Tarot decks

  • A colorful tarot card from the Starman Tarot, The Starman, shows a radiant, glowing figure surrounded by vibrant, cosmic energy patterns. The card is set against a dark background with the text Deck Review above it.
    Tarot decks

    Starman Tarot

    If you like street art and David Bowie then welcome to the Starman Tarot. Or if you’re looking for creative inspiration then you may well have found a perfect match. However, if you’re looking for a RWS clone I’d suggest you keep scrolling through my reviews because this probably isn’t it. Although, if you want a tarot deck that adheres to the RWS system but shakes things up a bit, then this deck is a great option. There is nothing vanilla about this deck. Think strawberry flavoured ice cream with a rum and raison twist and a bit of lemon sorbet … then place it on a pizza. As eclectic…

  • A tarot card from The Tarot of Curious Creatures titled The High Priestess shows a figure with a raven’s head and human body, draped in a purple veil. Above, “Deck Review” appears on a white background.
    Tarot decks

    The Tarot of Curious Creatures

    The Tarot of Curious Creatures is creator, Chris-Anne’s, latest offering. In this deck she ‘welcome[s] [you] to the world of curious creatures, peculiar guides and unfamiliar familiars.’ I have to admit it took me a while to decide I wanted to enter this world. But, now that I have, I can’t see why I hesitated. It’s different and I like different. Although the meanings align with traditional RWS expectations, this deck has a unique way of communicating them. For those interested in pathworking this deck is well worth a look. The attached guidebook encourages you to adopt this practice. Although, somewhat unsurprisingly, it’s pathworking with a twist. The Tarot of…

  • A tarot card from The Dreamkeepers Tarot, titled Knight of Cups, shows a woman in a white dress kneeling by water under a moonlit, starry sky with branches framing the scene. Deck Review is written at the top.
    Tarot decks

    The Dreamkeepers Tarot

    The Dreamkeepers Tarot took mixed media artist, Liz Huston, 12 years to create. It’s an RWS inspired deck but the distinctly feminine theme which sees the Queens heading the Court means some cards reflect a different view point. However, even though the deck is slanted towards the Sacred Feminine, it still honours the role of the Divine Masculine. Thus the deck maintains a sense of balance and ensures everyone can truly see themselves mirrored in the cards. The Dreamkeepers Tarot Cards From my first flip through I was captivated by the muted colour palette. I found it soothing. The deck combines acrylics, oils and watercolours with digital elements to create…

  • A tarot card labeled Queen of Coins from The Medieval Scapini Tarot features a richly dressed woman sitting and holding a coin aloft, with ornate patterns in the background. The words Deck Review appear above the card.
    Tarot decks

    The Medieval Scapini Tarot

    The intricate artwork of The Medieval Scapini Tarot ensures that each time you look at a card you’re bound to discover something new. For example, the cups aren’t just empty vessels featured just to designate a suit. Neither are the coins. The 6 of Coins pictured below, shows this clearly. No pentagrams here. Each coin portrays a scene. The same is true for the 6 of cups. A different scene is presented either on the cup or within it. This may seem typical for the 7 of cups in most RWS inspired decks but here it is put to good use throughout the entire Cups suit. Yes, there’s a lot…

  • A colorful tarot card labeled Page of Wands features a serious man with surreal, abstract shapes, vibrant patterns, and bold colors surrounding him on a black background. The text above reads Deck Review.
    Tarot decks

    Surrealist Tarot

    If you’re wanting to use tarot to tap into your unconscious to discover what hidden factors are driving your behaviours then what could be a better match than the Surrealist Tarot? When you consider that according to the accompanying book, ‘Surrealism was born essentially as a rebellion against the dictatorship of rationality …’ this deck is designed to take you to places other decks don’t. To look at the Surrealist Tarot and read it based on card titles alone and in reference to “typically this card features ….” is obviously possible but what a missed opportunity that would be. This deck almost begs you to leave rational thought behind and…

  • A tarot card with an illustration of a wolf standing in grass and flowers. The card reads “WOLF Nine of Fossils” with a small bird nearby. The image background is pastel, and “Deck Review” is written above.
    Tarot decks

    The Animal Wisdom Tarot

    The Animal Wisdom Tarot is a symbolically-rich deck that seamlessly merges animal wisdom with traditional tarot. It provides new perspectives that encourages you to reclaim your power by stripping away anything that isn’t authentic. This deck is beautiful and gentle and affirming – yes, but it doesn’t let you off lightly. Its focus is very much on accountability. The message repeated throughout is to be aware of your thoughts and actions and the world around and inside you. The Animal Wisdom Tarot Cards Ola Liola’s stunning watercolour artwork is a delight to behold. The background scenes draw me into the cards effortlessly and they have so much to share. The…

  • A tarot card titled Starseed from the Starchild Tarot Akashic deck shows a serene woman with closed eyes, glowing hands, and ethereal light and clouds surrounding her. Above, text reads Deck Review on a white background.
    Tarot decks

    The Starchild Tarot Akashic

    The Starchild Tarot Akashic, not to be confused with The Starchild Tarot by the same creator, aims to help us explore “the ancient traditions of the Tarot through a multidimensional journey of Consciousness and awakening.” This is a deck for self-exploration, self-expansion, and self-understanding. As you look through the photos I’ve included you’ll see this deck portrays each card in a unique way. That’s why I was keen to add it to my collection. The Starchild Tarot Akashic Cards From the outset, The Fool, here titled Starseed and pictured as the opening featured image, takes a different approach. She’s not depicted blindly stepping off a cliff. Instead, the Starseed is…

  • A tarot card from the Animal Totem Tarot, labeled Ten of Pentacles, features three rabbits in front of a burrow at dusk. Ten pentacles are embedded above the entrance, with a full moon overhead. “Deck Review” is written at the top.
    Tarot decks

    Animal Totem Tarot

    How many animal-themed tarot decks do you need? I don’t know. But, since I have seventeen of them, none of which I’d consider parting with, I’d say keep them coming. As long as they have something to offer, why not? Obviously I love animal decks and the Animal Totem Tarot was a welcome addition to my collection. As the name suggests, and the book blurb confirms, this deck is aimed towards people keen to work with power animals and/or animal totems. However, I feel this deck is actually for anyone that loves animals; that loves the artwork; or for anyone keen to add an easy-to-work-with animal deck to their collection.…

  • A tarot card from the Deviant Moon Tarot titled The Moon shows two puppet-like figures dancing beneath a large, expressive full moon with a face. The background is dark with a cityscape silhouette. Deck Review appears above the card.
    Tarot decks

    Deviant Moon Tarot

    This is a deck I put off buying for a long time. To be honest, I found it creepy and disturbing. But, I kept noticing that other people fell in love with it once they owned it. I couldn’t help wondering if that would be the case for me as well. I knew it was possible. When I first saw The Wild Unknown Tarot I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Now I own all three of Kim Krans’ decks, (The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit, The Wild Unknown Tarot and The Wild Unknown Archetypes), and her book Blossom and Bones. First, second, third and subsequent impressions can indeed…

  • A card from the Everyday Witch Tarot labeled “20 • Judgement” shows a witch in striped stockings and a pointed hat playing a trumpet, with her black cat dancing nearby as musical notes swirl through the colorful outdoor scene.
    Tarot decks

    Everyday Witch Tarot

    I really enjoy working with the Everyday Witch Tarot for many reasons. It reminds me, in part, of the initial Harry Potter books/films – lighter in tone yet still having important messages to deliver. This deck is the same in several ways. At first glance it may appear to be just a light and playful deck, and that it is, but it’s also much more than that. It’s an easy to read and approachable deck that helps you get to the heart of the matter in a non-threatening way. And, as alluded to in the opening, it’s a great story telling deck. That, for me, is important. More importantly though,…