Books Set in Another Time

 As a huge fan of time travel, books set in the future, and alternate histories, I love this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic over at That Artsy Reader Girl. I also used to read a lot of historical fiction, but these days I tend to prefer reimaginings, more inclusive historical fiction, or historical fiction fantasy. One of my friends said recently, "I need at least two layers of separation from reality" in her reading life, and my reading lately would tend to concur. Here are some of my recent favorites set in another time--and probably also an alternate timeline!

My Top Ten Books Set in Another Time (And Probably Also In An Alternate Timeline)

1. No One Will Save Us by Julie L. Brown--I read this for a LibraryThing review and really loved it! It's a reimagining of the Atlantic slave trade where a group of West African warrior women sail to the New World and rescue the enslaved Africans! Incredibly and vividly imagined characters, scenery, cultures, and plot.
2. The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow--Set in an alternate world, where Salem burned and witching was outlawed--but now it's back in a reimagined feminist movement and three sisters will fulfill a prophecy--loved, loved, loved this and all the reimagined history and texts that went along with it!
3. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell--This isn't explicitly an alternate history, but this is beautifully written historical fiction that writes beauty and wonder into the gaps between the known facts. Set in sixteenth century Florence and Ferrara, Italy.
4. When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn--I kind of do consider the Bridgerton realm to be set in an alternate history timeline, especially in the TV show, but it could just be considered Georgian England (and a bit of Scotland, in this one). Either way, this is a fun romp of a historical romance.
5. Atomic Anna by Rachel Barenbaum--This one is set in three different times, including a few alternate timelines. I like that it includes a time machine and centers around the outcome of the Chernobyl disaster, as well as Soviet immigration to the U.S.
6. My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows--I love these authors' collaborations and want to read more of them! This one is a fantastical reimagining of Jane Eyre, so technically set in a fictional world but also set in nineteenth century England.
7. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows--Loved the book and the TV show! This is an alternate history reimagining and fantastical version of the life of Lady Jane Grey, so set in an alternate sixteenth century England.
8. The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman--Again, not technically an alternate history, but an imagining of two older spinster sisters solving mysteries and doing good in nineteenth century England, in ways that we were not taught to expect. I really enjoyed this, although it does get into some deep and difficult topics, the tone remains light and engaging.
9. Double the Lies by Patricia Raybon--This was a fun book centering a Black woman solving mysteries in 1920s Denver. Totally could have happened, but unexpected from what we've been taught.
10. The Conductors by Nicole Glover--Loved this--a couple who used to work on the Underground Railroad teaming up and solving murder mysteries in late nineteenth century Philadelphia. This one I would consider alternate history, since it involves magic--and a cool contrast between Western and African magics.