I received an e-copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley for such an interesting read
Another disclaimer, I am not Wiccan, nor do I practice witchcraft. I was just super intrigued by this book and I find witchcraft incredibly intriguing, though I am usually too tired and poor to bother giving it a try. Thanks passion job and inflation...I hate you. lol I digress.
If you don't like some swears thrown into your reading like you're talking to someone working in the trades, you might not love this book. I personally wasn't bothered by it because it kind of felt more like someone was talking with you instead of to you as a result...and maybe I know a few people in the trades who talk like this.
Coming in as a person who has only really read one other book on witchcraft/spell casting, I found this book very educational. It seems like a book that would work for someone who has never tried witchcraft before, or for someone who is looking for a lazier way of doing so. The beginning of the book is filled with info about the types of things (in general) that you will need. Things like bowls, bottles, water water, sun water, coloured twine/rope, different coloured candles, etc. It was a lot of info to take in so I mitigated being overwhelmed by reading the first bit only on my lunch breaks.
Chapter 2 covers manifestation, "the process by which we bring our intentions into fruition, based on the premise that your thoughts create your reality." p. 33 The author does make the point that your don't need to be positive to the point of "toxic positivity." You can be sad, angry, tired or whatever so long as you have backup while doing spell work, the moon. Interesting concept, not sure I fully believe it, but I'm a born pessimist. Author goes so far as to quote Buddha, which I thought was, again, interesting. The author does say she is not a Wiccan, she doesn't follow the religion, that she only practices witchcraft. There are helpful tips and tricks for being successful at manifestation, including a list to help you aim your manifestation towards your goal.
The spells themselves range from near zero effort to rather involved. Considering she says that she didn't list anything that was too crazy, I dread to think what a complex and serious spell work might look like. I'm thinking Hermione in the bathroom at Hogwarts putting a month's worth of effort into brewing that potion. No thanks.
As a general outsider looking into this, what I did notice is that you will need an awful lot of stuff to get into witchcraft. Crystals, gemstones, herbs, plants, charcoal, flowers bags, bowls, twine, candles, maybe special paper, tarot cards...bark from certain trees. It's a lot of stuff. The author does list alternatives that might cut down the cost a bit, but still, you will a small wad of cash if you wish to truly get into witchcraft at a full level. And some stuff just can't be substituted in certain recipes/spells, like sandalwood.
The set up of each page was well done. Recipes and such were clear and very easy to read. Nothing was jammed together to save space so there was nothing distracting my eyes from what I was trying to read, which I appreciate cause my brain doesn't always like to focus at the task at hand. The artwork was beautiful. I actually spent quite a bit of time admiring some of it. Someone put a lot of care and attention into each picture.
Conclusion
Beautifully put together with some gorgeous artwork throughout, this is mostly a beginner friendly book (I think). Just be aware if you want to dive in head first, you're going to need a fair bit of stuff. I personally wouldn't mind trying my hand at some of the protection spells.