Sticks, Stones, Roots \u0026 Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo \u0026 Conjuring with Herbs by Stephanie Rose Bird

Sticks, Stones, Roots \u0026 Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo \u0026 Conjuring with Herbs Reviews

• 
  Melissa

  Edit: I'm revising this review in order to correspond with my review of the Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook by Denise Alvarado.
  
  In my review of the Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook, I am completely blown away by what I feel is the author's attempt to rewrite hoodoo and it's history in order to be acceptable to the white neo-pagan community.
  
  This book isn't traditional hoodoo either, and yet you're giving it a much better review- so what gives, Melissa?
  
  The first thing I noticed about this book was the manner in which the author- Stephanie RoseBird- spoke. You can immediately tell the difference between the target audiences- the author writes this book for the African American community foremost, however anyone is free to learn and grow from it, whereas Denise's audience is neo-pagans. Here are two examples.
  
  
  This is one of the most important differences between these two books. I have read the majority of Stephanie RoseBird's books, and from them I know that she writes her books to heal not only African Americans, but all Black people within the Diaspora.
  
  From this book, despite the fact that it is in no way traditional hoodoo, Stephanie is attempting to heal a deep rift, a deep, deep wound between African Americans and our spirituality and spiritual practices, merging African concepts into African American spirituality in order to reconnect us to our roots in the Motherland.
  
  Hoodoo's rich history is gone into in detail, describing the Africanisms that present themselves within African American conjure, as opposed to Denise's books, which make a quick glide over the history of slavery, oppression, and racism as not to offend white audiences and instill a sense of white guilt.
  
  I also feel as if Denise Alvarado's books minimize the roots of hoodoo within African American culture.
  
  Whereas Denise's book is valued for it's compendium of formulas, Stephanie's book is valued for it's attempts to re-connect the African American community to it's mystical, spiritual roots and to our ancestors.
  
  All in all, I highly recommend this book for any African American looking to reconnect with their ancestors or their spirituality, or to anyone who is looking for the seldom-portrayed side of African American spiritual life.
• 
  Eartha

  I bought the book yesterday, despite feeling a bit skeptical. Like someone else has said, it may be a good resource to skim for ideas, but definitely not traditional hoodoo. I was surprised by the references she makes to European deities and practices. If feels "Wiccanized" - wasn't what I was looking for.
• 
  Jaina Bee

  Stephanie Rose Bird leads us through the history, lore and practice of the American folk magick that developed out of the cauldron of African traditions bubbling away with a blend of European and Indigenous ways in the Southern USA. It's a hands-on crafty approach to spiritual practice, which appeals to the Kitchen Witch in me. Most of the materials are already lying about the house or easily found outside, and the power comes through awareness, attention, and intention (but doesn't it always?). The author stresses ethically-sourced and organic materials whenever possible, and goes into great detail about why this is important, with plenty of options to choose from. Still, it's thrilling to read about the strange animal bits and dangerous/illegal items or now-endangered plants that went into mojo bags of the past.
  (from my blog post about it)
• 
  Serenity L

  I used to be a big fan. But then I had an opportunity to personally dialog with the author. I became underwhelmed as she couldn't answer my questions about her work
• 
  Driver

  I enjoyed what a few other readers have criticized, that the author isn't fanatical and develops her work and beliefs further while still remaining true to the core essence of what Hoodoo is or how it originated. A living spirituality bridges the gap between the past and present and it is my opinion that the author does this very well.
  I appreciate how structured this book is too, something I personally miss in Yronwode's (fantastic) book for example. Due to said structure and the grouping together of topics or chapters it's easier to look up something specific in this book.
• 
  Cass Kay

  This is a great resource for understanding hoodoo and voodoo. The author breaks everything down and shows the reality of a belief system often misconstrued. I use this reference a lot for adding depth and awareness to the pockets of hoodoo in my own writing. Highly recomend.
• 
  Ladyastarte584

  I Loved this book! It really helps you to understand teh Beauty of Hoodoo and it's value to your life by getting you in touch with the orisha, the deities and the Mother, through Natural Elements and more...
• 
  Tamara

  i love her style, even though it isn't strictly hoodoo
• 
  Seven

  this is a great book
• 
  Anita

  A really good book on hoodoo-style folk magick, mostly rooted in the Afro-American community.
• 
  Kathryn

  I picked this book up on a recommendation from an herbalist who has a deeper background in hoodoo than I. I really enjoyed it; I think it's a great starter book, especially for someone who wants to use herbalism more practically in the home than just teas and salves. I was particularly looking for an intro to what Stephanie Rose Bird calls "foot track magic," or the daily ritual of cleaning and blessing the home.
  
  There's something I want to say that I can't quite articulate about the necessity of contextualizing all Hoodoo practices within the context of the African Diaspora experience, so I want to be careful about not appropriating anything. And of course, Hoodoo and other forms of folk magic are oral tradition, so it's important to realize that books can't really be the only site of learning. All that said, this book does a great service for those who want to learn the roots of these traditions.
• 
  L. Ann Marie

  I love this book! I have owned a copy since it’s release and it is a constant go to for me. She is very informative about Broom care and history. The recipe for Chinese Floor Wash is the best version ever used. It’s easy to make and does a wonderful job. If you are interested in Hoodoo, this is a DEFINITE must have for your shelf!
• 
  Heather Havens

  The author combines an accessible kitchen-table tone with well-researched information on hoodoo and conjure. She also provides insights on how to incorporate these traditions into an eclectic practice. This book delivers for people seeking crafts and recipes to create a hands-on practice.
• 
  TaNesha Wilkins

  Great Read!!!
• 
  Earl Okiki-Ifa

  A must have
• 
  Claudia Loureiro

  Great book on the history and legends,tales and myths of voodoo/hoodoo. It has loads of spells and things to try althought some of the ingredients can be a challenge to find.
  This is a source for those both new and experience in the art of Hoodoo. The text flows well. There are several practical solutions for everyday Hoodoo using common objects, as well as sources in the Appendix for further supplies and info.
• 
  Jasmine

  Had a lot of helpful recipes, but wasn't as much about the history as I would've liked. I did enjoy the book for what it was. Was a bit confused about all the mention of Chinese recipes? As I have never come across this in conjure books before.
• 
  Michael Tolley

  To be frank, if you're gonna use this book, you should be female and LOVE roses.
• 
  Chloe´ Lewis

  a phenomenal read and another must-have ! written BY US FOR US (versus white folk trying to whitewash our practices and market it back to us).