Witchy YA reads that are perfect for Halloween!

For some people, Halloween is the peak time for horror movie marathons and terrifying costumes.

Not me, however. I hail from the Practical Magic school of Halloween, in which me and my friends consume many margaritas at midnight and dance around tables while cursing our exes. As someone who sat through entire seasons of American Horror Story and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina purely for the vibes, it’s safe to say that I love a good witchy tale — let’s be honest, who doesn’t?

We’re two days out from Halloween and if the warmer Aussie weather is hampering your ability to feel properly spooky, these witchy YA reads are here to help. From tales of young witches testing their powers for the first time or building a coven to better hex their enemies, you’ll find witchiness a-plenty in these books. Read on …

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin

For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, their power from the sun peaking in the season of their birth. But now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch whose rare magic is tied to every season. But sometimes, Clara wants nothing to do with her power …

The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. And there are no strangers in the town of Near. These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger – a boy who seems to fade like smoke – appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe – witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family’s renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin . . . desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister’s killer and to seek vengeance at any cost-even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling

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. So, Hannah spends most of her time avoiding her ex-girlfriend (and fellow Elemental Witch) Veronica, hanging out with her best friend, and working at the Fly by Night Cauldron. But dealing with her ex is the least of Hannah’s concerns when a terrifying blood ritual interrupts the end-of-school-year bonfire.

The Babysitters Coven by Kate M. Williams

Seventeen-year-old Esme Pearl has a babysitters club. She knows it’s kinda lame, but what else is she supposed to do? Get a job? Gross. Enter Cassandra Heaven. She’s Instagram-model hot, dresses like she found her clothes in a dumpster, and has a rebellious streak as gnarly as the cafeteria cooking. So why is Cassandra willing to do anything, even take on a potty-training two-year-old, to join Esme’s babysitters club?

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova

If Alex could make one wish, it would be to get rid of her bruja magic. So when it comes time for her Death Day, she plans to twist the blessing meant to strengthen her magic into a curse that will banish it. But when the curse backfires and banishes her family instead, Alex must seek help from Nova, a brujo with ambitions of his own.

All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue

Maeve Chambers doesn’t have much going for her. Not only does she feel like the sole idiot in a family of geniuses, she managed to drive away her best friend Lily a year ago. But when she finds a pack of dusty old tarot cards at school, and begins to give scarily accurate readings to the girls in her class, she realizes she’s found her gift at last. Things are looking up – until she discovers a strange card in the deck that definitely shouldn’t be there. And two days after she convinces her ex-best friend to have a reading, Lily disappears. (Look out for the sequel, The Gifts That Bind Us, coming February 2022!)

A Curse of Ash and Embers by Jo Spurrier

When she was hired at Black Oak Cottage, Elodie had no idea she’d find herself working for a witch; and her acid-tongued new mistress, Aleida, was not expecting a housemaid to turn up on her doorstep. Gyssha’s final curse left Aleida practically dead on her feet, and now, with huge monsters roaming the woods, a demonic tree lurking in the orchard and an angry warlock demanding repayment of a debt, Aleida needs Elodie’s help, whether she likes it or not.

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch. She puts all her energy into becoming an asha. But dark forces are encroaching, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to make a difficult choice about how to use her power.

The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke

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. (Look out for the sequel, The Scratch Daughters, coming December 2021!)

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

Be careful of the dark, dark wood. Especially the woods surrounding the town of Fir Haven. Some say these woods are magical. Haunted, even. Rumoured to be a witch, only Nora Walker knows the truth. She and the Walker women before her have always shared a special connection with the woods. And it’s this special connection that leads Nora to Oliver Huntsman the same boy who disappeared from the Camp for Wayward Boys weeks ago and in the middle of the worst snowstorm in years.

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

Sunny Nwazue lives in Nigeria, but she was born in New York City. Her features are West African, but she’s albino. She’s a terrific athlete, but can’t go out into the sun to play soccer. There seems to be no place where she fits in. And then she discovers something amazing: she is a “free agent” with latent magical power. And she has a lot of catching up to do.

The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska

Every year on St. Walpurga’s Eve, Caldella’s Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace. An innocent life must be sacrificed on the full moon to keep the island city from sinking. Lina Kirk is convinced her brother is going to be taken this year. To save him, she enlists the help of the mysterious Thomas Lin, the boy she secretly loves, and the only person ever to escape from the palace. But when Thomas is chosen as the sacrifice and Lina offers herself in exchange, they discover that they are nothing like the other imagined … (Look out for Alicia’s witchy new book The Midnight Girls, coming November 30th!)

The Graces by Laure Eve

Everyone said the Graces were witches. Like everyone else in her town, River is obsessed with the Graces, attracted by their glamour and apparent ability to weave magic. But are they really what they seem? And are they more dangerous than they let on?

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron

Heir to two lines of powerful witchdoctors, Arrah yearns for magic of her own. Yet she fails at bone magic, fails to call upon her ancestors, and fails to live up to her family’s legacy. Under the disapproving eye of her mother, the Kingdom’s most powerful priestess and seer, she fears she may never be good enough. But when the Kingdom’s children begin to disappear, Arrah is desperate enough to turn to a forbidden, dangerous ritual. If she has no magic of her own, she’ll have to buy it – by trading away years of her own life.

A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee

Felicity Morrow is back at the Dalloway School. Perched in the Catskill Mountains, the centuries-old, ivy-covered campus was home until the tragic death of her girlfriend. Now, after a year away, she’s returned to finish high school. She even has her old room in Godwin House, the exclusive dormitory rumoured to be haunted by the spirits of five Dalloway students–girls some say were witches … (Look out for the paperback edition, coming February 2022!)

Toil & Trouble by Jessica Spotswood & Tess Sharpe

From good witches to bad witches to witches who are a bit of both, this is an anthology of diverse witchy tales from a diverse collection of feminist authors. Toil & Trouble delves deep into the wide-ranging mythology of witchcraft from many cultures and feminist points of view to create modern and unique ideas about witchery that have yet to be explored.

What will you be reading this Halloween?

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About the Contributor

Olivia Fricot

Olivia Fricot (she/her) is Booktopia's Senior Content Producer and editor of the Booktopian blog. She has too many plants and not enough bookshelves, and you can usually find her reading, baking, or talking to said plants. She is pro-Oxford comma.

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