#witch book recs

[onyxandemerald]

books that have completed changed the way i view the world by increasing weirdness

The Witch Must Die by Sheldon Cashdan

The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk

God Human Animal Machine by Meghan O'Gieblyn

After by Dr. Bruce Greyson

Nature and the Human Soul by Bill Plotkin

The Witch's Herbal Apothecary by Marysia Miernowska

Six Ways by Aiden Watcher

Stealing the Fire From Heaven by Stephen Mace

Three Books of Occult Philosophy by Henry Agrippa

Daemonolatry Goetia by S. Connolly

[samwisethewitch]

Homemaking, gardening, and self-sufficiency resources that won't radicalize you into a hate group

It seems like self-sufficiency and homemaking skills are blowing up right now. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the current economic crisis, a lot of folks, especially young people, are looking to develop skills that will help them be a little bit less dependent on our consumerist economy. And I think that's generally a good thing. I think more of us should know how to cook a meal from scratch, grow our own vegetables, and mend our own clothes. Those are good skills to have.

Unfortunately, these "self-sufficiency" skills are often used as a recruiting tactic by white supremacists, TERFs, and other hate groups. They become a way to reconnect to or relive the "good old days," a romanticized (false) past before modern society and civil rights. And for a lot of people, these skills are inseparably connected to their politics and may even be used as a tool to indoctrinate new people.

In the spirit of building safe communities, here's a complete list of the safe resources I've found for learning homemaking, gardening, and related skills. Safe for me means queer- and trans-friendly, inclusive of different races and cultures, does not contain Christian preaching, and does not contain white supremacist or TERF dog whistles.

Homemaking/Housekeeping/Caring for your home:

Making It by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen [book] (The big crunchy household DIY book; includes every level of self-sufficiency from making your own toothpaste and laundry soap to setting up raised beds to butchering a chicken. Authors are explicitly left-leaning.)

Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair by Mercury Stardust [book] (A guide to simple home repair tasks, written with rentals in mind; very compassionate and accessible language.)

How To Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis [book] (The book about cleaning and housework for people who get overwhelmed by cleaning and housework, based on the premise that messiness is not a moral failing; disability and neurodivergence friendly; genuinely changed how I approach cleaning tasks.)

Gardening

Rebel Gardening by Alessandro Vitale [book] (Really great introduction to urban gardening; explicitly discusses renter-friendly garden designs in small spaces; lots of DIY solutions using recycled materials; note that the author lives in England, so check if plants are invasive in your area before putting them in the ground.)

Country/Rural Living:

Woodsqueer by Gretchen Legler [book] (Memoir of a lesbian who lives and works on a rural farm in Maine with her wife; does a good job of showing what it's like to be queer in a rural space; CW for mentions of domestic violence, infidelity/cheating, and internalized homophobia)

"Debunking the Off-Grid Fantasy" by Maggie Mae Fish [video essay] (Deconstructs the off-grid lifestyle and the myth of self-reliance)

Sewing/Mending:

Annika Victoria [YouTube channel] (No longer active, but their videos are still a great resource for anyone learning to sew; check out the beginner project playlist to start. This is where I learned a lot of what I know about sewing.)

Make, Sew, and Mend by Bernadette Banner [book] (A very thorough written introduction to hand-sewing, written by a clothing historian; lots of fun garment history facts; explicitly inclusive of BIPOC, queer, and trans sewists.)

Sustainability/Land Stewardship

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer [book] (Most of you have probably already read this one or had it recommended to you, but it really is that good; excellent example of how traditional animist beliefs -- in this case, indigenous American beliefs -- can exist in healthy symbiosis with science; more philosophy than how-to, but a great foundational resource.)

Wild Witchcraft by Rebecca Beyer [book] (This one is for my fellow witches; one of my favorite witchcraft books, and an excellent example of a place-based practice deeply rooted in the land.)

Avoiding the "Crunchy to Alt Right Pipeline"

Note: the "crunchy to alt-right pipeline" is a term used to describe how white supremacists and other far right groups use "crunchy" spaces (i.e., spaces dedicated to farming, homemaking, alternative medicine, simple living/slow living, etc.) to recruit and indoctrinate people into their movements. Knowing how this recruitment works can help you recognize it when you do encounter it and avoid being influenced by it.

"The Crunchy-to-Alt-Right Pipeline" by Kathleen Belew [magazine article] (Good, short introduction to this issue and its history.)

Sisters in Hate by Seyward Darby (I feel like I need to give a content warning: this book contains explicit descriptions of racism, white supremacy, and Neo Nazis, and it's a very difficult read, but it really is a great, in-depth breakdown of the role women play in the alt-right; also explicitly addresses the crunchy to alt-right pipeline.)

These are just the resources I've personally found helpful, so if anyone else has any they want to add, please, please do!

[anamelessfool]

My top fave books on magick (I'm mostly a sigil/ritual/energy occultist)

Jan Fries "Visual Magick"

Aidan Wachter "Six Ways: Approaches & Entries for Practical Magick"

Damien Echols "High Magick" (I like the audiobook he has a great voice) FYI he uses a type of Magick that is influenced by Golden Dawn practices, which have lots of Biblical/Kabbalah lore and entities.

All of these have Meditation and Imaginative free associating as the basis for the practice.

Fell out of a consistent magic practice last year, but I want to get back into it. 90% of it was mind-based things like meditation, automatic writing/drawing, and energy work.

Meditation is one of those life-changing things for me and I'm disappointed I didn't try it sooner. I was introduced to it originally in the most stupid and corporate way too, unfortunately. It was only recently I reclaimed it for occult and healing purposes.

If you're interested in all that, I like chatting about it via asks and PMs.

[noahhawthorneauthor]

You've got the 'questionable nature magic that smells like necromancy and probably is folks', and the 'magical found family squads who solve life and falls in love.'

On a completely unrelated note, I wish it was Autumn already.

[tathrin]

Okay folks this book was delightful. I finished it all in one evening, and enjoyed every moment. The emotional connections and arcs all felt so genuinely earned, the characters all so wonderfully themselves yet shifted believably to account for the changes in their world.

I will admit to being very skeptical of the premise, and tbh if there had been any name attached to this book other than Seanan's I doubt I would have picked it up at all, but oh I am so glad I did. She concocted this ridiculous premise so beautifully and believably and, most importantly of all, satisfyingly.

I absolutely loved the trip through Wands and Peter's shared life here, and as expected with a Seanan McGuire book, there were emotional gut-punches galore. I also laughed many times, of course, once so hard and so long that it left my ribs sore (the end of chapter fourteen, for those of you keeping notes). My only complaint is that I wish it was twice as long, because I could have spent so much more time in this world and been happy about it!

If you like either character, or the Marvel Universe in general, get yourself a copy it was great.

[apolline-lucy]

i am beyond thrilled to share the cover of my fantasy novel, THE HOLLOWS 🗡️💀🖤 coming out November 29, 2024!

Hollowing or rotting, such is the fate of Misttown’s witches.

With its eerie, unfading fog, enchanting shops selling cures in the forms of pastries and flowers, and its crystal market, Misttown is the perfect witchy haven. But when the fog vanishes, replaced by a strange green smoke, and ghosts begin to roam the streets, everything changes.

For Brume, a witch whose modest talents include being haunted by ghost cats, baking heartbreak-soothing treats, and uprooting moss and weeds, her uneventful life takes a dramatic turn. Not only is she the only one able to see the ghosts, but when she loses someone to the smoke, she has no choice but to investigate.

Accompanied by a half-demon, a bone witch, a seer, a necromancer, and a herd of ghosts, Brume embarks on a journey that might do more than solve the curse; she might find herself and the magic she has always been too afraid to embrace.

preorder for THE HOLLOWS is now live on Kindle Unlimited!

*only for ebooks; if you’d like to order a physical copy (paperback or hardcover) please wait until the release✨

Amazing art design by Makomeri

[breelandwalker]

Witchcraft Book Recommendation Lists

(From an answer to an inquiry in the witchcraft tags. Decided to repost for anyone else who might need it.)

Here’s the post I made with recommendations for green witchcraft and plant magic. The list includes magical resources and accompanying practical texts on botany, herbology, and medicinal plants.

Here’s the post I made with recommendations for general witchcraft study, including practical sources on the history of modern witchcraft. (In particular, I recommend Margot Adler’s “Drawing Down The Moon” and Ronald Hutton’s “The Triumph of the Moon” for information about the modern movement.)

Here’s a recent photo of my personal library, if you’re looking for a general list of titles to check out.

Here’s the post I made with a list of JSTOR articles I’ve found that relate to witchcraft, witch trials, folk magic, occult beliefs, superstition, and the history surrounding all of them. It’s not exhaustive, but it’s pretty comprehensive.

And here are a couple of masterlists of podcast episodes that deal with witchcraft, witch trials, the history of witchcraft-related beliefs, and resources for fact-checking and debunking misconceptions and misinformation commonly found in witchcraft spaces.

(Also I have published a few books on practical secular witchcraft, if you’re interested….)

You can also find additional recommendations in the "book recs" and "witchy books" tags on my blog.

Hope this helps!

[wondereads]

Sapphic Book Recs for Pride 2024

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Adult, high fantasy, 4.28 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Adult, sci-fantasy, 4.29 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.55 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Young Adult, thriller, 4.27 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Crier's War by Nina Varela

Young Adult, high fantasy, 4.11 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

New Adult, low fantasy, 4.18 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Seven Devils by L. R. Lam and Elizabeth May

Adult, space opera, 4.03 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Malice by Heather Walter

Adult, fantasy romance, 3.97 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Beguiled by Cyla Panin

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.48 star average (my rating: 4 stars)

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

Adult, high fantasy, 4.21 star average (my rating: 3.5 stars)

Ash by Malinda Lo

Young Adult, fantasy romance, 3.57 star average (my rating: 3.5 stars)

We Ate the Dark by Mallory Pearson

New Adult, horror fantasy, 3.04 star average (my rating: 3 stars)

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

Adult, historical fantasy, 3.66 star average

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

Adult, historical fantasy, 4.13 star average

Flip the Script by Lyla Lee

Young Adult, contemporary romance, 3.64 star average

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

Adult, high fantasy, 4.07 star average

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Adult, historical fantasy, 4 star average

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.17 star average

Tink and Wendy by Kelly Ann Jacobson

Young Adult, low fantasy, 3.4 star average

The Tiger's Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera

Adult, high fantasy, 3.84 star average

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

Adult, horror sci-fi, 4.04 star average

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.65 star average

The Goddess of Nothing at All by Cat Rector

Adult, high fantasy, 4.23 star average

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Young Adult, historical romance, 4.28 star average

Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta

Young Adult, dystopian sci-fi, 3.92 star average

The City of Dusk by Tara Sim

Adult, high fantasy, 3.72 star average

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

Young Adult, contemporary fiction, 4.25 star average

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

Adult, gothic fantasy, 3.83 star average

A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson

Adult, gothic fantasy, 4.12 star average

Seven Faceless Saints by M. K. Lobb

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.5 star average

Darker by Four by June CL Tan

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.11 star average

The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling

Young Adult, paranormal romance, 3.64 star average

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Lin

Adult, mystery thriller, 3.63 star average

Once & Future by Cory McCarthy and A. R. Capetta

Young Adult, sci-fantasy, 3.57 star average

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Adult, high fantasy, 4.1 star average

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Young Adult, sci-fi horror, 3.48 star average

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfled

Young Adult, contemporary fiction/low fantasy, 3.69 star average

[qbdatabase]

do you love the color of trans visibility?

(click on the link below each picture to view a list of titles, authors, and brief summaries for each book!)

[nyxshadowhawk]

My occult library! I’m pretty proud of this. I’ve got a nice mix of classic occult books, fluffy witch books, serious scholarship, and editions of grimoires. And on a broad range of subjects! I’ve got some ceremonial magic, some folk magic, some chaos magic, some ancient paganism, some neopaganism, some alchemy… I’ve basically covered all the bases!

Please don’t tell me how many of those I’ve actually read. 😬

[sapphicbookclub]

Author Spotlight: Tiana Warner

Who says witches are only for October? Author of current club read How to Flirt with a Witch, Tiana Warner, highlights the role of witches as feminist icons in a proposal to make 2025 the year of the witch!

Witches as feminist icons: 5 reasons to make 2025 the year of the witch

Between books, TV, movies, and musicals, witches are having a heyday, and it’s about time. In fact, now is better than ever for this symbol of female power to rise to popularity.

Here are 5 reasons witches are total icons that we should all aspire to.

Joan of Arc

1. Witches defy societal norms

This is no surprise, but witch hunts of the past weren’t really about magic. They were about controlling and suppressing women and marginalized people.

Living without a man? Independent income? Hanging out with other women instead of trying to find a husband? How dangerous. Must be a witch.

Many women accused of witchcraft were unconventional, independent (unmarried or widowed), or had strong social bonds with other women. They were boldly different—and today, we can channel the energy of those fierce women as a source of strength.

2. Witches challenge the patriarchy

Witch trials were fueled by the fear and hatred of women, especially those who were “disobedient”. This misogyny often intersected with homophobia, as women who formed close connections with other women were seen as threats to the traditional family structure. People were also targeted based on race and class. In essence, “witches” were strong women and marginalized individuals whom society deemed too deviant, too threatening, and too powerful.

3. Covens are found family

Covens are communities whose members share resources, knowledge, and strength, forming a united and unstoppable force. These sisterhoods are all about mutual support, creating a sense of belonging that is often lacking in mainstream society.

Today’s witches and Wiccan covens continue the tradition of solidarity, providing inclusive spaces for people to explore their spiritual paths without fear of judgment.

4. Witches resist traditional gender roles and sexuality

There’s something wonderfully sapphic about a group of women living together and doing little witchy spells and rituals. But the link between witches and sapphism is more than that. Back in the witch trials, deviations in sexuality and gender were used to justify witchcraft accusations. Joan of Arc was targeted for being “manly” and wearing men’s clothing. Even some men who defied societal norms, particularly queer men or those seen as feminine, were accused of witchcraft. The Malleus Maleficarum, the infamous 15th-century witch-hunting manual, warned against acting “unwomanly” and said witches engaged in sexual relations with other women.

Medieval people might have been terrified of sexuality, but today, sexuality is something to be celebrated. Joan of Arc is now a symbol of resilience. Witches in popular culture come in all the colors of the rainbow. Modern Wiccan traditions embrace feminist ideals that uplift queer identities. Witches continue to live outside conventional gender roles, defying societal expectations around sexuality, clothing, and lifestyles. 

5. Witches are symbols of resilience

Feared and revered, witches have always been powerful women who live by their own rules. In medieval times, accusations of witchcraft were used to silence women, and the legacy of those who fought against the injustices lives on. From a dark history, witches have come to represent the strength and solidarity needed to overcome oppression. And in today’s media, what is a witch if not a strong woman fighting for what she wants?

From the Salem witch trials to modern Wiccan practices and witches in the media, witches have always been badass icons of defiance, feminism, and empowerment. Gather your coven, channel the fierce energy of our witchy ancestors, and let’s make 2025 the year of the witch.

About the Author

Tiana Warner is the author of How to Flirt with a Witch, a Sapphic Romantasy novel launching December 10th.

Tiana is a multi-award-winning sapphic romance author from British Columbia, Canada. She is passionate about animal welfare and is an active volunteer with local dog rescue organizations. You can often find her cuddling a foster dog, riding her horse Flynn, or exploring nature.

[onyxandemerald]

Digital Library

Everything that I can get my hands on goes in here. All highly recommended! Spread love, you guys! 💕

[samwisethewitch]

Please read Mountain Magic by Rebecca Beyer

I was on a break from social media when I read this one, so this isn't a full review, but I highly, highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Appalachian folk magic. This is especially relevant to Southern Appalachian lore since Beyer lives in North Carolina.

I loved Beyer's first book, Wild Witchcraft, and with this one, I think she's officially become one of my favorite authors. This is a very thorough collection of folklore and practice for how short it is, and it's organized in a way that is easier for my ADHD brain to follow than some other authors.

I also have to gush about the illustrations. Both of Beyer's books are beautifully illustrated, but I think the art in this one is especially incredible. It's worth having a physical copy for the info alone, but the gorgeous art really makes this a book I want to display in my home.

Finally, I've found Beyer really helpful as an example of combining a pagan religious worldview with a Christian folk magic tradition. Her first book is very much pagan, with info on the God and Goddess and the Wheel of the Year. In this book, she talks about how Christianity has always been at the core of Appalachian folk magic and doesn't try to "paganize" the practice, while also leaving room for readers to bring their own beliefs to the table and explore what feels comfortable for them. This book did not feel preachy in the way some books on American folk magic do.

But yeah, this is just a really fantastic book, and I absolutely think every folk witch needs a copy of it on their shelf!

[derpcakes]

The Best Books I Read in 2024

It’s the most magical time of the year—when I look back at my favourite works of fiction! I got a lot of reading in in 2024, in part due to a cunning scheme in which I made sure to always have an ebook on my phone, slowly yet successfully training myself to dip into a novel instead of tripping down into a Twitter hole (not that I’m on Twitter anymore; and not that it’s even called Twitter…) every time I had the urge to Scroll and look at Content. As always, I’ve enjoyed an eclectic mix of vibes and genres: on this list we’ve got a range from whimsical to harrowing, we’ve got high fantasy, contemporary rom-coms, modern gothic, and some fun hybrids including horror-romance and fantasy-mystery. More adult/general fiction than YA, you’ll notice, as I continue to explore the world outside my thesis niche—but I’ve always got room for a couple. 

Without further ado and without making this post any longer than it already is, let’s begin! Let me know if you also read any of these, and what you thought, and of course feel free to tell me all about your own favourite reads of 2024!

Keep reading...

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🩷 What to Read After Watching Wicked 💚

❓ Have you seen Wicked yet (& what did you think?) OR who is your favorite fictional witch?

🩷 Night of the Witch - Beth Revis and Sara Raasch 💚 The Fate of Magic - Beth Revis and Sara Raasch 🩷 Toto - AJ Hackwith 💚 Lunar Chronicles - Marissa Meyer 🩷 Wild is the Witch - Rachel Griffin 💚 Bring Me Your Midnight - Rachel Griffin 🩷 The Nature of Witches - Rachel Griffin 💚 Never After series by Emily McIntire 🩷 The Poisons We Drink - Bethany Baptiste 💚 Heartless Hunter - Kristen Ciccarelli 🩷 Bury Your Gays - Chuck Tingle 💚 The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale - Virginia Kantra

🩷 Unnaturally Green - Felicia Ricci 💚 Motherthing - Ainslie Hogarth 🩷 Dark Oz - Geneva Monroe 💚 Perfume and Pain - Anna Dorn 🩷 Kingdom of the Wicked - Kerri Maniscalco 💚 Circe - Madeline Miller 🩷 Peaches & Honey - R. Raeta 💚 We Love the Nightlife - Rachel Koller Croft 🩷 Tin - Amber R Duell 💚 Spelled - Betsy Schow 🩷 Dorothy Must Die - Danielle Paige 💚 Was - Geoff Ryman

[bellasbookclub]

Reccer Spotlight: Eden!

Woman, Eating

Our Hideous Progeny

House of Hollow

The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch

A Study in Drowning

Eden's got some spooky and gothic gems from the YA and adult sections, all with gorgeous covers (if you care about that sort of thing.) Full text available in their tab of the Bella’s Book Club Summer Reading ‘24 Reclist!

more info on BBC Summer Reading 2024

more Reccer Spotlights