Like many Witches, I’m an avid reader. I never read as much as I want to, and I regret that I will die before I get to everything on my reading list. I’ve read 25 books so far this year and here are the best books I read in 2023.
Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods: History, Insights & Magickal Practice by Jason Mankey and Astrea Taylor (Spirituality)
I am a Wiccan who loves the Greek pantheon, so I was excited about reading Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods: History, Insights & Magickal Practice by Jason Mankey and Astrea Taylor. It’s important to note that this book is not about Hellenic Reconstruction. It’s a friendly introduction to the Greek deities and a guide to placing them in the contemporary practice of Paganism and Witchcraft.
Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods is an excellent book for people who are not entirely new to Witchcraft but may be new to working with the Greek goddesses and gods. You might still find some small gems if you’re more experienced with Greek deities and Witchcraft.
Read my full review of Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods: History, Insights & Magickal Practice.
Hekate Soteira: A Study of Hekate's Roles in the Chaldean Oracles and Related Literature by Sarah Iles Johnston (Spirituality)
Although I place it in my Spirituality category, Sarah Iles Johnston is an academic and Hekate Soteira: A Study of Hekate’s Roles in the Chaldean Oracles and Related Literature is a work of scholarship. Hekate Soteira explores the role of Hekate in the Chaldean Oracles, a collection of spiritual philosophical texts used by Neoplatonist philosophers from the 3rd to 6th century CE.
This book expanded my ideas about liminality, transitions, and boundaries and made connections about Hekate’s development and associations that had eluded me. It also contributed new techniques to my practice. Hekate Soteira is a must-read for those with a serious interest in the goddess. I recommend this book for intermediate and advanced students and practitioners.
Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick & Manifestation by Mat Auryn (Spirituality)
Mat Auryn’s Psychic Witch is an excellent book for the beginner Witch with a basic understanding of Witchcraft and magick who is ready to commit to developing the necessary skills to grow. Auryn provides clear explanations and many exercises on meditation, purification, shielding, elemental and planetary energies, and more, putting it all together to perform magick effectively.
Many of the exercises in this book were familiar to me from my Georgian Wicca training, but it wasn’t always easy to see the relationship between them. I appreciated the organisation in this book and the cohesion the author creates. Psychic Witch is an excellent tool for teachers, too.
On the Orishas Roads and Pathways: Oshun, Deity of Femininity and On the Orishas' Roads and Pathways: Yemojá, Mother of the World by Miguel Willie Ramos
If you want to learn more about the orishas Oshun and Yemaya, you couldn’t do much better than these two books by Miguel Willie Ramos.
Oba Oriate Miguel W. Ramos, Ilari Oba, Lukumi olorisha of Shango, was born in Havana, Cuba and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He is a scholar, teacher, and a well-known and respected figure in Lukumi communities who is not afraid to challenge traditions.
On the Orishas Roads and Pathways: Oshun, Deity of Femininity and On the Orishas’ Roads and Pathways: Yemojá, Mother of the World are hefty volumes that include who the orishas are, their attributes, stories, roads, relationships with other orishas, photos of initiates, and a bibliography.
Good books on Lucumi are hard to find, especially in English. I can’t recommend these enough.
Circle for Hekate - Volume I: History & Mythology by Sorita D'Este
I’ve read Circle for Hekate – Volume I: History & Mythology by Sorita D’Este before, and I refer to it regularly, but I read from front to back again this year as part of my Hekate book club. It remains my favourite book about Hekate written by a Pagan author.
Circle for Hekate is an excellent book for anyone interested in what we know about Hekate, what we think we know about the goddess, and why. It’s a book about history, mythology, and archaeology, not magick, though indeed devotion. Sorita D’Este is a priestess and writer but not a scholar. It’s important to remember that Circle for Hekate is not an academic work and should be a stepping stone towards more exploration.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Fiction)
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid was on my someday/maybe list, but I picked it up after reading that Netflix is adapting the novel into a feature film (a series would be better).
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo tells the story of Evelyn Hugo, a reclusive former Hollywood star, as told by Monique Grant, a young journalist Evelyn chose. As Evelyn recounts her glamorous and tumultuous journey through seven marriages, the novel explores themes of love, ambition, identity, and the sacrifices made for fame. It delves into the complexities of Evelyn’s relationships and the price she paid for success in the entertainment industry. The narrative weaves between the past and the present, revealing shocking secrets and culminating in a poignant twist.
I liked The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo as I read it, but the end captivated me. I look forward to seeing a film or television adaptation.
Gods and Mortals: Ancient Greek Myths for Modern Readers by Sarah Iles Johnston (Spirituality)
Sarah Iles Johnston is a scholar of ancient Greek myths and religion. She usually writes scholarly papers and books, and Gods and Mortals: Ancient Greek Myths for Modern Readers is her first book for the general public. This is a book of mythology, but I place it in my Spirituality category.
I haven’t sat down and read a collection of myths since I was an adolescent. I love Gods and Mortals. It’s almost Biblical, organised chronologically. It’s fresh, vibrant, and accessible, and Johnston’s academic background shines through. I appreciate that she adds context, draws attention to often-overlooked female perspectives, and brings the ancient stories to life. I read this before my trip to Greece, and I loved the connections between the stories and the land. I highly recommend Gods and Mortals.
For more on what I’m reading and some reviews, connect with me on Goodreads.
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