Day’s YA: WITCHLORE

WITCHLORE by Emma Hinds
9781250369499
10/14/25
Wednesday Books
Ages 13-18

E-galley available on Edelweiss and NetGalley

Lando, a shapeshifter and student at Demdike College of Witchcraft in Manchester, is an outcast among the students. Not just for being the only shapeshifter at a school full of witches (and a really bad shapeshifter, at that), but also because Lando’s girlfriend, Elizabeth, died last year, and everyone—including Lando—blames them. Shapeshifters are historically not widely accepted among witches, so Lando was already ostracized, but unlike other shifters, Lando has absolutely no control over their shifts between male and female forms. Drowning in grief over Elizabeth’s death, they are just trying to get through the rest of the school year. 

When new student Bastian arrives and quickly befriends them, Lando’s bad luck looks like it might be turning around. Bastian claims to know of a spell that could bring Elizabeth back from the dead. The first step to completing the dangerous spell is finding (…and stealing) the grimoire that holds the spell. After acquiring the book, Bastian and Lando embark on a magical scavenger hunt in search of the elements they’ll need to perform the spell. As the pair track down the elements—each one more dangerous than the last—they can’t deny a growing attraction between them. But the more time Lando spends reading the grimoire (and the more time they spend with Bastian), the more questions they have. Who is Bastian? Why is he willing to go to such great lengths to bring Elizabeth back? And who will really survive in the end?

In WITCHLORE, Hinds masterfully weaves together elements of magical fantasy, page-turning adventure, and a tender love story. The characters are complex and compelling, especially Lando’s internal struggle with their identity and grief. The exploration of Lando’s grief is deeply thoughtful, while also celebrating queer joy and their journey toward self-acceptance. But even amidst the darker themes, the immersive writing style drew me into the magical world filled with whimsy and humor, while the suspense and intrigue kept me turning the pages. The romance is so swoony—I guarantee it will leave your heart fluttering. I’d hand this to fans of the humor and heart in GWEN & ART ARE NOT IN LOVE by Lex Croucher, the angsty romance of THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black, and the enchanting writing found in CARRY ON by Rainbow Rowell. 

Happy Reading!
<3 Emily

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