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How do you decide which book to read next? I don’t know about you, but I have this problem a lot. I’m a mood reader with an extensive TBR list, so I never run out of books to choose from – especially considering how often my fellow Boot Riot writers or well-read friends recommend even more great books for me to read. This often leaves me spoiled for choice – and it can be overwhelming. It certainly is for me! When you have so many great books to choose from, how do you decide which book to read next?
I’ve learned quite a few tricks over the years, and I’m going to share some of them with you today. Specifically, we’re going to talk about how to choose which historical fiction book to read next. Whether you’re an avid reader of historical fiction or are interested in the genre, these tricks should help you get started on your search for your next read. I’m going to explain four different ways to choose what type of historical fiction book you want to read. Even if you don’t get an exact title, these methods can help you narrow down what you’re looking for to make choosing easier. All of that, plus new releases, books, and previews of what I’m currently reading, are ahead!
Book goods
“Born to Read” stickers from Stickers by CBD
Unfortunately, aren’t we all? I can’t decide if this sticker looks better on my Kindle or my computer, but either way it needs to be somewhere where everyone can see it. $2.50
New releases
The House in Graveyard Lane by Martin Edwards
Release date: 27 August 2024
In this historical crime thriller, an artist invites a group of people to her latest show, “Artists in Crime.” But this is no ordinary art exhibition. Surrealist artist Damaris Gethin has brought everyone here to solve her murder, and before the night is over, she’ll be dead, seemingly by her own hand. But if that’s true, then why did she say she would be murdered? An amateur detective and a crime reporter must team up to find out what really happened, and how exactly Damaris Gethin knew it would happen in the first place.
Yorùbá boy runs from Biyi Bándélé
Release date: 3 September 2024
Running Yorùbá boy is a fictionalized story of the real-life linguist and clergyman Samuel Ajayi Crowther. At just 13 years old, Àjàyí is kidnapped when slave traders invade his Nigerian town, tearing his life in two. But that is not the end of Àjàyí’s story. He survives his enslavement and eventually becomes a missionary, linguist, clergyman and abolitionist under his new name: Samuel Ajayi Crowther.
A more comprehensive list of new releases can be found in our “New Books” newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Don’t know what to read next? Let’s talk about some ways to choose the historical novel you want to read.
Choose a historical novel by theme
The Liar’s Dictionary by Eley Williams
Select a historical novel by time period
The Woman with No Name by Audrey Blake
Choose a historical novel by location
A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur
Searching for historical novels by region is a great way to narrow down the selection of books you want to read. Let’s say you’re really interested in Korean history. Searching for books set in Korean history will narrow down the selection of books you’re interested in to a much narrower category, from the incredible historical crime and thrillers of June Hur to Juhea Kim’s Beasts of a Little Land. You can search for historical novels from anywhere to find specific titles. Book Riot has a lot of great region-specific recommendations for historical novels, including books set in Korea, China, Ireland, Nigeria, France, and Mexico, to name a few.
Choose a historical novel by subgenre
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Maybe historical fiction isn’t your usual favorite. That’s OK, too. There are so many genres of historical fiction that will take you beyond the boundaries of what people usually 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 specifically, alternate history westerns), historical crime, and historical science fiction. Pretty much any genre you can think of probably has a historical equivalent.
Of course, there are other ways to choose historical novels to read. You can choose a book based on the author, the cover, the title, or even a recommendation. Nevertheless, I hope these methods give you some ideas on how to choose which historical novels to read next.
If you want to talk about books (historical or otherwise), you can find me on most social networks at @rachelsbrittain, including Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy.
