May 2022 Reading Challenge Suggestions

by | May 1, 2022 | Reading Challenge | 4 comments

May 2022 Reading Challenge Suggestions

Welcome to the fifth month of the Unlocking the Past 2022 Reading Challenge: Around the World. This month focuses on books that take place in Europe. While I will generally focus on Historical Fiction novels, I have included plenty of contemporary options as well. The majority of recommendations come from https://inspirationalhistoricalfiction.com/, other readers, or other authors. Especially don’t forget to check out my partner’s website, https://amongthereads.net/book-setting/europe/. She has a ton of books listed there too! If none of these suggestions appeal to you, I highly recommend joining the Avid Readers Facebook Group and asking for their recommendations. They are AMAZING and your TBR pile will never be the same.

Add your suggestions in the comments, and/or tell me what you are reading. Have you read any of these below?

Monthly Reminders:

*If you read a book for April, don’t forget to go to yesterday’s post to comment and get your name entered for your chance to win a print copy. (You’ll also earn your entry for the end of the year giveaway.)

*You can also join the Facebook Group. for more interaction and suggestions, or if you’d like a bookmark to remind you of the monthly challenges, fill out this Google Form.

Lady of Galway Manor by Jennifer Deibel

ladyofgalwaymanor1920 – Ireland

In 1920, Annabeth De Lacy’s father is appointed landlord of Galway Parish in Ireland. Bored without all the trappings of the British Court, Annabeth convinces her father to arrange an apprenticeship for her with the Jennings family–descendants of the creator of the famed Claddagh Ring.

Stephen Jennings longs to do anything other than run his family’s jewelry shop. Having had his heart broken, he no longer believes in love and is weary of peddling the “lies” the Claddagh Ring promises.

Meanwhile, as the war for Irish independence gains strength, many locals resent the De Lacys and decide to take things into their own hands to display their displeasure. As events take a dangerous turn for Annabeth and her family, she and Stephen begin to see that perhaps the “other side” isn’t quite as barbaric and uncultured as they’d been led to believe–and that the bonds of friendship, love, and loyalty are only made stronger when put through the refiner’s fire.

The Thrall’s Sword by Grace Caylor

700s – Ireland

On the night Sigrid, a seventeen-year-old Norse slave, is to accompany her dead master on a fiery longship to Valhalla, the cruel Jarl Ragnar murders her mother.

When two fishermen rescue her from her fate in the seas, grief-stricken Sigrid joins them on their mission to warn the Irish of the oncoming Viking raiders. As she continues her journey, her hatred for Jarl Ragnar grows and she secretly vows to destroy him.

However, as her new friend Erik teaches her about his God, a surprising power begins to work inside her heart. Yet when Sigrid has the chance to seize vengeance, will sweet revenge or a foreign god free her from despair?

The Letter from Briarton Park by Sarah Ladd

letterfrombriartonpark1811 – England

In Regency England, one letter will alter a young woman’s fate when it summons her to Briarton Park—an ancient place that holds the secrets of her past and the keys to her future.

Cassandra Hale grew up knowing little about her parentage, and she had made peace with the fact that she never would. But Cassandra’s world shifts when a shocking deathbed confession reveals a two-year-old letter from Mr. Clark, the master of Briarton Park, with hints to her family’s identity. Stung by betrayal, she travels to the village of Anston only to learn Mr. Clark has since passed away.

James Warrington is a widower and the new master of Briarton Park, where he lives with his two young daughters, his sister, and his mother-in-law. When Cassandra appears at his doorstep with a letter from the previous owner and then proceeds to assist his family in an unexpected way, he is honor bound to help uncover the answers she seeks.

The more time Cassandra spends in Anston, the more she begins to suspect not everything—or everyone—is as they seem. As details emerge, the danger surrounding her intensifies. Using wit and intuition, she must navigate the treacherous landscapes between truth and rumor and between loyalty and deception if she is to uncover the realities of her past and find the place her heart can finally call home.

Enchanting the Heiress by Kristi Ann Hunter

enchantingtheheiress1817 – England

Harriet Hancock likes to make the lives of those around her better whether they like it or not. So, she is surprised when her friend Sophia Whitworth has ideas of her own on how to make Harriet happier–by throwing her together with Sophia’s brother, stable hand Jonas Fitzroy. When Harriet discovers his natural way with words, she hatches a plan that would benefit them both.

Holding a grudge against Harriet for her meddling in Sophia’s life, it is only because of his sister that Jonas agrees to approach Harriet about a possible artistic project. What he doesn’t expect is for her to request his help writing a book.

As they work together, they start to see each other in a different light, but when the truth of Harriet’s schemes is revealed, she’ll find her good intentions for once have gone too far.

Twilight at Moorington Cross by Abigail Wilson

twilightatmooringtoncross1819 – England

Amelia Pembroke is in a unique position in Regency England: She can obtain financial freedom. But in order to do so, she must marry one of two gentlemen. The trouble is, she might be falling in love with another man entirely.

Everything changed the moment Amelia became heiress to Moorington Cross. A young widow and patient at Cluett’s Mesmeric Hospital, Amelia is stunned to learn that her doctor—and the only father figure she’s ever known—has altered his will naming her his primary beneficiary. Such an opportunity is beyond what any Regency-era woman could dare to dream—especially one with a sleeping disorder that finds her falling asleep at the most random of times.

There is, however, a perplexing condition attached to the will: she must wed one of two named men, wholly unknown to her. Doing so would provide her with a secure future. But how can she marry one of these men when her heart is intrigued by the charming solicitor, Mr. Hawkins?

Everything takes on a new sense of urgency—and danger—when Mr. Cluett is found dead in his bedchamber only hours after announcing his updated will. Now Amelia only has thirty days to decide which man she will marry. But she is just as determined to uncover the truth of her benefactor’s demise with the help of Mr. Hawkins. After all, this sudden turn of events couldn’t merely be a coincidence—could it?

The Debutante’s Code by Erica Vetsch

debutatnescode

1816 – England

Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series

Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn’t spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They’ve been living double lives as government spies–and they’re only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family’s legacy.

Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spy craft. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors–not to mention nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner Daniel Swann, who suspects her of a daring theft.

Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents’ last mission? Or will it lead her to a terrible end?

Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen

shadowsofswanfordabbey1820 – England

Agatha Christie meets Jane Austenin this atmospheric Regency tale brimming with mystery, intrigue, and romance.

When Miss Rebecca Lane returns to her home village after a few years away, her brother begs for a favor: go to nearby Swanford Abbey and deliver his manuscript to an author staying there who could help him get published. Feeling responsible for her brother’s desperate state, she reluctantly agrees.

The medieval monastery turned grand hotel is rumored to be haunted. Once there, Rebecca begins noticing strange things, including a figure in a hooded black gown gliding silently through the abbey’s cloisters. For all its renovations and veneer of luxury, the ancient foundations seem to echo with whispers of the past–including her own. For there she encounters Sir Frederick–magistrate, widower, and former neighbor–who long ago broke her heart.

When the famous author is found murdered in the abbey, Sir Frederick begins questioning staff and guests and quickly discovers that several people held grudges against the man, including Miss Lane and her brother. Haunted by a painful betrayal in his past, Sir Frederick searches for answers but is torn between his growing feelings for Rebecca and his pursuit of the truth. For Miss Lane is clearly hiding something. . . .

Honestly, there are SO many books that can be recommended. Which ones do you recommend? Which one do you hope to read?

4 Comments

  1. Staci
    Staci on May 1, 2022 at 11:12 am

    Agree there are so many options for this challenge! A good thing. One on my list of hopefuls is The London House by Katherine Reay.

    Reply
    • Crystal Caudill
      Crystal Caudill on May 6, 2022 at 2:21 pm

      I’ve heard chatter about it, but am not familiar with that one. I’ll have to look it up.

      Reply
  2. Karen Waide
    Karen Waide on May 7, 2022 at 2:17 pm

    I just started A Song Unheard by Roseanna M. White. It’s the second book in her Shadows Over England series. I read the first book earlier this year. Figured this month would be a good time to read the second book.

    Reply

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