If you are looking to connect with an authentic witch, there are a few places you can explore. Keep in mind that witchcraft is a diverse and personal practice, so finding someone who resonates with you might take some time and effort. 1. Local metaphysical or occult shops: These specialized stores often have knowledgeable staff who can point you in the right direction. They may know local practitioners and can provide recommendations or even host events where you can meet and connect with witches. 2.
To make the whole situation worse, Oz is in a bit of a rough patch. His reputation as a demon is already on shaky ground ever since he accidentally consumed a mortal soul, giving him the emotions of a human. His boss isn’t real happy about that. But Oz is determined to collect Mariel’s powerful soul to make things right. And of course, the more they spend time together, the more they learn how much they like each other.
It just tickles me that a polite demon named Ozroth the Ruthless tries to ruthlessly organize Mariel s messy house and life For the small price of your soul, I ll clean your whole house. Discover Celtic goddesses and goddesses of the Kabbalah, female Buddhas, African Powers, Dragon Ladies, White Ladies, Black Madonnas, the Green Man, the Green Fairy, lots and lots of ghosts, djinn, mermaids, fairies, and more.
2. Pagan or Wiccan communities: Pagan and Wiccan groups often have gatherings, celebrations, and meetups where you can meet people who practice witchcraft. Attend local events, conferences, or workshops focused on alternative spirituality to meet individuals who may identify as witches.
Guest Review: A Witch’s Guide to Fake-Dating A Demon by Sarah Hawley
This guest review is from Brigid F. Brigid is a Queer fantasy and romance reader who believes fantasy and romance make the perfect book cocktail. She reviews at Grimdark Magazine and loves writing fantasy and romance recs for blogs and media sites. They love curses, faeries, cozy witches, and wicked characters.
A Witch’s Guide to Fake-Dating A Demon is magical, demonically sexy, and at times very witty. It’s the ‘90s sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch if Sabrina dreamed about going to magical graduate school in between her kink for demons. It’s whimsical and pokes fun at fantasy but also packs some steam. It starts out as a fun romance, but ultimately gender essentialist language, alongside familial abuse patterns, really made it into a frustrating read for me as a nonbinary reader.
The story starts with Mariel accidentally magically blowing up a chicken. Mariel Sparks lives in Glimmer Falls, an American town of centaurs, witches, pixies, sirens, werewolves, and other magical species. Her whole life she’s been called a failure. The Sparks family, whose magical legacy goes back to medieval times when Gorvenal Spark was Europe’s preeminent court wizard, expect her to be a powerful witch as foretold by a prophecy.
The eccentricity and elitism of the Sparks remind me so much of Sabrina’s high-achieving, medievally old aunts. Vintage sitcom nerd that I am, a good 90s reference never fails to please me. And as Mariel Sparks fumbles every spell, including the exploding chicken, she feels like a failure. At one point, she even describes herself as a twenty-seven-year-old witch with the skills of a fifteen-year-old. This isn’t helped when her mother tells her at every turn how much she’s failed the family.
Every plant fantasy nerd will rejoice because Mariel also has a talent for plant magic, something her family doesn’t acknowledge as a proper magical skill, which is honestly such an egregious form of villainy.
This witchy girl is the Aquaman of plants. Her magical affinity for plants bonds them to her on an emotional level, allowing her to command plants to move or grow. My personal favorite thing about this is that they hug her when she’s sad. But plants can’t totally give Mariel what she wants in life. She wants to be enough for someone.
In an attempt to clean up the chicken guts, Mariel makes the worst spell fuckup of her life. She summons a demon. Completely by accident. Ozroth the Ruthless (yes really) pops into her kitchen introducing himself with extremely cheeky drama. For centuries, Oz has collected souls in exchange for a bargain. He even collected the soul of Al Capone. The demon plane needs powerful souls to prevent total darkness, and as a valued soul collector, Oz ensures his people’s survival. Mariel’s accidental summoning means that he’s stuck in Glimmer Falls until he and Mariel can reach an agreement.
To make the whole situation worse, Oz is in a bit of a rough patch. His reputation as a demon is already on shaky ground ever since he accidentally consumed a mortal soul, giving him the emotions of a human. His boss isn’t real happy about that. But Oz is determined to collect Mariel’s powerful soul to make things right. And of course, the more they spend time together, the more they learn how much they like each other.
The dialogue truly shines in this book. There’s so much that is quotable. It just tickles me that a polite demon named Ozroth the Ruthless tries to ruthlessly organize Mariel’s messy house and life: “For the small price of your soul, I’ll clean your whole house.” It just makes me want to summon a demon.
There’s a lot of sex positivity in this book. I liked Oz and Mariel’s upfront, very intentional, sex talk. Body parts are described explicitly. Oz and Mariel are very honest and descriptive about what they find sexy.
Alas I have to talk about the parts that didn’t work for me. I love romance. Full stop. But as a nonbinary person, I often don’t know what I’m going into because many romances seem written from a perspective that doesn’t consider that some readers might not be cis. And if I don’t start mentioning the issues that make me feel excluded, the genre will never change.
I want romance authors to be more careful about gender essentialism. There are a few lines that promote gendered assumptions about bodies.
CW/TW: gender essentialist languageIn a scene towards the end of the book Oz thinks, “the universal male noise of involuntary sympathy” after another cis man gets kicked in the genitals. My problem with this short scene is that it is based on gender being biologically determined.
Not long after orgasm, Oz thinks thinks “men” (cis men) should not have to do hard thinking because “his blood had pooled in his dick, not his brain.”
This language makes me feel like I’ve been excluded from a space that I otherwise love.
Overall, I did not find these moments sexy or funny. The language really pulled me out of the story and made me feel shut out. Again, I’m used to this. I’ve been used to it for most of my romance reader career. But it is very frustrating to be taken out of a story I’m loving, and I want it to stop happening.
The relationship between Mariel and her mother also feels like a misstep in tone. A Witch’s Guide to Fake-Dating A Demon is an incredibly funny book. But the book struggles with turning off the humorous tone during the more serious aspects of the novel.
TW/CW emotional abuse, verbal abuseMariel’s feeling like a failure is caused by her mother, who calls her a failure to her face, in addition to saying Mariel is lazy and a slow learner. What’s worse is that her father supports his wife’s treatment of his daughter.
Abuse is a consistent emotional manipulation that impacts a person so much that they truly believe and adapt to whatever their abuser says to them. Diantha is not just a bad mother; she’s emotionally abusive. Understandably, Mariel struggles with how she sees herself. That, I sympathized with especially.
And while some portions of the story work to reveal the nuances in Mariel’s mental health, I did not appreciate the humorous tone in the more confrontational moments. As Mariel explains the harm her mother’s verbal abuse inflicted on her, Diantha is “per usual ignoring any criticism aimed her way.”
When their fight escalates, Diantha bursts into tears, sniffs, and then summons a silly magical creature, which causes some mayhem. It felt very awkward to laugh at Diantha when Mariel is trying to advocate for her mental health against manipulative parents who are harming her self-respect.
The humor undermines the severity and importance of Mariel standing up for herself by inviting the reader to laugh at what is really very sad and harmful.
I loved the world in this book. There are magical libraries full of old medieval tomes about wyverns, succubi, dragons, and demons. There are dating apps called Bumbelina for magical creatures and a reality TV show called America’s Next Top Witch. I’m especially fond of the grumpy werewolf who owns a plant shop called Zev’s Plant Emporium.
I want to be direct about what works about A Witch’s Guide to Fake-Dating A Demon in an honest way, just like I would with what didn’t work for me. At the beginning, I had a good time reading this. My enjoyment was just numbed toward the end. It’s a really fun book at times, but kinda messy, and you may want to proceed with caution.
I want romance authors to be more careful about gender essentialism. There are a few lines that promote gendered assumptions about bodies.
3. Online communities and forums: The internet has made it easier than ever to connect with likeminded individuals. Join online communities and forums dedicated to witchcraft and paganism. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and build relationships with other members. Remember to be cautious and use your best judgment when interacting with people online. 4. Witchcraft festivals and gatherings: Many regions have annual or regular witchcraft festivals or gatherings. These events often feature workshops, lectures, and rituals led by practicing witches. They can be an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in the witchcraft community and connect with authentic practitioners. 5. Seek recommendations from trusted sources: If you have friends or acquaintances who are knowledgeable about or involved in witchcraft, ask them for recommendations. Personal referrals can be valuable in finding authentic and experienced witches. When reaching out to witches or groups, it is important to approach with respect and an open mind. Not all witches may be open to working with newcomers, and some may have specific guidelines or requirements for potential students or apprentices. Remember that witchcraft is a personal and sacred practice, and trust and mutual respect are essential in building meaningful connections within the witchcraft community..
Reviews for "Unlocking the Secrets: Where to Find Authentic Witchcraft Services"
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