Fans pick 88 books like Before Autumn Fades

By Christian Andreo,

Here are 88 books that Before Autumn Fades fans have personally recommended if you like Before Autumn Fades. 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 Last Lost Girl

Tricia Copeland Author Of To be a Fae Queen

From my list on Indie Fantasy books with creative spins.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been obsessed with fantasy since my grandmother bought me the entire Dorothy and the Land of Oz series as a kid. I love discovering new types of fantasy characters, spins on characters, new lore in genres, and mythology woven in creative ways. For my fantasy group, I’ve researched many interpretations of fae, witches, elves, vampires, and shapeshifters. I’m always looking to add to my list, and I love finding Indie authors new to their niche. I feel so privileged to interview many authors like these and Jennifer L. Armentrout (squeal) for my podcast, The Finding the Magic Book Podcast. I hope you love these books as much as I did.

Tricia's book list on Indie Fantasy books with creative spins

Tricia Copeland Why did Tricia love this book?

I don’t normally read fairytale retellings, but I usually love Casey L. Bond’s work, so I gave this book a shot. I’ve never read the entire story of Peter Pan, but that didn’t dampen my enjoyment. First, I love the narration, and being from Georgia, I especially like Ava’s Southern accent. All the expected characters star in this book, including Hook, Pan, and “Belle.”

The scenery came alive, creative beings spurred my curiosity, and the rules for the world fascinated me as I learned about the lost boys, why Hook must stay at sea and Ava’s past. I’m not sure which characters to trust in this book. It is an action-packed first book of a duology that ended with a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait to listen to the next book. 

By Casey L. Bond,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Last Lost Girl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Welcome to Neverland. Where shadows consume and magic is frighteningly real.

Ava is struggling to provide for herself and her sister, who slips further into insanity with each passing day. Raving about Neverland. Obsessed with a Second Star that Ava can't see in the black, velvety sky. Until the night Belle succumbs to the terrifying shadows plaguing her and sweeps Ava away to a land that is only supposed to exist in storybooks.

Neverland is real. And so is Peter Pan.

He's grown from boy to man, wielding a terrible power he uses to rule the island. When he senses…


Book cover of Fae Away

Tricia Copeland Author Of To be a Fae Queen

From my list on Indie Fantasy books with creative spins.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been obsessed with fantasy since my grandmother bought me the entire Dorothy and the Land of Oz series as a kid. I love discovering new types of fantasy characters, spins on characters, new lore in genres, and mythology woven in creative ways. For my fantasy group, I’ve researched many interpretations of fae, witches, elves, vampires, and shapeshifters. I’m always looking to add to my list, and I love finding Indie authors new to their niche. I feel so privileged to interview many authors like these and Jennifer L. Armentrout (squeal) for my podcast, The Finding the Magic Book Podcast. I hope you love these books as much as I did.

Tricia's book list on Indie Fantasy books with creative spins

Tricia Copeland Why did Tricia love this book?

I’m a huge fan of anything fae, so this book is an easy pick. I live for new spins on traditional characters and love that Rose’s take on the fae is genius. I love the creative way Garcia gets these fae between their realm and the human realm.

The laws that govern the fae realm, and some misuses of those, unfold as you read making the book a great suspense. I couldn’t have predicted the storyline, and I love that it intertwines fae lore with witches and magic in an urban fantasy-ish setting.

By Rose Garcia,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A restless fae princess. A human with special powers. Two realms at risk.

Despite being born into the most powerful house in the faerie realm, Celyse dreads her life of duty and obligation. That all changes when she finds a portal that offers a glance at the forbidden human realm. If discovered with the portal, it could mean her death. Yet she peeks anyway and meets a gorgeous human. Soon, she is visiting him nightly, until she is forced to cast her fancy aside for courting season. But when she is threatened by a malicious suitor and learns of a…


Book cover of Song of Destiny

Tricia Copeland Author Of To be a Fae Queen

From my list on Indie Fantasy books with creative spins.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been obsessed with fantasy since my grandmother bought me the entire Dorothy and the Land of Oz series as a kid. I love discovering new types of fantasy characters, spins on characters, new lore in genres, and mythology woven in creative ways. For my fantasy group, I’ve researched many interpretations of fae, witches, elves, vampires, and shapeshifters. I’m always looking to add to my list, and I love finding Indie authors new to their niche. I feel so privileged to interview many authors like these and Jennifer L. Armentrout (squeal) for my podcast, The Finding the Magic Book Podcast. I hope you love these books as much as I did.

Tricia's book list on Indie Fantasy books with creative spins

Tricia Copeland Why did Tricia love this book?

This book spins two genres I love together: mythology and urban fantasy. Characters must be likable, even lovable, for me to get into a book, and Korrina definitely is that!

I haven’t read many Siren books, but Korrina's story and plight drew me in. I became endeared to her and her band of friends quickly. I loved how the author hides secrets within layers of the story and twists of the plot. These discoveries kept me turning pages.

By Kris Faryn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Song of Destiny as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

My voice kills. His touch silences my song. Together we'll either save the world...

Or destroy it.

I once believed sirens had mermaid tails, crustacean companions, and you know...weren’t real.

How wrong I was.

Turns out sirens have wings, a talking owl spirit guide, and are very, very real.

Not only that, they’re cursed with wings to soar the skies, searching for the lost goddess Persephone, because it was their fault she was kidnapped by Hades.

My family’s fault.

Centuries later, only a few sirens remain. And apparently I’m the one destined to break the curse to save them all.…


Book cover of Daughter of the Song

Tricia Copeland Author Of To be a Fae Queen

From my list on Indie Fantasy books with creative spins.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been obsessed with fantasy since my grandmother bought me the entire Dorothy and the Land of Oz series as a kid. I love discovering new types of fantasy characters, spins on characters, new lore in genres, and mythology woven in creative ways. For my fantasy group, I’ve researched many interpretations of fae, witches, elves, vampires, and shapeshifters. I’m always looking to add to my list, and I love finding Indie authors new to their niche. I feel so privileged to interview many authors like these and Jennifer L. Armentrout (squeal) for my podcast, The Finding the Magic Book Podcast. I hope you love these books as much as I did.

Tricia's book list on Indie Fantasy books with creative spins

Tricia Copeland Why did Tricia love this book?

I really enjoyed this siren, necromancer villain story. It's well written and well edited, and the plot drew me in right away, kept me intrigued, and the ending did not disappoint.

I loved the characters Arabella and Leo and how we got to see pieces of the story through each of their perspectives. It is a unique story concept that I haven't heard before. The ending is just the amount of completing the story and leaving you wanting more. This is solid first book for this, in my opinion, up and coming new author.

By Eliza Tilton,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Daughter of the Song as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

A dark secret. A taboo love. A war upon the living. After being kidnapped by occultists, Arabella Grace and her family move to the mining town of Port Tablot to forget the horror they experienced in England. With scars adorning her body, Arabella searches for peace by hiding within her songs. But Port Tablot has its own demons. As the dead leave their domain, a spark of magic awakens within Arabella, and her songs have the power to stop the creatures from hurting anyone she loves, including the quirky boy Leo she's falling for...if she's willing to make a sacrifice.…


Book cover of Resurrection Road

Tyffany Hackett Author Of Daylight's Curse

From my list on indie works you might not have heard of.

Why am I passionate about this?

The theme of this list is so important to me as an independently published author. Ever since I was about 14 years old I knew I wanted to tell stories, and my way, so even then I was looking into indie publishing. The idea of offering my books up to the traditional publishing chopping block, to be edited and mulled into what’s most marketable, scared me so much! I didn’t want to tell my stories another person’s way. So here we are, and I’m giving you guys a list of indie recommendations whose authors feel very much the same way. We just want to tell our stories. And have control over how that’s done. ;)

Tyffany's book list on indie works you might not have heard of

Tyffany Hackett Why did Tyffany love this book?

So this book. Post the ending of Supernatural, I was of course deep in my Supernatural feelings and this book absolutely filled that road trip, paranormal adventure vibe the SPN television series had given me for so many years. Naturally, it helps that two of the main characters are also fan casted after Reylo. ;) But this book is the perfect mesh of adventuring, paranormal creatures, and a delicious rivals-to-lovers slow-burn romance that even after the second book I can’t get enough of.

By Hannah Marae,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

For as long as she can remember, Eden has been on the run.
The open road is the only freedom she’s ever known, the only life she’s ever had. But when the road ends in a backwater town, a mysterious phone call sends her on a new journey.

Lazarus is no stranger to ghosts.
Shades and spirits are his constant companions, it’s the living that set him on edge. The decision to help a troubled mage will find him taking on more than he bargained for.

Becoming a hunter was never part of Zeke’s plan.
He finds himself stepping into…


Book cover of The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories

Richard Gadz Author Of The Eater of Flies

From my list on Dracula and other vampires.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always loved horror stories. At the age of 7 or 8, I’d be reading The Pan Book Of Horror Stories or Aidan Chambers’ Haunted Houses by flashlight with the bed sheets pulled over my head (not because I should have been asleep, but to guard against vampires creeping up on me!) I always found these stories strangely comforting, a world of adventure into which a shy kid like me could retreat. Ghosts and monsters became part of my cultural DNA, constant companions through life. That’s why I write horror today, to make my own tiny contribution to the genre, which has given me so much.

Richard's book list on Dracula and other vampires

Richard Gadz Why did Richard love this book?

This is a comprehensive anthology of non-Dracula short stories (although it does include Bram Stoker’s Dracula’s Guest!) covering the whole of the nineteenth century and beyond, including John Polidori’s The Vampyre and Sheridan le Fanu’s influential Carmilla.

It even has an extract from the hugely popular Victorian ‘penny dreadful’ Varney The Vampire, which is so awful that it’s hilarious.

By Alan Ryan (editor),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

They're lurking under the cover of darkness and between the covers of this book. Here, in all their horror and all their glory, are the great vampires of literature: male and female, invisible and metamorphic, doomed and daring.

Their skin deathly pale, their nails curved like claws, their fangs sharpened for the attack, they are gathered for the kill and for the chill, brought frighteningly to life by Bram Stoker, Fritz Leiber, Richard Matheson, Robert Bloch, Charles L. Grant, Tanith Lee, and other masters of the macabre. Careful they are all crafty enough to steal their way into your imagination…


Book cover of Spirits of the Cage: True Accounts of Living in a Haunted Medieval Prison

Sylvia Shults Author Of Days of the Dead: A Year of True Ghost Stories

From my list on for paranormal enthusiasts.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been a paranormal investigator (a paranormal reporter, actually) for over a decade. One of the very best parts of my job is that I get to gorge myself on books of true accounts of the paranormal. It's exciting to see what else is out there, and what other people have experienced – both historically, and personally. I'm so grateful for the chance to add to this body of work; there are many renowned investigators and writers out there, and I'm thrilled to be counted among them. And someday, someone will read about my experiences and be terrified and intrigued and inspired by them.

Sylvia's book list on for paranormal enthusiasts

Sylvia Shults Why did Sylvia love this book?

I will read absolutely anything that Richard Estep writes. He has written books about the Villisca Ax Murders, Malvern Manor, and other crazy-haunted places. This one, about a site in his native England, is utterly terrifying. Estep writes with a very straightforward, matter-of-fact style (his writing reminds me much of my own style), and the evidence he presents for this haunted site is deeply chilling -- especially since his team is one of the groups that has investigated the Cage. 

By Vanessa Mitchell, Richard Estep,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

When single mother Vanessa Mitchell moved into a historic cottage in Essex, she had no idea that a paranormal nightmare was about to unfold. The cottage, known as the Cage, used to imprison those accused of witchcraft back in the 1500s. From her first day living there, Vanessa saw apparitions walk through her room, heard ghostly growls, and was even slapped and pushed by invisible hands. Unable to handle the dark phenomena after three years, Vanessa moved out and paranormal investigator Richard Estep moved in. Spirits of the Cage chronicles the years that Vanessa and Richard spent in the Cage,…


Book cover of The Taking of Jake Livingston

L.S. Moore Author Of Bridgekeeper

From my list on YA paranormal thrillers told from a guy’s point of view.

Why am I passionate about this?

Have you noticed the scarcity of YA novels told solely from a guy’s point of view? If you aren’t a boy, the parent of one, or maybe a savvy librarian, you probably haven’t. I’m two out of three. I have two awesome sons. They’re avid readers and burned through the YA section and into adult fantasy and sci-fi long before I was ready for them to. Boys read! There’s a need for protagonists who identify as male. No surprise, my YA novels often feature ordinary boys doing heroic things. Thanks to years of spying on my sons and their friends, I have plenty of fodder to feed my muse.

L.S.'s book list on YA paranormal thrillers told from a guy’s point of view

L.S. Moore Why did L.S. love this book?

There’s a lot to unpack with Jake Livingston. He’s a black, queer, introverted teen who sees ghosts, ghouls, auras, and death loops all day, every day. The story doesn’t explain why Jake got these and other abilities, just how living with them makes his life a constant challenge.

I enjoyed the story’s unapologetic complexity. Conversing with a potential date is tough when, over your crush’s shoulder, you’re watching a ghoul that nobody else can see! The ghost of a school shooter is stalking Jake, too.

Through journal entries, readers take a deep dive into the mass murderer’s psyche. Creepy and complex! Dark themes get even darker as the story goes along. A whole lot to unpack!

By Ryan Douglass,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Taking of Jake Livingston as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

An Instant New York Times Bestseller!

Get Out meets Holly Jackson in this YA social thriller where survival is not a guarantee.

Sixteen-year-old Jake Livingston sees dead people everywhere. But he can't decide what's worse: being a medium forced to watch the dead play out their last moments on a loop or being at the mercy of racist teachers as one of the few Black students at St. Clair Prep. Both are a living nightmare he wishes he could wake up from. But things at St. Clair start looking up with the arrival of another Black student—the handsome Allister—and for…


Book cover of The Haunting of Hillwood Farm

Kelly Moran Author Of Ghost of A Promise

From my list on paranormal romances with a ghostly twist.

Why am I passionate about this?

I adore all things ghostly, from TV shows to books to movies. I immerse myself. For me, I think it began as a young girl with poems from my grandmother’s favorite book and films or programs we’d watch together. The what-if factor and the vast unknown is addicting. It chronically makes us think or sit at the edge of our seats. I’ve even visited haunted locations before and had a couple of experiences. Romance ties into that for me. We all strive for it and hope to find it. It can be as elusive as fog. By combining the two genres, readers like me get the best of all worlds. 

Kelly's book list on paranormal romances with a ghostly twist

Kelly Moran Why did Kelly love this book?

This book takes place at a farmhouse in Massachusetts and the setting is phenomenal. It carries that haunted house vibe and mixes it with the psychic ability element, which hits all my “must-read” feels. The hero and heroine are at odds as a believer/non-believer, laying a realistic backdrop I admire. Kathryn is one of the few romantic suspense/paranormal authors who has a genuine ability to fit in the ghostly niche while still creating a HEA. Her descriptive details put you right there amidst the haunting while rooting for the couple.

By Kathryn Knight,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Haunting of Hillwood Farm as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

After tragedy strikes, Callie Sinclair is left with a gift she never wanted—the ability to communicate with ghosts. But when a desperate widow begs for her help, she reluctantly agrees to investigate the strange occurrences at Hillwood Farm. She quickly realizes she’s dealing with a dangerous presence beyond anything she’s ever experienced, and something else becomes equally clear—the only other living person in the house, Mrs. Turner’s handsome grandson, thinks she’s a scam artist. While she’d prefer to just ignore him, her heart beats a little faster every time he’s nearby.

Luke Turner doesn’t believe in spirits. He’s moved back…


Book cover of Secondhand Spirits

Daryl Wood Gerber Author Of A Flicker of a Doubt

From my list on mysteries that will make you wonder whodunit.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been fascinated by paranormal stories for years. One of the first books I truly loved was A Wrinkle in Time. I loved the Dragons of Pern, as well. As a girl, I read more stories featuring witches and magical creatures than one ought. But I also loved mysteries—Nancy Drew, as well as all the Agatha Christie books. At present, I’m working on my fifth Fairy Garden Mystery, and I recently completed a mystery novella featuring an elf. To round out the experience, I have personally crafted over fifty fairy gardens. I’m pretty certain a fairy spirit had something to do with my obsession... or perhaps it all started when I kissed the Blarney Stone.

Daryl's book list on mysteries that will make you wonder whodunit

Daryl Wood Gerber Why did Daryl love this book?

I love this series.

Lily Ivory, who owns a vintage clothing shop in San Francisco, wants to fit in somewhere and conceal her “witchiness”.

She is spiritual and stylish and has a charming sense of humor. Just when life seems normal, she stumbles onto a spooky murder.

This book ticks off all the boxes for a fun and mentally stimulating read. Lily’s familiar is an adorable, witty pig. There’s a sexy myth buster who is enticing. And there’s a powerful warlock who is her nemesis.

Such a fun read!

By Juliet Blackwell,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Secondhand Spirits as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Love the vintage- not the ghosts

Lily Ivory feels that she can finally fit in somewhere and conceal her "witchiness" in San Francisco. It's there that she opens her vintage clothing shop, outfitting customers both spiritually and stylistically.

Just when things seem normal, a client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area. Lily has a good idea that some bad phantoms are behind it. Can she keep her identity secret, or will her witchy ways be forced out of the closet as she attempts to stop the phantom?


Book cover of The Last Lost Girl
Book cover of Fae Away
Book cover of Song of Destiny

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