Thank you to the authors, publisher, narrator and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this title in exchange for my review.

This is an amazing book, full of rich folklore and stories from around the world. I really enjoyed listening to the book, and I think it would be amazing in a printed form as well - I just might go order a copy for my shelf! As it is more of a history and less of a story, exactly, listening missed some elements of enjoyment, as I think it would be interesting to be able to go back and look through previous stories and such. But that's just my preference for books like this.
Really enjoyed the author's writing style and research and details.

5 stars for I loved it, I will probably re-read it, and I would buy and / or recommend it to others!

I did myself a major disservice by listening to the audio version of this book instead of reading the physical. I thought it was just short stories about global/historical witches and folklore, but having flipped through a hardcover copy, this books beauty comes from the illustration, which obviously can’t be enjoyed through audio. The fast-facts about specific witchy topics were interesting then each section was completed with a story relating the reading to/explaining that example of a witch. I enjoyed all the aspects, but the audio just isn’t it and I’d definitely recommend picking up a hardcover copy of this beauty to enjoy if the subject matter peaks your interest.

This was one of those books. They would definitely be better in hand than in audio form.

I listen to this audiobook and found that I was wanting to have a copy of the book in hand to see the imagery and even the format and present of the book.

Set up with an overarching witch and folklore story and then divided up by the Major Arcana cards of the tarot, the book listed many incarnations of witches from around the world, and then told one story from that type of witch per chapter.

I enjoyed the stories, but would’ve liked in an audio form to have more stories and less listing of witches.

I did thoroughly enjoy the voice work by , Frances Butt. I found their voice to fit the book well and it helped carry along an otherwise disjointed audiobook that was missing the imagery of this physical book to help tell the story.

I think this audio would do best as a companion to the physical book.

This attractive book is basically similar in structure to the Bestiarium Hungaricum (Zoltán Magyar and Gyula Németh, 2023): spectacular illustrations accompany folkloric descriptions. It is about witchcraft folklore from all over the world - which is really wide ...and rich. There are garabonciások (tempest sorcerers), szépasszonyok (fair women), alchemists, spirits of nature, demons, yokai, ogres, alps, shapeshifters, curse-bringers, famous persons (Elizabeth Bathory, Old Thiess, Isaac Newton) and various creatures I first read about here.

At the beginning, I was unsure how will the authors' plan unfold, because the previews only showed short passages of encyclopaedic entries - which are not "dark folklore stories". But then, as soon as I got to the tales, all my doubts were dispelled, the narrator delivered the stories in a pleasant, atmospheric way. She did a pretty good job with the Hungarian names, though intonation was not always right (Jávor was almost like Jawohl, but at least she pronounced the consonants correctly). No wonder, "Bagolyasszonyka" was a hard nut, but then she recovered it nicely.

Don't expect with scholarly details and footnotes, but it is certainly a thorough and wide-ranging work of illuminating insight. Of course, the ethnographic accuracy of the stories is questionable, and I found them heavily coloured by the author's imagination. I do not mean this as a criticism at all, because they are great in terms of entertainment and plot. Sometimes he did not even resort to retelling, but placed the folkloric characters in a historical context where he could vividly portray their attributes, even putting details of known beliefs and legends into a broader perspective. (EDIT: Recently I talked to Balázs, the author and he mentioned that the bibliography and source notes will be available on their website soon.)

The descriptions were less technical, but more narrative and atmospheric. Tales are closer to fantasy than to folklore, but they are plot-rich. Basically, the creatures are grouped according to their abilities/powers, with each chapter being organized according to the Tarot cards (they serve as stepping stones for spiritual development, and the symbolism of each card also provides an organizing principle for the creature types). In addition to the alchemy chapter, this ten-step journey also provided alchemical notes, and the appendix summarizes the associations.

I heartfully recommend this book for witchcraft and mythology enthusiasts, though I would take a more academic folklore research before accepting these tales as genuine sources.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley, I got an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book for my honest and opinions and review.

Far from the usual witch narrative, the book's description captivated me with its depth in folklore and history, breathing life into tales passed down through generations. It's a work of sheer enchantment, perfect for the autumnal season.

I found this book misleading in that I went into it under the impression it was a fictional tale of entertainment. It ended up being folk tales of a sort. Unfortunately, I found the tales to be in a very monotonous tone and hard to push through. I wanted to enjoy it even as folklore, but just felt it fell short in every way. I received an arc copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I first requested this I didn’t realize it was in audiobook format and that was entirely my fault for not paying closer attention to detail. I usually have a very hard time paying attention to audiobooks or remembering anything about them due to some head trauma & subsequent memory issues, but I was totally engrossed in this book that I had no problem paying attention or remembering a decent amount of the material that was spoken about. I thought the narrator(s) were great and easy to understand. I do however think a book like this is much better in a physical format…so much so that I ordered the hardback version. It’s such a detailed subject matter that has absolutely gorgeous artwork that goes along with the different regional stories and folktales that I feel like you really only get half or a quarter of the experience and knowledge by listening to the audiobook version. That’s not to take away from the narrator or anything, it just seems incomplete when you’re listening only. As far as the material, I loved that the book touches on so many different aspects of witchcraft ranging from necromancy to alchemy and gives us glimpses of some really obscure culture’s versions of witches. Even if you’re someone that knows a decent amount about witches across different cultures you’ll still learn plenty whilst listening or reading this book.

As an audiobook I’d probably give this 3.5 stars only because I feel like you’re missing out on a huge chunk of info by not also experiencing the artwork that comes in the physical book.

I found this book very interesting. I quite enjoy lore and this book covers it from so many different cultures while engaging the reader. It's the perfect time of year to dive into past witchy tales.

"The Book of Forgotten Witches" is a beautifully illustrated collection of folklore and history, delving into the lives of legendary witches from around the world. With ten chapters covering different types of witches, it offers a fascinating mix of real and mythical figures, each linked to tarot cards and alchemical symbolism. While the book is visually stunning and packed with intriguing details, the narrative sometimes leans more toward an encyclopedia than a cozy read. Some stories can feel a bit dry, but overall, it's a fun and informative journey for anyone interested in witchcraft and folklore.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

While I liked this, I think I would have enjoyed it more had they chosen to discuss fewer witches and go more in depth with them. I really enjoyed that each of the chapters focused on a different type of witch and went on to tell a story about one of them. I didn't love all the little tidbits that were just summaries of the different witches. For me, it took me out of the story and had I not been listening I think it would have been a DNF for me.

Interesting concept and good spooky season read.

The Book Of Forgotten Witches by Lilla Bolecz;Balasc a narrated by Francis butt. Let me start with Miss Butts perfect narration, I don’t think they could’ve found anyone better to do the narration for this book of witches… 80 in all! From every corner of the globe and every different type of witch. From necromancy to alchemist to those with familiar to cast spells every time end or version of a which is in this book along with folklore and origin stories I was so entertained and loved the whole thing a definite must read for fans of the McCobb or just those who love witches. I truly enjoyed this short audiobook and wished it would’ve been longer. I think the author did a brilliant job as well as the awesome narrator. Each type of witch is set up in a different category and although there’s 80 of them the book is really a short read. It’s a book I definitely and absolutely recommend. #NetGalley, #DreamSkateMedia, #TheBookOfForgottenWitches,

I listened to The Book of Forgotten Witches: Dark & Twisted Folklore Stories from Around the World, by Hungarian authors Lilla Bölecz and Balázs Tátrai as a digital audiobook narrated by Frances Butt. I am going to rate it as an audiobook primarily, rather than going too in detail on the plot, structure, etc. There are many reviews of the physical copy that I think would better describe that.

While I think that the book's message and structure is very intriguing, I don't think the format lends itself well to audiobook format. I think it would be a spectacular read-along for someone who would prefer to listen, but the authors have waxed poetic about the illustrations and the storytelling element of the Major Arcana and Alchemical practices. There seems to be a very large visual element to this book, and it's just not the same experience in audio format.

The Bristol-based narrator Frances Scott was engaging and pleasant to listen to, with a very smooth and silky voice that was very well chosen for a rather psuedo-academic work. She had slight voice shifts for different characters, masculine and feminine, in a way that was not forced. Other reviews have told me that her pronunciation of certain Hungarian words was rather off, but to my untrained ear, it sounded good. I think a Hungarian narrator would have been a phenomenal choice, considering the origin and content of the book. I found no issue with the production quality, audio mixing, volume, pacing, etc. It was professionally well done, though I expect nothing less from this publishing company.

I really disliked the framing of this book. A narrative mage character, a second-person narrator, speaks directly to us, very much telling and not showing what we see, experience, think, etc. A "You came into my library and now you will sit in this chair and listen to me as I describe all the things around you" sort of experience. I would have preferred a second-person perspective, where I am a character who sees this library, who meets this mage character, and who sits down in the chair when invited. It really took away any sense of curiosity and intrigue I had as a reader, and like I was not making my own choices or thinking my own thoughts (as much as you can do that in a pre-written book).

The encyclopedic nature at the beginning of each chapter was a bit of a struggle to get through, despite the narrator's pleasant and engaging style. I found the structure of each chapter to be logical, but it was difficult to listen to and to necessarily connect the stories told to the encyclopedic entry given.

I think if you wanted someone to read this book to you while looking at the physical copy, this would be a pleasant experience. The audiobook quality and performance itself were quite good. Fans of folklore and witches, especially those who like to connect these sorts of characters to modern day sentiments and feminism, etc., would probably enjoy it quite a lot. Practicing witches and folklorists might find some things in it they want as well, though there's plenty that might make them wary.

I wouldn't necessarily call it academic; there seems to be plenty that the authors seemed to take creative license with, despite their claims of rigorous academic research. They gave a caveat initially, though, so I cannot fault them too much for it. I wouldn't make this my primary source on historical witches and mages, etc, but it makes a nice starting point if you want to explore further.

Overall, I struggled to get through this book and did put it down once I got the conceit of it. I thought the framing was an interesting concept, but it just wasn't feasible in an audiobook format. I would have looked to look at the illustrations and really been able to connect all the pieces together. Perhaps there was too much going on, but that might have been a fault in the audio format rather than the visual. I think that the physical copy of the book is probably a better option for those interested.

An interesting and well thought out way to tell the audience about several different types of witches and other folklore. Sometimes it was difficult to tell which tale went with what creature, but still entertaining.

A good Book for those who want to learn more about the legends of witches. It's interesting and packs a lot of information. I liked how the authors talk about the intersectionality between witch trials, sexism, homophobia and racism. I however would have preferred to read this in physical format rather than listen to the audiobook because there is a lot of info and the illustrations would have helped.

Let's just say, this book does not really work in audio-only format. This book is a reference book, and the audio feels jilted and unnatural. Each type of witch has multiple categories listed, such as "Type: ; Location: ; etc." and it just is not something you want to listen to for 10 hours. I would recommend this as an immersive read or a physical read, as it was not really done in a manner that makes it enjoyable as an audio-only format.

I am giving three stars because I cannot really judge the material itself, as it was just not worth listening to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I first want to thank the publisher and NetGalley to get the arc for this book. This was such an intriguing, fall vibe, witchy informational book about distinctive cultures and how their witches behave in their respective countries. I loved the fact that this book went above and not only centered in Eurocentric perspectives and US. I want to thank the authors because they included Latinx countries in this storytelling. The audiobook was the way to go due to the narration and how they crafted these stories.

Audiobook: speed (2x); it worked perfectly for me.

A great and informative book that relays the tales of Witches through excellent storytelling. I highly recommend this as a fall read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for this ALC.

I went into this book expecting a dry retelling of different witches and demonic creatures throughout history. Oh, boy, was I wrong.
This book is amazing, it weaves the myths and legends with historical and ethnographical facts seamlessly making this a fascinating read. I loved how the book is structured, the information is well researched and well presented. The entities described are from all over the world and quite diverse.
This will be a great read for anyone interested in witches, myths and legends.

The Book of Forgotten Witches is part textbook part short story. Each chapter gives a brief overview of types of witches or magical creatures in the fashion of an appendix that briefly describes each entry. After this, there is a short story that includes the described witches. Also fictional is how readers are introduced to each chapter in a creative approach that I have not come across yet in all the books I've read. While this was new and I liked the idea, it was jarring in practice. I wanted more short stories and less textbook-like descriptions of the types of witches in each chapter. While this book wasn't for me, it would be great for readers interested in witchcraft as a religion/spiritual practice.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ARC audiobook of The Book of Forgotten Witches: Dark & Twisted Folklore Stories from Around the World.

The novel was a very interesting walk through the folklore of witches from around the world. Each chapter focuses on a specific type of witch (curse bringers, shapeshifters, survivors, etc.) and examples of each type that have been passed down through history from around the world. To conclude each chapter, the author includes a short story that pertain to the type of witch discussed in that chapter. In a unique twist, each chapter is linked to one of the first ten tarot in the Major Arcana as well as a stage in the alchemical process of turning metal into gold.

Because I listed to this novel on audiobook, I feel I missed out on one very impressive detail that the physical books contains and that is the illustrations smattered throughout the tales. Other readers spoke of how impressive the illustrations were, and that was sorely missed in the audiobook edition. Overall, I was impressed with the amount of research that went into the creation of this novel. The vast majority of these witches and folklore I have never heard of before and it was interesting to learn of them. Some tales were more interesting than others, but overall a intriguing read for those captivated by witch folklore.