Two Books for Readers of Historical Fiction

by Susan Roberts

The genre Historical Fiction encompasses so many different types of stories. Today, I have two novels that delve into history. The first one is based on a real person and the second one features themes that are often found in women's fiction.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.  Free books were provided for honest reviews.

Sonora by Jenni L. Walsh

October 2025; Harper Muse; 978-1400246779
audio, ebook, print (400 pages); biographical fiction

Inspired by a true story of one of the first female horse divers, Sonora explores a world of daring feats and extraordinary adventures set in the heyday of the American carnival scene. This book vividly captures the spirit of a brave woman who defied societal norms to follow her dreams, diving into the unknown with courage and resilience.

Sonora is based on the real story of one of the first female horse divers.  Horse diving was a carnival act that was popular from the 1880s to the 1970s.  Exactly what was it?  "This controversial act involved horses jumping from high platforms into water with a rider, highlighting themes of human-animal trust but also exploitation, with famous riders like Sonora Webster achieving fame and even blindness from the dangerous stunts." 

During the Depression, Sonora worked hard to help her family and dreamed of finding a life full of adventure.

When her mother found an ad looking for a female horse diver, she convinced Sonora to give it a try.  What originally looked dangerous to Sonora soon became the adventure that she craved.  She soon realized that she had a lot of competition on the carnival circuit and every jump needed to be perfect.  But her skill and love of horses soon made her act very popular.  Even after she became blind, she continued horse diving for over 11 years.  Sonora was a strong, resilient woman who followed her dreams no matter the cost.

I had never read about horse diving before and found a lot of interesting information and pictures when I googled it.  I really enjoy historical fiction that teaches me about history that I never knew.

Buy Sonora at Amazon

Everything Lost Returns by Sarah Domet

February 2026; Flatiron Books; 978-1250087898
audio, ebook, print (320 pages); historical fiction

The poignant, utterly original story of two women separated across time but united by the arrival of Halley's comet, as blazing and as daring as their stories.

This book follows two women decades apart who are connected by the Earthshine Soap company and the impending arrival of Halley's Comet.

• 1910 - Opal is a doctor's wife and is pregnant but working at Earthshine to get enough money to go to Paris and meet the charismatic spiritualist who supposedly has 'talked' to her dead first love.  She works with Bertie Tuttle to develop cures for women who have come down with mysterious ailments.  After seeing the poor working conditions at Earthshine, she works to start a strike to help the female workers.
• 1986 - Nona was the first Earthshine girl in all of the early ads.  Even though she is now working on a soap opera, she is still recognized for her earlier print ads.  When a group of women brings a class action suit against Earthshine for the harm that the soap causes, Nona begins to investigate the origin of the company.

My problem with this book is that there were too many characters about whom we didn't get any information.  I found it difficult to really get interested in any of the characters, and I think it would have been helpful to get more background information about the main characters.

This beautifully written novel is a story of friendship, guilt, and forgiveness, and the power we have in our own small way to change the course of history.

Buy Everything Lost Returns at Amazon

Susan Roberts grew up in Michigan but loves the laid-back life at her home in the Piedmont area of North Carolina where she is three hours from the beach to the east and the mountains in the west.  She reads almost anything but her favorite genres are Southern Fiction and Historical Fiction.

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. Get even more book news in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter today! Or Follow Girl Who Reads with Bloglovin. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.