100 books like Bully

By Penelope Douglas,

Here are 100 books that Bully fans have personally recommended if you like Bully. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Untouchable

Lindsey Iler Author Of Glass Heart Savage

From my list on romance with heroes you’ll love to hate.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an author who always finds something redeemable in the most chaotic characters. I not only love to write broken characters, but I search them out while reading. There’s something beautiful in their redemption and their growth. It’s simple to fall in love with the easy heroes, the ones that can do no wrong. The ones that make you stop reading because you don’t think you can take it anymore and cause your heart to race in the middle of the night as you devour their story, those are the heroes that I love. They usually end up being the ones you love to hate.

Lindsey's book list on romance with heroes you’ll love to hate

Lindsey Iler Why did Lindsey love this book?

I often wonder what made Sam write a character like Carter Mahoney, but all I can say is I’m so happy she did. This is not the book to go into with sunshine and rainbows on the brain because you will get the exact opposite, but in the best way possible. If you love cruel heroes that make you question your own sanity while reading like I do, this is the perfect read for you.

By Sam Mariano,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

AN AMAZON TOP 100 BESTSELLER

The bully isn't supposed to win...

Senior year was off to a rough start: lube in my locker, panties on my front porch, unimaginative name-calling. See, I got a player suspended from the football team for harassing me, and in my small Texas town, you don't mess with the football players—even if they mess with you first.

I didn't care if it was an unpopular thing to do; I stood up for myself... and in doing so, opened Pandora's Box.

I never dreamed I would attract the attention of locally worshipped star quarterback, Carter Mahoney.…


Book cover of Trick Me Twice: An Enemies to Lovers High School Bully Romance

Lindsey Iler Author Of Glass Heart Savage

From my list on romance with heroes you’ll love to hate.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an author who always finds something redeemable in the most chaotic characters. I not only love to write broken characters, but I search them out while reading. There’s something beautiful in their redemption and their growth. It’s simple to fall in love with the easy heroes, the ones that can do no wrong. The ones that make you stop reading because you don’t think you can take it anymore and cause your heart to race in the middle of the night as you devour their story, those are the heroes that I love. They usually end up being the ones you love to hate.

Lindsey's book list on romance with heroes you’ll love to hate

Lindsey Iler Why did Lindsey love this book?

Becca Steele can do no wrong in my eyes. She has a way of twisting a story into this perfectly addicting, delicious tale that you don’t want to end. In Trick Me Twice, we meet Raine and Carter. She’s the loner, the quiet type. He’s… well, he’s not, which only makes this story that much more intriguing. You get this push and pull between them that feels like coming up for a breath you didn’t know you were desperate for.

By Becca Steele,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Trick Me Twice as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Keep my head down and make it through my final year of school without attracting any attention. That was my plan.
The thing about plans? They change.
One day, I was an invisible loner, the next, my name was on everyone’s lips.
Why?
I caught the attention of the wrong person.
I tricked Carter Blackthorne, the king of Alstone High.
He found out.
And now?
Now, he’s making me pay.


It’s time for you to pay the price.
You tricked me once, but you won’t trick me twice.


Ready or not, here I come...



Trick Me Twice is a standalone…


Book cover of Boys of Brayshaw High

Danda K. Author Of You Broke Me First: The Savage Love Duet Book One

From my list on smutty romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a woman, wife, and Mom, I’m always looking to get lost in a good fictional romance. I’ve always been drawn more to the messy kind of love stories than the sappy sweet. If you’re like me, and need a bit of flaw in your characters and lots of steam, then you’ll want to read all of these books for sure. Always make sure to check trigger warnings before reading these books, though! 

Danda's book list on smutty romance

Danda K. Why did Danda love this book?

Boys of Brayshaw will absolutely consume you! There is so much suspense, swoony guys, strong female leads, and twists and turns that will have you rushing to the next page. I’ve read this series so many times and will never get enough. These characters will stay with you forever.

By Meagan Brandy,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

In the world of morally corrupt teenagers, only the strongest survive...

"Simply UNPUTDOWNABLE ... all the feels cranked up to eleven. Five stars for this delicious page-turner!" - BB Easton, bestselling author of the Netflix adaption Sex/Life

 
From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Meagan Brandy comes an enemies-to-lovers, New Adult romance full of morally corrupt and power-driven teenagers.

"Girls like you aren't exactly welcomed at a place like this, so keep your head down and look the other way."

Those were the exact words of my social worker when she dropped me in my newest hellhole, a…


Book cover of I Dare You

Lindsey Iler Author Of Glass Heart Savage

From my list on romance with heroes you’ll love to hate.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an author who always finds something redeemable in the most chaotic characters. I not only love to write broken characters, but I search them out while reading. There’s something beautiful in their redemption and their growth. It’s simple to fall in love with the easy heroes, the ones that can do no wrong. The ones that make you stop reading because you don’t think you can take it anymore and cause your heart to race in the middle of the night as you devour their story, those are the heroes that I love. They usually end up being the ones you love to hate.

Lindsey's book list on romance with heroes you’ll love to hate

Lindsey Iler Why did Lindsey love this book?

Delicious. Sexy. I Dare You is… honestly, I don’t know how to describe it. I think that’s why I love it so much. From the first page, you are immediately transported to this world full of chaos and depravity. Cole Reynolds is the ultimate book boyfriend with edge and a healthy dose of mystery to keep you enthralled until the middle of the night reading.

By Shantel Tessier,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I Dare You as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What do you do when the devil has you in his sights? You show him that you can play his game. Austin Lowes is new to town. She's running from a mom who hates her to her dad who cares nothing about her. Only a few months and she will be free, or at least, that's what she hopes ... until she meets him.

Cole Reynolds is the devil disguised as a man. He wants her fear, he wants her blood, and he wants her soul. Just a little game, he says, I dare you. Will Austin survive him, or…


Book cover of Twice in a Blue Moon

Maggi Myers Author Of The Final Piece

From my list on love the second time around.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been an incurable romantic for as long as I can remember. In fact, when I was in middle school, my friends and I started writing what would now be considered novellas. We would write our stories during class and trade notebooks in the hallways between bells. That is until I was caught writing one of my opuses in pre-algebra. There was nothing like the dopamine hit of writing those first stories that would deter me! The characters in my head grew up as I did and I found myself passionate about the telling of second chances in life and in love. 

Maggi's book list on love the second time around

Maggi Myers Why did Maggi love this book?

This book made me swoon. Sam has all of Tate’s important firsts - first love, first betrayal, and first heartbreak. Twice in a Blue Moon is the story of reconnecting and rewriting the wrongs of the past. It’s emotional, tender, redemptive, and impossible to put down. Christina Lauren’s signature witty banter and descriptive writing style pulls you into the book and keeps you there until the last page. It was one of my favorite pandemic reads!

By Christina Lauren,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Twice in a Blue Moon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Emotional, sweet, and surprising novel about first loves and second chances' Shondaland

'You can never go wrong with Christina Lauren!' Paige Toon

Sam was Tate's first: Her first love. Her first everything. Including her first heartbreak.

During a whirlwind two-week vacation abroad, Sam and Tate fell for each other in only the way that first loves do: sharing all of their hopes, dreams, and deepest secrets along the way. Sam was the first, and only, person that Tate - the long-lost daughter of one of the world's biggest film stars - ever revealed her identity to. So when it became…


Book cover of Devil's Bride

S.T. Holmes Author Of Creole Moon: Book of Roots

From my list on love gone wrong.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was educated in a catholic school surrounded by family built on lasting love. My father and mother were married for 50 years. I longed for that type of forever love, but didn’t find it. So, I started thinking, what could prevent people from finding that one true love. Then it came to me, fate, spells, or gods and goddesses acting behind the scenes to create love gone wrong. Taking Latin in high school introduced me to Greek and Roman mythology. I became fascinated with that ideology. Since I grew up in New Orleans, I thought the swamp, as a backdrop, would add a bit of realism and mysticism to my storyline. Voila! Creole Moon was born.

S.T.'s book list on love gone wrong

S.T. Holmes Why did S.T. love this book?

I love all of Stephanie Laurens’ books about historical London and high society during the Regency period or “the ton”, as it was called. The Bar Cynster series doesn’t disappoint. These books are fun to read and in keeping with the true romance books of boy meets girl themes and girl tames the cagy, self-proclaimed bachelor. Each book deals with a different brother or cousin in the Cynster dynasty and a specific event around their daily lives. The reader gets a sense of current events and the lifestyle of the rich during this period and how money and power can evade or remove any adverse effects on the family. 

There are six books in this series and I highly recommend reading all six. They are fun, light-hearted, and easy to read. I even like their nicknames of “scandal”, “rake”, and “devil”. It makes them seem like the bad boys of…

By Stephanie Laurens,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

When Devil, the most infamous member of the Cynster family, is caught in a compromising position with plucky governess Honoria Wetherby, he astonishes the entire town by offering his hand in marriage. No one dreamed this scandalous rake would ever take a bride. And as society mamas swooned at the loss of England′s most eligible bachelor, Devil′s infamous Cynster cousins began to place wagers on the wedding date.

But Honoria wasn′t about to bend society′s demands and marry a man "just" because they′d been found together virtually unchaperoned. No, she craved adventure, and while solving the murder of a young…


Book cover of Playing the Player

Lexi Kingston Author Of Forever June

From my list on vacation romance to get you into a summer state of mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a contemporary romance author who writes in paranormal romance on the side, but everything I write always comes down to one thing, and that’s the romance between characters. I love books that make me connect to and root for the main protagonists, no matter their flaws or situation. I specifically love romance novels that take place during the summer or in places that are warm year-round because no matter what season it is when you read them, you’re immediately transported to a warm, sunny, swoon-worthy world.

Lexi's book list on vacation romance to get you into a summer state of mind

Lexi Kingston Why did Lexi love this book?

This forced proximity, opposites attract romance has always been a favorite of mine.

I read it when I was in high school, and it’s one that I always come back to. It’s the kind of book that inspired me to start writing and made me want to continue to write romance. The plotline will leave you smiling at the pages throughout the characters' banter and strengthening relationship with the kids they’re forced to babysit for a summer job.

By Lisa Brown Roberts,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Playing the Player 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?

Trina Clemons needed the money. Why else would she—the most organized, prepared student in school—spend the summer as a nanny and partner with the biggest slacker ever? Now she's ready to tackle nannyhood with her big binder of research and schedules. Just don't ask her about the secret job of “fixing” the bad habits of a certain high school player... Slade Edmunds prefers easy hook-ups, and Trina is definitely not his type. She's all structure and rules, while Slade wants to just have fun. Fortunately, Trina has no idea about the bet Slade made with his best friend that he…


Book cover of Plainsong

Joe Wilkins Author Of The Entire Sky

From my list on books about rural America.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up on the high plains of eastern Montana. Like most rural folks, we lived close to the bone, even in the best of times. Then, when I was nine, my father died—and things got even harder. We finally had to put our acres up for lease, and I made a goal to leave that hard place. Though I worked hard for this new life I find myself leading—I studied, won scholarships, earned an MFA, and became a professor—ever since I left Montana, I’ve been trying to understand the distance between there and where I find myself now. I’ve been trying to understand rural America.

Joe's book list on books about rural America

Joe Wilkins Why did Joe love this book?

This book is a straightforward, heartfelt, astonishingly moving novel set on the Colorado plains. The viewpoint switches back and forth from character to character, and as it does, I found myself falling ever more deeply in love with each of these admirable, flawed, fully realized men and women, boys and girls.

I’ve read it many times over the years, and the characters seem like old friends to me now. They’ve taught me about growing up and growing old and doing right, even when it’s hard, by one another. 

By Kent Haruf,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

National Book Award Finalist

A heartstrong story of family and romance, tribulation and tenacity, set on the High Plains east of Denver.

In the small town of Holt, Colorado, a high school teacher is confronted with raising his two boys alone after their mother retreats first to the bedroom, then altogether. A teenage girl—her father long since disappeared, her mother unwilling to have her in the house—is pregnant, alone herself, with nowhere to go. And out in the country, two brothers, elderly bachelors, work the family homestead, the only world they've ever known. From these unsettled lives emerges a vision…


Book cover of To Kill a Kingdom

K.J. Cloutier Author Of Beyond The Horizon

From my list on young adult fantasy with pirates and magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always loved magic and pirates. As I kid, I made up games incorporating the two. As a teenager, I wanted to read about them. But at the time, I couldn’t find anything that had both pirates and magic, so I decided to write one myself. As the years blurred past and the young adult book scene exploded, more and more books with pirates and magic have been published and of course, I try to read them all! I read them not only to study books similar to my own, but because I love them and I can’t get enough. 

K.J.'s book list on young adult fantasy with pirates and magic

K.J. Cloutier Why did K.J. love this book?

Imagine The Little Mermaid but the mermaid is actually a killer siren and the prince is actually a siren hunter/pirate, and you’ve got To Kill A Kingdom.

If you’re not sold by that alone (because I certainly was) well, this standalone fantasy also has seafaring action, a variety of vibrant kingdoms, strong character arcs, morally grey characters, dashing pirates, siren magic, and of course, a slow burn enemies to lovers romance (you may have noticed I’m a sucker for those.)

I only wish this was a series and not a standalone.

By Alexandra Christo,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked To Kill a Kingdom 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 TIKTOK sensation!

An unforgettable dark romantic YA fantasy about the siren with a taste for royal blood and the prince who has sworn to destroy her.

"Stellar world building and nonstop action will keep readers hooked on this twisted reimagining of 'The Little Mermaid'." Booklist Online

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing…


Book cover of The Winner's Curse

Kathy MacMillan Author Of Dagger and Coin

From my list on females who don't care if you like them or not.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an author, American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and signing storyteller. I write picture books, children’s nonfiction, middle grade, and young adult fantasy, and resource books for educators, librarians, and parents. In my books, I highlight strong female characters, both fictional and from real-life. Here I am sharing 5 of my favorite fantasy and sci-fi books with female characters who – by the end of their journeys - absolutely do not care what you think of them.

Kathy's book list on females who don't care if you like them or not

Kathy MacMillan Why did Kathy love this book?

Kestrel’s father is the fierce general who won the Herran War and enslaved its people. When she buys a Herrani house slave named Arin at the market, Kestrel gets more than she bargained for – a challenge to her privileged, sheltered life, an epic love, and a part in the revolution. This is the first in the trilogy, and it is a genuine pleasure to watch Kestrel, from the beginning a character with an independent streak, navigate impossible choices as she grows into the person she wants to be. A lush and detailed world full of intrigue, politics, and gripping romance. 

By Marie Rutkoski,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Winner's Curse 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 FIRST BOOK IN THE HEART-STOPPING WINNER'S TRILOGY: an irresistible story of forbidden romance and class warfare 'Every line in The Winner's Curse is beautifully written. The story is masterfully plotted. The characters' dilemmas fascinated me and tore at my heart... I loved it. I want more.' Kristin Cashore, author of the Graceling Realm books Winning what you want may cost you everything you love. As a general's daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. Kestrel has other ideas. One day,…


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