Spells for Change: A Guide for Modern Witches is a debut guidebook on spirituality by “Chaotic Witch Aunt” Frankie Castanea

My rating: 5 of 5 stars (4.5 rounded up to 5)

Spells for Change: A Guide for Modern Witches is a debut guidebook on spirituality by “Chaotic Witch Aunt” Frankie Castanea, a practicing eclectic/folk witch. Castanea originally found fame through TikTok and uses they/them pronouns. The book was originally published in the U.K. in 2021, but this is a new U.S. edition. The PDF version is a little over 200 pages and the artwork in the book (and on the cover!) is fantastic.

Their goal for this book was to provide a broad overview of traditions so the reader can create a customized version of witchcraft for themselves. They focus on “manifesting change through spell work, intent, and mindfulness with a decolonized point of view.” This book isn’t just for folks new to the craft, it can also help to add nuance to a current practice and to further explore its history and theory.

Castanea delves into tools, materials, and foundations for nearly half of the book, which I appreciated. Some of the materials explained in this book include crystals, rocks, herbs, flowers, trees, and stuff you probably have already in your kitchen. There are several rituals, spells, and suggested exercises in the book as well. The last part of the book really digs into topics about colonization, cultural appropriation, and closed practices. I was really pleased to find a wonderful bibliography/suggested reading list in the back of the book.

Special thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for providing an PDF of this book for me to review. All opinions contained herein are my own. Spells for Change: A Guide for Modern Witches releases in the U.S. on Tuesday, April 26th.

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