This week, we bring you a wealth of new historical fiction to explore.

In First Impressions, Moonrise Over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks follows a woman making a home for herself in an all-Black Alabama community in the 1950s, while Wade in the Water by Nyani Nkrumah features a friendship between an 11-year-old Black girl and a white grad student in a small Mississippi town in the 1980s, with flashbacks to the '60s.

Meanwhile, our book club members are discussing the latest novel from Marie Benedict, The Mitford Affair, a fictional depiction of the real-life Mitford sisters and their political divides leading up to World War II.

We also have a new Wordplay, and you can enjoy our Books in Translation category free for the next month.

With best wishes,

Davina Morgan-Witts

BookBrowse Publisher

Each month we give away books to BookBrowse members who live in the U.S. to read and review. Here are their opinions on two recently released titles.

"In 1957, Alice has fled a dangerous situation when she happens upon New Jessup, Alabama, an all-Black community which offers her a haven and, eventually, a home. In this seemingly idyllic place, the residents resist integration in favor of a self-built, small town where they can live and raise families away from the hateful injustice that is present elsewhere in the Jim Crow South. Alice finds love but also uncovers threats and weaknesses to her new home, both from within and outside. With its nuanced approach to history, this is a great book to share and an excellent choice for book groups. It offers a timely reminder that social change often comes with a cost, though the darker messages are leavened with an appreciative nod to Black resourcefulness and community." - Marilyn T. (Los Angeles, CA)

"In addition to fully developed characters, the love story narration, and opposing viewpoints of the civil rights movement, the book is beautifully written. 'Cool morning air thick with a low autumn fog,' 'paper with my dried tears and defenses … went up in smoke,' and 'exhale to release the inside noise' are examples that fill the pages. I found joy in the imagery and could see and feel and smell and hear as if I were there. Everyone who loves beautiful writing will enjoy this book." - Judith M. (Granville, OH)

"Jamila Minnicks provides a careful examination of the differing viewpoints among members of this Black community about the benefits and deficits of integration... I really enjoyed the book and think it would be an excellent book club selection. Also, I predict that readers who liked The Vanishing Half and The Prophets will be fans of Moonrise Over New Jessup." - Rosemary C. (Golden, CO)

"The year is 1982. The place is Ricksville, Mississippi. Wade in the Water is a story about an unusual friendship between an 11-year-old Black child and a white grad student who rents a house in a poor Black neighborhood in order to research racism. Those wishing to read a good history-based novel should find this book to be an interesting read." - Susan M. (New Holland, PA)

"Alternating with the 1982 timeline are flashbacks to Ms. St. James' childhood in the '60s in Philadelphia, Mississippi. It was a childhood where racism was acceptable, where it was beaten into her. No matter how much she tries to distance herself from it, it is always lurking in the shadows. The relationship between Ella and Ms. St. James is extremely complex...The story is uncomfortably raw at times as the atrocities of the Jim Crow South are revisited. A question asked by the author is not only how the civil rights movement changed Black society but also how it changed white society." - Betty T. (Warner Robins, GA)

"I found this to be a worthwhile, thought-provoking book. I gained some perspectives I hadn't previously considered about slavery, Jim Crow, civil rights, and the impact of these eras on individuals in more recent times. I recommend this book to anyone seeking to broaden their understanding of our country's racial history. While the book features a pre-teen protagonist, due to some of the content in the book, I believe it is best suited to an older teen/adult audience. Wade in the Water could provide a profound and provocative discussion for a book club." - Marian Y. (Troutdale, OR)

From New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict comes an explosive novel of history's most notorious sisters, one of whom will have to choose: her country or her family?

As the Nazis rise in power, novelist Nancy Mitford grows suspicious of her sisters' constant visits to Germany and the high-ranking fascist company they keep. When she overhears alarming conversations and uncovers disquieting documents, Nancy must make excruciating choices as Great Britain goes to war with Germany.

"I loved The Mitford Affair. I have read quite a bit about the Mitfords, have read many of Nancy Mitford's books and yet with this book I still learned quite a lot. I remain baffled as to how the Mitford sisters could be so politically dissimilar considering their upbringing and social standing." - scgirl

"I have always found Marie Benedict’s books fascinating. She teaches me something every time I read one. She finds pieces of history and brings them to life. Selecting three of the Mitford sisters to do a deep dive into their lives was absolutely engaging and helped educate me even more on this time period." - mimimw

"I enjoyed this book a lot even though I found myself cringing over the characters' dedication to fascism and Hitler. I did not know much about the Mitford sisters, so after finishing the book I looked up the family, and it seems that Benedict did a pretty good job of staying true to the real-life characters... I like to read a book such as this that makes me struggle and think." - mtnluvr

In this issue, we review a dozen books, including the nonfiction works The Grimkes by Kerri K. Greenidge and The Nazi Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer & Josh Mensch, plus the debut novel We Deserve Monuments from Jas Hammonds.

We also bring you a fresh literary quiz on jobs authors had before they were famous, a new Wordplay and more.

This twice-monthly online-magazine is just one benefit of being a BookBrowse member. More about membership.

We also offer library subscriptions that give patrons full and free access to BookBrowse's premium content.

All visitors to BookBrowse can browse by genre, but most of our 100+ themed categories are only for members.

Our Books in Translation category includes nearly 150 translated books from a wide variety of locations and languages.

For the next month, all visitors can browse this category for free.

Solve our Wordplay puzzle to reveal a well-known expression, and be entered to win the book of your choice or a 6-month membership to BookBrowse!

The answer to the last Wordplay: I I A Sign O T T

Meaning: It's typical of the time we live in.

This expression can be found in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 16:

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away. (New International Version)

Some scholars dispute the authenticity of this passage as it seems to have been added at a later date than much of Matthew's gospel. ... continued