📝 Spells8 Book Club XXVII - Readers' Reviews!

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

The latest reading period for Book Club [Apr 14 - May 12] has now ended - thank you to everyone who joined in!

Members & Their Books This Reading Period:

  • A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
    @TheTravelWitch_Bry

  • Enchanted Teatime by Gail Bussi
    @Amethyst

  • Metal Never Lies: An Introduction to Metal Magic by Sam ‘Bo’ Thompson
    @MeganB

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

  • Witchcraft Today By: Gerald B. Gardner
    @TheMuslimWitch

  • The Black Book of Elverum by Mary Rustad
    @Wysteria_Norn

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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Picture 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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Picture 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, June 16

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, May 19

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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Picture 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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I finished a book! I finished a book!! :rofl:

Book Title and Author: Metal Never Lies by Sam “Bo” Thompson

Status? : Finished

My overall rating of the book : 10/10

How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: Sam Thompson is an Irish Polytheist dedicated to The Morrigan. He works with metal both as a smith and as a magical person – not sure if he uses the title witch or not. Anyway, my work with Brigid has never revolved around the forge but through reading this book, I have come to realize that it actually does but in a very different way.

My personal thoughts/opinions: I had never considered just how much metal there is around me, nor how much metal I actually use in my practice and activities. It really opened my eyes to what’s around me and gave me a deeper understanding of how I can better work with some of my own tools.

An interesting quote from the book: “We are going to spend time ‘Feeling’ our metal. Then ‘Listening’ to it. Being ‘Open’ to what we receive. This may also include a ritual for you…These steps can be challenging for some folks (raises hand). Then and only then, after these steps have been done, can deep ‘Work’ happen.” - Part Three: F.L.O.W.

All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes - for anyone looking to incorporate metal magic into their practice in any way, either through smithing your own or choosing tools made of metal.

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Woohooo!!! Congrats on finishing your book, Megan- and it’s a 10/10 too!! :tada: Sounds like you really clicked with it, and from hearing the details about the book, I can see how it’d be a great read for you :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

I have to admit I’d probably pass right over a book about metal if I came across one in the store, but it sounds like I’d be missing out- what a great way to connect with and see a new side to your tools, especially with how they connect back to a deity of fire, the forge, and the hearth :fire:

It sounds like a really eye-opening read- thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on it, Megan! I’m glad you enjoyed the book :open_book: :blush: :two_hearts:

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Honestly, I would have passed right over it, too, but the author reached out to me on Instagram and asked if I’d be willing to review the book. So, I read it and I was pleasantly surprised with how much it clicked with me :laughing: It gives me a new appreciation for my steel crochet hooks, too :clap:

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It sounds like the book found its way to you- you were meant to read it! :open_book: :blush:

That’s awesome! I didn’t even think of it but you’re so right- focusing on the magick of metal brings a new life and power to any metal tools, not only traditional witchcraft ones. Metal crochet hooks, knitting needles, metal pots and pan in the kitchen- it opens the door to a whole household of metal magick potential! :star_struck: :sparkles: That’s so cool!

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Right?! I thought it was going to be about forging and smithcraft, which part of it is, but it’s also geared toward anyone wanting to work with metal in any way. It makes me love my cast iron pans a whole lot more, too :laughing:

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I used to have a cast iron tea pot- it was really pretty, but I was too lazy to use it very often haha. Cast iron is beautiful, but so heavy! :laughing: :teapot:

Maybe I ought to study up on some metal magick too and learn how to appreciate it more- because cast iron is really a work of art! :sparkles:

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Oh wow, a cast iron teapot? I’d be afraid to use it – don’t want rust forming on the inside! :astonished:

The good thing about this book is that it’s free on Kindle Unlimited if you’ve got it!

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That would be a concern! Ours never got the chance to get rusty haha- it was collecting dust instead, so it ended up as a decorative flower pot out in the garden :teapot: :bouquet: :laughing:

That’s awesome! :star_struck: Gotta love free resources! :tada::books:

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Yay for your finished book! That’s great! LOL!

Book Title and Author: Enchanted Teatime by Gail Bussi

Status: Finished

My overall Rating of the book: 10/10!

How does this book relate to my magical practice?: I wanted some ideas to bring more magic to my tea time.

My personal thoughts/opinions: This is a great book, full of recipes for different teas and snacks for tea time. Ideas for different tea rituals to perform and tea parties. Very fun read!

An interesting quote from this book: “Tea, of course, represents all of the earth’s elements: air, water, earth, and fire, and a simple grace reflecting this is a lovely way to begin or conclude a kitchen table tea.”

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

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** The Black Book of Elverum by Mary Rustad:**

Status? : Still Reading simply because it’s a tough one.

My overall rating of the book : 8/10 simply because of the center material

How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: Very important in certain aspects, and completely irrelevant in others.

My personal thoughts/opinions: I learned about this book from an Alchemical source and decided that, even though much was considered Black Magick, I would give it a read.

An interesting quote from the book: "To Avoid Bullets: When you hear gunfire, pull up the sod under your right foot. Turn it and lay the green side down. As long as the sod lies this way, guns cannot fire at you. " In other words, turn the world upside-down or widdershins and bullets can’t find you perhaps.

All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes, with a caveat.

Mary Rustad was living in America and moved to Norway to marry. While going through the attic of her husband’s ancestral home she found black books. Within the pages, she and her husband, with the help of a translator familiar with Old Norse manuscripts, decipher the “Cyprian” or Sorcerer’s books. These books, dated to 1682, include heathen material, and mix Christian and demonic incantations with ease.
One I found quite funny actually, was a spell to return something stolen. The spell literally calls on every spirit between heaven and hell to curse the person until the item is returned. I found it funny because it so honestly shows the frustration and humanity of the spell caster, especially since the ‘curse’ ends once the item is returned.
I would recommend that anyone interested in Norse paganism, like Asatru or Vanatru, consider reading the introductory and closing parts of this book. These sections, before and after the incantations, give a unique perspective of society for small Norwegian counties and what life was truly like for them.

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I had the wrong date in my head for turning this in! My apologies for being late with it.

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Book Title and Author: Brigid: History, Mystery, & Magick of the Celtic Goddess by: Courtney Weber

Status? : Still Reading

My overall rating of the book : 10/10 - for right now… I haven’t finished it but what I have read is a lot of great information.

How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: I work with Brigid regularly & Irish/Celtic Paganism so it’s a good refresher & information on both of them. :hugs:

My personal thoughts/opinions: I love the way it is written & right now I’m reading through the ‘history’ of the Celts & origins with how they viewed their deities & all the different things that went into them & history of where the name “Brigid” as well as versions of it are derived & were used.

An interesting quote from the book: “Another commonality was a term for an exalted being: Brig or Brid. One medieval inventory listed 10 different Brighids, 12 Brigs, & 3 known as both… Brig’s literal meaning of ‘the Exalted One’ or ‘the Great Lady’ was frequently applied to female entities as well as women in positions of power… It was less likely that a woman’s name was Brigh & more likely that it referred to her position…”

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

I’m really enjoying the book & learning more about the Celtic culture within & around Ireland plus how they came to be applied to the Goddess Brighid & her many traits :blush:

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A title like Enchanted Teatime sets a pretty high bar- I’m thrilled to hear it lived up to expectations, Amethyst! It sounds like an amazing read :heart_eyes: I love that it has both tea recipes and tea time snack recipes- everything you need for a lovely tea time experience! It probably goes without saying that this book is going right onto my wishlist :laughing: :+1:

Thank you so much for your review, Amethyst! :heart:

No worries at all, Wysteria! :heart: And wow, this one definitely piqued my interest- it sounds like it has some really fascinating spells! The one about calling on every spirit to curse the thief until they return the item is quite the procedure- what a way to get something done :joy: I don’t use Black Magick in my personal practice, but even for those who don’t use curses or hexes, this seems like an interesting read from a cultural and inspiration point of view.

Thank you so much for sharing about the book, Wysteria- I hope you enjoy the rest of it! :books: :blush:

Whenever you talk about Brigid, I can feel the passion and love in your words- it is clear that She is a hearth in your practice and that you truly enjoy working with Her! :fire: I’m glad you found another great book and Her and Celtic culture- it sounds like an all-around great read for anyone currently working with or interested in working with Brigid :blush:

Thanks for sharing about it, Siofra- I hope it continues to be a wonderful read for you! :books:

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Book Title and Author: A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

Status? : Finished

My overall rating of the book : 10/10

How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: This is a fantasy adventure book- so while it doesn’t have any spells I can put to use in my practice, it does have some amazing witches and magick-users! It is very fun to hear their stories :blush:

My personal thoughts/opinions: I was a huge fan of The Priory of the Orange Tree that came out a few years back and was thrilled to learn it had a prequel- this one more than lived up to my very high expectations! Despite being a whopping 900 pages or so in length, I devoured this book. The characters, the world, the magick, the ways that everything intertwines as the pages go by- it’s just a really enjoyable read. I loved it so much that I’m going to go back to the first book (technically the sequel) and read it again- it’s that good :laughing: :+1:

All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes! If you’re a fan of the fantasy genre and enjoy long, well-developed stories that feature multiple characters (think Game of Thrones style), I think you’d enjoy this book! :open_book: :dragon_face:

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I kept on thinking of you when I was reading, I think you’ll really enjoy it if you ever get around to reading it!

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Awwww thanks for thinking of me, Amethyst! :hugs::two_hearts: I’m feeling the same- it sounds like a book right up my alley! Here’s to hoping I manage to get my hands on a copy someday :laughing:

Blessed be! :heart::books:

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Blessed be!

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