Episode Details

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 tit