papercraftalex's Reviews (368)

I really disliked the way the trans character was written. I also found issues with pacing and the time jumps were confusing and the ending was unsatisfying, but my overall issue is that the author really didn't handle the queer characters with care at all. It had some really good parts and is good for reflection on colorism and the idea of passing. 

This is a great book for anyone interested in ancestor healing/ancestor veneration. It is split into several parts, namely case studies and exercises. The case studies were fascinating to read and I really enjoyed that part; it helps build a basis for what ancestor healing looks like and shows people in relatable, varied situations and how these sessions helped heal them. I have yet to complete all the exercises because it truly is something that takes time and needs to be done in a comfortable, safe space, but the few I have completed so far have been so helpful. It's really easy to digest and is incredibly inclusive (featuring exercises to heal adoptive family and birth family) and I believe it can be used by anyone of any religious or spiritual background. I can see this book helping my spiritual practice for the rest of my lifetime. 

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a wonderful escapism read. It's mushy gushy YA romance filled with pop culture references and miscommunication in a way that really made it endearing. It felt so realistic and reminded me of my high school days but in a way that's healing for someone who didn't realize their queer identity until senior year. It's just overall a really beautiful and easy to read book and I definitely predict that I'll be reading it again in the future.

If you like coming of age novels wrought with emotion and metaphors, you'll love this. Benjamin Alire Saenz has a magical way with words and his characters are always so real. 

This book has a specific audience: people who enjoy literature and witchcraft. I fill that niche and I enjoyed it very much. It's marketed for experienced witches wanting to revitalize their path, but I think it's a good resource for anyone anywhere in their journey. It has 12 chapters with various myths from around the world, their themes, and then spells, rituals, affirmations, and journal prompts that are related to the overall story. It's organized very well. You can read one chapter for each month of the year or just read it in one go. The myths are from many different cultures, which was refreshing since so many other books focus on western myths. It can read a bit textbook at times, but overall it flows well. My absolute favorite parts were the journal prompts and affirmations, Grant could make a killing selling a witch journal. I already recommended this to some people and I will continue to do so; if you're on the fence, just read it.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

This is overall a great reference book for beginners. There's a lot of great information and lots of references for to learn more about this subject. Furie doesn't assume anything of the reader, so he gives very basic information that might seem obvious to some but very needed to others. He breaks things down well, so it's easy to follow and easy to go back and find exactly what you're looking for. I also really love how accessible everything is; Furie denotes the recipes with easily found ingredients with an asterix. I found some of the parts to be repetitive, but that's the nature of the cookbook style. There also were some formatting issues and typos that I hope will be fixed when the book officially comes out. Overall, I would absolutely recommend this to baby witches looking to explore potion making and any experienced witches that want to revisit the topic.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be giving a full review after I finish the sequel

This is overall a really great spell book for beginners and seasoned practioners alike, I would (and have) recommend it to anyone interested in healing magic. There are spells for healing yourself, your community, the earth, for groups and solitary witches, and for any kind of witch. The way it was organized made it very easy to consume and makes it great when using it for reference. My only criticisms is that a lot of the spells seem to use many ingredients, which would be difficult for poor witches; it would be a good idea to add substitutions. Also, there were a few things that made me second guess the validity of the author, like the spell calling for putting turmeric on your face or the one where you put fluorite in water. I think it would be helpful to double check before performing the spells.