A Year of Stories Worth Sharing

If you missed a newsletter or two this year, consider this your second chance.

Throughout the year, I partnered with generous authors to give away some amazing books—stories steeped in history, magic, resilience, and heart. Below is a roundup of every book featured in this year’s newsletter giveaways, along with links to the author interviews where you can learn more about the stories (and the writers) behind them.

Whether you’re looking for your next great read or simply want to explore voices you may have missed, this list is my way of saying: these were too good not to share again.

No Bread Tomorrow by Mila Evanovich

Historical Fiction · World War II

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Winner International Impact Book Award

A haunting and deeply human WWII story that explores survival, sacrifice, and the quiet resilience of ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances.

→ Interview: No Bread Tomorrow Interview

From wartime Europe, we move east—far east—into a world shaped by myth, power, and ancient legacy.

The Iron Palace by Kate Shanahan

Historical Fantasy · Ancient Japan

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Winner of the 2025 Florida Authors and Publishers Association Gold Award for Folklore/Mythology

FIVE WARRIORS. FOUR SHAMANS. ONE SAKÉ-LOVING DEMON.

Heian Capital, 1002: As Shrine Miko, Masako loves her job and her new home at Kamo, but her powers have vanished, and rumors fly that she’ll be forced to leave. When the Crown Prince’s consort dies in front of her and a lady-in-waiting disappears without a trace, Masako volunteers for the perilous mission to battle a demon and save the innocent young woman from a gruesome end. But without her powers, she may be destined for the same fate.

Kyoto, 2019: Mina longs to return to the life of a normal college student, but unsettling visions and dreams won’t leave her alone. Her mysterious friend Kenji offers to help her search for Masako’s journal to find closure, but instead, they find desperate letters Masako wrote a thousand years ago.

Now Mina faces a choice: return to the past to save Masako, or move on with her life and leave the ancient world – and her best friend – behind forever.

Next, we travel to candlelit rooms, corseted secrets, and Victorian desire.

Under a Cloud · Under His Spell · Under the Sword by Luv Lubker

Romance · Victorian England

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This romantic trilogy unfolds against the constraints and passions of Victorian England, weaving love, longing, and danger through a beautifully atmospheric historical setting.

→ Interview: The Rival Court Series

Turning the page once more, we revisit World War II—this time through a story of legacy and remembrance.

Anna’s Medallion by Kris Draven

Historical Fiction · World War II

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Two lovers ripped away from their families by the Nazis must survive slave labor and concentration camps in Germany during WWII to find each other again.

→ Interview: Anna’s Medallion

From global conflict, we shift to fractured timelines.

Stealing Time by KJ Waters

Fantasy · Time Travel

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A devastating hurricane. A time travel betrayal. Will Ronnie survive the witch hunt or forever be lost in time?

Stealing Time is the first book in the best-selling “Breathtakingly original” time travel series that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

As Hurricane Charley churns a path of destruction towards Orlando, Florida, Ronnie Andrews scrambles to prepare for the storm and seeks shelter at her boyfriend’s weather lab. What she finds there is more terrifying than Mother Nature’s destruction.

During the peak of the hurricane, Ronnie is hurtled back in time to eighteenth-century London where she is caught in a web of superstition, deception, and lies in a life and death struggle to return to her own time.

Next we go from a hurricane of time travel into the Wild West, for a uniquely American story of youth, courage, and coming of age.

The Harvey Girl – Fool’s Treasure by Ann Kimbrough

Young Adult · 19th-Century America

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In 1891, Willa Abbot is a young New York socialite, but when her beloved father goes missing, she takes to the rails to find him. She becomes a Harvey Girl—a waitress at one of a dozen Harvey Houses along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe train line. Saving her father hinges on a Spanish treasure map, outwitting ruthless con men, and tangling with an alluring Pinkerton agent.

→ Interview: The Harvey Girl: Fool’s Treasure

And finally, we circle back to time travel—this time at its very beginning.

Focus: Birth of a Time Traveler by Kendra Rumbaugh

Fantasy · Time Travel

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Evan Wright had her life mapped out: college, science, success. But when she discovers she can slip into the past just by immersing herself in a single moment of history, everything she believed is shaken. With each journey, Evan uncovers hidden truths about her family, her friends, and herself, forcing her to question the life she’s always wanted. Alongside a magnetic young History professor, she finds herself drawn into mysteries of the past that are as thrilling as they are dangerous. Now, Evan must decide: will she let the past shape her, or forge her own future?

The origin story of a time traveler discovering their power, this novel blends curiosity, consequence, and the thrill of the unknown.

And From Me, With Gratitude

In addition to spotlighting other authors, I also shared a few of my own stories throughout the year—each offered as a thank-you to readers who support my work and this growing community.

Looking Ahead to 2026

And this is only the beginning.

In 2026, the giveaways are getting even better. Along with books from talented authors, I’ll be featuring thoughtfully made crafts from local artisans—witchy, literary, and handcrafted pieces designed to pair beautifully with a good story and a quiet moment.

If you’d like first access to these giveaways (plus author interviews, reading recommendations, and behind-the-scenes notes), be sure to subscribe to my newsletter.

You can join anytime at www.LisaTraugott.com.

Happy holidays and happy reading!

Lisa 😉

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Copyright (c) Lisa A. Traugott 2025. All rights reserved.

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