Reviews

Review of Pagan Bushcraft by S.P.H. Young

3/25/2021

Sean is an engaging and informative author who never fails to entertain and this small but incredibly interesting book from him is no different to anything else he’s written.

His work here invites you to get outside and really engage with nature through Pagan practices. With chapters from cutting tools in ritual and religion to traditional folk customs, this superb little book manages to bring forward appreciation and connection with not only the nature around us but also with our own nature and the very human need to create.

I really enjoyed the little projects that are at the end of each chapter. All really easy for anyone to have a go at with lots of guidance and information on how to successfully achieve them. I’m hard pushed to pick my favourite because they were all great fun and useful to my own practice.

I also liked the tips on the safe use of blades and knives throughout the book when you’re completing the projects as well as the appendix on knife skills which goes into much more detail.

All in all, a super useful and enjoyable book that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to make crafting with natural materials a part of their Pagan practice.

Bright blessings,
Sarah x

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Review of "Katy Hunter and the Magic Star" by Moira Hodgkinson

2/1/2021

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Moira is a superb author and I was not disappointed when I picked up this delightful tale of magic. It might well have been written for children, but I read it in two nights because I could not put it down!

Katy Hunter is a typical inquisitive young person intent on exploring her world and figuring out what’s going on around her. What is going on around her though? She plays detective as any good nearly teen would and has a blast exploring her new home while she’s at it.

I thoroughly enjoyed Katy’s story and would recommend it to any young person. Moira brought Katy and her family to life right there on the page and I (my inner child especially!) really hope there’s more instalments in the near future.

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Review of "Otherworld: Ecstatic Witchcraft for the Spirits of the Land" by Chris Allaun

1/14/2021

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I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this up. I hadn’t read any blurb nor seen any of Chris’ previous three books. The only thing I did know was that the title intrigued me, and I wanted to know more. Following spending most of the last year in lockdown with my son who has been shielding from the current pandemic situation, my own path has definitely become more focused on the land immediately around me and so I was interested to see what I could learn.

I was led on an interesting journey of discovery thanks to a great combination of useful information and practical exercises that helped me to focus on discovering, working with and honouring the spirits of the land from Mother Earth herself to faeries and dragons. There’s something here for everyone whether they have lots of experience or are a complete beginner and the exercises really help you to explore the possibilities presented in a practical way.

I particularly enjoyed the chapters on ecstatic dance and Seidr sorcery, both of which contained techniques for deeper and more enriched relationships with earth spirits all explained in plain language that is easy to understand and follow.

I haven’t encountered Chris’ work before now but I can say that after reading this I will definitely be buying copies of his other three books.

We are fortunate that Chris has also written a guest blog for us which you can find here!

Bright blessings,
Sarah x

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Review of “Tales of Witchcraft and Wonder” by Candia and Tony McKormack

1/7/2021

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I absolutely love the music of Inkubus Sukkubus and so when they wrote a book exploring their lyrics I was excited to give it a read. I can tell you I was not disappointed!

The book came with a 13 track CD and I was also fortunate to have it signed and receive one of their hand-printed bookmarks along with the book which is super cute! 😊

The 13 chapters take a walk through some of the most fabulous tales taken from around Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds with all the stories in the book linking to a track on the CD. It makes for a hauntingly good read if you listen along at the same time as reading the book.

I loved every tale in this book, each one enchanting and rich in magic, perfect for captivating the imagination and sense of wonder. My particular favourite is The Datura Dreamer, tale number 6. It tells the story of Lucida, her garden and a summer of wild abandonment which ends all too soon but I highly recommend you give it a read/listen and choose your own!

You can get your own copy from the Inkubus Sukkubus shop here

Enjoy!!

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Review of “Doomseer” by S.P.H. Young

11/12/2020

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I was fortunate to get to read this as a review copy and I was not disappointed! It was a great story that was very well written, featuring well developed characters interspersed with historical information and some supernatural treats.

The story was the perfect balance of real life and magical aspects, neither one overwhelming the other but both being integral to the tale. It’s clear that the author has done his research when it comes to the lives his characters would have lived and I love the factual references that feature all the way through about the Norse peoples and their ways of life.

The author has really achieved quite a lot with his work here and while it makes a great story on its own, it is also clear that this could become a well-loved series and so I hope that I will be able to travel with Halfdan and Thora again someday soon.

In short, if you like fantasy/historical stories then I recommend you pick it up!

Doomseer is available either as a paperback or on Kindle from HERE

Sean was born in the home counties of England where he still lives and works. Play often takes him further afield. His career in all things macabre and horrific started early when his mother was called into his school to discuss the dark and disturbing images he had been drawing around age seven. As an adult, rather than seek therapy for these habits, he simply writes them down.

Sean’s work is unique in his love for combining other genres with horror, particularly historical fiction. His debut novel, 'The Doomseer', is set in Norway during the golden age of the Vikings. Far from possessing only a practical interest in these eras, he holds a passion, more often insisting on learning some of the practical skills in use at the time through his practice of bushcraft – in other words, he likes to throw axes.

Sean is eager to interact with his readers at events and through social media or you can visit his website here.

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Review of In Search of the New Forest Coven by Philip Heselton

11/5/2020

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I was excited to read Philip’s newest book after reading his biography of Doreen Valiente a few years ago. His style of writing really pulls you into the story he’s telling because it brings the people and places he describes to life as well as it feeling relaxed and personal, just like a conversation. I can tell you I was not disappointed when I read this!

The lives of each person, the places they lived and the connections they had have been researched in depth. His descriptions brought them to life for me right there on the pages and I excitedly followed the hunt for the elusive group of people who were responsible for bringing Gerald Gardner into the world of witchcraft and in turn creating the path of Wicca.

I thoroughly recommend giving this book a read, especially if you are interested in the rich tapestry of history that led us to what Wicca is today.

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Review of Old Mother Frost by Jennifer Hartman

10/21/2020

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This exquisitely illustrated book introduces young children to Old Mother Frost and some of the traditional activities that families engage in during the holidays. It is a delightfully cosy book that begs to be read by a roaring fire with a hot chocolate loaded with marshmallows and cream! I would also be tempted to display it on a shelf alongside other Yuletide decorations; it just has a feel of the season.

Hurry - click the banner below and order today for the chance to get it in time for the upcoming Winter Solstice!

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Review of “Rosemary and the Witches of Pendle Hill” by Samantha Giles

9/3/2020

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This is the first children’s novel from Emmerdale actor Samantha Giles. I had high hopes for this story and it is indeed a fun, magical adventure that explores the world of magic as much as it does the everyday worries of lots of families but I also found it a little hard to get through just because I’m an adult and it is a story for younger children.

It has everything a 9-12 year old would want in a tale including an exciting mission and smelly farts but I also found it had some small problems. Rosemary’s language is sometimes exactly that of a 9 year old and at other times it is way above that age and understanding.

I absolutely loved the approach to talking about mental health and Samantha got it just right as to how a child of Rosemary’s age might see problems like these and try to deal with them. I also liked that the adults in the story were totally human and trying their best to juggle their messy lives and everything in them.

I think children of the right age group will absolutely love Rosemary and the Witches of Pendle Hill.

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Review of The Wiccan Starter box from Sweet luna Moon

8/19/2020

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We jumped at the chance to have a good luck when we were offered the chance to have a look at this Wiccan starter pack from Sweet Luna Moon.

It's a lovely starter set and you can tell it was put together with much love and care. From herbs, candles and handy print-outs to a little pocket book full of great tips for a new Wiccan, it has a lot to offer someone who is new to the path. My own particular favourite was the moon glyphs chart, most useful and just the right size to stick into a book of shadows. I should say here that I am missing the tea lights from this picture I took of the pack because I've been using them!

All in all, highly recommended and Yvonne from Sweet Luna Moon is a sheer delight. I can see why there's so much magic pouring out when you open the box :)

You can find this and more Sweet Luna products in their Etsy store here

Have fun!
Bright blessings,
Sarah x

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The Folklore and Magic of Dolls by Moira Hodgkinson

8/19/2020

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The Folklore and Magic of Dolls gave me several hours of happy reading. I have always found dolls to be fascinating so was intrigued to find out what was within the dark green covers of this book when it arrived, and I wasn’t disappointed.

It is filled to the brim with stories, ideas and ways of bringing dolls to life through myth and magic. From the earliest known dolls all the way to the most modern, I enjoyed learning about the history of dolls and their importance to our lives as humans, whether we’re children or adults. Then I delved into some amazing stories about dolls from the most beautiful to the strangest and scariest and finally was taken on a journey to discover how to make several different kinds of dolls so that I could bring dolls into my magical practice. It has knitting patterns and paper templates to work from as well as recipes for making salt dough dolls and tips on using correspondences to make your creations more personal and even more magical.

I have loved this little book from beginning to end and I can highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in bringing these magical little beings into their world.

You can find Moira's guest blog on Poppet Magic here
And you can buy this lovely book from the Wolfenhowle Press here

Bright blessings,
Sarah x

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<<Previous

Review of Pagan Bushcraft by S.P.H. Young

Review of "Katy Hunter and the Magic Star" by Moira Hodgkinson

Review of "Otherworld: Ecstatic Witchcraft for the Spirits of the Land" by Chris Allaun

Review of “Tales of Witchcraft and Wonder” by Candia and Tony McKormack

Review of “Doomseer” by S.P.H. Young

Review of In Search of the New Forest Coven by Philip Heselton

Review of Old Mother Frost by Jennifer Hartman

Review of “Rosemary and the Witches of Pendle Hill” by Samantha Giles

Review of The Wiccan Starter box from Sweet luna Moon

The Folklore and Magic of Dolls by Moira Hodgkinson

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