#judika illes

[buggywiththefolkmagic]

Pure Magic: Book Review

Alright, alright. I know exactly what you're thinking, "But Buggy! Judika is beloved in the folk community!!! Sit back, read something objectively, and understand why I don't recommend her works. TW: Eds, weight spells, appropriation, mild racism via one spell that emulates a stereotype, gross body things, grief. This is: Pure Magic by Judika Iiles Rating: 2/10 Pros: Does mention when certain plants are poisonous! Some interesting small tidbits like divers carrying pearls to protect from sharks! A ton of recipes for bath salts, cleansing spells, protections, etc. 5 full pages of a Bibliography. Cons: Appropriates Hawaiian, multiple sources of Hoodoo, Haitian and New Orleans Vodun, Brujeria, Indigenous Peoples (North American, Central American), AND Hindu practices and deities. Advocates for summoning and working with lwa, in particular she seems to have an affinity for Papa Legba and Baron Samedhi. The latter of which she says anyone can make an alter to in order to help with grief. Also advocates for working with the Yoruba.

The author also makes some claims like even just witnessing a car wreck can break your personal protections??? Also states you must follow the wiccan rede and the rule of three. Like…a quarter of the stuff in this book comes from the opposite kind of practices than Wicca. Makes some…interesting medical claims, and not in a historical context, in a ‘you can do this right now’ way.

Also makes some claims that seem outrageous and may trigger some people who are battling EDs. Such as just by being a witch and doing work you WILL eat more or suffer weight gain issues. She also has a massive collection of weight loss spells, love spells, obsession spells, and some spellwork that seems to border on racist viewpoints, such as a slightly different version of the ‘never eat spaghetti from your girlfriend’ tale.

One spell in particular that caught my eye which included uh…putting something you shouldn’t inside you and leaving it there for 7 whole days. Doing so WILL give you an infection and the item will ROT inside your body. Just don’t do this please. The author also has a bundle of fertility spells, which is just fine, but then also has some birth control spells and the author doesn’t seem to acknowledge that proper medication may be needed for both of those things.

Conclusion: Just don't. There's some good in this book yes, and her other work might not be that bad but this one? This is a hot mess of a book and I don't recommend it in any way, shape, or form.

[marcellreign]

The end of the spell reads:

“And the knowledgeable will understand.”

Excerpt From: Encyclopedia of Spirits, Judika Illes

[iridediluce]

La storia femminista nascosta nel giorno della festa di Santa Lucia

Nei tarocchi associata alla carta “Regina di Bastoni”, conosciuta anche come Santa Lucia, Lucia è al centro di diverse storie ufficiali e storie non ufficiali. La maggior parte di questi dice che Lucia doveva sposarsi in un matrimonio combinato, ma poiché non voleva, le sono stati cavati gli occhi, o dalla sua stessa mano o da altri sotto tortura. In tutti i casi, i suoi occhi erano…

[dionysianivy]

God Dionysus

°🏺⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Manifestations: Dionysus typically manifests in the form of a man, lion, bull, or goat. He is the horned Green Man, crowned with snakes. He is sometimes described as androgynous or effeminate with long, beautiful, dark, wavy or curly hair. Dionysus is wine: by drinking wine, one shares the sacrament of Dionysus’ body.

Iconography: He is sometimes venerated in the form of a huge phallus.

Attributes: His primary attribute was the thyrsus: a wand (originally a fennel stalk) topped with a pinecone; also cymbals, frame drums, and other percussion instruments.

Sacred animals: Leopards and panthers, snakes, mules, donkeys, goats, and lions

Mount: Dionysus rides a chariot drawn by griffins.

Plants: Grapevines, ivy, walnut trees, fig trees

Colors: Purple, wine

Spirit allies: Dionysus only wants to be alone when he’s hungover. He is a gregarious, friendly spirit usually surrounded by aretinue including devotees, sacred animals, and other deities. His allies include:

• Apollo

• Demeter and Persephone

• Hekate

• Kybele

• Pan

• Satyrs

• Semele

• Silenus

Sacred site: Dionysus eventually became Apollo’s altar-equal at Delphi, taking over the shrine in winter. He was considered Apollo’s opposite, representing hot ecstatic energy rather than Apollo’s cold rationalism. The coasts of southern Italy are allegedly among Dionysus’ favorite places.

Sacred days: Devotion to Dionysus once dominated Greek winters. In Athens, he was honored by four festivals:

• Dionysia (end of November/beginning of December)

• Lenea (approximately one month later)

• Anthesteria (end of January)

• Great Dionysia (end of February)

🍷🍇🍷🍇🍷🍇🍷🍇🍷🍇🍷🍇🍷🍇🍷🍇🍷

source: Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses - Judika Illes

tip jar.ೃ࿔*:･

[michaeldistortionmybeloved]

me, reading about dualism:

*regular voice* "whAt if tHe pErcEptiOn tHaT mAkiNg loVe iS sAcreD is OnLy aN ilLusioN aNd iNsteAd wHaT iS rEalY BeiNg mAde Is SpiriTuaL wArfaRe?1?!?"

*country voice* "It feels like spiritual warfare when I'm fucking my buddy Steve, I'll tell you that much"

Conversation between me and my roommate:

*in a country accent*

"Howdy there. Did you know that the bull's head has been used for ages as a symbol of fertility, theoretically because of its resemblance to the shape of the ovaries and fallopian tubes? In Çatalhöyük there were even images of birthing women placed around bull's heads. That means that actually, when fellas wear those big bulls head shaped belt buckles, it's actually because they're breedable."

"Gosh darn, I didn't know that. I'm beginning to be suspicious of my buddy Steve."

"Ever asked him if he wants a dick up his ass?"

"I don't need to ask him that, we fuck every Tuesday."

"Oh, of course."

"-see but I don't wanna be hangin' out with one of those faggots."

*followed by me choking on my icecream*

[tiredwitchplant]

The Library MEGA POST!

Hwello. This is a mega post of every information we have so far and where links to new information will be added. This is so chu can get to the information quickly and it will be more organized in this space.

Herbs

Wormwood

Mandrake

Lavender

Clary Sage

Belladonna

Yarrow

Pennyroyal

Patchouli

Culinary Herbs

Garlic

Basil

Dill

Rosemary

Thyme

Bay Leaf

Cinnamon

Ginger

Veggies and Fruits

Russet Potatoes

Apples

Pumpkins

Cranberries

Crystals

Black Obsidian

Amethyst

Tiger's Eye

Lapis Lazuli

Peridot

Bloodstone

Carnelian

White Moonstone

Chrysoprase

Miscellaneous

How to Use Rosemary

How to Use Basil

How to Use Lavender

How to Use Mandrake

Water and Plants

How to Celebrate Samhain!

Sources

Plant Witchery by Juliet Diaz

Complete Language of Herbs by S. Theresa Dietz

Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs Scott Cunningham

The Herbal Alchemist Handbook by Karen Harrison

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Magickal Herbs by Judy Ann Nock

The Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Herb Magic by Patti Wigington

Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier

The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells by Judika Illes

Dictionary of Plant Lore by Donald Watts

The Magick of Food by Gwion Raven

The Complete Language of Food by S. Theresa Dietz

Nature Guide, Rocks and Minerals - DK Publishing

Guide to Crystal Grids- Transform Your Life Using the Power of Crystal Layouts - Judy Hall

Crystals- A complete guide to crystals and color healing - Jennie Harding

The Crystal Witch - Leanna Greenaway

The Crystal Bible - Judy Hall

The Zenned Out Guide to Understanding Crystals - Cassie Uhl

The Crystal Workshop - Azalea Lee

Crystals for Witches - Rituals Spells and More - Eliza Mabelle

More will be added as information is added to the little library. Remember you can support this library by tipping and maybe a pateron in the future.

Thank chu. Bye byes~

[elsa-fogen]

I really like your Artificial Demon AU, it just makes so much sense

Why would he kill overlords? Cause that's what he was trained to do How come he was so powerful when he first fell? Cause he was made to be that powerful by Sera And why would a person who died in the 1930s New Orleans have a name like Alastor? Cause that isn't true, he was never human, so why would he have a human name?

Like, something that has been bugging me a bit is that apparently in the canon show 'Alastor' is his original name, it's not an alias like with Angel (who's real name is Anthony). Which just seems so weird, it really doesn't feel like it should be his human name. Like, what kind of loving mother would name their son bloody "Avenger"? And where/how did she even come up with or find a name like that?

But in your AU, the name makes so much more sense! He's a ruthless killing machine who is 'avenging' Sera for the simple fact that she wasn't allowed to have exterminations. He's her retaliation, her revenge against them, and they had to pay quite dearly indeed.

Like read this and tell me it doesn't fit,

:Exerb from "The Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods, and Goddesses" by Judika Illes

The only odd thing might be that the origin is Greek, when the show itself hasn't really shown to have any conections with that mythology, but like, it's still his name in the canon show

i mean, name Alastor is a normal real name, and back in 1900s they didn't have internet to look up the meaning of the name. And even so, i've seen different readings of the name, also with positive subtext like avenger for the weak and something like that, which is kinda fits for canon Alastor (remember that pre-canon comic yeah)

But yeah, thank you! I also like that this AU origin of Al fits so well to his canon self.

Btw that text on screenshot it actually made me think of Artificer from Rain World Downpour (spoilers don't read) she's a mother who lost her children to the local tribe of another species, and she's now avenging them, by killing every single member of that species, no even the specific tribe, she just started a goddamn genocide. She went so far, that she found and killed the king of that species who didn't even know her and didn't want to fight. And it backfires in the end, because she forever loses a chance to ascend and escape the cycle.

(end of spoilers)

is there a female counterpart for name Alastor btw? Because it would fit her.

[thecupidwitch]

Hi ! I hope you're feeling well and taking care 🫶🏻💜! I wanted to ask, do you have any tips/suggestions for beginner eclectic witch's? I want to get into witchcraft, but there's so much in the practice, it gets overwhelming for me (I have ADHD). Any tips/suggestions? I'd really appreciate it 💜🫂? Blessed be <3

Hello🙂

You don't need to learn everything in one sitting, witchcraft takes time to learn and even the most advanced practitioner still don't know everything. What you need to do is learn about all the basics of magick. This includes:

What magick is and how it works

Tools

Correspondences of herbs, colors, oils, days and moon phases

Divination

Visualisation

Meditation

Energy work

Grounding and centring

Shadow work

Protecting and cleansing yourself (you need to learn how to protect and cleanse before you do any other spell)

Also trust your inttuition above everything else. Always.

books recommendations

The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews by Scott Cunningham

The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells by Judika Illes

Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham

The Sorcerer's Secrets by Jason Miller

The Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

The Art of Mysticism by Gabriyell Sarom ( step by step guide on how to do meditation, breathing exercises, mindfulness and becoming attuned to energy)

Encyclopedia of Witchcraft by Judika Illes

Sigil Magic for Writers, Artists and Other Creatives by T. Thorn Coyle

Some youtubers:

Ivy The Occultist

Mystic At The Crossroads

The Witch Of Wonderlust

Temperance Alden

Willow Grace Astrology (if you are into astrology give her a listen)

Sorry i don't have any tips to help you learn with adhd but if anyone have any advice to give please to anon please do :)

[chaosgarbagecan]

"It is difficult if not impossible to find sympathetic portrayals of Loki. (And yet with Loki, there is always an exception: in a traditional ballad from the Faeroe Islands, after Odin and Hoenir, another Aesir spirit, fail, Loki rescues a young boy from a troll in response to prayers directed to him by the boy's parents.)" -Judika Illes, The Encyclopedia Of Spirits

[thatfamiliartransguy]

Hii Monty, I have a few questions

1) do you have a favourite flower

2) what is your favorite constellation

3) any book recommendations?

Anyway have a great day, also love your outfits your so cool.

hii!

my favorites are belladonna or pacific bleeding hearts!

capricorns constellation is my fav haha

occult detectives by judika illes :>

[the-clumsywitch]

Judika Illes' Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells ebook is on sale for 3.99!!!

I don't know how long this deal is going to last but I thought I'd tell everyone!

[thanatoseyes]

My paired down list of spirit work and death magic. (Obviously this is what works for me and I'm kind of a picky person when I aquire written work)

Physical Media:

Cunning Words: A Grimoire of Tales and Magic by Marshall WSL (This one I pre-ordered and haven't gotten through the whole text but it's a good read. It incorporates the art of story telling with distinct spells and magic. I think it's very unique but I wouldn't recommend it unless you want something with flavor)

Riding the Bones by the three little sisters (this one is an anthology of particular practices from different walks of life pertaining to death and transition. I've only read a few of the stories but for what it's worth I think its good insight)

Botanical Curses and Poisons by Fez Inkwright (I only list this because it's always good to know what's good and bad for you. Know what can kill you and you can probably avoid it)

The Bones Fall in A Spiral by Mortellus (again I've mentioned this before but I think this is a good work for someone getting into the field and needs someone that's direct and experienced in what they do. One of my favorites.

Consorting with Spirits by Jason Miller (I feel like this is a staple of the craft and while I personally don't connect with the material it works and it has some good points)

Metamorphosis by Ovid (I think it's always necessary to deal with primary texts. Go with the classics. Ovid has a beautiful way of writing and you get to really understand the stories and myths that spirits of the dead living etc are connected to and if you do any deity work I highly recommend it.)

Of Blood and Bone by Kate Freuler (I have mixed views on this one. some of the stuff is informative and it provides some good spells, but it lacks transparency and depth. I find Mortellus book far more student minded.)

The complete language of flowers by S. Theresa Dietz (if you work with the dead, deities, spirits or hey plant spirits. Chances are you've come across Victorian flower language. I use this book as a reference guide for symbolism/folklore/ and as a way to connecting with spirits)

Encyclopedia of Spirits by Judika Illes (hey no library is complete without an encyclopedia. I personally like this one because it's very indepth without being too overwhelming. Not sure where to go? Just pick up this book and you can do more indepth research later. It's what it's there for. Reference guides are one of my favorites.)

Okay that's it for my physical media.

I also have a list of digital copies I keep.

Morbid Magic by Tomàs Prower (I think if you buy any book from this collection buy this one. It gives you an over all guide of most death practices around the world)

Historical:

Death, Dissection and the Destitute by Ruth Richardson

The Work of the Dead by Thomas W. Laqueur.

(I list these because they are a good source guide to how we treated the dead and spirits in the past. It's always important we learn from those that came before us.)

Greek Customs: (if you're going to do any type of work with Greek chthonic deities I suggest these three articles/books. I'm not saying its mandatory but these are very helpful guides to understanding ancient thought and how to bring them into today.)

Burial Customs, The Afterlife and the Pollution of Death in ancient Greece by Francois Pieter Retief and Louise Cilliers (free on research gate)

Underworld Gods in Ancient Greek Religion Death and Reciprocity by Ellie Mackin Roberts

Inner Purity and Pollution in Greek Religion Volume 1 by Andrej Petrovic and Ivana Petrovic (this one's my personal favorite)

[delightingintragedy]

A Magical Dis-Invitation: Banishing Spell

Based on A Magical Dis-Invitation and Banishing Powder in Judika Illes's The Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells

Banishing Oil

Starting with the banishing oil, on page 128 there are recipes for some banishing powders. The ingredients for the one I used are:

Chopped bay laurel leaves

Black Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Powdered hydrangea blossoms (substitute: rose thorns)

Sea salt

Grapeseed oil (my own addition)

I completed this oil on a Tuesday, i didn't record the hour, and didn't measure the amounts of the ingredients I used, just winging it. I do think I went a little overboard with salt though (very clumpy/not dissolving). When turning this powder into an oil, I used grapeseed over olive oil because I associate olive oil with prosperity and good health, which were not things I wished for her.

It was mid-October when I cast this spells so the hydrangeas were not in bloom, and I'd never experimented with them in spells work. I wasn't sure how they worked for banishing, but i knew rose thorns would be a nice painful bite. I used well over 100 thorns, you don't have to use that many, I was just pissed and had them on hand.

I believe I also prayed to Hekate to empower my oil to do its job. I shook it daily for a week, then placed it in a dark place to steep.

A Magical Dis-Invitation

Found on page 134. The spell reads as such:

Write the name of your target on a small square of paper, one square per unwanted person.

Anoint each corner of each square with Banishing Oil.

Bury this charm on the path to your entrance door, so that everyone who enters it is forced unknowingly to step over it.

It's simplistic but effective. The oil was able to steep for about a month. Things seemed to cool off and get worse all over again and i was finally fed up. I did this spell on a Thursday in the hour of Mercury. I would have preferably chosen a day and hour ruled by Mars or Saturn, but sometimes taking action immediately is more effective than waiting.

What I did differently: I wrote the persons full name and birthday on the paper, and instead of anointing each corner, I surrounded her name completely. I then turned the strip of paper and folded it away from me. Then I went onto my porch in front of my front door and slipped it through the slats so it'd rest underneath where everyone walks. The path to my home is concrete, so that's as buried its going to get.

After doing this spell the person I wanted gone immediately stopped showing up sobbing and hysterical on my doorstep damn near daily. In fact, I haven't seen her since.

[dionysianivy]

Dionysus - The Night Prowler 🍷🏺

Also known as: Bacchus

Dionysus is popularly called the God of Wine, however that classification doesn’t begin to do him justice as this powerful deity is so much more than that:

• Dionysus presides over Mysteries of birth, life, death, and resurrection

• He is the spirit of untamed wilderness and irrepressible male procreative energy, intoxication, shamanism, magic, joy, hallucinations, madness, and sexual healing.

He was the last of the twelve deities incorporated into the Olympian pantheon and so is usually classified as a “Greek god,” but his original homeland is believed to be Thrace: modern Bulgaria and Romania both claim to be his birthplace. Dionysus was accepted as an Olympian by the fifth century BCE but was known to the Greeks since at least the end of the Bronze Age.

Dionysus was originally served only by women. His female devotees were known as Maenads (Greece) or Bacchanals (Rome). Although men served him, too, women were leaders and initiators in the Dionysian rites, and certain rites were reserved for women. Ecstatic veneration was integral to his rites. To resist his call was to risk madness. Dionysus presides over the orgeia, literally “rites performed in the forest,” from which the modern word orgy derives. His devotees danced themselves into trances:they danced until they tranced.

Dionysus was twice born, first as the child of Zeus and his daughter, Persephone. Zeus named him Zagreus and designated him his heir over all his other children. Jealous Titans kidnapped Zagreus, ripped him to pieces, and ate him, except for his heart, which Athena rescued. Livid Zeus reduced the Titans to ashes and formed humans from these ashes, thus all people share in Dionysus’ (Zagreus') essence.

Zeus brewed a love potion from Zagreus’ heart and fed it to Princess Semele. She conceived Dionysus but died before giving birth. Zeus rescued the unborn child, removing him from his mother’s body and sewing him up in his own thigh to incubate until ripe and ready to be born. Dionysus was then hidden away for his own safety; he grew up in the wilderness of Thrace, nursed by goats. Dionysus was persecuted. Various spirits attempted to prevent him from achieving full power, most notably Hera, who struck him mad. Kybele healed and then initiated him. Reaching maturity, Dionysus led a caravan through Egypt, the Levantine Coast, Asia, and India, accompanied by a parade of Maenads, satyrs, and panthers. Wherever Dionysus traveled he taught people assorted agricultural and artisanal arts, especially viniculture, the creation of wine, and overcoming military opposition, when necessary.

Dionysus is not a fighter and does not usually harm anyone directly. Instead, he strikes them temporarily insane so that they harm themselves, sometimes fatally. Dionysus also liberates from madness and heals mental illness. Among the punishment he inflicts may be alcoholism. If propitiated, he can heal and relieve this ailment, too.

In addition to wine, Dionysus is associated with opium and mushrooms. His festivals featured nocturnal processions with music and masked, costumed revelers. These processions may be understood as armies of spirits, animals, musicians, and women exulting in their sexuality. Dionysus has dominion over all theatrical and dance performances. He is the patron of actors. He was invoked before all performances and presided over drama competitions.

source: The Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods, and Goddesses by Judika Illes

[lazywitchling]

Jes' Collection of Witch Books

I said I would make this list, so here I am, making this list.

These are all the Witchy (and witchy-adjacent) books I own and/or have read. It's a long list, so it's going under a cut!

Key of Symbols:

📗 Read

📖 Reading

📚 Not Yet Read

Books that I own

📗 Rebel Witch by Kelly-Ann Maddox (Review)

📗 A Dabbler's Guide to Witchcraft by Fire Lyte

📗 Spellcrafting by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

📗 The House Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock (Review)

📗 Witchery by Juliet Diaz (Review)

📚 A Witch's Guide to Spellcraft by Althea Sebastiani

📚 All That is Sacred is Profaned by Rhyd Wildermuth (edit: nevermind, he's a transphobe now)

📚 Reclaiming Ourselves by Emma Kathryn

📚 In the Midnight Hour by Anthony Rella

📗 Weave the Liminal by Laura Tempest Zakroff (Review)

📚 Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways by Gemma Gary

📗 Grovedaughter Witchery by Bree NicGarran (@breelandwalker)

📗 The Sisters Grimmoire by Bree NicGarran (@breelandwalker)

📚 Witchcraft by Anastasia Greywolf or Tamsin Chamberlin (don't buy this one: here's why)

Books I read from the Library

📗 The Modern Witchcraft Spell Book by Skye Alexander (don't buy this one: here's why)

📗 Backwoods Witchcraft by Jake Richards

Zines and Pamphlets

📗 A Pagan Anti-Capitalist Primer

📗 Brainscan 33: DIY Witchery by Alex Wrekk (@upthewitchypunx)

📗 Brainscan 34: A Dabbler's Week of DIY Witchery by Alex Wrekk (@upthewitchypunx)

📗 Everyday Magic #1

📗 Everyday Magic #2

📗 Exploding the Tangerine by Clint Marsh & Oliver Bly

📗 Five Principles of Green Witchcraft by Asa West

📗 Hex Your Ex

📗 The Witchy Zinester's Pocket Book of Spells

📚 Twin Peaks Tarot Spreads

📚 Sow Sprout Grow Tarot Spreads

Charity Bundle E-Books

These all came as a bundle, so the quality will vary as it does with any bargain grab-bag. I'm not linking these unless I've read (or am reading) them because it takes a long time, and I have no idea if they're good or absolute shit. If you want to learn about these, you know how the internet works.

📚 City Magick by Christopher Penczak

📗 Consorting with Spirits by Jason Miller

📚 Herbal Magick by Gerina Dunwich

📚 Hex Twisting by Diana Rajchel

📚 Italian Folk Magic by Mary-Grace Fahrun

📚 Love Magic by Lilith Dorsey

📚 Magic When You Need It by Judika Illes

📚 Magickal Astrology by Skye Alexander

📚 Personal Magic by Marion Weinstein

📚 Plant Witchery by Juliet Diaz

📚 Positive Magic by Marion Weinstein

📗 Queering Your Craft by Cassandra Snow (Review)

📚 Reading the Runes by Kim Farnell

📚 Spellcrafting by Gerina Dunwich

📚 The Big Book of Tarot by Joan Bunning

📚 The Study of Witchcraft by Deborah Lipp

📚 The Witch's Eight Paths of Power by Lady Sable Aradia

📚 The Witch's Guide to Wands by Gypsey Elaine Teague

📚 True Magic by Draja Mickaharic

📚 Water Witchcraft by Annwyn Avalon

📚 Wicca Made Easy by Phyllis Curott

📚 Wishcraft by Sakura Fox

📚 Witch, Please by Victoria Maxwell

📚 Witchcraft Activism by David Salisbury

📚 Year of the Witch by Temperance Alden

[jasper-book-stash]

October 2024 Reading Wrap-Up

The eight books of this month really made me experience the whole span of human emotion. And maybe a couple of the shrimp ones.

Religious Text

None applicable.

1/10 - Why Did They Publish This?

None applicable (thank the gods).

2/10 - Trash

Pure Magic: A Complete Course In Spellcasting | Judika Illes

The amount of times I screeched about citing sources or admitting that the author has none...I didn't get too far. The author was wholeass pulling things out of her ass. This is the epitome of bullshit "feminist" pseudohistory. I couldn't even get to the parts about occultism because the bullshit made me throw the book.

(Side note, I don't think it's very "feminist" to depict women of the past as having a beautiful matriarchal society and then having that taken over by men... Like girl, you are actively shitting upon those who came before you! You are downplaying their struggles and lying!!!)

3/10 - Meh

Horses And The Mystical Path: The Celtic Way Of Expanding The Human Soul | Adele Von Rust Mccormick, Ph.D., Marlena Deborah Mccormick, Ph.D., Thomas E Mccormick, M.D.

Here's the thing. Except for the emphasis on combining a whole bunch of cultures together as Celtic, this was just...not the book for me. I'm not Christian, I'm not struggling with finding my faith in any way, and while I like horses I don't care much for the approach. It was just...boring to me.

4 to 6/10 - Mid-Tier

The Husbands | Holly Gramazio

This was a decent book. It's about a husband-producing attic, and the main female character trying to find out what's going on. But it was very difficult to keep up with all of the characters (because their details often changed with each husband) and the female character got to the point where she was just regularly speedrunning husband options. It feels like this was a little too long for what it was. I probably would have enjoyed it more if it was a novella instead of a novel. But hey, it was a debut novel, and we always love to see more authors coming up and out.

7 to 8/10 - Good With Caveats

Mead Mishaps 2 and 3: That Time I Got Drunk And Yeeted A Love Potion At A Werewolf & That Time I Got Drunk And Saved A Human | Kimberly Lemming

I read and enjoyed book one in September, and book two was just as good and fun, with a mystery incel cult going on. Book three was a little less enjoyable than the first, because it felt like it was setting up for things that never came through, and there's only so much new stuff you can tread with the same approach of "male dragon and [redacted for spoilers] human woman". But it was still stupid and fun and very, very horny. And these ones put content warnings in the beginning, which is very nice!

Mothman: Behind The Red Eyes…The Complete Investigative Library | Jeff Wamsley

My overall feelings about this book is that it's fine, the author's interviewing skills suck shit. There are a lot of newspaper clippings and some of the formatting makes me want to chew rocks, but it's otherwise pretty good. We take a very interesting detour into aliens and the Men in Black. It's also important to note that this is apparently the second Mothman book he's written and he repeatedly references the first one, which I do not have, but it also kinda stands on its own.

It's funny because I did not buy this book. My stepdad's coworker heard my stepdad talking about hopes to eventually go to West Virginia to see the Mothman statue and just. Had the book. And gave it to my stepdad.

Honestly, what a fitting way to acquire such a book.

9/10 - Very Very Good

Providence Girls: A Sapphic Horror Romance | Morgan Dante

This book made me want to chew a hole through sheetrock. That is a compliment. DEFINITELY mind the content warnings. Spoilers coming up, but the spoilers aren't actually that surprising when you remember that this is a Lovecraftian lesbian romance.

So the framing of it is that it's letters between Lavinia Whateley and Asenath Waite. Lavinia escapes being sacrificed in Dunwich and runs until she winds up in East Providence, where Asenath finds her and takes her in. Asenath is slowly turning into a fish person because she's from the mess going on in Arkham and they live together and it's simultaneously an analysis of Lovecraftian horror, living in the 1930s, and sapphic romance. They're so freaking cute.

Lavinia's letters are framed as being post-Azzie's fishification while Azzie's are from before that, but the letters alternate to create a linear narrative despite this non-linear framing.

10/10 - Unironically Recommend To Everyone

Doing Justice: A Prosecutor's Thoughts On Crime, Punishment, And The Rule Of Law | Preet Bharara

If you've been paying attention to the most recent posts on this blog, you're not going to be surprised that I've been going insane over this book. Narrative nonfiction wasn't one that I thought I would enjoy, but now I know that I do. There was only one part that I had to skip, personally, because of the details discussed...but honestly, it was so good. I look forward to reading more of what this author writes.