Very informative book. Full of a lot of useful information. This book will also be very useful for future reference

This book is not like the author's previous books. I guess I was expecting more for this read. It is not a bad read, but to me it is geared more toward people that know more about Tarot. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on my review.

I enjoyed Cynova's previous book, Kitchen Table Tarot (link to my review). If you are expecting something similar to that, be warned this is very different. This is not a book to learn Tarot; nothing wrong with that. This is more a self help book that uses Tarot card readings to provide the self help. If you enjoy self help books and books that claim to help you fix your life, or part of your life, somehow, then you'll probably like this book. If you are looking for either a book to learn about Tarot or a Tarot reference book, this is not it


The book is arranged as follows:


Introduction: "Can you fix my life?" The author introduces the book and briefly explains how she "designed a reading for each element based on its alchemical symbol" (5).
Chapter One: ""How element readings work." An overview of the author's elemental reading method.
Chapter Two: "How to read Tarot cards." Overview on card reading. This is fairly basic and superficial, but then again, this is not the book's core.
Chapters Three to Seven: The elemental readings. A chapter each for earth, air, fire, water, and spirit.
Chapter 8: "Additional Spreads for Clarity." These spreads are mainly to clarify the five readings.
Chapter 9: "Self-Care." Tips on self-care. Not much new here, it is basic but good general advice.
A conclusion, an appendix of Tarot card meanings, a recommended reading list. Not that none of the books on the list are related to Tarot. They are mainly a selection of self help books on topics like uncluttering, natural healing, and in one case "secrets of the heart."

While I found the idea of using Tarot to address life issues intriguing, and also found intriguing using the elements to organize those readings (for example, earth reading to deal with material matters, money, career, so on), the book just does not totally focus. Each reading chapter features some personal stories from the author, the elemental spread, two sample readings, and an exercise to do with the readings. To be honest, a lot of the books feels a lot like self therapy. The initial story parts at times just read like meandering personal stories; I wondered at times if some or all of that personal drama of her ever had a point. Chapter 3 is a good example; it has close to six pages of just the author's personal drama before we get to the actual spread and reading. At that point I was wondering "yea, so what?" The rest of the book follows a similar pattern.


Overall, this is a book for a specific project of self-help or self-therapy. It just happens to use Tarot for the therapy. If you need or want that sort of self help, and you are already familiar with Tarot, this book could be for you. In that sense, this is like any other self-help book out there.


This is not a good book for learning Tarot or further developing your skills at it. For that, you can get the author's previous book or get any other good Tarot reference book. In the end, the book was just OK.

I'm interested in learning more about tarot. I think this book would be better for people more familiar with the cards and that I needed a book more geared to beginners. Thanks for letting me try it!

This is a great little book on the Tarot and would be a great place for Tarot starters to begin. I loved reading this and actually ended up learning a lot about Tarot and how to use the cards!

I am very new to tarot card reading but thought this gave me a deeper understanding of what it means to be a tarot reader. Maybe a little too simple at times, but enough detail to garner a new appreciation of the craft.

Everyone needs a mentor in their life. If you find yourself stuck and is unable to move forward and you’re spiritual in a card-reading-kind of way, then Melissa Cynova’s Tarot Elements is a perfect book for you.

The author not only teaches you how to read tarot cards but goes through her hard life experience and those of her clients to inspire and motivate you to get to where you are going in life. However, it is up to you to take that step. Like the author says, “Use your drive and devotion to get out of the rut. You’ve got stuff to do. Remember that you’re in charge of you. Move forward. Don’t stop. The two steeds in front of the chariot will do what you ask, but you have to ask. Otherwise, they’ll just start wandering down the paths of habit and take you where you’ve already been.”

This is not your typical tarot book. I was pleased to see new and innovative ideas for readings in this book, with practical instructions. For those new to tarot, this book takes the fear out of tarot and makes it accessible.

This book is the one that growing tarot readers have been wanting — maybe without knowing what to ask for. The book is a set up to let us watch over the shoulder of an experienced reader as she designs a series of spreads and plays them out on/for/with friends and clients.

The meh rating is because I had a hard time engaging with the work. The voice is the same one we know and love from Kitchen Table Tarot, but the organization and flow of ideas worked so much like a masterclass (being part of a group getting individual feedback) it got repetitive and the notes (when I tried to take them) bounced all around with the setting and context.

The part that threw me the most was the use of elements in metaphor in a way that didn’t match the line up I learned with my tarot practice. Primarily the identification of Fire with the body.

The main bit of advice I have for/about this book is get the physical copy rather than a digital one. At least, if you’re like me and want to be able to flip back and forth between spreads, comparing layouts and how they aligned. I haven’t held the physical book yet, but my imagination tells me I would bump the rating up a star just from the increased accessibility of the ideas.

I recommend this book (in a physical copy) for tarot readers who learn best kinesthetically or by watching others. Everything is clearly described and one could lay out the cards being discussed to practice the feel and compare instincts with the author.

My thanks to Net Galley and Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for the chance to review a digital copy of this book.

I read and loved Ms. Cynova's Kitchen Table Tarot. I am certainly just a beginner so Tarot Elements was a little beyond my experience level at times. That being said, I can certainly see the value in this book, and intend to use it to extend my knowledge and practice of tarot. It's written quite conversationally, Ms Cynova makes it seem easily applied. Together with a tarot deck, the books (Kitchen Table Tarot and Tarot Elements) would make a great gift - even to yourself!
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

I really enjoyed this book! Melissa Cynova's conversational tone worked 100% for me. I liked how straightforward and honest she was. She also made me laugh more than once.
The layout of the book was great - it was easy to read straight through or skip around for specific information. I enjoyed the way she tied the elements to the cards. The specific readings and interpretations were fascinating.
I especially enjoyed the tarot meanings appendix - the tone and clear, simple, direct language was right up my alley.
I know I will enjoy working my way through the readings and exercises as I need them.

The review is also posted here: https://reviewsbookworm.blogspot.com/2019/03/tarot-elements-book-review.html

Tarot elements presents a new way of reading tarot cards. This new way consists of custom spreads, with specially crafted questions, and all by using the basis of the elements of the cards.

Wands represent fire, swords is air, pentacles is earth, cups is water, and the major arcana represent spirit.

After telling you "where to start", the author then continues by informing you how to read tarot cards.

Step by step instructions are included in the book, including a graphic for the spread. The author mentions that this section is dedicated to those new to tarot reading.

After this, all the elements are divided into their readings specifics.
First, we see "earth/home". I really relate to her description of the earth element, how it represents being grounded, feeling safe, and how finances could also be part of earth, as it sometimes makes you feel secure if you have your needs met with your current income.

So she continues by saying that the purpose of an earth reading is to know/ask about safety, security, and peace of mind.

The earth reading spread is presented with the meanings of each position, as well as two very detailed earth readings examples. Filling the examples you will find an exercise regarding your home and the earth elements of your life.
The author sends you to clean your home and mentions that her favorite housekeeping website is unfuckyourhabitat.com
Well, with that name I'm absolutely curious and I feel the need to pause my reading and check this site. (turns out is a nice resource, but beware, lots of curses in the writing of this website).

The author presents a set of 4 steps to clean up your home, including decluttering and only keeping what makes you happy. Which inevitably makes me think of the magic of tidying up by Marie Kondo.

I though that it was very strange to encounter this kind of advice in a tarot book, yet they are nice and welcomed. Although unexpected, I appreciate any well meaning advice or to do list.

Following the home section, the author talks about finances and budgets. As mentioned above, this topic forms part of the earth element, because of the security attribute that finances could provide or deprive you of.

More advice follows, this time in the topic of money and finances of course. This feels less and less a book about tarot, but since the purpose of the readings are to help yourself, I can see their value.


So, we move to the next chapter, which presents the next element: Air/mind.

After an extensive introduction on this topic and things that entails the element of air, the air spread is presented, as well as the examples of an air reading, which I found really helpful. Just like in the previous chapter, two full examples are included.

The air chapter also features an "exercise" section. And since air is the topic, the author starts with very fitting breathing exercises.

The fifth chapter sneaks in, with the element fire/body. A reading to light the way, the author says.

The next chapter is focused on the element of water/heart. And after that, you can find that the focus is on the element spirit/soul.

Just like in all previous chapters, all include an introduction, the spread for their element, 2 detailed examples of a reading, exercises, and advice.


Although all elements have been presented, there is still more to follow in this book.
Additional spreads for clarity, each with graphics, description and one example.

A chapter on self-care offers yet more advice. And is finally followed by a conclusion.

The appendix shows meanings of each card in a regular position or reversed.

I have to say that I was very surprised by how different this book is from other tarot books, even with the subheading being that the readings are to help you reset your life, I wasn't expecting so many exercises that focus on everyday activities and that seem to be mundane and not spiritual, yet they affect us in various ways.

I really enjoyed this book and found it nice to be surprised by encountering more than the "usual". But also liked to find yet another interpretation of the tarot cards. I find extremely interesting, how the same meanings of the cards can be explained with so many different words and different approaches, makes it easier to learn the various possible interpretations of the cards.

I would recommend this book to anyone that is not only interested in tarot, but that already has been acquainted with some readings. As this is a rather different approach to the "classic reading". This book is not difficult to grasp, so a beginner could also benefit from it, just like anyone else. Yet in my opinion, knowing the basics prior to reading this book will be of higher benefit to the tarot practitioner/student.

So I've read Kitchen Table Tarot and loved it. The information inside to the author's voice. She adds wit to her writing that I just love, she has me laughing while teaching me things and I love the combo. She adds wonderful examples before every spread, making it easy for people to pick up quickly. I love the way she ties the elements into the readings and I can't wait to try them.

Review will go live on my blog 3/6/2019

Melissa puts a spin in tarot reading! Granted, I'm still on a basic mode so knowing all the spreads/ways of reading might be a bit much for me, but I like the book nonetheless and will sure be back once I master some basics. However, in the examples, Melissa puts a lot of explanation in each card and it can get a bit boring.

I’ve been meaning to read Kitchen Table Tarot by Melissa Cynova for ages now, so when Destiny let me know that Tarot Elements was available for request on NetGalley, I was stoked. The spreads all seemed immensely helpful and Melissa described their purposes very well in addition to providing some exercises to help you stay in the proper headspace for each element. My only complaint is the specific examples given for each spread. While these were helpful to a certain extent in understanding how the spreads worked, they felt quite repetitive and I ended up skimming through most of them. Regardless, I did enjoy reading through this and will definitely use these techniques in the future!

This books is very useful, full of ideas, hints and advice.
I liked the style of writing, the clear explanations and how it was organized.
It can be read by anyone who's new to Tarot or more experienced user who want to learn something new.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Llewellyn Worldwide and Netgalley for this ARC

I would like Netgalley and Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for giving me the chance to read this arc.

I'm fairly new in this world, this book being only the second one I'm reading about Tarot, with the Llewellyn's Little Book being the first one, but the writing in both of them are so magnificent. I'm in love with Tarot and it's elements and I'm slowly starting to understand a bit more and get more into it. All being very helpful about it.

Cynova explains it all very beautifully that even a novice like me can understand slowly!

Thanks to NetGalley and Llewellyn for the ARC which I received in exchange for my honest review.

Melissa Cynova seems like an awesome person (I know, this is a BOOK review, not an author review, but let me go on). Her sense of humor, her intelligence, her warmth – it all came through the text and made me want to devour the book. Now, her style might not be for everyone, but that's ok. I enjoyed it.

I also enjoyed how Cynova has used the ages-old method of using the elements in addition to the cards and made it something new-ish. I'm sure the method isn't new, per se, but it's new-ish. We'll go with that.

I have yet to do any of the readings myself due to personal reasons (mentally, I'm not ready to face some hard truths and I know it)... and the fact that I wanted a complete overlook of the book before I started doing the readings.

Why four and not five stars? I found myself skimming through the examples. Yes, they're important to make sure the Tarot readers understand just how to interpret cards in each position of the spread, but it got quite boring after a while.

Having read (most of) Cynova's Kitchen Table Tarot, I was pretty excited to have the chance to read this new release of hers, but I have to say I didn't love it quite as much. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great guide to some really cool tarot spreads, and I loved the whole idea behind focusing on your energy and all in certain levels related to the elements, but the writing itself didn't pull me in as well. I think my biggest complaint was that it felt like this book would've benefited tremendously from being a lot shorter. It felt like Cynova spent a pretty solid portion of the book bulking up the page count with repetitive anecdotes, and at times I started skimming for pages on end because it was just kind of like, Okay, I get the point, can we move on to the next thing?

That said, this is still a solidly cool and unique look at using tarot readings to improve your life, and I will absolutely be taking away some exercises and spreads to use in my own daily life—starting with the 'Earth' spreads and exercises to get my home in order for the first time in far too long!

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm very very new to tarot reading, and while this isn't exactly a book for beginners, I look forward to getting some info from it as I learn more. Definitely worth saving!