100 books like Holy Bible

By Unknown,

Here are 100 books that Holy Bible fans have personally recommended if you like Holy Bible. 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 Red Dragon

Why am I passionate about this?

You’ve got to root for the underdog, right? And there’s no bigger underdog than fictional villains. While real-life criminals are doing very nicely, thank you very much, in fiction, the bad guy is screwed from the start. What could be more relatable than knowing on a bone-deep, existential level that you’ve already lost? And what could be more heroic than stepping out onto the field of play knowing that no matter how hard you play, you’re still going down? Keep your flawed anti-heroes; they’re just too chicken to go over to the losing side. I’ll cheer for the doomed bad guy every single time.

Sam's book list on characters who do unforgivably terrible things but still somehow end up the hero

Sam Tobin Why did Sam love this book?

About halfway into Red Dragon, you meet Francis Dolarhyde, and from then on, the book is all his. Forget the FBI who are looking for him, the only person you care about is Dolarhyde, the serial killer who’s been brutally murdering entire families.

As far as I’m concerned, he’s the hero. Hannibal Lecter isn’t Thomas Harris’ best villain. It’s Dolarhyde. He’s everything Lecter isn’t. He’s awkward, shy, hates his body, hates himself and spends all his time stewing on his inadequacies. If I’ve got to pick between the Virgin Dolarhyde and the Chad Lecter, it’s Dolarhyde every time.

Deep down, he just wants to be loved, but the way he goes about it is almost comically misguided. Dolardhyde is on an impossible, bloody mission to fix himself, and no matter how many bodies he drops trying to do it, I’m always rooting for him to make it out the…

By Thomas Harris,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Red Dragon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the author of "Silence of the Lambs" and "Black Sunday", this is the book that introduces the most famous serial killer of them all - Hannibal Lecter.


Book cover of The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence

Anna E. Hampton Author Of Facing Danger: A Guide Through Risk

From my list on navigate danger in humanitarian work.

Why am I passionate about this?

I went to Afghanistan under the first Taliban government as a humanitarian aid worker. During the following decade, I experienced inadequate emotional, mental, and theological support from those who had sent me out. I began to research the field of risk and found a wealth of literature on how humans make decisions, how we see (or don’t see) danger, how to manage risk and fear, and more. We ignore the best practices and common sense of these fields to our peril. I am passionate about helping people not feel isolated and alone when they choose to serve in dangerous situations.

Anna's book list on navigate danger in humanitarian work

Anna E. Hampton Why did Anna love this book?

Reading this book a second time, I felt my anger growing from a lifetime of hearing the Church’s teaching on fear: “Ignore it.” This is at least negligence and, at worst, abuse. De Becker makes it abundantly clear that we should listen to our fear (he differentiates it from anxiety) and learn to trust the inner voice (intuition).

We are “experts” in our situation, and he skillfully showed me how to listen to myself and see the signs of danger. I realize I need to re-read the final chapter to integrate the common wisdom of knowing myself, seeing danger, and understanding how fear works. It is possible to have faith in God, manage my fear, and more likely avoid violence without resorting to trite spiritual naivete or blind faith in God.

By Gavin de Becker,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Gift of Fear as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this empowering book, Gavin de Becker, the man Oprah Winfrey calls the US' leading expert on violent behaviour, shows you how to spot even subtle signs of danger - before it's too late. Shattering the myth that most violent acts are unpredictable, de Becker, whose clients include top Hollywood stars and government agencies, offers specific ways to protect yourself and those you love, including: how to act when approached by a stranger; when you should fear someone close to you; what to do if you are being stalked; how to uncover the source of anonymous threats or phone calls;…


Book cover of Play to Win

Danyelle Scroggins Author Of Blame It On My Boots

From my list on for spiritual growth, healing, and hope.

Why am I passionate about this?

In every book that I have recommended, you’ll find the dynamics of family and love. I’ve been a pastor for over fifteen years and now work as an author of both Christian fiction and non-fiction books. I'm a Chaplain for a Trauma One leveled hospital, and I counsel people of all ages. My master's degree in Religious Education is also a much-used tool as I’ve used education to deepen my quest to obtain knowledge. My love of books about family and love began when I lived in Yokosuka, Japan. I was far away from my family, beginning a new chapter with my own family, but right on the verge of learning how friends can truly turn into family.

Danyelle's book list on for spiritual growth, healing, and hope

Danyelle Scroggins Why did Danyelle love this book?

I love all things family and in Play to Win, Author Ja’nese Dixon gives us a look at a family of seven but the parents get a divorce and are divorced twenty years before they remarry. This series shows how a family deals with divorce, co-parenting, business, marriage, relationships, and broken matters. Throughout this entire series, you will see some twists and turns that will shock you, but also teach you the power of forgiving and love. The value is that when you are a part of a family, you become a unit, even when there are moving parts.

By Ja'Nese Dixon,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Rules are meant to be broken, and when it comes to love, this ex-quarterback and single mother are playing to win. 

Kamal Montgomery owned the football field, and now he’s one-fifth of Southern Soul, a family-owned soul food restaurant. Nothing and no one is off-limits until Jayda enters his restaurant in need of a second chance.

Jayda Dallas returns to Houston with her baby on her hip and her ex in the dust. He refuses to pay child support for their third-year-old daughter, and rather than take his sorry ass back, she’s getting a J-O-B. 

Jayda stands back, watching women…


Book cover of Deep Fried Trouble

Danyelle Scroggins Author Of Blame It On My Boots

From my list on for spiritual growth, healing, and hope.

Why am I passionate about this?

In every book that I have recommended, you’ll find the dynamics of family and love. I’ve been a pastor for over fifteen years and now work as an author of both Christian fiction and non-fiction books. I'm a Chaplain for a Trauma One leveled hospital, and I counsel people of all ages. My master's degree in Religious Education is also a much-used tool as I’ve used education to deepen my quest to obtain knowledge. My love of books about family and love began when I lived in Yokosuka, Japan. I was far away from my family, beginning a new chapter with my own family, but right on the verge of learning how friends can truly turn into family.

Danyelle's book list on for spiritual growth, healing, and hope

Danyelle Scroggins Why did Danyelle love this book?

I am the girl who loves old people. I get a kick out of listening to their stories and wisdom on life. If you’re ever looking for me and can’t find me, go to the old person who I consider as my mentor. So, Tyora Moody in this five book series introduces the world to Mrs. Eugeena Patterson, a widow and retired teacher who knows almost everyone in her community and stays in their business. This book series will make you laugh and cry beginning with book one. I call her books my pick-me-up books.

By Tyora Moody,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Widowed and officially retired, EUGEENA PATTERSON throws herself into organizing the neighborhood association. This presents a great opportunity to re-connect with old friends and get to know new neighbors like recently widowed Amos Jones, that is until Eugeena stumbles upon her estranged neighbor’s dead body. Eugeena’s daughter is fingered as a prime suspect, but where is she? Determined to find her missing daughter, Eugeena and Amos sort through a list of neighbors with shady or unknown backgrounds. The more she searches, the more Eugeena becomes unsure about this neighborhood association idea. Someone closer than Eugeena thinks, wants to keep it…


Book cover of How Faith Works

Danyelle Scroggins Author Of Blame It On My Boots

From my list on for spiritual growth, healing, and hope.

Why am I passionate about this?

In every book that I have recommended, you’ll find the dynamics of family and love. I’ve been a pastor for over fifteen years and now work as an author of both Christian fiction and non-fiction books. I'm a Chaplain for a Trauma One leveled hospital, and I counsel people of all ages. My master's degree in Religious Education is also a much-used tool as I’ve used education to deepen my quest to obtain knowledge. My love of books about family and love began when I lived in Yokosuka, Japan. I was far away from my family, beginning a new chapter with my own family, but right on the verge of learning how friends can truly turn into family.

Danyelle's book list on for spiritual growth, healing, and hope

Danyelle Scroggins Why did Danyelle love this book?

When I was seeking God for some things greater than I felt I deserved, I began to search for reading material that could strengthen my faith and help me understand some of the things shared in the Word of God pertaining to faith. Well, the late Dr. Fredrick Price became my go-to-author. In this book, he really dissects some of the greatest stories pertaining to faith found in the Bible and helps his readers to get a full and complete understanding. I am recommending this book because it’s definitely an easy but informative read that you won’t soon forget.

By Frederick KC Price,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The principles of faith are God's design to bring you everything you need. The better you understand these principles, the easier it will be for you to overcome adversity and walk in victory. In this book Pastor Frederick K.C. Price reveals from the Bible what faith actually is, and how the spiritual laws that cause faith to work will allow God to work supernaturally to bring the answers you need. Start learning how to step beyond natural circumstances of life into the supernatural flow of God.


Book cover of Dream Again

Danyelle Scroggins Author Of Blame It On My Boots

From my list on for spiritual growth, healing, and hope.

Why am I passionate about this?

In every book that I have recommended, you’ll find the dynamics of family and love. I’ve been a pastor for over fifteen years and now work as an author of both Christian fiction and non-fiction books. I'm a Chaplain for a Trauma One leveled hospital, and I counsel people of all ages. My master's degree in Religious Education is also a much-used tool as I’ve used education to deepen my quest to obtain knowledge. My love of books about family and love began when I lived in Yokosuka, Japan. I was far away from my family, beginning a new chapter with my own family, but right on the verge of learning how friends can truly turn into family.

Danyelle's book list on for spiritual growth, healing, and hope

Danyelle Scroggins Why did Danyelle love this book?

There’s is nothing more calming than a book that brings hope. In this awesome book by Author Ann Marie, you’ll find such a mixture of life, struggles, and love. This book is definitely one of those second-chance books that will cause a reader to understand that your past was never meant to define your future. If you have never read a book by this author, you should definitely try one.

By Ann Marie Bryan,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

One random day. One burst of laughter. One perfect moment. That’s all it takes for Gianna Barrett to capture Carter McIntosh’s attention—and his heart. His whole life has been a series of miracles, so this falls right in line. If only it were that simple. The object of his desire refuses to give him the time of day. Not deterred, Carter is sure he’s ready to put his heart on the line for love. Big mistake. He isn’t quite prepared and finds himself wrestling a soul-deep hurt into submission.“There has been an accident....” That devastating revelation shattered Gianna’s life, and…


Book cover of The Silence of the Lambs

Kate Robards Author Of Only The Guilty Survive

From my list on thrillers inspired by real events.

Why am I passionate about this?

My new thriller centers around a small, mysterious cult and their shocking demise. For years, I’ve read true crime books on the subject, and I wanted to infuse the reality and truth of real-life events into my fictional novel. In a similar vein, these books represent a range of thrillers inspired by true events, ranging from cults to serial killers to teenage criminals. I hope you find these books as gripping and haunting as I do.

Kate's book list on thrillers inspired by real events

Kate Robards Why did Kate love this book?

I’m fascinated by the in-depth character development and details in this book. The film is a classic, but I think the book is even better. Many people think of Hannibal Lecter as the obvious villain of Silence of the Lambs, forgetting that Clarice and the FBI were seeking his guidance to find “Buffalo Bill,” a fictional serial killer attacking women.

Buffalo Bill is an amalgamation of real serial killers, including Ted Bundy, Ed Gein, and Gary Heidnik. By cherry-picking the methods and traits of real killers, I think Harris created a truly terrifying villain. I find the characters, and especially the villain, to be rooted in reality, making them stick in your mind long after the last page.

By Thomas Harris,

Why should I read it?

20 authors picked The Silence of the Lambs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As part of the search for a serial murderer nicknames "Buffalo Bill," FBI trainee Clarice Starling is given an assignment. She must visit a man confined to a high-security facility for the criminally insane and interview him.

That man, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, is a former psychiatrist with unusual tastes and an intense curiosity about the darker corners of the mind. His intimate understanding of the killer and of Clarice herself form the core of Thomas Harris' The Silence of the Lambs--an unforgettable classic of suspense fiction.


Book cover of Giovanni's Room

Ali Fitzgerald Author Of Drawn to Berlin: Comics Workshops in Refugee Shelters and Other Stories from a New Europe

From my list on cities and exile.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an American artist and writer who has lived in European cities for the last decade and a half—first Berlin, now Paris—I often look for echoes of dislocation and longing in the books I read. My first published book explores the lives of people who fled other countries to arrive in a city filled with a complex and dark history. 

Ali's book list on cities and exile

Ali Fitzgerald Why did Ali love this book?

James Baldwin is one of my favorite authors, and this book is a short, masterful look at the mechanisms behind queer shame. Two lovers, David and Giovanni, hide in a darkened room in self-imposed exile in Paris until the narrator’s sense of shame breaks their love trance.

David, an American who is engaged to a woman, cannot bear to continue his gay affair and so leaves Giovanni, prompting a confrontation with a changed reality and a tragic reckoning with the guillotine. 

By James Baldwin,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked Giovanni's Room as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When David meets the sensual Giovanni in a bohemian bar, he is swept into a passionate love affair. But his girlfriend's return to Paris destroys everything. Unable to admit to the truth, David pretends the liaison never happened - while Giovanni's life descends into tragedy.

United by the theme of love, the writings in the Great Loves series span over two thousand years and vastly different worlds. Readers will be introduced to love's endlessly fascinating possibilities and extremities: romantic love, platonic love, erotic love, gay love, virginal love, adulterous love, parental love, filial love, nostalgic love, unrequited love, illicit love,…


Book cover of Jaws

Ben H. Winters Author Of The Bonus Room

From my list on malevolent beasts.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve written across genres, including mysteries like The Last Policeman and big works of alternate history like Underground Airlines. But Bedbugs—now republished as The Bonus Room—was one of my first books, and very dear to my heart. I’ve always loved books that pit a single, relatively helpless protagonist against some inexplicable force that he or she cannot begin to fathom. A force that can’t be reasoned with or bargained with. You just have to beat it. Perhaps that’s why I love these books about man vs. beast—the natural world is our friend, and animal are subservient to us…until suddenly, terrifyingly, they’re not.   

Ben's book list on malevolent beasts

Ben H. Winters Why did Ben love this book?

Jaws is one of those extremely rare cases where the movie is actually better. (Can’t think of another one? Try The Godfather.)
It’s a perfectly fun suspense novel, but in the film version Spielberg conjures up by special effects magic (and the magic of Dreyfuss and Scheider’s performances) what Benchley in his novel comes close to but never quite lands: the absolutely terrifying feelings of knowing something is there—and getting closer—and closer—but you can’t actually see

By Peter Benchley,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Peter Benchley's Jaws first appeared in 1974. As well as Steven Spielberg's film adaptation, the novel has sold over twenty million copies around the world, creating a legend that refuses to die.

It's never safe to go back in the water . . .

It was just another day in the life of a small Atlantic resort until the terror from the deep came to prey on unwary holiday makers. The first sign of trouble - a warning of what was to come - took the form of a young woman's body, or what was left of it, washed up…


Book cover of 'Salem's Lot

Seth Tucker Author Of Friedkin's Curse: A Werewolf Tale of Terror

From my list on classic monsters in modern settings.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been intrigued by monsters. I grew up watching or reading anything that had a monster in it, much to the chagrin of my monster-hating mother. Over time, I grew bored with the same monsters in the same historical settings. It wasn’t until I discovered some of the books on this list that I found writers doing new, fun, and inventive things that reinvigorated my own love for them. I’m always going to be a monster junky, but I always hope to find authors that can bring these classic terrors into the modern world.

Seth's book list on classic monsters in modern settings

Seth Tucker Why did Seth love this book?

This is the first book that made me feel like I was in a fully realized location. I couldn’t put it down and continue to revisit it annually because the depth of detail in the town and its citizens draws me in and makes the events more impactful as they unfold.

I’ve always enjoyed a good vampire story, but Salem’s Lot was the first vampire story that made me a little nervous of the creaking sounds in the hallway or a tapping at a window. 

By Stephen King,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked 'Salem's Lot as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 BESTSELLER • Ben Mears has returned to Jerusalem’s Lot in hopes that exploring the history of the Marsten House, an old mansion long the subject of rumor and speculation, will help him cast out his personal devils and provide inspiration for his new book.

But when two young boys venture into the woods, and only one returns alive, Mears begins to realize that something sinister is at work.

In fact, his hometown is under siege from forces of darkness far beyond his imagination. And only he, with a small group of allies, can hope to contain the evil that…


5 book lists we think you will like!

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