Natural Magick

This book is AMAZING!!!! This is the perfect guide to baby witches and practiced witches alike! It has everything you need to get started and to continue to learn! The illustrations are GORGEOUS!!!! I have just pre-ordered this on Amazon as well as her other book that comes out in March 2022. Amazing, thank you NetGally!

A compound guide on everything you need to know before dipping your toes into your witchcraft practice.

It has the Wheel of The Year, Colour Magic, Spell work, Cleansing Techniques, Altar Preparation, Sigils, Herbs, and Divination. And finally, FINALLY, a beginner-friendly book that doesn't push the use of white sage, Palo Santo and indigenous practices onto unsuspecting newcomers.

I simply cannot begin to explain how thankful I am for this book, so let me read you a quote which sold me body and soul on this book …

"It's [..] important to have an awareness about the origins of our practices. We all try to have the best intentions but it's very important to stop and evaluate our practices and have an open mind so we can learn where they first came from and how our practices may affect others."

Yes. YES!!! I cannot stress what a huge green flag this is for modern authors to recognise the closed practices/ethical impact of our practices. It out-shadowed the small inconsistencies (e.g. Beltane and Lammas in incorrect positions on page 34- the wheel of the year), which usually might have bothered me a lot more than they did.

Wow, what a gem of a book!

Granted I’m not new to the craft and didn’t exactly learn anything new for myself, this is the book I wish had existed many moons ago when I was first starting out.

First of all, the book is beautiful! Lovely imagery throughout, and the chapters are short and to the point- just enough information to get someone started on their journey or for someone to know if it’s a topic they want to research further (and the author does list a nice amount of good books to continue studying at the end of the book).

She covers a wide range of topics like divination, moon phases, Wheel of the Year (complete with accompanying tarot spreads!), and much more - but my favorite part of this book is that she gives a lot of wonderful information for those who are “in the broom closet” (practicing in private) which would be super helpful to a lot of those who are just starting out.

I’m giving it 5 stars for all of these reasons. This is not a book for someone who has been practicing witchcraft for a while, it’s definitely for beginners who need a place to start (not comprehensive or the end all, be all book, but perfect as a first read)- and this is what I will recommend to those people in the future.

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

What a gorgeous book, perfect for all the budding witches out there. It has a gorgeous cover & is beautifully illustrated inside. Definitely the book you need for Halloween

Oh Wow! This is an beautiful book. The illustrations and layout or gorgeous and informative.

I'm not a practicing wiccan but I do find moon phases and tarot interesting so I often find myself drawn to texts on the topic. This was a very enjoyable reference/introductory text that was easy to read and follow along. I find that many texts on these topics are written in a way that is difficult to read for someone who isn't fully immersed in wiccan culture. It is so refreshing to find a text that is so clearly written and organized but also so beautiful.

I highly recommend this book for any reader with a little bit of interest in any of the topic. I can't speak for the utility of this text for a non-novice but I'd imagine that even they could appreciate the beauty of this book.

I have read a lot of magick related books, and a lot are very similar and unoriginal!
However, this book was great!

The info in this book was precise, and really well laid out. The book would be great to read in one go, or even more perfect to dip in and out of. The illustrations in this book were beautiful too, unique and such a cool style!
I love how it focussed on the wheel of the year and the moon phases - personally some of my favourite things within the magick world.

Not only did this book explain the details of natural magick, but it also explained what to do and how to do it. Because of that, this book is very accessible, and suitable for beginners or experienced witches alike.

I received this book as an early electronic review copy in exchange for an honest review - but I loved this book so much that I have preordered the hard copy of the book for when it is released in a few weeks time.

First, the images and colors used are gorgeous. I like that the book talks about paganism, Wicca, and witchcraft; however, the first part is heavier on the Wicca side than what I would have liked. The book also discusses the Wheel of the Year, their correspondences and gives you a tarot spread for each part. Then the book talks about the moon, and the rituals you should follow for each stage. These moon part I found to be great for someone whose works is guided by the moon phases or for someone who wants to start basing their work on the phases. Midway through the book, the spells information begins. The book also gives you tips on how to do rituals and follow the moon phases while you are in the “broom closet.” The book continues talking about sigils, followed by herbs, and later divination. All in all, the book was informative and to the point, a great book that introduces many witchcraft topics and practices, all while delivering beautiful colors and images.

This book is everything you want in an introduction to magick. The information is presented in a well-organized fashion with enough material to get you started, but not much that beginners will feel overwhelmed. I love this kind of accessibility, especially since so many introductory books are so heavy on the rules and specifics of one type of practice that it borders on gate keeping. Not here though. Background on styles of practice, basic supplies, important holidays, moon cycles and basic spell construction are all outlined for use. I liked the focus on starting practice on a budget, or even in secret should your life require it. The real icing in this well-written cake is the artwork. Accompanying the text are wonderful illustrations that blend classic witchy aesthetics with modern drawing. I am definitely adding this one to my witchy library.

5 stars - I loved it!

The Witch of the Forest’s Guide to Natural Magick is a wonderful introduction to harnessing your inner magick. Whether you are in the broom closet or out-and-proud, Lindsay Squire has provided a wonderful and informative guide to the beginner aspects of magic that will allow you to succeed and thrive.

This is a wonderfully informative and easy to read book. This book covers a wide array of topics including herbs, candles, moon magic, rituals, sigils, and sabbaths. Everything provided in this book is simple and easy to do, which is very important for beginners. The best part of this book though was that she provides information on how to practice if you are still in the broom closet, which most beginners are. I wish this information had been available when I was first practicing because it was very useful, especially the tips about alternative everyday household things that can be turned into rituals or used for magick.

The illustrations within this book were beautiful and really helped bring out the main points of this book, which will be very helpful for beginners. While I am not a beginner, I do plan on buying this book because it will be a great reference book and I liked some of her ideas about alternative options for those who are in hiding or if you are on a budget.

This is a great book. I love how it highlights ever day uses for setting intentions and creating your own magic in life. Best of all, for me, are the Tarot spreads through the wheel of the year. I’m going to get a hard copy of this for my own library…and share it with every new and fledgling witch that I meet.

This book is a remarkable self contained way to pracice meaningful natural spirituality all year lone. The subjects covered are the traditional ones that magical books and wiccan texts name. What I really liked was the way each exercise or spell is written and the steps given are explained with illustrations that make it simple and to the point. My favorite part of this book was the simple holiday rituals . The section of substitutions was worth the price of this book all by itself as I have never had it made so clear what is really needed and what isnt. This is a great book for anyone to make their lives more meaningful and in tune with nature.

This is the book that I wish I had had at the start of my own journey. So easy to follow, and beautifully written. I went out and bought myself a copy halfway through reading this.

One of the best books I ever read with some good info about Sigils and Tarot Cards. Excellent details about the sabbats.

A very beautiful book, perfect of any new witch. The explanations are clear, there are plenty of lovely pictures.
It's a good resource, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Natural Magick by Lindsay Squire
This book is perfect for anyone who wants a quick beginner guide of easy witchcraft. It gives a run down of tools you might need when you are first starting up! There is a ton of BEAUTIFUL witchy artwork on every page! This guide makes it easy to follow along and is very enjoyable!

Thank you #Netgalley for the free Ebook I will be purchasing the hard copy to add to my collection!

I’ve read a lot of witchy books over the years but this is one of the best! It was incredible !

Natural Magick is so informative and interesting you find yourself not wanting to put it down!
It’s great for beginners too, everything is explained in easy to follow stages and gives you all the information you need, without over complicating things.
I love the illustrations throughout, they are beautiful! and definitely keep you wanting to see more!
I loved it that much I couldn’t resist ordering myself a hard copy!

It’s definitely a book that makes you get excited about magic! And who doesn’t want a bit of magic in their life!?

Not only was this book beautiful, it has just enough information for people beginning in or just interested in witchcraft, and it's written in a way that makes it easy to understand. Like talking to your magical auntie.

What a lovely beginners book ✨ I've been practicing for 10+ years so not a lot of things jump out to me as "new info", but still I found this book a lovely read. I appreciated the chapters on eco and conscious witchcraft. Both of these subjects should be talked about more in witchcraft and pagan communities. I also enjoyed the section on the sabbats that include tarot spreads, rituals and correspondences.

And there's so much more useful info about the moon, spells, sigils, herbs, divination and even witchcraft in the broom closet for you closeted witchlings. Overall I would recommend this book, mainly for those who are starting out on their path, but it's a fun and quick read also for those more advanced.

Thank you to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing and the Author for providing this ARC!

Book Review: 'The Witch of the Forest’s Guide to Natural Magick' by Lindsay Squire.
Illustrator: Viki Lester
Genre: Witchcraft / Religion and Spirituality
Publisher: Leaping Hare Press / Quarto
Release Date: 21st September, 2021

Book was gifted in exchange for a review.

About the Author and Illustrator
Lindsay Squire considers herself to be an Eclectic Witch practicing traditional Witchcraft for over a decade. She lives in Yorkshire, in the UK. Which is exciting for me because I’m also a Yorkshire Witch. She is passionate about helping and empowering Witches at the beginning of their journeys. Lindsay is the person behind the popular Witchcraft instagram account @thewitchoftheforest which offers helpful infographics about different aspects of the Craft.

Viki Lester, also known as Forensics and Flowers, is the illustrator behind the beautiful cover and images throughout the book. She is from London. Her work is described as, inspiring people to feel magical, and features positivity with a dark botanical twist. She has illustrated lots of other books swell and I love her artistic style. It is the perfect Witchy aesthetic!

About the Book
The blurb says,

“Whether you’re an out-and-proud witch in progress, or a witch in the broom closet, this spellbinding beginner’s book will teach you everything you need to know to connect with your natural magick.
Guided by The Witch of the Forest, this magickal introduction to getting started in the Craft, is overflowing with simple spells, tips, tricks, and rituals - all using simple tools and ingredients that you can find in your cupboards or from foraging.
Discover the abundance of magick to be found in the natural world and release your power. Learn how to use magick to change your life, and embrace the modern witching hour.”

The book features lots of information for getting started in the Craft, using Witchcraft for self-care and well-being, the wheel of the year, the moon and nature, spellcraft, colour and candle magick, herbs, divination and sigils. All of the things you would expect to find in a book for beginners.

My Thoughts
This is the ultimate book for people who are just starting on their Witchcraft journey. As soon as I started reading the opening, which is about exploring beginner questions or ‘things to know’, I knew it would be reassuring and perfect for people who might be feeling overwhelmed with where to start.

Lindsay talks about learning and reading; using your own initiative to research. This is the best advice for beginners and it’s how I started. People may disagree, but I think this is the only place to start; with reading and research. If you don’t like the sound of that, then maybe Witchcraft is not the path for you. I know that might seem harsh, but with all learning there’s going to be some research and reading involved. I know there are people out there that just don’t get along with that way of learning, and you might be someone who dislikes reading. But, ironically, this book might be good for those people who are not big readers. It is extremely visual. There are lots of images and diagrams. Anything that is said in the longer sections of text is broken down into key points and illustrated. It’s very accessible for non-readers.

I think the visual, infographic style is one of the reasons that Lindsay’s, The Witch of the Forest Instagram account has done so well. If you follow her, you will be familiar with this style and if you like it, then you will enjoy the book because it follows a very similar style.

The book is beautifully organised and presented, with most of it being a page per topic. It takes a very traditional stance on the Craft, but makes it clear that you can deviate from this, making sure to follow your own intuition and following a path that’s right for you.

It covers all of the foundational elements that you need to know, and that will eventually become second nature. For example, the elements, and their correspondence to the cardinal directions. It then links them to colours and eventually you’ll start to understand what elements work best for different kinds of magick. One thing that I really appreciated was the idea that tools are not necessary and that ‘intent’ is the main tool you will need. It is a huge part of the Craft. Everything else: tools, ingredients, crystals they just compliment your intentions.

There are some more in-depth sections on the wheel of the year, the Sabbats and working with the phases of the moon. As well as an explanation of the meaning of the Sabbats and why we celebrate them, it provides you with ideas of what you can do to honour and celebrate each festival. It even does this for Witches in the 'broom closet'; providing more low-key and subtle things to do. A little note: Lammas and Beltane are the wrong way round on the image of the wheel, but this is something that can be overlooked because they are the right way round in the later pages.

I loved the little section about ‘eco witchcraft.’ All Witches should aim to be as eco friendly as possible. As Lindsay says in the book, “it’s counterproductive to harm the very power you want to work with.” I feel like that perfectly sums up what a Witches view of nature and the planet should be. Witchcraft is an Earth based, nature based, Craft so it’s an unwritten rule that we need to look after the planet.

Another really great section was spell craft for beginners. It covers all of the basic, yet important information about spellwork. Lindsay refers to some ‘common mistakes’ that people may make when it comes to spellwork, but it’s just really good advice about creating good spells and managing expectations. For example, you can’t just cast a spell and expect that it will work - there’s more to it than that. This section will really help to ensure you get the best results from your spellwork. It also looks at different spell types; sprays, jars, pouches, teas etc. You can cast spells that don’t involve creating something physical. It can be more of a performative action. So don’t limit yourself to just these types of magick.

In terms of presenting a balanced review here are my nit picks, and they are nit picks. Firstly, some of the pages are a gloss black and they pick up finger marks really easily, which is a little annoying. I don’t like it when I get marks on my books! But like i said, nit picks.

The information on grimoires and books of shadows was slightly disappointing. It’s good as it explores the distinction between the two, but there are no specific examples of how to go about setting up or organising one. There are some ideas of what to include, but I know some people would prefer more guidance, especially with things like journaling in your Grimoire. Also this is one of the only sections that doesn’t provide a visual example.

The author mentions that deities are not a part of her personal Craft, but she does talk about how they fit in, particularly within a Pagan or Wiccan path. When I first started, deities were not a part of my practice - it just didn’t feel right. However, as my Craft evolved a space became available for them. If you think that deities are going to be a part of your practice then you will probably need other resources to find out how to incorporate them into your practice.

Another thing I would like to have seen is a specific section about 'grounding'. I think it would have fitted in nicely with the other topics covered. There is information about cleansing, and I think cleansing and grounding compliment each other. Grounding is mentioned a few times within the book, but as there is no detail about what it is or guidance of how to do it, then it could be a little confusing for some people. However, it’s something you can easily go away and research.

Final Thoughts
This book is perfect for beginners. That is the point of the book, but it genuinely is a great place to start - especially for learning about traditional Witchcraft in a modern world. It includes everything you would hope to find in a Witchcraft book for beginners and leaves space for you to go away and develop areas of interest.

If you are a seasoned Witch then you will already know a lot of the information within the book. But I still enjoyed it. The information was presented in such a lovely way, through images and diagrams. For me it was very reaffirming of a lot of my Witchcraft knowledge and for newbies it would not be over-whelming.

I mentioned this earlier, but I think it’s worth saying again. It’s a really accessible book. It’s in no way ‘gatekeepy’ or ‘preachy’. Lindsay is an authoritative voice on the topic, obviously due to her experience, but she comes across as a friendly guide or mentor. I definitely think it is one of the better beginner books.

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

* Amazing illustrations
* The chapters are short enough to not be overwhelming
* Great starter book
* Brings up the problems with smudging, white sage, and Palo Santo
* A bit spare on some things and more on others

This book was AMAZING! Beautifully presented and a wealth of information for beginning witches. I definitely want a physical copy so I can reference its beautiful pages whenever I want. I cannot recommend it enough!

This book is an excellent resource for witches of all backgrounds and levels from those just beginning their journey to those far along their path. While the book is the Forest Witch's guide, witches of any (or no!) path will find useful information, spells, and advice in this book. I love that there is a guide to building a budget-friendly practice. So often it feels like a witch has to have certain tools, style, objects, implements, but this book helps you understand how to create a fulfilling, meaningful practice with what you have in your own home already. I would definitely buy the physical book as it comes with a removeable pendulum board. Highly recommend!

I love when the right book finds you at the right time and that’s exactly what happened with Natural Magick by Lindsay Squire. I’ve always had a dabbling interest in the metaphysical and, as of late, I have embraced the use of the term witch to mean a woman on the outside of society with a little bit of a quirky sense of life. This book has talked me into embracing it more as I launch into my middle life unraveling (thanks Brene Brown!) and am looking to break more of society’s rules.

Lindsay’s book is amazing for someone who is right where I am, questioning but unsure of how to jump on it. Her book covers the sabbats, or holidays, in the wheel of the year as well as other rituals like candle magick, spells, and tarot. It helps introduces concepts without making one feel stupid, but instead soft and steady like a mom guiding you through a journey.

I have enjoyed embracing moon cycles and preparing for Samhain, and if you take a look at my Season of the Witch blog you can keep up with all I am working with.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is even the tiniest bit curious. You can take comfort in the fact that you can walk away with the rituals you feel comfortable with and leave the rest for another day. This will for sure be a book I go back to time and time again.

This was my first book in this genre and it has always interested me so I decided to explore it and found so much about myself! It was very unique and eye opening in ways I would have never thought to think. I appreciated how it has opened my mind.

This is a really pretty, well-executed book, and it covers exactly what is says it will. It's more of a beginner how-to guide than a heavy reference books and goes into enough detail about a variety of topics to provoke some interest in further texts. I loved all of the illustrations and the overall vibe of the book as well as the shortness of topic lengths. I wish this book had some more stories of anecdotes from Lindsay Squire about her time learning witchcraft and what had/hadn't worked for her in a more interesting way. Overall this is a great book for inexperienced people wanting to know more about a variety of magical practices in a well-laid out, aesthetic way.

Un libricino davvero interessante: la parte storica che c'è all'inizio contiene delle convinzioni di stampo Wiccan che sono in realtà errate, ma trovo che le altre parti siano davvero carine e super adatte a chi si sta avvicinando al mondo della spiritualità moderna. In particolare ho apprezzato la parte della ruota dell'anno perché è molto approfondita, festività per festività, con non solo esempi di tradizioni ma anche spread di tarocchi ad esempio. La parte della Luna è più veloce ma ugualmente carina.

Insomma, non un libro perfetto, ma sicuramente consigliato alle babywitch

This was a really nice read. A great book for anyone new to practicing witchcraft. I especially appreciate the book discussing and giving alternatives for white sage to avoid cultural appropriation from closed practices. The artwork is striking, clean, and still very pretty.