Fans pick 94 books like Mirror Touch

By Joel Salinas,

Here are 94 books that Mirror Touch fans have personally recommended if you like Mirror Touch. 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 My Life of Crime: Essays and Other Entertainments

Patricia Lynne Duffy Author Of Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens

From my list on neurodiversity by authors who are neurodiverse.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a neurodivergent person myself, I have always been fascinated by the fact that each of us perceives the world in a way that is as unique as our fingerprints. My book was the first book by a synesthete about synesthesiaWhile writing the book, I interviewed many neuroscientists, synesthetes, and other neurodiverse people. Later, I was invited to contribute a chapter, “Synesthesia and Literature,” to the Oxford Handbook of Synesthesia. I am now a regular contributor to Journey through the Senses Online Magazine, where you can read interviews with authors whose books spotlight synesthesia and other forms of neurodivergence. I am also the co-founder of the American Synesthesia Association.

Patricia's book list on neurodiversity by authors who are neurodiverse

Patricia Lynne Duffy Why did Patricia love this book?

This book made me laugh out loud!

In this winner of the 2023 Independent Publisher Book Award bronze medal, the author tells true tales of his everyday life as a writer in New York City’s East Village and Brooklyn. We hear stories of the quirky situations and characters he encounters, stories that often take a meandering path due to, as the author tells us, his diagnosis of A.D.D. (attention deficit disorder).

The author’s unique, quirky writing style has him begin one funny story, which then leads to another and another, then circles back to the first. As author Tyler Gore himself said in an interview, “I strongly feel that both my sense of humor and my creativity are connected to my A.D.D., and that seems like a fair trade-off for occasionally losing my glasses on the train.”

By Tyler C. Gore,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

An awkward visit to a nude beach. A bike-pedaling angel careening through rush-hour traffic. The mystery of a sandwich found in a bathroom stall. A lyric, rainy-day ramble through the East Village. With the personal essays (and three other entertainments) in this debut collection, Tyler C. Gore reveals the artistic secrets of his life of crime: a charming wit, compassionate observation, perfection of style, and, over all, a winsomely colorful light tinged with just enough despair. Whether stewing over a subway encounter with a deranged businessman, confessing his sordid past as a prankster, or recounting his family's history of hoarding,…


Book cover of Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant

Patricia Lynne Duffy Author Of Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens

From my list on neurodiversity by authors who are neurodiverse.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a neurodivergent person myself, I have always been fascinated by the fact that each of us perceives the world in a way that is as unique as our fingerprints. My book was the first book by a synesthete about synesthesiaWhile writing the book, I interviewed many neuroscientists, synesthetes, and other neurodiverse people. Later, I was invited to contribute a chapter, “Synesthesia and Literature,” to the Oxford Handbook of Synesthesia. I am now a regular contributor to Journey through the Senses Online Magazine, where you can read interviews with authors whose books spotlight synesthesia and other forms of neurodivergence. I am also the co-founder of the American Synesthesia Association.

Patricia's book list on neurodiversity by authors who are neurodiverse

Patricia Lynne Duffy Why did Patricia love this book?

I was awe-struck by author Daniel Tammet’s first-person account of his experience as both an autistic savant and a synesthete!

He can do complex mathematical calculations in his head, thanks to his ability to “see’ numbers as three-dimensional colored objects. Tammet describes his amazing ability to “see” and recite mathematical pi to 22,514 decimal places!

What’s more, he experiences words and days of the week as colors, which helps him visualize periods of time and learn different languages (Tammet knows 11, including Icelandic, learned in one week).

As a person on the autism spectrum, the book also tells of the author’s social and emotional struggles to relate to other people. A moving and inspiring personal story.

By Daniel Tammet,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Born on a Blue Day as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A journey into one of the most fascinating minds alive today—guided by the owner himself.

Bestselling author Daniel Tammet (Thinking in Numbers) is virtually unique among people who have severe autistic disorders in that he is capable of living a fully independent life and able to explain what is happening inside his head.

He sees numbers as shapes, colors, and textures, and he can perform extraordinary calculations in his head. He can learn to speak new languages fluently, from scratch, in a week. In 2004, he memorized and recited more than 22,000 digits of pi, setting a record. He has…


Book cover of The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide: How to Grow Up Awesome and Autistic

Patricia Lynne Duffy Author Of Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens

From my list on neurodiversity by authors who are neurodiverse.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a neurodivergent person myself, I have always been fascinated by the fact that each of us perceives the world in a way that is as unique as our fingerprints. My book was the first book by a synesthete about synesthesiaWhile writing the book, I interviewed many neuroscientists, synesthetes, and other neurodiverse people. Later, I was invited to contribute a chapter, “Synesthesia and Literature,” to the Oxford Handbook of Synesthesia. I am now a regular contributor to Journey through the Senses Online Magazine, where you can read interviews with authors whose books spotlight synesthesia and other forms of neurodivergence. I am also the co-founder of the American Synesthesia Association.

Patricia's book list on neurodiversity by authors who are neurodiverse

Patricia Lynne Duffy Why did Patricia love this book?

I love books with the theme of accepting who you are: working with your gifts and managing your struggles. This book is a great example of a book that guides girls on the autism spectrum to appreciate their uniqueness!

The brilliant young author Siena Castellon, who is herself on the autism spectrum, wrote this book when she was still a teenager. Readers follow the author’s developing awareness of the mix of gifts and challenges her unique form of perception brings. 

Siena Castellon, who is “UN Youth Ambassador for Neurodiversity,” gives excellent and practical tips for coping with differences (“Did I say the wrong thing?”  “Did I come off as too ‘nerd-y’? ) in this celebration of the gifts of those on the spectrum.

By Siena Castellon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide 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?

Moonbeam Children's Book Awards - Silver Medal Winner
Nautilus Silver Book Award Winner
Purple Dragonfly Book Awards - First Place

"Never be ashamed of being different: it is this difference that makes you extraordinary and unique."

This essential go-to guide gives you all the advice and tools you'll need to help you flourish and achieve what you want in life. From the answers to everyday questions such as 'Am I using appropriate body language?' and 'Did I say the wrong thing?', through to discussing the importance of understanding your emotions, looking after your physical and mental health and coping with…


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Book cover of Tap Dancing on Everest: A Young Doctor's Unlikely Adventure

Tap Dancing on Everest By Mimi Zieman,

Tap Dancing on Everest, part coming-of-age memoir, part true-survival adventure story, is about a young medical student, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor raised in N.Y.C., who battles self-doubt to serve as the doctor—and only woman—on a remote Everest climb in Tibet.

The team attempts a new route up…

Book cover of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: The Astonishing New Science of the Senses

Patricia Lynne Duffy Author Of Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens

From my list on neurodiversity by authors who are neurodiverse.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a neurodivergent person myself, I have always been fascinated by the fact that each of us perceives the world in a way that is as unique as our fingerprints. My book was the first book by a synesthete about synesthesiaWhile writing the book, I interviewed many neuroscientists, synesthetes, and other neurodiverse people. Later, I was invited to contribute a chapter, “Synesthesia and Literature,” to the Oxford Handbook of Synesthesia. I am now a regular contributor to Journey through the Senses Online Magazine, where you can read interviews with authors whose books spotlight synesthesia and other forms of neurodivergence. I am also the co-founder of the American Synesthesia Association.

Patricia's book list on neurodiversity by authors who are neurodiverse

Patricia Lynne Duffy Why did Patricia love this book?

I was bowled over by Maureen Seaberg’s book, which brings together recent research that shows our human sensory capacity is much greater than we believed before!

In these days of rising AI, when we are taking a hard look at the limitations of our human capacities, Seaberg’s book shows that we human beings have much amazing sensory potential that remains undeveloped and can know first-hand the blended sensations of synesthesia or out-of-body experiences.

No wonder the book was included in Malcolm Gladwell’s “Next Big Idea Book Club”! I stayed awake an extra two hours one night because I could not put the book down. This book gave me a jolt of wonder about the world and our place within it.

By Maureen Seaberg,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

In 2016, scientists proved that humans could see light at the level of a single photon. We are living in historic times when humans may look at the very fabric of the universe in a laboratory setting. Around the world, other recent discoveries about the senses are just as astounding. It turns out we can hear amplitudes smaller than an atom, smell a trillion scents, have a set of taste buds that can discern molecules of fresh water, and can feel through the sense of touch the difference of a single molecule.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made takes readers through their…


Book cover of Blame It on the Mistletoe

Sophia Soames Author Of In this Bed of Snowflakes we Lie

From my list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year.

Why am I passionate about this?

Having grown up in snowy Scandinavia, my passion for Christmas has always been with me. Nothing beats a good romantic holiday novel, and especially one containing all those themes we know and love. A little bit of loneliness. A pinch of festive fun. Add that special meet-cute. Sprinkle magic over the pages and a comfort-read for years to come is born. As an author I hope my readers enjoy my festive romps, and that perhaps even they, can become a well-read yearly comfort read.

Sophia's book list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year

Sophia Soames Why did Sophia love this book?

Eli Easton’s Blame It on the Mistletoe is classic M/M romance.

An easy, angst-free read, the slow-burning romance between sporty Mick and new roommate Fielding, will melt your heart in all the best ways. A sensitive portrayal of neurodivergence completes this festive romp, singing the message that we all deserve a happy ending.

Book cover of Shadow Syndromes: The Mild Forms of Major Mental Disorders That Sabotage Us

Claire LaZebnik Author Of Hidden Brilliance: Unlocking the Intelligence of Autism

From my list on cherishing and enjoying your neurodivergent child.

Why am I passionate about this?

I always intended to be a fiction writer (and have written ten novels, both YA and adult) but my oldest child is autistic, which led to my meeting and then collaborating on several non-fiction books with Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel, who’s an expert in the autism field, currently at Stanford University. Finding myself writing non-fiction wasn’t the only way having an autistic child changed my life. When my son was first diagnosed, I didn’t know what that meant for his future, and I desperately wanted information—and even entertainmentthat made me feel inspired and hopeful. I needed to find my way toward feeling positive and not anxious, for both our sakes.

Claire's book list on cherishing and enjoying your neurodivergent child

Claire LaZebnik Why did Claire love this book?

I’ve always been fascinated by the question, “What is personality?”

Is there someone we’re hardwired to be or do other factors so affect us that we’re who we are because of our experiences? What about extreme traits—are they an aspect of our personality or something more external? 

This book tackles these questions in such an interesting way, by focusing on mild forms of traits that might be diagnosable at higher levels. For example, if you’re quick to anger, is it possible you have a mild form of a rage disorder, or are you simply an angry person? 

One of the chapters is about adults with very mild traits of autism. It opens the door to our thinking more deeply about autism as an inherent part of someone’s personality, rather than something separate from them.

There’s something affirming and positive about that to me. I think any parent with a neurodivergent…

By John J. Ratey, Catherine Johnson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Are you living under a shadow?

Do you or someone you love suffer from:

Chronic sadness
Obsessiveness
Outbursts of anger
The inability to finish tasks
Acute anxiety
Disabling discomfort in social situations

These are the "shadow syndromes" of major mental disorders that limit the lives, productivity, and happiness of millions of people.

Drawing on cutting-edge research, Drs. Ratey and Johnson challenge the most basic beliefs of our mental health professionals by uncovering the biological factors that often determine our personalities.  They use real-life case studies to illustrate how shadow syndromes affect our everyday lives and how they can be treated--often…


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Book cover of Today Was A Good Day: A Collection of Essays From The Heart Of A Neurosurgeon

Today Was A Good Day By Edward Benzel,

My book is a collection of monthly Editor-in-Chief letters to the readership of World Neurosurgery, a journal that I edit. Each essay is short and sweet. The letters were written for neurosurgeons but have been re-edited so that they apply to all human beings. They cover topics such as leadership,…

Book cover of Leaving's Not the Only Way to Go

Laina Villeneuve Author Of Birds of a Feather

From my list on neurodiverse women who love women.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was thrown into the deep end to learn about autism when our first son was diagnosed as autistic. As first-time parents, how were we to know that the struggles we faced went beyond the norm? We also have twins, one of whom is ADHD and the other dyslexic. Thus, not only have I spent a lot of time learning about autism, but I also enjoy turning to fiction to learn how others both struggle and find solutions. I started writing because the bedtime routine with my kiddos was very difficult. Nearly twelve years later, I am still using my writing to overcome the obstacles in my life. 

Laina's book list on neurodiverse women who love women

Laina Villeneuve Why did Laina love this book?

One of the things I love most about this book is how much Georgia learns about herself by raising an autistic daughter.

I have found the same to be true as my wife and I are raising an autistic son. The more I learn about him, the more I learn about myself. It is a wonderful experience to see myself mirrored in a character. Though Georgia and Lauren face many obstacles, Georgia’s daughter, Hannah, keeps pulling them back together.

I am a sucker for a cute kid who knows more about what the grownups in their lives need than they do. 

By Kay Acker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Leaving's Not the Only Way to Go as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Lauren Ashburn left a promising job to help her family in Vermont take care of her dying father. Now that he’s gone, Lauren has every intention of returning to her old life―the vibrant, successful one her father had always expected her to have. But Lauren discovers that she feels adrift without his strict guidance.

Georgia Solomon designs homes for others. But as a bisexual autistic woman, she rarely feels at home herself. When her best friend dies suddenly, leaving her alone with their young daughter, her little slice of happiness vanishes.  Now Georgia finds herself struggling to navigate a world…


Book cover of Finding Jessica Lambert

Laina Villeneuve Author Of Birds of a Feather

From my list on neurodiverse women who love women.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was thrown into the deep end to learn about autism when our first son was diagnosed as autistic. As first-time parents, how were we to know that the struggles we faced went beyond the norm? We also have twins, one of whom is ADHD and the other dyslexic. Thus, not only have I spent a lot of time learning about autism, but I also enjoy turning to fiction to learn how others both struggle and find solutions. I started writing because the bedtime routine with my kiddos was very difficult. Nearly twelve years later, I am still using my writing to overcome the obstacles in my life. 

Laina's book list on neurodiverse women who love women

Laina Villeneuve Why did Laina love this book?

I am typically not a fan of books about movie stars, but Jess and Anna stole my heart.

Maybe it’s because I love Notting Hill, and this had that same kind of escape feel to it. Both characters suffer from anxiety (and Anna also suffers from PTSD) and each is so good for the other. I loved how each woman nurtured and supported the other.

Anna provides a sanctuary for Jess, and the whole book feels like a warm, comfortable escape for the reader as well.  

By Clare Ashton,

Why should I read it?

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


Book cover of Worthy of Love

Laina Villeneuve Author Of Birds of a Feather

From my list on neurodiverse women who love women.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was thrown into the deep end to learn about autism when our first son was diagnosed as autistic. As first-time parents, how were we to know that the struggles we faced went beyond the norm? We also have twins, one of whom is ADHD and the other dyslexic. Thus, not only have I spent a lot of time learning about autism, but I also enjoy turning to fiction to learn how others both struggle and find solutions. I started writing because the bedtime routine with my kiddos was very difficult. Nearly twelve years later, I am still using my writing to overcome the obstacles in my life. 

Laina's book list on neurodiverse women who love women

Laina Villeneuve Why did Laina love this book?

This book follows the life of Nadine after her release from prison.

She’s shunned by just about everyone except Bella with whom she works at a discount store. This author uses the self-doubt each woman harbors to develop a delicious conflict. Nadine doesn’t think she is worthy of Bella’s affection because of her time served, and Bella doesn’t think she is smart or accomplished enough for Nadine who, before her conviction, was a high-powered lawyer.

I loved seeing how the compassion they offer each other restores the self-worth necessary for a successful relationship. Especially satisfying was the revelation Bella has when Nadine suggests that Bella might be ADHD, not stupid.

This book’s acknowledgment of how damaging societal perception can be to the individual is so powerful. 

By Quinn Ivins,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

An age-gap, workplace lesbian romance about learning you’re never too broken to be worthy of love.Nadine Bayani was at the top of her game. The brilliant, ruthless lawyer was in line to be White House chief of staff—until she confessed to campaign finance crimes that cost her party the election.Now Nadine’s out of prison, broke, hated by millions, and stuck doing a menial retail job in rural Virginia where she barely earns enough to survive.Bella Clarke has worked at Overstock Oasis since she flunked college. She wants to go back to school, but secretly doubts she’s smart enough. At least…


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Book cover of Honeymoon at Sea: How I Found Myself Living on a Small Boat

Honeymoon at Sea By Jennifer Silva Redmond,

When Jennifer Shea married Russel Redmond, they made a decision to spend their honeymoon at sea, sailing in Mexico. The voyage tested their new relationship, not just through rocky waters and unexpected weather, but in all the ways that living on a twenty-six-foot sailboat make one reconsider what's truly important.…

Book cover of Two Hearts Alone

Laina Villeneuve Author Of Birds of a Feather

From my list on neurodiverse women who love women.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was thrown into the deep end to learn about autism when our first son was diagnosed as autistic. As first-time parents, how were we to know that the struggles we faced went beyond the norm? We also have twins, one of whom is ADHD and the other dyslexic. Thus, not only have I spent a lot of time learning about autism, but I also enjoy turning to fiction to learn how others both struggle and find solutions. I started writing because the bedtime routine with my kiddos was very difficult. Nearly twelve years later, I am still using my writing to overcome the obstacles in my life. 

Laina's book list on neurodiverse women who love women

Laina Villeneuve Why did Laina love this book?

Anna was diagnosed with autism later in life which offers an interesting exploration of learning to navigate life in a different way from an adult perspective.

What I really liked about this book is how Zoe challenged Anna to confront her own discomfort with autism. It was difficult to be in Anna’s head to hear how she considered herself unsuited for relationships and equally heartwarming to discover with her that she could sustain a relationship post-diagnosis. 

By Harper Bliss,

Why should I read it?

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


Book cover of My Life of Crime: Essays and Other Entertainments
Book cover of Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant
Book cover of The Spectrum Girl's Survival Guide: How to Grow Up Awesome and Autistic

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Interested in neurodiversity, autism, and Autism spectrum disorder?

Neurodiversity 94 books
Autism 71 books