Dark magic books have always held a certain allure and mystery for those who are interested in the occult and the supernatural. These books often contain forbidden knowledge and spells that can unleash untold power and chaos. While many people are drawn to the dark arts for curiosity or personal gain, it is important to remember the potential dangers and consequences that come with dabbling in such practices. One of the most well-known dark magic books is the Necronomicon, a fictional grimoire created by writer H.P. Lovecraft.
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The second is the character that has something preventing them from moving forward in life grief, finances, a relationship and the snowball effect that has throughout the narrative. My absolute favorite is Sophie Kinsella, along with Don t You Forget About Me, The Friend Zone, Ayesha at Last, The Matzah Ball, A Holly Jolly Diwali, and The Flatshare.
Lovecraft. This book is said to contain ancient spells and rituals that can summon otherworldly beings and bring about the destruction of humanity. The very mention of its name instills fear and intrigue in those who are familiar with Lovecraft's works.
Witchy wanderlust 2022
In general, my manuscript wish list stays the same no matter the season or year! But for 2023, I’m really hoping to see these kinds of projects in particular appear in my inbox. Similar to the priorities of past years (2021, 2022) but with an emphasis on joyful and uplifting stories (especially with contemporary narratives), sweeping epic fantasies (particularly non-Euro), and uncharted historical. As I mentioned in a post, the industry is slammed and publishers are being even more selective, making it even harder for debuts. So I need to be extra picky as well––and I’m hopeful this post helps provide insight to my wishlist! Keep in mind, a manuscript is more than a recipe combining themes of Book A, characters like those found in Book B, with a plot like Book C. It’s in the essence of the writing, the make-up of the narrative, the style of the voice––that’s what captures attention. A really great manuscript infuses the tone, atmosphere, and emotion into every word, applying careful attention to detail to evoke a sensation from the page to the reader’s mind. That’s what agents are looking for. We’re enticed by your recipe and hope to be moved by the outcome. So while I am pointing out published books that accomplished elements of what I love and what I’m seeking, I’m also pointing out books that most accurately display the essence of what I’m looking for. ~~~ ADULT FICTION Fantasy || I adore fantasy inspired by historical events, cultures, folklore, and fairytales. More often than not, these fantasies tend to be set in secondary worlds, where magic may or may not exist, but the feel of the novel is certainly magical. My absolute favorites are The City of Brass (Islamic- and Arabic-inspired, set in 18th-c outside Cairo), Uprooted and Spinning Silver (Eastern European and Jewish fairytale retellings), The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (Filipino-inspired culture), A River Enchanted (Scottish mythology) and Daughter of the Forest (Irish Celtic mythology). Award-winning author and client Tasha Suri‘s Empire of Sand, Realm of Ash, and The Jasmine Throne are inspired by Indian history and mythology, and Malice by Heather Walter spins a fairytale completely on its head. These books have lush writing and beautiful characterizations, which is what I’m most drawn to in these fantasies. I also enjoy in-depth world-building and unique perspectives (literally everything about The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and A Darker Shade of Magic), have thoroughly enjoyed dragon stories (Priory of the Orange Tree and His Majesty’s Dragon), am seeking more previously-established-relationships among ensemble casts with one POV (a la Kings of the Wyld), and I want to find my own Queen of Blood, Bone Ships, or The Wolf and the Whale. Pie-in-the-sky manuscript: What every single book mentioned above accomplishes is the ability to take a creature, character, or tradition from a culture, tale, or faith and make it entirely new, unique, fresh. I want to see golems, djinn, wendigos, vetalas, almasties––I’m tired of the typical werewolf/vampire/angel/fairy. Give me something rarely covered in Western literature. Give me depth to the world and the characters. I don’t need heists and sword fights and action-action-action to propel my reading. I would especially love to see this from marginalized and underrepresented voices. Historical Fantasy || Though a branch off fantasy (“low fantasy”), this category is for all those books that have a hint of magic within the historical narrative. Not necessarily magical realism––but a tiny little something sparks that energy and spins into the fantastical. Babel is a stunning examination of colonialism, imperialism, racism, and translation, In Another Time explores wormholes in WWII, The Familiars leaves you wondering if she really was a witch, The Winter Witch adds an element of intrigue on a quiet Welsh farm, Outlander has a hint of time travel but is otherwise historical, and A Secret History of Witches explores generations of women in one family and the impact their magic has on the community. I would love to see more gothic-, religiously-, politically-infused historical fantasies like The Book of Gothel, The Once and Future Witches, and The Year of the Witching––I would fall over to represent something like that! Basically if it involves witches, a hint of magic, and the ways in which a community unravels, I’m down. Pie-in-the-sky: A fresh and unique spin on historical events that then asks, “what if…?” What if witches were real during XYZ historical event? What if witches were behind A? What if magic was the cause of B? What if someone with XYZ abilities could’ve changed the outcome to C? What if magic/witches were the root of religion? Take the idea and run with it. Women’s Fiction || I adore women’s fiction that is about the average woman doing average things, experiencing the difficulties of everyday life, and growing from it — such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, A Window Opens, Leave Me, Goodbye, Paris, The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett, and The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living. On the flip-side, I love chick-lit/romcom — humorous women’s fiction that’s appealing to a millennial audience, about young women in the workplace and the silly things that happen in their life. My absolute favorite is Sophie Kinsella, along with Don’t You Forget About Me, The Friend Zone, Ayesha at Last, The Matzah Ball, A Holly Jolly Diwali, and The Flatshare. Romance is not a primary draw for me, but it doesn’t turn me off to the story, either! Pie-in-the-sky: I’ve found I’m drawn to two particular sorts of protagonists and life journeys in women’s fiction. The first is the character that thinks they’re content when actually they’re lonely. Though these characters are typically older or curmudgeonly––and that’s okay––a kind and young character can experience this too. I’m drawn to the ways in which another character/event challenges them to break routine. The second is the character that has something preventing them from moving forward in life––grief, finances, a relationship––and the snowball effect that has throughout the narrative. I want to read something joyful and uplifting, with levity and humor throughout. Historical Fiction || I love all sorts of historical fiction, especially when it branches off little-known aspects of history, or it takes on a fresh new look at popular historical events (WWI and WWII, for example, are incredibly common on the shelves, but it’s how the story is told or the unique perspective the story is told through that brings them to the shelves). For example, my favorite historical fiction includes Shadow on the Crown (Emma of Normandy and early British history), The Alice Network (WWI/WWII parallel narrative shining light on female spy networks), The Romanov Empress (about Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II), and Dear Mrs. Bird (WWII advice columnist/slice-of-life narrative). I would love to see some more light shed on impressive women in history and the things they accomplished despite society’s limitations (STEM, feminism, code-breaking, politics/reigns, first female to ___), like client Clarissa Harwood‘s Impossible Saints. In 2021, my favorite books included The Book of Longings, Hamnet, and The Giver of Stars. Admittedly, I’m most familiar with European (specifically English) history, but I’m open to reading anything as long as the premise is compelling and the writing style is relatable to a modern audience. Pie-in-the-sky: Lately I’ve been craving Gilded Age/turn-of-the-century narratives, particularly in the ways American wealth supported British aristocracy. I also want to read about women we know (Wu Zetian, Elizabeth Bathory, Mette Magrete Tvistman), women behind great men in history, and women being the first in smaller [and oftentimes fictional] ways––like the first to run her family’s Victorian shop, with Sarah Waters vibes, for example. Contemporary/Historical Parallel Narratives in Fiction || There are great ways to introduce parallel narratives in historical and contemporary women’s fiction. Some of my favorites include anything pertaining to archivists, curators, scribes, researchers, and academics. Sometimes the parallel narrative is in the form of epistolary fiction –– artifacts and documents the curator, archivist, or researcher in the modern day stumbles across that takes us into the historical narrative literally (like The Weight of Ink, Possession, The Lost Apothecary) or figuratively (Meet Me at the Museum). I especially adore fiction that follows said curator, archivist, and academic on their journey, like The Clockmaker’s Daughter. I’m open to two historical narratives (Letters from Skye) as well as one historical and one contemporary, just as long as both narratives are tied in some way while still having two separate, compelling journeys. YOUNG ADULT FICTION Fantasy & Historical Fantasy || The YA world is difficult to break into, especially in fantasy. But I’m such a sucker for YA fantasy — I love all the worlds and ideas and originality that floods the market. That’s the issue at stake, though: it needs to be original. So while I love fairytale retellings, they need to be proper retellings, with twists and turns and (for goodness’s sake) new names––just like my clients Lisa DeSelm’s The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice and Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights. I love culturally-influenced or mythology-inspired stories (like Six Crimson Cranes and Don’t Call the Wolf), as well as historically-inspired fantasies and elemental magic narratives like Shielded by KayLynn Flanders. If you have a YA fantasy, send it my way, especially if they fit into any of the above criteria. Pie-in-the-sky: (As stated in the adult fiction section, since it applies here too) What every single book mentioned above accomplishes is the ability to take a creature, character, or tradition from a culture, tale, or faith and make it entirely new, unique, fresh. I want to see golems, djinn, wendigos, vetalas, almasties––I’m tired of the typical werewolf/vampire/angel/fairy. Give me something rarely covered in Western literature. Give me depth to the world and the characters. I don’t need heists and sword fights and action-action-action to propel my reading. They’re entertaining, but I’m here for the meat of the story, not the garnish. I would especially love to see this from marginalized and underrepresented voices. Contemporary Fiction || It is all about the voice for me when it comes to YA contemporary. When I read YA contemporary, I need to feel like I’m talking to my high school best friend. Teen readers can spot inauthenticity in a heartbeat, and you want to make sure you have their desires and heartbreaks in the voice of your protagonist. You’re not an adult trying to be a teen — you are a teen. That said, I am seeking fantastic rom-coms like When Dimple Met Rishi (technology camps!), Royals (royals’ sidekicks fall in love!) and Anna and the French Kiss (study abroad programs!), badass heroines like Dumplin’ (fighting against stereotypes!), and great family and friendship dynamics like Emma Mills, Morgan Matson, and Jenny Han. Perfect examples of this are my own clients Jared Reck (A Short History of the Girl Next Door) and Nina Moreno (Don’t Date Rosa Santos). I’d love to see more characters with fun and interesting jobs and unique hobbies (A Pho Love Story and Happily Ever Afters). I tend to lean on the lighter side of things, with hope at the end of the tunnel. I do like tear-jerkers, but I want that spark of hope and inspiration at the end. This year especially, I want to see more joy and uplifting reads! Historical || Historical fiction is very hard to break into in YA. Sometimes it needs to have magical elements, sometimes it needs to be an era that readers are familiar with. Look to your own city, look to the history books, look to your family history, and see what seemingly small event had a large impact for that area. A Prisoner of Night and Fog is set in Germany in the 1930s, not quite WWII but through the perspective of someone in the middle of the frightening changes in the country; Outrun the Moon is set during the San Francisco earthquake, and how race and economic status barriers fell in a state of emergency; A Madness So Discreet is set across America in the 1800s, battling patriarchy and standing up for those unlawfully sentenced to mental institutions; The Forbidden Orchid is set in Asia as a Victorian girl hunts down her father, a man in the middle of a race to find a perfect, rare orchid; The Bird and the Blade, though partially based on a folk tale, is inspired by historical events during the Mongol Empire and the Great Khan’s reign of power. There are so many more — but great YA historical fiction requires an intriguing and original premise, a general accessibility, and bringing the past to life for a modern audience. I would love to see historical fiction set outside the US and Western Europe! ~~~ For a final once-over, feel free to read my Manuscript Wishlist post, follow submission guidelines, read up on Publishers Marketplace deals, check out my clients page and book deals records, and catch up on this blog once in a while to read my thoughts and reviews of published works. Every little bit helps to getting representation! Oh, and as a reminder: ALWAYS seeking: diversity. Race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, mentality, health, economic status, religious affiliation, all of it. I want my clients’ projects to reflect the beautiful diversity of the world, I want to see and share with others life through another’s eyes, I want to see these differences expressed through art and creation and culture, to show that these books need to be on bookshelves. So yes, there is no question to it: I want diversity. ALWAYS open to queries: even during times of the year when publishing seems extra busy, or extra slow, or I’m on vacation or traveling — I am open to queries. I’ve never closed queries in the eight years I’ve been an agent. I read every single query. It’s unfair to you as the writer to try to keep track of all the agents who are opened or closed, and (selfishly) it’s unfair to me to be closed when something truly remarkable could have been in my inbox for me to represent. With that said, if I’m busy or traveling or on vacation, I’ll have an away message up with clear, simple instructions about what will happen with your query in the time I’m away. I do not close to queries. NEVER seeking: anything set in space, anything set in the future, thrillers and suspense (psychological, military, legal, political, or otherwise), Greek or Roman-inspired narratives (I’m sorry, I’m just not into it), all nonfiction (poems, essays, memoirs, how-tos, everything nonfiction), scripts or screenplays, short story collections, picture books, chapter books, paranormal romance, smut, erotica. If your project uses any of these descriptors, it’s an automatic no. I’m not the agent for any of these projects, so please do not send them to me. ~~~ I hope this is helpful! I’m looking forward to receiving great manuscripts in 2023!
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Another infamous dark magic book is the Book of Shadows, which is often associated with Wicca and modern witchcraft. This book is believed to contain personal spells, rituals, and experiences of individual witches. While not all practitioners of Wicca consider their Book of Shadows to be a dark magic book per se, it is often seen as such by those outside of the craft. Other dark magic books include the Grand Grimoire, the Picatrix, and the Lesser Key of Solomon. These texts are often cited as authoritative sources for various forms of black magic, demon summoning, and occult practices. They provide instructions on how to perform rituals, incantations, and spells that can bring about immense power and control. It is important to note that, while these books may be intriguing to some, the practice of dark magic is generally frowned upon by mainstream society and often associated with negative intentions and harmful actions. Many people believe that the use of dark magic can bring about negative energy, harm to oneself, and disastrous consequences for others. In conclusion, dark magic books have a long and storied history in the realm of the occult. They contain knowledge and rituals that can unleash immense power and chaos. However, it is essential to approach these books with caution and respect for the potential dangers and consequences that come with practicing dark magic..
Reviews for "Secrets of the Shadows: Unravel the Dark Arts with These Books"
1. Jack - 2/5 stars - The Dark Magic Books series was just not for me. I found the plot to be convoluted and confusing, with too many unexplained elements. The characters were flat and lacked depth, making it difficult for me to feel any connection or investment in their struggles. Additionally, I found the writing style to be overly descriptive and verbose, which made it a challenge to stay engaged. Overall, I was disappointed with this series and wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I really didn't enjoy the Dark Magic Books at all. The storyline felt predictable and unoriginal, lacking any surprises or twists. The magic system was poorly defined and inconsistent, leaving me confused and frustrated. The pacing was also a major issue, with long stretches of boredom followed by rushed, unresolved endings. The characters were forgettable, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. Overall, I regretted picking up this series and won't be continuing with it.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - The Dark Magic Books series fell short for me. The world-building was weak and underdeveloped, leaving many unanswered questions. The author seemed more focused on describing every minor detail than on advancing the plot, which made the reading experience drag on. The characters lacked depth and felt one-dimensional, making it difficult for me to care about their fates. I found myself constantly bored and uninterested throughout the series, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating magical adventure.