Books like Flames of Chaos — picked by fans

Good lord, Kat simply dominates when she enters a scene.

She leaves no room for argument with all her decisions (some of them bad, some of them good) or dialogue, and even in moments where you’re screaming at her or she’s second-guessing herself, she grounds herself in her resolve and pushes forward.

Plus, Bones is swoon-worthy, and she still honors her own feels in the presence of his…well…everything, haha. I also love her evolution through the Night Huntress series and how her viewpoint toward vampires and paranormals shifts in a way that suits her character development. Also the spice? Heck. Yes.

I must admit, I typically enjoy my pantry dripping scenes in the paranormal genera, but every once in a while I like to wander the digital aisles and partake in something new.

Y’all, this book has stayed with me for years as a beautifully written description of male anatomy. Seriously, I didn’t know an expert description of a mushroom head could do it for me. I was happily shocked. I’m going to admit this is the first book I dipped my toe into the waters of multiple partners, at once. But these pages are more than steamy, juice-dripping scenes. The way she breathed life into these exquisite characters, makes me wanna jump in and join. This is one of those books I hated to finish, my heart (and other parts) were aching when I reached the conclusion.

If you are looking for a feel-good, down-a-dirty read, I highly recommend.

I adore my badass bitches to have a colorful sense of humor and I can’t get enough when they own exactly who and what they are with zero fucks given. I can hear the cheering crowd now for this demon turned good-gal.

I’m also going to admit that I have a personal habit and skipping overly detailed, drawn-out descriptions. I know, I know, patience isn’t one of my strong points. Debra, however, had me reading and enjoying her descriptions. [Insert shocked face here.]

Samantha Martin, or Sam to her friends, is fearless, unafraid to make mistakes, shameless, confident, funny, and I want to have drinks with her.

While the down and dirty scenes are a bit more PG, the plot line is perfection, characters exceptionally well created, and some moments from the series are forever etched in my brain.

“I’m here for my angel.”

Sigh, girl, aren’t we all? Except… show more.

Do you ever have that moment while reading, when you look up at normal life happening blissfully, while you are balls deep in a dirty scene? Yeah, me too. This one is one, of many books, I’m eternally grateful for a privacy screen protector on my phone. Don’t have one? Highly recommend, so that you too can enjoy deliciously naughty scenes while at your children’s jiu jitsu class. What? There’s no judgment here.

While my other recommendations have included females who are literally kicking ass, taking names, and leaving a trail of dead bodies, this book reminds me that badassery takes on many forms. And finding a happily ever after is unique to each and every person.

If you know Hellboy only from the movies, you’re seeing a very limited image of the character and his adventures. Hellboy has many roots (pulp sci fi and crimefighter stories, superhero tales, Lovecraft’s mythos), but one of his earliest is in real world magic and folktale. We see this in his encounters with Baba Yaga, Hecate, and others, but also in his battle fairy creatures that are vulnerable to unforged iron.

I recommended this book first because as a public school Library Media Specialist for over thirty years it was my perfect go-to read-a-loud. 

It is funny and filled with human interest and emotion. But what I like best about it is the timing. I like to write funny books and I know timing in humor is one of the most important attributes. This book hits it dead-on.

Adding to the wonderful timing is the pagination. Having published a few funny picture books myself I know how important the page-turner is for children.

The author Banard Weber will open a situation and then, as a pagination cliffhanger, place the resolution on the following page. Then he ends the story with a sweet repose.

Of all the books I consulted while writing my own, this is the one that surprised me the most and that I most frequently revisit. It is a collection of historical documents on witchcraft in the Western world from the Roman Empire to the eighteenth century, and I cannot recommend a better book on the subject. It's fascinating, painstakingly researched, instantly accessible to any reader, and either hilarious or horrifying, depending on how you pick your poison! There is a particularly interesting document that details how one sells their soul to the Devil which I was delighted to see referenced in Robert Egger's 2015 film The VVitch. He must have either read this book or consulted that same document during his research, which was clearly to his benefit.

Award-winning historian Stacy Schiff takes the reader back to 17th-century Salem village and the society that enabled the Salem witchcraft frenzy.

Without overwhelming the reader with facts, Schiff weaves the story of events with empathy. Good history is an accurate story told well, and Schiff’s extensive research and accessible writing style do just that.

I thoroughly enjoyed the start of this new paranormal, cozy mystery series. Arabella has been avoiding her witchy abilities, and as I read, I discovered this was for good reason. It made me care for her, and her complexity made her a truly sympathetic character to follow.

The friendships and setting held my attention through this book, not to mention the French bulldog who steals the show. Her ghostly grandmother kept me laughing throughout, and I loved the outcome of this book, where I got to see Arabella grow in confidence and ability. I look forward to the rest of this series. 

When Zita Brydgeborn, an orphan employed as a cranky widow’s maid, receives an unexpected letter delivered by a scarecrow she is thrust into the heart of a mysterious battle between good and evil. Discovering that she might be the only living heir to a dynasty of witches, she must learn more than spells and charms if she hopes to survive the foe who claimed her family’s souls. With a clever crow and two castle servants as her closest friends, Zita confronts a tangle of family secrets and sinister magic to break a deadly curse. This book is a delightfully creepy read with all the elements of my favorite stories: a brave girl with a hidden past, bird imagery, witchcraft, fiercely loyal friends, and family secrets. It’s beautifully written and strikes the perfect balance between spooky danger and gentle humor.