Don't confuse Alice Hoffman's novel with the beloved 1998 movie adaptation starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Where the film leans hard into cozy autumn aesthetics, rom-com vibes, and sisterhood antics, the original book is darker, moodier, and far more melancholic.

The story centers on Sally and Gillian Owens, sisters raised by quirky aunts who brew love potions for neighborhood women while remaining total town outcasts. As adults, both sisters try to escape their lineage—Sally by striving for bland suburban normalcy, Gillian by running wild. When Gillian's violent, abusive boyfriend dies under messy circumstances, the sisters end up burying his corpse in Sally's backyard, kicking off a haunt of guilt, fear, and police suspicion.

It's a beautifully written book about trauma, family burdens, and female resilience, but it requires emotional maturity. If your teen is expecting a lighthearted story about witches making margaritas, they'll be caught off guard by the grim domestic violence and heavy grief.