October, for me, is all about magic.
This month, if a book or a movie doesn't involve a witch, or at least a little bit of spookiness, I don't want it. (I even recently purchased a perfume called "Bad Witch." No, I didn't care what it smelled like.) (Though for the record, it smells wonderful...autumnal, spicy, spooky!)
Do we live in an era of incredible witchy books? It sure feels like it to me. Over the past few years I've been blown away by the power of some of these spooky, witchy tales. Here are some of my recent favorites:
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe: I love a good, witchy quest book, and this one jumps between modern day Massachusetts and the Salem Witch Trials. Done and done.
The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle: Curses that plague a family every October! This beautifully written book is also super spooky.
The Blythewood Trilogy by Carol Goodman: The magical boarding school setting checks off even more of my boxes.
The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray: Speaking of magical boarding schools...this is canon for anyone who likes spooky, gorgeous books.
The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff: It can be easy to forget that real people, mostly women, were killed and tortured for being witches. Let this compelling nonfiction title remind you.
The Diviners by Libba Bray: More magic, less witches, if that's your thing. (Listen, you do you.) This is a haunting book...don't say I didn't warn you.
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness: Not for the faint of heart, this book is engrossing and super detailed, and involves all sorts of magical creatures.
And of course, the classics, like Harry Potter, the Teen Witch series (don't @ me), Practical Magic, and more (which I share here) are always good for a re-read this time of year. Meanwhile, I'm also incredibly excited about these witchy new releases that are high up on my TBR list:
- The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol: For the middle grade readers in your life...Read an excerpt here!
- The Witches of New York by Ami McKay: This is sitting in my TBR pile and I cannot wait.
- Before the Devil Breaks You (The Diviners Part 3) by Libba Bray: I'm cracking this one open tonight...because it's Friday the 13th, and that feels fitting.
Which witch books do you like best?
