📝 54th Spells8 Book Club - Readers' Reviews!

[MeganB]

Feel free to share your finished thoughts and reviews from the book you read for the 54th book club here. For the current book club post, please visit the new session post: Spells8 55th Book Club December 2025

A warm welcome to all of the Witchy Readers!

The latest reading period for Spells8 54th Book Club November 2025 has now ended - thank you to everyone who joined in!

Members & Their Books This Reading Period:

• The Witch’s Book of Spellcraft by Jason Mankey, Matt Cavalli, Amanda Lynn, Ari Mankey @Amethyst
• A Druid Path by John Michael Greer
  @stephanieanne76
• If Women Rose Rooted by Dr Sharon Blackie
  @Trace
• The Shadow Witch’s Grimoire by Raven Digitalis
  @MeganB

Even if you are not listed above but you read a book during this reading period or you decided to read a different book than listed, you are very welcome to share and discuss here too!

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Time to share your thoughts with your coven!

This discussion post will serve as a place to share your thoughts and opinions on the book you chose.

• If you loved your book and think everyone should read it - awesome! Talk about your favorite points or something you learned.
• If you didn’t connect with the book - consider explaining why it wasn’t for you.
• Absolutely hated your book of choice? Warn others to stay away!

This is a great place to share your love for books and find recommendations for new books to read

Your book review can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like

If you’re not sure what to talk about, here is a suggested format you can use. Feel free to write as little or as much as you’d like!

Book Title and Author:

Status? : Finished / Still Reading

My overall rating of the book : ???/10

How does this book relate to my magickal practice?:

My personal thoughts/opinions:

An interesting quote from the book: " "

All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes / No

Remember that your review is uniquely yours - this is a chance to let your opinions and voice be heard

Please keep in mind that others may have opinions that differ from yours - when responding to the thoughts of others, please always show respect! Remember that 100 people will read 1 book and have 100 different experiences. That’s what makes sharing interesting

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What if I didn’t finish my book / joined late?

No worries!

You are welcome to share your thoughts about the part you have read so far. If you joined the session late and have just started, feel free to talk about your expectations for your book. You can continue reading it into the next reading period.

And whether you read a book or not, you are very welcome to jump in and discuss what others share about their books!

Deadlines and Dates

You have all month to share your thoughts and discuss (until the next Readers’ Review Post appears in the forum!)

Deadline for Reviews for this Session: December 31st

While you have plenty of time for reviews, know that the next reading period has already started!
→ Spells8 55th Book Club December 2025

You can find more info about the club in the Book Club FAQ.

It can be hard to find the time and motivation to read on your own – hopefully book club helped provide a bit of motivation and that it led to some wonderful new knowledge and discoveries in your Craft

I hope you enjoyed your books this session, and that you’ve got another fun one in line to read this coming month.

Happy reading and blessed be!

[stephanieanne76]

Book Title and Author: The Druid Path by John Michael Greer

Status: Still Reading

My overall rating of the book: 9/10

How does this book relate to my magickal practice: For my own magickal practice, A Druid Path feels deeply relevant because it grounds everything I already do—tarot, runes, ancestor work, nature magick, and shadow healing—in a clear, earth-centered framework. Greer’s focus on nature, seasonal awareness, and the Three Realms (Land, Sea, and Sky) strengthens the way I interpret signs, energy, and divination. His non-dogmatic, animistic approach also supports the blend of Celtic/Norse ancestry, intuitive witchcraft, and personal spirituality I’m building. The Bardic, Ovate, and Druid paths mirror the creative work I do with tarot and writing, the healing and shadow work I’m navigating, and the mindful foundation I want in my spell work. Overall, the book gives me structure and grounding while leaving room for personal expression, making it a natural fit for my spiritual path.

My personal thoughts/opinions: In the first four chapters of A Druid Path, I reflect on what drew me to modern Druidry—a gentle but persistent call to reconnect with nature, meaning, and a more grounded way of living. Greer explains that today’s Druidry isn’t a rigid ancient religion, but a revived, flexible spiritual path built on creativity (Bardic), intuition and healing (Ovatic), and philosophy and ritual (Druidic). As I explore the path, I learn to release stereotypes and instead focus on forming a living relationship with the natural world—paying attention to the land, seasons, and the subtle rhythms around me. Greer introduces the Three Realms of Land, Sea, and Sky, which symbolize physical life, emotional/spiritual flow, and inspiration. Together, these chapters helped me see Druidry as a balanced, experiential practice that invites presence, awareness, and personal connection to the world.

An interesting quote from the book: “Druidry is not a matter of believing certain things, but of doing certain things—of following a path shaped by nature, awareness, and personal experience.”
— John Michael Greer, A Druid Path, early chapters

All in all, would I recommend this book: Yes! I plan on continuing this book in next month’s Book Club session!

[Amethyst]

I finished mine and it was great!

Book Title and Author: The Witch’s Book of Spellcraft by Jason Mankey, Matt Cavalli, Amanda Lynn, and Ari Mankey

Status? : Finished

My overall rating of the book : 11/10!

How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: I went into reading this knowing it’s pretty much a beginner book, but I wanted to see if it had anything new for me.

My personal thoughts/opinions: THIS IS A GREAT BOOK! Seriously, I would recommend it to every new witch or someone just wanted to go back to the basics! It’s very easy to read, easy to follow, despite having so many author’s. Seriously, we need to put this on the page for people looking for beginner books, because it was awesome!

An interesting quote from the book: “Like attracts like” is such a powerful magickal adage that its end results can be seen in the real world. If someone is completely miserable all the time, it’s likely that the people they associate with are also constantly miserable. On the opposite end of the spectrum, positive people tend to find positive people to hang out with.”

Mankey, Jason; Cavalli, Matt; Lynn, Amanda; Mankey, Ari. The Witch’s Book of Spellcraft: A Practical Guide to Connecting with the Magick of Candles, Crystals, Plants & Herbs (pp. 12-13). Llewellyn Publications. Kindle Edition.

All in all, would I recommend this book?: YES!