I am not always the biggest fan of short story collections, but this one surprised. Using multiple authors and so many avenues of magic and witchery, this book was able to take the word magic and bring it to all kinds of light

With an array of original stories from around the world, P. Djèlí Clark, Amal El Mohtar, Garth Nix, Darcie Little Badger, Sheree Renée Thomas, and two dozen other fantasy and science fiction writers bring a new twist to one of the most beloved figures in fiction, witches,.in never-before-seen works written exclusively for The Book of Witches, compiled by award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by award-nominated artist Alyssa Winans. Whether you know witches from Shakespeare or from Wicked , there is no staple more beloved in folklore, fairy tale, or fantasy than these magical beings. Witches are everywhere, and at the heart of stories that resonate with many people around the world. This otherworldly collection gathers new stories of witches from all walks of life. Whether they be maiden, mother, crone, or other; funny, fierce, light and airy, or dark and disturbing; witches are a vital part of some of the greatest stories we have. Bringing together twenty-nine stories and poems from some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy writers working today, including three tales from a BIPOC-only open submission period, The Book of Witches features Linda Addison, C.L. Clark, P Djeli Clark, Indrapramit Das, Amal El Mohtar, Andrea Hairston, Millie Ho, Saad Hossain, Kathleen Jennings, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Cassandra Khaw, Fonda Lee, Darcie Little Badger, Ken Liu, Usman T. Malik, Maureen F. McHugh, Premee Mohamed, Garth Nix, Tobi Ogundiran, Tochi Onyebuchi, Miyuki Jane Pinckard, Kelly Robson, Angela Slatter, Andrea Stewart, Emily Teng, Sheree Renée Thomas, Tade Thompson, and E. Lily Yu—and contains illustrations from three-time Hugo award-nominated artist Alyssa Winans throughout. This anthology breathes life into one of the most feared magical sorceresses.

With a wide variety of stories ranging from disturbing to just plain fun, this anthology will appeal to anyone wanting to read about witches. I really appreciated many of these stories, but my favorite is definitely Garth Nix's tale that stars Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, and Josephine Tey.
Recommended for those looking from a new take on an old subject.

I read this as a part of the arc and I loved all the different stories. This book totally reminded me of 'A discovery of Witches'. Each story was unique, and different, and I loved all 29 of them.

The Book of Witches is a fantasy anthology that Jonathan Strahan curated to reflect all sorts of different representation through witchy stories. With this goal in mind, I feel that this collection was a success. There are tons of different cultures, races, sexualities, and identities shown in the various short stories and poems. As it usually goes with anthologies, there were stories I loved and will stick with me, as well as ones that were lackluster and confusing.

The witches in these stories (as well as the various characters) are so unique to one another. There are some that resemble fairy tales, some that are the vengeful & brutal witches familiar to horror reads, some that blend with science fiction, and some that teach you lessons. Reading some of these made me more interested in certain authors, as well as gave me a taste of authors I don't think I'm interested in reading more from anymore.

Seed if Power by Linda D. Addison: Poem; I'm not much of a poem person, but I do think this was a strong poem to start the collection out with.

What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata by P. Djeli Clark: Short Story; I enjoyed this one, and it had a meaningful message to be pulled from it. This is an author I'm already interested in, and this short story piqued my interest a little more to read this author's other works.

Catechism for Those Who Would Fine Witches by Kathleen Jennings: Short Story written as a catechism; I originally didn't know what a catechism was (it's kind of like a Q&A). While I felt this was original and unique, it did bore me.

The Luck Thief by Tade Thompson: Short Story; This was one I enjoyed, and I liked the portrayal of a witch's curse.

**Good Spells by Ken Liu: Short Story; This one merged fantasy with sci-fi in a dystopian setting, where the witch is called a "techno-witch." I felt this one was super unique and interesting, and I am definitely intrigued to read more by Liu after reading this. One of my favorite short stories in this collection.

The Liar by Darcy Little Badger: Short Story; This one took a spookier spin on witches than the previous ones, and I liked it.

Escape Artist by Andrea Hairston: Poem; Again, I'm not much in to poems. This was just ~eh~ to me.

The Witch is Not the Monster by Alaya Dawn Johnson: Short Story; This is one of the stories that kind of confused me and was a bit odd.

Met Swallow by Cassandra Khaw: Short Story; I took notes on my thoughts after each read, but I honestly can't remember this one? I wrote that it was an interesting version of witches but I missed the point.

The Nine Jars of Nukulu by Tobi Ogundiran: Short Story; This is a take on witches I really enjoyed, and I love the theme of human greed biting someone is the rear. I still remember this one well.

In a Cabin, In a Wood by Kelly Robson: Short Story; My notes literally say: "honestly what?" & "not even witchy."

What Dreams May Come by C.L. Clark: Short Story; This one is about dream witches, and I liked it. It featured a trans male MC struggling with not being accepted by his family.

She Who Makes the Rain by Millie Ho: Poem; This was an okay short poem. Again, take my thoughts on poems with a grain of salt.

As Wayward Sisters, Hand in Hand by Indrapramit Das: Short Story; I thought this one was just odd.

Orphanage of the Last Breath by Saad Z. Hossain: Short Story; I liked this one. It's also a sci-fi fantasy blend with themes of police brutality.

The Unexpected Excursion of the Murder Myster Writing Witches by Garth Nix: Short Story; As this is a popular author, I was excited for this story- but it ultimately left me bored.

So Spoke the Mirror Witch by Premee Mohamed: Short Story; This one is fairly simple, but I enjoyed it and the themes. "Pursue harm where harm is being done; and leave people be where it is not."

Just a Nudge by Maureen McHugh: Short Story; Satisfying revenge story with lesbian representation.

***Her Ravenous Waters by Andrea Stewart: Short Story; This one was my favorite story. I already wanted to read Stewart's popular series, but now I want to even more. I loved the story and her writing.

Deja Vue by Tochi Onyebuchi: Short Story; This one probably made me the maddest. My notes say "The 1st sentence has 63 WORDS AND 8 COMMAS WTF." It was an okay story.

Botanica: A Song in Four Movements by Sheree Renee Thomas: Poem; This author also has a short story in the collection. Poetry evades me, but I can tell this author knows what she is doing and has a passion for it. The poem was written beautifully and flowed so nicely.

Through the Woods, Due West by Angela Slatter: Short Story; This gave my Grimm's fairytale vibes, and I like it.

Nameless Here for Evermore by Fonda Lee: Short Story; This was pretty simple but I enjoyed it.

Mask of the Nautilus by Sheree Renee Thomas: Short Story; Again, this author's writing is pretty, but I honestly have no clue what I read.

Night Riding by Usman T. Malik: Short Story; This was a GUESOME read. I loved it.

Witchfires by E. Lily Yu: Short Story; This was another take on the downfall of greed. I really enjoyed it, and the satisfying ending.

The Academy of Oracular Magic by Miyuki Jane Pinckard: Short Story; I liked this one, but felt it left off too early. This is the one story I really wanted more from, because I wanted to see this MC accomplish more.

The Cost of Doing Business by Emily Y. Teng: Short Story; I felt this one was unique and interesting.

John Hollowback and the Witch by Amal El-Mohtar: Short Story; This was definitely a "moral of the story" read with a nice ending. I liked it.

So this wasn’t what i was expecting it is a collection of short stories about witches from different points of view and cultures sounds interesting enough that i was willing to give it a try. However the book immediately starts off with a poem which is not my favorite thing i read the first two stories but just couldn’t get into the so this was a DNF for me.

Ebook ARC provided through NetGalley
Rating: 4.5
I LOVED reading this book! I love anything witchy, magic-oriented, magic as created and seen through other cultural traditions, and this anthology did NOT disappoint! The stories were really engaging, and I pretty much couldn't pick this book up without reading at least 2-3 stories. Some were by authors I was familiar with, some weren't, and I loved how I never really knew what was coming! There were a ton of varying magic systems, writing styles, and written formats (poetry, short stories, songs, etc.) and each author brought their specific style and tone to each story. I highly recommend this book, and will be buying a hard copy when it comes out later this sumer!!

3.5 ⭐️

*First of all thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an Arc!*

I was excited about this anthology based on the extensive list of authors that are involved! Most were authors I’d never read but were so excited to try and a couple authors I already loved!

Let me start by saying I think the mixture of these stories is fantastic, they are all unique whether that’s the genre or the culture being brought to life in each tale. And there is some poetry sprinkled throughout.

As with any anthology you’re going to get a mixture of hits and misses. There were some stories in here that I completely fell into and was absorbed in completely and some stories that fell flat in comparison. However EVERY story brought something different to the table so I think this anthology is a great book for anyone who loves witches but wants to see their lore expanded on and get a sense of witchy folklore from cultures other than their own.

What this anthology did the best was offer a wide variety of stories for the reader, there is such great writing and content in here!! I think so many readers are going to love this.

You never know quite what you're getting with anthologies. You hope it's mostly good with a few clunkers, that the stories in them are full ideas rather than snapshots. As someone who loves witches, creepy things, and the supernatural, I had high hopes with the collection of authors curated here. For the most part, the stories (and poems!) here are strong. I particularly enjoyed the global feel to these tales - how only some of them had the typical European viewpoint of what constituted a witch, what they looked like, how they behaved.

Stand out stories include P. Djeli Clark's "What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devahrata" and Amal El-Mohtar’s “John Hollowback and the Witch.

Short story collections can be hit or miss for me. The shorter ones don’t really give me enough time to get really invested in the characters, and it can be hard to include both a captivating plot and character development in such a short work. Meanwhile, the longer ones make me wish they were longer when they’re good. But since spooky season is just around the corner, I figured I’d get a jump start on reading for it with a book about witches.

One of the most intriguing parts of this anthology was the various takes on witches from around the world. In a lot of places, witches are associated with negative views, and the stories included reflect this—some of the stories are about witch-hunters and witches being forced to live on the outskirts of society. But a lot more are about witches being misunderstood, and what led them to be the way they are now.

I’m very used to the European tropes about witches, which are unfortunately intertwined with antisemitic tropes. I was hoping that the “new and exciting twist” would mean that these antisemitic tropes would be eliminated, but they’re so deeply tied into the witch archetype that many people don’t even realize. Many characteristics associated with European witches, such as the pointy black hat, witches sabbath, heresy, Devil worship, desire to kill children, and consumption of blood, initially stem from how the church and Christian society thought of Jewish people. So seeing accusations of witches killing children and drinking blood was so disappointing in a volume like this. However, I really liked seeing how other cultures viewed witches.

The stories were interesting and I liked seeing what was the same and different between cultures. Some of the stories resonated more with me than others, and I was especially surprised to discover some new to me authors who contributed stories that I really liked. Special shout out to E. Lily Yu (Witchfires), Amal El-Mohtar (John Hollowback and the Witch), P. Djeli Clark (What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devahrata), and Alaya Dawn Johnson (The Witch is Not the Monster) for some of my favorite stories. But some of the other stories were just meh, and I was surprised to see some poems included. Overall, this was worth it for the stories I enjoyed, but the less enjoyable stories kind of dragged it down.

I am a sucker for any book about witches, and this one did not disappoint! Loved so much about this book I couldn't fit it all into one review if I tried!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Jonathan Strahan is a veteran anthology editor, and he delivers another great one with The Book of Witches. The witches in this book have varied powers—some cast hexes, some craft constructs, some make potions, some change shape—but all have found a source of power that sets them apart from those around them. Sometimes this leads to them being respected and sometimes to them being feared and persecuted.

In two of the stories, we only meet the witches after their deaths. Cassandra Khaw’s “Met Swallow” features a recently deceased witch who asks a huli-jing (a fox spirit) to possess her body so as to hide the fact of her death from her family. At first, the family life to which the huli-jing returns seems idyllic, but then the cracks begin to show. In Andrea Stewart’s “Her Ravenous Waters,” a river goddess grants a murdered woman a new life as a witch. But here, too, the act of beneficence isn’t what it seems. I found both these stories interesting, because they deal with a redress of injustice, but the injustice in question isn’t the witch-burning you’d expect to see.

“Her Ravenous Waters” also shares a commonality with another story, Amal El-Mohtar’s “John Hollowback and the Witch.” In both cases, a witch’s power is fueled by anger—and, contrary to what one might expect, righteous anger. El-Mohtar’s tale at first seems to follow a typical folkloric structure, where a character with a problem must complete several tasks or rituals, each coupled to a significant object, in order to solve it. But each step of the solution reveals more about the title character and how he came to be in the situation he’s in. This was one of the most engaging stories in the book, to me.

“The Cost of Doing Business,” by Emily Y. Teng, is another story that stood out. Most of the witches in this anthology aren’t beholden to any kind of demonic figure (although, as in “Her Ravenous Waters,” they may owe their magic to some other kind of supernatural entity). The witch in “The Cost of Doing Business” has sold her soul to the Devil. The story also portrays Hell as a factory with unsafe working conditions, terrible bosses, and impenetrable bureaucracy.

Another story whose witch character is morally ambiguous is Angela Slatter’s “Through the Woods, Due West.” Two of the three human characters who draw the witch’s ire have done a terrible thing, though it’s not at all clear they knew what they were doing at the time. The third one is ultimately doomed by his loyalty to his friends, which would normally be a positive character trait. The story heavily implies that this loyalty is undeserved, but naivete isn’t the same as wrongdoing. The witch here shares something in common with some of the older portrayals of fairies, with different standards of right and wrong from those held by humans.

The stories in this anthology are a diverse bunch, and most of them are very good. Based on my enjoyment of Strahan’s previous offering, The Book of Dragons, I requested The Book of Witches from NetGalley as soon as I became aware of it. That was a good choice, and I’ll definitely pick up the next such anthology he puts out.

'The Book of Witches' is a solid collection of short stories about witches by a good mix of award-winning authors, some familiar authors whose work I looked forward to and some authors I read for the first time here.

The stories explored witches from several perspectives and many stories had unique tones set by the writing and world-building. The characters were brilliant and relatable. The story arcs were mostly well defined, though some were rambling.

Some stories were hit and miss for me, but that would happen with any anthology. The rating for the whole collection is four stars.

[Half a star for the premise and the whole collection; One star for the characters; Half a star for the story arcs; One star for the writing; One star for the world-building - Four stars on the whole.]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and author for this ARC!

I did not like this book as much as I thought I would. It’s not bad just not great for me but you might like it more than I did.

This was a great anthology of all things witches. Loved reading the different voices and stories and poems.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review! 5 out of 5 stars.

I had not expected to be accepted to read this, so of course, I was thrilled to receive the email of availability. I’ve been a fan of witches since Wicked, of course— saw the musical, accidentally read the book at seven without knowing what I was getting into.

I was extremely excited to see some authors I knew to love— CL Clark, P. Djèlí Clark , Amal El-Mohtar, and Darcy Little Badger. I was also thrilled to be introduced to new writers or new writing styles, such as Tobi Ogundiran and Premee Mohamed.

I look forward to holding this book in my hands!

This is a fantastic anthology for anyone interested in witches and folklore. Featuring over twenty short stories and poems in a variety of genres, The Book of Witches offers a little bit for everyone, and is a great way to discover a favorite new author or two. I appreciated the diversity of perspectives, as well as the gorgeous writing and thought-provoking nature of many of the stories.

Like most anthologies, I didn't enjoy every story, but all were well-crafted and enjoyable, with quite a few favorites. I'd initially requested the anthology for new works from Darcie Little Badger and Andrea Stewart, and those are absolutely fantastic.

Little Badger's "The Luck Thief" is a brilliant cross between mystery, thriller, and magical realism, centering around a narrator with the ability to tell any lie and have you believe it -- and be cursed never to be believed when they tell the truth.

Stewart's "Her Ravenous Waters" is a stunning tale of divine revenge with a twist you certainly won't see coming, and a world so richly textured that you can practically feel the current of the river beside you.

Other standouts include:

P. Djeli Clark's "What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata," a beautiful, sapphic fable of a town's prejudice laid bare by the arrival of a mysterious visitor proclaiming herself their savior.

Cassandra Khaw's "Met Swallow," a lyrical horror that begins with one of the best opening lines I've read this year ("she was already dying when I met her") and only gets better from there.

Tobi Ogundiran's "The Nine Jars of Nukulu," a story about a father and daughter with deadly secrets between them, and an ending that is feminine rage personified.

Angela Slatter's "Through the Woods, Due West," about three soldiers lost in the woods and the beings that come to find them.

Fonda Lee's "Nameless Here For Evermore," a Poe-esque story of a dead girl, her grieving mother, and a witch who exposes the truth of the bond between mother and daughter.

And Emily Y. Teng's "The Cost of Doing Business," a thought-provoking contemporary-horror set in hell, where workplace accidents happen every day.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon & Harper Voyager, and editor Jonathan Strahan for providing me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

"With a breathtaking array of original stories from around the world, P. Djèlí Clark, Amal El Mohtar, Garth Nix, Darcie Little Badger, Sheree Renée Thomas, and two dozen other fantasy and science fiction geniuses bring a new and exciting twist to one of the most beloved figures in fiction, witches, in never-before-seen works written exclusively for The Book of Witches, compiled by award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by award-nominated artist Alyssa Winans.

Witches! Whether you know them from Shakespeare or from Wicked, there is no staple more beloved in folklore, fairy tale, or fantasy than these magical beings. Witches are everywhere, and at the heart of stories that resonate with many people around the world. This dazzling, otherworldly collection gathers new stories of witches from all walks of life, ensuring a Halloween readers will never forget. Whether they be maiden, mother, crone, or other; funny, fierce, light and airy, or dark and disturbing; witches are a vital part of some of the greatest stories we have, and new ones start here!

Bringing together twenty-nine stories and poems from some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy writers working today, including three tales from a BIPOC-only open submission period, The Book of Witches features Linda Addison, C.L. Clark, P Djeli Clark, Indrapramit Das, Amal El Mohtar, Andrea Hairston, Millie Ho, Saad Hossain, Kathleen Jennings, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Cassandra Khaw, Fonda Lee, Darcie Little Badger, Ken Liu, Usman T. Malik, Maureen F. McHugh, Premee Mohamed, Garth Nix, Tobi Ogundiran, Tochi Onyebuchi, Miyuki Jane Pinckard, Kelly Robson, Angela Slatter, Andrea Stewart, Emily Teng, Sheree Renée Thomas, Tade Thompson, and E. Lily Yu - and contains illustrations from three-time Hugo award-nominated artist Alyssa Winans throughout. This extraordinary anthology vividly breathes life into one of the most captivating and feared magical sorceresses and will become a treasured keepsake for fans of fantasy, science fiction, and fairy tales everywhere."

Because it's never too early to start planning your Halloween reading.

Delicious, charming, and interesting diverse witchy folklore, myths, and fairytales from around the world. With many short stories to entertain different readerly tastes.

Thank you to @netgalley @avonbooks @harpersvoyagerus and @harpercollins for the eArc

Like so many short story anthologies this one is up and down. The stories that are up, are WAY up, 5 stars. I'll never forget them. There are a few that are just okay. None are bad, but just okay.
Overall, though, I love a short story and this was a lovely collection. There are some I will likely return to again and again.

The Book of Witches
By lots of authors
Compiled and Edited by Jonathan Strahan

Like all short story compilations this one had some stories that I appreciated more than others. But all in all I thought it was a very solid set of stories.

The ones that linger with me are by Darcie Little Badger, Amal El-Mohtar, Tade Thompson, Garth Nix, and Cassandra Khaw.

Such an interesting set of stories with bits and pieces of folklore from different cultures and time periods.

Thanks to @netgalley and @harpervoyagerus for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.