Here are 73 books that The Beast within fans have personally recommended if you like
The Beast within.
Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.
I have always been shy and overthink new experiences, so I typically just donât do whatever it is. I hate that about myself, but I struggle to overcome it. Thatâs why the werewolf has always fascinated me. The wolf knows no fear, either of people or experiences. The wolf is freedom from all the constraints of human society, and to be able to call up the wolf, transform, and leave all the expectations of humanity behind and live free, relying on your instincts, is very appealing to someone who doesnât like crowds or cities or answering to a boss at work.
Ordinarily, a werewolf novel with a strong emphasis on the romance angle wouldnât rate so highly with me, but Kelley Armstrongâs book was the right one at the right time. Elana, our heroine, is the worldâs only female werewolf; her job has been killing rogue shapeshifters. She gets tired of that and tries to retire and live as a normal human, but that doesnât work out.
What I liked about this was that it was my first exposure to a werewolf novel that really dealt with the political and social dynamics of a worldwide werewolf pack. Fortunately, Armstrong is a great storyteller, so there is more here than politics or romance. Her worldbuilding is fantastic, as evidenced by the fact this became the first in a long series of Otherworld novels.
THE FIRST NOVEL IN THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING OTHERWORLD SERIES.
"Frisky...Tells a rather sweet love story, and suggests that being a wolf may be more comfortable for a strong, smart woman than being human."-The New York Times Book Review
Elena Michaels is the world's only female werewolf. And she's tired of it. Tired of a life spent hiding and protecting, a life where her most important job is hunting down rogue werewolves. Tired of a world that not only accepts the worst in her-her temper, her violence-but requires it. Worst of all, she realizes she's growing content withâŚ
I have always been shy and overthink new experiences, so I typically just donât do whatever it is. I hate that about myself, but I struggle to overcome it. Thatâs why the werewolf has always fascinated me. The wolf knows no fear, either of people or experiences. The wolf is freedom from all the constraints of human society, and to be able to call up the wolf, transform, and leave all the expectations of humanity behind and live free, relying on your instincts, is very appealing to someone who doesnât like crowds or cities or answering to a boss at work.
Whenever Iâm asked to recommend a werewolf novel, I kick myself again for waiting so long to get around to McCammonâs take on the lycanthrope. This book isnât just my favorite werewolf novel; itâs one of my favorite novels. Holy cow! Itâs got everything! If you could fuse James Bond and Indiana Jones together, then turn that into a werewolf with roots in the Russian royalty, youâd have our hero, Michael Gallatin.
McCammon has always kind of lived in the shadow of Stephen King, but honestly, heâs ten times the writer, and his endings donât suck. This book pulled me in, and I could not wait to return to it when silly things like the day job pulled me away. I really liked that McCammon gave us Gallitanâs back story and made the pack that turned him into a sympathetic group.
There were some loose ends, but those were resolvedâŚ
Master spy, Nazi hunterâand werewolf on the prowlâin occupied Paris: A classic of dark fantasy from a Bram Stoker Awardâwinning author.
Allied Intelligence has been warned: A Nazi strategy designed to thwart the D-Day invasion is underway. A Russian ĂŠmigrĂŠ turned operative for the British Secret Service, Michael Gallatin has been brought out of retirement as a personal courier. His mission: Parachute into Nazi-occupied France, search out the informant under close watch by the Gestapo, and recover the vital information necessary to subvert the mysterious Nazi plan called Iron Fist.
Fearlessly devoted to the challenge, Gallatin is the one agentâŚ
I have always been shy and overthink new experiences, so I typically just donât do whatever it is. I hate that about myself, but I struggle to overcome it. Thatâs why the werewolf has always fascinated me. The wolf knows no fear, either of people or experiences. The wolf is freedom from all the constraints of human society, and to be able to call up the wolf, transform, and leave all the expectations of humanity behind and live free, relying on your instincts, is very appealing to someone who doesnât like crowds or cities or answering to a boss at work.
Little Red Riding Hood may have been a prostitute who chose the wolf. I love how thorough Zipes is in his collection of (nearly) all things related to Red. The story is much older than the Brothers Grimm and as new asâŚwell, this was published in 1993 and featured pretty new cartoons.
Unlike so many modern stories where the werewolf is simply a monster âout thereâ hunting and killing people, the story of Little Red Riding Hood is full of symbolism and metaphor and has been endlessly retold and reinterpreted across all mediums. Was she an innocent girl tricked and eaten by the wolf? Was she a curious young woman lured into the world of prostitution? Was she saved by a woodcutter? Did Grandma escape, or was she also a prostitute? The answer is almost always yes in some form of the story, and Zipes includes it here. This wasâŚ
Jack Zipes presents the many faces of Little Red Riding Hood. Bringing together 35 of the best versions of the tale, from the Brothers Grimm to Anne Sexton, Zipes uses the tales to explore questions of Western culture, sexism and politics.
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 doctorâand only womanâon a remote Everest climb in Tibet.
Scary books and movies hooked me early in life and never let go. Iâm fascinated by the themes that are explored in all of the various sub-genres of horror. Iâm intrigued by the lore thatâs created, and Iâm impressed with the imagination of so many horror creators. Horror remains and always will be one of the most popular genres of storytelling.
Werewolf stories are my favorite sub-genre of horror, whether it be books or movies. Brandnerâs book set the stage for one of the greatest werewolf movies ever. The writing, the characters, and the setting are all top-notch.
For a fun experiment, watch the movie and then read the book, or vice versa, and compare what was changed and whether the movie made improvements. In my opinion, it did, but the book absolutely stands on its own.
This is it! Gary Brandner's famous book, "THE HOWLING." A must read!
"If you haven't read Gary Brandner you're missing a treat." STEPHEN KING.
* * *
Karyn and her husband Roy had come to the peaceful California village of Drago to escape the savagery of the city. On the surface Drago appeared to be like most small rural towns. But it was not. The village had a most unsavory history. Unexplained disappearances, sudden deaths. People just vanished, never to be found.
* * *
Don't forget to check out: THE HOWLING II & THE HOWLING III
Ancient mythical animals are all around us in words and images. Following the transformations of such animals through literature and art across millennia has been my passion since the early â80s. It was then, after years of writing and teaching, that I became intrigued by a winged and fishtailed lion figure on an antique oil lamp hanging in my study. That hybrid creature led me to the eagle-lion griffin and my first published book, The Book of Gryphons. I have followed a host of mythical beasts ever since. My most recent book, The Phoenix: An Unnatural Biography of a Mythical Beast, was published in a 2021 Chinese translation.
As the late 1970s popularity of fantastic creatures continued to spread, professor Malcolm South edited a research guide that follows twenty imaginary animals and creatures through time. The substantial 1987 book is highly schematic in Southâs earnest attempt to sum up what was known about particular mythical beasts and imaginary creatures during their recent surge in popularity. Illustrations, a glossary, and even a taxonomy supplement specialistsâ articles and bibliographies about creatures from the unicorn and other major mythical animals to the vampire and werewolf, giants, and fairies.
All my previous recommended books are cited in Southâs sourcebook. Iâve been much indebted to it for research leads over the years and highly recommend it as a standard source for any reader following mythical beasts and other creatures.
This serious, scholarly treatment of 20 imaginary beings, from dragon and phoenix to giants and fairies, discusses the origin of each as an idea, its symbolism and lore, and its appearances in art, literature, or film. . . . Extensive bibliographies follow the generally ambitious and erudite essays while a final catch-all article and selective bibliography cover still more ground, at a gallop. . . . [There] are a number of thoughtful and well-written interpretive investigations into the nature and history of some persistent types. Entries on the Basilisk, Harpies, Medusa, and the Sphinx are particularly fine: here one feelsâŚ
Iâve spent much of my life living in magical realms in my head. I realized at a very young age that our mind is a secret space we all get to keep for our own use. We can imagine new worlds, recreate our favorite characters, or live alternate lives all within our daydreams and imagination. However, sharing the magic we feel in our headspace is harder than we imagine. The perfect sentiments/feelings in our minds are often lost on paper, but some authors manage to share their headspace flawlessly. Every day, I write my novels/blogs in hopes that someday, people can join and experience my fantasy worlds the way I do.
This is the first book I remember feeling so immersed into that I forgot I was reading. Many of Riordanâs books have that effect on me, but The Titanâs Curse especially brought me into the modern era of Greek Heroes and mythological characters. I remember this book as if Iâd been there and lived through it.
For everyone who lost their love of reading while drowning in homework and chores, this is the book to revive it. I have never felt so intimately drawn into a book and never wanted to remain in the world as badly as when I first finished this book and raced to the nearest location of the next in the series.
My life could have been the same as an ordinary teenager. Except my dad is Poseidon, and I live in a camp full of half Gods and mythical creatures.
So instead, my days are spent combatting half-lion half-humans and trying to live a somewhat normal life.
But normalcy has just gone out the window. My friend Annabeth is missing, a Goddess is in chains, and only five of us can join the quest to save the day.
Oh and guess what. The Oracle has predicted that not all of usâŚ
I have a crazy theory. I believe that the worlds and characters created by writers are much more than just a product of someoneâs imagination. We all possess unlimited creative power (something that most of us take for granted). So what if I told you that all the characters, worlds, realities, and dimensions, ever created in writing or other forms of art, came to life somewhere in this endless Universe? Thatâs what I write about. Fascinating worlds and realms that exist out there. Lucky travelers that were granted a chance to visit those worlds. Itâs what Iâm most drawn to as a reader. Because it makes me one of those lucky travelers.
Have you ever felt out of place? Like you donât belong in this world?
Thatâs how Lily Monroe used to feelâuntil she discovered she was right.
When Lily is thrown into a parallel world filled with magic, mythological creatures, and people with amazing superpowers, she embarks on a rollercoaster of a journey and takes you along.
She finds family. She finds loyal friends. And maybe even love.
I highly recommend all three books of the Realm Saga. In fact, after you read the first one, youâll definitely want to read the rest, and you wonât regret it.
Lily Monroe didnât intend on breaking the law. Her troublesome ways began the day a mysterious shapeshifter pulled her through a portal into Realm, Earthâs alternate dimension. A land full of mythological creatures and humans with supernatural powers. At first, Lily yearned to go back home, a place comfortable yet intolerable all the same. But she changed her mind the moment she fell into the company of a copper-haired centaur named Blaze.
A dreamy girl, Lily longed for adventure that seemed to be just out of her reach. All of that changes theâŚ
Iâve been an avid reader of fantasy since before I can rememberâand to this day, from reading to writing to gaming, fantasy worlds remain my favourite places to stay. Iâm the author of six books so far, five in the Blackthorn Key adventures; my latest series is Thieves of Shadow.
Jurassic Park meets Lord of the Rings. Need I say more? Fablehaven, and its sequel series, Dragonwatch, draws upon centuries of mythology to create a wildlife havenâor, rather, a "monsterlife" havenâprotected by a kindhearted cast of rogues. The seriesâ biggest strength is that author Brandon Mull understands thereâs something sinister lying behind most fairytales, and he brings that danger to every scene.
The dragons that have been kept in sanctuaries want their freedomâand their revengeâand the worldâs only hope is the reformation of the ancient order of Dragonwatch in this New York Times bestselling first novel of a new sequel series to Fablehaven from author Brandon Mull.
In the hidden dragon sanctuary of Wyrmroost, Celebrant the Just, King of the Dragons, plots his revenge. He has long seen the sanctuaries as prisons, and he wants nothing more than to overthrow his captors and return the world to the Age of Dragons, when he and his kind ruled and reigned without borders. TheâŚ
Iâve always been a horse-crazy girl (going on nearly 20 years now)! Horses are excellent teachers and even better friends. They never lie, and they always treat you fairly. Iâve been teaching lessons for the past five years as a PATH Intl. certified instructor, and itâs been such a joy to share my love of horses with others. Hereâs to all the great real-life horses in the world that inspire such great books.
The pegasi characters in this story are a lot like humans, but theyâre also a lot like horses. Their personalities are as unique as their names! I love how this highlights a young animalâs life in a really relatable, playful way that adults can enjoy, too. This book reminded me of the joy of horse foals in real life, but it also made me think a lot about what it means to be true to yourself and your calling.
The first book in a gripping new tween fantasy series about winged horses-perfect for fans of the Warriors, Survivors, and Guardians of Ga'Hoole series. This paperback edition contains bonus content-a short story about Star's beloved friend, Grasswing! Once every hundred years, a black foal is born, prophesied to either unite or destroy the five herds of flying horses that live in Anok-fated to become the most powerful pegasus in all of the land. Star is this black foal. Even though Star has malformed wings that make him unable to fly, the leaders of each herd will take no risks andâŚ
The constellation we know as Taurus goes all the way back to cave paintings of aurochs at Lascaux. This book traces the story of the bull in the sky, a journey through the history of what has become known as the sacred bull.
Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by scary movies, creature features, and books that tell tales of the strange and supernatural. Years later, my own books explored those things that scare us, from monsters of the deep and the ways we die to the mythology of blood. Research for those books led me into realms that explained why we fear the things we do. Many of those fears are found in horror novels, which provide an endless source of fright, release, and entertainment within their haunting pages. I canât think of any other genre of writing that takes its readers on such a joyously terrifying ride.
No writer creates a compelling sense of dread better than H.P. Lovecraft. His stories instantly immerse you in whatever world heâs conjuring, and I think his writing reached its peak in this book.
His narrator descends into a creepy world of âothersâ whom he senses want to harm him (in his personal life, Lovecraft was notoriously disdainful of âothersâ). I was willingly dragged along with Lovecraftâs desperate narrator as he raced through town, hotel rooms, and ultimately into a terrifying gathering of the townspeople.
Nearly a century after its publication, I consider it to be one of the most timeless and striking pieces of horror ever created.
During the winter of 1927-28 officials of the Federal government made a strange and secret investigation of certain conditions in the ancient Massachusetts seaport of Innsmouth. The public first learned of it in February, when a vast series of raids and arrests occurred, followed by the deliberate burning and dynamiting-under suitable precautions-of an enormous number of crumbling, worm-eaten, and supposedly empty houses along the abandoned waterfront.