Who’s excited to see Wicked in theaters on Nov. 22? This girl. Sure, sure… I’m into the whole good witch, bad witch thing and the songs sound AMAZING. But for me, I need my Jonathan Bailey fix. I love him.

What should you read to get in a wicked mood? So. Many. Things. I’ve divided this list into two buckets—witchy-ish books and reimagined fairy tales. Pick your potion on the Libby app!

Must-read witchy-ish books

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
🎧 Audiobook

I listened to this series and LOVED it. Where to start? This is the story of two sisters who are are both witches, dark magic, a murder, and the seven princes of Hell. If that doesn’t sound intriguing, here’s more: There’s a morally grey MMC and an enemies-to-lovers trope, too.

Circe by Madeline Miller
🎧 Audiobook

I listened to this one, too. Like The Song of Achilles, I suspect I may not have loved it as much if I had read the ebook. Take that for what it’s worth. The narration to me was terrific and really brought the book to life. In Greek mythology, Circe is a minor goddess and sorceress who many know from her experience with Odysseus, which is a big part of this book. A story of female empowerment, Circe is a strong woman finding herself and defining what she wants most in her world.

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli
🎧 Audiobook

I need book two ASAP. This was SO good! The FMC, Rune, is a witch who survived a revolution where witches were hunted down and killed. She hides her powers and secretly works with a small team of friends helping witches escape so they might live. The MMC is the brother of her best friend, and also an accomplished witch hunter! Do you see where this is going? Yup. It’s complicated.

🎧 Peaches & Honey by R. Raeta

If The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue met and married American Gods, this would be their book child. We have a woman who is granted eternal life and a cast of gods who all answer to a truly awful, power-hungry ‘leader’ god. The FMC struggles with her endless existence and the temporariness of the relationships and homes in her forever life. I feel like this series is under hyped.

Fairy tale retellings

Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

This YA series has to be the mother of all fairytale retellings. The first book, Cinder, is science fiction, but even if you’re not normally a sci-fi fan, you’ll love it. Based on 'Cinderella,' the FMC is part cyborg. There's forbidden love, intergalactic conflict, and a mysterious past. The second book in the series is Scarlet, inspired by 'Little Red Riding Hood.' Cress is the third book, based on 'Rapunzel.'

Alice by Christina Henry
🎧 Audiobook

Lost Boy by Christina Henry remains one of my all-time favorite reads and is also a fairy tale retelling of ‘Peter Pan.’ Check out my post here. Alice is a darker, disturbing fantasy inspired by ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ This story isn’t for the faint of heart. Be sure to check the trigger warnings.

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
🎧 Audiobook

A new-to-me book, this is now on my TBR. This is an irreverent retelling of the German fairytale ‘The Goose Girl.’ A YA fantasy with an anti-heroine FMC, the book opens with, “Once upon a time, there was a horrible girl…” And I’m in. I love a feisty, morally grey female lead!

Never After series by Emily McIntire

Check out this spicy, fun set of books for the 18+ crowd. Start with Hooked, a retelling of ‘Peter Pan,’ and make your way through all six books. Stories are inspired by The Lion King, The Wizard of Oz, Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Little Mermaid.

And so, the blog post ends. Go seek new adventures in the pages of another book. This reader is at peace and living happily ever after.

The End.

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