Fans pick 79 books like The Initiation

By L. J. Smith,

Here are 79 books that The Initiation fans have personally recommended if you like The Initiation. 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 Remember Me

Ellen Won Steil Author Of Fortune

From my list on satisfying your dark, suspense craving.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always loved dark stories. There is something especially human about being lured by that part of us we bury. How secret desires and thoughts get teased out in ways we don’t really experience in real life. Which is why I write suspense novels. Sometimes you just want to go there! Here are some books that I find hit that fix.

Ellen's book list on satisfying your dark, suspense craving

Ellen Won Steil Why did Ellen love this book?

I’m going even further back with this one. Unusual pick certainly, a YA novel from 1989 that I stole off my sister’s shelf circa 1994.

I was ten and ready for something darker than The Baby-Sitters Club. This was one of those early reads that made me want to write in the first place. The first real suspense book that had me staying up late, wondering how does one create a story like this? I still have that book, tattered and sitting on my shelf as a reminder of that first spark.

Christopher Pike is able to write stories to young readers in a timeless way. The nostalgia and sheer thrill from this story about a young woman who finds herself dead after falling four stories will bring you back to nights with covers over your head. Did she jump or was something more sinister behind her death? Only her…

By Christopher Pike,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Remember Me as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13.

What is this book about?

In this harrowing thriller from bestselling author Christopher Pike, a teen girl must solve the mystery of her own murder before the killer strikes again.

After a night spent out with friends, Shari Cooper wakes up in her bed not sure how she got home. And things only get stranger when her family acts like she’s not even there. Nothing Shari says gets a response and nothing she does can get someone to even glance at her. Then the hospital calls.

Shari’s mom starts to cry. The blood drains from her dad’s face. And still no one will tell her…


Book cover of Roxanne

Katie Delahanty Author Of Keystone

From my list on 20th century YA that will give you all the feels.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was a teen, I had zero aspirations to become a writer. I didn’t discover my passion for writing until I was thirty! But once I started writing, it was these books and the way they made me feel that I drew on. I wanted strong heroines that I wanted to be—and be friends with. I wanted a slow burn, skin-tingling romance with a lot of push and pull. I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. To go on a quest. To feel victorious. And it is my hope that I can give my readers all the feels these books gave me.

Katie's book list on 20th century YA that will give you all the feels

Katie Delahanty Why did Katie love this book?

I have loved many a Sunfire historical Romance. Danielle (pirates!), Caroline (Gold Rush!), Amanda (Oregon Trail!), Nicole (Titanic—way before there was a movie). There’s always a kick-ass heroine and a love triangle and fun outfits (also a must for me—I was a fashion designer before becoming a writer and styling the wardrobe and “sets” is very important to me when crafting a story. I keep a Pinterest board for all my books and unlock it once a book/series is fully published). Anyway, I especially loved Roxanne because I’ve always loved Old Hollywood and old movies (much like Elisha in Keystone). I moved to Orange County, California from Pittsburgh when I was a kid, and on day trips to Los Angeles, I preferred seeing Hollywood through Roxanne’s eyes. It was her story that connected me to my new home. 

By Jane Claypool Miner,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Book by Miner, Jane Claypool


Book cover of Anne of the Island

Katie Delahanty Author Of Keystone

From my list on 20th century YA that will give you all the feels.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was a teen, I had zero aspirations to become a writer. I didn’t discover my passion for writing until I was thirty! But once I started writing, it was these books and the way they made me feel that I drew on. I wanted strong heroines that I wanted to be—and be friends with. I wanted a slow burn, skin-tingling romance with a lot of push and pull. I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. To go on a quest. To feel victorious. And it is my hope that I can give my readers all the feels these books gave me.

Katie's book list on 20th century YA that will give you all the feels

Katie Delahanty Why did Katie love this book?

The best kind of books are books that are your friends, aren’t they? As a reader, I usually feel connected to characters and don’t think much about authors (and I feel this is how it should be. I think once they leave an author’s hands, books belong to the reader!) but in this case, I also feel like Lucy Maude and I are kindred spirits. We both had two imaginary friends growing up, after all. That’s enough to make us BFF’s, right? 😉 Anyway, I have visited with all my Anne book friends many times, but the one I always come back to is Anne of the Island. This is probably because I love a slow-burn romance, and this is the book where Anne and Gilbert finally get together. After three books of will-they-won’t-they banter the payoff is totally worth it! (And on a side note, would this book…

By L.M. Montgomery,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Anne of the Island 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?

In the third installment of the Anne of Green Gables series, Anne enrolls in college and must face new challenges inside and outside the classroom. The young student attempts to balance a vibrant social life with an intense course load that will push her to her limits.

Anne has left the comforts of Green Gables to embark on her college career. While attending Redmond College in Nova Scotia, she meets a new friend, Philippa Gordon and a potential beau, Roy Gardner. As her social circle grows, Anne maintains her connection with childhood cohort, Gilbert Blythe. When his undeniable affection becomes…


Book cover of The Wakefields of Sweet Valley (Sweet Valley High)

Katie Delahanty Author Of Keystone

From my list on 20th century YA that will give you all the feels.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was a teen, I had zero aspirations to become a writer. I didn’t discover my passion for writing until I was thirty! But once I started writing, it was these books and the way they made me feel that I drew on. I wanted strong heroines that I wanted to be—and be friends with. I wanted a slow burn, skin-tingling romance with a lot of push and pull. I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. To go on a quest. To feel victorious. And it is my hope that I can give my readers all the feels these books gave me.

Katie's book list on 20th century YA that will give you all the feels

Katie Delahanty Why did Katie love this book?

I devoured everything in the Sweet Valley world as a teen, though I was more into Sweet Valley Twins than Sweet Valley High for some reason. Maybe it’s because I liked the twins’ innocence, and the high school drama was too much (or too relatable!) to me. I like to escape to a happy ending! And in complete seriousness, I debated naming my daughter Lila because I didn’t want her to be associated with mean girl Lila Flower. In the end, I named her Delilah (Lilah—with an h!—for short) and that eased my worries.

At any rate, I’ll read a family saga any day. And we’ve established that I love historical romance and costumes, so give me all the Wakefield history.

By Francine Pascal,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Wakefields of Sweet Valley (Sweet Valley High) 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?

Follow the riveting stories of the women who came  before Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield:

  Alice Larson, a bold sixteen-year-old from Sweden,  arrives alone in America to start a new life --  but with a broken heart.

Headstrong  frontier tomboy Jessamyn runs away to join the circus,  leading her sensitive twin, Elisabeth, into a  desperate search that ends in tragedy.

Spirited  twins and rivals Samantha and Amanda battle for  the love of the same boy during the glamorous  Roaring Twenties.

Marjorie, stranded in France  during World War II, becomes a heroine of the  Resistance.

Alice Robertson, child of the  tumultuous sixties,…


Book cover of The Wish Giver: Three Tales of Coven Tree

Caroline Starr Rose Author Of Miraculous

From my list on mysterious strangers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write books to make sense of the world  — this gloriously weird, sometimes heartbreaking, marvelous place we call home. Years ago, while visiting a museum in St. Louis, I heard a woman give a talk on charlatans (people who intentionally deceive others for their personal gain). It sparked a number of questions in me: Why do we believe the things that we do? What might we be willing to try to change our circumstances? Exploring these ideas was the starting point for my book, Miraculous, and its mysterious stranger, Dr. Kingsbury. I hope the stories you read in these pages fill you wonder as they did me.

Caroline's book list on mysterious strangers

Caroline Starr Rose Why did Caroline love this book?

What happens when a person gets what they think they truly want? For only fifty cents, a mysterious stranger offers to give the people of Coven Tree exactly what they wish for, but unexpected (and humorous) problems arise when those wishes come true.

When I was a student teacher, The Wish Giver was on my state’s reading list. I read it and was intrigued! A little creepy, a whole lot mysterious, I’ve remembered this book for years.

By Bill Brittain, Andrew Glass (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Wish Giver as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

A Newbery Honor Book that the New York Times called "an eerie delight," The Wish Giver is an engaging literary folk story about those who get what they wish for-whether they want it or not.

The people of Coven Tree are no strangers to magic. In fact, the town's very name comes from a gnarled old tree where covens of witches used to gather. Even now, imps and fiends continue to appear, frightening the townsfolk with their devilish pranks.

Usually these creatures are easy to spot. They have a particular smell, or sound, or way of moving, that betrays their…


Book cover of The Coarse Witchcraft Trilogy

Melusine Draco Author Of Traditional Witchcraft for the Seashore

From my list on real old-fashioned witchcraft.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an Initiate of traditional British Old Craft and the Khemetic Mysteries. My own teaching methods and writing draw on historical sources supported by academic texts and current archaeological findings; endorsing Crowley’s view that all magic is an amalgam of science and art, and that magic is the outer route to the inner Mysteries. I have been a member and later Principal of the Coven of the Scales since 2000 having inherited it on the deaths of Bob and Meriem Clay-Egerton and author of some 60 fiction and non-fiction books on the subject of magic and Old Craft in order to shape the reader’s understanding of this particular tradition. 

Melusine's book list on real old-fashioned witchcraft

Melusine Draco Why did Melusine love this book?

This book is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it but it represents a small but important time-capsule of traditional British Old Craft history that we have been lucky enough to preserve for the next generation of witches. This collection of true anecdotes mirrors the goings-on within an Old Craft coven and reveals the humour and sense of the ridiculous that is part and parcel of many traditional covens that I’ve come across.

By Melusine Draco,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Coarse Witchcraft is a squint-eyed look at what passes for Craft in many modern groups and just how much of the teaching has been dumbed down so that everyone can acquire rank and have a "crack at the priesthood". This blind grope for titles, rank and public acclaim have replaced the enlightened quest for genuine wisdom and ability, while the old Witch-magic is practised by fewer and fewer of those who would call themselves Witches. There are also those who insist on being recognised as instant Adepts in a system that takes years of study and preparation - but book-learning…


Book cover of Coven Working

Melusine Draco Author Of Traditional Witchcraft for the Seashore

From my list on real old-fashioned witchcraft.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an Initiate of traditional British Old Craft and the Khemetic Mysteries. My own teaching methods and writing draw on historical sources supported by academic texts and current archaeological findings; endorsing Crowley’s view that all magic is an amalgam of science and art, and that magic is the outer route to the inner Mysteries. I have been a member and later Principal of the Coven of the Scales since 2000 having inherited it on the deaths of Bob and Meriem Clay-Egerton and author of some 60 fiction and non-fiction books on the subject of magic and Old Craft in order to shape the reader’s understanding of this particular tradition. 

Melusine's book list on real old-fashioned witchcraft

Melusine Draco Why did Melusine love this book?

This book explains what goes on within a traditional British Old Craft coven and what is required of its members.  It is important that folk understand what is expected of them when joining an Old Craft coven and what the fundamental differences are between the various Traditions to avoid misunderstandings.  The authors are themselves veterans of Coven of the Scales having run their own hived-off group for over twenty years.

By Philip Wright, Carrie West,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Coven Working explores the intricacies of the different Paths and Traditions for the benefit of those who wish to join and existing group or to set up a coven of their own.

Writing as Philip Wright and Carried West, the authors are both members of the Coven of The Scales, the magical Order formed by Bob and Meriem Clay-Egerton in the late 1980s. They have run their own coven for well over twenty years and can trace their lineage back to the turn of the last century.


Book cover of Witchlings

Natalia Hernandez Author Of The Name-Bearer

From my list on queer Latin fantasy.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a queer Latinx author and avid reader. Long before I became an author, I was devouring books and losing myself in fantasy worlds. When I got older, I realized how few books in the market looked like me. I didn’t feel represented in the literary world. Now, I create queer fantasy novels that feature strong women of color in sweeping Latin American-inspired settings for future generations. 

Natalia's book list on queer Latin fantasy

Natalia Hernandez Why did Natalia love this book?

Have you ever felt like you wished the books you read in middle school were more, well, brown? I know I did!

Well, Witchlings takes place in a world full of witches! No, seriously, the entire town - and surrounding towns - are all made up of covens of witches. For Seven Salazar, her whole life has been leading up to the moment where she gets sorted into her forever coven.

However, when the time comes, the worst thing possible happens - she becomes a “spare,” a witch not sorted into a coven! This leads her, along with the other two spares, on a path of redemption and discovery. Don’t let the fact that this is a middle grade novel fool you - this book is a delight for all ages!

By Claribel A. Ortega,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Witchlings as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

A middle grade Latine witch story with action-packed
adventure, a coven of quirky Witchlings, humour and girl-power vibes.

Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who
participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and
come into their powers as full-fledged witches.

And twelve-year-old Seven Salazar can't wait to be placed in the
most powerful coven with her best friend! But on the night of
the ceremony, in front of the entire town, Seven isn't placed in
one of the five covens. She's a Spare!

Spare covens have fewer witches, are less powerful, and are looked…


Book cover of Witchcraft : A Tradition Renewed

Melusine Draco Author Of Traditional Witchcraft for the Seashore

From my list on real old-fashioned witchcraft.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an Initiate of traditional British Old Craft and the Khemetic Mysteries. My own teaching methods and writing draw on historical sources supported by academic texts and current archaeological findings; endorsing Crowley’s view that all magic is an amalgam of science and art, and that magic is the outer route to the inner Mysteries. I have been a member and later Principal of the Coven of the Scales since 2000 having inherited it on the deaths of Bob and Meriem Clay-Egerton and author of some 60 fiction and non-fiction books on the subject of magic and Old Craft in order to shape the reader’s understanding of this particular tradition. 

Melusine's book list on real old-fashioned witchcraft

Melusine Draco Why did Melusine love this book?

Evan John Jones who was once a part of Robert Cochrane’s own coven – is still one of the most controversial figures in contemporary witchcraft nearly 40 years after his death in 1966. It was an interesting time and as Evan wrote, you knew something was there, but it was a case of trying to find it and hold on to it! When this book came out in 1990 and as Evan was one of the first ‘real’ witches I had been privileged to meet, it was interesting to read many of these traditional teachings for the first time.

By Evan John Jones, Doreen Valiente,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Revealing the secrets of ancient rituals and the philosophy of witchcraft, this book delves deep into modern witchcraft. The nature of the rites are shown to revolve around traditional witchcraft passed down from ancient times.'


Book cover of Witchcraft: A Secret History

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 is a good, overall history of witchcraft spanning from ancient civilisations to the birth and practises of the present-day Wicca.

It is well-written, highly informative, and contains a great number of interesting historical illustrations.

It is also a beneficial read for those who wish to understand how people in different eras viewed the world around them and how these beliefs and fears transformed into actions that moulded the society in English villages like Dunster which I based my book on.

I have now read this book twice, from cover to cover, and just flicking through it again for the purpose of writing this recommendation makes me want to read it again. A definite keeper!

By Michael Streeter,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Witchcraft unravels the myth from the mystery, the facts from the legends, in this bewitching introduction to witchcraft's lesser-known history.

Spanning several centuries and comprising unbelievable facts and little-known legends, meet all the witches of your imagination and learn why, where and how it all began.

Uncover the meanings of their rituals and rites, their lore, and their craft Discover the significance of their sabbats and covens, their chalices and wands, their robes and their religion. Unlock the secrets of the legendary witches of mythology and folk talesand find out how these early stories influenced the persecutions and witch hunts…


Book cover of Remember Me
Book cover of Roxanne
Book cover of Anne of the Island

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Interested in witch coven, witchcraft, and secret society?

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