Stories of Struggle and Triumph: Literary Fiction to Read

07 Feb 2026

Stories of Struggle and Triumph: Literary Fiction to Read

Explore seven unforgettable Literary Fiction stories that span continents, decades, and human experience. From famine-stricken Ireland to Depression-era America and wartime Europe, these novels capture resilience, ambition, and the cost of survival. Perfect for readers who crave emotional depth, historical perspective, and richly drawn characters.

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Our Fallen Woman

by Steven Habbi

Release Date: January 9, 2026

Our Fallen Woman is a fiercely human historical epic spanning decades and continents. Set between 1880 and 1925, it follows Erin Kelly and Padraig “Paddy” McCann from famine-haunted Ireland, through London’s tenements, to the opportunities of Prohibition-era New York. Opportunity has a cost, and when betrayal strikes, Erin does not wait to be saved.

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Diary of a Throwaway Kid

by Shannon Tessari

Release Date: February 3, 2026

Diary of a Throwaway Kid is a poignant story told through the eyes of a young girl navigating the foster care system. Shuffled from home to home, she never feels wanted, never feels like she belongs. With each failed placement, she leaves with her life packed in a garbage bag – just another throwaway kid.

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Land of Dreams

by Gian Sardar

Release Date: February 1, 2026

It’s 1933, and though the country is stuck in the Great Depression, movies are the ultimate escape. But Hollywood is skilled at selling lies, and nothing is as it seems. Frankie Donnelly is scrappy, smart, and ambitious. Her knack for spinning any story into stellar publicity has made her an invaluable “fixer” at RCO Studios, where she works under the tutelage of powerful Nico Marconi.

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The Friend of the Family

by Dean Koontz

Release Date: January 20, 2026

The human “oddities” in the Museum of the Strange are less wondrous than the gawking rubes had been promised. But Alida is something else. The real thing. Traveling Depression-era America from carnival midways to speakeasies, Alida is resigned to an exploited and lonely life on the road as the museum’s golden ticket. Until she’s rescued by two compassionate strangers.

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The Secret Sewing Society

by Siobhan Curham

Release Date: January 26, 2026

Occupied Ukraine, 1940. Zirka and her cousin Perla work calmly and quietly in their dressmaker’s shop. But every stitch contains a spark of rebellion. War is raging, and hidden in the intricate traditional embroidery are secret messages for the resistance. If the two women are caught, or betrayed, it would mean certain death…

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Phoenix Rising (The Covert War Chronicles Book 2)

by Michael Reit

Release Date: January 8, 2026

Jewish refugee Felix Wolff believes he has found safety in England, but he is arrested and thrown into a British internment camp as a suspected Nazi spy. To clear his name and join the fight against Hitler, he must break free of a system that mistakes him for the very evil he fled.

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