Many of us grew up thinking of witches as mere fictional characters in Disney movies, but nowadays, real-life witches are increasingly common and visible. The hashtag #witchcraft, for instance, appears in 8.7 million Instagram posts, and the topic is so popular on TikTok that the term “witchtok” was coined to describe this community.
Some see witchcraft as an empowering alternative to organized religion, since it emphasizes people’s individual relationship to the earth and spirit realm. Some also see it as feminist reclamation of a label that has historically been used to punish women. Witchcraft means different things to different people, today but generally involves a spiritual connection to nature and a belief in the power of intuition.
If this ancient yet modern set of practices intrigues you, you may want to check out these spellbindingly great books about witches and witchcraft.
Basic Witches: How to Summon Success, Banish Drama, and Raise Hell with Your Coven by Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman
Think of Basic Witches as an intro to modern-day witchcraft. This beginner witch book teaches readers how to tackle everyday tasks, like dating and getting ready in the morning, with a healthy dose of witchy-ness. You’ll read about spells and potions you can use to up-level your life, along with some fun witch facts along the way.
READ: The Playful History of Tarot
Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive by Kristen J. Sollée
If you’re a sex nerd seeking a way into the world of witchcraft, Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive will teach you all about the connection between the persecution of witches and modern-day slut-shaming — and how embracing the witch archetype can liberate us from misogyny and sex-negativity. From an analysis of sexism in politics to interviews with everyday witches, Sollée provides a vast understanding of how the word “witch” gets weaponized and how we can take it back.
READ: What Kind of Witch Are You? Exploring the Many Types of Witchcraft
Weed Witch: The Essential Guide to Cannabis for Magic and Wellness by Sophie Saint Thomas
Weed Witch is a digestible read for anyone looking to make the most of this magic plant. Author Sophie Saint Thomas elucidates the connection between witchcraft and cannabis, offering spells and practices that can enhance any witch’s or cannabis enthusiast’s self-care.
Light Magic for Dark Times: More than 100 Spells, Rituals, and Practices for Coping in a Crisis by Lisa Marie Basile
If you think of witchcraft as always dark, think again. Light Magic for Dark Times is a guide to light magic, including spells and rituals to cultivate self-love, recover from trauma, and improve your mindset. It’s one of the best witch books for anyone going through difficult times.
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Love, Nature, Magic: Shamanic Journeys into the Heart of My Garden by Maria Rodale
Love, Nature, Magic will appeal to plant medicine journeyers interested in experiencing spiritual states without substances. Rodale chronicles her own conversations with plants and animals, inspiring us to take better care of ourselves, one another, and the planet.
Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick & Manifestation by Mat Auryn
Nominated for multiple awards for the best Wiccan books, Psychic Witch is a dreamy guide that helps readers access their intuitions through witchy exercises and meditations. Auryn makes the case that everybody has psychic abilities and even incorporates science to illustrate how we can change our lives through awareness of our psyches and our energy.
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
The basis for its own TV series, this book takes the cake for “best witch books: fiction.” It centers on a woman who connects to her own witch ancestry when she discovers an otherworldly realm. If you love it, you can go on to read the other three books in the All Souls Series that it kicks off.
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