Book Review: The Untamed Witch by Lidia Pradas

 

Title: The Untamed Witch

Author: Lidia Pradas
Genre: Witchcraft - Spirituality - Magic
Publisher: Fair Winds Press - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: October 4, 2022
Read: December 30, 2022 - January 2, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Personalized magick is the most powerful magick. The Untamed Witch empowers you to use your own instincts, intuition, and personal environment in your witchcraft. 

Witchcraft is not one defined, arbitrary path. Rather, it is a diversity of practices that you can curate and align with based on your lifestyle and unique gifts. Moreover, those practices are not meant to be done the same way by every witch. Someone else’s love spell is how they conjure love. Why use lavender in a ritual if it isn’t native to your surroundings or you simply don’t like it? 

This guide gives you the insight and tools to undomesticate your craft from formulaic—to inspired—practice. 

The Untamed Witch also outlines: 

• Tools and practices to access the subconscious 
• How to work with the life, death, rebirth cycle 
• How to use elemental and land witchcraft 
• Ancestry work and communicating with spirit guides and entities 

With this book at your side, learn to use your instincts to rewild your magick.

Review: I loved this book! Finally, someone has written a book that isn't filled with formalized rituals, complicated spells, and endless lists of exotic supplies. I cannot express just how happy it made me to read The Untamed Witch by Lidia Pradas because in my own practice as a solitary Witch I prefer to keep things simple and uncomplicated, using what I have on hand or can easily source in my area versus relying on complex, multi-step rituals that leave me exhausted from the setting up of everything before the rite even begins. If you like uncomplicated witchcraft, this is the book for you!

The Untamed Witch is aimed at the solitary practitioner but could easily be modified for use in groups. Pradas states that the main premise of the book is to "access your power without intermediaries," and the chapters are divided and presented in such as way as to encourage the reader to explore not only their self but their local environment. Why use an herb that grows in a desert environment when you live in humid coastal area? "Rewilding" your magick--as Pradas calls it--is all about working with what you have available in your area in order to maximize your magick.

Filled with history, lore, charts, tips, and so much more, The Untamed Witch dares the reader to harken back to the days when the wise women and men utilized their talents and their local environment to craft their magick. The world needs more magick, but it doesn't need more complexity. Lidia Pradas has given us both, and this is one book I know I'll be referring to again and again.

Book Review: The Wheel of the Year by Rebecca Beattie

 

Title: The Wheel of the Year

Author: Rebecca Beattie
Genre: Wicca - Witchcraft - Spirituality
Publisher: Elliott & Thompson - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: February 1, 2023
Read: January 1, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Rediscover nature’s cycles through the Wheel of the Year: a celebration of eight key moments within the turning seasons – from solstices to equinoxes and those midpoints in-between. 

The Wheel of the Year allows its celebrants a moment to pause and still the chaos of modern life every six weeks, to observe what is happening in nature and to reflect on the turn of their own lives. 

This nurturing new guide is an exploration and celebration of the Wheel of the Year – from Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas and Samhain to the Spring Equinox, Midsummer, Autumn Equinox and Yule. Our expert guide, Rebecca Beattie, traces the cycles of nature and the rhythms of the seasons, exploring enchanting traditions and folklore for each celebrated moment. ​ 

This book is alive with what is happening in the nature and in ourselves, offering tools and rituals to rediscover and appreciate each seasonal festival, to pause and reflect. It will connect you to the wheel of your own life, allowing its readers to explore and chart the turning of their own seasons alongside the cycles of the natural world.

Review: Rebecca Beattie introduces the Wheel of the Year by delving into its history, which is surprisingly recent as it was created by a merging of ideas originally conceived by Ross Nichols (Father of Modern Druidry) and Gerald Gardner (Father of Modern Witchcraft) in the 1950s and 1960s. Since then, the wheel has gained wide acceptance in pagan communities and even in the larger mundane world as a way to mark the seasons. 

Each Sabbat is given its own chapter: Midwinter/Yule, Imbolc/Candlemas, Spring Equinox, May Eve/Beltane, Midsummer/Summer Solstice, Lammas, Autumn Equinox, November Eve/Samhain. The amount of information Beattie includes for each holiday ranges from history, folklore, rituals, recipes, crafting ideas, and tips/suggestions for marking the days in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, which isn't something I've seen often in books that cover the topic of the Wheel as most available to me tend to be Northern Hemisphere-centric.

Overall, The Wheel of the Year is a great addition to any Witch's or Pagan's library. Written in an easy-to-read style, the information isn't hard to follow, and yet the amount of research Beattie has obviously done on the subject is on full display, making this a good reference for anyone looking for more in-depth information regarding individual Sabbats and the Wheel of the Year as a whole.

Book Review: Candle Magic by Minerva Radcliffe

Title: Candle Magic

Author: Minerva Radcliffe
Genre: Wicca - Witchcraft - Magic
Publisher: Wellfleet Press - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: December 13, 2022
Read: December 20, 2022
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Harness the power of light with this collection of rituals and spells for seasoned witches, curious mystics, and new practitioners alike.

Light is everywhere, but like fire, the natural power that a candle holds within its flame can be life altering. Whether you are already familiar with other spiritual magics, or are tapping into the Universe with Candle Magic as your first practice, invite the power of light to bring joy, passion, comfort, and energy to your daily life. 

With this invaluable handbook, learn how candles of all shapes, sizes, and colors conduct the magic and energies of light. Experiment with the different results as you add candles to your altar, with beautiful illustrations to guide you toward the enchanting flame. If you’re seeking to add a spark to your magical practice, do so now by setting intentions and manifesting your desires with candle magic.

Review: Minerva Radcliffe takes a core element of Wicca/Witchcraft that has been studied in a plethora of books over the years and makes it seem fresh and new. The writing is clear and concise so anyone from novice to seasoned practitioner can understand the essence of candle magic. 

In addition to color, Radcliffe covers number magic, crystals and herbs as they relate to candle magic, and how each can enhance your practice. The spells and rituals included in the book are simple and can be easily adapted to a individual's style or a specific tradition. 

Overall, Candle Magic by Minerva Radcliffe is a welcomed addition to the vast trove of magical books and will surely find a home on many practitioners' shelves.

Book Review: The Witch's Spellbook for Beginners by Sarah Bartlett

 

Title: The Witch's Spellbook for Beginners

Author: Sarah Bartlett
Genre: Witchcraft - Wicca - Spells
Publisher: New Shoe Press - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: October 11, 2022
Read: November 14, 2022
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Manifest your dreams with easy-to-follow spells that align with the cycles of nature and the universe. 

Magic can change your life and help you manifest your best self. Anyone with the curiosity and willingness can connect to the power of the natural and supernatural and to blend ancient practices in a modern context. Adapted from Sarah Bartlett’s The Witch’s Spellbook, this guide gives new and aspiring witches a simple path to the art of practical magic and the empowerment of magic spells. 

Following an introduction to the basics of witchcraft, The Witch’s Spellbook for Beginners holds an abundance of spells organized by concern—including your self, change, wishes, love, home and family, career, money, and protection. Whether you are looking to channel spirit guides and those who have passed over, need a protection amulet for you or a loved one, or manifest a new direction that aligns with your life’s desires, this spellbook will empower and inform your budding craft as a witch. Harness the power of the astrological elements, explore the lunar cycles and how they can enhance your magic, and embrace the seasons to amplify your spells and divination work. 

The spells include: 

*Find Your Life Direction 
*Restore Holistic Health 
*Make a Decision 
*Manifest an Aspiration 
*Ignite Desire 
*Get Over a Breakup 
*Change Careers 
*Open the Door to Prosperity 
*Banish Negativity 

Plan your spellwork by date, season, and lunar phase, and identify spells that can be used any time, using the calendar index of spells at the back of the book. 

Start your journey into witchcraft with purposeful and practical spells for every day and every event.

Review: Spellbooks are among the hardest to review because everyone comes to spells and witchcraft (or Wicca) via their own unique path and therefore, each individual has their own experiences that can potentially bias their opinion. Personally, I'm a Wiccan Witch with over thirty years of experience as both a solitary practitioner and in working with groups/covens. I've been trained in different traditions and for the most part, I prefer to work as a solitary. This being said, I understand the desire anyone may have to learn spells and how to use them.

The Witch's Spellbook for Beginners is certainly a good resource for anyone who is just starting. However, I would caution such a person to not jump blindly into spell work. Bartlett does take time in the introductory pages of the book to very briefly cover the history of spells and magic use, magical tools and tips, and to be sure the chosen spells or rituals are being performed for the correct reasons. While I appreciate that Bartlett covers the Threefold Law (again, very briefly) and the fact that spells are not a hundred precent effective nor are they a one-size-fits-all cure, I do believe the author could have spent more time discussing the issue of "karmic backdraft" if a spell is done either for the incorrect reason (such as wanting to cause harm to another) or with the incorrect intent (such as a desire to have a specific person fall in love with the caster). Let me be clear: Spells are not harmless fun. Spells are part of a larger magical system that incorporates many different factors and must be respected. I'm not saying that Bartlett is disrespectful, far from it, but again, I believe more could be said in the introductory pages of the book to caution readers to be certain their motives are correct before attempting any of the spells listed here.

As for the actual spells and rituals contained in the book, they're all fairly simple and include helpful information such as the best time and/or day(s) to perform them to achieve maximum benefit. The writing is clear and easily understood, and the graphics are crisp. Each spell has a handy materials list so items can be gathered ahead of time. The format is simple and easily followed, even if the ritual or spell requires multiple days to complete.

Overall, The Witch's Spellbook for Beginners is a good introductory book, but for those looking for more in-depth knowledge or a better understanding of Witchcraft (or Wicca) as a spiritual path, this may not be the best starting point.