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The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary: Working Domestic Magick with Hestia
Tending the Hearth and Home with the Magickal Energy of Hestia
The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary is a fabulous book of magickal spells, crafts, and recipes for each room of your house. Based on the powerful energy and mythos of the goddess Hestia, these magickal activities and workings can be practiced by anyone, regardless of spiritual orientation.
Magick themes and techniques abound--love and transformation in the kitchen, communication and friendship in the living room, purification and health in the bathroom, prosperity and sleep in the bedroom, and protection at the threshold. You will discover recipes for food magick as well as tips for creating your own green cleaning supplies. Author Raechel Henderson also includes hands-on exercises for connecting with Hestia as a deity of bodily autonomy, racial equity, and social justice.
Creating a harmonious environment that fosters feelings of acceptance, safety, and abundance is possible no matter what your living situation. With visualization, centering, grounding, and raising power, and tools like crystals and essential oils, this book guides you in balancing the energy of each room and turning your entire home into a sacred space.
The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary is a fabulous book of magickal spells, crafts, and recipes for each room of your house. Based on the powerful energy and mythos of the goddess Hestia, these magickal activities and workings can be practiced by anyone, regardless of spiritual orientation.
Magick themes and techniques abound--love and transformation in the kitchen, communication and friendship in the living room, purification and health in the bathroom, prosperity and sleep in the bedroom, and protection at the threshold. You will discover recipes for food magick as well as tips for creating your own green cleaning supplies. Author Raechel Henderson also includes hands-on exercises for connecting with Hestia as a deity of bodily autonomy, racial equity, and social justice.
Creating a harmonious environment that fosters feelings of acceptance, safety, and abundance is possible no matter what your living situation. With visualization, centering, grounding, and raising power, and tools like crystals and essential oils, this book guides you in balancing the energy of each room and turning your entire home into a sacred space.
240 pages, Paperback
Published May 8, 2021
57 people are currently reading
559 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 10, 2023
A great introduction to Hestia and a great book on house/ home magic. I already have several pages marked and wish I had been highlighting as I read.
June 11, 2023
Lemon and rosemary have become staples in the arsenal of the modern witch. As much as they are magical and culinary ingredients, they are also scents that bring into mind the image of a clean home, both physically and spiritually. So it’s no wonder why Raechel Henderson has chosen this title. The inclusion of “magick” on the other hand, is somehow puzzling.
At the very beginning of the book, the author states it “has an unapologetic leftist ideology”. I’m an eastern european, I naively thought, I can handle some leftist ideology. But even I was not prepared for what followed - a vast and profound politicizing of magical practices and especially of a certain ancient Mediterranean goddess - Hestia.
The author makes a heartwarming introduction to Hestia, a goddess that was venerated throughout the whole Greek world, regardless of political ideology and ethnicity. But in a somewhat miraculous manner Henderson manages to politicize the goddess, defined as “anti-capitalist” and “a social justice warrior”. The author uses only a couple of ancient sources and is obviously oblivious of the historical data for Hestia’s cult and worship. That is why she sees it as a “contradiction that such a highly regarded goddess would have so few myths” and, as Henderson incorrectly claims, no Greek statues (p. 13). Yes, indeed the preserved statues are Roman, but they are Roman copies of Classical Greek bronze statues. So we do know that she had statues. I should add that in archaeology the data that exists now, is only a fragment of what existed in the past. Yet, we do know from literary sources that there were other statues of Hestia in Greece (Pausanias’ Description of Greece for instance). The seemingly aniconic nature of Hestia, as well as the lack of temples, is due to the fact that there was a hearth in every home. Aniconic worship in Greece was not something unusual. The claim that Hestia “didn’t figure in major iconography and complicated worship” (p. 14) is an ill-founded oversimplification of ancient practice. The archaeological record preserves splendid examples of richly decorated ritual hearths, and we can only guess what rituals they served.
Literary sources should also be considered only a fragmentary reflection of ancient reality. The author mentions only a couple of Hestia’s epithets, which gives the impression that she is only superficially familiar with the subject. And while the author has a problem of accepting the “Roman” statues of Hestia, she has no problem accepting the Roman literature myths that play a major role in her own understanding of the goddess.
The book does put a strong emphasis on cleaning and devotes entire sections to its different aspects, including eco-friendly ones. It has carefree practices that include singing songs and dancing in your house, along with more complex ones like cooking and making protective talismans. As a whole the book gives the impression that the author aimed to create a modern version of “The Magical Household” and, unfortunately, did not succeed..
At the very beginning of the book, the author states it “has an unapologetic leftist ideology”. I’m an eastern european, I naively thought, I can handle some leftist ideology. But even I was not prepared for what followed - a vast and profound politicizing of magical practices and especially of a certain ancient Mediterranean goddess - Hestia.
The author makes a heartwarming introduction to Hestia, a goddess that was venerated throughout the whole Greek world, regardless of political ideology and ethnicity. But in a somewhat miraculous manner Henderson manages to politicize the goddess, defined as “anti-capitalist” and “a social justice warrior”. The author uses only a couple of ancient sources and is obviously oblivious of the historical data for Hestia’s cult and worship. That is why she sees it as a “contradiction that such a highly regarded goddess would have so few myths” and, as Henderson incorrectly claims, no Greek statues (p. 13). Yes, indeed the preserved statues are Roman, but they are Roman copies of Classical Greek bronze statues. So we do know that she had statues. I should add that in archaeology the data that exists now, is only a fragment of what existed in the past. Yet, we do know from literary sources that there were other statues of Hestia in Greece (Pausanias’ Description of Greece for instance). The seemingly aniconic nature of Hestia, as well as the lack of temples, is due to the fact that there was a hearth in every home. Aniconic worship in Greece was not something unusual. The claim that Hestia “didn’t figure in major iconography and complicated worship” (p. 14) is an ill-founded oversimplification of ancient practice. The archaeological record preserves splendid examples of richly decorated ritual hearths, and we can only guess what rituals they served.
Literary sources should also be considered only a fragmentary reflection of ancient reality. The author mentions only a couple of Hestia’s epithets, which gives the impression that she is only superficially familiar with the subject. And while the author has a problem of accepting the “Roman” statues of Hestia, she has no problem accepting the Roman literature myths that play a major role in her own understanding of the goddess.
The book does put a strong emphasis on cleaning and devotes entire sections to its different aspects, including eco-friendly ones. It has carefree practices that include singing songs and dancing in your house, along with more complex ones like cooking and making protective talismans. As a whole the book gives the impression that the author aimed to create a modern version of “The Magical Household” and, unfortunately, did not succeed..
June 26, 2021
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I honestly really enjoy books like this. I wasn't overly familiar with goddess Hestia, so it was interesting to read more about her. The book includes recipes, spell work, exercises you can use for each room of your house. It also includes mythology, history and facts that added even more to my enjoyment. I can't wait to try some of the recipes and techniques presented here.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
I honestly really enjoy books like this. I wasn't overly familiar with goddess Hestia, so it was interesting to read more about her. The book includes recipes, spell work, exercises you can use for each room of your house. It also includes mythology, history and facts that added even more to my enjoyment. I can't wait to try some of the recipes and techniques presented here.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
December 8, 2025
I appreciate that the writer favors a deeper attention to staple herbs rather than a cursory survey of many. I also like that she follows up her spells with a breakdown of what specific energy each botanical lends to the spell. It may run the risk of oversimplifying and disregarding the syncretic energies of botanicals once combined, but it's still helpful to a student of herbalism. The author's devotion to Hestia is inspiring, and I hope to find more books like this devoted to other gods.
May 13, 2021
An attractive, insightful journey into the practice of working with Hestia for home and hearth is explored in Raechel Henderson's The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary.
This book focuses on working with Hestia, the goddess of home and the state of affairs. It's a well-organized, thoughtful guide exploring daily practices in each room of the house. Raechel Henderson's focus is refreshing. Focusing solely on working with Hestia, her writing flows through the home with craft and spell ideas suited to all manner of practitioners, even if you don't want to focus solely on Hestia.
Henderson's journey with the goddess is an intriguing aspect of the book, though the specificity of the work with Hestia does limit the audience. For those looking to form a path in the spiritual, this book is not a good place to start. Instead, it provides a more focused level of work on the home and the state of the world that could be ideal for someone looking to deepen their studies and practices of the magical.
Even so, there are helpful tidbits that cover ways to bring peace and tranquility to the home. Aside from the hand-in-hand workings with Hestia, much of what Henderson offers throughout the book could be modified to suit the needs of a witch who knows herself and her practice.
The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary is a delightful and helpful book for any witch to add to her library.
This book focuses on working with Hestia, the goddess of home and the state of affairs. It's a well-organized, thoughtful guide exploring daily practices in each room of the house. Raechel Henderson's focus is refreshing. Focusing solely on working with Hestia, her writing flows through the home with craft and spell ideas suited to all manner of practitioners, even if you don't want to focus solely on Hestia.
Henderson's journey with the goddess is an intriguing aspect of the book, though the specificity of the work with Hestia does limit the audience. For those looking to form a path in the spiritual, this book is not a good place to start. Instead, it provides a more focused level of work on the home and the state of the world that could be ideal for someone looking to deepen their studies and practices of the magical.
Even so, there are helpful tidbits that cover ways to bring peace and tranquility to the home. Aside from the hand-in-hand workings with Hestia, much of what Henderson offers throughout the book could be modified to suit the needs of a witch who knows herself and her practice.
The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary is a delightful and helpful book for any witch to add to her library.
March 8, 2022
I felt although this book was about working with Hestia, it was more basic home/domestic magic then specific workings with Hestia. I know Hestia doesnt have a lot of myths and is considered ~mysterious~ but I was kinda hoping for more of a working guide with her. Instead I felt she got the first chapter or two and then was mentioned here and there. Not that this was a bad read! Just more basic home magic then specific Hestia. Just my opinion.
May 9, 2021
This books was an interesting journey into the practices of working with goddess Hestia and delving into her two domains; the home and the state of affairs.
It was refreshing to read a book focused solely on one goddess, especially one who's mythology is actually pretty limited. The author makes the most of her story and her elements and builds a lot of practices around it. Each part of the home is analyzed, with craft ideas and a lot of spells and practices offered for each space and part of our lives that it represents.
The book also touches the aspect of the state of affairs of the world we live in, focusing on the damage of capitalism, the issues of environmentalism and the traps of cultural appropriation. It is a good take away this need to be more aware of the origins of our practices and our believes.
While I would have loved to learn more in-depth insights that working for so long with a specific goddess bring, I liked the voice of the author and how wholesome her perspective is. In the end this is a very helpful book of approaching goddess Hestia and working with her energy, but more than that, a collection of helpful ideas on managing and bringing good energy to ones environment.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
It was refreshing to read a book focused solely on one goddess, especially one who's mythology is actually pretty limited. The author makes the most of her story and her elements and builds a lot of practices around it. Each part of the home is analyzed, with craft ideas and a lot of spells and practices offered for each space and part of our lives that it represents.
The book also touches the aspect of the state of affairs of the world we live in, focusing on the damage of capitalism, the issues of environmentalism and the traps of cultural appropriation. It is a good take away this need to be more aware of the origins of our practices and our believes.
While I would have loved to learn more in-depth insights that working for so long with a specific goddess bring, I liked the voice of the author and how wholesome her perspective is. In the end this is a very helpful book of approaching goddess Hestia and working with her energy, but more than that, a collection of helpful ideas on managing and bringing good energy to ones environment.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 30, 2024
I absolutely loved this book so much. It truly exceeded my expectations! I LOVED learning about Hestia, the natural homemade cleaning recipes (I’m allergic to most chemical cleaners- so this has been a blessing!), the leftist ideologies, etc.
It was all amazing. Maybe my favorite witchy book I’ve read this year!
I ABSOLUTELY recommend!
It was all amazing. Maybe my favorite witchy book I’ve read this year!
I ABSOLUTELY recommend!
August 27, 2022
Well organized book, well written, with some very useful tips/rituals/recipes
May 23, 2021
I was absolutely thrilled that this book was available. It’s so difficult to find literature on Hestia or house magic. I love that Raechel took a more modern approach to everything while preserving the spirit of Hestia.
I read this front to back, split between a few days. There’s a lot of really good ideas, spellwork, and exercises in here. It honestly encompasses not only the history and mythology of Hestia, but really shows how she’s adapted to our present timeline.
I also like that Raechel took the time address some really important topics like capitalism, cultural appropriation, and ecology in the community. A lot of books don’t cover these topics so it was really nice to see that and how it attributes to Hestia.
I absolutely recommend this book, especially for those who follow Hestia, are house witches, or just want to learn more about how to make your house more of a home.
I read this front to back, split between a few days. There’s a lot of really good ideas, spellwork, and exercises in here. It honestly encompasses not only the history and mythology of Hestia, but really shows how she’s adapted to our present timeline.
I also like that Raechel took the time address some really important topics like capitalism, cultural appropriation, and ecology in the community. A lot of books don’t cover these topics so it was really nice to see that and how it attributes to Hestia.
I absolutely recommend this book, especially for those who follow Hestia, are house witches, or just want to learn more about how to make your house more of a home.
January 23, 2022
While Hestia is not part of my own path of worship, I am always excited to see devotionals come out that I was happy to read this one.
Beautifully written. Deep insight.
This is inspiration for all pagans and polytheists seeking to develop or step more fully into their hearth craft.
I highly recommend for any of their bookshelves, hearth displays, or kitchens.
May the author be blessed.
Beautifully written. Deep insight.
This is inspiration for all pagans and polytheists seeking to develop or step more fully into their hearth craft.
I highly recommend for any of their bookshelves, hearth displays, or kitchens.
May the author be blessed.
June 28, 2025
Title: Lemon & Rosemary: Working Domestic Magick with Hestia
Author: Raechel Henderson
Publisher: Llewellyn Publishing
Rating: 3/5
Raechel Henderson is a practicing witch living in Chicago. I first heard of her from her book 'Sew Witchy.' I haven't purchased it yet (since I don't sew often enough), but it has been on my saved list for years. In 2024, Henderson released Lemon & Rosemary: Working Domestic Magick with Hestia about hearth witchery. I have some house witchcraft books, but nothing has been updated. So, I was hopeful about this book. I tried to make this book review as comprehensive and non-biased as possible. You will note in the final paragraph that I did feel there were cons to this book.
Although Henderson works with Hestia, the author reminds the reader in the introduction that a safe home goes beyond deities. You don't have to work with a deity or religion to create magic at home (pg 3). I believe many people come into this book thinking it will be all about Hestia and are disappointed. It wouldn't make sense to say that you don't have to work with a deity and then proceed to make every spell and chapter tie into a deity. So, I appreciate the author's reasoning behind this, but it did frustrate me. Although Raechel Henderson does worship Hestia and does take some time to introduce her to us since Henderson works with her, the ultimate purpose of this book is domestic magic.
I found her view on Hestia being a social justice warrior interesting. At first, my knee-jerk reaction was to say, "This is a bit too political. You can't just assume that." However, the more I thought about it, the more I agreed with the author. Hestia was vital to the family as a unit and the government as a whole. Each home had a hearth essential for food, and each town had a central fire. If that fire went out, the city was believed to collapse. So, from the small to the large scale, Hestia was important and had dominion. Also, the Romans and Greeks had a different view of family than we do. Being lesbian or gay wasn't unusual, with many freed persons also creating their own families. With that in mind, our modern-day idea of the nuclear family wasn't that important. For Hestia, family would have been whoever decided to be a family and share a meal at her hearth. I don't believe she would have condoned the hatred and maliciousness that comes from anti-LGBTQ groups today... and she had dominion over the government.
The author discusses how there are no remaining statues of Hestia and only Roman Vestia statues. And that is 100% correct. We assume the Roman statues are copies of the Greek ones, but we don't know. Unlike the Discobolus statue, we don't have any written texts suggesting that any Hestia copies were ever made. We just assume that if they did it for one, they probably did it for all. But honestly, Hestia was mostly worshipped at home. I'm sure this is similar to how my town, Naples, Italy, is set up. Originally, each home had a hearth that was the altar to Vestia; then, each neighborhood would have a patron god/goddess. You can still walk around historic Naples and see the niches carved into buildings that would have housed the gods/goddesses' statues. With the invention of Christianity, these niches now hold patron Christian saints instead. Then, each town would have a patron god/goddess: Ares for Rome, Isis for Pozzuoli (yup, the Egyptian goddess was here!). Since most of Hestia's worship was in the home, it makes sense that there aren't any elaborate setups for her. Not every family could afford a large statue and ornate altar. Sometimes, families would have paintings of her on their larrariums, but often, just having her fire continually burn would be an offering to Hestia.
I enjoyed Henderson's focus on appropriation and explaining how to smoke cleanse respectfully. She even offers an exercise on how to create your own sage-free cleansing bundle. However, this is the last of my pros for this book.
I really went into this book thinking it would expand on common knowledge of house witchery. With the title of the book including Hestia, I was also hoping for deeper connections with her. While this book does touch on Hestia (as I stated earlier), there's no new information, and after the first chapter, Hestia becomes more of an afterthought. If I could have skimmed the book before I bought it, such as at a library or bookstore, I would instantly know that it wasn't what I was looking for. Alas, I purchased the book sight unseen. All of the information in Lemon & Rosemary is beginner-witch information that could easily be Googled. I hate to be a harsh critic, but I'm not a new practitioner. If the author had been clearer in the blurb that this is an introduction to house witchery, then I wouldn't have bought it, and thus wouldn't have given it a 3 out of 5. But here we are. I'm $18 poorer with nothing to show for it.
Author: Raechel Henderson
Publisher: Llewellyn Publishing
Rating: 3/5
Raechel Henderson is a practicing witch living in Chicago. I first heard of her from her book 'Sew Witchy.' I haven't purchased it yet (since I don't sew often enough), but it has been on my saved list for years. In 2024, Henderson released Lemon & Rosemary: Working Domestic Magick with Hestia about hearth witchery. I have some house witchcraft books, but nothing has been updated. So, I was hopeful about this book. I tried to make this book review as comprehensive and non-biased as possible. You will note in the final paragraph that I did feel there were cons to this book.
Although Henderson works with Hestia, the author reminds the reader in the introduction that a safe home goes beyond deities. You don't have to work with a deity or religion to create magic at home (pg 3). I believe many people come into this book thinking it will be all about Hestia and are disappointed. It wouldn't make sense to say that you don't have to work with a deity and then proceed to make every spell and chapter tie into a deity. So, I appreciate the author's reasoning behind this, but it did frustrate me. Although Raechel Henderson does worship Hestia and does take some time to introduce her to us since Henderson works with her, the ultimate purpose of this book is domestic magic.
I found her view on Hestia being a social justice warrior interesting. At first, my knee-jerk reaction was to say, "This is a bit too political. You can't just assume that." However, the more I thought about it, the more I agreed with the author. Hestia was vital to the family as a unit and the government as a whole. Each home had a hearth essential for food, and each town had a central fire. If that fire went out, the city was believed to collapse. So, from the small to the large scale, Hestia was important and had dominion. Also, the Romans and Greeks had a different view of family than we do. Being lesbian or gay wasn't unusual, with many freed persons also creating their own families. With that in mind, our modern-day idea of the nuclear family wasn't that important. For Hestia, family would have been whoever decided to be a family and share a meal at her hearth. I don't believe she would have condoned the hatred and maliciousness that comes from anti-LGBTQ groups today... and she had dominion over the government.
The author discusses how there are no remaining statues of Hestia and only Roman Vestia statues. And that is 100% correct. We assume the Roman statues are copies of the Greek ones, but we don't know. Unlike the Discobolus statue, we don't have any written texts suggesting that any Hestia copies were ever made. We just assume that if they did it for one, they probably did it for all. But honestly, Hestia was mostly worshipped at home. I'm sure this is similar to how my town, Naples, Italy, is set up. Originally, each home had a hearth that was the altar to Vestia; then, each neighborhood would have a patron god/goddess. You can still walk around historic Naples and see the niches carved into buildings that would have housed the gods/goddesses' statues. With the invention of Christianity, these niches now hold patron Christian saints instead. Then, each town would have a patron god/goddess: Ares for Rome, Isis for Pozzuoli (yup, the Egyptian goddess was here!). Since most of Hestia's worship was in the home, it makes sense that there aren't any elaborate setups for her. Not every family could afford a large statue and ornate altar. Sometimes, families would have paintings of her on their larrariums, but often, just having her fire continually burn would be an offering to Hestia.
I enjoyed Henderson's focus on appropriation and explaining how to smoke cleanse respectfully. She even offers an exercise on how to create your own sage-free cleansing bundle. However, this is the last of my pros for this book.
I really went into this book thinking it would expand on common knowledge of house witchery. With the title of the book including Hestia, I was also hoping for deeper connections with her. While this book does touch on Hestia (as I stated earlier), there's no new information, and after the first chapter, Hestia becomes more of an afterthought. If I could have skimmed the book before I bought it, such as at a library or bookstore, I would instantly know that it wasn't what I was looking for. Alas, I purchased the book sight unseen. All of the information in Lemon & Rosemary is beginner-witch information that could easily be Googled. I hate to be a harsh critic, but I'm not a new practitioner. If the author had been clearer in the blurb that this is an introduction to house witchery, then I wouldn't have bought it, and thus wouldn't have given it a 3 out of 5. But here we are. I'm $18 poorer with nothing to show for it.
August 22, 2022
The Scent of Lemon and Rosemary by Raechel Henderson
240 Pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd, Llewellyn Publications
Release Date: May 8, 2021
Nonfiction (Adult), Self-Help, Religion, Spirituality, Magic, Paganism, Witchcraft, Hestia
The book is divided into the following chapters.
Chapter 1: Hestia – The First and the Last
Chapter 2: The Home – An Anatomy of Comfort
Chapter 3: Making Magick
Chapter 4: The Threshold – Protecting Your Home
Chapter 5: The Kitchen – Love and Transformation
Chapter 6: The Living Room – Communication
Chapter 7: The Bedroom – Prosperity an Sleep
Chapter 8: The Bathroom – Purification
Chapter 9: Breaking Bread – Feeding Your Body
Chapter 10: Cleaning – A Place for Everything and Everything in Its Place
Chapter 11: Creating Your Own Wheel of the Year
Chapter 12: Modern Values – Living Justly in an Unjust World
The author does an excellent job researching where Hestia rules in our lives and homes. I was unaware She was the goddess of the senate. Zeus allowed her to remain unmarried and awarded her the first share of any offerings. Hestia is really a part of every aspect of life. I made many highlights in this book and look forward to making my own wheel of the year for holidays in my bullet journal next year. There are spells, rituals, crafts, exercises, and recipes included. I think everyone could find something to like about this book.
240 Pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd, Llewellyn Publications
Release Date: May 8, 2021
Nonfiction (Adult), Self-Help, Religion, Spirituality, Magic, Paganism, Witchcraft, Hestia
The book is divided into the following chapters.
Chapter 1: Hestia – The First and the Last
Chapter 2: The Home – An Anatomy of Comfort
Chapter 3: Making Magick
Chapter 4: The Threshold – Protecting Your Home
Chapter 5: The Kitchen – Love and Transformation
Chapter 6: The Living Room – Communication
Chapter 7: The Bedroom – Prosperity an Sleep
Chapter 8: The Bathroom – Purification
Chapter 9: Breaking Bread – Feeding Your Body
Chapter 10: Cleaning – A Place for Everything and Everything in Its Place
Chapter 11: Creating Your Own Wheel of the Year
Chapter 12: Modern Values – Living Justly in an Unjust World
The author does an excellent job researching where Hestia rules in our lives and homes. I was unaware She was the goddess of the senate. Zeus allowed her to remain unmarried and awarded her the first share of any offerings. Hestia is really a part of every aspect of life. I made many highlights in this book and look forward to making my own wheel of the year for holidays in my bullet journal next year. There are spells, rituals, crafts, exercises, and recipes included. I think everyone could find something to like about this book.
September 20, 2021
The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary is a great resource for hearth and home-based magicks. I've personally never worked or really knew anything other than a cursory knowledge of Hestia before, so this was a great insight into working with her.
The author provides a brief history of Hestia and all that she represents. I absolutely love some of the ideas and ways to incorporate small magics into everyday items (placemats and cloth napkins). Or the room sprays, laundry additives, enchanting salt and pepper shakers, etc. It really is a way to claim, enchant, and protect those within your space will innocuous, everyday objects that doesn't necessarily announce to everyone there what it is or what you're doing. I loved it.
Overall, The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary is a great resource to have and I cannot wait for my essential oils to come in the mail so I can start some new "projects" going in my home.
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
The author provides a brief history of Hestia and all that she represents. I absolutely love some of the ideas and ways to incorporate small magics into everyday items (placemats and cloth napkins). Or the room sprays, laundry additives, enchanting salt and pepper shakers, etc. It really is a way to claim, enchant, and protect those within your space will innocuous, everyday objects that doesn't necessarily announce to everyone there what it is or what you're doing. I loved it.
Overall, The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary is a great resource to have and I cannot wait for my essential oils to come in the mail so I can start some new "projects" going in my home.
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
January 9, 2022
I really liked this book.
It was a refreshing introduction to a Goddess that I have known but never really got PULLED into the practice of researching and venerating her. It was like I was sitting at a lovely clean kitchen table, enjoying a warm cup of tea, and a few finger sandwiches while Raechel Henderson taught me about Hestia, and how to venerate her.
It's full of wonderful suggestions for spells, rituals, and even eco-friendly cleaning products. I wish she had taken more time to tell us about her personal experiences working and venerating Hestia. That seemed to be the trade-off, and while that wasn't disappointing. Since she is a Goddess which I personally feel doesn't get enough public love- I really was looking for more of a personal reflection on Raechel's craft and how she worked with Hestia daily, or during grief.
That seems a bit nitpicky however since very few pagan books actually do that sort of deep personal work for some stranger to read. In the end, this was a wonderful read during the dark cold nights of fall and winter, and I can't wait to share it with someone in my group! 7/10
It was a refreshing introduction to a Goddess that I have known but never really got PULLED into the practice of researching and venerating her. It was like I was sitting at a lovely clean kitchen table, enjoying a warm cup of tea, and a few finger sandwiches while Raechel Henderson taught me about Hestia, and how to venerate her.
It's full of wonderful suggestions for spells, rituals, and even eco-friendly cleaning products. I wish she had taken more time to tell us about her personal experiences working and venerating Hestia. That seemed to be the trade-off, and while that wasn't disappointing. Since she is a Goddess which I personally feel doesn't get enough public love- I really was looking for more of a personal reflection on Raechel's craft and how she worked with Hestia daily, or during grief.
That seems a bit nitpicky however since very few pagan books actually do that sort of deep personal work for some stranger to read. In the end, this was a wonderful read during the dark cold nights of fall and winter, and I can't wait to share it with someone in my group! 7/10
January 20, 2026
Perfect for the modern 1950’s woman, you will learn about politics as it’s shoved down your throat periodically, have many useful recipes, learn Wiccan coded associations through out the book, learn about the author and her journey through COVID-19 and her divorce. Allow her to woman-splain to you how to take care of yourself, your home, how to clean, what to get rid of and how to organize your home. All in the guise of working with Hestia. I would consider this a self help book rather than how to work with Hestia seeing how most of the suggestions opinions and nothing more. She mentions myths, uses the excuse of Hestia having a hearth in the senate to push her ideals onto the reader. It was a really hard read when 60% was just opinions I didn’t sign up to read for. There ARE useful tips and recipes but honestly I probably would’ve found these things in literally any other witchy book or homestead book if I were reading those.
April 4, 2021
This particular book on Paganism spoke to me. I recently, like a month ago, discovered the term Hearth Witch and I finally found what I identified as. It would have been very convenient if this had came out when I first discovered Paganism. What can you do though? I'm glad that I found it now. I loved learning more about Hestia, the hearth goddess. The tips woven within are practical and easy. And also inexpensive. I find that a lot of books for beginners try to make you buy every single tool for every single use. This tells you the bare minimum you need and actually helps you declutter your living spaces. I'll be taking a lot of this into my craft especially Hestia. What a nice introduction to a goddess that speaks to me!
June 22, 2021
The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary by Raechel Henderson looks at infusing your home and daily life with magic and ritual by working with Goddess Hestia, the Greek Goddess of the hearth.
There's a general introduction to the goddess and a deep dive into the important areas of the home and how to work with Hestia there. It's easy to follow and a lovely read. There are directions to make home cleaners and for home rituals. There are simple recipes to use in your cooking and to make homemade bath products.
There is also a focus on social issues like cultural appropriation and capitalism as Hestia also dealt with matters of injustice and state, relevant topics that are affecting us today.
I would recommend The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary to newbie and intermediate witches.
There's a general introduction to the goddess and a deep dive into the important areas of the home and how to work with Hestia there. It's easy to follow and a lovely read. There are directions to make home cleaners and for home rituals. There are simple recipes to use in your cooking and to make homemade bath products.
There is also a focus on social issues like cultural appropriation and capitalism as Hestia also dealt with matters of injustice and state, relevant topics that are affecting us today.
I would recommend The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary to newbie and intermediate witches.
May 5, 2021
I enjoyed this marvelous book on the Greek goddess Hestia and practical magic for your home . The book has much history of Hestia and many receipes for each room of your house from protection to abundance. I particularly enjoyed the spells that are easily crafted from items you already have at home. I enjoyed the lay out of the book and found it a pleasurable informative read. Very well done to the author. This is a book to add to your magic library and refer to for Hearth witchery.
Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher. My review opinions are my own, Review cross posted.
Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher. My review opinions are my own, Review cross posted.
December 13, 2024
Eleven if you don't practice with Hestia (or any gods for that matter!) Ms. Henderson's book is a great one to have on hand that encourages you to really look after yourself and you home. To see the magick in caring for the space you live in, even if you do share it. How to empower yourself and your home by simply dancing around. It a wonderful quick read that really earns its place on a pagan bookshelf.
April 1, 2021
I really liked this little book. As a practicing kitchen/hearth witch, a lot of the practices discussed weren't new to me, but they were laid out well for beginners. Reading this felt like a gentle reminder for cleaning practices I had pushed to the back burner in my life. The history of Hestia and her connection to the practices was mostly new information to me, and I loved learning about her.
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February 8, 2023An excellent little book filled with household magic in connection to Hestia as the goddess of the heart and home. The book also touches on a range of subjects that can fall under Hestia and align with current world affairs. I really liked this book and want to attain an physical copy to add to my spellbook library.
March 19, 2025
This book provided plenty of ideas for my practice and I feel very inspired. I did dock a star because the writing was sometimes clunky and it took a while to get used to. Overall, a very enjoyable book without too much "Witchcraft 101," making it good for anyone regardless of where they are in their Witchcraft journey.
May 31, 2021
As a fan of the often under-appreciated Hestia, I was thrilled to discover a book entirely dedicated to her and her inclusion in domestic witchcraft. With such excellent information and enjoyable “crafts,” everyone should be able to bring in Hestia and fun into their household.
July 28, 2021
This book was alot more political than I thought. I was really looking forward to the teachings of hestia. The spells were great and the part about food magic was intriguing. I did enjoy the book as a whole.
August 22, 2021
Excellent book about Hestia and domesticity. I loved the style of writing, the ideas and the rituals.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
June 27, 2021
A very interesting take on witchcraft with a focus on Hestia magick. Will definitely get my own copy for the recipes and charms.
August 3, 2021
Enjoyed this herbal guide and homage to Hestia. I'm happy to have this as a handy reference guide on my magickal shelf.
September 1, 2021
Really good introduction to Hestia, home witchery, and activism
Also brought up the covid-19 pandemic a few times.
Also brought up the covid-19 pandemic a few times.
November 3, 2022
I absolutely love this book. It feels like the author wrote it just for me.
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