REVIEW: The Conjurer’s Guide to St Expedite

This weekend I had the great pleasure to read Denise M. Alvarado’s new book: The Conjurers Guide to St Expedite. This is the first book of hers that I have read, but it will not be the last.

The book is simply wonderful and a resource that the community has needed for a long time. So many people have relied upon St Expedite, and his prayers and spells are scattered throughout dozens of books, but he had not had a book all his own until now.

As someone who reads a lot but is short on time, I appreciate information density. This book packs a lot  into it’s 142 pages. Would a Saint of Expediency want a book to be longer than it needs to be? I doubt it – and this book is the perfect length. Denise covers not just one, but all the various and conflicting origin stories of the Saint, and delves into the Legends from Paris and New Orleans as well as the standard Catholic story.

She also sheds light on the ways he is honored today in different locals. In this book you will learn about how he works along side of Baron Samedi in Haiti, is honored in roadside shrines on the island of Reunion, and has his own Society dedicated to him in the Philippines. Since I am headed to Paris later this week, I will be keeping an eye out for his Statue at Notre Dame de la Bonne Delivrance, which is also where the Black Madonna of Paris is located.

Of course no book like this would be complete without a section on operative sorcery, and the reader will not be disappointed on this front. Denise has included spells for making just about anything you can imagine happen, and happen fast. A nice feature of this book is that she separates out the conjure specific work, from the prayers. Not that prayers cannot be put to use in spells. but those who seek to devote themselves to St Expedite will want to honor him regularly even when they don’t need something from him. This is how real relationships with the spirits are built, and when you do need something hat relationship will show itself in the results. Just like going to a best friend for help, they are not only willing, but eager to assist.

If you enjoy working with the saints, this book is a must have.

NOTE: Outside of a SOMA webinar we did with Aaron Leitch I do not know Denise, and did not receive a review copy of the book. I have zero reason to say nice things other than the fact that I think this book is a huge boon to the community and want to see more like it.