When you’re kawaii on the outside, but metal AF on the inside. Purchased 2020
Overall: 8/10 This was my first deck I purchased for myself—I saw someone using it on YouTube and I HAD TO HAVE IT! Who knew the artist and I live in the same city—that just made it all the more appealing and I bought a copy for my friend too to support local art! Adventurous and sweet it has a SUPER KAWAII! color pallet that would make this unpalatably fluffy if it wasn’t steeped in dark worldly fairy tales. I find this a very gregarious deck, approachable, with a very good sense of humor, like your friend who’s down for brunch or bar food at any time of the day. It’s incredibly friendly and very personal, but happy to lay on bad news when it needs to (and it will deliver in the cutest way possible!).
I take issue with some of the wand cards being pip-ish, and I wish there were as cohesive “stories” in the wands that we see in the pentacles, swords, and chalices. But after using this for such a long time, this feels like a very minor complaint because the wands do have their own subtle story, if you pay attention.
I have to admit, that when I need a pick-me-up I reach for this deck–it’s such a happy, vibrant deck that even when it lays on the bad news, I still leave the reading feeling uplifted.
Card Quality: 3/5 Better than the standard Llewellyn. The edges tend to want to fray a bit, but the back has a metallic lavender pearly sheen that is quite pretty, and the silk finish matting is easy to shuffle. There was some very minor damage when my new, unopened cards came but I didn’t bother asking for an exchange because I knew with use this would be no longer noticeable.
The Star Spinner has some of the most beautiful backs of all my decks! I just love it!
Readability: 4/5 Okay, so the wands feels like the neglected suite of the cards since nearly everything else has quite a rich fairy tale vibe if not direct reference and interesting color story. It’s really easy to interpret the standard meaning from the artistic spin, with the exception of the wand which is the suite dominated by fairies. They don’t have the same sort of story and detail dedicated to each card, and to me that’s a huge let down. The chalices seem to be the most integrated, following just the singular (dark) story of the little mermaid, while the swords and pentacles draw from a variety of different folk lore. There’s plenty of things to notice and observe in each card to help make the reading very intuitive.
The Wand Court; one of these things is color-theme not like the others…
Art 5/5: I got a lot to say here so hold on! This is an inclusive deck with a LGTBQ focus and I love using all the lovers cards. I do think the variety of cards makes me focus on what parts of my masculinity/femininity are in play. This deck has received some criticism for not having “enough” representation (perhaps in light of the Modern Witch Tarot?), but I guess I was very pleased with the representations, and I don’t think the artist should be faulted here. Also, I view most of the mermaids to be “thicc” women, and I don’t think people are seeing them in that light.
The colors are stunning, very fluffy, expressive, and rather bombastic which works well with the otherwise simple art style. There’s a lot of symbology, but not nearly as much as Shadowscapes, but certainly enough for me to work well with. People who are very organized and sensitive to color-use will be mad that the king of wands is a different color scheme than the rest of the suit–I noticed it right away but it didn’t bother me, but it DOES piss my friend off.
Favorite Card: So far its a tie between the charming Page of Chalices, a mermaid speaking to a puppy with a sunset and mountain cabin in the background, and the Knight of Swords. This amazing knight is very feminine with wings starting intensely at their longsword—I sense a trend of loving sharp pointy things…
Least Favorite Card: The Eight of wands—I need something here, I feel this was a “I give up” on the artist’s part.
Card I identify as: I have to say, I feel really drawn to the 4 variations of the lovers–I feel as if all these iterations speak to my inner female/male duality and how this plays out in the world with my relationships–I really “get” the art.
Card the deck identifies me as: The Queen of Swords—she’s very unnerving, with a white snake of wisdom draped over her shoulders (my Chinese zodiac, and also a common eastern witches’ familiar) she’s BITING PETALS OFF A ROSE! JEEZUS THAT’S METAL A.F.! She’s also the scariest card, maybe followed by the seven of swords which is delightfully dastardly.
Boxes it Checks: Fairy tale, Mermaids, Cute, Bold, Feminine, Bright, Diverse, Simple, Love Readings, Personal
Seasons: Late Winter/Early Spring: the pastels and brilliant colors really make me think happy Ostara thoughts!
Similar Decks: Cosmic Slumber Tarot, The Tarot of the Divine, The Modern Witch Tarot, R.Black Tarot, Silicon Dawn Tarot, Next Word Tarot, Fairy Tale Tarot (Korean publisher), The Ellis Deck Tarot, The Wandering Star Tarot, The Luna Sol Tarot
I do my best not to judge a deck by it’s box, but lets just take a moment to appreciate this incredible art!
Here are Stacy’s choices. What can I say, it was a tea sort of day; enjoyed a lightly steeped rhubarb oolong.
Well, today is the perfect day to get cozy in my neighborhood—it’s raining ice. There’s plenty to hate about these far north winters, but every time my spouse and I talk about moving somewhere “nicer” a little part of me freaks out, because at the end of the day, I actually love the snow and the ice. Just look at how beautiful it is!
1. THE ESPRESSO SHOT: A deck that’s strong, punchy, and gets straight to the point.
Of all the “drinks”, I struggled with this one the most just because I really like hard-hitting decks with humor, so I got a lot of them. The tarot-tuber Lisa Papez suggested the Deviant Moon Tarot and I agree that it is a great choice, however I tend to personally take this deck very seriously and I don’t really think it “funny” as in a punchy sort of comedy. I DO think that Baba Studio’s The Fantastic Menagerie Tarot is quite hilarious, but it has more sharp wit than “punch” to me. Then I think of the Lubanko Tarot and the Lost Hollow Tarot–decks which really leans into the beauty and wisdom to be found in radical acceptance of the self–again, pretty serious even if they do have a wry sense of humor.
But then there’s the Runic Tarot—this Norse myth inspired deck by the same artist that did the Heaven and Earth Tarot (definitely a wimpy deck by comparison) throws itself all-in with the modern idea of the warrior-cult Viking. It goes 110% on every card. This deck does not take itself seriously at all and has absolutely zero chill about it. The Runic Tarot is an absolute wild ride from start to finish. It’s RWS, but on ‘roids; you want disappointment, you get devastating. You want pretty, you get super sexy. Deception? How about all-out violence. You wanna see things from a different point of view? How about a 180 upside down flip from skis while throwing an axe? This deck will sooner chop off your hand than hold it. It will tell you like it is but it will also make you chuckle in astonishment.
2. THE DRIP: A deck that’s simple, accessible, and gets the job done.
I have several RWS clones that could easily fit into here, like Fyodor Pavlov Tarot, OG RWS, or a really sensible deck like The Golden Wheel, but I chose the Dark Mansion Tarot (the 3rd standard edition). This is the deck I pick when I am unsure of what deck I want, or if I’m doing a generic reading with someone I don’t really know. It’s close enough to the RWS but still very different so it’s just the right amount of traditional without feeling stuffy. It’s not overly esoteric, but still symbol rich. It’s goth-cute, thematically consistent, non-offensive (though not diverse), it’s kind, it’s funny, and cheeky. People not familiar with Tarot seem to really love this deck, and I know it inside and out. It’s my safe bet.
3. THE POUROVER: A deck you need to take your time with, but totally worth the effort.
The obvious choice here is either an esoteric deck or a deck that has its own system, of which I have several of each of these. I chose neither! I chose the Oriens Tarot, a wonderful cosmic animal deck, which is the only Tarot deck that I read the companion book cover to cover. Even being an animal nerd, I really got introduced to the habits and nature of several creatures through this deck, and it’s such a unique animal deck that it is well worth the read (and the book is great!). It’s beautiful, balanced, and only as mysterious as you want it to be.
4. THE CAFE LATTE: A deck that’s well-received, and highly palatable.
So palatable its even cat approved!
I suspect that The Lightseer’s Tarot is often slotted into the Cafe Latte! This was THE deck everyone had to get just a few years ago. I eventually bent to the pressure as well and I’m not even mad about it. Almost everyone has at the very least seen this deck if they aren’t already in possession of it. Of course it is a very modern take on the Tarot. It’s an extremely relatable deck with many kinds of people being represented, so it’s a safe bet to use with someone you don’t exactly know all that well, and it’s an incredibly kind reader. The colors are beautiful and lush, and the images while RWS do not get bogged down in esoteric at all. Easy peasy reader.
5. THE CAPPUCCINO: A deck that’s classic, sophisticated, and maybe a bit fussy.
I was really tempted to put the special 4 edition of Baba Studio The Victorian Romance Tarot as The Mocha, because lets face it, it is SUPER extra. But at the same time, I think of all the Baba decks, the VRT is probably the “classic” Baba Barock deck. The art, especially for collage style of existing art, is incredibly sophisticated, and the readings it gives are sophisticated (if not a bit dramatic). And yes, it’s 100% fussy because it can be.
6. THE MOCHA:A deck that’s rich, indulgent, and a bit extra.
I was really torn between The Slavic Legends Tarot and Baba Studio The Mythical Creatures, and I *think* Lisa Papaz happened to choose the Mythical Creatures , and I must agree with her! This pip style deck is SO detailed and SO much, it’s ridiculous.
The pips are extravagant. The majors and court cards are just mind-blowingly much. You might think the backs are reversible–you’re wrong! Each side of this deck is different, if only in the ultra fine details.
The borders for the major, and the four minor groups are different. It shines and sparkles! This is also the most expensive deck I have in my collection, so it was kinda an easy justification to label it as an “indulgent” deck.
7. THE CORTADO: A deck that’s balanced and objective.
The Ink Witch Tarot is an odd deck for sure. Each card feels like a complete, complex idea by itself without needing to reference any additional cards. Yet it gives you a feeling of unfinished-ness with the very simple line art style and the minimal coloring in sepia tones. Myth, real legends, and modern day humdrum of the selfie culture and the looming threat of nuclear war run tandem to beautiful miniature portraits of nature. This deck seems to ignore all attempts at being put in a box and follows its own rules. It reminds me of a sketchbook of human experiences. There is a heavy sense of justice and righteousness, honor, integrity and empathy that does not shy away from real life social problems. It really invites you to ask yourself “who am I in this picture? Where was I when I experienced this?” Both childlike and nostalgic and also mature and forward thinking, this deck is gentle but also confronting. This is a deck I reach for when I need hard honesty that I know will deliver it in a personal way.
8. THE CON PANNA:A deck that puts you in your place, but with a hint of sweetness.
Of all my decks, The Forhaxa Tarot is the Mom deck. Its emotions are LOUD, it comes on very strong with no question about how it feels in any given card. Villainy and self-serving behavior is clearly portrayed. There is no beating around the bush with the harsh cards, and there is little to question how the fairies feel in each card, the emotion being very evident. It can read as a very critical deck. BUT the optimistic cards are overflowing with hopefulness, and positivity. It’s an absolutely beautiful deck that inspires agency in taking your next steps.
9. THE CHAI LATTE:A deck that’s warm, cozy, and nurturing.
If the Forhaxa Tarot was the mom deck, the Witches Wisdom is the grandma deck. Or perhaps the fairy godmother deck. In any case, this Wiccan deck takes traditional RWS and turns it on its head. Each card, linked to mother nature, gives a snapshot into the fool’s journey back to their true self. Even the hard cards are but a part of the path to learning. It’s just as much about the journey as it is the destination. This deck is extremely kind, but with substance. The accompanying book is absolutely wonderful. This is a wise deck that can give light even to the darkest places.
10. THE MATCHA LATTE: A deck that’s an acquired taste, or a bit unconventional.
Like Expresso decks, I also tend to collect Matcha Latte decks! There is so many I could put into this category, but seeing as Matcha is associated with all things Japanese, I had to pick the Yokai Yochi Tarot. It would be a very difficult deck if you didn’t have some rudimentary grasp of Japanese culture and lore. It weird. It’s unconventional, and while it is an absolute blast to use in readings, it definitely takes a learning curve and is quite the acquired taste! It’s a very playful, mischievous, if kinda disturbing deck.
11. THE HOT CHOCOLATE: A deck that speaks to a younger version of yourself.
Being a child of the 90’s, the 90’s goth culture left quite the impression on me as a kid. When I saw the Bloody Tears Tarot on Kickstarter, it instantaneously transported me back into those earlier days when I’d admired as was slightly afraid of the goths! The art style feels very unrefined and is reminiscent of doodling with the three bic pens in my school notebooks. In a way, there’s adult themes that strike a chord with some dark “kids” movies I watched growing up (looking at you The Last Unicorn and The Secrets of NIMH). So moody! So dark! *snort*. Part of me never stopped loving the weird 90’s, and I just love the nostalgia I get with this deck.
12. THE ITALIAN SODA:A deck that’s fun, low-key, and not overly serious.
Because I am part of Tarot Deck Buyers Anonymous, and I keep falling off the wagon in their twelve step program, I only buy tarot decks these days with a ~*”reason”*~ for purchasing them. Is it ever a good reason…? I guess the first step is admitting there’s a problem.
However, I did not hesitate to slam that buy now button for the Bronze edition of The Seasonal Fox Tarot. I had no reason other than I love foxes, Japanese culture, seasons, anal structure systems, and Tarot. It is two very clever decks, and it feels like it was made for me. Every time I’ve used it, it makes me smile.
13. THE HERBAL TEA:A deck that takes things down a notch, or helps you unwind.
I almost didn’t buy The Smoke Ash & Ember Tarot. I really wanted the Oak Ash & Thorn, and had a serious case of FOMO and broke down and got the dragon deck too. But upon opening the box, I immediately felt drawn to TSA&E and have fallen in total love with these whimsical forest dragons! This deck is a rich, deep reader, but there isn’t anything forced at all in the art and its delivered oh so sweetly with cutesy dragons. The colors, while vibrant are still soft, the details are rich, and the expressions of the mythical reptiles are just wonderful. The art is very dream-like. This is the deck I use when I’ve had a hard day and just need a hug.
Phew! What a list! What are YOUR coffeehouse decks?
or Running House Press “Tarot” mini deck. Review by Stacy
Is this even Tarot?
Acquired 2011. There are two versions, one with ultra mini folded accordion cards and a large book, and this semi mini version with a (admittedly really tough) tuck box, a LWB, and an absolutely useless paper foldout spread.
Overall: 5/10 Well, yes, this IS Tarot, despite first glance! This was my first deck of Tarot cards. My mother bought these for herself from Barns & Nobel to play a fortuneteller during a Halloween Party. I ended up “inheriting” them (i.e. saved from the landfill) when she was done. I didn’t “understand” the cards at the time and after flipping through them maybe a dozen times, they ended up collecting dust on my bookshelf for several years. Now with some Tarot under my belt I find this quite a cheeky little deck.
Size comparison to a standard tarot deck.
This works well as a very compact traveling deck since I cannot bring myself to purchase another mini version of a deck I’d otherwise want in full size. It does its job. While it’s my “first” deck and I’m not going to get rid of it, I also don’t reach for it in my normal daily readings and sentimentality keeps it on my bookshelf.
At first this deck comes off as childish, but the more you work with it, the more mature and clever you realize it is. Much in the way fairy tales are “meant” for children, the themes can be quite dark. It has a sort of “comic strip” feeling to it as you read from one card to the next, like a medieval stain glass comic, with some Punch and Judy feel. There’s also quite a bit of myth/story lore embedded in the images.
I always think of the Redwall book series when I use it, though I cannot say why. Would I buy this deck again? Probably not. Am I going to get rid of it? Ungh…
I appreciate the suits being organized by color. Also, you can see how there are typical RWS imagery in some cards (like the VIII of Pentacles and IX of Cups) but then the VIII of wands is a ship’s helm and the King of Swords is referencing Aesop’s fable the Fox and the Grapes . This deck is all over the place.
Card Quality: 2/5 The compact size, more of a square than rectangle, is really pleasant to use and the card stock is very durable. And that’s kinda where it ends—these things STICK to one another and shuffling is incredibly difficult. BUT they are fairly waterproof because of the heavy, weird coating, so there’s that. This does loan itself well for jumpers so I don’t have to sit around waiting for cards to appear.
You can see here some cards are very RWS reminiscent (like Temperance and The Tower) and others are completely doing their own thing (The Fool and The Star)
Readability: 2.5/5 I’m a bit on the fence. The deck seems to use some Thoth and some Rider-Waite interpretations, and other cards are just totally “Eh…?” But, on the other hand, the major and minor divisions are color coded on the corners so it actually is pretty easy to see at first glance what “corners” your issue is coming from, which is awesome.
The back design is arguably the best part of this deck—its SO charming!
Art: 4/5 I actually have learned to really like this folksy art style. The images are very simple with bright colors, and the backs are GORGEOUS! Some of the more non-traditional images are delightful to sit with and see where your intuition takes you, other cards I simply just don’t “get.” I will admit that I’m really fond of the backs of these cards!
The delightfully violent V of Swords and the odd Emperor.
Favorite Card: I really like the five of swords with this one!
Least Favorite Card: IV The Emperor–does anyone know why he’s a boot??? Can someone help me out here?
Season: Late Summer, Early Fall (got that old time harvest folksy vibe going for it!)
Boxes it Checks: Folk Art, Fairy Tale, Odd, Mini, Charming, Travel
Similar Decks: The Kawaii Tarot, Trungles the Very Little Tarot (which if I had the choice I’d get this one instead)
Gifted to me 2018, and after a Tarot card vandal (see above) destroyed several cards (one aptly chosen) gifted again 2020.
Overall: 8/10 Awesome sauce. This is my only deck I’ve needed to replace due to wear and tear (so far). I used this deck until the edges frayed. The cat chewed through the devil of my first deck and maimed several cards so I acquired a second one (dearest husband gifted both to me! It’s a special deck for sure!)
Being my “first love” deck maybe I’m a little bias. Dreamy, ethereal, but dark enough to not feel fluffy. A bit aloof in that Tolkien elven sort of way, it never feels too personal when things are a bit overcast.
Maybe I was lucky (or unlucky) that the Shadowscapes Tarot is the first deck I learned Tarot from for almost a year before exploring other decks. In a way, starting out with a semi-nontraditional RWS helped me learn how to really sit with an image and think, rather than learning the route RWS meaning. My friend who started reading Tarot about four years before me used this deck almost exclusively and I came to love it when handling it with her.
This version is standard tarot size, with unobtrusive silver borders. Like everyone else on the face of the planet I would happily throw egregious amounts of money for a copy of the deck if the cards were borderless, bigger, with the most amazing cardstock in the world because they are absolutely works of art, each one filled with a unique story and symbolism to the point your eyes cannot even see it! (Spoiler alert: I did discovered the Czech version! Review coming soon.)
I’ve seen others say that Shadowscapes is not beginner friendly and I disagree—there’s so much to work with that piecing together a story for one card, let alone a set of cards, is very easy, not to mention easy on the eyes. It’s just takes time. The accompanying big guide book is great. If you’re easily overwhelmed visually, then yes, perhaps choose another deck.
Starting with such a symbol-rich deck I now heavily rely on a muchness of symbols and pictures and storytelling to put together a cohesive spread in most decks I pick up. It’s the simpler decks that tend to challenge me!
Abused cards—wear, tear, puncture wounds.
Card quality: 2/5 Eh, kinda works. The cards need to be bigger. They’re really prone to bending and being damaged so if you really like this one, spring for an extra set to replace cards as needed (or hunt down the Czech version).
Just LOOK at all the minute detail! I think this two of swords is hands down my absolute favorite–just look at all those things going on around that defensive figure! This classically stagnant card just breaths life here. And check out this mysterious unmasked yet still masked moon; there’s fungus fairies I’ve never even seen until I enlarged this photo on my computer!
Readability: 5/5 I challenge someone to find a modern, RWS fantasy deck with more individual symbolism chalked into each individual card, even the minor non-court cards. It can feel overwhelming (and difficult to see if you don’t have perfect vision) until you really sit with the card and stare at all the details and then…it just clicks. Definitely not a slap-n-dash sort of reader! While this definitely follows the RWS system, many of the cards have a different (albeit related) take, so IF you rely on RWS imagery this might be a good deck to start breaking out of that box.
Dreamy, ethereal, but not fluffy, I would not call this a particularly “earthy” deck though the nature element is very present. It’s a gentle reader without being suffocating in positivity. All the creatures feel very “perfect” and a bit aloof. Heavy in symbolism, and despite having fantastical creatures in a dream like world, the art does feel relatable to the real world.
The spreads this deck creates is just a feast for the eyes! If you need a deck you want to spend time just ogling this is an excellent candidate.
Law does fantastic job at capturing body shape, movement, and angles which give life to otherwise traditionally stagnant cards, with one notable exception–the six of wands. This also being my least favorite card, felt like the one card that the artist did not feel any inspiration towards. The figure of the man holds the laurel crown out at a weird, unnatural angel. The artist obviously doesn’t have good feelings towards the card either because the world is a muted, muddied battlefield of green/grey/brown against the otherwise brilliant suite of wands. After learning from several other decks, I do have to admit, I do not have such a bleak view of the six of wands.
Art: 4/5 So the art itself is stunning BUT I do want to acknowledge that all the bodies are more or less the same and there is little representation of people of color (outside of one brown woman and a few Asian peoples) in here. I don’t see any indication of LGBTQ+ or gender nonconforming representation either. I feel some of the masculine cards (like five of swords) DO feel more feminine than they could have been portrayed. I did feel the need for a diverse deck and have looked elsewhere to fill that void.
There’s a maturity about Shadowscapes that for fantasy art is a relief. I love me some fae, but I hate how some artists make female fairies “slutty/hyper sexual” for no good reason and this deck doesn’t even come close to that sort of feeling, though there is some tasteful and sensible nudity: the seven of pentacles comes to mind but unless you were looking for nipples, you might mistaken the nymphs tattoos for a shirt. Also strength is naked too, but that makes sense to me because vulnerability is part of inner strength. Five of Pentacles shows exposed breast, which makes sense for the card.
The challenging cards in this deck are pretty gentle, perhaps the most difficult being the Three of Swords.
Every card is welcoming and gentle and genteel, there’s few critical, mean, or scary card in the deck: three of swords is an impaled swan, and the eight of swords is a distressed trapped swan, but these come off as more dark metaphors that actual violence inducing. Death is a Phoenix, and the tower is clearly an act of nature on a sturdy (wooden) artifice of nature so you don’t have to shoulder the blame for “building a weak foundation” as the Tower seems to be interpreted these days. My favorite card, the five of swords is by far the most “violent” imo, since that angel is clearly swooping down to kick ass and take names, ask questions later.
The book gives both interpretive positive/negative readings of the artwork without the concreteness of reversals–but honestly I use reversals (with intuitive interpretations) in this deck because the back loans itself well and the artwork plays along quite easily.
Favorite card: 5 of Swords If that’s not the most bad ass avenging elf angel I’ve ever seen I’ll eat my shoes. I know this is supposed to be a “bad” card, but I’m never upset to see this one.
Least Favorite Card: 6 of Wands—I don’t like the awkward arm of the man and it feels very ominous with that pea soup colored background and post-war battlefield-like scene. I feel like the warning that this is a temporal success is a little…too challenging.
Card the deck identifies me as: The deck has decided that the Queen of Cups represents me in my normal, creative self, though I have to admit that I don’t particularly resonate with her, but I do feel a connection with the action she is doing (lol!). Conversely, when I am being naughty, this deck will spit out the Knight of Wands and be saucy for a few days.
Season: Spring (so ethereal! much ephemeral!)
Boxes it checks: Fae, Elf, Ethereal, Dreamy, Fantasy, Romantic, Aloof, Detail Oriented, Love Readings
Similar Decks: There aren’t any decks that capture the ethereal nature of the art, but other fairy decks that I personally think are along this vein are The Tarot of the Hidden Realm, Tarot of the Sidhe, Circle of Life Tarot, The Lost Forest Deck, The Children of Litha Tarot, Lisa Hunt’s The Fairytale Tarot, Superlunaris Tarot (the color pallet really reminds me of the Shadowscapes)
P.S. our artist has been in the middle of making a WONDROUS Oracle deck for several years and I hope it comes out before I die!
The Tarot Tarts 