You have finished the last page of Deborah Harkness’s magnificent tale, and now you sit quite bereft, rather like a young dreamer who has been told that Neverland exists but cannot find the second star to the right. Fear not, dear reader, for there are other enchanted doorways waiting to be discovered—books where witches cast their spells, vampires prowl through moonlit libraries, and love blooms in the most impossible of circumstances.
What follows is a collection of tales that possess that very same alchemy which made Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont’s story so utterly bewitching: scholarly heroines, creatures of the night, ancestral magic, and romances that transcend the boundaries of ordinary existence.
For Those Who Crave Scholarly Witchcraft and Hidden History
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
Here is a tale that shall particularly delight those who loved Diana’s scholarly pursuits, for Katherine Howe herself descends from accused Salem witches—a rather extraordinary qualification for writing such a book, wouldn’t you agree? Connie Goodwin, a Harvard doctoral candidate, discovers a slip of paper bearing the name “Deliverance Dane” hidden within an ancient key in her grandmother’s centuries-old house. What unfolds is a mystery stretching between 1991 and the dark days of the Salem witch trials, as Connie hunts for a legendary book of spells whilst uncovering her own magical inheritance.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
If ever there was a book that understood the romance of dusty archives and dangerous scholarly pursuits, it is this magnificent tome. A young woman discovers letters suggesting that Vlad the Impaler—yes, that Dracula—may still walk among us, and embarks upon a quest across Europe’s most beautiful and haunted libraries. The prose reads like history itself, so skillfully woven with fiction that one cannot quite tell where truth ends and legend begins. For those who adored the academic intrigue of Harkness’s world, this shall prove absolutely irresistible.
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
In the golden courts of sixteenth-century Spain, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of forbidden magic to survive her days as a scullion. As a conversa—descended from Jews who converted under threat of death—she must hide her gifts from the ever-watchful Inquisition. When her talents catch the attention of those who would use her for political gain, Luzia finds an unlikely ally in an immortal familiar named Santángel. Here is historical fantasy at its most intelligent and atmospheric, asking the rather pointed question: what is the difference between witchcraft and a miracle?
Tales of Generational Magic and Ancestral Power
A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan
This sweeping saga traces five generations of the Orchiére lineage, beginning in 1821 and winding its path to the precipice of World War II. Each mother passes her gift to her daughter, though the craft must always remain hidden from those who would destroy it. The generational thread is where this book truly casts its spell—much like the All Souls series, it understands that magic is not merely power, but inheritance, responsibility, and the unbreakable bonds between women across time.
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
Anne Rice’s magnificent opus introduces the Mayfair family of New Orleans—a dynasty of witches bound for generations to a spirit called Lasher. Rowan Mayfair, a neurosurgeon with the uncanny gift to heal or harm with her mind, must unravel centuries of family secrets whilst confronting a seductive and dangerous entity who has his own designs upon her bloodline. At over a thousand pages, this is no small commitment, but the historical sections detailing each generation’s witch are utterly fascinating—a proper feast for those who hunger for rich, gothic family sagas.
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
In an alternative 1893, three estranged sisters reunite in New Salem and discover that the witchcraft burned away centuries ago might yet be reclaimed. Set against the women’s suffrage movement, this is a tale that understands magic as something more than spells—it is the power of words, of sisterhood, of women refusing to be silenced. The prose is beautifully crafted, each chapter beginning with a spell in the form of a nursery rhyme, and the bond between the Eastwood sisters shall resonate with anyone who has ever loved fiercely and fought alongside family.
Paranormal Romance with Vampires and Forbidden Love
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
For those whose hearts beat faster at the forbidden romance between Diana and Matthew, here is a tale that understands the exquisite agony of loving one’s enemy. Oraya, the human daughter of a vampire king, enters a deadly tournament where only one contestant survives. There she meets Raihn, a vampire from a rival house—and against all reason, against all survival instinct, something impossible begins to bloom between them. The romance is deliciously slow-burning, and the ending, dear reader, shall leave you quite devastated in the very best way.
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouse is a telepathic waitress in small-town Louisiana who has never met anyone whose thoughts she cannot hear—until Bill Compton walks into her bar. He is tall, dark, utterly silent to her gift, and happens to be a vampire. What begins as a relief from the constant noise of other minds becomes something far more dangerous when murders begin plaguing her little town. This is the book that inspired HBO’s True Blood, and it possesses that perfect mixture of Southern charm, supernatural intrigue, and romance that refuses to follow any sensible rules.
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
In an alternate Mexico City where vampires are forbidden but vampire gangs control the surrounding territories, a garbage-collecting street boy named Domingo encounters Atl—a vampire descended from Aztec blood drinkers, beautiful and dangerous and desperately on the run. What follows is a neo-noir thriller unlike any vampire tale you have encountered, exploring different subspecies of vampires from around the world whilst telling a story about colonialism, survival, and the unexpected connections that form between lonely souls.
Modern Witchcraft and Contemporary Magic
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
For over two hundred years, the Owens women have been blamed for everything gone wrong in their Massachusetts town. Sally and Gillian grew up as outsiders, taunted and whispered about, longing only to escape their peculiar aunts and their house full of black cats. But the bonds of family magic are not so easily fled. Hoffman’s prose is sensuous and moody, weaving magical realism into a modern setting with such grace that the extraordinary feels perfectly natural. This is a story about sisterhood, about curses and blessings being sometimes the very same thing.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Mika Moon is one of the few witches in Britain, and she knows the rules: hide her magic, keep her head down, stay away from other witches lest their powers mingle and draw unwanted attention. But when a mysterious message summons her to Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their gifts, Mika discovers something she never expected—a found family of delightful misfits, and perhaps even love. This is cozy fantasy at its finest, warm as a cup of tea on a rainy afternoon, perfect for when you need magic that heals rather than haunts.
Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz
In the mist-shrouded town of North Hampton on Long Island, the Beauchamp women live quietly—Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid, all hiding the rather significant secret that they are immortal witches forbidden from using their powers. When dark forces begin threatening their peaceful existence, the Beauchamps must reclaim their magic and confront the sins of their past. The mythologies here are delightfully tangled, and the Beauchamp women are just the sort of witches one wishes to befriend.
Epic Fantasy and Sweeping Adventure
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
If the time-travel elements of A Discovery of Witches captured your heart, then you absolutely must meet Claire Beauchamp—a World War II nurse who touches a standing stone in Scotland and finds herself transported to 1743, where she encounters the utterly magnificent Jamie Fraser. What follows is a sweeping romance across centuries, filled with historical detail so rich you can practically smell the Highland heather. This series has sold over twenty-five million copies, and once you begin, you shall understand why.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
At Yale University, secret societies practice real occult magic behind their tomb-like headquarters, wielding power that benefits the already powerful. Galaxy “Alex” Stern—a dropout who can see ghosts—is offered admission in exchange for monitoring these dangerous rituals. Dark academia meets supernatural thriller in this tale that examines how institutions protect the privileged whilst consuming the vulnerable. For those who loved the academic setting of A Discovery of Witches but crave something with sharper teeth, this shall prove most satisfying.
The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox
Deborah Harkness herself praised this novel, and for excellent reason. Taryn Cornick’s life collides with an ancient world of magic when secrets surrounding her family and a mythical library called the Absolute Book draw her into realms of faerie, purgatory, and beyond. The experience of reading this book has been compared to encountering Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell for the first time—vertiginous, thrilling, and utterly transporting. It is weird and enigmatic and absolutely magnificent.
A Final Word of Enchantment
There you have it, dear seeker of magical tales—fifteen doorways into worlds where the extraordinary walks alongside the ordinary, where ancient powers slumber in bloodlines and forbidden loves bloom despite every rational objection. Each of these books understands something essential: that the best magic is not merely about spells and supernatural creatures, but about connection, heritage, and the transformative power of love that transcends all boundaries.
Now go forth and read. The enchantments await.
