Witches, Magic, and Ghosts… Oh My! My Favorite Magical Reads

Halloween is really magical. Right? I can’t be the only one who thinks this. It may not have the sparkling magic of Christmas, but Halloween is magical. Witches! Come on. The Sanderson Sisters did not eat children for people to not think Halloween is magical. Show them some respect!

I adore this time of year, mainly because of the stories that come with it. I know, I have said this 100 times, but the dark, the fantastical, the scary. It is all so fun and cozy. The stories are full of magic. Reading these magical worlds that are so different than the one I am actually living in makes me feel cozy and happy! There is definitely something to the escapism that readers talk about.

There are so many magical reads out there, and I have definitely not read them all, but here is a list of a few favorites over the past couple of years! These aren’t spooky books, that is another post. But these books are magical and Halloween is magical!

Border of hand drawn pumpkins

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Book cover of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Yes, there is magic in this book. But I think the most magical thing about A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown was the worldbuilding. The descriptions of the palace, the streets, and the food in this story were so mesmerizing, it was hard not to get lost in the pages of this magical read! Click here to read my review of this book!

These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling

These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling

I am going to be honest, when I picked up this book, it was purely because of the beautiful cover. However, there was so much more to These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling. This was the modern witch story I have been craving. It has family, heart, and magic! I can’t wait until I finally find time to read the sequel!

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern Book Cover

How could I not include Erin Morgenstern on this list of magical books. The Starless Sea had everything you could ask for in a magical book. Portals, cat companions, and endless libraries. I was so lost in these pages, I don’t even remember all the magical things that happened in this book, but I do know that it was my favorite book of the year. And I will be doing a reread next year, and probably the year after that, and the year after that…

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Book cover of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I could not include one book without the other. The Night Circus was the first book I read from Erin Morgenstern, and it made me absolutely fall in love with their writing. I am telling you, anything that Morgenstern puts out, I will be purchasing and reading as promptly as my TBR allows. The book was MAGICAL. There is no other way to describe it. The circus was a big vortex of magic and wonder. I want to visit and eat all the delicious magical foods.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Book cover of A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Strange creatures, curses, and evil enchantresses? This book is definitely magical. I’ll be honest, when I started reading A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, I was worried that the hype was going to let me down. I was also worried because their have been about 100 different retellings of Beauty and the Beast over the past couple of years. But I was so wrong. Harper was such a strong and intriguing character to read and I love reading the two worlds that this book was set in. I need the sequel!

Border of hand drawn pumpkins

Dang, pulling this list together really just made me want to reread all of these books. Maybe I am in need of a magical readathon. Anyone want to join? I think my favorite type of magical books are the ones set in the real world. Don’t get me wrong, high fantasies with castles and dragons can be fun, but I love reading the juxtaposition of our world and the magical world in contemporary fantasy.

Magic can help us escape our lived, and right now I think we can all use a little of that. Let me know in the comments below what your favorite magical books are! I could definitely use some more recommendations.

Love, Jackie

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