Why am I passionate about this?

Traveling through Ireland, everyone notices the low stone walls separating fields, but occasionally much larger stones rising from the green like giant cogs on a wheel—mystical standing stone circles. One in particular—Beltany in Co. Donegal—became the inspiration for my Circle of Nine series, which is a mix of Celtic mythology, pagan ritual, and magic set within alternating historical and modern storylines. It’s no wonder that the books I most like to read are also the same kind I write. There’s nothing better than picking up a new book and immersing myself in these worlds with their rich magical systems, historical details, suspenseful plots, and often a good dose of romance.


I wrote

Beltany

By Valerie Biel,

Book cover of Beltany

What is my book about?

Brigit Quinn’s secret wish on her 15th birthday is for a normal life—an impossible dream when your mom practices an…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Beautiful Creatures

Valerie Biel Why did I love this book?

A contemporary storyline mixed with historical details give book one in this four-book, gothic fantasy series a rich backdrop for family conflict on an unexpectedly dark scale as the main character, Lena, faces a cursed countdown to her 16th birthday. The movie version of this book is good, but as often is the case, the book is better. Stellar writing, plotting and a believable, swoon-worthy, and fated romance combined with an intriguing cast of characters make this book one of my favorites for coming-of-age magical stories. 

By Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Beautiful Creatures 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?

The first book in the instant New York Times bestselling gothic fantasy series; a modern paranormal romance set against the gothic backdrop of an isolated southern town.
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful…


Book cover of A Discovery of Witches

Valerie Biel Why did I love this book?

Book one in the All Souls series introduces us to a world where witches, vampires, and demons live veiled lives within the same world as mortals but with strict and ruthlessly enforced rules governing their interactions with each other and humans. The main character, Diana Bishop, is from a witch family but is unable to practice magic herselfuntil she summons a long-lost book, gaining the attention of many magical beings, including vampire, Matthew Clairmont. At its heart this book is romantic suspense with an intricate plot line that spans generations and centuries. While not a young adult title, it feels a bit like a coming-of-age story as Diana claims her power. Having loved this series for years, I've been pleased that the recent TV series does it justice.

By Deborah Harkness,

Why should I read it?

19 authors picked A Discovery of Witches as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

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.


Book cover of Crystal Magic

Valerie Biel Why did I love this book?

I only recently found this series and am so glad I did. In book one (of seven total) Krissa has suffered incredible losses and is grappling with potential magical powers while struggling to fit in at a new school in a new town. While many of the details are similar to other coming-of-age/accepting your power stories, the quality of the writing, realistic teenage reactions & dialogue, fast-paced plotting, and serious (didn’t-see-that-coming) twists make this an excellent and satisfying series. 

By Madeline Freeman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Crystal Magic as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Krissa Barnette has a secret.

When she’s upset, she can hear what other people are thinking. And when she’s overwhelmed, things explode.

A move to Clearwater, Michigan, gives her the chance to reinvent herself, but a fresh start is further away than she realizes. Her abilities magnify—making her a target for Crystal Jamison and the town’s circle of witches.

Even with new friends at her side, Krissa can’t ignore the witches’ magnetic pull—especially when a strange illness rips through the town.

If Krissa doesn’t push her fears aside, she could lose more than control. Learning to wield magic could consume…


Book cover of Book of Shadows

Valerie Biel Why did I love this book?

The Sweep series was one of the first witch series I ever read, and I promise you that it is still so, so good. Plus, there are 15 books to provide hours of entertainment. The story is very Wicca-based with well-described details of rituals and rites that will immerse you in each scene. I was immediately drawn to the main character, Morgan, and her struggles as she learns of her powers. The characters engage in familiar teenage drama, but everything is heightened by the magic they’re immersed in. Suspenseful, fast-paced, and just a little bit dangerous. 

By Cate Tiernan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Book of Shadows 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?

Morgan and her best friend, Bree, are introduced to Wicca when a gorgeous senior named Cal invites them to join his new coven. Morgan falls for Cal immediately? and discovers that she has strong,inexplicable powers.


Book cover of Practical Magic

Valerie Biel Why did I love this book?

I'll admit I did things in reverse and watched the movie version of this story with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman before reading. Yet again, the book is better but very different—there’s room for so many more scenes that get eliminated when you’re going from page to screen. The focus here is on the women in one family (and their use/misuse of magic)—elderly aunts, adult sisters (Sally & Gillian), and Sally’s two teenage daughters. And there’s the family curse, that whomever they love will end up dying. The story is charmingly written, and while not as heavy on the magic as some of the books I’m recommending, magic delightfully intertwines with the daily interactions of these characters. Sisterly love and romantic love are central themes—as is hope for happily ever after.

By Alice Hoffman,

Why should I read it?

12 authors picked Practical Magic as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*25th Anniversary Edition*-with an Introduction by the Author!

The Owens sisters confront the challenges of life and love in this bewitching novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Rules of Magic, Magic Lessons, and The Book of Magic.

For more than two hundred years, the Owens women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their Massachusetts town. Gillian and Sally have endured that fate as well: as children, the sisters were forever outsiders, taunted, talked about, pointed at. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, with their musty house and…


Explore my book 😀

Beltany

By Valerie Biel,

Book cover of Beltany

What is my book about?

Brigit Quinn’s secret wish on her 15th birthday is for a normal life—an impossible dream when your mom practices an ancient pagan religion, and everyone believes she’s a witch.

Instead, Brigit learns she’s descended from a legendary Celtic tribe—powerful people who protect the mystical energy of Ireland's ancient stone circles. A spellbound book of family history shows her the magical strength of her ancestors. Powers that could be her own—if only she wanted to claim them. And when someone, disguised as a friend, reveals their sinister plan to steal her family’s strength, Brigit must make a decision: fight to keep her unique heritage or reject it for the normal life she’s always craved.

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The Mazatlan Showdown

By Patrick Weill,

Book cover of The Mazatlan Showdown

Patrick Weill Author Of The Mazatlan Showdown

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Why am I passionate about this?

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What is my book about?

Jeff Walker is a champion surfer haunted by the mystery of his father’s murder and his mother’s broken heart. After finding a job as a lifeguard, a rescue mission at sea plunges him into a far-reaching criminal conspiracy.

Walker and his closest friends aid the police in their investigation, through which it is revealed that the leader of the crooks is his father’s killer! The tension builds from that point on until he finally faces his nemesis in a confrontation that will leave only one man standing. 

This first episode of The Park and Walker Action Thriller Series will whisk…

The Mazatlan Showdown

By Patrick Weill,

What is this book about?

Meet Jeff Walker, a champion surfer haunted by the unsolved mystery of his father’s murder and his mother’s broken heart. When he relocates to sunny San Diego and secures a job as a beach lifeguard, a rescue mission at sea plunges him into the dark underworld of international crime.

Along with his closest friends, Walker supports the police in their investigation, and in doing so discovers that the leader of the smugglers is his father’s killer, the man he’s been looking for since he was a teenager! From that moment on, the tension builds, until Walker finally faces his nemesis…


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Interested in witches, witchcraft, and good and evil?

Witches 141 books
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Good And Evil 140 books