13 Spellbooks For The Witch In Your Life

Double, double, toil and trouble.

1. Everyday Magic: Spells & Rituals for Modern Living, by Dorothy Morrison

amazon.com

This spell book — used frequently and enthusiastically by the BuzzFeed Witches — is both comprehensive and accessible, requiring (in most cases) few ingredients and/or supplies. Includes spells for issues broad (finding love) and narrow (finding one's parked car).

2. The Spells Bible: The Definitive Guide to Charms and Enchantments, by Ann-Marie Gallagher

Walking Stick Press

While Gallagher's spells (of which there are over 150 in this book) are often a bit more involved, and require a bit more supply-shopping, than others on this list, each of them comes with informative background information that makes this an interesting read regardless of how many of its spells you might perform.

3. Wicca Candle Magic: A Beginner's Guide to Practicing Wiccan Candle Magic, with Simple Candle Spells, by Lisa Chamberlain

Amazon

For those interested in candle magic — perhaps one of modern witchcraft's most accessible, and most fun, forms — Lisa Chamberlain offers a solid introduction for beginners, including information on color choice, candle consecration, tips, and spells.

4. Circle of Eight: Creating Magic for Your Place on Earth, by Jane Meredith

Llewellyn Publications

Jane Meredith's book offers a unique, spiritual process for those interested in "local magic," or the idea that one can welcome magic (and attendant good fortune) into one's surroundings by working with his or her natural environment, the seasons, and the elements.

5. Everyday Witchcraft: Making Time for Spirit in a Too-Busy World, by Deborah Blake

Llewellyn Publications

Blake's book of introductory witchcraft is less an explicit spellbook than it is a comprehensive and entertaining manual for integrating magical practices into one's everyday life, though it still offers a number of spells and chants.

6. Practical Prosperity Magick: Crafting Success & Abundance, by Ellen Dugan

Llewellyn Publications

In this book, Dugan, a prolific author also known as the "Garden Witch," focuses on prosperity, financial matters, and material (and career) success, making this a good source for the unemployed/stressed/ambitious witch who's looking for a supernatural boost.

7. Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials #6: Samhain: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Halloween

Llewellyn Publications

The Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials series are dedicated to the various witch's sabbats, including spells, history, crafts, recipes, and more, specifically tailored to their respective seasonal rite. Get this one in time for Samhain (also known as Halloween).

8. Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft, by Raymond Buckland

Llewellyn Publications

First published in 1986, and considered a classic by many, Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft includes detailed instructions in the practice of witchcraft alongside photos and illustrations. It's also designed like a workbook, with exams at the end of each section, so readers can test their progress.

9. Grimoire for the Green Witch: A Complete Book of Shadows, by Ann Moura

instagram.com

Moura's popular and massive Grimoire (it includes 1001 spells) is split into twenty sections, featuring spells big and small. She also delves into the magical properties of colors, fragrances, times of the day, and phases of the moon, and more.

10. A Witches Bible: The Complete Witches' Handbook, by Janet and Stewart Farrar

Phoenix Publishing (WA)

There have been over 200,000 copies sold of the Farrars' handbook, which provides a thorough, comprehensive examination of many of the rituals and beliefs of modern witchcraft, including sections on sacred rites, witches' tools, astral projection, and developing a coven.

11. The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells, by Judika Illes

Element Books

Illes' reference book is likened to a cookbook for witches, including a vast array of spells — from a wide variety of cultures and practices — as well as instructions for how to perform them. Many of the spells are basic but others are quite advanced, making this a good option for beginners and experts alike.

12. Solitary Witch: The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation, by Silver RavenWolf

Amazon

Geared toward teens and young witches, the amazing named Silver RavenWolf's Solitary Witch is a practical guide for those looking to get into magic for the first time — that's not to say, though, that it isn't thorough. (It's 608 pages long, for one thing.)

13. The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews, by Scott Cunningham

Llewellyn Publications

Cunningham's book is a useful guide for some of the ritual practices involved in much of modern witchcraft, including over one hundred recipes for incense, essential oils, and various tinctures and soaps, among other things.