@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??
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! 
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.
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.
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! 
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.
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.
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💫
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! 
I’ve quite finished but hoping to complete the book over the weekend so I’ll post my review when I’ve finished. I have though really enjoyed this book so far 
Book Title and Author: Reiki for Beginners 
By: Adya Acharya
Narrated By: Jennifer Pineda
Status? : Finished
My overall rating of the book : 10/10
How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: 
This book helped me understand more about the craft. How it works and how you can tie things in with others, like crystals and Reiki go well with each other and the Chakra and meditating is a big part of Reiki. I learned about something I knew nothing about before.
My personal thoughts/opinions:
I got really excited about this book after the first chapter. It answered some questions about Jesus that I had been seeking all my life! So the history part of this book was great for me. I like the thought of Reiki healing. I have found a place that does it local. I am going to get an alignment. I’m not sure if its ‘my thing’ yet. Going to try it out. I’ll share my experience when I do. @Magdelina you are very lucky your husband can do Reiki, That is soooo awesome!
An interesting quote from the book:
" Cats are particularily aware of Reiki energy but they have an attitude about it. They feel that cats invented it and they want to keep it." 
All in all, would I recommend this book?: 
Yes. Even if your not interested in the healing or getting certified for Reiki this book is still worth listening to (audible) or reading. It has interesting history information and a few neat stories about people in history and modern bio histories too! The narrator has a pleasant voice.
Book Title and Author: Reiki for beginners/Adya Acharya
Status? : Finished / Still Reading Finished
My overall rating of the book : ???/10 10/10
How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: I wanted to learn how to charge my selenite pendants with healing Reiki energy or general Reiki energy without draining my own energy reserves will doing so. This was the easiest for me way to learn how to do that since my hubby is a Reiki Master and can give me the proper attunements.
My personal thoughts are that the information given is good for a starting point but it is more a historical account than an actual reference into how to truly do it properly. I am sure the physical copy would include the hand positions and each of the Reiki symbols which are to me just as important as the history of the practice.
I don’t have any interesting quotes from the book as it’s an audio book and I didn’t write any notes during the listening as I was driving while working through the book. I will listen to it again at a later date.
I would definitely recommend this book as a starting point. Taking a class is just as important to get the total experience if that is what the reader is after.
On to my next book the Intuitive Witch.
Blessed Be! 
Written Bye: Jeannie
Book Title and Author: Moon Divination for Todays Woman by Cassandra Eason
Status? Still Reading
My overall rating of the book : 7
How does this book relate to my magickal practice? During one of our challenges we were working on Astrology and Reading the Sky’s, I found this book Moon Divination for Todays Women. I Explored the Zodiac Symbols, Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius, Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pices! Also the planets The Sun, The Moon, Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupitar, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and while working on this challenge I had a little help.
My personal thoughts/opinions: I like this book; it has a day-to-day challenge to help navigate the Zodiac Wheel and the Planets. Not only that I had activities to help me navigate the Zodiac Wheel and the Planets. While working with this book I made a Moon Cloth that is symbolic for the New and Waxing Moon, & Full Moon. The Waning/ & Dark Moon. I had some hands-on experience learning using my new tools for fair game. The Moon Cloth helps divide the seasons: Autumn, Winter, Summer, and Spring. I also made individual stones to represent the Planets so you can use the stones for casting.
**Cassandra goes into scenarios for readings for people and she helps them to understand how one would do an interpretation. For example meg’s reading for Mercury is the stone for communication and Megs hearing disability obviously puts obstacles in the path of clear communication. It is a sad fact that any form of disability tends to be regarded as symptomatic of mental feebleness. (Take some time to find the hidden issue)
An interesting quote from the book: " "An interesting chant there was in the book
New Moon,
True Moon,
Star in the Stream
Bring Me fortune in my dream
All in all, would I recommend this book? Yes But if you don’t like older books than I would say no it was published in 1994. Personally I like older books and I don’t mind. But that is a personal preference!
Blessed Be!
Magdelina,
Thank you dear,
I love your Reiki and I need a book for beginners!
Does it have any pictures?
Jeannie
Book - The Complete Guide to Astrology
Author - Louise Edington
Status - Finished
Overall rating - 8/10
Personal Thoughts and Opinions As a student of astrology, I thought this book was perfect for my level of understanding (beginner). It didn’t go in too deep on any particular topics but it was easy to follow in its entirety. I enjoyed reading it and it brought me a lot closer to astrology and my birth chart.
As a beginner I still feel that the title is a bit deceiving since the book is not a “complete guide”, it’s really only 160 pages long and it doesn’t have many illustrations or charts. I did like the inclusivity approach of this book replacing the terms “male” and “female” for “day” and “night”. However I’m not sure if this is something that is being adopted by the broader astrology community.
How does this book relate to my magical practices? It helped my understand a bit more and interpret my natal chart and the relationships between different planets, houses and aspects in the zodiac. I liked that the author made some emphasis on the differences between the southern and northern hemispheres since I was born in the south and sometimes I feel left out when reading about astrology.
Interesting quote from the book: “Astrology is archetypal and mythic but not essentially stereotypical. The stereotypes that may have arisen have more to do with the practitioner and the patriarchal conditioning of society.”
Would I recommend this book to others - Yes.
Book Title and Author: Witta: An Irish Pagan Tradition by Edain McCoy
Status? : Finished (mostly, I’m still working my way through the resources at the back at the book, but I’ve finished the main part)
My overall rating of the book : 10/10
How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: I don’t intentionally follow a Celtic tradition, I’m fairly eclectic, but my husband’s family is Irish so I was interested in learning about some of his country’s heritage, pre-dating Roman Catholicism.
My personal thoughts/opinions: I really enjoyed this book. I’ve always been somewhat of a fan of learning about religions, even if they aren’t my own. However, what I’ve gathered from this book is that Witta has a lot in common with Wicca with structure and belief systems, tools and practices, though with some fundamental differences. And given the location of Ireland, to the West of the area of persecution in what they referred to as “the burning times” a lot of those traditions have remained and survived the takeover by Catholicism in Ireland.
My take is that Witta is stripped back way to worship the Earth Mother, coming from the heart of the person practicing.
I learned an awful lot from this book about Ireland and its religious history that I hadn’t previously known, and I was able to relay some of it to my husband who was interested (he considers himself a practicing atheist, though his family are Roman Catholic). Might not mention what I’ve learnt to his family over the Christmas dinner table!
I also didn’t know bagpipes were indigenous to northern Africa long before they came to the Celts!
An interesting quote from the book: “Witta, like other forms of paganism, offers several other alternatives to the traditional patriarchal marriage. Witta will recognize two females or twom mailes who wish to be handfasted, and will even recognize the sacredness of group marriage. The only important criteria is that of love, personal commitment for the duration of the agreement and a desire to build a life together for each patner’s mutual benefit.”
All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes
Well done and many thanks to @Susurrus, @Rowan (x2 books! 
) , @Magdelina, @Fabian, @Liisa, @NickWick, @Sarafeena_Sage, @Jeannie1, @Francisco, and @IrisW for sharing your thoughts on the books you read!
I haven’t quite had a chance to read through everyone’s reviews yet, but I’ve loved the ones I’ve gotten through so far! 
These reviews make it both easy and hard to find new books to read- easy because your thoughts are so helpful, and hard because there are so many good and interesting books there are out there 
Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts!
I have two books to review this time! One was great and one was, sadly not. Here we go:
Book Title and Author: Hellenic Paganism by Samantha Leaver.
Status? : Finished
My overall rating of the book : 8/10
How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: I’m hoping to learn more about the Greek religions and practices, since I’ve always been drawn to Greek Mythology.
My personal thoughts/opinions: This was a very interesting book that covers just the tip of the iceberg in Hellenistic paganism. It’s a really good start out book that has a nice list of more books and websites to study if you want to learn more. I would have liked to have learned more about correspond aces and the Greek Gods, or Theoi, but this was a good start out book.
An interesting quote from the book: “Hellenism is more about connecting with and understanding the relationship you have to the natural world, it is all about living the best life you possibly can, with virtue, rather than sin, punishment, and redemption.”
All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes
Next book:
Book Title and Author: Midsummer Night’s Mischief by Jennifer David Hesse.
Status? : Not finished.
My overall rating of the book : 3/10
How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: It’s a fictional book so it doesn’t really relate but I’m interested in seeing if it is even semi-accurate about Wicca and paganism.
My personal thoughts/opinions: I wanted to like this book. I was excited about finding it and talked about it on the forum. I even shuffled it to the top of my reading list.
I was disappointed.
The protagonist is flighty. She’s a lawyer for wills and probates and yet she talks about her clients funds to everyone in her office. She also casts a spell without a good focus, and when she realizes that the hottie from the bar the night before is a relative of the deceased at a funeral she starts to look for him. At a funeral! That’s where I stopped. I just couldn’t anymore, and it was so disappointing. But that’s just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.
An interesting quote from the book:** Where the protagonist’s witch friend gives her a stone and says: ‘“You know what to do,” she continued. “Imbue it with your energy. Feed it your intention. And carry it with you as a reminder, a touchstone. Then let the magic happen.”’
All in all, would I recommend this book?: Sadly no.
I only have the audio book so I have no idea if it has pictures or not. I would look on Amazon to see if it did. My husband has his workbooks from his classes and he went over the hand positions (I also found them on a website) and the 4 major symbols and what they mean and are used for.
Blessed be Jeannie!
Sorry that Midsummer Night’s Mischief wasn’t a good read, @Amethyst - a shame! It has such a fun name, and the theme seemed intriguing! At least it looks like Hellenic Paganism was a much better read- glad to hear you enjoyed that one!
