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  Fortunata and Jacinta

  Benito Pérez Galdós

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  Widely regarded as one of the greatest novels of Spanish literature, Fortunata and Jacinta is Benito Pérez Galdós's sweeping and masterful portrait of love, class, and society in nineteenth-century Madrid. First published in 1887, this monumental work weaves together the lives of two women from vastly different social worlds, bound by their connection to the same man and shaped by the rigid structures of their time.
  
  At the heart of the novel are Fortunata, a passionate and impulsive woman from the lower classes, and Jacinta, the refined and compassionate wife of a wealthy merchant. Both women are linked to Juanito Santa Cruz, whose charm and irresponsibility set into motion a complex web of desire, betrayal, longing, and rivalry. Through their intertwined destinies, Galdós explores the tensions between social convention and personal freedom, appearance and reality, morality and survival.
  
  Set against the vivid backdrop of Madrid, the novel captures the rhythms of urban life with extraordinary realism. From bustling marketplaces and modest tenements to elegant salons and family businesses, Galdós presents a richly detailed panorama of Spanish society during a time of political and cultural transformation. His portrayal of daily life is both intimate and expansive, revealing the ambitions, prejudices, and contradictions of a rapidly changing world.
  
  More than a story of romantic entanglement, Fortunata and Jacinta is a profound psychological study. Galdós delves deeply into the inner lives of his characters, illuminating their vulnerabilities, aspirations, and moral dilemmas. Fortunata's fierce determination and emotional intensity contrast sharply with Jacinta's quiet dignity and longing for fulfillment, creating a powerful exploration of womanhood within the constraints of patriarchal society.
  
  Through sharp social observation and nuanced characterization, Galdós critiques class divisions, gender inequality, and the hypocrisies of the bourgeoisie. Yet he approaches his characters with compassion rather than judgment, allowing readers to witness their struggles with empathy and understanding. The novel's complexity lies not in simple moral lessons but in its honest depiction of human frailty and resilience.
  
  Celebrated for its narrative depth and realism, Fortunata and Jacinta stands alongside the great European novels of the nineteenth century. It is both an intimate drama and a sweeping social epic—an enduring examination of passion, identity, and the forces that shape our lives. Through its unforgettable characters and richly textured world, Galdós offers a timeless reflection on love, society, and the search for meaning.

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  Forget Nico - Gender Identity...

  Gaia B Amman

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  Can you ever truly move on from the person who shaped you? 
   
  Set against the vibrant backdrop of 1990s Italy, Forget Nico is a raw, witty, and deeply evocative work of autofiction that explores the complexities of first love, the cages of cultural expectations, and the turbulent journey of self-discovery. 
   
  Lee (Leda Balni) is a teenager at war with the world—and herself. As the rigid gender roles of traditional Italian culture begin to choke her, Lee struggles to reconcile what feels like a male soul trapped within a female body. The path toward a nonbinary identity she doesn’t yet have the vocabulary to name is lonely and confusing. Desperate for an escape, she finds relief in the high-stakes world of competitive volleyball, battling her short stature to chase a fierce dream of reaching the National championships. 
   
  The only constant in Lee’s chaotic world is Nico. Once a childhood bully, now a frenemy, his torment has evolved into something far more complicated: a protective, intense, and unpredictable bond. As they both navigate the messy aftermath of puberty, their relationship becomes an unlikely anchor—until the arrival of a new suitor threatens to shatter their delicate balance entirely. 
   
  Narrated by the author, this third volume of The Italian Saga delivers an incredibly authentic, intimate audio experience. Bridging the gap between YA Romance and Fictionalized Memoir, Forget Nico is a nuanced, heartfelt addition to LGBTQ+ literature, perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Becky Albertalli. 
   
  Grab your copy of this emotional, coming-of-age audiobook today and get lost in the heart of 1990s Italy.

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  England Home and…

  Andrew Wareham

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  England, Home and . . .  
   
   
   
  Nick Turnhouse is captain of his own sloop, and increasingly aware of how rapidly he has been promoted and how much he does not know. He is reliant on the professional skill and goodwill of Master and Boatswain, both of whom are long experienced and old, coming close to the end of their seagoing days. 
   
   
   
  Returning from a convoy north to Halifax, Nick discovers a new admiral in command at English Harbor. His patron has returned to England and he is left as a junior captain in a station in which the new man has his own favorites. 
   
   
   
  Nick is sent as escort to a small out-of-season convoy, taking valuable ships to England . . . with a certainty that French intelligencers are in the know.

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  Madame de Pompadour - The Making...

  Nichole Dapelo

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  At the tender age of ve, Jeanne Antoinette Poisson was told by a fortune-teller that she would one day reign over the heart of the King. Since that moment, her entire existence became dedicated to preparing for what she considered her destiny. In this historical- ction novel that is heavily based on historical documentation, Madame de Pompadour recounts the education and experiences of her youth that led to her relationship with Louis XV, and the social and political restrictions that she overcame both as a bourgeois in Paris and later in Versailles. Despite the intrigues and betrayals of the courtiers who despised having a commoner ful ll the of cial Court title of mistress to the King of France, her relentless love and devotion served to maintain Madame de Pompadour as the of cial favorite of Louis XV for twenty years, during which time she became one of the most powerful and in uential political gures and patron of the arts in all of France.

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  Blue Desert

  Celia Jeffries

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  2021 IPNE Finalist, Literary Fiction 
   
   
   
  2021 Women's Book Awards Sarton Finalist, Historical Fiction 
   
   
   
  Alice George is a headstrong young British woman who finds herself living among the Tuareg, a tribe of nomadic warriors. While the outside world faces the catastrophe of World War I, the Tuareg continue to crisscross the Sahara as a matrilineal society in which the men are veiled, and the women hold property—a world in which anything can happen. It is a world well suited to eighteen-year-old Alice, who discovers a life she could never live in corseted England. 
   
   
   
  In 1917, Alice returns home to a world completely alien to the one she left in the Sahara. Her silence about that life is finally broken sixty years later when she receives a telegram announcing Abu has died in the desert. "Who is Abu?" her husband asks. "My lover," she replies. Thus, begins a weeklong journey of revelation as Alice lays bare her secrets. 
   
   
   
  Can Alice face her demons and open her heart more fully to the life she once lived in the Sahara—a life she has hidden from her husband and herself? Blue Desert is a story of exile, family secrets, and the power of love.

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  The Children's Train - Escape on...

  Jana Zinser

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  This compelling Holocaust action adventure story tells of bravery, sacrifice, and the survival of the human spirit against Hitler and the horrors of war."Gripping and impossible to put down. I cried several times throughout. Perfect ending, emotional but complete." - Goodreads reviewIt begins in November 1938 on The Night of the Broken Glass, when Jewish people of Germany are terrified as Hitler's men shatter their store windows, steal and destroy their belongings, and arrest many Jewish fathers and brothers.Parents face unparalleled fear for their own lives but their focus is on protecting their beloved children.When England arranges to take the children out of Germany by train, the Kindertransport is organized and parents scramble to get places on the trains for their young family members, worried about what the future will hold.Soon, trains filled with Jewish children escaping the Nazis chug over the border into Holland, where they are ferried across the English Channel to England and to freedom. But for Peter, the shy violin player, his sister Becca, and his friends Stephen and Hans, life in England holds challenges as well. Peter's friend Eva, who did not get a seat on the Kindertransport, is left to the evil plans of Hitler.Peter, working his musician's hands raw at a farm in Coventry, wonders if they should have stayed and fought back instead of escaping. When the Coventry farm is bombed as the Nazis reach England, Peter feels he has nothing left. He decides it's time to stand and fight Hitler.Peter courageously returns to Germany to join the Jewish underground resistance, search desperately for his mother and sister he left behind in Berlin, and try to rescue his friend Eva."A beautifully written book. Sadly, the historical details are true and this makes the story all the more poignant. At times heartbreaking, at times hopeful and optimistic, this book will stay with the reader for a long time. The author is definitely one to watch" ~ Dorothy M Calderwood (Media Professional) for NetGalley". . . Jana Zinser brilliantly expresses the horror, confusion and fear that not only Peter but the other children in the novel are feeling and thinking when witnessing the atrocities by the Nazis . . When I began this book I thought that I had quite a lot of knowledge about the Holocaust but I was surprised to learn about the Kindertransport children. Although this novel is fiction, the Kindertransport was not and I will never forget about the ones that made it on those trains and also the ones who did not . . ." - Amanda - NetGalley and Goodreads reviews". . . The Children's Train by Jana Zinser absolutely blew me away! Heartbreaking, terrifying and traumatic it was also filled with hope and courage, determination and inspiration. Over six million Jews died at the hands of the Nazis and many of them were children. Though The Children's Train is fiction, the sad and tragic truth stands out and stays with you. I know this book will stay with me! The Children's Train is an absolute credit to this author and I have no hesitation in recommending it extremely highly. . . " - Brenda, Goodreads review"I'm positive that I held my breath for most of this book. I wouldn't be surprised if I'd held my breath for the entire time I'd been reading this. This book was so unlike any other I've read. It's gripping, powerful, heartbreaking and intense --- so, so, so intense . . . I honestly have no words right now; this book was amazing and thrilling, and so sad." - Leah, Goodreads review 

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