Last year was a lot and unfortunately, I was 2 books shy of my goal for 2022. In addition, I can’t even remember if I posted once. One of these days, posting will be second nature. In 2023, here’s hoping I can do better. 🙂 

Hexing the Patriarchy by Ariel Gore

The first word that comes to mind is “meh,” with a heavy dose of shoulder shrug. It wasn’t horrible. It was a fast read if you have a couple hours and had some interesting exercises. I do not personally hex people, but to each their own.

There were multiple things that tipped my opinion to the neutral scale though. Some of Gore’s childhood anecdotes felt disjointed with the chapter narratives. Connections were difficult to ascertain, and I’m not a fan of reading filler text. However, I feel like that may have been more of an editing issue than the fault of the author. In addition, (not surprising given the title), the extreme prejudice against men was almost too much. Feminism isn’t about giving men the same treatment women have been given throughout history. It’s about striving to be more, not equal to or the same. Inspiring women to hex men they have problems with does not solve issues. It makes women a different problem.

That being said, it was worth a read if you find the premise interesting. I really enjoyed the author collaborations as each brought their voice to the narrative. Gore for her part has a smooth and engaging writing style. The narrative was humorous and entertaining. If you need something quirky and out of the box, it’s a decent way to spend an afternoon in your favorite chair.

Magical Herbalism by Scott Cunningham

I am a fan of Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, and I find myself frequently grabbing it from my bookshelf.  For me, Magical Herbalism, is more of a companion book rather than a standalone. It provides the ritual piece behind harvesting and utilizing the herbs in your own practice.  

As Cunningham’s repertoire goes, this was an easy read. In true Cunningham fashion however, he continues to be incredibly specific about ritual requirements and processes. I find him rigid in this aspect, and personally just adapted his rituals to something that felt more authentic to my practice.   

While Cunningham does encourage his readers to use modern medicine as well as herbs, he puts a lot of faith and emphasis on herbs first. Cunningham doesn’t have has many of his usual disclaimers in this book. While he goes into great detail about the folklore of each plant, I think it would be more helpful if he included botanical drawings for wildcrafting and the medicinal qualities. If that is the information you are looking for, I would suggest different reading material. 

The Witching Herbs by Harold Roth

If you are looking to start small, this is a great book to grab. Roth really weaves and explores the magical workings for these 13 herbs: poppy, clary sage, yarrow, rue, hyssop, vervain, mugwort, wormwood, datura, wild tobacco, henbane, belladonna, and mandrake. While I do not use all of these herbs in my own daily practice, the book is great for beginner practitioners and aspiring herbalists. 

I do think it would have been beneficial to include more magical associations and correspondences in the narrative. In addition, some color photos would be useful for beginning practitioners learning to identify the herbs in the wild. Especially given that most of them are not commonly grown in every region. However, it is clear that Roth did his research, mixing the science and metaphysical aspects of each herb. He also provided a bit of myth and history mixed in, which provided more interest into the narrative. 

However, I would strongly recommend using this book in conjunction with other materials/research. It provides a base foundation, but other works on plant correspondence and gardening would be highly beneficial for a new broom. 

Well, there you go readers! I managed the first post for 2023.  I’d love to tell you what is on the review list next, but I’ll need to consult the piles of books I still need to go through. Wishing you a pile of “to be read” books for the coming season!