Unfamiliar Familiars

A must have for a wannabe witch.

Unfamiliar Familiars: Extraordinary Animal Companions for the Modern Witch will help you find your familiar. It lists each familiar's strengths, weaknesses and characteristics. Book also includes a quiz (just to make sure you pick the right familiar) and wonderful illustrations.
A great gift and a conversation starter that's also educational... A true must have.

Oh, and my familiar is a lobster.

This is perhaps one of the most comprehensive and practical ready reckoner and guide to chose your familiars if you are aspiring to become a unique and successful modern witch. The book not only gives the rituals and ways to identify which familiar should you chose but also gives a detailed analysis of which species of familiars will be suited for which kind of witch. It goes one step ahead and enlists the suggested names, start sign, strengths and weaknesses of all the identified familiars.

The book proposes an 'adopt don't shop' philosophy. It also gives unique characteristics of all familiars such as the requirements for changing name of snakes once they change their skin, that spiders have a work life balance issue, grey squirrels are jerks unlike red squirrels but seals are the best,

The authors declare that this is by no means a complete list as they are in process of identifying many ore magical creatures and suggest that to become a fine witch, we need to keep a kind and open heart, The book is one of its kind. Illustrations are so beautiful that you will spend more time looking at them, than actually reading the book.

This was a hilarious and brief quiz that at the end pretty much tells you your perfect spirit animal. It was sarcastic as hell, which I always appreciate in books that are supposed to be humorous. However, I don't understand how this is classified for older children. It is more for immature, moronic, older adults. I know this is an edited proof, but some of the grammar mistakes were a little hard to tolerate and kind of aggravating. Overall, this was funny and I was curious to see what animal pairs with me; I got sloth (LOL, hmm). Don't know if I agree with that because I am not lazy, although I love my naps.

A different kind of read and it is short, 96 pages just to see what animal you get. A good way to waste an hour or two.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 9/1/20

This book is everything I thought and hoped that it would be!
A cute and mystical intro, Toss in some sarcasm and witty humor, and a dash of random - you’ve got this adorable book!

I hope that when it is printed there is something magical looking about the spine.

I loved everything about this book, as it was everything it needed to be - short, cute, sweet and silly. No critiques at all - I hope to see more of this author. Perfect for a gift for a friend (or coven member!)

I recommend actually following the guidelines on the quiz - I got a an eerily appropriate familiar, no matter how weird the questions were!

This was a fun read. For anyone interested in finding their next magical animal companion or for those just interested in needing a good laugh. Brief history and an unorthodox yet comical quiz will lead you to one of the 40 familiars listed. The witty humor in this was my favorite.

Unfamiliar Familiars gives the modern witch (or interested reader) a few extra options for what kind of furry companion might be best fit them. It delves into forty unusual creatures that most wouldn’t associate with magical practices. How do you know which of these cute or unusual creatures might fit you best? Why, through a short, silly quiz that matches you! My unusual familiar is a Dik-Dik, which is totally fair given my short stature.

Overall, this book was absolutely adorable and was a very fun read. The illustrations are fantastic and rendered in a gorgeous pallet of various water colors. The quiz has some funny questions that made me smile, like “PANDAS,” and each creature’s description contains some interesting facts about the creatures as well as a few fun, potentially ‘magical’ properties each creature may possess. It also gives some suggested names for your new familiars, their zodiac and elemental associations, and their strengths and weaknesses, all which offer plenty of humor and pop culture references!

For what the book itself is, which is just a delightful, illustrated read with adorable pictures of animals, it's spot on!

This is a beautifully illustrated book featuring some unique familiars for your spiritual ways. It starts out with a flow chart helping you find your perfect familiar. Mine was a Leafy Sea Dragon aka a Chaos Wrangler. When I got to the page featuring this creature it said that it partners well with “witches whose favorite color is rainbow”. Why yes I do say rainbow and glitter are my favorite colors and Chaos Wrangler?! I’m a teacher so yeah a perfect match for me. A few more fun ones I saw were the Lobster, for Salty Witches, and a Hippo for witches who adore a river mud face mask. Each familiar has an element, Star sign, suggested names, strengths and weakness as well as a quirky blurb.

I love this book it is fun and gives you a feeling of what it would be like to have a familiar that is unlike any other. It has a fun map to help you find the familiar for yourself. Each familiar has info you need to know about them like their sign (water, fire, and so on). I will be buying this when the book comes out. .

This is such a fun, quirky read. Great to find out your familiar, with each including their strengths, weaknesses and more! Hope everyone also enjoys the quiz as much as I did.

Would also make a fun gift for a friend!

Fact: I love reading about witchcraft and things associated with it. And I love animals. So when I saw this book pop up on my dashboard on NetGalley, I knew I had to try it. And I didn't regret doing so!

In a world where more and more people find solace in paganism, it is a pleasure to find a lighthearted book like this one. Whereas a lot of books in the magic(k)al field tend to be dry, this one isn't. I know it's not even supposed to be a real handbook to find a familiar, and that's what I liked most about it. It doesn't pretend, it doesn't make up stuff and sell them like they're real; it is fun, light, and most of all magic in its own way.

I loved the design of this book and hope that when it gets published, the cover itself gets a lot of attention in the same way the inside of the book has gotten it. The drawings accompanying each familiar are gorgeous, and so are the smaller drawings on top of each page. The texts provide surprisingly much depth, and show us which familiars will do well with certain types of witches and their zodiac signs.

It's fresh, it's funny, and it actually has a lot of depth. And for all interested: my familiar is a dik-dik (and they're cute asf!).

- Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review -

What a delightful book. Fun, clever, and extremely cute and enjoyable. It makes both for an entertaining read and for a charming gift.

Such a super fun and cute book. Love the variety of familiars and the overall set up of this book. Fun read!

Unfamiliar familiars is a book about uncommon witch familiars. If you're not into this stuff, the book is definitely not for you. However, if you like me and think everyone has a little witch-y thing in themselves (the word for witch in my native language also means a knowing woman), then you're going to love it!
The pseudoscience behind how to choose a familiar, summon it and what are the difference between the different animals is written amazingly. The details are well thought out and the book is a pleasure to read, so no matter what the test says you should get, it's an absolute must to read about all of the animals. The presentations are short and sweet and the illustrations are amazing.
A really nice short read.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.*

A must-have for all witches out there. A fun, cute guide to finding the most unexpected witchy familiar. I loved the concept and art style, with colorful illustrations depicting each animal charmingly. I was surprised by all the detailed information about each familiar. You will not only get a description of your (possible) companion, but also a list of strengths, weaknesses, signs, and name suggestions (which are always helpful).
Every single page brought a smile to my face. I only wish we could have gotten even more unfamiliar familiars.

This is a really fun, silly book that will help you find your nontraditional witchy familiar. I can see it appealing to kids, teens, witches and animal lovers with a sense of humor. It's all tongue in cheek but it's pretty well done, with lots of details for each animal and what makes it best suited for some people. Big, full page color illustrations depict each animal and they're charming and well done.

I've decided my spirit animal is the axolotl. It partners well with people who cry during insurance commercials (wince, that's me), its strengths include body part regeneration (okay, less so), elemental magic and smiling, and its weaknesses are gill sensitivity, an overly trusting nature and sunburns. Also, it's just really cute and it makes me smile. (See, smiling.) ;)

Great fun, and it makes me grin in a time when I like things that make me grin.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

Review to come on August 8th on Blog, August 17th on Goodreads.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

Sorry, but how can one just resist a sloth upside down on a broom? Raise your hands, if you dare. No one, good! Plus, I love that this book is about familiars and seemingly not about the standard you generally have (cats, dogs, demons in some form, rats, snakes), but about all sorts of familiars.

I had a big laugh at the introduction and how the author told you about two ways to find your perfect familiar. One meant maiming the book into a swan and sending it on its way and what came back would be perfect for you. Or you could just not harm the book and follow the flowchart. While I was tempted (shock face) to try out origami, I couldn't as this book is an ebook. :P The flowchart it is, though I have to say I think that one would also have worked better in normal book as now I see one page each time and have to remember my spot.

Before I decided to just casually stroll through the book and check out all the familiars I decided to follow the flowchart and see what animals I would get. First try, Sunbear! I do love Sunbears so I was delighted this one was my first animal. I do love the sun and love being outside. Next up I tried following another path to see what my familiar would be if I had picked another route. Next up was a Burrowing Owl, awww! Yes! That one also fitted me. In the summer all I wear if I am outside are sandals. Plus I just love owls!

Now I knew what the flowchart would grant me, I decided to check the book itself and scroll through seeing if I could find more animals which may be a familiar to me.
I loved how each animal has various parts to explain about the animal. From what kind of witch the animal partners (which at times feature hilarious things like this one on the Axolotls (Witches who cry during insurance commercials) well with to suggested names (from cute names to hilarious ones to very serious ones) to elements and more. It was great fun to get so much information and to read all about the animals. Each animal also has an illustration and I just Love the style, it really fitted the animals and I just wanted to reach out and pet a couple of them (never pet bees though :P).

All in all, I would highly recommend this fun and delightful book to all. I am sad that I reached the ending, I wouldn't have minded many more familiars and reading all about them. Hopefully one day we will get more from these two authors. *crosses fingers*

I was provided this book as a free ebook copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was drawn to this book because of the cover, thought it was quite whimsical and cute. I did not read this book cover to cover as the style of the book is more "choose your own adventure" by determining your spirit animal and then reading the pages that further explain the animal that you were linked to. I did however read my spirit animal (Capybara) and the platypus page, quite jealous that I hadn't been selected by it.

I thought the descriptions of the animals were quite well done, but I was expecting longer statements about each animal. That being said, I could see this being a hit at a pre-teen/teenager's sleepover with want-to-be witches and mages present to each take turns being matched with an animal and reading about it aloud. This could also be an effect coffee table book to have out for perusing while hanging out with friends, providing a fun conversation starter for the room. Additionally, I could see it being a fun gift for someone who considers themselves a modern day witch.

I think this book is great for the right audience and is more of a usable decor item than book that would be placed on a "to-read" list, but for that I feel it could be quite effective.

Some books you just KNOW you'll be buying a hard copy of. And sometimes you have to wait months till it comes out to do so! I CAN'T wait to get this book in hand. My entire household had SO much fun taking the quiz and reading about the familiars we got. The test was silly and fun and I knew right away this was going to be a good read. The unfamiliar animals were interesting, engaging, and humorously written.

This will be a staple in my house. It will sit on my coffee table for guests to discover their own Unfamiliar Familiar for years to come!

I really enjoyed this book it was insightful and pleasant to read.
Learning about the various creatures, their roles and abilities.
The illustrations are beautifully done as is the cover art. This is a book people would be drawn to and will look through and read for both information and enjoyment.

This book was so much fun. I can't wait to share it with my students in September -- in fact, I think I'm going to post a teaser about it now. As I was reading it I kept laughing out loud and sending quotes to my sister and husband, both of whom I made go through the flow chart to figure out their own familiars. (Mine is a ball python, apparently.) The illustrations are beautiful and funny, with sort of a Beatrix Potter vibe. The asides and allusions in the familiar descriptions will appeal to a wide range of readers. I also found myself wishing I could write a book using some of these familiars and their witches as characters. My only critique is that I wish the flow chart/quiz wasn't so binary/linear; more criss-crossing decision paths would be fun. A must-read for any fantasy fans and backyard witches who also love memes and light-hearted snark.

Are you a witch in need of a familiar who’s good with fruit arrangements? Or maybe your one who’s always enjoying the time it takes to finish a crossword puzzle and need a companion to suit your lifestyle.

Well, this guide covers it all. And with a simple to follow quiz laid out in the introduction, you can sooner than later find that unfamiliar familiar.

Or you can be like me and read this whole book cover to cover because it’s just so damn entertaining. Filled with countless jokes and winks to pop culture, Megan and Justin do a fabulous job of rounding up the not so seemingly magical creatures for the modern-day witch.

Why have cats and toads when badgers and lobsters could be more your style?

With beautiful illustrations and well written summaries for each familiar, including strengths, weaknesses, and possible names, every page comes to life and feels fantastically real.

Perfect for the fall cozy vibes, this book is never too serious or over the line cheesy and simply offers readers of any age whimsical enjoyment and an even better chance for imagination.

Beautiful book, would make a wonderful gift for the witchy person in your life! Amazing artwork, cute creatures, and some great humour.

This was a really fun read! I love personality quizzes and thought this was a really cool guide. I had fun sorting through the different animals and pairing them with my zodiac and traits. I was surprised by the familiars that resonated with me--I am either a Shoebilled Stork or a Lobster. Super excited to meet them soon lol. I know some of my friends’ zodiac signs too and I thought some of the animals were spot on matches with certain traits!

This book was so funny and wholesome, in all honesty if you love witches and witchcraft you will have a great time reading this.
I adored the illustrations and the art style, it's really neat and pretty.
I must however say that my familiar is not quite what I was expecting (since my element is fire and my zodiac sign is Aries) and I got a water element and and a Pisces (I got the leafy sea dragon) familiar but I wouldn't mind him as my familiar since he's adorable.

OMG, how quirky and fun! This is a must have for any witch's coffee table. The concept was so playful and there were even familiars I"d never heard of, so, I learned something while giggling. The table at the starts says luna moth for me, which honestly feels right. Sort of... my husband is obsessed with moths, adores them, so that's fitting. ;) The book itself is laid out easy enough, with a starting part about familiars and then sections for each one. The art work is wonderful and charming. It really ads so much to the fun.

These would make perfect gifts for witches in your life, all ages, we tend to be young at heart.

Sometimes you just need to dive into an adorable little read like this one. Especially if the cover features a sloth swinging from a flying broom above the words animal companions and modern witch. I was lured right away.

"Unfamiliar Familiars" is an imaginative collection of forty familiars, aka witchy companions. Each one comes with a hint of irony, a delightful illustration and a dedicated page of peculiar traits, charateristics and a list of possible names. A lot of the names associations were actually hilarious, for example Joanna for the monitor lizard (if you don't get the reference, you're not a Disney nerd and you should definitely fix that). The best part though is finding your ideal familiar. I'm still not 100% sure about mine, but the quokka looks like quite a nice match.

Since the idea at the foundation of this book is so brilliant and I enjoyed it a lot, I was a tad disappointed that the content wasn't further developed. The "pokédex format" was lovely but personally I would've appreciated more detail, and perhaps some additional illustrations. It feels a little bit incomplete as it is now. Nevertheless, a cute read!

This book is very cute!!!!!!!!!! I LOVED the design, the illustrations for each familiar is LOVELY. I always love when a book has this kind of details.

And not only can you meet a wide variety of magical familiars (all of them very cute), but you can also take a quiz to find out which is yours! (and some answers are very funny and weird). And my familiar is a Leafy Sea Dragon (For those witches whose favorite color is rainbow! I mean...YES).

Another thing that I Loved about this book it's the detail information for each familiar (element, star sign, strengths, etc). It's a very entertaining book and I already want to recommend this to my friends so that they discover their magical familiars.

Unfamiliar Familiars is a type of book that is fabulous to have in the living room so anyone can look at it and entertain themselves for a moment. Amazing!

This is a really fun and cute, witchy book about familiars for witches, but not the ones we know like toads or black cats. We learn throughout the book which types of unfamiliar familiars would suit you best as a witch and we learn more about these animals. It's a lovely and well-written book for children, but also for adults who love all witchy and spooky things. The art in this book is gorgeous, which we can already tell by the beautiful cover of this book. 100% recommend this one!

Unfamiliar Familiars was very cute and had a great sense of humor. I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations of the familiars and chuckled at the various methods for discovering which familiar is meant for you! Unfamiliar Familiars asks why we always assume a witch’s familiar has to be traditional and provides some fun alternatives. This would be a great gift and I also think it would be a big hit at parties. According to the book, my familiar is an axolotl. Once you’ve determined your familiar, you will learn some imaginative facts about what it means to have this animal as your familiar. (For example, having a swarm of bees is a bit more complex than you might think!) Unfamiliar Familiars was a lighthearted and enjoyable read. Unfamiliar Familiars releases September 1, 2020. Thank you so much to Megan Lynn Kott & Justine DeVine, Chronicle Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fun and quirky not-serious nonfiction with charming illustrations of possible familiars aka animal companions for witches, aside from the usual animals we associate with witches such as toads and black cats.

Each animal comes with an adorable profile of strengths and weakness and which witch they'd be perfect for. It's perfect for animal lovers and fantasy lovers and those interested in witchy literature. I loved it and it was such a fun and light book!

I thank Netgalley and Chronicle Books for the digital ARC.

This was really cute! I’ve always been intrigued by the concept of a familiar, so I figured I’d give this book a read. I love the variety of animals and the little descriptions, especially the name suggestions. It was a little whimsical but overall an interesting read! Now I want a familiar to come into my life, or maybe it has already?

A witty little book! There are great illustrations and the tone is quite funny. I literally LOL’d at “Bees - weakness - pesticides and global warming”.

Highlights include a survey to match you to your familiar, I got an axolotl (unlikely for me to find out here in AZ) and they have some adorable and “unfamiliar” choices!

This is a fun and appropriate for people (re: witches & warlocks) of all ages but I’d most recommend it for young adults and middle grade readers. It’s a modern and sassy read with cool familiars and fun facts! I really enjoyed it all the way through!

+ THERE’S A HEDGEHOG! Love, love, love.
Overall, super adorable and enjoyable & the cover art (& all art) is 5/5.

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review*.

What a cute book! Unfamiliar Familiars could make a great book for middle school kids, or adults who fall into these three categories: animal-lover wizards, sorcerers who are into husbandry, or grown-up witchcraft enthusiasts. Joke aside, this book is such a breath of fresh air: it is full funny outrageous remarks and adorable whimsical animal illustrations.

Whimsical, silly, tongue-in-cheek humor with wonderful illustrations - Unfamiliar Familiars is a delight. You certainly don't have to be a witch to enjoy this book, but if you are a witch at heart with a silly streak you will adore it.

I walked into Unfamiliar Familiars thinking it was a children’s book about the supposed magical abilities of animals which I thought would be so cute. But I got way more than I bargained for because this is an adult humor based book. I loved the quiz at the beginning to determine your familiar or the other method mentioned using pages from the book put under your pillow. The illustrations of each familiar are cute as can be and the descriptions are short but well thought out and comical. My favorite aspect of each familiar was the suggested partnering for a familiar, such as “Witches who know more than two sea shanties by heart,” and, “Witches who intentionally spoil tv shows”. Overall, this is a fun, quick book for any reader that enjoys witchcraft, humor, or illustrated books.

Unfamiliar familiars is a cute and captivating book that takes you on the journey to connecting with your familiar. I had so much fun finding my familiar and my witchy companion resonated so much. The artwork that accompanies the familiars also makes this book more entertaining and visual. On a negative note, I didn't like that they suggest ripping pages out to help find your familiar, being that I'm such a hippie. All in all this book was an archetypal book that I had a ball reading and working with.

What a riot! I mean, who can resist any book about animals - that too with such lovely illustrations? I can't! Megan and Justin are talented illustrators and this collaboration is so fun-filled and quirky that you can't flip a page without sneaking a smile.
This book works well on your coffee table (on the downside, your guests might become aware of your witchiness) and as a gift to your friends ( and force them to believe in magic)! Move over Fantastic Beasts. This is the new witch guide to your everyday animal familiars. Suddenly, your everyday squirells and cats and monkeys aren't so bland and boring. The authors breath magic into the mundane and the pop-culture references are spot on! And those illustrations are adorable!
I would have liked more facts about these animals though. More details about their habitats and diets. But that's about it. Such a lovely initiative to make people look at the world around us with more wonder and treat other beings with more kindness. I would love to buy a hard copy of this book sometime and am looking forward to more books like this. May be a volume 2 would be too much? Would it?
Thank you Netgalley and Chronicle Books for the e-ARC.

This book has really cute illustrations of all unfamiliar familiars and a fun quiz spread where you can find out which of the unfamiliar magical animals is your familiar.

The text is quite witty and whimsical, and I'll be calling my lobster Dr. Who.

This was a cute, fun book with charming drawings. Thanks Megan Lynn Kott, Justin DeVine, Netgalley and Chronicle Books for allowing me to review this ARC.

Title: Unfamiliar Familiars
Authors: Megan Lynn Kott & Justin DeVine
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Pub Date: 01 Sep 2020

Thank you Chronicle Books for providing me with an e-ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for my impartial review.

Unfamiliar familiars was such a fun and enlightening read. I'm a lover of fantasy and witches, so I'm no stranger to familiars. When I saw this one, I just knew I had to get my hands on it. This book is a "directory" of sorts that covers different largely unknown Familiars aka witch companions.

I love the BuzzFeed-like quiz at the beginning that helps you choose a familiar, so you can jump right to that page and read all about it. This book will be a great addition to any party.

There are so many unique animals added in this book that will definitely make awesome familiars.

Each entry features interesting facts about the familiar and a short passage about the animal. There is a lot of humour packed into the pages of this book, especially in the "partners well with" section of each entry. The illustrations in this book were really fun and vibrant and made the book more enjoyable.

I enjoyed reading this one and I recommend it to everyone with a love for the fantasy genre.

"Always treat nature with respect, and be true to the one-of-a-kind witch you truly are."

For years now I've been distraught as I haven't been able to figure out the identity of my Spirit Animal. I mean, anyone who loves all critters as much as I do should have one, right? But, recently I've come to the conclusion that perhaps this idea is too "New Agey" for cynical old me, and that a familiar is more my style - something along the lines of a minion/partner-in-crime. This clever book is packed with suggestions for creatures you might never have considered as familiar material, like capybaras, chickens, and cicadas. (And those are just the ones starting with the letter C.)

The book offers a delightfully adorable creature pictured on one page, and on the other, a description including pluses and minuses as to why this animal might be the perfect familiar for you. I LOVED the suggested names! This fun little book would make a great gift. I really got a kick out of it, and I"m looking forward to having a paper copy of my own.

I thought this was a really cute and funny take on picking a familiar. The illustrations are super adorable and the blubs for each animal are both hilarious and spot on. FYI, I'm naming my Sun Bear Honey-Bunch for sure.

Yes, I am a teacher. No, this will not be given to my students.

That out of the way, this is a fun and funny little book. It has many small nods to pop culture and literature that made me smile throughout. The artwork is lovely and worth a place on your shelf for that alone.

Would pick this up as a fun and interactive book for any of my family interested in magic/ Harry Potter/ or the quirky.

Will be adding this to my go to gifts for any historian I know that focuses on witchcraft/occult topics.

I want more! This is a really fun, silly guide to animals. There is an absolutely tremendous flow chart to help you choose your familiar, and tons of little jokes everywhere. A couple of the suggested names made me genuinely laugh. I definitely enjoyed this, but it seems very short. It's almost like this is a section of a larger work. I want there to be more content, either about familiars or about witchcraft.

This is really cute, and the humor is a blend of dorky/corny, zany, sassy, and allusive. I wasn't expecting references ranging the gamut from TS Eliot to, I think, Over the Garden Wall. The art is very pretty, and all-in-all it's a very, very fun novelty book.

If you love anything witchy, I think you'd love this little gem of book :)
This book is also funny, quirky and fun! I think it would be a great stocking gifts for your witch friends.
Beside that, you'll also get help to choose your own familiar! I got a leafy sea dragon haha.
Anyway, love this book.

I wasn't expecting anything when I first opened this book, I just wanted a quick and relaxing read - and the cover attracted me! This book is beautiful to look at, and the title is intriguing.

I didn't know it was a humorous book: it surprised me, and I couldn't help smiling all along! It was sweet and refreshing!
It was original, trying to get off the beaten track - I think I never read a book like this before! -, funny and well researched!
The illustrations throughout the book are sweet and beautiful! I wasn't even afraid of the spider, that's saying something!

It's also an inspiring book: some ideas, even if they are meant to be funny, push the reader to imagine what it would be in a novel.

Finally, I loved the references for each entry: a shoebill stork named Poe, a pig named Napoleon or an albatross named Coleridge for instance!

So, I had a good time reading Unfamiliar Familiars!

I received this as an ARC through NetGalley and It was such a fun read to channel my inner Modern Witch and my “Spirit” animal. The animals were great as were the descriptions and I definitely recommend this book.

Unfamiliar Familiars caught my attention, firstly, for the beautiful cover and the proposal.

What could be present in a book that aims to make you find your animal companion, in case you, the reader, are a modern witch?, I wondered. Well, be prepared to find exactly that, with balanced doses of beauty, interesting information and humor.

Beyond the common witches we know in pop culture and their classic animal companions, this guide takes a journey through a several non-traditional animals (some of them I didn't even know), so you can meet the one that best suits your way lifestyle (and magic!).

This is a fun, light and very pleasant reading. I recommend it to everyone who already feels ready to improve their magical journey ... (But, seriously, keep in mind that it is also an ironic book). The illustrations in this book are beautiful. I would like to have it at the head and be able to leaf through it always.

Although I was nervous thinking that I wouldn't find my family member in this guide, it was present in the middle of the book and is: Luna Moth (I already want to tattoo it hahah).

* Digital version of the book received by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *

This book was completely unexpected, but in all of the best ways. Hilarious and sarcastic it gives you a profile of the more obscure familiars in witchcraft, with their biographies and strengths and weakness (their star sign a bonus).

Unfamiliar Familiar is a very witty, funny book to help you find your familiar. If maybe you were looking for one jokingly. I was paired up with a Leafy Sea Dragon... But honestly by the description I loved the Badger the best. As the book says though, I'll stay away from the Honey Badger. I know this was all meant as a joke, but I was a little surprised to see after reading the description and deciding that this one would have been mine, that the sign is for a Taurus, which is what I am. Awesomeness to that little bit of coincidence.

While it is fun and unlike any book that I've ever read before, I believe that it would have been more enjoyable if there were more substance in the very short descriptions of different familiars. It was my fault, I guess, to think that this would be something like an encyclopedia, of a sort, with fantastical aspects. While we're on that subject though, certain parts of the introductions to each animal do have a certain truth to it, but embellished with imaginations of the author's own, and humour.

In terms of format, I absolutely love it. The content is fun, and the illustrations and set-up of the pages make the read ever more enjoyable and pleasant. A huge kudos to the artist. Also, of course, to the author who has the thought of writing such an interesting and original book, but of which I wish for more length and depth.

Funny and beautifully illustrated reference book of atypical familiars for the modern day witch. Includes a brief assessment to identify your ideal unusual familiar (mine was a hippo), although familiars are also categorized by zodiac sign, elemental sign, and atypical witch trait (such as "always orders a grande chai"). Very fun and something I'm likely to add to my own collection just so I can continue to enjoy the artwork.

A fun way to find which animal is your familiar. This book includes.a quiz and then various information about each of the familiars and what kind of witch they connect with. Includes great illustrations of each familiar.

Unfamiliar Familiars is a cute, encyclopedic-type book on witches' familiars. Written in a humourous tone, the authors give instructions or provide a quiz to figure out your familiar. It's funny and short. The illustrations are beautiful watercolor. Each animal has a description and suggested names, as well as facts. Cute and informative read!

Are you a witch in need a familiar? Do you ache to be creative and have a familiar with more pizzazz than a cat or a crow? Then this fun, frothy book with its sweet illustrations is for you.

I loved how "Unfamiliar Familiars" introduces readers to creatures that might be new to them--such as the axolotl, capybara, dik-dik, and Leafy Sea Dragon--while also promoting a respect for nature and a sense of fun and curiosity. I especially enjoyed the list of suggested names for a each familiar as well as the notes on each of their strengths ("thunderbolts") and weaknesses ("constant hunger").

This would be a perfect read for a pair or group of tween girls to read together but can be enjoyed by anyone of any age.

Now if you'll excuse me, my Flying Fox Camazotz and I have mischief to create,

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Unfamiliar Familiars by Megan Lynn Kott & Justin Devine was an amusing read. I loved all the unusual animals listed. Especially the tardigrade!! I adore tardigrades. Even moreso after Star Trek Discovery featured a gigantic cousin of our little 'water bears'. I'm a magical practitioner myself, however, and I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a mention that this way of familiar finding isn't the only way, merely one of many. The spell to summon a familiar was a little goofy, though that's fine. Many spells are, though this one was a bit vague. Walk to the third tree of what?? Your garden? What if you don't have one? Or have no trees? I’d’ve liked to have seen mention of the fact that intention is the driving force behind magic, and suggestions for crafting one's own spells for finding a familiar.
I realise this is likely supposed to just be a novelty book, but many of the animals are impractical or illegal to actually keep in any way, shape, or form, not without permits or such. This guide would be better labelled as a spirit animal guide. Indeed, despite lots of interesting facts, cheeky humour, and delightful drawings, I felt that the authors didn't take the magical aspect seriously at all. This disgruntled me a surprising amount. Take the ways to figure out your familiar. Either you can rip out the animal pics, fold them into swans and float them down a river, and in three days one will return to you some way. Or you can just follow a bizarre flowchart. Huh? I followed it and got Sloth. I love sloths, so that was cool. Each animal has a 'partners well with'. Sloths apparently partner well with 'witches who grow their own kombucha'. Um, eww. No. Or take the name suggestions, strengths, and weaknesses. "Choose a powerful name." Name suggestions for ball python include Boop Noodle and Shoelace... Weaknesses of the Capuchin monkey include frequent drunkenness, and strengths include poop throwing. Son, what the hellz?

Actually, this book made me think of a magical text from the world of Harry Potter. Taken in that context, it's an amusing humour book perfect for magical practitioners. In the context of actual practise, this book leaves much to be desired, at least, for this practitioner.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Chronicle Books for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved this book! The illustrations were so cute. I learned a lot about the magic of everyday creatures. This will look great on our teen shelf next to the "Monsters You Should Know" book, very similar format and sure to be enjoyed by our more witchy teens.

A fun and entertaining primer on animal companions for the magically inclined, or just curious.
I can't believe how many puns and ingenious turns of phrase the author and artist managed to come up with. Every single familiar made me smile as I read their descriptions.
Sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek, this is definitely something to enjoy for a fun, quick read.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the read!

I loved this humorous book: it made me laugh and I learned something new about familiars and which one would be right for you.
It's an entertaining and engrossing, the quiz is really funny and I liked the style of writing.
Highly recomemnded.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

**I received and voluntarily read an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

I was drawn in by the picture of the sloth hanging from the broom. I stayed for the content.
A cute book, definitely not to be taken seriously.
Overall, entertaining and something I would buy for a few friends of mine that practice Wicca and Witchcraft.

This is a fun book to read through, with cute animal descriptions and imaginative associations between people and animals. It reminds me of the kind of things you'd share as a meme or quiz on social media.

I requested and received an e-ARC of this book from Megan Lynn Kott, Justin DeVine, and Chronicle Books through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a really fun tongue in cheek guide to choosing an unfamiliar familiar. This book starts with fantastic instructions for Choosing a Familiar, followed by a fantastic chart to help you decide which of these familiars would be best for you. I love the 'Partners Well With' and 'Strengths and Weaknesses' included on each familiars page.

This is not a serious book by any means, but its a light-hearted read with great illustrations. It has a little and senseless test we can take to discover our familiars and a short description of the animals.

Unfamiliar Familiars – Megan Lynn Kott and Justin DeVine
Absolutely enchanting! This truly informative and certainly fun (often tongue in cheek See “Narwhal”) handbook to finding and caring for the unconventional animal companion. Actual real world facts delivered with a playful, magical wrapping.
Charming, whimsical illustrations abound along with a helpful quiz for finding your true familiar. Not looking for one? It’s still a delightful read. Which we can all use right now.
Megan Lynn Kott is a Milwaukee-based illustrator who has collaborated with Maximum Fun, Tea Collection, MeowBox, and others. Her first word was "kitty."

Justin DeVine is a fine artist and illustrator from California, who now resides in the Midwest with his wife and too many cats.