Book Review: Witch Blood Rising by Asa West

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I apologize for the brief hiatus. End of the school year is always wild, and on top of everything else, I am finishing up the last touches on wedding planning! We are less than two weeks out, and I cannot believe it's almost here! Needless to say, blogging has been put on the back burner, along with all of my other hobbies except reading. Reading has been the one thing keeping me sane, and while I have mostly been focusing on fiction (because who wants to live in this reality, am I right?) I have a large stack of occult books from publishers I need to get through, which includes Witch Blood Rising: Awaken Your Magic in a Modern World by Asa West. I was super excited to dive into this book, but unfortunately, it was not what I expected.

Based on the title and description, I thought Witch Blood Rising would focus more on witchcraft as a practice, maybe even with some blood magic thrown in, but I was wrong. Instead, West approaches teaching witchcraft through her life experiences. This book reads most like an autobiography with exercises thrown in at the end of each chapter. There is nothing wrong with this; in fact, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! I am a sucker for reading about people's personal experiences with the craft, as it helps me better understand how other practices it. Giving me a spell or ritual outline just doesn't cut it. I want to know your thoughts, feelings, intentions, and experiences that led to the spell work, not just a formula. I am that person who likes to read the story behind a recipe on a food blog, you know that thing most people skip by hitting "Jump to Recipe." Because of this format, I know most people are not going to enjoy Witch Blood Rising, but some of you certainly will. This book is very niche in an already niche market.

Because of its setup, this is also not really beginner-friendly. There is no introduction to spell craft, how things work, correspondences, etc. However, this is the perfect book for intermediate and expert witches, more specifically those who feel like they are in a rut or have fallen out of practice. I, like most people, go through phases where I will practice all the time and my life feels so magical, and then other times I will go months, even years, without so much as casting a meaningful spell. This is the book that will get you out of the funk and inspire you to pick up your craft once again.

On top of being an inspirational text built on personal gnosis, West takes an activist approach to witchcraft. She discusses modern problems that force the reader to acknowledge that things are not so great right now. She confronts big issues like racism, homelessness, mental health, capitalism, and climate change, all through an occult lens. These issues are embedded in her stories and used to reignite your passion for witchcraft. I found myself nodding vigorously at many parts, loudly proclaiming, "Yes, yes, yes!!" I don't often do this with occult books, but this is one that triggered the activist in me. I also found myself in tears as she recounted the loss of bees, the intense fires ravaging California, and COVID. While this isn't a traditional occult book, it certainly resonated with me.

As mentioned earlier, there are exercises at the end of each chapter that build on West's storytelling, very reminiscent of what Danielle Dulsky does in her books. These exercises include discovering your witchy name, creating your own witch's mark, growing your own antlers, and calling in the rain. These are short, simple exercises that I found to be energizing and deeply reconnecting. West is sure to dispel any fears you may have about not being witchy enough, which is something I have to remind myself of all the time. Despite writing this blog, practicing for 20+ years, and writing two books, I don't always feel very witchy. I often feel like an impostor, and I know, like West, that this arises from how our society views "enoughness." The lack of green spaces, lack of community, loneliness, and the rise of consumable witchcraft, whether on social media or otherwise, has left a lot of us feeling like we aren't enough. Witch Blood Rising is an excellent reminder that we are all enough, no matter what the world says.

Overall, I enjoyed Witch Blood Rising, but I do not recommend it to all readers. You must be interested in the autobiographical aspects of the book and legitimately care about her story, already have a foundation built in witchcraft, and be interested in the intersectionality of witchcraft and societal issues. I highly recommend West's work for those who have fallen out of their craft and are looking to get back on the horse.

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