Love Flames of Chaos? Readers share 95 books like Flames of Chaos...

By Amelia Hutchins, Melissa Burg (editor),

Here are 95 books that Flames of Chaos fans have personally recommended if you like Flames of Chaos. 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 Halfway to the Grave

Maxym M. Martineau Author Of Kingdom of Exiles

From my list on fantasy with kick-ass heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a fantasy romance author with a love of creating real, in-depth characters with agency. To me, that’s the very definition of a “kick-ass” heroine. It doesn’t matter how she’s kick-ass (e.g., loud/vocal vs. quiet and cunning; the one charging ahead of the army or the one strategizing the attack), just that she’s in control of her own destiny. It’s important for me to have my characters feel like actual people, facing real decisions and the consequences of said decisions, and then I want those characters to have onus and show off their true bad-assery. 

Maxym's book list on fantasy with kick-ass heroines

Maxym M. Martineau Why did Maxym love this book?

Good lord, Kat simply dominates when she enters a scene.

She leaves no room for argument with all her decisions (some of them bad, some of them good) or dialogue, and even in moments where you’re screaming at her or she’s second-guessing herself, she grounds herself in her resolve and pushes forward.

Plus, Bones is swoon-worthy, and she still honors her own feels in the presence of his…well…everything, haha. I also love her evolution through the Night Huntress series and how her viewpoint toward vampires and paranormals shifts in a way that suits her character development. Also the spice? Heck. Yes.

By Jeaniene Frost,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked Halfway to the Grave as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Kicking off the sexiest, smartest, most badass paranormal romance series out there. You won't be able to stop turning the pages.

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of those deadbeats is her father - the guy responsible for ruining her mother's life.

But when she's captured by Bones, a bounty hunter and a vampire, she finds herself forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for his help in finding her father, and still astonished she hasn't ended up as his dinner, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her…


Book cover of The Billionaire Bad Boys Club

Kim Schubert Author Of Dead Shifter Walking

From my list on panty damping books with badass female leads.

Why am I passionate about this?

Well, that’s a deep ask, can we rain check that for when I feel the need to deep dive my jacked-up psyche? I feel grossly unprepared.... What I do love, are romance novels. I have fairly strict requirements in what books should be allowed into that category. There needs to be, at least one, panty-dampening, heart-racing, mouth-watering sex scene. More than that, I'm a firm member of bitches who are too much. It should be no surprise my reading taste trends to similar loudmouthed female leads. If you've happened upon my personally curated list of my favorite panty-dampening books with badass female leads, I welcome you and rejoice in the companionship. 

Kim's book list on panty damping books with badass female leads

Kim Schubert Why did Kim love this book?

I must admit, I typically enjoy my pantry dripping scenes in the paranormal genera, but every once in a while I like to wander the digital aisles and partake in something new.

Y’all, this book has stayed with me for years as a beautifully written description of male anatomy. Seriously, I didn’t know an expert description of a mushroom head could do it for me. I was happily shocked. I’m going to admit this is the first book I dipped my toe into the waters of multiple partners, at once. But these pages are more than steamy, juice-dripping scenes. The way she breathed life into these exquisite characters, makes me wanna jump in and join. This is one of those books I hated to finish, my heart (and other parts) were aching when I reached the conclusion.

If you are looking for a feel-good, down-a-dirty read, I highly recommend.

By Emma Holly,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Billionaire Bad Boys Club as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Self-made billionaires Zane and Trey have been a club of two since they were eighteen. They’ve done everything together: play football, fall in love, even get smacked around by their dads. The only thing they haven’t tried is seducing the same woman. When they set their sights on sexy chef Rebecca, these bad boys meet their match!

Nice Things People Say About Emma’s books
“Amazing . . . red-hot to the wall.”—The Best Reviews
“Pure genius!”—NYT bestseller Jacquelyn Frank
“[Emma] takes equal parts humor, hot sex and deep emotions and rolls it all together.”—Joyfully Reviewed


Book cover of A Demon Bound

Kim Schubert Author Of Dead Shifter Walking

From my list on panty damping books with badass female leads.

Why am I passionate about this?

Well, that’s a deep ask, can we rain check that for when I feel the need to deep dive my jacked-up psyche? I feel grossly unprepared.... What I do love, are romance novels. I have fairly strict requirements in what books should be allowed into that category. There needs to be, at least one, panty-dampening, heart-racing, mouth-watering sex scene. More than that, I'm a firm member of bitches who are too much. It should be no surprise my reading taste trends to similar loudmouthed female leads. If you've happened upon my personally curated list of my favorite panty-dampening books with badass female leads, I welcome you and rejoice in the companionship. 

Kim's book list on panty damping books with badass female leads

Kim Schubert Why did Kim love this book?

I adore my badass bitches to have a colorful sense of humor and I can’t get enough when they own exactly who and what they are with zero fucks given. I can hear the cheering crowd now for this demon turned good-gal.

I’m also going to admit that I have a personal habit and skipping overly detailed, drawn-out descriptions. I know, I know, patience isn’t one of my strong points. Debra, however, had me reading and enjoying her descriptions. [Insert shocked face here.]

Samantha Martin, or Sam to her friends, is fearless, unafraid to make mistakes, shameless, confident, funny, and I want to have drinks with her.

While the down and dirty scenes are a bit more PG, the plot line is perfection, characters exceptionally well created, and some moments from the series are forever etched in my brain.

“I’m here for my angel.”

Sigh, girl, aren’t we all? Except…

By Debra Dunbar,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

I never wanted to save the world... or these damned werewolves.

Life was pretty sweet until my hellhound bit one of them. Then I accidentally killed him—the werewolf, not my hellhound. Now I need to help the local alpha track down and destroy a rogue angel or I’ll lose everything that's important to me, like my Corvette, and my awesome house with a pool.

I might wind up dead. I might wind up back in Hel. Or I might just pull something impish and manage to wiggle my way out of the whole mess.

WARNING: This series has laugh-out loud…


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Book cover of The Ballad of Falling Rock

The Ballad of Falling Rock by Jordan Dotson,

Truth told, folks still ask if Saul Crabtree sold his soul for the perfect voice. If he sold it to angels or devils. A Bristol newspaper once asked: “Are his love songs closer to heaven than dying?” Others wonder how he wrote a song so sad, everyone who heard it…

Book cover of Taken by the MC

Kim Schubert Author Of Dead Shifter Walking

From my list on panty damping books with badass female leads.

Why am I passionate about this?

Well, that’s a deep ask, can we rain check that for when I feel the need to deep dive my jacked-up psyche? I feel grossly unprepared.... What I do love, are romance novels. I have fairly strict requirements in what books should be allowed into that category. There needs to be, at least one, panty-dampening, heart-racing, mouth-watering sex scene. More than that, I'm a firm member of bitches who are too much. It should be no surprise my reading taste trends to similar loudmouthed female leads. If you've happened upon my personally curated list of my favorite panty-dampening books with badass female leads, I welcome you and rejoice in the companionship. 

Kim's book list on panty damping books with badass female leads

Kim Schubert Why did Kim love this book?

Do you ever have that moment while reading, when you look up at normal life happening blissfully, while you are balls deep in a dirty scene? Yeah, me too. This one is one, of many books, I’m eternally grateful for a privacy screen protector on my phone. Don’t have one? Highly recommend, so that you too can enjoy deliciously naughty scenes while at your children’s jiu jitsu class. What? There’s no judgment here.

While my other recommendations have included females who are literally kicking ass, taking names, and leaving a trail of dead bodies, this book reminds me that badassery takes on many forms. And finding a happily ever after is unique to each and every person.

By Devyn Douglas,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Sometimes you have to get dirty…

There’s no one dirtier than the local MC.

Harmony's used to her mom's BS hitting her doorstep. She's mastered saving her mom's ass, but her latest stunt might get them both killed. The local drug dealer, as well as the Mexican Mafia, want blood. Unfortunately, the sexy MC President wants more from Harmony. To keep them both breathing, she'll work off the debt—on her knees. A slave to the MC.

No one was ever supposed to find out about Harmony’s darkest fantasies—but the Penetrators MC has, and they intend to fulfill every dirty detail.…


Book cover of Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil

D.J. Butler Author Of The Cunning Man

From my list on fantasy full of real-world magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love fantasy literature, because it's the what-if literature of the human spirit. Magic animates fantasy, and in the real world, magic is difficult to define; it lies somewhere on the border of the unconscious mind, the lore of our grandparents, scientific hypothesis, what the priest tells us, and what we see in social groups other than our own. In recent decades, much fantasy literature has walked away from portrayals of real-world magic, replacing it with synthetic and sterile creations euphemistically called “hard magic.” Hard magic has the form of magic, but lacks the power thereof. These books are all strong inoculations against the scourge of hard magic.

D.J.'s book list on fantasy full of real-world magic

D.J. Butler Why did D.J. love this book?

If you know Hellboy only from the movies, you’re seeing a very limited image of the character and his adventures. Hellboy has many roots (pulp sci fi and crimefighter stories, superhero tales, Lovecraft’s mythos), but one of his earliest is in real world magic and folktale. We see this in his encounters with Baba Yaga, Hecate, and others, but also in his battle fairy creatures that are vulnerable to unforged iron.

By Mike Mignola, John Byrne,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Since Mike Mignola's Hellboy first hit the stands in 1993, it has become a cultural sensation, racking up a dozen Eisner Awards and inspiring numerous spinoffs, from a novel line, to video games, to feature films. Now, Dark Horse is pleased to present the comics that started it all, collected in deluxe hardcover editions. Sized at 9" by 12", and handsomely bound to match The Art of Hellboy hardcover, each volume contains two full story-arcs - the equivalent of two trade-paperbacks. Each volume of the Hellboy Library Editions also includes extensive supplemental materials, including previously unreleased sketches and designs.


Book cover of Ira Sleeps Over

Steve Patschke Author Of Don't Look At It! Don't Touch It!

From my list on funny picture reads kids will sit still for.

Why am I passionate about this?

Steve Patschke is a retired elementary school library media teacher of over thirty years, now living in Woodstock, N.Y. In November of 2022, his essay appeared in The New York Times' “Tiny Love Stories.” In February of 2023, his essay appeared in Chicken Soup For The Soul: Cat Lovers Edition. He has published six children’s picture books. His most recent is Don’t Look At It, Don’t Touch It. Steve’s rendition of the classic Nutcracker and the Mouse King will be published as a pop-up book through Templar books in the fall of 2023.

Steve's book list on funny picture reads kids will sit still for

Steve Patschke Why did Steve love this book?

I recommended this book first because as a public school Library Media Specialist for over thirty years it was my perfect go-to read-a-loud. 

It is funny and filled with human interest and emotion. But what I like best about it is the timing. I like to write funny books and I know timing in humor is one of the most important attributes. This book hits it dead-on.

Adding to the wonderful timing is the pagination. Having published a few funny picture books myself I know how important the page-turner is for children.

The author Banard Weber will open a situation and then, as a pagination cliffhanger, place the resolution on the following page. Then he ends the story with a sweet repose.

By Bernard Waber,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Ira Sleeps Over as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 2, 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

From the beloved author-illustrator of Lyle, Lyle Crocodile comes a charming and relatable picture book about a child's first sleepover experience.

Ira is thrilled about his first sleepover at his friend Reggie's house, until his sister makes him question taking his favorite teddy bear! Will Reggie laugh at his teddy bear? Can Ira sleep without it? A hilarious back-and-forth ensues in this classic picture book about staying true to yourself. A perfect read-aloud for every young reader with their own bedtime friends.


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Book cover of Pleasure to Purpose

Pleasure to Purpose by Elizabeth B. Splaine,

Part romance/erotica and part family drama, but all heart.

Scarlett loved horses since she was a child, living amidst the chaos of a family ravaged by mental illness. Years later, as she rebuilds a relationship with her often-absent father, she wrangles with needy clients, a manipulative mother, a nosy uncle,…

Book cover of Blood Like Magic

Amanda Pavlov Author Of Mind Like a Diamond

From my list on witchy young adult.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up in New Orleans, my love of all things magical is the native fruit of the culturally rich soil I was planted in. Witches both fascinate and scare me a little. Reading and writing fiction helps me process what’s hiding behind those fears. My debut novel, Mind Like a Diamond explores thirteen of the most common fears in the form of a competition-style haunted house. Like many of the books on this list, it might give you nightmares. But sometimes being scared is so wonderfully thrilling, you can’t put the book down. For more book recommendations from me, bookish memes, and writing tips follow me on Instagram.

Amanda's book list on witchy young adult

Amanda Pavlov Why did Amanda love this book?

All you need to know: witches in the future. That’s it. That’s the review. Go read this book. Okay, in all seriousness, this is one of those books that you almost throw at people without explanation. I should note it has some sensitive content—from the author: “Whipping scene within the context of slavery, gun/police violence, discussion of and character with an eating disorder, blood/gore/violence, death, substance abuse/addiction, mentions of child neglect."

As an added note, there are mentions of systems existing in the book which misgender trans people that are discussed by the characters.

So yes, lots of heavy subject matter. But this book will blow you away. And the cover is stunning so treat yourself to the hardcover. Go on, I insist. Thank me later.

By Liselle Sambury,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Blood Like Magic 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?

"High stakes, big heart, and lots of Black Girl Magic...unputdownable." -Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys

A rich, dark urban fantasy debut following a teen witch who is given a horrifying task: sacrificing her first love to save her family's magic. The problem is, she's never been in love-she'll have to find the perfect guy before she can kill him.

After years of waiting for her Calling-a trial every witch must pass to come into their powers-the one thing Voya Thomas didn't expect was to fail. When Voya's ancestor gives her an unprecedented second chance to…


Book cover of Witch Hunt

Alesha Escobar Author Of The Wayward Wizard

From my list on heroes when secret agencies mess things up.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an avid fantasy reader and enjoy stories filled with magic, danger, and a mix of humor and romance thrown in. When I’m not writing my own fantasy novels, you might catch me tucked away in a corner, reading a book, and fueling my imagination. Since my own book, The Wayward Wizard, features a secret organization trying to intercept the supernatural, I knew similar stories would make a perfect list to share with fellow fantasy readers.

Alesha's book list on heroes when secret agencies mess things up

Alesha Escobar Why did Alesha love this book?

Who’s ever been blamed at work for something they didn’t do?  Well, the Office of Preternatural Affairs takes it to a whole new level when they suspect one of their agents, Cèsar Hawke, of murdering a woman. I mean, she was found dead in his home…but he claims he’s innocent. And he’s going to hunt down a shaman who can speak to the dead to prove it.

This wickedly fun story takes the urban fantasy detective trope and infuses it with humor, danger, and twists & turns.

By SM Reine,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

There are scratches on Cèsar Hawke’s arms, a discharged Glock on his coffee table, and a dead woman in his bathtub. Yeah, maybe he brought the waitress home for some fun—he was too drunk to remember it—but he knows for a fact that he didn’t kill her. He’s an agent with the Office of Preternatural Affairs. He doesn’t hurt people. He saves them. The cops disagree. Now Cèsar is running. Isobel Stonecrow speaks with the dead. She brings closure to the bereaved and heals broken hearts. But when she talks to the wrong spirit, the OPA puts a bounty on…


Book cover of The Golden Bough

Eve Lestrange Author Of Widdershins

From my list on occult, witchcraft, and a little mystery.

Why am I passionate about this?

From the time I was very young, Witchcraft and the supernatural have always fascinated me. I can remember staying up late to watch horror movies or reading an Edgar Allen Poe book under the sheets with a flashlight when I was supposed to be asleep. I knew this was never a phase or something I would “outgrow”; the spell had been cast and I was forever in its power. I’ve tried to read everything I could on Witchcraft, its history and practice and anything regarding the occult. It was all of this reading and research that really helped me to write Widdershins and everything that came after. Enjoy the list!

Eve's book list on occult, witchcraft, and a little mystery

Eve Lestrange Why did Eve love this book?

Being a fan of history, mythology, and folklore really drew me to this book. It delves into ancient magic, pagan practices, and other traditions that continue to this day. The book was thoroughly researched and opens a window into mankind’s beliefs and superstitions throughout the ages. The book explores the similarities between different cultures’ creation myths and ritualistic practices as well as Christianity’s appropriation of many pagan holidays, rituals, and locations. Anyone interested in mythology or folklore should definitely have this on their reading list.

By James George Frazer,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Published originally in two volumes in 1890, this extraordinary study of primitive myth and magic, collected from sources around the world, led Frazer to identify parallel patterns of ritual, symbols and belief across many centuries and many different cultures.
Frazer's learning inspired a whole generation of ethnographers and comparative anthropologists, and had a particularly powerful effect on many other thinkers and writers such as Sigmund Freud, D H Lawrence, Joyce, Yeats and T S Eliot.


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Book cover of Love, Sex, and Other Calamities: 15 Stories and a Poem by Ralph Hickok

Love, Sex, and Other Calamities by Ralph Hickok,

From Kirkus Reviews: "This debut short-story collection paints the wistful life of a newspaper journalist as seen through his sexual and romantic encounters...

Throughout, Hickok writes in an assured style, pulling readers along. The narrow sexual focus results in a distorted picture, yet other aspects of Art's life emerge at…

Book cover of Seashells, Spells & Caramels

Denise Jaden Author Of Witchy Wednesday

From my list on cozy mystery books with witches.

Why am I passionate about this?

I lean toward being a skeptic of all things magic, and so when I wrote my first paranormal series, I wrote it from the point of view of an unbelieving sleuth. Because of this, I am drawn to books that really delve into the idea of a sleuth discovering her magic or abilities and coming to believe in them along with the reader. 

Denise's book list on cozy mystery books with witches

Denise Jaden Why did Denise love this book?

I was hooked on this witchy mystery from the very first page! Imogene Banks is a kind and quirky character who gets whisked away to a magical French island to enter a baking competition. I loved the creativity in recipes and I was behind Imogene one hundred percent in her pursuit to open her own bakery.  

This mystery kept me reading late into the night. I was captivated by the magical French setting and the interesting characters. Imogene’s determination kept me turning page after page. The moment I finished, I raced back for book 2!

By Erin Johnson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Seashells, Spells & Caramels as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A magical French island. A dead contestant. An aspiring baker must clear her name before she gets burned.

Imogen Banks has dreamed her entire life of opening her own bakery in Seattle. But when she accidentally sets fire to her apartment and loses all her possessions, her dreams get toasted. Still coping with her loss, she receives a cryptic invitation she can't possibly refuse: entry into a mysterious baking competition on a beautiful French island.

When Imogen realizes the island village is magical and the bake-off’s participants are witches and wizards, she’s not sure her fledgling powers will be enough…


Book cover of Halfway to the Grave
Book cover of The Billionaire Bad Boys Club
Book cover of A Demon Bound

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