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A Resistance of Witches: A Novel
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fantasy (2025), Nominee for Readers' Favorite Debut Novel (2025)Listening time: 13h 15m
A historical fantasy debut set against the backdrop of World War II, where a witch journeys to find a book of unspeakable power before it lands in Nazi hands
Stubborn, plain-spoken and from an unimpressive family, Lydia Polk never expected to be accepted into the Royal Academy of Witches. Now, with Hitler’s army rampaging across Europe, the witches of Britain have joined the war effort, and Lydia is key to the she must use her magic to track down magical relics before Hitler and his sycophants can. Then a Nazi witch infiltrates the Academy with heart-breaking consequences, leaving the coven shaken, exposed and the elder British witches have no interest in further loss of coven life in service of a government that has forced them into hiding for decades, no matter the consequences to the world. But with the discovery of the Grimorium Bellum, an ancient book that leaves a trail of death and destruction wherever it goes—one the Nazi coven is desperate to get their hands on—Lydia’s mission has never been more urgent.
Alone and woefully outnumbered, Lydia makes her way to the heart of occupied France, where she finds allies in Rebecca Gagne—a fierce French resistance fighter chockful of secrets—and Henry Boudreaux—a handsome Haitian-American art historian with a little magic of his own. Together, they traverse the country, stalked by the natural and supernatural alike, in search of the grimoire. But, as Lydia soon discovers, finding the book is only half the battle—the Grimorium Bellum has a dark agenda all its own. Lydia must subdue it before the Witches of the Third Reich can use it—but she’ll have to survive the book herself, first.
A historical fantasy debut set against the backdrop of World War II, where a witch journeys to find a book of unspeakable power before it lands in Nazi hands
Stubborn, plain-spoken and from an unimpressive family, Lydia Polk never expected to be accepted into the Royal Academy of Witches. Now, with Hitler’s army rampaging across Europe, the witches of Britain have joined the war effort, and Lydia is key to the she must use her magic to track down magical relics before Hitler and his sycophants can. Then a Nazi witch infiltrates the Academy with heart-breaking consequences, leaving the coven shaken, exposed and the elder British witches have no interest in further loss of coven life in service of a government that has forced them into hiding for decades, no matter the consequences to the world. But with the discovery of the Grimorium Bellum, an ancient book that leaves a trail of death and destruction wherever it goes—one the Nazi coven is desperate to get their hands on—Lydia’s mission has never been more urgent.
Alone and woefully outnumbered, Lydia makes her way to the heart of occupied France, where she finds allies in Rebecca Gagne—a fierce French resistance fighter chockful of secrets—and Henry Boudreaux—a handsome Haitian-American art historian with a little magic of his own. Together, they traverse the country, stalked by the natural and supernatural alike, in search of the grimoire. But, as Lydia soon discovers, finding the book is only half the battle—the Grimorium Bellum has a dark agenda all its own. Lydia must subdue it before the Witches of the Third Reich can use it—but she’ll have to survive the book herself, first.
14 pages, Audible Audio
First published July 15, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,913 reviews
July 18, 2025
4.75 🌟 rounded up
Yes, please. This is what I want in WWII historical fiction. This is what I've been missing.
I loved the FMC, Lydia. She's loyal, stubborn, and relatable. Her companions, Henry and Rebecca, are admirable as well. As you'd expect, this book is full of heartbreak. War is ugly, and it shows. The author doesn't shy away from the violence, death, and destruction from the Nazis. Not everything gets wrapped up in a pretty little bow. Even with the magic woven throughout the narrative, I appreciated the realness of the thoughts, actions, and devastations of the time period.
In one word - incredible. I'm amazed that this is a debut novel. The book world needs to look out for more from Morgan Ryan, and I absolutely will, too.
Recommended for readers who love witchy fantasy mixed with historical fiction - a combo I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC.
Yes, please. This is what I want in WWII historical fiction. This is what I've been missing.
I loved the FMC, Lydia. She's loyal, stubborn, and relatable. Her companions, Henry and Rebecca, are admirable as well. As you'd expect, this book is full of heartbreak. War is ugly, and it shows. The author doesn't shy away from the violence, death, and destruction from the Nazis. Not everything gets wrapped up in a pretty little bow. Even with the magic woven throughout the narrative, I appreciated the realness of the thoughts, actions, and devastations of the time period.
In one word - incredible. I'm amazed that this is a debut novel. The book world needs to look out for more from Morgan Ryan, and I absolutely will, too.
Recommended for readers who love witchy fantasy mixed with historical fiction - a combo I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC.
October 5, 2025
A Resistance of Witches started off strong and then sadly lost me along the way. I'm a big fan of alternate history stories and the first couple of chapters really delivered. There were real historical people cameos and an intriguing power struggle between factions of the coven of witches the main girl, Lydia, is a member of. It was all quite political, which I liked.
Once the story left the coven politics behind though, it kind of lost its drive and the middle part was a bit of a drag. The supporting characters Rebecca and Henry, while having potential, never quite managed to become fully fleshed-out characters.
While I think that the author handled the historical context of WWII decently and respectfully enough, the supernatural elements just didn't feel grave or important at all when compared to the real, unspeakable horrors of the Nazi regime. Made-up things will never be as horrific as reality to me, so maybe this just isn't the right time period to set a fantasy novel in.
Once the story left the coven politics behind though, it kind of lost its drive and the middle part was a bit of a drag. The supporting characters Rebecca and Henry, while having potential, never quite managed to become fully fleshed-out characters.
While I think that the author handled the historical context of WWII decently and respectfully enough, the supernatural elements just didn't feel grave or important at all when compared to the real, unspeakable horrors of the Nazi regime. Made-up things will never be as horrific as reality to me, so maybe this just isn't the right time period to set a fantasy novel in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a debut novel. Now for many of us, that statement would have us begin a book with trepidation if we ever pick it up to begin with. I, myself, am guilty of starting debuts with the thought that it's just going to be rough. But holy moly, Morgan Ryan blew me away with this one. There are so many things I want to rave about with A Resistance of Witches.
Firstly, the plot. I read the synopsis and was immediately hooked. A young witch fighting against time and Nazi witches to find a book that will end the world? I mean, come on. What's not to enjoy. But then as I immersed myself into the story, it became so much more. It wasn't just action. There was so much more that went deeper into the characters' backgrounds, the world itself. Everything that led up to witches who had been persecuted for millennia choosing sides in World War 2.
Then we get to the writing itself. Writing can honestly be what makes or breaks a great story and thankfully, this one did not suffer from shoddy words. The pacing was perfectly executed. The sense of urgency was injected into the book without it feeling like a countdown timer sitting in the background. Truly a case of "show, not tell" done so well.
Finally the pièce de résistance, the part that sold this book and convinced me that I needed to buy the hardcopy immediately at release: the characters. Lydia was amazing, like hands down, one of the best 19-year-old characters I have come across in a long time. This wasn't written like your '00s YA novels. We didn't get stuck with a girl who's "not like other girls" but was secretly the greatest witch of all time. Lydia was flawed. She hated the way she looked to the point of using a glamour. She was only really proficient at 1 type of magic, and she came across as pretty naïve. But she is so beautifully written that you can't help but cheer for her, cry with her, feel the same rage she feels. Our other main characters, Rebecca and Henry, have so much depth as well. I don't want to delve too much into them without spoiling key parts to their story and the story as a whole. But these three main characters were so richly crafted and formed on the page, that if I wasn't convinced that magic wasn't real and witches didn't collaborate with Winston Churchill in 1940, then this could have been a story about real people.
Needless to say, this was such a surprising stand out book to me. Like one of the best I've read this year, or of all time, to be completely truthful. I'll recommend it to anyone and everyone.
This is a debut novel. Now for many of us, that statement would have us begin a book with trepidation if we ever pick it up to begin with. I, myself, am guilty of starting debuts with the thought that it's just going to be rough. But holy moly, Morgan Ryan blew me away with this one. There are so many things I want to rave about with A Resistance of Witches.
Firstly, the plot. I read the synopsis and was immediately hooked. A young witch fighting against time and Nazi witches to find a book that will end the world? I mean, come on. What's not to enjoy. But then as I immersed myself into the story, it became so much more. It wasn't just action. There was so much more that went deeper into the characters' backgrounds, the world itself. Everything that led up to witches who had been persecuted for millennia choosing sides in World War 2.
Then we get to the writing itself. Writing can honestly be what makes or breaks a great story and thankfully, this one did not suffer from shoddy words. The pacing was perfectly executed. The sense of urgency was injected into the book without it feeling like a countdown timer sitting in the background. Truly a case of "show, not tell" done so well.
Finally the pièce de résistance, the part that sold this book and convinced me that I needed to buy the hardcopy immediately at release: the characters. Lydia was amazing, like hands down, one of the best 19-year-old characters I have come across in a long time. This wasn't written like your '00s YA novels. We didn't get stuck with a girl who's "not like other girls" but was secretly the greatest witch of all time. Lydia was flawed. She hated the way she looked to the point of using a glamour. She was only really proficient at 1 type of magic, and she came across as pretty naïve. But she is so beautifully written that you can't help but cheer for her, cry with her, feel the same rage she feels. Our other main characters, Rebecca and Henry, have so much depth as well. I don't want to delve too much into them without spoiling key parts to their story and the story as a whole. But these three main characters were so richly crafted and formed on the page, that if I wasn't convinced that magic wasn't real and witches didn't collaborate with Winston Churchill in 1940, then this could have been a story about real people.
Needless to say, this was such a surprising stand out book to me. Like one of the best I've read this year, or of all time, to be completely truthful. I'll recommend it to anyone and everyone.
September 10, 2025
4,5⭐️
C'était vraiment trop bien ! Addictif au possible, très bien écrit et vraiment original, je me suis prise de passion pour cette histoire qui mêle Histoire avec un grand H et fantasy. Bourré d'action, de rebondissements, de personnages forts et attachants, ce roman est un parfait compromis entre deux genres qui se mêlent bien mieux qu'on pourrait le penser. J'ai particulièrement apprécié l'originalité de l'aspect fantasy, avec l'organisation des sorcières, de leur magie... tout était si bien fait que ça en devenait très crédible 👀 Bref, une excellente lecture, portée par une très belle plume !
C'était vraiment trop bien ! Addictif au possible, très bien écrit et vraiment original, je me suis prise de passion pour cette histoire qui mêle Histoire avec un grand H et fantasy. Bourré d'action, de rebondissements, de personnages forts et attachants, ce roman est un parfait compromis entre deux genres qui se mêlent bien mieux qu'on pourrait le penser. J'ai particulièrement apprécié l'originalité de l'aspect fantasy, avec l'organisation des sorcières, de leur magie... tout était si bien fait que ça en devenait très crédible 👀 Bref, une excellente lecture, portée par une très belle plume !
July 7, 2025
4.5/5
This debut historical fantasy blew me away! Thank you so much @bantambooksuk for the amazing ARC package.
From the first pages this novel exuded such confident writing and strong sense of time & place that I knew it was going to be a fantastic read. The action starts right off the bat but the character development is blended so well that they didn’t suffer for this and I really connected to them.
Set during WWII, Lydia, witch of the Royal Academy in Britain joins Henry, art curator from New Orleans and Rebecca, a Resistance fighter in France as they search for a lost artefact in a race against the Germans. The magic system of the witches is so well done and there’s mystery, treachery and a little bit of romance.
If I was to give comparisons I would say it’s a witchy blend of The Bone Season, Divine Rivals (with less romance and a real historical setting) and a feminist Indiana Jones. I mean this in the best way possible as there’s good representation with a queer and main character of colour.
I love that this focused on the people of the homefront rather than the battle, especially as we travel to France and are faced with the remaining family members of those taken by the Gestapo. It’s handled delicately but realistically and hits the emotional notes well. I did predict a twist from early on but it’s quite hard to shock me when it comes to plot twists - what can I say guys I’m just too clever hehehe!
I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fantasy and I really look forward to seeing what this author does next!
This debut historical fantasy blew me away! Thank you so much @bantambooksuk for the amazing ARC package.
From the first pages this novel exuded such confident writing and strong sense of time & place that I knew it was going to be a fantastic read. The action starts right off the bat but the character development is blended so well that they didn’t suffer for this and I really connected to them.
Set during WWII, Lydia, witch of the Royal Academy in Britain joins Henry, art curator from New Orleans and Rebecca, a Resistance fighter in France as they search for a lost artefact in a race against the Germans. The magic system of the witches is so well done and there’s mystery, treachery and a little bit of romance.
If I was to give comparisons I would say it’s a witchy blend of The Bone Season, Divine Rivals (with less romance and a real historical setting) and a feminist Indiana Jones. I mean this in the best way possible as there’s good representation with a queer and main character of colour.
I love that this focused on the people of the homefront rather than the battle, especially as we travel to France and are faced with the remaining family members of those taken by the Gestapo. It’s handled delicately but realistically and hits the emotional notes well. I did predict a twist from early on but it’s quite hard to shock me when it comes to plot twists - what can I say guys I’m just too clever hehehe!
I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fantasy and I really look forward to seeing what this author does next!
August 29, 2025
3.5 stars "A historical fantasy debut set against the backdrop of World War II, where a witch journeys to find a book of unspeakable power before it lands in Nazi hands."
Lydia Polk is second in command for a coven of British witches during WWII. She is tasked with harnessing her magical powers to recover the Grimmorium Bellum before it falls into Nazi hands who will use it to promote their evil purposes.purpose befriends Rebecca and Henry, who is alluring and handsome. Things are more complicated because of a traitor in the midst.
It's a race across Northern Europe against the clock, which creates a lot of tension and the need to turn pages quickly. This historical fantasy is unique and is perfect for the quickly approaching spooky season.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Viking, and Morgan Ryan for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. The audiobook performance is excellent. 🎧
Lydia Polk is second in command for a coven of British witches during WWII. She is tasked with harnessing her magical powers to recover the Grimmorium Bellum before it falls into Nazi hands who will use it to promote their evil purposes.purpose befriends Rebecca and Henry, who is alluring and handsome. Things are more complicated because of a traitor in the midst.
It's a race across Northern Europe against the clock, which creates a lot of tension and the need to turn pages quickly. This historical fantasy is unique and is perfect for the quickly approaching spooky season.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Viking, and Morgan Ryan for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. The audiobook performance is excellent. 🎧
August 31, 2025
WOMEN — 😭
July 28, 2025
Initially, I thought ‘A Resistance of Witches’ by Morgan Ryan would be right up my alley—witchcraft, WW2, fighting Nazis? Yes, please. But I came away from this feeling a bit disappointed.
Plot-wise, it’s an alright story, but it didn’t amaze or wow me in any way. I had imagined a coven of witches using magic and espionage to fight back against the Nazis, in the front lines or amongst their ranks—but it seems all that happened off-screen at the very start.
Instead we follow Lydia as she tries to track down a magic book that Hitler wants to use to end the war in his favour. It’s an immersive, powerful, and evil book, but it’s not explained why it was not under lock and key before the war broke out if it was that well known for its power. She ends up in a race to get to the book against a coven of Aryan Nazi witches, all while trying to figure out who betrayed her own coven, resulting in the murder of her friend and high priestess/teacher.
Ultimately the plot twist on who betrayed them wasn’t surprising. When only one person is being named the culprit and is being shoved down our throats at every opportunity, then it quickly becomes obvious they’re going to be a red herring.
Our other two main characters don’t feel ingrained in the story, and it wouldn’t have mattered that much if they were written out, as it honestly REALLY feels like they are only there for ticking the representation box.
Henry is of Haitian descent, and he can talk to ghosts—but apart from a few occasions where he gets the ghosts to possess people to solve a problem, he doesn’t add anything much to the plot (he’s Lydia’s love interest for half a page at most).
Rebecca honestly is mostly just in the story because she has a car and can drive. She’s Jewish and gay, but this is barely touched on. She’s aware of the horror of concentration camps and has seen the treatment of Jews firsthand, but this gets glossed over so quickly, and the end result is she comes across as so unattached and unaffected by all of this. She's part of the French resistance, but again, we barely see her doing any resistance activities.
A quick solve could have been Lydia recovering the book and realising that some of the spells are from other cultures and languages, which results in her seeking out Henry to help decipher it, and Rebecca could have put her French resistance skills to good use to help them find the book and slow down the Nazis (like lock picking, making homemade bombs, sending secret messages, etc.), all while trying to avoid the Gestapo hunting down Jews in the area.
3 out of 5 stars - It was okay, but I wouldn't recommend it or reread it.
[This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion]
Plot-wise, it’s an alright story, but it didn’t amaze or wow me in any way. I had imagined a coven of witches using magic and espionage to fight back against the Nazis, in the front lines or amongst their ranks—but it seems all that happened off-screen at the very start.
Instead we follow Lydia as she tries to track down a magic book that Hitler wants to use to end the war in his favour. It’s an immersive, powerful, and evil book, but it’s not explained why it was not under lock and key before the war broke out if it was that well known for its power. She ends up in a race to get to the book against a coven of Aryan Nazi witches, all while trying to figure out who betrayed her own coven, resulting in the murder of her friend and high priestess/teacher.
Ultimately the plot twist on who betrayed them wasn’t surprising. When only one person is being named the culprit and is being shoved down our throats at every opportunity, then it quickly becomes obvious they’re going to be a red herring.
Our other two main characters don’t feel ingrained in the story, and it wouldn’t have mattered that much if they were written out, as it honestly REALLY feels like they are only there for ticking the representation box.
Henry is of Haitian descent, and he can talk to ghosts—but apart from a few occasions where he gets the ghosts to possess people to solve a problem, he doesn’t add anything much to the plot (he’s Lydia’s love interest for half a page at most).
Rebecca honestly is mostly just in the story because she has a car and can drive. She’s Jewish and gay, but this is barely touched on. She’s aware of the horror of concentration camps and has seen the treatment of Jews firsthand, but this gets glossed over so quickly, and the end result is she comes across as so unattached and unaffected by all of this. She's part of the French resistance, but again, we barely see her doing any resistance activities.
A quick solve could have been Lydia recovering the book and realising that some of the spells are from other cultures and languages, which results in her seeking out Henry to help decipher it, and Rebecca could have put her French resistance skills to good use to help them find the book and slow down the Nazis (like lock picking, making homemade bombs, sending secret messages, etc.), all while trying to avoid the Gestapo hunting down Jews in the area.
3 out of 5 stars - It was okay, but I wouldn't recommend it or reread it.
[This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion]
October 28, 2025
Morgan Ryan weaves a satisfying tale of witchcraft, women's power, and resistance set against the dark days of WWII. A powerful debut that readers will find both prescient and hopeful in this moment in time.
September 25, 2025
Went into this expecting a story of badass witches kicking nazi ass and came out with a newfound appreciation for motherhood. unexpected yet very welcomed. 🥹
December 13, 2025
Thank you to Viking Books and PRH Audio for the chance to read and listen to a review copy of A Resistance of Witches, a debut novel by Morgan Ryan.
***
Well, that was interesting! A World War II book, but with witches! I couldn’t resist the premise.
We have the witches of Britain deciding that H*tler is too dangerous by far and they decide they must help the British war effort - in their own way, of course. But are ALL the British witches on board? Maybe not.
Lydia Polk is the apprentice to the Grand Mistress of the Royal Academy of Witches, and in 1943 she sets out to find a mysterious and powerful book, the Grimorium Bellum, that is also being sought by German witches loyal to H*tler. This ancient book leaves a trail of death and destruction wherever it goes and has great powers over whoever wields it. Lydia travels to France to find the book and to destroy it. Most of the story takes place in the Dordogne region of France. I loved the other main characters, Henry Boudreaux, a Haitian-American art historian who has been protecting/hiding valuable artworks from the N*zis; and Rebecca, a traumatized Jewish resistance member. The three of them were a great combination of skills and personalities. Henry even has a bit of magic of his own - Rebecca does not. The backstories of each of these characters were moving and very individual.
War is not pretty and the author doesn’t shy away from that fact. There’s a time factor in finding the Grimorium - full moon, for example - and that ups the tension. We also see Lydia come to a new understanding of her mother, Evelyn, who she thought only used her witchy powers with herbs. Evelyn might be my favorite character of the entire book, in fact.
Grace Gray, the audiobook narrator, did an amazing job with all the different accents (English, American, and French)!
***
Well, that was interesting! A World War II book, but with witches! I couldn’t resist the premise.
We have the witches of Britain deciding that H*tler is too dangerous by far and they decide they must help the British war effort - in their own way, of course. But are ALL the British witches on board? Maybe not.
Lydia Polk is the apprentice to the Grand Mistress of the Royal Academy of Witches, and in 1943 she sets out to find a mysterious and powerful book, the Grimorium Bellum, that is also being sought by German witches loyal to H*tler. This ancient book leaves a trail of death and destruction wherever it goes and has great powers over whoever wields it. Lydia travels to France to find the book and to destroy it. Most of the story takes place in the Dordogne region of France. I loved the other main characters, Henry Boudreaux, a Haitian-American art historian who has been protecting/hiding valuable artworks from the N*zis; and Rebecca, a traumatized Jewish resistance member. The three of them were a great combination of skills and personalities. Henry even has a bit of magic of his own - Rebecca does not. The backstories of each of these characters were moving and very individual.
War is not pretty and the author doesn’t shy away from that fact. There’s a time factor in finding the Grimorium - full moon, for example - and that ups the tension. We also see Lydia come to a new understanding of her mother, Evelyn, who she thought only used her witchy powers with herbs. Evelyn might be my favorite character of the entire book, in fact.
Grace Gray, the audiobook narrator, did an amazing job with all the different accents (English, American, and French)!
October 6, 2025
Once of the best books I’ve ever read.
July 12, 2025
Utterly enchanting, this is a witchy historical fantasy set during WW2 that caught me up with its breakneck pacing and big heart and didn’t let go until the final page. Also great to see more novels that incorporate magic and fantasy into the real world, especially in times of war and strife.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC and can’t wait to moderate a discussion with the author for the launch of this wonderful book!
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC and can’t wait to moderate a discussion with the author for the launch of this wonderful book!
May 31, 2025
London, 1943: Lydia is a 19 year old witch, second-hand to the grand mistress of the British witches who offer Churchill the aid of the academy against Hitler. Lydia must use her skill as a projectionist to track a grimoire of war capable of mass murder before it falls into Nazi hands.
In France, Rebecca is a member of the resistance in a precarious position as a woman rebel with a traumatic past.
Then we have Henry, a black man who is an art curator who is like a gentle teddy bear - oh, and he can see ghosts.
I think this had the potential to be veer into questionable territory. Whilst I did occasionally get the ick and cringe at the euphemisms and the ‘Heil Hitlers’, I think it was managed well.
I do think so much could have been done with the Nazi invasion and propaganda and camps, but I guess this book would have had to be a lot darker and longer to incorporate that.
“You talk as if we were still in the Middle Ages. The world has changed, Vivian.”
“Has it?” Vivian’s tone was mocking. “Show me a world that does not hate a powerful woman, and I’ll show you a world without men.”
Lydia is hardheaded, and honest to a fault. She refuses to give in to anyone when she knows she is right even when it would save her a heck of a lot of trouble.
Rebecca is badass and does not give her trust easily.
There were a few conveniences for the plot where explanations were along the lines of ‘this is how it works, accept it’.
I didn’t feel any of the emotional beats, probably because this was so fast-paced and more focused on Lydia and her quest rather than character connections.
It sounded so logical, so reasonable. It sounded like peace, if peace meant the destruction of anyone who would dare stand against you.
I flew through this as it reminded me of the witchy books I read as a pre-teen.
(ThreadNeedle by Cari Thomas).
Physical arc gifted by Transworld Books.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
In France, Rebecca is a member of the resistance in a precarious position as a woman rebel with a traumatic past.
Then we have Henry, a black man who is an art curator who is like a gentle teddy bear - oh, and he can see ghosts.
I think this had the potential to be veer into questionable territory. Whilst I did occasionally get the ick and cringe at the euphemisms and the ‘Heil Hitlers’, I think it was managed well.
I do think so much could have been done with the Nazi invasion and propaganda and camps, but I guess this book would have had to be a lot darker and longer to incorporate that.
“You talk as if we were still in the Middle Ages. The world has changed, Vivian.”
“Has it?” Vivian’s tone was mocking. “Show me a world that does not hate a powerful woman, and I’ll show you a world without men.”
Lydia is hardheaded, and honest to a fault. She refuses to give in to anyone when she knows she is right even when it would save her a heck of a lot of trouble.
Rebecca is badass and does not give her trust easily.
There were a few conveniences for the plot where explanations were along the lines of ‘this is how it works, accept it’.
I didn’t feel any of the emotional beats, probably because this was so fast-paced and more focused on Lydia and her quest rather than character connections.
It sounded so logical, so reasonable. It sounded like peace, if peace meant the destruction of anyone who would dare stand against you.
I flew through this as it reminded me of the witchy books I read as a pre-teen.
(ThreadNeedle by Cari Thomas).
Physical arc gifted by Transworld Books.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
June 12, 2025
I was drawn to this book based on the synopsis--a WWII historical fiction mixed in with fantasy--and found that not only intriguing but very unique. This book delivered on both accounts and is easily one of my favorite books this year.
Essentially, witches are involved in turning the tide in WWII and work with both UK and German forces. When a spy infiltrates the Allied side, the main character--Lydia, realizes she needs to find a magical grimoire that has the power to win the war in order to keep it out of Axis hands. Along the way she meets Henry, an endearing character with a magical background, and Rebecca, who is not magical but has lots of grit.
I absolutely adored every second of this book. Without spoiling anything, the action kept me turning the pages and dutifully stressed the whole time as I needed to see what would happen next. Despite the nonstop action, the author also does an outstanding job fleshing out each character. She does not focus overwhelmingly on Lydia, the main character, but offers interesting back stories for each, prompting the reader to invest in both Henry and Rebecca as well.
What was especially unexpected for me is the way parental/familial relationships are portrayed, especially toward the end of the book. The reader sees hints of this theme throughout, but it is really a slow burn reveal until the last few chapters when the author explores the theme fully--which legit brought me to tears. I can only say that each character has a stake in the theme, and I would read this book again to see it all unravel at the end.
I loved this book so much, and I cannot wait to read more from this debut (wow!) author. I highly recommend this for anyone looking to read something unique in the fantasy genre.
Thank you so much to the publisher for letting me read the ARC early.
Essentially, witches are involved in turning the tide in WWII and work with both UK and German forces. When a spy infiltrates the Allied side, the main character--Lydia, realizes she needs to find a magical grimoire that has the power to win the war in order to keep it out of Axis hands. Along the way she meets Henry, an endearing character with a magical background, and Rebecca, who is not magical but has lots of grit.
I absolutely adored every second of this book. Without spoiling anything, the action kept me turning the pages and dutifully stressed the whole time as I needed to see what would happen next. Despite the nonstop action, the author also does an outstanding job fleshing out each character. She does not focus overwhelmingly on Lydia, the main character, but offers interesting back stories for each, prompting the reader to invest in both Henry and Rebecca as well.
What was especially unexpected for me is the way parental/familial relationships are portrayed, especially toward the end of the book. The reader sees hints of this theme throughout, but it is really a slow burn reveal until the last few chapters when the author explores the theme fully--which legit brought me to tears. I can only say that each character has a stake in the theme, and I would read this book again to see it all unravel at the end.
I loved this book so much, and I cannot wait to read more from this debut (wow!) author. I highly recommend this for anyone looking to read something unique in the fantasy genre.
Thank you so much to the publisher for letting me read the ARC early.
July 21, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Taking a well-known moment in history, like WWII, and creating this alternate fantastical history beneath the story that we already know, makes it seem like it could be real. In the case of Morgan Ryan’s debut “A Resistance Of Witches”, we are given a witchy history that happened right beneath our human noses during WWII, without our knowledge. Lydia is loyal to the Grand Mistress of the Royal Academy of Witches, who offered the coven in service of the British government to help in the war efforts. Lydia’s specific talents are wanted to help track down magical artificers before Hitler and the witches of the Third Reich do. When disaster strikes, the elder British witches want to pull out, but Lydia is determined to find a particularly powerful and destructive grimoire before the Nazi’s do. She finds herself in Nazi occupied France, makes her own allies in our side characters Rebecca and Henry—each delightful in their own way—and continues on her mission. Her mission proves more challenging than Lydia could ever have imagined, but she must survive it if she doesn’t want the Grimoire to fall into the wrong hands. I love it when fantasy feels real and the joining of real history with this witchy history was just so enjoyable and believable. This is an incredibly strong debut! I cannot wait to see what else Morgan Ryan writes in the future. If historical fantasy appeals to you, specifically witches, absolutely pick this up!
Thank you to Viking Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, for sending me a gifted finished copy and PR package! The tea leaf reading kit was a nice touch.
Thank you to Viking Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, for sending me a gifted finished copy and PR package! The tea leaf reading kit was a nice touch.
August 29, 2025
DNF at 25%. It seemed promising at first, but that honeymoon phase wore off quickly.
I see praise for the characters in this book, maybe these showed up later in the book, because I hadn't found any worthy of much praise. Conflicts between our main character, a 19 year old witch, and others are often initiated by the author, but they are resolved within seconds. After which she's held up on a pedestal and can do seemingly no wrong.
The title of the book would lead you to expect battles on the frontline, where witches on both sides would battle each other and support the troops to gain the upper hand. Nope. None of that. She's on a quest to find a book. An evil book, at that. She'll get a gang of support characters on her side to find this book before the nazi witches find the book first. I can't help but feel that with such a cool premise (witches in the second world war), you could've done a hundred different things for your plot that would be more exciting than a quest for a hidden book.
When conflict is so easily brushed aside, and there's no exciting plot to stay for, I find it very hard to justify spending another 5 hours on this.
I see praise for the characters in this book, maybe these showed up later in the book, because I hadn't found any worthy of much praise. Conflicts between our main character, a 19 year old witch, and others are often initiated by the author, but they are resolved within seconds. After which she's held up on a pedestal and can do seemingly no wrong.
The title of the book would lead you to expect battles on the frontline, where witches on both sides would battle each other and support the troops to gain the upper hand. Nope. None of that. She's on a quest to find a book. An evil book, at that. She'll get a gang of support characters on her side to find this book before the nazi witches find the book first. I can't help but feel that with such a cool premise (witches in the second world war), you could've done a hundred different things for your plot that would be more exciting than a quest for a hidden book.
When conflict is so easily brushed aside, and there's no exciting plot to stay for, I find it very hard to justify spending another 5 hours on this.
September 4, 2025
“Show me a world that doesn’t hate powerful women and I’ll show you a world without men.”
This is one of the most stunning books I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
A historical fiction read on WWII with a witchy twist.
I adored Lydia the FMC and all who joined her in her resistance. This book is swarming with strong female leads but i also cannot forget Henry in this review. A man full of sensitivity and strength. The ending was so powerful and radiating so many levels of love and sisterhood.
While I cried numerous times and this book contains heavy material involving some very real historic hardships and genocide, I can't help but smile at the beautiful ending and what is to come for the characters in their next journey.
This is one of the most stunning books I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
A historical fiction read on WWII with a witchy twist.
I adored Lydia the FMC and all who joined her in her resistance. This book is swarming with strong female leads but i also cannot forget Henry in this review. A man full of sensitivity and strength. The ending was so powerful and radiating so many levels of love and sisterhood.
While I cried numerous times and this book contains heavy material involving some very real historic hardships and genocide, I can't help but smile at the beautiful ending and what is to come for the characters in their next journey.
July 17, 2025
A HUGE Thank you to Viking Penguin and Morgan Ryan for this ARC copy of the book! If this is a debut book, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! This mix of historical fiction and fantasy was perfection. I had a tough time putting it down. Ryan wrote the landscape and characters so beautifully, so visually appetizing and not overdone.
Read
December 5, 2025This was beyond sensational. Full review to come but wow.
August 9, 2025
4⭐️ Intriguing historical fiction fantasy with witches!
Set in WWII London, and France, gifted young witch Lydia Polk is second to the coven leader Isadora. Enlisted by Churchill to find the Grimmorium Bellum, a spell book so strong it could end the war, and whoever takes possession. After Isadora’s murder, elder witch Sybil takes over.
With magic, spells, murder and betrayal, Lydia and her friends Rebecca and Henry race against the clock to find the book before the Third Reich coven gains possession! There are a couple of twists that came as no surprise, but did not detract from the story.
This debut novel was well written and held my interest til the end. The FMC, Lydia, is strong, smart, and loyal. There are great supporting characters Rebecca orphaned Jewish French resistance member, Henry, African American who sees the dead, Lydia’s witchy Mom Evelyn, coven leader Sybil, and several evil witches that you love to hate!
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Set in WWII London, and France, gifted young witch Lydia Polk is second to the coven leader Isadora. Enlisted by Churchill to find the Grimmorium Bellum, a spell book so strong it could end the war, and whoever takes possession. After Isadora’s murder, elder witch Sybil takes over.
With magic, spells, murder and betrayal, Lydia and her friends Rebecca and Henry race against the clock to find the book before the Third Reich coven gains possession! There are a couple of twists that came as no surprise, but did not detract from the story.
This debut novel was well written and held my interest til the end. The FMC, Lydia, is strong, smart, and loyal. There are great supporting characters Rebecca orphaned Jewish French resistance member, Henry, African American who sees the dead, Lydia’s witchy Mom Evelyn, coven leader Sybil, and several evil witches that you love to hate!
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 4, 2025
Really enjoyed the first third or so, but when Lydia goes on the run and all the focus shifts and we suddenly diverge into two other third person POVs, it lost some of its shine and never quite recovered.
First of all, I liked the two other characters Henry and Rebecca, but they weren’t as interesting to me as presented, especially as we can’t fully explore everyone’s stories within a single 400 page book. These sections felt unduly long as well, with more time spent than I would have expected in the context of the much bigger story.
I also found so much of it predictable, including the betrayals and sacrifices that follow. (It was also strange to me that the characters themselves often weren’t looking out for further betrayals?!) The plotting just ended up feeling a bit simplistic, whereas I actually really liked the writing and the way magic was described.
The emotional beats also seemed a little unbalanced. The two romances (sort of) featured aren’t all that compelling, but the female friendships, mentorships, and mother/daughter connections felt deeply rooted and poignant. You feel the pull of those relationships with warmth and anguish and powerful love in a way that the “main” relationships (Lydia to Henry, Lydia to Rebecca, Rebecca to her ex) are missing.
Audio Notes: The audiobook is lovely, though, with great accents and just the right amount of feeling and urgency in Grace Gray’s performance.
And I’d try another novel by the author in the future. Liked the writing and some of the relationships, less keen on plot.
First of all, I liked the two other characters Henry and Rebecca, but they weren’t as interesting to me as presented, especially as we can’t fully explore everyone’s stories within a single 400 page book. These sections felt unduly long as well, with more time spent than I would have expected in the context of the much bigger story.
I also found so much of it predictable, including the betrayals and sacrifices that follow. (It was also strange to me that the characters themselves often weren’t looking out for further betrayals?!) The plotting just ended up feeling a bit simplistic, whereas I actually really liked the writing and the way magic was described.
The emotional beats also seemed a little unbalanced. The two romances (sort of) featured aren’t all that compelling, but the female friendships, mentorships, and mother/daughter connections felt deeply rooted and poignant. You feel the pull of those relationships with warmth and anguish and powerful love in a way that the “main” relationships (Lydia to Henry, Lydia to Rebecca, Rebecca to her ex) are missing.
Audio Notes: The audiobook is lovely, though, with great accents and just the right amount of feeling and urgency in Grace Gray’s performance.
And I’d try another novel by the author in the future. Liked the writing and some of the relationships, less keen on plot.
August 6, 2025
wow covered so many genres and yet contained nothing good from any genre. read like a middle school fever dream
May 12, 2025
Fiercely courageous witches. A war with far reaching consequences. An evil book capable of destroying the world.
It’s 1940, World War II is ripping the world apart. Lydia is a young witch at the Royal Academy of Witches. Her mentor, Isodora, the grand mistress of the academy, takes her to meet Winston Churchill. Isodora reveals her intentions to assist the British government in the war effort. However, a few years later, Isodora is murdered by a Nazi witch. Devastated,Lydia is tasked with finding an ancient grimoire that contains powerful, dark magic before the Nazi coven. She travels to France and meets Rebecca, a resistance spy, and Henry, a curator of art who is hiding a magical power of his own.
I recommend this book for historical fiction and fantasy readers. There are many layers with the historical aspect of WWII, elaborate magic, and the strong bonds of a mother and daughter. The connections between the characters reflects quick, strong friendship borne from intense, life threatening situations. This book is action packed with fierce characters who are fighting to overcome the worst evil imaginable.
“Show me a world that does not hate a powerful woman, and I’ll show you a world without men”. Quoted from uncorrected proof.
Thank you Penguin Group/ Viking Penguin and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
It’s 1940, World War II is ripping the world apart. Lydia is a young witch at the Royal Academy of Witches. Her mentor, Isodora, the grand mistress of the academy, takes her to meet Winston Churchill. Isodora reveals her intentions to assist the British government in the war effort. However, a few years later, Isodora is murdered by a Nazi witch. Devastated,Lydia is tasked with finding an ancient grimoire that contains powerful, dark magic before the Nazi coven. She travels to France and meets Rebecca, a resistance spy, and Henry, a curator of art who is hiding a magical power of his own.
I recommend this book for historical fiction and fantasy readers. There are many layers with the historical aspect of WWII, elaborate magic, and the strong bonds of a mother and daughter. The connections between the characters reflects quick, strong friendship borne from intense, life threatening situations. This book is action packed with fierce characters who are fighting to overcome the worst evil imaginable.
“Show me a world that does not hate a powerful woman, and I’ll show you a world without men”. Quoted from uncorrected proof.
Thank you Penguin Group/ Viking Penguin and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
August 28, 2025
No hate on the book, I guess I'm a bit in a reading slump, and I need something truly amazing to get me out. This just wasn't the book for me, sorry!
This had all the elements for a great read, though! Wiches, war, betrayals, loyalty, friendship, action, mystery, ... Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy it. I was really excited for a book where my too favorite geners would come together, war and fantasy! Maybe my expectations were too high...
The storyline and plot were mediocre, to be honest. Most of the events and plottwist were easily spotted from a mile away. I couldn't connect to the characters and was missing some character development. I also mist a lot of historical elements and descriptions throughout the entire story. On the last few pages, I was enjoying it a bit more, but it just wasn't enough. In general, it was a struggle to get through for me.
Help a girl out, and please comment your all-time favorite 5-star war reads!
This had all the elements for a great read, though! Wiches, war, betrayals, loyalty, friendship, action, mystery, ... Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy it. I was really excited for a book where my too favorite geners would come together, war and fantasy! Maybe my expectations were too high...
The storyline and plot were mediocre, to be honest. Most of the events and plottwist were easily spotted from a mile away. I couldn't connect to the characters and was missing some character development. I also mist a lot of historical elements and descriptions throughout the entire story. On the last few pages, I was enjoying it a bit more, but it just wasn't enough. In general, it was a struggle to get through for me.
Help a girl out, and please comment your all-time favorite 5-star war reads!
September 3, 2025
This book had all the ingredients for a great story - alternate history, magic, romance - but unfortunately, none of them were executed with any depth or consistency. The plot leaned heavily on convenient twists that felt forced, while the characters lacked any real development or emotional pull. The magic system was confusing and changed whenever the plot needed it to, making the world feel hollow and underdeveloped. While the premise was intriguing, the worldbuilding fell flat, and the story ended up feeling predictable. I guessed the ending far too early, and I usually never guess endings. Overall, it felt like the outline of a much stronger book that just never fully came together.
July 21, 2025
A Resistance Of Witches was such a pleasant surprise! I started not knowing what to expect, and in the end I loved every second of it! Set in WW II, we have magic, sisterhood, family, good vs evil and bonds that go beyond blood. And towards the end, it also brought tears to my eyes.
The ending also gives me hope for a future sequel/companion book, which would make me very happy!
Totally recommend it if you love witch stories with historical settings!
The ending also gives me hope for a future sequel/companion book, which would make me very happy!
Totally recommend it if you love witch stories with historical settings!
August 18, 2025
A book about witches and World War II seemed like a guaranteed win for me. But I couldn’t connect to the characters or care about the plot at all. I also think this could’ve been significantly shorter. Descriptive passages were waaayyy drawn out, and there were unnecessary build-ups of suspense where the reader already knew what was coming from miles away.
September 7, 2025
Through the power of friendship, love and magic we shall defeat the nazis!!!
I thought this book would be fun but it took itself quite seriously. Perhaps fairly, dealing with WW2 so defacto holocaust material. But as it did engage with these topics, for me, it massively missed the mark.
If you’re tackling atrocities fictional or real it feels wrong to create and omit to fit a narrative. The nazis were lazily used as a shorthand for evil and clumsily created a comically evil-good binary. It was wildly clear the author is American, and not in a good way im afraid. Too often an American retelling of WW2 is purely heroic. Perhaps it’s the black British in me but these wise witches being like “o Churchill you flirt” sits with me wrong.
I could forgive the lack of wider historical context but the world building for magic is not fleshed out either. The academy is thin backdrop and the world of magic doesn’t interweave with the real world and also not delved into. So many missed opportunities about placing witches in WW2.
I liked the cast ALOT but also felt it relied far too heavily on tropes and stereotypes - “MERDE” said the strong French lesbian/bi. Bookish was the gorgeous black man, voodoo! - And yet these characters were more interesting than the main. For the main character, too much explaining what they were rather than building.
Finally, I just couldn’t quite get over how stupid many of the characters were. It shouldn’t take weeks to even consider “maybe the call is coming from inside the house 😱😨😦” well duh.
All that being said, it was enjoyable , a very readable book and incredible at conveying a sense of emotion, particularly loss. The writing flowed. Ultimately suffered from plot and bad world building.
If I’m being generous 3* but really 2.5. I’ll be generous as it’s a debut.
I thought this book would be fun but it took itself quite seriously. Perhaps fairly, dealing with WW2 so defacto holocaust material. But as it did engage with these topics, for me, it massively missed the mark.
If you’re tackling atrocities fictional or real it feels wrong to create and omit to fit a narrative. The nazis were lazily used as a shorthand for evil and clumsily created a comically evil-good binary. It was wildly clear the author is American, and not in a good way im afraid. Too often an American retelling of WW2 is purely heroic. Perhaps it’s the black British in me but these wise witches being like “o Churchill you flirt” sits with me wrong.
I could forgive the lack of wider historical context but the world building for magic is not fleshed out either. The academy is thin backdrop and the world of magic doesn’t interweave with the real world and also not delved into. So many missed opportunities about placing witches in WW2.
I liked the cast ALOT but also felt it relied far too heavily on tropes and stereotypes - “MERDE” said the strong French lesbian/bi. Bookish was the gorgeous black man, voodoo! - And yet these characters were more interesting than the main. For the main character, too much explaining what they were rather than building.
Finally, I just couldn’t quite get over how stupid many of the characters were. It shouldn’t take weeks to even consider “maybe the call is coming from inside the house 😱😨😦” well duh.
All that being said, it was enjoyable , a very readable book and incredible at conveying a sense of emotion, particularly loss. The writing flowed. Ultimately suffered from plot and bad world building.
If I’m being generous 3* but really 2.5. I’ll be generous as it’s a debut.
September 30, 2025
Lydia Polk longs for a life beyond reading tarot cards and tea leaves, the family trade passed down by her mother and grandmother. When she's accepted to the Royal Academy of Witches, Lydia seizes the chance for something greater. With war raging in Europe, witches become vital to the British government's covert fight against Hitler. As a Projectionist, Lydia tracks magical artefacts, but when a Nazi witch infiltrates the Academy during her scrying, the fallout is devastating.
With the coven vulnerable, some Elders grow cautious, but Lydia resolves to recover the Grimorium Bellum in France—an ancient text with dangerous power. Joined by a resistance fighter and an American with unique magic, they confront enemies across France. Lydia soon learns the book has its own motive, forcing her to make a world-altering decision as the Third Reich witches close in.
I love a mix of historical fiction and fantasy, and this was wonderfully done. All three main characters—Lydia, Rebecca, and Henry—brought something unique to the story, blending cleverness, resilience, and steadiness in the face of war. Besides the characters, I loved the magical elements and how Ryan wove them into the plot. At times, it felt like a witch version of the Monuments Men, and I was here for it. I thought the pacing was also well done, keeping me on the edge of my seat. Given the timeframe, there are a lot of heartbreaking moments, and I thought the brutality of war was handled with care. I'm so impressed with this debut and will definitely be picking up whatever this author comes out with next.
With the coven vulnerable, some Elders grow cautious, but Lydia resolves to recover the Grimorium Bellum in France—an ancient text with dangerous power. Joined by a resistance fighter and an American with unique magic, they confront enemies across France. Lydia soon learns the book has its own motive, forcing her to make a world-altering decision as the Third Reich witches close in.
I love a mix of historical fiction and fantasy, and this was wonderfully done. All three main characters—Lydia, Rebecca, and Henry—brought something unique to the story, blending cleverness, resilience, and steadiness in the face of war. Besides the characters, I loved the magical elements and how Ryan wove them into the plot. At times, it felt like a witch version of the Monuments Men, and I was here for it. I thought the pacing was also well done, keeping me on the edge of my seat. Given the timeframe, there are a lot of heartbreaking moments, and I thought the brutality of war was handled with care. I'm so impressed with this debut and will definitely be picking up whatever this author comes out with next.
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