Fans pick 72 books like The Wish

By Nicholas Sparks,

Here are 72 books that The Wish fans have personally recommended if you like The Wish. 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 Not Over Yet

Sophia Soames Author Of In this Bed of Snowflakes we Lie

From my list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year.

Why am I passionate about this?

Having grown up in snowy Scandinavia, my passion for Christmas has always been with me. Nothing beats a good romantic holiday novel, and especially one containing all those themes we know and love. A little bit of loneliness. A pinch of festive fun. Add that special meet-cute. Sprinkle magic over the pages and a comfort-read for years to come is born. As an author I hope my readers enjoy my festive romps, and that perhaps even they, can become a well-read yearly comfort read.

Sophia's book list on holiday romance you’ll want to read every year

Sophia Soames Why did Sophia love this book?

Sweet, cute, and full of festive magic, Barbara Elsborg is the queen of sprinkling her readers with whimsical delights.

Here Barbara mixes a contemporary setting with a touch of the paranormal, as things in this seemingly normal world? Are not always what they seem. A vet in a remote cottage? A stranger stuck in a snowstorm? This low-angst Christmas novella will make you smile and giggle and hope for good things for everyone.

A magical story to finish the perfect December.

By Barbara Elsborg,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Not Over Yet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of The Taking of Jake Livingston

L.S. Moore Author Of Bridgekeeper

From my list on YA paranormal thrillers told from a guy’s point of view.

Why am I passionate about this?

Have you noticed the scarcity of YA novels told solely from a guy’s point of view? If you aren’t a boy, the parent of one, or maybe a savvy librarian, you probably haven’t. I’m two out of three. I have two awesome sons. They’re avid readers and burned through the YA section and into adult fantasy and sci-fi long before I was ready for them to. Boys read! There’s a need for protagonists who identify as male. No surprise, my YA novels often feature ordinary boys doing heroic things. Thanks to years of spying on my sons and their friends, I have plenty of fodder to feed my muse.

L.S.'s book list on YA paranormal thrillers told from a guy’s point of view

L.S. Moore Why did L.S. love this book?

There’s a lot to unpack with Jake Livingston. He’s a black, queer, introverted teen who sees ghosts, ghouls, auras, and death loops all day, every day. The story doesn’t explain why Jake got these and other abilities, just how living with them makes his life a constant challenge.

I enjoyed the story’s unapologetic complexity. Conversing with a potential date is tough when, over your crush’s shoulder, you’re watching a ghoul that nobody else can see! The ghost of a school shooter is stalking Jake, too.

Through journal entries, readers take a deep dive into the mass murderer’s psyche. Creepy and complex! Dark themes get even darker as the story goes along. A whole lot to unpack!

By Ryan Douglass,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Taking of Jake Livingston 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?

An Instant New York Times Bestseller!

Get Out meets Holly Jackson in this YA social thriller where survival is not a guarantee.

Sixteen-year-old Jake Livingston sees dead people everywhere. But he can't decide what's worse: being a medium forced to watch the dead play out their last moments on a loop or being at the mercy of racist teachers as one of the few Black students at St. Clair Prep. Both are a living nightmare he wishes he could wake up from. But things at St. Clair start looking up with the arrival of another Black student—the handsome Allister—and for…


Book cover of Dark Stranger The Dream

Jennifer Loren Author Of The Devil's Eyes

From my list on dark, twisted, and sexy.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was a child, I would hide in my special place and dream away. Reality was rarely the best place to be, even as an adult I fantasize, I step away from reality without ever truly stepping away. Mafia Romance, paranormal, and fantasy excite me, but add in a little touch of real to the story and now even reality makes you wonder. This was the basis for The Devil’s Eyes. I took a new world and mixed in a little bit of what we know is true and a little bit of what-if and a lot of dark and sexy. 

Jennifer's book list on dark, twisted, and sexy

Jennifer Loren Why did Jennifer love this book?

I love a book that you can dive into, and it takes you into a whole other world. A mysterious world that takes the good and the bad and turns it upside down, inside out, and twists everything until nothing is at seems or you believe it should be. I love new and exciting characters that haven’t been touched on yet or even just a twist of ideas that gets your mind racing with new possibilities. You can’t wait for the next page to see where this new world will take you.  

By I. T. Lucas,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Twilight meets Ancient Aliens with the sizzle of Fifty Shades. An Amazon top 10 All-Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️More than 3M copies downloaded.

“Best paranormal series ever! I’ve always been a great fan of this genre but this series had to be best of all! Lucas created an amazing world!” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Hands down the best book series I have ever read. I Devour the books and coming from somebody who reads all the time this is an extreme compliment. I’ve never read such a well-written book where the storyline develops with so many characters. Also the steamy love scenes are to die for!"…


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Book cover of Wrightsville Beach

Wrightsville Beach By Suzanne Goodwyn,

Two years ago, devastated by the sudden death of his older brother, Hank Atwater went on a drinking rampage that ended in his being arrested. Since then, he has been working to rebuild his reputation in his hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina, with little luck. But everything changes after a…

Book cover of Eternally Bound

Krystyna Allyn Author Of Twisted Origin

From my list on sating your paranormal urges.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have loved the supernatural world since my dad took me to see The Lost Boys in the theater. There’s just something about the unbelievable that drags me into this genre. I enjoy the escapism aspect because real life is hard enough. Plus, what girl wouldn’t want to be taken to a castle and live happily ever after with her prince? I know I would.

Krystyna's book list on sating your paranormal urges

Krystyna Allyn Why did Krystyna love this book?

Talk about an edge-of-your-seat paranormal romance! The Alliance books are a spin-off from Brenda’s Vampire Awakenings series. While both deal with fated mates, the former delves deeper. You see the true evil and the lengths they’ll go to for dominance while also getting swept away by the romance. There's a ton of angst and jaw-dropping endings that will leave you reeling.

By Brenda K. Davies,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Over the centuries, anything Ronan once found pleasure in has been replaced by blood and death.

Every morning, he wonders if that will be the day he succumbs to the savage side of his vampire nature.

As a born hunter, Kadence has never stepped beyond the walls of her home.

She’s not happy with her life, but she accepted it long ago... just as she’s accepted her impending marriage to a man the elders chose for her. However, when a vampire murders her father, Kadence is determined to escape the walls that have kept her caged.

After she’s attacked by…


Book cover of Blood Lines

Fannie Price Author Of After the Flesh

From my list on urban fantasy and paranormal mystery featuring POC.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a fan of creature features movies and the old classic horror stories since childhood. Once I discovered urban fantasy it became my new genre of choice as far as reading. I love each author’s storytelling, worldbuilding, character development, etc. I find it helps me to read the negative reviews. Readers know when a writer is being authentic in their work vs when they are phoning it in. Listening to readers and understanding what puts them off, helps me craft a better story by avoiding the pitfalls that become cliché or annoying.

Fannie's book list on urban fantasy and paranormal mystery featuring POC

Fannie Price Why did Fannie love this book?

Part of me identified with the profession of Lily, the main female protagonist of this novel being an FBI agent. I admire how the author took the “fated lovers” with 100% none of the cliché tropes that usually go with this type of storyline. I loved that Lily had real problems outside of her work and has to solve cases in addition to juggling a wedding and everything else going on in her world. Ms. Wilks constructed a very real world and gave the supporting characters their own storylines and arcs which is extremely hard to do while staying true to the overall plot.

By Eileen Wilks,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

FBI agent Cynna Weaver teams up with sorcerer Cullen Seabourne to help identify elected officials who have accepted demonic pacts. But the passion simmering between them-and their investigation-spiral out of control when an ancient prophecy is fulfilled.


Book cover of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Kurt D. Springs Author Of Price of Vengeance

From my list on sci-fi that meld military and paranormal themes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am Kurt D. Springs. If you read my back of the book bio, you’ll find I have advanced degrees in anthropology and archaeology and a focus on European prehistory. However, I’ve always been fascinated by military history. I’ve recently studied how modern warfare has changed many old paradigms. I’ve also studied modern and ancient religions, and many of the fiction works I enjoy have ESP or magic elements, especially Andre Norton’s works. I am also a fan of the HALO game universe. I like to tell people my stories are the children of Andre Norton’s Forerunner series and HALO.

Kurt's book list on sci-fi that meld military and paranormal themes

Kurt D. Springs Why did Kurt love this book?

While I found all the original trilogy stories enjoyable, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back fascinated me with the weaponry and battles at the beginning.

Luke’s Jedi training under Yoda was something that I found inspirational. Yoda’s admonition on focus, control, and belief inspired the scenes of Liam being trained. I enjoyed the final interplay between Luke and Darth Vader, ending with Luke’s realization that experience matters.

By Donald F. Glut,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The Empire Strikes Back [Paperback] [Jan 01, 1995] Donald F. Glut …


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Book cover of The Edge of Too Late

The Edge of Too Late By Jan Sikes,

What's the point of having it all when you have no one to share it with? Brandon Miller has everything—except a commitment from the woman he loves. Angela Cooper has deep scars from a previous marriage. She's not interested in a do-over with Brandon or anyone.

Yet, he arranges a…

Book cover of King of Morning, Queen of Day

Joshua Cutchin Author Of Thieves in the Night: A Brief History of Supernatural Child Abductions

From my list on rethinking UFOs and the paranormal.

Why am I passionate about this?

Joshua Cutchin has written seven books. If you find yourself beside him on an airplane and ask what he writes about, he’ll say, “Speculative non-fiction.” If he warms up, he’ll explain that he writes about supernatural mysteries—UFOs, Bigfoot, ghosts, etc.—all through the lens of folklore. A suspicion that all these phenomena are connected undergirds his writing. In addition to his books, Joshua regularly contributes to essay collections and, in 2019, appeared on the hit History Channel series Ancient Aliens. Joshua has appeared on countless paranormal programs, including Coast to Coast AM. He regularly speaks at events nationwide, most recently Rice University’s 2023 Archives of the Impossible conference.

Joshua's book list on rethinking UFOs and the paranormal

Joshua Cutchin Why did Joshua love this book?

If the paranormal is somewhat interiorized and subject to the fluid expectations of culture—as many of the above books argue—then can fiction further our understanding?

Enter King of Morning, Queen of Day, perhaps the best fictional representation of fairies ever written. Ian McDonald follows three generations interacting with these intelligences, who are just as slippery and ineffable as their real-life counterparts. Slight misgivings regarding the third act notwithstanding, McDonald’s execution is practically flawless, weaving together actual folklore with contemporary speculation.

Yet the core of his book is decidedly human, reminding us that—no matter how much we talk of UFOs from outer space or fairies at the bottom of the garden—their importance derives entirely from what their existence says about us.

By Ian McDonald,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked King of Morning, Queen of Day as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Three generations of Irish women--Emily, Jessica, and Enye--struggle to tame the ancient magical powers that imbue the countryside and themselves, each with varying degrees of success


Book cover of The Trickster and the Paranormal

Joshua Cutchin Author Of Thieves in the Night: A Brief History of Supernatural Child Abductions

From my list on rethinking UFOs and the paranormal.

Why am I passionate about this?

Joshua Cutchin has written seven books. If you find yourself beside him on an airplane and ask what he writes about, he’ll say, “Speculative non-fiction.” If he warms up, he’ll explain that he writes about supernatural mysteries—UFOs, Bigfoot, ghosts, etc.—all through the lens of folklore. A suspicion that all these phenomena are connected undergirds his writing. In addition to his books, Joshua regularly contributes to essay collections and, in 2019, appeared on the hit History Channel series Ancient Aliens. Joshua has appeared on countless paranormal programs, including Coast to Coast AM. He regularly speaks at events nationwide, most recently Rice University’s 2023 Archives of the Impossible conference.

Joshua's book list on rethinking UFOs and the paranormal

Joshua Cutchin Why did Joshua love this book?

Paranormal literature contains both entry-level texts and advanced reading.

George P. Hansen’s The Trickster and the Paranormal firmly occupies the latter category; it is best digested a paragraph at a time. Anyone taking the plunge is rewarded with an erudite argument for understanding the paranormal, one yielding ever-increasing dividends the more it is applied: everything supernatural, from the phenomenon itself to those who study it, is subject to the influence of a subversive Jungian archetype known as The Trickster.

This is not an entity but rather a set of pervasive characteristics manifesting independently: transgressive, self-negating, liminal, playful, and, dare it be said, dangerous. Hansen’s speculation makes a little more sense of the insensible, including why irrefutable evidence of the paranormal yet eludes the scientific establishment.

By George P Hansen,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Book by Hansen, George P


Book cover of Enemy Among Us

CJ Vermote Author Of Do I Know You

From my list on suspense with a splash of paranormal.

Why am I passionate about this?

My love for reading suspense helped me develop the desire to write novels. It is as if I always have a movie in my head, so why not write them out. I have dyslexia, and reading along with learning is a challenge, but both have become my escape. I’ve always been fascinated by how a good suspense plays out and the relief that comes with the resolution. I added the paranormal world because I had a NDE (near death experience) in the 80s and became open to the paranormal. I became unafraid and see the paranormal as good. 

CJ's book list on suspense with a splash of paranormal

CJ Vermote Why did CJ love this book?

I related to the bonds the young people have in this book because children have secrets, but sometimes secrets come back to haunt us that only friends understand.  

Natalie K. French brings to life the innocence of youth. They needed each other as they gained their footing in the world. Even though these friends drifted apart, something from their past that they had unleashed, is back and has taken a life of a friend with it.

Chloe thought she was safe. She had hoped it was buried for good, but soon finds herself gathering her friends together to bring an end to the evil they unleashed as children. This book is full of emotions, terror, and the need to survive what had been innocently brought into their reality. 

Anytime I am reading a book with supernatural elements my attention is at full alert. I love a book that keeps me…

By Natalie K French,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The summer Chloe Moore turned fourteen, she was for once, actually happy. She’d finally outgrown her training bras. She was in love. And, for the first time in her life, she was surrounded by true and honest friends. Back then, they were The Seven, so close they wore their affection like an old pair of jeans. Back then, they were just kids who couldn’t begin to grasp the consequences of the thing they unleashed. Back then, innocence was their salvation. Even so, the horror of what they had done nearly broke them. They fled from it. From each other. For…


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Book cover of Always Orchid

Always Orchid By Carol Van Den Hende,

Always Orchid is the moving, award-winning finale to the Goodbye Orchid series that Glamour Magazine called "a modern, important take on the power of love." With themes of identity, disability, and the redemptive power of love, Always Orchid is perfect for fans of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle…

Book cover of The Bad Place

Brett McKay Author Of The Intruders

From my list on warp your brain with shocks, twists, and horror.

Why am I passionate about this?

It wasn’t until high school when I read Stephen King’s Night Shift that illuminated the genre for me—horror. My first short story was The Dark Shadow, and it fit me like a glove. My writing is inspired by the books I like to read, as I’m sure it is with all writers, and I write characters that I know and in settings I am familiar with for authenticity. The years of experience have honed my craft, and my books are a culmination of my favorite things—supernatural horror, suspense, heart, drama, westerns, and action.

Brett's book list on warp your brain with shocks, twists, and horror

Brett McKay Why did Brett love this book?

This book had me at the main character hiring a private eye to follow him because he is waking up in a different location each morning with no memory of how he got there but his pockets are filled with diamonds.

This story delved into the madness of psychos while also plummeting me into other worlds and satisfying my hunger for supernatural elements. I couldn’t love this book more. 

By Dean Koontz,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Frank Pollard awakens in an alley, knowing nothing but his name and that he is in danger. Over the next few days he develops a fear of sleep because when he wakes he finds blood on his hands and bizarre and terrifying objects in his pockets. Distraught and desperate, Frank begs husband-and wife detective team Bobby and Julie Dakota to get to the bottom of his mysterious, amnesiac fugues. It seems a simple job, but they are drawn into ever-darkening realms where they encounter the nightmare, hate-filled figure stalking Frank. And their lives are threatened, as is that of Julie's…


Book cover of Not Over Yet
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Book cover of Dark Stranger The Dream

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5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the paranormal, plot twists, and Christmas?

The Paranormal 259 books
Plot Twists 50 books
Christmas 273 books