The Eclectic Witch's Book of Shadows: Witchy Wisdom at Your Fingertips

by Deborah Blake

Make Your Practice as Eclectic as You AreA beautiful and abundant source of magical information, The Eclectic Witch's Book of Shadows is perfect for building your practice from the ground up. This guide is modeled on a traditional Book of Shadows but designed with ample writing and sketching space so you can personalize it in a myriad of ways. Popular author and eclectic witch Deborah Blake shares her wisdom on many topics, Candle Magic Divination Herbs Stones Magical Recipes Rituals Spells Gods and Goddesses Celebrations CorrespondencesFeaturing color illustrations by well-known artist Mickie Mueller, this must-have book makes it easy and fun to practice Witchcraft your way. Discover invocations, create magical oils and charm bags, and work with a variety of tools like tarot cards, runes, and poppets. Explore the power of scrying, dreams, and the elements. Learn the secrets of kitchen witchery and sabbat feasts. Deborah Blake helps you turn this into your Book of Shadows―use it to enjoy amazing experiences and discoveries in your Craft.

Genres: Witchcraft, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Magic, Paganism, Crafts, Magick

288 pages, Hardcover

Published September 8, 2021

About the author

Deborah is the author of over a dozen non-fiction books on modern witchcraft and a tarot and oracle decks from Llewellyn. Her fiction includes the Baba Yaga series, The Broken Rider series, and the Veiled Magic series, and her cozy mysteries The Catskill Pet Rescue series (mostly from Berkley) as well as a few stand-alone novels.

Deborah lives in a 130 year old farmhouse in upstate NY with multiple cats. She believes in magic, laughter, chocolate, and wine. The order may change depending on the day.

Reviews

[Katherine Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is one of the best books on witchy wisdom out there... Love the author's emphasis on personal experience, while making the content educational too, at the same time.

[Rebecca Elson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review originally appeared on The Magical Buffet website on 11/29/2021.

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.

As always, Deborah Blake has written a charming and accessible book for anyone interested in the witchy world. She provides excellent guidance on what a Book of Shadows is and what it has to offer a practitioner of magic. Basics of divination, rituals, candle magic, herbs, stones, celebrations, and more are covered throughout the book. However, what takes this solid text and propels it to the level of modern classic, is the pairing of Deborah Blake’s writing with the artwork of artist Mickie Mueller. Every page features Mueller’s playful artwork in full color. Lastly, there are beautifully illustrated blank, lined pages for the owner to add their own notes and reflections.

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.

[Verónica Fleitas Solich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very complete and with super clear explanations.
One of the best wue I have read on the subject.

[Helen Griffus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good book for beginners. There were even some tidbits in there I was able to take away as an experienced practitioner.

[Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans · Rating 1 out of 5]

[Krisanne Lane · Rating 1 out of 5]

This started out as a four star and went downhill from there. This is a BASIC BASIC BASIC primer on basic basic basic witchcraft. And I mean that in the sense of elementary witchcraft.

The audiobook is not great. There’s a ton of mispronunciations in it. Read aloud, it just sounds like lists of the same items over and over again.

There’s so. Much. Moralizing. Stop with your rule of three, not casting spells without permission, not hexing, & making sure everyone has a blankie and a bottle before opening your mouth. It’s like the author is petrified she’ll get any sort of criticism.

There’s no explanation of the information. It’s just blue = communication, and that’s it. And some of that information is flat out wrong. She states that Lammas is celebrated with lamb and milk. That’s Imbolc. I did not get the impression that this was a Southern Hemisphere book.

I don’t stand for misinformation, so that’s why it got one star.

There was some good. I like that she focused on the same sets of herbs, stones, etc. repeatedly throughout. Although it was not great listening material, it’s good to focus on a few specific herbs/candles/stones and learn them before trying to tackle everything in the world.

Considering the author was so intent on covering her ass, there was very little explanation about how to do anything. With the exception of a basic rundown of candle magick, it sounded more like instructions for collecting items rather than using them.

There were recipes in the back that I wouldn’t mind trying. But overall, this was a waste, and there are many better books out there on the subject.

[Mossyteeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

cultural appropriation 👎

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good

This is a fantastic book for anyone who is either a beginner or more advanced in the set of magik but needs a refresher.

[Alexandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read. It gave simple things to do. I like the easy tidbits for beginners. This is not my usual book, but it was a nice change.

[Madeleine Walther · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great! A lot different than my usual reading, so sorry if you were expecting a fantasy book review lol. Despite this being nonfiction though, I found it really interesting! This book is, as advertised, an eclectic book of shadows. However, I think that this book is intended less for experienced eclectic witches and more for beginners who are looking for a place to start. Although there is some personal knowledge from the author in it, it mostly covers the basics from various areas of witchcraft. I think if you’re a new/young witch who is trying to explore the different aspects that witchcraft can include, this is for you! Personally, I found this book very helpful, straightforward, and inclusive. It has everything from herbs, to crystals, to divination, and more. For someone like me who is interested in learning more about this, it was really helpful.

[Lua · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a beginner I wanted to like this book more.
It’s a very good guide for many aspects of the craft and it includes correspondences, guides, spells, divination techniques, etc. Very concise way to dip your toes in the water and get started.
My problems with it start with the conflation of witches and wiccans, as it was very heavily wiccan in nature (a lot of polarity in the belief of the god and goddess). Also did not appreciate the cultural appropriation that came from recommending white sage and smudging as a valid technique for everyone to use. Closed practices are closed for a reason and we should respect them.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 stars - It was really good

The Eclectic Witch’s Book of Shadows is a beginners reference book for those who are looking to build their practice from the ground up. This book gives basic introductions and quick references for all the basics of witchcraft elements, like candle magic, divination, stones, gods and goddesses and so on. Within each section there are multiple blank pages so you can include your own notes for your craft.

This is a great beginners guide/ reference book. I loved how each section was laid out and how simple everything was broken down. Even if you aren’t a beginner, this would be a good reference for basic elements like stones and gods/goddesses. I also really loved that she provided blank pages with every section so you could really make this book of shadows your own, especially for those who might be overwhelmed at the thought of creating one from scratch, this takes away some of that anxiety.

Not only is the information well presented, but the accompanying artwork was beautiful. Mickie Mueller did an amazing job at illustrating this book of shadows. It really is a beautiful book, which I think will make people want to reference it more, especially those of us who aren’t great at making a book of shadows pretty.

Overall, this was a very informative, and easy to read, beginners book of shadows. I highly recommend this book for beginners or anyone who is looking for a simple reference book.

You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.

[Raven Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing to note is that the artwork for this book is absolutely amazing! It’s gorgeous but doesn’t take away from the book.

I personally didn’t like the countless note pages throughout the book. I really doubt most people will be adding their info to it (though you never know).

The information is great for beginners. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone just starting out. The lists are simple and easy. It’s got just about everything you’d need to get started.

Her recommended reading sections were smaller than normal and lacked the bibliography that is typically included in her work.

I wish there had been an official conclusion. It always feels off when a book abruptly ends.

Overall, recommend to beginners. Advanced practitioners might enough a recipe or spell, but otherwise nothing new.

[Kaelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to add this book to my list of recommended reads. It’s a decent book, but I would advise newer Eclectic individuals to approach it with caution. I was disappointed to find that the book discusses Wiccan practices within an eclectic context. While it’s true that there’s no rule prohibiting someone from being Wiccan if they identify as eclectic, I believe there should be a warning or a heads up about the inclusion of Wiccan beliefs such as calling the corners, harming none, and invoking God and Goddess. Also, please refrain from suggesting the use of sage. Instead, consider using better alternatives like lavender or rosemary.

Overall, the book provides a wealth of valuable information for beginners. I particularly enjoyed the concise explanations of candles, crystals, and recipes. It’s a well-rounded book that offers a comprehensive introduction to the eclectic spiritual path.

[Elhoim Leafar · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best magic and witchcraft books out there, the author is clear and concise, he has no pretensions to seem like the best book, and yet it is, I have the hardcover edition, it is of very good quality, the cover is great, the illustrations and all the internal design is beautiful, the content of the author is satisfactory, it even has many blank pages to take notes, highly recommended, especially if you are or want to be part of a coven.

[Amber Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't plan on performing any spells or rituals, but I found this book to be interesting nonetheless! I read a lot of books with witches so it was interesting to read more in depth about the tools and tips they use in their world. I am interested in gemstones and the chapter on those was fascinating. I liked how conversational the tone of the book was and how the author put her first hand experiences into the text.

[Brenda Hasse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated, simple to follow with clear explanations. A lovely book that I used for research. The only suggestion I would make is this - when I began to read the book, it referred to God and/or Goddess, yet it was unclear who they were. It wasn't until I reached page 123 that God/ess was explained. I would have liked to see the book begin with the chapter about God/ess. This book gives the basics of witchy wisdom. Very informative!

[Amy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love. This. Book. ✨ I won’t use this to write in myself (because I just caaaan’t write in a book 🤓) but have it marked full of sticky notes and can’t wait to actually start trying the rituals out. Really appreciate the step-by-step guides for beginners. P/S Blown away by the artwork - Mickie Mueller is one of my faves.

[Kimmy Burrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Deborah Blake's books. Even when I've seen the same information many times, it is refreshing to read her books because it feels like I'm discussing a common interest with a friend, and there aren't many people near me with common beliefs. It feels good to sit back and have a "conversation with a friend," and it feels like you do know her (and her cats).

[Kae · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're someone who wants to have a book of shadows but don't want to start one from scratch — definitely consider buying this book (along with the companion workbook of you're someone who needs more writing space like I am.) And if you're a beginner on your own path, I'd say to check this out as well.

As someone with ADHD and autism, but wanted a designated place to store the bare basics of my practice, this pre-made book of shadows has been an absolute blessing. The language is very easy to read process, and the artwork by Mickie Mueller is absolutely gorgeous to look at. Every page feels magical to flip through.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can never have enough source books. This is a wonderful one to keep on your electronic bookshelf. If you have the room for a physical one then for people starting out it has room for notes and your own details. The artwork is beautifully done.

[Sombre Grimoire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une belle découverte !

J'ai beaucoup aimé la diversité et les conseils donnés au fur et à mesure des thèmes abordés.

C'était une lecture très riche et j'avoue que je suis très tenté par certaines recettes 👀

[cherry ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

learned quite a bit, but it's pretty general. some parts also lacked explanations. would have appreciated more insights for certain things. but overall, a pretty good and for informative! bookmarked some parts too. 👌

[Kate Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a GREAT beginners book. The hard cover edition is simply beautiful. Lots of space to write in your own information that you might glean from other books or your own practice. I LOVE this book and the information therein is all going into my own personal grimoire.

[Alicia Hough · Rating 4 out of 5]

insightful but very beginner level. I was able to use some things from this book but others I was already knowledgeable on and wasn't something I needed more information on. Would recommend very beginner witches

[Sezen Türker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I read on this subject. It provides valuable information about crystals, oils, plants, recipes… It’s written in an understandable language and talks about easily accessible ingredients.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic info, pretty standard for beginners. Nice for reference. Could have had more to it.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for beginners. Beautiful illustrations. Helpful, just more Wiccan specifically, so if you worship a god and goddess is your thing, read this book.

[Aneli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Kerri-Ann Betty (was Briggs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My full review will be available on www.kabriggs.co.uk soon