The local Bookstore by me just reformatted there whole metaphysical/divination section and made a total mess of it. As luck would have it, in their disaster I found a new deck set. I just can't help myself I guess. The thing that caught my eye was the vivid colors of the deck. The set's box doesn't show but a few cards and has a very simple description, but I was curious. The price was right ($13.00 for the set) so I just had to pick it up.

The book is a small hardbound book, 4 X 5 inches and 64 pages long. I like its simplicity. There is a short section on the origins of the Tarot and a brief introduction on how to use the tarot. The Major Arcana is introduced and each card looked in detail. The book is in full color so that is rather nice too. The Minor Arcana is also looked at card by card followed by a section on numerology, 4 different spreads and an example reading. All and all the book is a good starter book. It's brief, to the point, although isn't not very in depth, it's enough to get you going without being overwhelming for the new Tarot reader.

The deck measures 2" x 4", which is a bit smaller than normal, but is very comfortable. The cards themselves are of a slightly softer card stock, which makes them easier to shuffle from the start, yet I'd be afraid they wouldn't last as long as most decks (I use my decks a lot.)

The cards themselves are very brightly colored which I find very pleasing. The characters of the Major Arcana and the Court Cards have a bit of a cartoon look, but it suites the deck well. There is a warmth and depth from the combination of the colors and artwork.

The Minor Arcana cards have the appropriate elements represented in the background which connects nicely with the images of each card. The Pips have no characters but through the imagery I still am very comfortable with them and find them easy to read.

All and all I like this simple deck set and feel it is an excellent tool for someone unsure if they are ready to embark on the Journey of the Tarot and great for the experienced tarot reader as well.

If you are interested in this deck check it out at www.amazon.com.

Bright Blessings! Crystal, Certified Tarot Reader Member of The American Tarot Association