Here are 7 books that Heart of a Valkyrie fans have personally recommended if you like Heart of a Valkyrie. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Bird and the Sword

Jennifer Ivy Walker Author Of Dragon of Denmark

From Jennifer's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author French teacher Avid reader Lover of medieval romance European traveler

Jennifer's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Jennifer Ivy Walker Why Jennifer loves this book

I loved the originality of this book, the immersive world-building, and the emotional complexity of the characters.

By Amy Harmon ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Bird and the Sword as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Swallow, daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heaven or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, daughter. Stay alive. The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would sell his soul and lose his…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of Unwrapped in Røros

Jennifer Ivy Walker Author Of Dragon of Denmark

From Jennifer's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author French teacher Avid reader Lover of medieval romance European traveler

Jennifer's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Jennifer Ivy Walker Why Jennifer loves this book

I was enthralled by the originality of the paranormal aspect of this timeless Viking romance. I have never read anything like it before, and loved it!

By Hanna Park ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Unwrapped in Røros as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

I survived the Big C. And now, every day is a candy cane kiss. I'm making up for lost time-living large and rocking around the Christmas tree at my best friend's wedding. Destination-Røros, aka Christmas Town, sparkling lights, and real-life reindeer. And then, what to my wandering eyes should appear-Rurik Andersen, this giant from a mystical place, wraps me in his balsam scent, stuffing my stocking with naughty and nice.


The skies dance, ribbons of light touching the heavens-the ghosts of Christmas past hide within the twinkling stars. The centuries leave me. How many winters must I survive without her?…


Book cover of The Lost Queen

Laura Swan Author Of The Hannah Document

From Laura's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Laura's 3 favorite reads in 2025

Laura Swan Why Laura loves this book

I love historical fiction, and this is another very fine example. I had to refer to the historical note as I was so taken by a piece of history--another revealing of suppressed women's history--and to realize how her story fits into the Arthur "myth."

By Signe Pike ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Lost Queen as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Outlander meets Camelot” (Kirsty Logan, author of The Gracekeepers) in the first book of an exciting historical trilogy that reveals the untold story of Languoreth—a powerful and, until now, tragically forgotten queen of sixth-century Scotland—twin sister of the man who inspired the legendary character of Merlin.

Intelligent, passionate, rebellious, and brave, Languoreth is the unforgettable heroine of The Lost Queen, a tale of conflicted loves and survival set against the cinematic backdrop of ancient Scotland, a magical land of myths and superstition inspired by the beauty of the natural world. One of the most powerful early medieval queens in British…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of Nefertiti

Lauren Lee Merewhether Author Of Salvation in the Sun

From my list on historical fiction novels about queens who shaped ancient dynasties.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love stories where characters become more than what was expected of them, and where I can feel the human emotions they endure in their rise or fall. I write stories for the fearful, the voiceless, the broken, and the brave—reminders that pain can shape purpose, that hope can rise from heartbreak, and that no one endures alone. Ancient queens typically embody those truths. Dismissed as pawns, they carried dynasties on their shoulders, often at great personal cost. Their humanity—their love, fear, sacrifice, and imperfections—reminds me that beneath the crowns, we all bleed, we all long, and we all need each other to survive.

Lauren's book list on historical fiction novels about queens who shaped ancient dynasties

Lauren Lee Merewhether Why Lauren loves this book

What I loved most about this book was how it told the rise of Nefertiti through the eyes of her quieter sister, Mutnodjmet. That perspective stayed with me.

It showed power and ambition not only from the throne, but from the shadow it cast on those forced to serve it. It reminded me that the greatest power struggles are never won without sacrifice, especially from those who never asked to play the game.

By Michelle Moran ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Nefertiti as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When the Crown Prince of Egypt needs a wife, the beautiful, charismatic, ambitious and connected Nefertiti is his mother's first choice. She quickly becomes accustomed to the opulence of her new life. As Queen of the world's first great empire at the height of its power, all her dreams are realised. Beguiling and wilful, Nefertiti is soon as powerful as the Pharaoh himself. But when her husband breaks with a thousand years of tradition, defying the priests and the military, it will take all Nefertiti's wiles to keep the nation from being torn apart. Watching from the shadows, her sister,…


Book cover of Queen of Oak

Lauren Lee Merewhether Author Of Salvation in the Sun

From my list on historical fiction novels about queens who shaped ancient dynasties.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love stories where characters become more than what was expected of them, and where I can feel the human emotions they endure in their rise or fall. I write stories for the fearful, the voiceless, the broken, and the brave—reminders that pain can shape purpose, that hope can rise from heartbreak, and that no one endures alone. Ancient queens typically embody those truths. Dismissed as pawns, they carried dynasties on their shoulders, often at great personal cost. Their humanity—their love, fear, sacrifice, and imperfections—reminds me that beneath the crowns, we all bleed, we all long, and we all need each other to survive.

Lauren's book list on historical fiction novels about queens who shaped ancient dynasties

Lauren Lee Merewhether Why Lauren loves this book

What I loved about this book was how it carried me into the world of Boudica before she became a legend.

She is not yet the warrior queen who defied Rome, but a daughter traded in the games of men, listening to the whispers of the oaks even as her fate is bargained away. I was drawn into the greenwood, the gods, the old ways of the druids, and into a story that felt raw and mythic.

It reminded me that rebellion is born not only of rage, but of sacrifice. 

By Melanie Karsak ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Queen of Oak as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Fated to lead a rebellion against Rome.Destined to become a legend.From New York Times bestseller Melanie Karsak, author of the Celtic Blood series, comes a gripping historical fantasy series of ancient Britain, Celtic gods, a fated romance, and the warrior queen who defied Rome.Britain, A.D. 42—Boudica, second daughter of a Celtic king, has little concern for tribal tensions and political intrigues. Called by the gods and the stirrings of her own wild heart, she listens instead to whispers of the oaks. But Boudica would be wiser to heed the warning cries of eagles.Rumors abound that the Romans are amassing forces…


Book cover of Jerusalem`s Queen

Lauren Lee Merewhether Author Of Salvation in the Sun

From my list on historical fiction novels about queens who shaped ancient dynasties.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love stories where characters become more than what was expected of them, and where I can feel the human emotions they endure in their rise or fall. I write stories for the fearful, the voiceless, the broken, and the brave—reminders that pain can shape purpose, that hope can rise from heartbreak, and that no one endures alone. Ancient queens typically embody those truths. Dismissed as pawns, they carried dynasties on their shoulders, often at great personal cost. Their humanity—their love, fear, sacrifice, and imperfections—reminds me that beneath the crowns, we all bleed, we all long, and we all need each other to survive.

Lauren's book list on historical fiction novels about queens who shaped ancient dynasties

Lauren Lee Merewhether Why Lauren loves this book

What struck me most about this story was how Salome Alexandra began as a girl dismissed, bartered, and used for power, yet rose to rule with a strength literally no one expected.

I loved how her journey revealed the cost of obedience, the ache of being given away, and the slow, steady fire of a woman who refused to let her life be wasted. This novel made me feel the weight of dynastic duty and the quiet courage it takes to lead not by force, but by wisdom and faith.

I also appreciated the biblical historicity woven into this story.

By Angela Hunt ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Jerusalem`s Queen as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Born in the small village of Modein, a town made famous by the warrior Maccabees, Salome Alexandra knows better than to harbor grand dreams for her future. She pales in comparison to her beautiful older sister, and though she learns to read at an early age, girls are not valued for their intellectual ability. But when her father and sister are killed, John Hyrcanus, a distant relative, invites Salome and her mother to live with his family in Jerusalem, where her thirst for knowledge is noticed and indulged.

When her guardian betroths her to a pagan prince, she questions HaShem's…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Daughter of the Gods

Lauren Lee Merewhether Author Of Salvation in the Sun

From my list on historical fiction novels about queens who shaped ancient dynasties.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love stories where characters become more than what was expected of them, and where I can feel the human emotions they endure in their rise or fall. I write stories for the fearful, the voiceless, the broken, and the brave—reminders that pain can shape purpose, that hope can rise from heartbreak, and that no one endures alone. Ancient queens typically embody those truths. Dismissed as pawns, they carried dynasties on their shoulders, often at great personal cost. Their humanity—their love, fear, sacrifice, and imperfections—reminds me that beneath the crowns, we all bleed, we all long, and we all need each other to survive.

Lauren's book list on historical fiction novels about queens who shaped ancient dynasties

Lauren Lee Merewhether Why Lauren loves this book

I loved how Hatshepsut, as a girl, came alive on the page.

Thornton’s writing made me feel the desert heat, hear the chants of the gods, and sense Hatshepsut's ambition as she became more than a pawn and seized control of Egypt when she was destined to be overlooked by history as a royal daughter.

It reminded me that courage often begins where fairness ends.

By Stephanie Thornton ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Daughter of the Gods as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Egypt, 1400s BC. The pharaoh's pampered second daughter, lively, intelligent Hatshepsut, delights in racing her chariot through the marketplace and testing her archery skills in the Nile's marshlands. But the death of her elder sister, Neferubity, in a gruesome accident arising from Hatshepsut's games forces her to confront her guilt...and sets her on a profoundly changed course.

Hatshepsut enters a loveless marriage with her half brother, Thut, to secure his claim to the Isis Throne and produce a male heir. But it is another of Thut's wives, the commoner Aset, who bears him a son, while Hatshepsut develops a searing…


Book cover of The Bird and the Sword
Book cover of Unwrapped in Røros
Book cover of The Lost Queen

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