Love Paranormalcy? Readers share 62 books like Paranormalcy...

By Kiersten White,

Here are 62 books that Paranormalcy fans have personally recommended if you like Paranormalcy. 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 One of Us Is Lying

Gabriella Lepore Author Of Bad Like Us

From my list on whodunit mystery books from a huge mystery fan.

Why am I passionate about this?

Gabriella Lepore is a YA author from Wales in the UK. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can usually be found exploring the coastline or perusing a bookstore. She enjoys autumn days and cups of tea and is always searching for the next mystery!

Gabriella's book list on whodunit mystery books from a huge mystery fan

Gabriella Lepore Why did Gabriella love this book?

Next, we have a true standout in YA—a novel that arguably revolutionized the mystery genre for teen readers.

While mysteries have long been a staple in YA literature, in my view, this book sparked a new age. This novel, now adapted into a popular Netflix series, firmly established YA mystery as a force to be reckoned with, largely thanks to its clever twist.

Taut, scandalous, and enthralling, this book exemplifies the blame game genre.

By Karen M. McManus,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked One of Us Is Lying as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX SERIES. This stunning collector's edition of the internationally bestselling YA smash hit, ONE OF US IS LYING, contains a thrilling BONUS chapter!

Five students go to detention. Only four leave alive.

Yale hopeful Bronwyn has never publicly broken a rule.

Sports star Cooper only knows what he's doing in the baseball diamond.

Bad boy Nate is one misstep away from a life of crime.

Prom queen Addy is holding together the cracks in her perfect life.

And outsider Simon, creator of the notorious gossip app at Bayview High, won't ever talk about any of them again.…


Book cover of Nearly Gone

Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne Author Of The Antiquity Affair

From my list on readers who like a good puzzle.

Why are we passionate about this?

As the co-authors of The Antiquity Affair, we most love to craft thrilling stories that involve mysteries and puzzles—the twistier, the better! As both a reader and a gamer, Jennifer has always been drawn to stories that combine elements of fiction and gaming, games and books that pull you in and make you a co-adventurer along with the protagonists, an active participant in the plot. Lee grew up devouring choose-your-own-adventure stories (she’d read them several times, purposefully choosing different paths to get a sense of the whole story universe), and the adventures she pens with Jennifer feel like a return to those empowering narratives, the sense that fiction is dynamic, its own type of game.

Lee's book list on readers who like a good puzzle

Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne Why did Lee love this book?

While many mysteries feature privileged protagonists, the heroine of Elle Cosimano’s debut YA lives in a trailer park and the clash she feels with her more affluent peers is a poignant thread through this puzzler.

There’s a supernatural element, but it plays second fiddle to Nearly’s real gift—she’s a math and puzzle whiz who can even interpret the clues she finds in mysterious newspaper ads. This thriller kept us guessing until the end. It’s a particularly great backlist gem if, like us, you’re a fan of Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series.

By Elle Cosimano,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Nearly Gone as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

Bones meets Fringe in a big, dark, scary, brilliantly-plotted urban thriller that will leave you guessing until the very end

Nearly Boswell knows how to keep secrets. Living in a DC trailer park, she knows better than to share anything that would make her a target with her classmates. Like her mother's job as an exotic dancer, her obsession with the personal ads, and especially the emotions she can taste when she brushes against someone's skin. But when a serial killer goes on a killing spree and starts attacking students, leaving cryptic ads in the newspaper that only Nearly can…


Book cover of Die for You

Angelia Bailey Author Of Death 2 My Past

From my list on suspense with a romance to die for.

Why am I passionate about this?

I never write anything without having first experienced it. To give you context, I’d never been slapped before, couldn’t tell you what it felt like or even sounded like. So, I legit had someone slap me so I could accurately depict it. Every mental health aspect in Death 2 My Past, I’ve personally experienced. Every loss, heartbreak, trauma, life event, etc. On some level, I’ve experienced it. And through everything, I learned something very important. Embrace it. I can’t stop the bad things from happening. But I can embrace the suspense of it, experience the romances, and grieve the death that encompassed my life. Death is a Butterfly.

Angelia Nichole Bailey's book list on suspense with a romance to die for

Angelia Bailey Why did Angelia Nichole Bailey love this book?

For starters, this book was so important to have in my top 5 that I just spent the past 3 hours searching for it while only remembering a few key details. This is the only book to this day that made me angry cry and chuck it across the room. I can relate on a personal level to the toxicity of the relationship between Emma and Dillon. Don’t even get me started on Dillon’s mother. I hate her as a character. This entire story represents a reality a lot of teens face. The suspense, toxic romance, and a hint of a forbidden love did it in for me.

By Amy Fellner Dominy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Die for You 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?

Not everything is as perfect as it seems in this dark romance by A Matter of Heart author, Amy Dominy. 

Theirs was the perfect love story.
 
After Emma Lorde’s parents’ divorce forces her to move halfway across the state of Arizona to live with her father, Emma must face her senior year in a new school knowing absolutely no one.
         Then she meets Dillon Hobbs and something just clicks.
         Dillon introduces Emma to friends she can call her own. He provides a refuge from the chaos of her past and the security of a commitment that he promises will last…


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Book cover of One Giant Leap

One Giant Leap by Ben Gartner,

Editor's Pick, BookLife by Publishers Weekly.

Gold Medal, 2023 Mom's Choice Awards.

Gold Medal, 2023 Readers' Favorite Awards.

First Place, 2023 Gertrude Warner Middle Grade Awards.

I’m pretty sure I’m about to die in space. And I just turned twelve and a half.

Blast off with the four winners of…

Book cover of After

Danda K. Author Of You Broke Me First: The Savage Love Duet Book One

From my list on smutty romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a woman, wife, and Mom, I’m always looking to get lost in a good fictional romance. I’ve always been drawn more to the messy kind of love stories than the sappy sweet. If you’re like me, and need a bit of flaw in your characters and lots of steam, then you’ll want to read all of these books for sure. Always make sure to check trigger warnings before reading these books, though! 

Danda's book list on smutty romance

Danda K. Why did Danda love this book?

The After books brought me back to reading! I fell in love with Hardin and Tessa. These books are messy, a bit toxic, but so realistic that most people can relate to them. If you’re looking for a very long binge read about a couple who fought like hell to be together, then you will for sure love these books. Hardin Scott is the bad boy we all want and need!

By Anna Todd,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. She's got direction, ambition, and a mother who's intent on keeping her that way. But she's barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, tattoos, and lip ring, Hardin is cute and different from what she's used to. But he's also rude - to the point of cruelty, even. For all his attitude, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does - until she finds herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark mood grabs…


Book cover of Your Neighborhood Gives Me the Creeps: True Tales of an Accidental Ghost Hunter

Sylvia Shults Author Of Days of the Dead: A Year of True Ghost Stories

From my list on for paranormal enthusiasts.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been a paranormal investigator (a paranormal reporter, actually) for over a decade. One of the very best parts of my job is that I get to gorge myself on books of true accounts of the paranormal. It's exciting to see what else is out there, and what other people have experienced – both historically, and personally. I'm so grateful for the chance to add to this body of work; there are many renowned investigators and writers out there, and I'm thrilled to be counted among them. And someday, someone will read about my experiences and be terrified and intrigued and inspired by them.

Sylvia's book list on for paranormal enthusiasts

Sylvia Shults Why did Sylvia love this book?

Adam Selzer writes as if you're listening to him tell ghost stories over a beer and a plate of nachos in a dark Chicago bar, with a summer night's breeze blowing in off Lake Michigan. Selzer is hands-down the expert on Chicago history, and he's no slouch at the paranormal aspect of the city's background either -- he's a tour guide for one of the Chicago ghost tour companies. He has a snarky, irreverent style that makes any of his books a sheer pleasure to read. In addition to his historical and paranormal nonfiction, he also writes YA fiction. 

By Adam Selzer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Your Neighborhood Gives Me the Creeps as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Getting pushed down the stairs by unseen hands? An old spirit hag sitting on your chest, holding you down? Strange glowing ectoplasm escaping from a grave? Don't believe everything you hear ...then again, some things can't just be brushed off. Come aboard the ghost bus and get a glimpse of Chicago's ghostly goings-on. With a healthy dose of skepticism, professional ghostbuster Adam Selzer takes you on a tour of his famously spooky town and the realm of the weird. Tag along with your tour guide Selzer, bus driver and improve comic Hector, psychic detective Ken, and prolific author Troy Taylor…


Book cover of A Demon-Haunted Land: Witches, Wonder Doctors, and the Ghosts of the Past in Post-WWII Germany

Eric Kurlander Author Of Hitler's Monsters: A Supernatural History of the Third Reich

From my list on Nazism and the occult.

Why am I passionate about this?

I would trace the genesis of Hitler’s Monsters to three distinct influences. The first was my childhood love of Golden, Silver, and Bronze Age comics––Batman, Superman, Captain America, The Avengers, The Fantastic Four––which, as illustrated by the Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, are replete with themes of Nazi occultism and border science. The second was a conversation with my thesis advisor early in graduate school, when he noted that he was advising a dissertation on German occultism (Science for the Soul). The third influence was observing the mid-2000s resurgence in rightwing populism across Europe and North America, seemingly fueled by recourse to esoteric and supernatural thinking. The rest, as they say, is history.

Eric's book list on Nazism and the occult

Eric Kurlander Why did Eric love this book?

Although there is no longer a shortage of scholarship on the occult or supernatural before 1945, Monica Black’s Demon Haunted Land is the first major history in English to investigate the afterlife of these cultural and intellectual traditions in the early years of the West German Federal Republic.

Beautifully written and based on extensive archival research, a Demon Haunted Land shows how witchcraft, the occult, and a belief in miracles played an important role, alongside democratic stabilization and the so-called “Economic Miracle”, in helping Germans work through the trauma of defeat and legacies of the Third Reich in a new postwar reality.

By Monica Black,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

“Evocative. . . . Epic. . . . Chock-full of colorful anecdotes and charismatic figures, A Demon-Haunted Land not only offers a brilliant rethinking of postwar German history, but also asks us to see the irrational as an integral part of modernity.” ―Boston Review

In the aftermath of World War II, a succession of mass supernatural events swept through war-torn Germany. A messianic faith healer rose to extraordinary fame, prayer groups performed exorcisms, and enormous crowds traveled to witness apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Most strikingly, scores of people accused their neighbors of witchcraft, and found themselves in turn hauled…


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Book cover of One Giant Leap

One Giant Leap by Ben Gartner,

I’m pretty sure I’m about to die in space. And I just turned twelve and a half.

Blast off with the four winners of the StellarKid Project on a trip to the International Space Station and then to the Gateway outpost orbiting the Moon! It’s a dream come true until…

Book cover of A Natural History of Ghosts: 500 Years of Hunting for Proof

Nina Dodd Author Of Witches, Giants and a Ghost Cat: A travel guide to the mystery tales of Dunster

From my list on Britain’s haunted village of Dunster.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Finnish-born writer-journalist and photographer who, for the past 12 years, has lived in and around Dunster, traditionally described as one of the best-preserved medieval villages in the UK. The title of Dunster being “Britain’s most haunted place” came about after the British media got wind of my book launch in September 2023. I was brought up in a family where my mother, aunt, and grandmother strongly believed they had had otherworldly encounters. With such a background and armed with an MA in English Literature, Cultural History, Comparative Religions, and Journalism, it is no wonder that the first book I wrote focuses on these “long-term” interests of mine.

Nina's book list on Britain’s haunted village of Dunster

Nina Dodd Why did Nina love this book?

This title drew me in right away, and the contents did not disappoint. This is a well-written and thoroughly researched book with interesting first-hand accounts of ghost hunts by an English author who, as a child, lived in a haunted house, yet has never actually seen a ghost.

The approach to the subject is also right up my alley: why do people fear the supernatural, and why are some cultures and people more likely to encounter ghosts than others?

Ghost stories are fascinating in their own right, but exploring how people in different times and places reacted to these encounters is even more interesting. 

By Roger Clarke,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A natural history of the supernatural from Roger Clarke, lifelong investigator into England's creepiest real-life ghost stories

'Is there anybody out there?' No matter how rationally we order our lives, few of us are completely immune to the suggestion of the uncanny and the fear of the dark. The subject of whether ghosts exist has fascinated some of the finest minds in history and it remains a subject of overwhelming interest today.

This is the first comprehensive, authoritative and readable history of the evolution of the ghost in the west, examining as every good natural history should, the behaviour of…


Book cover of Unbelievable: Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena, from the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory

Mitch Horowitz Author Of Daydream Believer: Unlocking the Ultimate Power of Your Mind

From my list on the extra-physical potentials of the mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a PEN Award-winning historian of alternative spirituality and a writer-in-residence at the New York Public Library. I track the impact and substance of supernatural beliefs—a source of fascination since my Queens, NY, boyhood—in books including Occult America, The Miracle Club, and Uncertain Places. I often say that if you do not write your own history, it gets written for you—usually by people who may not care about or even understand the values that emanate from your work. Given my personal dedication to the spiritual search, I call myself a believing historian (which most historians of religion actually are). I labor to explore the lives, ideas, and practices behind esoteric spirituality.

Mitch's book list on the extra-physical potentials of the mind

Mitch Horowitz Why did Mitch love this book?

I have been praising this book for years and have no plans to stop anytime soon. Using investigatory skills and a keen sense of human pathos, journalist and NPR producer Horn tells the full-circle story of the parapsychology lab founded by the Rhines. She doggedly and accurately presents the “unbelievable” findings of the Duke lab and the struggle of its founders to swim against a tide of orthodox reaction. As a work of history, it is significant—and as a piece of dramatic historiography it is enthralling. 

By Stacy Horn,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

“Author Stacy Horn dissects all the things that go bump in the night—ghosts, poltergeists, your ex-boyfriend Klaus—in [her] macabre book.”
 —Marie Claire


A fascinating, eye-opening collection of “Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena, from the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory,” Unbelievable by Stacy Horn explores science’s remarkable first attempts to prove—or disprove—the existence of the paranormal. A featured contributor on the popular NPR program “All Things Considered,” Horn has been praised by Mary Roach, bestselling author of Spook, for her “awe-fueled curiosity [and] top-flight reporting skills.” Horn attacks a most controversial subject with Unbelievable—a book that will appeal to…


Book cover of Entangled Minds: Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality

Mario Beauregard Author Of Expanding Reality: The Emergence of Postmaterialist Science

From my list on the new science of consciousness.

Why am I passionate about this?

I became interested in the relationship between the mind and the brain around the age of 8. It was at this age that I decided to become a neuroscientist. Years later, I completed a bachelor's degree in psychology and then a doctorate in neuroscience. I’ve spent part of my research career in neuroscience at the University of Montreal. I have also been affiliated with the University of Arizona (Tucson). My groundbreaking work on the neurobiology of emotional self-regulation, consciousness, and spiritual experiences has received extensive international media coverage and numerous awards. I am one of the main proponents of a postmaterialist paradigm for the new science of mind/consciousness.

Mario's book list on the new science of consciousness

Mario Beauregard Why did Mario love this book?

In my view, one of the most illuminating books ever written about the so-called "psychic phenomena" (also called psi phenomena) (e.g. telepathy, clairvoyance, and psychokinesis).

In this volume, Dean Radin – a scientist known internationally for innovative experiments in the field of psi research – reviews rigorous scientific investigations of these phenomena. He debunks the skeptical myths surrounding them; moreover, Radin convincingly demonstrates that psi phenomena are both real and widespread.

In addition, he explains why these phenomena are a direct consequence of the interconnected, entangled reality we live in. 

By Dean Radin,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A fascinating, yet-unexplained scientific phenomenon shows that individual objects in the universe are not quite as separate as they seem. Once two objects interact, they remain connected in space and time in what Einstein called 'spooky action at a distance.' Could the same interaction explain psychic occurrences? Psychic researcher Dean Radin argues that human minds are likely interconnected or entangled in the same way, and this interconnected fabric of reality is the key to those puzzling yet profoundly meaningful experiences called psychic phenomena. ENTANGLED MINDS shows how science has rigorously demonstrated genuine psychic effects and why these phenomena are the…


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Book cover of Water Ghosts

Water Ghosts by Linda Collison,

15-year-old James McCafferty is about to board an old junk-rigged boat on a summer adventure therapy for problem teens. James' problem is he hears voices and sometimes sees people others don't see. He believes the boat to be possessed by malicious spirits intent on sinking the ship. Once at sea,…

Book cover of Real Magic: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, and a Guide to the Secret Power of the Universe

Yvonne Patricia Chireau Author Of Black Magic: Religion and the African American Conjuring Tradition

From my list on for beginners who want to practice real magic, folk magic, and Hoodoo.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been studying American styles of magic for more than 30 years. Having received a Ph.D. in Religious Studies, I have explored the idea of magic as a natural counterpart to both religious thought and scientific theory. After teaching courses on this subject to college undergraduates, I recommend these books based on what I have found to be the favorites of students and peers as the most accessible, enjoyable, and practical sources for beginners.

Yvonne's book list on for beginners who want to practice real magic, folk magic, and Hoodoo

Yvonne Patricia Chireau Why did Yvonne love this book?

This is the best book on magic for skeptics and modern, rationally-minded readers. The author, who has a Ph.D. in Psychology, argues that magic can be verified and explained scientifically without all of the “woo-woo” that often requires an extra leap of faith for beginning practitioners. Magic is a natural aspect of reality, and each of us can tap into it skills and techniques with practice and persistence. The book provides a brief history of magic and offers a guide with exercises that one can do to strengthen mental and practical abilities.

By Dean Radin,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The chief scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) turns a critical eye toward such practices as telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition and psychokinesis. Are such powers really possible? Science says yes.

According to noted scientist and bestselling author of The Conscious Universe, Dean Radin, magic is a natural aspect of reality, and each of us can tap into this power with diligent practice.

But wait, aren't things like ESP and telepathy just wishful thinking and flights of the imagination? Not according to the author, who worked on the US government's top secret psychic espionage program known as Stargate. Radin has…


Book cover of One of Us Is Lying
Book cover of Nearly Gone
Book cover of Die for You

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5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in parapsychology, shapeshifters, and prophecy?

Parapsychology 35 books
Shapeshifters 94 books
Prophecy 44 books