Five Witchy Fantasy Books Worth Reading
The "witchy fantasy" shelf is one of those categories where everything sounds good (in theory), but the execution varies wildly. I’ve read quite a bit in this genre; some are excellent and some are… less so. The ones that don’t slap are ones that either use magic as a solution to every problem (without explaining the magic system or why the magic wasn’t used earlier) or have one spell in the beginning and then the magic/witchiness takes a back seat.
Whether you want something dark and complex, something warm and healing, or something with magic systems that have rules and consequences, these books are my go-tos for recommending. If you want personalized recommendations beyond this list based on your mood and reading history, the Beguiled By Books app is where you want to be. The quiz is a few short questions and the results are significantly better than any algorithm. Membership gets you the full experience. But first, the books.
Witchy Fantasy Books Worth Your Time
Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli
Heartless Hunter is the first book in the Crimson Moth duology, which I read so fast even my hubby commented on my pace. The author builds a world where witch-hunting has reason and logic so the witch-hunters believe what they are doing is right. It’s not villainy for villainous sake. Our main character, Rune, is a witch who hides in plain sight to protect herself, while (in true Daredevil-esque fashion), fights to rescue witches in the depths of night. When her aristocratic peer and known witch-hunter is tasked with finding ‘the Crimson Moth’, he begins suspecting the idiotic debutante Rune is not all she pretends to be. You get the idea. That said, the book and series is fabulous and the world is built on ideological conflict (rather than just a trite and thin enemies-to-lovers trope).
The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields
The Honey Witch is a delightful cozy witchy book and I nearly forgot I read it. In this book, Marigold is a lonesome young witch who grew up in a remote location, always careful to keep the world at a distance. When a stranger arrives, her world begins to change in unpredictably delightful ways. The romance that builds is sweet without being gross and the character arc of Marigold is plausible in this fantasy world. This book is all about a hug and a warm beverage and everything will be okay. It’s also a standalone (rare in the fantasy world), which is fabulous if you don’t want to commit to a series.
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
The Spellshop is what the kids call “cottagecore” fantasy. I call it cozy fantasy, but whatever. Either way, this book (first of a lovely series) is done right. Kiela, a lonely librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, gets stuck in a life or death situation when the library is set on fire during a revolution. She manages to escape to a remote island with a bunch of stolen (liberated!) texts from the library and Caz, a sentient spider plant of unknown creation. On this island, she begins finding herself as she rebuilds her life in the wake of a revolution and new government.
What I love about this book (and the series) is the coziness. Kiela has challenges, but they are not challenges where she is required to be the hero. She doesn’t need to sacrifice anything - and that is what defines cozy fantasy. The magic system is sound without getting too detailed and nerdy. And for the series, I love it because they are parts of a world, but each subsequent book follows a different character. Read one, read some, read them in any order - it won’t matter. All these books are fabulous.
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Emily Wilde is a delightful cozy fantasy series that bridges the gap between historical fiction/magical realism and cozy fantasy. That description sounds like it’s doing a lot of work, but I promise it’s not overwhelming. Set somewhere in the past, Emily Wilde is a curmudgeonly academic who studies Faeries. Her sunshine-y right hand is with her at all times and when they venture into Faerie together, things go… awry. Shenanigans, fae bargains, and adventures ensue, but all through the story, the stakes are high, but not stressful high. There’s comedic relief, a lovely dog sidekick, and Emily, who’s trying her best to deal with all of this.
You can read the first book as a standalone, or you can follow the entire series and see what other nonsense Emily falls into with her tribe of unique friends and fae.
