Cover Image: Good Juju

Good Juju

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Member Reviews

Good Juju is a good beginners book for those interested in learning more about folk magick with a heavy leaning on hoodoo. Najah gives some basics for setting up an altar, smoke cleansing (she uses the term smudging) and setting up altars, as well as a section on mojo bags. Its very easy to read and follow along with.

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Good JuJu is a magical book, filled with good intentions and fascinating ideas.

When I began reading this it was perhaps a little naively. I took the description's word that this was a book of rituals which would not interfere with any religion, which I immediately found to be untrue. It is a book which I am sure is applicable to and usable within the bounds of many spiritual practices and organised/free religions, however it has many specifics which can't be unilaterally applied.

That being said, with a better understanding of what/who this book is for, I think Najah Lightfoot does a beautiful job of putting down her personal experience of spiritual ritual, and invites the reader to take part to whatever extent they can.

Lovely cover, beautiful intentions.

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Easy to follow instructions, Good Juju shows you how to better express your spirituality and build up your magical practice with spells, rituals, and tools.

It is designed to help you navigate whatever ups and downs life throws your way, Good Juju is your perfect choice for learning to embrace nature, the old ways, and the magic all around you.

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Very good book filled with interesting tidbits. Very well written and very easy to read and understand. At the end of the book, movies are listed that are suggested to watch. I have seen 2 of them but will re watch them with this book in mind. Great selection to include in your library if this subject is something you are interested in.

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If you want to learn simple ways to lessen stress, avoid people that may not have your best interests at heart, or meet that special someone , then this book will help you. I truly loved this title because of its direct use of methods to change for the better.

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I utilized this book to learn more about modern pagan/witch rituals. It was easy to read and very accessible, even to someone like me who has no direct experience with that spirituality.

The way she wrote made it sound like a lifestyle. It sounded quite instinctual and guided by an individual's discernment. I never plan on practicing any of these things, but it was fun to read and introduced me to a whole world I'd never seen first hand. The author seemed kind and straightforward and never made anything more complicated than it needed to be. I would recommend the book.

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There isn't anything particularly enlightening or ground-breaking here for someone who has been a practitioner for more than a few years, but the author provides a solid beginner's look at folk magick. With the underpinning of Hoodoo, this book would be a good introduction for anyone who wants to bring magick into their lives without the trappings and sometimes murky philosophical background of Wicca. The conversational tone makes this an easy read and the sample spellwork/mojo bags/etc provide a good jumping off point. The biggest downside is that I would have liked at least a mention concerning cultural appropriation related to cherry picking African folk magick by individuals from other cultures.

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Very good book filled with interesting tidbits. Very well written and very easy to read and understand. At the end of the book, movies are listed that are suggested to watch. I have seen 2 of them but will re watch them with this book in mind. Great selection to include in your library if this subject is something you are interested in. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on my review.

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I'm really enjoying this book, and it will no doubt join other books on my shelf that I refer back to often, and re-read. When I saw the title, I was curious, and I'm glad I requested it. Najah Lightfoot presents practical, easy to use information for a variety of personal spiritual practices and rituals. I think this book would be great for both beginners and as a source of added inspiration for those further along on their spiritual journeys.

Many thanks to Llewellyn Worldwide and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC, in return for a fair and honest review.

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Najah Lightfoot has found a way to introduce the reader to various aspects of magick including basic aspects of Hoodoo craft. Reading this book helped answer several questions I carried such as ancestral work, mojo bags and graveyard practices. All of this info is tucked neatly into an easy to read format in which one feels like they are just listening to the author converse about a subject she is devoted to. She discusses her own experiences at the same time stressing that the reader not feel conformed to any standards and find ways that are most comfortable and relatable to them. Will I collect dirt from a loved ones grave? Probably not, but I am grateful to have learned more about the practices that others do and why. I think this book is a great resource to simply answer questions that people may have (as I did) about alters, Florida water, deity's and mojo bags as I did!
Many thanks to Llewellyn Worldwide and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are authentically mine.

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I am not really the intended audience for this book, as it does not match my spiritual beliefs. That said, I have always been interested in the topic and have read a fair amount about it over the years. This is a well-written guide to basic spells and such to bring about good things. I learned some about hoodoo (and why it is not voodoo), along with some other things that were new to me. The author is friendly and personable and clearly enjoys the subject. This would be a great book for those who are curious about these practices, want to begin practicing these faiths, or want to "dabble" in some good magick, so to speak.

My rating system:
1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost

I read a temporary digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.

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Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this in turn for an honest review.

I loved the book. I'll admit I didn't get very far but what I did read I love and I can't wait to purchase this book for myself. I'm a Christian and this book's claim to be suitable for all religions stands by with me.

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Long ago, when I was thirteen, my best friend told me she had decided to become a
"Wiccan." She was a gifted African American young woman who had found solace in the tenets of Wiccan magic, Her enthusiasm for Wicca affected me and it lifted up my spirits. While Najah Lightfoot's "Good Juju" doesn't endorse any particular religion, its focus on positivity and magic is so appealing, it brought me back to the days when I was thirteen and believed in the beauty, power and potential found in magic. "Good Juju" is a special book written with love and passion.

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This book is amazing. It's a very handy guide to building your spiritual house. While I am white and wouldn't use some of these practices as they don't belong to my culture and I wouldn't want to offend, Najah Lightfoot, from the very first page, is open, honest, and gives real and practical practices.

I have been a pagan for the past 11 years, and the grounding exercise right at the beginning was just what I needed - a new, fresh way of doing things so that I'm able to feel a spark instead of just going through the motions.

Overall, an amazing read - loved every page!

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While I’m still savoring this book, and re-visiting parts, I find it’s high time to share about Good Juju. I know that I’ll be coming back to it for continued inspiration and ideas and have found it to be immensely and thoroughly enjoyable.

Now for me, some of the practices go beyond what I will likely ever incorporate into my spiritual work, but nonetheless I find the details fascinating, absolutely worthwhile to learn about, and mind expanding to consider. The rule of three for example, I’ve always considered 3 a magic number and did not know about its association in Hoodoo. I love these types of threads and connections.

Although I’ve been keeping altars for years, I got especially inspired by new ideas for an Ancestor Altar. And, thankfully, I’ve finally learned about Florida water, Railroad spikes and other magical tools that you see on the scene but no one takes the time to tell you about. Until Now!

I also really like the one off tarot references and the overwhelming feeling that this magikal women could be your neighbor and you’d feel so happy to have tea with her and just chill with talks about the sun, moon, stars and all sorts of mystery.

My favorite parts have to be; first, the section on Gris Gris and second the chapters titled Be Your own Tree and Move Your Body, Revive your Spirit.

Many moons ago I lived in a small village in West Africa, where Gris Gris (mojo) bags were a very big deal. Mostly they were kept hidden, considered private magic. But the babies wore them immediately as did most of the villagers I knew. They never took them off. I remember when I met the medicine man who made them and while I was never afraid, I do recall being somewhat intimidated. Maybe it was all that unknown that I wasn’t ready for yet. I was young, so young and didn’t even know it. Now, it’s very heartwarming to see this tradition being discussed in the open, magical ingredients and all. And those long past memories bring a sweet smile to my face.

Second, trees have always spoken to me in one way or another and Najah’s writing, as it does throughout the book, really shines. The words, of these two chapters particularly, jumped straight off the page and into my heart.

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I received this arc from NetGalley for an honest review. I'm in the market for some good juju and so when I saw this title I thought why not? There was a little more voodoo/magic than I can to join in on, though I'm sure many will connect and enjoy this book.

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I love this book. Everything was written in an interesting way and really is informative. So many useful spells, rities, rituals and bits of advice. A great book for the spell shelf.

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Good Juju is just that: good juju. I love reading about and collecting information about Hoodoo, and I am glad that I added this book to my reading list. I have my own opinions about the practice, and I appreciate that the author acknowledged its history and origin. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I think it is a good book for those interested or experienced, as I learned some new things, too.

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What is good juju? It is a positive vibration of spirit. This book teaches you to increase your spirit and increase your magical spells, rites and how to use your tools to their best advantage. Navigating your spiritual practice with what is tossed your way, may be one of the best things about this book. Everyone has things thrown at them so bad that they wonder if they will ever see the light of day. This really spoke to me on a personal level. Embracing and using the magical practices lays a foundation for many things such as creating your altars which is still a problem for some and using your intuition. I really loved this book. It needs to be read and kept in a prominent place to look at it again and again. I received this book from Net Galley and Llewellyn for a honest review.

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A wonderful all encompassing feel good book on general practical magick. Najah Lightfoots' warmth and enthusiasm is contagious. This book covers all things a novice should know and plenty of tips for the more advanced. Topics covered include altar space, ritual and spell practice, workings held at the crossroads and grave yards, Hoodoo and Mojo crafts, protections and the importance of maintaining individuality. The magick within this book crosses several different traditions so there really is something for everyone.

*Ugh will the publisher please edit the digital review copies. It's painful to read and it hurts me. 😭

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