Spells for Surviving a Haunted Childhood: Parts One, Two & Three

by Barbara Latinka

Spells for Surviving a Haunted The Complete Grimoire Trilogy

Three books. One haunted childhood. Intertwined with 'spells' for survival.

This hauntingly lyrical memoir trilogy is unlike anything you've ever read. Told in the form of a grimoire, Spells for Surviving a Haunted Childhood weaves together fragmented memories, meditative spells, and poetic reflections to chart the emotional terrain of growing up in the shadows of neglect, trauma, and generational ghosts.

Across three spellbound volumes of Spells of a Haunted Childhood—the narrator becomes both the haunted and the healer. From the blizzard that tried to eat her, to the circus that forgot her name, to the paper crown folded from a gas station map—each chapter is its own spell, conjuring survival from sorrow, imagination from isolation, and power from pain.

✨ Inside this collected

60 chapters told through poetic vignettes, memories, and emotional spellsA unique blend of memoir, magical realism, and emotional healingA raw and honest journey through childhood trauma, resilience, and personal transformationFor fans of The Collected Schizophrenias, The Body Keeps the Score, and The House on Mango StreetThis is a story for the quiet survivors. The ones who kept their secrets in shoeboxes. The ones who cast spells before they knew what magic was. The ones still searching for the light they were never given.

If you’ve ever been haunted by your past… this book was written for you.

251 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 9, 2025

About the author

Barbara Latinka is a first-time author, photographer, wife, and Home-school mother of three. For years, she carried this story in silence—until now.

“With a voice forged in survival.”

Barbara brings her truth to the page with honesty, grit, and empathy. She shares what it means to grow up shadowed by the darkness, how to find magic in the normalcy and how surviving sometimes looks like strange spells.

This is her debut work—and just the beginning of a longer spell in the making.

Reviews

[C.L. Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spells for Surviving A Haunted Childhood is a magical and unique take on self-help that offers therapeutic healing for both children and adults. Each chapter introduces a specific emotional wound a child might encounter, and through vivid and age-appropriate storytelling, guides the reader through that trauma before ultimately ending the chapter with a "spell," which I think is a brilliant and creative way to help the reader build resilience and self-awareness. There is no chastising or dwelling on the past and what could have been, and this isn't about 'getting over' trauma, but learning to live with it in a way that doesn't define us. As an adult, I cried several times, but it was so cathartic, and I feel like these books are going to make a positive change in so many lives!

[Justine Hobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of being a beta reader Barbara Latinka. Barbara launched her debut trilogy, Spells for Surviving a Haunted Childhood. This is the kind of trilogy I can picture sitting on the shelf at Halloween but can be enjoyed anytime of the year!

The trilogy is an outlet about a girl navigating a life full of tragedies with moments of peace, where you question whether the darkness intertwined through the story is a friend or a foe. Each chapter is laced with memories from the past and a way to work through those trials. You witness every kind of abuse, along with how you can overcome the trauma.

I am giving the series ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. For a debut, this series is well written with a poetic arc to the writing. I enjoyed hearing each chapter and wondered what would happen next in the life of this girl. I could picture myself many times through the story, being someone who has dealt with different kinds of trauma from my own past. This can open up wounds if you have been through traumatic events. I would recommend checking trigger warnings. I think this would be appropriate for an older or mature teen to adult.

“That’s what true friendship does - it pauses but never really ends.”

[Doris Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spells for Surviving a Haunted Childhood is a true story that stays with you long after you close the book. Each chapter includes a “spell,” and I absolutely loved that — not only does it guide the reader, but it also offers comfort and tools for healing.

This is a book so many people can relate to. I found myself connecting deeply with certain chapters, and more than once I wanted to reach into the pages and hug the author. She should have never had to experience the childhood she did, but the strength she shows in transforming her pain into something meaningful is incredible. Most people would have given up, but she didn’t let depression win.

What I appreciated most is that this isn’t a story about “getting over” trauma — it’s about learning to live with it without letting it define you. The memories woven through each chapter feel raw, honest, and necessary. This book is going to help someone who has lived through childhood trauma feel seen, understood, and less alone.

[Amara Wynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books don’t just tell a story. They sit with you. Spells for Surviving a Haunted Childhood was one of those for me.

First....I was immediately drawn in by the way each chapter includes a “spell.” So clever! I loved that so much. Secondly, the chapters were deep and what a gift to turn that kind of pain into something so beautiful. Third? The way this book was written was done in a way that shows that there is hope after dealing with trauma. A way to live with issues that do not define who you are as person. This book was so interesting. Beautiful. A great read and an easy 5 stars! I loved it, I really did! It made me feel seen and I know it will make others feel seen too!