Here are 7 books that Wolves and Daggers fans have personally recommended if you like Wolves and Daggers. Shepherd 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 Dark Lord's Daughter

Rachanee Lumayno Author Of Heir of Amber and Fire

From Rachanee's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Rachanee's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Rachanee Lumayno Why Rachanee loves this book

Patricia C Wrede is one of my all-time favorite authors, so I was excited when she released a new book. Wrede's characters are always fun--smart, snarky, with strong viewpoints. I'm not even the target audience (it's a middle grade book), but I always love her writing. Highly recommend if you're looking for a fun, light fantasy that can be read in a few hours or days.

By Patricia C. Wrede ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Dark Lord's Daughter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

From the New York Times bestselling author of Dealing with Dragons comes this timeless fantasy, about an ordinary girl who discovers she's the heir to a dark throne, and must find her place between her life on Earth and her magical inheritance.

"A heart-stopping, unique adventure for all!" -Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Kayla is just an ordinary girl . . . or so she thinks. When a day at the state fair is interrupted by the news that she's the daughter of a "Dark Lord," she and her family are quickly whisked to another world-one that's…


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Book cover of The High House

The High House by James Stoddard,

The Victorian mansion, Evenmere, is the mechanism that runs the universe.

The lamps must be lit, or the stars die. The clocks must be wound, or Time ceases. The Balance between Order and Chaos must be preserved, or Existence crumbles.

Appointed the Steward of Evenmere, Carter Anderson must learn the…

Book cover of The Thread That Binds the Bones

Kelly McCullough Author Of WebMage

From my list on witty, weird, and wild rides fantasy fiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

The things that I am most interested in are books that are deliciously fun to read and books that pick you up out of your comfortable chair and drag you across a fantastic landscape. What does that require? Three Ws for starters. Wit: both on the part of the characters and the author—I like smart characters, biting banter, and clever turns of phrase and story. Weird: in the sense of the unusual and mysterious—good world-building coupled with mysteries meant to be unraveled by the reader as much as by the characters. Wild: fast-paced action filled with sudden turns and unexpected drops and conversations that are three parts well-written words and two parts fencing without a blade. 

Kelly's book list on witty, weird, and wild rides fantasy fiction

Kelly McCullough Why Kelly loves this book

Nina is an absolute master of making things weird in ways that feel utterly natural to the world she’s writing. This starts on page one with ghosts hassling a school janitor about the impending death of two more students, and it never gets one bit less strange.

This is a book about living as an outcast, toxic family, homecoming, found family, and how sudden and unexpected love can be. On the wild side, it’s also about shapechangers, spellcasters of several varieties, ghosts, spirits, the Walking Dead, flying cars, and so much more. Every page is packed with magic, meaning, and the gentle wit that marks all of Nina’s work. If you haven’t read anything of hers, you’re missing out on one of the subtler masters of the genre, and I would recommend this as a great place to start.

By Nina Kiriki Hoffman ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Thread That Binds the Bones as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Tom Renfield, a drifter possessed of extraordinary powers, and Laura Bolte, the equally gifted daughter of an ancient family, are wed amid a supernatural tumult that threatens the thread that binds the bones. Original.


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 The Guardian of the Palace

The Guardian of the Palace by Steven J. Morris,

The Guardian of the Palace is the first novel in a modern fantasy series set in a New York City where magic is real—but hidden, suppressed, and dangerous when exposed.

When an ancient magic begins to leak into the world, a small group of unlikely allies is forced to act…

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 Oaky With a Hint of Murder

Oaky With a Hint of Murder by Dawn Brotherton,

Aury and Scott travel to the Finger Lakes in New York’s wine country to get to the bottom of the mysterious happenings at the Songscape Winery. Disturbed furniture and curious noises are one thing, but when a customer winds up dead, it’s time to dig into the details and see…

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 Dark Lord's Daughter
Book cover of The Thread That Binds the Bones
Book cover of The Lost Queen

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