The Roots of Renewal – Wood’s Journey: Stop Overthinking Book Review
Book 1 of 1: Living The Elements – The Code in Action
The Roots of Renewal – Wood’s Journey by Anni Mitchell is one of those uncommon gems that come into your life like whispers from a lost aspect of yourself. This subtle yet touching story, which is the first in the Living the Elements: The Code in Action series, is a contemporary fable shrouded in subdued magic and profound introspection. And it’s so much more than just a story.
This book is right up my alley and I was intrigued by the book description and thrilled to receive a review copy so that I could tell you what I think of it. In short, I highly recommend it and I am so grateful I read it. Let’s take a look at what it’s all about and why I liked it.
Set in a mystical forest teeming with archetypes and elemental forces, Wood’s Journey follows an unnamed protagonist who finds herself at a personal crossroads, burdened by the weight of inherited beliefs, emotional noise, and the chronic overthinking that so often clouds our inner knowing. From the moment she hears the call of the forest, we’re invited to walk alongside her as she unravels the tangled web of her doubts and begins to re-root in her own truth.
This book is not your typical self-help or fantasy book. It’s something far deeper – a voyage of symbolism intended to be felt as much as read. Mitchell skillfully combines elemental wisdom, tarot archetypes, and intuitive psychology into a poetic story that unfolds as organically as the seasons. Her writing is ethereal yet grounded, giving the intangible a familiar and intimate sense.
The Element of Wood, a representation of development, foresight, and the bravery to proceed in the face of uncertainty, is central to the novel. Through her personal awakenings and elemental experiences, the heroine learns that clarity comes from aligning with her inner code and stepping into the rhythm of nature’s cycles, not from perfection or force. This is a powerful message for anyone who feels trapped in the never-ending loop of “what ifs,” overwhelmed, or alienated.
What I loved most:
• The way Mitchell incorporates feminine energy and symbolic language into each chapter without losing the reader in abstraction; the forest as a metaphor for the subconscious—lush, erratic, and full of insight.
• The trip never feels forced or didactic; it strikes a balance between emotional vulnerability and empowerment; and it gently guides readers toward self-inquiry through storytelling rather than instruction.
Women seeking to rediscover their inner voice and direction, as well as seekers and dreamers, find great resonance in Mitchell’s work. Even if you’re not familiar with the cards or elemental teachings, the story’s universal truth – that we already possess the answers we seek – makes for subtle yet perceptive tarot connections. Simply put, we have lost the ability to listen.
The Roots of Renewal – Wood’s Journey is a gift for the contemporary soul, especially for people who are straddling the line between their past and future selves. This book might be the forest you were unaware you were missing if you’ve ever yearned to venture off the usual route and uncover your inner compass.
The next fundamental chapter in this exciting and life-changing series is one that I, for one, will be anxiously anticipating.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)
A moving, metaphorical story that inspires you to quiet your mind and start listening – to nature, to your inner voice, to the story your spirit has been longing to tell.