Liberty Hardy is an unrepentant velocireader, writer, bitey mad lady, and tattoo canvas. Turn-ons include books, books and books. Her favorite exclamation is “Holy cats!” Liberty reads more than should be legal, sleeps very little, frequently writes on her belly with Sharpie markers, and when she dies, she’s leaving her body to library science. Until then, she lives with her three cats, Millay, Farrokh, and Zevon, in Maine. She is also right behind you. Just kidding! She’s too busy reading.
Twitter: @MissLiberty
A chill in the air? Check. Pumpkin spice-flavored everything hitting the shelves? Check. Pop-up Halloween stores appearing overnight? Check. It’s official: it’s the season of the witch! Today’s recommendations have hex appeal and feature witches who can work all kinds of spells (or maybe not), but can’t stop themselves from falling in love. Oh-oh-oh, it’s magic! (And stay tuned for more witchy reads next week!)
These Great Witchy Reads Spell Romance!
Witchful Thinking by Celestine Martin
Let’s talk about hex, baby: Lucinda Caraway is a high school history teacher in the magical seaside town of Freya Grove. Despite what seems like a lovely existence, Lucinda wishes for a richer life. But—say it with me now—be careful what you wish for. After a spell leaves Lucinda with the inability to say no, everything changes. Suddenly she’s performing karaoke, running marathons, and helping her high school crush take a curse off his house. Alex Dwyer has owned the home across from Lucinda’s house for a decade while he’s been on adventures around the globe. Now he’s back and wants to sell his house so he can go on more escapades. But to sell it, he needs to de-spell it, and that’s where Lucinda comes in. As they spend time together trying to take the jinx off his house, a spell of a different kind is being cast. Lucinda may be magically compelled to agree to things outside her comfort zone, but this is one hex that could make her dreams come true. Witchful Thinking is the first in the Elemental Love series, which all features witches and smooching. (The third, Deja Brew, was just released.)
Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher
This is a paranormal rom-com about supernatural arranged marriage! The Supernatural Laws require witch Violet Maxwell and alpha wolf shifter Lincoln Thorne to wed. And Violet is mad about it. Not only is she a witch without magic, but Lincoln broke her heart when they were teens, so she’d rather he walk into the ocean with his mouth open, thank you very much. But in order to follow the Laws, they agree to fake date while they figure out what to do. But of course, the flame is rekindled faster than you can say, “Amok! Amok! Amok!” And, whoa, a bonus: Violet’s powers are returning. With old secrets and new threats looming, can they make a real go of their love? (Please tell me they will have wolf pups that fly around on tiny brooms.)
Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
**Tony Shalhoub voice** It’s a gift and a curse: This is a great “reluctantly returning home” paranormal romance. Sage Flores has a magical gift, like all the women in her family. Many, many years ago, one of her ancestors crossed the wrong god, and now every woman born since has a gift. After the death of one of her sisters, Sage had left town for a long time. But she has reluctantly returned home, and reacquires her old job searching for new and unusual plant specimens in the area. Which is made easier by Sage’s ability to communicate with plants. That’s her gift. Helping her on her adventures is Tennessee Reyes, the one who—yup—broke her heart in high school. But Tennessee has changed, and Sage is worried her growing feelings may get in the way of all she has to do. Like wrangle her other sister, who makes lightning storms when she’s angry, and find more new plants. And oh, did I mention the ghost of her dead sister keeps bringing her coffee? This is an enchanting, lush tale of second chances that will work its magic on you.
Witcha Gonna Do? by Avery Flynn
Tilda is the only member of a powerful coven who has no abilities. Which sucks, but she does keep getting set up on dates with the super-hot Gil, so that’s something, right? Wrong. Because super-hot Gil is a super-hot jerk. And then Tilda makes things worse for herself by accidentally messing up her sister’s spell and putting a curse on her family. Now she’s the only one who can combat the supernatural forces that wish to harm her family while she tries to fix the spell. Oh wait, did I say the only one? It turns out, she needs Gil to help her break the curse. And at some point, while they’re trying to figure it out, Tilda goes from wanting to punch Gil’s face to wanting to kiss it. But will he be a prince or a frog?
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