Fans pick 12 books like Bones

By Jennifer McLagan,

Here are 12 books that Bones fans have personally recommended if you like Bones. 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 Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats

Mary Bryant Shrader Author Of The Modern Pioneer Cookbook: Nourishing Recipes From a Traditional Foods Kitchen

From my list on becoming a modern pioneer in the kitchen.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Mary Bryant Shrader, and I'm the creator of Mary's Nest, a YouTube channel and corresponding website devoted to teaching approachable traditional cooking techniques using whole ingredients to help everyone become a Modern Pioneer in the kitchen. I take a simple step-by-step approach to help home cooks of all abilities cook simple, healthy meals using every last scrap of food to work towards creating a no-waste kitchen. I live in the Texas Hill Country with my sweet husband, Ted, and our lovable yellow lab, Indy. Our son Ben is just a drive away, and he frequently joins us for cozy home-cooked meals by the fireplace, followed by an evening of rousing board games.

Mary's book list on becoming a modern pioneer in the kitchen

Mary Bryant Shrader Why did Mary love this book?

In the late 1990s, Sally Fallon (now Sally Fallon Morell) and Mary Enig ignited the modern-day traditional foods movement by publishing the now immensely popular Nourishing Traditions.

This book taught us that it was okay to eat butter, lard made the best pie crusts, and if you were going to fry food, frying was best done in tallow. And that was just the beginning! The subtitle of the book says it all: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and Diet Dictocrats.

This book vindicated everything my mother had taught me. Eat real food—not just vegetables—but all real food, including animal foods, and make sure that you eat from the nose to the tail and everything in between. Additionally, don't forget that you must always properly prepare food through slow cooking, culturing, fermenting, or souring to aid in proper digestion.

Oh, and while you're at it, make sure you use…

By Sally Fallon,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

This well-researched, thought-provoking guide to traditional foods contains a startling message: Animal fats and cholesterol are not villains but vital factors in the diet, necessary for normal growth, proper function of the brain and nervous system, protection from disease and optimum energy levels. Sally Fallon dispels the myths of the current low-fat fad in this practical, entertaining guide to a can-do diet that is both nutritious and delicious.
Nourishing Traditions will tell you: *Why your body needs old fashioned animal fats *Why butter is a health food *How high-cholesterol diets promote good health *How saturated fats protect the heart *How…


Book cover of The Art of Fermentation

Zuza Zak Author Of Slavic Kitchen Alchemy: Nourishing Herbal Remedies, Magical Recipes & Folk Wisdom

From my list on wild foods and ancient ways.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was born in Communist Poland, and when we emigrated to the UK, I craved the tastes of my childhood. More than that, I missed the culture of foraging, preserving, fermenting, and the stories that accompanied these processes–there was something deeply ingrained in my soul that I have been called to explore within my own work. I have written four books on East European cuisine. Slavic Kitchen Alchemy is rather different from the others because of its focus on herbs, healing, and mythology. The books on this list have inspired me in my own writing, and I will keep returning to them again and again.

Zuza's book list on wild foods and ancient ways

Zuza Zak Why did Zuza love this book?

This is the bible of fermentation.

Once again, being a Polish cook, I felt I knew a fair bit about fermentation, yet this book opened my eyes to so many different traditions and processes. This is the kind of book everyone needs in their kitchens because if you are at all interested in fermenting (and you should be because it’s one of the best things you can do for your health), then you will come back to it again and again.

By Sandor Ellix Katz,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

'...The high priest of fermentation theory' the Guardian

'Sandor Katz's teachings and writings on fermentation have changed lives around the world.' Dan Saladino, The Food Programme BBC

The bible for the D.I.Y set: detailed instructions for how to make your own sauerkraut, beer, yogurt and pretty much everything involving microorganisms. The New York Times

International New York Times bestseller, translated into 10 languages and over a quarter of a million copies sold worldwide

New York Times bestseller The Art of Fermentation is the only fermentation guide you'll ever need! In this book, fermentation revivalist Katz contextualises fermentation in terms of…


Book cover of The Everlasting Meal Cookbook: Leftovers A-Z

Mary Bryant Shrader Author Of The Modern Pioneer Cookbook: Nourishing Recipes From a Traditional Foods Kitchen

From my list on becoming a modern pioneer in the kitchen.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Mary Bryant Shrader, and I'm the creator of Mary's Nest, a YouTube channel and corresponding website devoted to teaching approachable traditional cooking techniques using whole ingredients to help everyone become a Modern Pioneer in the kitchen. I take a simple step-by-step approach to help home cooks of all abilities cook simple, healthy meals using every last scrap of food to work towards creating a no-waste kitchen. I live in the Texas Hill Country with my sweet husband, Ted, and our lovable yellow lab, Indy. Our son Ben is just a drive away, and he frequently joins us for cozy home-cooked meals by the fireplace, followed by an evening of rousing board games.

Mary's book list on becoming a modern pioneer in the kitchen

Mary Bryant Shrader Why did Mary love this book?

When I first read Tamar's original book, An Everlasting Meal, I knew I had found a kindred home-cook spirit in her. And to be honest with you, I thought that book couldn't be topped. But then she wrote The Everlasting Meal Cookbook!

This cookbook is the definitive guide on how to use up every imaginable leftover in your kitchen so that almost nothing will go to waste. Chances are, when you begin to implement Tamar's leftover recipes, you will see very little going into your kitchen garbage can. You'll gaze upon every scrap, every crumb in your kitchen in a new light.

Next thing you know, you will be taking the heel of a loaf of bread, a sliver of a parmesan rind, and a few vegetables from your crisper (that look a bit past their prime) and turning it all into a dinner that friends and family alike will…

By Tamar Adler, Caitlin Winner (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Everlasting Meal Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Named a Most Anticipated Book of the Year by Vogue and BookRiot

The award-winning, bestselling author of An Everlasting Meal serves up an inspiring, money-saving, environmentally responsible, A-to-Z collection of simple recipes that utilize all kinds of leftovers-perfect for solo meals or for feeding the whole family.

Food waste is a serious issue today-nearly forty percent of the food we buy gets tossed out. Most of us look around the kitchen and struggle to use up everything we buy, and then when it comes to leftovers we're stuck. That's where Tamar Adler can help-her area of culinary expertise is finding…


Book cover of Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving: 400 Delicious and Creative Recipes for Today

Mary Bryant Shrader Author Of The Modern Pioneer Cookbook: Nourishing Recipes From a Traditional Foods Kitchen

From my list on becoming a modern pioneer in the kitchen.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Mary Bryant Shrader, and I'm the creator of Mary's Nest, a YouTube channel and corresponding website devoted to teaching approachable traditional cooking techniques using whole ingredients to help everyone become a Modern Pioneer in the kitchen. I take a simple step-by-step approach to help home cooks of all abilities cook simple, healthy meals using every last scrap of food to work towards creating a no-waste kitchen. I live in the Texas Hill Country with my sweet husband, Ted, and our lovable yellow lab, Indy. Our son Ben is just a drive away, and he frequently joins us for cozy home-cooked meals by the fireplace, followed by an evening of rousing board games.

Mary's book list on becoming a modern pioneer in the kitchen

Mary Bryant Shrader Why did Mary love this book?

Any modern pioneer in the kitchen worth their weight in salt—sea salt, that is—needs to learn how to preserve food through home canning. And if you want to learn how to can pretty much any type of food, the Ball Company's Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving is the best book they have released to date.

Yes, they have more modern editions, such as The All New Ball Book Of Canning And Preserving, but the book I chose for my list is clearly the winner and one that should be on every traditional foods cook's kitchen bookshelf. From how to get started for the newbie to solving home canning problems at all skill levels, this book has you covered.

Plus, this book is packed with a wide variety of water bath canning recipes, including jellies and jams; a wide selection of condiments, such as salsas, relish, and chutneys; plus home…

By Judi Kingry (editor), Lauren Devine (editor), Sarah Page (editor)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the experts, the updated bible in home preserving.

The hugely bestselling Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving has been broadly updated to reflect changes over the last 15 years with new recipes and larger sections on low sugar and fermentation. Ball Home Canning Products are the gold standard in home preserving supplies, the trademark jars on display in stores every summer from coast to coast. This companion to their products is this bible of home preserving from the experts on the practice which has sold more than a million copies. The book includes 400 innovative recipes for salsas, savory…


Book cover of My Year of Meats

J.M. Donellan Author Of Killing Adonis

From my list on reminding us why we should eat the rich.

Why am I passionate about this?

We live in a bizarre era of Elon Musk stans who seem certain that if you work hard you’ll be rewarded not only with ‘fuck you’ money, but ‘fuck everyone’ money. I think any writer worth their salt should at some point tackle the issues of their age in their writing. In our era racism, sexism, climate change, and a range of other social justice issues are all exacerbated through the improper distribution of wealth. You could give a man a fish, and he might eat for a day. Or you could eviscerate the rich, share their wealth, and throw the whole world a parade! 

J.M.'s book list on reminding us why we should eat the rich

J.M. Donellan Why did J.M. love this book?

While I enjoyed this book while I was reading it, it was only after I’d digested it (pun intended) that I really came to appreciate its value. I think one of the real measures of an artwork is how much it sits with you in the months and years after the initial read/watch/listen, and this is one I think about often. The story follows a documentarian attempting to serve the corporate hierarchy and produce an asinine show about American wives and the meat-filled dinners they serve their husbands, but the novel gradually unfolds as a complex critique of misogyny, corporate control, Japanese and American culture, and the brutal nature of the modern livestock industry. 

By Ruth Ozeki,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked My Year of Meats as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*PRE-ORDER RUTH OZEKI'S NEW NOVEL, THE BOOK OF FORM AND EMPTINESS, TODAY*

In a single eye-opening year, two women, worlds apart, experience parallel awakenings.

In New York, Jane Takagi-Little has landed a job producing Japanese docu-soap My American Wife! But as she researches the consumption of meat in the American home, she begins to realize that her ruthless search for a story is deeply compromising her morals.

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, housewife Akiko Ueno diligently prepares the recipes from Jane's programme. Struggling to please her husband, she increasingly doubts her commitment to the life she has fallen into.

As Jane and…


Book cover of Max Spaniel: Dinosaur Hunt

Frans Vischer Author Of Fuddles

From my list on children’s books that tickled my toes.

Why am I passionate about this?

Since I was a child I’ve loved comedy. Whether it’s Daffy Duck, the Pink Panther movies, or a Carl Hiaasen novel, I like to laugh and make people laugh. I grew up drawing cartoons, and as a Disney animator I learned the importance of creating characters that audiences could believe and empathize with. Humor has no geographic, religious, or racial boundaries – the human condition is universal, and humor speaks to us all, regardless of language. I strive to write and draw characters that connect with readers and then put them in silly, odd but believable situations to extract the maximum entertainment.

Frans' book list on children’s books that tickled my toes

Frans Vischer Why did Frans love this book?

Charming artwork, with a touch of the silly, like all of Catrow’s books. Catrow gets into the head of his adorable mutt main character as he searches the house and backyard, coming up with all sorts of household and garden items that have no remote connection to dinosaurs. Undaunted, our hero continues his search, interpreting tools and toys for dino body parts, until miraculously his creature comes to life!

By David Catrow,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Max Spaniel as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Max Spaniel considers himself a dinosaur hunter and finds all sorts of objects in his back yard as proof that they exist.


Book cover of Heart of Bone

Colin Garrow Author Of Death on a Dirty Afternoon

From my list on murder mysteries with unusual amateur sleuths.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a fan of amateur sleuths since my first foray into our local library. Reading opened a whole world to me, and I devoured each new story with relish, imagining myself in the role of the hero and how I might deal with the perils that befell them. I raced through each book series in a matter of weeks, from The Famous Five and The Hardy Boys to Alfred Hitchcock’s The Three Investigators. I remember the thrill of moving to the library's adult section and discovering even more books where humble heroes were dragged into murder mysteries, unexpected adventures, and thrilling chases across dangerous landscapes. Woo-Hoo!

Colin's book list on murder mysteries with unusual amateur sleuths

Colin Garrow Why did Colin love this book?

I’ve read several of this author’s books, so I am familiar with her talent for telling compelling stories. Like all the best reads, I couldn’t put it down from the very first page.

The heroine is a strong woman whose world falls apart at the death of her son and the prospect of his heart being donated to someone else. I loved how the author handled this intensely sensitive subject while keeping the mystery side of the story at the forefront. I liked that there is a creepiness to a few of the characters, too, so you never know for sure who the good guys are.

By Maggie James,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

When grief spirals into obsession, the outcome can be deadly…Greer Maddox's world shatters when her son, Tom, dies. An unexpected phone call leads her to Nathan Taylor, who received Tom's heart in a transplant. Greer becomes obsessed with Nathan, but her feelings turn to hatred when she discovers he harbours a dark side. Two women are missing, one of whom has now been found murdered. Could Nathan be the killer?

Greer is hiding a few secrets of her own, however. Ones she intends to keep buried. Can those closest to her uncover the truth before someone else dies? A gripping…


Book cover of The Bone Valley

Marlena Frank Author Of The Seeking

From my list on dark fantasy with unique monsters.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love reading about monsters as much as I love writing about them. Unfortunately, it also means I’m super picky about the dark fantasy I read. These authors don’t disappoint. Dark fantasy is a genre that I continue to return to, whether it’s aimed at teens or adults. I’ve had to deal with many monsters in my life and I understand that they can take many shapes and forms. These books are some of the very best I’ve read and I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I have. 

Marlena's book list on dark fantasy with unique monsters

Marlena Frank Why did Marlena love this book?

Let me emphasize how gorgeous this book is. Imagine a Tim Burton world filled with bones and two skeletons having a heart-wrenchingly beautiful love story. That is the landscape of The Bone Valley by Candace Robinson. This book gets quite gory and dark but is absolutely my favorite of her books for its sheer originality and incredibly unique world. Not to mention the horrible villain who literally takes over the underworld just so she can torture people. Yeah, it’s dark. Robinson is known for her incredible balance of romance and horror nestled within a beautiful world, and this book is the epitome of that.

By Candace Robinson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

He’s a lover. She’s a thief. A magic like no other will bind them together.

After the death of his parents, Anton Bereza works hard to provide for his younger siblings. Love has never been in the cards for him, especially after desperation forces Anton to sell himself for coin. And he has no idea that, beneath the city of Kedaf, lies a place called the Bone Valley.

When Anton’s jealous client plots against him, he is cursed to spend eternity in a world where all that remains are broken bones. There, Anton meets Nahli Yan—a spirited woman who once…


Book cover of Chalice

Rachel Neumeier Author Of Tuyo

From my list on fantasy novels.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a fantasy author, I love stories set within complex and unusual worlds. I especially enjoy worlds where the rules of physics and metaphysics are re-imagined, adding an extra dimension to the story. Most fantasy worlds are much like our own – big, spherical, ordinary climactic zones, normal physics. Magic sort of exists around the edges. A handful of fantasy worlds are different: the world is flat, layered, hollow, has physical and metaphysical laws that change when you step across a political border – or is wholly contained within an infinite House with oceans pouring through the lower levels. Those are worlds I find especially delightful to visit – and to write about!

Rachel's book list on fantasy novels

Rachel Neumeier Why did Rachel love this book?

The world in Chalice isn’t flat. Or spherical. Or any particular shape. This is a world of little bubble domains embedded in surrounding chaos and the story is all about protecting one of those domains. This book is like a dream. It’s slow and graceful and, well, dreamy. I like the bees. And the honey. I’m not especially fond of honey in the real world, but I love the honey in this story. Some stories are instant “comfort reads". Chalice is one of those. It’s like wrapping up in a fuzzy robe in front of a fire with a mug of hot chocolate. If you’re in the mood for a warm story, beautifully told, you could hardly do better.

By Robin McKinley,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Chalice 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?

The earthlines speak to Mirasol, but her family has lived in the demesne for centuries, and many of the old families can hear the land. She knows that the violent deaths of the last Master and Chalice have thrown Willowlands into turmoil; but she is only a beekeeper, and the problems of the Circle that govern Willowlands have nothing to do with her—although she wonders what will become of her demesne, because the Master and Chalice left no heirs to carry on their crucial duties.

And then the Circle come to Mirasol, to tell her that she has been chosen…


Book cover of Bone Crier's Moon

Elizabeth A. Drysdale Author Of Out of Time

From my list on fantasy with a twist you never saw coming.

Why am I passionate about this?

 I have been a devourer of fantasy all of my life. With a bookshelf that grows more overflowing by the year, I just can’t get enough. That combined with the many classes I've taken on writing, tension, and incorporating fantasy elements, make me the perfect candidate for finding all three in the perfect story. I live in a daydream created by the written word and even win writing awards with all that I've learned and applied. There is nothing I love more than the perfect pairing of twists and tension in fantasy stories, something I continue to add to my own stories!

Elizabeth's book list on fantasy with a twist you never saw coming

Elizabeth A. Drysdale Why did Elizabeth love this book?

 This book almost killed me! The tension is incredible and I found myself rooting for Ailesse and Sebastion to figure out the mystery behind the matron, and their attraction to each other. This plot is so twisted that it will keep you guessing all the way through. With every character determined that they are right, you’ll wish you could jump in and prove that you know it all, but you’d be wrong! It kept me on pins and needles and kept me from sleep. 

By Kathryn Purdie,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bone Crier's Moon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathryn Purdie comes a high-stakes fantasy duology flush with doomed romance and macabre magic, perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Roshani Chokshi.

Bone Criers are the last descendants of an ancient famille charged with using the magic they draw from animal bones to shepherd the dead into the afterlife-lest they drain the light from the living.

Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become their matriarch, but first she must complete her rite of passage: to kill the boy she's destined to love.

Bastien's father was slain by a Bone Crier and…


Book cover of Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats
Book cover of The Art of Fermentation
Book cover of The Everlasting Meal Cookbook: Leftovers A-Z

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