A lush and beautifully written fable. I love the gradual unfolding of this story. Margaret is so incredibly resourceful and strong. I really admired her and enjoyed her sickly attitude. She wasn’t brash or headstrong. She was more bitter, reserved, careful of being hurt. It was easy to See Margaret, out there on the fields or in the house silently doing around through the empty rooms. Living alone as her mother has gone off into the world outside to pursue her own priorities, Margaret is left alone to fend for herself. This involves taking care of herself, the house and grounds hunting. And then it involves turning away potential alchemists who appear at her door, seeking her mother. This includes Weston Winters. This is Weston’s last chance. If her mother doesn’t take him on as a student, he will her be able to become an alchemist and run for office. And he will have to go back to his home to get a job and take care of his family.
Margaret lets him stay and they enter into an age old tradition - the Hunt.
Weston is more friendly, more outgoing and an outsider in her small town. I really liked his fish out of water feeling. He seemed like a big colorful blog set down in the dreary atmosphere. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a darkness or a substance. But he definitely seems like a colorful sun that shines suddenly into Margaret’s life and invigorates the town.
That said, this is no install. They really don’t like each other and it’s only slowly grown through the book that they feel mutual understanding and respect. I really liked this aspect of the story because it was focused on them as characters and first and how they made each other better and more complex.
The tone and setting is also a fantastic character in this story. The reader is really with them on the hunt, in the woods, walking about the falling down house. Feeling Margaret’s intense emotions and sensing her family’s deep rooted grief was well written, the heaviness becoming a real motivator to the characters in the story as well as being a rich setting.
I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this story. It’s a slow build and totally worth it and by the end, you’re rooting for both of them. There’s real danger, both magical and human, and to be honest, I wasn’t sure how it would end.
A quick note too - that cover is gorgeous and once you read the book, it’s a remarkably accurate representation of those two characters and the world around them. Whimsical, murky and dark.
Go grab your copy.

** Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful adventure this turned out to be! I requested this book from the cover alone. It spoke to me, and for once that decision didn't come back to haunt me. A Far Wilder Magic is so unique to itself that it makes it hard to compare to other things. Its list of merits as a novel is extensive but I'll try my best.

For starters, this is either the first of a series or a stand-alone, so if you're in the mood for fantasy but don't want to commit yourself to 14+ books and thousands of pages, this is the perfect entrance for you. The page count is under 400, which is a rare find these days and very refreshing. It isn't dry. Allison Saft worked some real magic here in the world-building and fantasy elements without weighing down the book with a lot of exposition.

This is an emotional book. The setting is lush and lovely. The characters are believable and new. The ending was satisfying and the pacing hit the absolute jackpot. I adored this so so much that I purchased my own copy after reading the ARC, and I picked up Allison's debut as well, knowing absolutely nothing about it, just because I loved this one so much.

Definitely an author to keep your eye on. This book is a must-have for both fantasy and romance fans as it delivers in both departments. So so good.

WOW! I was blown away by this book. Everything from the writing to the world to the plot to the characters themselves was well done. I felt transported by the setting, captivated by the lyrical prose, and caught up in the very real and well developed struggles of the two leads. I loved pretty much every aspect of this book, and there's very little about it that I could criticize in all honesty. I will be buying a physical copy ASAP. And Allison Saft is now an author whose future releases I will be keeping an eager eye on.

I was fascinated by this book. I really enjoyed how Saft created a fantastical, alchemical world in what you could almost identify as an actual, historical place, blurring the lines of reality and unreality. I also enjoyed how she did the same with the faith of her characters, reshaping some of the traditional faiths into magical beliefs and systems, while retaining their inherent oppositions and prejudices to help create tension in her story.

But that wasn’t the only tension in the story. The constant build of pressure throughout the plot, between Margaret and Weston, between the hunters and the hala, between the locals and the outcasts, all of it lent for a wonderful story that made me want to know how it would all turn out. And it was pleasantly (refreshingly) not exactly as I expected.

I can easily give A Far Wilder Magic 4 out of 5 stars for creativity and readability. I’d recommend you check out this lovely fantasy for yourself.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the digital copy of this novel for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book!

I loved this book and I’m not sure where to start explaining why. The premise of a mythical creature hunt with alchemy immediately drew my interest. The execution of the plot and world-building was incredible. The setting in a remote sleepy town was so comforting and well done that it was easy to feel immersed in the story and the investment I had in these characters is embarrassing. I wanted to yell (in a good way) about halfway through at these two blind fools, but the progression and development of their relationship was so amazing to read that I’ll let it slide.

The religious and political tones of this book were a layer I wasn’t expecting and while I can’t comment on the Jewish and Catholic coding of the characters and the representation it offers, I can say I really enjoyed that aspect of the book and I thought it added dimension to the story. I adored Margaret as a main character and I was so proud of her development throughout the story, especially at the end when she’s confronted with her mother.

This was my first book by Allison Saft and it definitely will not be my last. 4.5 stars.

4.5/5 Stars

Margaret Welty is an outcast, awaiting her alchemist mother's return to their manor. One day, she spots the Hala, a legendary beast with great powers. Spotting the Hala means that the Halfmoon Hunt will commence, a competition to kill off the last remaining mythical being. In the hopes of making her mother return from her quest to find the Hala, Margaret wishes to join in the hunt as a sharp shooter. Unfortunately, only teams can enter, and one must be an alchemist. Her dreams are answered when Weston Winters shows up on her doorstep, requesting an apprenticeship with her mother. Both enter for different reasons, but are determined to win.

Although a pretty slow paced book, I thoroughly enjoyed this character-driven story. The setting of this book was so atmospheric, it felt like the 1920's, but with magic and alchemy thrown in. I found learning about the Halfmoon Hunt so interesting, even tough the actual hunt didn't take place until closer to the end of the book. I loved the slow burn romance between Wes and Margaret, I loved watching them butt heads in the beginning, but grow closer together as the story progressed. I was also a big fan of the complex family dynamics, not only between Margaret and her mother, but Wes and his big family as well. The Winters sister's were all wonderfully written, and I loved getting to know each of them. I definitely think this would be considered the grumpy x sunshine trope, which I always end up adoring. I listened to this on audio, and personally think the narrator did an amazing job with both of these characters. I love how we got dual POVs from both Wes and Magie, I think it really enhanced the story telling and emotions explored. Wes was definitely my favourite character, such a precious cinnamon roll full of charm. I really loved how Wes had dyslexia, and how sweet Margaret was when she found out. I loved how strong she became in the end, and how she spent a vast majority of the book learning her own self-worth. I loved the exploration of her mother's abuse and neglect, and how far she came by the end of the book. Also, big fan of Trouble, Maggie's hound, and her horse Shimmer I do love me some animal companions.

I really hope that we get another book featuring these characters one day, because I truly love them.

This book did not really click for me. It was enjoyable but not really remarkable in any way. I do think I am also not the target audience for this anymore and that may attribute to my overall dissatisfaction.

I think I would still recommend this for readers looking for a sweet romance with nice writing; however, I personally did not find it to be anything special.

A cool book with a very cool premise! I look forward to seeing what Allison Saft does next and reading it!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

This one was super sweet. I really enjoyed the characters, the magic and the relationships in this book. My only complaint was that is a little too teen angsty for me, but I am not the target demographic here. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you for the ARC!

Review: A Far Wilder Magic 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫(4.5/5)⬇️
Spice : YA, fade to back, minimal.

Short review: This is a cozy coming of age story with a grumpy FMC and a sunshine MMC that fight the odds of the world to take the first step in their dreams.

Plot/Pace: This is where I subtracted the half star. The synopsis is incorrect about some plot points specifically about : why Margaret allows Weston to stay, the “discovering of dark magic”, the focus on the “deadly hunt”. The plot was more so about two characters coming to age and acting on their dreams together. If you want something Hunger Games - esque, this is not it. If you want a coming of age story about accepting who you are, processing past trauma, and stepping into your confidence/power, then this is the book for you. The pace for this reason lacked. I kept waiting for the Hunt to happen thinking the book was about the Hunt.

Characters: This is a grumpy/sunshine - the FMC is grumpy, the MMC is sunshine.
Margaret, the FMC, has the bigger character arc in this book. She faces a lot of difficult decisions. I really enjoyed reading about her.
Weston, MMC, is a little bit more of an “established” character compared to the FMC. From the beginning of the story, we know what he wants and why. He’s very lovable and at times slightly reminded me of Flynn Ryder from Tangled!
Both MCs are minorities in the book and I really enjoyed how that is also shown in their character development.

Setting: The setting of this world is important because it affects the plot so much. And actually I think this is where the synopsis should have focused on more. The reason we don’t get to the Hunt until the last 50 pages is because of the circumstances of the world. Both MCs are minorities and face many difficulties in even registering for the Hunt. A lot of important societal topics are touched upon. This may be a standalone but it could have a sequel that further shows how the MCs continue their journey in this setting.

Thank you NETGALLEY for the ARC.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was fun. Was a little sad the MC didn't seem to be queer but oh well. The religious diversity was really well done in this. I also loved that Wes was an immigrant!

I don't want to put antisemitism as a CW because there are not Jewish characters in this, but the impression I got from the treatment of Sumic people closely resembles the treatment of Jewish people.

Rep: white half Yu'adir cishet female MC, Banvish immigrant dyslexic Sumic cishet male MC (also likely ADHD), Banvish immigrant sapphic Sumic female side character, side MLM pairing.

CWs: parental neglect, emotional abuse, bullying, religious bigotry, violence, gun violence, animal death, blood, xenophobia, panic attack, toxic relationship, grief, past death of parent, abandonment, injury/injury detail. Moderate: gore, sexual content, ableism, racial/religious slurs, hate crime.

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of A Far Wilder Magic in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Gist
This is the second book I have read that decided to throw historical fiction and modern day elements together without any thought of how that could affect the reader. Like me. I swear, I felt my brain get all hot as I was trying to figure out when this story is suppose to take place.

Seriously, my desire to shout “When are we?” followed by “Where are we?” was very strong.

I’m not sure if this is a new thing when writing “historical” fantasy to just throw everything at the wall and see what sticks, but it’s not working.

The Details
From the book blurb, I was under the impression that A Far Wilder Magic is suppose to be a historical fantasy story. You know, maybe set during Victorian times or Medieval times.

Nope, in chapter two the reader gets introduced to a character that travels in a taxi. But alchemy is still practiced. I’m so confused.

Let’s backtrack for a bit and discuss the characters. I’m afraid this review is a little chaotic, just like the story.

Margaret, the protagonist, is kind of a flat character. The first chapter introduces her and I did not get much from her. Truth be told, she couldn’t capture my interest at all and I almost forget she is part of the story. This is bad, because she is the protagonist!

Also, I find that one description of the interaction between her and her dog rather unsettling. She likes “tormenting” the poor thing. Like seriously?

Weston, the second protagonist, if you want to call him that, is just as blah.

I don’t even know what to say about the plot. I am aware that I sound extremely dismissive, I think I’m just kind of disappointed. Was the plot supposed to be about a hunt of some mythical creature? Because that didn’t really happen until very far into the story.

Speaking of this mythical creature: it is called three different names. Is it a hala? A fox? Or a demiurge? What is going on?

There are words thrown around that are not explained and are supposed to help create this world, even though the author is just replacing one term for another. For example “Katharists” instead of “Catholics”.

I need to stop.

The Verdict
Overall, it’s a pass for me. My head hurts from all the questions I have. I’m agitated and need to move on.

A Far Wilder Magic suffered from too much of a slow burn. I loved the action packed into the hunt aspect of the story. I just wish it wasn’t so brief.

As for the romance, Wes was not kind to Maggie, often commenting on her appearance and going out with other girls. I was not rooting for Maggie and Wes because of this so then the romance fell flat.

The idea of alchemy sounded very interesting but I was left with questions around how successful Wes was with the alchemy when he was kicked out of every school.

While there were aspects of this book I enjoyed, I ultimately needed more action and fleshing out of plot points for it to come together.

Rating: 3.5 of 5

A Far Wilder Magic packs ALL THE FEELS. It's lyrical, and magical and sweep-you-off-your-feet good with the sweetest, most slowburn romance. The mutual pining will have you screaming and clutching fistfuls of hair in frustration... in a good way.

I love Margaret and I love just how much I can relate to her in so many ways. Her vulnerability, her flaws... everything that makes her her is just so... *clutches heart*

Wes, I didn't immediately like. But it wasn't hard to empathize with him. He constantly feels the need to hide who he really is. Slowly getting to know him, it was impossible not to fall for his well-hidden soft, tender soul. I ADORE these two so much!

A story that packs an emotion punch, with sweeping writing and perfectly flawed characters you would root for-- A Far Wilder Magic is not to be missed!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher to read and review.

I would honestly die for Wes and Maggie. The progression of their relationship was so lovely to read and the world itself totally drew me in. Allison Saft's writing was beautiful and really made the story that much better. The breathtaking prose combined with a truly sweet story made for a really excellent read.

Did I think it was possible to top her debut? No. Did she do it? And then some. Must read, everyone must read.

This book's prose is good and the characters make you want to live in this world. I lost a little bit of stamina by the end, mostly because reading has become hard on my end, but I think the story delivered on all the promises it made. I can't wait to read more of Saft's books.

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft is a standalone young adult fantasy novel with a lot of romance in the story. The story in A Far Wilder Magic is told by changing the point of view between the characters to show all sides.

Margaret Welty has been living alone waiting for her alchemist mother to return from her latest adventure when spots the legendary hala. Margaret knows that seeing this creature means the Halfmoon Hunt will be beginning soon and the winner will be blessed with fame and riches.

Weston Winters wants nothing more than to become an alchemist but his chances of realizing his dream are dwindling. Weston figures his last shot is Master Welty taking him on as an apprentice but when he arrives at her home there is only her surly daughter. Margaret agrees to let Weston stay and wait if he would only join the hunt with her with both looking to please her mother.

A Far Wilder Magic is the second book written by Allison Saft and the second book of hers that I’ve read. I really enjoyed her debut novel so I was expecting to find myself really engaged and enjoying this one too but that didn’t happen as much this time. The story in here had so much more potential in my eyes than what I found as it really became one that crawled along at such a slow pace until the very end. This wasn’t a bad story but when finished the pacing and the feeling of just wanting more that I found for me had this one turning into a just so-so read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I'm a little conflicted overall how I feel about this one. At first I was really in to it, but I feel like the middle dragged a bit and then the end almost felt too rushed with so much lead up to the infamous hunt and only a very small portion dedicated to the ACTUAL hunt. I also felt like I never really understood the alchemy which definitely led to a disconnect with the world building.

I did love both Wes and Margaret and the whole sunshine/grumpy romance they had. And I of course loved her dog Trouble. But overall, I felt a little let down when I finished because I never fully connected to the setting and the magic.

I still plan to check out Down Comes the Night and any further work from Saft, but this one was just okay for me!

A Far Wilder Magic was a beautifully written story, unfortunately it fell short for me.

After reading the description of this book, I was hooked instantly. This book sounded like a beautiful and magical world that had a scientific background. Also lets not forget that beautiful cover. Unfortunately as soon as I started reading it, I could tell that I had made a mistake.

The two main characters are for sure unique and complex, and ones that I would normally find interesting. However, for some reason I just couldn't bring myself to love them, they just fell flat. There is also the case of the main romance, it seemed really forced like these characters don't truly belong together but are being forced to be with one another by the author. Truthfully I didn't like the characters at all, or their romance.

The plot of this story is also very slow, throughout the whole novel we talk about the hunt for the legendary Hala, but its not until the actual 10% that the hunt starts... Of course I understand that the characters have to come together and plan & prepare for the hunt itself... but I sincerely thought we would get a lot more of actual hunting for the creature & lots of woodland scenery.. but the story fell short there as well.

The reason for my 3 star rating was that last 10%. Even though I thought about ditching this book many times, I'm glad I stuck through to the end. The last 10% was actually quite interesting and well written.. I just wish that this part was stretched out a little bit, while we could have cut out some of the early story.