Archives de catégorie : Historical Fiction

THE NIGHT WITCHES de Shelly Sanders

From the author of the bestselling Daughters of the Occupation comes a novel based on the real-life story of a female night-bomber aviation regiment in WWII.

THE NIGHT WITCHES
by Shelly Sanders
HarperCollins Canada, March 2027

1941: As the Nazis flatten her country, Maria Raskova, a record-breaking Russian female pilot and navigation instructor, receives permission to form the only female aviation regiment in WWII. From the start, the odds are against the women in the night-bomber regiment, forced to fly in deadly open-cockpit biplanes, made of canvas and wood, with a top speed of only 94 miles an hour.

Then, after their most tragic night of the war, the female night-bombers must overcome their grief and shaken confidence to complete their missions safely and prove their worth to their male coun­terparts, who have jeered at the women since they began training.

Told through the eyes of four women pilots in this unprecedented squadron, THE NIGHT WITCHES, inspired by real women and true events, is a story of triumphant femininity in the face of staggering odds.

Shelly Sanders is the bestselling author of the adult novels The Night Sparrow and Daughters of the Occupation as well as the acclaimed young adult historical novels The Rachel Trilogy. She began her writing career as a freelance journalist working for major publications, including the Toronto Star, National Post, Maclean’s, Canadian Living, Reader’s Digest, and Today’s Parent.

EX ROMANA TRILOGY de Sophie Burnham

Perfect for readers of Saara El-Arifi and C. L. Clark and stories with strong, queer voices, this is a speculative imagining of a world on the brink of revolution. Here, Rome never fell, but the apocalypse is coming—if it hasn’t arrived already.

EX ROMANA TRILOGY
by Sophie Burnham
DAW, 2024 – 2027
(via KT Literary)

Book 1: SARGASSA (DAW, October 2024)

An unlikely group of rebels are ready to burn down the Roman empire like you’ve never imagined it before. From the halls of the Senate floor to the bloody sands of the gladiatorial pits, Sophie Burnham’s debut is full of riveting political danger, thoughtful worldbuilding, and a tightly-knit group of conspirators.

The role of Imperial Historian is Selah Kleios’s birthright, but she was supposed to have more time to learn the role from her father, the previous Historian. In the wake of her father’s sudden and shocking assassination, Selah finds herself custodian of more than just the Imperial Archives when an old flame returns intending to steal the Iveroa Stone—a seemingly harmless artifact containing secrets that could destroy the empire.

Theo Nix is a damn good spy, and they know it. By day, they work in Senator Naevia Kleios’s office; smart, unobtrusive, and grateful, they’re the model of a perfect plebeian. By night, their time belongs to Griff: master strategist, commander of the Revenants, the spider at the center of a very large and very dangerous web. When Griff gives Theo an assignment, they move, no questions asked, so it’s really no surprise Theo is flirting with Arran Alexander—Selah’s low-caste half brother is an obvious target. It is a surprise, however, that they’re enjoying it so much.

After a year away in the legions, Arran has recently returned home, only to find the cracks beneath his feet widening. Struggling with his own identity and purpose, drawn into an underground independence movement through his growing feelings for Theo, Arran must choose between the sister he loves and the chance to take control of his own life for the very first time.

SARGASSA is the first book in a new speculative trilogy that is equal parts political intrigue, queer romance, and revolution.

« Sargassa is a masterclass in world-building, with its realistic politics, complex and brutal caste system, and gorgeous settings. It takes time to get the lay of the land, but the payoff is worth the effort. The expansive scope multiplies the emotional and conceptual weight of the narrative. » —Shelf Awareness (starred review)

Book 2: BLOODTIDE (October 2025)

The fate of the empire hangs in the balance in the second installment of the genre-bending Ex Romana trilogy.

Cracks are forming in the empire’s facade.

In the wake of startling revelations and personal betrayals, Tair finds herself the Iveroa Stone’s new custodian as she embarks on a battle for Luxana’s streets. As the fallout of the fighting pit massacre leads to a rise in legionary crackdowns and vigilante justice, Tair is determined to find a better path forward for Sargassa’s future. Up in the Imperial Archives, meanwhile, Selah tries to make sense of her family’s tangled history within the Imperium’s shadowed beginnings.

Elsewhere, in the far-flung reaches of Roma Sargassa’s badlands, Arran and Theo undertake a covert mission for the Revenants, one that could tip the scales between victory and defeat in Griff’s upcoming war. But long-laid plans and careful maneuvering are nothing compared to the forces of nature, and Sargassa’s future might just be determined by the coming storm.

Book 3: DAWNLANDS (October 2027)

In the third and final installment of the Ex Romana trilogy, the battle for Sargassa’s future has arrived. As skirmishes break out across the eastern seaboard, Selah and Tair fight to hold Luxana’s tenuous alliance together against both the Imperium and the looming threat of reinforcements from Roma. But the return of long-missing friends and unexpected allies also brings news that will force them to contend with impossible questions: Just how much are they willing to sacrifice for a different tomorrow? And is it already too late to try?

Sophie Burnham is a queer, nonbinary novelist and screenwriter, backed by an Acting BFA and a concentration in playwriting from Syracuse University. Honored with a We Need Diverse Books writing grant and a placement in ScreenCraft’s 2020 Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenplay competition, Burnham’s debut novel promises to enthrall and enlighten readers. Follow them on Twitter at @sophielburnham.

OF WIND AND DUST de Shirin Yim Leo

A work of historical fiction and family saga that is set between 1849 and 1876 in Toi Shan, China, and on the Puget Sound in what would become Washington State.

OF WIND AND DUST
by Shirin Yim Leo
Dial, Spring 2027
(via Kaplan/DeFiore Rights)

In her adult debut, Shirin Yim Leos draws from the extraordinary lives of her great-great-great-grandfather—the first Chinese settler in Washington Territory—and her great-great-great-grandmother, believed by some to be a daughter of Chief Seattle. The novel also explores the intertwined stories of two of his other wives—one born married, the other born a slave.

Leos was deeply compelled by the idea of these three women, from radically different backgrounds, navigating simultaneous marriage to one man in a moment in history that offered them almost no autonomy.

OF WIND AND DUST beautifully follows each woman’s journey as she seeks identity, belonging, and moments of personal happiness within the rigid boundaries of their cultural and historical circumstances. Shirin Yim Leo explores complex female relationships and generational legacy. Like Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko, it positions ordinary lives against sweeping tides of history and change. And like Karen Joy Fowler’s Booth, the novel is told in alternating points of view that come together to form a single, emotionally resonant family portrait. Readers of Lisa See, Jenny Tinghui Zhang, and C. Pam Zhang will also find much to enjoy here.

Shirin Yim Leo is an Ezra Jack Keats Award-winning author of children’s books, an editor, and a former publisher. She has taught writing at international conferences and at institutions such as Stanford University’s Continuing Studies program. Publishers Weekly named her a talent to watch; two feature articles and several years later, they placed her on their front cover. Shirin has presented research related to this novel and its characters at the Seattle Public Library, The Museum of History and Industry, the University of Washington, and the California Writers’ Club.

THE IVORY CITY d’Emily Bain Murphy

The Devil in the White City meets Pride and Prejudice in this romantic historical murder mystery set at the 1904 World’s Fair.

THE IVORY CITY by Emily Bain Murphy
Union Square & Co., November 2025
(via Park, Fine & Brower)

The St. Louis World’s Fair, 1904: A miniature city of palaces and pavilions that becomes a backdrop for romance, betrayal—and murder.

Cousins Grace and Lillie have been best friends since birth, despite Grace’s vastly inferior social status ever since her mother married for love instead of wealth. When Lillie invites Grace to the biggest event of the century—the legendary World’s Fair, also known as “The Ivory City”—Grace hopes her fortunes might be about to change.

But when a member of their party is brutally killed at the fair, and suspicion falls on Lillie’s brother Oliver, Grace must prove Oliver’s innocence before her beloved cousins’ family is ruined forever. Along the way, she’ll discover that the city’s wealthy elite—including Oliver’s handsome but irritable friend Theodore—aren’t quite who they appear to be. And amidst the glitz, glamor, and magic of the Ivory City lurks a danger that just may claim her life.

« Murphy’s intense research helps to immerse readers in the lush setting…A good pick for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Andrea Penrose. »―Library Journal, STARRED Review

Emily Bain Murphy is the author of two critically acclaimed young adult novels—The Disappearances, which was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, and Splinters of Scarlet—as well as the popular historical mystery novel Enchanted Hill. Murphy lives in St. Louis with her husband, three children, and a rescue bunny, where she’s always on the lookout for beautiful old mansions hiding new stories.

THE LEAGUE OF DANGEROUS YOUNG LADIES de J.A. Morgenstein

Enola Holmes meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this thrilling YA fantasy adventure from debut author J. A. Morgenstein, perfect for fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes and Philip Pullman.

THE LEAGUE OF DANGEROUS YOUNG LADIES
by J.A. Morgenstein
Stonefruit Studio/Sourcebooks, June 2026

It’s 1909 and Rose Moriarty―teenage daughter of Sherlock Holmes’ greatest enemy―has made a name for herself fighting monsters and solving crimes. But that was before Rose met the one mystery she couldn’t solve: the disappearance of her headmistress. Now, her school has shut down, her classmates have scattered, and Rose is on her own.

On the very day Rose receives word that an old friend is dying, the shadowy Count Christoph and his ward Clara show up at her door. Rose has already figured out why they’re here (to hire her) and what’s in their bag (an ancient orb with incredible powers), but questions remain: Can Rose convince these strangers to help save her friend’s life? What are the grotesque, bug-shaped stalkers that plague their every step? And how can Rose pursue this adventure while avoiding a particular boy from her childhood? The only thing certain is that Rose is no longer alone, because danger forges strange alliances . . .

. . . and Professor Moriarty wasn’t the only famous villain to have a daughter.

Unexpected friendships, supernatural mystery, high-stakes heists, and budding romance billow together in this thrilling fantasy adventure, which introduces a motley crew of daredevil heroines who hunt monsters . . . in all their forms.

J. A. Morgenstein has been a competitive ballroom dancer and instructor for the majority of his adult life, but during the lockdown, he found himself with the opportunity to focus his creative energy on his dream of becoming a writer. This started him down a winding road which culminated in THE LEAGUE OF DANGEROUS YOUNG LADIES.