hardship and triumph. Recommended for older teens.- reviewed by Julie, South County Read more…

Claire Holden Rothman’s debut novel was a bestseller in Canada, where it was originally published in 2009. I am excited to post this review because The Heart Specialist has not received the attention it deserves, and it is not a book that necessarily screams teen appeal from its description or cover. But this is a story that will certainly appeal to historical fiction readers, and to those interested in pursuing a medical profession. And of course teens tend to love stories about young people defying societal expectations and overcoming their circumstances to succeed against the odds. I predict that this will make a great booktalk. Adult/High School – When Agnes White’s grandmother discovers her knee deep in the blood of an Read more…

Two historical novels by Janet Fox Faithful is the story of 16-year old Maggie Bennet, who journeys in 1904 to Yellowstone National Park. The novel combines romance, mystery and adventure, as Maggie must change from a spoiled girl willing to be constrained by society to a free-thinking and brave young woman living in a romantic landscape at the threshold of a new century. Forgiven is a companion novel to Faithful, and follows 17-year old Kula Baker to San Francisco in 1906. This novel, too, combines romance, mystery and adventure, as a mighty earthquake strikes and the wreckage threatens all Kula holds dear. She realizes that only by unlocking her heart can she begin to carve a new future for Read more…

by Dahme, JoanneNell is fortunate. She has a job that keeps her and her younger brother off the streets. With her parents dead from the plague, she knows that she is lucky. But her job is dangerous. Nell is the princess's body guard. With faces so similar that even the king at times gets confused between them, she is the one that stands in during potentially dangerous situations. But when the princess also dies from the plague, Nell thinks her security is gone. The Black Prince commands that Nell become the princess. Knowing that she could never convince anyone that she was royal and too honorable to lie to in any case, she runs. But will she escape?- reviewed by Elizabeth, , Read more…

British author Carol Birch’s extraordinary coming-of-age historical is among Christian Science Monitor’s 11 Excellent Novels for Summer Reading, which includes a few others you will be seeing here over the next couple months – Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman, The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson and The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka. The writing, story, setting and characters make this exceptional. But I also love that Birch appropriates historical figure Charles Jamrach, who supplied exotic animals to P.T. Barnum among others, and takes inspiration from an historical incident, the voyage of the whaleship Essex (an inspiration shared by Herman Melville). Why haven’t we heard of Carol Birch until now? This is Read more…

The book trailer for Eleanor Henderson’s debut novel ends with these words: “They were young when new York was young. That’s how it felt. They’d never been more alive. Three kids, in a roiling, untamed city. But maybe that’s how everyone feels in the moment before they change forever.” Very teen, isn’t it? Alive and on the edge of change. The trailer is available on the author’s homepage, and her News page includes an impressive list of mentions in major media. This is a significant debut. Beyond that, I will let Mark’s review (below) speak for it. HENDERSON, Eleanor. Ten Thousand Saints. 400p. HarperCollins. 2011. Adult/High School–Crackling with the same precision and power she brought Read more…