My first impression of this book was its beautiful cover, which immediately drew me in along with its title. Even though I am not an active practitioner of witchcraft, I do like my simple home remedies and protection charms, such as putting a bay leaf under my pillow to protect me against nightmares.

This book is as the title says, a guide! A guide to the basic folklore of herbs, flowers, and trees. This book also includes a guide on baneful herbs, which is certainly unusual due to the danger of amateur hands handling them. The author gives the necessary warnings and disclaimers, so if anyone does get any ideas and gets hurt in the process, then it really is not her problem haha

It's simple and to the point, just like a guide should be. It's easy to find what you're looking for if you're not looking for a linear reading and want to learn about a specific plant. You'll find the correspondent element, zodiac sign, and medicinal properties in bullet points for each, too.

Something else you'll learn is how to use the natural ingredients in your Craft. From teas to poultices, it tells us how to prepare them, what herbs are best, the best ratios, and how to/how long to store them!

"I have always valued simplicity in my Craft, where I use what I have available to me both in nature and in places like my home and thrift stores where I can repurpose everyday items for magickal uses. This is essentially what folk magick is all about; it's not meant to be available only to those who can afford it, but is low cost, if not free, and accessible to everyone."

I really resonated with this quote. Media has made practising the Craft sound like the most complicated thing in the world, when, in reality, generations have been practising it without the aid of the internet or even books on it. As the author says, we only used to have word of mouth to learn and rely on, and I think we have taken that for granted. Simple is usually best, and this book comes to save the day in that aspect.

Beautifully illustrated and a good beginners guide to different plants and flowers, and what properties they hold.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book.

This is a beginner book on herbalism and I wish it would have called itself that instead of "folklore magick."

The book is beautifully illustrated and laid out, but the ARC had issues with upside-down pages and problems with skipping pages that took me out of reading. However, those issues aren't reflected in the rating of the book.

Each entry has:
- the scientific name
- minimal folklore
- magical properties
- medicinal properties (big fan of how both types of properties were bullet pointed for easy use.
- correspondences: element, planet, zodiac signs
- folk names.

The reasons for the docking of my rating has to do with its focus on Western European (specifically Celtic) folklore and the book's use of "migraines" instead of migraine.

Although I’ve never attempted to actually practice, I’ve been fascinated by witchcraft for years and have read many books similar to this one, on many different topics.

I had a couple of small issues with the editing such as typos, upside down pages and missing pictures, but my main issue was that it was a slow start. I found the pages on the different plants a lot more informative and interesting than those on the different forms of medicine (teas, tinctures etc). I initially thought the description of the book had lied to me as there was little to no detail on the history of folk magic in those first pages.

In regard to the plant pages though, I found them very interesting with not only a folklore section, but also magical and medicinal properties along with all the other information provided for each. Some of the folklore and history was fascinating, and overall I found this information to be well researched and written.

Other aspects of the book I appreciated were the disclaimers throughout, along with the ‘further reading’ section in the back.

Overall, I found this book to be very interesting and informative, and assuming the smaller mistakes are fixed prior to publication, I will definitely be adding this to my wishlist and purchasing a physical copy after release.

This cover is so beautiful, but I love how informative this book is! It also has beautiful art throughout. If I saw this in a book store, I would want to buy 5 immediately, one for me, and one for all of my witchy friends.

Highly recommend this book!

I received an advanced review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Net Galley!

I will be adding this book to my collection of books that’ll eventually become a staple in my teaching.

A beautiful illustrated guide that I for sure will keep and read again.
Useful for my practice.
Higlu recommend.

This was a very informative read as someone who beginning to dabble in the world of witchcraft.

There was a lot of information and lore surrounding green magick and the properties of many varieties of plants, which is very helpful when exploring more natural remedies to various ailments or cleansing yourself.

I did find myself wishing there was more in terms of rituals etc, rather than the sole focus on plants etc but overall it was a decent and informative read for anyone starting out and wanting to learn more about green witchcraft.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the review copy!

This book is an absolute gem for anyone intrigued by the magical threads that weave through history, nature, and our daily lives. This beautifully crafted book strikes the perfect balance between accessible beginner-friendly guidance and deep, meaningful exploration of folklore traditions.

The author’s passion shines through in every page, with rich storytelling that brings old myths and magickal practices to life. The blend of folklore, practical spells, and rituals makes it both a fascinating read and a hands-on guide for modern witches. Whether you’re just starting your magickal journey or looking to enrich your practice, this book offers inspiration and actionable wisdom in abundance.

What sets this guide apart is its grounded and nature-focused approach. The instructions are clear, the suggestions are easy to incorporate, and the visuals are simply stunning. It’s like walking into an enchanted forest and being guided by a wise, kind mentor who knows exactly what you need to discover your own magickal potential.

Highly recommend for anyone who loves folklore, nature-based spirituality, or simply wants to infuse a little magick into their life. This book feels like a trusted companion you’ll want to revisit again and again

The Witch of the Forest's Guide to Folklore Magick by Lindsay Squire is a beautifully illustrated introduction to the world of plants, flowers, and trees within witchcraft. The book is visually stunning, with charming artwork and layouts that make the information easy to absorb. I especially loved the visual summaries of magical properties—perfect for quick reference. I imagine the physical copy would be even more gorgeous to flip through!

This is definitely a beginner-friendly guide, laying out the basics of using nature in your practice. While it covers a lot of ground, it’s not the most detailed or exhaustive selection of herbs and folklore, which is something to keep in mind. However, it’s a fantastic starting point for anyone curious about green magick and its roots in folklore.

If you're looking for an accessible and enchanting book to spark your interest in plant-based magick, this is a wonderful pick. Perfect for beginners or anyone who loves a beautifully designed guide to connect with nature’s wisdom. Highly recommend for your magical library!

Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this beautifully illustrated book. There is so much fascinating information which I will return to time and again. This is definitely a book to purchase and have on your shelf to pick up and peruse!

I really enjoyed this. It starts out with a section to learn about the differences between tinctures and salves and teas, etc. This is followed by an alphabetical listing of herbs, plants, flowers, and trees with each including a little bit of folklore and the plant's magical and medicinal uses.

The art is very pretty and I think it will look even better in a physical copy.