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Title: Chubby Witch’s Night In
Author: Amanda Lovelace
Art by: Vylirium
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Number of cards: 44
Card size: 5 x 3.5 in
Box size: 5 x 4 x 1.5 in approx
Guidebook pages: 176 pages
Purchased or gifted?: Review copy provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing
glammed up; a witch, alone not a lonely witch; sleep(s are group healing spells)
Notable detail: This guidebook is quite special
Season: Autumn/Winter
Sabbat: Imbolc
Sign: Taurus
Element: Earth
Deck compliment: Cozy Witch Tarot
Collective Pull: it’s time to get the journal out, babe

Indulge Yourself

First Impressions

I couldn’t help but to laugh when I saw Amanda had made this deck. I love that she took what some perceive as something negative and said middle finger to the haters, here’s more of what you don’t like. That to me says, she’s someone who is very comfortable with who she is and doesn’t make any effort to apologize for being herself. It’s pretty aspirational to be honest and I’m just so inspired by her voice and work and commitment to herself. So let’s dive into this whole thing so you can decide if this deck is for you.

The Packaging

The box is your standard oracle deck box. It’s a sturdy two piece box in a nice purple color with matte printing. It isn’t designed on the inside though which is ok. There isn’t anything super special about the box but it’s also perfectly fine for housing your cards for a long time.

The card stock on the cards themselves are pretty nice. It’s just thick enough so that it feels like super nice quality but not so thick that you can’t shuffle them. And the sides are gold gilded! The printing is matte which is always more luxe than gloss. In general, it seems most of the publishers are getting away from gloss which is super nice to see.

*sleepover(s are group healing spells) and get glammed up*

The Guidebook

The guidebook is quite nice and has a lot of information. I wish it had been in full color though which is quickly becoming the norm so it’s a bit of disappointment to see this publisher isn’t going that route. Inside the guidebook you will find:

An introduction
Several poems
What she calls “experiencing the chubby witch’s night in” which is basically some answers to common questions
Preparing to use the deck
Five spreads
What to expect when using the deck
Space for reflection
And more in addition to the meanings

So as you can see, you get a lot from this guidebook and I didn’t even mention everything. This is the kind of thing I like to see. The deck isn’t just another oracle deck, it's an experience. It’s a system that takes you into this world. Everything in this guidebook is thoughtful and fully illustrates Amanda’s creative mind.

So often, decks have little to no explanation about why they matter or what makes them different. But Amanda has made sure to share every detail about how she envisions this deck being used while also leaving space for you to find your own journey with the deck.

One thing I loved is her using the word “fat.” She talks about how she’s reclaimed that word and doesn’t see it as something bad. Same thing with the word “chubby.” Again, she is voicing her comfort with herself and has created a space where other people who resonate with this experience can feel safe.

I should also point out that there are spreads all throughout the guidebook in addition to the five you get at the beginning. An idea I might have to borrow Amanda! There are also spells throughout the guidebook and poems. There’s so much to discover as you work with this deck. Imagine pulling a card, reading the meaning and then surprise!! There’s another spread made specifically for that card. It’s such a good idea. I’m honestly jealous I didn’t think of it first.

And I find the card names to be so good because they’re honest. They feel like things all people experience or have trouble working through. This feels like a very “real life” deck. It’s magical but not in the fantasy, whimsical way. It’s magical because it represents real everyday witches living real everyday lives. Being real human beings. I think people hear that word “witch” and think people are levitating their pets and making magic flare from their hands. When really, witches are just people. We have lives. We have jobs. We have hardships and triumphs. And this deck really makes space for that. Well Done.

Theme

So the theme is as the name suggests: chubby witches. Amanda is very open and honest about being a plus-sized person and felt as though that’s a group of people who have been under-represented which is true. She points out how there are larger people in decks but usually just one or two people and she wanted to create a deck which is solely dedicated to people who look like her.

The Artwork

The artwork is so detailed and vibrant. The whole thing is in rich shades of purple, greens, pinks, blues and features so many different skin tones and hair types and body shapes. My favorite card is called “just put the cards down.” I loved this card for the name alone to be honest. All of us who pull cards have, at some point, have pulled too many cards hoping for a specific answer. So again, this just feels representative of real life. But it still has a cozy vibe about it. I love the art details on the walls and the candles. And I absolutely LOVE that you can see the actual tarot cards clearly.

Another one of my favorites is “you’re never too old for a night light.” This one really hit home for me because I haven’t slept without some kind of light in years… since I was a teenager. I used to have terrible night paralysis with hallucinations or better known as night terrors. I’d see houseplants that looked like demons or shadows on the walls, all while being stuck in place, unable to move. Sleeping with the night light didn’t stop the night terrors from occuring but it did give me a way to ground myself after I was finally able to move. It’s very rare that I have night terrors now but I still sleep with a small light regardless.

“fat. if you’re thinking that’s not a very nice word to use to describe someone, then consider this: ‘fat’ is only a bad word to those who think it’s a bad thing to be fat. it isn’t, despite what society likes to tell us.”

Amanda shares her story too. That she’s in her 30s as am I and she still—unashamedly—sleeps with a night light. Her story has nothing to do with night terrors that I can tell or does it have anything to do with the art but it's just nice to have someone who understands. It’s so nice to feel like someone gets you when pulling an oracle card. And not just gets you in the abstract, spiritually profound way but truly understands you in your everyday life.

That’s not even something that I realized I needed. It’s not like I felt like it was missing but now having worked with the deck, I can honestly say I really just needed to have this experience. It's decks like this that truly change people. This is what we mean when we say “turn on your light so others can find you.” Amanda being true to herself and offering things that are authentic makes it easy for others to feel seen, safe, understood and a little less alone.

Own Chubby Witch's Night In

Reading With this Deck

I’m just obsessed with this deck to be real with you. I can’t remember the last time I have enjoyed working with a deck so much. Yes I have gotten plenty of decks that I loved and were beautiful and well written but this deck is fun. It’s such an enjoyable experience to pull cards and read the meanings. There are so many surprises in the guidebook from activities to lists of herbs to playlists to journal prompts and spreads and beyond. It’s like a little adventure every time I pull a card.

But what really makes this reading experience so good is just how much Amanda calls things out. Like how she says you don’t have to drink lemon balm tea if you don’t like it, even if that is the recommendation. Or that if you’ve pulled one particular card then obviously your stress has gotten out of control and you need to do something about it. The guidance is just so real. Amanda hasn’t made any effort to sugarcoat things in poetic language. She’s like this is what it is babe, let’s deal with it.

It’s just so refreshing. It’s such an unusual experience in a deck that it has me questioning every deck project I’m working on. Amanda is the kind of author that makes you want to step your game up and trust me, during the whole review, I keep thinking I gotta step my shit up!

I’ve loved reading with this deck so much that I’ve decided to buy it as a stocking stuffer for all of my friends. This is the fun equivalent of Women Who Run With The Wolves in the sense that I truly believe everyone needs to work with it.

Collective Pull

I pulled it’s time to get the journal out babe for you. This card holds space for the harsh reality that life is hard. That sometimes you have the best of intentions. You want to do all of the things: pull the cards, take the baths, sleep more, do the rituals. But the day is so demanding that it's a miracle if you can draw one card, let alone do anything else. This card hears you but it also wants to remind you that you matter. You are still a person between the bills getting paid, the kids and their needs, the demanding job and the obligations. You show up for everyone and everything but that has to include you too. You know this, even if you haven’t acted on this information.

But here’s another thing this card wants to share with you. You don’t have to do something grand. Just a moment—a few minutes—to check in with yourself is all you need. A few lines jotted down in a journal to have a record of how you’re feeling today. That's it. It doesn’t matter if you have 30 seconds or 30 minutes. It's not about how much or how long, it's about making one deliberate choice to say “I matter.”

Season, Sign, Element and Sabbat

I chose Winter and Autumn for the seasons. I just get that cozy, wanna be inside the house sort of vibe. That time of the year is when you want to spend time with yourself and with your people. And I chose Imbolc for the sabbat, mostly because that is the sabbat I have always associated with self-energy. That’s the time when you’re working on self-care and hope and really focusing on yourself. Or at least, I believe that’s one of the times you should be doing these things. That was even the theme for the Seasons of the Witch: Imbolc Oracle. So it felt right for this.

I chose Taurus for the zodiac sign. This deck is very lush and sensual. All of the cards feature those sensual elements that are naturally associated with Taurus like house plants, cozy fabrics, healing baths, candles, and art. Taurus is all about creature comforts and you can tell the lovely ladies in this deck fill their homes with things they love. I also chose earth for that same reason. There’s a rich connection to very grounded things in the artwork and even the themes of the deck point to focusing on yourself and your energy.

Who is this deck for?

This deck is for the witch who’s tired of pretending. The one who doesn’t want to squeeze herself—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—into spaces that were never made to hold her. It’s for anyone who wants to feel seen not as an aesthetic, but as a human being with softness, humor, depth, and complexities.

This deck is not about aspirational magic—it’s about lived magic. The kind that happens in the kitchen, in the bath, and in the messy middle of your everyday life.

You’ll love this deck if you:

Want your oracle practice to feel cozy, grounded, and human.
Appreciate an author who speaks to you like a friend, not a guru.
Are ready to reclaim words, identities, and parts of yourself that the world told you to hide.
Prefer authenticity over performative spirituality.
Believe that being a witch isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence.

Whether you’re plus-sized, self-loving, still learning to love yourself, or simply seeking a deck that feels refreshingly real, this one reminds you that magic doesn’t require a filter. It’s already alive in the life you’re living.

Deck Companion

I went with Cozy Witch Tarot which is also by Amanda. The artwork is different but complimentary enough that they look like they belong together. And whenever an author has a tarot and oracle, I think it’s best to work with them both. You get the author’s same tone, language and energy which is almost always going to feel like a natural fit. But also, Amanda has such a unique perspective. I’m not sure I can bring to mind another deck that has the same energy, at least not one I’m familiar with.

Buy Cozy Witch Tarot

Thanks for reading all the way through. If you found this review to be helpful, informative or entertaining in any way, please be sure to leave a comment down below. It really helps me know what you’re enjoying so that I can provide more content based on what you love. In the meantime, please enjoy a variety of photos from this deck.

And of course, if there is something you’d like me to consider reviewing, please comment below or email me at hello@spiritelement.co