Secrets of the Witch

This was a beautiful read!

Full of information and beautiful illustrations, "Secrets of the Witch" helps to understand the nature of magic, witches and their hunt many, many years ago. Mixed with feminist references and explaining why most of the accusations of witchcraft were made against women (free, independant, childless women).

I found this book both really informative and fun, even though I don't really see a 9 year old girl reading about the huntings (which explanations were a little graphic sometimes), nor an experienced witch using the activities at the end. Still great, though!

Hay algunas partes no traducidas (frases, citas o la sección entera de runas). Also faltan letras o sobran

This book gave sections of information from history about magic and witchcraft. It was really beautiful and I love the artwork that accompanied it.

A beautiful book filled with knowledge, illustrations, and most of all, magic. The artwork within this is bewitching and so beautiful. Filled with history, definitions, and instructions. This is a perfect look into witchcraft. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this!

Review to be posted on GR:
First i would like to thank the publishers and Netgalley for letting me see this ahead of publication.
My first thought when reading this book was wow, just how beautiful is this? And that was a thought that remained all the way through.
Now, I never knew much about Witches apart from the basic history stuff and reading HP (Just kidding) and I've found this book to be a illustrative and curious presentation of their history. I would imagine that If you know anything about the Topic in a deeper level, this might not be for you, since It didnt Go in depth into the topics, however this might be a good present for a friend that knows nothing of it and just wants a nice entertaining read. The illustrations are out of this world and I Hope to see more of the illustrators in the future.

This book was wonderful! It gives some very beautiful illustrations and history about witches. I really loved learning more about witchcraft and about nature witches. The subject is absolutely fascinating and it was super well done.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a digital ARC of this book.

This was a very interesting and easily read non-fiction book, that covers the general history and the basics of witchcraft. It's a subject that has interested me during these last years and I think this is the perfect read for beginners like me. Also the art and the whole layout of the book are very very pretty and easy to follow.
I think the only flaw I canfind is that I would have preferred if the stories of famous witches would have been narrated from an objective point of view (like "X was condemned for witchcraft in the 1600s, supposedly for this reason") rather than being told in first person, but honestly they are very very few so it doesn't even impact the book itself.
So I definitely recommend this book for beginners or people who are curious about witchcraft and its role in history and in nowadays life.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for providing me with an ARC of Secrets of the Witch.

I loved this so much!! I’m surprised it’s under the Teens & YA category; I think anyone, regardless of age, will find this enjoyable. This was bursting at the seams with information and the illustrations were the icing on the cake for me. Magic and witchcraft are two of my favorite things and this book explained them beautifully!

Thank you again to those named above for providing me with an ARC of this novel!

What a charming book!

Secrets of the Witch is a short non-fiction book that recounts events regarding witches and their treatment throughout history. Although it is aimed at actual witches, I found it interesting to see how far hysteria spread in earlier centuries, and how ultimately the people put to death only committed two 'crimes': being different, or being a woman.

This book is very short and I do feel that more information would be welcome. Unlike most articles and books that discuss witch trials, this book went beyond just Salem and explored attitudes to witchcraft over many hundreds of years to the present day, but unfortunately each topic or period was only briefly touched upon. However this does mean the format of the book is very easy to read and the information is very bite-size, perhaps aiming to give more serious researchers a stepping stone as to what to look into next.

By far the best thing about Secrets of the Witch was the gorgeous artwork on every page! The illustrations complimented all aspects of the book and the style was just beautiful.

In conclusion, Secrets is a textually and visually interesting book that will delight anyone with a new or amateur interest in witches, witch trials or witchcraft itself.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I live by Loch Ness which has a very vast background to do with witchcraft, sorcery, dark magick, ect ect, so this read was simply an absolute must!
Honestly this book is so beautiful, the artwork is amazing and I love the way that it goes throughout the years telling you about different witches and their herbs and crystals and how to use them!
I totally adore this!

Unfortunately I was unable to properly download the file provided, however it sounds really good I can’t wait til I can purchase a copy!

There are two main sections : section about history of witches and witch hunts, and section that could serve as a griomoire - it contains basic informations about crystals, familiars, amulets and so on.
Throughout the first part we also get a glimpse of famous witches.
This is in no way a full compendium of witchcraft or spells, it's more of a encyclopedia, but it's a good starting place. You get a general view and if you find something that would interest you, you can research it more.
In that way I'd say it's very suitable for young witches and wizards (although I feel it's geared towards women more), or beginners or even someone who is experinced but wants to have a pretty book 😊.
The graphic design of the inside pages with stunning illustrations and "medieval" fonts is just amazing and makes me want to purchase a physical copy.
My only negative and the reason why I did not give it 5⭐ - to me, it was a little bit biased. Which is understandable but I personally prefer my witchy books without the "catholics started/stole everything" view so I felt maybe someone here has it similar, so maybe this information will help you. It's not the same as with Silver Raven Wolf, this book is trying to get more proof of facts and even though the voice of the book is partial, I did not mind it that much.
What I actually quite liked is that it's written as if the reader was a real part of the coven, listening to other witch telling tales about the history - there is often used "sisters" "this happened to us.." etc. which felt quite nice. (Or in the case of witchs hunts and trials, it felt horrible and very real).
As with every book about witchcraft and magic - take it with a pinch of salt, and take what you need. I would not be afraid of showing this book to a young witch but I feel a talk about some aspects would be needed

This is a wonderfully accessible primer on witches and witchcraft for Teens and Young adults! While this book is marketed to younger readers, it was a genuinely enjoyable read as an adult. The text presents a broad strokes history of witchcraft and some introductory principles of practice. Seeing the connections of women and magic throughout history was very interesting and the connection to modern day feminist movements will definitely strike a cord in today’s young readers.

What really makes the reading experience however, is the illustrations. They beautifully accent the text and have just the right mystical/spooky vibe for the intended audience. The physical layout of the book was expertly designed and really enhances the text.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ebook arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Secrets of the Witch was a gorgeous, informative read. I loved learning more about the history of witches and witchcraft, and I really enjoyed the little bios of famous witches scattered throughout this book. The illustrations were so stunning, they really added depth to the information, and I will definitely be looking up that artist.

I don't know if I agree this is appropriate for "witches 9 and up" since it does tell the truth about the torture, murdering, and poisoning that happened in the past, but a parent could definitely read it aloud to their child and explain it more.

All-in-all a fantastic guide to the history of witches, with some very basic instruction tucked at the end.

This is a short book but it is packed with information and gorgeous artwork. The book highlights the history of witchcraft discussing the beliefs of practitioners, how they were viewed by society, and notable witches and deities to bring this history to life. There is also basic information about the symbols and practices that give power to witches. The voice of the book is friendly talking to the reader as a fellow witch and offering guidance on the reader’s educational journey. This makes the book a great resource for readers that are beginning to practice witchcraft but it is still a great resource for anyone looking to learn about witches. This would also make this a great resource for people already familiar with witches looking for a concise history or wishing to refresh their knowledge.

Thank you #Netgalley

"You are a part of nature, that nature has an affect on you, and you on it."

I have read a few books on witches/witchcraft this year, and this one had to be the most fun.

All the information in this was straight to the point, making it easier to read. The artwork is beautiful in this and really breaks up the pages.


If you are looking for an excellent book to read about witchcraft, I'd give this a go.

Excellent explanation of the history of witches. Very clear and well summarised along with those beautiful illustrations by Laura Pérez.

I absolutely recommend it.

Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group – Wide Eyed Editions and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Secrets of Witches review

Thanks to the authors and Wide Eyed Editions for the free copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

When I was a teenager, The Craft was the movie everyone was talking about, and Willow was moving from background sidekick to powerful legend in Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I would have loved this book then and am sure that it will make a treasured gift for young people interested in learning more about witches.

The authors manage to capture the origins and essence of the ‘witch,’ including the dark history of hysteria and persecution of women who didn’t quite fit the everyday mould. It moves on to more recent movements which aim to change the image of a witch into a positive feminist role model.

The illustrations are beautiful and the explanations of introductory practises are achievable and easy to understand. I’d happily buy this book for my twelve year old (and borrow it from her too!)

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars

With both amazing illustrations( really amazing illustrations) and text this work takes us on a journey through time to learn about witches and their history.

Witches have been feared since always but we don't really understand why. These authors explain in a simple and detailed way everything there is to know about the history of witches, their symbolism and their customs. From wands to brooms and even plants i have learned a lot about these incredible woman who are now the embodiment of feminism.

Thanks to Netgalley and the imprint Wide Eyed Editions for a giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was so interesting to read! O enjoyed finding out more from back in the day. Past witches. And many other things I had no idea about. So this was fun to read. And the pictures were absolutely gorgeous!

This is a beautiful book to own if you are interested in the history of witches. It covers the myths across the world as well as what truly means to be a witch. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful!

I was sent an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Informative and beautifully illustrated, this book gives a fantastic look at the history behind witchcraft and magic across the world. Truly interesting and a great source for those who potentially want to write fiction based on the history.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for providing me a digital ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had information that even I, as an avid reader of witch lore and stories didn't know about. It was very exciting to learn new information and stories about witches , the history and quotes were some of my favorite parts. However, the best part of this book is its illustrations which are truly magical. Vivid and detailed, they give a new life to the information inside the book. I would recommend this to all ages not just YA and give it 5/5 stars.

I was able to be approved for an ARC on NetGalley.

This is a very basic introduction to the history of the witches and witchcraft and gives some basic understanding on how witchcraft has progressed through the centuries.
It also gives little tidbits about witches past and about sacred numbers, herbs, amulets, etc.

It was easy to read and informative.
Appropriate for young people and also for older people who are just interested in the topic.

This nonfiction book is a concise introduction to the history of witches and witchcraft all over the world and how society's view of them has changed over the centuries. The pages are filled with gorgeous illustrations that add to the text and make this book visually gratifying.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book! My opinions are my own.

When I was a teenager, like many others, I was trying to find out who I was and what my place was in this world. Reading the 'Wicca' book series by Cate Tiernan was wat got me interested in Wicca and pagan culture. I went to the library and read some (non-fiction) books on the subject, but there weren't that many books that truly spoke to me as a teenager. 'Secrets of the Witch' is the book I would have loved to read back then. Even now as a thirty-something, it's been a wonderful read!

As the title suggests, this book is specifically meant for younger readers who are interested in, but still new to the world of witches. It first deals with the history of witches, the witch trials and ends with an introduction to (among other things) symbolism and herbs.
There are small blocks of text, which makes it easy to read. Those text blocks are surrounded by stunning illustrations. I would buy this book for the illustrations alone, they are that beautiful!

This book is not an in-depth book of everything there is to know about witchcraft and magic, but it's a great start if you're new to the subject and it inspires you to read and learn more about it. It's just one of those books you need to have on your shelf!

This book was very interesting. You have a lot of informations about witches and witchcraft in History.
You can read about the Renaissance or The Salem Witch trials
The art style was so so beautiful and this added a lot in the book!!

I really loved it

Thanks to Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review

I found this book to be a great little trove of information. I myself am not Wiccan or a witch by any means but I am quite interested in the history and knowledge of it all. This had a good balance of some history, basic symbols, and other general basic knowledge for anyone starting out. There were also beautiful illustrations all through out the sections that I greatly enjoyed. If you’re are interested in gaining some beginner knowledge on witchcraft I would recommend this book.


I received a copy of this Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Wide Eyed Editions for the DRC!
The illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful!
Each page brings us several curiosities about witches, descriptions of symbols and objects, stories about famous wizards and their influences into pop culture. Anyone interested in this universe should certainly read this book.

This book can definitely use the fine eyes of an editor. There were a lot of grammar mistakes and some parts were in French (luckily I speak French). I think that once those parts are corrected, it would be a 5 star book. The artwork featured through was stunning. It’s also very information heavy, but in a very clear way. It’s split partially as a historical text and partially as a beginner’s guide to witchcraft, but the second half felt rushed and less rich than the first half. Ultimately, I’m in love with the potential of this book and can’t wait to see how it gets better.

This book is worth it just for the illustrations, but it's also very informative. I know a lot of the history of witches, but this gave me some new information, and the latter half was about amulets, crystals, etc. which I always find fascinating.

This was a nice little introduction into the history and some of the lore of witches and their craft. I enjoyed the pages that went over key plants and stones that are used. This was very much reminiscent of a user's guide that showed the basics but left the reader curious to find out more and seek out other works. I did enjoy the illustrations they were beautiful and captivating.

"Secrets of the Witch" is a very beautiful and instructive book filled with magic and witchcraft history, definitions and instructions. The artwork is stunning and gave a perfect insight into the world of withcraft.

A great book into the background and history. but I will say that there are so many of these books lately that the info is getting repetitive. This one stands out because of art and language, in a positive way.

I want to thank wide eyed editions and netgalley for the early copie of this book.
on another note for the publisher I want to highlight the fact that there were a lot of typos and passages that weren't even translated (it wasn't a problem for me because I'm french but I'm sure it will be for the people buying your book).

4/5 stars.
secrets of the witches is a beautifully illustrated non-fiction book about, of cours, witches. It concentrates on european witches but also come across other form of witchcraft from around the world which was quite nice to learn about.
Another thing to know is that it is a book for witches written by witches and therefore you can feel that is a bit biased.
This book is also mostly about history and symbolism in witchcraft more than it is about spells and potions so just be aware of that before buying it even though it would be a beautiful piece for display !
Overall i wanted this book to make me learn things and it totally need and I'm really glad I read it. I am not a witch but witchcraft intrigues me and it was a nice and quick read before jumping in bigger books about the subjetc.
Finally I totally recommendif like me this world intrigues you!

ARC eBook provided by Netgalley.

This book features two sections, one an overview of the history of witches, the other being an overview of things witches utilize, like crystals, herbs, etc. The text of the book is closer to that of a physical encyclopedia than anything super descriptive, with each person/topic only having around a paragraph of description/context. It's an excellent primer, but should definitely be backed up with external, more extensive research by anyone wanting to actually utilize the information.

On another note, this book was GORGEOUS. The illustrations are jaw-dropping and it earns five stars just based on them alone. I could look at the illustrations in this book for hours because they're so intricate and beautiful, and I may end up buying a physical copy to do just that!

I requested this one by accident, thinking it was an adult title and not YA. But I think it will appeal to a wide age range of readers. Includes profiles of witches, a history of witchcraft, and more. Visually appealing pen-and-ink art style with pops of color.

(I recieved an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

I think this is truly the perfect place to start if one wants to indulge oneself in studying both witchcraft and its history. It is a quick summary of the witches as historical truth, from ancient times to present - how they were differently perceived at different points in time and how they actually influenced society.
In the end of the book, one can also find explanations of some symbols, plants and crystals, as well as the differences between pendulums, amulets and talismans and how to make your own.
I feel like it includes all the basics, explained in a very easy-to-understand style and accompanied by the most beautiful art style I've ever seen!
The only reasons as to why I'm not giving it 5 stars is the grammatical errors (which I hope to see corrected in the final copy of the book) and the fact that I already knew most of the facts in here (surprising, since I haven't really done in-depth research on the subject beforehand).
It is a really good place to start for a beginner, as well as a magnificent piece of art to have on display!

This book is a beautifully illustrated introduction to a history of witchcraft and witches, in addition, it also provides basic information about herbs, crystals, symbolism, amulets, and more.

I think it is very clearly written and gives an overall summary of the history behind witchcraft and magic so it is a great place to start for younger readers, who can then search for more information. I also think it is a very useful introduction for every reader of fantasy books with witches. The same applies to the second part of the book functioning as a grimoire.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! I wish I had a book like this when I was 13-15.

Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group – Wide Eyed Editions and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

'Secrets of the Witch' is a lovely introduction to the history and theories of witchcraft and magic. Running through some of the tools and terminology, as well as the changing perception of magic throughout different time periods. I found it very interesting and adored how the illustrations played with the text. The illustrations in general were stunning and a real highlight. On its own the book would be worth purchasing for the illustrations alone.

My only gripe was that in the review copy there were quite a few spelling mistakes and places which were in French or not translated from other languages. If this is meant to be an introduction for younger children, these things would have to be addressed in the finished product.

First thing's first - these illustrations are absolutely gorgeous! I have to admit, they really drew me in and kept me going, because I wanted to see more and more.

I really appreciate how much detail went into giving a history of witches, and adding in useful information like etymology and definitions for terms that get brought up. Overall, this was super informative for someone like me, a person without much knowledge on this topic but has a large curiosity and interest. I love that it explores the history of witches from different times as well as different places around the world.

This book does not go very in-depth with witchcraft and magic, but rather gives a very informative foundation. I think it's a great place to start if you're interested in learning more about the history of witches and learning about some of the symbols and tools that they use!

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This is a great book for children interested in witches, magic or witchcraft.

The book starts off with a history of witchcraft and witches and then goes on to explain about many different things relating to witchcraft - runes, tarot herbs, plants, talismans, crystals etc.

This is a beautifully illustrated book that could serves as an introductory grimoire for children.

A cute little introduction to the craft! I found the information to be just enough to get readers who know next to nothing about witchcraft excited and interested to search out more details.

I also really loved the art, it really added something special to the book.

An informative and wonderfully illustrated book. I liked the style of writing and how it is organised.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

While Secrets of the witch is short you'll find inside all kinds of interesting stories, myths, historical facts, and information about tools witches have used over the centuries.

It's a perfect book for YA readers as well as for those who are interested in learning more about witchcraft but don't want to get started with books with hundreds of pages.

You'll read stories about witches from all over the world from Japan and Africa to Ancient Greece and the Americas.

Our favorite thing about this beauty was the stunning illustration. This book is so beautiful it could very well become an interesting and fun addition to your cafe table collection as well.

In case you're looking for a witchcraft book for teen readers or art lovers you should also consider picking up this book.

* I received this ARC in exchange my honest review. Thank you!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy to review.

I loved this book. It was so well thought out, beautifully laid out with some absolutely stunning illustrations and really brought across the history of witches and witchcraft from practically day one.

My only nag was that it could have been a little bit more inclusive to other cultures - there was mention of voodoo as well as famous witches such as Baba Yaga but there needed to be more Black and POC representation in my opinion.

Overall a great book to get youngsters into reading about witches!