This year, the June Solstice occurs on Thursday 20th June marking the astronomical first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and delivering us the longest day and shortest night of the calendar year.  In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite: the June Solstice marks the astronomical start of Winter, when the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky. It is so called because the word “solstice” comes from the Latin solstitium—from sol (sun) and stitium (still or stopped).

The Summer Solstice brings together sun myths, legends, and ceremonies from around the world that honour the sun as the source of human life. Many cultures celebrate the beginning of each new day and new season as a time of cultural and personal renewal.

To celebrate the Summer Solstice we share with you a selection of books that we think you'll love. Featuring gems such as the The Moon Dust Dream Dictionary, A Spell a Day and The Astrology Diary 2024, take a note of this stunning set of books.

The Summer Solstice is a time of vibrant growth, renewed vitality, and profound transformation. We can boost our intentions, enjoy the season's blessings, and improve our health by choosing and using crystals. If you would like to experience crystals in a completely new way, using sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste to tap into the healing energies of the Universe, check out Sensory Crystal Healing which welcomes you to Gem Sorcery, a sensory approach to crystal work that connects you with the Universal Consciousness, bringing you into an empowered state where you can make lasting changes in your life. Together, the sensory methods in this book will put you in touch with your innate divinity, activate your self-transformational powers and ultimately enable you to become creator of your own reality.

Setting out to “unlock the true meanings of your dreams with the wisdom of the moon”, Florance Saul’s The Moon Dust Dream Dictionary sheds a glowing lunar light on how the eight phases of the moon impact how dreams might be interpreted. Blending dream analysis with lunar living, this interpretive dictionary is said to be the first of its kind.

Astrology is the ultimate tool for self-discovery, empowerment and healing – learn to decode your sun signs and moon signs, and reveal the system for the life you desire.

The 2024 edition of The Astrology Diary is another must-read for any Summer Solstice lovers. Out on July 11th 2023, the fourth edition of this stylishly illustrated daily planner is sprinkled with inspirational life-coaching tips that synergise with the zodiac. This is the ideal gift for enthusiastic astrologers, and readers who are looking to add magical focus to their lives.

In A Spell a Day we are told that "these spells are like mini adventures that will help make your mundane day to day more magical!” So enthuses author Tree Carr, a high priestess witch and master of Wicca, in the warmly welcoming introduction to this beautifully presented book. 

Designed to make every day magic, this beautiful anthology boasts 365 spells, rituals and enchantments for every season, and pretty much every circumstance.

The Japanese Art of Living Seasonally takes readers on a mindful journey that might just transform lives. Sharing cultural insights and practical activities, this beautifully-written compendium to kisetsukan, the Japanese art of living seasonally, is an inspiring ode to the transformative, restorative powers of nature and observation.

We are big fans of Stephen Ellock here at LoveReading and so we were very excited to get our hands on a new book he is involved with. Time for Magic offers an entrancing overview of Jamie Reid's incredible art, structured around the eight seasonal festivals of the Wheel of the Year (the equinoxes and solstices plus Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain). Curator Stephen Ellcock has selected the art and in his own inimitable creative style arranged it into season-themed chapters. 

We also must mention The Witch's Survival Guide Spells for Stress and Burnout in a Modern World by Jennifer Lane. Full of potential and possibilities, this guide to using magical ways bonded with a love of the natural world creates a healing balance against stress. 

If cards are more your thing, Earth Alchemy Oracle is a beautifully illustrated card deck helping to bring a deep connection to the magic beneath your feet, to the crystals, plants, trees and flowers and the sacred language of light. All of the elements of alchemy needed to awaken the heart further to the truth around us.

This powerful and beautiful deck is a portal to inner healing, love and connection. The cards are full of activations, holding the keys to help you dive deeper to past lives, previous alchemic work, connection to the elementals and inner earth.

We'd love to hear your suggestions...