Blood Sex Magic by Bri Luna | Book Review of Shadows

An intimate, illustrated collection of spells and stories to infuse our lives with ritual, history, and magic from the visionary artist and infamous witch Bri Luna, founder and creative director of “The Hoodwitch.”

Blood Sex Magic is an invitation and an awakening—a guide toward a life of connection to self and spirit, to the seen and unseen realms, and to magical traditions past and future. Bri Luna honors traditions from her African American and Mexican roots and celebrates magic that is “from dirt and blood, jewels and bones, moon and sun.”

Full of stunning photography and color illustrations, and brimming with incantations, spells, stories, vignettes, and warnings, Blood Sex Magic is divided into three powerful sections:

• BLOOD uncovers Bri’s roots, with passages for setting boundaries, protection, and honoring the dead
• SEX reveals the art of love magic, a celebration of the goddess, lust, and femininity, with spells for seduction and revenge
• MAGIC offers meaningful daily rituals, including those for self-love, peace, beauty, and prosperity

An instant classic and timeless resource for both new and experienced witches alike, this beautiful collection shows us how to access the untapped magic within, and encourages us to see and channel that same magic in the world around us.

Amazon.ca

This is probably the most exciting witch book I’ve read in quite some time. It lit a magical fire in me and had me making up a real altar space for the first time in months. (I also painted my nails jezebel-ass red!) I’ve been a fan of Bri Luna and her brand The Hoodwitch for years. She was so different from a lot of the witches I’d known in my life, most of which were white and were very european-inspired. She’s glamorous, intelligent, artistic, and most importantly: a true original. She is unapologetically herself, and while I’m not ashamed to admit that I wished I was just like her more than once, she actually always inspired me to craft a practice that was truly unique to me and that reflected who I am. This book absolutely lived up to this energy.

The basics: this is a hardcover full of personal photos and incredible artwork. It’s colourful and dynamic, no space feels wasted, and even after you read a paragraph there’s so much on every page to take in. I didn’t feel like I was reading the book, I felt like I was experiencing it. It’s part memoir, and part practical book of magic and witchcraft. The book is divided into 3 parts – Blood, Sex, and Magic. Blood focuses on Bri’s roots as an African American and Indigenous Mexican Woman learning about magic and life from the people around her. Sex is about, well, sex! Sex, love, passion, glamour, and dark sensuality of magical women. Though you find spells and recipes throughout, the Magic section dives into rituals, healing, hexes, crystals, and other practical information that witches of all levels can use in their practice.

My personal favourite section was Blood. I am the very opposite of a family person, I’m an olympic gold loner, ok? But this section of the book gives the reader an inside look at the strong women and beautiful cultures that came together to help Bri figure out who she is. It felt so special, so personal, and was the part that seemed to come to life the most. The way she described her grandmothers, their homes, their favourite sayings, even their nails, was so vivid and full of love. I also liked that Bri pointed out the ways she was different from them without it feeling adversarial. She treasures what she learned from them, even if it wasn’t in line with the person she became. I really respect that.

The spells, rituals, tarot spreads, and recipes in the book are really great and I’ve got quite a few bookmarked for the future. There were two spells I can see myself ever using, but I still think they’re badass in a way you don’t often see in modern books of witchcraft, like a recipe for panty water to bind a lover to you and a spell to heal from pregnancy loss. I respect the hell out of witches that aren’t afraid to share magic long believed to be taboo or too “dark”. Darkness and desire are parts of life, actually I think they might be right at the top of the list of things that make life worth living at all.

The artwork and photos throughout the book are great, and provide a lot of depth to the stories told and thoughts expressed. Some pages had cool collages featuring roses, snakes, goddesses and statuary, and images from around Los Angeles. Others had photos of bri throughout her life, her family and friends, and other pictures she clearly took along the way. The whole thing feels like this beautiful scrapbook with a combination of journal entries, spells and recipes. Which is exactly what I think personal grimoires and books of shadows should be. This is not a text book, not an academic exploration, it’s an intimate look at Bri’s own personal brand of witchcraft.

This is more than a book of magic, it’s a book of life.

One of my favourite pages in the book.

If I had to compare it to anything, it would have to be Italian Witchcraft by Mary Grace Fahrun. The two authors come from very different backgrounds, obviously, and since I also come from an Italian family the book felt like a warm hug and an old friend. Though Bri and I come from very different places, her book has the same warmth, the same hospitable energy, and the same feeling like the world is truly FULL of magical people willing to connect with us on a soul level.

This book really earned 5 whole crystals balls. Hell, I give it 13 crystal balls. All the crystal balls. If you’re a fan of the Hoodwitch, practice a creative and/or erotic type of witchcraft, or if you’ve struggled to feel connected to the things that make you feel uniquely magical, you’ll get a lot out of this book. I certainly have.

🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮/5!

Buy Blood Sex Magic: Everyday Magic for the Modern Mystic from Amazon.ca (Canada) or Amazon.com (USA)

Bri Luna is the founder of The HoodWitch a web platform and lifestyle brand dedicated to empowering, educating, and cultivating community through meaningful rituals supporting self-care and wellness. Luna is devoted to offering “Everyday Magic for the modern mystic,” through her art and is an advocate for the use of traditional healing practices to address modern-day challenges.

She and her work have been featured internationally and in major publications including Vogue, I.D, and The New York Times.

Find her at thehoodwitch.com

If you like Blood Sex Magic’s vibe, you’ll no doubt like Gabriela Herstik’s Goddess of Love Tarot! Read my review at the following link: It’s in the Cards: Goddess of Love Tarot Deck Review

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