Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish and is now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Check out upcoming Top Ten themes on Jana’s blog!

The prompt this week was a Halloween freebie, which seemed an excellent opportunity to make the witchy rec list I’ve been thinking about for ages!

But ‘witch’ is a very difficult word to define if you want a definition that’s actually useful. For the purposes of making a rec list, is a witch just anybody who uses magic? Do they have to cast spells, specifically? What if their magic is only related to one thing – is a necromancer a witch, for example? Or is a witch someone whose magic isn’t limited to one subject or theme, the way a necromancer can only work with death? Must they have a pointy hat? Or is it just anyone (any character) who calls themselves a witch? Do their powers need to be tied to nature in some way?

YOU SEE THE DIFFICULTY.

So with the massive caveat of I’m not sure what a witch even is, here are 10 of my favourite witch books!

The Book of Witches by Jonathan Strahan, Linda D. Addison, P. Djèlí Clark, Kathleen Jennings, Tade Thompson, Ken Liu, Darcie Little Badger, Andrea Hairston, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Cassandra Khaw, Tobi Ogundiran, Kelly Robson, C.L. Clark, Millie Ho, Indrapramit Das, Saad Z. Hossain, Garth Nix, Premee Mohamed, Maureen F. McHugh, Andrea Stewart, Tochi Onyebuchi, Sheree Renée Thomas, Angela Slatter, Fonda Lee, Usman T. Malik, E. Lily Yu, Miyuki Jane Pinckard, Emily Y. Teng, Amal El-Mohtar, Alyssa Winans
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Representation: Assorted BIPOC and queer MCs
Goodreads

With a breathtaking array of original stories from around the world, P. Djèlí Clark, Amal El Mohtar, Garth Nix, Darcie Little Badger, Sheree Renée Thomas, and two dozen other fantasy and science fiction geniuses bring a new and exciting twist to one of the most beloved figures in fiction, witches, in never-before-seen works written exclusively for The Book of Witches, compiled by award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by award-nominated artist Alyssa Winans.

Witches! Whether you know them from Shakespeare or from Wicked, there is no staple more beloved in folklore, fairy tale, or fantasy than these magical beings. Witches are everywhere, and at the heart of stories that resonate with many people around the world. This dazzling, otherworldly collection gathers new stories of witches from all walks of life, ensuring a Halloween readers will never forget. Whether they be maiden, mother, crone, or other; funny, fierce, light and airy, or dark and disturbing; witches are a vital part of some of the greatest stories we have, and new ones start here!

Bringing together twenty-nine stories and poems from some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy writers working today, including three tales from a BIPOC-only open submission period, The Book of Witches features Linda Addison, C.L. Clark, P Djeli Clark, Indrapramit Das, Amal El Mohtar, Andrea Hairston, Millie Ho, Saad Hossain, Kathleen Jennings, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Cassandra Khaw, Fonda Lee, Darcie Little Badger, Ken Liu, Usman T. Malik, Maureen F. McHugh, Premee Mohamed, Garth Nix, Tobi Ogundiran, Tochi Onyebuchi, Miyuki Jane Pinckard, Kelly Robson, Angela Slatter, Andrea Stewart, Emily Teng, Sheree Renée Thomas, Tade Thompson, and E. Lily Yu—and contains illustrations from three-time Hugo award-nominated artist Alyssa Winans throughout. This extraordinary anthology vividly breathes life into one of the most captivating and feared magical sorceresses and will become a treasured keepsake for fans of fantasy, science fiction, and fairy tales everywhere.

I usually don’t have a great time with short story collections, because they’re often such a mixed bag. But The Book of Witches is packed full of banger after banger – which is especially saying something because it’s also 500 pages long! Making it a proper tome for any witch’s shelf.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic MC, disabled MC, Black sapphic love interest, minor trans character
Goodreads

In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.

But when the Eastwood sisters--James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna--join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.

There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.

Even after The Ten Thousand Doors of January, which is very much a heart-book for me, I wasn’t ready for The Once and Future Witches. Harrow’s gorgeous prose mixing magic and women’s rights together? Flawless. Absolutely flawless. Crucially, this isn’t a world where only cis women can do magic – men can, but mostly choose not to, and a minor trans character makes it clear that magic has nothing to do with sex or gender at all. This book is packed full of wonder and love and hope and rage, and it’s glorious.

The Scapegracers (Scapegracers, #1) Genres: Fantasy, Queer Protagonists, YA
Representation: Butch lesbian nonbinary MC, major bisexual Asian-American character, major queer Black character, major sapphic femme character, background M/M, assorted queer and BIPOC and QBIPOC minor characters
Goodreads

An outcast teenage lesbian witch finds her coven hidden amongst the popular girls in her school, and performs some seriously badass magic in the process.

Skulking near the bottom of West High’s social pyramid, Sideways Pike lurks under the bleachers doing magic tricks for Coke bottles. As a witch, lesbian, and lifelong outsider, she’s had a hard time making friends. But when the three most popular girls pay her $40 to cast a spell at their Halloween party, Sideways gets swept into a new clique. The unholy trinity are dangerous angels, sugar-coated rattlesnakes, and now–unbelievably–Sideways’ best friends.

Together, the four bond to form a ferocious and powerful coven. They plan parties, cast curses on dudebros, try to find Sideways a girlfriend, and elude the fundamentalist witch hunters hellbent on stealing their magic. But for Sideways, the hardest part is the whole ‘having friends’ thing. Who knew that balancing human interaction with supernatural peril could be so complicated?

Rich with the urgency of feral youth, The Scapegracers explores growing up and complex female friendship with all the rage of a teenage girl. It subverts the trope of competitive mean girls and instead portrays a mercilessly supportive clique of diverse and vivid characters. It is an atmospheric, voice-driven novel of the occult, and the first of a three-book series.

Listen, even if you usually wouldn’t touch YA with a 10-foot barge pole, I’m gonna need you to read this trilogy. I cannot BEGIN to express how fucking glorious h.a. clarke’s prose is, how feral and gorgeous, or how much you will love these characters, or how the magic here will make your blood light up in your veins. There are layers and layers to everything – metaphors, symbolism, a witch’s power in this series literally comes from their weirdness, the part of them that conventional society rejects them for! IT’S SO COOL AND CLEVER AND I LOVE IT SO FREAKING MUCH! I would not change once single thing about any book in the trilogy, and that’s not something I can say often!

My review of book one, The Scapegracers
My review of book two, The Scratch Daughters
My review of book three, The Feast Makers

Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists, Speculative Fiction
Representation: Trans MC, lesbian MC, nonbinary spouse
Goodreads

In the vein of Alice Hoffman and Charlie Jane Anders's own All the Birds in the Sky comes a novel full of love, disaster, and magic.

A young witch teaches her mother how to do magic--with very unexpected results--in this relatable, resonant novel about family, identity, and the power of love.

Jamie is basically your average New England academic in-training--she has a strong queer relationship, an esoteric dissertation proposal, and inherited generational trauma. But she has one extraordinary secret: she's also a powerful witch.

Serena, Jamie's mother, has been hiding from the world in an old one-room schoolhouse for several years, grieving the death of her wife and the simultaneous explosion in her professional life. All she has left are memories.

Jamie’s busy digging into a three-hundred-year-old magical book, but she still finds time to teach Serena to cast spells and help her come out of her shell. But Jamie doesn't know the whole story of what happened to her mom years ago, and those secrets are leading Serena down a destructive path.

Now it's up to this grad student and literature nerd to understand the secrets behind this mysterious novel from 1749, unearth a long-buried scandal hinted therein, and learn the true nature of magic, before her mother ruins both of their lives.

I’m not sure Charlie Jane Anders really needs an introduction at this point, but this is my favourite of her books yet. The magic here is probably the least cinematic of any book on this list, but it underpins everything, moves through every part of the story. Like the Scapegracers trilogy, it conflates witchiness with queerness in a really gorgeous way, and – ultimately, this is one of those books that had me kicking my feet and flapping my arms, and I don’t know what better endorsement I can give it than that.

My review!

The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Queer Protagonists, Speculative Fiction
Representation: Bisexual Black MC
Goodreads

Reminiscent of the works of Margaret Atwood, Shirley Jackson, and Octavia Butler, a biting social commentary from the acclaimed author of Lakewood that speaks to our times—a piercing dystopian novel about the unbreakable bond between a young woman and her mysterious mother, set in a world in which witches are real and single women are closely monitored.

Josephine Thomas has heard every conceivable theory about her mother's disappearance. That she was kidnapped. Murdered. That she took on a new identity to start a new family. That she was a witch. This is the most worrying charge because in a world where witches are real, peculiar behavior raises suspicions and a woman—especially a Black woman—can find herself on trial for witchcraft.

But fourteen years have passed since her mother’s disappearance, and now Jo is finally ready to let go of the past. Yet her future is in doubt. The State mandates that all women marry by the age of 30—or enroll in a registry that allows them to be monitored, effectively forfeiting their autonomy. At 28, Jo is ambivalent about marriage. With her ability to control her life on the line, she feels as if she has her never understood her mother more. When she’s offered the opportunity to honor one last request from her mother's will, Jo leaves her regular life to feel connected to her one last time.

In this powerful and timely novel, Megan Giddings explores the limits women face—and the powers they have to transgress and transcend them.

‘What if Handmaid’s Tale, but witches?’ would be my elevator pitch for this one. In Giddings’ setting, women who are unmarried at 30 lose any pretence at independence and fall under the surveillance of the Bureau of Witchcraft. Because despite looking a lot like our modern world, in this setting people are still getting burned as witches. The Women Could Fly is written in a more literary style than I usually enjoy, but it’s perfect for this particular story. Giddings not only writes from an intersectional feminist perspective (such a relief, since so many witchy books forget about intersectionality entirely) but has created one of my absolute favourite takes on magic!

My review!

Fire Logic (Elemental Logic, #1) by Laurie J. Marks
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Native American-coded queer MC, queer MC with addiction issues, F/F, background polyamory/group marriage, queernorm world
Goodreads

Laurie Marks’ Elemental Logic series introduced readers to the realm of Shaftal, an intricately imagined land whose people operate within the boundaries of their basic natures—here defined as logics—which sometimes bequeath them with access to magical, elemental powers and sometimes embroil them in unsolvable internal conflicts. 

Fire Logic centers around the strong female character Zanja Na’Tarwein, a fighter and last survivor of her people in an occupied country. Alongside her is Karis, a powerful half-giant, who is a drug addict and lives in obscurity, hiding her considerable powers. Surrounded by incomprehensible loss, Zanja also forms a bond with Emil, an officer of the army she joins. 

Battling the complex forces of power, desire, and obligation, follow along as the trio work together to try and change the course of history. 

I suspect no one else on the planet would call these witchy books, but a) the characters call themselves witches and b) it’s my list and I do what I wanna! In this series, everyone is aligned with one of the four classical elements – it’s a personality thing – and witches are those who are Most earth or fire or water or air. But they can’t control their element; instead, each element confers a specific ability. Air witches can hear lies, for example, and basically mind-control people with persuasive speaking. Earth witches heal. And so on. The series follows a group of people, many of them witches, as they struggle against their land’s invaders and then have to try and build a new way of living, and everything hinges on the witchiness of one character in particular. …Look, I’m not doing justice to these at ALL, but I am halfway through book three and couldn’t love them more, so OF COURSE I stole a chance to rec them. I REGRET NOTHING.

The Fifth Sacred Thing (Maya Greenwood #1) by Starhawk
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists, Science Fantasy
Representation: Bisexual Jewish MC, queer Hispanic MCs, polyamory, queernorm setting
Goodreads

Imagine a world without poverty, hunger, or hatred, where a rich culture honors its diverse mix of races, religions, and heritages, and the Four Sacred Things that sustain all life - earth, air, fire, and water - are valued unconditionally.

Now imagine the opposite: a nightmare world in which an authoritarian regime polices an apartheid state, access to food and water is restricted to those who obey the corrupt official religion, women are property of their husbands or the state, and children are bred for prostitution and war.

The best and worst of our possible futures are poised to clash in twenty-first-century California, and the outcome rests on the wisdom and courage of one clan caught in the conflict.

Starhawk’s witches are inspired by Wiccan-esque witches in our world, and their nation draws from Wicca and neo-paganism, but also political anarchism, in how it functions. It’s an incredibly beautiful, and incredibly convincing, take on a utopia – and then they learn that the Christo-Fascists next door are planning on invading. This gets seriously dark in places, but the overall message is hopeful and inspiring – while acknowledging how almost-impossibly difficult it is to hold to your ideals when it matters most.

My review!

Brooms by Jasmine Walls, Teo Duvall
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: QBIPOC cast, F/F
Goodreads

YALSA TOP 10 GREAT GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR TEENS BEST OF THE YEAR: Booklist · Kirkus · Polygon · Chicago Public Library · New York Public Library 3 STARS ★ PW ★ Booklist ★

BCCB Mississippi, 1930s. Magic simmering beneath the surface, kept in check by unjust laws and societal expectations. But for six extraordinary women, the roar of enchanted engines and the thrill of the forbidden broom race offer a chance to rewrite their destinies.

Meet Billie Mae, captain of the Night Storms racing team, and Loretta, her best friend and second-in-command. They’re determined to make enough money to move out west to a state that allows Black folks to legally use magic and take part in national races.
Cheng-Kwan – doing her best to handle the delicate and dangerous double act of being the perfect “son” to her parents, and being true to herself while racing.

Mattie and Emma -- Choctaw and Black -- the youngest of the group and trying to dodge government officials who want to send them and their newly-surfaced powers away to boarding school.

And Luella, in love with Billie Mae. Her powers were sealed away years ago after she fought back against the government. She’ll do anything to prevent the same fate for her cousins.

Brooms is a heart-pounding graphic novel soaring with magic, friendship, and rebellion. It's a Fast and the Furious with broomsticks instead of cars, a historical spotlight on struggles silenced by time, and a celebration of the indomitable spirit that dares to defy the odds. Buckle up, witches and dreamers, for this ride is about to take flight.

P R A I S E
“Draws on the fantastical to amplify and confront issues of both the past and the present. The result is a heartfelt, gripping, and resonant story about power—how the majority wields it, and how marginalized groups reclaim it.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred) ★

“Fascinating… Though readers will enjoy the dramatic racing scenes, this is truly a story about queer folk and people of color who have created a space where they can joyously and freely be themselves.” —Booklist (starred) ★

“Pulse-pounding broom races and comforting domestic sequences… An evocative Fast and the Furious–flavored graphic novel.” —Publishers Weekly (starred)  ★

“This is the queer, magical, broom-racing version of A League of Their Own that I didn’t know I was missing… The representation in this graphic novel is so diverse and among the best I think I’ve ever seen. It’s clear that Walls and Duvall put equal parts passion and research into this beautiful story. If you don’t read it, you’re missing out.” —Rachel Brittain, Book Riot

“A sweet, entertaining found-family story that weaves magic with historical injustice; recommended for teen graphic novel shelves. —School Library Journal 

“Six witches get caught up in the excitement and danger of illegal broom racing in an alternate historical Mississippi… highlights the broadly diverse experiences of folks in the South… highlighting the fact that there has always been and will always be room for queer folks in our communities.” —Kirkus 

"[A] mix of exciting racing scenes, a story about overcoming the odds, and mesmerizing depictions of magic, plus some of the not-so-pretty parts of our country’s history, and it’s done in a way that is compassionate and uplifting." —GeekDad

“Brooms Is Your Next Favorite Fantastical LGBTQIA+ Sports Story” —The Mary Sue

“Brings vivid characters (queer, broom-racing witches) to life in an equally vivid setting.” —Gizmodo (io9)

I’m not actually sure the word ‘witch’ is ever used in this, but it’s a story about illegal broomstick racing, so HELLS YES I’m including it! It’s a fantastic standalone graphic novel, with art that took my breath away (one double-page spread in particular gave me goosebumps, in the best way!), fabulous, extremely lovable characters, and, you know – BROOMSTICK RACING! Unspeakably epic in every way.

Payback's a Witch (The Witches of Thistle Grove #1) by Lana Harper
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Bi/pansexual MC, bi/pansexual love interest, F/F
Goodreads

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets The L Word in this fresh, sizzling rom-com by Lana Harper.

Emmy Harlow is a witch but not a very powerful one—in part because she hasn't been home to the magical town of Thistle Grove in years. Her self-imposed exile has a lot to do with a complicated family history and a desire to forge her own way in the world, and only the very tiniest bit to do with Gareth Blackmoore, heir to the most powerful magical family in town and casual breaker of hearts and destroyer of dreams.

But when a spellcasting tournament that her family serves as arbiters for approaches, it turns out the pull of tradition (or the truly impressive parental guilt trip that comes with it) is strong enough to bring Emmy back. She's determined to do her familial duty; spend some quality time with her best friend, Linden Thorn; and get back to her real life in Chicago.

On her first night home, Emmy runs into Talia Avramov—an all-around badass adept in the darker magical arts—who is fresh off a bad breakup . . . with Gareth Blackmoore. Talia had let herself be charmed, only to discover that Gareth was also seeing Linden—unbeknownst to either of them. And now she and Linden want revenge. Only one question stands: Is Emmy in?

But most concerning of all: Why can't she stop thinking about the terrifyingly competent, devastatingly gorgeous, wickedly charming Talia Avramov?

Contemporary fantasy romances are a big thing, and Payback’s a Witch is one of my favourite examples – in large part because Harper’s prose is beautifully sensual, but also because it’s full of characters who Act Like Grownups. Harper does a marvellous job at proving you don’t need contrived drama and idiotic miscommunication to make things interesting, and I so massively appreciate that!

My review!

Upcoming

As Many Souls as Stars by Natasha Siegel
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 25th November 2025
Goodreads

For fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, an inventive and romantic speculative novel about two women—a witch and an immortal demon—who make a Faustian bargain and are drawn into a cat-and-mouse chase across multiple lifetimes.

1592. Cybil Harding is a First Daughter. Cursed to bring disaster to those around her, she is trapped in a house with a mother paralyzed by grief and a father willing to sacrifice everything in pursuit of magic.

Miriam Richter is a creature of shadow. Forged by the dark arts many years ago, she is doomed to exist for eternity and destined to be alone—killing mortals and consuming their souls for sustenance. Everything changes when she meets Cybil, whose soul shines with a light so bright, she must claim it for herself. She offers a bargain: she will grant Cybil reincarnation in exchange for her soul.

Thus begins a dance across centuries as Miriam seeks Cybil in every lifetime to claim her prize. Cybil isn’t inclined to play by the rules, but when it becomes clear that Miriam holds the key to breaking her family curse, Cybil finds that—for the first time in her many lives—she might have the upper hand. As they circle each other, drawn together inescapably as light and dark, the bond forged between them grows stronger. In their battle for dominance, only one of them can win—but perhaps they can’t survive without each other.

Natasha Siegel has written an unexpected love story that feels both epic and deeply personal. Ambitious, gothic, and magical, As Many Souls as Stars is about the lengths we go to protect ourselves, our legacy, and those we love.

I haven’t finished reading this yet, but I couldn’t NOT include it. The writing reminds me of Erin Morgenstern, but a few degrees more lush, and it’s absolutely delicious. I’m particularly loving every moment we spend with the demon character, whose PoV is Most Excellent (the prologue, which followed her, went so damn hard I had to stop and fan myself for a bit). Hopefully you’ll see my review for this soon!

I would love to know your favourite witchy books (whatever ‘witch’ means to you!)

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