Ahhh Historical Fiction, is there anything better then that? Maybe historical fiction with just a tiny dash of romance? Definitely! When I think of a good historical fiction I imagine a cozy fall day with a nice cup of tea and your favorite blanket. Sounds perfect right? To bad it’s 100 degrees here in Florida. If you’re sitting with a blanket either your AC is on full blast or maybe you're outside trying to fight off mosquitos.... Florida, America’s vacation spot... nothing like good ol' alligators, mosquitos, sweltering heat and giant sharks for a nice family vacation. ANYWAYS back to what we were initially here for - amazing historical fictions! I piled together a list for you guys with some of my all time favorites. We have some adult fiction as well as some young adult. Now I haven’t read nearly as much historical fiction as I would love, but the thing about this genre is that you have to read it at the right time. Well at least I do. I have to be in the mood for a historical fiction book or I won’t be able to get through it. However when I am in the mood the ones I read end up being so beautiful and some of my favorite books of all time, and then I’m always like “ wHy dO I NoT ReAd mOrE Of tHeSe !”
I hope you guys do find a new favorite historical fiction on this list and you end up enjoying them as much as I did. As always if you have any recommendations let me know! xo
Oh lord, be prepared to cry your eyes out. Well really just FYI to this entire list and probably Historical Fiction in general - the chances of you crying are pretty high. The Nightingale is not only my favorite historical fiction so far, but one of my favorite books of all time. I was blown away by how much I loved this book. It’s one of those books that have you thinking about it days after you finish. I couldn’t pick anything up after this book for a while, and when I did pick another book up it was a historical fiction. If you haven’t read any books from this genre I recommend starting here.
1. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Oh lord, be prepared to cry your eyes out. Well really just FYI to this entire list and probably Historical Fiction in general - the chances of you crying are pretty high. The Nightingale is not only my favorite historical fiction so far, but one of my favorite books of all time. I was blown away by how much I loved this book. It’s one of those books that have you thinking about it days after you finish. I couldn’t pick anything up after this book for a while, and when I did pick another book up it was a historical fiction. If you haven’t read any books from this genre I recommend starting here. 
The Nightingale is a book for everyone and I feel like if you didn’t love historical fiction before, well you sure will after finishing this book! This book follows two sisters and the very different lives they live during WWII, and different they are! Not just because of where they were during the war, but their beliefs and viewpoints too.
Vianne is left at home with her daughter while her husband goes off to the front line, and she’s pretty certain the war could never reach as far as her tiny village. How wrong she is though because not shortly after her husband leaves the Germans invade. They invade not just her town, but her house too. Vianne is literally living with the enemy and we see her day to day struggles and the choices she regrettably has to make.
Isabelle is nothing like her older sister and we see her experience life as only the young can, quick and fully. We follow her on her journey of self discovery, rebellion, love, and then heartbreak. Both sisters make an imprint in your heart and you won’t be able to put this book down. The author captivates you until the very last page, and even then you’re still left pondering about the lives of these characters. I cried, not ashamed to say. I balled my eyes out for the happy endings for some characters, the not so happy endings for others, and the terrible sadness of it all. You will forever be grateful to this author for giving us a story so beautiful but also so laced with truth. Pick this book up and just experience it...... (and if you want my full review you can search for it in the search bar or go to my review page!)
France, 1939
In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France...but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.
Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can...completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real--and deadly--consequences.
Isabelle is nothing like her older sister and we see her experience life as only the young can, quick and fully. We follow her on her journey of self discovery, rebellion, love, and then heartbreak. Both sisters make an imprint in your heart and you won’t be able to put this book down. The author captivates you until the very last page, and even then you’re still left pondering about the lives of these characters. I cried, not ashamed to say. I balled my eyes out for the happy endings for some characters, the not so happy endings for others, and the terrible sadness of it all. You will forever be grateful to this author for giving us a story so beautiful but also so laced with truth. Pick this book up and just experience it...... (and if you want my full review you can search for it in the search bar or go to my review page!)
France, 1939
In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France...but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.
Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can...completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real--and deadly--consequences.
2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
Not gonna lie the movie persuaded me to pick this book up! I listened to it as an audiobook and loved it ! The audiobook though made me so curious about the writing of the book that I ended up picking up a physical copy and reading it that way too! Loved both formats! This book is a little bit more lighthearted and it’s set right after the war.
Our main character is a writer and she ends up getting inspiration from the small island known as Guernsey! Our main character Juliet gets a letter from a man she’s never met before, and quickly they form a correspondence that eventually leads to Juliet’s curiosity and the inspiration for her next book. She soon sets her eyes on heading to Guernsey to meet the people she’s been writing to in person, and once Juliet gets to Guernsey she meets our melting pot of characters who each bring something wonderful to the book club. That’s right guys, they have and HAD a book club during WWII. Juliet learns about each of their experiences during the war, and ends up learning about herself in the process. She feels an instant pull to Guernsey and something about it feel like home. Could it have anything to do with her correspondent and new friend? Who also happens to be VERY handsome!!!?
You get to follow Juliet’s journey through friendships, love, heartbreak, and of course the devastating events that occurred during the war not only to Juliet herself, but to the small island of Guernsey. This book is magical and I feel like it’s the perfect book for people who may not have a lot of time to read or aren’t very big readers in the first place. This book is a wonderful read, and one that will make an imprint on you! Also check out the movie on Netflix, it’s soooooo good! If you don’t read the book then at least watch the movie!!
January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb...
As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society's members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.
This next one is part of series and is also quite long, like 900 pages so yeah...... Might not be your cup of tea, but don’t let the length scare you away because I really enjoyed this book and while reading it I didn’t feel like it was super lengthy. The Bronze Horseman is one of the more well known Historical Fiction books, and it has a very 50/50 response. Some people love it, and others absolutely hate it. Let me clarify a bit! If you are not here for a lot of romance then this book might not be for you. If you just want a solid Historical Fiction then pick up something like The Nightingale. However if you love romance as much as I do then the chances are high that you’ll love this book. It has a heavy focus on the relationship and it’s one of those relationships that’s very heartbreaking and full of challenges. It’s definitely not easy for our couple to get their Happily Ever After. I felt SO many different emotions during this book, and I cried like four times throughout it. Since the book is quite lengthy you do feel like part of the story, and when I finished the first book I had no idea what to do with myself. I was stuck.... emotionally stuck. In the beginning of this book Tatiana and her family have not yet been touched by the war so we get to see her fall in love and have a normal teenage life...for a bit, and I think that’s what gets you so emotional. You are literally seeing what Tatiana and her family go through over a span of years!
The romance is like I said, absolutely-freaking-heartbreaking. Tatiana and Alexander definitely have their obstacles to get through, and there are times when they can’t be together. Seeing them love each other despite everything is what made me tear up so many times though!! You have no idea where this book could possibly lead you, and I was constantly surprised at what direction the author went in. This book is beautiful, inspiring, exciting, devastating, EMOTIONAL, and surprising. It’s a commitment, but it’s one I recommend making!
As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society's members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.
3. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simmons
This next one is part of series and is also quite long, like 900 pages so yeah...... Might not be your cup of tea, but don’t let the length scare you away because I really enjoyed this book and while reading it I didn’t feel like it was super lengthy. The Bronze Horseman is one of the more well known Historical Fiction books, and it has a very 50/50 response. Some people love it, and others absolutely hate it. Let me clarify a bit! If you are not here for a lot of romance then this book might not be for you. If you just want a solid Historical Fiction then pick up something like The Nightingale. However if you love romance as much as I do then the chances are high that you’ll love this book. It has a heavy focus on the relationship and it’s one of those relationships that’s very heartbreaking and full of challenges. It’s definitely not easy for our couple to get their Happily Ever After. I felt SO many different emotions during this book, and I cried like four times throughout it. Since the book is quite lengthy you do feel like part of the story, and when I finished the first book I had no idea what to do with myself. I was stuck.... emotionally stuck. In the beginning of this book Tatiana and her family have not yet been touched by the war so we get to see her fall in love and have a normal teenage life...for a bit, and I think that’s what gets you so emotional. You are literally seeing what Tatiana and her family go through over a span of years! 
The romance is like I said, absolutely-freaking-heartbreaking. Tatiana and Alexander definitely have their obstacles to get through, and there are times when they can’t be together. Seeing them love each other despite everything is what made me tear up so many times though!! You have no idea where this book could possibly lead you, and I was constantly surprised at what direction the author went in. This book is beautiful, inspiring, exciting, devastating, EMOTIONAL, and surprising. It’s a commitment, but it’s one I recommend making!
The golden skies, the translucent twilight, the white nights, all hold the promise of youth, of love, of eternal renewal. The war has not yet touched this city of fallen grandeur, or the lives of two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha Metanova, who share a single room in a cramped apartment with their brother and parents. Their world is turned upside down when Hitler's armies attack Russia and begin their unstoppable blitz to Leningrad.
Yet there is light in the darkness. Tatiana meets Alexander, a brave young officer in the Red Army. Strong and self-confident, yet guarding a mysterious and troubled past, he is drawn to Tatiana—and she to him. Starvation, desperation, and fear soon grip their city during the terrible winter of the merciless German siege. Tatiana and Alexander's impossible love threatens to tear the Metanova family apart and expose the dangerous secret Alexander so carefully protects—a secret as devastating as the war itself—as the lovers are swept up in the brutal tides that will change the world and their lives forever.
This book is labeled young adult, so it’s perfect for younger readers! (or anyone !!) Between Shades Of Gray is also perfect for readers who want a plain ol’ Historical Fiction. It focuses heavily on the experiences and journey of a 15 year old Lithuanian girl in 1941.
Yet there is light in the darkness. Tatiana meets Alexander, a brave young officer in the Red Army. Strong and self-confident, yet guarding a mysterious and troubled past, he is drawn to Tatiana—and she to him. Starvation, desperation, and fear soon grip their city during the terrible winter of the merciless German siege. Tatiana and Alexander's impossible love threatens to tear the Metanova family apart and expose the dangerous secret Alexander so carefully protects—a secret as devastating as the war itself—as the lovers are swept up in the brutal tides that will change the world and their lives forever.
4. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
This book is labeled young adult, so it’s perfect for younger readers! (or anyone !!) Between Shades Of Gray is also perfect for readers who want a plain ol’ Historical Fiction. It focuses heavily on the experiences and journey of a 15 year old Lithuanian girl in 1941. 
Lina’s journey pulled on my heart strings. I felt for her and cried mega tears. It’s not something you can forget and the author does an amazing job of sharing Lina’s sorry with us. Throughout this entire book I kept thinking things could not get worse, and yet they would. It was just a cycle of horrible events and I had no idea how Lina was remaining strong. This book will really have you thinking and wondering how people actually managed to survive, let alone have any spirit left in them. Even though this book is a young adult book in no way does it feel that way. The author’s writing is mature and well rounded, you’ll be absorbed and won’t be able to put this book down.
I also loved how the author gave Lina such a creative personality and we get to see her draw her experiences on whatever paper or place she can. She’s tough and just when you think she’s going to give up she doesn’t. You are right along with Lina from camp to camp and you feel the emotions she feels. Nothing short of wonderful could describe this book and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good historical fiction. I also recommend it to people who maybe haven’t read a historical fiction book before. It’s a wonderful place to start and Ruta Sepety’s has other historical fiction books so if you enjoy this one you can check out what else she has!
Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.
Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives.
This is another YA book and part of a duo-logy! Now this book definitely has a plot and point of view that I’ve never read before. One thing you should know about this book though is that even though it's based off real events, it’s completely fictionalized. It does have a lot of facts in it about the time before the war, and some of the characters in this book are based off of real people from Hitler’s life. Like our main character is the niece of Adolf Hitler...(not by blood, but you know “niece.”) And a few of the other characters like Hitler’s wife are present in the book, but we see her before she becomes his wife and how that actually unfolds. When you read historical fiction, that's exactly what you're getting. Fiction in a historical setting, so just remember that when going into this one!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book though. The perspective of Gretchen and her relationship with Hitler was definitely, well interesting. Yeah interesting is one word for it! This book starts before WWII in the 1930’s and we see Gretchen know Hitler as just a regular guy, "Uncle" Dolf. Throughout the years we see Hitler through the eyes of someone close to him and how quickly everything changes for the worse.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the romance. Gretchen falls for a jewish reporter who starts to open her eyes to the truth of not just her family but the world around them. Soon Gretchen is helping Daniel investigate these people and bring truth out to the public. This book really is just so interesting, and it even has that small pull of emotions. However it’s definitely not as emotional as the other books on this list, so if you want a historical fiction that isn’t going to make you ball your eyes out but still provides you with the historical setting you want then definitely check out this book!
In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.
Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler. And Gretchen follows his every command.
Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.
As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?
Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.
Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives.
5. Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blackman
This is another YA book and part of a duo-logy! Now this book definitely has a plot and point of view that I’ve never read before. One thing you should know about this book though is that even though it's based off real events, it’s completely fictionalized. It does have a lot of facts in it about the time before the war, and some of the characters in this book are based off of real people from Hitler’s life. Like our main character is the niece of Adolf Hitler...(not by blood, but you know “niece.”) And a few of the other characters like Hitler’s wife are present in the book, but we see her before she becomes his wife and how that actually unfolds. When you read historical fiction, that's exactly what you're getting. Fiction in a historical setting, so just remember that when going into this one!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book though. The perspective of Gretchen and her relationship with Hitler was definitely, well interesting. Yeah interesting is one word for it! This book starts before WWII in the 1930’s and we see Gretchen know Hitler as just a regular guy, "Uncle" Dolf. Throughout the years we see Hitler through the eyes of someone close to him and how quickly everything changes for the worse.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the romance. Gretchen falls for a jewish reporter who starts to open her eyes to the truth of not just her family but the world around them. Soon Gretchen is helping Daniel investigate these people and bring truth out to the public. This book really is just so interesting, and it even has that small pull of emotions. However it’s definitely not as emotional as the other books on this list, so if you want a historical fiction that isn’t going to make you ball your eyes out but still provides you with the historical setting you want then definitely check out this book!
In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.
Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler. And Gretchen follows his every command.
Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.
As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?
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