I purchased this book since i failed to review it in time. I really enjoyed it! Full of great information but as with most Books from this publisher, it's a short read. Would have loved more in-depth stories

Netgalley ARC review

Wasn’t truly impressed with this book. It may be just right for someone else. But I kinda of though it would have more, more photos, more context on a lot of things.

A well thought meditation on the fae, sacred energy, ley lines, and other folk this book, I had initially thought there would be more exploration of the stories themselves than spiritual practices. That said, for readers who identify as Pagan or Wiccan, those who are exploring alternative spiritual paths, I can see this book being a useful contender for those who want to explore their relationship to nature and mythologies. Not my bag but definitely someone else's.

I do enjoy the Pagan Portals series from Moon Books, because they’re lovely quick reads which provide generic overviews of Pagan and Pagan-adjacent subjects. This new addition to the series, Ancient Fayerie, covers working with faerie, elements, and the land itself.

I found this to be a good, solid read, with some real gems of wisdom. Not all of said wisdom is directly connected to faerie, but rather walking a spiritual/magical path as a whole — “Trust your intuitive feelings and take all information from your imagination and vision with a pinch of salt”, for example, or “Keep a firm boundary of who you are and try not to get lost in spiritual experiences or spiritual bypass your emotional self” (which is something I, myself, have tried to impart to students and seekers over the years!).

I particularly liked the emphasis on animism and connecting with the land in this book. The importance of building up a good relationship with the land, the trees, and the spirits thereof is included, as is the need for you to be in right relationship with each other. If you work with crystals, then the crystal people and rock spirits are included here, also.

There’s a great collection of both theory and practice in this book, too; the author shares her own experiences as well as offering meditations, exercises, and rituals for the reader to try. All of these encourage a deeper connection with the land, trees, crystals, local spirits — and, of course, faerie. A number of different races of faerie are discussed here, from elementals such as gnomes and sylphs, to trolls and dragons, to the Elven races. There are connections with geographical and geological sites across the United Kingdom — both old mythologies and the author’s own experiences visiting these places. The reader can certainly feel that the author has been living this way of life for a long time, and is sharing her own wisdom with us. I could imagine sitting over a brew and sharing stories and insights with her.

That said, my own experiences with — and what I’ve been taught about — faerie are a little more … gritty than what is shared here. The old tales and legends about faerie often contain many warnings or aspects which are protective in nature. There’s a reason for these, because the land of the fae and its inhabitants are tricksy and wild, unbound by human reasoning and ideals. Often newcomers to faerie believe that the gentle artwork from artists such as Cicely Mary Barker, or the images from the Cottingley Fairy “photographs”, are indicative of the beneficent nature of the fae — and some faeries are like this, but not all. When asked about faerie myself, I often point seekers to the films Labyrinth (1986) and Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) as rough approximations of the extremes and variety of faerie. Some are kind, some are not, and many dance between the two, seemingly on a whim, and I would have liked a little more about the unpredictable nature of the fae (and how to ward against them) in this book. The reader absolutely gets lots of information in this slim volume, but this is worth bearing in mind as you read.

Overall, this is a great and empowering introduction for anyone interested in land spirits and the world of faerie. Recommended.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Moon Books, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book interesting and well written but beware that the fayerie is to be approached with caution as the lore and the legends say.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Pagan Portals is an interesting look at the natural world through it's connection to fayerie. I found it to be a very calming read full of information and fascinating stories.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

This book is a bit more...gentle...than my experiences with the Fae realms and for that I don't recommend it alone for those interested in having similar encounters. Not everything is tinkerbell and gentle pixie dust. There are reasons the fae stories of old include warnings and many wanderers in these realms meet their doom.

That said, it is a candid, vulnerable look into what journey work with these realms looks like for one practitioner and I am grateful for it.

I found this book intriguing. It was a fast read as a result. I would highly recommend this title to anyone interested in the topic.

This book is not just about fayeries, although they do feature heavily. It also looks at other spirit folk such as dryads, stone beings, mermaids, dragons and trolls, as well as exploring ley lines, sacred sites and sacred energies. The book contains guided meditations to meet fairies and other beings as well as guidance on creating ceremonies.

It is a book that made me think. Some of the things that happen to the author are quite fantastical and stretched my credulity but a small part of me wondered if these tales are actually true. Is there a land of fae, and dragons living on cliffs, and mermaids taking care of the sea, and invisible codes in the Earth’s matrix? I realised that I really do want this stuff to be true because the book provides not only lessons in how important it is to honour nature and the beings that share it with us, but also delivers a message of hope for the future, that all is not lost and the fayerie folk and their allies are working to bring us humans back to a place of closeness to nature and harmony with each other. To know we have these invisible beings helping us is comfort indeed.

There is a definite echo of Diana Cooper in the ideas shared in this book, so if you enjoy her books I urge you to give this a try. It is a book where the mythology of Britain is made true, and those stories had to come from somewhere, right? Why not believe they have a thread of truth in them? Britain is one of the most magical places on Earth. Anything can happen.

With thanks to Netgalley and Moon Books for this advance review copy. All opinions in this review are my own.

A great book for those interested in nature and ancient folklore, especially Celtic mythology and mythology-based worlds such as Tolkien's Middle Earth or Eoin Colfer's world of Artemis Fowl. Melanie Godfrey presents a gentle guide to reconnecting with nature and finding the fayerie magic, strength and peace within us and in our surroundings. Providing helpful guided meditation steps along with insight into her own spiritual experiences, Godfrey has given us a much-needed gift in these digital times where we are constantly glued to our phones and, in the immortal words of the nature-loving Romantic poet William Wordsworth:
"The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—
Little we see in Nature that is ours"

This book will hopefully help readers to reclaim their inner selves and find harmony with nature, history, and the magic of imagination.

This is a book that takes you to places where fantasy becomes reality. It explaines the fey realm and how to connect with those beings. It includes historical accounts, meditations, and celebrations. It also warns you against some things. There is a code of ethics involved as well as tips and tricks to start on your journey to fantastical encounters with many different elementals.

Pleasant read for beginner witches. pagans, and others who are interested in the Faerieworld. Most of the book is about respecting mother earth and her inhabitants. Also meditiation on the natural world and communing with all worldly elements; and learning to reconnect with the spirits of nature that surround us. It's a nice reminder for those of us live apart from natural places and a good prompt to go visit the woods, fields, etc...
I enjoyed her short faerie tales at the end of the book! The bibliographyh was nice touch, too! Iam looking forward to finding and reading some of the books.

This little book overflows with magic.

I was absolutely transfixed with the guided meditations and suggestions for opening ourselves up to the Fayerie realm that I found myself wishing I had a recording of the author, Melanie Godfrey, speaking them to me. I was also particularly struck by her Fayerie and Sacred Site Codes of Ethics. It was the perfect reminder to walk gently in places that are not our own.

The authors sharing of her own personal visions of Fayerie made me feel like I was there and seeing them through her eyes. Again, an audio rendition would be not only welcome but magical for readers and listeners. Thank you Melanie Godfrey, Pagan Portals, and NetGalley for sharing this gorgeous, magical, and inspiring book with me!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is not the type of book I usually read despite having a fascination with the Fae. This book is well written and separated into two parts. The first part focuses on how to connect with nature and the world around you while the second part focuses on the authors own experiences with Fayerie.

I am typically a very logical person, I tend to not believe things unless I can have physical proof but this book is a delight to read. Since I was younger I have always had some belief in magic or something wider and even if I only have a deeper connection to nature through this book it is worth it.

I think this book is worth the read no matter how skeptical you are even to provide a different point of view or to support your own.

This book is a first IMO. It really gives ways to connect with the Fay and also important ideas on existence, The story of the Fayerie is an old one and very earth oriented. Naturally earth reverence and taking care of her is important but now when you read this book you will know why. There are many experiences of the author in the book and they are very interesting and fun to read. I really enjoyed this book and look with more respect to the other people that exist below our perception.

“Faërie contains many things besides elves and fays, and besides dwarfs, witches, trolls, giants, or dragons; it holds the seas, the sun, the moon, the sky; and the earth, and all things that are in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, Tolkien On Fairy-stories

I really appreciate these Pagan Portals, I feel like they are packed with goodness. As a pagan, a witch and an animist, I see the fairie realm, the otherworld, as a very real thing. Godfrey talks about that in this book, this world that for many is lost, but to some is still preserved. Godfrey approaches this matter in a very comprehensive way through acts of connection and the pursuit of peace. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in this subject, you might really enjoy it!


Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the Author for providing this ARC!