84 Books Like Witches

YA books about witches promise teen angst, magic, and mayhem, and Barry’s book does not disappoint.

One thing that really makes Barry’s book stand out is the unique POV she uses. The girls on the 1989 Danvers High School Women’s Varsity Field Hockey Team sign their names in a notebook, initiating a spell to make their team finally start winning.

After that, they become a new entity, which is both all of them and something else entirely – the winning team. Or is it?

Barry’s POV places us in the minds of all the girls at the same time, but instead of being confusing, it makes the magic come to life on the page. GenXers (like me) who were in sports/music programs will particularly enjoy this one.

Seldom do battered women get true justice. In this book, justice is served on a very cold plate.

Two sisters, Sally and Gillian, are witches by heritage. After their parent’s deaths, they grew up with their two aunts, also witches.  

Sally was a happily married woman until her husband suddenly died. Gillian has lived a life of independence or what some might consider a wild life style. When Gillian’s boyfriend becomes a mortal threat, she gives him a potion, accidentally killing him. He comes back to haunt her from the grave. That’s when everyone in their family comes together to banish his evil spirit.

Okay, this one’s cheating a little – these are contemporary comic book witches. But it’s my list, so I’m including it.

Harris has created a super fun story featuring the empath Topaz, sorceress Jennifer Kale, and succubus Satana Hellstrom (with bonus Johnny Blaze aka the Ghost Rider).

Each of these women is kickass in their own right, but when they combine their powers – Topaz’s divine in nature, Satana’s demonic, and Jennifer’s good old-fashioned witchcraft – they become a force that can face down Lucifer himself.

And if the magic doesn’t take him down, the snark surely will!

Hex Life is an anthology of witchy stories, many featuring contemporary witches.

Anthologies are often a mixed bag, but they generally have something for everyone, so even if every story doesn’t resonate with you, you can find little gems that do.

This anthology has eighteen possible new treasures to unearth, and while I liked them all, the one that sparkled brightest for me was Angela Slatter’s “Widows’ Walk.”

“Widows’ Walk” is the story of four witchy Widows, the many cats they keep, and the young girl they set out to help. Stories about witches often involve vengeance or righting wrongs, and this is no exception. But what stands out about this story is the grace, warmth, and sweetness with which said wrongs are righted.

Highly recommended.

I’ve enjoyed all of Helen Harper’s books that I’ve read (they are all quite humorous) but I especially loved her Lazy Girl’s Guide. Slouch Witch introduces us to a powerful witch who was kicked out of magic school due to being blamed for someone else’s mistake. Now she’s dedicated to being as lazy and shiftless as possible to stay out of trouble and keep herself away from using her magic. Oh, and she has a cat who may or may not know everything that is going on, and communicates in one-word pronouncements that all cat owners can relate to. There’s a cute romance and fun book-by-book adventures to follow.

There’s no doubt about it: this is an incredible “forever book” for Witches of all ages. This compendium has guided every single one of my Witchy years from teenagehood onward, and I still discover something new with every read. Drawing on the Irish authors’ training in Alexandrian Wicca, which developed shortly after Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente developed the Wiccan religion itself, this book journeys across cultures, traditions, and magickal practices, both old and new.

Although the book is a product of the 70s, it was incredibly progressive back then and certainly continues to be. Also, keep in mind that the terms Wicca and Witchcraft, in a Western Pagan context, were synonymous at the time. I find this book’s information (and accompanying photographs throughout) both timeless and perpetually invaluable!

How do you survive your school days, but with your own set of ‘magic spells’ and a good friend or two to help you along the way?

The humour in Jill Murphy’s stories is second to none and many children may recognise characters within the story, in people they know.

This book also shows that it is the girl who is honest and has integrity who ‘wins the day’ and ‘saves the day’: While perhaps an unlikely heroine, since she always appears to be getting into trouble (not always through any fault of her own) thinking on your feet, honesty and integrity, would probably be just a few of the heroine’s key character traits/teaching points and never giving up, even if you are considered to be ‘The Worst Witch’ in the school...

Full moon celebrations are among the first magical practices for many new witches. That’s where I found my first group of witches, and they have a special place in my heart. Of course, there are other phases of the moon, and all of them are meaningful and magical.

Of all the moon magic books I’ve read, this is the most comprehensive. Most of the book is about the moon phases and the magic associated with them, astrology, and spells and rituals. It also has helpful tips, such as how to cast a circle. All around, it’s a great beginner’s book.

As he was a friend and mentor to me, I got to see this work evolve from the seed idea to the final form just as our beloved Raven passed from this world. As his last book, What We Knew in the Night takes lore and tradition not readily available today, drawn from Raven’s living experience as a Witch and occultist in the lively and secretive California communities. He would speak about the traditional ways lore was passed at the time, mouth to ear, and this work is the manifestation of his deep desire to see those important teachings brought together and passed to a new generation as the world changes. 

Although most historical societies have believed in witches of some kind, the great witch-hunt was unique to early modern Europe.

This formidable but brilliant book explains how European intellectuals, in the age of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, created an interpretation of witches as conspirators with the Devil – a spirit of terrifying power. The book has over 800 pages, but there are handy introductions to each of its five sections. Start by reading all these introductions, and then explore the rest of the book bit by bit.

My favourite section, ‘Politics’, shows how witch-hunting was linked with the doctrine of the divine right of kings. You should obey the king because he has been appointed directly by God – and the king can demonstrate his godliness by punishing God’s enemies, including witches.