The Marie Laveau Voodoo Grimoire: Rituals, Recipes, and Spells for Healing, Protection, Beauty, Love, and More

Alvarado (Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints) draws inspiration from 19th-century “Voudou Queen” Marie Laveau (1801–1881) for an eclectic mix of spells, rituals, and general wisdom for living a “spiritual lifestyle.” Drawing on oral tradition, archival newspaper clippings and “Voudou drugstore” product listings (including potions and powders of all kinds), and her own spellbooks, Alvarado offers recipes for traditional magical waters, incenses, oils, and powders (“Black Cat,” a powdered “conjure formula,” can be burned each morning to “gain good fortune”), advice for creating and caring for Voudou altars, explanations of such practices as uncrossing (reversing hexes or bad luck), and tips on optimizing one’s practice by day of the week (water rituals should be reserved for Mondays, while “works involving aggression [and] offensive battle strategies” are best practiced on Tuesdays). Despite a tendency to fawn over her subject (“Who was this boss woman of the 1800s?” she marvels at one point), Alvarado skillfully uses Laveau as conduit to bring to life voodoo’s rich history (she takes particular care to examine its West African roots) and modern applications. This bewitching compendium is ideal for those seeking to expand their magical horizons. (Feb.)