I really enjoyed this book. I liked the magical and scientific mixture and the concept of the hunt. I loved Weston’s family so much. Great supporting characters in this one!

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

This story is an interesting narrative that weaves alchemy, myth, and an exploration of loneliness. The book introduces us to Margaret Welty, a sharpshooter living in isolation, who longs for her mother's return and stumbles upon the legendary Hala, signaling the start of the Halfmoon Hunt—a contest promising unimaginable riches and knowledge to the victor. The arrival of Weston Winters, seeking an apprenticeship with Margaret's absent mother, offers her the partnership she needs to partake in the hunt. Despite the unlikely pairing, their combined efforts in facing the hunt encapsulate a journey of survival, intellectual prowess, and the unfolding of a deeply moving romance.

Saft's storytelling shines through her fantasy atmosphere and tender character development. The romance between Margaret and Wes, two outsiders drawn together by circumstance, evolves beautifully, marked by a slow burn that captures the essence of their individual struggles—Wes's desire to truly live and Margaret's fight against the loneliness of her family's legacy.

However, the book is not without its flaws. The setting suffers from a lack of clarity, with anachronisms and inconsistencies that might distract readers sensitive to continuity (like me). The narrative struggles to establish a coherent sense of time and place, blending modern elements with those suggestive of the late 1880s to early 1900s, yet also incorporating anachronisms from the late 20th century.

Nonetheless, for readers willing to overlook these continuity issues, "A Far Wilder Magic" offers a rich tapestry of magic, alchemy, and emotion. Saft's ability to craft scenes filled with depth and longing, alongside a thrilling and heartwarming romance, makes this novel a captivating read. It's a story full of desperation, romance, and the quest for a sense of belonging that remakes the soul, proving once again Saft's unique talent for storytelling that is both intimate and magical.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Such a lovely, romantic YA fantasy! All the elements you love and crave in a romantasy but so soft and sweet in this YA.

Summary:
When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. While Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, only teams of two can register, and she needs an alchemist.

Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist—yet. He's been fired from every apprenticeship he's landed, and his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret. She begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her.

Although they make an unlikely team, they soon find themselves drawn to each other. As the hunt looms closer and tensions rise, Margaret and Wes uncover dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt—if they survive that long.

In A Far Wilder Magic, Allison Saft has written an achingly tender love story set against a deadly hunt in an atmospheric, rich fantasy world that will sweep you away.

I loved this cover and I heard excellent things about this, but I think this author’s writing just doesn’t work for me or my tastes, which is so unfortunate because so many good premises!

Musings:

A lot of the time I read books at the right time for me to read them. This book is one of those times. I am in a place in my life where everything is chaotic and uncertain. I feel like things have only gotten harder and I feel very discouraged. This is much the place Maggie is in mentally and physically. Her mom leaves her alone to fend for herself for months on end. Everyone in the village for the most part gives her hate except for a select few good people. The hate she is given is based off of the religion she was born into.

I needed this book because in spite of it all Wes shows Maggie how to stand up for herself. She learns not to absorb every insult and to finally choose herself and take up space in the world of her own right. Even though she is scared and things are uncertain they move forward.

This helped me to see life isn’t supposed to be certain and it’s not going to do any good for me to try and control it so all I can do is live my best and watch life unfold as it will.

The other part of this book I loved was the romance. While at the beginning I was very unsure if there was even a spark between them, as the story went on, I was proven wrong. Maggie and Wes remind me a lot of the relationship I have with my boyfriend. In the beginning it took us time to truly trust each other, but the attraction we have together is undeniable. Wes is a representation of hope for Maggie that she isn’t so sure she can take because of the trust issues she has due to her mother.

God was the attraction there once they truly saw each other. The way they are magnetized to each other and just look at each other and feel so much makes me feel the way I feel for my boyfriend. Especially the way Wes wants to take care of Maggie and ease the weight off her shoulders while still encouraging her and is in awe of her strength reminds me of how my boyfriend sees and treats me. Her reaction to being seen and wanting to deny it and say he can’t love her that much is also a similar feeling for me, but eventually like Maggie I learned to accept it.

This novel is such a fun read on top of the complex relationships there’s alchemy and danger and a hunt that will keep you on edge. I highly recommend ‘A Far Wilder Magic’.

I love the way Allison weaves romance and fantasy together into a pitch-perfect, breezy, heart warming read. Can't wait to read more from her!

I wanted this to be betterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ugh

Like, I liked it. And the audio was *chef's kiss* but at the same time this fell short in so many ways and I am SAD about it and BUMMED and UGH.

What I loved: Maggie, Wes, Maggie and Wes, Trouble, the entire idea behind the book and the plot, Shimmer, the creepy moments, the character growth

What didn't work for me: the pacing, the lack of world building, the confusing religions that never were quite explained???? Wtf half of the things pertaining to alchemy were????

So like, I liked it. The idea was there and SO CLOSE but I wasn't 1890328190% invested until the last like, 20% and that was such a bummer to me because I WANTED TO LIKE THIS SO BAD.

10/10 will read another book by Allison Saft though because I want to try again.

I absolutely adored this fantasy novel. I love any story with unique religions and god systems, especially when there are mythological beasts. Also, The Hunt was such a fun plot point to read about. We have varied family dynamics which instills a multitude of emotions within the reader and adds variety to the story and characters. I highly recommend this book!

After months of trying to get through this book, I have finally given up. This particular book wasn't for me I felt like it dragged on and completely lost interest in both the characters and the plot.

I have recommended this book to multiple a high school students in my area. Anything with alchemy will always draw me in. Adding in the hunt of Hala and the religious undertones, paired with two people having to work together for different reason- you have a nice concoction for magic and love. This novel is so atmospheric and lyrical. Margaret and Wes are two of my favorite characters and I look forward to anything else Allison decides to write.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

This book is fascinating to me - I don't know if I can adequately explain what this book is about or any of the layers that this book contains. It follows two young adults as they work together to join the hunt to kill the last mythical beast in existence using alchemy. I knew that there was Jewish mythology in this book, and that it overlayed some of the commentary in this book (along with Catholic commentary), and I was so excited once it clicked enough for me to pick up on. As a Jewish person, with a partner who was raised Catholic, I could pick up on some of the comments and be able to relate them to our life/what we have experienced. However, some of it also was just a bit....confusing. This book seemed to exist outside time or space, like I couldn't clearly determine where or when this was, and it brought me out of the story at times. This is definitively a darker book - not a lighthearted romance here if that is what you are looking for. I struggled to read this book but in a weird way - I couldn't get myself to pick it up to read because it felt so difficult to read at times, but then I couldn't put it down once I did start reading it (as long as I wasn't interrupted because then the cycle would start again). I am excited to read more from Allison, because this was a very unique book and it was good, but it was also hard to read for me, but I am thinking that is more the writing style than anything else. Definitely check it out but know it isn't for the faint of heart.

I like Alison Saft's books a lot and primarily because they are such a welcome respite from the fantasy YA novels that make up what feels like 10000% of the market these days. It's nice to read something that's sweeter, gentler, and just more into the fantasy everything working out but in a way that just feels like a hug. These types of books are needed for readers, and it's so nice to have them!

What a gorgeous fantasy novel! The writing, the descriptions...it was all incredibly atmospheric. Can't wait for Allison Saft's next release!

Thank you so much for this arc!

Heart bounding and a sweet slow burn romance that painted such a vivid colour. Descriptive yet, very cozy low stakes fantasy.

I adore how atmospheric the novel was, but I did find the pacing a little wonky here and there.

First of all, I adore Allison Saft's writing, so I was thrilled as soon as this book was announced. Her way of building characters makes me deeply care about about them almost instantly and her plots sweep me away into a new world.

A Far Wilder Magic brings together the small town huntress who has been abandoned by her mother and withstood hatred and bigotry from her fellow townsfolk with the charming want-to-be-alchemist city boy who has dealt with his own fair share of bullying, poverty, and hardship. They must work together despite not thinking very highly of one another (to say the least).

A fun, easy read. Somehow even though a very different storyline and themes from her first book, still gives you the same vibes, and I recommend both of them.

I really enjoyed A Far Wilder magic, I would recommend this to anyone wanting a low fantasy with a bit of romance.

A very well thought out and excited story. The characters keep you intrigued and the plot is very original so you won’t get bored. The cover is a 10/10 I think it’s a great fall read. I hope more books will come out of this story universe.

The world-building and characters in tis novel was done really well. The romance was also done well and had good pacing. I feel like at this point there are so many review that were done well so I don't need to go into a ton of details. Bottom line is would recommend this book.