@Rowan I’ll add it to my reading list! Does it include any recipes?
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A huge thanks to @Jewitch, @Rowan, @Liisa, @IrisW for sharing their heartfelt feelings about Year of the Witch! Yikes- it looked like such a promising book at first, I’m surprised that it didn’t live up to its reputation. Thank you for all breaking down the book so well so that future readers know exactly what they are getting into- your reviews are all very helpful! 
Congrats on finishing Rsonable Doubt, @Susurrus! As someone who spent a lot of time on the Cape, it sounds like the book is a fun read reminiscing about the local area 
It does look a bit dark, though- thanks for sharing your thoughts on it! 
Witta looks very interesting, @IrisW! 
Sorry to hear The Ultimate Book of Spells was a bit confusing @Amethyst- but I’m glad you were able to find some good content hiding inside! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it- it sounds like it’s value depends on what the reader is looking for.
Looks like you found a great book on crystals, @Missa! Congrats on the good find- it sounds very organized and helpful. A wonderful crystal reference book with a bonus section about crystal remedies- sounds like its worth a read! 
I’m glad Green Witchcraft was a more enjoyable read for you, @Rowan! It sounds like it gave you a lot of helpful advice and worked well as an accompaniment to your Green Witch studies. Congrats to you! 
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Book Title: The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
[Pic from Goodreads]
Status? : Finished
My overall rating of the book : 10/10
How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: This book is a fantasy novel that does not directly relate to witchcraft or casting. It does, however, touch on spirituality, religion, philosophy, astrology, and psychology. It is a wonderfully explorative book with strong feminist and LGBT+ characters.
My personal thoughts/opinions: Oh boy oh boy did I love this one. I ordered a physical copy in the mail and was surprised to find it was actually a tiny book- finally, a book I could actually finish! 
The story is beautifully written- it reads like poetry, with complex and mysterious characters slowly being revealed piece by piece until the overall mystery fit into place. There are twists at the end that caught me pleasantly by surprise and some very creative writing.
One character in the story actually uses horoscopes and fortune tellers to manipulate an underground network of spies 
. It’s a deep, insightful, and emotional story that I will probably read again in a few years!
All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes! It’s not a go-to book for learning magick spells, but I highly recommend it to anyone who loves spiritual/philosophical books and/or a good fantasy story with magic elements.
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It is a little bit dark because of the crime & then as you find out more through the court proceedings it’s a little surprising. It was a good read though. I have another book about Falmouth, MA & the history there. I’m not in it & neither is anyone in my family, but my father knew the people that are involved in that book. So that one is kind of intriguing to me also.
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I have finished the Reiki for Beginners and it had a ton of history on the practice as well as what each symbol name is and what they are used for. It had both Reiki level 1 and 2. I am now ready to get my attunements for both which my husband will do as soon as I tell him I am ready.
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Congrats on finishing Reiki for Beginners, @Magdelina! Wow, it sounds like it covered a lot of material, and it looks like you were able to move forward in your reiki practice! That’s very exciting- I hope you continue to enjoy your reiki studies, Magdelina! 
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My curiosity to learn more about Isis led me to a cute book, Angels, Spirit Guides and Goddesses by Susan Gregg is mini encyclopedia of 100 different spiritual guides. It provides a brief summary, how to connect with the divine and more. Also, the graphics are adorable. For a beginner practitioner, it can be a great source of information and easy guide to understand.
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Book- Everday Magic
Author- Semra Haksever
Status- Finished
Overall rating- 10/10
Personal Thoughts and Opinions- I loved this book! Its a beginner’s book more than it can be classed as an advanced book and I didn’t learn lots of new information, however, that does not take away from how well researched, layed out and illustrated this book is there is information on moon phases, toolkits, altar building, sigils, magical correspondences, crystals, dispelling spell remnants and Psi balls along with several spells and potions The information remains completely neutral in its language and information so it can be used by witches of all beliefs and religious practices I have to include a picture of one of the new things I learned because the artwork is lovely ( the book is illustrated by Nes Vuckovic)
Each spell and potion has a moon phase associated and there is an index of magical correspondences at the back to help look for replacement herbs and crystals for ease of use
How does this book relate to my magical practices?- I have already written half of the spells and potions onto parchment to be put into my BOS this one is my favourite
Would I recommend this book to others- Yes definetly, especially for beginners. Not that a more advanced witch couldn’t gain something from it through the spells and potions section of the book
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Really like it when you mentioned this part right here. It’s really helpful when you have this kind of information to guide you when doing spells. Really must take a read on this book @Liisa Thank you so much for sharing
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No worries at all 
I bought it around a month ago now and hadn’t got around to reading it till now, I’m glad I bought I though
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@Liisa It sounds that the spells in the book are down-to-earth and easy to follow! I always appreciate that in a book. I haven’t read it but the step-by-step images also look very helpful for beginners. Thanks for your review!
@fabian Looks like a good book for reference. Have you finished it??
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That looks like a gorgeous book, @Fabian! The artwork on the cover is stunning 
I added you in to this session’s reading list- I’d love to hear more about what you think of this one! Happy reading!
I’m so glad you enjoyed Everday Magic, @Liisa! 
It sounds like a wonderful starting point for a witch early in their practice, and a great reference book for witches at all levels of study Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on it! 
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I have. It has a quick reference into angels and archangels and gods and goddesses from different cultures. It does not contain all of them, but the most known are in the book. Some deities include from Egyptian, Hellenistic, Hoodoo, Judaism, Christianity mythologies, and more. It was very interesting. It is so curious how similar the beliefs are and how they originated. For a beginner, I think is a great guide to start with.
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Book - Evoking Hecate
Author -Anousen Leonte
Status - Finished
Overall rating - 10/10
Personal Thoughts and Opinions I really enjoyed reading this book. For me, Hecate has been a goddess that I was quickly drawn too, even before I knew much about her. I felt drawn to learning as much as I could. This book has helped me in that sense, I feel I know a bit more about her and it also helped in igniting the spark a bit more to continue learning.
How does this book relate to my magical practices? It helps me in my pursuit of connecting with Hecate, to enhance my craft and enlighten my path.
Interesting quote from the book: pg 33 “You may have questions as to whether she exists objectively as a separate consciousness or subjectively as a force within ourselves, but I personally like to keep my mind open on this matter. The real question is what results do you get when you evoke? If you have a sensation of her presence, receive visions and communications from her, and if you notice your requests granted by her, does it really matter whether she is real as a separate, objective consciousness or whether or not she is some deeply embedded atavism of your own psyche? Magick is a journey, not a destination, and after a while I think we all realize that conclusions are never as certain as they first seem. There is something wonderful about uncertainty, actually, and though the unknown may be a source of fear to some, I find it very beautiful. And whatever Hecate is, she is beautiful. To see the world as a manifestation of her is to see it in such a way that the light and darkness both find balance, for she is both wrathful and gentle, tender and terrifying. Learning about her has given me a new way to look upon the world and myself, and I think that, psychologically speaking, the best place to be is one where we balance both the light and darkness within ourselves so that they work together for a common good. Hecate, ultimately, is the Goddess that represents this harmony.”
Leonte, Anousen. Evoking Hecate: The Goddess of Magick (p. 33). Kindle Edition.
Would I recommend this book to others - Yes, definitely.
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It sounds like an amazing book covering deities from a vast range of cultures and beliefs 
So glad you enjoyed it, @Fabian! Thanks for sharing your thoughts
I’m so glad you had such a great experience with Evoking Hecate, @Rowan- it sounds like a book that resonated beautifully with your practice Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on it! 
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Book Title and Author: The Complete Guide To Astrology - Louise Edington
Status? : Finished
My overall rating of the book : 8/10
How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: I work with astrology & it’s a significant part of my practice
My personal thoughts/opinions: I agree with @Francisco, it’s not for a complete beginner & to have your birth chart handy while going through it. Illustrations or diagrams would be very helpful, especially when discussing the decans of the signs. (Decans are the subdivisions in 10 degreee increments of each of the 12 signs).
An interesting quote from the book: "The Sun is your core, the Moon is your soul, & the ascendant is your persona "
All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes
Since I won’t retain everything & I will probably use this as a reference point when I work with Astrology I am going to hold onto the book. The more detailed aspects I still don’t completely get, so it will be helpful when I go through updates to my chart or someone that I have done it for in my family.
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Book Title and Author: Complete Guide to Astrology-Louise Edington
Status?:Finished
My overall rating of the book: 7/10
How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: Astrology is an interesting part of my craft, and I hope to gain more knowledge about it.
My personal thoughts/opinions: Being not very knowledgeable in Astrology, this book was a bit overwhelming and I had to read and re-read a lot of the chapters. I think I jumped into the deep end of the pool without knowing how deep it really was.
An interesting quote from the book: “All the energies intertwine in an intricate dance of planetary magic and science, and the language of astrology interprets that dance.”
Edington, Louise . The Complete Guide to Astrology: Understanding Yourself, Your Signs, and Your Birth Chart (p. 4). Rockridge Press. Kindle Edition.
All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes I would recommend it, but only to someone with a bit of knowledge about Astrology, not to a beginner.
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Hello ,
So I have read and enjoyed this book that I have chose for the Spells8 Book Club VII. This were my findings:
Book - Magic Made Easy
Author - Patricia Telesco
Status - Finished
Overall rating - 10/10
Personal Thoughts and Opinions I found this book to be very beneficial and full of information relating to magic, spells and chants. The book contains of rules, guidelines, principles and tips for successful magic. The information was very informative and easy to follow. I shared a little of what I read about magic made easy below
How does this book relate to my magical practices? - since spells and chants are part of witches life this book helps to strengthen my knowledge on spells that is related to the craft. By realigning this book it has also assisted me in strengthening my path as a witch.
Would I recommend this book to others ? Yes I would, since this book is suited for any type of witch or person interested in the craft. In this book there is also different types of magic, like numbers, knot, color and puppet magic to name a few. It has guidelines and is suitable for a person who has no experience in the craft. Overall it has a little of everything.
Blessed Be💫
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Just a quick note that any reviews that were already shared across the various threads for this month’s Book Session (the main thread and the two threads for books that had multiple readers) have now been gathered here!
This is to help keep the forum tidy by collecting all reviews in one place- and it makes it easier for anyone searching for book reviews to read! 
Thanks again to everyone who has shared a review so far- I’m looking forward to reading them! 
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