Witchy, it’s historical, it’s "one more chapter" energy, and somehow also tender, endearing.

if you love fantasy with big heart and big stakes, this is a summer must-read. Not my typical genre/read but the title... it got me and I do love anything witchy!!!

Thank you @vikingbooks for the gifted review copy on NetGalley.
This book had me up later than usual to keep up! And the best part? Even with all the magic and war, it never lost sight of being human.


📚 Why I loved it:
✔ Breakneck pacing without losing depth
✔ Themes of belonging, sacrifice & chosen family
✔ Witchcraft woven into real history in a way that feels fresh

When I want to read about witches taking down Nazis, this is the book I read. It was perfect. The plot, the pacing, the characters, the magic - all perfect. The writing provided beautiful visuals that will stay with me for a very long time. I was captivated with the first couple pages and found myself simultaneously rushing to finish and not wanting it to end. If I could have read it in one sitting I would have. An amazing debut novel!

After reading A Resistance of Witches, historical fantasy might be my new favorite genre. Morgan Ryan floored me with her phenomenal debut, from the setting, the characters, all of it. Lydia is a complex, fascinating character on her own, but add in her magical powers and she becomes even that much more interesting. When she meets Rebecca and Henry, the dynamic between the three of them and their strengths and weaknesses and their unlikely friendship became one of my favorite parts of the book. Add in an enchanted grimoire called the Grimorium Bellum and A Resistance of Witches is one of my favorite books of the summer. I will be recommending this one to all my thriller, fantasy, and historical fiction loving friends!

A witchy historical fantasy set during WWII - sign me up! I quite enjoyed reading this story of powerful women on the right side of a fight that's set in the 'real world.'

That said, you don't have to be a history geek, (me), to enjoy A RESISTANCEOFWITCHES, there's plenty of witchiness, (I say that it's a word), for those interested in the magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group|Viking for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest blurb. My reviews will be posted to my socials (Fable and Goodreads) on July 15, 2025.

This book was one heck of an adventure. I was immediately pulled into this book with all its intrigue and scheming. This was an interesting take on the WWII war era. I liked that it kept a lot of things accurate historically, while also spinning in all the magic that come with waring covens. I really enjoyed the characters and thought that they were well written. I will say that the pace for this book is absolutely glacial. And while it is absolutely well worth the slow paced journey it can seem a little like you'll never make it to the end. I can't wait to try something else from this author.

Thank you Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for an E-ARC of A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan in exchange for an honest review.

This is a gratifying debut novel by Morgan Ryan that aligns with a World War II setting and includes Nazi witches. With a unique premise like that, I had to request for a read. The story introduces its characters in shifting point of views but made it effortless to distinguish them-especially the side characters. The pacing contained its own wavelength of action, betrayal, sisterhood, motherhood, and trusting strangers to guard an evil supernatural book from Hitler’s coven of witches.

The deaths from this novel were not shy and proved to be satisfying. I believe these deaths added to the story to keep the setting as real as possible. The revelations to the magic system were parallel to the plot development, which kept the story in its good adventurous pace. Unfortunately, my only complaints cannot be mentioned without mentioning spoilers. Instead I will publish them on Fable and Goodreads.

A Resistance of Witches was a very unusual, unique, and good historical fiction. While it takes place during WWII, in this book there are witches involved, the British Royal Academy of Witches, mind you. One witch in particular, Lydia Polk who is new to the academy, is given the mission of finding a powerful, ancient book called the Grimorium Bellum before it gets into the hands of the Nazi’s. That journey for Lydia took a lot of bravery and resilience. I cheered and cried for her.

This is pretty fast-paced and well written. Very impressive for a debut novel. I enjoyed the story and the characters, mostly Lydia, Rebecca, and Henry. And Lydia’s mum, Evelyn, too. Even though this does take place during WWII, I would say this is more historical fantasy because......witches!. It was clever and did not disappoint. Fans of books about witches and the supernatural will enjoy this book.

Thank you to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for the review copy.

Thanks so much for letting me read this book. I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the witch academy and magical elements with the historical fiction backdrop of ww2. I thought the book did an excellent job of telling the why behind why it was so important for each coven to track down the book, especially with the knowledge of the Reichs interest in all things occult.

Pacing was action packed and fast, so this was a quick read that pulled me in. I liked the magical system and abilities with each witch having unique powers and abilities throughout the story. The characters were well written and I really enjoyed the aspect of how Henry was woven in due to protecting the art and Rebecca working with the resistance.

Overall, a four star read. Great plot and pacing with descriptive settings, fast pacing and a really well done historical fiction thread throughout

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking for the ARC.

While the premise of A Resistance of Witches is unique and the pacing moves quickly, the story didn’t work for me overall. I usually have a hard time with supernatural elements, but what really lost me here was how emotionally over-the-top everything felt. Big moments came one after another, without enough grounding to make them believable. For example, Sybil’s sudden shift from love to hate for Lydia after learning the truth behind her plan felt rushed and hard to buy.

The magic system was also confusing. It wasn’t clear what the witches were actually capable of, and the way the Grimorium Bellum interfered with spells felt inconsistent and too convenient—especially at the climax.

I wanted to like this more than I did, but in the end, it just didn’t come together for me.

When a coven of British witches discovers a grimoire that can change the tide of World War II, they are in a race against a rival Nazi coven.

The premise of this really intrigued my history-loving self. I loved how within the first few pages, Winston Churchill was meeting with members of the coven to discuss how they could help with the war effort. The idea of the grimoire was interesting, but I wanted a true immersion into how a coven of witches could have supported the allies during the fight. Rebecca, Henry, and Lydia were such distinct characters and I enjoyed their stories and friendship, but I just really wanted to know how magic could impact the war on the front lines or within diplomacy. Despite that desire for more, I did really enjoy this and look forward to reading other novels from this author.

Well written and good storyline. A hidden coven of British witches join the war effort to do battle with a coven of Nazi witches over an evil grimoire that will destroy the Allie’s world for Hitler. Not a book I would normally pick up but I read straight through and enjoyed it very much.

This was a great blend of historical fiction and fantasy. I REALLY thought that with the WWII plot that I could be a fantasy girlie, but it's just not my genre. That said, if fantasy IS your thing, this will likely be a 4-5 star read for you! Check it out! *I received a complimentary e-ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

A very different WWII story not only because it's an alternate history (or is it) but because of the witches. This is a fight to end the war, a fight over what it means to be a witch. Lydia went to the Academy as a teen, leaving her mother Evelyn, an herbalist (but keep your eye on her) behind as she found a new mentor in Isadora and a mother figure in Sylvia. Now an adult she's an expert and, after a horror show at the Academy that leaves it in tatters, she's off to France to find a grimoire the Nazis want because it holds all sorts of evil spells. She teams up with Rebecca, a member of the resistance, and Henry, who has been protecting art from the Louvre but has own interesting back story. These three bond as they chase the grimoire, dealing with Nazis and Nazi witches along the way. I would have appreciated a bit more world building about the academy but no matter, this one pulled me in and kept me turning the pages because there are surprises and revelations, not always good, around every corner. It deserves to be read without spoilers. The characters are well done with hidden depth. While I'm not usually a fantasy reader, I found this gripping and compelling. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Terrific storytelling made this an excellent read.

Thank you to Morgan Ryan, PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin | Viking, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of A Resistance of Witches in exchange for my honest review.

A Resistance of Witches is a World War 2 historical fiction with fantasy undertones. At the heart of it, this story comes down to the question, what if witches were involved in World War 2? What if their magic was involved? A Resistance of Witches explores what the war would look like with magic potentially being involved and how the witches help to try and end the war.

This book is plot heavy. It surrounds Lydia who is trying to keep a dangerous book out of the enemies hands. When the enemy infiltrates her coven and she no longer knows who to trust, she goes on the run to try to end this herself. What I appreciated about Lydia's journey was that she was not trying to end the war, but rather, keep dangerous magic out of the war. We get to see what happens when people without magic get involved and what happens when the dead can be involved as well. The plot was fast-paced and set the scene for what our world would look like with magic while simultaneously trying to prevent disaster. Because the plot was fast-moving, there was not room for character development. This is a double-edged sword because I am a big fan of character development so that always takes a little bit of the enjoyment out of a story for me. However, with a fast-paced plot like in this story, having significant character development would either a) not be possible or b) be really poorly done. I did enjoy this book and that is saying something as it was plot focused and I am not usually a historical fiction/fantasy reader. In general, this is a great book that is well done, and I would reccoment it to historical fiction/fantasy lovers or those who are trying to dip their toes into this genre.

3.5 stars to be more exact. I enjoyed A Resistance of Witches. A young British witch must fight against her coven’s new hidden agenda to aid a Nazi-supporting German coven during World War II. There is betrayal, a little romance, and stakes are high! I cared about the characters, was surprised by a few, and liked the magical aspects of the story. It was a fast-paced, easy read. The only disappointment for me, which kept it from getting 4 stars, was that it really could have been set during any time, in any place. I wanted these covens to be tied into their respective armies/resistance movements more thoroughly than they were. It was kind of just a mention of Churchill here and the Führer there. I think I was expecting more integration, like undercover witches within the ranks or something. Overall, still an enjoyable read that I would recommend, but maybe a little more for readers of fantasy than historical fiction. Thank you, Viking Penguin, for the eARC of this title in exchange for my honest review!

I enjoyed this very unusual World War II novel. Somehow the author made the addition of England’s witches into Winston Churchill’s plan for success seem reasonable. The characters of Lydia, Henry and Rebecca as they worked together to save the world were compelling. You don’t have to believe in witches to enjoy this fast paced, unique novel. You just have to believe in the magic and strength of the human spirit in fighting against evil.

Historical fantasy about witches fighting Nazis? Say less I am so sat!!! The magic system was so well done and I loved that we focused on the people rather than the fighting

A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan is an atmospheric read that blends WWII history with dark magic. Lydia Polk, a hedge-witch suddenly thrown into Britain’s magical war effort, is a likable and layered lead whose journey through bombed-out London and occupied France keeps the tension high. She’s trying to keep a dangerous magical book out of Nazi hands, but that main plot wasn't the thing that grabbed my attention the most. I was really drawn to the characters around her like Resistance fighter Rebecca and Haitian‑American Henry Boudreaux, who adds some historical context. Ryan’s world-building drew me in, but the magical system sometimes felt like it slowed down the action too much. There are also a few plot threads that feel unresolved by the end. Maybe left intentionally for a sequel?

“Show me a world that does not hate a powerful woman, and I'll show you a world without men.”

I don't know what's up with historical fiction lately, but this genre truly has my heart. I never thought it was my thing, but then R.F. Kuang wrote The Poppy War and completely transformed my soul. I suppose I'm officially a historical fantasy girlie now. So, I was incredibly grateful to Morgan Ryan, NetGalley, and Viking for giving me a chance to read the ARC of A Resistance of Witches. This book releases on July 15, 2025, and—I’ll get into why soon—but I highly recommend pre-ordering it!

A Resistance of Witches is a historical urban fantasy set just after the Blitz during WWII. The story follows Lydia Polk as she searches for the Grimorium Bellum, a magical book of destruction sought by a group of Nazi witches determined to swing the war in Hitler’s favor. Along the way, she teams up with French resistance fighter Rebecca Gagne and Haitian-American art historian Henry Bourdeaux to locate the book and, naturally, battle some Nazis. The cast is diverse, and although the supporting characters are well developed, their struggles remain clear, and the author doesn’t shy away from portraying them authentically.

“Henry glanced at his mirror, then away again. ‘In America, when you're a Black man, you're a boy. It doesn't matter how old, how educated. You're a boy until the day you die. 'Watch your mouth, boy. Don't get smart, boy.' He shrugged. ‘In France, I'm a man.’ ‘The Nazis don't see you as a man.’ ‘There are Nazis everywhere. They just go by different names.’”

The pacing at the start felt a bit clunky, but once it got going, I literally couldn’t put it down—it picks up fast! It gave me vibes reminiscent of Her Majesty's Royal Coven meets Ninth House. While technically categorized as young adult since Lydia is 19, her character felt genuinely complex. Her immaturity surfaces at times, but never in a way that annoyed me. I also loved the little romance sub plot, it was just enough to make me kick my feet a little but didn’t distract from the overall narrative.

The ending—I guessed parts of what would happen, but it still made me sob regardless.

“If I die, let it be with ‘La Marseillaise’ on my tongue.”

This is Morgan Ryan’s debut novel, and honestly, I was surprised to discover this because it does not read like a debut at all. It's a solid, fast-paced standalone novel (although tbh, I would love a Lydia Polk series). The themes feel especially relevant given today’s struggles—a poignant reminder of what happens when groups abandon ethics in pursuit of power.

Set during WW2, A Resistance of Witches follows Lydia Polk, an English witch specializing in Projection magic, as she travels to France following the death of both her closest friend and her Grand Mistress after they are killed in an attack on her coven as part of a nazi coven's act of searching for the Grimorium Bellum, an ancient spellbook full of dark magic. There, she meets Rebecca, a queer Jewish resistance member, and Henry, a Black American art curator helping to protect famous artwork from falling into nazi hands. The chemistry of these three characters really carried the book for me. I was struggling through the first 20% of the book but once their dynamic kicked in, I started getting more hooked into the story. There was a major plot point I guessed from the beginning of the book but still plenty of unique twists and turns to where that didn't lessen my enjoyment at all.

This book gave me big Mummy vibes in the best way possible, not necessarily in terms of content (though they do both feature a magical book as a plot device) but in how it infused magic into a historical thriller in a really captivating way that also hinged on the unfolding relationships of its lead characters.

Thanks to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this as a digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.