Since reading the Harry Potter series (I know, how original! But bear with me), I’d been searching for books that awoke the same feelings of awe, curiosity, and inspiration in me. It’s been my mission—to be on the dramatic side—to find books that make magic feel just within reach of our world, which is why I set out to write my own urban fantasy story, The Wise One. My creation process involved years of extensive research on esoteric topics and Celtic folklore, including visiting most of my story’s locations during my travels across Ireland and Scotland. What I can boldly say after immersing myself in the landscape and culture is this: magic totally does exist.
I read this trilogy when I was a teenager and couldn’t put it down. The blend of historical fiction, magic, and forbidden desires was easily devourable, if that’s even a word. Set in 1895 at an English boarding school, it’s incredibly atmospheric and full of secrets you’ll want to unravel faster than you could turn the page.
It's 1895, and after the death of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma's reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she's being followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence's most powerful girls - and their foray into the spiritual world - lead to?
I’d always had this idea that magic and science go hand in hand. It’s not about believing one over the other but about how they work in conjunction. A Discovery of Witchesis the first book Iread that embraces this concept and in the most compelling way possible. Through the lens of a unique witch named Diana and a centuries-old vampire, Harkness takes us on a journey ofcreation, ancient magic, and forbidden love (and who doesn’t love some of that?).
In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont.
A wind sorcerer. A dark spirit. An unsolved murder.
On the haunted Draakensky Windmill Estate, sketch artist Charlotte Knight arrives to live on the property, hired to illustrate the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke—a bright and lucrative opportunity to boost her struggling art career.
When I was recommended this book, I was in the midst of my own journey of self-discovery, likethe author was in writing it. I was just starting to embrace who I wanted to be: someone whocould open people’s imaginations to the magic that is already all around us. Faery Taleis thestory that prompted me to book that trip to Ireland and Scotland and experience the mysticism of the lands for myself. I’m not a memoir enthusiast normally, but Pike’s (at first) skeptical POV,detailed research into Celtic folklore, and real-life magical encounters inspired much of mydebut novel.
In search of something to believe in once more, Signe Pike left behind a career in Manhattan to undertake a magical journey - literally. In a sweeping tour of Mexico, England, Ireland, Scotland and beyond, she takes readers to dark glens and abandoned forests, ancient sacred sites and local pubs, seeking people who might still believe in the elusive beings we call faeries. As Pike attempts to connect with the spirit world - and reconnect with her sense of wonder and purpose - she comes to view both herself and the world around her in a profoundly new light.
I'm always reluctant to recommend occult books (there's definitely a weirdness factor that will turn some off), but this isn't like any other. Don't worry: you don't have to purchase a wand, crystals, salts, oils, or herbs. Scott Cunningham was a widely respected practitioner that always advocated for age-old tools of natural magic—like water from a spring. For those interested in exploring the Craft, this is the perfect starting point because it reminds us of the fundamentals: nature is magic. It doesn't get more complicated than that.
"A treasure trove of practical magic for both novices and more experienced practitioners...beautifully crafted spells that invoke the alchemy of possibility."—PanGaia
A leaf from an oak tree...a wildflower...water from a sparkling stream...dirt from a cool dark cave—these are the age-old tools of natural magic. Born of the earth, possessing inherent power, they await only our touch and intention to bring their magical qualities to life.
The four elements are powerful magical tools. Using their energies, we can transform ourselves, our lives, and our world. This much-loved, classic guide offers more than seventy-five spells, rites, and simple rituals you can perform…
When Annie Thornton, midwife and apprentice witch, falls through time to a 15th-century Yorkshire village with her telepathic cat, Rosamund, she befriends Will and Jack, two soldiers returning from the French Wars. Mistress Meg, Annie’s ancestral aunt living in the 15th century, is…
This is the first high fantasy book I've ever read (if you put Harry Potterin the urban fantasy box), so how could I not include it in my top picks? It's one of those stories that you read way past your bedtime; that a pre-teen reader can enjoy as much as an adult; and whose relationships between characters are as charming and intriguing as the magic itself. With the perfect blend of plot twists, adventure, love, and humour—and so, somuch heart—the Inkworld is one I'll never forget.
The first book in Cornelia Funke's internationally celebrated trilogy - magical, thrilling and mesmerising.
'I don't think I've ever read anything that conveys so well the joys, terrors and pitfalls of reading' Diana Wynne Jones
Meggie loves books. So does her father, Mo, a bookbinder, although he has never read aloud to her since her mother mysteriously disappeared. They live quietly until the night a stranger knocks at their door. He has come with a warning that forces Mo to reveal an extraordinary secret - a storytelling secret that will change their lives for ever.
When a teenager learns she has innate magical gifts, she journeys to Ireland in search of answers and finds herself as the bridge to a realm of spirits, witches, faeries—and a dark prophecy.
The Wise One is a teen/YA witchy book for the young and young at heart, forged by themes of nature, power, and spiritual journeys. Expect to find faeries, friendship, and faith where one often fails to look. Imagine mystic lakes, magical realms, and harvest moons.
If you can already feel yourself lighting up with excitement, then this book was written for you.
An Heir of Realms tells the tale of two young heroines—a dragon rider and a portal jumper—who fight dragon-like parasites to save their realms from extinction.
Rhoswen is training as a Realm Rider to work with dragons and burn away the Narxon swarming into her realm. Rhoswen’s dream is to…
In this contemporary fantasy for fans of V. E. Schwab and Kaliane Bradley, historian Aida Reale lands a dream job in Italy—only to discover her employers aren’t exactly human.
After losing her book deal and academic post, Aida is desperate. A high-paying position at a mysterious company called MODA seems…
