Reviews

Review of “The Witch Books” & Interview with Author Michely Cantagalo

The Witch Books I & II

By: Michely Cantagalo

240 Pages

 

 

Every woman has a witch inside her!”

That’s the first line of Michely Cantagalo’s “The Witch Book I.”

In an email interview she explained, “It was the kind of Book of Shadows / Grimoire I would like to have. I actually was looking for something similar to buy, and didn’t find anything cool, so I decide to make one.”

The book – the first in a series – introduces the Divine Feminine, describes the magical and medicinal uses of eight herbs, identifies forty magickal symbols over two pages, presents rituals such as one for protection, and gives the recipes for potions to spray for prosperity and for purifying the environment. The origins of witches, four feminine archetypes, and the connection between the moon phase and a woman’s menstrual cycle are also covered.

 

 

Forty pages of content include ten full-page illustrations perfect for coloring. The text is all in script with lines centered on the page. I was given an early copy of the eBook, which contained many typos I trust were later corrected.

The physical book includes 200 lined pages to be used as desired. It’s somewhat unusual in that it combines information in the front followed by blank pages to personalize its use.

 

 

This is a Witch Book; it can be used in several ways: Book of Shadows, Grimoire, magical diary, calendar, planner, mirror book,” Michely said.

The pages can also be incorporated into your own Book of Shadows or diary.

I could see using a couple of pages in my own Book of Shadows, but

some of the content left me wanting more. The four pages on “The Witches Origins,” for instance, was not what I expected; it seemed to be more about women, menstruation, and the Inquisition. There were only three mentions of witch or witchcraft in that section. While this is not the type of book I would buy, its versatility is sure to please others.

 

 

The second and slightly longer book came out November 2019.

“‘The Witch Book II’ talks about the Goddess and the God, wheel of the year, magic circle and rituals for each moon phase,” Michely said, adding, “I started to write and create ‘The Witch Book III.’ It will be launched in November in Brazil.”


Each edition comes with a surprise tucked into the back cover. Book I has twelve moon mandalas to record your cycles, while Book II comes with a banner of the eight celebrations on the wheel of the year, and space to record your rituals and feelings.

 

 

As a child, Michely collected stones, played with controlling the weather and sang to the moon.

I didn’t know it was being a witch. When I was sixteen or seventeen years old, I read a book called ‘Brida’ from Paulo Coelho, that tells about a girl who wants become a witch. Then I started to make some rituals and study about it. And five year ago I made a course about the divine feminine that helped me to get connected with the moon and all her phases.

 

 

So I had the idea of make this Grimoire with some content, for people who would like to learn witchcraft but don’t know how to start,” she said.

Creating this book changed my life! I have a degree in fashion design; I worked with it for ten years, but I didn’t feel happy in that profession anymore. When my first book was released and I realized that many people identified with my work and with me, and that I could also help many women teaching about the Sacred Feminine and about witchcraft. It was as if I found my path, my mission, in this life. I have never been so prosperous and so happy doing what I like,” Michely said.

 

 

Each book takes about five months to go from concept to the printer.

I tried a project on Kickstarter to find sponsors to print the first book in English, but I didn’t have enough time. But a lot of people from the USA were very interested; they sent me emails; they wanted buy my book. So I will relaunch my project in the beginning of 2021 and I will put one hundred percent of my time into it.”

 

 

You can find find Michely Cantagalo on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewitchbook/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelycantagalo/

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About the Author:

Lynn Woike

thewitchonwheels.com

All my life I have known magic was real. As a child, I played with the fae, established relationships with trees and “just knew things.” In my maiden years I discovered witchcraft and dabbled in the black-candles-and-cemeteries-at-midnight-on-a-fullmoon magick just enough to realize I did not understand its power. I went on to explore many practices including Zen, astrology, color therapy, native traditions, tarot, herbs, candle magic, gems, and, as I moved into my mother years, Buddhism, the Kabbalah and Reiki. The first man I dated after my divorce was a witch who reintroduced me to the Craft, this time by way of the Goddess. For 11 years I was in a coven, but with retirement, I have returned to an eclectic solitary practice. When accepting the mantle of crone, I pledged to serve and teach. This is what I do from my skoolie – a 30-year-old school bus converted into a tiny house on wheels that I am driving around the country, following 72-degree weather, emerging myself into nature, and sharing magic with those I meet. Find me at thewitchonwheels.com, Facebook and Instagram.