Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I wouldn't necessarily consider this a guide, but more of a personal journey that people can relate to. I still really enjoyed the book.

A beautiful quote attributed to Rumi is at the beginning of Chapter Eight in Rebecca Beattie’s wise and gentle book The Way Through The Woods which says, ‘You were born with wings, You were not meant for crawling, so don’t: You have wings. Learn to use them and fly.’
In this gentle, captivating book, Green Witch Rebecca Beattie sets out in a very practical and user friendly style the pathway to being able to fly once again, despite or in spite of the life pathway you have been on, or are in the process of travelling.
She reaches out through personal experience and learned knowledge, using the analogy of walking a pathway through the woods, a place of deep mystery, occasionally danger but immensely full of wisdom and healing. Rebecca is a Gardnerian Wiccan.
Dividing life’s journey into seasons is a very comfortable way to be able to take a look at how life tends to move in tune with the seasons, which also falls in with the Wiccan spiritual pathway utilising feminine spirituality and the teaching of Tarot to offer healing and enlightenment.
As you work through the chapters, which are best read carefully and slowly, there is a second tier to the story that of an archetype, perhaps yours, perhaps not but complimentary to learning, understanding and accepting the healing being offered throughout the pages.
Beginning with the Winter season, that of coldness, death and rebirth, she discusses the death of a loved one and the emotional trauma that we, in the modern world, fail to accept as we move forward so quickly, setting out a lovely incense recipe and a simple and yet effect ritual to undertake in Memory of your loved one.
This sets the style for the rest of the book, each chapter commencing with a small but significant slice of poetry, and the Tarot card relative to the topic of discussion. As each of the seasons unfold, each chapter holds much wisdom, many life lessons and a gentle, positive way towards acceptance and healing, which culminates in The Manifesto of the Perfectly Imperfect Life.
Once again the final Section commences with a lovely piece of poetry from Rudyard Kipling which leads into a most appealing statement of intent and motivation. This then concludes with the invitation to go out and find your perfect ‘tree’, sit under it, take a deep healing breath and listen to the beauty in the world around you.
The perfect ending to a charming, eloquent and very comforting book on travelling life’s pathways through the often difficult and troubling woods in which we all live.

I appreciate the way the author delicately uses nature as a means of understanding the human experience. This is a lens I use for understanding myself and the world, and I found the work to be insightful and refreshing. An excellent addition to those that love the authors previous work.

I went into this book not really knowing much about it and it defied any expectations. It was deeply impactful, taking on heavy topics with nuance and sensitivity. The thread of witchy ways and the importance and symbolism of nature throughout made it really beautiful. It left me with a great deal to think about and look inward on.

Thanks to NetGalley and Elliott & Thompson for this ARC. The opinions reflected in this review are my own and unbiased Thank you for the opportunity to review this title.

The Way Through the Woods by Rebecca Beattie was such an impactful, insightful and illuminating read that shed light on some heavier topics that often get overlooked when it comes to the metaphysical but their importance is significant and this book did not shy away in its approach.
The connection and personal journey the author traversed through these hard life events was genuine and heartfelt I could feel myself in that room with her beautiful mother during those sad but transformative moments as someone who has also been in that situation i felt that connection to a fellow sister and shared in that loss and transformation.
I enjoyed the aspects of each pathway and the intuitive exercises and tarot formations along with all the little rituals and exercises as you traverse each area. It did indeed as its namesake says "walked you through the woods" journeying through each path interconnecting .

I learned a great many things throughout this read and took and overwhelming amount of notations for future reference it was an absolute joy to read the works from this author and I will absolutely seek out further works.
I would highly recommend this book to all in the metaphysical world and even in general if you have experienced loss. divorce a crisis of life path or just needing insight and guidance on where to next in this crazy world we are living in you will not regret the read.

Again thank you for the opportunity to review this title.

My biggest criticism for this book is a total lack of pictures, although that might be just my review copy that is set up this way. So many things are discussed in the book, and it would be so lovely to be able to break them down a bit by including pictures of tarot cards, altars and other magical objects.

Otherwise I greatly appreciated how this books helps the reader to deal with extremely emotional situations in an approachable and respectful way without veering too far into being overly outlandish. I will definitely buy myself a copy once it's out, and do some of the proposed activities properly.

The way through.thecwoods is the perfect book to help guide you through life's ups and downs. This book is unlike any other wiccan book I have read before. It gently guides the reader through life's cycles linking each to a season on the wheel of the year and providing the reader with exercises to help guide them through each cycle.

This book really is full to the brim with ideas, journal prompts and rituals. It got a little overwhelming because there's so much. I think this is a great book to sit down and savor slowly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Elliott & Thompson for this ARC. This is my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

Rebecca Beattie takes us on a lyrical journey through each season of the year, each of which depicts two different corresponding life themes that may be difficulties in life (i.e. family, grief/loss, career, relationships, menopause and more). Along the way, she writes a short fantasy allegory that relates to these themes. She often relates to stories from her own life as well as many researched sources. Additionally, she includes practical tips to help engage the reader in the topic at hand, if that theme is what the reader is going through or currently relating to, for example journal prompts, or witchy rituals or activities.

I found this book to be just ok. Possibly because there was only one chapter or theme that I can currently relate to. Therefore, it felt a bit boring or hard to pick back up to continue through the other bits. However, I did find there to be some wise nuggets of information sprinkled throughout the book and the journal prompts often incredibly thought provoking!
It reads like a memoir and a self-help book. If you’re currently in the thick of it in one specific theme, such as grief/loss, you may find something helpful, but the entire book isn’t dedicated to that one topic, so it feels a bit surface level and possibly not what you are looking for if you want more in depth help/support with that topic.

Not sure if I would recommend. I could foresee myself coming back to re-read the specific chapters if one of those topics were to arise in my life.

I think I need to become an editor or proofreader because I spot 99% of spelling and grammatical errors 🫠

A seasonal journey through life and the up and downs that brings with it.
Set over the four season's it features stories, advice and rituals to help you overcome certain trials and tribulations most of us go through in our lifetimes.
It also reminds us to get out into nature and use it to help heal ourselves.

Actual rating 3.5

The Way Through the Woods by Rebecca Beattie is a journey through the seasons and events of life. Imaginative narrative of a woman's journeys through the woods weave together with intelligent discussions of the seasons of human life, along with relevant Wiccan rituals that are easily adaptable for any belief system. I found the book to be full of wisdom and I wish it would have been written 30 years ago ! Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

DNF at 20% - the book, sadly, isn't for me.
The book felt more like a personal journal/autobiography than a guide of any kind.
Further, the authors voice was just not for me and couldn't get me to keep reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free review copy of this book!

I must admit I was expecting a different content from this book, it was less related to witchcraft and 'the green witch' than I was hoping for. The few elements of magic and spirituality are presented in almost an apologetic way in favour of a more self-help-book tone, which was a bit disappointing. However, considering the target market is probably those readers who aren't into witchy things and just want to get closer to that world in a very gentle way, I guess this could work. Still, I learned some new practices, quite enjoyed the relationship and love chapter and the examples from the author's personal life made the whole book more relatable. It'd be great if the author could write a more advanced part 2, with more practices and maybe even a bit of history of the green witch tradition.

The Way through the Woods is a self-help book that looks through a spiritual lens. Using the spiritual beliefs found in Wicca and witchcraft, Beattie helps guide readers on a journey through the trials of life. In this book, Beattie offers personal anecdotes while demonstrating the power of storytelling in finding one's way through life. She also provides many different rituals, incense/oil recipes, meditations, tarot spreads, mindfulness exercises and journal prompts to help leave the reader with practices or activities they can take with them along their way.

I am not Wiccan, but would consider myself a pagan witch. Despite the Wiccan elements, I found many chapters to be helpful and relatable. I would say that anyone who is spiritual or on an earth-centered path would enjoy sections of this book.

While the book masterfully explores intricate life subjects, I found that the author might have ambitiously tackled a multitude of topics. Although the seasonal setup is apparent, the extensive range of themes occasionally leaves the reader pondering the cohesion. Nevertheless, within its pages, "The Way Through The Woods" offers a profound exploration of psychology, shadow work, and mystical rituals, making it a valuable companion for those navigating challenging life stages. Rebecca Beattie's rich insights, coupled with the book's focus on nature and seasonal wisdom, create a compelling tapestry of guidance and introspection.

I really like the way the author lays out the book at the beginning, as well as the seasons which is how the book is divided. It's a bit of a roadmap through significant events encountered throughout ones life, and the guidance is lovely and kind-- a good aunt chatting with you over a cup of tea at the kitchen table kind of dialog. Twinkling eyes, wry smiles and a warmth thats reassuring as she passes little gifts of wisdom across the table. I started reading this book on my birthday. We don't all or always have a circle of women in our lives to tell us it'll be alright. This book, for me, was like the next best thing. I frequently related to and resonated with a lot of the stories or references made.

This is not a 'how-to-witchcraft' in case you were looking. This is more like an advice & self-help book thats written by a witch. There are beautiful bits of information within, and it's worth reading, but it's not presented in the usual formula if you were thinking so based on the title and cover. There are rituals that punctuate each topic covered in the book (death of loved ones, end of relationships, new relationships, family, career, home & belonging, entering your crone era, potential & self actualization) and the author deep dives into each subject with beautiful stories and solid advice pulled from her own experiences and practice as a witch in a very practical, no nonsense way. The magic in this book is painted with a very light brush so if you're not really into or thats not your cup of tea it would hardly go amiss.

My takeaway: it was like having really good conversations with a friend that I'll take with me and will need on my journey through the woods from someone who's been walking ahead.

Thank you to the author & publisher for allowing me to read this book early in return for my honest review. (3.7 stars ⭐)

A really beautifully written book, in a poignant and soothing way. It covers quite a few hard subjects and offers guidance through those difficult times in life. I'm not sure how well each fit into the seasonal set up of the book, but I understand the structure the author was trying to go for. The ideal audience would be someone going through a difficult life stage (a death, job loss, menopause), as this book would offer a lot of support and insight.
It does lean much more psychology and shadow work than witchcraft, but there are many rituals to be incorporated. I thought some were a little complicated and required a lot of tools and ingredients that would not be readily available, and therefore I wouldn't recommend this book to a beginner or a witch on a budget.

This book will be helpful for a lot of people. It was beautifully written and is one you can refer to over and over. This would make a great gift for someone going through a big life change.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

I wish I could believe in magic but alas I do not. I do, however, see the power of inner convinction, ritual and focus. "The Way Through the Woods" is exactly what the title says, it's a "Green Witch's Guide to Navigating Life's Ups and Downs" but mostly it's of psychological nature and the 'magic' is a ritual to focus and process. While I disliked how very binary it was and alienated me a bit. I also found it academically unsound, the stages of grief were not challenged properly and the book did tap a bit into esoteric stuff, which is not my cup of tea. But overall it was quite sweet. 3 stars

The Way Through The Woods is a mystical, magical reminder — full of stories and encouraging practices to get out in nature and let the rhythm of the seasons embrace, heal and nourish you and your intentions. What I’m enjoying most are the themes and correspondences, poetic quotes, tarot references, and the try this experiences for each theme. It’s fascinating the deep dives Rebecca Beattie takes us on. Oh and if you haven’t read it already, I highly recommend Beattie’s other book The Wheel Of The Year.