Spring is here, and that means it’s time to introduce our Spring 2023 book club selections for The Silver Petticoat Book Club! Before diving into our new book picks, let’s give you an overview of what this book club entails for those curious about joining.
Every season—Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer—Amber and Autumn, the twin sisters behind The Silver Petticoat Review, choose six book recommendations for the club. The focus is on books that include love stories (not necessarily romance) or books with elements of Romanticism. Think sweet, smart, imaginative tales with an Austenesque touch. Selections range from classics and debut authors to bestsellers and nostalgic favorites.
Amber and Autumn aim to pick books that inspire and excite them. Whether it’s a sensational read or an upmarket literary novel with deep themes, the goal is to foster a love of reading. The chosen books typically have a mild level of steaminess and are low on gore, profanity, or explicit content. If a book does contain some graphic elements, they provide a content warning.
New book club picks are usually announced at the start of each season, giving you several months to read and enjoy the latest selections. These books are also excellent choices for your local book clubs.
For online discussions, Amber and Autumn will engage with members on Facebook, Goodreads, and Instagram, allowing time for everyone to read before sharing their thoughts. You can join at any time and participate using the hashtag TheSilverPetticoatBookClub.
To make book purchasing easy and support local bookstores, you can visit Amber and Autumn’s bookshop on bookshop.org, which features the club’s selections plus extra fun recommendations.
A recent update: While we initially launched a feature allowing Facebook members to help select one book for the next season, we didn’t get enough participation. We’ve set this idea aside for now but might consider it again in the future.
Now, onto our Spring 2023 book selections! We’ve chosen five books we love and one new book from our TBR list. Here they are:
1. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
– Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tales
– Publication Date: January 10, 2023, by Del Rey Books
– A professor journeys to a remote village to study faerie folklore, uncovering magic, friendship, and love.
2. The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
– Genres: Historical Fantasy, Literary Fiction, Chinese Folklore, Paranormal, Mystery, Romance, YA
– Publication Date: August 6, 2013, by William Morrow
– A young woman in colonial Malaysia becomes a “ghost bride” and unravels family secrets in the Chinese afterlife.
3. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
– Genres: Classics, British Literature, Coming of Age, Romance, Literary Fiction
– Publication Date: 1948
– A witty, romantic, and highly cherished novel about a young woman’s life and love in a crumbling English castle.
4. Jane & Edward by Melodie Edwards
– Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction, Retellings
– Publication Date: March 21, 2023, by Berkley Books
– A modern-day retelling of Jane Eyre set in a law firm, exploring themes of romance and personal growth.
5. Miss Austen by Gill Hornby
– Genres: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Books About Books
– Publication Date: January 23, 2020, by Century; April 7, 2020, by Flatiron Books
– A heartfelt story about Jane Austen’s sister and the secrets of the Austen family.
6. Wyoming Wild by Sarah M. Eden
– Genres: Clean Romance, Historical Fiction, Western, Romantic Suspense
– Publication Date: March 7, 2023, by Shadow Mountain Publishing
– A US Marshal and a sheriff’s daughter team up to take down corruption in a small town, with romance blossoming amid danger.
Join us in reading these delightful books this spring. We can’t wait to hear what you think! Let us know your thoughts and selections in the comments below.
