This book really is full to the brim with ideas, journal prompts and rituals. It got a little overwhelming because there's so much. I think this is a great book to sit down and savor slowly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Elliott & Thompson for this ARC. This is my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

Rebecca Beattie takes us on a lyrical journey through each season of the year, each of which depicts two different corresponding life themes that may be difficulties in life (i.e. family, grief/loss, career, relationships, menopause and more). Along the way, she writes a short fantasy allegory that relates to these themes. She often relates to stories from her own life as well as many researched sources. Additionally, she includes practical tips to help engage the reader in the topic at hand, if that theme is what the reader is going through or currently relating to, for example journal prompts, or witchy rituals or activities.

I found this book to be just ok. Possibly because there was only one chapter or theme that I can currently relate to. Therefore, it felt a bit boring or hard to pick back up to continue through the other bits. However, I did find there to be some wise nuggets of information sprinkled throughout the book and the journal prompts often incredibly thought provoking!
It reads like a memoir and a self-help book. If you’re currently in the thick of it in one specific theme, such as grief/loss, you may find something helpful, but the entire book isn’t dedicated to that one topic, so it feels a bit surface level and possibly not what you are looking for if you want more in depth help/support with that topic.

Not sure if I would recommend. I could foresee myself coming back to re-read the specific chapters if one of those topics were to arise in my life.

I think I need to become an editor or proofreader because I spot 99% of spelling and grammatical errors 🫠

A seasonal journey through life and the up and downs that brings with it.
Set over the four season's it features stories, advice and rituals to help you overcome certain trials and tribulations most of us go through in our lifetimes.
It also reminds us to get out into nature and use it to help heal ourselves.

Actual rating 3.5

The Way Through the Woods by Rebecca Beattie is a journey through the seasons and events of life. Imaginative narrative of a woman's journeys through the woods weave together with intelligent discussions of the seasons of human life, along with relevant Wiccan rituals that are easily adaptable for any belief system. I found the book to be full of wisdom and I wish it would have been written 30 years ago ! Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

DNF at 20% - the book, sadly, isn't for me.
The book felt more like a personal journal/autobiography than a guide of any kind.
Further, the authors voice was just not for me and couldn't get me to keep reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free review copy of this book!

I must admit I was expecting a different content from this book, it was less related to witchcraft and 'the green witch' than I was hoping for. The few elements of magic and spirituality are presented in almost an apologetic way in favour of a more self-help-book tone, which was a bit disappointing. However, considering the target market is probably those readers who aren't into witchy things and just want to get closer to that world in a very gentle way, I guess this could work. Still, I learned some new practices, quite enjoyed the relationship and love chapter and the examples from the author's personal life made the whole book more relatable. It'd be great if the author could write a more advanced part 2, with more practices and maybe even a bit of history of the green witch tradition.

The Way through the Woods is a self-help book that looks through a spiritual lens. Using the spiritual beliefs found in Wicca and witchcraft, Beattie helps guide readers on a journey through the trials of life. In this book, Beattie offers personal anecdotes while demonstrating the power of storytelling in finding one's way through life. She also provides many different rituals, incense/oil recipes, meditations, tarot spreads, mindfulness exercises and journal prompts to help leave the reader with practices or activities they can take with them along their way.

I am not Wiccan, but would consider myself a pagan witch. Despite the Wiccan elements, I found many chapters to be helpful and relatable. I would say that anyone who is spiritual or on an earth-centered path would enjoy sections of this book.

While the book masterfully explores intricate life subjects, I found that the author might have ambitiously tackled a multitude of topics. Although the seasonal setup is apparent, the extensive range of themes occasionally leaves the reader pondering the cohesion. Nevertheless, within its pages, "The Way Through The Woods" offers a profound exploration of psychology, shadow work, and mystical rituals, making it a valuable companion for those navigating challenging life stages. Rebecca Beattie's rich insights, coupled with the book's focus on nature and seasonal wisdom, create a compelling tapestry of guidance and introspection.

I really like the way the author lays out the book at the beginning, as well as the seasons which is how the book is divided. It's a bit of a roadmap through significant events encountered throughout ones life, and the guidance is lovely and kind-- a good aunt chatting with you over a cup of tea at the kitchen table kind of dialog. Twinkling eyes, wry smiles and a warmth thats reassuring as she passes little gifts of wisdom across the table. I started reading this book on my birthday. We don't all or always have a circle of women in our lives to tell us it'll be alright. This book, for me, was like the next best thing. I frequently related to and resonated with a lot of the stories or references made.

This is not a 'how-to-witchcraft' in case you were looking. This is more like an advice & self-help book thats written by a witch. There are beautiful bits of information within, and it's worth reading, but it's not presented in the usual formula if you were thinking so based on the title and cover. There are rituals that punctuate each topic covered in the book (death of loved ones, end of relationships, new relationships, family, career, home & belonging, entering your crone era, potential & self actualization) and the author deep dives into each subject with beautiful stories and solid advice pulled from her own experiences and practice as a witch in a very practical, no nonsense way. The magic in this book is painted with a very light brush so if you're not really into or thats not your cup of tea it would hardly go amiss.

My takeaway: it was like having really good conversations with a friend that I'll take with me and will need on my journey through the woods from someone who's been walking ahead.

Thank you to the author & publisher for allowing me to read this book early in return for my honest review. (3.7 stars ⭐)

A really beautifully written book, in a poignant and soothing way. It covers quite a few hard subjects and offers guidance through those difficult times in life. I'm not sure how well each fit into the seasonal set up of the book, but I understand the structure the author was trying to go for. The ideal audience would be someone going through a difficult life stage (a death, job loss, menopause), as this book would offer a lot of support and insight.
It does lean much more psychology and shadow work than witchcraft, but there are many rituals to be incorporated. I thought some were a little complicated and required a lot of tools and ingredients that would not be readily available, and therefore I wouldn't recommend this book to a beginner or a witch on a budget.

This book will be helpful for a lot of people. It was beautifully written and is one you can refer to over and over. This would make a great gift for someone going through a big life change.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

I wish I could believe in magic but alas I do not. I do, however, see the power of inner convinction, ritual and focus. "The Way Through the Woods" is exactly what the title says, it's a "Green Witch's Guide to Navigating Life's Ups and Downs" but mostly it's of psychological nature and the 'magic' is a ritual to focus and process. While I disliked how very binary it was and alienated me a bit. I also found it academically unsound, the stages of grief were not challenged properly and the book did tap a bit into esoteric stuff, which is not my cup of tea. But overall it was quite sweet. 3 stars

The Way Through The Woods is a mystical, magical reminder — full of stories and encouraging practices to get out in nature and let the rhythm of the seasons embrace, heal and nourish you and your intentions. What I’m enjoying most are the themes and correspondences, poetic quotes, tarot references, and the try this experiences for each theme. It’s fascinating the deep dives Rebecca Beattie takes us on. Oh and if you haven’t read it already, I highly recommend Beattie’s other book The Wheel Of The Year.

The Way Through the Woods : The green witch’s guide to navigating life’s ups and downs. This book presents a holistic way of dealing with a selection of life's challenges. It is quite specific so it won't be for everyone. I liked the tale of Elizabeth's journey through life that was interspersed throughout the book. It contains spells and practical things you can do that will help with your issues. it probably tries to do a bit too much and cover too many bases, but it is a lovely read. I think the author has trailed a bit of magic throughout, and it feels as though you have stepped into an enchanted wood.

The Way Through the Woods by Rebecca Beattie was a refreshing story of hope, family, and enduring. I greatly enjoyed the book and the different trials and tribulations as well as celebrations of life.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a really lovely book in a lot of ways, but it did frustrate me in others. I think the points that the author made were poignant and wonderful (although perhaps they did not focus in on the pain that life sometimes carries with it quite as well as they could have), however, it did feel like this book was trying to do a little too much all at once.

The seasons split made sense and was great, but some of life's ups and downs don't fit quite so neatly into those boxes, and I did find myself wondering why some pieces were in certain seasons and not in others. The use of Elizabeth and her story was sweet, but I did find that I struggled with it as it wasn't comfortably sat between the non-fiction/fiction split of this book.

There was also the matter of the few spells that were interspersed. I would have expected perhaps more in terms of these - just more in volume, and more for what one would think from a semi-instruction manual. Don't let this put you off, however - for baby witches and those starting out, it does provide a really lovely introduction, even through the muddle.

I feel unexpectedly full after reading this book.

It’s a book you can take what you need from and be enlightened by other aspects which may not apply as much to you but still help you to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for others going through them.

It touches upon difficult themes but in such a beautifully written way, it doesn’t leave you with a heavy heart but with a lighter one.

I cant emphasise enough how beautiful the writing is. You feel heard, seen, soothed and further bolstered to tackle life and all it throws head on. It equips you to help deal with such things as grief, navigating new relationships and mourning old ones, new jobs, moves and finding the best version of yourself that you can.

I’ve always had a deeper connection to nature and wildlife and it recharges all my batteries. You can get so much from the outdoors and not to sound to woo woo (which this book certainly isn’t) can truly spiritually heal.

It’s split into four seasons: winter, summer, autumn and winter with corresponding themes and stories, exercises, ‘try this’ advice and help to apply to whatever you feel is necessary. It’s not preachy or elitist and it’s such a comforting yet insightful read. I truly appreciated the author sharing her own experiences and stories too, as well as the story of Elizabeth as applied to each situation. It made for lovely reading.

Every book I’ve read of Rebecca Beattie has been wonderful and I can only hope for more books to come!

It’s almost impossible to rate a book like this, something that clearly took so much time and hear and soul from the author. She gives wonderful advice about different hard points in life and I absolutely loved her writing style and how she made the book beam with magic and adventure. Would 100% recommend this was truely wonderful!

There are some decent ideas in this book, but I really struggled to connect with the material because of the tone and language that the author used. I feel like this is targeted at a very specific type of person.

This was a good book full of useful ideas to help you through difficult times. Easy to navigate if you’d like to pick and choose certain topics plus the ideas were realistic and easy to follow
This would also make a lovely gift for any witch in your life

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc