When the weather starts to cool, there is one movie that's immediately on our watch list–Practical Magic. If you're anything like us, you've been watching every behind-the-scenes clip you can find of the new movie, looking for an excuse to make midnight margaritas, and making sure your TBR is stocked full of romantic, witchy reads for fall.
But, in case you need a little help, here's our staff's list of books to read if you want a Practical Magic fall this autumn.
A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
One of the coziest books on this list by far. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a go-to recommendation around the shop. This cozy fantasy follows Mika Moon, a lonely witch who moves to the mysterious Nowhere House. Here she cares for a group of mischievous young witches and meets a brooding librarian named Jamie. This one is full of found family, witchy goodness that's hard not to love.
PS: Don't forget about Mandanna's newest novel, A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping.
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
The Spellshop is an another cozy fantasy with a wonderful slow-burn romance. After fleeing a revolution, librarian Kiela returns to her childhood home with her plants and a stack of spell books and opens a secret spellshop. This is another cozy romantasy book, with sleepy coastal vibes and a next-door-neighbor romance.
Want more winter vibes? Read The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst too!
What We Sacrifice for Magic by Andrea Jo DeWerd
This one is a perfect blend of family mystery and coming-of-age story. For generations, the Watry-Ridder women have provided their town with charms and spells, but when eldest daughter Elisabeth is expected to inherit both her grandmother’s magic and her carefully mapped-out future, she begins to question everything. Elisabeth must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice for her family’s legacy.
Selkie by Nataly Gruender
Changing up our recs from witches to another piece of feminist mythology. Seven years after being forced into marriage when her Selkie pelt was stolen, Quinn finally reclaims her freedom. Yet, she finds unexpected refuge with three lighthouse keepers as she struggles between the call of the ocean and the fragile hope of belonging on land. This is another powerful story about giving into fate or finding your own version of happiness.
Season of the Witch by Sophie H. Morgan
We love a good witchy romcom and Season of the Witch is one of our absolute favorite new entries into the genre. This romance follows witch Tia Hightower as she’s forced to fake-date the one man she swore she’d never forgive–her ex, Henry. But, thanks to a potion mishap, Henry doesn’t even remember her. So, Tia must decide if she's willing to forgive and rekindle the spark they once had.
A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney
One of the most atmospheric and romantic books on this list, A Dark and Secret Magic weaves together family secrets and forbidden love against the backdrop of the Halloween season. When hedgewitch Hecate “Kate” Goodwin is asked to host her coven’s annual Samhain gathering, Kate uncovers a tome of dark magic tied to her late mother. This discovery leads her to question everything she thought she knew about her family, her coven, and herself. Just like Practical Magic, this novel explores trust, legacy, and the dangers of falling in love.
A Spell for Change by Nicole Jarvis
We can't resist changing up the New England vibes for a book that feels a little closer to home. Set in post-war Appalachia, A Spell for a Change follows three outsiders bound by loss, longing, and magic. Kate is cursed by prophetic visions, Oliver is a war veteran who sees the dead, and Nora Jo is a teacher whose hidden power is awoken by a forbidden love. The three are drawn together when a dark force rises in their small town and they must band together to determine their own destinies.
Like A Charm by Kerry Barrett
Like A Charm is what small-town, autumn magic is made of. This second-chance romance follows Esme, a London lawyer who has spent years avoiding her family after a high-school-love-spell mishap. When her aunt falls ill, Esme returns to her Scottish Highlands hometown only to find that the local doctor is none other than the boy she once loved. As she navigates family drama, untamed magic, and the pull of her mother's old spell, Esme must decide if this second chance with Jamie is real.
Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs
This debut novel follows two estranged half-sisters bound by the legacy of their family’s enchanted library. For generations, the Kalotays have protected rare books of power, but when their father dies under mysterious circumstances, Joanna and Esther must reunite to uncover the truth behind his death and the secrets their parents kept hidden. In our opinion, this atmospheric novel feels like a direct tribute to the Owen sisters.
Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders
As the newest novel from a staff-favorite author, Lessons in Magic and Disaster was an auto-buy for many of us. This contemporary fantasy is a perfect mix of magic and family drama. Jamie, a grad student with a secret gift for magic, reconnects with her mother grief-stricken mother, Serena. Just as their relationship starts to mend, long-buried secrets and a mysterious book of magic threaten to unravel everything. With themes of love, identity, and intergenerational trauma, this spellbinding tale feels like a perfect companion to Alice Hoffman.
Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Another cozy second-chance romance, Witch of Wild Things follows Sage Flores as she returns home to confront her family’s cursed legacy. With a gift for communicating with plants, Sage uncovers rare plant specimens alongside her lost high-school love, Tennessee Reyes. Torn between the ghost of her younger sister and the anger of her older sister, Sage must choose whether she's ready for a second-chance at love.
The Enchanted Hacienda by J C Cervantes
When Harlow Estrada loses both her dream job and her boyfriend, she retreats to the Hacienda Estrada in Mexico. There, generations of her family have cultivated magical flowers that heal hearts, erase memories, and reveal dreams. However, unlike the other women in her family, Harlow has never shown a trace of magic until now. The Enchanted Hacienda is another multi-generational story of sisterhood, romance, and coming into your own power.
The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
We're fans of everything Adrienne Young writes, but The Unmaking of June Farrow is undeniably special. Set in a quiet mountain town in North Carolina, June Farrow has always known the Farrow curse would come for her. Haunted by strange visions and the disappearance of her mother, June is determined to break her family’s curse, even if it means giving up her own future. But when she steps through a mysterious door, she finds herself in the center of a star-crossed love story. This is by far the most romantic book on this list and one we come to every time the weather starts to turn.
