"Wild is the Witch" by Rachel Griffin is an addictive and perfectly witchy YA novel written in mesmerizingly vivid prose. This atmospheric tale draws readers into a world of vulnerability, anger, judgement, and the severe consequences of a single action done out of hate. Centred around a deep, magical connection to the natural world, Griffin creates a story that is absolutely impossible to put down until the very last word.

Iris Gray is aware that for some, the existence of witches is considered to be a curse, one that should be eradicated. For Iris, her magic is a gift that brings her closer to the earth and animals than humans could ever dream possible. Yet, after an incident involving magic in her old hometown forces her to flee, Iris realizes magic can be both a curse and a blessing depending on how one perceives it.

Settled in her new home with her mom in Washington, Iris works on a wildlife reservation, using her magic for good—with the exception of the curses she creates but never casts as a way of dealing with her emotions. That is, until the infuriating summer intern, Pike, makes a comment that has Iris casting the deadliest of all curses, one that is swept away by an owl before she can destroy what she created. Now, she’s forced to work with the intern she cannot stand and hope to track this owl down before her deadly curse is unleashed upon Pike and the innocent people of her town.

Prepare to be absolutely blown away by Griffin’s beautiful prose, the astounding concept of magic, and the never-ending tension that bleeds through every page. This original and captivating story will easily have readers immersed in Iris’s tantalizingly bitter world where magic doesn’t automatically make someone a superhero and it can easily turn a person into an outcast. While being a hero isn’t how she desires to be perceived, she does want to change the way people see magic, so they can understand it’s a gift and not worth fearing. Iris’s connection to the earth and animals through her magic and her determination to share that awe of what she can do with others is contagious to the point where it’s easy to keep rooting for her even though the mistake she makes is unforgivable. Iris is a character that readers will stick with and relate to because of her determination to right wrongs and her vulnerability.

The magic in this story is original and beautiful. Those who love the outdoors and animals will easily connect with Iris who adores nature and adventures. Even the insufferable Pike will win readers over with his stubbornness, smarts, and the easy banter he casually strikes up with Iris, much to her reluctance.

“Wild is the Witch” is a book worth adding to your TBRs and picking up once it makes its way into bookstores. It’s addictive, fast-paced, and full of muscle-winding tension that will make Iris’s story easy to devour in one sitting. Look for this thrilling tale on its expected publication date of August 2nd, 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a free e-arc of this novel and the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.

Admittedly YA is not my favourite genre and unfortunately, this was just an average read for me. Considering this is a witchy romance I wish there was more magic and more romance. The romance to me felt forced, one minute they hate each other, and the next they are in love. I love fantasy, and magical novels for world-building and fantastical elements. This book had very little of both.

What this book does well is it accurately conveys what is like to live with anxiety. Overall, a solid 3-star read.

Thank you Netgalley and Source Books for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

When the Nature of Witches came out, it was one of my most anticipated books and I was heartbroken when I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. But Wild is the Witch completely redeemed anything I felt about Griffin's debut. I read it in a matter of days, loved the banter between Iris and Pike, loved the magic system and while the story was tropey and predictable, it was the exact comfort you want - need - from a book like this. The whole vibe was dreamy and magical and this was exactly what I was hoping I would get from a YA witch book. Loved it.

I was so excited to read this I kept telling others how this book sounded amazing and I couldn't wait. Did I work myself up too much? No, I don't think so, because there really was so much potential. 2.5 stars.

I haven't any issues with the writing style, but I did with the characters. I understand that a young witch has gone through trauma and has some issues, so I hope folks understand that my frustration that she knew what the right thing to do was but kept avoiding it and made things tons worse. I was also frustrated at how things resolved at the end for one of the other characters who accepted the outcome like a champ that it allowed our author to neatly and conveniently wrap things up in a bow. Life's messy and, though we are talking about magic for most of the book, I think a YA audience can deal with more reality about consequences and how time is needed to adjust to life-altering changes.

I absolutely loved this book!

I loved Iris and Pike’s journeys from being mistrusting of each other to understanding.

This was the perfect magic realism story that I needed in my life, it almost makes you believe that magic can exist on our world!

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Fire, and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This YA, magical romance does exactly what it says it will. It provides a simple, if at times predictable story which can be read fairly quickly and enjoyed for what it is. Following an enemies to lovers plot, the romance does at times seem forced however much of this is made up for in the world building and magic system that Griffin has created.

While the characters are fairly standard, there is almost a disconnect between them and the reader which makes it difficult to empathise or root for them.

For the most part, this is an easy read, but not a memorable one.

4 stars

Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin is an atmospheric contemporary fantasy that brought me some much needed fall feels in the middle of this hot, hot summer. Set in the Pacific Northwest, Griffin does an exceptional job of evoking the beauty of the area and intertwining the magic system into this world. I'm not sure whether it is the same system used in her debut novel, but I think that it is sprinkled in just enough without being overwhelming.

I really enjoyed Iris' journey both as a woman and as a witch as she grapples with the walls that she has built around her heart due to the trauma she has suffered in her life. Griffin does not shy away from having her make major mistakes, but it makes the growth of the character all the more satisfying. I had a wonderful time devouring this book and I look forward to catching up both on Griffin's backlist and any new releases that she has planned.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC of this book for a fair and honest review!

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the free book*

"Wild is the Witch" is about Iris who is starting a new life after her best friend was involved in a terrible magic accident. When a ritual goes wrong and a curse binds itself to an owl, Iris needs to find the owl and release the curse before it can bind itself to her nemesis and now camping trip companion. The classical enemies to lovers trope was well executed but I was mainly annoyed because I could see all major plot points. I mean geez, they even called the owl MacGuffin... The bickering was fun and I liked the take on magic quite a lot but there were also lots of plot holes / world building gaps. Nice queer rep with Iris's mom getting engaged to a woman after she has had to leave her husband behind. Iris was sometimes a bit too focussed on herself, but I overall enjoyed this story.

3.5 stars

This novel follows Iris Gray, a witch who chooses to hide her identity due to past trauma that occurred before her and her mother moved. But after accidently releasing a curse that could be harmful, she has to team up with Pike, her tormentor who hates witches.
This was SO great! Rachel Griffin's writing was once again stunning. It really shows how much she loves nature within her works, and it's so beautifully portrayed in Wild Is the Witch. Griffin weaves fascinating descriptions of the world around our characters without bogging down the story too much. It really was the perfect mix for me.
We also get anxiety representation which I always love to see. All the characters were so loveable, despite one starting off not being likeable (but that's eventually explained a little more my feelings toward said character did a complete turn around). I was worried I wouldn't turn out to like that character, but Griffin did a great job at making me wrong about that with backstories and character development. I ended up loving the romance and cried during the climax and resolution sections of the book.
I was never bored during this, between being in Iris's head and her love of the world around her, the animals and other characters they interact with, and the development between the characters.
I loved the magic system, it felt different and natural, and the Iris's relationship to it was beautiful. I really enjoyed my reading experience (all two days of it, because I flew through this masterpiece). If you enjoyed The Nature of Witches, I definitely think you'll love Wild Is the Witch too!

When eighteen-year-old witch Iris Gray accidentally enacts a curse that could have dire consequences, she must team up with a boy who hates witches to make sure her magic isn't unleashed on the world.
This was a cute YA romance and I imagine it will be a wild hit with young readers that enjoy the enemies to lovers trope. I did enjoy it but was more interested in the magic and the owls.

Do you love enemies to lovers, one bed trope, and forced proximity? Then this is the book for you.

Poor Iris and her mother move out of her town into a new one thanks to a devastating mishap Iris was involved in. Hiding their ability to speak to animals and the fact they're witches, they work at the wildlife refuge with a witch hating intern. Pike is a sarcastic, know-it-all, you can't help but love.

When Iris casts a curse on Pike and it gets stolen by an owl, they have to enter the woods together to find it. I really enjoyed the dynamic with these two as they try and figure out how to work together and understand each other. The tension between them makes you laugh and wanting more. I was happy with the ending and Rachel has become an auto buy author for me.

Rachel Griffin has quickly become a must buy author. Her debut book was amazing and Wild is the Witch is powerful as well. I loved the magic system in this book and the connection to nature. I found it beautiful. Watching the relationship between Iris and Pike change and grow. Beautiful book with amazing writing. Highly recommend.

Rachel Griffin is a true queen, she is one of my favorite authors, and this review could easily be a love letter to her massive talent but I will focus on 'Wild is the Witch'.

First, GO PICK UP THIS BOOK. That's it. This was an instant 5 stars from the moment I read the first sentence. I knew from the beginning this book would not disappoint and it sure didn't. There is something almost magical when you sit down to read 'Wild is the Witch', the experience of reading this book feels like a cozy rainy day and Rachel's words are a blanket warming your soul, so comforting... Also, the Pacific Northwest setting was very atmospheric and magnificent.

I am so grateful I was able to read this eArc, and I will be buying this book as soon as it hits the shelves.

“Wild Is The Witch” wasn’t the greatest witchy romance I have ever read but considering this novel is marketed towards a younger audience, I will give it a pass.

What I loved: magical system, decent world-building, writing style, and character background. The premise was there and the introduction of the novel drew me in but that faded with the repetitiveness within the storyline.

What I hated: the forced romance between the main characters—the novel would’ve been better if the author focused on the development of magic, character depth and better structure of the storyline.

Nonetheless, I would highly recommended to young readers if they’re looking for a little magic, romance, and adventure.

I was given a free e-arc of this book through NetGalley in return for my honest review:

I'm not going to blurb the book because you can find that elsewhere- here are my reactions, the things I thought about while reading, the things I liked, and the things I didn't like.
FIVE STARS

- Very similar tone to Rachel Griffin's previous book, so much so that I thought it was a sequel. it is NOT A SEQUEL, but if you liked Griffin's previous book, you'll love this one too.

- The book starts off strong, immediately orienting us to know who our main character is and what she's struggling with. As with Griffin's last book, a past trauma holds our character from realizing her potential, although this time it's social, and not magical, potential. -- Iris's best friend accidentally killed her boyfriend, and then her small town turned on the local witches. She lives in fear now that her new home will be disrupted if anyone finds out she's a witch.

- The fantasy of pet wolves is alive and well. And fear not--Winter does not die. This is not a spoiler because the wolf was never in danger of dying. But for some reason when I was about 10% of the way through the book, I was gripped by a sudden conviction the book was going that way, and almost DNFed because I couldn't handle the wolf dying. The wolf doesn't suffer and is happy. be still my heart.

- I like the dynamic between Pike (the romantic lead) and Iris-- they talk to each other like they’re both idiots, and I love the vibe. It's a solid rivals to lovers romance, but even their conversations as rivals have a touch of tension/chemistry. I love it.

- Gay moms are a 10/10. Their Wretched un-subtle Matchmaking is also 10/10.

- This whole book is a KIND bar advertisement. It's like an inside joke in the book that we get to be a part of. But also I hope the author gets paid by KIND because she's doing that work.

- The male lead, Pike, is arrogant and a bit of a cad/player/F***boi vibes. But I think that’s the vibe I'm here for. He goes through growth alongside our Iris, and we want to smack him just as much as we want to smooch him-- just like Iris.

- The end made me want to cry. It’s not sad exactly-- it just made my heart squeeze. The ending gives what it needs to give. Very cathartic/satisfying.

I was surprised to see that I enjoyed this that much. At first, I thought that I was going to be reading a generic YA fantasy story, but that's not what this was. The entire journey up the mountain felt real, genuine. I'm fully convinced that part of this novel was modeled after some real-life experiences. I find it difficult to believe that this is a work of fiction.

The ittiest of gripes that I have is that the characters are fully mature. I think that the inconveniences of the story are resolved far too easily. Where the other half of the duo in the story had to just take a breather to think about what just happened, and then was ok with anything that's wrong.

I definitely will be reading this again to update my review hopefully before launch.

This book is different than all the others. This is the first book I read of this author, and I'll now be looking into Griffin's other works. I'll be recommending Wild is the Witch when it releases and will be buying several copies.

Well, this was a little better than Griffin's previous witch novel, but it's still got a terrible forced romance--including the protagonist's mom hugely inappropriately pushing the protagonist into the arms of her mom's intern--and suffers from some pretty contrived plot ideas. Some of the ideas about magic are interesting and well-developed and the world-building provides just enough info to be tantalizing. Maybe Griffin could focus on the development of magic and characters and leave out the bad romances for the next one.

What an enjoyable read. The writing and the plot are well done. The characters are well-drawn and likable. Definitely recommend picking it up if you like witchy books.

Iris Gray is a witch who works at her mom’s animal sanctuary in Washington. When Iris hears her coworker Pike insult witches, she draws up a curse on him – but the curse gets intercepted by an owl. Iris must find the owl and remove the curse before bad things happen, but her mom wants Pike to go on the search with her so Iris isn’t alone. What will happen on this trip?

Another great job by Rachel Griffin! I loved The Nature of Witches, and while I didn’t love Wild is the Witch as much as Nature of Witches, I still really enjoyed Wild is the Witch (both books are standalones so you don’t need to read one before the other). I liked the way the magic system was explained, and that in turn created good world building. It’s a neat magical world dependent on nature and the pace of the book was pretty steady. I did feel like it read a bit more like a romance book with fantasy elements vs a fantasy book with romance, but it was still engaging and easy to read. If you like urban contemporary fantasy romance, then pick up Wild is the Witch.

Thanks to NetGalley and Source Fire for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book. I loved the characters. I loved how the magic was integrated. I enjoyed that there wasn't info dump. Everything flowed. My only critique is that I felt that the challenges that the characters faced started to get a little repetitive. Other than that, it was stunning.