Welcome to #aww2019 for historical fiction! This first post of the year is dedicated to taking a look at how this genre fared overall throughout 2018.

Historical fiction consistently enjoys a big following and this is evidenced in our overall figures:

2018 – 472 Reviews on 172 Books by 135 Authors
2017 – 430 Reviews on 196 Books by 138 Authors

Compared to last year, our reviews are up, but we’re all reading more of the same books! Maybe that comes from the increased activity and membership in our Love Reading Books by Aussie Women Facebook group.

The most reviewed books across 2018 were:

The Passengers by Eleanor Limprecht – 14 reviews
The Secrets at Oceans Edge by Kali Napier – 13 reviews
Book of Colours by Robyn Cadwallader – 13 reviews
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland – 12 reviews
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris – 12 reviews
The Lace Weaver by Lauren Chater – 12 reviews
The Sister’s Song by Louise Allan – 10 reviews
The Lost Pearl by Emily Madden – 10 reviews
The Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning – 10 reviews
Burning Fields by Alli Sinclair – 10 reviews
The Peacock Summer by Hannah Richell – 9 reviews
The Paris Seamstress by Natasha Lester – 9 reviews
The Juliet Code by Christine Wells – 9 reviews
The Right Place by Carla Caruso – 8 reviews
The Last of the Bonegilla Girls by Victoria – 8 reviews
Eleanor’s Secret by Caroline Beecham – 7 reviews
The Lucky Galah by Tracy Sorenson – 7 reviews
The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton – 7 reviews
The Botanist’s Daughter by Kayte Nunn – 7 reviews
The Portrait of Molly Dean by Katherine Kovacic – 7 reviews
The Three of Us by Kim Lock – 7 reviews
The Desert Nurse by Pamela Hart – 6 reviews
A Superior Spectre by Angela Meyer – 6 reviews
The Lost Valley by Jennifer Scoullar – 6 reviews
The Fish Girl by Mirandi Riwoe – 6 reviews
Four Respectable Ladies Seek Part-Time Husbands by Barbara Toner – 6 reviews
The Concubine’s Child by Carol Jones – 5 reviews
The Art of Preserving Love by Ada Langton – 5 reviews

While reviewing for the challenge is not a competition, I’ve noted who our top reviewers for historical fiction are, as a way of paying homage to them for their extraordinary efforts. Their quality reviews have given our database a huge boost.

48 reviews from Amanda @ Mrs B’s Book Reviews
45 reviews from Brenda @ Goodreads
41 reviews from Theresa Smith Writes (me)
33 reviews from Claire Holderness
23 reviews from Jennifer Cameron-Smith
20 reviews from Helen Sibbritt
18 reviews from Cloggie Downunder
16 reviews from Ashleigh Meikle @ The Book Muse
16 reviews from Nicole @ Goodreads
13 reviews from Kate Forsyth
11 reviews from Eleni Konstantine – Eleni’s Library

I’d like to extend a big thank you to every single person who has read and reviewed for #aww2018. I do hope you will join us for #aww2019. If you haven’t already done so, you can sign up here.

To search our database for books reviewed and to visit those reviews, click here.

Normal rounding up will resume in February. Until then, read hard!


About Theresa: Writer, avid reader, keen reviewer, book collector, drinker of all tea blends originating from Earl Grey, and modern history enthusiast. I enjoy reading many genres but have a particular interest in historical fiction. You can find me and all of my book related news and reviews at Theresa Smith Writes, Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter @TessSmithWrites