Some of you may remember that I reviewed a wonderful book back in 2020 titled “Witchcraft Cocktails: 70 Seasonal Drinks Infused with Magic & Ritual” by Julia Halina Hadas. If you missed that review, you can check it out here. I enjoyed that book so much, I was thrilled to learn she wrote a follow up, “Moon, Magic, Mixology: From Lunar Love Spell Sangria to the Solar Eclipse Sour, 70 Celestial Drinks Infused with Cosmic Power.”
Hadas does a wonderful job acquainting the reader with the importance of the moon, particularly with regards to a magic or spiritual lifestyle. And much like in “Witchcraft Cocktails”, she provides an excellent overview of the tools and ingredients of the bartender, magical or otherwise. “Moon, Magic, Mixology” offers over 70 cocktail recipes tied not only to season, but moon phase. Each recipe also features “More Moon Magic”, which is a section that offers up even more ways to amp up the magical nature of the cocktail.
“Moon, Magic, Mixology” by Julia Halina Hadas offers a unique approach to creating and consuming cocktails. The recipes range from familiar to unusual and from simple mixes to elaborate creations. This would be a fun book for someone looking to jazz up their magical practices, or home bartenders looking to up their game.
You can learn more here.
This is an affiliate widget for my Bookshop, which supports independent bookstores throughout the United States. If you use this link to purchase a book, I will make a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Do you enjoy The Magical Buffet? Considering supporting The Magical Buffet on Patreon! For only $5 a month you’ll receive monthly tarot/oracle forecasts, classes, and behind the scenes updates! https://www.patreon.com/magicalbuffet
Before we dive into the book, I must address the obvious, which is Pamela Chen’s hair is magical af. Seriously. Here is a photo of the author taken by Teresa Torres and do you see what I mean? Words cannot express the level of hair envy I have, and I may never recover. Send help.
If you’re looking for a fun book about crystals and all the versatile ways they can be used with a new age flavor, “Enchanted Crystal Magic” is the book for you!
It is no secret that I love Claude Lecouteux. So, let’s not pretend that there’s a chance I won’t like one of his books. The real question is, why is THIS book just as worth reading as his other books?
It is here again. That magical time of the year where I pretend Oprah and I are somehow on the same level and rivals by doing my annual “Favorite Things” list. As always, my list is superior to hers in every way.
5. The Ancestral Power of Amulets, Talismans, and Mascots: Folk Magic in Witchcraft and Religion by Nigel Pennick
There was a lot of excitement leading up to the release of Deborah Blake’s latest book, “The Eclectic Witch’s Book of Shadows: Witchy Wisdom at Your Fingertips,” and it was well deserved. I do not know who pitched this book idea and its format, but a hearty round of applause to everyone involved.
The combination of Blake’s timeless wisdom, Mueller’s whimsical art, the sturdy hardcover format, and the owner’s personal reflections, gives “The Eclectic Witch’s Book of Shadows” the potential to become a cherished heirloom for magical families. In a marketplace flooded with books on the topic, Llewellyn put together the perfect team to create a standout.
Thorn Mooney gets it. “There was a time,” Mooney begins in her latest book “The Witch’s Path: Advancing Your Craft at Every Level”, “particularly toward the beginning of my practice of the Craft, when I would have planned an elaborate working to mark the occasion. The full moon is a great time to work magic, and I would have taken advantage of the opportunity. Maybe a spell for wealth or luck. Maybe I would have written a meditation and blended an appropriate incense to encourage visions. Maybe I would have cleansed and reconsecrated my altar and simply sat in silent prayer.”
“Living Magic: Contemporary Insights and Experiences from Practicing Magicians” by Frater U∴D∴ is a collection of essays about magic from the founding members of the Bonn Workshop for Experimental Magic in Germany. Although anticipating discussions about magic, I wasn’t prepared from the biographical angle of the book. You’ll find interviews and personal recollections. I didn’t mind because I’m nosey by nature and love to learn about the practitioners as much as the practice, but it is something to keep in mind.
De Oxóssi offers a history of Kimbanda that starts in the 17th century with the arrival of African slaves that were brought to Brazil up to modern times. Already having minimal knowledge of African magical practices and none of Brazil’s, Kimbanda was a fascinating first look at the spiritual and magical practices. Kimbanda encourages working with deities and embracing the dualistic nature of life. Light and dark, virtue and vice, male and female, etc. It is a rich tradition featuring seven realms with nine dominions, each with their own entities that reside within them and govern them. What I found of particular interest is that there is a branch of Kimbanda that is a synthesis of Western high magic and Luciferian traditions. This came about from the association of Goetian daemons with Kimbanda’s Eshus. It feels like a unique evolution.
For example, with what seems like zero fanfare, Kynes latest book “Tree Magic: Connecting with the Spirit & Wisdom of Trees” released. Do magical folks no longer care about trees? Seems unlikely. But if for some reason you’ve been lacking enthusiasm for trees, “Tree Magic” will fix that! The core, or perhaps roots is a better term, of the book come from Kyne’s 2006 book “Whispers from the Woods.” However, “Tree Magic” is thoroughly revised and greatly expanded with a focus on magical practices. Kynes profiles over 60 trees including scientific information, astrological correspondences, deities associated with certain trees, elemental correspondences, wildlife and magical creatures that favor each tree, powers and attributes of the tree, and even more! The extensive information provided allows you to use the tree as a focus of your magic, or as an enhancement to your already existent magical practices.