Fans pick 100 books like Come Forth As Gold

By Erica Dansereau,

Here are 100 books that Come Forth As Gold fans have personally recommended if you like Come Forth As Gold. 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 You Will Be Okay: Find Strength, Stay Hopeful and Get to Grips with Grief

James Withey Author Of How to Get to Grips with Grief: 40 Ways to Manage the Unmanageable

From my list on to get to grips with grief.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm the author of the best-selling books How to Tell Depression to Piss Off: 40 Ways to Get Your Life BackHow to Tell Anxiety to Sod Off: 40 Ways to Get Your Life Back, The Recovery Letters, and What I Do to Get Through. My sixth book will be, How to Smash Stress: 40 Ways to Manage the Unmanageable.

James' book list on to get to grips with grief

James Withey Why did James love this book?

This book is aimed at children who have experienced a bereavement and will be massively helpful to them. I wish I had this book as a child! It's not patronising just clear and I found it very useful as an adult too because some of the techniques are simple but profound and that's often what we need when managing grief. 

By Julie Stokes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked You Will Be Okay as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

"Grief is a tricky subject to explain to kids, but this book is a wonderful go-to expert toolkit!" Dr Ranj Singh

The death of a parent, sibling or friend is one of the most traumatic experiences for a child or young person and it can be hard to know how to talk to them about it. In this honest, comforting and strength-building guide Julie Stokes, a clinical psychologist and founder of childhood bereavement charity Winston's Wish, provides readers with the tools they need to navigate this tough and turbulent time.

Readers will discover the stories of other people who have…


Book cover of Pastoral

Karla Huebner Author Of In Search of the Magic Theater

From my list on creativity, self-discovery, and (re)invention.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been fascinated by our creative urges and ambitions, and by what makes us who we are and why we make the choices we do. While I’m interested in many aspects of human experience and psychology, from the mundane to the murderous, I’m especially drawn to narratives that probe our deeper psyches and look, particularly with a grain of humor, at our efforts to expand our understanding and create great works—or simply to become wiser and more enlightened beings. What is our place in the universe? Why are we here? Who are we? The books I’ve listed explore some of these matters in ways both heartfelt and humorous.

Karla's book list on creativity, self-discovery, and (re)invention

Karla Huebner Why did Karla love this book?

Pastoral is one of my favorite recent discoveries. It’s one of a quincunx of novels linked by exploration of five classic literary genres—in this case the currently unfashionable pastoral. Newly ordained priest Christopher Pennant isn’t greatly pleased that his first parish assignment is to a rural town where sheep are numerous. He assumes he’ll be a suitable shepherd to the humans, people he expects to be simple and straightforward. Of course, they aren’t. They’re not only as complex as people anywhere else, but very unexpected. Father Pennant not only finds he has a self-appointed cello-playing chef as rectory caretaker, but he witnesses three possible miracles. Or are they trickery? I love the depth and gentle humor in the priest’s attempts to understand his parishioners and himself. And nature, too.

By André Alexis,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

There were plans for an official welcome. It was to take place the following Sunday. But those who came to the rectory on Father Pennant's second day were the ones who could not resist seeing him sooner. Here was the man to whom they would confess the darkest things. It was important to feel him out. Mrs Young, for instance, after she had seen him eat a piece of her macaroni pie, quietly asked what he thought of adultery. Andre Alexis brings a modern sensibility and a new liveliness to an age-old genre, the pastoral. For his very first parish,…


Book cover of If She Only Knew

Julie C. Gilbert Author Of Money Makes It Deadlier

From my list on sassy or determined female leads.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a multi-genre writer who loves hearing the characters’ voices and getting their stories out there in the world. A lot of my characters are shaped by their gifts, whether they have supernatural ones or not. The things that happen to them shape who they are and how they react to future events. I exist on sarcasm, sass, and hot tea, so many of my characters do too.

Julie's book list on sassy or determined female leads

Julie C. Gilbert Why did Julie love this book?

I heard this one on audiobook first. The first book is amazing.

What drew me to this one was the character of Cal James. She’s got an unenviable gift of being able to see recent ghosts and interact with them. Her personal life’s a hot mess, but she has a heart of gold, and doesn’t mind punching ghosts.

By Alexandria Clarke,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked If She Only Knew as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In Red River, the Wild West is alive and well. When Calamity James reluctantly returns to her hometown for a funeral, she wants answers that no one will give her. Soon, the local sheriff blackmails Cal into helping him solve a missing persons case. Though no one knows it, Cal is uniquely qualified to find homicide victims—she can see the dead. Of course, the dead don’t always cooperate. As the mystery unfolds, Cal falls deeper into her troublesome past, navigates burdensome family matters, and digs up new mischief with old rivals, both dead and alive.


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Book cover of Love and War in the Jewish Quarter

Love and War in the Jewish Quarter By Dora Levy Mossanen,

A breathtaking journey across Iran where war and superstition, jealousy and betrayal, and passion and loyalty rage behind the impenetrable walls of mansions and the crumbling houses of the Jewish Quarter.

Against the tumultuous background of World War II, Dr. Yaran will find himself caught in the thrall of the…

Book cover of The Book of Hidden Wonders

Steena Holmes Author Of The Patient

From my list on that keep you up past your bedtime.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a teenager, I loved reading past my bedtime, getting lost within a story, then having it fill my dreams and leaving me on the hunt for another book just as good. The best books to read are those that draw me in with their voice and storytelling and leave me needing to turn page after page. Getting in trouble as a kid for reading too late was the best type of trouble to get into and even now, when I need to make a second pot of coffee after a night of reading, I walk away with no regrets. 

Steena's book list on that keep you up past your bedtime

Steena Holmes Why did Steena love this book?

This story mesmerized me. It’s deceptively deep with a hint of whimsical, and the story plays out in your mind like a movie. It’s so beautifully written that I felt myself pulled in so many emotional directions and needed to let the book sit with me after I finished the final page. 

By Polly Crosby,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A young girl. A hidden treasure. A dark family secret.

'Evocative and enchanting - a future classic' Veronica Henry
'An extraordinary debut... beautiful, dark, haunting' Edward Carey
'A captivating coming-of-age story' Daily Mail
'A bewitching read' Woman & Home

Romilly lives in a ramshackle house with her eccentric artist father and her cat, Monty. She knows little about her past - but she knows that she is loved.

When her father finds fame with a series of children's books starring her as the main character, everything changes: exotic foods appear on the table, her father appears on TV, and strangers…


Book cover of Pooh! Is That You, Bertie?

Beau Johnston Author Of Sleep with One Eye Open

From my list on books that you’re going to hell for laughing at.

Why am I passionate about this?

By now you are probably wondering why the author of a dark and violent tale set in the Zombie Apocalypse is recommending humorous books. The answer lies within the five elements of survival: Shelter, Fire, Food, Water, and Mindset. A positive mindset can get you through a lot of dark and dangerous times, and being able to find the funny in the darkness will help you maintain that mindset (especially if you are injured or scared). 

Beau's book list on books that you’re going to hell for laughing at

Beau Johnston Why did Beau love this book?

Because farts are funny (and always will be) the puerile humor in these covers is pure gold. I had to stop reading several times because I was laughing so hard (I lent it to my friend simply to watch him struggle to breathe as he read it). This book is my recommendation when reading-snobs ask me what I'd rather read than the pretentious tripe they insist I should be reading.

By David Roberts,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Pooh! Is That You, Bertie? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Bertie likes making smells. When he trumps it makes his mum cross, embarrasses his dad, upsets his gran and offends his sister. But they all have a secret - and Bertie knows it!

Sequel to the bestselling Dirty Bertie, this hilarious book and its naughty noises will have little ones in stitches. A brilliantly funny bedtime story, jam-packed with parp-tastic humour.


Book cover of Hold the Rein Free

Angela Dorsey Author Of Whinnies on the Wind: The Collection

From my list on that will make you love horses no matter your age.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I was obsessed with horses. My parents still shudder when they tell the story of how, when I was three, I wandered into a field and climbed on the back of a horse napping in the shade. To keep me out of trouble (and to save their sanity), they finally got me a horse. Ben and I had many adventures as we rode through the bush and I let my imagination roam free. Years later, those meanderings of hooves and minds culminated in more than 30 novels about horses and humans bonding, caring for each other, and saving each other. I hope you enjoy reading my favorite horse books! 

Angela's book list on that will make you love horses no matter your age

Angela Dorsey Why did Angela love this book?

I have to admit that I haven’t reread this one as an adult, but it was pure gold in my childhood. It never grew old, and no matter how many times I read it, it always thrilled me. I felt like I was going through the ups and downs of saving the mare and foal with the two characters. And there’s a donkey! There simply aren’t enough books about donkeys, in my opinion. My copy fell apart years ago, I read it so many times. It’s sad today to see that there are no new releases or ebooks – but thankfully, you can still find used copies. 

By Judy Van Der Veer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hold the Rein Free as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

.


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Book cover of Songbird

Songbird By Laci Barry Post,

It's 1943, and World War II has gripped the nation, including the Stilwell family in Jacksonville, Alabama. Rationing, bomb drills, patriotism, and a changing South barrage their way of life. Neighboring Fort McClellan has brought the world to their doorstep in the form of young soldiers from all over the…

Book cover of Rump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Rumpelstiltskin

Jessica Lawson Author Of The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher

From my list on middle grade retellings of classics and fairytales.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up reading all kinds of stories, but I was also a big fan of playing outdoors. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was always a favorite of mine, but as an adult, I realized something…the one main female character who was my age, Becky Thatcher, didn’t seem to like adventure at all! I loved the idea of Becky being as much of a mischief-maker as the boys – and that became my first novel, The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher. I love retellings of classics and how they respect the original story, but are also able to imagine a new path! I hope all readers have adventures, inside and outside of books!

Jessica's book list on middle grade retellings of classics and fairytales

Jessica Lawson Why did Jessica love this book?

Rump by Liesl Shurtliff is a funny and poignant fractured fairy tale based on Rumpelstiltskin. It breathes new life into a character that has been typecast in the past as somewhat one-dimensional. I love that this author made tweaks to the original tale and brought another fairy tale character, Red Riding Hood, into the mix as a support system. I love the idea of origin stories that make readers think twice about judging supposed villains. Imagination abounds from this author, and the reader learns so much about Rump throughout his journey; both strengths and internal wounds that can be healed. This story has it all: humor, adventure, and heart.

By Liesl Shurtliff,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Rump 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?

This funny fractured fairy tale goes behind the scenes of Rumpelstiltskin. New York Times Bestselling author Liesl Shurtliff "spins words into gold [Kirby Larson, Newbery Honor winner]."

In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell,…


Book cover of Cryptonomicon

Robert J. Lloyd Author Of The Bloodless Boy

From my list on science-based historical fiction novels.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write as Robert J. Lloyd, but my friends call me Rob. Having studied Fine Art at a BA degree level (starting as a landscape painter but becoming a sculpture/photography/installation/performance generalist), I then moved to writing. During my MA degree in The History of Ideas, I happened to read Robert Hooke’s diary, detailing the life and experiments of this extraordinary and fascinating man. My MA thesis and my Hooke & Hunt series of historical thrillers are all about him. I’m fascinated by early science, which was the initial ‘pull’ into writing these stories, but the political background of the times (The Popish Plot and the Exclusion Crisis, for example) is just as enticing. 

Robert's book list on science-based historical fiction novels

Robert J. Lloyd Why did Robert love this book?

About WWII codebreaking, the reason this makes my ‘Best 5’ is that, besides being constantly inventive and informative, it’s also very funny. (I’m that shallow.)

There are similarities, I think, with Catch 22, in the plot’s intelligence, absurdity, and dreamlike turns.

I think Stephenson’s character Bobbie Shaftoe, a soldier who carries out counterintelligence deceptions, is hilarious. Also, Stephenson’s use of real historical characters–he presents believable portraits of Alan Turing, Douglas MacArthur, Karl Dönitz, and Hermann Göring, with a walk-on appearance by Albert  Einsteingave me license to do so in my own fiction.

By Neal Stephenson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

With this extraordinary first volume in an epoch-making masterpiece, Neal Stephenson hacks into the secret histories of nations and the private obsessions of men, decrypting with dazzling virtuosity the forces that shaped this century.

In 1942, Lawrence Pritchard Waterhouse—mathematical genius and young Captain in the U.S. Navy—is assigned to detachment 2702. It is an outfit so secret that only a handful of people know it exists, and some of those people have names like Churchill and Roosevelt. The mission of Waterhouse and Detachment 2702—commanded by Marine Raider Bobby Shaftoe-is to keep the Nazis ignorant of the fact that Allied Intelligence…


Book cover of Eyes of the Blind

Shelby King Author Of Forest of Realms

From my list on that transport you to another realm.

Why am I passionate about this?

My love of realms and fantastic imagination comes from growing up in the backwoods of Alabama. The woods inspired me and beckoned me to dance and build and imagine among the trees. I created characters and worlds and could be a witch, a fairy, a troll, or a girl lost in time. I owe my love of creating characters to the woods that built me and one day I will go back and thank them for the beautiful life they gave me.

Shelby's book list on that transport you to another realm

Shelby King Why did Shelby love this book?

Most fantasy books take so long to tell the story. This series starts quickly and enchants the entire time! A hero who defends a blind priest against all manner of evil and danger. This is a story you will fall in love with and will not be able to put down! Without revealing too much... Not all heroes wear capes 

By D.A. Godwin,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A blind priest. A book that can't be seen. Can a young hero protect one long enough to save the other?

Tormjere has never left his home valley, peaceful in its isolation from both monsters and men. His first journey into the outside world meets with disaster, thrusting him into the realities of a kingdom on the brink of war.

To save the life of a friend, he pledges himself to a path for which he is ill-prepared: guiding a blind priest on a quest to retrieve a sacred relic that only he can find.

As their pursuit leads them…


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Book cover of Holy Terror

Holy Terror By John R. Dougherty,

None of them knew what was coming, and none of them will ever be the same again...

Detective Jelani is a tough, veteran cop. His younger partner, Detective Madigan, is brash and confident. But they were not prepared to become embroiled in a series of cosmic events they could never…

Book cover of The Klondike Gold Rush: Photographs from 1896-1899

Frances Backhouse Author Of Women of the Klondike

From my list on the Klondike Gold Rush.

Why am I passionate about this?

My interest in the Klondike gold rush was sparked by a Canadian history course I took as an undergrad. Nearly all the accounts I read then relegated female participants to the sidelines and implied that most were of dubious moral character, but I suspected there was more to the story than that. I started digging and, unlike many Klondikers, I struck gold. Since then I’ve made numerous visits to the Yukon and Alaska, hiked the Chilkoot Trail twice and spent three months as Writer in Residence at Berton House in Dawson City (where I worked on my third gold rush book, Children of the Klondike). Today, I’m still captivated by this colorful, character-rich historic event.

Frances' book list on the Klondike Gold Rush

Frances Backhouse Why did Frances love this book?

Although photography was in its infancy at the time of the Klondike gold rush, the event’s high-profile nature attracted many intrepid photographers, both amateurs and professionals. Graham Wilson’s carefully curated collection of 125 historical photos showcases their talents and offers a unique glimpse into the past. These are pictures to savor, as you study the faces, take in the landscapes and scrutinize the details of everything from clothing to mining equipment.

By Graham B. Wilson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Catch gold fever with this comprehensive collection of archival photographs. This is the mother lode of the north - a stunning record of the last great gold rush. With 125 extraordinary images along with fascinating anecdotes and personal accounts, this book reveals the arduous journey north, the frontier towns and the struggles of toiling in the gold fields. Readers will encounter intriguing characters as they experience the adventure of a lifetime. From conmen and prospectors to dog sleds and sluic-boxes, these images are a bonanza of gold rush history. This was the Official Book of the 1998 Klondike Gold Rush…


Book cover of You Will Be Okay: Find Strength, Stay Hopeful and Get to Grips with Grief
Book cover of Pastoral
Book cover of If She Only Knew

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Interested in grief, faith, and Canada?

Grief 91 books
Faith 44 books
Canada 452 books