The Bone Witch - Rin Chupeco
Source: NetGalley (in exchange for an honest review)
Original Review: March 2, 2017
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
The Magic
Chupeco obviously has skill in bringing setting and environment to life in the mind. Her descriptions are fluid, and in many cases seem natural (with one caveat, noted later). Her use of simile and metaphor, if overdone, at least make sense. And her decision to use taste as the sense used to describe how using magic felt was not only out of the box, but also skillfully done. I definitely applaud her descriptive skills.
The idea of a Heartsglass is definitely unique. I don't know that I've encountered anything like it (though I do have to admit I have a LOT of fantasy previously released that's in my TBR pile, so anything is possible!).
The Madness
So... I have one major, major gripe with this book. It's obviously a part of the fantasy genre. One big note that's made constantly to authors is this - write what you know, and read the genre you plan to write in. Get familiar with it. Be familiar with what you are writing.
But don't make it familiar. At too many points in this book, I was distracted from the story by a scene, an organization, a moment being familiar because of another book. Another fantasy book. In The Bone Witch, I saw manifestations of The Kingkiller Chronicles, the Wheel of Time, Kushiel's Legacy, Memoirs of a Geisha (which I figured even before Chupeco pointed out on Goodread's that the women were Geisha-esque. Tsk.), and even World of Warcraft!
*sighs* If I see one more story of magic where the first use is accompanied by life-threatening illness, I just might explode.
And, perhaps this is just the fact that Chupeco fell victim to the fact that her heroine is both narrator and heroine, but there was far too much description in this book, and the action that did exist also fell victim to the "show, don't tell" folly. For as much as I love the way she describes things, it's hard to continue to appreciate something that is so overdone.
The Musings
All in all, my opinion of this book seems to fall in line with a lot of others I've seen. I want to love this book. I love the premise. But there is absolutely no real tension to speak of. The heroine is indestructible. So is her sidekick. The switching back and forth between events is distracting, especially since we're still seeing things from only one point of view.
Beyond that, I really don't have anything to say about this book. I was excited to read it, but it let me down. Perfectly ordinary. I almost put it down, but I kept hoping, since it wasn't a total disaster, that something would happen to redeem it's blandness. But while it wasn't a total disaster, it also didn't really stand out as anything special.
Showing posts with label netgalley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label netgalley. Show all posts
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Monday, January 18, 2016
Tarot Interactions - Deborah Lipp
Tarot Interactions - Deborah Lipp
Source: Digital ARC
Original Review: January 18, 2016
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Unfortunately, the first thing that stood out to be were issues with her credibility.
I haven't read any of Lipp's works before this one, so I don't know if this is a normal thing for her, but I found the repeated mentions of having been married to Isaac Bonewits to be... banal. It was almost as if she was teaching to him to lend some kind of credence to the fact she was writing a book on the Tarot and veering away from her normal fare of books on ritual and Wicca. Having to rely so heavily on another immediately takes away from an author's ability to stand on their own - as is the case here.
There are also certain things that she took credit for, that have been floating around the Tarot community for a number of years. I understand she has been reading Tarot, and teaching it for quite some time but the fact remains that certain things have long lost any capability to be traced back to any specific time or person. Many elements she claims as her own are nothing new to the seasoned Psychic, and it seems highly pretentious of her to try and claim them.
The problems didn't stop there... Is her mind still in the years she was married to Bonewits?
The book reads very old. A lot of the notions and thought patterns that were mentioned aren't nearly as prevalent as Lipp would have us believe. Long past are the days of TV psychics, while intuitives and mediums have followers numbering in the millions. Ever heard of Theresa Caputo? Yeah, she has her own show called Long Island Medium. It's in it's 7th season, and her fans actually take her seriously!
I'm hoping some of the issues I encountered in continuity were due to the fact I was reading an ARC.
I really, really hope someone over at Llewellyn was paying attention before they put this book to print. There were quite a few areas where Lipp referenced something from "earlier" or "above" that just... wasn't there. Not to mention, when specific so-called facts are mentioned, there needs to be a cited source. I don't care if there's a bibliography. If there's no direct reference to where a date or number comes from, it completely invalidates the claim.
So, what did I enjoy, exactly?
Her approach to meditation was, I think, one of the best parts about the book. Due to some strange fluke, I've always had a hard time meditating, along with everything else that goes along with it. Blame my ADD, but as that has recently changed, I can truly appreciate the need to really be expansive in your search for a meditation practice that actually works for your specific physiology and psychology. Meditation is not a "one shoe fits all" practice, and Lipp clearly acknowledges this. Her approach makes it less scary and more accessible to people who may have struggled with it before, while giving them a unique approach to consider for themselves.
Lipp also makes some very good points regarding trust - both our trust in ourselves, and our clients trust in us. So often we allow our own instincts and intuition to be overridden by our clients reticence. The example she gives is if we were to tell her a name for her aunt she had previously been unaware of. To her, the "client", we would not be telling the truth, even while our intuition was telling us otherwise. I feel the point she was trying to make here is that, it is up to us to speak the truth, not just the truth the client thinks they want to hear. If we are conduits, we tell the client what they need. It is their job to take the information we give them and do something with it.
Would I recommend this book or not?
As I read further into the book, exploring the ways she gives to learn the cards, how they interact with each other, the spread, the environment, and just about everything else under the sun, I was reminded of a book I'm actually working through right now, written by a very highly acclaimed Tarot expert. Next to what I am already exploring, some of the exercises Lipp recommends seem... shallow.
Couple that with the fact Lipp is clear early on that she is mostly referencing her own experiences, and interpretation of books, that takes me back to the beginning issue I had with her credibility.
I fully believe in supporting authors when support is warranted. There is some good information in this book, if you can get past the banality of it's presentation. Having already gone through the book, if I were to receive it as a gift, I would likely return it in favor of something less contrived and written by someone who could stand on their own two feet without having to rely on anyone else's name but their own.
Two stars for having usable information, but the presentation was all wrong.
Source: Digital ARC
Original Review: January 18, 2016
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Unfortunately, the first thing that stood out to be were issues with her credibility.
I haven't read any of Lipp's works before this one, so I don't know if this is a normal thing for her, but I found the repeated mentions of having been married to Isaac Bonewits to be... banal. It was almost as if she was teaching to him to lend some kind of credence to the fact she was writing a book on the Tarot and veering away from her normal fare of books on ritual and Wicca. Having to rely so heavily on another immediately takes away from an author's ability to stand on their own - as is the case here.
There are also certain things that she took credit for, that have been floating around the Tarot community for a number of years. I understand she has been reading Tarot, and teaching it for quite some time but the fact remains that certain things have long lost any capability to be traced back to any specific time or person. Many elements she claims as her own are nothing new to the seasoned Psychic, and it seems highly pretentious of her to try and claim them.
The problems didn't stop there... Is her mind still in the years she was married to Bonewits?
The book reads very old. A lot of the notions and thought patterns that were mentioned aren't nearly as prevalent as Lipp would have us believe. Long past are the days of TV psychics, while intuitives and mediums have followers numbering in the millions. Ever heard of Theresa Caputo? Yeah, she has her own show called Long Island Medium. It's in it's 7th season, and her fans actually take her seriously!
I'm hoping some of the issues I encountered in continuity were due to the fact I was reading an ARC.
I really, really hope someone over at Llewellyn was paying attention before they put this book to print. There were quite a few areas where Lipp referenced something from "earlier" or "above" that just... wasn't there. Not to mention, when specific so-called facts are mentioned, there needs to be a cited source. I don't care if there's a bibliography. If there's no direct reference to where a date or number comes from, it completely invalidates the claim.
So, what did I enjoy, exactly?
Her approach to meditation was, I think, one of the best parts about the book. Due to some strange fluke, I've always had a hard time meditating, along with everything else that goes along with it. Blame my ADD, but as that has recently changed, I can truly appreciate the need to really be expansive in your search for a meditation practice that actually works for your specific physiology and psychology. Meditation is not a "one shoe fits all" practice, and Lipp clearly acknowledges this. Her approach makes it less scary and more accessible to people who may have struggled with it before, while giving them a unique approach to consider for themselves.
Lipp also makes some very good points regarding trust - both our trust in ourselves, and our clients trust in us. So often we allow our own instincts and intuition to be overridden by our clients reticence. The example she gives is if we were to tell her a name for her aunt she had previously been unaware of. To her, the "client", we would not be telling the truth, even while our intuition was telling us otherwise. I feel the point she was trying to make here is that, it is up to us to speak the truth, not just the truth the client thinks they want to hear. If we are conduits, we tell the client what they need. It is their job to take the information we give them and do something with it.
Would I recommend this book or not?
As I read further into the book, exploring the ways she gives to learn the cards, how they interact with each other, the spread, the environment, and just about everything else under the sun, I was reminded of a book I'm actually working through right now, written by a very highly acclaimed Tarot expert. Next to what I am already exploring, some of the exercises Lipp recommends seem... shallow.
Couple that with the fact Lipp is clear early on that she is mostly referencing her own experiences, and interpretation of books, that takes me back to the beginning issue I had with her credibility.
I fully believe in supporting authors when support is warranted. There is some good information in this book, if you can get past the banality of it's presentation. Having already gone through the book, if I were to receive it as a gift, I would likely return it in favor of something less contrived and written by someone who could stand on their own two feet without having to rely on anyone else's name but their own.
Two stars for having usable information, but the presentation was all wrong.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Midsummer: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Litha - Deborah Blake [Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials]
Midsummer: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Litha - Deborah Blake [Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials]
Source: Netgalley
Original Review: March 31, 2015
Rating: ★★★★☆
This book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve not been impressed so far with the books Llewellyn has put out on the Wheel of the Year. After reading Everyday Witchcraft by this same author, I had higher hopes for Midsummer than maybe I would have otherwise. In some ways, I think having a different author was a huge improvement over the book on Beltane. In other ways, the pervading thought was that Llewellyn needs to take their fingers out of the editing pot on these and let the authors do their jobs. One of the major issues I had with Beltane is still front and center here.
All of these thoughts were coming to me before I was even 10% of the way through the book. So I’m not spending valuable time here covering the same old issues, I’m just going to highlight the biggest one: repetition. You can only put the same information into so many boxes (and so many books) before eyes start to glaze over.
One other thing I think that interfered with my enjoyment of the book wasn’t a failure on Llewellyn’s part, but a failure in my reading order. I had just finished reading through The Great Work by Tiffany Lazic when I started reading Midsummer. Ultimately, this one felt . . . like perhaps it (and the other books in this series) should be used in conjunction with The Great Work – at least by the more seasoned practitioner.
But, it’s in the content itself where the differences between the author’s really begin to show up. There is a lot of information available on how people of different walks can celebrate Midsummer here. It’s not limited to just that, though. If you don’t have a specific path or system of celebration, there are also plenty of simple, more general options included with the foundational information that even the barest newsbie to the Wheel could use.
No matter how familiar you already are with Midsummer lore and celebration, you’re sure to find something new here. Whatever your approach is, be it spiritual, crafty, or kitchenry, there’s something in this book for you to try.
Midsummer is truly going to be a magickal experience for anyone who reads this book!
Source: Netgalley
Original Review: March 31, 2015
Rating: ★★★★☆
This book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve not been impressed so far with the books Llewellyn has put out on the Wheel of the Year. After reading Everyday Witchcraft by this same author, I had higher hopes for Midsummer than maybe I would have otherwise. In some ways, I think having a different author was a huge improvement over the book on Beltane. In other ways, the pervading thought was that Llewellyn needs to take their fingers out of the editing pot on these and let the authors do their jobs. One of the major issues I had with Beltane is still front and center here.
All of these thoughts were coming to me before I was even 10% of the way through the book. So I’m not spending valuable time here covering the same old issues, I’m just going to highlight the biggest one: repetition. You can only put the same information into so many boxes (and so many books) before eyes start to glaze over.
One other thing I think that interfered with my enjoyment of the book wasn’t a failure on Llewellyn’s part, but a failure in my reading order. I had just finished reading through The Great Work by Tiffany Lazic when I started reading Midsummer. Ultimately, this one felt . . . like perhaps it (and the other books in this series) should be used in conjunction with The Great Work – at least by the more seasoned practitioner.
But, it’s in the content itself where the differences between the author’s really begin to show up. There is a lot of information available on how people of different walks can celebrate Midsummer here. It’s not limited to just that, though. If you don’t have a specific path or system of celebration, there are also plenty of simple, more general options included with the foundational information that even the barest newsbie to the Wheel could use.
No matter how familiar you already are with Midsummer lore and celebration, you’re sure to find something new here. Whatever your approach is, be it spiritual, crafty, or kitchenry, there’s something in this book for you to try.
Midsummer is truly going to be a magickal experience for anyone who reads this book!
Monday, January 26, 2015
Dream Interpretation for Beginners: Understand the Wisdom of Your Sleeping Mind - Diane Brandon
Dream Interpretation for Beginners: Understand the Wisdom of Your Sleeping Mind - Diane Brandon
Source: NetGalley
Originally Reviewed: January 26, 2015
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
This book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to read this book. I have always had really bizarre dreams. For as long as I could remember, they have seemed extremely nonsensical, but very vivid and easily recalled. In fact, Ms. Brandon practically quotes my thinking:
“If it was bizarre, it wouldn’t mean anything.”
The Good
You can read a lot on the science of sleep and on dreaming as separate entities, but they were included here together in terms of how one’s sleep actually impacts the dream itself. I thought including that information was a fantastic idea.
Most of what I was wanting to note about the book was informational. This means that I found the information relevant and meaningful. Despite a lot of the information being redundant, once you got to the sections of the book actually dedicated to dream interpretation, it was clearly explained and very well put.
The “tips” and “step-by-step” sections were fantastic. They include a number of things that could be easily forgotten during dream analysis that are very important to getting a good look at the big picture. Plus it breaks the interpretation process down into easily manageable steps that can help keep the analysis focused.
The Bad
I had a hard time getting going with this book. The introduction seemed unnecessary, more like an extended table of contents than anything else. A lot of information included was pretty redundant – information that can be found in your average dream interpretation book, or with a simple Google search on dreaming & interpretation. Beyond that, though, it was hard to feel engaged. There was some information included you might not find in your typical dream interpretation book, which I think was meant to make it stand out. However, it read more like filler rather than relevant information.
As a book for beginners, I feel there was a lot of information missing. In fact, it’s almost as if this should have been a supplemental book to a more robust, complete book on dream interpretation. This book could have gone a lot further with me if the same information hadn’t essentially been re-written in 3 different ways, and instead different, interesting information had been used to fill the pages instead.
And I understand that while to interpret dreams you have to be able to look beyond the obvious and analyze what’s really going on underneath – in a book that’s specifically cited “for beginners”, you shouldn’t have to engage that kind of analysis to get the most out of the book.
I do see the benefit in having example dreams as well as practice dreams – but having both wasted a lot of space I think could have been used in a much more valuable manner. For a beginner’s book, I think she should have skipped right to the practice dreams and spent more time fleshing out the information in the Appendixes.
In the End…
The book itself is well-written, but highly flawed. As someone intimate with their own dreams and how deep, malleable and unique they can be, I was extremely disappointed in the material provided. It may have been personally interesting, but definitely not personally useful.
Source: NetGalley
Originally Reviewed: January 26, 2015
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
This book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to read this book. I have always had really bizarre dreams. For as long as I could remember, they have seemed extremely nonsensical, but very vivid and easily recalled. In fact, Ms. Brandon practically quotes my thinking:
“If it was bizarre, it wouldn’t mean anything.”
The Good
You can read a lot on the science of sleep and on dreaming as separate entities, but they were included here together in terms of how one’s sleep actually impacts the dream itself. I thought including that information was a fantastic idea.
Most of what I was wanting to note about the book was informational. This means that I found the information relevant and meaningful. Despite a lot of the information being redundant, once you got to the sections of the book actually dedicated to dream interpretation, it was clearly explained and very well put.
The “tips” and “step-by-step” sections were fantastic. They include a number of things that could be easily forgotten during dream analysis that are very important to getting a good look at the big picture. Plus it breaks the interpretation process down into easily manageable steps that can help keep the analysis focused.
The Bad
I had a hard time getting going with this book. The introduction seemed unnecessary, more like an extended table of contents than anything else. A lot of information included was pretty redundant – information that can be found in your average dream interpretation book, or with a simple Google search on dreaming & interpretation. Beyond that, though, it was hard to feel engaged. There was some information included you might not find in your typical dream interpretation book, which I think was meant to make it stand out. However, it read more like filler rather than relevant information.
As a book for beginners, I feel there was a lot of information missing. In fact, it’s almost as if this should have been a supplemental book to a more robust, complete book on dream interpretation. This book could have gone a lot further with me if the same information hadn’t essentially been re-written in 3 different ways, and instead different, interesting information had been used to fill the pages instead.
And I understand that while to interpret dreams you have to be able to look beyond the obvious and analyze what’s really going on underneath – in a book that’s specifically cited “for beginners”, you shouldn’t have to engage that kind of analysis to get the most out of the book.
I do see the benefit in having example dreams as well as practice dreams – but having both wasted a lot of space I think could have been used in a much more valuable manner. For a beginner’s book, I think she should have skipped right to the practice dreams and spent more time fleshing out the information in the Appendixes.
In the End…
The book itself is well-written, but highly flawed. As someone intimate with their own dreams and how deep, malleable and unique they can be, I was extremely disappointed in the material provided. It may have been personally interesting, but definitely not personally useful.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
The Plan Cookbook: More Than 150 Recipes for Vibrant Health and Weight Loss - Lyn-Genet Recitas
The Plan Cookbook: More Than 150 Recipes for Vibrant Health and Weight Loss - Lyn-Genet Recitas
Source: NetGalley
Originally Reviewed: January 14, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★
This book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m always on the lookout for great, new cookbooks. When I had the opportunity to snatch this one up, I did so without having read the original book.
Within the first few pages, I wanted to. The idea behind “The Plan” was absolutely fascinating, as I have actually experienced immune response reactions to foods before. My husband, as well, has made numerous comments relating how he felt, physically, directly to what he had eaten and tends to adjust his diet accordingly.
However, “The Plan” is definitely not a one-size-fits-all system. You have to put in actual effort to find the right way of eating, but the recipes provided in this book definitely give you a nice, solid place to start. It’s motto, “rotate or react”, is clear, as the sheer variety of ingredients in the included recipes makes it so easy to keep your meal times interesting. What’s even better is the ingredients are mostly things you would find in your typical kitchen, and doesn’t require the purchasing of too many oddball or bizarre items that might not be available locally. That is probably one of the most appealing features of this book. If I had to hunt down natural food stores or order a bunch of stuff from online, it’d be much more difficult to even attempt this.
Included is their recommended 3-day “cleanse”, a chance to allow your body to slip back into equilibrium; to heal and to balance, with the requisite warnings of some of the symptoms you may experience while detoxing. But, the cleanse is a cleanse with real food. Hallelujah! I tried to a juice cleanse once. Worst idea of my life. Having this “cleanse” included is nice, as those who may not ordinarily stick through an entire program can still get off on the right foot, and then pick and choose from the cookbook to continue without having to adhere to a particular schedule.
I am skeptical of the claim about the number of calories you take in not making any kind of a difference or not mattering. One has to wonder what happens to the calories that you take in that don’t end up getting burned off – there’s no explanation even attempted for this, so it leaves me wondering a bit on the actual science of this plan, The idea of “reactive” foods definitely makes sense, though.
I ended up buying the original book before finishing going through the recipes in the cookbook. I, myself, have been having some very oddball issues with weight, food and exercise lately and really want to put this whole idea to the test. Once I go through the plan outlined in The Plan, I’ll include my results with that review.
Source: NetGalley
Originally Reviewed: January 14, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★
This book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m always on the lookout for great, new cookbooks. When I had the opportunity to snatch this one up, I did so without having read the original book.
Within the first few pages, I wanted to. The idea behind “The Plan” was absolutely fascinating, as I have actually experienced immune response reactions to foods before. My husband, as well, has made numerous comments relating how he felt, physically, directly to what he had eaten and tends to adjust his diet accordingly.
However, “The Plan” is definitely not a one-size-fits-all system. You have to put in actual effort to find the right way of eating, but the recipes provided in this book definitely give you a nice, solid place to start. It’s motto, “rotate or react”, is clear, as the sheer variety of ingredients in the included recipes makes it so easy to keep your meal times interesting. What’s even better is the ingredients are mostly things you would find in your typical kitchen, and doesn’t require the purchasing of too many oddball or bizarre items that might not be available locally. That is probably one of the most appealing features of this book. If I had to hunt down natural food stores or order a bunch of stuff from online, it’d be much more difficult to even attempt this.
Included is their recommended 3-day “cleanse”, a chance to allow your body to slip back into equilibrium; to heal and to balance, with the requisite warnings of some of the symptoms you may experience while detoxing. But, the cleanse is a cleanse with real food. Hallelujah! I tried to a juice cleanse once. Worst idea of my life. Having this “cleanse” included is nice, as those who may not ordinarily stick through an entire program can still get off on the right foot, and then pick and choose from the cookbook to continue without having to adhere to a particular schedule.
I am skeptical of the claim about the number of calories you take in not making any kind of a difference or not mattering. One has to wonder what happens to the calories that you take in that don’t end up getting burned off – there’s no explanation even attempted for this, so it leaves me wondering a bit on the actual science of this plan, The idea of “reactive” foods definitely makes sense, though.
I ended up buying the original book before finishing going through the recipes in the cookbook. I, myself, have been having some very oddball issues with weight, food and exercise lately and really want to put this whole idea to the test. Once I go through the plan outlined in The Plan, I’ll include my results with that review.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Beltane: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for May Day - Melanie Marquis [Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials]
Beltane: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for May Day - Melanie Marquis [Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials]
Source: NetGalley
Originally Reviewed: January 13, 2015
Rating: ★★★☆☆
This book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is another book published by Llewellyn that I’ll have to go back and make notes on. Everything was very clearly explained, and it’d be difficult to misunderstand the information. There’s a lot of information on Beltane available, but the kind of clarity Ms. Marquis brings to it allows for a lot more detail, and there was obviously a lot of thought put into this book. It was great to finally know where some of the most common information actually originated from.
I found a lot of the information refreshing, but it took an excessively long time to actually get to the information, plus there was not-so-common history bits that are still relevant today. As opposed to the included Tarot information, which could be found in any introductory book on Tarot, or with a few clicks on Google.
Oh, but the recipes. And the crafts! And the explanation of prayer from a Pagan perspective… brilliant, and the best I’ve ever read.
This book would probably be best for the solitary Witch who doesn’t already have an established practice, or perhaps for the experienced Witch who wants to freshen up what they already do.
I ended up skipping the section on modern Beltane celebrations. They got kind of repetitive, plus there wasn’t anything included that’s local to me so it wasn’t very interesting.
Speaking of repetitive, there was a summary of Beltane at the start of almost every chapter. I think after the second or third time it gets pretty well ingrained and we don’t need to be reminded. The additional details on the astrological timing of Beltane was nice.
Reading through this book I’m reminded of some friends I had in high school. They were part of this masonic-type organization for young women – I forget what it was called – but every year they would decorate plates and make a bunch of goodies and leave them on people’s doorsteps early on May 1 before school.
The author could stand to find some more creative segways. The word “another” can only be used so many times before it starts reading as gibberish. And I can understand the reasoning behind knowing the history of what you’re celebrating, but… I was starting to fall asleep. You don’t need quite that much.
Source: NetGalley
Originally Reviewed: January 13, 2015
Rating: ★★★☆☆
This book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is another book published by Llewellyn that I’ll have to go back and make notes on. Everything was very clearly explained, and it’d be difficult to misunderstand the information. There’s a lot of information on Beltane available, but the kind of clarity Ms. Marquis brings to it allows for a lot more detail, and there was obviously a lot of thought put into this book. It was great to finally know where some of the most common information actually originated from.
I found a lot of the information refreshing, but it took an excessively long time to actually get to the information, plus there was not-so-common history bits that are still relevant today. As opposed to the included Tarot information, which could be found in any introductory book on Tarot, or with a few clicks on Google.
Oh, but the recipes. And the crafts! And the explanation of prayer from a Pagan perspective… brilliant, and the best I’ve ever read.
This book would probably be best for the solitary Witch who doesn’t already have an established practice, or perhaps for the experienced Witch who wants to freshen up what they already do.
I ended up skipping the section on modern Beltane celebrations. They got kind of repetitive, plus there wasn’t anything included that’s local to me so it wasn’t very interesting.
Speaking of repetitive, there was a summary of Beltane at the start of almost every chapter. I think after the second or third time it gets pretty well ingrained and we don’t need to be reminded. The additional details on the astrological timing of Beltane was nice.
Reading through this book I’m reminded of some friends I had in high school. They were part of this masonic-type organization for young women – I forget what it was called – but every year they would decorate plates and make a bunch of goodies and leave them on people’s doorsteps early on May 1 before school.
The author could stand to find some more creative segways. The word “another” can only be used so many times before it starts reading as gibberish. And I can understand the reasoning behind knowing the history of what you’re celebrating, but… I was starting to fall asleep. You don’t need quite that much.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Everyday Witchcraft: Making Time for Spirit in a Too-Busy World - Deborah Blake
Everyday Witchcraft: Making Time for Spirit in a Too-Busy World - Deborah Blake
Source: NetGalley
Originally Reviewed: January 9, 2015
Rating: ★★★★☆
This book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to read this book, and was so happy that it did not disappoint. And the writing style was beautiful – I could almost hear the author reading aloud. She definitely has her own voice, and she uses it well.
She writes in a very no-nonsense manner. Everything is straightforward and easily understandable. She throws in these dashes of humor that break things up so smoothly and at just the right places. And I can’t emphasize enough how much I love the simplicity of the entire book.
There are so many people I could see picking up and utilizing this book. The experienced Witch trying to revitalize their practice (such as myself). Someone who might be interested in Witchcraft but the idea of ritual and spells makes them uncomfortable. And she says it in the book, but it’s definitely worth nothing here: If you end up reading this book, something is calling you to a deeper, more involved spiritual practice.
Being that I’ve been a practicing witch for… eesh, at least fifteen+ years (I’ve lost track), there were some sections I skipped over: moon phases, Wheel of the Year, the elements. The majority of the information there is “old news” for long-time practitioners, but it never hurts to re-acquaint ones self with the basics. Plus, she includes great little rituals to help solidify your connection with the different elements and such. I also ended up skipping others because there wasn’t really any relevance to an actual daily practice.
Still, I’ll probably go back and read it again and make notes on the information. Even when I had other things to do, I had a hard time putting it down. She gave a lot of ideas I want to try, and says a lot of things I think everybody needs to remember. I need to point out one major thing – this is the first time I’ve read a book that has given reasonable, doable suggestions for working with and involving familiars.
There were some things that were distracting and kept me from giving this book a full five stars. There is one area where there is quite a bit of personal opinion, as well as quite the tirade on social/ecological issues. While I can see the relation between the Activist Pagan and these subjects, I question the validity of including this in a book for the “everyday Witch” who already has trouble meeting their spiritual goals. The entire subject seems best suited for a different kind of book all together.
There are also issues that, well, the author freely admits she doesn’t know much about. Those types of issues I believe should have been left out entirely, as they bear no relevance without a strong background. Others still are issues that are merely trendy. They serve as nothing more than a source of contention in the greater Pagan community and would be best to be avoided.
Oh, one final thing that made me really happy: She didn’t forget the car!
I used to hang a Kundalini charm from my rear-view window and listen to Laura Powers and other “witchy” music on my way to and from work every day. I am so pleased to see this included!
Source: NetGalley
Originally Reviewed: January 9, 2015
Rating: ★★★★☆
This book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to read this book, and was so happy that it did not disappoint. And the writing style was beautiful – I could almost hear the author reading aloud. She definitely has her own voice, and she uses it well.
She writes in a very no-nonsense manner. Everything is straightforward and easily understandable. She throws in these dashes of humor that break things up so smoothly and at just the right places. And I can’t emphasize enough how much I love the simplicity of the entire book.
There are so many people I could see picking up and utilizing this book. The experienced Witch trying to revitalize their practice (such as myself). Someone who might be interested in Witchcraft but the idea of ritual and spells makes them uncomfortable. And she says it in the book, but it’s definitely worth nothing here: If you end up reading this book, something is calling you to a deeper, more involved spiritual practice.
Being that I’ve been a practicing witch for… eesh, at least fifteen+ years (I’ve lost track), there were some sections I skipped over: moon phases, Wheel of the Year, the elements. The majority of the information there is “old news” for long-time practitioners, but it never hurts to re-acquaint ones self with the basics. Plus, she includes great little rituals to help solidify your connection with the different elements and such. I also ended up skipping others because there wasn’t really any relevance to an actual daily practice.
Still, I’ll probably go back and read it again and make notes on the information. Even when I had other things to do, I had a hard time putting it down. She gave a lot of ideas I want to try, and says a lot of things I think everybody needs to remember. I need to point out one major thing – this is the first time I’ve read a book that has given reasonable, doable suggestions for working with and involving familiars.
There were some things that were distracting and kept me from giving this book a full five stars. There is one area where there is quite a bit of personal opinion, as well as quite the tirade on social/ecological issues. While I can see the relation between the Activist Pagan and these subjects, I question the validity of including this in a book for the “everyday Witch” who already has trouble meeting their spiritual goals. The entire subject seems best suited for a different kind of book all together.
There are also issues that, well, the author freely admits she doesn’t know much about. Those types of issues I believe should have been left out entirely, as they bear no relevance without a strong background. Others still are issues that are merely trendy. They serve as nothing more than a source of contention in the greater Pagan community and would be best to be avoided.
Oh, one final thing that made me really happy: She didn’t forget the car!
I used to hang a Kundalini charm from my rear-view window and listen to Laura Powers and other “witchy” music on my way to and from work every day. I am so pleased to see this included!
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Her Sexy Sentinel - Jenn Burke
Her Sexy Sentinel - Jenn Burke
Source: NetGalley
Originally Reviewed: January 8, 2015
Rating: ★★★★☆
I keep hoping one day I’ll encounter a paranormal romance that I just get blown away by, the same way I did by Innocence by Dean Koontz. This one came so close, but in the end left me feeling like something was missing. Don’t know what, but something.
In all seriousness, I could sum up this book in one word. Well, a sound, really. Mmm.
I think Her Sexy Sentinel really says a lot about Burke as a writer. I love her descriptive style, the way it just captures the mundane in a way that translates so well from words to an image in the minds eye. She doesn’t overdo it, and finds ways to describe things you wouldn’t normally think of, but are those little details that make everything so crisp and well put-together.
She also amazes me in the way she writes the thoughts and thought process of her characters. It flows so naturally, and isn’t forced at all. I could only wish to have talent like hers!
She also does a great job at making us absolutely HATE Derrick for a few minutes, too. Mmm.
There are a few things that niggled at me a little bit. Some things weren’t explained, or weren’t fleshed out as much as I think they could have been, and some things just didn’t make sense, period, but of course those are things that could be construed as spoilers. There were some awkward transitions, like despite her typically flawless descriptive capabilities there were just a few moments where her brain got stuck and she couldn’t find the right words.
About the Book
So, there’s magic. Does magic rule everything though? No. This isn’t high fantasy where magic is the be all and end all of a society. It’s just kind of there, hanging out at the back of your mind until, hey, the dam’s open. Lemme out!
Seriously? Seriously.
That was nice. I really love the way magic was handled.
I know I’ve already made mention about how seamlessly Burke writes internal dialogue, but I have to mention it again, and not to emphasize her skill as a writer. The way she makes her characters think and the thoughts that they have show a keen insight into the human psyche, and she has used that to make Derrick one of my favorite Hero’s ever in paranormal fiction. He’s seriously like the perfect guy – bordering on too perfect, but as mentioned earlier: We do get to hate him for being a jackass for a few minutes.
All of the characters, even the ones who only made token appearances, were so well fleshed out I was able to connect and empathize and FEEL. And laugh. I laughed out loud many times while reading this book not because of things being humorous or funny (though there were those moments, too) but because a scene or an incident was just that enjoyable that it merited a laugh.
The twist at the end… that was definitely out of left field. I loved it. This is a book where you definitely will not be disappointed by the ending.
I really look forward to reading more from Burke in the future. I enjoy her style, her characters, her dialogue, and Her Sexy Sentinel highlights all of those things.
Source: NetGalley
Originally Reviewed: January 8, 2015
Rating: ★★★★☆
I keep hoping one day I’ll encounter a paranormal romance that I just get blown away by, the same way I did by Innocence by Dean Koontz. This one came so close, but in the end left me feeling like something was missing. Don’t know what, but something.
In all seriousness, I could sum up this book in one word. Well, a sound, really. Mmm.
I think Her Sexy Sentinel really says a lot about Burke as a writer. I love her descriptive style, the way it just captures the mundane in a way that translates so well from words to an image in the minds eye. She doesn’t overdo it, and finds ways to describe things you wouldn’t normally think of, but are those little details that make everything so crisp and well put-together.
She also amazes me in the way she writes the thoughts and thought process of her characters. It flows so naturally, and isn’t forced at all. I could only wish to have talent like hers!
She also does a great job at making us absolutely HATE Derrick for a few minutes, too. Mmm.
There are a few things that niggled at me a little bit. Some things weren’t explained, or weren’t fleshed out as much as I think they could have been, and some things just didn’t make sense, period, but of course those are things that could be construed as spoilers. There were some awkward transitions, like despite her typically flawless descriptive capabilities there were just a few moments where her brain got stuck and she couldn’t find the right words.
About the Book
So, there’s magic. Does magic rule everything though? No. This isn’t high fantasy where magic is the be all and end all of a society. It’s just kind of there, hanging out at the back of your mind until, hey, the dam’s open. Lemme out!
Seriously? Seriously.
That was nice. I really love the way magic was handled.
I know I’ve already made mention about how seamlessly Burke writes internal dialogue, but I have to mention it again, and not to emphasize her skill as a writer. The way she makes her characters think and the thoughts that they have show a keen insight into the human psyche, and she has used that to make Derrick one of my favorite Hero’s ever in paranormal fiction. He’s seriously like the perfect guy – bordering on too perfect, but as mentioned earlier: We do get to hate him for being a jackass for a few minutes.
All of the characters, even the ones who only made token appearances, were so well fleshed out I was able to connect and empathize and FEEL. And laugh. I laughed out loud many times while reading this book not because of things being humorous or funny (though there were those moments, too) but because a scene or an incident was just that enjoyable that it merited a laugh.
The twist at the end… that was definitely out of left field. I loved it. This is a book where you definitely will not be disappointed by the ending.
I really look forward to reading more from Burke in the future. I enjoy her style, her characters, her dialogue, and Her Sexy Sentinel highlights all of those things.
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