Full Title: Appalachian Witchcraft for Beginners: The History, Remedies, and Spells of a Rich Folk Magic Tradition
By: Auburn Lily
Publisher: Callisto Publishing
Book Size: 9 x 6 in (approx.)
Book pages: 150
Release Date: January, 2023
Purchased or gifted?: Publicity copy gifted from Callisto Publishing

Absolute favorite page: Chapter 7 introduction (page 89)

Favorite Details: velvet cover, the section on the Bible, section of superstitions

First Impressions: I’ve been pretty excited about this book. I have a weird connection to the Appalachian Mountains. I can’t really explain it but I feel drawn to it all the time and have been wanting to explore its energy more. I have a very small percentage of Irish and Scottish ancestry and quite a large amount of British ancestry according to my DNA report and from what I understand, the Appalachias and Northern Europe used to be one place before the continents spilt. There were some things that immediately stood out to me when I first saw the book. The first is how much Auburn takes the time to promote safety and responsibility in the practices she shares. Plenty of authors do this but I think Auburn really pushes the issue and I appreciate that.

Something I also really liked is her inclusion of church references. Many of us grew up in religious households despite whatever beliefs we might have now. I am the same. It’s why I didn’t initiate after Priestess training. I wanted to practice witchcraft while still keeping some of my religious practices. I don’t believe in religion but I do believe in God. Auburn does a really good job with making space for religion. She talks about how so many people in the Appalachias grew up with religion and that has become a part of their witch practices too, even using bible verses as spells. I love that. And she brings many of these elements to different parts of the book. See Churchyard Dirt on page 4.

My favorite page is page 89, the start of chapter 7. It’s titled Support Your Personal Relationships and what I love about it is Auburn’s mention of honoring personal will in your spells. Integrity in spell work is very important to me. I cannot tell you how many times someone has asked me how to make someone fall in love with them, how to make someone break up with someone else, to do a reading about something that is none of their business if the other person doesn’t share it, or how to make someone do all kinds of other things. The answer is always NO!

It is not ethical to try to control someone’s free will and Auburn gives a great example of how to do a spell involving other people while still maintaining their free will. ItItss totally fine to do love spells or spells for better relationships but you have to make sure you aren’t projecting your self-interest onto someone else.

Some additional pages I really enjoyed are page 50 - Strengthen Connection With the Land, page 28 - Be Careful When Calling on Spirits, page 17 - Claiming Your Roots, and page 59 - Carry the Earth’s Energy With You. Some of my favorite spells so far are: Protect Your Assets (page 107), Open the Healing Channel (page 64) and, Let Food Be Thy Medicine (page 72). I’m planning on working my way through this entire book so be sure to check back here for updates.

Ok, now for aesthetics. I love the look of the book. The illustrations throughout really remind me of Where the Crawdad’s Sing. And it is full color throughout which I am happy to report is becoming the norm. A lot of publishers avoid full color because it costs more but I really think it makes a difference in the quality of the book. The color palette is muted which really speaks to my heart. It’s a lot to go into so I’ll save that for another time but I loved muted color palettes. And even though the Appalachian mountains is vibrant, I feel like it has a “muted” quality. Meaning, it’s serene and doesn’t feel aggressive. And I feel like the aesthetic of this book captures that energy beautifully.

Who’s this book for?

If you have any interest at all in Appalachian or even American magic then this book is for you. Many Americans have a connection to the east coast and Deep South. That’s where the modern idea of America starting after all. So even if you don’t know for sure, there’s a good chance you’ve had an ancestor or two from this area or at least nearby. And strangely, I feel a strong ancestor connection when I pick up this book.

Any books you’d like a review on? Have any questions about books at all? Leave me a comment and stay tuned for more reviews.