1. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (Stand-alone book, medium length)

Warning: This novel has plenty of Egyptian history, intriguing court politics, and forbidden romance. The plunge into ancient Egypt is amazing and well-fleshed out. Mutny’s sister Nefertiti is married to the pharaoh of Egypt, but are they ruling justly? Can Mutny stop Nefertiti from changing all that’s good about her home?

 

2. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (Stand-alone book, medium length)

Warning: This book is set during WW2 and has a wonderful emphasis on female friendship and women pilots. After two friends are separated by the war, one to be a pilot and one to be a spy in Germany, they suffer incredible hardships. Their bond helps keep them together and it becomes clear that even two, normal girls can help change the world. The monumental twist in this book makes it a story for the ages and an absolute tear-jerker. 

 

3. A Different Sky by Meira Chand (Stand-alone book, medium length)

Warning: More WWII in Singapore, allowing us to learn how the war affected some of the smaller or less involved countries. Lots of characters and stories interwoven, including a painful, hopeful romance that spans different cultural backgrounds. I just remember being surprised at every turn at the subtlety of the relationships and also the onslaught of interesting information you would never hear in your history class.

 

4. Black Hearts Series by Nicole Castroman (2 books, medium length)

Warning: A new, thrilling take on the legend of Blackbeard and the woman he loves. And let me tell you, the woman he loves is a biracial woman working as a servant for his elitist, wealthy family. She’ll do anything to become something greater than what society says she has to be. Together, they take down harmful systems and cause general mayhem.

 

5. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez (Stand-alone book, long length)

Warning: A Mexican-American girl raised by an abusive white stepfather falls in love with an African American boy during the 1930s. A bit of a sob-fest, but it feels so important. It's worth every word, I promise. 

 

6. Anything by Ruta Sepetys!

Warning: All include amazing historical stories you’ve never heard and a slight romance as the icing on the cake. Each tale is full of resilience and general wonder. Lots of holding my breath! Titles include: Fountains of Silence (1950's Dictatorship of Spain, lush, shocking, gorgeous romance between American photographer and Spanish maid), Ashes in the Snow/Between Shades of Gray (WW2 impact on Lithuania, a girl shipped off to horrifying camp in Siberia, haunting prose), Out of the Easy (Old-Timey, Big-Easy New Orleans, the building of the culture, surprising and magical), and Salt of the Sea (WW1 perspective of a group of teens and children who come from different backgrounds and survive a ship crash together). Each of these books are wonderful, with Fountains of Silence and Between Shades of Grey being my favorites!

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7. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers (3 books, medium length)

Warning: Lots of engrossing history involved, as well as a made-up group of female assassins set in England centuries ago. Each girl has been through a traumatic past, but is later chosen and raised by a group who trains assassins to help in toxic and dangerous political situations. I loved the intrigue, the narrators, and the tricky moral dilemmas (including star-crossed romances).

 

8. Emeralds and Ashes by Leila Rasheed (3 books, medium length)

Warning: Think of Downton Abbey and WWI, but with a wider net and even more important issues. Rasheed creates strong, complex characters and an honest look at the time period (race, LGBTQ+, classism, etc.). The burning, honest dialogue between some of these characters is imprinted in my mind forever.

 

9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: Sadness, WWII, and death as your narrator. A young, determined girl tries to hide away the books that her town is burning. Death watches as life falls down all around her. The prose will knock you off your feet!

 

10. Unbroken by Laura Hildenbrand (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: True story about man who fights his way through concentration camps and WWII. Can you shake the ghosts that haunt you? Hildenbrand paints an honest, compelling picture of a hero we likely never would have heard about. It's just as inspiring as it sounds and it reminded me that non-fiction can be just as engrossing as its fictional counterpart. I love Hildenbrand's work!

 

11. Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, pilot Rose Justice is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women's concentration camp. The following story is as chilling as expected, but it also highlights the resilience of these women and how their stories beg to be heard. Truly mesmerizing.

 

12. Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman (2 books, medium length)

Warning: Gretchen has always followed her Uncle Adolf’s every command, belief in his word unwavering. But when she meets Jewish reporter Daniel she begins to question everything her uncle has told her, including what happened to her father. With a beautiful love story and danger at every turn, this novel is a page-turner.

 

13. Every Hidden Thing by Kenneth Oppel (Stand-alone, medium)

Warning: Set during the nineteenth century, two warring paleontologists head out to the Badlands in search of a great discovery. Everything is turned upside down when their children fall in love and create a third team on the hunt.

 

14. Alex and Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz (2 books, medium)

Warning: Despite a seemingly romanticized account of Alexander and Eliza Hamilton’s budding romance, it still makes for a light, happy read and displays the impact the couple had on today's nation.

 

15. Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young (Stand-alone, medium)

Warning: Using a mix of Viking lore and a few other warrior tribes, Young’s book is brutal and beautiful. With a strong female character, a hint of heady romance, and a lesson about the reasons we fight each other, it made for a strong, punchy novel.

 

16. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant (Stand-alone, medium)

Warning: A novel following a group of strong women during Biblical times, this story offers romance, danger, and a totally unique world. Our fierce heroine matures before our eyes, becoming relentless and determined even in the face of adversity. The world felt incredibly foreign, but the strong bonds the women have is all too familiar! 

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17. Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill (Stand-alone, medium)

Warning: A young Italian-American girl falls in love with the Japanese-American boy that delivers groceries to her family’s restaurant. The only problem is that it’s WWII era America, where prejudice and hatred for the Japanese is running rampant. Told from dual perspectives, we get an honest look into Japanese internment camps and how outside American society viewed them. It was sweet, hopeful, and a reminder that oppression can happen whenever we choose to remain ignorant.   

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18. The Valiant Series by Lesley Livingston (3 books, medium)

Warning: Fierce and ferocious warrior-princess Fallon is taken captive and shipped to Rome to be one of the famed female gladiators for Caesar. She carefully navigates a tense political climate, a forbidden romance, and many dangerous foes in the arena. It's strong, it's fiery, and Fallon is the hero we need! Her rebellious, courageous spirit made this series a fantastic read!

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19. The Lovely War by Julie Berry (Stand-alone, long length)

Warning: An expansive, lush tale that is narrated by the goddess of love Aphrodite. She recounts the love stories of two different couples frequently separated and scarred by WWI. The framing is incredibly clever, the characters are incredibly likeable, and I was incredibly touched by the journey I followed. I only shed a few tears! If you want a different spin on the WW2 books you're reading, this one is absolutely brilliant!

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20. School for Unusual Girls Series by Kathleen Baldwin (4 books, short length)

Warning: Set in the years of Napoleon’s takeover and war with England, a boarding school for young ladies hides some of the most important spies and agents for the crown. Each book focuses on a girl at the school with a specific talent such as engineering, fighting, diplomacy, etc. Despite the constraints of the time period, each girl works within the system to do what is best and fight against expectations of their gender. There’s danger, romance, and wonderful historical context!

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21. Forgotten Fire by Adam Bagdasarian (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: Vehan is a twelve-year-old boy living in the final decade of the Ottoman Empire. His family is proudly Armenian and lives an affluent life, his father being a lawyer that often consults with the Turkish/Ottoman government. One day, in the early days of WWI, Vehan’s life changes forever. His family is expelled and some murdered right in front of them just because they are Armenian, and Christian. The Turks soon commit an atrocious genocide that is still not recognized by many nations around the world. This novel was as difficult to read as you could imagine, but Vehan was realistic, honest, and resilient. It is an important read.

 

22. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (Stand-alone, non-fiction, medium length)

Warning: In this non-fiction book, author David Grann meticulously researches the conspiracy that occurred to the Osage tribe during the 1920s. The Osage tribe bought land from the US with the intention of having their own space, even if that land was considered rocky and poor for agriculture, which is probably why the US even allowed them to buy it. But the Osage soon become incredibly wealthy off the oil they find there. The government soon puts into place that many of the Osage cannot directly manage their wealth and must have a white manager. Grann digs deep into the murders that soon follow the Osage everywhere and the FBI investigation that follows. How large is the conspiracy that is attacking the Osage? Is it all related to money? To ideas of power? This read was immersive and showcased just one of the horrific examples of Native American mistreatment. A must read!

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23. A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller (Stand-alone, long length)

Warning: Set in 1909 London, upper-class society girl Vicky has just been expelled from boarding school for posing nude in an art class. Growing her artistic skills and becoming a renowned artist has always been the only thing Vicky has wanted to do. But when she returns to her parents scandal follows in her wake. She is forbidden from pursuing art and is set up to marry a man she does not know. Vicky struggles to find her own voice and independence, but she slowly, secretly works towards her goals becoming involved with the suffragettes and applying to art college with the help of a handsome, sympathetic police constable. Waller's work is thoroughly researched and filled with fascinating, bleeding-heart characters, especially the women just trying to be heard.