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It may be close to the end of the month, but that doesn’t mean there still isn’t time to squeeze in a few spooky reads! I used to be more of a thrillers person around this time of year, but in the last few years, I’ve shifted to (fiction) books about witches. Here are some of the witch centered book series (and books) that I’ve read and loved!
Spooky Reads for Halloween
The Witches of Thistle Grove Series by Lana Harper
I was trying to look up the author’s description of this series and I swear all of the description of this series (and the ones I mention below) sound the same. “This romance (/rom com) series focuses on the lives of modern day witches in their magical town, (insert name here).” I’m feeling a little bit creatively stumped this morning, so I’ll give you a quick and dirty overview of this series: in Thistle Grove there are multiple magical families wrestling for power, while also working together to keep the town running. Each family has a specific area of magic that they focus on and each book in the series focuses on an individual from a different family. These books are excellent in both the romance and paranormal elements. If you like romance and you’re okay with a little bit of spooky, (but you don’t want horror), this is great for you.
Witchlore Series by Hazel Beck
I should probably warn you that a lot of the “witch” centered books I like to read are typically contemporary romances. This stays true in the Witchlore Series by Hazel Beck. I was interested in this series at first because it was described as a “Supernatural Gilmore Girls.” I’ll get into my complaint about every book getting the “[random characteristic] Gilmore Girls” treatment another time, but for the first book in the series, I kind of see how they got there. It starts out in a small town that has a lot of festivals and a number of quirky characters. In fact, there’s no magic in the beginning of this book at all. But things quickly change when we realize that *gasp* this town has magic and something dark is brewing. The quirkiness stays in the following books, but it does get kind of dark and, in my opinion, loses the Gilmore Girls comparison by the time you’re half way through.
Supernatural Singles by April Asher
Apparently we all really love when witches who don’t have magic discover that they DO in fact have magic…it just took a while for them to get there. If I had to pick something to compare it to, I would say that it’s a more lighthearted version of Charmed. The series focuses on three sisters as they find love and figure out their place in their magical world. The series also has an excellent grandma who pops up throughout the books and provides the hilarious senior citizen charm that I love in novels.
Fix-It Witches Series by Ann Aguirre
(Note: I received this book as an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review)
In 2021, I said that the first book in this series was the most enjoyable rom-coms I read. It had everything I could have wanted, a hot man who bakes, witch magic, and a Hallmark like plot line. Danica is pretty much kicking butt when the book begins. She has a close group of friends and a business that’s thriving. Just one problem, her grandmother keeps trying to set her up on dates with male witches. Since, according to her grandma, if she marries a man who isn’t a witch, she loses her magic. Too bad the hot baker has caught her eye and he may have a thing for her as well. Witch Please (the first in the series) is absolutely delightful and there are many more books in the series you can now check out.
Glen Graves Series by Erin Sterling
The Ex Hex (the first in the series) got a lot of hype when it came out and it was for a good reason. Vivienne Jones was 19 years old when her heart was broken. She was also 19 when she accidentally cursed the boy who broke her heart. Now it’s nine years later and the man who broke her heart is back in town. But on his quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines, everything goes wrong and magic goes on the fritz. This book has a few scenes that will make you jump, but overall, it’s more of a rom com than anything else. While I enjoyed the first book, this series isn’t as much of a favorite as the ones I mentioned above. The second book was just okay and the third book was personally my favorite in the series.
These Witches Don’t Burn (These Witches Don’t Burn #1) by Isabel Sterling
Finally, we have a YA series, because everyone needs a good YA novel, right? With this novel, we’re in Salem, MA, but it’s present day and witches are definitely real. Hannah isn’t even out of high school, but life is already a bit crazy. A blood ritual disrupts the end of school bonfire and now Hannah is stuck trying to figure out who it is. Combine that with having to team up with her ex Veronica to smoke out the witch and things aren’t looking great. There’s quite a few spooky scenes, but this suspenseful novel is perfect for a rainy night.
Honorable Mention: Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
(Note: I received this book as an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review)
Have you read or watched Practical Magic? Then you’ll love this book. Have you skipped over that one? That’s fine, you’ll completely fall in love with Magic Lessons anyways. Magic Lessons follows Maria Owens, the witch to cast the curse that effects Owens women. It follows from her birth place of England, to America, where she eventually ends up in Salem, MA and becomes embroidered in the Salem Witch Trials. Yes, this book is apart of a whole series, but Magic Lessons could honestly be a standalone novel. If you’re a fan of historical fiction and witches, you’ll love this book.
Other Witchy Reads
There are so many other standalones and series out there that I couldn’t even cover them all in this post. Here are some other witchy books I’ve read and series I’ve started that I would recommend as well!
