Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution by Amanda Vaill

 

The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution by Amanda Vaill. Farrar, Strauss, Giroux, 2025. Adult nonfiction. History. 720 pages.

     Readers who are familiar with the Hamilton musical, will immediately recognize the Schuyler sisters. Angelica and Eliza and Peggy are central to the Alexander Hamilton tale. In this well researched and documented history of the Schuyler family and the early history of America, Amanda Vaill has done a masterful job of showing their influence on the events of the American Revolution itself. The two beautiful older sisters, Angelica Church, and Eliza Hamilton share a deep love for Alexander Hamilton himself. Interestingly, when Hamilton is killed in a duel with Aaron Burr, Eliza advocates for saving his papers and documents and his place in American history. She outlives him by decades. 

from online: 

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR BIOGRAPHY
A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE
FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD IN BIOGRAPHY
FINALIST FOR THE LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE IN BIOGRAPHY

"Marvelous . . . An act not only of recovery, but of world building." --The Atlantic

"A thoroughly fascinating biography, filled with Vaill's signature warmth, humor and insight." --The New York Times Book Review

"Elegantly written, intimately detailed and infused with feeling, a gripping account of these two remarkable women, their elite family and their tumultuous era." --The Wall Street Journal

"One of our great biographers takes the sisters out of Hamilton's supporting cast and puts them front and center." --Town & Country

America's founding era reconsidered through the lives of two women as formidable as, and in some respects stronger than, the men they loved, married, and mothered.

Big Little Truths: A Novel by Liane Moriarty

 

Big Little Truths: A Novel by Liane Moriarty. Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, 2026. Adult contemporary fiction. 447 pages.

     If you have read BIG LITTLE LIES or seen the Netflix series based on that book, you will be familiar with these characters. The book is set in Australia, but the series was set in Monterey, California. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Meryl Streep, the series basically follows the book's five main female characters. A forward to this new book explains a few exceptions.

     In this novel, the former first grade children are now teenagers. The parents have aged as well and face typical mid-life crises such as aging parents, health issues, and dealing with teen angst. Chapters alternate between the handful of women who are the main characters. The teens talk themselves at the ends of many chapters. One new character is the new high school principal. The new high school history teacher, Melody Montclair, and her handsome husband become central to the plot. As always, the author weaves the story carefully and you really don't have to have read the first book to understand this one.  It's hard to put the book down near the end as actions race to a surprising conclusion. 

The Boleyn Secret: A Novel by Alison Weir

 

The Boleyn Secret: A Novel by Alison Weir. Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, 2026. 530 pages.  Historical fiction.

Alison Weir, author of many other novels about the Tudor era and the wives of Henry VIII, has scored a victory with this tale about Katherine Carey, the daughter of Anne Boleyn's sister Mary.  Notes at the back tell what is known as truth and which parts Weir based on rumors of the time. Starting with young Katherine, who is beckoned to the Tower to be with her kinswoman, Anne Boleyn, as Anne awaits her beheading, and following Katherine throughout her life, the narrative gives details and moves along chronologically. The novel will add an interesting part to the Tudor era historical fiction.

The Calamity Club: A Novel by Kathryn Stockett

 

The Calamity Club: A Novel by Kathryn Stockett. Spiegel and Grau, 2026. 638 pages. Adult fictio. Historical fiction.

     Most readers are familiar with THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett. It's been twenty years and now it's time for her second novel. Totally different from her first book, this one is also set in Mississippi and centers mainly on women. Chapters feature different narrators and all have stories to tell! It's easy to tell the women apart. The details about clothing and houses and people help the Depression and the 1930's come alive. No one does Southern dialect better than Stockett.  Don't let the length of this novel scare you! It is a a great read and worth it's weight to take on that summer vacation...maybe to Oxford, Mississippi? 

 

The Quilt Whisperer Investigates by Peggy Ehrhart. Kensington, 2026. Adult fiction.

   In this first book of the Quilt Whisperer series, Caroline Platte is introduced as a curator, historian, and textile expert at the Yates Museum in Banburyport. Nancy Critchley, a wealthy local, is about to loan a valuable antique quilt to the "Banburyport at 400" exhibit at the museum, but she is found dead at her home. Caroline's friend Libby joins the local coffee drinkers to talk over the mystery and try to solve the crime. 

    Mystery lovers are in good hands in this fast paced who-done-it. Caroline and Libby and their community are friendly and interesting. Descriptions of the historic town and its houses are detailed. The whole setting near the ocean smacks of the north Atlantic and is appealing. Stay tuned for more in this new series and look for Ehrhart's Knit and Nibble successful series, too.

The Killer and Frank Lloyd Wright by Casey Sherman

 

 

The Killer and Frank Lloyd Wright: The True Story of Mass Murder in Paradise by Casey Sherman. Sourcebooks, 2026. Adult Nonfiction. 720.92

Known for his architectural career and such creations as Taliesin, Taliesin West, and Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright was a man surrounded by women. From his mother to his first wife Kittty with whom he shared six children, he worked to support them all and build a reputation in the world. But, when he fell in love with a married woman with two children, he left them behind to live with Mamah Borthwick Cheney who Frank called his soulmate and wife.  They left America and lived in Berlin for a time. Mamah translated works and had her own career.

In 1914 at Taliesin, the home he built for them in Spring Green, Wisconsin, a hired man, Julian Carleton set fire to the house and killed seven people including Mamah and her children. The tragedy and grisly deaths made newspaper headlines across the world. Many thought this was all Divine Intervention due to their "love nest" and abandoning their former spouses and children.

Not long after, Maude Miriam Noel, a 45 year old expatriate living in Paris, contacted Frank with sympathy. They were soon living together, traveling to Japan for Frank's work, and finally did marry. But, Miriam was jealous and a bit unhinged herself. Kitty also did not approve of the love affair and tried to utilize the Mann Act of 1910 which arrested people who crossed state lines for immoral purposes. They were arrested and the headlines featured them again. They couple ultimately split up after Miriam caused further troubles when Frank found a new love, Olgivanna Milanoff, a Russian young woman with a small daughter.  After some time, Frankd and Olgivanna married. 

Frank and Olgivana had a daughter themselves and moved West, still making news, but with Frank's work gaining prominence and fame including the Guggenheim. Kitty died in 1959. Frank died April 9, 1959 after 30 years of marriage to Olgivanna. He was buried in Spring Green, Wisconsin along side of Mamah. 

Sherman documents his research well. The narrative features both biographic and work- related details about Wright. Several small black and white illustrations are included. 

 

An Inconvenient Widow: The Torment, Trial, and Triumph of Mary Todd Lincoln by Lois Romano

 

An Inconvenient Widow: The Torment, Trial,  and Triumph of Mary Todd Lincoln  by Lois Romano. Simon & Schuster, 2026. Biography. Nonfiction.

   This is the book I have longed for! I firmly believe that Mary Todd Lincoln was difficult and perhaps her own worst enemy, but that she got a raw deal in history. Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana sold some of their worn dresses, but they were never crucified in print for it like Mrs. Lincoln was.  Other  First Ladies have had their own mental crises, but never so public a scandal as their own sons taking them to court and having them locked up in a mental asylum.  History was not kind to Mary Lincoln.

    And, now along comes Lois Romano to set the record straight. And, how she does! In this 463 page examination of Mrs. Lincoln's life, family, and contributions to her husband's career, Romano includes a timeline, bibliography, notes, index, and photos. In fact, from page 297 onward are "back matter" documenting her research. The book is interesting, well written, and gives new perspective to the subject.

    If you are not really into Mary Todd Lincoln, but just curious, I recommend that readers pick up this title and just read the prologue for a quick overview of love, loss, tragedy, and final triumph of a quite remarkable woman and the historic times in which she lived. But, a deeper dive into the book is merited. 

Lady Tremaine: A Novel by Rachel Hochhauser

 

Lady Tremaine: A Novel by Rachel Hochhauser. St. Martin's Press and Thorndike for large print, 2026. Adult fairy tale.

    Etheldreda grows up the daughter of a brewer. She meets and marries Henry with whom she has two daughters and a much better life. When Henry dies, she marries Lord Bramley and has a title and a great life. But, when Lord Bramley dies, she is left the house. All other possessions and riches are left to his beautiful daughter, Elin.  And, the prince is having a ball! 

     Sound familiar? This is a creative retelling of the Cinderella tale with new twists. Readers may never see the "wicked stepmother" in the same light! Enjoy the ride with this author as she paints the early life and courage of later life of Lady Tremaine and all of her daughters.

The Beheading Game: A Novel by Rebecca Lehmann

 

  

The Beheading Game: A Novel by Rebecca Lehmann. Crown, a division of Penguin Random House, 2026. Adult historical fiction.

    If you are a fan of Tudor history, you will want to find this tale of Anne Boleyn!  Lehmann has woven a creative tale of Anne who, of course, was beheaded by King Henry VIII, but Anne awakens, sews her head back on herself, and seeks revenge for her own death.

   With the help of a young man named John and a woman named Alice, Anne begins her journey at the Tower and heads (no pun intended!) to find Henry while hoping to protect their small daughter, Elizabeth. The narrative reads well with many details about life during this era.  While readers know this is totally fiction, it is a fun read filled with historical tidbits. It's hard to imagine a happy ending because Anne is, after all, DEAD, but the story is resolved in a most satisfying and incredible way. 

The Windsor Affair: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin

 

The Windsor Affair: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin. Delacorte Press, 2026. Historical fiction.

    Was it Alice Roosevelt who is claimed to say something like "If you can't say anything nice about anyone, come sit here beside me?" If you are like that, you will love this dishy fictional novel about the former Queen Mum, Elizabeth, and the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson. 

Beginning with the early life of Elizabeth and tracing how she met the Duke of Windsor himself and apparently turned down two proposals from his brother Bertie before she said she would marry him, Benjamin recounts almost every single story about Elizabeth's long life and what she thought about Wallis. Wallis, of course, was American and a fashion plate. What a contrast to the little smiling rose Elizabeth! 

The early life of Wallis is covered, too, and her first two marriages and divorces. The infamous "China dossier" and other scandously details are described. 

When the Duke abdicated the English throne to marry "the woman I love", the newly married couple moved to France, then served a time in the Bahamas during WWII, and traveled extensively to New York. 

Interestingly, Queen Mary, the mother of Bertie and the Duke of Windsor, David, makes an appearance with several of her own chapters to put in her own take on the family. Elizabeth became the mother of another Queen and grandmother of King Charles. Wallis never had children and died basically alone.

An afterword by the author includes several other historical fiction titles. All of the main characters are now long dead. Of course, their thoughts and actual conversations are, for the most part, made up while based sometimes on what others said or observed. It IS a work of fiction! 

Pretty Dead Things: A Novel by Kelsey Cox

 

 Pretty Dead Things: A Novel by Kelsey Cox. Minotaur Books, 2026. Adult fiction.

 In 2000, a young woman disappeared in Anhalt, Texas. Now it's 2025 and time again for the Lone Star Princess Pageant. Ingrid has come home for the first time since her sister's disappearance. She must revisit friends and pageant competitors and find answers to her big questions. The excavations at Sherman Ranch provide unexpected findings and a big storm cuts the electricity at an inopportune time. Tension builds, old grudges reappear, and things become deadly.

   What attracted me to this novel in the first place was the Texas setting and the transplanted to Texas author. She did not disappoint. The book is full of beautiful young women (even one with a double name: Sarah Lynn) who want to compete in a beauty pageant, gorgeous new home                                          communities with amenity centers, controlling mothers, and other typical                                        tropes. 

Yesteryear: A Novel by Caro Claire Burke

 

Yesteryear: A Novel by Caro Claire Burke. Alfred A. Knopf, 2026. Adult fiction.

     When Natalie Heller Mills marries her husband, Caleb, one of the sons of a want-to-be President, and they buy Yesteryear Ranch, and she becomes a social media darling, her life is very different from what she has expected. Then, she wakes up in 1805.

     Another in the novels that explore trad wife life through fiction, this book will spark book group discussions about the role of women in the past and in the present. The novel is full of religious and political ideals of the characters and may inspire readers to consider what they believe themselves.

Mr. and Mrs. Dixon Hide a Body: A Novel by Jennifer Holdich

 

 Mr. and Mrs. Dixon Hide a Body: A Novel by Jennifer Holdich.

Sourcebooks Landmark, 2026. Adult mystery.

Daisy Dixon certainly married up when she wed James Dixon, but her life is not the one she expected. She has even day dreamed about doing away with James. But, when James drinks too much and Daisy has to drive them home from a business party, Daisy unexpectedly hits a man and kills him. James insists they must hide the body. And there the story really begins!

Definitely filled with tongue in cheek British humor, this novel hides more than one body. Ultimately, Daisy lives at the manor house and has a life of her own. If readers can get over that Mr. Dixon may not be the only villain in this story, they can laugh out loud at the antics of the characters. 

Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore

 

Down with the Shipmans: A Novel by Meg Mitchell Moore.

William Morrow, 2026. Adult fiction.

When Calvin Shipman summons his three grown daughters back to the beach house where their summer memories lie, they come back to New Hampshire. Jordan, the eldest, is a single career woman whose personal life is at loggerheads with her work life. Natalie, married with three small children (Evangeline, Scarlett, and Caspian) who come with her, is having problems with her online life about the Vermont dairy farm he and her husband run. Mae, the youngest, is single and living out of her car in Colorado and boarding a pitt bull dog to make some money.

Calvin has remarried after the fairly recent death of the girls' mother. And not to just anyone, but to Kara, the hospice nurse who helped all of them during the death and grieving process. Now Calvin is ready to sell the beach house. As he tells them, the important thing is family, not a house...

The tale unspools like any good beach read, The daughters are well described and current issues make it timely. From trad wife to the me, too movement, Moore hits all the modern notes. The plot makes readers both feel like they might know these characters and still want to know what happens to them. Pack this one in your summer bag for vacation!

Judy Blume: A Life by Mark Oppenheimer

 

 

Judy Blume: A Life by Mark Oppenheimer. Gale, 2026. Large print edition. Adult biography.

Almost everyone in America can tell you that Judy Blume is an award-winning author of books for children and adults. Her children's books totally changed the publishing landscape to include issues that girls really wanted to read about...themselves! This biography delves into the life of Judy Blume, her complicated early family, her three marriages, her daughter and son, and other personal details. By the end, at age 86, Blume and her husband, George Cooper, have opened a bookstore in Key West, Florida and perhaps she is still writing. She is an advocate for free speech and other authors including many of the more contemporary ones who well remember reading Blume's books as children. Many of her works have been adapted into movies, television specials, and theatre productions.

 

Born February 12, 1938, Judith Marcia Sussman entered life in a Jewish family in Elizabeth, New Jersey. This became the nucleus for many of her early children's books, the most famous of which may be Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret. 

Oppenheimer has extensively interviewed and researched Blume's life. He provides sources at the end of the book. This work does not gloss over the difficult parts but shows a very human author who cares about her readers, agents, publishers, as well as family and friends. 

Three Queens by Rebecca Connolly

 

 

Three Queens by Rebecca Connolly. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2026. Historical fiction. 

    Marie Antoinette, Abigail Adams, and Queen Charlotte of England never met in real history. But, in this insightful historical fiction novel. they meet in Calais and find they have much in common. All have powerful husbands, but little power themselves. All have lost children. All wish for more for themselves and their families in a world of turmoil and wars. They form an unlikely bond and communicate with each other through letters.

     Connolly has done a good job with the research on each woman.  A bibliography is included. Beautiful young Marie Antoinette is about to be part of the French revolution. Commonsense filled Abigail Adams wants to be home with her husband but must support him as he looks for political alliances in Europe. Dignified Queen Charlotte must deal with her husband, the King, who suffers from mental problems and her son who wants to take over and is not ready to be a king. Their letters are believable, their situations dire. Most moving is the plight of Marie Antoinette who clings to these two women friends even as she knows her end is coming.

The Royal Insider by Paul Burrell

 

 

 The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King, and Princess Diana by Paul Burrell. Sphere, an imprint of Little, Brown, 2025. Memoir.

     In his sixties now, Paul Burrell is ready to tell the story of his life. Growing up poor, he tells how he got a job at Buckingham Palace and worked his way up to serving the Queen herself. After some years, he chooses to work for Charles and Diana. Paul has married Maria, a maid for Prince Phillip and they want to settle down with their two little boys. Highgrove would enable them to have their own place.  He works for Diana after she and Charles split up. 

      Much later, after the death of Princess Diana, Paul Burrell is charged with stealing some of her treasures and belongings. Only the Queen helps him. Paul tells of how he met and married his husband Coop. He has been on celebrity reality shows in England and has undergone treatment for prostate cancer. He tells all honestly and truly still believes in the royalty he spent so much of his life serving. His perspectives on their current situations is enlightening. 

Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet

 

 Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet. Sarah Barley Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing Division, 2026. Young adult fiction.

     The March sisters from Little Women are back in a contemporary mystery! Their father has written a novel about his daughters and has killed off Beth. The whole family is now on the news and famous. Apparently, the father has taken off to Canada to let the whole situation cool down. 

     If you are familiar with Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, the girls, mostly high schoolers, will seem like old friends, but different, too. They have been updated with modern touches. Mom is a nurse. Rich Aunt March promises to send one of the sisters to study at a tony private school. One wants to study in Paris but doesn't have the money. Beth has a boyfriend, Henry Hummel, while Theodore Laurence still lives next door. Meg is a student at Harvard, still likes John Brooke and rooms with Sallie Gardiner. When Sallie throws a wild party, tragedy happens for real. But, who is responsible? 

     Definitely readers will want to read the original Louisa May Alcott before this novel in order to appreciate the twists and turns here. Creative, bold, and definitely a mystery for young adults, this work is well written. This is Bernet's debut novel and we can only look forward to more by her.

You with the Sad Eyes: A Memoir by Christina Applegate

 

You With the Sad Eyes: A Memoir by Christina Applegate. Little Brown and Company, 2026. Memoir. 

Best known for her acting roles in Married With Children, Samantha Who?, and Dead to Me, Christina Appegate tells of her life. Two of her proudest accomplishments are her role on Broadway in Sweet Charity and her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 Diagnosed with breast cancer, she underwent a mastectomy. Now, diagnosed with MS, she has become a spokesperson for living with the disease and has launched a podcast on the subject.

This is not a tell all memoir. Applegate does not give names for some of the main characters who have influenced her life. She does not detail all of the early abuse shown to her. But, it is an honest tale, told from her heart. Journal entries and family tales are part of her journey shared here. Her grit and determination shine through every page.

All the Little Houses by May Cobb

 

 All the Little Houses by May Cobb. Sourcebooks, Landmark, 2026. Adult fiction. Mystery.

Charleigh Andersen is the queen bee in Longview, Texas. She and her handsome husband have money, the big house, and one teenage daughter, Nellie, a truly spoiled brat. When a back to the prairie type family moves in, the Andersen family equilibrium is totally unended. From the beginning, readers know someone is dead and the book builds the story until the very end. Teen angst, adult drama, gay attraction, and small town intrigues are all here. Chapters alternate narration from some of the characters. Details show the 1980's setting.

If you read to find an inspirational figure or to learn something, this is not the book for you! If, on the other hand, you read for a peek into perhaps the way others might live and get revenge, try this one!