Title: Grimoire Girl
Author: Hilarie Burton Morgan
Genre: Non-fiction, memoir, self-help
Publisher: Harper One 
Publication Date: 2023
Format: Hardcover
Length: 226 pages

Read if you like: witchy things, family history, crafting, self-reflection, self-help

Rating: 

When I was younger, I wasn’t really a One Tree Hill fan, so while I knew of Hilarie Burton Morgan, I can’t say that I knew much about her or what brought her to fame. That said, I did see a bookstagrammer that I adore post about how lovely Grimoire Girl was and when I investigated, the book had such an intriguing premise that I couldn’t resist picking it up.

Part how-to, part reflection on her family history, Burton Morgan has crafted this really lovely book that calls into question what the legacy is that we want to leave behind. I expected a witchy book that would talk about crafting a grimoire, but what I got was a surprisingly heartfelt reflection on family dynamics and the paranormal all at once.

This was a super quick and light read that I ripped through in one sitting. If you’re looking for something that’s simultaneously entertaining and reflective, with a distinctly witchy angle, I’d recommend giving this book a try.

The Book: Grimoire Girl by Hilarie Burton Morgan

In Grimoire Girl,  Burton Morgan discusses how she’s always felt called to record, keep, and catalogue various aspects of her life. When she became a mother and noticed this pattern, alongside a family history that had largely been lost due to traditions that hadn’t been passed on, she knew she wanted to be more intentional in her own life moving forward.

Grimoire Girl explores both Burton Morgan’s personal history with witchcraft and family tradition and catalogues her experiences alongside stories of her career, her personal life, and her various community passions. Alongside these stories, she sprinkles in practical tips about how to craft your grimoire, and practices that you can bring to your life that can add mischief and magic to your every day.

The Review

What a fun little surprise of a book.

What I expected from this book were some reflections on how to craft a modern grimoire and perhaps some stories of Burton Morgan’s career and personal life, but what I experienced was quite different. This book was a heartwarming and compelling reflection on the power of tradition, of legacy, and community. There were certain tips on how to craft a grimoire, and I loved Burton Morgan’s spells and other contemporary magical aspects to add a little magic to your everyday life, but her stories were really what drove the significance of everything home. I found myself reflecting on my family traditions and the gaps in the knowledge that has been passed down and wondering how I might go about crafting something that could preserve more memory for fear of it being lost.

Burton Morgan has an informal style of writing and communicating that makes it feel like you’re sitting down with a girlfriend, having a glass of wine and reflecting on moments past. Her writing is warm and friendly, super approachable, and doesn’t shy away from her beliefs, even when they’re a little out there. It was fun, funny, and thoroughly enjoyable.

I’m not sure that I’d adopt all of Burton Morgan’s practices, but this book was an enjoyable opportunity to reflect on the various ways that magic exists in our lives. I loved the exploration of how we can preserve different aspects of our heritage, including the feelings we have in the moments we’re experiencing them, and it got me thinking about how I could go about crafting my type of Grimoire as a legacy for my own family in the future.

If you’re a fan of Burton Morgan or interested in some light reading about everyday magic, this was a fun, quick read that I’d recommend.