Gripping, inventive, and brimming with heart, A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan weaves magic into the darkest chapter of human history with effortless skill. Set against the backdrop of World War II, this historical fantasy debut delivers a truly spellbinding adventure, one that captures both the thrill of the hunt and the deep emotional stakes involved.

Lydia Polk, once an unremarkable girl from a modest family, is now a witch of the Royal Academy, tasked with locating powerful magical relics before they fall into Nazi hands. When a devastating betrayal shakes the Academy to its core, Lydia is left to pursue the deadly Grimorium Bellum largely alone. Her journey into occupied France introduces her to unforgettable allies: the fiery resistance fighter Rebecca Gagne and the charming Haitian-American art historian Henry Boudreaux, both as layered and compelling as Lydia herself.

Morgan Ryan’s writing is a real triumph. The pacing is expertly handled, with tension rising steadily but never feeling forced. The atmosphere is thick with menace, yet the moments of hope and camaraderie shine through, adding real emotional weight. The magic system feels organic to the world, seamlessly integrated into the fabric of wartime Europe rather than sitting on top of it.

Lydia’s fear, courage, and growing strength are portrayed through action rather than exposition. Every choice she makes, every risk she takes, adds to a portrait of a woman fighting not just evil forces but the prejudice and distrust of the very country she seeks to protect.

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This book totally grabbed me with its witchy World War II premise. Imagine a secret coven working behind the scenes with Churchill! The writing kept me hooked, and I even got a little choked up at the end. Definitely a fun, magical escape, and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction with a twist. It's a solid four stars from me!

I confess to never having read a novel of this genre, and now know why: I don’t believe in or have any interest in, the supernatural or occult, nor witches and their magic. Many a time I considered giving up, but there was that inevitable pull of curiosity to see it conclude. The synopsis looked a promising read, based at the time of WW2, but sadly this was no more than just a passing glimpse. England and Germany at war, but the outcome depends on which witches coven is the strongest and the power of the crusty old book “The Book of War”.

The characters were an eclectic mix, the story bold and at times mentally challenging before being turned into ash. Sadly, this novel was too far removed from reality but I imagine it might be popular with fans of Rowling’s novels.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the author and publishers for allowing me an ARC via NetGalley!!

Firstly, I can’t believe this is a debut novel. The writing is incredible! The blurb for this really hooked me cause I’ve never heard this premise before. I wanted to dip my toes into historical fiction mixed with fantasy, and this book absolutely delivered.
Every single character has depth and a nice amount of backstory/context given which humanises every person. This book is full of emotions - it broke my heart multiple times and made me cry, and that is not an easy feat!
I had gotten to a stage where I felt quite overwhelmed with my TBR, and I was in a bit of a slump, but this book really delivered as it was a shocking, kind-of-cosy, emotional story. The pacing was perfect, and although sometimes I questioned whether certain parts were relevant or where they fit into the story, once I finished the book it all made sense.

Overall a sensational debut novel and I can’t wait to see what other things the author brings out.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
*rounded up to 5 stars on the scoring*

An amazing story of witches using their occult abilities to fight the second World War. Great characters especially the main character Lydia Polk, but there are a number of other characters who are equally well drawn, including Isadora, Sybil, Kitty, Evelyn, Henry and Rebecca. So many characters in a story, but all distinct and playing a key part in a fine tale.
And what a page turner this story was, I literally only put it down when I was too tired to read any more then eagerly picked it up again to finish it the next day. It reminds me of the books of Dennis Wheatley in part, and I would give it more than five stars if I could.

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