This book is all about spell working - from how to do it, why to do it - to the spells themselves. After reading Ms. Murphy-Hiscock first book on Solitary Wicca and enjoying that one, I decided to read this one.

It is a basic "cook book" of spells. All the usual material is here, from tables of correspondences to actual spells.

The material presented here can be worked by the solitary and it is very Wiccan in nature. Discussions on ethics include the Wiccan Rede, and there is a nice healthy discussion on ethics included. I found it refreshing that Ms. Murphy-Hiscock did not preach but rather discussed common sense and included some practical advice (via Sybil Leek) for making sure your spells come out right.

This is what Ms. Murphy-Hiscock continues from her first book. Not just spells and ingredients, but also the "how" and the "why" for spell casting and why I found myself enjoying this book as well.

The book itself is attention-grabbing. This is the first time I've seen a "trade paper" book with a "deckled" edge. It makes an interesting visual when you open the book. Not every page has a deckled edge, which when you go to leaf through the book will skip the shorter straight edged pages. Good for visual, bad for leafing through the book. Visually interesting none the less.

But the content is what makes this book. Ms. Murphy-Hiscock covers much material here. From the history, to the timing, to the substitution for missing ingredients we have a very well thought out and put together book with a very simple yet elegant approach.

Spell workings also includes amulets and talisman. Small rituals are included to present your spells, as well as additions to assure you "Harm None" and even a little "call back a spell" working. There are the usual spells for wealth, health, guidance and more. And the group working section also includes group dynamics and strategy.

There is a section on analysis of your methods and troubleshooting why it went astray or didn't work at all. Nicely added, and nicely discussed in plain, down to earth language.

Ms. Murphy-Hiscock brings some interesting topics to the table for you to contemplate as well as discuss in groups. I like her overall approach to the art of spell casting, and she covers a lot of material the beginner may have questions about, or the advanced spell worker may find intriguing. You not only have her spells, you learn to "craft" your own.

If you are looking for a really good first spell crafting book, this is it. If you are looking to augment your current trusty cookbook, this book will add to your knowledge base and cover some material you will not find in "old faithful". This is a nice addition to any library. boudica

This is one of the best books I've read on spellcraft. In fact, I think it might be the best one! At first, I was hesitant about buying it (since the author comes from Silver RavenWolf's group) but I'm glad I changed my mind. I agree with the author on almost everything. An example: In the beginning chapters, the author equates spellcaster to witch, which, needles to say, I very much agree with. (She also spells 'magic' normally and writes witchcraft with a lower case 'w,' which, as you can see, is how I do things.)

This inexpensive (just look at some other books that are half it's size and almost double the price) and very informative book is perfect for any beginning spellcaster or witch. Everything you've ever wanted to know about crafting and casting spells is in here. And the best thing, it does it without any 'beating around the bush' or you-know-what! This book goes into detail on some very important spellcasting topics like raising energy, troubleshooting, substitution, methods of magic, and much more. Techniques for charging, meditation, and visualization are also included. There are also plenty of spells which can be used as-is or as guidelines to writing your own.

It's been awhile since I've been this excited about a magical book (the last time I felt this way about a book was when I read 'Embracing the Moon' by Yasmine Galenorn, and that was a couple of years ago!). The only thing this book doesn't really go into is negative magic. This wasn't a surprise since the subtitle is 'the art of crafting and casting for positive change.'

Overall, a very good beginners book for anyone who's interested in spellcasting. And you can use it no matter what religion, or not, you belong to. This is something very rare in magical books today which are 99.9999% of the time aimed at Wiccans or try to make the reader think like one.

Very good job to the author and publisher!

-Ater