Member Reviews
Very informative. Found it to be a pleasant and easy to follow guide. I loved the insights into the practice and new ideas
What a wonderful introduction to the Craft! This is a welcoming and accessible handbook for fresh-faced witches and those looking to dip their toes into a new spiritual path. It's also a great reference for long-time practitioners! This book offers a great wealth of knowledge, drawing on old traditions and knowledge, as well as tried and true practices.... but with a modern twist, updated for our evolving times. I appreciated the recipes scattered throughout, as well as the easy-to-understand instructions on spellwork and practical crafting.
This is a great resource, with lots to offer.
Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.
I enjoyed this introduction to the craft. Its well organized and complete with suggestions on creating a alter, celebrating holidays, use of herbs and spells that anyone can easily follow. I learned a lot from this book and will refer back to it often. The inclusion of the elemental magic is brillant. I would highly recommend this for any beginning witch. This would be a excellent gift for those new to the craft. Well done to the author
Perfect book for beginners dipping their toe into the world of witchcraft. Lots of practical ideas and rituals that can be easily woven into daily practice. Would love a book geared towards those who are more mature in their practice!
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Perfect for the beginner witch! This practical book helps make everyday magical as you navigate busy seasons in your life. Lots of how to’s and diagrams that I loved!!
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. I am not nor I receive money for this review.
I liked this book! It went over tools, sabbats, lunar and etc. Sabbat section was cool as it not only told about it but added meditation, ritual, incense and spell oil. The tarot section had spreads that I was excited to try.
This is a good book to grab for reference. I would recommend this book to others.
Witch Life is a modern manual for the very old practice of Witchcraft. The standard terms and practices are covered in a easy to read but thorough manner that makes you want to get started. Substitutions and ritual change are covered in case you have to go off the script and make do with what you have. The holidays are explained and finding meaning in life from the wheel of the year and nature explained in a very beautiful and common sense way. Witch Life is something those of us who follow nature based paths is a fun and relevant way to incorporate what has been built on for the last many years. There are also spells that cover many needed subjects such as protection and leading a meaningful life. A very good addition to the Witchcraft journey.
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.
This book is great for beginners getting into the practice of witchcraft as it has great information but I wish this book was also geared towards intermediate and advanced witch as I felt like I was reading things I already knew. Unfortunately I didn't learn anything new BUT someone who is freshly starting their path may find this book useful.
This is a great book for those just starting out, and I wish the title reflected that better. Maybe “Starting Your Witch Life” or “Witch Life for New Practitioners”. That said, it is great for those just starting out, but not so much for the experienced practitioner. That said, depending on where you are in your own journey, you may find this to be a great read.
After reading this book I'm not sure what to think. I think it has the premise to be a good everyday kind of quick reference book, but somehow it fails in that. The sabbat rituals and spells are quite extensive, although I did enjoy the sabbat incense and oil making instructions as well as the recipes.
The moon magic chapter was pretty basic, but again the rituals and meditations were almost ceremonial (there is nothing wrong with that of course, but this book sets itself out be a "easy and quick" witchcraft guide). The chapter on elemental magic was probably my favourite, it goes over how the elements are linked with your emotions, elemental correspondences, cardinal directions as well as some practical workings.
It seems to be popular at the moment to include a section about tarot into witchcraft books. I don't personally mind that since I read tarot every day, but not every witch reads tarot. Tarot books are a whole other part of spiritual literature, so maybe it could be left out from some witchy books.
Overall I'm not sure who to recommend this book to, for beginners the rituals etc. might be too much, but for more advanced practitioners I'm not sure if there is much new. It was definitely an easy read so if you get your hands on it, maybe go ahead and give it a shot.
Thank you to NetGalley, Llewellyn and the Author for providing this ARC!
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange of an honest review.
Educational for beginners. Highly recommend.
“…this book of for everyone no matter what crooked path you walk.” -From Witch Life
2.5 stars
This book is hard to rate, as it is very different than what it stated it would be, “A practical guide for making everyday magical”. It’s more like an intro into some magic for beginners, including a long detailed section on how to make an alter and meditate. There is then a big section on holidays, with different spells, rituals, and basic recipes (with little to no added intention). It’s only at about 40% in when you get to items that could be more used in daily practice; but even these seem more special occasions as you constantly need to find yourself in the woods, a meadow, or a garden. Certainly not every day working for city witches. In one place, a moon ritual blatantly stated that there will be “no debate on ethics here for each witch is able to decide what is right”; this seemed like a huge cop out. Not the book for me, maybe a beginner looking for some info would enjoy.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, this book's misleading title lured me in, but like others have said, I think it missed the mark. I give it the low end of three stars. I didn't really find anything new or interesting in this book, apart from a few useful talismans and wardings late in the book. A lot of it was not for me and my witchcraft, I guess.
There were sabbat-specific rituals that were helpful for planning your witch calender year, although I found the meditation walk-throughs kind of cheesy. Indeed, several spells included extensive, involved meditation sessions that I personally would never attempt, it simply doesn't work for me.
To be honest, from the title I expected some more really everyday quick things? Not in-depth sabbat rituals and tarot spreads I could google. And a lot of it just didn't make sense for practical use - for example, there's a medicinal remedy part near the end, whose inclusions are suggested if you want to avoid the cost of some over the counter meds. But the herbs required, at least for me where I live, are exorbitant to purchase, so those suggestions were counterproductive. Just a lot of not useful content in this for me.
There were several spells that I just did not see as workings for everyday life. Shell casting divination might be tricky away from the sea. Willow sticks gathered under a full moon are not the easiest thing to find. Purchasing a cow tongue for a spell to silence gossips? No way. And graveyard dirt required for many spells is probably likely to get you in trouble in the gathering, even if it's only from inside the gates as Kathryn recommends. I simply don't see many of these working for urban witches like myself living in highly populated areas with busy schedules.
The amulets and talismans chapter was most useful, because these are things you can do once and maintain their power for a while, always my preferred method of witchcraft as compared to regular rituals and things this book describes. The section on witch bells and bottles was particularly useful. There was also a tip for protective sigils on your windows - now THAT was the kind of quick, basic stuff I was looking for in reading this, so the helpful parts upped my rating a bit.
This has some great basics for you to learn to start your practice - it gives a good outline for all the holidays and tools needed. Would recommend for a newbie.
Witch life by Emma Kathryn
Thank you #NetGalley for the chance to review this book!
This book is great for breaking down the steps on beginning the practice of witchcraft! Lots of great content on how to build an altar and other witchy things. I do wish this book had a little bit more artwork, but it has a ton of good information so definitely worth the read!!
I’m extremely sorry to say that this book didn’t achieve what I believed the author intended.
What I expected was a book to inspire beginners, intermediates, and those who have been practicing witchcraft for quite some time. I was expecting daily magical practices for those who needed a little extra oomph to their practice.
What I read was very much a beginner’s book with lengthy meditative rituals for moon phases and some that were wheel of the year themed. Also included were a few tea recipes and beginner tarot information.
I didn’t walk away feeling inspired, learn anything new, and it’s not something I would personally reference again for the future. Someone who is freshly starting their pagan path may find this book useful, but it’s not much different from other beginner books.
I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.