Recommendations based on America's First Daughterby Stephanie Dray

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Lilac Girls

    by Martha Hall Kelly
    A story of three women's lives, intertwined by World War II, and their remarkable courage.

    Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this powerful debut novel reveals an incredible story of love, redemption, and terrible secrets that were hidden for decades. On the eve of a ... (Goodreads)

  2. Before We Were Yours

    by Lisa Wingate
    Family torn apart is reunited across generations, revealing a powerful tale of resilience and hope.

    Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the ... (Goodreads)

  3. The Alice Network

    by Kate Quinn
    Two women in WWI join forces to unravel secrets of a spy network in search of a missing girl.

    The plot follows pregnant American college student Charlie St. Clair in the aftermath of World War II , as she travels around France looking for her missing cousin, Rose. Her story intersects with ... (Wikipedia)

  4. The Invention of Wings

    by Sue Monk Kidd
    A powerful story about a girl's journey to freedom, despite the limitations of slavery.

    Writing at the height of her narrative and imaginative gifts, Sue Monk Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world—and it is now ... (Goodreads)

  5. Orphan Train

    by Christina Baker Kline
    A story of two women's intertwined lives, spanning generations and crossing continents.

    The #1 New York Times Bestseller “A lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to illuminate a fascinating and forgotten chapter of America’s history. Beautiful.”—Ann Packer Moving ... (Barnes & Noble)

  6. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

    by Lisa See
    A woman's search for identity in the face of cultural expectations and familial secrets.

    In their remote mountain village, Li-yan and her family align their lives around the seasons and the farming of tea. For the Akha people, ensconced in ritual and routine, life goes on as it has for ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Women in the Castle

    by Jessica Shattuck
    Three women unite in a quest to survive in war-torn Germany and seek justice for their pasts.

    The story begins at the site of a Bavarian castle in 1938, with detailed descriptions of the society of the pre-war days in Germany among a certain class of landed aristocrats. Countess Marianne von ... (Wikipedia)

  8. The Aviator's Wife

    by Melanie Benjamin
    A woman's emotional journey of growth and self-discovery, learning to stand on her own.

    In the spirit of, Loving Frank, and, The Paris Wife, acclaimed novelist Melanie Benjamin pulls back the curtain on the marriage of one of America’s most extraordinary couples: Charles Lindbergh and ... (Goodreads)

  9. The Lake House

    by Kate Morton
    A woman's search for answers to the mystery of her mother's disappearance, uncovering secrets of a long-lost family.

    An abandoned house... June 1933, and sixteen-year-old Alice Edevane is preparing for her family's Midsummer Eve party at their country home, Loeanneth. But by the time midnight strikes and fireworks ... (Goodreads)

  10. My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton

    by Stephanie Dray
    A historical fiction novel that tells the story of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, wife of Alexander Hamilton, and her role in shaping America's early history.

    "An edge-of my sear immersion into historical events...No study of Alexander Hamilton would be complete without reading this book." —Karen White, New York Times bestselling author "The best book of ... (Barnes & Noble)

  11. Cutting for Stone

    by Abraham Verghese
    A sweeping journey of two twin brothers and their search for identity, belonging and family.

    The story is told by the protagonist, Marion Stone. He and his conjoined twin Shiva are born at Mission Hospital (called "Missing" in accordance with the local pronunciation), Addis Ababa , in ... (Wikipedia)

  12. These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901

    by Nancy E. Turner
    A young woman's struggle for independence, chronicles her journey through the American Southwest.

    “Belongs on your must-read list. This novel is a gem.” — Omaha World-Herald Nancy E. Turner's unforgettable, These Is My Words, melds the sweeping adventures and dramatic landscapes of, Lonesome ... (Barnes & Noble)

  13. The House at Riverton

    by Kate Morton
    A family saga spanning generations, uncovering secrets and lies of a mysterious house.

    Ninety-eight-year-old Grace Bradley, a maid at Riverton Manor in the 1920s, has long hidden a terrible secret. A film is being made about a famous incident at Riverton when well-known poet Robbie ... (Wikipedia)

  14. Small Great Things

    by Jodi Picoult
    A gripping story of racism and justice, exploring the intersections of power and privilege.

    #1, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER • With richly layered characters and a gripping moral dilemma that will lead readers to question everything they know about privilege, power, and race,, Small Great ... (Barnes & Noble)

  15. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

    by Rachel Joyce
    An elderly man's unexpected quest of faith, discovering the power of hope and love.

    Harold Fry, 65, has cut the lawn outside his home at Kingsbridge on the south coast of Devon when he receives a letter. A colleague of twenty years ago, Queenie Hennessy, has cancer and is in a ... (Wikipedia)

  16. The Woman in Cabin 10

    by Ruth Ware
    An intrepid reporter embarks on a luxury cruise, uncovering a dark and dangerous mystery.

    INSTANT, NEW YORK TIMES, AND, USA TODAY, BESTSELLER, , FROM THE AUTHOR OF, IN A DARK, DARK WOOD, , Featured in TheSkimm, , An, Entertainment Weekly, “Summer Must List” Pick, , A, New York Post, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  17. Beneath a Scarlet Sky

    by Mark T. Sullivan
    True story of a young Italian man's courage and heroism during WWII.

    Based on the true story of a forgotten hero,, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, is the triumphant, epic tale of one young man’s incredible courage and resilience during one of history’s darkest hours., Pino ... (Goodreads)

  18. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

    by Gabrielle Zevin
    Life of an isolated bookseller is transformed when an unexpected visitor brings unexpected joy.

    “Marvelously optimistic about the future of books and bookstores and the people who love both.”—, The Washington Post, A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his ... (Barnes & Noble)

  19. Glory Over Everything: Beyond The Kitchen House

    by Kathleen Grissom
    A slave's story of freedom and its unexpected complications.

    The latest New York Times bestseller from the author of the beloved book club favorite The Kitchen House is a heart racing story about a man’s treacherous journey through the twists and turns of the ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. The Swans of Fifth Avenue

    by Melanie Benjamin
    A tale of a rich socialite, her scandalous relationship with Truman Capote and its consequences.

    From the New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator’s Wife comes an enthralling new novel about Truman Capote’s scandalous, headline-making, and heart-wrenching friendship with Babe Paley and ... (Goodreads)

  21. Victoria

    by Daisy Goodwin
    A thrilling tale of love, loss, and self-discovery set in the 19th century British court.

    “They think I am still a little girl who is not capable of being a Queen.”,Lord Melbourne turned to look at Victoria. “They are mistaken. I have not known you long, but I observe in you a natural ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Light Between Oceans

    by M.L. Stedman
    A lighthouse keeper and his wife make a heartbreaking decision that has lifelong repercussions.

    Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found, here, Australia, 1926. After four harrowing years fighting on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns home to take a job as the lighthouse ... (Goodreads)

  23. Commonwealth

    by Ann Patchett
    Intertwining story of two families across multiple generations, and how their lives become intertwined.

    It started at Franny Keating’s christening party. Bert Cousins wasn’t even invited, but looking for an excuse to get out of the house, away from his three noisy children and pregnant wife for a few ... (Wikipedia)

  24. News of the World

    by Paulette Jiles
    Captain Kidd travels through Texas in 1870, reading the news to townspeople. He is tasked with returning a young girl to her family.

    The book opens in 1870 on the wild border between Texas and Indian Territory , where a 10-year-old girl has been released after four years of captivity. Kiowa raiders had killed her family and taken ... (Wikipedia)

  25. The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion

    by Fannie Flagg
    A woman discovers the truth about her family's past, unlocking a legacy of secrets.

    Poland, 1909 Stanislaw is determined to escape the Russians and follow his brother to America, a land where anything seems possible. Wisconsin, 1941 With all the men off to war, Fritzi and her ... (Goodreads)

  26. The Chaperone

    by Laura Moriarty
    A woman's journey of self-discovery while escorting a young dancer to New York City.

    The Chaperone is a captivating novel about the woman who chaperoned an irreverent Louise Brooks to New York City in 1922 and the summer that would change them both. Only a few years before becoming a ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Orphan's Tale

    by Pam Jenoff
    Two female circus performers, their friendship, and fight for survival during WWII.

    The Nightingale, meets, Water for Elephants, in this powerful novel of friendship and sacrifice, set in a traveling circus during World War II, by international bestselling author Pam Jenoff., , ... (Barnes & Noble)

  28. A Piece of the World

    by Christina Baker Kline
    A woman's journey of self-discovery as she comes to terms with a painting that made her famous.

    A New York Times bestseller. "Exquisite. A must-read.” —Kristin Hannah From the #1, New York Times, bestselling author of the smash bestseller, Orphan Train, a stunning and atmospheric novel of ... (Barnes & Noble)

  29. Salt to the Sea

    by Ruta Sepetys
    Vivid tale of a group of refugees struggling to survive in WWII Europe.

    New York Times, Bestseller and winner of the Carnegie Medal! ,"Masterfully crafted",—,The Wall Street Journal,For readers of, Between Shades of Gray, and, All the Light We Cannot See, Ruta Sepetys, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  30. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

    by Kim Michele Richardson
    A young woman, Cussy, delivers books to the rural people of Kentucky during the Great Depression, facing discrimination and finding solace in her blue skin.

    In 1936 eastern Kentucky, 19-year-old Cussy Mary Carter works for the New Deal–funded Pack Horse Library Project , delivering reading material to the remote hill people of the Appalachian Mountains . ... (Wikipedia)