3.5 stars!

I enjoyed the way the book was presented, from the artwork to the prose-like way the author wrote. I just felt like I needed more from the book and didn't quite get it.

The layout and images of Root and Ritual are stunning. The book invites you to leave consumerism behind and look deeper into yourself and where you came from. It encourages you to reconnect with your lineage, with yourself, and with the land. We need to remember where we came from.
This book is soothing and wants you to live purposely, while reminding you that you simply belong. It made my heart smile.

I grew up always wanting to connect withy past. I felt that I was alwaysissing something. So reading this beautiful book about reconnecting toy roots was very insightful. A good read.

Dieser Titel bietet interessante Einblicke in das Thema. Vieles habe ich noch nicht gewusst und ich war gespannt mehr darüber zu erfahren. Zudem hatte ich den Eindruck, einen Autor zu haben, der sich ordentlich und intensiv mit diesem Thema auseinandergesetzt hat.

I love the positivity in this book. There is a strong focus on women supporting and empowering each other. The other main focus throughout the book is combating the increased feelings of seclusion in society through recommiting yourself to nature and the outer world.

This is a good book for those wanting to look into ancestor work or belonging to where you are. Overall a decent book.

What a beautiful reminder of what nature has for us. Right under our feet, in the trees, in the skies. This is one I will go back to again and again!

In a moment of synchronicity, I recently heard my teacher on an episode of the Belonging podcast, particularly enjoyed the host, and then realized she wrote the book I was about to read, Root & Ritual!

This book sits in a middle ground between a witchcraft guide and a more general audience “get back to nature” short-and-inspirational tome. It will appeal to readers who’ve longed for greater connection to earth, community, ancestry, and ritual in times of overwhelm, but may not identify as witches or be drawn to spellwork. The writing is accessible and exercises require minimal supplies or knowledge (though you CAN let your inner DIY queen wild!)

Women of European descent may find the most resonance with Piastrelli’s stories and example. Though she consistently brings up issues of colonization, lacking access to ancestral records, and how oppression harms us all, some BIPOC readers may prefer a book less heavy on European examples. Some practices included will be inaccessible to some readers including those with limited access to ancestral information, trans women, women who don’t menstruate, etc. This is acknowledged, but important to note.

That said, I found myself deeply relating to parts of Piastrelli’s story, and I believe these earth-based practices are crucial for folx living disconnected from ritual or authentic connections to land. The book is for women, but I still really connected to some of the material from a different gender lens. Practices like purposeful wandering sparked my kitchen witchy leanings without being too intimidating, and I love how Piastrelli brings in important topics such as lineage beyond bloodlines. If you’re reading while locked down, just be aware this is one of those books that will make you sad not to have access to a community. ❤️  As an anecdote to loneliness, the communal practices are essential and also require some creativity right now!

This is a lovely book with gorgeous illustrations, perfect for a cozy winter read. I kept renewing my ARC of it because it really needs to be read over a long period and many seasons, not just read in a day. As it is, I still didn't work my way through the whole thing. It's a very introspective book.

First I want to say that aesthetically this book is beautiful, so much so that I went out and bought a copy as soon as I saw it in person. The cover immediately draws you in and the illustrations throughout are charming and add to the reader's experience. This is a book for anyone who's looking to slow down and rewild their practice. It includes practices for connecting into your own lineage, community, rituals to love on yourself, and practices for connecting back to the land. Recommended for any witchy bookshelf.

This was completely out of my genre but then this year i have decided to read things that i don't usually read. I am happy i made that choice and ended up with a ARC of this. Very well written

I loved this book. I am very into my ancestral past. Root and ritual is a wonderful insight on a topic close to my heart. I found it to be enlightening. Thank you 😊

Root and Ritual by Becca Piastrelli is a guide about becoming more at home with your self. This book is divided up into four parts: land, lineage, community, and self. The author has some great ideas, and this guide is very simple yet very helpful. I appreciated her emphasis on asking one's self, "How am I doing, really?" Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

I'll admit that I was first attracted to Root and Ritual by its gorgeous cover, featuring items one might find on a foraging expedition - herbs, petals, fungi, insects and bones. My first impressions paid off and I found this a stimulating and inspiring read, a call to action for readers to re-ground themselves in an increasingly frenetic and superficial world.
In four parts, author Becca Piastrelli explores our connections to land, lineage, community and self, and how each of these might be considered and enhanced to foster a greater sense of personal fulfilment and belonging. In addition to providing an erudite guide based upon her own substantial experience as a natural healer, specialist public speaker and women's group facilitator, Piastrelli challenges the reader with practical exercises at the conclusion of each chapter. She also includes several natural recipes and suggestions for meaningful personal and group rituals, and other activities designed to enhance the reader's experience.
"Integrating these ideas into your life starts by simply listening and noticing what makes you feel the most grounded, at peace, and joyful in your body." (p.210)

While the author is based in California, and some of the content is primarily relevant to that environment, I felt that the concepts were easily transferable to my own experience as an Australian reader with Anglo-Celtic heritage. I was particularly impressed by Piastrelli's references to indigenous cultures, and her caution to readers regarding the potential for cultural appropriation.
Root and Ritual is an interesting and uplifting read, with many practical suggestions for readers who seek a sense of connection and groundedness within their lives. Highly recommended.
My thanks to the author, Becca Piastrelli, publisher Sounds True and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this beautifully produced title.

Root and Ritual Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the Self by Becca Piastrelli is a guide for connecting with the earth, your ancestors, and your communities as you come home to your whole self. A well-written read that is full of useful information. Root and Ritual is a book I will read again often.

The illustrations in this book are absolutely gorgeous, and the language gave me a very cozy feelling through it all. It asks all the questionsthat I had (almost) never thought about before during my own magical path and had me talking to my dad about memories I wasn't sure were real or not.

The author makes a great job in being inclusive in her talks about women not all being cis-women. Also making sure that people know that you dont have to be identifying as a woman to be reading this book, that you could just be interested in exploring the divine feminine.

Its one o the witchy books that just leaves me with an all in all warm and fuzzy that I'd very much like fort to stay.

This was so lovely! I am absolutely going to buy this as a physical copy once it's out on November 16th.

It's divided into four parts plus introduction: Land, Lineage, Community & Self. 

I think my favourite part was Land as it talked a lot about learning about where we live, did our ancestors originate from here or did we come from somewhere else? and if so who were native to this land, what did their lives look like, how did they work with the land? And also how far back can you trace your ancestry? What cultures are in your DNA? etc. There was a lot about learning the local flora and fauna, building a connection to it through knowledge and understanding and it was just written in a very sweet and, in lack of a better word, cozy way. We also got some recipes for floral water and how to make jam and preserve veggies and I can not WAIT to try them out!

Part two was harder for me to connect with due to the fact that I don't know where my ancestors came from, but it did get me super excited to try one of those ancestry sites where you send in a DNA sample.

I did like that she talked about how some of us might not want to dig in our ancestral line for various reasons, or can't because we're adopted etc, and that it doesn't have to be blood ancestors, but can be any who you feel kinship with. Are you a writer? Then all the writers who came before you are your ancestors. etc. The one thing that bugged me here was that there seemed to be an underlying assumption that whoever reading was going to become a parent at some point or another. There was some talk of "your descenters, your children" etc and as someone who probably will not be able to have kids it felt a bit... uncomfortable.

Otherwise she was very inclusive in her work. She wrote in the beginning that this book is intended for women but is open for non binary and trans people alike to explore, and when she talks about typically biologically female things like first menstruation and how to celebrate it in a ritual called menarche she mentions that not all girls bleed and this ceremony can be done either for another milestone in the person's journey into womanhood, or to just pick a date. 

The part about community was really nice, although I wish she could've been a bit more inclusive of those who aren't exactly socially skilled and/or are introverts. A lot of the things she spoke about were only applicable if the person in question already have a lot of family and friends. A section about how to venture out and find this community would've been welcomed.

So lastly we have the Self. It was typical self love and self acceptance talk- in a good way! She spoke very sweetly about how we ought to remember to nourish ourselves and our bodies, and to think about how we treat our pets with good food and belly rubs and snuggles etc, and to realize that our own bodies need the same thing. I loved that.

Here we got a recipe for a body oil that I will most definitely try out.

All in all I truly enjoyed this and I can't wait to have the physical copy on my shelf.

I don't want to discount the information provided by this book, but the real star for me was the illustrations. The color palette is gorgeous and the illustrations really set the mood. However, I really appreciated the different sections of the book. I try to connect with my ancestors as much as possible, but I also long to connect more with my community. The section on Community gave some great suggestions on how to do so. I am also really excited to try out some of the suggestions for making a personal body oil and some of the self care practices. Overall, a great book to help you connect with nature, yourself, and those around you.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an eARC of this book. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is a wonderful book, with great insights and step by step instructions on how to be and when to be.
It also teaches you about the benefits of nature and the being of it. I look forward to seeing more reviews on this book as it is an essential guide for those who are interested in nature magic or nature grounding.
Well all in all, i can say that this book has giving me great insight and the knowledge to be more than just me i can be me in the magical world of nature.

I looked forward to reading this and was not disappointed. First the illustrations and artwork is just lovely. The writing is very warm, inviting, and appealing to those from a variety of spiritual belief systems. I would recommend this to beginners and novice practitioners alike. Thank you netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.