📝 Spells8 Book Club XXXI - Readers' Reviews!

[BryWisteria]

Feel free to share your finished thoughts and reviews from your book last session (Sep 1 - 29) here! For the current book club post, please visit: Spells8 Book Club: XXXII

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

The latest reading period for Book Club [Sep 1 - 29] has now ended - thank you to everyone who joined in!

Members & Their Books This Reading Period:

• Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
  @BryWisteria

• The Goddess in Shadow by Allycia Rye
  @Amethyst

• The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
  @EvaCVM

• American Gods by Neil Gaiman
  @tracyS

• Witchcraft Unchained by Craig Spencer
  @MeganB

• Ancestral Whispers: A Guide to Building Ancestral Veneration Practices by Ben Stimpson
  @DerBraucher

• To Ride a Silver Broomstick by Silver RavenWolf
  @Jaxblueflash

• Tarot for Yourself by Mary K Greer
  @Jeannie1

• Magickal Protection By Damon Brand
  @Solasta_Amore

• The Magical Books of Solomon: The Greater and Lesser Keys & The Testament of Solomon By Aleister Crowley, S.L. Macgregor Mathers, F.C. Conybear
  @TheMuslimWitch

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!

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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

From Pixabay

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!

From Pixabay

Deadlines and Dates

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, November 3rd

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, October 6th

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.

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

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

Blessed be!

[tracyS]

@Jeannie1 What book is it. Looks fabulous

[Jeannie1]

Tracy,

Jeannie

[BryWisteria]

@starborn

My bookshelf has about 200 books and is well over 200kg/440lb as a result. It’s… quite the thing.

That is one impressive (and hefty!) collection of books!

@starborn

they’re one of the ways I can practice mindfulness as the whole physical feel of the paper, turning the page, and so on, really helps to ground me in the moment.

There is something really grounded about holding the book and turning the pages. Sometimes I like to sit with the book in my hands and think about everything that exists between the two covers- it’s like holding an entire world in your hands

I suppose the same could be done with an e-reader too (and I do sometimes like to use the e-reader, it’s great for travel!) but I completely agree that it’s a different feeling and a different experience to holding a physical book. I suppose each has their pluses and minuses!

@DerBraucher

Book Title and Author: Ancestral Whispers: A Guide to Building Ancestral Veneration Practices by Ben Stimpson

I always love a book that offers guidance without pushing! It sounds like Stimpson maintained a really lovely balance between providing information while still leaving the door open for the reader to use the material as they best see fit. It’s always impressive (and difficult at times!) to present various cultural traditions in an unbiased, respectful, and informative way.

I’m sorry there weren’t any specific rituals and practices to use, although the workbook is nice for those hoping to explore their beliefs. Overall, it sounds like a great foundation-builder, but that might require some additional materials for those who want step-by-step guidance into ancestor work.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, @DerBraucher! Wishing you all the best with your ancestor work going forward

[tracyS]

I won’t have finished American Gods, now I’m reading S Connolly book about demonolatry, and just started Woman in Black. I will finish one of these , then I’ll post a review. Sorry, my brains everywhere, absorbing everything, in no particular order.

[Susurrus]

Oh @Jeannie1 that does look like it could be helpful & beneficial to work with! Once I get some assemblance of anything I may have to look into that one for myself

@DerBraucher I’m sorry there weren’t specific rituals, but I agree it sounds like maybe a great starting block to build off. Another 1 I should put on to read list…

I still have books to be read that are in my room too… trying to work through those. Goodness it’s been so long since I have felt like I have any time to read anything

[MeganB]

@tracyS – no need for apologies I’m still listening to American Gods, too. I’m about halfway through, I think? I have eight days left on my library loan and I’m hoping I can finish it. I’m sure you’ll finish at least one book!

[starborn]

@MeganB

I’m sure you’ll finish at least one book!

Don’t listen to her, @tracyS! Why finish one book when you can read bits and pieces of twelve? It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey… And all the chaos along the way!

Sorry @MeganB – I’m joking. I’m noticing that I often get a burst of silly energy when talking to @tracyS.

[MeganB]

haha no worries, @starborn I love that we can all be silly and ourselves here with everyone. It’s amazing! Also, Chaos Elmo is my favorite so much so that when I had my own Discord server, it was its own emoji

[tracyS]

@starborn @MeganB Glad to share the silliness, it’s happy happy. I will finish a book, books at some point. The funny thing will be when I write the review, to make sure I don’t mix and match all the books.

[MeganB]

That’s why I can’t read more than one book at a time

[DerBraucher]

It is a fantastic book, and I highly recommend it! The more I think about it, the more I get the point of there not being any example workings/evocations/etc. because ancestor work is a SUPER personal thing, plus the author talks about so many different groups and I do feel that it would be extremely difficult (and potentially have problematic outcomes) to go into too much detail about the different groups that the author wasn’t a member of

If you are (or anyone reading this is) more of an audiobook person, there’s also an audiobook version of it available now too!

[Susurrus]

Oh that’s wonderful too! I can understand that too, it is a very personal thing for each person & each passed on loved one. I’m even more curious than before now.