Here are 93 books that The Witches of New York fans have personally recommended if you like
The Witches of New York.
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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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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…
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.
It doesn’t take much beyond the term “sapphic witches” to get me really excited about a book. Additionally, we’ve got elemental magic, blood rituals, and the store in Salem where the main character works is called the “Fly by Night Cauldron” and I was completely sold. This is a light, fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I was drawn in by the conflict, not only with the main villain, but a tense history with an ex, and a potential new romance. I really enjoy finding fantasy books where the queerness of the character is not an “issue” or questioned at all. It was something I badly needed as a teen, and it's a relief to be finally getting this kind of thing in literature. I wish I could send it to my younger self!
I found the magic system to be delightful as well, with the elemental powers reminding me…
"Infused with page-turning suspense, bittersweet romance, shocking twists, and tragic turns, Sterling has written a standout debut." --Dana Mele, author of People Like Us
Hannah's a witch, but not the kind you're thinking of. She's the real deal, an Elemental with the power to control fire, earth, water, and air. But even though she lives in Salem, Massachusetts, her magic is a secret she has to keep to herself. If she's ever caught using it in front of a Reg (read: non-witch), she could lose it. For good. So, Hannah spends most of her time avoiding her ex-girlfriend (and fellow…
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!
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.
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…
Neighbors. We’ve all got ‘em, right? We believe we’re the good ones, and we pray we don’t live next door to the bad ones… but sometimes it’s inevitable that we share our property lines with those ill-suited for neighborly behavior. Horror books about bad neighbors are the perfect window into our own communities. We can peer into the lives of others without worry of getting caught. We can tiptoe through their rooms and rummage through their drawers… Who knows what we might find. Are they witches? Serial killers? Devil worshippers? Only their dirty laundry will tell.
A bewitching book from beginning to end. Harrison knows how to blend her horror with humor, along with an added dash of pathos to make her characters feel achingly real and relatable. What would you do if you moved to a new town, only to discover your neighbor just-so-happened to be a witch? Fair warning to those afraid of spiders: This book is crawling with the little homewreckers.
A darkly funny, frightening novel about a young woman learning how to take what she wants from a witch who may be too good to be true, from the author of The Return.
All her life, Annie has played it nice and safe. After being unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Annie seeks a fresh start. She accepts a teaching position that moves her from Manhattan to a small village upstate. She’s stunned by how perfect and picturesque the town is. The people are all friendly and warm. Her new apartment is dreamy too, minus the oddly persistent spider infestation.…
I’ve always loved writing that explores mental health and its effect on finding love. I love characters who are their worst enemies and conflicts stemming from internal battles. Depression and anxiety have been something I’ve struggled with since childhood. My mental health issues made looking to the future with hope feel impossible sometimes. When I picked up a romance book where an anxious character found a happily ever after, it gave me hope. Seeing characters who don’t have everything figured out and aren’t always confident in themselves find their happy endings is a light at the end of a tunnel—peace in the middle of a storm.
Witches and vampires are the go-to way to get me to pick up a book (I’m part of the generation who grew up on The Vampire Diaries andThe Secret Circle). So, as soon as I saw this book, hitting that purchase button was a no-brainer.
Lucia is a sheltered witch who doesn’t gain the power she’s expected to during a coming-of-age ceremony. She falls (literally and metaphorically) for a vampire who is her rival in a dangerous competition. It’s a fun fantasy read that had me reading late into the night, rooting for the characters to become who they were meant to be.
*This is a second edition copy of "The Balance of Fates" containing a map, alternate cover and chapter headings.*
FAMILY OR LOVE?
When her grandmother falls ill, Lucia Dol'Auclair has to leave her sheltered life and travel to Eirini Academy of Mystics to compete in the Triune.
In three events, she will compete against vampires and werewolves to take her grandmother's place as the guardian vessel of a destructive celestial of magic and prove her worth as heir to her royal coven.
But, her heart is pulled in two directions when she falls for her rival, Adelaide, a troublesome vampire…
A native of Massachusetts and married to a descendent of two of the accused, the Salem witch trials have long fascinated me. Armed with a Ph.D. in American studies from New York University – focused on American history, literature, and religion – a significant portion of my academic career has been devoted to research, publications, classes, and public lectures on the Salem witch trials, reflected in the third edition of my book, The Story of the Salem Witch Trials. The book is only one of several books and many articles I have published on various aspects of American cultural history, many of which relate in some way to what happened in Salem in 1692.
Brian Levack is the leading authority on the history of witch-hunts in Europe.
Anyone seeking to fully understand the events of 1692 in Salem, needs to begin with a study of the 250 years of witch-hunts in Europe that preceded the outbreak in New England, which came late in the game but followed what occurred in many ways what preceded it.
Levack’s book, now in its fourth edition, is the best source on this subject. It includes information on the Salem witch trials in context of what happened in Europe.
The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe, now in its fourth edition, is the perfect resource for both students and scholars of the witch-hunts written by one of the leading names in the field. For those starting out in their studies of witch-beliefs and witchcraft trials, Brian Levack provides a concise survey of this complex and fascinating topic, while for more seasoned scholars the scholarship is brought right up to date. This new edition includes the most recent research on children, gender, male witches and demonic possession as well as broadening the exploration of the geographical distribution of witch prosecutions to…
I am an Initiate of traditional British Old Craft and the Khemetic Mysteries. My own teaching methods and writing draw on historical sources supported by academic texts and current archaeological findings; endorsing Crowley’s view that all magic is an amalgam of science and art, and that magic is the outer route to the inner Mysteries. I have been a member and later Principal of the Coven of the Scales since 2000 having inherited it on the deaths of Bob and Meriem Clay-Egerton and author of some 60 fiction and non-fiction books on the subject of magic and Old Craft in order to shape the reader’s understanding of this particular tradition.
This book is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it but it represents a small but important time-capsule of traditional British Old Craft history that we have been lucky enough to preserve for the next generation of witches. This collection of true anecdotes mirrors the goings-on within an Old Craft coven and reveals the humour and sense of the ridiculous that is part and parcel of many traditional covens that I’ve come across.
Coarse Witchcraft is a squint-eyed look at what passes for Craft in many modern groups and just how much of the teaching has been dumbed down so that everyone can acquire rank and have a "crack at the priesthood". This blind grope for titles, rank and public acclaim have replaced the enlightened quest for genuine wisdom and ability, while the old Witch-magic is practised by fewer and fewer of those who would call themselves Witches. There are also those who insist on being recognised as instant Adepts in a system that takes years of study and preparation - but book-learning…
I am a Finnish-born writer-journalist and photographer who, for the past 12 years, has lived in and around Dunster, traditionally described as one of the best-preserved medieval villages in the UK. The title of Dunster being “Britain’s most haunted place” came about after the British media got wind of my book launch in September 2023. I was brought up in a family where my mother, aunt, and grandmother strongly believed they had had otherworldly encounters. With such a background and armed with an MA in English Literature, Cultural History, Comparative Religions, and Journalism, it is no wonder that the first book I wrote focuses on these “long-term” interests of mine.
This is a good, overall history of witchcraft spanning from ancient civilisations to the birth and practises of the present-day Wicca.
It is well-written, highly informative, and contains a great number of interesting historical illustrations.
It is also a beneficial read for those who wish to understand how people in different eras viewed the world around them and how these beliefs and fears transformed into actions that moulded the society in English villages like Dunster which I based my book on.
I have now read this book twice, from cover to cover, and just flicking through it again for the purpose of writing this recommendation makes me want to read it again. A definite keeper!
Witchcraft unravels the myth from the mystery, the facts from the legends, in this bewitching introduction to witchcraft's lesser-known history.
Spanning several centuries and comprising unbelievable facts and little-known legends, meet all the witches of your imagination and learn why, where and how it all began.
Uncover the meanings of their rituals and rites, their lore, and their craft
Discover the significance of their sabbats and covens, their chalices and wands, their robes and their religion.
Unlock the secrets of the legendary witches of mythology and folk talesand find out how these early stories influenced the persecutions and witch hunts…
I’m a historian who wants to know: Why did people burn other people at the stake for what we think was an impossible crime? It seems so unjust; indeed it was unjust. I mention Amnesty International in my book; as well as being a professional historian, I’ve been writing letters for Amnesty for many years, trying to rectify injustice. Yet witch-hunting made sense to the perpetrators; they weren’t simply ‘wicked’ or ‘crazed’ or ‘ignorant’. We need to understand them on many levels, from the most erudite demonology, all the way down to psychological processes by which we identify enemies. The five books I’ve chosen move gradually downwards, in order, from the highest to the deepest level.
As well as the fears of godly states, early modern villagers had their own fears.
This book shows ‘witches’ being created in a process of everyday village rivalries between neighbours. Two villagers quarrel; either or both of them may utter insults, threats, or curses. You witch! You will regret this! May the Devil drag your soul through hell! And so on.
Insults (even ‘You witch!’) were relatively harmless, but threats and curses could get you into trouble. If your opponent then experienced some misfortune, neighbours might explain this as your curse taking effect.
This was particularly likely if you were female: people feared men’s physical violence, but they feared women’s curses. This book brings early modern villages to life.
Witches and Neighbours is a highly original and unconventional analysis of a fascinating historical phenomenon. Unlike other studies of the subject which focus on the mechanisms of persecution, this book presents a rich picture of witchcraft as an all-pervasive aspect of life in early modern Europe. Robin Briggs combines recent research with his own investigations to produce a brilliant and compelling account of the central role of witchcraft in the past. Although the history of witchcraft can only be studied through records of persecutions, these reveal that trials were unusual in everyday life and that witchcraft can be viewed as…
