Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Book review: Unfamiliar Familiars

Hi, pornies! How are you feeling today? I read an amazing book that gave me many smiles and several interesting tips about animal spirits. While it's mostly humor, Unfamiliar Familiars: Extraordinary Animal Companions for the Modern Witch, by Megan Lynn Kott  and Justin DeVine, has some curiousities and real facts. Thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this book through NetGalley!

  • Print Length: 139 pages
  • Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC; Illustrated Edition (September 1, 2020)
  • Publication Date: September 1, 2020
  • Genres: Humor, Folklore, Magic
  • Rating: 4 / 5
Unfamiliar Familiars is a comprehensive and humorous handbook to finding and caring for the unconventional animal companion.
This guide will help you find the animal best suited to your personality and particular magical needs.
Animals include a narwhal (strong in clairvoyance and fencing), an albatross (best for sea-faring witches), or an earthworm (for garden-based magic and fish summoning).
  • Features real-world facts with a playful, magical spin.
  • Includes a helpful quiz for finding your own familiar.
  • Brimming with suggested names, strengths, weaknesses, and more.
Forget the toads and black cats: Every witch is unique, so shouldn't you have a familiar as one-of-a-kind and extraordinary as yourself?
Unfamiliar Familiars is an entertaining and educational guide to a menagerie of magical, less-appreciated creatures that may just become your ideal partner in the arcane arts.

I wasn't sure at first about this book, but man I'm glad I got it! It is so nicely edited evevery was a visual gift as I read it, and since it's not that long you can get done with it in a couple of minutes, so it's perfect if you're having a hectic schedule (like I am) but don't want to stop reading or having a good time. This one is a guaranteed smile-provider!

There is a full page illustration for each animal, all of them beautiful, detailed and with really nice colors. I'm a fan of watercolors, so I could be a bit biased in this regard, but I think this adds to the charm, not to mention some look too d*mn cute!

As for the descriptiosn, the mix both humor, biology facts, some folklore and cultural references. You get possible names for your familiar (and many are good, for real), correspondences, likes, dislikes, and several smiles as you read. Each animal has a lot of creativity in its space. I would have liked there to be a bit more text, but that's just me.

Megan Lynn Kott  and Justin DeVine created a great book for times like these! Unfamiliar Familiars: Extraordinary Animal Companions for the Modern Witch, is perfect for you if you want a quick, funny and interesting reading. It will make your spirits smile just like you will, while also including great artwork to lift your mood whenever you need to. By the way, give a hummingbird please!

About the authors:
Megan Lynn Kott has been working as a professional illustrator since 2006. In addition to creating beautiful watercolor pet portraits and traveling the craft fair circuit - Megan designs graphics, illustrations, and textiles for a variety of clients including Chronicle Books, Maximum Fun, Meowbox, and Tea Collection. When she isn't painting cats, she enjoys looking at animals in predicaments, drinking coffee, and sitting on her porch when the weather is pleasant. In addition to being an artist, she is a lifelong cat lover - her first word was "kitty." Her current work is created in Milwaukee, WI alongside her husband and 3 mischievous cats. Website.

Justin DeVine is a fine artist and illustrator from California, who now resides in the Midwest with his wife and too many cats. He likes bugs, sea creatures, haunted-looking buildings, Pentel pocket brush pens, the Muppets, breakfast foods, unnecessarily long lists, and oxford commas. Some notable clients of his include Patagonia, Amy’s Kitchen, Whole Foods Market, Old Navy, Rise Dispensaries, Belcampo Meat Co, and Wildlife Works. He has also done artwork for the podcasts the West Wing Weekly, Deep Night with Dale, and Scary Thoughts; bands Moors and the Peculiar Pretzelmen; singer-songwriter Zoe Boekbinder, animal activist Hannah Shaw (aka the Kitten Lady) and TV’s Adam Savage. Website.

Have you read this book? Would you recommend it or not? Let me know in the comments! Kinky regards, K!

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