Fans pick 80 books like The Witch's Daughter

By Paula Brackston,

Here are 80 books that The Witch's Daughter fans have personally recommended if you like The Witch's Daughter. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Book cover of A Discovery of Witches

Kirsten McKenzie Author Of Fifteen Postcards

From my list on time travel that sucks you into alternate reality.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of time travel, especially how it can pull you into an entirely different timeline and make you question the choices that shape your life. As a reader, I’m drawn to stories where time travel isn’t just a plot device but a way to explore themes of fate, identity, and the consequences of our actions. Over the years, I’ve delved into countless books that do just that—books that transport me to worlds both familiar and entirely new. This list reflects my passion for time travel stories that not only entertain but make me think long after I’ve turned the last page.

Kirsten's book list on time travel that sucks you into alternate reality

Kirsten McKenzie Why did Kirsten love this book?

This is a wonderful blend of magic, history, and romance that completely swept me away. I loved how Harkness created a world where science and magic coexist, and the way she weaves historical references into a modern love story stole my heart.

The relationship between Diana and Matthew feels real, complicated, and deeply emotional, and I found myself fully invested in their journey. What really hooked me was the rich world-building, with its intricate details of witches, vampires, and daemons, making it feel like a universe I could dive into again and again. This is an annual reread for me. Book 1 in a wonderful series.

By Deborah Harkness,

Why should I read it?

25 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 Hour of the Witch

Ellen Baker Author Of The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson

From my list on books with quirky, strong women at their heart.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve loved reading novels about strong, quirky women since childhood (Nancy Drew, Ramona Quimby, Harriet the Spy, the heroines of Judy Blume novels, just for starting examples!). As I grew into writing my own stories, I also started studying women’s history. I merged these two interests to begin writing historical novels with strong women protagonists. I love the challenge of researching to figure out the details of women’s day-to-day lives–so many unrecorded stories!–and I love to advocate for the idea (fortunately not as revolutionary as it once was) that a woman can be the hero of her own story and that each woman’s story is important to tell.  

Ellen's book list on books with quirky, strong women at their heart

Ellen Baker Why did Ellen love this book?

I loved this book for being historical fiction at its finest, and I loved the main character, Mary Deerfield, for being a woman who did not fit within her own time.

It’s 1660s Boston, and Mary is married to an abusive man. Determined not to die at his hand, she must fight against everything in her society to free herself from her marriage.

I loved how this book so insightfully explored the dynamics of an abusive relationship while also bringing to vivid life a distant time and place. 

By Chris Bohjalian,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Hour of the Witch as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • From the acclaimed author of The Flight Attendant: “Historical fiction at its best…. The book is a thriller in structure, and a real page-turner, the ending both unexpected and satisfying” (Diana Gabaldon, bestselling author of the Outlander series, The Washington Post).

A young Puritan woman—faithful, resourceful, but afraid of the demons that dog her soul—plots her escape from a violent marriage in this riveting and propulsive novel of historical suspense.

Boston, 1662. Mary Deerfield is twenty-four-years-old. Her skin is porcelain, her eyes delft blue, and in England she might have had many suitors. But…


Book cover of Practical Magic

Raquel Zepeda Fitzgerald Author Of Bloody Urn

From my list on justice with a twist.

Why am I passionate about this?

I worked as a paralegal for many years and know how little justice there is in this world. Passion is a requirement if you toil in that legal arena of wit and woe. Even if you lose your case, you must go on. That’s when I had the epiphany that there are other forms of justice. I also realized that the occult does not necessarily mean bad or evil. If I’m losing faith, I pick up a novel about the delicious and refreshing possibilities of justice with a twist. This is a kind of justice where there is not necessarily a courtroom; there are no judges, no lawyers, and no jury.

Raquel's book list on justice with a twist

Raquel Zepeda Fitzgerald Why did Raquel love this book?

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.

By Alice Hoffman,

Why should I read it?

13 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…


If you love The Witch's Daughter...

Ad

Book cover of Call Me Stan: A Tragedy in Three Millennia

Call Me Stan By K.R. Wilson,

When King Priam's pregnant daughter was fleeing the sack of Troy, Stan was there. When Jesus of Nazareth was beaten and crucified, Stan was there - one crossover. He’s been a Hittite warrior, a Silk Road mercenary, a reluctant rebel in the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381, and an information peddler…

Book cover of Magic in the Wind

Aileen Erin Author Of Invocation

From my list on bingeable supernatural romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an author who grew up reading books with supernatural elements, whether it was a version of this world (paranormal fantasy) or other worlds (fantasy). I’m always looking for fantasy elements mixed with romance, so it’s not a huge surprise that I wrote in the genre. I went to Seton Hill University to get my Master’s in Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction and am a USA Today Best-selling author. Books and reading (and writing!) are my passions, and I hope you enjoy this list of books I’ve reread countless times.

Aileen's book list on bingeable supernatural romance

Aileen Erin Why did Aileen love this book?

This is a novella that starts off the Drake Sisters series. Each book in the series follows a different sister, giving each their romantic HEA (happily ever after). The sisters are known in their small coastal town for their supernatural powers.

They all have vastly different careers and different supernatural abilities. Each story is a page-turner, and the series' final book is the best of the bunch! I’ve read and reread it countless times.

I turn to this series when I’m in a reading slump, and it always turns it around for me. The romantic suspense with supernatural elements makes it a win for me.

By Christine Feehan,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Magic in the Wind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan presents the story of Sarah, the eldest of the extraordinary-and magical-Drake sisters, now rewritten and expanded, in this very special collector's edition.

"Sarah Drake has come home." Ever since Damon Wilder sought refuge in Sea Haven, he's heard the same breathless rumor pass the lips of nearly every local in the sleepy coastal town. Even the wind seems to whisper her name-a reverie so powerfully suggestive that it carries the curious Damon to Sarah's cliff-top home, and seeks to shelter him there. But Damon has not arrived alone. A killer has tracked him…


Book cover of Dance Upon the Air

Katerina Simms Author Of Sapphires and Secrets

From my list on contemporary romance that are a little bit extra.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a little secret. I was late to the romance table. Though I grew up with a romance reading mother, my initial interests lay in the fantastical worlds of Paulo Coelho, Anne Rice, and David Gemmel. Romance seemed forbidden, and I didn’t touch the genre until my late twenties, when a nasty breakup sent my disillusioned heart looking for more. And what a revelation! Romance taught me to expect more from myself and my relationships. At the close of one creative career, it lit an unstoppable passion to become a contemporary romance author. And here I am, a decade on, writing romance and sharing my book recommendations with you!

Katerina's book list on contemporary romance that are a little bit extra

Katerina Simms Why did Katerina love this book?

I can’t talk about contemporary books without mentioning the genre’s Queen, Nora Roberts. She’s the first romance author I ever read, and I have to say, Dance Upon Air really touched my “90s teenager” soul. Why, you ask?

Well, there was this exceptional time when everything New Age and witchy was in, and everyone listened to Enya, and mooned over Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock in Practical Magic. Ha! Roberts’ Three Sister’s Island series is all that in book form.

Think remote island, three women in the throes of finding love and themselves, with a magical and suspense-filled witchy subplot thrown in.

By Nora Roberts,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Dance Upon the Air as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When Nell Channing arrives on Three Sisters Island, she hopes she has finally found refuge from her abusive husband. But even in this peaceful place, she feels haunted by fear. Then she discovers the island is suffering under a terrible curse and that she must find the power to save herself. Pbk: ISBN 0749932775.


Book cover of Sister Witch

K K Weakley Author Of Sekhet

From my list on the world of magic and realms beyond our own.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a magical realism/horror author, born and reared in Ireland—I love stories that scream strange and unusual. By adding an extra dimension to a story, you can open the mind to the most wonderful places. I love to write for everyone with no exceptions, and while there are many worlds to lose yourself in while reading, I am drawn to the what ifs of magic. The worlds of witches, the dead, the unimaginable and realms beyond our own. This is why I love to write, and the reason I share my mind with those who enjoy a tale outside the norm of daily life.

K K's book list on the world of magic and realms beyond our own

K K Weakley Why did K K love this book?

The story of Moll Dyer caught my attention from the first page, the second my homeland was mentioned. Like so many in Ireland during this timeline in history when work was scarce and mouths needed to be fed, moving across the pond to England where her father still struggled to find work was the only choice she had. Violated, shunned, shipped off to the Colonies with her uncle, making an enemy in the process.  

While this can be deemed historical fiction, it is a paranormal, supernatural story, of a witch-hunt that just keeps giving.

By David W. Thompson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Moll Dyer prays she can leave her troubles behind when she immigrates to the new world, but a paranormal threat grows, and soon follows her across the ocean to Maryland.

Colonial life in the Old Line state was tough on both man and woman. Hunger, disease, Indian attacks, and drought tested the resolve of the settlers daily, but troubles for the Dyers included the threat of a succubus on a mission! Will the demonic call initiated by her family prove too much to resist as she labors to rebuild her life in a distant land?

The legend of Moll Dyer…


If you love Paula Brackston...

Ad

Book cover of The Last Whaler

The Last Whaler By Cynthia Reeves,

This book is an elegiac meditation on the will to survive. Tor, a beluga whaler, and his wife, Astrid, a botanist specializing in Arctic flora, are stranded during the dark season of 1937-38 at his remote whaling station in the Svalbard archipelago when they misjudge ice conditions and fail to…

Book cover of Dime Store Magic

Krista Wallace Author Of Griffin and the Spurious Correlations

From my list on fantasy with protagonists to be friends with.

Why am I passionate about this?

Every time I read book I imagine being part of the world of the story. I like to open my mind to the experiences of the characters, which is helpful in my work as an actor, as well as my writing. I mean, studying and interpreting character is literally an actor's job! It's a huge part of a writer's job, too, and I have tried to create characters my own readers would like to be friends with! These are all some of my favourite books/series. A couple are serious, the others are funny, but they all have wonderful characters I hope you feel as drawn to as I do.

Krista's book list on fantasy with protagonists to be friends with

Krista Wallace Why did Krista love this book?

I have so much admiration for witch Paige Winterbourne, who has had a teenage ward named Savannah thrust upon her, when Paige herself is barely out of teenagerhood. Paige's coven disowns her, even as evil forces are trying to woo Savannah, and get Paige out of the way by framing her for murder. I have zero patience for their lack of support. It's no wonder Paige is forced to accept the help of the terribly persistent young lawyer who ought to be her archenemy. He's a sorcerer, and sorcerers never have the best interests of witches in mind. Especially the heir of one of the most powerful cabals. I would help Paige communicate with a teenager. Moreover, I would take Savannah out for lunch so Paige can... communicate with her lawyer.

By Kelley Armstrong,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Dime Store Magic as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Paranormal and show-business power struggles make for hard-to-put-down entertainment.' - Booklist

'The Women of the Otherworld universe has expanded and gained further definition with this latest entry. . . . If Kelly Armstrong writes it, then you should add it to your reading list if you want a darn good tale.' - HuntressReviews.com

Paige Winterbourne is a witch. Not that you'd notice - no warts, no green skin, no cute little wiggle of the nose whenever she casts a spell.

No, most of the time she's just a normal 23-year-old girl; works too hard, worries about her weight, wonders if…


Book cover of The Witch's Tree

K K Weakley Author Of Sekhet

From my list on the world of magic and realms beyond our own.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a magical realism/horror author, born and reared in Ireland—I love stories that scream strange and unusual. By adding an extra dimension to a story, you can open the mind to the most wonderful places. I love to write for everyone with no exceptions, and while there are many worlds to lose yourself in while reading, I am drawn to the what ifs of magic. The worlds of witches, the dead, the unimaginable and realms beyond our own. This is why I love to write, and the reason I share my mind with those who enjoy a tale outside the norm of daily life.

K K's book list on the world of magic and realms beyond our own

K K Weakley Why did K K love this book?

A time slip novel around two somewhat unlucky-in-love women living in the same Somerset cottage 300-plus years apart. A tale of the connection through time brings Selena and Grace together. One with a spirit fighting to rest and one dealing with pain that only the other can aid in finding peace.

A solid character build, multiple storylines, unresolved love stories, and a look into witch trials from the ages.

If you are in the mood for a story that moves from the past to present seamlessly; then this book is for you.

By Elena Collins,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Witch's Tree as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A wonderful book by a fabulous author, very highly recommended.' Louise DouglasA tale as old as time. A spirit that has never rested.

Present day

As a love affair comes to an end, and with it her dreams for her future, artist Selena needs a retreat. The picture-postcard Sloe Cottage in the Somerset village of Ashcombe promises to be the perfect place to forget her problems, and Selena settles into her new home as spring arrives. But it isn't long before Selena hears the past whispering to her. Sloe Cottage is keeping secrets which refuse to stay hidden.

1682

Grace…


Book cover of The Accursed Vampire

Kelly Fernández Author Of Manu

From my list on middle grade magic and the supernatural.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Kelly Fernández (she/her) and I’ve been making comics since 2014. I’ve always been fascinated by stories about ghosts, monsters, and witches because I grew up in a family that believes in them. While writing my graphic novel Manu, I researched and spoke to Latinx friends and colleagues about their personal experiences with brujería (the Spanish word for witchcraft) to try and learn more about it across different cultures. I love comics because, like oral storytelling, it’s just another way for people to share their stories with each other!

Kelly's book list on middle grade magic and the supernatural

Kelly Fernández Why did Kelly love this book?

I really enjoy McGrane’s sense of humor in both her illustrations and storytelling. I definitely wasn’t expecting to cry at the end, but I did! I truly felt for Dragoslav, who is a vampire child struggling with friendships, fears, and trusting people (especially the adults in their life). Not to worry: There are plenty of laughs, cool imagery, and lots of heart. I highly recommend this to fans of horror, humor, or both. 

By Madeline McGrane,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Accursed Vampire as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

*Named a Rainbow Book List Title*

A spooky and funny graphic novel perfect for fans of The Witch Boy and Real Friends

Dragoslava is a vampire kid. It has its perks, but sometimes being stuck as a kid forever can be a pain in the neck. And that’s not even the worst part. A few centuries ago, Drago was cursed by a witch. If they don’t complete every task she sets, they will be turned into worms.

When the witch wants a spellbook from Baneberry Falls, Drago sets off with their immortal friends. But mysteries await in this sleepy Midwestern…


If you love The Witch's Daughter...

Ad

Book cover of Dragon Disciples: Resurrection

Dragon Disciples By Christina Weigand, Rhomda Chieduch (editor),

When the head of an ancient Samaritan family is injured, it throws the family into turmoil. There isn’t enough money to pay the hefty Roman taxes.

The daughter, Chana, is taken as compensation and forced into slavery inside a cruel centurion’s home. As a slave, Chana witnesses the miracles of…

Book cover of Courtney Crumrin Vol. 1: The Night Things

Henry Lien Author Of Future Legend of Skate and Sword

From my list on readers who wish Hermione had her own series.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m qualified to talk about Hermione Granger because she’s a bold rip-off of my own experience at boarding school. My family didn’t have a lot of money. However, I was always the smartest, most original, hardest-working kid at school. Then I got a fat scholarship to an exclusive and fabulously wealthy boarding school 3,000 miles from home. I arrived as a poor, immigrant, POC, gay, transfer student into the eleventh grade. I was the muggle-born kid plopped into a world of privilege and power with something to prove, just like Hermione. But because the author did such a good job of capturing my life, I won’t sue.

Henry's book list on readers who wish Hermione had her own series

Henry Lien Why did Henry love this book?

Like Hermione, Courtney comes from a non-magical background and discovers her own magical heritage. Her stubborn curiosity propels her into a fantastical world operating under our own. She also has a sense of justice and would deffo have allied with Hermione in S.P.E.W. Unlike Hermione, Courtney isn’t studious or diligent. She’s a bit of a slacker and a grump. What I love about this series is the prickly heroine and the treatment of the fantastical world. Like the Wizarding World, the fantastical worldbuilding in this series is built on familiar Western fantasy creatures and tropes. What’s special about it is the stylish Goth-chic interpretation through the author/artist’s artwork and the examination of the ethical conundrums latent in fantasy since fantasy is often about power.

By Ted Naifeh, Warren Wucinich (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Courtney Crumrin Vol. 1 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

Get the first volume of this critically acclaimed series for only $10 as part of Oni's Square One program!

Courtney Crumrin grumbles about everything, but now she's really got something to grumble over. Having run out of credit cards, her parents are moving to the wealthy suburb of Hillsborough, to live rent-free with their creepy old uncle Aloysius. Courtney is now an outcast among her rich, snobby classmates. And if that weren't bad enough, the musty, decrepit old mansion that she now calls home is occupied by stranger creatures than just her parents or Uncle Aloysius.

They crawl about the…


Book cover of A Discovery of Witches
Book cover of Hour of the Witch
Book cover of Practical Magic

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,625

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in witches, immortality, and magicians?

Witches 146 books
Immortality 56 books
Magicians 40 books