13 Witchy and Bewitching Halloween Reads for Your Book Club

As autumn leaves swirl and jack-o'-lanterns grin from porches, it's the perfect time for book clubs to embrace the magical side of Halloween. This season, we're focusing on enchanting tales of witches. Gather your coven of book lovers, brew some tea, and prepare for a spellbinding literary journey!

13 Magical Halloween Book Club Picks

 

Contemporary / Romance

For those who like their spells with a side of swoon-worthy romance:

1. "The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches" by Sangu Mandanna
   • A delightful and uplifting story of found family, magical mishaps, and unexpected romance.
2. "The Spellshop" by Sarah Beth Durst
   • A cozy fantasy romance set in a charming witchy town.
3. "Practical Magic" by Alice Hoffman
   • This beloved classic -- a blend of love, family and the supernatural -- follows the two Owens sisters as they grapple with their magical legacy.
4. "Truly Madly Magically" by Hazel Beck
   • The third book in Beck's Witchlore series follows a witch cursed to tell the truth as she deals with her past love and fights against the witching world's evil rulers. Sponsored recommendation.

 

Historical Fiction

For readers who enjoy their magic with a dash of history:

5. "Weyward" by Emilia Hart
   • An intergenerational tale of women, witchcraft, and nature, weaving together three women's stories from 2019, 1619, and 1942.
6. "The Once and Future Witches" by Alix E. Harrow
   • A feminist tale of witchcraft and suffrage in 1890s America
7. "Hester" by Laurie Lico Albanese
   • Set in Salem, this novel reimagines the origin of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter," exploring themes of art, desire, and the lingering effects of the witch trials.
8. "What We Sacrifice for Magic" by Andrea Jo DeWerd
   • A coming of age story set in 1968 follows an eldest daughter in a small Minnesota town who grapples with what she's willing to sacrifice for family, secrets and magic.
   • BONUS: Join Bookclubs' chat with the author on October 24, right in time for Halloween! Log into our Instagram Live (@BookclubsHQ) at 7pm ET. 

 

Fantasy / Dark Academia

For those seeking immersive, magical worlds:

9. "Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery" by Brom
   • A dark historical fantasy set in colonial New England. Abitha, a recently widowed outcast, turns to an ancient spirit for help and together they ignite a battle between pagan and Puritan.
10. "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness
    • A young scholar and descendent of witches discovers a long-lost alchemical manuscript deep in an Oxford library and summons a fantastical underworld.
11. "Ink Blood Sister Scribe" by Emma Törzs
    • A contemporary fantasy about magical twins whose family guards a collection of rare and ancient books. 
12. "Serpent & Dove" by Shelby Mahurin
    • A young adult romantic fantasy featuring witches and witch hunters.

 

Nonfiction

For those interested in the real-world history and cultural impact of witchcraft:​​

13. "In Defense of Witches" by Mona Chollet
    • A feminist reexamination of the witch archetype that explores how the concept of the witch has been used to control and punish women throughout history.

More Spooky Halloween Book Club Reads

If witches and magic aren't your club's thing, but you're still looking for a Halloween-themed read, may we suggest something creepy, spooky, gory, or thrilling?  Check out our list of spooky reads for book clubs, with tons of suggestions for thrillers and horror novels that will get your spine tingling!  All of the books in that post also include ready-made book club discussion questions, and we've also included some fun ideas to make your Halloween book club meeting truly spooktacular!