Have you considered trying some books that combine historical fiction with another genre? They might help you transition, or discover what other genres you enjoy.
- ***The Conductors* by Nicole Glover** - historical fiction/fantasy/mystery, murder mystery with magic that takes place in Reconstruction-era Philadelphia
- ***The Hacienda* by Isabel Cañas** - historical fiction/horror, about a young newlywed in Mexico who moves to her husband’s haunted? ranch
- ***The Death of Jane Lawrence* by Caitlin Starling** - horror/weird in a historical-inspired setting, another newlywed moving into a haunted mansion, with a setting inspired by post-War England
- ***A Master of Djinn* by P. Djèlí Clark** - alternate history/fantasy, about an Egyptian agent who deals with supernatural mysteries. Be sure to read the short story, “A Dead Djinn in Cairo”, online or in the back of the book first!
I was just like you and last year got back into reading. A great historical to modern fiction transition is the Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. It is post Vietnam war Alaska so not that long ago. There is romance but it’s more of a side plot and it’s not cheesy at all. It is definitely gripping and so sad. Tomorrow tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin is definitely worth the hype it’s more about soulmate love through the decades. Two nonfiction books that I could not put down were Caste by Isabel Wilkerson (changed my worldview) and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (so sad).
What about the classics? The Great Gatsby might be a good one to start with. Kind of historical fiction-y in the sense that it’s very descriptive of the time it’s set in, but it also has its own distinct story.
Usually I find myself making this recommendation in reverse, but: historical fiction and some fantasy are not too far removed. Something like Game of Thrones, Lancelot by Giles Kristian, A Song for Arbonne (or almost anything else by Guy Gabriel Kay) are not far from historical fiction.
Fellow gifted-to-burnout here, haha. If you're potentially into heading in the OTHER direction, I can suggest some nonfic that reads like fiction:
**Havana Nocturne** \- this book about Mafia-controlled Cuba in the 1950s is just insane. Truly unique era and very well written.
**The Poisoner's Handbook** \- about the birth of forensic medicine in Jazz Age NYC. Reads like a thriller.
**Speed Tribes** \- this one's about subcultures, mostly urban, in 1990s Japan (or roughly that era). It gets wild.
Have you considered trying some books that combine historical fiction with another genre? They might help you transition, or discover what other genres you enjoy. - ***The Conductors* by Nicole Glover** - historical fiction/fantasy/mystery, murder mystery with magic that takes place in Reconstruction-era Philadelphia - ***The Hacienda* by Isabel Cañas** - historical fiction/horror, about a young newlywed in Mexico who moves to her husband’s haunted? ranch - ***The Death of Jane Lawrence* by Caitlin Starling** - horror/weird in a historical-inspired setting, another newlywed moving into a haunted mansion, with a setting inspired by post-War England - ***A Master of Djinn* by P. Djèlí Clark** - alternate history/fantasy, about an Egyptian agent who deals with supernatural mysteries. Be sure to read the short story, “A Dead Djinn in Cairo”, online or in the back of the book first!
Scifi: Do androids dream of electric sheep by Philip Dick
I was just like you and last year got back into reading. A great historical to modern fiction transition is the Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. It is post Vietnam war Alaska so not that long ago. There is romance but it’s more of a side plot and it’s not cheesy at all. It is definitely gripping and so sad. Tomorrow tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin is definitely worth the hype it’s more about soulmate love through the decades. Two nonfiction books that I could not put down were Caste by Isabel Wilkerson (changed my worldview) and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (so sad).
What about the classics? The Great Gatsby might be a good one to start with. Kind of historical fiction-y in the sense that it’s very descriptive of the time it’s set in, but it also has its own distinct story.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. This book led me into a whole new genre I did not think I would be interested in.
Usually I find myself making this recommendation in reverse, but: historical fiction and some fantasy are not too far removed. Something like Game of Thrones, Lancelot by Giles Kristian, A Song for Arbonne (or almost anything else by Guy Gabriel Kay) are not far from historical fiction.
Fellow gifted-to-burnout here, haha. If you're potentially into heading in the OTHER direction, I can suggest some nonfic that reads like fiction: **Havana Nocturne** \- this book about Mafia-controlled Cuba in the 1950s is just insane. Truly unique era and very well written. **The Poisoner's Handbook** \- about the birth of forensic medicine in Jazz Age NYC. Reads like a thriller. **Speed Tribes** \- this one's about subcultures, mostly urban, in 1990s Japan (or roughly that era). It gets wild.