It should surprise no one that we're in a modern day renaissance of witchcraft. The witch, historically, has been the "monster" that represents all of society's fears about women: what if they grow too powerful? What if they don't care about getting married or being attractive to men? What if they use their brooms for flying instead of sweeping? What if they hang out with other women and have secrets and seek revenge and generally do all sorts of things that men don't want them to do? So naturally, the witch has become a symbol of power for modern day women who would really like to hex a few high profile individuals (and maybe eschew modern society entirely and escape to the safety of the deep, dark woods). Here are a few excellent books to read with your witchy sisters, because remember — they can't burn us all.

I know that October is a busy season for witchcraft, what with Halloween and midterm elections right around the corner. But every witch needs to take the occasional moment to sit down with her cat and a big mug of herbal tea and bond with her coven. You and your fellow witches will enjoy these spellbooks and novels and handy arcane tomes, all about the magic of witchcraft:

'Basic Witches: How to Summon Success, Banish Drama, and Raise Hell with Your Coven' by Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman Basic Witches is a must-read book of spells and lifestyle tips for the aspiring millennial witch. Sure, a lot of the actual "magic" is silly, and much more tongue-in-cheek than some of the other spellbooks out there, but Basic Witches is full of humor, positive affirmations, historical asides, feminist rants, and adorable illustrations. It offers a magical boost to make it through the day, and a whole lot of support to bond with your fellow witch sisters (of any gender). Click here to buy.

'The Creative Tarot: A Modern Guide to an Inspired Life' by Jessica Crispin Whether you're a professional artist or an aspiring artist or even a non-artist who just likes to get weird, The Creative Tarot is a colorful guide to living a more creative life. Jessa Crispin re-imagines the traditional tarot cards with beautiful illustrations, and offers some down-to-earth practical advice on creating more and doubting less. Perfect for a tarot-reading, art-making party with all your favorite witches. Click here to buy.

'Labyrinth Lost' by Zoraida Córdova If your coven has more of a novel-reading, book club vibe, then you absolutely have to read and discuss Labyrinth Lost, the first in the Brooklyn Brujas series. Alex, you see, is the most powerful witch in her generation—but she has no interest in magic. Instead, she uses her powers to rid herself of all witchy abilities... except that it backfires, and her whole family vanishes instead. Whoops. Now Alex will have to team up with an untrustworthy brujo to try and save her family, or she will lose them forever... Click here to buy.

'The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year' by Judy Ann Nock How do you measure a year? In witch holidays, of course. The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year is a fascinating tour through the witch calendar, from Yule, the celebration of the New Year, to Samhain, the end-of-the-harvest festival, and every occasion in between, with suggestions for crafts and rituals to celebrate. Use it as a historical resource, or get together with your coven and start planning a killer Lughnasad party. Click here to buy.

'Practical Magic' by Alice Hoffman Another classic witch novel for your next wine-and-books night, Practical Magic is the story of the Owens women. Their family has long been blamed for things going wrong in their Massachusetts town. In fact, they almost seem to encourage the rumors about witchcraft, with their creepy old house and their many black cats. But Gillian and Sally just want to escape their weird, cursed family, even if it means turning their back on everything they were brought up to believe... Click here to buy.

'Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft' by Deborah Blake If your coven is still mostly beginners looking to dip their toes into the wonderful world of potions and familiars, then Everyday Witch A to Z is an excellent place to start. It's a fun, light-yet-informative guide to witchcraft, literally working through the witch alphabet with the help of Magic the black cat. Click here to buy.

'The Little Book of Witchcraft' by Astrid Carvel Don't let its size fool you: The Little Book of Witchcraft manages to fit in quite a lot about the history of witchcraft and the practices of modern witchery, with lovely illustrations to boot. There are even suggestions for casting spells by way of modern technology, for the more tech-savvy occultists among us. Click here to buy.

'Craft: How to Be a Modern Witch' by Gabriela Herstik If you and your various spell caster friends are looking for a practical, fashionable guide to astrology, tarot cards, and even sex magick, then Craft is the book for you. It's a comprehensive handbook for the modern witch, with specific "spells" for practicing self-care and banishing toxic energy. Click here to buy.

'Undead Girl Gang' by Lily Anderson What better for a coven to read than a book about beautiful, arcane friendship? Riley is an amateur witch and Mila, her best friend, likes to help her mess about with spells and so forth. But when Riley dies under strange circumstances, Mila is left to uncover the truth and quite possibly raise the dead, armed only with lip gloss and an ancient grimoire. Click here to buy.

'The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More' by Arin Murphy-Hiscock For covens who prefer meeting outdoors, perhaps in a garden or a deep forest clearing, The Green Witch is a delightful guide to "nature magic." It's filled with practical recipes for herbal blends and potions, the properties of essential oils, and lots of ideas for healing and relaxation. Click here to buy.

'Witchmark' by C.L. Polk Of course, if your coven is less interested in gardening and more interested in a witchy romance set in faux-Edwardian England, then Witchmark is the book for you. Miles Singer, you see, has been marked by magic—and that means he's doomed to a witches' asylum. But Miles is able to escape his fate and reinvent his life... until a mysterious death forces him to rely on his own estranged family, as well as the kindness of one especially gorgeous man. Click here to buy.

'A Little Bit of Tarot: An Introduction to Reading Tarot' by Cassandra Eason Cassandra Eason has a whole series of helpful books on learning witchcraft, from spells to crystals to dreams to Nordic rune divination... but let's be real: we all want to learn tarot so we can read each other's fortunes at sleepovers. A Little Bit of Tarot is a friendly guide to learning tarot cards, both for fun and for working through your daily problems with a little extra dose of magic. Click here to buy.