Here is another rec if you are looking for a quick and cozy witchy fantasy book to read! This was everything I expect from Cozy Fantasy: beautiful world building, lyrical language, strong symbolism and a powerful magic system made this one of of the best witchy fictions I have read in a long time.
I absolutely loved this sweet & simple storyline and I can’t wait to read more by this author! I already ordered a few of her Myrtlewood Mysteries books, and I’m so excited to dive deeper into the world of Accidental Magic
The year is 1666, and widowed Abitha is left to fend for herself amongst a Puritan community who shuns her boldness and outspokenness. But when she chances to awaken the ancient spirit of Slewfoot, she makes a deal with the devil—and both are destined to discover deep truths about themselves and the world around them, forever bonded by blood and bone.
I could not put this down. It was witchy and worldly, dark and disturbing, it was everything I love about historical fantasy! If you are looking for something spooky to read this October, this author has some amazing stories to choose from!
I have been watching and reading lots of witchy things this season, and it has me feeling so nostalgic! I loved the new Hocus Pocus (which was done so well! The Sanderson Sisters haven’t aged a day!!) and have been watching Sabrina and Practical Magic on repeat all month. So I thought it would be fun to to honor some of my favorite witches for spooky season!
The Owens Sisters
Two is a magickal number: 2 is the very essence of duality, and Gillian and Sally Owens are the perfect duo – where Gilly is rebellious, Sally is prudent. Where Gillian is spontaneous, Sally is predictable. They are polar opposites, but together they complete each other.
Sabrina The Teenage Witch
Sabrina is the type of which many of us strive to be — navigating through the world, taking care of the people we love, and always using our powers for good. Yes, sometimes her magic causes more hijinx than heroism, but she can usually fix her mistakes and learn from them, and her heart is always in the right place.
The Sanderson Sisters
27 years later and the beloved movie Hocus Pocus is still watched every Halloween season, and the new sequel only solidifies this classic in witch lore. The Sanderson Sisters represent the quintessential trine, and are the youth-stealing monsters of myth that everyone loves to hate.
The Craft Coven
Nancy is who I think of when I think of the ultimate dark witch. She dabbles in shadow Magic, loves a good hex, and even taps into astral maniulation. But if Nancy is a dark witch, then Sarah is her opposite: a light witch.
Sarah Bailey is a witch who understands that right choices are not always easy to make. She could easily could’ve followed her coven into reckless and harmful magic, but instead she fights against them, even when they try to use her mental health struggles against her.
The Wicked Witch of the West
I can’t make a list of witches and not include her! She isn’t a 90’s witch, but she is a classic!
This is a really interesting book that glimpses into the ancient art and modern magic of candles. Packed full of wisdom and spells, this book is essential for witches of all paths.
Candle spells are one of the simplest form of magic. Fire helps to align yourself with the elements, focus your intentions and release your energy into the world.
This book offers a wonderful introduction to candle magic, and teaches readers how to harness the power of the flame. It covers everything from the history of candles to spells of all kinds: spells for love, money, career, health, and luck are just some of the things you will learn from this guide.
Authors Sandra Mariah Wright and Leanne Marrama are professional psychics based in Salem, MA. You can follow them at @thepsychictea and @leannemarrama on Instagram.
Thank you to Tarcher Perigree for sending me an Advance Reading Copy of this title. All opinions are my own. #atpinfluencers
This was a really interesting book that glimpses into Mexican cultural lore and traditional folk magic. Packed full of recipes and prayers, this book is essential for witches of all paths.
Meaning “witchcraft” in Spanish, brujería describes or disparages occult religious practices in some Latin American and Afro-Caribbean cultures with indigenous roots.
I chose this book to learn more about Brujeria magic because it is informed by Catholic beliefs, Aztec traditions, and Mexican healing arts. The main focus of the spellwork in this book are baths, candles, cleansings, and agua floridas. It offers a cultural understanding of spellcraft and other traditions of the Global South.
And while it does teach readers about spiritual cleansing through cleaning, candle casting and honoring the saints, it is more than just a reference or lesson book. Dedicated to Mexican-Americans, this book is for those who feel they are both and neither, who are caught in-between. It explores ancestors and descendants, and seeks to reclaim the magical and religious traditions of Mexico. Filled with cultural advice, this book hopes to bring confidence back to the generation of Mexican-Americans who have been assimilated and colonized, and lets readers know that they are not alone.
If you feel a pull back to the magic of your ancestors, this book is written for you.
Thank you so much to Ulysses Press for reaching out to send me an Advance Reading Copy of this title. All opinions are my own.
I love books about the occult and witchcraft, so I was excited to add Earth Magick to my collection of magical books. The cover is stunning and I love the art style-–it just makes me want to read it and display it. And it is as beautiful inside as it is out: the book is filled with gorgeous illustrations, diagrams, and charts that inspire and inform your practice.
This book covers ritual basics, the elements, the seasons, healing crystals, divination techniques, shadow work, energy balancing and more. Each section is packed full of easy to understand text and is paired with beautiful visualizations, breaking down the information and making it all super easy to understand and put into practice.
If you enjoy magical realism, you will love Romina Garber’s newest book in the Wolves of No World series. Netgalley gifted me a free e-ARC of the sequel, Cazadora, and I was so excited to jump in and finish the series! In the follow-up to Lobizona, Romina Garber continues to weave Argentine folklore and real-world issues into a haunting, fantastical, and romantic story that will reunite readers with Manu and her friends as they continue to fight for a better future.
“That’s why every new generation makes improvements.”
First of all, I love that this book was filled with Spanish aphorisms and phrases, and includes vocabulary in-context to help teach Spanish to non-speakers. As someone who is constantly trying to improve my Spanish, this is something I really appreciate seeing in new books. Garber does it well, allowing the reader to infer meaning from context clues without needing to use a translator. However, I can also really appreciate having the translation dictionary available if I do need it, conveniently built into my e-reader. It saves a lot of time not having to click out of the book, and as a visual learner I enjoy seeing side-by-side translations because it really helps me to understand spelling and pronunciation.
Alice Hoffman returns, 22 years later, to tell the first part of the story. The Rules Of Magic follows Franny, Jet, and Vincent Owens as they uncover the mystery of their witchy heritage, and try to break the curse that haunts their fate. This prequel to the 1995 best-seller Practical Magic is an essential prelude to the first book, providing a fundamental understanding of the family and the secrets that follow them.
In The Rules Of Magic, we are introduced to Maria Owens, the Salem witch Hoffman uses to root the family tree in witchcraft and magik. The plot opens with Franny, Jet, and their younger brother Vincent, and explains to readers why they are the way that they are. Witch-y.
“What mattered was the blood that ran through him, the same blood that flowed through Maria Owens.” (53).
MANDY'S READING LIST 