99 books like Secrets in the Tidewater

By Carol Watson,

Here are 99 books that Secrets in the Tidewater fans have personally recommended if you like Secrets in the Tidewater. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Book cover of You Are Special: Volume 1

Ashley DeMarcos Author Of Fruitful Friday

From my list on children’s book to teach Christian morals.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a child of God, an heir to the throne through Jesus Christ, and a living testimony to the great I Am. I have 4 children who keep me young. I have been with my spouse for 20 years (married for 10). I run a Facebook page called “Jesus Loves All of Us,” where I share daily devotionals. I opened a publishing company called Stewardship Press a few years ago, which is linked to this page. I have written over 20 books, journals, coloring books, and devotionals, most of which are Christ-centered. The others that do not have Christian content are still morally and ethically upstanding secular content.

Ashley's book list on children’s book to teach Christian morals

Ashley DeMarcos Why did Ashley love this book?

When Max Lucado writes–I listen! He's a dream to read, and his books are always full of wisdom and advice. When I saw this children's book by him, I knew I had to get it for my kids, and I was not disappointed. 

The lessons are profound, my kids are engaged, and his writing is, as always, on point. You find God on every page, and the truth of the Gospel of Grace abounds. I couldn't recommend this any more highly than I do here. I'm happy that it is a part of my children's book repertoire.

By Max Lucado,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Follow the young Wemmick Punchinello as he discovers the source of his worth-his Creator. This beautifully illustrated tale communicates to children that God loves them regardless of how the world evaluates them. The first in Max Lucado's Wemmicks series.


Book cover of The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name

Ashley DeMarcos Author Of Fruitful Friday

From my list on children’s book to teach Christian morals.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a child of God, an heir to the throne through Jesus Christ, and a living testimony to the great I Am. I have 4 children who keep me young. I have been with my spouse for 20 years (married for 10). I run a Facebook page called “Jesus Loves All of Us,” where I share daily devotionals. I opened a publishing company called Stewardship Press a few years ago, which is linked to this page. I have written over 20 books, journals, coloring books, and devotionals, most of which are Christ-centered. The others that do not have Christian content are still morally and ethically upstanding secular content.

Ashley's book list on children’s book to teach Christian morals

Ashley DeMarcos Why did Ashley love this book?

One of the greatest parts about this book is the illustrations! Yes, the story is fabulous, too, especially because it's a child version of the Bible stories, but man, the illustrations just send it over the top.

The Bible is too difficult for young readers to comprehend, but this book does such a great job of making the stories understandable for little guys that when my kids and I read it, we all come away with a childlike understanding of the original Bible stories.

By Sally Lloyd-Jones, Jago (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Jesus Storybook Bible as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

If you are a parent, grandparent, pastor, or teacher looking for a way to teach the children in your life about God's "Never Stopping, Never Giving up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love," look no further than The Jesus Storybook Bible.

What makes The Jesus Storybook Bible different from every other Kids' Bible?

While other Kids' Bibles contain stories from the Old and New Testaments, The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the Story beneath all the stories in the Bible, pointing to Jesus as our Savior. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, as the Story unfolds, children will clearly see…


Book cover of The Incredible Power of God's Word

Ashley DeMarcos Author Of Fruitful Friday

From my list on children’s book to teach Christian morals.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a child of God, an heir to the throne through Jesus Christ, and a living testimony to the great I Am. I have 4 children who keep me young. I have been with my spouse for 20 years (married for 10). I run a Facebook page called “Jesus Loves All of Us,” where I share daily devotionals. I opened a publishing company called Stewardship Press a few years ago, which is linked to this page. I have written over 20 books, journals, coloring books, and devotionals, most of which are Christ-centered. The others that do not have Christian content are still morally and ethically upstanding secular content.

Ashley's book list on children’s book to teach Christian morals

Ashley DeMarcos Why did Ashley love this book?

When I read this devotional to my kids in the morning, I really believe it makes a difference in their day (and mine!).. I love the idea that the kids are able to apply scripture to how they are feeling and speak powerful promises from the Lord over their lives, either with me or all by themselves (for the ones who can read).

When I pull this book out, I know that they will learn a lesson, learn a scripture, and think about God in their situation. I know that their hearts are in the right place when this book comes off the book shelf.

By Joyce Meyer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Incredible Power of God's Word as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

Young readers will discover just how powerful God's Word is in this hardcover collection of Scripture and encouragement, newly adapted from #1 New York Times best-selling author Joyce Meyer's The Secret Power of Speaking God's Word.

The Incredible Power of God's Word will help children get to know God as they read his promises aloud and apply his words to their lives. Grouped by topic, each entry in the book contains Bible verses, a child-friendly interpretation of each verse, and words of comfort and encouragement from Joyce Meyer. Topics include God's care and protection of his children, being kind, loving…


Book cover of The Christmas Dove: A Journey with the Christ Child

Ashley DeMarcos Author Of Fruitful Friday

From my list on children’s book to teach Christian morals.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a child of God, an heir to the throne through Jesus Christ, and a living testimony to the great I Am. I have 4 children who keep me young. I have been with my spouse for 20 years (married for 10). I run a Facebook page called “Jesus Loves All of Us,” where I share daily devotionals. I opened a publishing company called Stewardship Press a few years ago, which is linked to this page. I have written over 20 books, journals, coloring books, and devotionals, most of which are Christ-centered. The others that do not have Christian content are still morally and ethically upstanding secular content.

Ashley's book list on children’s book to teach Christian morals

Ashley DeMarcos Why did Ashley love this book?

This book, like my first recommendation by the same author, is one we read once a year (at Christmas time, of course). The writing makes you feel like you were there when Mary and Joseph took the ride to Jerusalem and delivered the baby Jesus. 

The adventure that the dove has along the way is non-stop excitement and awe. The kids can't wait for the few weeks before Christmas because that's when we crack open this book all over again and read a chapter a night leading up to the big day. It has been a tradition for almost ten years now and counting, and we can't imagine Christmas without the reading of this book. 

Here is a fun story about the author if you care to read further. She was a customer at the organic farm stand where I worked, and when she learned that I had 3 children…

By Carol Watson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Book by Watson, Carol


Book cover of How to Escape from a Leper Colony: A Novella and Stories

Dwight Okita Author Of The Hope Store

From my list on weird wonderful books to read in one weekend.

Why am I passionate about this?

A Chicago writer, I've always been drawn to quirky books. My first novel, The Prospect of My Arrival, was a finalist in Amazon's novel contest and centers on a human embryo that is allowed to preview the world. My current work-in-progress is nonfiction. The Invention of Fireflies is a memoir of the magical and monstrous moments of my life. Varied day jobs have included being a professional cuddler, web designer, and caregiver. Affirmative Entertainment represents me for possible movie/TV projects. My work was selected for inclusion in the HBO New Writers Project, The Norton Introduction to Literature, many textbooks, and anthologies.

Dwight's book list on weird wonderful books to read in one weekend

Dwight Okita Why did Dwight love this book?

I love the unexpected beauty and horror of this book which is a collection of stories and a novella. The title also made me wonder, how do you escape a leper colony? Author Tiphanie Yanique is a Caribbean writer whose stunningly poetic voice haunted me long after I finished reading her book. As I read it, I imagined the narrator's Caribbean accent soaking into every syllable. In the key short story, Yanique sets us down in a leper colony on a deserted island for the dying and yet manages to leave room for the miraculous as well. Describing one leper she says, "And when a man with no hands claims that he can fly, you listen."

By Tiphanie Yanique,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Escape from a Leper Colony as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Lyrical, lush and haunting, the prose shimmers in this nuanced debut, set primarily in the US Virgin Islands. Part oral history, part postcolonial narrative, How to Escape from a Leper Colony is ultimately a lovely portrait of a wholly unique place. Like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Edwidge Danticat and Maryse Cond before her, Yanique has crafted a heartbreaking, hilarious, magical and mesmerisingly unforgettable collection of stories.


Book cover of The Crystal World

Darragh McManus Author Of Shiver The Whole Night Through

From my list on where the forest feels like a character.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an Irish author who lives close to three very different forests: deciduous, planted coniferous, and the planned gardens of a former stately home that once welcomed WB Yeats and several other famous writers. I’ve always loved the woods – it often feels like stepping through a portal into some other, stranger parallel world – and drew huge inspiration from these places for Shiver the Whole Night Through. I wanted the forest to feel like a character, which was sentient and had agency. I incorporated several real-life locations into the fictional Shook Woods…and wrote a lot of the story in the forest, gazing into the dark trees, waiting for them to speak. 

Darragh's book list on where the forest feels like a character

Darragh McManus Why did Darragh love this book?

A tropical forest in Africa is the epicentre of a bizarre and very troubling phenomenon. Through a sort of “leak” in space-time, everything is slowly turning to crystal, and this “disease” will eventually seep out into the rest of the world. An English doctor goes on an Apocalypse Now-style journey into the forest to try and understand. Ballard’s sci-fi classic is as weird and thought-provoking as always, and the forest itself is a palpable presence throughout. 

By J.G. Ballard,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Crystal World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From J. G. Ballard, author of 'Crash' and 'Cocaine Nights' comes his extraordinary vision of an African forest that turns all in its path to crystal.

Through a 'leaking' of time, the West African jungle starts to crystallize. Trees metamorphose into enormous jewels. Crocodiles encased in second glittering skins lurch down the river. Pythons with huge blind gemstone eyes rear in heraldic poses. Most flee the area in terror, afraid to face a catastrophe they cannot understand.

But some, dazzled and strangely entranced, remain to drift through this dreamworld forest: a doctor in pursuit of his ex-mistress, an enigmatic Jesuit…


Book cover of The Island

Barbara Josselsohn Author Of Secrets of the Italian Island

From my list on set on an intriguing island or coastline.

Why am I passionate about this?

A native of New York’s Long Island, I’ve always been obsessed with the shoreline. My best early memories are of traveling with my family to the eastern edge of Long Island for our two-week summer vacation. My parents didn’t earn a lot of money, and we didn’t vacation often, so those two weeks in August were heavenly. As an adult, I gravitate to coastlines and islands. I’ve always been a fan of books with a strong sense of place, especially when that place is the shore. And I loved setting my current book on an island in the Mediterranean, delving into the qualities and characteristics that make a coastline so evocative and so appealing. 

Barbara's book list on set on an intriguing island or coastline

Barbara Josselsohn Why did Barbara love this book?

Have your tissues ready!

Alexis, a present-day heroine, travels to her mother’s childhood home in Greece, intent upon learning the family’s hidden story. Arriving there, she spies the island of Spinalonga, once an actual leper colony. Hislop then switches time periods, taking the reader to the mid-twentieth century, when leprosy and war tore families apart.

I found Hislop’s writing gentle yet wrenching, and I was heartbroken by scenes between mothers and children who had to separate forever due to illness. But I was moved, too, by the strength, resilience, and capacity for love shown by many of the characters.

I enjoy novels that are based on history, with protagonists who are tested to their very limits. I won’t soon forget this book, and I bet you won’t either!

By Victoria Hislop,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

An atmospheric, vibrant and moving first novel from an exciting new author. On the brink of a life-changing decision, Alexis Fielding longs to find out about her mother's past. But Sofia has never spoken of it. All she admits to is growing up in a small Cretan village before moving to London. When Alexis decides to visit Crete, however, Sofia gives her daughter a letter to take to an old friend, and promises that through her she will learn more. Arriving in Plaka, Alexis is astonished to see that it lies a stone's throw from the tiny, deserted island of…


Book cover of The Last Warner Woman

Renita D'Silva Author Of The Girl in the Painting: A heartbreaking historical novel of family secrets, betrayal and love

From my list on featuring multicultural characters and themes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a small village in India. The nearest library was in the next town, two bus rides and a long walk away and comprised of one bookshelf, half full, the books with several pages missing. I read and reread those books, making up my own narratives for the missing pages. I suppose this was the crucial first step in my journey to author. I write stories featuring diverse protagonists. In my books, I explore themes of displacement and belonging, how people brought up in different cultures and during different times respond to challenges, how their interactions and reactions are informed by their different upbringings and values.

Renita's book list on featuring multicultural characters and themes

Renita D'Silva Why did Renita love this book?

Oh, this book was just magical. And the ending – wow! Everything comes together and how. The writing is just beautiful and the story is enchanting. This book transported me and wowed me - truly I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. I cried so much while reading this book – the language is so poetic and lyrical. It is a story about stories and it is a masterpiece in my opinion. 

By Kei Miller,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Last Warner Woman as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Miller is a name to watch." The Independent

"This is magical, lyrical, spellbinding writing." Granta

Adamine Bustamante is born in one of Jamaica's last leper colonies. When Adamine grows up, she discovers she has the gift of "warning": the power to protect, inspire, and terrify. But when she is sent to live in England, her prophecies of impending disaster are met with a different kind of fear people think she is insane and lock her away in a mental hospital.

Now an older woman, the spirited Adamine wants to tell her story. But she must wrestle for the truth with…


Book cover of Constantine: Roman Emperor, Christian Victor

Charles Matson Odahl Author Of Constantine and the Christian Empire

From my list on the 4th century Roman world.

Why am I passionate about this?

Charles M. Odahl earned a doctorate in Ancient and Medieval History and Classical Languages at the University of California, San Diego, with an emphasis on Roman imperial and early Christian studies. He has spent his life and career traveling, living, and researching at sites relevant to his interests, especially in Britain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey Israel, Egypt, and Tunisia. He has taught at universities in Britain, France, Idaho, and Oregon, and published 5 books and 50 articles and reviews on Roman and early Christian topics.

Charles' book list on the 4th century Roman world

Charles Matson Odahl Why did Charles love this book?

Dr. Stephenson, an excellent Byzantine historian, provides a thorough and well-written narrative of Constantine's life and career set accurately within the late 3rd and early 4th century Roman Empire (A.D. 273-337). He focuses on the military abilities and the religious beliefs of his subject and reveals how he changed the Roman Empire and Christian Church with his policies. A good read.

By Paul Stephenson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

This “knowledgeable account” of the emperor who brought Christianity to Rome “provides valuable insight into Constantine’s era” (Kirkus Reviews).

“By this sign conquer.” So began the reign of Constantine. In 312 A.D. a cross appeared in the sky above his army as he marched on Rome. In answer, Constantine bade his soldiers to inscribe the cross on their shield, and so fortified, they drove their rivals into the Tiber and claimed Rome for themselves.

Constantine led Christianity and its adherents out of the shadow of persecution. He united the western and eastern halves of the Roman Empire, raising a new…


Book cover of Helena

Edoardo Albert Author Of Edwin

From my list on overlooked or largely forgotten historical fiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a writer and historian, specialising in the early-Medieval period and the fractious but fruitful encounter between the Christian and Islamic worlds. My fiction is informed by my non-fiction work: it’s a great help to have written actual histories of Northumbria in collaboration with some of the foremost archaeologists working on the period. I regard my work as the imaginative application of what we can learn through history to stories and the books I have selected all do this through the extraordinarily varied talents of their authors. I hope you will enjoy them!

Edoardo's book list on overlooked or largely forgotten historical fiction

Edoardo Albert Why did Edoardo love this book?

Helena is Evelyn Waugh’s most overlooked novel but it is my favourite. I love it for how Waugh depicts Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constatine, but what raises it to a place in any best-of list is a passage of writing that ranks as Waugh’s best - and he sets a very high bar for himself. Towards the end of the book Helena prays for her salvation but, reading it, we realise that Waugh is praying for his own salvation too, for those “who have had a tedious journey to make to the truth, of all who are confused with knowledge and speculation… of all who stand in danger by reason of their talents.” 

By Evelyn Waugh,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The Empress Helena made the historic pilgrimage to Palestine, found pieces of wood from the true Cross, and built churches at Bethlehem and Olivet. Her life coincided with one of the great turning-points of history: the recognition of Christianity as the religion of the Roman Empire. The enormous conflicting forces of the age, and the corruption, treachery, and madness of Imperial Rome combine to give Evelyn Waugh the theme for one of his most arresting and memorable novels.


Book cover of You Are Special: Volume 1
Book cover of The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name
Book cover of The Incredible Power of God's Word

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,187

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the Roman Empire, Christianity, and empathy?

The Roman Empire 173 books
Christianity 679 books
Empathy 163 books