Available July 11, 2023
3 ⭐

Okay this book reads like a typical, classic whodunnit. The protagonist, Christa, decides to go away with her boyfriend and a complete bus filled with total strangers on a winter cabin getaway. Of course, they encounter a, drum roll please, winter snowstorm. And a tree blocks the road to the cabin. People begin to get murdered and none of them have any idea who is responsible for committing the murders.

The entire story is told from Christa's point of view, which is one of the few things I like about this book, since I didn't need to keep track of various points of views from the various characters.

I have to say the middle section was so boring as it dragged on and on. It was tedious, overly descriptive where it didn't need to be and just plain slow.

The beginning and the ending of the book were decent.

I found this novel to have had a decent amount of suspense however it didn't keep me glued to my Kindle. I mean, it wasn't my favorite book that I've read however but it wasn't my least favorite book. It was the middle of the road. A decent moderate whodunnit for someone that's not looking for something intense to read.

As someone who is new to the craft, I found this book to be a great reference. It is written in a way that both beginner and seasoned practitioners of witchcraft can understand and utilize. The illustrations and layout were really good. I loved how the book focused on forming rituals. I am definitely considering purchasing my own physical copy.

Such a good and very detailed witch resource. This had certain information that I have never seen in any other spiritual book, let alone think I would ever need. It was pretty cool to see a lot of it come together.

I personally found a lot of this book to be quite spiritual. It spoke about concepts that I am familiar with - grounding, shadow work, moon cycles and the like - which made it easier for me to feel a connection.

Then also spoke about things like runes which I am unfamiliar with but found fascinating. Some beautiful illustrations throughout as well.

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
The book works as a compilation of different witchcraft resources. It touches on different topics in the practice of magick as a light overview. The author mainly focuses on their own views of witchcraft and what makes up magic. The author does take time to point out that the user should not rely on just intuition for health issues.
I think that this works better as a beginning work that introduces the reader to further resources. The art included is very nice.

Really appreciate so many aspects of this book. As a solitary, this confirmed the personalization of my belief system. It also gave me ideas in how to speak about my beliefs and practices to my teenaged grandchildren. Will definitely recommend to others.

Thus is an information packed book, perfect for beginner and those between beginner and advanced practitioners. Lots of good information and illustrations make this a good intro to witchcraft! I also love that ot mentions closed practises, and doesn't seem to cherry pick rituals and things from closed practises and say everyone can use them.

Thanks NetGalley and Quatro Publishing for access to this e-arc!

This book is so insightful especially for someone who is learning about the spirituality of wicca/witchcraft. There's a lot more to it then people are led to believe but it all makes sense. It's about going back to a time before modern culture and living a more simple life. This book is excellent for explaining this in a simple and gripping way. It doesn't feel as though you have a load of information being thrown at you, it's written in a way you actually ingest it and understand it.

This was an interesting book. I wouldn't consider it a beginner witch book as it goes into a lot of different practices while all mingling together with Wicca. It left me a little confused at times but the subject matter is really good.

A wonderful resource for those interesting in learning more about witchcraft and energy work. I would say it is not entirely for beginners, but a more intermediate resource. As a somewhat new practitioner, I learned a lot of new information that I have not yet seen elsewhere. I enjoyed the illustrations as well.

This is a very comprehensive book that is written for more advanced witches. It contains facts and knowledge that I have not read before in other similar books. The writing style is clear and to-the-point and any superfluous words have been removed making it a tight, straightforward read.

The point of the book is to practice witchcraft in your own way. So although it contains correspondences and general witchcraft information such as moon phases, ritual tools, the eight Sabbats and other established elements of the craft, the author is clear about the importance of developing your own craft in relation to where and how you live, rather than relying on prescriptions set out in books.

I was really enjoying the book, then I reached this:

“Another cycle that has been traditionally linked to magick forces, for good and bad, is menstruation. Historically it has been seen as something powerful, but it has also been used to deem menstruating people, particularly women, as ‘unclean’”

So historically, menstruating women were unclean, but mentruating men were ok. What?? This is one of the most ridiculous sentences I have ever read. Can anyone seriously claim that men menstruate?

After reading this I began to question the wisdom and reliability of this author and found it hard to take anything else she wrote seriously, not because I think she truly believes that men menstruate, but because the inclusion of that sentence made her lose all credibility with me. It was a similar experience to when an obvious anachronism pulls you abruptly out of an historical novel and makes you distrust the rest of that author’s research. I’m surprised this got past the editors, to be honest.

Due to the fact that this completely spoiled the book for me I am taking two stars off my rating. It would have been three but for the fact that up to that point I was enjoying the book and was impressed with it.

With thanks to Netgalley and Fair Winds Press for providing an advance review copy. All opinions in this review are my own.

This book is about Wicca and even if you are a practicing Wiccan I recommend you read it. It comes from a different approach and makes you think. It is geared to the solitary practitioner, but can be for groups. I like that it is not a book of spells and go out and buy this or that. I like the history of the craft that is also presented throughout the book.

A very good overview of all sorts of information regarding witchcraft, nothing glaringly out of the ordinary from other texts I’ve read on the subject. I enjoyed the wide array of topics covered. A very good text on the usual witchcraft topics found in the mainstream!

I loved this book! Finally, someone has written a book that isn't filled with formalized rituals, complicated spells, and endless lists of exotic supplies. I cannot express just how happy it made me to read The Untamed Witch by Lidia Pradas because in my own practice as a solitary Witch I prefer to keep things simple and uncomplicated, using what I have on hand or can easily source in my area versus relying on complex, multi-step rituals that leave me exhausted from the setting up of everything before the rite even begins. If you like uncomplicated witchcraft, this is the book for you!

The Untamed Witch is aimed at the solitary practitioner but could easily be modified for use in groups. Pradas states that the main premise of the book is to "access your power without intermediaries," and the chapters are divided and presented in such as way as to encourage the reader to explore not only their self but their local environment. Why use an herb that grows in a desert environment when you live in humid coastal area? "Rewilding" your magick--as Pradas calls it--is all about working with what you have available in your area in order to maximize your magick.

Filled with history, lore, charts, tips, and so much more, The Untamed Witch dares the reader to harken back to the days when the wise women and men utilized their talents and their local environment to craft their magick. The world needs more magick, but it doesn't need more complexity. Lidia Pradas has given us both, and this is one book I know I'll be referring to again and again.

A little repetitive but otherwise a good informational book, especially for beginners. I definitely want to check out her other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Fair Winds Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a book that intrigued me by its cover, title and description. I’m not a practitioner per se, however, I am interested in certain spiritual practices and intrigued by them! This book certainly covers a range of spiritual practices, across many cultures and provides the reader with a lot of variety and some explanation. As such, we don’t really go into anything in detail. However, the general detail provided is definitely useful to someone that isn’t sure what they might be interested in trying but would want to understand the broad view before diving in. I really appreciated the visual tools that helped organize the information to make it clear for the reader.

Overall, a great book for a beginner or anyone who’s intrigued to check out other types of practices and knowledge!

so this book caught my eye by the blurb. so i gave it a chance and i actually liked it and found it useful
5 star book
not sure who to recommend this book to due to i dont know many that will actually read it like i do
might reread it next year

Really enjoyed this one, I loved the different take on the usual witchcraft books. With some scientific knowledge and a lot more detailed know how about the craft, I can’t wait to put what I’ve learnt to good use in my own craft. A great read!

Thank you again NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for the distribution of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was initially excited to read this book based off of the glowing ratings, but after reading through in its entirety, I would not recommend this book as a teaching tool for witchcraft.

Before I delve into what I found to be the weak points of the book, I will describe what I thought was helpful and positive. The author is compassionate and inclusive of readers of all kinds, something which touched my heart. It acknowledges inequity, how not everyone has the same opportunities or resources, the role of oppression in both past and modern society and how it's not your fault if you can't take the same steps as others. Privilege is a delicate subject and I think she pulled it off well. I also appreciated her dedication to ensuring proper safety protocols while practicing witchcraft. This is something that doesn't get addressed nearly enough in these types of books. Topics addressed include safety while handling crystals and herbs, practicing in an eco-friendly way, fire safety, handling animal remains, and signs that indicate health problems rather than intuition.

Sadly, this does not change the ways in which I feel that The Untamed Witch falls short as an instructive text. The writing is meandering and disorganized, which often left me confused as I tried to understand where these tangents were coming from or where they were going. I was disappointed by how often the book cited other authors and used their content, to the point that several lists in the book are simply edited versions of another person's work. There doesn't seem to be a focus on what the book is actually about, feeling more like I am reading a compilation of resources directly from the author's Book of Shadows. She also quotes herself and references back to works she wrote previously, which are said to be deeper explorations of the topic at hand. Unfortunately, it makes this book feel shallow in comparison.

The information contained is basic knowledge found within other witchcraft sources (think astrology, correspondences, and Tumblr 101s), Wiccan and Thelemic principles, UPG (unverified personal gnosis), and a mishmash of philosophy and belief systems across the world. The topics are combined in a disjointed way and do not have a sense of proper flow to them. Some of the ideas definitely seem to be more on the fringe, including ones I haven't heard of before in the common discourse. I was also dismayed by the inclusion of pseudoscience, suggesting menstruation is connected to the lunar cycle and that you can alter your brain waves for specific intentions.

In short, The Untamed Witch fails to establish an identity of its own and feels like a patchwork project of the books that it cites. As a guide for the solitary practitioner, this misses the mark. When reading resources, approach them with critical thinking and never underestimate the power of doing your own research. Good luck and happy hunting!

First, I'll say that this is a phenomenal book.

The author clearly states their foundational work and identification is in Wicca. With them saying that, I expect to see a certain world view presented.and elements of that religion (god/goddess, wheels of the year, etc.). Those are here. The author also references the Gardnerian 8-Fold Path.That said, I would have made it more clear that the book is going to veer off the Wicca-focus. Meaning, this isn't a new Wicca book. It is modern witchcraft through a Wiccan lens. So while the author does touch briefly on the terms, "Wicca," "folk magic," "modern witchcraft," and such, the reader would need to know what those mean when the author uses them and how they will be applied in the book.

Next, I loved the grounding and energy practices. They are so wonderful that they could really be their own book.

Finally, that brings me to the next point. I really like that this is not another Intro to Wicca book. I think the author handled basic Heathenry better than some authors identifying as such. But there is A LOT going on here. There is probably four books worth of material that could be explored. The extremely brief touching on topics like the Liminal left me feeling like the author had not actually done the work or didn't trust the reader with the ritual information. I would have simply added it to the Hedge section or left it out.

Like I said, there is a lot going on here. What of it? Isn't that good? Of course, but that leaves the material in what I call a "Goldilocks" predictament. It is not basic enough for a new witch and not advanced enougb for some. So this book's sweet spot is the Wiccan witch who has progressed through initiation (and isn't a Wiccan purist), but is still in their first year or early second year of training, the eco-witch, and the ecclectic witch.

I'd advise beginners to look elsewhere even if some basics are covered but this is a terrific next step book for those looking to explore beyond the Wiccan cannon.