I love Maddox's work across the internet and her previous book. As a sophomore title, Witch in Darkness stands up as a unique topic in the witchy space as well as a maturation of Maddox's voice. I love the encouragement to do what is right for you while giving a plethora of ideas and examples. I also liked the inclusion of writing prompts as they invite the reader to go deeper into the text, which is helpful when "in darkness." I'm excited to acquire a physical copy of this title, and while I'm not sure if she has any other works lined up, I will be reading it if she does.

I really appreciate Kelly-Ann Maddox's take what works for you and leave the rest approach to writing about witchcraft. Witch in Darkness isn't a prescriptive guide. Instead, Maddox offers a foundation from which to build your own practice and rituals. Maddox is a deeply spiritual witch, yet Witch in Darkness also accommodates a more secular expression of witchcraft.

The subtitle ‘Magick for Tough Times, Bad Days and Moments of Total Catastrophe’ for this book enraptured me from the start. I thought FINALLY — this is what we need, some witchiness that addresses the lack of rainbows and unicorns that life throws our way — that will inevitably come. I particularly love the prepping for darkness chapter with ideas that are both adaptable and applicable to energy practices and self care. And a whole helluva lot of YES to protection practices. My next fav chapters are Dark Artist + Spiritual Darkness w/ their truthful reveals, action oriented activities and journal prompts.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a validating and supportive guide to using witchcraft through life's toughest moments. The spells and rituals focus on your psychology to get you reflecting, mindful, and better able to set intentions and goals. Each chapter ends with journal prompts and affirmations. I really appreciate the book's approach that witchcraft is a tool that can be used in all aspects of your life, not just a perfect social media aesthetic. The book doesn't claim that witchcraft is a panacea or make its use prescriptive or rigid; it's a highly modifiable tool to fit the practitioner's needs and views.

Part 1 describes how witchcraft can be done anywhere, anytime, with any (or no) materials. It outlines low- and high- energy ways to practice witchcraft, emphasizing self-care. The advice is smart and can be applied to both witchcraft and wider life practices.

Part 2 provides thoughtful witchcraft activities including spells, rituals, and cartomancy spreads. Each chapter is themed around difficulties in different life areas (identity, family, mental health, emotions, body, relationships, intense situations, scarcity, creativity, magickal ability, spirituality, addiction, society, and loss).

The book consistently urges mundane acts for mental health like calling hotlines or seeking therapy, but the mundane actions are oddly missing in the physical health chapter. Without that combination, the witchcraft actions seem more like (unrealistically) willing yourself into health than the supplemental actions they should be.

One activity recommends burning a candle after rubbing it with oil and herbs, but that is very likely to be unsafe. I also felt the recommendation for using animal bones needed information on ethical and safe acquirement.

In chapter 16, the author says she doesn't burn anything she writes, but in chapter 14 she says she burns certain of her poems to a deity. I'm curious about this inconsistency.

Part 3 is a Q&A around common themes the author has encountered working with her clients.

While the book conflates the practice of witchcraft with spirituality (they are not inherently connected for every witch), its flexible stance makes it widely applicable to any practitioner. Coming from a more secular standpoint, I found it immensely useful and creative and plan to buy and regularly use it upon publication.

You might like this if you like: The Magickal Writing Grimoire by Lisa Marie Basile, Sacred Tears by Courtney Weber

Witches helping witches. Kelly-Ann Maddox is one kind and empathetic witch, and her amazing book "A Witch in Darkness" should be on every witches shelf.

We are all imperfectly perfect. And I love how the author shared herself and her experiences as she writes this book. It absolutely touched me to the core of my soul.

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Tarot for Creativity Chelsey Pippin Mizzi (5/5 stars)
An excellent read for all levels!
This is a great resource for everyone! Because, as the author says, we are all creative. I found the writing and the content in this book to be easily consumed, but easy to put to use. Regardless of your level of experience with The Tarot.

I've followed Kelly-Ann Maddox for years and I loved her first book, so when I learned about this one, I already knew it was going to be amazing. Reading "Witch in Darkness" feels like sitting down with a bestie who always tells it like it is - even when it's maybe not what you want to hear - but always with kindness, and in a way that makes you feel fully seen and supported. I can almost hear her say, "Listen up, poptart..."

What the author has done with this book, is given us a primer on witching your way through tough times. Whether you are dealing with grief, mental health challenges, or just feeling beaten down by the constant barrage of awfulness in the world at large, she offers practical tips and actionable suggestions for allowing your witchcraft practice to support you through it, whatever "it" happens to be. I particularly like the exercises and affirmations at the end of each chapter, and I appreciate the author's candor in relating to her own experiences. This would be an excellent gift for a witchy friend who needs a little support, or for yourself if you need it. I know I will be referring back to it for myself.

While I was given the opportunity to read and review this book before publication, I look forward to purchasing a hard copy when it is released.

This was a really beautiful book. The cover is also gorgeous! I'm a firm believer that you find books at the right times in life and this was one of them for me. It's very comforting and there were lots of useful witchy tips and ideas in here. I really feel like witches will find this a warm hug in a book! Thank you as always to the publishers and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this before publication. I have recommended this to a few friends who I know will love it.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kelly-Ann's knowledge and experience shines through in her book Witch in Darkness. Not only is the cover nice but the book's content feels like its in a workbook style that touches on how to get through a witch's tough and dark times. There are affirmations and journal prompts that make me reminisce on the shadow work workbooks I have done in the past . The spells and rituals that are included seem to be good and I will have to try them when I can find the time.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Some modern witchcraft books are too strict in their rules, while others are trying so hard to be open and inclusive that they don’t offer enough guidance. Witch in Darkness strikes a balance, offering tools for witchcraft practitioners to lean on in hard times without coming across as a preachy or boring how-to. The text is straightforward and organized while Maddox’s voice and personality shines through.

The specificity of the topics makes this book more relatable than its predecessor, Rebel Witch. I will certainly purchase the book upon its release so that I can reference it in the future!

This was an amazing read! This tome is about witchy self-care. I loved the spreads and journaling prompts as well. I also feel the book was well-rounded and extremely knowledgeable. I highly recommend reading this book if you're a witchy being. I read this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Great guide for becoming a witch.
Simple and stunning writing.
It was very helpful for my journey to complete me spiritually goals to become a witch.

While this book is not specifically for beginners, I do believe that this book is valuable for anyone. I took a lot of good things away from this book and I particularly loved parts 2 and 3 that focused specifically on kinds of Darkness and how to use witchcraft to help cope. I appreciated that this book didn’t try to offer “you must do this” kind of advice, but rather provided a wide breadth of ideas and rituals to help handle the specific darkness’s this book talks about. A good read, and ideal for witches who want some help handling the world in the context of their practices.

Kelly-Ann Maddox wrote a book that I’ve been waiting for, for a long time. A book about Witchcraft during our darkest moments in life. I honestly read this book at a perfect time in my life because I’m currently going through some health issues that have taken me away from my craft and I needed this. The information is well researched, thorough and quality content. A lot of witchcraft books borderline on tacky because they are full of cliches but this book is raw, and real. It is a must for all those who practice the craft so they can find their magick through trying times. I loved the chapter set up and the questions towards the end. I especially enjoyed the journal questions that are at the end of each chapter. Excellent for shadow work and inner work. I can see myself adding a lot of the spells, journal prompts to my personal craft.

I do have one issue which is the formatting. It was hard to read some parts because paragraphs were misplaced and would sometimes trail off and pick up somewhere totally random. However I didn’t take away anything from my rating of the book because that’s a format issue and easy to fix.

I love the cover of this book and I also loved the font on the inside of the book. It’s so pretty. I was really happy to see that this book guided you through everything so it can be for someone of all skill levels. This book also gives you a ton of information as well.

Kelly-Ann Maddox's training as a spiritual counselor really shines through in Witch in Darkness. This is an invaluable guide for witches who are struggling through the tougher times in life, such as grief, family issues, mental health, self doubt, lack, and more. There's so much great information about embracing the messier sides and imperfection while still saying safe (both physically and mentally) in your witchcraft practice. I really appreciated the 'guided workbook' style - so many journal prompts, affirmations, plus spells and rituals to help walk you through these difficult themes and come out the other side. It's about facing it head-on instead of doing spellwork to cover it up or mask the effects, and I think a lot of witches will benefit from this style of writing and deep emotional work. Witch in Darkness can be enjoyed by beginners and advanced practitioners alike, as you never know when these themes will hit you, and none of the practices the author suggests are overly complicated nor do they require tons of supplies or spell ingredients. A great tool to keep on your shelf for when you need it.