Looking for your next great historical fiction read? Joe is joined by Amy Allen Clark, host of the Book Gang Podcast, to share standout historical fiction recommendations to add to your TBR. 

From immersive, character-driven stories to sweeping narratives that bring the past to life, this episode highlights books that will stick with you long after the final page. Amy brings her expertise in discovering buzzy and noteworthy titles, while Joe adds a few picks of his own—including one unexpected curveball. 

Whether you’re a longtime historical fiction reader or just looking for a place to start, this episode is packed with compelling recommendations across time periods and styles. 

Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! 

Book recommendations:

Amy’s Picks: 

The Half Life - Rachel Beanland 

Scandalous Women - Gill Paul 

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev - Dawnie Walton 

The Foursome - Christina Baker Kline 

Happy Land - Dolen Perkins-Valdez 

Joe’s Picks: 

Let's Call Her Barbie – Renée Rosen 

Disco Witches of Fire Island – Blair Fell 

The Hounding – Xenobe Purvis 

Dead Eleven – Jimmy Juliano 

Silver Nitrate – Silvia Moreno-Garcia 

Flung out of Space – Grace Ellis & Hannah Templer 

Stage Dreams – Melanie Gillman 

The Legend of Auntie Po – Shing Yin Khor 

Parallel – Matthias Lehmann 

Who’s in this episode:  

Amy Allen Clark, Book Gang Podcast – links 

Articles referenced:  

https://bookriot.com/what-makes-a-book-historical-fiction/  

https://celadonbooks.com/what-is-historical-fiction/  

https://historicalnovelsociety.org/defining-the-genre-2/ 

Time stamps: 

00:00:00 Title 
00:00:23 Intro 
00:00:53 Hello to Amy!  
00:01:30 What is Historical Fiction, and what defines it?  
00:04:28 Amy’s thoughts on Historical Fiction 
00:12:11 Historical Fiction Recommendations 
01:07:28 Outro 
 

Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode! 

Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog! 

We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!  

Want to reach out? Send an email to [email protected]. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: http://plotthreadsshop.com/booklounge! 

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