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Reviews
Year of the Witch: Connecting with Nature's Seasons through Intuitive Magick by Temperance Alden
conchanna's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
sarahesmaewolfe's review
1.0
I'm going to be honest: this book is a scam. I got it in a bundle with other books on witchcraft so I didn't pay for it directly, but if I did, I would have wanted my money back. Let me explain.
The whole first chapter talks about the importance of intuition and why you don't need to learn the craft. Remind me why I need this book again if I can figure everything out on my own? Intuition is free, and so is the internet where I could get all of the information found in this book and more. She says she regrets trying to do things "the right way" when she first started out, but learning is the first step to being able to make your practice your own. You can't break the rules if you don't first know them.
Quickly, I noticed what many other reviewers also said. The synopsis of this book makes it sound like it will be about the wheel of the year and adjusting it to fit where you live. In theory, the idea is great since, at its core, the wheel of the year is about connecting with the seasons and cycles of nature. But there is barely anything in this book about the wheel of the year and you have to make it through seven unnecessarily directionless chapters to get there. And then creating your own wheel is not even introduced until the very last chapter of the book!
Worse, it reads like a bunch of condescending Instagram captions hastily smashed together into book form. Consider how the first chapter starts off, "In my opinion," and you'll get a good idea of how this book will play out. It is badly in need of an editor and readers who will tell the author she can't just make things up and act like it's a fact without sources. Witchcraft may include things science can't explain, but we're not as gullible as she thinks.
Here's a better option to think about than reading this book. If you don't connect to the wheel of the year, consider not incorporating it into your practice AT ALL! No one is telling you it's required, especially if you're not Wiccan since it's a Wiccan construct based on Celtic fire festivals and embellished. You can still observe the seasons of your area without feeling like you need a wheel of the year. They will be there no matter if you celebrate sabbats surrounding them. And you don't need a 200+ page book to tell you that. So be free, you little nature-worshipping witch!
The whole first chapter talks about the importance of intuition and why you don't need to learn the craft. Remind me why I need this book again if I can figure everything out on my own? Intuition is free, and so is the internet where I could get all of the information found in this book and more. She says she regrets trying to do things "the right way" when she first started out, but learning is the first step to being able to make your practice your own. You can't break the rules if you don't first know them.
Quickly, I noticed what many other reviewers also said. The synopsis of this book makes it sound like it will be about the wheel of the year and adjusting it to fit where you live. In theory, the idea is great since, at its core, the wheel of the year is about connecting with the seasons and cycles of nature. But there is barely anything in this book about the wheel of the year and you have to make it through seven unnecessarily directionless chapters to get there. And then creating your own wheel is not even introduced until the very last chapter of the book!
Worse, it reads like a bunch of condescending Instagram captions hastily smashed together into book form. Consider how the first chapter starts off, "In my opinion," and you'll get a good idea of how this book will play out. It is badly in need of an editor and readers who will tell the author she can't just make things up and act like it's a fact without sources. Witchcraft may include things science can't explain, but we're not as gullible as she thinks.
Here's a better option to think about than reading this book. If you don't connect to the wheel of the year, consider not incorporating it into your practice AT ALL! No one is telling you it's required, especially if you're not Wiccan since it's a Wiccan construct based on Celtic fire festivals and embellished. You can still observe the seasons of your area without feeling like you need a wheel of the year. They will be there no matter if you celebrate sabbats surrounding them. And you don't need a 200+ page book to tell you that. So be free, you little nature-worshipping witch!
poisebooks's review against another edition
Will pick it back up sometime in the future!
bookish_bree's review against another edition
fast-paced
2.0
Didn't learn anything new at all. Reads like it was written by a 20 something kid.
alexiasophii's review
4.75
"This may be something that you haven't heard before, so let me say it loudly—it is okay to change the wheel of the year in your personal practice. It should be expected and encouraged for you to take initiative to connect to the earth in your earth-based religion."
This is such a needed book for our Pagan communities. I knew I was gonna love it since I loved Temperance's work for a while now and the book did not disappoint. I was not expecting a big focus on the 8 Sabbats but I understand why it was done and I loved the ending chapters where we get useful resources and tips for how to create our own Year of the Witch. This is a fantastic book and I an amazing tool for any Witch or Pagan who wishes to go into the adventure of starting and creating their own Wheel of the Year.
wellwellgabrielle's review against another edition
5.0
Though I’m done reading the words (for the first time of many to come, I’m sure) the work this book inspired me to do is only beginning. Building my own Wheel of the Year has taught me so much about my own practice already.
cazxxx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
3.25