Top 16 Books Like Practical Magic Updated 04 /2024

In addition to focusing on the supernatural, modern witchcraft novels frequently explore themes of familial ties, friendship, and sisterhood. Many of these tales, however, aren't about magic so much as they're about characters who have to deal with being shunned as outsiders in their own society. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman is one of the best examples. A cult classic film starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock was made from the novel shortly after it was published in 1995. Check out these other books about witches, like Practical Magic, if you'd like to see more of their humanity.

The Rules of Magic

by Alice Hoffman

Alice Hoffman's The Rules of Magic was released in 2017, but it is not a continuation of the story. There are many opportunities for Frances and Jet from Practical Magic to shine in this novel along with their brother Vincent. In order to keep the Owens siblings from getting into trouble, their mother established a set of rules for magic. They grow up in New York City in the 1950s and 1960s, where they never quite fit in, but when they visit their Aunt Isabelle in Massachusetts, they discover the truth about their ancestry. It's a treat for fans of Practical Magic to see these characters as children and learn more about their families.

A Discovery of Witches

by Deborah Harkness

'A Discovery of Witches' was Deborah Harkness's first novel, published in 2011. Young academic Diana Bishop is the main character, and she comes from a long line of witches. Diana, on the other hand, has no interest in magic after the brutal death of her parents as a child. When she opened an alchemical manuscript at Oxford's Bodleian Library, however, she was exposed to the world of magic for the first time in many years. As a result of this discovery, Diana is forced to team up with a vampire named Matthew Clairmont and accept the world she has been avoiding, which is a dangerous situation. One of the best-selling books of all time was followed by two sequels and a television series on Sky One.

The Witching Hour

by Anne Rice

'The Witching Hour,' a new series by Anne Rice featuring the Lives of Mayfair Witches, begins with the author's debut work. The first book in the series, Witches of Eastwick, was published in 1990 by Rice, who is best known for her vampire novels. Rowan Mayfair, the protagonist, is a master neurosurgeon. Despite the fact that she is aware of her special powers, she does not know that she is part of a long line of witches. After saving the life of a drowned man off the coast of California, Rowan learns that he has the unwelcome gift of clairvoyance. Rowan joins forces with Michael Curry, a man she's never met before, to solve the mystery of her past and the unwelcome gift he's given her. The Witching Hour is a novel that traces the Mayfair Witches' dark history backward and forward in time.

 

The Witches of New York

by Ami McKay

Ami McKay's The Witches of New York takes place in the late 1800s, when Eleanor and Adelaide run Tea and Sympathy, a tea shop in Manhattan. In addition to selling tea, their shop also specializes in curing ailments, palmistry, and the production of potions. Beatrice, a newcomer to the big city, is taken in by the duo. It all started when Beatrice answered the shop's job ad and quickly became a witches' assistant. It is difficult for the witches to agree on how to best nurture Beatrice's talents once they learn about her special abilities. They don't know if Beatrice left on her own free will or was coerced into it when she vanishes. The Witches of New York is set in a time when it was dangerous for women to defy social expectations. Despite this, the main characters in the book refuse to give in to social pressure and are strengthened by their special bond.

Witches of East End

by Melissa de la Cruz

First in a planned series, Melissa de la Cruz has written Witches of East End. Joanna Beauchamp and her two daughters, Frey and Ingrid, are the focus of the story. While they enjoy the peace and quiet of North Hampton, this Long Island family keeps a centuries-old secret. As a result of their ancestors' involvement in the Salem Witch Trials, they are all forbidden from practicing magic. Their desire to help others hasn't stopped them from keeping a secret about themselves for most of their lives. In the end, the Beauchamp women decide that it is time to emerge from the shadows in order to fight the evil that is brewing. A major television series based on the book series, The Witches of East End, is now streaming on Netflix.

The Wicked Deep

by Shea Ernshaw

Shea Ernshaw's debut novel, The Wicked Deep, came out in 2018. This film is about a seventeen-year-old girl named Penny Talbot who lives in the small Oregon town of Sparrow. Penny is well-versed in the town's shady past, dating back to the 16th century, when three sisters were falsely accused of witchcraft and executed. Even though they were killed, they returned each summer for revenge in the town's deep waters. Penny has seen things that others haven't because of the legends that surround the town. Penny tries her best to keep Bo safe when he arrives in town, unaware of the curse and the danger he is in. Penny and Bo, on the other hand, have a suspicion that each other is hiding something.

The Red Garden

by Alice Hoffman

It is through the lens of "The Red Garden" that we are introduced to Blackwell, Massachusetts, and the twists and turns of both the town's past and our own present. Author Philip Hoffman presents us with a fascinating look at small-town America through the lens of some three hundred years of love and betrayal that are intertwined by fate and by the actions of each character. In "The Red Garden," the characters range from the town's English founder, a young woman who has no fear of blizzards or bears, all the way to the young man who flees to New York City with only his dog for company, a wounded Civil War soldier saved by a passionate neighbor, and a poet who falls in love with a blind man, all depicted in vivid detail. Only red plants can grow in this mysterious garden, and the truth can be found by those who dare to look. "The Red Garden," a masterful work of art dripping with enchantment, will stay with you long after you've finished watching it. "This is a page from the Hardcover edition," says the caption.

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