Review: The Witches' Runes

Hey there! In the mood for some good folk divination? This is a method that has eluded me for a while because I had no idea where to begin or which set of runes was the best to start with. That's why I read this book, and why I recommend everyone interested in divination in general to read The Witches' Runes: History, Creation, and Use, by Josephine Winter and Jason Tremain, with a foreword by Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki. Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy!

• Print Length: 220 pages.
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
• Publication Date: January 8, 2026.
• Genres: Folklore, Non-Fiction, Occultism, Witchcraft.
• Rating: 5/5 stars.

Master this Historic and Powerful Divinatory System

Step-By-Step, Rune by Rune

First presented by famed occultist Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, the Witches' Runes, aka Stones O'Leary, are a set of ten marked stones that have traveled the world by way of occult teachers and students. Now, for the first time ever, this obscure system of divination is presented in its original form for a general audience.

Josephine Winter and Jason Tremain present each rune in its own in-depth chapter along with meditations and journal prompts. Josephine and Jason encourage you to explore each rune’s traditional meaning and how it connects with you on a personal level. You will also learn how to create your own Witches' Runes and interpret the symbol combinations. Much simpler than tarot or the Elder Futhark runes, anyone can pick up this system and find that the future is just a stone's throw away.

This is a much-needed book in the witchcraft community because of the mythos surrounding these runes. I remember years ago, when I was still a newbie, reading that the witches' runes were a tool with a lost origin, a divination method that has been around for a long time but with no trace or history. The authors debunk this early on and provide the supposedly lost origin of the runes.

I admit I had my reservations about it when I first read that they are of Romani origin. My cultural appropriation alarm blasted, but the more I read, the more I understood that this is not the case. I would have liked more exploration of this, sure, but there was a solid enough answer for me. Most of the book is the exploration of what each rune means and some myths and legends about the elements pictured in the stones.

There comes a point where it becomes a little mechanical because each chapter follows the same format, and I won't lie about not skipping any sections. There were parts about it that were pretty similar, but in hindsight this is useful if, later on, you want to reference a single chapter without going back and forth. While reading in a single sitting is not the best, it does work a lot if you need to re-read certain parts of it.

All in all, I like how easy it was all to follow, especially the myths about the elements in the runes. The authors have a good style that makes it feel like a fascinating class that takes you just deep enough to awaken your curiosity. The Witches' Runes doesn't offer all the answers and interpretations, but it does help a lot when it comes to getting you started.

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