I would love a print copy of this and will add it to my wishlist if I can find it. It was a good read but definitely something I'd like to be able to flip through easily to use when I need it.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who has mostly lived in cities growing up, I have always been interested in the more wildcraft-side of magic but haven't had much of a chance to explore it for myself. With Walker's book I was hoping to dig more into different kinds of plants and ways to use them.
The first third or so of the book is dedicated to foraging, which I found super interesting. As I think the climate where I live is very different from Walker's I think I'll probably have to do some extra research, especially around safety, but the section nonetheless offered a lot of interesting information I hope to use in the future.
From there on, we get a plant list which was interesting but I'm not sure how I would use it as I most likely wouldn't take the book out with me for identification. There also seemed to be a bit of a dismissal of modern sources regarding the uses etc. of plants, which felt off to me. There is a lot of old wisdom which is very good, but there are also modern advances which should be taken into account I believe. I'd also have loved to see more ways of using the plants, or more varied ways to do so, rather than so much detail on the plants themselves.
For a beginner like myself this was a very interesting and useful introduction, but I can imagine that for those with more experience there isn't a whole lot of new information here.

3.5 stars
A Witch's Guide to Wildcraft is a good primer for those interested in expanding into the realm of wildcrafting.

As a natural, hippie-dippie kind of lady, I love the concept of wildcrafting. Especially so, if it's for something I can propagate for my home garden or for workings, etc...

I would not say this book is the only book you'll ever need on the subject but it does give a good primer start on plants and things you can source (with permission and availability) for your own harvesting needs. I was hoping for maybe a bit more information on plants and crafting ideas, but that's me.

I will say a possible drawback was that the author only references ancient texts on alchemy or grimoires for the magical uses of the plants. Now, I understand some online sources can get things twisted and mixed up but that is why I reference multiple texts or sources. Again, that is a me problem and not necessarily a you problem. So I will just say mileage may vary.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

While a fun beginner's guide I felt like it missed the mark.
Beginner foragers would do better with an article on how to preserve plants they forage, a link to endangered species, and a book on what is available in their area and how to identify it.
This one was limited by its attempts to be too wide spread.
I would have preferred more from the witchcraft perspective and animism - guides for modern witches to connect with just a few plants in their area and how that looks in the life of a witch. Perhaps I am asking too much.

This is a great book for beginners and seasoned witches alike. It’s a good book to have on your shelves to refer back to.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced e-reader copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is one of those "witchy" books that go beyond what you would normally read now. I loved how this book was informative and fun to read; I feel like I really took some things from this book. This is one that I will recommend and buy a physical copy of to keep! Wildcraft is such an interesting topic that never really gets its own full book, so I am so glad and thankful that it finally has!

This is a very comprehensive beginner’s and beyond herbal. The integration of magic and mundane uses for the herbs that are covered is seamless. It also provides lots of great places to start further research.
It makes it even better that you can find these herbs organically as well as grow them yourself. Our bond with the earth is strong and being able to create, use and give back is also so important.

This book serves as a great guide for the novice or well-versed practitioner when it comes to identifying and using wild plants, herbs, and more to be used in projects, spells, and rituals.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am inordinately fond of herbals. Plants in their properties are fascinating. My only real issue with them, generally, is that they typically do not contain plants from North America.

This is a very comprehensive beginner’s and beyond herbal. The integration of magic and mundane uses for the herbs that are covered is seamless. It also provides lots of great places to start further research.

Beyond all these things, I really like the author’s straightforward style. Just because this is a book with “witch” in the title, doesn’t mean it has to be frivolous or woo. I’m not saying that I’m opposed to frivolity or woo, but we need books that don’t rely on them just because we’re practitioners.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

A Witch's Guide to wildcraft is a book to help you to understand how to forage for plants and the plants uses.
I expected a lot more from this book so I am quite disappointed. The first part of the book is all about foraging which wouldn't be too bad if the rest of the book was expanded on more as this part would have made an added bonus to the book.
The second part was about each plant and listed one use for each plant of how it can be used. I was expecting many different ideas and exams along with spells to use.
The book gave some ideas on how to make your plant gatherings more magical but I was then put off from the author's dismissal of anything from the modern days of witchcraft (after the 1900's).

Good for American wild crafters. Information can be moved to other places with the same plants. A good starting point of foraging. Not a huge selection of plants.

As this year continues, my list of awesome occult books grows. Today I have yet another book review on a book you witches will want to get your hands on! A Witch's Guide to Wildcraft: Using Common Plants to Create Uncommon Magic by JD Walker covers a variety of plants most witches in North America can find right in their backyard for use in their magical endeavors. I couldn't be more thrilled with such a book as many of the herbal books on the market cover the same basic plants, many of which are not available in Georgia. While that's fine, it makes it difficult to practice more local witchcraft when every herbal spell book calls for plants I don't have easy access to.

Walker, a horticulturist, master gardener, and fellow witch, begins the book by discussing the basics of wildcrafting, including setting some ground rules for gathering from both an ecological and witchy point of view. As an environmental science teacher, I greatly appreciated her discussion of threatened and endangered species. It's important to note that not all plants are threatened or endangered in every area so prior to harvesting, you should check with your local and state governments. Thankfully in the United States, each state has a comprehensive list of threatened and endangered species per the Endangered Species Act. Walker provides detailed information on how to go about researching local and state regulations on wildcrafting, making it easy for the reader to find the needed information prior to harvesting. Walker then goes on to discuss the foundations of a magical, herbal practice, from proper harvesting techniques to planetary influences for each herb, including which signs work well together and which don't. This is something I find lacking in a large number of herbal books. Sure, the planetary correspondences are there and a reverence for the plant's spirit, but there is very little talk about how the herbs actually work together and that despite what some people may say, not all herbs play well together magically. I appreciated this deeper look into how different planetary signs and magical correspondences work or fail to work together in magical workings. Understanding magical interactions are the foundation of successful witchcraft and is often overlooked in beginner books. Building upon this, Walker suggests planetary times to harvest herbs, but also encourages the reader to accept the gifts the Universe provides, time be damned. Before covering each herb in detail, Walker provides several tables that classify the herbs based on their planet correspondence, moon phase, elemental correspondences, and magical correspondences. This makes it super easy to reference the herbs quickly to find exactly what you need without having to read through each plant individually in the second part of the book. I love that these lists make the book more accessible and useable as a reference material, one that I will likely return to often.

In the second half of the book, Walker goes into detail about 32 common plants found in North America from boxwood to willow. For each plant, she includes a picture for identification, Latin name, location, parts used, hardiness zones, planetary ruler, uses, edibility, warnings, written description, history of use from a horticultural perspective, and finally the magical uses of the plants. Whew! You get a ton of practical information, all tightly packed into each plant section. Many sources, including my own Herbarium posts, don't often refer to which part of the plant is used magically. I appreciate Walker's deliberate inclusion of the part of the plant used and why that part of the plant is used. Each part corresponds slightly differently magically, and this should be taken into account when working a spell. The root of a dandelion acts differently than the flowers and it's important to understand this distinction. All of the book is thoroughly referenced, with intext citations and annotated sources. I greatly appreciated the references and complete bibliography at the end of the book. Finally, Walker offers a magical project for each and every plant; yes, every single plant has a spell, ritual, or craft associated with it. I absolutely loved this! Most books include all these magical uses, but then don't offer a way to practice the magic; Walker defies this trend, offering recipes and directions for runes, cherry jam, glamour toner, floor washes, bath mixtures, besoms, and asperging wands. This was my favorite part of the book, but for some of the projects, I would have liked to see the inclusion of visual instructions instead of just written ones. I am a pretty visual person, so I struggle with written directions when constructing something.

If you are looking at growing your magical practice with herbs, this is certainly the book for you. Unfortunately, the plant section will be limited for those outside of North America and Europe, but the information is still worth reading for those in other areas, as Walker offers new insight into plant magic not covered in other texts. A Witch's Guide to Wildcraft: Using Common Plants to Create Uncommon Magic by JD Walker is available now, and I promise you won't regret picking up this fantastic resource.

It doesn't matter whether you already have the knowledge or are learning. This was an excellent book to reference wild herbs to use for everything. This book sets a new standard for wild herb use for everyday, and special occasions. It makes it even better that you can find these herbs organically as well as grow them yourself. Our bond with the earth is strong and being able to create, use and give back is also so important. The book was well done. #AWitchsGuidetoWildcraft #NetGalley

One of my favorite things to do outside is to wildcraft with my two boys, ages 4 and almost 10. We love to forage and find useful herbs right in our yard or woods. This is a wonderful book that gives you a breif education on common herbs from the perspective on someone who has gardened for a long time.
My only complaint was that I wish it was a little more extensive. It is wonderful for beginners though!

Very informative book. Full of a lot of useful information. This book will also be very useful for future reference.

The goal of this book is not just to get people using herbs, but to wildcraft (collect) their own (in a legal and environmentally responsible way) as someone who grew up collecting herbs, plants and berries I know the beauty and joy of it. So its wonderful to have such a resource out there, whats more they reference their sources and other historical resources like Agrippa for those that seek to research further,
The text goes into detail on planetary, elemental correspondences and draws on that as a useful basis for tips on mixing herbs that I know many people will love as its so straight forward.
The major section of the book references common plants like Cherries, Ferns and Violets etc (its worth noting the box is primarily focused in the US however the choice of common plants mean it is applicable to many other locations). There is information on what parts to use, latin name. usage, planetary ruler, edibility etc after that the reader is provided by an easy to follow detailed description and history as well as how it should be used which includes a practical example of an appropriate craft to be made using the plant from runes, jam to love sprays there is a nice array of activities.
The book is an easy to follow and well structured text, that provides an array of wonderful information and various crafts and spells. I have not seen a book quite like this and it makes a great addition to any box collection on witchcraft or herb lore.

(I received a copy of this text via netgalley in exchange for a review, all my opinions are my own)

This book was a nice introduction to herbs and plants from the perspective of someone well versed in gardening. The first half goes over a lot of the history, proper usage, and understanding of various plants/herbs (when to harvest, how to harvest, etc.). I appreciated that the author has such a lifetime's wealth of knowledge and experience in gardening, because it was evident in the depth each section went. The second half is basically a reference guide to what I imagine are some of the author's favorite plants. I like that it goes over a few correspondences, quick notes & warnings, an appearance description, history, uses, and a ritual or recipe for each plant. I would have loved it if the Uses section went deeper for each plant, since that is my main area of interest. I think it would be a lot more impactful had the advanced copy included the images as well, so I recommend getting the physical book if you want to use it as a reference guide (and I hope the images are in color and well detailed). I was hoping this would be a bit more of a guide to recognizing what plants are in the wilds around my home and community, but perhaps that was too much wishful thinking and I should get a local guidebook for that purpose. I do think this would still be handy to have on my witchy shelves, but I really wish the reference section was much more robust (that is, I wish it contained about 3x the amount of plants that it does).

JD Walker has written a very practical and understandable book on the practice associated with magical uses of plants. The plants listed are in alphabetical order which makes going back to read again or research the plant easy. Recipes are given and ways of using the plant also. Many of the uses I had never heard of before such as Mugwort and scrying. Almost all of the plants are not too difficult to find nor purchase. Also the theory behind plant magic and their spirits and rulers are explained. Finally an understandable way to really decide when to do a work for success and what to do if you can't wait. All in all very readable and interesting and also doable.

Any practitioner needs to understand the power of plants. It's personally one of my favorite elements of crafting. This book highlights the appearance, history, and uses of various plants. It also provides several crafting areas that guide you through how the plant can be used in crafting. While not at in-depth into the properties of each plant as I expected, it's still very much a book that I'll have on my shelf to turn to.

I think my expectations for this book and the reality of the information that it provides were not quite the same. I was hoping for more uses for the plants highlighted in this book. Each plant has one example of its potential magic use, but I was hoping for a few more for each one. As I wouldn't use this type of book for identification purposes, I would have rather had more examples of uses as opposed to the descriptions of the plant or common lookalikes or even the rather extensive history sections for each plant. Also, I felt like quite a few of the plants were poisonous, which I appreciate that they let us know so we don't just go around making salads of all the green things, but I could see someone with small children or animals just avoiding a bulk of these material out of caution.

I did appreciate some ideas about how to make your gathering a bit more magical, but I didn't appreciate the tone or the disdain towards more modern sources for witchcraft. I'm not a fan of policing how other people want to practice their craft or the sources that they want to use. And while I suppose there is an argument for going back to the original sources, but some of those aren't exactly accessible for a modern practitioner. Instead of Nostradamus' cherry jam recipe, which is relatively accessible, but I'll stick to my great-grandmothers. Not quite as time tested, but I'm sure it tastes just as good.

Overall, I would recommend this for someone looking for a lot of information of the plants listed, but not necessarily a lot of ideas for uses.

Thank you to Llewellyn Publications, JD Walker and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.