Recently I’ve been getting some requests from readers, mainly books suggestions. They usually go something like this, “I really enjoyed reading (insert book here) but I don’t know what to read next. What do you suggest?” I decided that, when I feel the burning desire, I will take these requests and make a blog post out of them. Today’s edition is, if you liked Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen, you might want to check out these other books.

A rich, dark fantasy of destiny, death, and the supernatural world hiding beneath the surface.

Nettie Lonesome lives in a land of hard people and hard ground dusted with sand. She’s a half-breed who dresses like a boy, raised by folks who don’t call her a slave but use her like one. She knows of nothing else. That is, until the day a stranger attacks her. When nothing, not even a sickle to the eye can stop him, Nettie stabs him through the heart with a chunk of wood, and he turns into black sand.

And just like that, Nettie can see.

But her newfound sight is a blessing and a curse. Even if she doesn’t understand what’s under her own skin, she can sense what everyone else is hiding — at least physically. The world is full of evil, and now she knows the source of all the sand in the desert. Haunted by the spirits, Nettie has no choice but to set out on a quest that might lead to her true kin… if the monsters along the way don’t kill her first.

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You might want to check out…

Blackbirds – Chuck Wendig
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The reason these two books remind me of each other is the no-holds-barred writing style. They are dark and mysterious, and full of intense emotion. The setting is just about as different as it gets, but the tone felt very similar to me.

Silver on the Road – Laura Ann Gilman
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If you’re looking for a Weird West book, then look no further. Dry and barren and full of magic that really hasn’t ever been seen before, if you liked Wake of Vultures you’ll probably want to hit up Silver on the Road any minute now.

Karen Memory – Elizabeth Bear
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This book has a memorable, strong female protagonist in a social class that often gets overlooked and looked down upon. There is a Wild West feel here, as well, but really what reminds me of Wake of Vultures is our protagonist, Karen Memory who is though-as-nails and absolutely unapologetic about who she is.

The Builders – Daniel Polansky
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You know, honestly I can’t even put my finger on what in Wake of Vultures makes me think of The Builders, but there’s something that the two books (well, one novella) shares, and it’s fantastic. The Builders is what it is, it’s rough around the edges and hard all the way through and absolutely true to its nature. Maybe that’s what the two books share.

The Six-Gun Tarot – R.S. Belcher
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Another book set in the west, but that’s not really the thing that reminds me of Wake of Vultures. In fact, the thing that reminds me of Wake of Vultures is the interesting magic system and a world steeped in mythology and lore. It’s deep and raw and well researched, full of emotion and plenty of tension and characters that live on the fringes. Just like Wake of Vultures.