A review by percys_panda_pillow_pet
Practical Candle Magic: Witchcraft with Wick and Wax by Rachel Patterson
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
First of all, thank you NetGalley and Llewellyn Publications for giving me access to this arc!
To get right into it, I really enjoyed reading this! I haven't read Rachel Patterson's work before, though I see that she's written many different books on varying topics within Witchcraft. After reading this, I definitely will think about picking up her other books. Patterson is very smart about how she relays information, as she tries to give her personal reasoning for why she includes certain correspondences or does things a certain, as well as including warnings when needed.
I find the book fairly easy to navigate and reference when I'm looking for a specific aspect of candle magic. Many of the correspondences, examples, and practice parts are nicely labeled and I like the way that it is all organized. The charts were nice and simple to understand. As well, I think the short length of the book really aids in the ease of quick reference.
However, due to the shorter length, I would not expect it to go into deeper reasons why certain correspondences work with certain elements of candle magic, which is okay. This is clearly a book for not just beginners to candle magic, but beginners to witchcraft, spell craft, and magic in general, just through the lens of candle magic. Due to this, I would recommend this book to a beginner witch, whether they're interested in candle magic or not.
Finally, while I greatly appreciated all the warnings about fire and burning objects, I was surprised there weren't any warnings about specifically burning certain herbs. Though I know it should be obvious not to burn typically toxic herbs (think about how poison ivy reacts to your skin and then imagine inhaling it), many people don't think about that when heading into witchcraft, so a warning is warranted sometimes. For the most part though, Patterson covered a lot of bases about safety with this particular area of the craft.
Overall, a good reference book for beginners in witchcraft and/or candle magic. I loved the layout and design of the book, it felt easy to read and understand, and included additional reading in the back, which is always appreciated!
To get right into it, I really enjoyed reading this! I haven't read Rachel Patterson's work before, though I see that she's written many different books on varying topics within Witchcraft. After reading this, I definitely will think about picking up her other books. Patterson is very smart about how she relays information, as she tries to give her personal reasoning for why she includes certain correspondences or does things a certain, as well as including warnings when needed.
I find the book fairly easy to navigate and reference when I'm looking for a specific aspect of candle magic. Many of the correspondences, examples, and practice parts are nicely labeled and I like the way that it is all organized. The charts were nice and simple to understand. As well, I think the short length of the book really aids in the ease of quick reference.
However, due to the shorter length, I would not expect it to go into deeper reasons why certain correspondences work with certain elements of candle magic, which is okay. This is clearly a book for not just beginners to candle magic, but beginners to witchcraft, spell craft, and magic in general, just through the lens of candle magic. Due to this, I would recommend this book to a beginner witch, whether they're interested in candle magic or not.
Finally, while I greatly appreciated all the warnings about fire and burning objects, I was surprised there weren't any warnings about specifically burning certain herbs. Though I know it should be obvious not to burn typically toxic herbs (think about how poison ivy reacts to your skin and then imagine inhaling it), many people don't think about that when heading into witchcraft, so a warning is warranted sometimes. For the most part though, Patterson covered a lot of bases about safety with this particular area of the craft.
Overall, a good reference book for beginners in witchcraft and/or candle magic. I loved the layout and design of the book, it felt easy to read and understand, and included additional reading in the back, which is always appreciated!