đź“ť Spells8 Book Club XXIX - Readers' Reviews!

Activities
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Wishing a very warm welcome to all of the Witchy Readers! :open_book:

The latest reading period for Book Club [Jun 23 - Jul 21] has now ended - thank you to everyone who joined in!

Members & Their Books This Reading Period:

  • The Heirloom Gardener by John Forti
    @BryWisteria

  • The Crooked Path An introduction to Traditional Witchcraft by Kelden
    @tracyS

  • Maiden, Mother, Crone by DJ Conway
    @Amethyst

  • The Path of the Sacred Hermit by Avallach Emrys
    @MeganB

  • Sorgitzak, Old Forest Craft by Veronica Cummer
    @shadeweaver

  • The Hidden Power Of Herbs by Holy Santo
    @laeci

  • Brigid: History, Mystery, & Magick of the Celtic Goddess by: Courtney Weber
    @Susurrus

  • Into Shadow: The Tallan Chronicles by: Morgan Daimler
    @jan_TheGreenWitch

  • The Wee Free Men by: (Sir) Terry Pratchett
    @Susurrus

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

Time to share your thoughts with your coven! :star_struck:

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

  • :heart_eyes: If you loved your book and think everyone should read it- awesome! Talk about your favorite points or something you learned.
  • :woman_shrugging: If you didn’t connect with the book- consider explaining why it wasn’t for you.
  • :angry: 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 :+1:

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From Pixabay

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

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 :raised_hands:

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 :heart:

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

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! :handshake:

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From Pixabay

Deadlines and Dates :spiral_calendar:

You have 5 weeks to share your thoughts and discuss (until the next Readers’ Review Post appears in the forum!)

Deadline for Reviews for this Session: Friday, August 25

While you have plenty of time for reviews, know that the next reading period will begin in one week:

The Next Reading Session will Begin: Friday, July 28

On this day a post will appear where you can announce your next book (or continue with your current reading!).

Until then, you can find more info about the club in the Book Club FAQ.

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From Pixabay

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 :books:

Thanks again for joining in and being a part of Book Club! I am so excited to read your thoughts and learn more about the book you spent time with :blush::open_book:

Blessed be! :sparkles:

:books: :heart: :infinite_roots:

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7 posts were merged into an existing topic: Spells8 Book Club Reviews Masterlist - Sessions XXVI - L

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I’m really curious about what that would be like! I spent some time living in a Buddhist monastery and remember the very rigid structure of practice and daily life. It’s interesting to consider that style of living and practice in a pagan way- I’m definitely curious about this book! :grinning:

It sounds like it was a very worthwhile read- don’t mind me just dropping this one onto my wishlist :laughing: :+1: :heart:

Thank you so much for sharing your review, Megan!

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It’s quite interesting, and the author does a great job of laying the groundwork for someone to build their own monastic practice outside of a community. He also does a good job letting people know that the structure of a monastic practice will vary depending on the person, so there isn’t one set structure or way of doing things. It’s pretty cool!

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I always appreciate the flexibility and when an author leaves the door open for readers to make the suggestions and ideas their own- sounds like an all-around worthwhile read! :open_book: :grinning:

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If you end up reading it, I hope you enjoy it!

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Ohhhh I love me my fantasy worlds- and what a bonus for an LGBT+ main character! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: I’ve really been enjoying the shift lately towards telling the stories of those outside of the “traditional” hero stereotypes. It sounds like this is a fun and enjoyable read that isn’t afraid to blaze its own trail. Gonna have to look into it- thanks for sharing your thoughts, Jan! :heart: :books:

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Don’t mind me sneaking into Book Club with my half-finished book- I cannot for the life of me seem to get through it. Each mini-section sends me off on these Google searches to learn more about the topic, be it a flower or harvesting technique or piece of equipment, etc- I’m learning a lot, but not making much progress on the book itself :sweat_smile:

Also my next book arrived in the mail and I couldn’t help but jump into the first chapter- I think The Book of Druidry is going to be a fun read! :eyes::sparkles:

@tracyS I know the feeling of getting distracted very well- you’re not alone, my friend! Too many interesting books and never enough time to read them all :joy: :+1: :books: Still, you’re doing really impressive with your reading- I’m so happy that you enjoyed Pagan Portals Loki and The Gods Own Country- both of them sound like they are right up your alley! :blush: I hope they have plenty of interesting ideas, prayers, rituals, etc to continue to inspire your practice and offer you more ways to connect with your Deity. And if you decide to jump back into Keldens book, I hope that one turns into a great read for you too! :open_book: :heart:

@Shadeweaver That sounds like a very powerful read- I’m glad it was in line with what you were looking for! I’m particularly curious about the gods and energies aligning with the Wheel- may I ask, is the Wheel she explores in the traditional path the same or similar to the eight-point Wheel of the Year, or is it very different? This sounds like a very interesting book- thank you so much for sharing about it, Shadeweaver! :pray: :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: :closed_book:

@Susurrus You made me laugh with the running witch quote :joy: :+1: This sounds like a really neat book and one that you’ve been enjoying a lot! I’m glad it found its way to you and that you’ve been having fun with it. I hope it continues to be a great read- enjoy! :open_book: :two_hearts:

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Ohhh, that sounds like a really good book! :clap: :triquetra: I think it’s one of the ones I’ve had on my list to read, too. One day! I hope you enjoy it!

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Yes… :sweat_smile: She speaks of it more in a calling quarters type more than the traditional calendar type, though she of course uses it in that sense also. The dieties she speaks of are the" predecessors" to the ones worshiped now if I read it right. I would Love for someone else to read it and tell me I’m all wrong or think the same thing. The beginning is really intense and brings back memories you never had :rofl:

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Well, I’ve added it to my TBR pile! If I ever get around to reading it, I’ll be sure to let you know my thoughts :laughing:

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@Shadeweaver It’s on my kindle ready to go. :sparkling_heart:

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@BryWisteria I mean, I get it :rofl: I always knew there was a reason I didnt want to run or be seen doing it :joy:

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@MeganB Thank you, Megan! I’m not very far into the book yet, but it has such a strong focus on Celtic culture and how Druidry and Celtic magick intersect that I am constantly thinking of you- it may shift gear later on, but at least so far it really does seem like a book that would be right up your alley! :grinning: :deciduous_tree: :triquetra:

@Amethyst I love the quote about myths being maps- maybe it’s just me, but it seems like there’s a trend lately towards using myths as spiritual guides and ways to unlock the mysteries of both the world and your own nature and I have to say that I am all for it! I love me some myths and legends :laughing: :+1: :heart:

You mentioned this book is good for someone starting out- would you say it has some more intermediate/advanced knowledge about The Triple Goddess too, or does it stick to material geared to beginners?

I’m glad you enjoyed it- thanks for sharing your thoughts, Amethyst! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: :open_book:

@Shadeweaver That’s really interesting! Combining the Wheel of the Year with calling the quarters make me think of the Wheel being like a big compass of the seasons (which would also tie into astrology and using the stars as a visual map of the passage of time :star:) and I think that’s really neat! :compass: :star_struck: It sounds like you’ve sparked a lot of interest in this book, Shadeweaver- I’m adding it on to my to-read list as well! Thank you so much for the recommendation :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

@Susurrus I’m with you, my friend- both my parents are marathon runners, but I couldn’t make it to the mailbox and back! Running was never my cup of tea… and perhaps now I know why! :joy: :running_woman: :mage:

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I would say it’s mostly beginner. With the exception of a few Mayan and Ican Goddesses, I had heard of most of the myths already and didn’t learn anything too new, if you know what I mean. Still, it was an easy read that was enjoyable.

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@BryWisteria – It sounds like it’d be perfect for me, you’re right! I’ll add it to my TBR list! Thanks :blush:

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@Amethyst That’s good to know- it does sound like a very nice read! Thanks again, Amethyst! :heart: :open_book:

@MeganB Always happy to share a good book- if you decide to pick up a copy someday, I hope you enjoy it! :books: :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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You’re very welcome!

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The 29th session of the Spells8 Book Club and its review period have closed. But no worries! You can visit the Activities Category to find and view the current session of Book Club :open_book: