Thicket's Magical Book Recommendations
Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson
This book is a classic. Mr. Huson goes over the basics of magical work, including steps on how to visualize and how magic works. He also instructs you on how to prepare your ritual tools and begin casting magic. The book also delves in to deeper stuff, such as summoning Vassago (a demon). If you are interested in traditional witchcraft, this book is for you.
Mystical Origins of the Tarot by Paul Huson
Another author (maybe Robin Artisson?) described this as the only book on tarot you will ever need. I agree. It is filled with history as well as unique interpretations of the cards. If you are a tarot reader, this book is a must to further your education and your reading skills.
The Complete Guide to Psychic Development by Cassandra Eason
This book is very New Age. It does have a lot of good stuff in it. She does generally expect that you have a library of crystals and a cabinet of candles as even her basic rituals call for a variety of specific stones and 13 pink candles. Glean what you can from this book and see where perhaps you can simplify some of her rituals. As the name implies, this book is all about psychic development.
Psychic Self-Defense by Dion Fortune
Awesome book. I’ve read it a few times. If you want a peek at how magic can really mess up your life, read this book. There are so many hidden gems here, it’s really worthwhile.
The Witch’s Familiar by Raven Grimassi
A really interesting book on how a witch may obtain and control their familiar spirit.
Grimoire of the Thorn-Blooded Witch by Raven Grimassi
This book details Grimassi’s personal tradition. If you want a solid tradition to follow, this book makes a very good read. It is also just a good book in general and it is very plant and nature based.
Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham
I use this resource regularly, it is probably my most-used resource. Learn the magical properties of your everyday herbs at home. The index in the back is invaluable for figuring out which herbs to use for your spells.
Encyclopedia of Magical Stones by Scott Cunningham
The rock version of the herbal encyclopedia.
The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft by Judika Illes
This elemental encyclopedia is excellent to educate yourself more about witchcraft. Just to warn you, if you read many of her books, some of the content is copied over between them.
The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells by Judika Illes
This book is massive. Not only does it really have 5000 spells, but it also has a formulary in the back with recipes on many oils, potions, and powders you can craft. It also has an excellent section on how to cast spells and how to use a wide variety of ritual tools.
Encyclopedia of Spirits by Judika Illes
So this book is seriously an awesome encyclopedia, especially for looking up spirits by name. It’s general entries – such as for “mermaid” or “ghost” are somewhat disappointing. The real value of this book is being able to look up arcane and archaic spirits by name. It has a lot of info on gods as well.
Pure Magic by Judika Illes
I wish someone had handed me this book when I first got started in witchcraft. If you are done with 101 posts on tumblr and ready for your next introductory step, buy a copy of this book. It is a “complete course in spellcasting.” This book delivers.
Spiritual Cleansing by Draja Mickaharic
This is an interesting book to read because it is not witchcraft; it is it’s own spiritual system. If you are looking for something new and want to expand your horizons, grab this book. You won’t be disappointed. As a handbook on spiritual cleansing, it’s techniques do not disappoint either.
Letters from the Devil’s Forest by Robin Artisson
This book is seriously so cool. If you are ready for your next intermediate step in to witchcraft, if theory interests you, if you want to read about a real witch’s experiences – pick up this book. It is not a spellbook nor a how-to guide. It’s just incredibly interesting.
The Horn of Evenwood by Robin Artisson
A great spellbook, especially for diabolists, those that want to travel to the underworld, and those that want to meet the devil himself. I would call this more of an intermediate spellbook, and while any beginner should educate themselves, it is perhaps best to wait until you have a little more experience before you tackle the rituals in this book.
A Dictionary of Angels by Gustav Davidson
This book is in my opinion especially important for Christian practitioners or any practitioner who works with angels and/or demons. It is an extremely thorough dictionary of angels and fallen angels.
Power Within The Land and Earth Light by R. J. Stewart
If you’re in to faeries, these two books are for you. They detail how to travel to Faery, how to interact with faeries, and how to transform yourself with faery magic.
The Living World of Faery by R. J. Stewart
A super interesting book. If you are in to faeries, get this book by R. J. Stewart instead of the other two – which are more similar to spellbooks. This book will educate you a lot about real faery lore.
The Devil’s Dozen by Gemma Gary
What can I say, I love Gemma Gary. The Devil’s Dozen is a fascinating book containing thirteen original rituals dedicated to the Witch’s Devil, Bucca. This book is more for diabolists and traditional witches, but if you find a copy of it, grab it. It will go well in any practitioner’s library. I would consider this book more for the intermediate practitioner, but people of all skill levels will benefit from reading it.
Traditional Witchcraft by Gemma Gary
This is “the” book on Cornish witchcraft. It is useful for anyone interested in traditional witchcraft and those seeking a more traditionally based path. This book does have some spells and rituals in it, but it’s main purpose is in describing Cornish ways.
The Black Toad by Gemma Gary
This book goes hand in hand with Traditional Witchcraft. It is a spellbook and so does not describe Cornish ways so much, but it does give you practical magical applications. This book is very traditional and not modified to make it more appetizing to modern crowds. I would readily recommend it in order to see how a very traditional witch practices.
Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham
If you are interested in Wicca, this is the book for you. It describes how to practice Wicca for – well – a solitary practitioner. I don’t have a lot to say about it, but it certainly ended up in my library for a reason.
Protection & Reversal Magick by Jason Miller
I am such a Jason Miller fangirl. He is a clear and concise writer. He doesn’t waste your time. This book was my first magical book and I still reference it regularly. I would highly advise any practitioner – especially a beginner – pick up this book. It will not steer you wrong and may save you a lot of trouble.
Financial Sorcery by Jason Miller
This is the only real financial spellbook I have seen of it’s type. Rather than throwing money spells at you, Miller explains how to use magic to create real and lasting wealth. He explains why many money spells never seem to get you ahead in life and helps you craft your own magic so you can actually get ahead.
The Sorcerer’s Secrets by Jason Miller
This book is about how to cast magic, how magic works, and how to be a badass sorcerer. If I could go back and re-work my path I would pick up this book right away. It has heavily influenced my beliefs and made me a better practitioner.
Seven Spheres by Rufus Opus
If you are interested in magic besides witchcraft, this book on hermeticism is excellent. It teaches you about the “seven spheres” and how to summon the planetary spirits and intelligences to aid your life. Having performed the rituals in this book, I can say that they are extremely powerful. If you are looking for magic to radically change your life, this is the book for you.
The Practical Psychic Self-Defense Handbook by Robert Bruce
This book is not witchcraft, it is more on the psychic spectrum of practice. It gets in to really intense defense mechanisms and I have succesfully used his techniques to keep me safe.
Correspondences by Sandra Kynes
This is a very neat reference book. It lists how correspondences are related to one another. It is difficult to explain, but it is a really neat book if you want to research how plants, animals, gods, stones, colors, numbers, etc., are interrelated.
