Don’t sleep on 'Sabriel' by Garth Nix! It’s YA but holds up for adults too. Sabriel wields necromancy bells to lay restless spirits to rest, which is such a fresh twist on magic. The Old Kingdom setting—split between a magical realm and a tech-based one—creates fascinating tension. I adore how Sabriel’s power isn’t about flashy explosions; it’s quiet, disciplined, and deeply tied to responsibility. The talking cat Mogget steals every scene he’s in, and the romance with Touchstone feels earned rather than rushed. It’s one of those books where the magic system sticks with you years later—I still catch myself humming the bell chants sometimes.
If you want something with a younger vibe, 'A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking' by T. Kingfisher is hilarious and heartfelt. The protagonist, Mona, can magically animate bread—which sounds silly until she has to use her doughy creations to defend her city from assassins. It’s got that cozy fantasy feel but doesn’t shy away from darker themes like prejudice and trauma. Mona’s voice is so relatable; she’s just a kid who wants to bake muffins, not be a hero, but steps up anyway. The magic system is whimsical yet oddly practical (ever thought sourdough could be a weapon?), and the supporting cast—including a gingerbread man familiar—adds so much charm.
For a darker, grittier take, 'The Traitor Baru Cormorant' by Seth Dickinson is phenomenal—though the magic is more subtle here. Baru isn’t a sorceress; she’s a mathematician trying to overthrow an empire from within using economics and manipulation. But the world has fantastical elements like psychic surgeons and whale gods, making it feel like magic lurks just beneath the surface. What grips me is Baru’s moral complexity; she sacrifices so much for her goals that you’re never sure if she’s the hero or villain. The prose is razor-sharp, full of lines that haunt you for days. It’s not traditional sword-and-sorcery, but if you want a female lead whose 'magic' is sheer intellect and ruthless strategy, this’ll blow your mind.
One of my all-time favorites is 'Mistborn' by Brandon Sanderson. Vin starts off as a street urchin but grows into this incredibly powerful magic user with Allomancy—basically swallowing metals to gain superhuman abilities. The way Sanderson builds her character arc is phenomenal; she’s not just strong physically but also emotionally complex, dealing with trust issues and self-doubt. The worldbuilding here is next-level too, with a dystopian empire ruled by a god-like tyrant. It’s got heists, political intrigue, and a magic system that feels almost scientific. I love how Vin’s journey isn’t just about power—it’s about learning to believe in herself and others.
Another gem is 'The Priory of the Orange Tree' by Samantha Shannon. This sprawling epic has multiple female leads, but Eadaz stands out as a secret mage protecting a queen from dragon-based doom. The magic here is more traditional—elemental forces, ancient rituals—but what’s cool is how it intersects with religion and politics. Plus, the queer representation is chef’s kiss. The book’s thickness might intimidate some, but every page feels worth it when you get scenes like magical duels under cherry blossoms or sea voyages with leviathans lurking beneath.
2026-04-02 07:25:22
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The witch and her wolf series
Lost in love
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Soleil Summer is a rather ordinary 17 year old School girl, a bit shy and unassuming … at least until her world is turned upside down. First she meets the very handsome Luca, the New boy in school … and she also can’t help but notice the alluring King of the vampire goths.
And then of course there is the fact that on her 18th birthday a coven of witches comes to knock on her door.
Soleil is a witch, fated to kill the werewolves, what she doesn’t know is that her beloved Luca is a wolf and her mate, a mate she has to kill to break the ancient curse.
And in the background the dark one, an immense evil power lurks, and he has his eyes on Soleil.
This is a full series of 3 books in one … each New book starts with a chapter marked 1.
Warning: Every chapter starting with *The vampire* may contain violent murders and kinky sex
Cassy had always felt different from others as if she didn't belong anywhere, and if it was because she didn't belong here but in another world, and if her destiny was more important than just going to college and getting a job after graduation.
After a solar eclipse and apocalyptic visions, Cassy's destiny will be revealed to her, will she be strong enough to face the danger that will come her way.
Fortunately, she won't be alone, her soul mate will always be there for her and so will her friends, together they will learn to fight and become strong enough to face the Demon God and his army.
If you like fantasy novels about mages, warriors, shapesfithers, demons, travel between different worlds, systems, this novel is for you.
WARNING, the main couple will be a straight couple and the side couple will be a gay couple (boys love), you have been warned.
Update monday to friday
For french people a french version is available on my personal website at https://celianayawebnovel.com/
in this website you can find all my stories :)
Saraid is your average witch hidden in a small town in Alabama. A blind date set up by her best friend and faerie, Wendy sends Saraid's ife spiraling out of control as the evening ends with her magically bound to Liam Maddox, a man with a secret all his own.
Liam Maddox, born and raised in Ireland used to be one of the highest-ranking warriors of the Guardians of the Celtic Coven. An unforeseen attack left him cast out of the ranks for what the witches he protected called impure blood.
Hired in secret to locate the true heir to the throne of the Celtic coven, Liam moves to the states where he meets Saraid. The one whom he has been tasked to find.
A simple date flips their entire world on its axis as the two are magically bound together, leaving them sporting strange and unusual powers.
When the truth is revealed Saraid finds herself traveling to Ireland to protect the lives of her closest friends and the man she unwillingly fell in love with, but when she is faced with the choice of her magic or love, will she choose to surrender her powers for the people she loves or is she strong enough to have both?
“Lily never imagined that her quiet life would change the moment she stepped into a hidden realm of magic. There, danger and desire collide, and every choice could cost her everything. Can she master her new powers and uncover the secrets of her world before it destroys her?”
Don’t stray from the path…
When Siorin encounters a mysterious black-haired mage in the forest on her way to the local good-witch, she knows better than to stray from the path. Doing so would be inviting trouble from the fairy brethren with whom mankind shares their world. His plight, however, moves her, and she rescues him despite misgivings.
Rivyn has cast a destiny spell which he believes brought him Siorin, so he doesn’t hesitate to steal her, well and truly taking her off her path when he does so. The mage irresistibly draws and seduces Siorin as he leads her on an adventure that transverses their world, encountering all manner of brethren, for Rivyn is on quest is to rebuild his power so that he can return to the Fae Court and reclaim what has been stolen from him.
But what Rivyn has lost is not what he needs to seek.
Will Rivyn choose his power, or his heart?
They say the wolf witches are extinct.
They’re wrong.
She is the last of her kind—bound to the world as a ghost after her coven was slaughtered and her power buried with their bones. Neither alive nor fully dead, she haunts the edge of the packs’ territory, feeding on moonlight, rage, and unfinished vengeance. She was meant to fade into legend.
Then she meets him.
A ruthless Alpha cursed by blood and fate, feared by his enemies and obeyed by his pack. He should not be able to see her. He should not be able to touch her. Yet his presence drags her spirit closer to flesh, awakening a bond that was forbidden even when she was alive.
He needs her magic to survive.
She needs his body to return.
Each night, the line between ghost and woman thins. Desire turns violent. Power turns addictive. And the bond between them threatens to resurrect an ancient war—one the world tried to erase by killing every wolf witch that ever existed.
Because if she fully returns, she won’t just save him.
She’ll reclaim her power.
And the packs will bleed for what they did.
She is the last wolf witch.
And loving her has always been a death sentence.
Got a friend who only reads fantasy with swords and dudes, so I made her a list that changed her mind. It's not just about having a woman in the story, but about the magic being tied to her perspective in a way that wouldn't work otherwise. Take N.K. Jemisin's 'The Fifth Season'. The protagonist's power over geology is a direct, brutal metaphor for her grief and rage—it's systemic and world-breaking. That's different from, say, Sabriel in Garth Nix's Old Kingdom books. Her magic as an Abhorsen is a legacy, a technical skill with bells and charter marks against the dead; it's precise, inherited duty. Then there's Circe from Madeline Miller's book, whose witchcraft is a slow, herbal, self-taught rebellion against godly patriarchy. Each approach bends the genre's typical "chosen one" arc into something more personal and often more devastating.
I'd argue some of the strongest magic comes from characters who subvert or reject traditional power structures altogether. T. Kingfisher's 'Nettle & Bone' has a bone-carving nun and a demon-chicken, solving problems with stubborn practicality over flashy spells. The strength is in the refusal to play by the established magical rules, which feels incredibly resonant. My friend ended up bingeing the Broken Earth trilogy in a week, so the list did its job.