Have you ever wanted to help quell a Fae uprising with William Shakespeare? Perhaps adventure with an infuriatingly charming surveyor in search of a lost city in 1898? Or journey through Jazz Age Mexico City to the Maya underworld alongside a Maya death god? In the pages of these nineteen historical fantasy novels, you can live out your dreams of exploring the past with charismatic characters, sweeping settings, and a few fantastical twists:
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
With lush world-building and inspiration from captivating Chinese legends, A Song to Drown Rivers is a lyrical novel set in Ancient China.
A Traitorous Heart by Erin Cotter
Mesmerizing, magical, and immersive with the perfect pinch of chaos, A Traitorous Heart is an addictive YA novel set in Paris, 1572.
Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
Cozy with cats, love, and wintry weather, Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter is a heartwarming novel set in 1920s Montréal, perfect for fans of Howl’s Moving Castle.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Here by Autumn Krause
The tall tales of Johnny Appleseed and Paul Bunyan blend with a Faustian bargain in Before the Devil Knows You’re Here, a sweeping YA gothic novel set in 1836.
Empire of Shadows by Jacquelyn Benson
Brimming with adventure, wit, mystery, puzzles, and the perfect dose of danger, Empire of Shadows is an unputdownable treasure hunt romp perfect for fans of What the River Knows and Jungle Cruise.
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Woven with Mexican folklore and Jazz Age history, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a stunning adventure through Mexico City and the Maya underworld.
Lovely War by Julie Berry
Thought-provoking, romantic, and lyrical, Lovely War is a beautiful YA novel brimming with Greek mythology, love, and emotion set during World War I and World War II.
Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith
Prohibition-era New York emerges with a magical twist in Revelle, a dreamy and romantic YA novel perfect for fans of Moulin Rouge!
Salvación by Sandra Proudman
Atmospheric, magical, and addictive, Salvación is a powerful YA novel inspired by El Zorro.
Scythe & Pen by A.C. Hobbs
Thrilling and fierce, Scythe & Pen is a breathtaking Hades-and-Persephone retelling filled with Jazz Age glamour and vampires.
That Self-Same Metal by Brittany N. Williams
Brimming with sword fights, political intrigue, Fae, and Orisha, That Self-Same Metal is a cinematic YA novel set in Shakespearean London.
The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois by Ryan Graudin
Magic, mystery, history, and art merge in The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois, a whimsical novel set in early 1900s Paris.
The Entirely True Story of the Fantastical Mesmerist Nora Grey by Kathleen Kaufman
With séances, folklore, and feminine rage, The Entirely True Story of the Fantastical Mesmerist Nora Grey is a riveting novel set in the early 20th century.
The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt by Chelsea Iversen
Moody, dark, sweet, and twisty, The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is a captivating novel reminiscent of The Secret Garden set in Victorian London.
The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond by Amanda Glaze
Atmospheric, romantic, and mysterious, The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond is a spellbinding story of sisterhood and spirits set in Sacramento, 1885.
This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings
Set in Jazz Age Harlem and filled with vampires, murder, and sapphic love, This Ravenous Fate is a glittering and seductive YA novel.
The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith
Lush and whimsical, The Rose Bargain is an enchanting YA novel with fae, romance, and court intrigue set in London, 1848.
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
Unsettling, visceral, and haunting, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is a brilliant YA horror set in London, 1883.
Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros
Heart-wrenching yet hopeful, Wrath Becomes Her is a tender and fierce YA novel set in Lithuania, 1943, perfect for fans of Frankenstein.
