This book was easy to understand and very informative. I also feel that the book has positive, well thought out advice to the beginners that will read this book. This is a very warm, welcoming book that on Witchcraft that I would definitely recommend.

An easy read if you want to learn about witches and for those interested in Wicca. I enjoyed this book and recommend it for anyone interested in this subject.

This is a fantastic beginners guide to modern witchcraft. For anyone who has ever been curious about what it means to be a witch, or how to practice magick, or what the history behind witchcraft is, this book answers so many questions. It's conversationally written, which I also appreciated as it keeps the reader engaged rather than alienating them with new-age speak. There is also a lot of practical information for those looking to encompass more modern witchcraft into their daily routines.

As someone who is genuinely curious about all sorts of metaphysical spheres, I found this book very informative and interesting!

Good introduction to the Witchy way of life - easy to read, appropriately high-level with pointers to more in-depth sources, good writing style. I enjoyed it!

Modern witchcraft is a wonderful beginner’s primer on Wicca from a goddess focused point of view . The Author covered tools, Goddess work, and basic rituals in a fun and easy to read format.
The only thing that really keeps this book from reaching five stars from me is a certain lack of innovation in the data presented. As a long time reader of pagan books I am coming to expect a lot of what they will hold and would like to be surprised more often. More on page citation or diving into talk about how to avoid dangerous groups and teachers would have been nice to see:

Readers who enjoy the work or Scott Cunningham will feel right at home with Modern Witchcraft. This may actually be a good pick for Wiccan teachers or young solitary practitioners wanting a more updated book on the topic.

An informative and intriguing book that was easy to read and understand. I highly recommend this book for those starting out on this path. One of the best reads on witchcraft in 2020. I voluntarily read this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Great Information In this book. I liked that the author included information on tools, herbs, and candles. The modern spin on Witchcraft makes this book a priceless tool for anyone new to the craft. It is also just as enlightening for someone who has practiced the craft for a long time. She offers new insight into connecting with the Feminine Divine through her 5-minute rituals.
I also found her Practical Suggestions for Creating Positive change both informative and inspiring.
I am pleased that I had a chance to review this book as it will be a wonderful addition to my personal library.

A really fun, inclusive overview of the various aspects of modern witchcraft. A great starting point for anyone curious or wanting to learn.

This was a good primer on beginning witchcraft.I read it out of curiosity since this is not my chosen belief system. That being said, it was a decent explanation of the different choices and rituals for those beginning witches. There was also a few appendices at the back that would be helpful for those starting at. I rated it three stars only because the writing, at times, was bogged down.

This book was very easy to read and I thought it was a great beginner book. I also really enjoyed the focus on feminine goddess worship.

I am so thankful that I was able to review this title from NetGalley. As a practicing witch for almost 20 years, I’ve seen a lot of bad books come out pretending to educate others. This book is the real thing, it’s obvious from page one that Ms. Blake has a wealth of knowledge on the topic of Wicca, Witchcraft, and Paganism. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading along and love the fact that she doesn’t talk down to the reader, rather she educates. It’s obvious that she has been practicing for years and loves her Craft.
There’s a huge amount of knowledge packed into this book, everything from Calling the Quarters, to casting a circle, to items that can be used during casting a spell. I particularly liked how she involved goddesses from different backgrounds, not just the usual Greek, Roman, Egyptian pantheons.
This book is well researched, expertly written, and has a vast amount of information to impart. This book can be read by both the novice and someone who’s been practicing for decades.
I can’t wait to be able to get a physical copy to add to my collection. I believe it will be well read and used often in my practice.
**I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Another amazing book on witchcraft and many of the things that go along with learning about the craft. Blake takes you through many of the Goddesses and how to be respectful. As someone who is new and slowly learning about the ways of witchcraft, this is an excellent book to help get started. There is a lot of useful and practical information. Very happy overall!

Modern Witchcraft publishes 7.7.2020.

5/5 Stars

First Glance:
I was curious about this book, as I haven't picked up many beginner-focused books lately. I figured it would be a good peek into that side of available witchy literature, and luckily it was available on NetGalley as a reviewable ARC to request. I'm not receiving anything for this review, other than having a digital copy of the book in my possession.

Positive Bits:
This book is for those interested in goddess worship and Wicca. I'll get into that shortly. However, from that perspective, the information it contains is just enough to wet your whistle. The topics all have a minimal amount of details provided, but I believe this works to give an overview of each topic rather than a deep dive that would come with later research.

My favorite section had to be Five-Minute Rituals to Connect with the Feminine Divine. Contrary to the title, the suggestions lean toward small acts of spirituality you can add to your mundane moments in life. I personally love these kinds of lists, because I'm a firm believer that you're a witch in and out of the circle. Using an evening shower as an opportunity to cleanse both physically and energetically just makes sense, as does the simple act of thanks in the morning. When you first approach Wicca and/or witchcraft, it can feel like everything is loud and big and bright and overwhelming. The Five-Minute Rituals are ideal small steps to bring spirituality into your life without getting bogged down in checking every single box.

The same applies to a section on Practical Suggestions for Creating Positive Change. Blake describes the ways we can use our own focus to build our experience of the world. If you think negatively all of the time, you reinforce the negativity around you. By working to change your inner thoughts to something positive (like affirmations and noticing the positive around you first), you can gain a more positive outlook. This, in turn, pulls more positivity into your life - like attracts like. My favorite affirmation reminded me of the witchy animism I currently practice: <"I come from the earth and the stars. I am filled with elemental power."

Less Enjoyable Bits:
This book is for those interested in goddess worship and Wicca. It isn't for secular witches or polytheists, as it has a hard focus both on the spirituality behind worship and the idea that all goddesses are faces of the same Goddess. Considering the modern witchcraft movement and overwhelming amount of information online, this book is written in a way that would help someone interested in Wiccan-flavored goddess worship and witchcraft as a focus. I don't think it's good for a broader audience than that.

That said, I started off my witchcraft journey as a Wiccan and trained in a Wiccan-derived coven, so the content provided fit into my past experience. Actually, this book comes across like those from the early 2000s when I started my studies; the attitudes and beliefs match with the Wiccan witchcraft of that time period.

The resources in this book are dated. Based on my own experience, I'm going to guess that Blake stopped buying/reading introductory books after a certain point as they were no longer necessary. However, that means she references WitchVox (a defunct website that used to be helpful for finding fellow witches nearby) and no books other than her own that were published in this decade (the newest is from 2008). This isn't necessarily a terrible thing, as Wicca itself has a core of beliefs that haven't changed since its introduction to the public, but Witchcraft has evolved and changed in so many ways that these aged resources don't represent the variety and depth of information now available in print.

Tidbits Worth Repeating:
"When Witches talk about the power of words, it is another facet of the idea that what you put out into the universe is what you get back."
"The goddess loves you. Even when other people let you down, the goddess accepts you just the way you are. She doesn't care that you aren't perfect. She doesn't care what color or size or age you are, whether you are gay or straight or bi or asexual. No matter what gender you were born to, if you consider yourself a woman, so does She."
"And when I feel powerless or frustrated or angry, I can listen to the rain and the wind and remember that in the smallest element, there can be found the potential for incredible power. After all, a drop of rain seems innocuous until it becomes a flood, and a gentle breeze can change into a tornado that wipes out everything in its path. We may seem as tiny as a single drop of rain, but together, we can move mountains."

Is it worth the coin? No – There are plenty of well-written books on Wicca, including many focused on specific traditions within Wicca itself. This book is just too broad in its focus to be useful, especially with the lack of current resources for a new witch to look into after reading.

Interesting take on connecting to the feminine divine. I was curious about Wicca and this seemed a good overview and has a great appendix.

A very strong introduction to Goddess worship and witchcraft. The appendix is particularly thorough.

I thought this was a good introduction to Pagan witchcraft and Wicca specifically. It is particularly useful for those practitioners looking for goddess specific information as the chapter on different goddesses was very comprehensive. The last chapter was also very good as it listed affirmations and guided meditations alongside spells for specific purposes such as love and prosperity. As a book for beginners I would have expected to find more detail on tools, herbs, correspondences, etc but these are included at the end in a basic glossary instead. Much of the book has a strong feminist empowerment and self help tone which makes it stand out from similar books of the same topic. As a reader living in the UK, the American perspective was difficult to ignore and didn't always resonate with me personally.

Modern Witchcraft by Deborah Blake is a wonderful resource for new witches or those interested in learning more about witchcraft. It's full of information and written in an accessible, easy to understand way. I recommend this title!

Modern Witchcraft by Deborah Blake is a quick read that would be a good starting point for anyone who is new to the craft and modern pagan spirituality. Deborah Blake herself is a longtime witch and a well-known author in the community for her books about weaving magic into day-to-day life. Modern Witchcraft by Deborah Blake uses friendly and language perfect for beginners as well as anyone who would like a taste of what modern witches practice.

This is a good, basic down to earth beginners guide to witchcraft, especially for connecting with the divine feminine aspect.

The book touches upon cultural appropriation and the importance of the triple goddess and honoring the different phases of life, including embracing your age/crone phase just as much as the other phases. It then goes into detailing numerous goddesses and how to connect with them.

Next, the book goes into how to tune into the natural world through the Wheel of the Year, lunar cycles, and practical magic such as planting an herb garden, walking/hiking outside, or letting yourself be filled with gratitude for the gifts the Earth/universe gives.

Then, there is a chapter on guiding principles/tenants, and information on practicing solo and with a group and how to approach witchcraft with family, even how to bring it up to your young ones, which I thought was really unique and helpful approach.

The last few chapters before the Appendix detail how to use the strength and healing found through witchcraft to weather difficult times and delve into affirmations, meditations, and spells to empower the witch.

The Appendixes help you with gathering supplies for your witch’s toolkit, go over some basic stones, herbs, definitions, and further reading.

If you are looking for a book that goes in depth on the subject of witchcraft or goddesses, this is probably not for you, BUT if you are a beginner on these subjects, then THIS IS YOUR BOOK! It gives a good overview of these subjects and more, so I recommend checking it out. Plus, the author has created a tarot deck that is really modern and intuitive which would work really well with this too!

I really enjoyed this book - I was not sure what to expect when I received a copy to review. I think that regardless of where we each are on our spiritual path, this is a great book to help us along the way. The exploration of Goddess Empowerment is something I believe each modern woman -regardless of witch, Wiccan, Christian, or any kind of spiritualist can embrace. Thousands of years ago Pagan worship was about nature and the divine feminine, and we, over the course of the years, have strayed so far from that path - this book and it's reminder of who we are and where we come from is fascinating and appreciated.

If, in reading this book, the reader discovers a new spiritual path to Wicca or Witchcraft, Goddess worship, or even if the reader decides, you know, I am happy with my beliefs as they are, that cannot help but be a good thing. I believe Deborah Blake's message is twofold - to inform readers about in's-and-out's of practicing witchcraft and magic, but it is also about exploring our own beliefs, broadening our horizons and being accepting of each other. We cannot always know who we are without discovering where we came from. Thank you for the advance copy of this book, and thank you for some truly interesting self-insight as a result.