If you didn't know, there are tons of crystal books on the market. I've bought my fair share of them and let's just say some aren't worth the paper that they are printed on.

I love books that give me facts, information, new ways to work with crystals and applications that are unique.

The crystal books that I don't love are usually because they fall into one of three categories:

1. they are "written" by people looking to make a quick buck by regurgitating information that you can find easily online

2. the author convey conversations and information downloaded to them by said crystal which I find off and not valid

3. they have a picture of baked Citrine (Amethyst heated in an oven) or fake Turquoise (dyed Howlite) instead of what the real deal stone looks like. If they do have said fake crystal pictures in there, the book has to have other information that I found valuable so I can forgive them for this fuckery.

This is my list of the best crystal books that you can use to round out your crystal healing education and use for reference anytime you forget which stone helps you do whatever it is you're looking to accomplish.

To save you on picking up the ones that are regurgitated content from online here are the books I'd suggest you check out.

And I also include the books that I thought would be filled with amazing information only to find they weren’t my cup of tea. Feel free to pick up those books if they call to you. I’m just sharing what I love and wholeheartedly recommend.  

Disclaimer: The page contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I will earn a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only recommend products and services that I have found to be helpful and trustworthy. As an Amazon Associate and Etsy affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see my terms + conditions page here. Also, I’m not a doctor. The information on my website is derived from research, intuition, and tradition which may not be verified by scientific methods, nor advocated by government agencies such as the FDA. Nothing I say on this blog is intended to treat or prevent disease. Consult your own doctor.

My Top 3 Best Books On Crystals

The Ultimate Guide to Crystals & Stones by Uma Silbey - this is one of the best books on crystals if you want a really great overview of crystal healing and practical uses. It goes much deeper than the identification type books like "The Essential Guide To Crystals" and "The Crystal Bible."

The Essential Guide To Crystals by Simon + Sue Lilly - this crystal identification book has essentially the same crystals as "The Crystal Bible" (below) inside, but this is organized by color, has additional tips on how to identify each crystal and similar stones for each crystal.

The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall - this is a great lil book that goes over the most common crystals, organized alphabetically and has their individual properties helping you to identify and quickly discern a use for each crystal. My one critique is that there is baked heat-treated citrine photos in this book. But there's a bunch of good information and I do refer back to this book quite a bit.

The Rest of The Best Books On Crystals

The Book of Stones by Robert Simmons + Naisha Ahsian - This is truly my all-time favorite, most loved, the best book on crystals but it's not for the beginner crystal person. This book is great if you've got a growing collection of crystals beyond the basics and are looking to dive deeper.

Each author gives their own impressions of each crystal. FYI, Robert Simmons is known in the crystal world for trademarking crystals - that is giving a new name to already known minerals such as Azeztulite™ is simply quartz with inclusions.

That being said, this book does have a lot of good information if you're looking for more thoughts on a particular crystal. And if you don't want the large version of this book, you can snag the pocket sized version and it has a ton of information that you can have at your fingertips.

Gemstone Feng Shui by Sandra Kynes - Great information on incorporating crystals into the home and office. It does go in deeper on some lore about crystals that is also fun.

Crystal Energy for Your Home by Ken Taylor - Good crystal book for helping you to figure out which crystals you should use in each room of your home.

The Crystal Healer by Philip Permutt  Volume 1 + Volume 2 - Each book begins with the typical crystal meanings, but the true value, to me, is the back portion of the books where you can look up practically any issue that you're experiencing and find a crystal prescription. 

Crystal RX by Colleen McCann - This book is different in that there are a lot of interviews with people she has met in her life that share parts of their crystal healing journey. There are some rituals, crystal combinations, and a bit of an encyclopedia to help you with identifying your crystals. Plus an entire section on what crystals to never put into a crystal elixir.

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic by Scott Cunningham - I like this book because it's not filled with airy-fairy crap that's been regurgitated in tons of books. He gives you information, ideas, and exercises to experiment with.

Crystal Basics: The Energetic, Healing, and Spiritual Power of 200 Gemstones by Nicholas Pearson - Another of what I'd call a mini encyclopedia with tons of information on the stones, building your collection, layouts, and crystal grids with multiple ways to do things like cleansing and programming your crystals.

Rock and Gem: The Definitive Guide to Rocks, Minerals, Gemstones, and Fossils by Ronald Bonewitz - This is like having a mini-encyclopedia in your hands that gives you a lot of information on how rocks and crystals form, the crystal systems, plus the history of crystal from ancient times.

Crystal Lore, Legends & Myths: The Fascinating History of the World's Most Powerful Gems and Stones by Athena Perrakis - I love this book because it shares the stories and history of some crystals. You'll come away with a lot of information that you won't find regurgitated over and over again.

The Crystal Healer: Crystal Prescriptions That Will Change Your Life Forever by Philip Permutt - For practically anything you're seeking help with in your life, there's a crystal for it. This book and Volume 2 have all sorts of great information on the crystals that you'll want to help you with whatever you're seeking to change in your life.

Crystal Gridwork by Kiera Fogg - This is a beautiful book with all types of different crystal grids for you to experiment with. She gives you a list of the crystals you'll need for the specific grid you're working with and has the grid printed in the book for you to take and use right out of the book. Unless you're a freak like me who doesn't ever like to tear pages out of my books.

Crystal Books You Can Skip

These are crystal books that I bought because there either was a ton of hoopla about them OR the book cover design hooked me and by then I was left with a book that was not my jam.

Love Is In The Earth by Melody - This old book is an odd one for me. I appreciate all the energy that went into this book, but when you read the descriptions of the crystals, for me, it starts to feel like I'm reading something from a psychic that channeled information that only leaves me more confused than Britney Spears at a MENSA gathering.

Apparently, every crystal vibrates to a number and I don't know how that information came to pass or why it's important to anyone. There's also a lot of talk about channeling information from the crystals. At least I think that's what is being explained, but frankly, it all becomes a bit of a word salad and I'm not sure WTF is going on.

If you want this book, you may want to find it on a thrift book website unless you're desperate to see what the ongoing hype is about.

Crystal Enlightenment: The Transforming Properties of Crystals and Healing Stones (Crystal Trilogy, Vol. 1) by Katrina Raphael - The book starts off just fine going into how crystals are formed, mined, and some history. Then, for moi, it goes off the rails by asking the reader to open up to hear what the crystals want to tell you.

I'm not a worshipper or talker of crystals. I know about the studies about talking nicely to your plants and water, etc. but I surely don't expect to get an answer back from them. That is where some of these books lose me and my interest.

So when it came to reading the other two books she wrote Crystal Healing, Vol. 2: The Therapeutic Application of Crystals and Stones and The Crystalline Transmission: A Synthesis of Light I was disappointed to have purchased these at the same time.

Crystals Made Easy by Judy Hall - If you purchased Judy Hall's Crystal Bible, you can skip this one. What I found in this book was covered by a lot of the books that I've already mentioned.

There you have what I think are the best books on crystals but listen. There are a lot more books out there on the subject that I've yet to check out. I hope this helps you narrow down your crystal book overwhelm so you can begin to build your crystal education, one book at a time.

If you've come upon an amazing crystal book, please share!