Using your Tarot deck for magic isnt a new idea but these rituals are. I read this book with fascination and amazed at the scope of spells that can be done with a simple Tarot deck . However the awesomeness of this book goes further with prompts for daily journalling which never even occurred to me. The spells and the journaling literally go hand in hand and the proof of your daily work will be in the changes in your life from doing the spells. I picked one to focus on for myself and did the home protection spell.I didnt want to ruin my card so I made a copy of it and probably could have drawn it myself for even more effect but either way it is working. The book explains ways to set up a circle, the moon and its effects, and other things people like to know when empowering their lives. Excellent and well thought out as well as illustrated.

While the format of the ARC made this difficult to read - not the book's fault - I enjoyed this book and think it's a great supplemental for tarot reading, and offers an interesting (if often simplified) new way of looking at and utilizing the cards.

This book is possibly my favorite tarot book to date. Not only does it talk about a brief history of tarot but also how much your practice is what you make it and that it is okay to be busy and not always be able to practice daily! The spells all for the most part use easy to have household items and draw from the meaning or the cards (which are on the page next to the spell with the cards meanings and intentions written out) with clear intention. I will definitely be referencing this book often both when just reading my cards and also integrating it into my spell work for a deeper understanding of myself and my craft!

This book absolutely gorgeous and informative. I really loved the artwork and will be buying a physical copy for my shelves ASAP.

Thank you to Sam Magdaleno, Fair Winds Press, and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.


The Tarot Spellbook is a fun and beautifully illustrated guide through the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck that gives insight and a spell for each of the 78 cards.

I love the illustration and overall design of this book. It seems like a great way to get to know your deck better, as well as attuning more to yourself. The journal questions at the bottom of each page were sweet and conveyed even more intention. This feels like a cookbook, giving extra details on ingredients, tools, and methods without being a heavy unapproachable tome. I thought it was really sweet and it made me pick up my tarot deck again. I could absolutely see myself giving this as a gift to one of my witchy friends.

4 out of 5 stars

The Tarot Spellbook has short descriptions of each tarot card and how to cast magick spells for manifestation. Every card has a spell. Pretty interesting. Very well written with easy to understand directions. I consider it a good beginner tarot/spell book. Must say that I feel the colors were a little too much for my eyes, however still a good book.

Sam Magdaleno's The Tarot Spellbook does a great job providing basic explanations of the tarot. The meanings and uses of each card are well described. The illustrations are lovely and the book overall provides a nice guide for spells that can be useful for everyone and every situation.

Beautifully illustrated and packed with information. A great beginner guide or even a refresher! Will be adding to my list.

Learning Tarot Spell Casting

Sam Magdaleno starts with some basic information and details on setting up for spellwork, such as:
1. Read the spell completely beforehand.
2. Find a quiet space that is free of any distractions.
3. Set the mood.
4. Gather any candles, crystals, herbs, or other belongings you’d like with you while you complete your spellwork.
5. Cleanse your space and tools.
6. Establish your intention. The Universe loves clarity!
7. Cast a circle

The author writes more of the topics listed above and provides information on cleansing your tools and work area. Additionally, he discusses the different moon phases and each's magical properties; the days of the weeks, and the timing of the days and their effects on spells being effective.

Lastly, the author discusses the Major and Minor Arcana tarot cards and spells associated with each card.

I really like the fact that the author provides a list of spells by subject. This is a great book for anyone desiring to bring this form of spells casting into their craft.

I loved learning more and delving a bit deeper into each tarot card and a spell that is very beginner friendly to go along with each. The journal questions know just the right questions to ask to get you thinking about your craft and how to improve. The only thing about this book that I did not like was the layout of the book as an ebook. I do want to get this book physically though, I would love to be able to annotate it!

The Tarot Spellbook by Sam Magdaleno is a wonderful way to take a step further in tarot studies beyond divination.

What Worked for me
-This book as gorgeous. Internal artwork and page layout through out is incredible and will likely be even more stunning in the physical copies.
-instructions are simple and non path specific making this a good spell guide for eclectic witches and pagans.
What didn't work for me as well
-tarot being utilized in ways other than divination is fascinating

What didn't work as well for me
-many of the card meanings are incredibly simplified. while this is great for those first learning I love to dive deep on card symbolism.
-there were some rendering issues near the end of my digital copy



Who I would recommend this book for
This book is an excellent resource for those beginning in tarot or wanting to explore utilization of tarot in magic outside of divination.

I couldn't look past the colours, I did not enjoy the purple and pink print. I probably should have thought about this better before requesting it. however I didn't think it would bother me so much.

The writing is however very clear and informative. It was just not for me.

The Tarot spellbook is beautifully illustrated and jam packed with lots of incredibly useful information, such as which days of the week have which magikal focus, how to cleanse your area and what magical properties the time of day has. The spells are super relatable; mend a broken heart, get a new job, beat social anxiety etc and I can see myself using these in my day to day life.

This book is easy to understand if you are a beginner or more advanced and not overwhelming like some other books can be. I feel like you would need a second tarot deck if you were going to practice some of these spells though. Absolutely recommend!

I’m the type of person that wants to learn when a piece of information is surrounded by a beautiful illustration. In the case of this book, the illustrations are cheerful and delightful reference tool you’ll want to use.

There is an index of spells by subject in the back of the book which I love for easy reference. Each card is interpreted through one of the spell categories: self, change, guidance, protection, love and relationship, money, career and school, and home.

I loved how there was a combo of the tarot card and the corresponding spell. However, I don’t think this is a beginner tarot book. It’s better to know what you’re looking at (what the imagery means) and the journey from The Fool to The World. The card summaries are written in a way that would benefit from knowing the imagery and then journaling the questions. In tarot, the suits are connected but there’s no indication of how an Ace of Swords is connected to an Ace of Pentacles.

I enjoyed the illustrations and I think it’s a great introduction to the deck. I also loved pairing each card with a spell.

A very interesting book to read! I've never thought of using tarot cards in my spell work before but having read this I definitely will start too! I liked the way it was written, bit informal but easy to connect to way. It has loads of useful information laid out in a very accessible fashion. The only complaint I have is that it just didn't work on my phone. It loaded with each page elongated and it caused the writing to curve at the edges which made it difficult to read and gave me a headache. And when on my phone the font against the coloured background was very jarring.
Thankfully I was able to read it on my computer which didn't have these issues, I'm not sure what the issue was for it being on the NetGalley shelf app on my phone.

I have a lot of decks and I tend to use them in a very traditional way. Engaging in daily practice of drawing a single card and occasionally more complex spreads but I’d never thought to go beyond this.

The Tarot Spellbook gives an alternative use to tarot cards that push your practice and ask you to dig deeper into the craft of tarot. To push these cards, as well as your own, potential and explore a new side to a familiar tool.

The book itself is beautifully illustrated and very modern. I was really drawn to the brightness of it, which some more traditionalists may struggle with. However, I found this a really interesting addition to the collection and I’m waiting on a waxing moon to try “A Charm Spell for Clarity” with my moon card,

I love this book. I am going to buy a hardcopy when it comes out. I was always interested in tarot cards and learning as much as possible about them. This book is more detailed and has more information than any books I’ve had before. Thank you Net Galley

This book has a lot of suggestions and practical tips on doing magic and tarot together or magic using tarot. I personally won't be doing everything in here because most tips aren't universal or can't be applied by everyone. But this could be a good entry point for beginners in magic, witchcraft, tarot, or a combination of all three.