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Book Summary and Reviews of A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan

A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan

A Resistance of Witches

A Novel

by Morgan Ryan

  • Published:
  • Jul 2025, 416 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

As World War II rages around her, a witch abandoned by her coven must journey 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 cause: she must use her magic to track down magical relics before Hitler and his sycophants can. When a Nazi witch infiltrates the Academy with heart-breaking consequences, the coven is left shaken, exposed and divided. 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, Lydia knows her 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.

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What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (10/30/2025)
Im just finishing up A Resistance of Witches :mage: :mage: :woman_mage: by Morgan Ryan and Shelley's Frankenstein :ogre: today. Will start The Reformatory :jack_o_lantern: by Tananarive Due and The possession of Alba Díaz :ghost: by Isabel Cañas tonight. Last week I read the Buffalo :bison: Hunte...
-Jo_S

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"With fascinating worldbuilding set against a rich and thoroughly researched moment in history, this debut novel is nothing short of wildly entertaining; it's an excellent choice for anyone looking to dip their toes into historical fiction or fantasy, and its urgent pace will have readers in a white-knuckle grip from start to finish. An exciting, fast-paced blend of historical fiction, spy drama, fantasy, and romance." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Ryan debuts with this alt-Britain historical fantasy...an enjoyable read." —Library Journal

"Morgan Ryan's historical fantasy debut is World War II meets A Discovery of Witches…I raced through this one—A Resistance of Witches is a witchy war-time delight!" —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Briar Club

"Enchanting, immersive, and beautifully written. A Resistance of Witches is historical fantasy at its absolute best." —Alexis Henderson author of The Year of the Witching and An Academy for Liars

This information about A Resistance of Witches was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

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Author Information

Morgan Ryan

Morgan Ryan is a nationaly bestselling author of stories born from a lifelong love of magic, a fixation on historical minutiae that borders on the obsessive, and a tendency to fall down rabbit holes. She was raised in a family of writers in upstate New York and received her degree in theater performance from Northeastern University. She now lives in Chicago with her husband. A Resistance of Witches is her first novel.

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