what a great book! as a witch it is nice to find researched book about the welsh mythology and practices, its well written and in a language which is aim at all. it doesnt throw you in at the deep end like some books can.

would gladly recommended this book to anyone who wanted to start the welsh path and those who are interested in welsh magick

🌙This amazing book is divided into 11 chapters that focus on explaining the history of magic and witchcraft in Wales, legends, fairy tales, the archetype of the Welsh Witch, and more.

🌟The author has done a wonderful job! We can see that @mhara_starling has made a thorough research and explains with such a clarity, therefore, the reader can easily form a general picture of this magical world from Wales.

💫Thanks to NetGalley (@netgalley) and Llewellyn Publications (@llewellynbooks) for giving me the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to read this book and I was not disappointed at all. Easy to read and understand. A lot of useful information without being boring. I enjoyed all the stories of fairies and witches and dragons.. One of my favorite subjects was ancestral magic. I would recommend This book highly. I received this book from Net Galley and Llewellyn Worldwide for a honest review.

Thank you to Netgallery and Llewellyn publications for sending me an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a comprehensive introduction to Welsh witchcraft.
The beautiful cover immediately stood out to me, and although I don't practice Celtic paganism I enjoy learning how all different kinds of pagans/witches conduct their workings. I also loved that it is from a pagan perspective, not Wiccan.

Mhara Starling has a great, authentic voice that comes through beautifully in this book.
It's refreshing to see books in this genre written by a LGBTQ+ author. I love that the author shared her experience as a trans women and her journey with spirituality and identity.

This book reads like a novel, but the information and perspective that it contains are well worth the read.
I would highly recommend for anyone interested in learning more about Welsh and Celtic paganism.

A unique exploration of a lesser-known aspect of the Craft. I enjoyed this book, with its informative and accessible approach to the subject matter. It was thorough without being so dense it lost my interest. Definitely one for your practical bookshelf.

Nice occult book, great practical advices though with few minor explanations it would be even greater. Recommended.

An excellent and informative book that made me learn a lot and kept me reading.
I appreciated the style of writing and how the book is organised.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Welsh Witchcraft A Guide to the Spirits, Lore, and Magic of Wales by Mhara Starling has everything you could ever want from a guide to Welsh magickal tradition.

I was excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. I learned a great deal of information and it was easy to comprehend. I enjoyed exploring Welsh traditions and it begins by introducing the reader to Welsh Deities so that they are easily worked with. Overall, a great tool if you are looking to learn more about Welsh magic from a practitioner point of view.

This empowering guide delivers a thorough exploration of Welsh traditions, folklore, and Witchcraft in a conversational format that provides the first steps in a hands-on journey to find your path. This book primarily focuses on Welsh traditions from the perspective of a Practioner. Starling takes you into another world that introduces you to the beauty of Welsh folklore seen through her eyes. The tone Starling takes for this guide on Welsh Witchcraft creates a personal connection to her and through that connection allows you to explore ways to channel your own empowerment. This book comes to life through the passion and love that Starling has for Welsh folklore and Witchcraft which delivers a guide on everything from fairy tales to cursing wells to deities. This book also features various terms that introduce you to the Welsh language (if you don't already know it) with words such as Swynydd (someone that works with magic) and Awenydd (similar to Oracles in Ancient Greece).

The book offers background on some of the deities common in Welsh lore such as Cerridwen, Llyr, Gwydion, Braint, and Rhiannan. Starling includes what they represent and how to commune with each deity while offering personal insight that comes from a significant part of herself. The book contains a thorough wealth of information that features background on all things Welsh such as changelings, fairies, charms, the Abracadabra Triangle, the power of wells, curse pots, and so much more. Herbalists and plant lovers will particularly enjoy learning about important herbs and trees which include (but are not limited to) chickweed, sage, rosemary, alder, willow, and hazel. The book also features a list of recommended reading for those wishing to do further research into Welsh Witchcraft and traditions. By opening up a piece of her soul, Starling has created a guide that does more than teaching Welsh Witchcraft and folklore. But a guide that creates a stepping stone in finding yourself, empowerment, a path to a peaceful state of being, and the discovery of making the most of your own sacred places.

Whether you're seeking to find a new path in your life, looking to learn Witchcraft, fascinated by folklore, love Welsh traditions, or simply curious, Starling has something for everyone.

This book reads so seamlessly that its hard to put it down once you start it. Its a great first look at Welsh Witchcraft and even me that I have been practicing for almost 30 years I still learned something.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable read. I knew considerably less than I thought about Wales, it's folklore, and the associated witchcraft. The author has a very clear voice and you can hear the passion when she speaks about her home. I loved the sections about fairy tales and the way other tales were woven throughout. The only thing that bothered me is that it could be repetitive at times. A point could be reiterated in a bunch of ways before moving on. I did like how the entire thing reads like a essay. That can be annoying for some but I think it can be helpful. This is for everybody who has a slight interest in Celtic magic not just for Welsh witches. Go pick it up!

Once, what feels like a million years ago, I traveled around Wales with a friend. We spent our days hiking around in the misty, wet, and cold (it was February) hills. Something that I found especially striking was how small stone fortresses would just appear out of the mists at times. The whole trip felt magical like something out of a dream. Since then, I've been interested in Welsh history and mythology and this book certainly did not disappoint on the second topic.

This book is jam-packed full of great information on the various figures of Welsh mythology and other key aspects of myth such as the fairies. It was really interesting to read the tales provided by the author, but perhaps my favorite part was actually the section on the Welsh Witches Herbal. I love reading about different plants and their historical uses. Going with that I also enjoyed the section on trees and wood.

Overall, I would recommend this for readers and practitioners interested in Welsh mythology and the practice of witchcraft in Wales. If you're primarily into kitchen witchcraft, there weren't really any recipes in the book, but there were some other activities that might interest you.

Thank you to Netgalley and Llewellyn Publications for providing me with an e-ARC of this book, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Llewellyn Publications for providing me with this Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!*

Sum it Up:
Welsh Witchcraft by Mhara Starling is a beautiful tribute to the width and depth of Welsh cultural traditions alongside a detailed exploration of magickal practices, Celtic folklore and spiritual ritual. I rated this read 5 stars for overall value, unique subject matter, and the author’s clear passion to communicate a subject matter that is so important to them. I cannot wait to purchase a physical copy of this beautiful book when it’s available on February 8th, 2022.

Why It Stands Out:
Welsh Witchcraft is not just a “typical” book about spiritual practice with only some reference to culture and tradition. This book is rooted in the folklore and rich history of Wales, providing a great balance of information, tradition, understanding, and ritual that’s observed and passed down through years of connections and relationships with people and land.

It’s clear that Starling is very experienced and passionate when it comes to both magick and Welsh witchcraft. Not only do they make the narrative exciting and diverse, but they also bring their personal love for learning and growth that jumps right off the page. She takes a lot of time to address the material from an inclusive and unbiased perspective while incorporating issues that have influenced recordkeeping and changes in practice or language throughout the years.

Starling places a heavy emphasis on intuitively choosing what is right for you and your spiritual work as you learn and grow in your connections to Welsh Witchcraft. This book works hard to make this process very accessible through detailed and descriptive information sharing, ritual instructions, and easy-to-follow information.


Things I Liked:
First of all, let’s start with the cover. This book is aesthetically BEAUTIFUL, and I loved the cover and artistic designs incorporated throughout the pages. I also really liked the chapter order and layout. The book followed a natural flow that was both engaging and enjoyable!

Welsh Witchcraft provides historical background, cultural roots, and spiritual knowledge with the intention that the person connecting with it could build it into their own practice as it was meant to fit with them individually. This narrative is not pushy or “this is what you should do.” There is also no gatekeeping of info or practice, and Starling is very transparent about their personal experiences, anecdotes, and individual growth.

Welsh Witchcraft covered a variety of spiritual practices including meditation, candle magick, ceremonial magick, and more. I enjoyed the variety of activities and how they tied in with the topics of each chapter!

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

“It must be remembered that victors often write history.”

“To walk the path of the Welsh Witch is to connect with the land, learn about and honour the Welsh spirits and deities, and utilise our knowledge of Wesh folk magic.”

“Humans today love the notion of escaping into nature, as if nature is some separate aspect of this world that we are not a part of. Nevertheless, we are nature, we are natural beings just as any tree, insect, or animal is.”

"The very essence of the myths of Wales are transformative, initiatory, and intrinsically magical."

"My job is not to tell you what a deity is, or how the function, that is for you to explore and delve into in your own spiritual endeavor…I felt it was important to touch upon deity as we have deities that are specific to Wales and Welsh Celtic practices."


Who Should Read This: Folks drawn to the material, druids, those with a Celtic heritage or interested in learning more about it, art history majors, those who work with the Fae or fair folk

For someone who doesn't know anything about welsh witchcraft going in, this was a fascinating introduction. The whole practicing witchcraft to me is still strange, but I learned a ton from reading this. I'd recommend it even to laypeople like me.

I’ve followers Mhara for a while on social media and absolutely love her wealth of information so I was thrilled to hear she was releasing a book with Llewellyn. And I must say, the tone and excitement she has for Welsh witchcraft came through in her book as well. There aren’t many books specific Welsh crafting, and this is one I will be visiting again and recommending to others. Thank you NetGalley and Llewellyn for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Diving into this book, I want to say I love the definition of Welsh Traditional Witchcraft Mhara gives:
“Witchcraft that is drawing on the folk magic practices and magical traditions of Wales’ past.”
She goes on to add:
“to follow in the footsteps of the Swynwyr, the Cunning Folk, the Druids of old and the charmers, utilizing the resources we have possible to revive a Witchcraft that is wholly Welsh in nature.”
I think this is a great way to express a regional witchcraft and practice and something that revivalists and regional witches, pagans, and polytheists can all appreciate. The part about utilizing the resources we have possible – that is huge. Its not entirely about reconstruction because that’s not exactly possible what with the lore handed down third hand by Christians and living in an entirely different culture than ancient practitioners. But we can practice something that keeps the nature of that region.

So many good quotes in this book from the beginning!

“A core principle I have found that the majority of Witches hold is the ability to question everything.”
“throughout history, those who wield privilege have feared the magical practices and beliefs of the very same folk they looked down their nose at…Perhaps the ruling classes were always aware of the power and potency of magic.”

Ooof such good stuff right there in the beginning.
That said, I would have omitted the Introduction as it is repeated a lot in Chapter 1. You could skip that part all together, but that’s just my opinion and I think its more the fault of editing rather than writing.

Mhara has a few warnings in this book that I appreciate and think are important to all the readers wanting to practice this or any path. Firstly, she warns against comparing Welsh lore and myth to others – that said I admit I still did this when it came to the Cwn Annwfn (hounds of Annwfn) and couldn’t help but see comparisons between these white, red eared spectral houns and the Appalachian black dog or the Norse Garm that guards Helheim – AND the warning to not work with the fairies until you have learned not only the lore but also reverence and respect. (I would add not to approach any entity including Deities until you have learned these things.)

My favorite parts are the sections on folklore, herbalism, and the section about the Bwbachod (house spirit). Those of you who know me, try not to roll your eyes in my stating something obvious, ok. I had a lot of fun learning about Welsh fairy tales and lore – some of which I had heard but now in a new light and others that were completely new to me (Mhara’s retelling of The Tale of the Taleisin is fantastic btw). The herbal section was unexpected and I loved comparing notes to my herbal with this Welsh focused take (also noting all the Welsh terms for each herb).

When it comes to witchcraft and magical practice I did come to a new appreciation of the Cauldron thanks to Mhara’s work. I don’t have a designated cauldron but plan to soon. I have a couple of cauldron shaped items that I use to burn loose incense and a bowl for offerings. It wasn’t until I read the section on Cauldrons that I fully came to appreciate them as much as say my wand or my drum. I very much appreciate this book for this guidance here.

***UPDATE: Mhara reached out to me and let me know that the section about deities has been updated since this ARC pre-pub. Her relationship with the Gods has evolved quite a bit from seeing Them as archetypes to now honoring them as individual entities. Her views are now reflected in the book that is being published. I for one REALLY look forward on getting my hands on a copy and diving in deeper with this wonderful book***
That all aside, the one thing that I hesitate on here is more of just a heads up to my fellow devout polytheists. Mhara does list deities in here but she admits that she leans towards seeing them more as archetypes and this shows in some of the visualizations and workings with said deities. This, I know from conversations in polytheist circles and in my own practice and reading can be off putting. Its good to remember, as Mhara puts it early in the book, that witchcraft is not part of any particular religion and can be practiced by any. With that in mind, feel free to tweak these workings to fit your faith and practice much as Mhara does later in the book with a charm of protection originally given with reference to God, Christ, and Holy spirit that Mhara rewrites to fit their faith and beliefs. Like I said, this was just something that gave me pause but certainly not a reason to write off the book for those who are devoted especially to the deities listed.

There’s so much more I could say from appreciating the bibliography and recommended reading (my poor TBR) and the pronunciation guide (much needed). This book, more than anything however is this:
It is very obviously Mhara Starling’s love letter to her home and their practice. I felt touched at getting to read such a book that is very obviously a work of love and joy for the author. Its a blessing.

I highly recommend Welsh Witchcraft to new witches especially – if you are interested in witchcraft and have at least an inkling of interest in Welsh or Celtic magic, culture, folklore, and mythology then this is the book you NEED to pick up. I also recommend it for anyone interesting in Welsh magic and lore whether a practicing witch, pagan, polytheist, or just someone interested in the romance of this culture.

I have been following Mhara for a while on tiktok and absolutely love her content. She is open and caring, and very willing to share her craft. So when I saw she was writing a book specifically about Welsh Witchcraft I had to jump on the chance to review her book. She is so wonderful at integrating history and practice, making you feel you can adapt it to your owns needs. Absolutely love if you are interested in bringing Welsh witchcraft into your daily practice.

This book is absolutely amazing and worthwhile. The author is honest and never claims to know it all ,but rather admits to their own questions . I found the honesty in this book refreshing but more than that I found this book to be actually doable and relevant! When I first saw this title I wondered about how Welsh Witchcraft would be available to someone who knows little about Wales . This thought proved to be totally dismissed as I read on . This book is a foundational course IMO that any witch, pagan, Christian, really anyone can start on their path with. It is so positive and makes so much sense that I wondered why I had never heard about the exercises given and the explanations that abound. Herbs are covered. Holidays are named and rituals offered. The concept of deity was gone over in a way that sounded like what I had wondered about for the longest time. Ths book is a way to connect to your land, your area and yourself in a profound way. Excellent!

This book is a very comprehensive introduction to Welsh witchcraft. You will learn about fairies and folklore. It is also a guide on how to make charms and learn how to cast spells. I got very interested in this subject. I also added it to my personal library. It is a wonderful book to have. I definitely recommend this book.