Of Blood and Bones: Working with Shadow Magick & the Dark Moon

Honest information easy to read and understand. Not misleading with dangerous information without understanding consequence or judgement. Author shared personal stories into lessons without trying to sway you into any agenda. Bought physical copy to keep and go back again & again

I really love this book because it educates you not only on the more “protective” side of the craft but doesn’t necessarily revolve around one “set” form of practice- example: lots of different deities mentioned and some education on each. Def one of my main go-tos in my library!

This book is good.

I don't know what it feels like *not* to do shadow work. My work has always been of the dark nature, even those spells I cast in light are always to balance the force of darkness. Of Blood And Bones is a masterful work. I cannot express this enough. It's honest, meaning, Freuler does not sugar coat that some (a lot) dark work is, well, very dark. You invoke deities who deal expressedly in the shadow side of things. You cannot turn these deities into happy and peace loving beings. Dark magic is as necessary as light. This world is by nature of existence a triad: the dark, the light, and the liminal space in between. You cannot eschew all other energies just because you are afraid of them. Indeed, the more afraid you are, the more shadow work you likely need to do. Freuler gives a no-nonsense approach to shadow work. Her writing is both concise and richly articulate. I recently rebuilt my library of magick, and I didn't realize that hers would be the one I pick up most often. It's been a huge relief to know that somewhere in the world I have an ally in my shadow work. I am very cautious about the magick that I do. And this book is the perfect guide that aligns with my philosophies around magick in general. Not to mention giving a few spells to work with and tailor to suit me and my life path. If you are afraid of shadow work but are still curious, I would say avoid Crowley (lol), and the grimoires listed here. Freuler gives a feminine approach to shadow work, inviting you to try your hand without freaking you out. Some of the grimoires here don't have any guardrails. Not that I think they are necessary, after all, if you are inclined to do dark work, you know what you are dealing with, and you should have a manual that helps you get to where you want to go. But if you are new to shadow work, or want something that's not quite as 'intense', start with Of Blood and Bones. Your guides are waiting for you, as are the deities who will help you understand that dark impulses are not all bad (yes, some of them are! But not all.). In fact, when we embrace our shadow side, we begin to balance our lives. We begin to live more honest lives. Thank you Freuler. Your book is a work of art that should grace every witch's shelf of magickal tomes.

For several years now, I have been practicing more seriously my witchcraft. I’ve always come from the place of love and light, but I knew that there was this darker side to me that I somehow felt I needed to embrace. I kept placing this feeling it to the side but the need to dive into something darker has stuck with me. As I’ve gotten older and I’m reaching the part of life where I am the crone, there is a darkness within me that needs to be explored and I can’t deny it anymore. This is not to say that I want to harm anybody or curse anybody but that shadow work that I thought I had fixed is still with me and quite strong. I realized that perhaps embracing the darker side of the craft would be a good way to heal myself and accept this other side within me and stop restraining it. I love this book because it gives a balance between the light and dark. We are all light and dark. Nothing is just black and white. Everything is gray. This book has made me feel safe in exploring the shadow part of me which has been fighting for space. It’s a beautifully written book that in many ways is more enlightening than all the love and light witchcraft books you find. This book is truth, truth of the light and the dark that resides within all of us. If you’re looking to embrace the darker arts and darker part of yourself and start on the path of shadow work, I highly recommend this book!

This book covers a hard to find topic. I like to research before I ever put anything into practice. This book is what I had been looking for as far as baneful magic and "taboo" topics in the craft world.

A must read.

Great read, it shows you another perspective of the craft. Its easy to read and understand. It gives you direction how to do certain things using, your bodily fluids, insects, bones. It brings understanding on how the writer feels about the practice. I do recommend it.

Just a gorgeous, unflinching and rigorously passionate introduction to ritual magic that’s shunned away because of positivism.

Finally an intelligent book on the shadow side of the Craft. This book is a brilliant dive into the darker psychology of the practice of magic and why it is an essential part of oneself to face and work through. It has rituals and spells and it informs one of the energies and currents behind them that lie within ourselves. This is not just some how to curse book but a much deeper and informative read on how to work with dark energies in an informed and self aware way.

Love a book that challenges convention. Always looking to expand my understanding of magic in its many forms

Definitely not a usually reading. If you want to work with your dark side or just want to be aware of the possibilities available to everyone during the new moon, this is an amazing reading. Alternatives presented in every work to make it lighter or simply more doable. Every work very well explained. The dark side is not what most people think it is. It's rather an opportunity to eliminate bad things, to new beginnings, for balance. An incredible buy. If it had 10 stars I would give 10 stars. Amazing book.

Kate Freuler’s Of Blood and Bones is a bold, unapologetic guide that dives deep into the heart of shadow magick, fearlessly addressing the often-avoided corners of spiritual practice. Unlike many mainstream occult books that skirt the darker aspects of the craft, this work embraces them head-on with clarity, reverence, and a refreshing sense of practicality. One of the most compelling features of this book is Freuler’s treatment of working with bones and bodily fluids. She doesn’t sensationalize these practices, nor does she present them as edgy for the sake of shock value. Instead, she approaches them with a sense of sacred purpose, grounding their use in ancestral work, spirit communication, and personal transformation. Her instructions are thorough yet accessible, making these more advanced elements feel less intimidating and more integrated with traditional witchcraft. Freuler also excels at contextualizing the taboo. Whether it’s the use of menstrual blood, nails, or graveyard dirt, she explains not only the how, but the why—inviting the reader to examine their own boundaries, cultural conditioning, and relationship with death and the unseen. This isn’t just a book about “dark” tools—it’s a mirror for self-reflection, making it incredibly powerful for anyone on a serious spiritual path. Of Blood and Bones is a must-read for witches who are ready to move beyond light-only practices and engage with magick in its full, raw, and complex form. Freuler’s writing is grounded, respectful, and rooted in experience. She offers not just rituals and recipes, but a deeper philosophy about working with the shadows—both within ourselves and in the world around us. Highly recommended for intermediate to advanced practitioners who are ready to embrace the totality of their craft.