Reading Guide
18 Witchy Books for Every Type of Reader
Cozy, romantic, gothic, historical or downright murderous — whatever kind of reader you are, there's a little witchcraft for you.
Some of us want our witches running magical inns and making found families. Some want them falling in love. Some want them living in the woods in 17th-century New England doing things that would absolutely get this article an R rating.
The good news? “Witchy” isn't really a genre. It's a vibe that shows up everywhere from cozy fantasy and romance to historical fiction, literary fiction and horror.
So instead of giving you another giant list of witch books, we matched 18 witchy reads to six very different types of readers.
For the cozy fantasy reader
Witches, but make it warm and fuzzy.
01
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping
Sangu Mandanna
A cozy magical inn, found family, second chances and a witch trying to rebuild her life and her magic.
02
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Sangu Mandanna
Warm, romantic found-family fantasy about an isolated witch invited to teach three young witches how to control their magic.
03
The Spellshop
Sarah Beth Durst
Forbidden spellbooks, an island cottage, magical plants and jam. Extremely comforting fantasy.
For the historical-fiction reader
A little history. A little magic. Possibly some women being accused of things.
01
Weyward
Emilia Hart
Three women across five centuries connected by family, nature and an unusual inheritance.
02
The Familiar
Leigh Bardugo
Magic, ambition and danger in the Spanish Golden Age, with the Inquisition looming.
03
The Once and Future Witches
Alix E. Harrow
Three sisters, witchcraft and the women's suffrage movement in an alternate 1893.
For the romance reader
For when the spell isn't the only thing with chemistry.
01
The Ex Hex
Erin Sterling
An old boyfriend, an accidentally effective curse and extremely Halloween-y romantic comedy.
02
A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon
Sarah Hawley
A witch accidentally summons a demon and ends up pretending he's her boyfriend.
03
Payback's a Witch
Lana Harper
Magical competition, revenge and queer romance in a town run by witch families.
For the gothic reader
Old houses. Dark woods. Questionable decisions.
01
Starling House
Alix E. Harrow
A strange house, a dying Kentucky town and something sinister buried beneath both.
02
The Year of the Witching
Alexis Henderson
Forbidden magic, an oppressive religious society and a dangerous forest.
03
Slewfoot
Brom
Puritan New England, an outcast woman and something ancient in the woods. Decidedly not cozy.
For the mystery & thriller reader
Because apparently regular murder wasn't complicated enough.
01
Magic for Liars
Sarah Gailey
A non-magical private investigator investigates a murder at the magical school where her witch sister teaches.
02
The Lighthouse Witches
C.J. Cooke
Missing children, a remote Scottish island and centuries-old accusations of witchcraft.
03
The Invocations
Krystal Sutherland
Three young women, forbidden witchcraft, demons and a supernatural murder investigation.
For the literary-fiction reader
Beautiful prose, complicated women and just a touch of magic.
01
Circe
Madeline Miller
An intimate, character-driven reimagining of one of mythology's most famous witches.
02
The Witch's Heart
Genevieve Gornichec
Norse mythology retold through Angrboda, a witch whose fate becomes entwined with Loki and the gods.
03
The Book of Gothel
Mary McMyne
A literary historical reimagining of the woman who became the witch in the Rapunzel story.
Still too specific?
Maybe you want cozy witches but no romance. A witchy murder mystery that isn't actually scary. Historical witches without a sad ending. Or something that feels like Weyward, but with more magic.
That's what Matchbook is for.
Tell Matchbook exactly what you're in the mood for — however specific — and it'll find books that match.
Books, but exactly your type.
Learn more about personalized book recommendations or see how Matchbook works.