The Drowing King by Emily Holleman (historical fiction 2017)

The sequel to Cleopatra's Shadows is so good, first rate historical fiction.  Ms. Holleman has done her research and her editor is great.  This book is enjoyable all on its own although I highly recommend starting at the beginning.  Caesar makes his entrance to Alexandria in this volume and her characterization is a lot of fun.

The Gothic War: Rome's Final Conflict in the West by Torsten Cumberland Jacobsen (nonfiction 2009)

This book ranges over the personalities, geography, weapons and battle tactics of the Gothic War. I loved it for this comprehensive look at a confusing and ever-shifting time in history.

The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George (historical fiction) 2017

I have been reading Ms. George for many years, and have been looking forward to this book because I have always been fascinated by Nero. The first book (in what is planned to be a series of two) ends just as Nero is rushing to Rome when he hears it is burning, which was an effective cliffhanger. George has clearly done a lot of research on life in Rome at the time, with fun and detailed descriptions of places like the Circus Maximus and religious rituals that Nero would have participated in. 
I think what many ancient history fans are looking for is how Nero justifies his many famous and horrible political murders to himself, other transgressive acts, and how he sees his role as emperor in the light of his desire to be an artist. Nero is simply delusional about how his artistic performances are seen not only by the senators of Rome, but by common people, which seems plausible.  One character tries to tell him the truth but Nero brushes it off. As for murders, taking part in a marriage ceremony with a man, and scandalous stuff like having upper class Romans participate in artistic endeavors and prostitution, it's always someone else's fault. Here and there it seems like a lame excuse, but it also seems like what a privileged emperor might tell himself.

Feast of Sorrow by Crystal King (historical fiction 2017)

It's a great idea to write about the Roman patrician Apicius, supposedly the writer of the first cookbook.  This book has a lot of wonderful detail about the dinner parties and food from the early empire, and interesting portrayals of some characters we know, such as Tiberius, Sejanus and Livia. The life and love story of the main character, a slave that Apicius buys to help him fulfill his dream of becoming the gastronomic advisor to the emperor, is extensively researched.  He goes through exciting and terrifying ups and downs.

Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World by Thomas F. Madden (nonfiction 2016)

Wonderful, special and unique story about the City.  I loved it, even more than Madden's previous work about Venice, which was quite edifying.

Vita Brevis, a Gaius Ruso mystery by Ruth Downie (historical mystery, 2016)

I love this series - read it from the beginning.  Lovely details about the Eternal City, wonderful characters, new turns in Ruso's relationship with his Britannian wife Tilla.  Fun stuff.

Graveyard of the Hesperides, a Flavia Albia novel by Lindsey Davis (historical fiction 2016)

Another hit in the series.  I love this female detective in the City of Rome.  The characters are always varied and so well-researched, you feel like it's a real time and place.  I recommend starting at the beginning, and you'll be hooked.

Jesus before The Gospels by Bart D. Ehrman (nonfiction 2016)

Ehrman breaks down the differences and similarities in The Gospels in light of memory research, trying to get at who Jesus was and how early Christians thought of him. Exciting and insightful, though might have used another round of editing.

Daughter of Albion by Ilka Tampke (historical fiction 2015)

I enjoyed this bit of fluffy historical fiction about an abandoned girl in the time just before much of Britain became a Roman province.  She's got a dog, a couple of boyfriends, and a mission.  I would be into a sequel.

Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar by Tom Holland (nonfiction 2015)

As a "sequel" to Rubicon, this one fails.  I didn't learn much of anything new about all those wild and crazy Julio-Claudians, and the writing was oddly choppy throughout.

The Many Faces of Christ by Philip Jenkins (nonfiction 2015)

'The Thousand-Year Story of the Survival and Influence of the Lost Gospels' is full of wonderful surprises and immediately added 20 titles to my pages-long reading list.  Jenkins includes nearly the entire world in this discussion of the texts of Christianity.

Murder in Megara by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer (historical mystery 2015)

The 11th book in the John, the Lord Chamberlain mysteries follows John and his family to Megara in exile.  I have enjoyed other books in this series, but for some reason this one lacked energy. 

Brothers in Blood by Simon Scarrow (historical fiction 2014)

A new entry in the Roman Legion series, starring our lads Cato and Macro, it's a quick fun read that involves a mystery of sorts as well as a gripping siege scene.  Expect to learn a little something about the life of the legions on the frontiers of Britannia during Claudius' reign, but don't expect to be super historically accurate. 

Dictator by Robert Harris (historical fiction 2016)

The last in a trilogy about the life of Cicero, as told by his secretary Tiro, who is freed in this volume.  The trilogy is absolutely wonderful, a must-read for historical fiction lovers, especially as it encompasses a time of such upheaval in history.  Amazing description of Caesar's assassination.

Cleopatra's Shadows by Emily Holleman (historical fiction 2015)

Exceptionally good historical novel about Berenice and Arsinoe, Cleopatra's sisters.  Of course we know nothing about these individuals' childhoods, but Holleman does a fantastic job of taking us to Alexandria and the world the royal ladies must have lived in.  Suspenseful, beautiful and sad.

The Master Yeshua: the Undiscovered Gospel of Joseph by Joyce Luck (historical fiction 2014)

Told from the point of view of a non-existent nephew of Yeshua, or Jesus, this book gets a lot of historical details right.  It attempts to tell the story as the Ebionites believed.  That group, among others, was declared heretical in the early church when they decided to go with Paul's version. 

While the narrative is mostly a delight, the author's voice breaks through the narrator's many times, which can be jarring.  The reader certainly gets the impression that the author is a good and sincere person, but might rather enjoy the POV of the fictional narrator uninterrupted.

Confronting the Classics by Mary Beard (nonfiction 2013)

Aside from some problematic remarks about rape, this might be the best collection of book reviews ever.  Beard's encyclopedic knowledge of the ancient world is at its best.  As I've read many of the books she critiques, it's very enjoyable.

The Fires of Vesuvius: Pompeii Lost and Found by Mary Beard (nonfiction 2008)

All the gold stars.  Ms. Beard is my favorite classical historian because she's skeptical.  She's an expert on Pompeii and I think people should read this book before they go.  When she does go off on an analytical flight of fancy, she provides plenty of evidence to think about.

A New History of Early Christianity by Charles Freeman (nonfiction 2009)

Really great stuff, scholarly and accessible.  This is interesting.

A.D. 33 by Ted Dekker (Christian historical fiction 2015)

A.D. 30 was better, as this book suffers from a little bit of maudlin goofiness.  But it's still better than pretty much all Christian historical fiction out there.