The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub

Who doesn’t love Jane Austen retellings? This is another delightful read for the bunch, and it has witches, redemption and fresh takes on classic characters.

In this "magical, brilliant" (Lev Grossman, New York Times bestselling author) reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, the youngest Bennett sister is given the spotlight.

In this exuberant retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Lydia Bennet puts pen to paper to relate the real events and aftermath of the classic story. Some facts are well known: Mrs. Bennet suffers from her nerves, Mr. Bennet suffers from Mrs. Bennet, and all five daughters suffer from an estate that is entailed only to male heirs.

But Lydia also suffers from entirely different concerns: her best-loved sister Kitty is really a barn cat; Wickham is every bit as wicked as the world believes him to be, but what else would one expect from a demon? And if Mr. Darcy is uptight about etiquette, that’s nothing compared to his feelings about magic. Most of all, Lydia has yet to learn that for a witch, promises have power . . .

Full of enchantment, intrigue, and boundless magic, The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch, has all the irreverent wit, strength, and romance of Pride and Prejudice—while offering a highly unexpected redemption for the wildest Bennet sister.

A NEW YORK TIMES BEST SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY PICK FOR 2023.