Mine is: Christabel picks up the stick. It fits well in her hand. She is in the garden, waiting with the rest of the household for her father to return with her new mother. (The Whalebone Theatre by Julia Quinn) I like how it builds expectation and also gives the reader hints about Christabel’s character, social class, and her relationships.

How long do you usually stick with a book before you decide to DNF (do/did not finish)?

The premise of Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke grabbed me: A tradwife social media influencer who wakes up one morning in the actual 1855! Enough of us are interested that we can make this work. I’ve bought a copy, but I’ll wait to read it until more of you have your hands on it. We’ll aim to discuss around the end of May. (Either by zoom or by text in here, we’ll see.) Apparently, if you have a paid Spotify account, it's available as an audiobook! It’s also on Audible. Article about the book: https://www.motherjones.com/media/2026/04/trad-wife-caro-claire-burke-yesteryear-hannah-neeleman-anne-hathaway/

I’m so glad you joined! STEP 1: Introduce yourself, either in a comment on this post, or in a new post. Tell us one of your favourite historical novels. Bonus if you share a photo or gif that relates to the book in some way. Or a photo of your pet. Pets are always welcome 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛ STEP 2: Say hi to a couple of other people who have introduced themselves. Maybe you'll find some new favourite historical fiction and, in time, some new friends. STEP 3: Let me know if you have any questions! Enjoy! 🧡 PS Take a peek at our community rules. PPS Make your own post any time! And comment on others' posts!

I knew about Ancient Rome’s obsession with purple, but I didn’t know their purple dye was made from “rotten shellfish soaking in stale urine mixed with wood ash and water” 😂 Unsurprisingly, it stank so badly that the “rectangular stone vats as big as school lunch tables” used to make the dye were located outside of town and downwind. I learned this from the beautiful nonfiction book @Julie Furxhi recommended: The Brilliant History of Color in Art by Victoria Finlay. Thanks, Julie! What have you discovered recently?