Spooky Season Reading: Witches
Dive into a world of rituals, spells, and charming stories with these books about spooky and lovable witches.
A speculative horror-romance that combines the magical dark academia of The Atlas Six, the unsettling atmosphere of Mexican Gothic, and the psychosexual power dynamics of The Last Housewife.
Saige Chambers, Arcane Bioengineering student and blood witch, is constantly anxious and chronically over-prepared. When Saige and her fellow witch doctoral candidates depart for a conference, she plans and anticipates every last detail. Except she’s not prepared for the moment their bus turns off the highway and takes them to a remote mansion in the Appalachian Mountains, the gates sealing shut behind them.
The mansion’s owner, Arius Medea, issues a simple mandate: fix his injured, rotting leg or die. But it’s no ordinary injury—the flesh melts off the bone, emitting waves of foul magic that set Saige’s blood alight. Saige’s colleagues want to fight back and escape. Saige thinks their best chance is to fix him fast and get out.
As tensions rise, Saige finds herself growing closer to Vaishnavi Sri, a poison witch and Saige’s long-term crush. But first impressions can be misleading, and as Saige’s reluctant attraction to Arius grows, she begins to wonder if there’s a better life waiting for her in the walls of this mansion.
But, as one by one, Saige’s colleagues start to disappear, Saige realizes that dying may not be the worst option—because there are far worse fates lurking in the woods.
Quaint Folk is a sharply satirical queer folk horror novel that peels back the idyllic veneer of a seemingly perfect island town to reveal the rot beneath, from Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author Bitter Karella.
“The folk horror I always wanted: queer, funny, bloody, and outrageous in the best way.” —Laura Cranehill, author of Wife Shaped Bodies
From the outside, it looks like Jessica has the perfect life. She’s a stay-at-home mom, married to a man with a respectable job, raising a son they adore. Her family is as wholesome as all-American pie. But deep down, Jessica knows there’s something wrong with her; she knows she can’t escape her past.
When her husband’s job has them move abroad, Jessica thinks this is her chance for a fresh start. On the remote island of Hasenhurst, the modern world can’t get in. The people there grow their own herbs, make their own jam, and mind their own business. They believe in folk tales and the power of dreams. They tell visitors, we’re a quaint, quiet people.The right sort of family would do well here.
Jessica is determined to be the right kind of person for a family—and a life—like this. But as she tries to befriend the townsfolk and learn their ways, she soon realizes that beneath the town’s cozy idyll, something sickly-sweet and rotten lays buried …
“To experience Karella’s cheerfully unhinged fiction is to surrender to a spectacularly fierce and uncompromising literary force. Quaint Folk astonished me with its charming, mythical weirdness threaded with genuine moments of pure tenderness. A bold, potent brew of all the best elements of folk and queer horror.” —Eric LaRocca, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke
Welcome to Phantasma. There are only two rules to the game: Stay alive. And don’t fall in love.
When Ophelia’s sister disappears, there is only one way to save her. Ophelia must enter Phantasma, a deadly contest inside a haunted mansion, and claim its prize—a single wish.
Phantasma is a maze of twisting corridors and lavish ballrooms, of demons and temptations. Ophelia will face nine challenges, each more dangerous than the last. There can only be one winner, and the other contestants will stop at nothing to eliminate their rivals.
Every day the house creates new monsters. But just as Ophelia’s fears threaten to overwhelm her, a mysterious stranger offers her a bargain.
Charming, arrogant and infuriatingly attractive, Blackwell claims he can guide her through the lethal trials ahead. All he asks in return is ten years of her life.
Ophelia knows she shouldn’t trust him. Blackwell doesn’t seem dangerous, but appearances can be deceptive. Worse still, she feels a dark and irresistible attraction drawing them closer and closer.
Her life is on the line. But in Phantasma, the only thing deadlier than losing the game is losing your heart . . .
A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Caraval in this seductive fantasy adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling author of Enchantra. With steamy romance, a sexy morally gray love interest, OCD rep and jaw-dropping twists, Phantasma is perfect for fans of Rebecca Yarros, Nisha J. Tuli and Carissa Broadbent.
The print edition includes custom gold foiling on the cover!
In her adult debut, award-winning author Tanaz Bhathena expertly weaves a tale of love and loss in ancient Persia with her take on the timeless tragedy of Tahmineh, a temptress, a witch, a victim, or, perhaps, a woman trying her hardest to protect her loved ones.
“A beautifully rendered mixture of magic and the Middle East.” —Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of My Sister’s Keeper
Rumors of witchcraft follow Princess Tahmineh like a storm cloud, making it impossible for her to secure herself a marriage or any kind of future. With her father, the king’s, health in question, it becomes shockingly clear how desperate her situation will soon become in his absence. If she doesn’t act now, she will quickly find herself destitute and desperate.
Tahmineh seeks out a prophecy, from which she learns she will fall in love with a warrior of great renown named Rostam and bear him a son. However, she is warned this match is a dangerous one for her. Heedless of the warnings, Tahmineh boldly orchestrates a meeting with Rostam and the two develop a close friendship and ultimately fall in love and marry. At the peak of her joy, Tahmineh gives birth to Sohrab, Rostam’s son.
All too soon, Tahmineh learns the tragic second part of the prophecy. Father and son will meet as enemies in battle and one will die at the hand of the other. What follows is a mother’s desperate attempt to undo the threads of fate and try to protect her son at all costs.
“A bold love story.” —Lauren Kate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fallen series
“An aching, timeless, and lush tale.” —Samantha Sotto Yambao, New York Times bestselling author of The Elsewhere Express
INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER
A cozy cute enemies-to-lovers witchy fantasy for readers of Sydney J. Shields’ The Honey Witch and Sarah Beth Durst’s The Spellshop.
She’s a witch who can’t fall in love without getting her heart broken. He holds a grudge like no other.
Bookstore owner Rosie Mayfield wants a love of her own, but it’s not meant to be––because of her family’s curse. To break it, she conjures a ghost who will break her curse, but for a cost––she has to brew a potion to help him transition to the other side. The problem? There’s only one person who hates Rosie in all of Heartwood Hollow, and she needs his help to complete the required task.
Jack Haggerty, the ghost’s grandson, has lamented about Rosie for years––she’s a disaster and she’s forbidden from visiting his gaming shop. He doesn’t believe in ghosts, so he’s stunned when his beloved grandfather makes an appearance. While he loves his family and will do anything to help his grandpa, he fights against the chemistry brewing between him and Rosie until he can’t anymore. But he doesn’t know how to tell her he no longer wants to go through with the plan, and she won’t admit that she’s falling for him because they’re doomed from the start.
Brooklyn’s most chaotic coven is back in An Uncertain Magic. This time all they have to do is take on ancient gods (yes, gods), avoid a magical apocalypse, and save New York City. No big deal.
Joan Greenwood has been adjusting nicely to her life away from her powerful family of witches. She has an apartment full of friends, her dream job at an architecture firm, and a constant companion in the sentient magic that makes up New York City. For once, everything’s coming up Joan.
Until her best friend gets possessed.
There’s a god wearing his skin, a new cult is springing up around him, and magic is going haywire. Things go from bad to worse when Joan’s rival-turned-crush, Astoria Wardwell, arrives from California with the news that her best friend is also possessed. That’s one hell of a coincidence, and the two have to work together to save their best friends before these gods corrupt them. Unless their pesky feelings for each other get in the way.
“Charming and utterly unputdownable.”—Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author, on An Unlikely Coven
From the author of The Magician’s Daughter comes a lush historical fantasy where dreams come to life and Arthurian legends are reborn, perfect for fans of The Everlasting and The Once and Future King.
Wales, 1941. As the second world war ravages the globe, people everywhere begin to dream of King Arthur. Whispers arise of wonders and unexplained sights—dragons in the London Underground, strange lights over Stonehenge. Some claim these things are miracles, heralding Arthur’s return at Britain’s darkest hour.
Elaine Ambrose has never dreamed of Arthur, and she doesn’t believe in miracles. A librarian at the British Museum, she wants only to protect the museum’s collection from the London Blitz and is frustrated to instead be sent to catalog a reclusive professor’s private library on the coast of North Wales. But not all is as it seems. Ellie must confront what she’s tried to ignore: she dreams not of Arthur but of Nimue—the Lady of the Lake. And her dreams promise not salvation but a return to the darkness of the last days of Camelot.
“A dreamy tale about the power of stories. Beautifully conceived and impossible to put down.” —Morgan Ryan, author of A Resistance of Witches
“A true feast of myth and wonder.” —Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light
“A charmingly original entry into the Arthurian canon.” —Louisa Morgan, author of The Faerie Morgana
A coven of trans witches battle an evil AI in the magical coming-of-middle-age romp about love, loss, drag shows, and late capitalism.
On a morning much like any other, 30-something queer Brooklynite Wilder makes a miraculous discovery: suddenly, as if by magic, they can understand every language in the world. Dazed and disconnected, Wilder is found and taken in by a small coven of trans witches who have all become Awakened with mystical powers of their own. Quibble, a handsome portal traveler, Artemis, the group’s caretaker and seer, and Mary Margaret, a smart-ass teen with telekinetic powers all work to make the cagey and suspicious Wilder feel at home, both within their group and with the knowledge that magic is, in fact, real.
Just as Wilder is finding their footing, a malicious AI threatens to dismantle the delicate balance of the coven and the world as they know it. The group scrambles to stay united as they question whether any consciousness—be it artificial, material, or magical—is too dangerous to exist.
Awakened is a hilarious, thought-provoking reflection on the ways that we are responsible for creating our own realities, a story of finding community, and a meditation on what it means to have a body.
Love grows in the most unimaginable of places in Summer N. England’s sweet and spicy cozy romantasy debut, for fans of The Spellshop and For Whom the Belle Tolls!
“Warm and wonderful! The Impossible Garden of Clara Thorne is the kind of book that blossoms in your heart!” —Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop
“Chaotic, spicy, cozy, and full of fiercest love.” —Devrie Brynn Donalson, BookTokker and author of The Art of Burning Heather
Most stories end with a happily ever after. But mine? Well, it begins with one …
After a lonely childhood, Clara Thorne is living out her happy ending as the magically gifted gardener for the town of Moss. Sure, her closest companion is a surly hedgehog, and she’s forever stuck on the first line of her novel, but she has a home. That is, until The Goddess chooses Clara for an important quest—travel to the cursed town of Dwindle and grow them a garden. In less than a month.
Only Clara’s hiding a terrible secret: her magic doesn’t work outside Moss. Worse, The Goddess has assigned the absurdly sexy, annoyingly cheerful Hesper Altanfall to keep her safe. Clara would rather eat thorns than accept help—especially since Hesper insists that Clara’s magic is bound to her heart, not her home.
Nevertheless, the two can’t help growing closer as they traverse enchanted woods and share tavern beds. But with an ancient evil threatening from the shadows, saving Dwindle will require more than enchanted crops. Clara will need to unearth a magic she’s always believed impossible.
Word Witches are spellcasters of language. They are storytellers, poets, writers, and ritualists who know that writing anything is a form of channeling: spirits, ancestors, collective dreams, and their most authentic and surprising selves. Word Witch is a joyful guide and companion, helping writers build a creative practice rooted in magic.
Writer and witch Kate Belew invites readers to craft altars of language, offering simple writing rituals that will spark inspiration and equip writers to build their own thriving creative writing practice. Readers will learn to conjure creativity and imagination, defy the silence of writer’s block, build a circle of community support, and cast spells that spread magic across the page. Much like the movements of the moon and the earth’s seasons, creativity also has cycles that readers will learn to expect and embrace. Word Witch encourages creatives to reclaim their imagination and give themselves permission to write freely, expressively, and magically.
Weaving together magic and creativity, paying homage to the intrinsic power of words to conjure and shape our lives, Word Witch guides readers across the page as they undergo the alchemy of becoming writers.
A fiery, inclusive guide for activists and witches alike, Revolutionary Witchcraft is an empowered introduction to the history and practice of politically-motivated magic.
From the politically charged origins of the word “witch” to the present-day magical resistance, this bold handbook explores the role of witchcraft in our modern world. Author, activist, and practicing witch Sarah Lyons takes readers on a journey through a leftist history of magic—from the witch hunts of early modern England, through the Salem Witch Trials, and up to our present moment. Pairing mystical acts, including sigil magic and soul flight, withcore organizing tactics, like power mapping and protests, Revolutionary Witchcraft offers a blueprint for building a politically grounded magical praxis.
From social justice to environmental activism, this radical reimagining of political activism addresses today’s most pressing problems with empowering, inclusive rituals and magical actions. Each chapter introduces a key concept, like dreaming big, experiencing magical initiation, and joining the revolution, supported by a galvanizing historical case study on the power of mystical action.
Full of actionable ideas for magical organizing, and an appendix packed with customizable spells, Revolutionary Witchcraft is the perfect companion for the magical uprising.
Brewing a cup of tea can lead to a variety of exciting magical practices, and Tea Magic is the perfect, gorgeously illustrated guide.
A steaming cup of tea can be the perfect source of comfort on a brisk fall day—and, as Chloé Zarka Grinsnir’s fascinating book reveals, it is also a potent form of magic that can be effortlessly used to add magic to day-to-day life. Little things done with intent can have great power, and the ritual of tea drinking itself can bring strength during difficult times, energize ordinary tasks with positivity when a new opportunity arises, or provide a deep and necessary connection to intuition in situations that may seem unclear.
Tea Magic is beautifully decorated with illustrations of gorgeous tea cups, colorful teas, and the kinds of magical details that have made Chloé’s art so popular online. But more than that, it’s a thoughtful resource that covers topics such as the energetic correspondences of different kinds of teas and herbs, as well as the properties of accoutrements such as fruits, sweeteners, and milks. Optimal conditions for drying tea leaves and herbs for magical teas are covered, as well as unique practices such as using moon water in teas—and, of course, tasseomancy, or reading tea leaves for divination.
Tea Magic is an essential, easy-to-use resource for anyone who would like to add tea to their spellwork, and a perfect gift for all kinds of tea lovers, even those who don’t yet have a magical practice.
A full year’s worth of spells for healing, hexing, manifesting, and more through the power of social media.
Social media is part of our lives, and it’s an increasingly popular place for witches of all kinds to meet and create new spells. On TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and more, witches set intentions, manifest their dream jobs, and even create virtual altars for their ancestors. Social Media Spellbook is a perfect way to take part in this trend by using social media to channel the power of the universe.
Authors Amy Blackthorn and Natalie Zaman propose adaptable formulas that draw on symbolic imagery, astrology, tarot, herbs, and crystals—not to mention everyday desire—in a spell-a-day format that anyone, even a beginner witch, can use.