The Nephilim Rising

Lux in Tenebris Lucet

Posts tagged with Book Review

BOOK REVIEW: The Sorcery of Solomon by Sara Mastros

June 30, 2025

I rarely find myself so enchanted by a book that I lose time—real, tangible time—wrapped in its pages. But with The Sorcery of Solomon, I’ve not only lost hours, I’ve willingly surrendered them. And, myself.

This book reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:

“It is not the bloodletting that calls down the power. It is the consenting.” Mary Renault

I willingly gave this very alive book my full consent.

This book didn’t just call to me when I opened my review package from Red Wheel / Weiser.

It howled. There was a magnetic pull, a soul-level resonance that I couldn’t shake. And honestly, I didn’t want to.

Though I’m no stranger to Solomonic Magick or the Pentacles, Sara Mastros has made it all feel refreshingly new.

There’s a youthful glee, excitement and a bit of mischievousness in her voice, a breath of fresh air in her translation, and a groundedness (has this in common with Miller) in her knowledge that immediately sets her apart from anyone who’s come before—especially S. L. MacGregor Mathers, whose work, while foundational, has always felt a bit like reading under fluorescent lights: sterile, rigid, and heavily filtered through a colonial, Christianized lens.

Mastros, by contrast, opens the windows and lets the Spirits speak.

They are the Teachers.
She, a conduit.
A Consort.



Her take on the Key of Solomon isn’t just a better translation—it’s a reclamation.

She reaches into the text and returns to it what centuries of redactors and scribes who wanted to uphold certain narratives tried to erase: its spirit, its soul, its poetic rhythm. This is a book that lives.

The Pentacles themselves, often reduced to Occult collector’s items in other editions, are here treated with the reverence and intensity they deserve.

They’re not curiosities—they’re Talismanic technology. Tools of Sorcery.

And Mastros doesn’t just present them; she teaches us how to use them, how to understand them, how to live them.

It’s clear Sara is steeped in deep tradition, but she also brings her own lived experience, her scholarly drive, and her authentic voice as a Practitioner.

And Gods, what a voice.

I’ve followed her online for years, appreciating her wit, wisdom, and brutal, uncensored truth.

But this?

This is the next level. I found myself wishing I could just wrap up in a blanket, drink tea, and listen to her talk for hours. She could be reading a shopping list, and I’d still be captivated. I said that in my initial review, and I mean it.

The writing strikes this rare alchemical balance – it’s intellectual but approachable, wise but never preachy, Mystical yet utterly Practical.

Nothing about this book feels out of reach, and yet it’s layered with such depth that I know I’ll return to it again and again. I already have!

Even after my “reading hours” were technically up, I kept going.

I kept choosing to keep going.

And that’s the highest praise I can offer.

This book doesn’t just teach—it speaks. And it listens back.

Fifth of Mercury Pentacle by Practical Occult



For anyone on the path of Ceremonial Magick—whether you’re a seasoned Solomonic Magician or just stepping into this current—this book is essential. Truly. It’s not just a modernized Key of Solomon; it’s a living Grimoire for the contemporary Magician.

It’s proof that Solomonic Magick is not just alive but evolving and still deeply relevant today.

So yes, Mathers had his moment. But the future of Solomonic Magick is fierce, and it’s being led by voices like Mastros—voices that remember the past, speak clearly to the present, and dare to shape the future.

If you’re even remotely curious about Solomonic work—don’t wait for more reviews.

Just go buy this book.

It’s a gamechanger.

A breath of life into old bones.

I can’t emphasize this enough:

This book is alive.

The book you’ve always dreamed of? Sara wrote it.
She dreamed of it, too.
She brought it to life.

And we’re all better for it.

BOOK REVIEW: Witches – A Compendium

February 13, 2025

‘Witches: A Compendium’ by Judika Illes is an absolute treasure, a masterpiece that ignites a passion for the enchanting world of Witchcraft like nothing else I’ve ever encountered.

With each turn of the page, you’re drawn into a rich tapestry of history and basics that breathe life into the Craft.

Judika boldly dives into a vast ocean of knowledge, touching on every conceivable facet of Witchcraft, painting a vivid picture that leaves you spellbound. And wanting more.

From the diverse types of Witches to the fascinating schools of thought, she weaves in awe-inspiring real-life stories and pop culture references that resonate deeply. A lot of familiar names and new ones, too!

I would like to note that some folks are not going to agree with every example of “Witch” given in the book.

Some that I’ve seen questioned are: Bridget Bishop, Moses, and Marie Laveau.

Judika provides an excellent argument why Bridget might actually have been practicing. I don’t want to give spoilers.

However, Scholars agree with his position.

Moses was a Magick Man, a man of the Mystical Arts. In my opinion, it’s semantics to argue if he was or was not a “Witch.”

Arguments and facts are presented on why each person (real or fictional) is mentioned. Including Moses.

We (the community) also must acknowledge that Witch has become an umbrella term; right or wrong.

Then, there is Marie Laveau, who is written about with such respect and reverence and nothing inaccurate.

This is such a rich book.


And that’s not all! Judika discusses sacred tools, powerful methods, and a treasure trove of insights that sets this book apart.

This book is a calling, an invitation to explore the wondrous aspects of Witchcraft with fresh eyes.

I did not know what to expect when I received this to review. It was delightful, educational, and will now, yes, really, be a reference book for myself and one that I can offer to my students and clients.

It’s always been a joy to sit down with a good book during a snowstorm, hot tea, a cat or four on my lap, a blanket, sweet treat, and soft music.

But, those books are few and far between that create that ambiance, in my opinion.

This is one of those books.

Even if you aren’t sitting in a snowstorm reading this, you will feel like it.

The world falls away, like it does with the silence of snow.

And you’re able to simply immerse yourself in the pages.

What a wonderful journey, indeed.

Lux in Tenebris Lucet

BOOK REVIEW: Spirit Work Primer

November 16, 2022

I receive a lot of messages, comments and the like asking all kinds of questions, but mostly they’re from folks seeking advice.

By far, the number one question I receive is: Where do I start on my journey to Spirit Working?

I find that people are confused about how to find a Deity.

Let’s pause and address THIS.

-You do not need a Deity

-In my humble opinion, They find and choose you

-Your journey will lead you to them (Examples: S*xual A*sault, death and pain led me to Hekate; Asanas and practicing the 6 Branches of Yoga fully committed as a Hindu led Kali to me who paved the way for Shiva through Her dance of destruction)

Carrying on..

Folks don’t know how to Evoke or Invoke and when to do which; I personally do not engage in the latter because of a pact I made with another Spirit.

We each have our own paths to walk and Practices to well, practice.

Spirit Work itself is a broad term, but it means working with Spirits.

This could be anything from a God, Goddess, to a Daemon, or an Angel.

There are many classes of Spirits and different definitions depending on Tradition, individual opinion and personal, lived experiences.

So where do you begin? How do you start?

It’s really overwhelming and not something that can be summed up in a blog or fb post.

Jason Miller recently put out an excellent book called, Consorting with Spirits: Your Guide to Working with Invisible Allies. I will be reviewing it in the future.

The thing I must say about Miller’s book (he’s one of my favorites and most influential Authors) is that he wrote it for people that already have a Magickal foundation established and honestly?

I really appreciate that.

I think it’s incredible to have books that appeal to novices and adepts alike; I like that there are books for novices only; I like that there are books for adepts only.

They can all exist, and they are all (mostly) worthy.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with writing to experienced Practitioners. I started reading it and was like, “Oh, oh, thank f*ck”.

That said, there is a book that has kind of slipped through the cracks and I believe it’s noteworthy.

I had not heard of it before, and when I did and I started reading, even though it is specifically for NEW PRACTITIONERS, I found it exceedingly interesting, and it helped refresh some things for me. Not in a redundant way, either.

I never felt like I was being spoken to like a child, and I found the entire thing educational and that, my friends, is why I am here.

The Spirit Work Primer: A Beginner’s Guide to Streamlined Spirit Work by Naag Loki Shivanath, published by Crossed Crow Books. This is a revamped, second edition from the original 2017 publication.

Image Source: Crossed Crow Books/fb

I highly recommend it if you are interested in working with Spirits but have no clue where to begin.

Covered topics are:

The Basics of Spirit Work, The Nature of Offerings, Spirit Senses, Magickal Invocation, Magickal Evocation, The Nature of Spiritual Pacts, Spirit Possession, Familiar Spirits, Spirit Keeping, Isolated Spirits, Created Spirits, Spirit Houses, Spiritual Self-Defense and Cleanup, Grimoire of the Thorn.

Publisher describes it as follows:

“Invocation, Evocation, Possession

These words conjure forth feelings of unease and confusion for many magical practitioners, even today. This book, however, is a fantastic guide intended to shed some much needed light on these often misunderstood subjects. Within these pages, spirit worker and necromancer Naag Loki Shivanath serves as guide and teacher, taking all readers through a sophisticated yet highly practical system of spirit conjuration. If you’ve been interested in learning how to sharpen your spirit senses, safely practice spirit possession, work through spirit invocation and evocation, then this tome is the book you’ve been waiting for.

Whether you are a follower of the more ritualized manifestations of the magical arts or a Witch looking to deepen your practice with the spirit world, A Spirit Work Primer will prove to be a valuable resource that is referenced time and time again.”

This is a book that is not specific to any one Tradition or path, and the Author never shames the Practitioner for the path they walk.

This is an informational guide on Spirit Work.

I will say, and this may be my only critique, the Author brings up Gender in Practice, and the way it’s worded could’ve been better. I don’t know if I agree with associating give and take (in pact work) with the masculine and feminine manifesting.

“The Principle of Gender

At last, we reach the final law, stating: “Gender is in everything; everything has its masculine and feminine principles: gender manifests on all planes.” This law speaks to more than just your anatomy, however. This law speaks to the fact that nothing is without balance, and that everything that is generated or regenerated consists of both masculine and feminine energies: light and dark, fire and water, air and earth, and so on. To see how this principle applies to pact working, consider that for every desire you create a pact for, you have to give something up. You have to balance the scales, or else Spirit will not deliver on their end. This forms the circle of give and take, the manifestation of male and female.”

I agree the scales must be balanced. I agree that in pact working for it to be successful you must sacrifice something; as mentioned above, I don’t agree that it is masculine and feminine manifesting.

All in all, this is an excellent book and should be talked about more.

Most importantly, it should be read.

You want this in your collection.

REVIEW: The Power of Hex: Spells, Incantations and Rituals

November 21, 2020

 

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It has been a long time since I sat down to write.

There is an odd comfort, like a warm embrace from a past lover, laced with a foreign feeling of no longer knowing who they are as intimately as you once did. The passion? Oh, the fierce passion is still there though.

My fire, my torch, my words are all still here, right where I set them down.

I have been forced into silence, hibernation, reflection.

Many of us have.

Admittedly, on my part, some of it is pure escapism.

Some of it is the sheer surrealism of our current reality.

This year, oy, this year! 2020 has seriously been a year for the record books.

Between everything that has been happening on the world stage; political, social, and economical and with how that has affected each of us individually

ALONG WITH

Everything that has happened to each of us individually in our personal lives/worlds (I do not know a single person having a “great” year),

we are burnt tf out.

It is like the collective is holding their breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

As an individual with CPTSD, this is such a familiar space and feeling for me; not that it makes it any better or easier for myself, or the rest of the world.

We are held up in our homes, and even though we may be understanding, it does not change how we may feel.

Like many of my readership I did not have to make many drastic life changes when the pandemic started because, well, introvert for life!

I was, however, infected with CoViD in March (as was my Mother) and have since been through the ringer regarding my health.

Currently, I have Lyme disease and a broken foot and toe from an accident at home.

The message from the universe has been clear—slow down, work smarter not harder, make your work work for you, and most importantly, turn to Witchcraft and your Spiritual practices NOW more than EVER.

Pexels

With all that said, here is the reason I am sitting down to write today:

I figured it is the perfect time to introduce a new feature to my blog: book reviews.

For transparency, some of the books on the roster to be reviewed have been because I was approached by Publicists.

I *do not get paid* to promote books, nor do I personally get anything out of it besides a copy of a book here or there.

The opinions expressed are my own.

If you have any books that you would like to be featured, please send me a message.

One of the main reasons that people reach out to me and seek advice is to ask for book recommendations.

I love to read, and I have been diving back into study since the Universe wants me to rest.

So, this is a happy medium, for me. I am still a Creative, after all, and create I must.

Today’s book is ‘The Power of Hex: Spells, Incantations and Rituals’ by Shawn Engel

You can find her on IG here 

You can find her Publisher here

You can purchase her book here

If you know my work, you know that I am not against Hexing, or any kinds of Baneful Magick.

I believe it should be done ethically (I know, this can be debated as being subjective but, I digress..)

I also know, you’re probably thinking, “what the fuck, Jac? You’re literally hexing someone. How can that be ethical?”

Well, my reply would be, we have all met “hex happy” Witches who think that every little thing requires some jinx, cross, curse, or hex and I am just like…

So, before I get into my review of content let me say that aesthetically, this book is otherworldly! It is hardcover, easy to read, with beautiful illustrations and text throughout.

I admit at first, I thought this book was going to be a hot mess; not because of Shawn personally, whom I have been following on IG for a while, but because of the topic.

How could this topic be approached from a non-colonial perspective, as so many Witchcraft topics often are laced with undertones of Patriarchy, Capitalism, Misogyny and White Supremacy? How could ALL forms of this Magick (hexing) be covered, or attempt to be covered? How could this Author ARM WITCHES with knowledge and practical methods without giving *too much*?

Yes, there is such a thing as too much, and that line must be crossed by the individual Practitioner through their practice, not through a book. The journey into the Void is the most personal journey we take as Occult Practitioners.

However, this book can, and will, aid you in knowing what to do when that leap into the Void happens and/or you are faced with adversity.

This is a book that should be in all Witches’ libraries

Shawn has covered every single base in these 128 pages.

She goes over history, from many traditions.

She covers ETHICAL HEXING; when, how, why.

She talks about HEXING AS ACTIVISM: fuck yes.

This book is rich with information, spells, and it is one of those that you can grab, and because it is written like a Grimoire, you can just open to the page you want, and your spell is right there.

I do not want to give away too much because, duh, I want to support Authors and I want you to go buy this!

But all of the boxes have been checked in this book.

I have read it three times through so that my review could be honest, and I mean *really honest* even if vague.

Image: Jaclyn Cherie

Here is an excerpt courtesy of Shawn Engel and Chicago Review Press, copyright 2020.

‘To Hex or Not?’

“Whether a hex is necessary is something that you will feel in your gut, but there should always be a cooling off period before you perform the hex. Taking an example from everyday life to illustrate this, consider some of the gun laws in the USA: a seven-day waiting period is imposed between the time you buy the gun and when you actually own it. This is intended to curb the potential for crimes of passion. Hexing calls for a similar self-imposed waiting period. I know it may seem dramatic to compare hexing to gun ownership, but I can’t stress enough how powerful the act of focused intention can be when it is backed up by rage. So, if you’re a lover scorned who was just cheated on by her ex, take a break before you hex.

To make issue as clear as possible: when you are deciding whether or not to hex, consider the environment in which a hex may be appropriate. The approach should help you distinguish between actual oppression and merely something bad that has happened to you. It will take some dedication and forethought, but this approach should help clear away any confusion around whether the subject of your hex deserves to be locked away or is just a human being who acted unfavorably.

When deciding to hex, it can be helpful to ask yourself some basic questions. Did this person hurt you or others? And, if so, did they do so with malicious intent? Did this person continuously harm you or others? And, if so, did they do so with malicious intent? The key here is to define intention and willingness to change, and then you should be able to decide if it is worth hexing that person.”

Image: Jaclyn Cherie

Within the pages of this book, Shawn empowers her readers to safely hex, and to use this taboo form of Magick as both defensive and offensive Magick which is an imperative lesson.

This is the perfect book for personal and collective change in these tumultuous times.

Magick is activism.

Hexing is activism.

Witchcraft is activism.

I’m here for it.

Go support a fellow Witch and buy this book.

You will not be disappointed.

Blessed Are The Witches.