Category: Book Reviews

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Books You May Have Missed

The publishing world moves quickly, and even good books can disappear from view once the excitement surrounding their release has passed. For this edition of The Pagan Bookshelf, we are stepping away from the newest arrivals and reaching back a little farther for two Moon Books titles that deserve another look. Robin Herne’s Pantheon: The Egyptians was published in 2021, followed by Halo Quin’s Crimson Craft in 2023, but neither book has lost its relevance simply because newer titles have since crowded onto the shelves. Sometimes the best addition to our reading list is not the book everyone is talking about right now, but the one we somehow missed the first time around. Continue reading Books You May Have Missed

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More From Red Wheel/Weiser

Some books teach a technique. Others invite us to reconsider the way we understand an entire practice. This week’s Pagan Bookshelf offers a little of both, with three works spanning spellcraft, Tarot, and the Toltec spiritual tradition.

Eileen Holland’s A Cauldron of Spells returns in a new edition, bringing a collection of practical spellwork to a new generation of readers. Rachel Pollack’s Tarot: The Open Labyrinth celebrates its fortieth anniversary with a new edition, while Michelle Rodriguez and Sergio Magaña present teachings rooted in the Toltec tradition for contemporary readers. Together, these books remind us that not everything arriving on the “new releases” shelf is entirely new. Sometimes a familiar work finds fresh life in a new edition, and sometimes traditional teachings find a new audience. Continue reading More From Red Wheel/Weiser

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More from Weiser Books

This visit to The Pagan Bookshelf brings together three books concerned, in very different ways, with what we make of ourselves. Loren Morris puts cord magic quite literally into our hands, Shavonne Readus approaches Tarot as a means of developing confidence and self-understanding, and Madison Murphy Barney invites us into the decidedly stranger territory suggested by a title like Our Ancestors Want Us to Be Mushrooms.

Practical magic, Tarot, ancestry, identity, and transformation make unusual shelfmates, perhaps, but Pagan bookshelves have never been particularly interested in behaving themselves. Let’s see what these three have to offer.

Continue reading More from Weiser Books

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New From Moon Books!

Few publishers have embraced the sheer breadth of contemporary Paganism quite like Moon Books, and this week’s Pagan Bookshelf demonstrates just how many directions that breadth can take us. We have dragons and ancient lore, Irish mythology in fresh translation, the enduring presence of Herne the Hunter, and Witchcraft steeped in the color, fragrance, history, and magic of lavender.

These four books range from scholarship and folklore to devotional and practical magical work, but all share an interest in looking more closely at the stories, beings, traditions, and natural allies that continue to shape Pagan practice. Whether your interests run toward Celtic myth, legendary creatures, the wild forest, or the Witch’s garden, there is quite a bit here to explore. Continue reading New From Moon Books!

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New from Red Wheel/Weiser

The Pagan Bookshelf is getting a little crowded lately, which is hardly the worst problem an editor can have!

I am blessed to review an impressive assortment (and number) of new books the publishers send our way, and rather than make good books wait patiently on the shelf for the next quarterly issue, we’re opening the doors a little wider here on the Green Egg Blog.

This week, three recent releases from Weiser Books approach personal transformation from very different directions. Amy Blackthorn takes plant magic into the shadowlands, Elwynn Green explores the liminal spaces of Witchcraft, and Leslie Tagorda asks what happens when astrology moves beyond telling us who we are and begins asking what we intend to do about it. Here is what I found between the covers. Continue reading New from Red Wheel/Weiser

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From High Muses to Hallowed Ground: A Triple Review of New Titles from Moon Books

Reviews By Katrina Rasbold

In the ever-expanding landscape of spiritual exploration, a curated selection of books can serve as invaluable guides for practitioners both new and seasoned. This article delves into three distinct yet equally compelling titles from the Pagan Portals series by Moon Books, each one offering unique perspectives and practical wisdom.

From celebrating the wellspring of creative inspiration with the ancient Muses, to navigating the solitary path of Heathenry, and exploring the profound magic rooted in the earth itself, these works provide rich insights and thoughtful guidance for those seeking to deepen their understanding and practice of the craft. Join me as I explore the pages of Pagan Portals – The Muses: Calling to Creativity & Inspiration, Pagan Portals – Heathenry for the Solitary Practitioner, and Conjuring Dirt: Magick of Footprints, Crossroads & Graveyards. Continue reading From High Muses to Hallowed Ground: A Triple Review of New Titles from Moon Books

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The Many Veils of the Moon by Mitchell King

Reviews By Katrina Rasbold

In a crowded field of magical texts that often recycle the same basic correspondences, Mitchell King’s The Many Veils of the Moon: A Grimoire of Lunar Magic for the Green Witch arrives as a refreshingly original and deeply poetic voice. King, an accomplished poet and educator, weaves a grimoire that is as beautifully written as it is practical, offering a sophisticated guide for those seeking to deepen their communion with the lunar cycle. Continue reading The Many Veils of the Moon by Mitchell King

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The Borderlands Tarot / El Tarot de Tierras Fronterizas by Enid Baxter Ryce and Luis Cámara.

Reviewed by Katrina Rasbold

When we think of “borderlands,” we often think of political lines or separation. The Borderlands Tarot dares to reimagine this space as a lush, magical point of convergence—a place where ecosystems, cultures, and spirits bleed into one another to create something entirely new. Continue reading The Borderlands Tarot / El Tarot de Tierras Fronterizas by Enid Baxter Ryce and Luis Cámara.

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Plant Magic At Home: A Guide to the Magic of Houseplants by Enid Baxter Ryce.

Reviewed by Katrina Rasbold

In an era where “plant parenthood” has become a cultural phenomenon, Enid Baxter Ryce offers us something deeper than just watering schedules and sunlight requirements. Plant Magic At Home is a vibrant, illustrated guide that invites us to stop looking at our houseplants as merely decor and start seeing them as energetic companions. Bridging the gap between practical botany and green witchery, this book is an essential manual for the modern urban dweller seeking a connection to the wild. Continue reading Plant Magic At Home: A Guide to the Magic of Houseplants by Enid Baxter Ryce.

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Pantheon – The Romans by Rachel S. Roberts

Reviewed by Katrina Rasbold

In her latest addition to the Pantheon series, historian and spiritual teacher Rachel S. Roberts invites readers to step past the marble ruins and cold statues of the history books and into the vibrant, beating heart of the Ancient World. The Romans is not just a dry recounting of dates and conquests; it is a spiritual travelogue that reanimates the “City of a Thousand Gods.” Continue reading Pantheon – The Romans by Rachel S. Roberts

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Chaos Magic by Ivy Corvus

Reviewed by Katrina Rasbold

Chaos Magic is often misunderstood and often seen as too complex, too edgy, or simply too “chaotic” for the average practitioner. In this addition to the Pagan Portals series, Ivy Corvus strips away the gatekeeping and confusion to present Chaos Magic for what it truly is: a highly adaptable, results-driven, and liberating spiritual technology. Continue reading Chaos Magic by Ivy Corvus

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Loki: Trickster and Transformer by Dagulf Loptson

Reviewed By Katrina Rasbold

Let go, if you will, of the image and canon of the Marvel villain, Loki, and cast your mind back to the Norse legends. Don’t worry. Tom will be waiting for you when you finish.

To accurately clarify the legendary Loki, we also must shuck off any ideas of the Christianized “Devil of the North.” Instead, read this book to meet the real Loki.

In this book, author Dagulf Loptson delivers a groundbreaking guide that shatters the misconceptions surrounding the Norse pantheon’s most controversial figure. This isn’t just a history book or collection of lore. It is an invitation to dance with the fire without caring if you get burned. Continue reading Loki: Trickster and Transformer by Dagulf Loptson

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Wild Earth, Wild Soul by Sky Otter

Reviewed by Katrina Rasbold

Sky Otter presents a compelling call to action in this second edition of Wild Earth, Wild Soul: A Manual for an Ecstatic Culture, an expanded version that builds upon the original by offering deeper insights and updated practices aimed at fostering a culture that exists in harmony with the natural world. Continue reading Wild Earth, Wild Soul by Sky Otter

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Mabon: Discovering the Celtic God of Hunting, Healing and Harp by Kelle BanDee

Reviewed By Katrina Rasbold

Kelle BanDea’s Mabon: Discovering the Celtic God of Hunting, Healing and Harp offers a transformative exploration of the deity Mabon, challenging conventional associations with the autumn equinox and presenting a multifaceted portrayal rooted in Celtic tradition. Continue reading Mabon: Discovering the Celtic God of Hunting, Healing and Harp by Kelle BanDee

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Sabrina: Discovering the Goddess of the River Severn by Brett Hollyhead

Reviewed By Katrina Rasbold

Brett Hollyhead’s Sabrina: Discovering the Goddess of the River Severn is a compelling exploration of the myth, magic, and enduring legacy of Sabrina, also known as Hafren, the goddess associated with Britain’s longest river. Published by Moon Books in April 2025, this volume is part of the Pagan Portals series, designed to introduce readers to key deities and spiritual practices in accessible yet meaningful ways. Continue reading Sabrina: Discovering the Goddess of the River Severn by Brett Hollyhead

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Paid With a Kiss: Love and Sex in Fairy Belief by Morgan Daimler

Reviewed By Katrina Rasbold

Morgan Daimler’s Paid with a Kiss: Love and Sex in Fairy Belief is a compelling exploration of the intersections between folklore, sexuality, and human belief systems. Daimler is well-known in the Pagan literary community for her attention to detail and meticulous research. Paid with a Kiss: Love and Sex in Fairy Belief continues this tradition and is a scholarly yet accessible exploration of how fairy folklore intersects with human concepts of love, sex, gender, and intimacy. Published in May 2025 by Moon Books, this book offers a comprehensive examination of fairy-related beliefs across nearly two millennia of Western European history, focusing primarily on Irish, British, and French traditions. Continue reading Paid With a Kiss: Love and Sex in Fairy Belief by Morgan Daimler