I Don’t Believe in Astrology" by Debra Silverman is like a mirror for those just beginning their self-discovery journey—gentle, curious, and accessible. Silverman blends personality archetypes and elemental insights in a way that feels more like a conversation than a lesson, which makes it a great introduction to understanding yourself through the lens of astrology (even if you’re skeptical).

But if you’ve already done the deep, soul-layer peeling work… this might feel more like a rerun than a revelation. It’s not bad—sometimes reminders ground us—but for seasoned seekers, much of this will feel familiar, even repetitive.

That said, it could still be the perfect “re-introduction” if you’re in a season of circling back to the basics.

I enjoyed this book. It was like I was getting an refresher course on astrology. Plus I also learned new things and it explains a lot about my horoscope sign. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

I Don't Believe in Astrology is an interesting evaluation of how astrology defines personality and how intrinsically linked these are. It's an interesting take on the psychological connection with astrology.

Rating: 5/5
I received the eARC for my honest opinion.

New year, so I wanted to branch out with my books. I have always loved learning about Astrology, so when I saw this “self-help” book about Astrology I was happy to grab it.

I loved how this author didn’t just make a typical book about astrology but one that was more about using astrology as a tool to help have a better understanding of ourselves. I loved that when I got to learning more about Cancer, I found that I could relate to what I was reading. I loved that I was able to understand more about the emotional understanding about yourself and invites you to learn not to be so harsh to yourself, but to be more open about things.

I liked that if you’re not into astrology, but you would like to pick up a book and learn this is one that you should read if you love astrology and it’s a book that you should read if you’re ready to dip your toes or if you’re not sure about astrology because it’s not about fortune telling.

I will be recommending this book to everyone.

I want to thank NetGalley and SMP for the opportunity to review this book.

If you’ve ever read a book on astrology that just left, you shaking your head and wondering what it all means, this book is the antidote to that. The author has her in this so well and clearly that you’ll find yourself actually understanding the content and looking forward to putting it to practice in your own life.

Here’s the thing, I DO believe in Astrology - in fact, I love it - but the title absolutely drew me in! As a follower of both medical and holistic approaches to healing, I thoroughly appreciated the incorporation of psychotherapy into astrological concepts. Silverman, an experienced therapist and astrologer, started out by covering the basics of astrology and then delves into the psychology of each zodiac sign, devoting a chapter to each. I connected deeply to her descriptions of my sun, moon, mercury, Saturn, and rising signs. Her observations were spot on and the suggestions for finding the high road of each sign were useful. Whether readers believe in astrology or not, this book will offer a new perspective to explore.

Recommended for public library collections or as a perfect gift for astrology enthusiasts!

Read-A-Likes: Cosmic Health by Jennifer Racioppi and Cosmic Care by Valerie Tejada.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this eGalley.

Honestly, this isn't a bad book, but it wasn't as helpful as I thought it would be. I was intrigued by this being a therapist's guide to astrology, but honestly, some of the things for Aquarius do not apply to me at all. For example, I always laugh at it when someone says oh you are quirky and love technology....I loathe technology and my team of 20 somethings had to bully me into a new iPhone. Just saying. I was hoping this would get into more things that I have experience that my therapist has helped me with, high anxiety, imposter syndrome, etc., I thought that may be tied to astrology in some way that I thought would make this interesting, but it was very light on all of that.

This is pretty much the same thing as most astrology books, date of birth, time of birth, location of birth, find out your sun sign, etc. However, as another reviewer noted, she doesn't tell you how to find some of this which was weird. I think she thought that anyone reading this book would be familiar with astrology and how to find that information. The only reason I know is that I was born on a cusp, so I actually do need to know the time of my birth to figure out which "house" I am in (either Capricorn or Aquarius). Speaking of cusps, I was surprised she didn't talk about that at all.

Some interesting things I wish we had gotten more details on was the 13th sign she mentions, she talks about us being in the Age of Aquarius, but how in 2026 we will see an entire shift with concerns to government/climate etc., but I was confused honestly since so many people disagree about when the Age of Aquarius actually starts and will end. I think next age is supposed to be Capricorn (do not quote me on that) but again that whole section of the book moved pretty quickly through that and I wanted more details.

I Don't Believe in Astrology is an amazing read Guide to the Life-Changing Wisdom of the Stars
by Debra Silverman.
This book is such an interesting read.
Using Debra’s method combining the wisdom of astrology and psychology, readers will remember the truth of their
soul’s expression, seen through the eyes of self-love.

I Don't Believe in Astrology: A Therapist's Guide to the Life-Changing Wisdom of the Stars by Debra Silverman is an accessible and insightful book that explores the transformative power of astrology. Renowned psychotherapist and astrologer, Debra Silverman, provides a supportive, engaging, and informative discourse on how astrology can positively impact our lives.

I can’t remember how many times I’ve brought up astrology only to hear someone immediately dismiss it as nonsense. Invariably it’s someone who’s never read more than a newspaper horoscope, so of course they don’t believe in it. This mentality is what first drew my attention to I Don’t Believe in Astrology: A Therapist’s Guide to the Life-Changing Wisdom of the Stars by Debra Silverman. I was interested in reading an astrology book that might be more convincing of the power of the planets.

Why I Chose This Book:
Beyond that catchy title, I liked that this book would highlight the crossover between astrology and psychology. If I could go back to school, I would absolutely get a degree in psychology, so I thought this angle would be interesting within the realm of astrology.

I’ve read dozens of astrology books before, so I’m not the target audience of a newcomer to astrology. Even so, I find there’s always something to glean.

What I Liked:
- Finally I kind of understand the houses! As I said, I know quite a bit about astrology, but one thing I’ve never really gotten is how houses work into all of it. I appreciate the chapter devoted to explaining the houses and what they mean for the different signs/planets in your birth chart. I’m still not an expert, but at least I understand the gist of it now!
- New perspective on Saturn. I like how this book points to Saturn as the life lesson you need to learn. For me, with my Saturn in Capricorn and my ongoing longing for career success, it all clicked into place. This was an eye-opening way of looking at an outer planet that I mostly ignored before.
- More holistic approach to astrology. It’s not just your sun, moon, and rising sign! This book emphasizes the Saturn, midheaven, and house placements, which adds so much more dimension to your astrological makeup.
- Esoteric perspective. Debra Silverman’s practice is esoteric in its approach (unlike most popular astrology), which gives this book a fresh perspective on how much weight each planet holds for you. I enjoyed looking at my birth chart in a new way. The author also describes your sun sign as your ego, your rising sign as your soul, and so on. An interesting take!
- Thank you for stating that astrology cannot predict the future. I think this is the thing that makes so many people view astrology as nonsense, and I appreciate how the author explains that astrology predicts energies, not outcomes. We still have freewill to respond to things, and that can depend on where we’re at in life (low road vs. high road, for example).
- Fun, approachable writing style. This book is easy to engage with and is set up in a way that it would be easy to flip to the sections relevant to you. Personally, when I got to part two, I read all about my sun sign (Gemini), then read up on the smaller sections within Taurus (my rising and mercury), Cancer (my moon), and Capricorn (my Saturn). I’ll need to check the birth charts of my husband, son, and so on to read up on them, too!

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Surface-level about signs. I wanted more insights and greater depth. Though, admittedly, that could make the book quite a bit longer.
- Not enough psychology. Beyond the ego, id, and so on, I was hoping for more of a psychological perspective on things. Maybe what I need is a psychology book with a dash of astrology?
- Probably wouldn’t convince people to believe in astrology? Despite that title and the hinted promise of readers coming away with newfound belief in it, I don’t know that this would make believers of most readers.

Final Thoughts
Overall I enjoyed reading I Don’t Believe in Astrology. I learned a lot about the houses and Saturn, and I appreciated the fresh perspective thanks to psychology and an esoteric approach. It could have gone deeper and been less repetitive (enough about gremlins!), but it still makes for a handy reference for anyone interested in astrology.

Debra Silverman has such a unique, welcoming, no bullshit, funny voice! I was lucky enough to have completed Levels 1 and 2 of her astrology school (though imposter syndrome and insecurity both have stopped me from doing anything further with it) and this book carries the same energy. Some experts in their field want to gatekeep information to keep themselves at the top - Silverman shares everything she knows, and still is the best in the game because she has the heart and the wisdom.

This is a great read for those who truly do not believe in astrology, for those looking for more validation about why we do believe in it, and anyone in between!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This book really deserves 10 stars!
Yep, this book describes human beings to a T, foibles and all! Ms Silverman certainly tells it like it is-and it’s so refreshing. A little scary but refreshing. This is by far the best explanation of the zodiac traits I’ve ever read.

I have tried many times in the past to figure out what my birth chart meant but every time I just ended up confused. I can’t explain exactly why, but with this book everything immediately clicked. So worth reading! Really, seriously do not pass this book up! You will learn why you are who you are and it’s such a relief!

A unique and quite interesting view on Astrology from a therapist’s standpoint. Debra Silverman dives into the science and specifics of astrology and guides readers down a path of enlightenment that many may find endearing and inspiring!

Thanks to NetGalley for this one!

Oof. I just could not get into this. It was very repetitive and I was getting bored often. I am grateful for the copy!

Honestly a book on astrology with a more therapeutic lens is just what I needed. I took so many notes reading this!

It was a little too dry for my taste. Astrology is a matter of perspective so I am not sure it works for a book

Debra Silverman offers a unique lens on astrology, and certainly writes about the characteristics of the signs in a way that’s different from what I’ve read before. I really enjoyed her therapeutic lens and the “real life” advice she offered. She also has a very honest, quirky writing voice that made the book easy to read and fun to engage with. I’m grateful to the publisher for the ARC, and looking forward to buying a physical copy once it’s released — I’m sure I’ll be marking it up and returning to it for reference for years to come!

Debra Silverman is a world renowned astrologer and I have several of her books. She is big into simplicity - and astrology for many, can be such a mind buster. I do have four years of study in the subject matter so this was a nice refresher course of her approach to the art of it.

She's hilarious, if anything. If you're looking for a book to learn about things to look for on your chart - this is a great one to check out.

One of the things Debra likes to say that if you take anything from your chart to focus on for the rest of your current lifetime - your Saturn! Take note while reading.

Thanks for the ARC e-read, NetGalley, Debra Silverman, and St. Martin's Press!

Readers who are fans of astrology will likely enjoy this book. It includes an explanation of the signs, planets, and houses, then dives into each sign. When I requested the ARC, I thought that because it says "therapist" on the cover, the book would relate astrology to therapy techniques. Based on the title, I thought it would be a skeptical take on astrology, using the framework of astrology to derive insights into our psyches. There was a tarot book a few years ago that took that approach, using the cards for insight while staying grounded in therapy techniques. This book did not do that, instead telling readers exactly what they are like based on their signs and astrological charts. It wasn't the book for me, but as I said, readers who enjoy astrology will find this book useful.

I Don’t Believe in Astrology by Debra Silverman is a beginners guide to astrology by a therapist.. It aims to guide you how to use the wisdom of the stars to understand your psyche. Learn how to identify with not only your sun sign, but every zodiac sign, planet and house in your birth chart. I dnf’d this book at 30% due it being very repetitive, lacking in depth on any zodiac sign, planet or the houses they rule. I also could not take the word gremlins being used one more time to describe negative feelings and thoughts. Overall felt like a teenager on Wattpad writing about astrology.