Need a Book Rec

[sicilygirl]

Can someone help me pick a book for my mom for Mother's Day?  She reads a ton, so a new-ish book would be better since there's a better chance she won't have read it yet.  She likes all kinds of stuff, but I know in particular she loves historical fiction and time-travel books.  Ideas?

[just]

Erik Larson's Dead Wake is fairly new and really good. Not historical-fiction, but history written with a fictional type narrative.

[audette]

It's not new, but it might be a bit of a departure from other books she has read. 1632 by Eric Flint. It's about a small town in W. Virginia that gets scooped up and deposited in 1632 Germany (aka middle of the 30 years war).

Much craziness ensues. The author is known for sci fi, so if that is a genre she hasn't read much of, it might be a new book for her.

[v]

All the Light We Cannot See? It is historical fiction.

[Nonny]

May 4, 2015 12:42:51 GMT -5 v said:

All the Light We Cannot See? It is historical fiction.

I was just coming in to recommend this too.

Also, it's not historical fiction or time travel, but Station Eleven is by far the best book I've read this year and everyone I've recommended it to has loved it.

[magdala]

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

[miniroller]

May 4, 2015 12:42:51 GMT -5 v said:

All the Light We Cannot See? It is historical fiction.

Ah!! I read the OP & was trying to remember this title! Thanks & well done

[gtkim]

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.

[jinkies]

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson was the first that popped in my head for historical fiction and time travel. It's not time travel per se, just repeated chances to change history. It came out in 2013-- not sure if that's new enough.

[rootbeerfloat]

All the Light We Cannot See is great.

A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley. Released last month, lol.

[anna7602]

I just finished "The Signature of All Things." It's historical fiction. I think it came out last year, though, so maybe not new enough for her.

I really liked it.

[dr.girlfriend]

Also, not quite what you asked, but if she's a fan of the Outlander book series (and given her historical fiction / time travel interests I would be surprised if she isn't) the new t.v. series is really good, and Season 1 is out on DVD. I sent it to my aunt. :-)

[sicilygirl]

These are all great ideas; thank you!

anna7602 I gave her that book for Christmas actually, so we are definitely on the same wavelength!

dr.girlfriend I don't think she's read the Outlander series actually, so I'll check that out too (I also haven't read them, and even though I hear about them all the time, I had no idea they were that genre).

[jinkies]

Disclaimer: I have not read outlander.

But. There was another thread this week on ML for book recs, and while outlander was recommended, they also talked about how there is a LOT of sex in the first book.

I only mention this because you are giving this to your mom, and may or may not be ok with that.

[sicilygirl]

May 4, 2015 15:28:59 GMT -5 jinkies said:

Disclaimer: I have not read outlander.

But. There was another thread this week on ML for book recs, and while outlander was recommended, they also talked about how there is a LOT of sex in the first book.

I only mention this because you are giving this to your mom, and may or may not be ok with that.

Haha!  Good call! 

[alf17]

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom.  I am probably your Moms age.  My book club loved it

[dr.girlfriend]

May 4, 2015 15:28:59 GMT -5 jinkies said:

Disclaimer: I have not read outlander.

But. There was another thread this week on ML for book recs, and while outlander was recommended, they also talked about how there is a LOT of sex in the first book.

I only mention this because you are giving this to your mom, and may or may not be ok with that.

lol, good call.  There's even more sex in the t.v. series.  :-)

[compassrose]

May 4, 2015 13:21:57 GMT -5 gtkim said:

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.

I sobbed like a baby at the end of this book. It's heart wrenching.

I also second A Desperate Fortune. Less tearjerking but very enjoyable.

[compassrose]

Also, Five Smooth Stones is one of my top five books of all time. It's about the civil rights movement and an interracial relationship. It's beautifully written and FINALLY available on kindle.
FWIW, it's my mom's favorite book.

[scout8]

So many of these sound good. I just added a bunch of them to my good reads list. Thanks!

[elletr13]

Another recommendation for All the Light We Cannot See.

Given the historical fiction/time travel interest, check out Sarah Jio's books. They're light & fluffy, but I enjoy them. Most follow a format of one chapter is in current time, another in a past time and the story shows how the characters are connected.

[skib]

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (and the other two books in her Egyptian Royals series). Some of my favorite books ever! They're not especially new, though.

[sicilygirl]

Just got back from Barnes & Noble and bought All the Light We Cannot See. I'm keeping the rest of these recs in my back pocket too!