3.5 stars. Definitely more of a practical look at what witchcraft is and how to engage in it, rather than fantastical claims, which I appreciate. Almost all of the book was about how to find which practices are right for you (and which ones are not for you, because of cultural and historical meaning), figure out when someone is trying to influence you in a negative way, and which tools are most useful. A little bit about spells at the end, but more in a "blueprint" way and less specifically prescriptive, which I also found very interesting. Not exactly the book I was expecting, but good nonetheless.

3.5 stars!

It was a decent read. I felt it was lacking a bit but I can see what he was going for. Since it is a "Dabbler's Guide", I think I'm just looking for books with a lot of information and this just didn't fit that. I did feel like it read like having a conversation with a friend.

The Dabbler's Guide to Witchcraft is a very, very basic introduction to witchcraft; I suppose I was expecting how to incorporate more magick into daily life! Very informal, seems targeted toward a young/new adult audience.

I absolutely adored this book. Fire Lyte brings a fresh, fun and modern take to dabbling in witchcraft. He relates witchcraft with pop culture to make it relatable. The spells are very basic and don't require buying a bunch of special tools to make magic. Fire Lyte is very relatable.

This was definitely a more lighthearted approach to the introduction to witchcraft. While it's serious and should be respected, it's was nice to read something that felt more relatable.

A good guide for beginners to explore the path of magik and spirituality,

Thank you #NetGalley and Tiller Press for giving me the opportunity to read this!

I don't listen to very many podcasts so I was not aware of this author. Not listening to the podcasts made no difference to whether you enjoy this book or not. The authors writing style is funny and kind at the same time. It’s a refreshing style.
This is a great book for beginners. I've always had an interest in witchcraft and it’s history and common day practice.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this book!

So much good information in this book. I loved the conversational style. A breath of fresh air in a woo-woo culture that needs to be a little more honest with expectations versus reality. Loved it!

This book sounded interesting and like a good beginning text. The book was extremely disjointed with a wide range of tangents. A lot about pop culture but not really bringing it up for any reason or substantial arguments. I did read an advanced copy so there is a chance that some if it will be edited down.

As someone who hadn't read a witchy book since probably the early 00's, I found The Dabbler's Guide to Witchcraft to be a fresh, modern discussion of some real issues which occur within the magical community, how to handle them, as well as some practical magical advice. The author's clear style makes it easy to follow, and the sense of humor had me laughing out loud in many places. This is an excellent addition to anyone's witchy bookshelf and I look forward to reading the author's next book.

This was lovely.

I wish I’d had this book ten years ago, but I found it useful at this stage in my paganhood too, and I think it could be a great read for anyone at any point on their spiritual journey.

Fire Lyte writes in a comfortable, cozy kind of way, and I sort of had the feeling I was being allowed to tag along with a really cool cousin to a gathering I was a slight outsider to.

I LOVED how in-depth the sections on navigating the landscape of “””borrowed””” beliefs was, and how willing the text was to acknowledge discomfort as part of the process not only of recognizing flaws in the community but coming to terms with how we can try to mitigate them.

The spell section was also really cute and fun! It took a much more self-aware, playful, crafty (haha) approach than I’ve seen in a lot of other witchy books.

Highly recommended; I want my own physical copy.

This book is a modern guide for witchcraft beginners and aspiring practitioners. Basic beginner concepts are introduced in an accessible way through a contemporary lens, which makes the message easy to grasp and fun to hold on to. Geared towards the person who is “spiritual, but not religious”, this book poses an opportunity to open the floodgates for the exploration of the world of witchcraft for the curious beginner. Essential basics, like vetting legit practitioners and dodging common beginners' mistakes, are thoroughly explored. Fire Lyte uses pop culture to reach the reader in a familiar and approachable way, including discussions that vary from American Horror Story to the Salem Witch Trials. His language is witty at times, yet also reassuring and comforting. He mentions moments that are relatable to many beginner modern practitioners, such as the obligatory Scott Cunningham phase. He provides guidance on where readers can go after this book, including tools like Youtube and podcasts to dive deeper into witchy subjects. There are many witchcraft books that leave the reader with no next steps, but this author gently nudges the reader in the right direction. Fire Lyte carefully provides tips and tricks to send the reader on their way, including offering thrifting materials as an alternative to buying new and brings up modern reinventions on the classics, such as using the notes app as a grimoire. As an art history major, I appreciated the mention of the significance of researching non-witchy fields, like art history and chemistry, which is an aspect I often see left out of beginner witch books. Additionally, I especially appreciated the spells in this book because they mostly only include mundane objects. This thoughtful, beginner-friendly spell section allows for the reader to immediately put their witchy aspirations to work. This book challenges popular biases, like “good magic” and “bad magic”. Importantly, he doesn’t shy away from discussing some of the problematic aspects within spiritual spaces, such as toxic “love and light”, spiritual bypassing, gatekeeping, and cultural appropriation. Overall, Fire Lyte provides a conversational and enjoyable first glance into witchcraft for beginners.

An enjoyable read about the basics of witchcraft. Fire Lyte’s passion for magic is apparent as you read this introductory book. He wants his readers to understand magic, but also make you wonder what makes something magic. For example, someone who makes the best pot of coffee in the same old coffee pot. Included are a few spells to try with different versions based on what you would like to do, as well as a list of sources. And I’ve been inspired to find a comparative religion class.

This is a great guide for all things witchy. I thought this was a fabulous read. There is quite a bit of mystery that comes to mind when you think of witchcraft. The subject intrigues me.

Very interesting and well written. Great for "beginners" to this type of work. An excellent addition to any metaphysical collection.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got this book (am I a dabbler? is this book for me?), but I have to say that I was thoroughly delighted. I love it when I read a nonfiction book and it feels like I am having a conversation with a friend in a cozy spot with good drinks. Fire Lyte’s voice was clear from the very first sentence, and I am totally here for it! It was refreshing to read a witchcraft book that opens with such a self-aware, “here we are right now in this pandemic together” attitude. Like, I get that maybe this pandemic won’t last forever, but it is happening right now and this book was such a welcome conversation. My approach to magic aligns very nicely with Fire Lyte’s, both on how/why it works and when/why it doesn’t work. I enjoyed all of the examples from the author’s own life and experience, as well as the many examples of how things could apply to my own life. I adore this book and Fire Lyte is now on my list of favorite witchy authors!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Enjoyable read. This book isn't just about witchcraft. It's about community, about communication, and about where to start looking to find the path you want to go down. How to be a student, not only of witchcraft, but of a wider world where your craft has context.

Easy to understand with humor peppered in- I liked this accessible guide and found it helpful and an easy read!

I had heard so much about this book and am happy to say it lived up to the hype. Lyte gives a comprehensive overview of witchcraft and magic and this would be a good addition to any beginner witch’s library. I will be recommending this book to others. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I wasn't overly impressed with this one. The author was slightly all over the place, and he tries to debunk magic then tells you how he practices magic. It didn't track and just didn't resonate with me. I had a hard time finishing it, but I did.