Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Nicholas Pearson writes some of the most comprehensive and scientific books on crystals and crystal methods. I loved his book Stones for the Goddess which focused on crystals working with the divine feminine, but Crystal Basics is even more accessible.
This truly is the ultimate introduction to how crystals work, how to work with them and general crystal knowledge.
Nicholas Pearson starts by delving deep into crystal structure and formation, focusing on science and facts and relating those facts to how crystals can work with humans metaphysically. This section of the book is fascinating and great to help those with questions as to crystals real "powers" to create change in human life. I will say that it's written in an understandable way, but it is science heavy so it could put some people off the book, especially as it's right at the beginning. Stick with it or skip ahead and go back to it, if you find yourself getting into a reading slump.
Nicolas then goes into how crystals react to our auric fields, the act of connecting to, activating and programing stones, meditation, elixirs, healing practices and so much more!
The book ends with a look at 200 of the most popular stones, including some that have become more popular recently.
I loved how Nicolas Pearson focused on how to create your own personal connection with your crystals, instead of only relaying what the traditional meanings are and so many of the themes he speaks about mirrored crystal courses I've taken that cost a lot more than this book. A great addition to every crystal lovers library, both beginners and the more experienced. I can't wait to get a physical copy.

I’ve always been a big fan of the metaphysical world and crystals. This book is an excellent resource in my view for anyone who has an interest in crystals and gems, their uses, and how they can benefit you in life. What I really enjoyed about this book is the level of detail. First it really breaks down how and why crystals are formed, in the natural world. The differences between them, then it goes on to give informative information on building a collection, which stones are best for what, healing, cleansing and a wealth of other useful information! It also has a very in depth encyclopedia of 200 crystals and their uses. The pictures are clear, bold, and very beautiful too. Therefore, if you are looking for a particular crystal for your needs, or just need to clarify things it has a very detailed area to answer all your questions.

I would recommend this book for any and everyone who has an interest in the metaphysical world, crystals and how to use and apply their energies in your own life. I also found that this book is written in such clear, easy to understand and basic language. Making it wonderful for beginners and those who are already knowledgeable. It’s well worth investing in. Five stars from me, ad worth the money!

I love this book. Useful both for beginners and for experienced stone workers. Well written, insightful, & practical. Highly recommended. posted on amazon

A lovely book filled with useful information. A good book for beginners., it has plenty of information on the science as well as the spiritual aspects, including information on many crystals and a lovely property index in the back. A brilliant beginners reference.

This was a great book for those looking to learn the basics of crystal usage. I have to say that the author packed this book with everything that the beginner needs. Of course my copy of this was all in black and white but you could just tell that the full color pages are going to make this book come alive and help identification so much easier.

This is a exceptional book that encompasses everything we need to learn about crystals. I particularly was pleased to see the author includes the science of how crystals are made. The layout is beautifully done and the book is educational, informative and fun. The author includes use of crystals for different modalities as well as spell work, Chakras and types of crystals. The properties of each crystal is discussed to assist you in choosing the right crystal. This is a "Definitive" book on crystals. I will recommend you buy a hard copy for your personal library.

thank you to the publisher and to Net Gallay.

Crystal basics is a very informative book for anyone who is interested in the healing properties of crystals, It covers the history, properties and layouts for all crystal healing and benefits to the body. I did think it was a bit long winded in the first half of the book but the layout allows you to read it in small sections or the way that is beneficial for the reader, the second half of the book has 200 listed crystals detailing all the crystal properties and their uses, This is a really easy book to enjoy.

Nicholas Pearson’s Crystal Basics: The Energetic, Healing, and Spiritual Power of 200 Gemstones has taken the throne of being the best beginner crystal book ever written in my opinion. This book is the one that really should have been named The Crystal Bible and has pretty much everything you could ever want or need to start working with crystals. Despite the subtitle of the book, the 200 stones are not even what is so amazing about this book. This book covers so many things not covered in books or pieces that are spread out amongst other books. Pearson, who has a background in geology, combines that with his metaphysical work to show how the two intertwine – something pretty revolutionary for the subject of crystals.

For example, in Crystal Basics he goes over the formation process of crystals, mineral composition, the Mohs scale of hardness, color, Diaphaneity, pleochroism, cleavage, luminescence and the seven crystal system of cubic, tetragonal, orthorhombic, trigonal, hexagonal, monoclinic, and triclinic and explains how that relates to the metaphysical properties of crystals without abandoning the animistic aspect of consciousness within the stone itself! He has taken all this science, weaved it with spirit, and presents it in a manner that is so easy to understand that anyone will be able to grasp what he’s teaching despite the intimidating sounding geology jargon.

This, however, is not the entire scope of Crystal Basics. Pearson opens by explaining energy and how it operates within ourselves and the world, which includes the energy body and how those energies interact and affect each other. He provides great insight into building your own collection with methods to determine if a crystal is right for you or not—along with great tips for storing your stones properly. He then shows several methods of cleansing, dedicating, bonding with, programming, activating and deactivating your crystals. He then goes through meditation techniques that range from beginner to advanced to work with your crystal with your psychic faculties alone.

But it doesn’t stop there. Crystal Basics shows how to make crystal elixirs (along with some recipes), how to make crystal grids and activate them (along with some templates), how to use crystal layouts for healing, and how to use them for cleansing, protecting, and several energy techniques like recharging yourself, clearing your aura, combing your aura, cutting cords, and extracting thoughtforms – all crucial psychic hygiene practices that anyone engaging in energy work should be performing in some manner.

After that, we have the directory of 200 of the most common stones and crystals you are most likely to come across and work with. The book concludes with an appendix of three indexes for easy to use reference for stones and their healing properties sorted by physical healing, psychological healing, spiritual healing. If there was one book on crystals that you should own, it’s hands down Crystal Basics regardless of how experienced you are or are not with working with them. This will most likely always be my recommendations for new readers. Oh. Did I mention the book is fully colored on every page and full of photos and illustrations? Because it is.

It took me longer than usual to get through this. I am new to crystals, so I thought this book would be a good introduction. While the book was full of information, I often felt like I was reading a textbook (particularly in the first half of the book) and it was almost too much. However, the second half of the book (the index) was very helpful and I enjoyed that part of the book. I would perhaps recommend this book to someone who is somewhat familiar with crystals and wanting to learn more, rather than a total beginner (like myself).

This book had A LOT of information. Valuable but at times I felt really overwhelming. I definitely didn’t feel this was a basics book. It was far too wordy and detailed. While wanting to learn about crystals I think less is more when beginning.

It was well done but it wouldn’t be my first choice to begin learning with.

I was only recently introduced to crystals so this is the first book I have read about them. I was previously a total skeptic and this book was great at introducing the science behind crystals, including their history and how they are formed, and where their energy comes from. It was great to read about why crystals are beneficial to healing and also why each crystal is different, including how to understand each of the different properties. I particularly liked the list of crystals and their different uses. Although I'm not sure how much I will follow some of the rituals involved in maintaining them, this has been a real eye-opener and I look forward to continuing to learn more about them.

This book was both insightful and informative. It was very helpful to me . It was very well written in the way a beginner can understand. I found this book to be very thorough in my beginning studies of crystals.

This is a great reference tool for those wanting to learn more about crystals. The first part of the book provides great introductory information including scientific facts and how to choose crystals. The second part information on crystals themselves - this includes pictures, healing facts, etc. There is also an index provided where you can find crystals that help with specific things. Great book!

ARC: Crystal Basics is the perfect book to read if you are wanting to learn more about crystals or to even use them! I read this book and then immediately bought some crystals. My experience with them have been great so far and I owe it all to this book! I definitely recommend this book if crystals are something that interests you. It is a great starting point!

Good look for other information than crystal introductions. Does have some of that - but is more of the information like selecting crystals and what you can do when you get them into your home. More reference of different things which is nice.

This book exceeded my expectations it’s packed full of much more information then I expected. I had to spend more time than usual absorbing the facts and science as well as the basics of crystals. I really recommend this if you are interested in the use of crystals because this book really is in-depth. The author seems to really have a passion for crystals and it shows in the time and presentation that went into the information in this book. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

I have become a Nicholas Pearson fan, and was delighted to see that he wrote another book on healing crystals. I really appreciate his scientific and metaphysical perspective on crystals because it’s rare to find a blended perspective like his in books these days. Kudos to Pearson for starting the book off with a chapter on how crystals work. Explaining their energy from a scientific and metaphysical perspective is absolutely necessary for those working with crystals. Most books on the subject exclude this kind of information so I was very happy to see it explained by the author in such a simple yet effective way. He even went on to explain specific attributes of crystals which are ways they interact with energy. Once again, I have not come across this type of information in other books, so it was incredibly enlightening. A discussion on the crystalline matrix of the human body was a lovely inclusion because humans and crystals have more in common than one would think.

My biggest takeaway was the chapter on the composition and structure of crystals and how this informs their healing properties. This is essential and missing from most crystal books. In order to understand why a particular crystal has certain properties, you have to understand its growing conditions, structure, hardness, composition, system, colour, etc. A section on the human energy field such as the chakras and subtle bodies was also included. A chapter on how to start a crystal collection was a nice addition because anyone who loves crystals knows it can be an intimidating process. Many different foundational practices were outlined in the book such as how to care for your crystals, cleansing, charging, meditations, crystal grids, elixirs, layouts, protection, and sacred spaces. A large directory of crystals listing their geological information was included along with their concise physical, psychological, and spiritual healing properties.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who uses crystals or anyone who would love to learn more about them. For me, the standout was the geological information which helped to explain why crystals have the healing properties that they do. This is a book that I would definitely purchase.

This is an extensive book for learning about crystals and how to use them. he information on auras and healing is excellent. If you want to know how crystals work and some of the theory behind it all this book will give you a much greater understanding. This book has more depth and practicality than most other books on the market and you could feel the authors passion for the subject. I loved the 'crystal' clear pictures especially in the crystal reference section in the second half. This book is much more than 'basics' and is brilliant book for anyone wanting to use and get to know the benefits of using crystals.