Fans pick 95 books like God's Monsters

By Esther J. Hamori,

Here are 95 books that God's Monsters fans have personally recommended if you like God's Monsters. 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 Fisherman

J. Lincoln Fenn Author Of The Nightmarchers

From my list on horror that will make you cancel your travel plans.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up in New England, my mother had a set of books that she kept in the living room, more for display than anything else. It was The Works of Edgar Allen Poe. I read them and instantly became hooked on horror. In the seventh grade, I entertained my friends at a sleepover by telling them the mysterious clanking noise (created by the baseboard heater) was the ghost of a woman who had once lived in the farmhouse, forced to cannibalize her ten children during a particularly bad winter. And Iā€™ve been enjoying scaring people ever since.

J.'s book list on horror that will make you cancel your travel plans

J. Lincoln Fenn Why did J. love this book?

You donā€™t have to travel far for very bad things to happen to you, as the main characters in this book discover when they ignore local warnings about fishing in a nearby creek. I consider this a masterwork in any genre, and Iā€™m actually re-reading it right now, even though it kinda broke me the first time. 

Itā€™s a Lovecraftian, cosmic horror story that also creates a kind of allegory for grief. Having lost my parents in my late twenties, it felt like a fantastical yet unnervingly accurate reflection of the experience. 

By John Langan,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked The Fisherman as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In upstate New York, in the woods around Woodstock, Dutchman's Creek flows out of the Ashokan Reservoir. Steep-banked, fast-moving, it offers the promise of fine fishing, and of something more, a possibility too fantastic to be true. When Abe and Dan, two widowers who have found solace in each other's company and a shared passion for fishing, hear rumors of the Creek, and what might be found there, the remedy to both their losses, they dismiss it as just another fish story. Soon, though, the men find themselves drawn into a tale as deep and old as the Reservoir. It'sā€¦


Book cover of The Secret Life of Puppets

Brandon R. Grafius Author Of Lurking Under the Surface: Horror, Religion, and the Questions that Haunt Us

From my list on horror and religion.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve been a fan of horror since I got sucked into Scooby-Doo as a three-year-old. When I started my academic career, I kind of kept that passion tucked inside as something to be embarrassed about ā€“ after all, I wanted to do serious work, and horror movies arenā€™t serious, right? Graduate school made me rethink that assumption, and pushed me towards seriously considering the engagement of horror and religion. I wrote my dissertation on a chapter of the Book of Numbers as a slasher narrative, and I havenā€™t looked back since.

Brandon's book list on horror and religion

Brandon R. Grafius Why did Brandon love this book?

Nelsonā€™s book is a revelation in how it explores the work that both religion and popular culture can do ā€“ her readings of Lovecraftā€™s work are particularly evocative. Iā€™m not on board with the sharp line she draws between high and low culture, but itā€™s one of those books thatā€™s fascinating even when you disagree with it.

By Victoria Nelson,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Secret Life of Puppets as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this work, Victoria Nelson illuminates the deep but hidden attraction the supernatural still holds for a secular mainstream culture that forced the transcendental underground and firmly displaced wonder and awe with the forces of reason, materialism, and science. In a backward look at an era now drawing to a close, "The Secret Life of Puppets" describes a curious reversal in the roles of art and religion: where art and literature once took their content from religion, we came increasingly to seek religion, covertly, through art and entertainment. In a tour of Western culture that is at once exhilarating andā€¦


Book cover of Holy Horror: The Bible and Fear in Movies

Brandon R. Grafius Author Of Lurking Under the Surface: Horror, Religion, and the Questions that Haunt Us

From my list on horror and religion.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve been a fan of horror since I got sucked into Scooby-Doo as a three-year-old. When I started my academic career, I kind of kept that passion tucked inside as something to be embarrassed about ā€“ after all, I wanted to do serious work, and horror movies arenā€™t serious, right? Graduate school made me rethink that assumption, and pushed me towards seriously considering the engagement of horror and religion. I wrote my dissertation on a chapter of the Book of Numbers as a slasher narrative, and I havenā€™t looked back since.

Brandon's book list on horror and religion

Brandon R. Grafius Why did Brandon love this book?

Wiggins looks at how the Bible as a physical, tangible book plays an important role in horror movies ā€“ it doesnā€™t even need to be read to have power and be a crucial part of the plot. The book takes a deep dive into what the Bible means as a cultural symbol, even beyond our relationship to the words contained in its pages.

By Steve A. Wiggins,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

What makes you afraid? It may be more than what you think. Horror films have been exploiting our fears almost from the moment movies were invented. Lurking unseen in the corner of horror, however, is something unexpected: the Bible. Sit back while the curtain parts and watch as the Good Book appears in both supporting and starring roles in the most unlikely of cinema genres. Starting with Psycho and running up through the 2010s, horror films, monster movies and thrillers will flash across the screen with Scripture plainly in view. Holy Writ is not always what it seems. The Bibleā€¦


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Book cover of Girl of Light

Girl of Light by Elana Gomel,

A girl of Light in a world of darkness.

In Svetlana's country, itā€™s a felony to break a mirror. Mirrors are conduits of the Voice, the deity worshiped by all who follow Light. The Voice protects humans of MotherLand from the dangers that beset them on all sides: an invadingā€¦

Book cover of America's Dark Theologian: The Religious Imagination of Stephen King

Brandon R. Grafius Author Of Lurking Under the Surface: Horror, Religion, and the Questions that Haunt Us

From my list on horror and religion.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve been a fan of horror since I got sucked into Scooby-Doo as a three-year-old. When I started my academic career, I kind of kept that passion tucked inside as something to be embarrassed about ā€“ after all, I wanted to do serious work, and horror movies arenā€™t serious, right? Graduate school made me rethink that assumption, and pushed me towards seriously considering the engagement of horror and religion. I wrote my dissertation on a chapter of the Book of Numbers as a slasher narrative, and I havenā€™t looked back since.

Brandon's book list on horror and religion

Brandon R. Grafius Why did Brandon love this book?

Douglas Cowan was one of the first scholars I stumbled on who was diving into this area.

Heā€™s been hugely influential on my own thinking ā€“ particularly in the way he asks us to stop thinking about ā€œreligious questionsā€ and instead start thinking of ā€œproperly human questions.ā€ Cowanā€™s walk through Stephen Kingā€™s oeuvre is all kinds of fun.

Youā€™ll be particularly struck by how he finds religious rituals of initiation in Pet Semetary.

By Douglas E. Cowan,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Illuminating the religious and existential themes in Stephen King's horror stories

Who are we? Why are we here? Where do we go when we die? For answers to these questions, people often look to religion. But religion is not the only place seekers turn. Myths, legends, and other stories have given us alternative ways to address the fundamental quandaries of existence. Horror stories, in particular, with their focus on questions of violence and mortality, speak urgently to the primal fears embedded in such existential mysteries. With more than fifty novels to his name, and hundreds of millions of copies sold,ā€¦


Book cover of Minimus Pupil's Book: Starting out in Latin

Caroline Lawrence Author Of The Thieves of Ostia

From my list on ancient Rome for kids.

Why am I passionate about this?

Caroline Lawrence is the author of over 30 historical novels for children and young adults, most of which are set in ancient Rome. She studied Latin, Ancient Greek and Biblical Hebrew at Berkeley and Cambridge and has been investigating the ancient world ever since. In 2009, she won the Classical Association Prize for 'a significant contribution to the public understanding of Classicsā€™. Her aim is to make that world accessible for kids.

Caroline's book list on ancient Rome for kids

Caroline Lawrence Why did Caroline love this book?

There are many books for kids who would like to learn Latin but this charmingly illustrated book, also set in Roman Britain, is one of the most accessible, especially for children in primary school.

By Barbara Bell, Helen Forte,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A lively introduction to Latin for children aged 7 and over. Join in the fun with Minimus - a mix of myths, stories, grammar support and historical background! This pupil's book is a lively, colourful introduction to the Latin language and the culture of Roman Britain. A fun way to teach English grammar, it is ideal for cross-curricular activities.


Book cover of Eden

Chad Pettit Author Of Beyond Eden

From my list on bringing the Bible to life with realistic settings.

Why am I passionate about this?

I read my first novel when I was seven and wrote my first full story when I was eight. Iā€™ve never stopped putting words to paper. Along with a passion for reading and writing, Iā€™ve always been an all or nothing kind of person. When I want to know something, I dig and research until I know everything I can, which is exactly what I did when my eyes were opened to the spiritual warfare going on all around us. Iā€™ve lost count of how many dozens of times Iā€™ve read the Bible. Iā€™ve since devoted myself to marrying my passions to develop suspense-filled stories with intense looks into the spiritual realm.  

Chad's book list on bringing the Bible to life with realistic settings

Chad Pettit Why did Chad love this book?

As a writer of fantasy fiction, I know the importance of asking the ā€œwhat ifā€ questions.

And, as a reader of the Bible, I often read scripture and wonder what life was really like for some of the people, what they felt like, or what drove them to do the things they did. Thatā€™s why I love a well-written biblical fiction novel, and Eden is the perfect book to feed my often-insatiable curiosity.

Brennan McPherson is the perfect fit for a job like this. His understanding of the Bible and the intricacies of human nature give him the ability to bring us a unique look into the lives of people like Adam and Eve.

Imagining the life of Adam and Eve was at the center of the story of my novel. More importantly, this story personalized Earthā€™s first couple and made me evaluate my relationship with God.    

By Brennan S. McPherson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

"You want me to tell of how I broke the world." 

It's the year 641 since the beginning of the everything, and when Eve passes away, she leaves Adam the only man on earth who remembers everything since they walked in Eden. 

When Enoch, God's newly appointed prophet, decides to collect the stories of the faithful from previous generations, he finds Adam in desperate need to confess the dark secrets he's held onto for too long. 

Beside a slowly burning bonfire in the dead of night, Adam tells his story in searing detail. From the beginning of life, to howā€¦


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Book cover of Beneath the Veil

Beneath the Veil by Martin Kearns,

The Valor of Valhalla series by Martin Kearns is a pulse-pounding dark urban fantasy trilogy that fuses the raw power of Norse mythology with the grit of modern warfare. Set in a world where ancient gods and mythical creatures clash with secret military organizations and rogue heroes, the series followsā€¦

Book cover of Guard Your Daughters

Ursula DeYoung Author Of Shorecliff

From my list on families from the mid-twentieth century.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a small seaside town north of Boston. I have three siblings, and we always spent a few weeks every summer with our cousins in a rented house somewhere in New Englandā€”a new place each year. I became a bookworm at a young age, and Iā€™ve always loved reading novels about big families that capture both the magic and the conflicts inevitable with many siblings and relatives. I was also an anglophile, and I tended to gravitate toward books written in earlier decades, particularly those of the mid 20th century. When I began writing my own novels, it seemed natural to set them in those fascinating earlier times.

Ursula's book list on families from the mid-twentieth century

Ursula DeYoung Why did Ursula love this book?

The true identity of Diana Tutton remains uncertain. She published three idiosyncratic novels in England in the 1950s, all of which have now fallen into obscurity. Of those, Guard Your Daughters is the best: it describes a loving family dedicated to protecting the childrenā€™s mother, whose poor health has led to an insular, overly sheltered lifestyle for her many daughters. Each of the girls is distinct and vividly drawn by Tutton, who has a keen eye for the traditions, tensions, and excitement of siblings in their teenage years. Over the course of the novel, the sisters gradually forge more connections with the outside world and discover not only their own larger desires but also the hidden truth of their family life.

By Diana Tutton,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Guard Your Daughters by Diana Tutton is a 1953 novel about a family of five daughters living in the country ā€“ or rather four daughters since one has recently escaped by marrying and it is Morgan, Cressida, Teresa and Thisbe who are still at home with their parents. Their mother stops her daughters going to school or making friends. But because she tends to make scenes or retire to bed, her family do all they can to avoid defying or upsetting her; yet they do so in a continually light-hearted, cheerful fashion.

Thus on one level this is a ā€˜funā€™ā€¦


Book cover of The Moody Bible Commentary

Scott LaPierre Author Of Your Marriage God's Way: A Biblical Guide to a Christ-Centered Relationship

From my list on Bible commentaries for pastors and teachers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am the teaching pastor of Woodland Christian Church. I have been in ministry since 2007, preaching Godā€™s Word an average of 1 to 3 times weekly. Because my ministry focuses on teaching and preaching, I study Godā€™s Word for 20 to 30 hours per week. I have used numerous commentaries over the years and settled on these as the best one-volume commentaries.

Scott's book list on Bible commentaries for pastors and teachers

Scott LaPierre Why did Scott love this book?

This commentary was developed by the faculty at the Moody Bible Institute. It is also easy to understand and provides comprehensive exposition of all passages and most verses. It should be noted that frequently there is commentary on a passage, or collection of verses, versus commentary on individual verses. This is helpful to understand the flow and context of a passage, but it can leave you recognizing you need to look elsewhere when you donā€™t feel like there is enough explanation of individual verses. There are also helpful maps and charts and bibliographies for further reading and study.

By Michael Rydelnik (editor), Michael Vanlaningham (editor),

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

OVER 100,000 COPIES SOLD!

Now you can study the Bible with the faculty of the Moody Bible Institute!

Imagine having a team of 30 Moody Bible Institute professors helping you study the Bible. Now you can with this in-depth, user-friendly, one-volume commentary. 

General editors Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham have led a team of contributors whose academic training, practical church experience, and teaching competency make this commentary excellent for anyone who needs help understanding the Scriptures.

This comprehensive and reliable reference work should be the first place Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders, missionaries, and pastors turn to for biblicalā€¦


Book cover of Strangely Familiar: Protofeminist Interpretations of Patriarchal Biblical Texts

Joy Schroeder Author Of Voices Long Silenced: Women Biblical Interpreters Through the Centurie

From my list on women who interpreted the Bible.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a historian with expertise in the early church, Middle Ages, and Reformation, I am obsessed with finding the writings and stories of women of the past. Whenever we discover works written by an unknown or forgotten woman in an archive or historical record, my co-author Marion Taylor and I excitedly email one another: ā€œWe rescued another woman!ā€ I study the history of biblical interpretation and the history of women in religion. In most of my books, these two interests intersectā€”as I write about men throughout history who viewed stories of biblical women through patriarchal lenses and how women themselves have been biblical interpreters, often challenging menā€™s prevailing views. 

Joy's book list on women who interpreted the Bible

Joy Schroeder Why did Joy love this book?

The Bible contains stories of unspeakable violence and brutality against women: the rape of Abraham and Sarahā€™s enslaved servant Hagar, the incestuous assault of Davidā€™s daughter Tamar, the human sacrifice of the warrior Jephthahā€™s unnamed daughter, and other horrifying accounts. Scripture also contains passages by the Apostle Paul and men writing in his nameā€”passages that restrict womenā€™s roles in churches and which subordinate women in households. In the late twentieth century, feminist scholars challenged these passages and critiqued the patriarchy found in the Bible. But womenā€™s challenge to patriarchal biblical texts did not begin in the twentieth century, In this essay collection, authors identify women working in the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s who had similar insights into the gendered problems found in the Bible. 

By Nancy Calvert-Koyzis, Heather E. Weir,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Until recently, the voices of women who interpreted the Bible prior to the feminism of the late twentieth century had been largely forgotten. However, the current recovery of these women's interpretive works reveals writings that seem "strangely familiar" in their anticipation of later feminist approaches to the biblical text and their thematic interest in liberation. In this volume, the contributions of seventeenth- to nineteenth-century women-including Arcangela Tarabotti, Aemelia Lanyer, and Josephine Butler-are addressed in their historical and cultural contexts. Each of these recovered authors worked to liberate women from interpretations of the Bible that proved oppressive to them. Leading feministā€¦


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Book cover of Conditions are Different After Dark

Conditions are Different After Dark by Owen W. Knight,

In 1662, a man is wrongly executed for signing the death warrant of Charles I. Awaiting execution, he asks to speak with a priest, to whom he declares a curse on the village that betrayed him. The priest responds with a counter-curse, leaving just one option to nullify it.

Fourā€¦

Book cover of Someone I Love Died

Kaitlyn Odom Fiedler Author Of What Now? Finding Renewed Life in Christ After Loss

From my list on a biblical view of death and grief.

Why am I passionate about this?

Navigating life with grief has been a lifelong journey for me ever since I was a young child. At 8 years old, I was in a car accident which took the lives of my parents and four of my siblings. Since then, Iā€™ve faced a huge mountain in front of me ā€“ How do you move forward in life when you have lost everything? This journey led me to now share my story of childhood loss and healing in hopes of helping others. As a counselor, Iā€™m a huge mental health advocate and love books which tackle hard emotions that help readers of all ages feel more understood and equipped for their journey ahead.

Kaitlyn's book list on a biblical view of death and grief

Kaitlyn Odom Fiedler Why did Kaitlyn love this book?

This is a childrenā€™s book for primarily ages 4-8. It describes what itā€™s like for a child to be experiencing grief through a biblical lens.

I canā€™t recommend this book enough because as someone who experienced loss as a child, I needed this book then. It has beautiful words and imagery to guide the child and hold their emotions. It would be a fantastic book to read through in a counseling session with a child experiencing loss. 

By Christine Harder Tangvald,

Why should I read it?

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


Book cover of The Fisherman
Book cover of The Secret Life of Puppets
Book cover of Holy Horror: The Bible and Fear in Movies

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