I'm reviewing a few books from the "In Focus" series from Wellfleet Press.  The first is called In Focus Palmistry - Your Personal Guide by Roberta Vernon.



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Release Date - July 31, 2018

Generally I like to start out with a disclaimer. I am an atheist witch.  I look for the connection between magic and science without the need for a deity. I receive no compensation for these reviews and all my links are standard Amazon links and not affiliate links. I am a practicing photo reader and have spent the last 12 years honing my craft.  I offer personal readings by request and have a strong online history that boasts nearly 400,000 views.

This is the fourth book in this series I have reviewed.  Up to this point I have been pleasantly surprised with the content and the direction of each of the books.  I was most excited about getting into this one. I know little to nothing about palmistry and was really excited about learning more.  As I sat down and started getting into the book I felt that it was pretty boring.  First the images that are in the book are line drawings and really don't give you the full look at what a palm looks like.  Now I know I could just open my hand right?  Well no, not really.  The imagery was vague and I wasn't sure really about any of it.  Don't get me wrong at all. The book completely views the Mound of Venus, your life line and love line, just like we see in the movies but I just didn't connect it together.

On page 45 for example the author goes into fingertips.  Square, rounded and pointed. Most of my fingers appears to be rounded at the tips.  The description says, "gets along well with people and can be quite amusing".  I do try to use laughter when I'm uncomfortable and that is the most of the time when I'm around people.  Next it says, generous, kind, a little lazy or maybe just laid back.  I'm probably one of the most up tight people you'll ever meet.  I like rules, I like fairness and I like structure.  While I want to be laid back and chill, most of the time I'm simply a bundle of nerves.  Finally is said, most people with rounded fingers are very musical and will play an instrument for a career.  Hrm... Only if that instrument is an HP.   And don't even get me started on the whorls, arches and composite patterns. Perhaps I needed to read this when my eyes were better, because I can't see crap on my finger tips.  (lol)

Even though early in the book I found myself pretty much disagreeing with the author, I went ahead and read through the remaining pages.  The back of the book has a pocked with a 18X24 inch wall poster of the Palmistry imagery for quick reference.  Physically the book is made well, great hard cover and vibrant cover imagery. Just as the other books in this series, I could recommend that it come with a dust jacket to help spruce it up a bit.  

Overall, this book was difficult to read and challenging to follow along unlike the other books in this series. Now keep in mind, I have some back ground knowledge of the other subjects and it could be that I just don't know enough about Palmistry to benefit from this book.   The section on fingernails (pages 146-149) I did find very helpful as it relates to identifying health related issues based on the color of the fingernail as well as the 1/2 moon shape (Lunulae) at the base of the nail bed.  Only my thumbs show any hint of a 1/2 moon and I have not head heart trouble or a stroke.  I did do some more digging on the web and found that a small or missing lunulae could indicate anemia, malnutrition and depression.  All of which I have so, there's that.

My final thoughts on the book are, I would like to read it again to see if I can glean more knowledge from it, as I don't feel as thought I benefited much from the initial read.  I would love to hear what learned Palmist think about it. If you have read this book and would like to do a guest review blog post, message me and we'll set that up.

Today I'm reviewing The Witch's Spellbook - Enchantments, Incantations, and Rituals from Around the World.


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Starting with the cover of the book, my previous review made it hard for this book to keep up. Both were bound the same. The desperate need for a dust jacket was the only flaw here. The book is hard cover with excellently aligned pages and a fabric feel to the cover. On the first page (which is completely yellow) there is a tiny little voodoo doll icon in the right corner. I love this.  It set the mood for the book in my opinion. This little touch let me know this was going to be strictly a spell book.  There is a very brief introduction with about six pages on tips, tools and tricks and then BAM! We're into the magic.

The spells are broken down by category with all the usual needs. Love. Money. Home and Career. And where would we be without a section on protection, am I right?

Each page is a spell. It covers what you need for the spell, when to cast and the history behind the spell origin or source. There are references to Minoan, Roman cultures as well as astrological references and even Hecate makes an appearance. She is called upon by the epithet - Trivia.

In the section titled Career and Success

Part of the incantation reads:

"Come hither, Trivia,
Come now to the crossroads of choice
Come, having one mind with me
Draw near, and bestow grace upon my desire." 
~The Witch's Spellbook page 120


I like this book as it pulls from different paths.  Just a short 10 pages later we come upon Norse symbolism in the spell for enhanced Charisma.  The author uses Ansuz, Hagalaz, Jera, Dagaz, Mannaz, Wunjo and Inguz to pull together an incantation to sell your ideas, market your wares or increase your charisma.

Part of the incantation reads:

"Ansuz, Laguz, golds of old
Let my powers of persuasion begin to unfold
That all I say, write or desire
Will me the dreams to which I aspire.....
~The Witch's Spellbook page 130


Over all, a really informative book and one that I could see a beginner or maybe even a skilled witch look to for references across alternate paths of study.


Special thanks to Fair Winds Press for providing this book for the review.

This week I'm reviewing The Crystal Seer - Power Crystals for Magic, Meditation and Ritual by Judy Hall.

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Book Cover

Just as I start all my reviews this one starts out with the actual quality of the book itself. The copy I was sent is a hard cover book with a mat cover finish. It has a fabric feel and actually feels good in the hands. I was reminded of the old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" when I looked inside this book.  The cover is not very flashy. I hope that when this it out for sale, it has a dust jacket or something that will give the buyer a sense of how fabulous the photos are inside.

I was blown away at the quality of the images inside. The cover tricked me into thinking this would be something bland and simple. But to the contrary, I was astounded at most of the images.

The Labradorite and the Reticulated Quartz are amazing.  They look as though you could just pick them up right off the page.

Photo Credit - Renee Olson - from the book

Photo Credit - Renee Olson - From the book

The book is a nice size for tossing in a tote bag, or backpack for easy reference. I also like that the pages are glossy. This gives it a good feel in the hands. I really like the spine alignment and the page edges. Excellent printing and binding on this one.

The author begins the book with an introduction to crystals in general with sections on how to find the right ones and attunement. I think this is missing is a great many crystal books and I'm really surprised at times when I read about them being tossed in a bag or left in a window for a long period of time without any information on recharging, cleansing or draining processes.

The crystal information begins on page 16 and is the bulk of the book.  Each crystal has a large full page photo and basic descriptions provided as well as info under the headings of "Heal, Transform and Realize" This book contains some of the more well known crystals, such as Amber and Amethyst and some that I had not heard of like Shiva Lingam. The Stibnite and Sugilite photos are amazing. I cannot get over the absolute stunning quality of the images in this book.

The back of the book contains a section about the author, a glossary and an index which, in my humble opinion, makes a book extremely useful as reference material. While the crystals are listed in alphabetical order, the index opens up the content to include pages based on historical figures like Alexander the Great to illness such as diabetes and cancer. This allows the reader to truly leverage the the content from all sorts of perspectives without having to the exact name of the crystal being sought.

Over all this is a really great book to have in any collection and I can see it being a reference for me in my work with crystals for my jewelry.

Special thanks to Fair Winds Press for providing me with this copy to review.

Today I am reviewing "The Ultimate Guide to Divination" by Liz Dean

Cover

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Screenshot - Lizdean.info This book covers a plethora of divination topics. Numerology, Runes, Palmistry and Scrying all are included in this extra large book. Generally I'm not big on this size book in a soft cover but this one really needs this extra volume to provide the visual impact needed for explaining these crafts.  The section on crystal reading discusses working with pendulums as well as a deep look at what each stone means. There is a large photo as well as the zodiac signs associated with each stone. There is a crystal directory sheet that the author recommend the reader use with a pendulum to find the stone that speaks to them. Then use the guide to look up the divinatory meaning of the stone. I tried this out and found the rose quartz, a stone of Taurus and Virgo showing love and reconciliation. It talked about an opportunity to heal old wounds and practicing self love.  Something surely I need to address at the present.  The next section in the book was related to working with Runes. It discusses the origins of The Elder Futhark, The Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, The Younger Futhark and the Northumbrian Runes. Then delves into to each of the rules with a meaning, an interpretation, the letter sound and even a Tarot card association.  The last, not something I have seen before.  I have been doing a great deal of work lately with FEHU the rune of material wealth.  A friend of mine, owns and operations a site called Primitive Witchery where you can find an assortment of items related to pulling the power of these runes into your daily life.  I recommend working with her if you have the chance. My favorite chapter of the book is the chapter on Scrying.  It covers, water scrying, candle, flame and smoke scrying, and of course mirror scrying. I have spent many years reading photos and found that my active interest and practice of scrying in all sorts of mediums has helped my readings improve immensely. The key to this is to keep a well documented log of your readings. This book provides an example page of how to log your visions and if you intend to do any type of readings of this manner professionally I would highly recommend beginning with this type of log and just do readings through out the day/week.  Practice on friends and family or even on yourself.  You can never have too much practice at this. I won't go through each section of the book but I will tell you the chapters that follow include, Teacup readings, Palmistry, Tarot/Playing Card reading, and Numerology.  This is a great getting started book to learn about the assorted methods of divination. I highly recommend checking it out. Lavishly illustrated with step-by-step instructions, The Ultimate Guide to Divination presents the oracles of the ancients to modern seers, from palm-reading and tea leaves, to fortune-telling with cards, runes, and crystals. The Ultimate Guide to Divination The Beginner’s Guide to Using Cards, Crystals, Runes, Palmistry, and More for Insight and Predicting the Future By Liz Dean April 5, 2018 $24.99 US · $32.99 CAN 224 pages · Paperback ISBN: 9781592337781 Disclaimer: I receive no compensation for reviewing the books on my blog. The links to the books are not affiliate links and I do not get any revenue from your purchase of these materials.

"With her daggers, she cuts away that which is no longer necessary.... "

Cover Photo - Circle for Hekate Photos Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

Circle for Hekate - Volume 1, History and Mythology will become the go to primer for anyone interested in the mysteries of the Goddess. Sorita has taken her extensive knowledge of Hecate and combined it in one manuscript, being sure to leave detailed references for the reader to take these keys she has given and unlock the door to more discoveries. Always being careful to include the subtle nuances that make Sorita d'Este the authority on the subject.  This book contains detailed descriptions of Hecate's influence in antiquity through the use of stunning visual imagery. Including the Minoan Snake Goddess, one of my particular favorites. I also appreciate the way that the author takes the time to guide the reader into being more accepting of those who may have a different view of Hecate by addressing quite directly the Maiden Mother Crone aspect and the simple spelling of her name that has led to debate and contempt for years.

By foto feta per J. Ollé el 6 d'agost del 2005.

Sorita continues to explore the Goddess by taking us on a journey which explains conflation and lore. We learn of her lineage, her place in the company of Zeus and then all the way to the the shores of Ellis Island and how the personification of Libertas is often tied to the mother Goddess of the Chaldean Orcales.  The image from page 139 of the book labeled 59-Hekate Chiaramonte is one of my favorite depictions of the Goddess.

https://www.ancient.eu

For the beginner and scholar alike, the chapter dedicated to the Symbols will be a quick reference to all things Hecate. From the modius to her sandals Sorita takes us on a head to toe exploration of all the imagery associated with Hecate.  Many immediately know of keys and serpents but how many take the time to explore the others such as lions, poppies or star wheels.

One of many aspects of the goddess is most intriguing to me is her relationship to the dead and necromancy. Sorita delves into this with precision and with of course careful reference to her sources.  References to spells and charms related to the dead is just another section that will challenge the reader to continue to discover more about the goddess.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/evil/tee/tee14.htm

Finally the chapter related to Hecate and plants is a must have for the devotee. If I had a dollar for every time I saw a request for Aconite to place on someone's altar I would be a millionaire. The table provided in this book is filled with non lethal plants and should be required reading for the budding Hecatean in my opinion.

Overall this book encompasses what we know and adore about the Goddess from a historical perspective but also include modern references by authors and bloggers alike. Sorita d'Este confirms her place as a scholar of Hecate and shares that knowledge with the masses in this well referenced and easy to read book.  I, for one anxiously await Volume II.

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I would like to take a moment to personally thank Sorita for my inclusion in this book.  I have worked diligently with the Covenant of Hekate over the years and spent many nights researching the mysteries of Hecate.  Sorita has been a supportive influence in my study and practice.  I was excited to see Sara Neheti Croft referenced in the book as she too, was/is a huge resource on Hecate and I still reach out to her with questions and comments on the Goddess.  You can find information on the Covenant of Hekate on this link and the amazing blog by Sara here.  Be sure to head over and check them out.