It has been a long time since I posted a round up of what I have been reading. Did you read the post about the comparisons between mindfulness and witchcraft? Honestly, I am seeing a lot more overlap in what I have been reading lately along those lines. So today’s round up are all books that are based somewhere in the metaphysical spectrum. Starting with a fiction book…
Okay, I still want to be Meg Cabot when I grow up…I just finished reading Enchanted to Meet You which is her latest book to be released in September. I love Cabot’s supernatural books! I initially thought this was going to be a YA book until I started reading it…definitely NOT YA. It is steamy. The book bounces back and forth between adult Jessica and teenage Jessica’s perspectives. Honestly, I did feel a little uncomfortable with that. Did not need to be reading about a 17year old’s sex life (not that anything is wrong with that, but as the mother of a 17year old, it is not something I want to think about)…this one is probably going to end up on DeSantis’ list. I wouldn’t even be surprised if Cabot wrote this with that in mind considering she lives in Florida. But I digress…Jessica has been a practicing cottage witch since she was a teen when her mom unknowingly picked up an old grimoire at an estate sale, Goody Fletcher’s Book of Useful Household Tips. Though she had been researching the Craft long before that. She even has an arch nemesis in the form of a former high school classmate. When Derrick walks into Jessica’s shop and tells her she is the Chosen One, I got some serious Buffy/Charmed vibes. Nothing I have said here is a spoiler cause this is all in like the first two chapters or so. The book features positive depictions of diverse characters of all ages. Some of the town history sadly is based on real Connecticut history and there are lots of discussion on the exploitation of indigenous people as well as some feminist perspectives woven in. The Heather Wells and Mediator books are still my favorites by Cabot, but I am hoping this is the start of a great new series. I also fully admit to cleaning my house since Goody Fletcher’s book says that is a way to dispel ill fortune. #September2023 #NetGalley
Next up is the book The Witch’s Way to Wealth by Jessie DaSilva. DaSilva has built a reputation as the Millennial Money Witch. She has been featured in Forbes and on Buzzfeed. She used to be a lawyer but now does job and finance coaching with a witchy twist. She starts out the book by explaining that magic is science and science is magic. 100% believe in this! Lots of what used to be termed magic can be explained away by science and there is so much more out there that is unexplained but being proved every day. Her book dedicates a whole chapter to talking about physics and such to back up this theory. She also explains that self help books are not that far removed from witchcraft. It is all about focus and intentions. Yes, there are some witchy things like which crystals align with what and a whole section about birthcharts that honestly made my head hurt, but I realized while reading that affirmations and spells are not that different from each other. Science has proved that repeating affirmations change the neural pathways of your brain, so it makes sense that spells would too. You are repeating something with intention. My father used to tell me that when you put positive energy out into the world positive energy will be returned to you. He was the type that would be on the boardwalk and look down to see a $20 bill in the sand. This is right along with what DaSilva discusses. The wild part is while I was reading, there were some moments where life just aligned for me financially just when I needed it. Such as getting a $350 used but perfect condition leather purse for $.68 out of pocket. I have started to keep track of the unexpected funds that have come my way since I started reading the book and focusing on manifesting money. It is close to $200 already! Believe what you will, but it seems to be working for me. The book also talks about budgeting, anxiety, and job searching. I recommend you read if just for that even if you aren’t into the woo woo stuff. #September2023 #NetGalley
So maybe that other book I posted about was a little too much for you because you consider yourself a Christian person and witchcraft is just a no…well, there was a book written in the 1920s that basically proposed the same teachings but with a Godly spin on it. The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn caught my eye because of the title. My father used to say I was very good at “winning the game”. He was referring to the game of life. So when I saw this book, I was intrigued. I did not know that is was a Christian focused book. As I was reading it, I was struck by how closely it aligned with not only the witchcraft books I have read but also the Law of Attraction books. Here was a book written almost 100 years ago talking about manifesting and being careful of the energy you put out into the world. Instead of focusing on spellwork, she uses prayer and invoking Jesus’ name. She even discusses the cycle of chronic pain in that our bodies create pain because of stress and then we stress because we are in pain. That is a concept my husband’s doctors talk about. Prayer, affirmations, spellwork…your thoughts and intentions have power. I kinda wish my father was around today cause I would have loved to discuss these with him. I wonder if he had ever read the book. I know he based his understanding on the works of Maxwell Maltz and Psycho-Cybernetics. So many similarities are out there if we only keep an open mind.
The final book I am going to discuss today is Astrea Taylor’s Inspiring Creativity Through Magick. As someone with a doctorate that focuses on creativity, I was intrigued by the metaphysical connection. It started off no different than many of my creative studies textbooks by discussing religious beliefs from different cultures in regards to creativity. I found the discussion of the Greek muses possibly being a remnant of a conquered people that was then usurped by the Greeks very interesting because it is similar to what the Romans did when they conquered northern areas in the name of Christianity…take the native people’s religion and insert conqueror’s said deity as always having been there. What does this have to do with creativity? Creativity was believed to be a gift from the gods. The muses spoke through the artist. Then when Christianity was the prominent religion, creativity was a gift from God. See the connection? Other parts of the book discuss setting intentional rituals before the act of being creative. It cites actual studies that have proved people are more productive when they use a set routine or ritual. Atomic Habits anyone? The same can be said for creatives. I have always been a firm believer that magic is science and science is magic. Well, Taylor basically says creativity is magic as well. Casting a spell is very similar to brainstorming and goal setting for a project. It is all about setting your intentions. I also love that she talks about meeting with other creatives in a support network type function as being a type of creative coven (hmmm…the Writing Witches has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?). There are spells scattered throughout the book because of course there would be in a book about magic…but the greatest spell to spark creativity?—- butts in seats! Sit down and get to work, nothing can happen if you avoid it.
Happy reading!