Book Review: Candle Magic by Minerva Radcliffe

Title: Candle Magic

Author: Minerva Radcliffe
Genre: Wicca - Witchcraft - Magic
Publisher: Wellfleet Press - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: December 13, 2022
Read: December 20, 2022
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Harness the power of light with this collection of rituals and spells for seasoned witches, curious mystics, and new practitioners alike.

Light is everywhere, but like fire, the natural power that a candle holds within its flame can be life altering. Whether you are already familiar with other spiritual magics, or are tapping into the Universe with Candle Magic as your first practice, invite the power of light to bring joy, passion, comfort, and energy to your daily life. 

With this invaluable handbook, learn how candles of all shapes, sizes, and colors conduct the magic and energies of light. Experiment with the different results as you add candles to your altar, with beautiful illustrations to guide you toward the enchanting flame. If you’re seeking to add a spark to your magical practice, do so now by setting intentions and manifesting your desires with candle magic.

Review: Minerva Radcliffe takes a core element of Wicca/Witchcraft that has been studied in a plethora of books over the years and makes it seem fresh and new. The writing is clear and concise so anyone from novice to seasoned practitioner can understand the essence of candle magic. 

In addition to color, Radcliffe covers number magic, crystals and herbs as they relate to candle magic, and how each can enhance your practice. The spells and rituals included in the book are simple and can be easily adapted to a individual's style or a specific tradition. 

Overall, Candle Magic by Minerva Radcliffe is a welcomed addition to the vast trove of magical books and will surely find a home on many practitioners' shelves.

Book Review: Astrology Magick by Lindsay Squire

Title: Astrology Magick

Author: Lindsay Squire
Genre: Astrology - Divination
Publisher: Leaping Hare Press - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: November 8, 2022
Read: December 7, 2022
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Astrology is a powerful tool for tuning into and better understanding yourself and others around you. Aligning your actions with the patterns and signs of the stars can bring you comfort and control in the 21st century, and empower you to really reflect on your present and future actions, and live your happiest life. 

Whether you're new to witchcraft OR astrology, discover how to use simple witchcraft and astrology to boost your wellbeing, find self-love and acceptance, and harness the power of the stars and universe in your life as well as your craft. 

Beautifully illustrated by Viki Lester, of @forensicsandflowers, this visually enchanting book will help you reconnect with the astrological bodies, rebalance your energies, and find spiritual meaning in the universe. 

Learn about: 

• How to incorporate astrology into your witchcraft practice 
• The different types of astrology (predictive, natal, karmic, and synastic) 
• The 12 zodiac signs, 9 planets, and 12 astrological houses 
• Your sun, moon, and rising sign 
• How to calculate and read your birth chart 
• What retrograde means and how to survive (and thrive!) when mercury is in retrograde 
• Astrology and its relationship to the moon 
• How to use astrology as part of your magickal and self-care practice

Review: Lindsay Squire makes astrology accessible to all in Astrology Magick. Whether you're new to the practice or an experienced follower of the stars, this book takes the complex subject of astrology and breaks it down into easily digestible chunks. Handy diagrams and a conversational writing style add to the book's overall quality. The illustrations by Viki Lester are beautiful and enhance Squire's information. 

Each chapter covers a different aspect of astrology--everything from creating a birth chart to how the placement of planets on the chart affect an individual's personality, outlook on life, relationships, and more. Also included are suggestions for tarot readings based on the different zodiac signs. Astrology Magick, regardless of whether or not you practice Wicca/Witchcraft, is by far one of the best resources I've found on the subject, and certainly one of the most approachable.

Book Review: Tea Magic by Jenay Marontate

Title: Tea Magic

Author: Jenay Marontate
Genre: Witchcraft - Wicca - Tea Magic - Kitchen Witchery
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: December 8, 2022
Read: November 16-24, 2022
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Pour a Steaming Cup of Health, Intuition, and Enchantment 

Brewing tea is more than just magic, it is an intimate act steeped in rich history, exciting pageantry, and ceremonial rituals. This beginner-friendly book covers everything you need to know about tea, including all six true varieties, herbal tisanes, and even cannabis tea. You will learn how to: 

• Create your own blend • Properly brew the perfect pot • Safely charge your tea with crystals • Connect to spirit guides and guardian angels • Draw on the influence of the zodiac • Scry into your teacup • Call on gods and goddesses • Read the leaves and water 

With chants, sigils, visualizations, and other tools, there is likely more to tea witchery than you ever imagined. This book's gentle guidance through the world of tea will help you improve meditation, increase wellness, enhance spell work, and expand your joy one cup at a time.

Review: Tasseography, the use of tea leaves (or coffee grounds) for divination, is an ancient art and one I've been personally interested in for a number of years but have never found a truly satisfying book on the subject. Imagine my excitement when I was gift an e-ARC from the publisher for Tea Magic by Jenay Marontate! "Finally," I thought, "here is a book that will explain tasseography." Alas, my search continues because the actual section on interpreting tea leaves and symbols is small and comes at the very end of the book. The majority of the book is dedicated to the various types of teas, blends, and their preparations. 

This is not to say the book isn't interesting because it is! I had no idea tea could be such a complex subject, and I'm also grateful to have information provided on different types of water that can be used for steeping tea in order to enhance its mystical properties. Marontate differentiates between green tea, black tea, white tea, and herbal infusions, which aren't truly "tea" as they generally don't contain any actual tea leaves. She also provides information on steeping times, water temperature, and a host of other brilliant insights into how to incorporate tea magic into daily life. I will certainly be referring to this book in the future.

However, I still wish the author had spent more time exploring the actual practice of tasseography as a form of divination. Whether it be in the form of interpreting visions found in clouds of milk or cream added to tea (or coffee) and signs/symbols in leaves (or grounds), I would have liked more pages devoted to the practical side of tea magic than to the selection of the tea itself. There are certainly little insightful nuggets throughout the book, such as using a tea bag as a pendulum (something I'd never considered before and I use pendulums a lot), that I found helpful and will definitely try in the future. 

Overall, I had hoped a book titled Tea Magic would spend a little more time on the practical side of the magic. But, I'm happy to have read the book and will gladly add a physical copy to my shelf upon publication.

Book Review: The Witch's Spellbook for Beginners by Sarah Bartlett

 

Title: The Witch's Spellbook for Beginners

Author: Sarah Bartlett
Genre: Witchcraft - Wicca - Spells
Publisher: New Shoe Press - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: October 11, 2022
Read: November 14, 2022
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Manifest your dreams with easy-to-follow spells that align with the cycles of nature and the universe. 

Magic can change your life and help you manifest your best self. Anyone with the curiosity and willingness can connect to the power of the natural and supernatural and to blend ancient practices in a modern context. Adapted from Sarah Bartlett’s The Witch’s Spellbook, this guide gives new and aspiring witches a simple path to the art of practical magic and the empowerment of magic spells. 

Following an introduction to the basics of witchcraft, The Witch’s Spellbook for Beginners holds an abundance of spells organized by concern—including your self, change, wishes, love, home and family, career, money, and protection. Whether you are looking to channel spirit guides and those who have passed over, need a protection amulet for you or a loved one, or manifest a new direction that aligns with your life’s desires, this spellbook will empower and inform your budding craft as a witch. Harness the power of the astrological elements, explore the lunar cycles and how they can enhance your magic, and embrace the seasons to amplify your spells and divination work. 

The spells include: 

*Find Your Life Direction 
*Restore Holistic Health 
*Make a Decision 
*Manifest an Aspiration 
*Ignite Desire 
*Get Over a Breakup 
*Change Careers 
*Open the Door to Prosperity 
*Banish Negativity 

Plan your spellwork by date, season, and lunar phase, and identify spells that can be used any time, using the calendar index of spells at the back of the book. 

Start your journey into witchcraft with purposeful and practical spells for every day and every event.

Review: Spellbooks are among the hardest to review because everyone comes to spells and witchcraft (or Wicca) via their own unique path and therefore, each individual has their own experiences that can potentially bias their opinion. Personally, I'm a Wiccan Witch with over thirty years of experience as both a solitary practitioner and in working with groups/covens. I've been trained in different traditions and for the most part, I prefer to work as a solitary. This being said, I understand the desire anyone may have to learn spells and how to use them.

The Witch's Spellbook for Beginners is certainly a good resource for anyone who is just starting. However, I would caution such a person to not jump blindly into spell work. Bartlett does take time in the introductory pages of the book to very briefly cover the history of spells and magic use, magical tools and tips, and to be sure the chosen spells or rituals are being performed for the correct reasons. While I appreciate that Bartlett covers the Threefold Law (again, very briefly) and the fact that spells are not a hundred precent effective nor are they a one-size-fits-all cure, I do believe the author could have spent more time discussing the issue of "karmic backdraft" if a spell is done either for the incorrect reason (such as wanting to cause harm to another) or with the incorrect intent (such as a desire to have a specific person fall in love with the caster). Let me be clear: Spells are not harmless fun. Spells are part of a larger magical system that incorporates many different factors and must be respected. I'm not saying that Bartlett is disrespectful, far from it, but again, I believe more could be said in the introductory pages of the book to caution readers to be certain their motives are correct before attempting any of the spells listed here.

As for the actual spells and rituals contained in the book, they're all fairly simple and include helpful information such as the best time and/or day(s) to perform them to achieve maximum benefit. The writing is clear and easily understood, and the graphics are crisp. Each spell has a handy materials list so items can be gathered ahead of time. The format is simple and easily followed, even if the ritual or spell requires multiple days to complete.

Overall, The Witch's Spellbook for Beginners is a good introductory book, but for those looking for more in-depth knowledge or a better understanding of Witchcraft (or Wicca) as a spiritual path, this may not be the best starting point.