Picked by These Witches Don't Burn fans

Here are 9 books that These Witches Don't Burn fans have personally recommended once you finish the These Witches Don't Burn series. Shepherd is a community of authors and super-readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Book cover of The Year of the Witching

Claire Fitzpatrick Author Of Metamorphosis: Short Stories

From my list on horror gems for a perfect late-night read.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love books that whisk me away and keep me reading long into the night. There’s something so exciting about realizing you’ve been reading for so long that you have no idea what the time is or if it’s even the same day. I’m also incredibly passionate about horror and what it can teach us about ourselves and our society. Being diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 12 made me feel isolated and alone, but horror granted me a form of escapism and taught me to embrace what made me feel different, something each of these books does. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did!

Claire's book list on horror gems for a perfect late-night read

Claire Fitzpatrick Why Claire loves this book

I found this a captivating read. It was morbid, dark, and grim, but it was also exciting. I was quickly drawn into the world of Immanuelle Moore, whose mother was called a witch and died giving birth to her. I loved the author’s attention to detail.

The villages of Bethel and the Darkwood are so vivid that I could believe the protagonists’ lives in the puritanical, secluded world full of zealots, idolatry, sexism, and racism. The book is also beautifully atmospheric—the village, the trees, and the large cathedrals are so well described.

One of the book's main themes was self-discovery, which is why I think it’s more aimed toward YA, but I recommend it to anyone interested in witches, small towns, religion, and feminist themes. 

By Alexis Henderson ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Year of the Witching as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.
 
In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet's word is law, Immanuelle Moore's very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.

But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased…


Book cover of The Witches of New York

E. Latimer Author Of Witches of Ash and Ruin

From my list on putting a little witch into your week.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a Canadian fantasy and horror writer living on Vancouver Island. In my spare time I collect far too many candles and dabble in tea leaf reading, so stories of witchcraft and witches are naturally right up my alley. 

E.'s book list on putting a little witch into your week

E. Latimer Why E. loves this book

A gorgeous story set in New York’s “gilded age” about magical women forming strong bonds. Also, it’s set in a tea shop called “Tea and Sympathy” and I just wanted to live in that world as I was reading. Not only is Ami McKay a terrific writer, her attention to detail and her research shines through in this book, as even the witchcraft the women practice is based on old folklore and tradition.

By Ami McKay ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Witches of New York as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Those averse to magic need not apply...

The perfect novel for Halloween!

1880

Witches Adelaide Thom and Eleanor St Clair have opened a tea shop in Manhattan specialising in cures, palmistry and potions.

When an enchanting woman called Beatrice joins the witches as an apprentice, she soon proves indispensable, but her new life is marred by strange occurrences.

She sees things no one else can see. She hears voices no one else can hear. Has she been touched by magic or is she simply losing her mind?

Amidst the witches' tug-of-war over how best to nurture her gifts, Beatrice disappears.…


Book cover of Labyrinth Lost

D.L. (Destiny) Soria Author Of Thief Liar Lady

From my list on fantasy by Latine authors.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a half-Mexican author who grew up in a tiny Alabama town, where I spent my summers playing with sticks in the woods and exploring such distinguished careers as Forest Bandit, Wayward Orphan, and Woodland Fairy Princess. After college, I ran away to New Zealand for seven months and only pretended to be a character from Lord of the Rings on special occasions. Nowadays, I live and work in South Carolina with my clingy (and, unfortunately, non-magical) cat. 

D.L.'s book list on fantasy by Latine authors

D.L. (Destiny) Soria Why D.L. loves this book

This dark fantasy, about a powerful teenage witch who must travel to the eerie land of Los Lagos to rescue her family, is fast-paced and profoundly moving.

The magic, which is inspired by Mexican Brujería, is a beautiful tribute to a rich cultural history. There is a queer love triangle for any romance lover, but it doesn’t overshadow the exciting adventure and self-discovery at the heart of the story. 

By Zoraida Córdova ,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Labyrinth Lost as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

The first book in the Latinx-infused Queer fantasy series from highly acclaimed author Zoraida Cordova that follows three sisters-and teen witches-as they develop their powers and battle magic through epic questing in the realms beyond.
Alex is a bruja and the most powerful witch in her family. But she's hated magic ever since it made her father disappear into thin air. So while most girls celebrate their Quinceanera, Alex prepares for her Deathday-the most important day in a bruja's life and her only opportunity to rid herself of magic.
But the curse she performs during the ceremony backfires, and her…


Book cover of Serpent & Dove

Holly Huntress Author Of Forbidden Waves

From my list on fantasy with multiple POV's for the storytelling.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been writing formally since I started my first book in high school. Even then, I was writing with dual POVs. Having multiple perspectives throughout my stories has been essential to all my books. I believe it adds so much more than a single POV can, and I love the process of it. You must decide what each of the characters’ motivations, and defining characteristics are and relate them back to the story. My most recent novel, below, has four POVs, each of which is as important as the others.

Holly's book list on fantasy with multiple POV's for the storytelling

Holly Huntress Why Holly loves this book

Serpent and Dove is a story about a witch, Lou Le Blanc, who is forced to marry a witch hunter, Reid Diggory. I loved this book because it does a good job of showing the relationship between these two polar opposite characters. But it also shows how even people I thought could never have anything in common can find things that tie them together.

The use of dual POVs in this story is a great way to see both sides of the war between witches and witch hunters so that I could understand why things are the way they are and the methods used to keep things that way.

By Shelby Mahurin ,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Serpent & Dove as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

New York Times Bestseller * Indiebound Bestseller * An Amazon Best Book of 2019 * B&N's YA Book Club Pick

"A brilliant debut, full of everything I love: a sparkling and fully realized heroine, an intricate and deadly system of magic, and a searing romance that kept me reading long into the night. Serpent & Dove is an absolute gem of a book." -Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Court of Thorns and Roses series

Bound as one, to love, honor, or burn. Book one of a stunning fantasy trilogy, this tale of witchcraft and…


Book cover of The Coldest Touch

Lorien Lawrence Author Of The Stitchers

From my list on non-sparkly vampires.

Why am I passionate about this?

Vampires are the coolest monsters. Change my mind. Actually, forget it – you can’t change my mind. Because I’m right. I have always – I mean always – loved vampires. Reading about them, watching them – all the things. The first time I read Interview with a Vampire changed me forever as a human. There’s something so universally appealing about these immortal bloodsuckers. Maybe it’s because they stay forever young. Or maybe it’s because they look like humans, therefore, they can often hide (or lurk) in plain sight. As an author of my own monster stories, I find them inspiring. So, here’s a list of my recent favs that you can sink your own teeth into. 

Lorien's book list on non-sparkly vampires

Lorien Lawrence Why Lorien loves this book

I love seeing how contemporary authors can move vampires into the modern age. The Coldest Touch does this with a cast of very flawed characters dealing with complicated feelings (i.e. a budding romance between a human and a vampire). As if that wasn’t enough, there is a Death Oracle. I mean, who doesn’t love a doomed future with some characters trying to change the odds? 

By Isabel Sterling ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Coldest Touch as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Vampires going to high school, but make it queer. Sterling delivers a fresh, thoughtful take on beloved paranormal tropes with a delightfully bloody romance.” —Mara Fitzgerald, author of Beyond the Ruby Veil
 
From the author of These Witches Don't Burn comes another paranormal romance for fans of Richelle Mead and Stephenie Meyer.

Elise Beaumont is cursed. With every touch, she experiences exactly how her loved ones will die. And after her brother's death—a death she predicted but was unable to prevent—Elise is desperate to get rid of her terrible gift, no matter the cost.
 
Claire Montgomery also has a unique…


Book cover of Vampires Never Get Old

Lorien Lawrence Author Of The Stitchers

From my list on non-sparkly vampires.

Why am I passionate about this?

Vampires are the coolest monsters. Change my mind. Actually, forget it – you can’t change my mind. Because I’m right. I have always – I mean always – loved vampires. Reading about them, watching them – all the things. The first time I read Interview with a Vampire changed me forever as a human. There’s something so universally appealing about these immortal bloodsuckers. Maybe it’s because they stay forever young. Or maybe it’s because they look like humans, therefore, they can often hide (or lurk) in plain sight. As an author of my own monster stories, I find them inspiring. So, here’s a list of my recent favs that you can sink your own teeth into. 

Lorien's book list on non-sparkly vampires

Lorien Lawrence Why Lorien loves this book

I love a short story collection. Give me a short story collection about my all-time favorite monsters?? Yes please! Vampires Never Gets Old: Tales with Fresh Bite was the anthology I had been waiting for. Diverse stories, new takes on old tropes, the addition of modern technology – this collection has it all. Some of the stories were funny, some were poignant, some were scary, some were sad. Of course, I preferred some over others – that’s just how anthologies go - but they were all worth a read. My favorite in the collection was Kayla Whaley’s “In Kind”, which was absolutely heartbreaking. Take a read and let me know which one was your favorite!

By Zoraida Córdova (editor) , Natalie C. Parker (editor) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Vampires Never Get Old as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Eleven fresh vampire stories from young adult fiction’s leading voices fill this bestselling anthology―including V.E. Schwab's First Kill, now a major Netflix adaptation!

"Boundary-pushing... Stories that stake a new claim on old tropes." ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

In this delicious new collection, you’ll find stories about lurking vampires of social media, rebellious vampires hungry for more than just blood, eager vampires coming out―and going out for their first kill―and other bold, breathtaking, dangerous, dreamy, eerie, iconic, powerful creatures of the night.

Welcome to the evolution of the vampire―and a revolution on the page.

Vampires Never Get Old includes stories by…


Book cover of The Casquette Girls

Lorien Lawrence Author Of The Stitchers

From my list on non-sparkly vampires.

Why am I passionate about this?

Vampires are the coolest monsters. Change my mind. Actually, forget it – you can’t change my mind. Because I’m right. I have always – I mean always – loved vampires. Reading about them, watching them – all the things. The first time I read Interview with a Vampire changed me forever as a human. There’s something so universally appealing about these immortal bloodsuckers. Maybe it’s because they stay forever young. Or maybe it’s because they look like humans, therefore, they can often hide (or lurk) in plain sight. As an author of my own monster stories, I find them inspiring. So, here’s a list of my recent favs that you can sink your own teeth into. 

Lorien's book list on non-sparkly vampires

Lorien Lawrence Why Lorien loves this book

Did I mention how much I love vampires? I grew up reading The Vampire Diaries, so I am all about a good (fictional) love triangle. Add vampires to that love triangle? Yes please! Cue Alys Arden’s The Casquette Girls series. Like my first two recs, this is also set in New Orleans, except unlike the others, this book is set in more modern times, specifically right after Hurricane Katrina. Since the author is from the area, the setting feels all the more authentic, and she doesn’t shy away from describing the devastation and rebuilding efforts; these are woven into the narrative. The writing itself is beautiful, but the characters are the star here. This series has quickly climbed to my favorites list. 

By Alys Arden ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Casquette Girls as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

After the storm of the century rips apart New Orleans, sixteen-year-old Adele Le Moyne and her father are among the first to return. Adele wants nothing more than to resume her normal life, but with the silent city resembling a war zone, a parish-wide curfew, and mysterious new faces lurking in the abandoned French Quarter, normal needs a new definition.

Strange events-even for New Orleans-lead Adele to an attic that has been sealed for three hundred years. The chaos she accidentally unleashes threatens not only her but also everyone she knows.

Caught in a hurricane of myths and monsters, Adele…


Book cover of Mina and the Undead

Bryony Pearce Author Of Raising Hell

From my list on for Buffy lovers.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up in the nineties I was a Buffy fan, although that is probably understating things. I have all the Buffy novels, which I read over when waiting for the next series to come out (this was in the days before Netflix!). For me, Buffy had the exact right mix of humour, horror, and deeper complexity, dealing with issues that really impacted me, but in a way that made them accessible. I loved the characters, I loved Buffy herself, I loved her strength and humanity. When I decided to write Raising Hell, I was influenced by Buffy, but there are differences – Ivy is no chosen one, she chose herself.

Bryony's book list on for Buffy lovers

Bryony Pearce Why Bryony loves this book

With an awesome nineties vibe that took me right back to my own teen years, Mina and the Undead is about a British teen girl battling vampires (obviously) in New Orleans. A great Gothic horror written by a fantastic new British writer, filled with gore and references to 90’s pop culture. A ton of fun!

By Amy McCaw ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Mina and the Undead as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

'A dark and thrilling tale of the paranormal. With haunted houses, family secrets and murder galore, this delicious and gruesome tale of the macabre will ignite a whole new generation of vampire fans.' Lauren James

'Brimful of nostalgia and cinematic atmosphere. A thrilling read and a clever new twist on the vampire stories you love.' Laura Wood

New Orleans Fang Fest, 1995. Mina's having a summer to die for.

17-year-old Mina, from England, arrives in New Orleans to visit her estranged sister, Libby. After growing up in the town that inspired Dracula, Mina loves nothing more than a creepy horror…


Book cover of The Beautiful

Lorien Lawrence Author Of The Stitchers

From my list on non-sparkly vampires.

Why am I passionate about this?

Vampires are the coolest monsters. Change my mind. Actually, forget it – you can’t change my mind. Because I’m right. I have always – I mean always – loved vampires. Reading about them, watching them – all the things. The first time I read Interview with a Vampire changed me forever as a human. There’s something so universally appealing about these immortal bloodsuckers. Maybe it’s because they stay forever young. Or maybe it’s because they look like humans, therefore, they can often hide (or lurk) in plain sight. As an author of my own monster stories, I find them inspiring. So, here’s a list of my recent favs that you can sink your own teeth into. 

Lorien's book list on non-sparkly vampires

Lorien Lawrence Why Lorien loves this book

When I was in middle school, middle-grade fiction didn’t really exist in the way it does now. There weren’t a ton of options for a young person who loved horror. So once I outgrew Goosebumps and Fear Street, I started reading adult horror. Stephen King. Dean Koontz. Anne Rice. I’ll never forget reading Interview with a Vampire for the first time. I had never been to New Orleans, but I was instantly transported. It was magical – electric. I could feel each word in my bones. Thus, you can only imagine my excitement discovering The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh. To that point, I hadn’t read anything that reminded me more of Anne Rice’s writing style. Just like the title, this book was beautiful. And haunting. With a New Orleans setting, a forbidden love trope, and lots of animated characters that I immediately fell in love with. If you…

By Renée Ahdieh ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Beautiful as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

#1 New York Times bestselling author Renee Ahdieh returns with a sumptuous, sultry and romantic new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight.

'Incredibly ornate [and] lush . . . nail-biting and swoony and satisfying and tense all at the same time' Sabaa Tahir

In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead.

But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, it's also a safe haven after she's forced to flee her life in Paris. Quickly enraptured by the vibrant city, from its music to its extravagant soirees and even its danger, she soon becomes…