Always practise safe hex . . . New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins, writing as Erin Sterling, follows her sensational TikTok hit, The Ex Hex, and casts a spell with a new spine-tingling romance full of wishes, witches, and cursed kisses. 'A spooky romantic comedy treat that had me sighing at one page, laughing out loud at the next' TESSA BAILEY on The Ex Hex Readers ADORED The Ex Hex! 'If Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Gilmore Girls had a book baby, it would be THE EX HEX. And yes, it's just as glorious as it sounds!' 'I loved and adored everything about this book . . . everything I was looking for! 5/5 stars!' 'The vibes were immaculate' 'One of the best rom-coms I've read all year! . . . It's Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls and I am a hundred percent OBSESSED!' 'Definite Gilmore Girls vibes but with more magic and sex' 'A fantastic romance with more than a touch of magic' 'This book is pitched as Hocus Pocus, but it bangs and it certainly did' ........................................ Magic doesn't always play by the rules. Gwyn Jones is perfectly happy with her life in Graves Glen. She's formed a powerful new coven with her family; she's running a successful witchcraft shop, Something Wicked; and she's mentoring some of the younger witches in town. As Halloween approaches, there's only one problem - Llewellyn 'Wells' Penhallow. Wells has come to Graves Glen for two reasons: to re-establish his family's connection to the town and to make a new life for himself away from his father. But when he opens a magic shop of his own just across the street from Gwyn's, he quickly learns that going up against her won't be as easy as he thought . . . especially after an accidentally magic-inspired - and very hot - kiss. While Gwyn and Wells are fully committed to their witchy rivalry, they soon find themselves thrown together once again to deal with the sudden appearance of a mysterious new coven and Gwyn's growing concern that something - or someone - is messing with her magic . . . ........................................ Praise for The Ex Hex, an unmissable treat! 'Sterling's novel is ultimately crisp and sweet, like biting into the perfect caramel apple . . . will sweep readers up into a world of whimsical magic' Kirkus 'Filled with delightful witchiness and humor . . . a fluffy Halloween treat' Publishers Weekly 'A delightful and witty take on witchy mayhem' PopSugar 'You can't help but smile and laugh while reading The Ex Hex . . . Perfect for anyone who needs more witchy content in their lives' The Nerd Daily

Faunalia is a controversial Pagan festival with a reputation for being wild and emotionally intense. It lasts five days, 80 people attend, and the two main rituals run most of the night. In the tantalisingly erotic Baphomet rite, participants encounter a hermaphroditic deity, enter a state of trance and dance naked around a bonfire. In the Underworld rite participants role play their own death, confronting grief and suffering. These rituals are understood as "shadow work" - a Jungian term that refers to practices that creatively engage repressed or hidden aspects of the self. Sex, Death and Witchcraft is a powerful application of relational theory to the study of religion and contemporary culture. It analyses Faunalia's rituals in terms of recent innovations in the sociology of religion and religious studies that focus on relational etiquette, lived religion, embodiment and performance. The sensuous and emotionally intense ritual performances at Faunalia transform both moral orientations and self-understandings. Participants develop an ethical practice that is individualistic, but also relational, and aesthetically mediated. Extensive extracts from interviews describe the rituals in participants' own words. The book combines rich and evocative description of the rituals with careful analysis of the social processes that shape people's experiences at this controversial Pagan festival.

The popular Wiccapedia gets the ultimate companion journal!   A Book of Shadows is a journal that witches keep close at hand for jotting down their spells—and this beautiful keepsake edition, by the authors of Wiccapedia, is the perfect accompaniment to that popular guide for modern witches. A concise first section features basic information on essential tools for spells, key herbs and crystals, moon phases and magick, and a wheel of yearly Wiccan holidays. Over 225 pages of journal pages follow, where you can record all the details of your spellcraft such as the date, the phase of the moon, the ingredients . . . and the results.  

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, entire communities, particularly in central Europe were gripped by a fear of witches and witchcraft, and pursued witches in order to bring them to justice. Professor David Nash unlocks the sometimes opaque history of the phenomenon of witchcraft in Britain, Europe and America. The book explores the development of witchcraft and belief in witches, the obsession with witches and witchcraft that spawned witch-hunting, the hey-day and decline of witch-hunting, and the fascinating 'afterlife' of witchcraft: covering not only the survival of some beliefs into the nineteenth century but the academic interest in witchcraft in the early twentieth century, which culminated in the interest shown in the phenomenon by experts serving the interests and ideology of Nazi Germany. Among the themes that the author will examine are the geographical spread and regional differences in witchcraft and witch-hunting across Britain, Europe and America; the theories on the rise of witch-hunting; and gender differences: why so many more women were accused and convicted of witch-hunting than men.

Tis title provides impressive dossier on the phenomenon of Saturnism, offering a new interpretation of aspects of Judaism, including the emergence of Sabbateanism. This book explores the phenomenon of Saturnism, namely the belief that the planet Saturn, as described by ancient astrology, influenced Jews, reverberating into Jewish life. Taking into consideration the astrological aspects of Judaism, Moshe Idel demonstrates that they were instrumental in the conviction that Sabbatei Tzevei, the mid-17th-century messianic figure in Rabbinic Judaism, was indeed the Messiah. Offering a new approach to the study of this mass-movement known as Sabbateanism, Idel also explores the possible impact of astrology on the understanding of Sabbath as related to sorcery and thus to the concept of the encounter of witches in the late 14th and early 15th century. This book further analyzes aspects of 20th-century scholarship and thought influenced by Saturnism, particularly lingering themes in the works of Gershom Scholem and seminal figure Walter Benjamin. "The Robert and Arlene Kogod Library of Judaic Studies" publishes new research which provides new directions for modern Jewish thought and life and which serves to enhance the quality of dialogue between classical sources and the modern world. This book series reflects the mission of the Shalom Hartman Institute, a pluralistic research and leadership institute, at the forefront of Jewish thought and education. It empowers scholars, rabbis, educators and layleaders to develop new and diverse voices within the tradition, laying foundations for the future of Jewish life in Israel and around the world.

Discover the wonders of Wicca and learn how to harness your inner power with this beginner's guide to white witchcraft Find your magick From the history of Wicca to the basics of spell work, this pocket-sized book is the perfect introduction to magick and white witchcraft. Find out how to tap into the infinite power of the natural world by uncovering the unique properties of natural ingredients - from herbs, flowers and seeds to incense and crystals. Study the extraordinary history of witches and Wicca, and discover how present-day witches combine modern technology and traditional methods to help manifest their desires. Master the rudiments of white magick with enchantments and rituals for every occasion. Whether you're a budding witch or simply want to learn more about the world of spells and sorcery, this book includes everything you need to understand and start practising this remarkable craft. Enrich your life with the power of magick and learn how to: Uncover and embrace your inner witch Connect with the rich history of witchcraft Start developing your Wiccan abilities and sustain your craft Work in alignment with the earth's natural rhythms to get the most out of your practice Create spells, potions and rituals for promoting love, happiness and success

This book offers a comparison of lay and inquisitorial witchcraft prosecutions. In most of the early modern period, witchcraft jurisdiction in Italy rested with the Roman Inquisition, whereas in Denmark only the secular courts raised trials. Kallestrup explores the narratives of witchcraft as they were laid forward by people involved in the trials.

'Witches occupy a clear place in contemporary imagination. We can see them, shadowy, in the corners of the past: mad, glamorous, difficult, strange. They haunt the footnotes of history - from medieval witches burning at the stake to the lurid glamour of the 1970s witchcraft revival. But they are moving out of history, too. Witches are back. They're feminist, independent, invested in self-care and care for the world. They are here, because they must be needed.' What it means to be a witch has changed radically throughout history; where 'witch' was once a dangerous - and often deadly - accusation, it is now a proud self-definition. Today, as the world becomes ever more complicated and as we face ecological, political and economic crisis - witchcraft is experiencing a resurgence. Witches are back. In A Spell in the Wild, Alice Tarbuck explores what it means to be a witch today. Rooted in the real world, but filled with spells, rituals and recipes, this book is an accessible, seasonal guide to witchcraft in the twenty-first century. Following the course of a witch's calendar year while also exploring the history and politics of witchcraft, A Spell in the Wild is the perfect primer for the contemporary witch.

A beautifully illustrated guide from a Celtic Wiccan High Priestess to celebrating the Wiccan way, from Halloween to handfastings, as well as everyday rituals to enhance all areas of your life. The Wiccan calendar is marked by significant festivals, called sabbats. The most famous is Halloween, also known as Samhain, but you will be familiar with others, too, such as the Summer and Winter Solstices. Wiccans celebrate these sabbats with rituals, crafts, and food and drink, and in this book, Silja reveals how you can bring some of that magic into your life, even if working as a solitary witch. She also details other special days throughout the year, such as August 23, the Roman festival of Vulcanalia, which is celebrated with bonfires. Discover, too, how Wiccans celebrate personal rites of passage, such as the naming of a baby and a couple committing to each other in a Wiccan wedding, known as a handfasting. Finally, Silja explains how to write your own daily, weekly, or monthly rituals to bring you peace and happiness. Lavishly illustrated throughout, this is your essential guide to all your Wiccan celebrations.

Belief in magic and particularly the power of witchcraft was once a deep and enduring presence in popular culture. "Diving into Brian Hoggard's Magical House Protection is a remarkable experience... [It] provides an immersive and fascinating read."-Fortean Times People created and concealed many objects to protect themselves from harmful magic. Detailed are the principal forms of magical house protection in Britain and beyond from the fourteenth century to the present day. Witch-bottles, dried cats, horse skulls, written charms, protection marks and concealed shoes were all used widely as methods of repelling, diverting or trapping negative energies. Many of these practices and symbols can be found around the globe, demonstrating the universal nature of efforts by people to protect themselves from witchcraft. From the introduction: The most popular locations to conceal objects within buildings are usually at portals such as the hearth, the threshold and also voids or dead spaces. This suggests that people believed it was possible for dark forces to travel through the landscape and attack them in their homes. Whether these forces were emanations from a witch in the form of a spell, a witch's familiar pestering their property, an actual witch flying in spirit or a combination of all of those is difficult to tell. Additional sources of danger could be ghosts, fairies and demons. People went to great lengths to ensure their homes and property were protected, highlighting the fact that these beliefs and fears were visceral and, as far as they were concerned, literally terrifying.

"This book illuminates the origins of the great European witch hunts by placing early witch trials in the comparative light of other criminal proceedings in Basel, Lucerne and Nuremberg. The study reveals that the increasingly harsh treatment was paralleled by mounting judicial severity in general, as well as by a keen interest in social control"--