Picked by Kingdom of the Wicked fans

Here are 25 books that Kingdom of the Wicked fans have personally recommended once you finish the Kingdom of the Wicked series. Shepherd is a community of authors and super-readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Book cover of Stalking Jack the Ripper

J.V. Hilliard Author Of The Last Keeper

From my list on fantasy that have unconventional elements.

Why am I passionate about this?

Before I was published, I played Dungeons and Dragons for years. I grew up on games involving fantasy, and though my career took me into government, it stayed my passion. I’m well on my way to publishing the last two books in my four-part saga as well as venturing into Kindle Vella, and I can’t wait to see what is next for me in the realm of fantasy. When writing in the genre, it’s easy to fall into the same old tropes and utilize the same creatures. These five books are atypical in this age of overdone plots and monsters. I hope you find your next read among them.

J.V.'s book list on fantasy that have unconventional elements

J.V. Hilliard Why J.V. loves this book

I have always been interested in the Jack the Ripper lore. If you feel the same, Stalking Jack the Ripper does not disappoint. The book follows Audrey Rose Wadsworth in Victorian-era England as she hunts Jack the Ripper. Audrey is not the typical Victorian lady. She has a passion for forensic medicine and doesn’t mind the sight of corpses. Maniscalco does a fantastic job of presenting the widely known case details while putting her own spin on it and even adding a few details.

By Kerri Maniscalco ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Stalking Jack the Ripper as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

A deliciously creepy horror novel with a story line inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion...

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

This #1 New York Times bestseller and deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion.

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between…


Book cover of Sweet Evil

Kerrie Faye Author Of Dead Girl

From my list on fantasy books with angels, demons and Nephilim.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always felt strongly that there is a world out there beyond our human comprehension where good and evil are at war. Add in the fact that I might have seen my very own angel, and it is a topic that has both intrigued and inspired me. At first, I snapped up every book I could find on angels and demons. Then, over time, I expanded to movies and TV shows. Finally, after consuming diverse media across genres, I wrote my own book centering on a female protagonist who discovers her own Nephilim heritage, the hard way, of course, with demons!

Kerrie's book list on fantasy books with angels, demons and Nephilim

Kerrie Faye Why Kerrie loves this book

I can tell you I CONSUMED this series; it was delicious in all ways!

Fallen angels who thrive on being bad influences, yes, please! It gave me all the bad boy trope feels! Kaidan Rowe had me hooked from the moment he entered the scene. Then you have the good girl Anna, who is just prime for corruption! Honestly, I adored the tension between the two.

High stakes! Twist on Nephilim. A must-read, in my opinion!

By Wendy Higgins ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sweet Evil 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?

Fans of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series will be drawn to Wendy Higgins's sexy, thrilling Sweet Evil series. What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels. Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and…


Book cover of Storm and Fury

Kerrie Faye Author Of Dead Girl

From my list on fantasy books with angels, demons and Nephilim.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always felt strongly that there is a world out there beyond our human comprehension where good and evil are at war. Add in the fact that I might have seen my very own angel, and it is a topic that has both intrigued and inspired me. At first, I snapped up every book I could find on angels and demons. Then, over time, I expanded to movies and TV shows. Finally, after consuming diverse media across genres, I wrote my own book centering on a female protagonist who discovers her own Nephilim heritage, the hard way, of course, with demons!

Kerrie's book list on fantasy books with angels, demons and Nephilim

Kerrie Faye Why Kerrie loves this book

I was enthralled by the pacing and the romantic plot of this story. Engrossing from the very first chapter—gargoyles called Wardens? Uh, yes, and thank you! Demons? Gimme! Secrets. I am a slave for an MC with dark secrets! Add in a supernatural war—hands down one of my favs!

By Jennifer L. Armentrout ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Storm and Fury as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

Jennifer L. Armentrout, the #1 New York Times , USA Today and internationally bestselling author of the Dark Elements novels and the Lux series, returns with book 1 of The Harbinger trilogy, a contemporary fantasy set in the world of her New York Times bestselling Dark Elements series. In this fantastical universe, gargoyle shapeshifters are sworn to guard humanity from the evils of the underworld. One guardian is about to meet a girl with an explosive secret. Should she fall into the wrong hands, her unique powers could unleash an all-out supernatural war.

Eighteen-year-old Trinity Marrow may be going blind,…


Book cover of The Darkest Seduction

Jessica Disciacca Author Of Witches of Triora: The Vessel

From my list on taking you on a magical journey through time and space.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been writing for years and reading forever. Fantasy books have always been my number one go-to as far as genres. I loved how they would teleport me to a new world, allowing me to leave behind reality. The characters became my friends. The worlds became my home. I couldn’t get enough and still can’t. As I got older, my imagination never stopped. I was constantly creating dreamworld and character plots in my head. Eventually, I started writing, needing the characters to stop talking. The only way to do that was to get them on paper. Since then, I haven’t been able to stop.

Jessica's book list on taking you on a magical journey through time and space

Jessica Disciacca Why Jessica loves this book

Can we say HOT! This entire series was spicy and full of smut. I love the romance in this book. The building of the backstories of the characters that left you wondering what would happen next and how where they going to end up together in the end.

The incorporation of folklore and tales from history hooked me right away. Each character had a different struggle that you could relate to or empathize with. Even though they were morally gray, you ended up routing for each of them in the end.

It's a super fun series and an easy read that will definitely keep you up at night. 

By Gena Showalter ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Paris - Darkest Lord of the Underworld Immortal warrior Paris is irresistible - yet this comes at a terrible price.

Possessed by a depraved demon, he must seduce someone new every night, or die. But the one woman he craves has never truly been his. Sienna, possessed by the demon of Wrath, is compelled to punish everyone around her.

Yet in Paris's arms she finds peace and insatiable desire.As Paris and Sienna's bond grows it reignites a blood feud between ancient enemies. With battle raging between gods, angels and demons, Paris and Sienna must fight a supernatural war that could…


Book cover of The Witching Hour

Joanne Alain Cook Author Of The Spectral Saga

From my list on romance lore science supernatural mystery feminism.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a mother, wife, sister, teacher, artist, officer, and writer. I retired from the USAF after serving active duty and as a reservist as a C-130 navigator, executive officer, and maintenance officer for over 20 years. Currently, I teach physical science in northern California. My main passions have always centered around story-telling, and I have been a lifelong dabbler in writing fiction. With my experiences in male-dominated fields like military aviation and my love of science, I feel particularly drawn to tales involving women striving to overcome obstacles in a male-dominated culture. I enjoy traveling, art, and, most of all, lounging on my sofa and reading. 

Joanne's book list on romance lore science supernatural mystery feminism

Joanne Alain Cook Why Joanne loves this book

Anne Rice is a wonderful poet disguised as a novelist who creates dreamy and eerie landscapes in this book. She paints backdrops of multiple settings and weaves those landscapes with the mood of her characters: modern and bustling San Francisco to mysterious and moody New Orleans.

The plot involves an analytical science girl who is suddenly immersed in a mysterious past that includes witches and other supernatural beings. It explores the roots of societal misogyny by recapping the history of the Mayfair clan and an unleashed demon spirit that haunts the family, all with a romance lurking in the subplot.

It is written like a dark fairy tale that weaves a contemporary world with supernatural elements. Don’t miss this!

By Anne Rice ,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked The Witching Hour as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SOON TO BE A MAJOR TV SHOW, FROM THE NETWORK BEHIND THE WALKING DEAD

'[W]hen I found Rice's work I absolutely loved how she took that genre and (...) made [it] feel so contemporary and relevant' Sarah Pinborough, bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes

'[Rice wrote] in the great tradition of the gothic' Ramsey Campbell, bestselling author of The Hungry Moon

On the veranda of a great New Orleans house, now faded, a mute and fragile woman sits rocking. And the witching hour begins...

Demonstrating once again her gift for spellbinding storytelling and the creation of legend, Anne Rice makes…


Book cover of An Enchantment of Ravens

D. Wallace Peach Author Of The Ferryman and the Sea Witch

From my list on lyrical writing that will make you swoon.

Why am I passionate about this?

During my childhood summers, my dad bought thrift-store paperbacks by the bagful, and fantastical stories filled my shady hammock days. Now as an author, writing and reading go hand in hand. There’s no better way to improve my prose and hone my personal style than to read books I love. My trusty highlighter immortalizes the lyrical passages that I swoon over, those luscious words that slip from the tongue, make music in my ears, and paint scenes behind my eyes. I’m swept away by gorgeous language despite the genre, though fantasy books usher in summer memories and a lovely time of idleness when there was nothing to do but read.

D. Wallace's book list on lyrical writing that will make you swoon

D. Wallace Peach Why D. Wallace loves this book

This book is charming, charming, charming. Did I mention that it’s charming? But it’s not all sweetness and light. I love books that weave together beauty and danger, and dazzle me with imagery that paints vivid pictures in my head. The prose is extraordinary, full of deception, danger, romance and glamour, hard choices, and sinister forces. The fair folk are exquisitely described, but beneath their perfect exteriors, they are opportunists, decaying, hollow, and cruel. The writing is quite beautiful, the plot and characters entrancing. I wish this was a series because I had a serious book hangover upon closing the last page.

By Margaret Rogerson ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked An Enchantment of Ravens as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

An instant New York Times bestseller!
An Indie Next Top 10 Pick
A Parents' Choice Silver Honor Winner

"A funny, action-packed, and sweet romance." -School Library Journal (starred review)
"A phenomenal read." -RT Book Reviews

A skilled painter must stand up to the ancient power of the faerie courts-even as she falls in love with a faerie prince-in this gorgeous bestseller that's "an ideal pick for fans of Holly Black, Maggie Stiefvater, and Laini Taylor" (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

Isobel is an artistic prodigy with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread…


Book cover of Bone Crier's Moon

Elizabeth A. Drysdale Author Of Out of Time

From my list on fantasy with a twist you never saw coming.

Why am I passionate about this?

 I have been a devourer of fantasy all of my life. With a bookshelf that grows more overflowing by the year, I just can’t get enough. That combined with the many classes I've taken on writing, tension, and incorporating fantasy elements, make me the perfect candidate for finding all three in the perfect story. I live in a daydream created by the written word and even win writing awards with all that I've learned and applied. There is nothing I love more than the perfect pairing of twists and tension in fantasy stories, something I continue to add to my own stories!

Elizabeth's book list on fantasy with a twist you never saw coming

Elizabeth A. Drysdale Why Elizabeth loves this book

 This book almost killed me! The tension is incredible and I found myself rooting for Ailesse and Sebastion to figure out the mystery behind the matron, and their attraction to each other. This plot is so twisted that it will keep you guessing all the way through. With every character determined that they are right, you’ll wish you could jump in and prove that you know it all, but you’d be wrong! It kept me on pins and needles and kept me from sleep. 

By Kathryn Purdie ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bone Crier's Moon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathryn Purdie comes a high-stakes fantasy duology flush with doomed romance and macabre magic, perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Roshani Chokshi.

Bone Criers are the last descendants of an ancient famille charged with using the magic they draw from animal bones to shepherd the dead into the afterlife-lest they drain the light from the living.

Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become their matriarch, but first she must complete her rite of passage: to kill the boy she's destined to love.

Bastien's father was slain by a Bone Crier and…


Book cover of House of Salt and Sorrows

Gabby Gilliam Author Of Drumming for the Dead: Trouble in Tomsk

From my list on horror for people who don’t like scary stories.

Why am I passionate about this?

I never expected to write a zombie story, let alone a novella series. I don’t usually do scary. I avoid horror movies and choose books with pretty covers. I think that’s why my books, like those on this list, walk the line of horror without plunging all the way in. There’s a delight in being spooked, but not if it leads you to recurring nightmares. I want books that will set my heart racing, but don’t plant a lingering fear. The books on this list will raise the hair on your arms, but won’t keep you up at night…unless, of course, it’s because you can’t put them down.

Gabby's book list on horror for people who don’t like scary stories

Gabby Gilliam Why Gabby loves this book

Full disclosure: I’m a sucker for retellings, as you may have noticed since this book is the second retelling to make my list.

This book retells the 12 Dancing Princesses, exploring the family’s curse more in-depth. That means it’s filled with gothic settings, plenty of tragedy, and the requisite family secrets. It’s the perfect spooky story to keep you up all night (because you won’t be able to put it down).

By Erin A. Craig ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked House of Salt and Sorrows as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Get swept away by this “haunting” (Bustle) YA novel about twelve beautiful sisters living on an isolated island estate who begin to mysteriously die one by one. This dark and atmospheric fairy tale inspired story is perfect for fans of Yellowjackets.

"Step inside a fairy tale." —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor with her sisters and their father and stepmother. Once there were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of…


Book cover of The Other Boleyn Girl

Jessica Disciacca Author Of Witches of Triora: The Vessel

From my list on taking you on a magical journey through time and space.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been writing for years and reading forever. Fantasy books have always been my number one go-to as far as genres. I loved how they would teleport me to a new world, allowing me to leave behind reality. The characters became my friends. The worlds became my home. I couldn’t get enough and still can’t. As I got older, my imagination never stopped. I was constantly creating dreamworld and character plots in my head. Eventually, I started writing, needing the characters to stop talking. The only way to do that was to get them on paper. Since then, I haven’t been able to stop.

Jessica's book list on taking you on a magical journey through time and space

Jessica Disciacca Why Jessica loves this book

This story made me fall in love and then hate my lover all in the same breath. The mixture of history and fiction led me on a roller coaster of emotions.

I loved how Anne was so strong and knew how to get what she wanted and work her way through a world built by men for men, yet, in the end, her inability to birth a male heir was her downfall. The king framed her in order to remove her from the throne and move on to the next youngest thing. I was enraged!

This book makes me so angry, but I couldn’t stop reading Gregory’s work after this one. It totally hooked me and forced me to buy all her books written about this specific timeframe. 

By Philippa Gregory ,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked The Other Boleyn Girl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*A stunning brand new unabridged recording*

The acclaimed international bestseller of the Tudor court, during the years of Henry VIII's pursuit of Anne Boleyn - and the revolutionary sequence of events that followed.

1521. Young Mary Boleyn arrives at court, maid in waiting and favourite to Queen Katherine of Aragon.

Yet Mary catches the eye of the capricious king and - propelled by the ambitions of the powerful Boleyn family - she betrays her queen, and takes her place as Henry VIII's new mistress.

But while Mary is in childbed, a rival comes to court - her sister Anne, a…


Book cover of Daughter of the Pirate King

Kelly Risser Author Of Never Forgotten

From my list on to indulge your love of Fae.

Why am I passionate about this?

I dreamed of being a fairy tale princess at a young age, and although I never received my glass slipper, I still have a highly active imagination. This is probably why fantasy books are my favorite, and I’ve read extensively in this space. I’m also a huge Disney and Harry Potter nerd. While I might not win a trivia competition on these topics, I could definitely hold my own. To be honest, immersing myself in another world is my favorite form of escapism and the number one way I relax and unwind after work. I’ve read many, many books in my life and can quickly tell you the ones I love the best.

Kelly's book list on to indulge your love of Fae

Kelly Risser Why Kelly loves this book

This book can be described in one word: Fun. From a ship crewed by female pirates to a quest for treasure, it has all the witty dialogue and adventure to match the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but instead features a fierce, female captain named Alosa who has mad skills and a way of looking at the world that will make you laugh out loud and cheer her on. 

This is the first in a duology, so it’s also not too much of a commitment to read, unlike some longer series. Both books are equally fast-paced and enjoyable. If you’re like me, you’ll be ready to grab your pirate hat and strap on your sword by the end of this book.

By Tricia Levenseller ,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Daughter of the Pirate King 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?

If you want something done right...When her father, the ruthless Pirate King, discovers that a legendary treasure map can be found on an enemy ship, his daughter, Alosa, knows that there's only one pirate for the job - herself. Leaving behind her beloved ship and crew, Alosa deliberately facilitates her own kidnapping to ensure her welcome on the ship. After all, who's going to suspect a girl locked in a cell...But Alosa has skills enough for any three pirates, and has yet to meet her match. Although she has to admit that the surprisingly perceptive and unfairly attractive first mate,…