Welcome to the What to Read Next podcast. The podcast that topples your TBR with new recommendations every single day. In this episode, we have Victoria talk about historical fiction. If you're a fan of looking badass women in history, doing, being determined in making changes and making an impact, you should check out this episode. This episode, we have three recommendations that are perfect to read. Not all of them are World War ii, which is. Perfect for, if you're looking for historical fiction, that's a little bit different, a little bit fun, a little bit bad. So now let's catch your recommendations.

I will be sharing some historical fiction first. Okay, so I'm really excited to share some stories about women who changed history. So in honor of Women's History Month, I'm sharing three books by women about women, and they all celebrate the strength, the resilience, and just groundbreaking achievements of all these historical heroines. So the first book I'm gonna share with you is an Ariel Lawhorn book, and it's entitled The Frozen River. Now, in this one, you're gonna step back into the 17 hundreds. It's set in an early American town where there is a man accused of. Ing someone. Now this man turns up dead and it plunges the entire community into chaos. Now here's a fun fact. This book is inspired by the true diaries of a midwife. Her name is Martha. This is set in a town in Maine, and when we meet her, we really discover just how much of a fierce and determined woman she is. She's also a woman of integrity. She has an impeccable record, and then she's thrown in the heart of this whole scandal. Now she has seen lots of things throughout her time and her taking a stand on this controversial case was very very profound. Very not common for a woman of that time. So we see her navigating the courtroom drama. There's some societal clashes and biases, and of course, just seeking the root about one. Who killed this person? What happened to this other person on all of that? So it's kind of like a historical mystery in a way. There's a lot of suspend and emotional intensity as well. I want you to just expect a book that is a real page turner. I think this one was an absolute winner. You get the courtroom drama, you get the historical detail, but also the personal courage of Orain character, Martha. It's like Martha's journey is just one of defiance in a way. Again, we are going back to the 17 hundreds. So just seeing her being this very determined woman, it makes for a really compelling read. So if you're looking for, you know, true historical fiction with lots of heart, I think this one is definitely for you. The second book I'd like to share with you is Becoming Madame Secretary by Stephanie Dre. Now this one has, again, another determined woman at the center because determined women are the centerfold of all the books I'm sharing with you today. Now, this woman shuttered every glass ceiling that was in her way, but the thing she's most known for is that she was the first woman to serve in the US cabinet. Now this is historical fiction, so this is a fictional biography of this woman. But like most of the material in the book about her life is true. But you know the areas where you don't have that clarity, that's where fiction comes in. I also interviewed this author on the pod. So you can get more insight into this, but let me tell you about Francis. Now Francis, this is set in the early 19 hundreds. So book one was 17 hundreds. Now we're in the 19 hundreds. This is her in New York City. And we meet this woman who by the way. Has a master's degree, which is wild for the early 19 hundreds. She's studying childhood ma malnutrition as a part of her master's thesis. And you know, she's discovering a lot of things and she becomes very passionate about not just childhood children rights, but also workers' rights as well, because she's discovering multiple layers of things. As she's doing her studies now, she takes a job with. I guess would, what would be our consumer protections Bureau for back in the day? And while in this job, she actually meets who will become the future president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Now it's interesting when these two meet just because their political ideals are just kind of like opposite. So of course, you know, there is some respect, but they're clashing with, you know, their ideas of the way that things. They think things should be now. Anyway, her personal life, she falls in love with this economist, which is also very important. Because, you know, marrying a man who also is an expert in his field, handling a woman at that time who's also an expert in her field, who is very educated and. Just very passionate about her work. You know, it was a very interesting match. However, her husband unfortunately is living with depression and he has like some manic episodes along the way. That is enough in terms of personal life that I'm gonna give you 'cause I really don't wanna spoil it. But essentially we see her, right? Postma working at the Consumer Protections Board for that time, and then her moving up through the ranks to become the Secretary of Labor. So that was very interesting. Also, her role is part of the reason why we have social security today in America, because she helped to push through the Social Security Act of 1935. So that is a very important part in history. But I, but what I love most about this book is that it didn't just focus on her professional rise. We also see her struggles. As a person. So we see her personal side as well. We see what her marriage was like you know, trying to care for her husband and be there for him Also, like wanting to be a mom and just, you know, navigating all of those things. So essentially we get both the personal and the professional triumphs, but also challenges of this woman. I think this is required reading honestly, just for anyone who is inspired by women who have reshaped history against all odds. And the last book I'm gonna share with you, my third book is Finding Margaret Fuller. Now Finding Margaret Fuller is by Alison Pataki. I also have an interview for this one on the podcast as well. Now, in case you're not familiar Marg Margaret Fuller is a 19th century woman. She's a feminist trailblazer and she actually inspired. Mentored or was probably the muse for some of our favorite writers in, you know, classic literature and so on. Now, anyway, this one is taking us back to Concord, Massachusetts. This is around 18. 30 something, 1840 something. And we meet Margaret when she's a young 20 something. She is very well educated for a woman of that time, and we see her really define social norms by connecting with all these big literary giants. So when I said she probably had a hand or a touch or something to do. With literary giants that we know, for example, Ralph Walter, Emerson Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and just lots of these influential figures. I mean, there's even something with the Alcotts in there all. So anyway, she is ama is admired by these people, but also she's struggling with her own challenges, right? She has loneliness. She also has some financial hardships, but even though she's working at this magazine, you know, with these, all these literary peoples which was entitled I think it was the Dial back then she also became the first female foreign correspondent for the New York tribute. Right. First female foreign correspondent. So we see her journey taking her away from America and all of over to Italy. So she traveled through New England, but then she ended up in Italy and we see her even covering like their fight for independence over there during that time and just kind of wanting to get away from their existing regime. We also see her getting involved with someone over there. And all kinds of things. Now we see a woman, essentially who is ahead of her time, a tad bit earn sometimes, if I'm gonna be honest. However, she's very resilient. We see what happens to her in the end. I don't wanna, you know, spoil that for you. But essentially it was very refreshing to just see a woman who had a voice at the time when obviously society was dominated by men. So, yes. Again, I just think there's so many wonderful books out there about women in history. So if you are interested in bravery and the resilience and the power and just all the things women did to change the world, I think these three books are for you. So from or midwife to someone who became the first female cabinet member, to also someone who influenced a lot of our literary faves. It's just really interesting to kind of see women at the forefront. But of course I wanna hear from the women in my life and my cohost on what they thought about. I'm so excited to read Becoming Madam Secretary because I have really enjoyed Stephanie Dre before, and I should actually mention that you could just dive into all of Stephanie Dre's backlist, if you like this topic, because like you can read America's First Daughter and my Dear Hamilton that she co-wrote with Laura Kamo, or even she has a series, I think it's Cleopatra's daughter Trilogy. So it's like. There's a lot for you to like dig into with this author, so it's like excellent recommendation. And I can hear a frozen river and I'm like, oh, this is what it's all about. It's just, I kept hear, I was like, what is this frozen river? And I'm like, oh, it's that a main courtroom. DI am here for it. You would appreciate the courtroom drama for sure. For sure. It's not so fun.

Thank you Victoria for a great list of book recommendations. If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider rate, review, or subscribe. If you're watching this on YouTube, please consider like, comment, or subscribe. This is a great way to support your podcast and not having to spend any money on it. So it just takes a couple minutes. So thank you so much for listening. I hope you have a great day. Happy reading.