The Book of Candle Magic: Candle Spell Secrets to Change Your Life

by Madame Pamita, Judika Illes (Foreword)

Madame Pamita's Ultimate Guide to Candle Magic SuccessFeaturing authentic candle magic that anyone can do, this joyous book encourages you to dance in the moonlight and rekindle your spark of magic with a little wick, wax, and flame. Renowned practitioner Madame Pamita guides you every step of the way as you perform spells and gain the confidence to create your own. The Book of Candle Magic empowers you to manifest more happiness, love, prosperity, and fulfillment. Learn to make candles from scratch, do candle readings, start your personal grimoire, add some pizzazz to your rituals, and much more. It's time to reclaim your birthright of using fire to reach your magical goals―this irresistible book shows you how.Includes a foreword by Judika Illes, author of Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells

Genres: Witchcraft, Spirituality, Occult, Nonfiction, Magic, Magick, Wicca

336 pages, Hardcover

Published October 8, 2020

About the author

Madame Pamita is a Ukrainian-American witch, teacher, author, candle maker, spellcaster, and tarot reader. She is the author of The Witch's Guide to Animal Familiars, Baba Yaga’s Book of Witchcraft, The Book of Candle Magic, Magical Tarot, The Familiar Magic Pocket Oracle (November 2025), The Witch's Guide to Plant Familiars (February 2026), and co-author of Cancer Witch. She is also the proprietress of the online spiritual apothecary, the Parlour of Wonders and lives in Santa Monica, California. You can find her online at parlourofwonders.com .

Reviews

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be an interesting read. I am very new to "candle magic" and I found it very easy to read, and full of detailed information. It's also a beautiful book to flip through. Which is always a bonus!

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

4.5 stars.
This book is a fantastic guide to candle magic for those like me who are new to this form of magic and even for the more knowledgeable. I have learned so much information from this book and found it interesting and knowledgeable. I am planning on doing my first spell very soon and the information provided in this book has made me feel more confident in doing so as well as being easy to follow and understand.

This book provides safety knowledge when working with candles, information on different types of spells, reassurance on doing a spell ( with reassurances that it cannot be messed up too much), a guide to herbs, essential oils, types of candles, dressing and decorating candles, things to strengthen spells, astrological information, sun and moon guides, symbols and so much more.

I gave this book a 4.5 star rating only because my ARC had no pictures within it but I'm sure the finished paper copy will have these as these would make it even more beautiful.

[Gilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars. This is a handsome book with a decorative hardcover and lots of Art Nouveau-style illustrations. A lot of the information here isn't exactly life-changing, with some repetition and basic stuff that is really just common sense. All in all, it seems a little light on actual spells. However, there is still plenty in this book to like, and I appreciated the various lists in the appendices of symbols and correspondences, including one devoted entirely to the symbolism of seashells.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is quite detailed and thorough, providing a good resource for learning the art of candle magic or for those looking for a good tool to research all the elements that go into it. The illuminations on the page edges are gorgeous, so I anticipate the final copy will be not only informative, but a pretty book to flip through. An appendix is included, listing herbs, gemstones, etc and their uses for enhancing your candle spells.

I received an ARC on Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Juli Rahel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Llewellyn Worldwide and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Candle magic is something that I was at once utterly unfamiliar with and yet also felt very connected to. Don't know if that makes sense, but I've always loved having candles around when I in any way was trying to think, pray, meditate etc. So I was quite intrigued by Madame Pamita's book and thankfully found it very interesting and accessible.

A few things I liked were the attention to safety (you're working with fire, after all), the tone of the writing (it was very encouraging and gentle), and the wider expanse of information given (not just candle magic but an appendix also covers things about astrology, the elements, herbs etc.). The illustration were also beautiful! Overall, this did feel more like an introductory book to me than an actual collection of spells, which would be my only real negative. For someone in my position this was very useful, but for anyone with more experience, they might look for more direct spells etc. they could use.

[Luna Seranova · Rating 5 out of 5]

really really loved this book! I especially liked that she spoke about both practical and energetic meanings behind certain candle issues/effects. It felt both well grounded and spiritually informative 💫

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan and follower of Madame Pamita, I was eager to dive into her newest offering, “The Book of Candle Magic”. This witch (me!) uses candles on her alter, understands some basic reasoning behind colors and has participated in ritual spell work before, but I was eager to dive deeper into candle magic. As an Aries sun and moon, fire plays a big part in my day to day life and I was thirsty to learn more to enhance my solitary practice.
Right out of the gate, Madame Pamita encourages the reader to do some self discovery work by offering questions for the reader to consider, helping you map out a code of personal ethics. This is followed by suggestions for putting together your magical toolkit. Sigils, seals and oil dressings are all discussed (and loads of fun to add) as well as recipes to make some. The author discusses timing as in moon cycles and days of the week for best outcomes. There is even a section on numerology.
If you think your just getting a book about candle magic, you’re mistaken. This book is loaded with so much more info to guide one in their practice. I’d recommend this book wholeheartedly for the broad knowledge it covers. Many thanks to Llewelyn Publications and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are authentically mine.

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book of Candle Magic by Madame Pamita
Candle Spell Secrets to Change Your Life

Concise comprehensive compilation of candle magic information that I would love to add to my library. I found this book easy to read and filled with practical information for novice or more seasoned magic practitioner.

What I liked:
* The way the information was presented
* The topics covered
* Candle color and type and uses
* intention papers and how to create them
* use of oil to enhance spell work
* the importance of words used in spells
* planning
* intention
* candle layouts
* types of candles and what they are used for
* how to give pizzazz to ritual magic
* what to record about your candle magic work (grimoire)
* All of it really, except…

What I didn’t like:
* not having a copy of the book to refer to in the future. Will have to pick one up when in the USA next time.

Did I like this book? Definitely!
Would I like to have a copy for my library? Definitely!

Thank you to NetGalley and Llewellyn Publications for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - I didn't know there was this much to know! Clearly organized with handy references in the back. The lovely design makes it special. Glad to add it to my bookshelf!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly the kind of book I needed for my learning style! It reads like a textbook with numerous detailed examples of spell work and processes, and Madame Pamita writes with such clear, concise, and accessible syntax -- it made digesting and absorbing the wealth of information in this book very easy! I highly recommend this book to anyone getting into candle magic. 🕯

[Elhoim Leafar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candle magic is part of the magical repertoire of practically every magician, witch, and sorcerer today. All books make a brief (and often unfinished) introduction to the subject, but in "The Book of Candle Magic" Madame Pamita literally dives into the usual practices of our typical spells and candle rituals in full detail. She studies and analyzes them from their origin, and organizes them in small (but very complete) chapters for your understanding.

Each chapter of this book acts as the piece of a puzzle that seems to be perfectly assembled. Here nothing is out of place and nothing is missing. This is the Grimoire you were looking to place on your altar and you will probably treasure it all your life.

I really like it when a book is properly balanced between theory and practice, between teaching, and also the insistence on the exercise. I also like it, even more, when an author, far from focusing on showing off their knowledge and experience, they are more focused on teaching you from the most basic to the most complex without any hurry. Madame Pamita does precisely this, with great attention to detail, looking for you to really discover the huge potential you have and making you really strive to change your life for the better with each of these teachings.

Personally, and as an author and blogger, reading this book has led me to understand the origin of many magical practices that I had never understood before. It is fascinating to see an author strive to make quality books, small grimoires full of teachings that you will seriously value, and more importantly, these teachings will make you question everything you know and everything you thought you knew about magic candles.

If you are starting your way into the world of magic and sorcery, and therefore you are looking for a good book to start, here is the book that I am sure you need.

If you have years of experience in magic, and lately you have begun to doubt your own talent for esoteric arts, HEY! Here is the book that will make you rethink everything you've been doing in recent years.


Elhoim Leafar, Author of The Magical Art Of Crafting Charm Bags: 100 Mystical Formulas for Success, Love, Wealth, and Wellbeing.

[The Shakti Witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madame Pamita author and practitioner of tarot, magic, rootwork and witchcraft shares her extensive knowledge of candle magick in her latest offering. You won’t find any witchy woo here. Madame Pamita’s straight up style and her spicy wit is perfect for the novice and the more experienced as all aspects of spell casting with candles including petitions are covered. Methods of divination such as Carromancy, Pyromancy and Capnomancy are also all discussed. Includes an excellent appendix of magical herbs, gemstones, shells, talismans, symbols and their correspondences.

Most importantly all safety facets are noted with a strong emphasises on looking for reality based explanations first.

Where this books falls down is in its advocation of the use of environmentally destructive glitter. Glitter is a micro plastic that is too small to be caught by waste facilities and does not decompose. It ultimately pollutes our environment and endangers marine life. It has been recorded that candle magick has been around since the ancient Egyptians, glitter is a modern invention by plastic companies in the 1930’s with its fad like use in magick only recently. Please practice your magick responsibly.

*eArc supplies by publisher and Netgalley

[Hannah Cole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly I found this book a little too basic and boring. I thought it would dive more into the history and significance of candle magic as well as provide some insights that aren't gleaned from typical witchcraft books. Mostly felt like retreading ground others have covered.

Happy to have it as a reference, but didn't love most of the content overall.

[McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers the full range of Candle magic, from those just starting out wanting to do a simple spell with just a candle and an incantation to someone looking to take it up a notch by making their own candles or carving them or creating beeswax appliques to decorate them. I don't personally do a lot of work with candles because I'm a bit paranoid of burning my house down and the author is good about giving safety reminders throughout the book for this reason. However, I am quite keen on learning more about the different areas of candle reading: ceromancy (wax reading), pyromancy (flame reading), and capnomancy (smoke reading). Check this out if you're looking to start or expand the use of candles in your magic.

Thank you to Netgalley and Llewellyn Publications for providing an e-ARC of this book, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Fi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVED this book! Candle spells are my favorite and the ones I do most often. This book was perfect as an introduction/expanding on everything I already knew. If I have any questions at all, I look them up in this book and there is almost always an answer. I love that this book doesn’t just hand you candle spells, but instructs you on how to make your own. I 100% recommend this for beginners.

(Oh yeah, and it goes over fire safety too!!)

[Sylvia Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t say enough good things about The Book of Candle Magic. This is the kind of book that makes you fall in love with candle magick all over again. Madame Pamita brings such joy and passion to the topic that it’s contagious. From the very first page, it feels like she’s inviting you to step into her world—a world where a little wax and a flickering flame can transform your intentions into reality. It’s beautifully written, approachable, and packed with so much practical information that it’s hard to put down.

What I love most is how comprehensive it is. This isn’t just a collection of candle spells—though there are plenty of those, and they’re fantastic! It’s an all-in-one guide that teaches you everything from choosing the right color and shape of candle to making your own from scratch. Even as someone who’s worked with candle magick for years, I found myself learning new techniques and tips I hadn’t considered before. Pamita’s instructions are clear and detailed, making it easy to follow along whether you’re a beginner or an experienced practitioner looking to deepen your craft.

The sections on candle reading are a standout. She breaks down every little flicker and movement of the flame, showing you how to interpret the wax and the behavior of the burn to understand what’s going on energetically. It felt like unlocking a whole new layer of insight, one that adds so much dimension to even the simplest spell. I tried a few of the techniques she suggests, and it really changed the way I look at my spellwork. It’s like learning a new language, one that makes every spell feel richer and more alive.

And then there’s the magic itself—fun, vibrant, and completely accessible. Pamita’s enthusiasm is palpable, and she encourages you to infuse your work with creativity and personal flair. You can tell she’s not interested in rigid formulas or cookie-cutter spells. Instead, she empowers you to take what you’ve learned and make it your own. By the time I finished, I felt more inspired to experiment and craft my own spells than I have in ages.

Whether you’re looking to attract love, boost your finances, or add a little more magic to your day-to-day, this book has something for everyone. The recipes are simple but powerful, the explanations are thorough, and the energy is just so positive. Madame Pamita makes you believe that with the right candle and a strong intention, anything is possible.

The Book of Candle Magic isn’t just a guide—it’s a celebration of the transformative power of fire, and it’s easily one of the best books on candle magick I’ve ever read. Madame Pamita has created a masterpiece that’s both deeply informative and an absolute delight to read. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to brighten their practice with a little flame-fueled enchantment!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madame Pamita’s books never disappoint, and this book, The Book of Candle Magic, is full of the same high quality content you can expect from her. If you are looking for a candle magic book this is the one you need to check out! It’s over 300 pages loaded with illustrations and the following:

- interesting historical background
- how to get started and tools
- making an alter
- types of candles to use
- meaning & importance behind wax color
- crystals, herbs, & other items to work with
- how to inscribe words & use sigils
- how to dress a candle
- numerous sample spells
- plans on how to customize your spells
- working with astrology, time of day, numerology, special dates, and addresses
- using candles to represent people
- using spells that go over multiple days
- lots of information on different candle layouts
- goes over alternatives to candles (oil laps, honey jars, & vinegar jars)
- includes information on candle reading such as how to read the wax (ceromancy), flame reading (pyromancy), and smoke reading (capnomancy)
- other tips & tricks for doing readings and afterward care
- how to create your grimoire to organize, plan, and store your spells and other important spell work information

The Appendix Section in the back of the book are super helpful in the parts where you need to look up what ingredients you might need for a spell you are making. They go over a “List of Magical Herbs,” a “List of Magical Gems,” and a “List of Magical Shells” organized by keyword topics for things they are symbolic for. There is also a handy “List of Magical Talismans,” a “List of Magical Symbols organized alphabetically by each item with what they mean for easy reference.

The author is known for her candle magic knowledge in the witch community and is an excellent source of information. This book is a great starting point for beginners as well as for those who are looking to expand their practice as it gives exercises and recipes for making your own spells and candle magic specific grimoire.

Thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica Nightshade · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book of Candle Magic by Madame Pamita is an absolute five-star treasure for anyone interested in harnessing the power of candle magic. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned witch, this book offers an inspiring and comprehensive guide to using candles for manifestation, healing, and empowerment. Madame Pamita’s enthusiasm shines through each page, making even complex spells feel approachable and fun. Her writing is clear and engaging, guiding you step-by-step through the intricacies of candle spells, candle crafting, and even candle reading, so you can truly make the most of this powerful tool.

What makes this book exceptional is its blend of practical technique with creative inspiration. Madame Pamita goes beyond just teaching basic spells—she encourages you to experiment, adapt, and ultimately craft your own magical workings. The chapters on creating your own candles and reading the flame and wax patterns are particularly fascinating, adding depth and nuance to a practice that can sometimes feel formulaic in other books. With everything from spell-building basics to advanced techniques, The Book of Candle Magic equips you with everything you need to confidently light up your magical path. This is a must-have addition to any witch’s library, filled with warmth, wisdom, and a spark of joy that only Madame Pamita can provide.

[Kerri Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's start with the absolute beautiful design of this hardcover keepsake book. The silver and gold design with purple background will be a stand out in your collection. The purple is then taken into the book through illustrations and headlines.

Though I don't advocate judging a book by its cover, if you do, you won't be disappointed. If there is a more complete book on candle magic, particularly one that doesn't emphasize one tradition over others, I haven't found it.

This covers everything, and I do mean everything. I learned about things I had no clue about -- soft wax candle adhesive? Candle sharpeners? Candle snuggers and grippers? I had never heard of any of these things but I could definitely use them!

The information on figure candles was eye opening - I have never seen many of the styles listed but now I want them! The stores I have been to don't carry half of the ones described in the book, so I will now be checking out her store too.

I particularly loved the sections on different candle layouts, adding herbs, and loading candles. So much information in this book, I can't imagine needing any other.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always on the lookout for resources to expand my worldview. And while I have dabbled previously with some candle magic, I wanted to snap this up to make sure I was on the right track.

First, I wanted to say this is a great all-encompassing resource that delves not only into candles. But it also provides details on color magic, numbers, astrological aspects, moon phases, and all the aspects that might affect your practice. The book is quite detailed and thorough.

The author explains the absolute basics, which, let me tell you, sometimes simple is the best. She then goes on to explain some more layered aspects that can be applied. She discusses some self-reflection and also journaling that might help with determining what works you are actually going to perform. A list of symbols, herbs and flowers, oils, stones, patterns, numbers, astrological and moon phase aspects, as well as some basics for reading wax, smoke, and how your candle is burning.

I loved this and plan to go grab an actual physical copy for my personal library.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

[Jenna Deaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book of Candle Magic by Madame Pamita is a concise but thorough book of candle magic information that would be a good fit for most witchy readers.
This piece was easy to read and enjoyable to top it off. The author jammed the book full with practical information for novice or more seasoned magic practitioner alike.

What I liked:
* The topics covered varying from beginner spells to candle making.
* intention papers and how to create them are covered in a way quite pleasing to me as a hoodoo worker.
* use of oil to enhance spell work

* Ideas for what I might record about my workings.

What I didn’t like:
* glitter used in magic that may end up outside . ( it is a serious pollution issue in my area)

* candle layouts and color correspondences felt restrictive which I don’t think was the goal

Loved this little book of candle magic that will be perfect for fans of Buckland’s cable magic book looking for an updated approach.

Thank you to NetGalley and Llewellyn Publications for the ARC

[Fuchsia Rascal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! I've been making my own candles and am starting to think of selling some, and this gave me a lot of information on how to "dress and bless" them-- but although this is a valuable resource for candle makers, it's also a valuable resource for anyone in general who does candle magic. It's not focused on the "how to make candles" aspect (there are many other guides for that), but how to increase the chances of success with your candle spells. The author goes over in detail reasons for using different numbers of candles, formations of candles, and colors. She explains how to use herbs and oils (less is more), and even how to make your own anointing oils (which I appreciated, as I'd been wanting to start doing so). There's an entire chapter on how to read wax, smoke smudge, and flames to determine the results of your spell, or if something needs to be adjusted. The book is full of so much information, and I really think this is a must-read for anyone who practices candle magic.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book seems appropriate for all levels of those attempting to practice candle magic. The art of each page is beautiful.

The Table of Contents gives you a clear idea of the content of the book and where to go if you are looking for a specific topic, such as Magic Words, Power in Numbers, and Candle Reading. There are also 5 Appendices: List of Magical Herbs, List of Magical Gems, List of Magical Shells, List of Magical Talismans, and List of Symbols.

The book provides clear information in plain language that is easy to read. There are many examples and clear instructions.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book of Candle Magic by Madame Pamita was a joy to discover. It covers ritual work, spell crafting, basic magic 101 and of course working with candles to enhance your magic.
Madame Pamita covers a variety of correspondences to layer the power of your candle work: color, timing, herbs, inscribing, herbs, shapes, crystals just to name a few. She offers examples for candles rituals, spells and layouts. There is also a section on properly working with candles, fire safety etc and reading the candles themselves (wax, flame, smoke).
I found this a very valuable resource for my practice and a book I'm sure to reference time and again. Highly recommended!

[Nyx Vera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would probably give a solid 3.5 if possible. Very solid introduction to candle magic. Definitely it's fair share of problematic content, but that's par for course with anything in this genre. But it's definitely not as bad as some, and one of the few resources I've seen that gives any practical explanations of candle behaviours (although there are definitely some that are missing - and for the love of candles, do NOT burn container candles until they extinguish themselves - always extinguish with at least 5mm/¼" of wax remaining, otherwise you're asking for danger!)

[Carla S · Rating 3 out of 5]

El libro es hermoso visualmente hablando y un bonito complemento en un librero
Su contenido me pareció útil, entendible y bien hecho. Habla de varios puntos interesantes que amplían aún más la perspectiva en el uso de velas en un ritual o hechizo. Desde el significado de los colores y las formas de las velas, hasta interpretaciones en su llama, humo y cera

En general me pareció bien, logra su cometido. La razón por la que le puse 3.5 estrellas es más una cuestión subjetiva. Me pareció bonito el libro pero no trascendental. Aún así lo recomiendo

[Lazarone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sorry for possible English mistakes. This is a very practical book. You can start with magic almost instantly because basic ritual is offered. From there you can add ingredients (colours, oils, patterns, types of candles etc...) as you wish. If you love this type of magic then this book will offer you fresh insights into process and how it works. Sadly there is no any pictures in this version. Thanks.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved this book!! In depth-book on how to use, create, and work your magic with candles. This book also contains a plethora of information regarding herbal & crystal correspondences. And it speaks on seals, sigils, and symbols. The perfect book to introduce you to candle magic. I enjoyed this book immensely! I voluntarily read this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

In spite of being marketed a bit hokey (unlike many readers, I didn't love the cover), this was actually a pretty interesting read. I'm working on a project (probably eventual PhD work, or at least a conference paper) regarding candle magic across religions. This book (especially because of the great reference section) will likely figure in. Thanks to those who recommended it, I'd recommend it, too.

down side: a bit repetitive.

[Rocky · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource for candle magic! Thorough and sharp. Easily accessible and including information on color associations, sigils, candle carving, different types and shapes of candles, numerology, spell design, dressing candles, candle making, divination by wax/flame/smoke reading, appendixes on herbs/gems/shells/talismans/symbols and more. Very happy with my purchase as this book will be staying with my essential witchy resource materials.