The Best Historical Fiction Books I Read This Year Part Three

We are at part three of the best historical fiction books I read this year and will be continuing this as long as possible. So, tune in to find out which three novels I loved that you should immediately add to your reading list!

In 2025 so far, I have read 82 books and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. One of my most read genres for this year is historical fiction novels and I have been making an effort to read more. 

I’ve been trying to read more of every genre and a big reason that is possible is because my to-read list is way too long. Even with all the books I have read, I have yet to make a dent in it. Partly because I keep adding new books every week.

I read three historical fiction novels that I loved and needed to share. One of them is a classic novel that many have heard of and the other two are modern novels that you have definitely seen at bookstores or at your library. You can see the full list below!

The Best Historical Fiction Books I Read This Year Part Three

• The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
• Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange 
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 

The Nickel Boys

We all have had that moment where we discover a new author and have to binge read all their books. After reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, I knew I was going to read anything he releases going forward and I am glad I did.

The Nickel Boys is a novel about Elwood Curtis, a young black boy who is wrongly sentenced to Nickel Academy, a juvenile reform school that is supposed to turn them straight.

But the school takes advantage of the boys and is filled with racism and abuse. Elwood and every black boy have to fight and survive to see the next day because is not guaranteed in this reform school.

This novel is based on actual events and if it wasn’t for this novel, few people would know about this horrible event. Like many tragedies, it was buried and forgotten but people like Whitehead know how powerful a story can be. 

You will be angry and shocked and throughout it all, you will appreciate what Whitehead was able to accomplish with this novel. It is no wonder that Whitehead won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for this novel.

Wandering Stars

Everyone says don’t judge a book by its cover but that might not be true for Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange. This is one of my favorite book covers and the book is even better somehow.

Orange tells a harrowing tale of racism and trauma that haunts a family for generations. The book tells the story of Native Americans suffering for over a century and the importance of identity and home.

The plight of Native Americans is forgotten or neglected in this country. Their identity is constantly under attack and their history has been buried deep. But Tommy Orange’s novel brings it back into the spotlight and tells their story while also writing one of the best novels of 2024.

Pride and Prejudice

Lastly, I finally got around and read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I enjoyed the novel a lot more than I thought I would and can see why Austen is as popular as she is today. 

Elizabeth Bennett is one of five daughters and the novel follows her and Mr. Darcy, who moves near the Bennetts. Elizabeth’s older sister Jane falls in love with Bingley who is a close friends with Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth interact at a party and while Mr. Darcy falls for Elizabeth, she insults him after he is rude to her. Jane and Bingley seem like they are made for each other but suddenly, things go awry. Elizabeth guesses that somebody doesn’t want them to get married.

A turn of events scares the Bennett family and Elizabeth turns to Mr. Darcy to help. Will Jane and Bingley get married? And how does Elizabeth feel about Mr. Darcy? Jane Austen spins a tale like no other that has remained relevant centuries later and is considered one of the best historical fiction books ever written.

Conclusion

Many of my favorite novels are historical fiction novels and that isn’t a coincidence. The genre has so much to offer. Whether you read classics or modern novels, this genre has it all. There are thousands of novels that take place in every time period that you will love.

No matter which books you end up choosing from this list, there are no wrong choices. All of the books from this list and the past lists are amazing reads. You will be busy reading them for quite a while.

These are the best historical fiction books I read that you need to read as soon as possible. You most likely have heard of these novels but hopefully this article will make you read them too. Until next time, happy reading!

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