In this inspirational book, Suleika Jaouad finds healing and solace in the art of journaling in this remarkable guide featuring journal prompts that will guide readers on an inward journey to their heart and soul.

I was never one for journaling, although I did partake in it every now and then when inspiration struck. I wanted to read this book as I have always found writing to be the easiest way for me to channel my feelings. This book features journaling prompts by some incredible people that will help you to tune into your inner thoughts, ideas, and reflections on life, its mysteries, and simplicity. What I loved about these journal prompts is that they were not complicated, in fact many were simple enough to allow anything to come through. This book is indeed a book of alchemy, because sifting through the detritus of our interior life can be daunting, but once refined through the process of creative channeling, can help one access the gold of truth and beauty.

The author's journey through illness and health is heroic and I do believe that creativity is one of the greatest healing tools we have at our disposal. Whether journaling is just a hobby or a serious spiritual practice for you, why not give The Book of Alchemy a try and see what gifts the marriage of heart, mind, and soul can offer you.

I love love this book! Sometimes books on creativity as well as guided journals/writing prompts can feel repetitive. l I really loved all the passages on creativity written by the various writers. And the prompts are unique, expansive and get your brain into another dimension which bodes well for creativity. Even if you aren't interested in creating in the moment, I think this book would be wonderful for changing momentary perspective or sparking awe/metaphor. This a book you don't have to read front to back. You can jump around and pick and choose chapters, open it up whenever you're wanting to think about creativity differently or write something. I highly recommend to those who are interested in writing and are maybe bored with a lot of creativity/guided writing journals out right now.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC.

Here we have a collection of essays about the transformative power of journaling, introduced and curated by longtime sufferer of Leukemia, Soleika Jaouad. There are a hundred essays - some by prominent people - and each one is followed by a related journaling prompt that you’re invited to expand on in your own journal if you choose. The book is divided into ten sections, with essays corresponding to the theme of each section. I found this to be a valuable collection of thoughts, and wrote many of these prompts down for future reference. That being said, this collection is a bit bulky and feels about 60 pages too long, but I really enjoyed it nevertheless.

this book was pretty good! I liked the advice, and self help tips they gave. I also liked the little essays included, some were inspiring and interesting. The religion was a bit much, the spirituality parts were interesting!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

As a therapist who often uses expressive writing in my work with clients, I found 'The Book of Alchemy' by Suleika Jaouad to be such a powerful resource. This collection of reflections and prompts provides readers with an invitation to slow down, check in with yourself, and explore your emotions with curiosity and care. The writing prompts are thoughtful and rich, helping you reflect without feeling pressured to get it “right.”

What really stood out to me were the personal stories shared alongside the prompts—they’re full of life lessons and moments of vulnerability that feel like gentle reminders that we’re not alone in our struggles. This is the kind of book I’d keep close—on a nightstand or desk—perfect for morning reflections or unwinding at the end of the day. Whether you’re new to journaling or a seasoned writer, it offers a beautiful way to process emotions and reconnect with yourself.

One of the best books to spark creativity that I've found in years.
I'm a fan of Suleika's work, a newsletter subscriber and admirer in the ways she's made her career work alongside chronic illness and disability. As a disabled writer and creative myself, it's been challenging to get myself to write daily (and though this is her writing advice, she does urge the reader to be gentle and meet one's body where its at) but the fact that each of these little snippets tell a story and come up with a writing prompt to spark creativity is GENIUS. While there's no space for journalling (it's a book, not a workbook,) I'd take this in any way you'd like, and I'm actually trying to do a prompt from this book once per day now in order to fuel my writing.

Highly recommend this book and Jaouad's work. Another slam dunk.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

For those who love to journal and for those who want to journal...

Whether or not you are familiar with Jaouad's Substack newsletter "Isolation Journals", you are in for a treat with this book. Born from Jaouad's love of journaling and documenting, The Isolation Journals was created in 2020 during the height of the pandemic when she started communal journaling, inviting others to contribute. Each "journal" entry—or essay—that was shared offered a prompt for the rest of the readers to get their creative juices flowing.

The Book of Alchemy is a collection of 100 of these essays from The Isolation Journals, each offering a prompt that relates back to the essay and invites readers to open up their journals and their hearts, and write their own piece. With prompts on Beginning; Memory; Fear; Seeing; Love; Body; Rebuilding; Ego; Purpose; and Alchemy; The Book of Alchemy will take readers through a slew of outsider experiences that force them to turn inward, reflect, and recognize the universal experience of being human.

This book best works as a "100 days of journaling" practice, reading one essay and prompt per day. But if you are anything like me, you don't have the patience for that. In that case, my best advice with this book would be to settle in with it and read through the whole thing—cover to cover—and see what resonates with you, what speaks to you. When you finish, start from the beginning again. Only this time, let yourself move through the prompts one day at a time.

I look forward to grabbing my own physical copy when it releases so I can underline, highlight, and deeply engage.

Thank you Penguin Random House for the early copy in exchange for an honest review! Available Apr. 22 2025