Here are 100 books that Westside Oracle fans have personally recommended if you like
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I’ve always looked for stories that aren’t stamped out of the same mold. Having broken that mold in my own writing years before with Tanyth Fairport and Ravenwood, I dove into this new blend of second chances, paranormal romances, and characters that might be fighting for their lives against supernatural forces but always kept the human spark burning.
I fell in love with K F Breene’s wisecracking heroine, Jacinta Evans, in the first few pages. When she gets to Ivy House, the story takes a turn for the weird—even for a slightly off-beat genre like this.
Speaking of early PNWF works, K. F. Breene’s book is probably the first book I read in this niche. March 2020, and I wanted something different to read after a months-long stint of space opera. This book delivered it with bells on, a creepy butler who always wore a cape, and a vampire gardener. Toss in a few shifters. The odd gargoyle. I got my wish and then some. I love this whole series.
"Happily Ever After" wasn't supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of twenty years packs up and heads for greener pastures and my son leaves for college, that's exactly what my life becomes.
Do-over.
This time, though, I plan to do things differently. Age is just a number, after all, and at forty I'm ready to carve my own path.
Eager for a fresh start, I make a somewhat unorthodox decision and move to a tiny town in the Sierra foothills. I'll be taking care of a centuries old house that called to me when I…
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
I’ve always looked for stories that aren’t stamped out of the same mold. Having broken that mold in my own writing years before with Tanyth Fairport and Ravenwood, I dove into this new blend of second chances, paranormal romances, and characters that might be fighting for their lives against supernatural forces but always kept the human spark burning.
Elizabeth Hunter’s foray into Paranormal Women’s Fiction, before it was even A Thing, starts slow. She takes the time to introduce Robin Brannon and her world through the commonest of lenses—divorce, kids, finances, friends, obligations, and crappy knees. All of it.
Laying the “nothing to see here” life out on full display before dropping in the fireworks when it all goes wrong. This was one of my earliest PNWF reads, and I loved it.
A Paranormal Women's Fiction with a bit of class and a lot of sass, for anyone who feels like age is just a number!Every woman goes through changes in their forties. Just not… these changes.Robin Brannon was a normal wife, mom, and antique-shop owner until a brush with death turned her day-to-day life upside down. Now she and her two best friends are seeing things that belong in a fantasy novel. Ghosts. Visions. Omens of doom. Nothing that belongs in the peaceful mountain town they call home.Added to that, Robin’s marriage is on the rocks, her grandmother’s health is failing,…
I’ve always looked for stories that aren’t stamped out of the same mold. Having broken that mold in my own writing years before with Tanyth Fairport and Ravenwood, I dove into this new blend of second chances, paranormal romances, and characters that might be fighting for their lives against supernatural forces but always kept the human spark burning.
I’m a heavy reader so I’m always looking for a good author who has a large catalog to feed my need. Reading Deana Chase’s Keating Hollow books was like coming home. Her ability to string the series together with a revolving cast makes every visit like a new ride on a familiar carousel.
Welcome to Keating Hollow, the village full of love, magic, and cupcakes, and where nothing is more important than family. At age eighteen, after a spell tragically backfired, Abby Townsend left Keating Hollow and her magic behind to find redemption. Ten years later, after being summoned by her family, she’s back. As soon as she drives into town, she’s already plotting her inevitable exit, but she can’t quite escape the pull of the tightly knit magical community or the soulful gaze of the one man she’s never forgotten. And when an eight-year old witch not only leads her back to…
Delve into this internationally best-selling series, now complete! A fast paced laugh-out-loud mix of Urban Fantasy and Mystery.
I can tell when you’re lying. Every. Single. Time. I’m Jinx, a PI hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar–yet my gut…
I’ve always looked for stories that aren’t stamped out of the same mold. Having broken that mold in my own writing years before with Tanyth Fairport and Ravenwood, I dove into this new blend of second chances, paranormal romances, and characters that might be fighting for their lives against supernatural forces but always kept the human spark burning.
Christina Garner’s funny and poignant midlife magic story hooked me from the git-go. I admired the main character’s struggle to find her footing when tossed into a strange world of supernatural beings. Her struggle of trying to balance her need to honor the mystical connection to her late grandmother with the demands of her professional career drew me in and wouldn’t let me go.
A paranormal women's fiction novel with Gen X attitude and a heart of gold.
Welcome to Hollywood Lakes, where the water is warm, the coffee is hot, and magic begins at midlife.
Shay Atwater is a talent manager in Hollywood with a knack for making dreams come true. But somehow, she's never quite found her own. At 44, she fears she's running out of time—especially in Hollywood where women of a certain age become invisible.
She needs a reset, and settling her grandmother's estate is the perfect opportunity for a getaway to Hollywood Lakes, the idyllic town where she spent…
As an author, educator, weaver, and sacred storyteller deeply rooted in Ancestral reclamation, I create work that celebrates Blackness, spirituality, and liberation. My passion for intuitive tools and Ancestral healing is woven into every book and deck I create or recommend. I’m committed to honoring the wisdom of those who came before us while empowering present and future generations to connect with that lineage through spirit-led practices. These decks are a part of my personal ritual toolkit and I’m excited to share them with others on their journey back to self and source.
This deck was one of my early introductions to Ancestral connection through card work and divination. I was drawn in by its vivid, respectful imagery and the way it offers actionable guidance rooted in traditions across the globe. I’ve used it to honor and engage with my ancestors during spiritual work, and it always shows up with grounded, heart-centered wisdom.
It’s a powerful entry point for anyone wanting to open dialogue with their lineage in a sacred, structured way. The cards give direct guidance to actionable steps from your Ancestors through the wording on the cards.
Answer the call of the ancestors to connect to their wisdom, discover their truths, and accept their support. The knowledge of those who came before us can never be lost. It is alive within our hearts, our souls, and our DNA. Tap into love and learning from spirits past with the guidance of award-winning psychic medium, Jade-Skye. Stand with wisdom holders, be open to ageless insight, and solidify your dreams in a future of joy, fulfilment, and clarity. This 43-card set features beautiful images, carefully created by Belinda Morris, to reinforce the messages and help you stretch your energy into…
I’ve been fascinated by Greek Mythology since I read a book about it in childhood. There was a popular graphic novel series about Greek and Roman Mythology in Korea, and I was one of many kids obsessed with these books. That passion continued and became stronger when I moved to New York. It had various mythology books, including novels and picture books, and there were tons of references, such as paintings, sculptures, and authentic vases. I hope you enjoy the books on the list and feel the same thrill I felt!
This palm-sized book tells the story of mythical creatures worldwide. As an illustrator, I’m always fascinated by interesting and experimental book designs, and this book instantly caught my attention with 250 illustrations of more than 100 mythical beings.
I couldn’t stop myself from bringing this book home. It was such an inspiration for me because it tells the story of some creatures that I had never heard of before. This book is still on the bookshelf closest to my computer desk.
This miniature bestiary contains some 250 illustrations of more than 100 mythical beings: fire-breathing dragons, sinuous sea serpents, mischievous leprechauns, high-spirited unicorns, the lumbering Golem, fluttering fairies, and many other wondrous creatures drawn from global folklore and mythology. They are depicted in a wide variety of artistic media, from painting and sculpture to jewellery and ceramics, from ancient times to the present. An insightful text explores the history of these creatures and their cultural roles. All lovers of myth and fantasy will delight in this Tiny Folio.
On the morning of December 26, 2004, an undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. The resulting tsunami killed an estimated 230,000 people across fourteen countries, from Indonesia to Sri Lanka to Thailand to the Maldives to India and all the way to East Africa.…
I don't write within received categories: our lives aren't lived in categories, but are full of varying realities, whether of home, childhood, marriage, parenthood, fantasy, dream, work, or relaxation, and more all mixed together. I can't write in any other way, however dominant a particular strand or age may be on the surface in a given work.Orpheus Rising may have a child hero, and a fantastic, elegant Edwardian Elephant as a spirit guide, but it let me tell a story of love lost and regained, of family broken and remade, of a father in despair and remade, themes of real importance in any life.
This is the best collection of the Greek Myths I believe, and of course covers the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, the direct inspiration for my book. In the classical myth the poet and musician Orpheus loses his love, Eurydice, and sings his way into Hades, overcoming all opposition, until even Hades agrees to let him have Eurydice back in the living world, so long as he does not look back at her until returned there. Once in daylight he does look back, and loses her forever as she hasn't stepped into daylight too. However, unlike Orpheus my young hero succeeds.
Robert Graves's classic retelling of the Greek Myths is definitive, comprehensive and unparalleled - and available now in the Penguin Classics Deluxe series, featuring a new introduction from Rick Riordan (bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and Olympian series).
Including many of the greatest stories ever told - the labours of Hercules, the voyage of the Argonauts, Theseus and the minotaur, Midas and his golden touch, the Trojan War and Odysseus's journey home - Robert Graves's superb and comprehensive retelling of the Greek myths for a modern audience has been regarded for over fifty years as the definitive version.
Born and raised in Greece, I have always been fascinated by the history and mythology of my homeland. My love for reading historical fiction and Greek myths has been drawing me into stories of ancient civilizations and their timeless tales. Visiting archaeological sites and museums, where history comes to life through the remnants of the past has been a lifelong passion and Is a source of inspiration. These experiences have shaped my love for storytelling and my desire to breathe new life into Greek myths and history. In my writing, I aim to bridge the gap between the ancient and the modern.
I was captivated by the slow and deliberate flirtation of Dionysus with Ariadne as he revealed his own story with passion and intimacy. I felt the shared sense of abandonment between him and Ariadne, one mortal, the other immortal. I found that weaving in Phaedra’s story with the lively interactions between the two sisters with such different personalities was a clever plot devise, it was intriguing and added to the complexity of the story.
The characters evolve: innocence, abandonment, depravity, and new awarenesses show in a tragic tale where Theseus, Daedalus, Icarus, Hippolytus, and Perseus support a story basically describing the differing points of view of the two sisters. A great choice for readers like me, who enjoy stories based on Greek mythology with a feminist slant.
A mesmerising retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Perfect for fans of CIRCE, A SONG OF ACHILLES, and THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS.
'ARIADNE gives voice to the misused Princess of Crete who betrayed her father to save Theseus from the Minotaur. Relevant and revelatory.' - Stylist
As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur - Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother - demands blood every year.
There is more than one history of the human world and more than one high culture–but all those histories and cultures may contribute to a unified sense of being and human potential. We need to step outside our immediate world, history, culture, and sensibility to learn–as G.K. Chesterton remarked–that humanity can be great and even glorious under conditions and with beliefs and fancies far different from ours. Knowing this, we may also gain new insight into our familiar local world. We may end, in Kipling’s words, by realizing that in the endless opposition of We and They, We ourselves are only a sort of They!
I first encountered Otto’s book just before going to Oxford University in 1964, and there, I discovered a way of understanding ancient Greek devotion to their gods.
By Otto’s account, those gods were whole worlds of meaning, from sexual joy (Aphrodite) and homicidal fury (Ares) to more subtle visions of the world (Hermes, the traveler in Twilight) and (finally) Zeus as the guarantor of promises, and of hospitality.
He also introduced me to the idea that the Greeks saw “gods” in moments of sudden joy or inspiration: the lucky moment when–in the poet Pindar’s words–a god sheds a shining light on our usual dreamy life.
Appassionante e insuperata ricostruzione dell’universo religioso greco, questo libro avvicina sapientemente il lettore alle figure della religione olimpica – e al loro peculiare modo di manifestarsi – seguendo una duplice da un lato Otto esamina il culto dei dodici dèi olimpici (soffermandosi anzitutto su Atena, Apollo, Artemide, Afrodite, Ermete), dall’altro ce li presenta come esseri che, grazie alle loro divine epifanie – tanto diverse eppure così sottilmente collegate le une alle altre –, vivono una vita inesauribile, compiuta in sé. E ammirevole è la sua prosa allorché si confronta con le più enigmatiche fra le divinità, come nel famoso ritratto…
Nelson West, a former Chicago homicide detective, is hired by wealthy heir Lionel Bing to discreetly help “fix” scandals and legal problems for his father’s wealthy friends.
Bing, a brilliant but troubled investigator, suffers from PTSD symptoms as a result of being kidnapped and witnessing the murder of his mother…
I’ve always been fascinated by stories of myth, magic, and ancient cultures. I grew up devouring everything I could get my hands on, but it seemed like voices were missing in so many myths and legends. Persephone isn’t even the main character in her own myth. Aphrodite, Helen, and countless other women were painted with the same depthless brush. I wanted to know their stories, and as I grew older, I realized I wanted to tell them. The authors of the books in this list are kindred spirits. Countless hours of research and reading went into these stories, and their love for the subject shines through the text.
I can’t write a list of Helen of Troy's many faces without including the most famous source material. Though it’s marketed for children, it’s one of the most faithful and accessible adaptations of the Iliad that I’ve ever read.
I loved the illustrations and how the scenes stayed faithful to those written many centuries ago while still packing an emotional punch to a modern-day reader. The ancient classics that spread orally are all translated retellings, so while there’s definitely value in reading the more academic versions, those aren’t any more or less valid than an accessible text with modern language that pulls you into the story.
I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know the ins and outs of the original to better appreciate retellings.
Frances Lincoln is proud to reintroduce the Greenaway award-winning Black Ships Before Troy.
Here is Homer's epic poem The Iliad, brought to life by Rosemary Sutcliff with all the skill of a master storyteller. Alan Lee's dramatic cover image hauntingly recreates the age of heroes in this introduction to the Greek classics--a book that should become part of every childhood.
