My Fall 2025 Witchcore Personal Curriculum
Every September, book people everywhere start building ambitious TBRs that, let’s be honest, rarely survive the first pumpkin spice latte. But this year, instead of a traditional fall TBR, I jumped on TikTok’s personal curriculum trend (made popular by Elizabeth Jean) and built my own syllabus. And because I’m me, it had to be Witchcore AF.
So welcome to my Fall 2025 Witchcore Curriculum: part gothic syllabus, part cozy vibes, part dark academia seminar. Think of it as a fall reading list, watch list, history lesson, and lifestyle reset rolled into one spooky little package. Still not sure what Witchcore is? I deep dive the witchcore aesthetic here.
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Fall 2025 Personal Curriculum Reading List
This fall I am reaching for atmosphere. Maybe it’s the darker evenings creeping in, but gothic feels right… crumbling manors, buried secrets, and that mix of romance and dread. At the same time, I want paranormal creatures in the rotation (as usual). On the other side of the spectrum, cozy mysteries are a given; they just taste better in autumn, like pumpkin pie with a body count. Dark romance slipped in because if there’s a season for morally grey love interests, it’s this one, and dark academia always feels like the perfect backdrop once the air sharpens.
I also wanted a vintage romance, partly because of the work I’ve been doing on the history of the genre, but also because older books carry a certain charm and weight that newer releases don’t. Horror belongs here too. Fall is when I want to be a little unsettled, when a creak in the house might be the wind or something else. And to balance it all, nonfiction. I want to dive into stories about how women have been called witches, punished, or mythologized, because it ties all these threads together and reminds me why these tropes endure.
So what am I reading? Here’s my tentative TBR.
The Haunting of William Thorn by Ben Alderson
A queer gothic tale about grief, haunted manors, and a gardener who may be more than he seems. Perfect for fans of The Haunting of Hill House.
Grab The Haunting of William Thorn on Amazon
Blackthorn by J.T. Geissinger
Family curses, forbidden passions, and buried secrets… this is gothic suspense with a darkly romantic bite.
Wolfsgate by Cat Porter
A husband presumed dead, a wife married off in his absence, and a gothic reunion brimming with betrayal and passion. A Regency/Georgian blend for fans of angsty historicals.
Silver & Blood by Jessie Mihalik
A mage enters a cursed forest to face beasts but ends up entangled with a dangerously powerful man—and the secrets of her own magic.
A Scar in the Bone by Sophie Jordan
Book two in a fiery dragon series, where transformation, love, and survival collide. Start with A Fire in the Sky if you haven’t.
Grab A Scar in the Bone on Amazon
The Serpent’s Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
A vampire mafia prince. A sacrificial bride. A revenge plot that turns into enemies-to-lovers chaos. Yes, please.
Grab The Serpent’s Bride on Amazon
The Huntsman by Naima Simone
A fairytale retelling with mafia families, assassins, and a hunt where predator and prey blur deliciously.
Willing Prey by Allie Oleander
A primal play romance where a teacher agrees to be the hunted in a thirty-day chase through the woods.
Axe and Grind by Taylor Hutton
A fake dating AI experiment spirals into obsession, danger, and passion when tech meets the criminal underworld.
Witches of Dubious Origin by Jenn McKinlay
A librarian discovers her family’s witchy grimoire and ends up facing ghost pirates, undead Vikings, and her destiny.
Grab Witches of Dubious Origin on Amazon
Trailbreaker by Ruthie Knox & Annie Mare
A single mom turned PI investigates possible serial killings in picturesque Door County. Cozy, yet creepy.
A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara
A cautious reaper and her twin brother try to cheat death, with the help of a sarcastic parrot.
Grab A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Cheating Death on Amazon
Endless Anger by Sav R. Miller
Secret societies, Greek Furies, and enemies-to-lovers tension on a dangerous college campus.
Neverthorn by Shannon Mayer
A thief and dropout is dragged back to a magical academy to face old enemies, and possibly her own villainy.
Arcana Academy by Elise Kova
A tarot-wielding thief fakes an engagement with a headmaster to survive an academy brimming with intrigue.
The Sun Witch by Linda Winstead Jones
Part of the Fyne Sisters series, this vintage romance blends curses, destiny, and sorcery in a witchy family saga.
Witches, Sluts, Feminists by Kristen J. Sollée
A history of how the label “witch” has been used to persecute women, and how feminism is reclaiming it.
Grab Witches, Sluts, Feminists on Amazon
Your Favorite Scary Movie by Ashley Cullins
Pop culture horror essays where creators share behind-the-scenes stories and love letters to slasher cinema.
Grab Your Favorite Scary Movie on Amazon
Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
An influencer flips her childhood home, only to find the demon her mother claimed lived there never left.
Guillotine by Delilah S. Dawson
The servants of the ultra-rich turn violent in a locked-island thriller.
The Witchcore Watch List
When I’m not reading, I like to have a couple of screen companions that fit the same mood. Rebecca (the 2020 Netflix adaptation) is one of those movies that feels like sinking straight into the gothic atmosphere I’m craving, all decadent, unsettling, and beautifully staged. On the lighter side, I’m rewatching season 2 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer because it’s peak Buffy, the point where the show finds its heart while still being delightfully camp. And since I’ve somehow gone this long without watching Gilmore Girls, I’m finally trying season 1. It’s cozy, small-town, coffee-drenched.
And of course, fall isn’t complete without Practical Magic. It’s the ultimate cozy witch movie about sisters, spells, midnight margaritas, and that perfect mix of heartache and hope. It’s Witchcore on screen in the best way. Oh, and You season 5 is on the list because Joe Goldberg is still a character I can’t look away from, no matter how hard I roll my eyes at him. And this is the season finale!
The Learning Lab
I also wanted to give myself something to make this fall, not just consume. I’m starting with a crochet project: a scarf with pockets, which feels both practical and witchy. Here’s the yarn I’m using: shop it here). Alongside that, I’ve been dipping into tarot basics.
Fall Witchcore isn’t just about vibes, it’s about learning the stories of women who were labeled witches. This season I’m learning more about:
- Joan of Arc: a teenage visionary executed for heresy but always referred to as a witch, later canonized as a saint. Pair it with Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow for a fictional take. This is a short story inspired by Joan of Arc.
- Giulia Tofana: the alleged creator of Acqua Tofana, a poison women used to escape abusive marriages. (For fiction with this vibe, try The Poisoner’s Ring by Kelley Armstrong.)
- Marie Laveau: the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, who turned the label “witch” into legacy and power. if you want to see her woven into a paranormal romance, you can meet her as a character in Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost.
Lifestyle Habits
Switch out summer clothes for cozy knits. Decorate with dried orange garlands. Try press-on nails in witchy colors. Light candles with intention. Basically: turn your space into a Witchcore Pinterest board you actually live in.
Reading Challenge
If you’re playing along with Romanceopoly reading challenge, the fall section of the board is perfect for Gothic, Paranormal, and Cozy picks. We’ll also be doing:
- Camp Firefly Readathon → September 22-28, 2025
- Urban Legends Readathon → early December
Final Thoughts
This is my Fall 2025 Witchcore Personal Curriculum, a mix of books, shows, history, and cozy witchy rituals. Think of it as Witchcore 101, and yes, enrollment is open.
What would you put on your fall curriculum? If you need some inspiration, check out all our Fall book recommendations archive.
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