100 books like Play to Win

By Ja'Nese Dixon,

Here are 100 books that Play to Win fans have personally recommended if you like Play to Win. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Book cover of Holy Bible

Jonathan R.P. Taylor Author Of Meat: Memoirs Of A Psychopath

From my list on most disturbing stories that you can not put down.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an award-winning British singer/songwriter who you have probably never heard of. Since completing my first novel I’ve also titled many other multi-genre works. My passion is based on anything and everything that has never been done before. I say this; “If you wish to feel happy, take a pill - if you seek a cure, then face the truth.” I’ve written songs about 9/11, The Holocaust, Execution by hanging in Iran – all themes that many would say are ‘unapproachable’. I am a Neurodiverse writer who won the Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Education – let me share that success with you. My disability is a gift, not a curse.

Jonathan's book list on most disturbing stories that you can not put down

Jonathan R.P. Taylor Why did Jonathan love this book?

I appreciate that this may be quite random but I had to read it to obtain multiple references as the wider plot grew into that of the Gabriel Sect – when the original killer develops a ‘fan club’.

I am now an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church – but I am not Christian. I believe in both freedom of and freedom from religion.

I certainly do not set out to offend anyone and welcome all faiths and alternate beliefs, but this I would say. If the Holy Bible were to be published today, given the huge doses of incest, sodomy, and extreme violence it contains, it would be considered - unsuitable for children.

I wanted to understand how specific biblical and ancient texts could be exploited by cults, I naturally chose the worst. I appreciate that this is counteracted by equal doses of kindness and goodness within the…

By Unknown,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Holy Bible as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With an attractive new slipcase and binding, this compact Bible is an ideal gift and spiritual companion.

The full text of the ever-popular Authorized King James Version Bible, with all its literary beauty and poetic grandeur, in an attractive size and with beautiful binding and slipcase
making it an ideal gift.

Includes silver gilt edged pages and white marker ribbon.


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 Moon Theater

James Christopher Carroll Author Of A Song

From my list on adults, children, and other dreamers.

Why am I passionate about this?

My books may never be a child’s favorite nighty-night story, but I think they offer fresh minds opportunities to visit some unusual places. There are goblins in the forest; so let’s go there together, in delight, holding hands. My poems and illustrations have been featured in numerous books and magazines and honored by the National  Council of Teachers of English and the Society of Illustrators. I live with my youngest son in upstate New York, in a house filled with bikes and balls, color, and music.

James' book list on adults, children, and other dreamers

James Christopher Carroll Why did James love this book?

If you are anything like me, and of course you are, you’ll feel like you are dream-reading your way through this deliciously enchanting book. Mr. Delessert is a true master of this craft, and these pages are filled with soul food.

By Etienne Delessert,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Moon Theater as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

A young stagehand must complete a host of tasks before the moon can take center stage in the theater of night.


Book cover of A Domestic Cook Book: Containing a Careful Selection of Useful Receipts for the Kitchen

Jenne Bergstrom and Miko Osada Author Of The Little Women Cookbook: Novel Takes on Classic Recipes from Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy and Friends

From my list on food and cooking in Victorian America.

Why are we passionate about this?

Miko and Jenne are librarians who love to eat. Their love of classic children’s literature led them to start their 36 Eggs blog, where they recreate foods and experiences from their favorite books. In 2019, they published the Little Women Cookbook, which required extensive research into the food of the Victorian era.

Jenne's book list on food and cooking in Victorian America

Jenne Bergstrom and Miko Osada Why did Jenne love this book?

Until 2000, What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking (1881) was considered the first cookbook authored by a Black American. It was then that historians chanced upon an incredibly lucky finding: a copy of A Domestic Cookbook at the bottom of a box. As far as we know, there’s only ONE copy left of this little 39-page collection of recipes, which was first published in 1866.

Historians and researchers have delved deep into the mystery of author Malinda Russell, but we barely know more than she tells us in her introduction -- a life story laid out in stark, gripping first-person over just two short pages. As a business owner who specialized in pastry, Russell’s book has upended assumptions about 19th-century Black women and African American cuisine. In such a slim volume, she still includes 70+ kinds of cake and comments that “a great many ladies have wished to…

By Malinda Russell,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

{Size: 15.34 x 23.59 cms} Leather Binding on Spine and Corners with Golden Leaf Printing on round Spine (extra customization on request like complete leather, Golden Screen printing in Front, Color Leather, Colored book etc.) Reprinted in 2021 with the help of original edition published long back [1866]. This book is printed in black & white, sewing binding for longer life, Printed on high quality Paper, re-sized as per Current standards, professionally processed without changing its contents. As these are old books, we processed each page manually and make them readable but in some cases some pages which are blur…


Book cover of Lot: Stories

Julie Cohn Author Of The Grid: Biography of an American Technology

From my list on stealth environmental histories.

Why am I passionate about this?

My childhood was marked by weekly trips to the library, afternoons on the couch with snacks and novels, and imaginary play with friends. I became a professional historian later in life and found my home in the study of energy, environment, and technology as key factors in the story of human change. My workday is consumed with tracking down the facts of how and why things took place in the past. It's a delight to pick up a novel for the writing and narrative, and to put it down thinking about the environmental history hidden within. I selected these five books because they're renowned for their authorship, yet they convey tales of environmental change interwoven with the drama of human lives.

Julie's book list on stealth environmental histories

Julie Cohn Why did Julie love this book?

As a longtime resident of Houston, of course, I must include a book about this unusual place! Washington’s characters lead difficult lives, his narrative is tough, and sometimes his geographical references are misleading. Nonetheless, each episode (which unfolds on a particular lot or spot in Houston) captures the experience of living in the Bayou City – the traffic, the summer weather, the slow-moving waterways, the unruly weed patches, the architecture, the neatly maintained neighborhoods, and the mix of cultures from around the world. Houston was transformed from prairie, swamp, and piney woods to a landscaped metropolis by wildcatters, entrepreneurs, scientists, workers, creatives, and others. Washington’s stories evoke this dynamic human/environment connection throughout. 

By Bryan Washington,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

* Winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize 2020 *

* One of Barack Obama's "Favourite Books of the Year" *

* A New York Times Critics' Top Books of 2019 *

'A superb book' Max Porter, author of Lanny
____________________________________

Stories of a young man finding his place among family and community in Houston, from a powerful, emerging American voice.

In an apartment block, the son of a black mother and a Latino father is coming of age. He's working at his family's restaurant, trying to dodge his brother's fists and resenting his older sister's absence. He's also discovering he…


Book cover of (Don't) Stop Me if You've Heard This Before: and Other Essays on Writing Fiction

Margot Livesey Author Of The Hidden Machinery: Essays on Writing

From my list on reading and writing fiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in the Scottish countryside, reading passionately. When adults asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer came from my latest book: a nun, an outlaw, a queen, or an explorer. Not until I was in my twenties did I realise that I wanted to be the person behind the covers of a book, not between them. My early stories, written between waitressing shifts, were bafflingly bad. Gradually I began to understand that the fiction I loved was driven by a hidden machinery. I now teach at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and have been lucky enough to explore this idea with many talented students.

Margot's book list on reading and writing fiction

Margot Livesey Why did Margot love this book?

Peter Turchi is an amazing guide to writing which is to say he is an amazing guide to reading. This book explores fiction in terms of power dynamics, imagery, digressions—think Tristram Shandyand story-telling, (among other topics). Turchi argues passionately for the pleasures of close reading. I especially love his chapter on characters who tell storieswhy do they tell them, what if we want them to shut up?    

By Peter Turchin,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked (Don't) Stop Me if You've Heard This Before as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In (Don't) Stop Me If You've Heard This Before, Peter Turchi combines personal narrative and close reading of a wide range of stories and novels to reveal how writers create the fiction that matters to us. Building on his much-loved Maps of the Imagination: The Writer as Cartographer, Turchi leads readers and writers to an understanding of how the intricate mechanics of storytelling-including shifts in characters' authority, the subtle manipulation of images, careful attention to point of view, the strategic release of information, and even digressing from the (apparent) story-can create powerful effects.

Using examples from Dickens, Chekhov, and Salinger,…


Book cover of Angels: A Novel

Tom Hansen Author Of American Junkie

From my list on drug addicts and lost souls.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've always been interested in books about lost souls and broken people. Before I got clean it was the story of my life and they’re stories that continue to resonate with lots of readers. I think my being drawn to those kinds of stories was a reaction to the stories I read and tv and movies I saw growing up. The image-conscious suburban American Dream stuff. I grew up without all those illusions and naturally gravitated to gritty realism because it mirrored my experience. My book is less interested in the day-to-day mechanics of the lives of drug addicts and lost souls, but rather how they came to be what they are. 

Tom's book list on drug addicts and lost souls

Tom Hansen Why did Tom love this book?

Most people probably know Denis Johnson from his short story collection Jesus Son but this was his first novel and holds a special place in my heart. Jaime is a young woman fleeing an abusive marriage with her two young children. Bill Houston is a bad guy wandering the American Southwest looking for an easy score to get rich. These two characters meet on a bus and partly because of Johnson’s beautiful spare prose we eagerly follow their tragic and doomed trajectory. A very American novel.

By Denis Johnson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

'A dazzling and savage first novel' New York Times

Angels tells the story of two born losers. Jamie has ditched her husband and is running away with her two baby girls. Bill is dreaming of making it big in a life of crime. They meet on a Greyhound bus and decide to team up.

So begins a stunning, tragic odyssey through the dark underbelly of America - the bars, bus stations, mental wards and prisons that play host to Jamie and Bill as they find themselves trapped in a downward spiral though rape, alcohol, drugs and crime, to madness and…


Book cover of Footsteps

Pamela S. Thibodeaux Author Of The Visionary

From my list on Christian fiction that shows the power of God.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am first and foremost an avid reader of a variety of genres, but women’s/romantic fiction is my favorite. I have a passion for God and His ability to pull us out of the deepest pit and transform a life of beauty from the ashes of our past. Although I write from a “Christian” viewpoint, I prefer characters with flaws and books that deal with women’s issues in a realistic way, not glossed over or hinted at. Which is why my tagline is “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ In my opinion, the harder our characters fall from grace, the more powerful their redemption or testimony will be.

Pamela's book list on Christian fiction that shows the power of God

Pamela S. Thibodeaux Why did Pamela love this book?

This book is a little different from the others I’ve recommended in that the heroine is not a victim of child or sexual abuse but abuse nonetheless when her children and husband disappear. She must come to understand and trust in the depth of God and His redemptive grace, mercy, and forgiveness. 

By DiAnn Mills,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Gone in the blink of an eye. DEBRA PATTERSON'S two young children are missing from a Houston mall. How will she explain this horror to her husband, whose demanding, perfectionist personality has already filled her life with pain?

But now he's missing, too - - along with his belongings, the children's clothing, and other personal items.

A monstrous, downward spiral has begun.

Debra tries to fill her empty soul with alcohol, new friends, and finally, faith. But will she ever find the strength to live each day without her children - - without knowing where they are or if they…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Houston, the South, and presidential biography?

Houston 23 books
The South 189 books