Deck Review: Housewives Tarot

Jude Buffum and Paul Kepple, Housewives Tarot: A Domestic Divination Kit with Deck and Instruction Book.  Philadelphia, PA: Quirk Books, 2004. ISBN: 9781931686990. (link to publisher)

Genre: Tarot and cartomancy

Subgenre: vintage, Americana

Format: 78-card deck with small instruction book in box

Source: I own this one  

The High Priestess-IV

I first used this deck in July 2025. The deck kit comes in a box in the style of a recipe box with a small instruction book and the 78-card deck. Inside the box, as I understand it, it should have dividers as you do in recipe boxes. I got my deck secondhand, and the dividers were missing. Still, I got the complete deck and book, so I am good to go. I also got it at a good price in the days before used bookstores got wise to cartomancy's popularity and starting jacking up prices for collectors. But I digress. 

The small book is arranged as follows: 

•  The Legend of the Mystical Housewives Tarot. A cute little story where Marlene Weatherbee reveals how Tarot is the secret of her success at home and even in a side business. We also get a note on domestic divination. 
• Conducting a reading. This has some instruction on how to read the cards. It offers 4 spreads you can try out. 
• The Major Arcana.  We get a one-page introduction and then the card entries. Each entry has a small image from the cards, some keywords, and a paragraph of interpretation. For some reason, the deck switches the traditional card order on the Empress, the Emperor, and High Priestess from the traditional card order to Empress-II, Emperor- III, and High Priestess-IV. There is no real reason for it to be honest. I suppose it's a quirk of the deck and its author. The rest of the cards do follow the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) order. The interpretations feature a bit of domestic humor. 
• The Minor Arcana. Introduction and entries are pretty much the same as the Major Arcana.

As mentioned, the interpretations have a bit of domestic humor with some vintage elements. Don't be fooled. The meanings can carry serious messages too. The esoteric elements are relatively minimal, and then text as a whole is easy to read. There is a light amusing tone throughout the text. By the way, a couple of the spreads included have 7 to 13 cards, so you get some large spreads to try out. 

King of Pentacles 

The cards feature some nice 1950s or so vintage style. It is bright, colorful, and playful at times. The artist gets creative. For example, The High Priestess-IV is a bottle of syrup (Mrs. Butterworth style). The deck features cheeky humor throughout. Still it reads very well, and it can deliver serious messages. It can be very straightforward. For me, this deck is fun, and it is a reliable reader. If you want a deck that is "not scary" for some folks, this can be a good choice. If you use the RWS system, this deck stays close to it. Still the art gives enough for intuitive readers too. 

On a side note, if you are one of those folks who need or want diversity and/or representation in your decks, look for another deck. This deck is very much the idealized 1950s or so Americana where everyone is white, the man works, the wife is a housewife, etc. It plays with the idea through humor, but there is no "color" here. 

The cards measure about 4 1/4 inches by 2 3/4 inches. The cards have a soft matte finish, and they shuffle with relative ease. The card borders are color coded: 

• Black = Major Arcana.
• Blue = Cups.
• Red = Swords.
• Yellow = Wands.
• Green = Pentacles. 

It is a small detail, but I do appreciate the colored borders. The card back has a simple picnic cloth style, and it is reversible. 

Overall, I really like this deck. It reads well, and it has a cheeky and playful sense of humor. I do recommend it, especially for folks who enjoy retro and vintage art. 

4 out of 5 stars.

 

Decks with similar appeal factors: 

•  The Zombie Tarot, also by Quirk Books. 
• Todd Alcott's Tarot decks.  

 

This kit qualifies for the following 2025 Reading Challenge: 

 

 

 

Deck Review: Cosmic Cat Wisdom Cards

Randy Crutcher and Barb Horn. Cosmic Cat Wisdom Cards. Marvel, CO: EnlightenUp LLC, 2020. ISBN: 9780998897318. (link to publisher)

Genre: oracle cards

Subgenre: cats and felines

Format: 60-card deck with small book

Awards:  2020 Gold in the Inspirational and Transformational Product category from the Coalition for Visionary Resources (COVR).

Source: I own this one 

Teacher. Share your knowledge

This kit includes a small paperback companion book and a 60-card deck. I first used this deck in July 2025. I found this at Half Price Books (HPB), and I like cats and cat-themed decks I took a chance on it. 

The book is arranged as follows:  

• Introduction. This discusses a bit about cats' lives and their relationship with humans. It highlights some of the wisdom cats share with us. As the authors write, "you can use these cards just for fun, have a laugh or two, or to go a little deeper into seeing, valuing, and appreciating the lessons life puts before you" (2). The introduction gives some ideas for times where you can use the deck. In addition, the introduction includes suggestions on clearing and infusing the cards, how to read the cards, and using the cards with a journal. 
• Card entries. The entries are in alphabetical order. Each entry includes card title, card image in color, a message phrase, interpretation, and a short list of "other thoughts to stalk." You get about two pages per card entry.

The book is light and very easy to read. The introductory material is basic, and it strives to give options for using the deck. The card entries have some substance. You can probably read the cards intuitively combined with the card image, title, and message. However, you can get more insight if you read the book. The "other thoughts to stalk" can work for personal reflection and for journal prompts. It is a nice book. 

The card art is colorful. These are mainly paintings. Most images are realistic. The images are colorful and expressive. The images often have a bit of humor and a bit of lightheartedness. 

This is a good deck for daily and/or weekly draws. As I mentioned, you can use them for journaling. You can also use them for divination. I would also suggest this deck can work well with cat-themed Tarot decks, an idea I would like to try out sometime. 

The cards measure about 5 1/2 inches by 3 3/4 inches. The cards have a glossy finish. Between the glossy finish and the size the deck may be a bit difficult to shuffle. The deck can feel a bit heavy on the hands. The card back art is nice, but it is not reversible. However, the deck is not designed for reversals. 

Still, this is a nice deck overall. It has a positive vibe, yet at times it can look at shadow issues. If you have cats or are a fan of cats, this may be a good deck for you. Personally, this is a deck I would keep in my work office for daily message draws. It was a pleasant discovery for me, and I do recommend it. It is one I would get as a gift for the cat lovers in my life. 

5 out of 5 stars.

On final side note, turns out the publisher also has a dog-themed deck.  While I am pretty much a cat person, I do appreciate dogs, plus the deck may go well with the dog-themed Tarot deck I have. If I can find it, I will get it. 

 

This kit qualifies for the following 2025 Reading Challenge: 

 

Book Review: Tarot for the Magically Inclined

Jack Chanek, Tarot for the Magically Inclined: Spells and Spirits to Stack the Deck in Your Favor. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Worldwide, 2025. ISBN: 9780738778013. (Link to publisher)

 

Genre: Tarot, cartomancy

Subgenre: magic, pagan

Format: e-book galley

Source: Edelweiss Plus 

 

As the title states, this book is about Tarot for folks who also do magic. The author takes readers through the basics of Tarot, specifically how various other magical elements fit into and are already part of Tarot. The author then takes readers on the journey to do magic with your Tarot cards. 

The book starts with a list of spreads and an introduction. In the introduction the author describes the book's overall structure and writes a bit about the intersection of Tarot and magic, the core of the book. 

After the introduction, the book is divided into two parts. Part I: A Magical Worldview looks at Tarot reading, defines magic, and goes over additional elements such as the elements of the Zodiac, the planets, and the Tree of Life. You may or not use some or all of those in your practice. I do not, at this time, but I am interested in learning more. The author here gives you enough of the basics to help add those other concepts in your practice if you so choose. If you are an advanced reader, you can probably skim or even skip Part I. If you are a beginner or an intermediate student, like me, you'll want to read Part I. and come back to it as needed. For some topics you may need or want to supplement with other texts. Some of the texts listed in the bibliography may help, but you may also consider seeking other texts and resources. 

Part II is where the magic actually happens so to speak. Here the author goes over specific magical practices you can do with your Tarot deck. Topics include path working, meditation, writing spells, and work with angels, demons, and other spirits. I would say this is not for readers to do everything. Certainly don't attempt it all at once. Rather pace yourself, see what calls to you, and go from there. Build up your craft with study, practice, and discipline a step at a time. 

The book is not a hard read, but there are some dry parts here and there that can slow down the reading pace. Some topics get a bit more depth than others, which is part of why you may need supplementary materials for some topics. Still as a whole I found the book to be interesting, and it has motivated me to explore ways to bring more magic into my Tarot. I've done some small spell work  with Tarot, and it has worked for me. This book gives me ideas and lessons to go further into Tarot and magic. 

In essence, you can do a lot more with your Tarot deck than just read the cards if you wish. This book can show you how to do it. This is a book I would buy in print for my personal collection, and I do recommend it. It may be a great way to expand your Tarot journey and your magic. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

 

Additional reading notes: 

On what Tarot is and is not: 

"Tarot is an interpretive art rather than a predictive science, and tarot readers aren't omniscient. We get things wrong sometimes, and we can't pull the winning lottery tickets out of a deck of cards. Nonetheless, tarot gives us insight that wouldn't otherwise have. It allows us to build a narrative through which to make sense of ourselves and the world around us, to see the major themes in our lives, and to forecast where we're going based on where we are now. It's a wonderful tool to understand the turning of the Wheel" (2). 

 

On the languages of Tarot and magic: 

"The language of tarot is one of symbolism, imagery, dreams, and imagination-- the same as the language of magic. As such, tarot is already deeply magical. The powers of magic gain expression when we give them voice through reading tarot, and the archetypal images of tarot are made real when we draw them into the world through magic. Tarot and magic have always been connected; this book will teach you to notice that connection and apply it" (5). 

 

The author's definition of magic: 

"Magic is the practice of causing directed change through either sympathetic or intercessional means" (29).

 

Author's goal with this book: 

"My goal is to establish tarot as part of our magical universe. How does the tarot deck fit in with everything else we do as magicians, and how can magic inform our understanding of tarot's internal structure?" (43). 

 

On divination and magic: 

"Divination gives you a glimpse into the future; if you don't like that future, magic gives you the power to change it. There is tremendous magical potency in mindfully rewriting a narrative that you've been given in divination-- rejecting one vision of the future and instead substituting your own" (152). 

 

 

This book qualifies for the 2025 Netgalley/Edelweiss Plus Challenge.

 

 

Media Notes: Roundup for September 2025

 

  

 

Welcome to my somewhat random selection of the movies and series on DVD and/or online I watched during September 2025.

Movies and films (links to IMDB.com for basic information unless noted otherwise). Some of these I watched via TubiTv.com or other online source. The DVDs come from the public library (unless noted otherwise). In addition, I will try to add other trivia notes, such as when a film is based on a book adding the information about the book (at least the WorldCat record if available).

Getting a bit of a head start on horror watching as we head into October and Halloween:  

• The Jester (2023. Horror. Made for TV film).  Plot description: "A malevolent being known as The Jester terrorizes the inhabitants of a small town on Halloween night, including two estranged sisters who must come together to find a way to defeat this evil entity." This was a bit better than I expected. It is not great, but it is decent enough. Starts out looking like a typical slasher kind of movie, but as we get to the final act, we see this is more a reflection on truth, resentment, and forgiveness. A small detail I liked was the Jester's look. It was simple, but it was effective. A guy dressed in orange suit, cane, top hat with a Jester mask. It is Halloween, so blends right in. What worked was he was mostly silent, so a bit like a mime. It added a bit to the terror. Some suspense, a bit of horror, and a little humor here or there. Movie does not seem much, but it still manages to get you to keep watching. For a horror movie, it is very light. Still I liked it, so willing to give it 3 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/6.
• Burial Ground (1981. Horror. Italian film. Also known as The Nights of Terror. Original title: Le notti del terrore). Plot description: "An archaeology professor discovers an ancient crypt containing living dead corpses. The zombies go on a rampage and attack a group of people whom the professor had invited to celebrate his discovery." The initial catch is the professor becomes the first victim of the zombies, so when the guests arrive, they have no idea he is gone. They think he may have just left for the day or some errand. The guests all go around doing their own thing here and there, and from there, matter of time til the zombies get them. The acting at times does leave a bit to be desired. The zombie special effects are OK, not great but not awful. They can vary in quality; some zombies look better than others. There are some small gruesome parts when zombies manage attack then consume one of their victims. The one character who is kind of creepy to be honest is the one son who is inopportune and a bit obnoxious.  As for the music, varies from semi-decent suspense kind of music to some weird electronic sound that does not quite belong in this kind of film. One thing I did not expect was the slow zombies throwing stakes and using farm implements like a scythe. And did I mention they can climb walls. Not like Spider-Man, but they can hold on to ledges and such and climb a wall. So they are sort of slow and lumbering but not too dumb. This could be a cheesy kind of zombie horror movie with the guests trapped in the house, but it is just so damn slow. The scares are there, but in between the plot just drags. It's not the worst I've seen, but it is not that good. Add to it we get one or two unintentional laughs, and there you have it. A few drinks, and it might be watchable for Halloween, but sober you will feel it drag. It could have been good, but between the so-so acting, and the slow pace you just can't wait for it to end. Speaking of the end, last ten minutes or so, we all knew what was going to happen. It was somewhat OK, so 2.5 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/13.
• Fatal Games (1984. Horror. Slasher). Plot description: "Athletes at a sports academy are getting systematically killed by a mysterious javelin thrower."  To be honest, I am not sure how this got on my "to watch" list; I am guessing I may have seen a mention on social media. Anyhow, watching it now. This is certainly an 80s film, including the sports montage to open the film and the soundtrack including the upbeat pop music and synth tunes. The movie is fairly plain. We see the students practicing for a national competition, hoping to make it to the Olympics down the road. Soon one by one they start dying as a mysterious javelin thrower starts to kill them. The killer is pretty good at hiding the bodies, at least initially, to the point the coaches just think the kids disappeared or are pulling a prank. Even when parents start calling the cops, there is no evidence where the dead kids are hidden. So there is some suspense, but the pace is a bit slow, and we get a bit more athlete drama than we may want. After a while, to be honest, they academy people sort of forget there are at least three dead athletes as the others keep on training, almost like nothing happened. It's not until about 25 minutes remaining, out of an hour and 27 minutes or so, where a couple of the athletes wonder, "gee, could they be dead?" The kills are no big deal, relatively basic with a javelin. Gore is very minimal. To be honest, the one part where Frank, a gymnast, breaks a leg in a dismount is more gruesome than the actual kills. On the other hand, if you like young nubile women naked, there is quite a bit of female nudity in the first part of the film: showers, sauna, etc. One thing the film does relatively well is keep the identity of the killer secret until the very end. Well, at least until they reveal the one twist about the killer, which seems a bit of a stretch but this is a slasher film (not revealing to avoid spoilers). There were one or two details that you may seriously question. I mean, this is a dumb slasher so to speak, but even for this genre those small details, like a certain newspaper, just catch your eye. Overall, not a terribly great film, but it is not bad either. Just average, so 2.5 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/19.  
• Granted part of the reason the coaching staff keeps things quiet is that they are experimenting with steroids with the athletes. This is 1984, and Americans are worried about competition from East Germans and Russians. They do it, so Americans feel they need to also do it.
•  The Goetia Diaries (2022. Horror. Occult. Supernatural). Plot description: "Vlogger, Richard Deakin, investigates black magick and the summoning of King Solomon's 72 demons in his current series, The Goetia Diaries."  This one I do remember someone mentioning it on social media, and while they were lukewarm about it, to put it charitably, made me curious, so here we are. As I understand coming it, it is one of those "found footage" films, so I am keeping the expectations low; I am not a fan of the "found footage" genre. The movie pretty much starts with his last vlog entry, then we see his fiancee, who is presenting his vlog entries for viewers after Richard disappeared. The story then works forward vlog entry by vlog entry. Along the way, he interviews occultists, gets a Tarot reading, and other activities leading to working with a demonologist. This despite warnings from his occultist friend Zimmer to not pursue the investigation nor work with Reznick the demonologist and summon the demons of the Goetia. Along the way, we do see Richard transforming as the rituals and investigation take him along a darker path than he bargained for. Overall, the movie is pretty slow, no real tension, and the ending not really surprising. Not much actual acting; actors just seem to go through motions. The concept could have had potential, but it is just not there. This is one you can safely skip. One thing it does have is it tries to be very atmospheric, but that is not enough to recommend it. 1 out of 5 stars, and barely. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/19. 
• The Driller Killer (1979. Horror. Slasher). Plot description: "An artist slowly goes insane while struggling to pay his bills, work on his paintings, and care for his two female roommates, which leads him taking to the streets of New York after dark and randomly killing derelicts with a power drill." As if that was not enough,  by the way, a bunch of musicians move into the same building, and keep playing music at all hours, which bothers the artist too. The movie is violent, which is why it was controversial back in its day. Today much of it would seem tame compared to some modern horror films, say the Saw franchise for example. Still, an issue with the film is that it has quite a bit of filler. Idea is to show how the artist slowly loses his mind from all going on around him, and we see that. But there is also a lot of filler that slows things down. At times, the film does drag. Film, rather than horror, is a bit more psychological drama and a look at the 70s and the New York City scene. It does have some surreal moments, but it is not terribly substantial. The music can be catchy at times, but not enough to elevate the film. The acting is not that great either. The ending, well, it just ends. This is early Ferrara, and it shows. I understand he gets better over time,  though Ms. 45, his next movie, was not that great for me (see link to my review below). At this time, I am not seeing why this film let alone the director enjoy a cult status. 1 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/20.
• Film is also listed in the Grindhouse Cinema Database.  
• Abel Ferrara directs and also stars this time. He also directed Ms. 45, which I have seen and reviewed. 
• In curious details, the Porto-Pak product that appears on a TV ad is basically the precursor of small portable rechargeable batteries like ones you use on small power tools. It just caught my eye.  It turns out the artist gets one so he can carry his corded drill (this was before Black and Decker cordless) around and keep it running.
•  A Knight's War (2025. Dark fantasy. Horror. Action). Plot description: "A fearless knight braves a deadly realm to save the Chosen One's soul. Facing witches, demons, and brutal foes, he discovers her return could ignite chaos and doom humanity."  I kept my expectations low on this one, but to be honest, it was better than I thought. This is more dark fantasy than horror per se, and that is fine. Story is decent. Not spectacular, but decent. The acting works well enough. It's a knight's quest movie with some small twists towards the end, and they work. In addition, the special effects and  some of the costumes are great. Looking at the witches you can't help but be a bit fascinated even as they can be horrifying. Also, I found interesting the talisman of the 100 deaths or so as its effect may remind some of stories like All You Need is Kill or the movie based on it Edge of Tomorrow. I liked it, even if it had some slow moments here or there, it does keep your attention. It is very much a middle of the road film. This may be the best I watched this month, so willing to give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. Via TubiTv. Watched 9/26. 

 

Other non-horror films watched this month: 

• 9/11 (2017. Disaster. Action. Thriller). Plot description: "Five people find themselves trapped in an elevator during the September 11 attacks. They soon work together, never giving up hope, to try to escape before the unthinkable happens." One of the various films that came out after the event. I barely recall seeing this one, so this is a rewatch for review, plus at the time I am watching it we got the "Patriot Day" obligatory holiday (thanks to George Bush the second), so what the heck, I will watch at least one film about it. Keeping my expectations low on this one. On surface, has a semi-decent cast including Charlie Sheen, Whoopi Goldberg, and Luis Guzman, who always puts in good work. I can see why this movie got low ratings. It mostly takes place in the elevator, with glimpses of what is happening outside as the nation realizes they are under a terrorist attack. Outside of the drama inside the elevator, nothing much happens. The actors mostly perform to their type, especially Sheen who can do the jerk with a good heart and Guzman the blue collar Latino worker. Overall, the film is kind of meh. It is watchable, but it is a film you likely will soon forget. It just does not feel memorable. In the end it's barely OK, so 1.5 out of 5 stars. Watched via Tubi on 9/13. 
• Film is based on the play "Elevator" by Patrick James Carson. 

 

Television and other series (basic show information links via Wikipedia unless noted otherwise). Some of these come in DVD from the public library. Others may be via YouTube, which, as noted before, I keep finding all sorts of other old shows in it, often full episodes:

• Iron Chef (1993-1999). I felt a need to do some comfort series watching, so I've been rewatching the Japanese show via TubiTv. As the month ends, I am almost done with Season 3. Last time I commented on this was when I finished the series back in 2023. This is a series I find relaxing, and I enjoy rewatching it now and then. 

 

 

10 books I've read with "book" in the title

This small list is inspired by the prompt I saw at Socrates' Book Reviews, who got it from That Artsy Reader Girl. The original is part of her "Top Tuesday" series, which I often see show up in my feed reader, but I never really have the time to write a list and put the blog post together when the prompt comes out. I do find amusing to do these little prompts when I find the time, so I save the prompt post in my feed reader until I can find the time to write it out. 

Anyhow, this time I am making a list of ten books I have read that have the word "book" in the title. I am including links to my reviews of the books, if available at this time, so you can check them out if you find them interesting. Books are listed in no specific order. 

 

Social Media Spellbook

 

 

 

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Divination

 

 

Temples of Books

 

 

LEGO Star Wars Ideas Book 

 

 

 

Little Book of Whiskey Cocktails

 

 

 

The Big Book of Tarot Meanings

 

 

 

The Book Lover's Guide to London

 

 

 

The Playbook

 

 

Every Book Its Reader

 

 

 

The Book of Pslams

 

 

 This was not as easy as it sound initially, but I managed to find 10 books to make this list. So, anyone out there read any books with "book" in the title that may be interesting. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know. 

 

20 More Books That Influenced Me: a Second List

After I finished putting together my list of 20 books that influenced me, I realized there were more than just 20. So here we are again with another list of 20 books "that have had an impact on who you are." As before, these are just the book covers. No explanations, reviews, etc., although some of these I've reviewed on this blog. 

The books are listed in no particular order. As much as possible, I am using book covers from editions I read or have some special meaning to me. 

 

Las venas abiertas de América Latina

 

Asterix en Hispania

 

Mafalda (series)

 

 

The Empire of Fear 

 

Master of the Five Magics

 

 

Don Quijote de la Mancha

Amadís de Gaula

 

The Space Merchants

 

 

 

The Demolished Man

 

 

The Stars My Destination

 

 

I, The Jury

 

 

The Haunted House and Other Spooky Poems and Tales

 

Helsreach

 

 

The Repossession Mambo

 

 

War Against All Puerto Ricans

 

 

Blood Money

  

3x Carlin: an Orgy of George

 

  

White Poverty

 

How not to get shot

 

 

The Thousand Dollar Dinner 

 

Again I ask, how about readers out there? Any favorite books you'd like to share? Maybe you posted your list somewhere? Feel free to share a link if you have it. You share in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by.