The Vine Witch series is a popular fantasy series written by author Luanne G. Smith. Set in early 20th century France, the series follows the adventures of Elena Boureanu, a vine witch who has been cursed and trapped in the body of a toad for seven years. After finally breaking free from her curse, Elena sets out to avenge her tormentor and regain her powers. The first book in the series, "The Vine Witch", introduces readers to the world of vine witches and the unique magic they possess. Elena, with her extensive knowledge of wine and vineyards, becomes an invaluable asset to winemakers, helping them perfect their craft and produce exceptional wines.
Artifacts from West Africa discovered at White Haven during archaeological digs at the site in the 1990s.
It was around this time, in late 1998, that I started to go and visit muti The word muti , is derived from the Zulu word for tree, umuthi and broadly refers to African traditional medicine shops in Johannesburg to do semi-structured and structured interviewing, the latter being where you ask people specific questions around plant use while semi-structured interviewing allows for a conversation to unfold around a topic. It is so toxic that it should NEVER be experimented with, without the guidance of a traditional healer, because of its narrow lethal toxicity margin range between being a visionary medicine and a fatal poison.
Elena, with her extensive knowledge of wine and vineyards, becomes an invaluable asset to winemakers, helping them perfect their craft and produce exceptional wines. However, her true mission is to find her tormentor and bring him to justice. In the second installment, "The Glamourist", Elena's quest takes a thrilling turn as she teams up with a renowned glamourist, Yvette Lenoir, to uncover a dark secret that threatens the very foundation of the wine industry.
African Psychoactive Plants
Psychoactive plant use research has been gaining momentum over the last century around the world, particularly in the Americas. Despite this, Africa has been considered in the literature to be poor in psychoactive plants. How can this be, given the rich floral and cultural diversity found on the continent? Are African traditional healers using visionary entheogenic plants in order to assist their spiritual healing practices? This is the research question Jean-Francois Sobiecki, an ethnobotanist and herbalist, asked in 1999, that set him off on a personal journey to explore African traditional medicine plants and their psychoactive uses. What resulted from this study is an inventory of over 300 species of plants being documented for psychoactive purposes in African traditional medicine; the first comprehensive inventory of psychoactive plants from the continent. This includes plants with sedative, stimulant, memory enhancing and visionary entheogenic uses amongst others, for treating various conditions such as: Alzheimer's, dementia, insomnia, epilepsy, stress, anxiety and depression.
Sobiecki also demonstrates that there is a cross cultural technology of using the same categories of initiation plants by both the African traditional healers and Amazonian curandero healers, in order to take the initiate traditional healer through a process of self-enquiry, self-development and potential self-mastery.
What does this tell us about psychoactive plants ability to heal the mind, and how does this psychoactive plant technology extend to other areas of the world?
Following his 15 year apprenticeship with his teacher, Northern Sotho diviner, Mrs. Letty Maponya, Sobiecki gives an account of his plant medicine initiation in becoming an Inyanga or traditional herbalist, and the insights he learnt about healing along the path.
African Psychoactive Plants is a foundational text that offers practical guidance on shamanic dietas and informs the reader of how one can engage and apply the four major categories of initiation plant medicines - a must have for any initiate or practicing healer as well as the spiritual seeker. The book highlights African and other global psychoactive plants indispensable for boosting health, cognitive performance and well-being, outlines steps and stages involved in the African traditional medicine initiation, as well as elaborating on the use of African plant teacher medicine called ubulawu such as Silene Capensis or the Xhosa dream root to enhance dreaming and divination.
Join Sobiecki on his Phytoalchemy Journey as he unlocks the healing gifts of the African psychoactive plants, the vision he has of creating healing gardens to conserve these invaluable plants into the future, and the plants role in creating an integrated planet.
Читать больше Язык English Издатель Jean-Francois Sobiecki Дата выпуска 13 июл. 2023 г. ISBN 9798223452430As they delve deeper into the mystery, Elena and Yvette discover a powerful force manipulating the wine market for their own sinister purposes. The third and final book in the series, "The Conjurer", sees Elena facing her greatest challenge yet. With her powers at their peak, she must confront an ancient evil that has returned to exact revenge on all vine witches. As the battle ensues, Elena's strength, courage, and determination are put to the ultimate test. The Vine Witch series is praised for its rich world-building, captivating storytelling, and well-developed characters. Smith's vivid descriptions of vineyards, wines, and the beauty of the French countryside transport readers into Elena's world, making it a truly immersive reading experience. Overall, The Vine Witch series is a must-read for fans of fantasy, magic, and masterful storytelling. It combines elements of mystery, romance, and adventure, creating a unique and compelling narrative that keeps readers hooked until the very last page..
Reviews for "The Vine Witch Series: A Spellbinding Epic of Good versus Evil"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I have to say, I was really disappointed with "The Vine Witch" series. The concept seemed intriguing, but the execution fell flat for me. The writing style was overly descriptive and slow-paced, making it difficult for me to stay engaged in the story. Additionally, I found the characters to be one-dimensional and lacking any depth. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this series to others who are looking for an exciting and well-developed fantasy series.
2. Jacob - 1 star - I couldn't even make it through the first book of "The Vine Witch" series. The plot was confusing and poorly developed, making it hard for me to follow along and understand what was happening. The world-building felt incomplete and inconsistent, which left me feeling disconnected from the story. I also found that the dialogue was clunky and unnatural, making it difficult for me to connect with the characters. Overall, this series was a disappointment and I would strongly advise others to look elsewhere for their fantasy fix.
3. Samantha - 2 stars - "The Vine Witch" series had a lot of potential, but it failed to deliver for me. The pacing was extremely slow, with long stretches of nothing really happening. The main character was also quite frustrating. She lacked agency and seemed to go along with everything without any real resistance or personal growth. I found myself losing interest and struggling to finish the series. It's a shame because I was hoping for an exciting and captivating read, but this just didn't cut it.
4. Thomas - 1 star - I found "The Vine Witch" series to be predictable and unoriginal. The plot felt like a mash-up of other popular fantasy novels, without adding anything new or unique to the genre. The characters were forgettable and lacked complexity, and I couldn't bring myself to care about their fates. Additionally, the prose was overly flowery and melodramatic, which made it hard for me to take the story seriously. Overall, this series was a disappointment and I would not recommend it to fans of the fantasy genre.
5. Amanda - 2 stars - "The Vine Witch" series had potential, but it ultimately fell short for me. The pacing was inconsistent, with moments of action followed by long periods of tedious exposition. The world-building was also lacking, leaving me with more questions than answers. The romance felt forced and lacked chemistry, making it difficult for me to invest in the relationships. While there were some interesting elements, the overall execution of the series left a lot to be desired.