I’ve always been told that I might be a witch with my pointy Sicilian nose, which explains my obsession with enchanting tales, talking cats, and magical spells. Every fall, I devour wickedly witchy books, and these are some of my favorite fiction novels for adults across the years.
While we find witches fascinating, society loves to hate and scapegoat them. Equally, we fear witches, but we also fall madly in love with them. We are talking about evil women. Women who are different. Powerful women. Women with voices. Stunningly mesmerizing women. Magical women. Below, discover some of the best fiction witch books and why I love them. P.S. I change this list often. 💜 Christine
The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova
Plot
Orquídea Divina writes to her family informing them that she is dying. Inviting them to collect their inheritance, the Montoyas know very little about their witchy family member, except that odd things happen to anything within her reach. Think Practical Magic.
Orquídea has remained hidden in her magically created and protected home in Four Rivers, running from a deadly past. With her demise, that “something” will seek revenge upon her family members. Orquídea’s descendants want answers, traveling to Ecuador as their flowery inheritances manifest. We read about the past, present, and future.
Why I love & recommend The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you enjoy authors like Isabel Allende, you might equally appreciate Zoraida Córdova’s writing. The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is one of the most beautifully written books about witches. Orquídea’s magic left me spellbound, and while I sometimes struggle with magical realism, I devoured this plot. It was one of my favorite books of the year (2021), especially for its powerful Latinx experiences and homage to ancestry. Find a copy on Book of the Month, too.
You Might Also Enjoy: Books set in and about Ecuador.
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The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Plot
Mika Moon has been raised alone. It’s a rule that witches must separate, as they are too powerful and society has yet to approve of (or understand) their powers. However, when she receives an invitation to Nowhere House to mentor three young witches living together, she hops in Broomstick (her car) with her dog, Circe, too curious and lonely to pass up the opportunity.
What Mika finds surprises her: a happy group of non-blood family members raising the girls and looking out for each other. She’s even more shocked as she slowly becomes part of the family. But are they just using her, too? Is this too good to be true? And, can witches be together? With secrets, an evil solicitor, and yet-to-be-controlled magic, what could go wrong? A lot…
Why I recommend The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is by far one of the sweetest, funniest, and most heart-warming books with witches I’ve read, filled with love and magic. It’s pretty impossible not to close The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches without a smile on your face. There’s a little brooding librarian romance, tons of F-bombs, delicious tea, and the cutest kids around. Who doesn’t enjoy a little UK travel, too?
You Might Also Enjoy: Books featuring librarians
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A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley
Plot
Mariel Spark is amazing at nature magic but terrible at all other witch magic, endlessly disappointing her mother and the prophecy she is meant to fulfill. When she accidentally summons Oz, a hot demon, they must figure out a way to release each other’s new binds without Mariel bargaining away her soul. With her magical forest under threat of development, Mariel has a lot to juggle and prove. Of course, so many Sparks fly. Pun intended.
Why I recommend A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 If, like me, you love-hate yourself for reading Laurie Gilmore’s Dream Harbor series, the Glimmer Falls series might equally invoke self-loathing paired with those deeply comforting fall feels. It’s very Hallmark-movie-esque, and I just couldn’t put it down.
Around 80% in, the predictable plot knocked a few stars off for me, along with the cheesy names mimicking human ones. However, I love Mariel’s connection to nature. I wish my plants would interact with me. We all need her strong female friend group, and they really had me craving late-night diner fries.
A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon is the perfect quick and cozy witch book if you love all the magical beings and some steamy bedroom scenes. I appreciate Mariel’s self-growth.
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The Change by Kirsten Miller
Plot
Meet Jo, Nessa, and Harriet – all of whom have supernatural powers. When Nessa finds the ghosts of three dead young women on the beach – in the wealthy part of town – she knows that she and her new friends must find the killers. Of course, they must avenge the girls. Can they solve this murder mystery before the culprits come for their daughters?
Set in Long Island, New York, find a captivating feminist story about friendship, love, wealth, aging, and, of course, murder.
Why I love The Change
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ One of my top books (in 2022), I cannot resist a story with middle-aged protagonists, a true rarity these days in a publishing world that heavily focuses on 20-year-olds and pregnancy. I was thrilled to see such open and honest discussions about periods and menopause. Equally, I appreciated the LGBTQ+ romance, and even though these women are quite quirky, deadly, and powerful, I missed them dearly upon closing the novel.
You Might Also Enjoy: Novels set around New York; Books with ghosts and spirits.
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The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling
Plot
“Never mix vodka with witchcraft,” but that’s exactly what brokenhearted, teenage Vivi does. Her summer love, Rhys, is betrothed to someone else. As he heads back to Wales, Vivi places a hilarious and harmless fake curse on Rhys. Or so she thinks…
Nearly a decade later, when Rhys returns, everything starts going wrong. Now, Rhys must enlist the help of Vivi and her family to rid him of the curse. And let’s be honest, he doesn’t mind spending so much time with Vivi.
Why I recommend The Ex Hex
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Travel to Wales and small-town Georgia in The Ex Hex. If you are looking for witchy romance books, this one is for you. I most loved the chilling ghosts, haunted house, talking cat, and the coolest witch store in town.
For a fluffy rom-com, especially perfect around Halloween, The Ex Hex checks all of my spooky season boxes. I won’t lie, though: I wanted less steamy scenes and more talking cat. For me, the novel picked up pace around the midway point.
You Might Also Enjoy: Books set at haunted houses
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The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
Plot
Travel to Mexico via your armchair immediately following the Mexican War of Independence, which led to the execution of Beatriz’s father. Beatriz must strategically marry – and quickly – to save her mother and herself from becoming destitute. Unfortunately, the home she acquires is trying to kill her just as it killed Don Rodolfo Solórzano’s last wife.
Hacienda San Isidro needs more than an exorcism from a priest. This haunted house requires the spells of a witch.
Why I recommend The Hacienda
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ For captivating witchy books with a flair of gothic and historical fiction, The Hacienda is a unique Rebecca retelling that made me nostalgic for Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic. The plot seamlessly blends horror and romance, spellbinding me with a story of a ticked-off haunted house, a handsome witch, and a strong woman in historical fiction. This is a subtle novel about the ghosts of colonialism.
You Might Also Enjoy: Strong women in historical fiction
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The Widow Of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox
Plot
Sophronia Carver is a new widow accused of murder by a sleepy town that is not only jealous of her wealth but also of her beauty. We know this story too well. Of course, they deem Sophy a witch, using practical magic and spells to punish the residents of Pale Harbor.
Sophy becomes the target of death threats inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s stories, which we know are terrifying. Enter the hunky minister, Gabe, who is also trying to escape his past. Gabe is determined to uncover Sophronia’s true identity. While caught up in this gothic murder mystery, a romance ignites between the two. Will Sophy survive to see it through?
Why I recommend The Widow of Pale Harbor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ For one, Fox presents readers with a series of dynamic women – servants, friends, and scorned lovers – and she works hard to paint an accurate picture of mid-1800s society for them.
These women are up against Pale Harbor, a sleepy town gripped by fear and controlled by hatred. Sophronia is a dynamic feminist, struggling through lies, deceit, anxiety, and downright hostility. She reminds me of Agnes in Burial Rites by Hannah Kent – a must-read Icelandic book – where “witchcraft” and beauty breed jealousy-inspired death sentences.
For gothic historical fiction, you cannot go wrong with the literary tie-ins. Castle Carver is also based on Castle Tucker, which is located in Wiscasset, Maine (you can visit this Victorian home today).
You Might Also Enjoy: Books About The Salem Witch Trials
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A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Plot
Witches are not supposed to trust vampires. However, when Diana Bishop, a descendant of witches, discovers a coveted and magically essential text, all of this is about to change.
With the trifecta perfection of an intriguing man – mysterious, deadly, and presumably gorgeous – Diana must learn and accept more about her witchy dealings while helping the magical community.
Why I Like A Discovery of Witches
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ With so many well-known and classic witch books to select from, A Discovery of Witches is my favorite for that library (all the books!). Alongside strong character development and storybuilding, the plot has it all: fantasy, romance, and mystery. The page-length had me worried – I don’t like big books; I will not lie… haha – but I kept wanting more. As a TV and movie buff, it doesn’t hurt that the TV drama series is also excellent.
You Might Also Enjoy: Best Vampire Books
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Just found this fabulous post. I love witchy books and there quite a few here I hadn’t heard of, so thank you!
I just finished a romance called The Book Boyfriend by Jeanna Louise Skinner. It was a different kind of witchy story to what I’m used to in that the “magic” was all about the magic of words, with a plus-size and mentally ill heroine with writer’s block and her historical “book boyfriend”, who literally appears in her dusty, antiquated bookstore straight out of the pages of an old cursed tome! She has to find her own voice again and rewrite his story to free him from the curse and a fateful last page. The writing was so beautiful and it kept me gripped with a few twists and turns I didn’t see coming. Lovely stuff!
Thank you so much, and thank you for sharing your recent witchy read with a great summary and review. We haven’t read The Book Boyfriend yet and will have to add it to our TBR. It sounds perfect for us! We appreciate the rec!
I loved Witch of Blackbird Pond! Agatha Christie has a couple of witchy books…one that comes to mind is The Pale Horse.
I just love Agatha Christie! Thanks for the additional witchy book recommendations, Elsie.
Oh nice! I have been on a bit of a hunt for witch related writing since visiting Salem. I read the Crucible when I was in high school and loved it! And my mom has that first book – A Discovery of Witches! I should read it! Thanks for the suggestions!
I read The Crucible in 10th grade and loved it too. A Discovery of Witches is fun because it is romance, but it’s not like Twilight. There is more world-building and history. I need to watch the series.
I’m currently making my way through The Mayfair Witches by Anne Rice, looks like there’s some good follow up ideas here!
I’ve meaning to pick up an Anne Rice book. Thank you for the suggestion. I hope it’s good. I just love witchy books. It’s almost that time of year…
The first one in the series, The Witching Hour, is my favorite of the three. Would also recommend Interview with the Vampire (way better than the movie), Blood and Gold and Blackwood Farm.
I’ve heard of them and seen the series on a ton of lists. Ohhh, I love Vampire stories. I will check them out. Thanks!
I love Sarah Addison Allen’s Garden Spells – a lightly witchy read 🙂 The sisters have slight magical powers that vary from one family member to another. Small town New Englad charm as well!
Thank you for the suggestion. I will have to check it out. Fall books are my favorite, especially when they are set in my New England home. Can’t wait to get into the mood for the season. I’ve been meaning to read Sarah Addison Allen.
Great list! Please, I implore you; give Witch Light by Susan Fletcher a go. I read it years ago, an unforgettable novel.
Oh wow! I just looked this title up on Goodreads, and it sounds so intriguing. I definitely added Witch Light by Fletcher to my list. Thank you so much for the suggestion. I appreciate it!
This is such a great list to have. I always gravitate toward “ghosty” books, but I really do love me a good witch story, too! I never realized how many great options there are.
I also vouch for the Sookie Stackhouse/ TRUE BLOOD series! I started reading these books after watching the TV show, and I fell in love with them…though, honestly, I feel like the series kinda goes off the rails after book 6 or 7. My favorite book is #4, which involves a lot of witchy behavior and a very different Eric Northman *swoon*. LOVE Eric Northman. That shower scene in book #4? Worth reading the series for that alone, my friends! 😉 Seriously, though, such a fun and great series to read. And, fun fact: My husband and I met at a TRUE BLOOD party for the season 3 premiere! He was dressed as Bill Compton, and I was dressed as Sookie; he came over to me and we joked about how we belonged together, and…got married 4 years later, and have been together for 7. 🙂 So, this series/tv show holds a special place in my heart!
I gotta try A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY. I am a huge fan of Libba Bray’s THE DIVINERS series; I think she is such a fantastic writer. I need to read more of her stuff.
The Katherine Howe book looks great. I’m assuming this is the same Howe who wrote THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE — which is also a GREAT witch book, if you haven’t read it yet!
OMG you are a true Sookie Stackhouse fan! I read the books when I lived in Indonesia. My best friend’s mom kept sending her more and more in the series. I would read them by headlamp when my power went out–which was all of the time. We flew through the series together. I felt lost when the finally book published. Then, because it was Indo, we found True Blood episodes at the street markets. I couldn’t believe how sexual the HBO series was–and weird. Well, maybe I can. It doesn’t bother me, but I just never got that into the HBO side. I haven’t seen all the season but am thinking about trying again from the beginning. I love how vividly you remember the shower scene. AHAHA. It’s all fuzzy now. I think Harris is a great world builder, though.
That’s such a cool way to meet your husband! Man, that is giving me some great blog post ideas. THANK YOU.
I haven’t read The Diviners but Beauty Queens had me in stitches. Bray also co-organized the anthology Zombies vs Unicorns that I enjoyed.
I’ve never read another Howe book–thanks for the suggestion and the AMAZING comment.
I have the Sookie Stackhouse books but I’ve been slacking off on reading them. I love True Blood though. I heard there was a big difference between the books and the show.
There is such a big difference. I want to revisit True Blood one of these days. I think I made it in a few seasons. I was really bummed with the book series ended. They get better as you go.
Great list, Christine. I loved Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle trilogy. <3
If I may add to this, I definitely recommend Strange Grace by Tessa Graton. It's so good!
Thank you for the book suggestion!! You may always add to the lists. I will check out Strange Grace. Thank you!
I have to finish the Gemma Doyle Trilogy. I am glad that you loved them. I like Libba Bray–she is pretty unique. Did you read Beauty Queens? I listened to it, and it was hilarious!