Wow, this book has everything I hate. Show-not-tell writing, flat, one dimensional characters whose POVs are practically indistinct rom each other, nonsensical worldbuilding and magic system, moral and themes which are so stupidly simple while the very messed up things are shrugged off or ignored, it's all here wrapped up in a messy little bow. To top it all off, calling this a Rapunzel retelling is such a stretch; publishing marketing needs to do so much better when trying to grab reader's attention.

I don't care enough to write in depth about this. It was just boring and frustrating and so not worth your time if you choose to pick this up.

Do I even need to say how much I loved this book? I mean a saphic book with vampires and witches I couldn't ask for more. This book was honestly everything I wanted and more.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I DNF (did not finish) this book. I am only providing feedback, so it doesn’t hurt my feedback ratio, and there’s a star rating because this makes me have one, otherwise I wouldn’t have a rating. I thought this book had an interesting synopsis, but I couldn’t get into it.

A vampire attack two years ago drove friends Kaye and Ava apart. Kaye's mother was killed and Ava was turned into a vampire. Ava still has her power, but her mother keeps her imprisoned to steal her magic. Ava plans to escape and ask vampires for help, but Kaye had been training as a Flame witch to destroy vampires in the meantime. Kaye follows Ava when she escapes, planning to destroy the vampires in the forest, and Ava hopes to rekindle their prior friendship and possible romantic feelings. The forest is incredibly dangerous and they're being tracked, so the two must rely on each other to survive.

Things change between Ava and Kaye throughout the book. At first, Kaye thinks Ava might be the one that killed her mother, and wants to string Ava along to the next village, then capture her as a prize to graduate early from the Flame witch training. Ava was turned young so she still has her Root witch powers as well as her vampirism. She's been tortured by her stepfather, who experiments on her to test the limits of her vampiric abilities. On top of that, a weird rot is in the forest and it bodily swallows up people. This is a world out of balance, and the girls can only try to fix it as best as they can. Kaye wants to find out who killed her mother and get justice; Ava just wants to be able to make her own choices. A larger conspiracy surrounds them, and their home village is just one small part of the world.

I really sympathized with both of them at various places in the story. Kaye thought being a perfect student would help her fit in, but her heritage keeps the villagers mistrusting her. Ava thought her mother at least would protect her, but she's more like a game piece to be manipulated and have magic extracted from.

I was initially drawn to this story because it's said to be a Rapunzel retelling. I think that it's marketed incorrectly. A girl with long hair locked in a tower (well in this cast attic) and a rampion flower does not a Rapunzel retelling make. Those really were the only similarities I could catch, and because of that I would call this more Rapunzel inspired than a retelling and even then I think that's stretching it a bit.

I guess my main issue is that I just couldn't tell what this book was trying to do? I haven't read a lot of vampire books, but I've watched many movies and I just felt like all the same tropes were used and there wasn't really anything new to it. I think the inclusion of witches and magic was interesting, especially that Ava still had her Root magic powers as she was so young when she was turned into a vampire, but otherwise I didn't think there was much that was added to the vampire genre in general. It all felt a little bit stale. I didn't feel a connection to the characters or the story really at all, and many parts of it felt repetitive. There were a lot of phrases that were used multiple times not only throughout the book, but also throughout the same chapter.

I'm sure lots of people will enjoy this book, unfortunately, I am not one of them.

Content warnings: blood, confinement, death of a parent (past, mentioned, described), torture and abuse (on page), fire, toxic relationships, animal death/killing (on page), descriptions of dead bodies, death (on page, graphic, beheaded, burning, stabbing), injury (described on page, graphic)

I enjoyed this book, it was fun with a serious undertone, the characters were on the interesting side, the plot had dynamic interactions with enough of a mystery to drive the story forward.

Ever since I finished it I have been trying to figure out what the story reminded me of, and I still can't figure it out, but there is that little voice in the back of my head saying you've read something similar before, or have seen something like this, maybe it's that this resembles the more original Rapunzel story rather than the Disney sanitized version, but that's not quite it. I liked the witches (classifications of Root and Flame) and that the vampires are not all the same - this sorta reminded me of Twilight - at least at one specific moment, but the vibe is significantly darker.

This is a friends to enemies to reluctant partners to friends to maybe lovers to enemies, so there is a little bit of everything for people. There is no spice, with only one kissing scene so this could be appropriate for younger YA readers. The mystery is very interesting with some nice plot twists (some I predicted, others I did not).

If you liked The Midnight Girls, Cinderella is Dead, This Poison Heart, then you will probably like this book.

4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to review this free E-ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review. And yes I pre-ordered my physical copy as well.

Ugh this cover is so cute but that’s the only good thing about this book. The pacing is off and I was pretty bored for most of the time. I was ready for cute romance but I didn’t really buy it. Both characters were not really likable. By the time it started picking up, it just felt too late for me.

So sad as I wanted to love this but thank you so much to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

This cover - gasp! The plot - creative and queer. Witches and Vampires? Unfortunately this awesome combination did not inspire my enjoyment of this book.
Ava - forced to become a vampire to save her mother
Kaye - trained to kill vampires to avenge her mother's death
Two long time friends - and maybe something more.
It was a struggle to finish - plot was all over the place.

This was a fun fantasy. I enjoyed the world and magic system. Ava's story of being trapped and drained of her powers by her own mother was heartbreaking, but compelling. Kaye's story was a bit less compelling, but I was interested in discovering who killed her mother and why. The ending was powerful; I loved seeing Ava's growth!

Rating 3.5 stars

Ava and Kaye have been childhood friends for years. They grew up outsiders near a forest with a magical dome that kept vampires trapped inside. Two years ago though some vampires broke through and Kayes mother was killed and Ava turned. Avas mother Eugenia has been keeping Ava trapped in the attic since then to siphon off her powers. Eugenia has been a vampire for awhile and was using Ava’s magic to keep up the illusion that she was human. One night vampires break through again and Ava seizes the chance to escape into the forest looking for refuge from the vampire queen. Kaye finds her and tricks her into travelling together while secretly planning to turn her in. Ava is determined to show Kaye she still has her humanity and hopes to work through her romantic feelings that were starting to bud before she was turned.

I have to admit I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. A whole supernatural world built around witches and vampires. But I was a bit disappointed with the book. The world wasn't exactly fleshed out as deeply as I have become used to, but considering this story is centered around two towns surrounded by forest I feel like it was enough for the story. And some of the side characters just seemed to be there without seemingly having a purpose, examples being Tristan and even Nuira to an extent. Ava and Kaye themselves seemed sometimes inconsistent with how they acted. Kaye’s hatred for vampires seemed so intense but after a couple of days her views changed completely? And Ava is presented as basically a pawn of her mothers and stepfather with so much trauma but at the same time so utterly naive about things.

However the relationship between the girls is a redeeming quality in my eyes. Watching them trying to rebuild their friendship whilst struggling with the forest, vampires, hunter, witches, and their blossoming feelings was sweet. The slow burn felt right as Kaye had her prejudices to work through and Ava struggled with her humanity. The ending seemed a bit out of place with Kaye’s choice, however it did leave me intrigued with what could be next for the girls. I dont know if there will be a sequel or more books in this world but I would love to see how the girls' futures work out for them.

First… this cover is stunning! Second.. this book was just very surface level for me. We didn’t get any depth to the plot or the characters and that really bugged me. It didn’t feel like a Repunzel retelling to me apart from her being trapped for a couple years in a home. Overall, this book has great potential, however it didn’t work for me.

What a delight! Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this book. I am no longer a young adult but love to read YA fantasy novels and this did not disappoint! I would have loved reading this as a young person, especially since I loved reading about vampires and witches at that time in my life, and still do. Both main characters had me feeling for them and taking their sides even knowing how the other main character felt. I don’t want to give anything away but I really loved their relationship as they worked together and began to understand each other more. I had the feeling that the ending left it open for a sequel and I would definitely read it if there is one planned.

Ava and Kaye were once best friends, but now Ava is a vampire locked in her room by her mother (“for her own good”) and Kaye is a Flame witch duty-bound to destroy her. But Ava refuses to stay in her prison, and a vampire attack on their town is her ticket out, and a chance to warn the vampire queen of her mother’s evil plans. She stumbles into Kaye, who proposes the two of them travel through the forest together, all the while secretly planning on turning Ava in. But when old feelings rise, neither girl is quite able to stick to their original plan, and the consequences are deadly.

This book is marketed as a star-crossed paranormal retelling of Rapunzel’s fairytale; what I did not get was much romance at all or more than the faintest glimpses of Rapunzel – and Disney’s version at that. What I did get was a mess of narration that lacked actual storytelling, characters insisting on telling telling telling with barely no show at all, and logic problem after logic problem that took me straight out of the story at almost every turn. And the tale somehow managed to disintegrate more and more as it went on.

Character wise, Ava and Kaye are entirely lackluster. We’re clearly meant to believe they’re destined to be together but they lack any actual chemistry. And the very strict good vs. bad, black and white mentality of their worlds doesn’t support the idea that they’d find their way around that thinking. Speaking of, we’re told (again, not shown) that there’s character growth but characters wind up making choices in the final hour that entirely contradict every other action of theirs up until that point.

Additionally, there are villains galore in this tale. Villains around every corner. Often not even in the slightest of cahoots. And yet, they don’t DO much at all, despite all somehow doing something very different from the other. There’s no point in having multiple villains if none of them ever feel like anything more than caricatures.

Writing wise, on no fewer than THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS did one of the main girls have a thought along the lines of “I bet [insert other girl’s name here] did this'' and then proceeded to PERFECTLY recap the exact actions of another character without ever being present for said actions. It’s just such a cheap way of moving the plot points along – though it somehow still dragged.

Worldbuilding wise, it’s made very clear early on that the only things that can hurt a vampire are silver, fire, and decapitation. Then tell me why there are multiple vampires killed by way of chests being crushed during the final climactic battle scene. And tell me why the only ways to hurt a vampire are then REITERATED by a main character AFTER said NON-POSSIBLE KILLINGS. The lack of consistency here is awe-inspiring. Additionally, this is one story where a map would not only be useful but basically a required addition to the front of the book. I have no idea what the layout of this (very small but maybe quite big?) world is.

Nothing about this book landed the way I could tell it was supposed to. I was stoked to read a Rapunzel retelling with a queer love story at its heart; I’m sorry to say that whatever heart there is to be found in this tale is vastly overshadowed by its many inconsistencies.

Content warning: blood, death, grief, violence, captivity, familial abuse of all kinds (emotional, physical, implied sexual, etc.), mention of death of a parent.

Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin's Press for allowing the chance to review this arc.

The characters did not feel fully fleshed out, and the plot seemed to rely on some antisemitic tropes, such as blood libel. I highly suggest the author and editors review and edit the book again, because the story does have potential but it is strongly lacking in its current form.

Going into this book, the only thing I expected was a Rapunzel retelling and sapphic romance. While we definitely got that within the book, the characters were probably my favourite part of the entire story. They were cute and sweet, but their romance felt like it was lacking slightly. It felt really juvenile even for a YA book, which definitely had me stopping and taking a break as I read. I think I wanted more out of the romance and didn't necessarily get it right away.

The world building was tough to follow at times, and while the beginning of the book really hooks the reader in, throughout the rest of the book it was often hard to follow or had me rereading pages to try and figure out what I was missing about the world.

The concept of the book was honestly what hooked me in and had me wanting to read it, but it was hard to get through the entire book with the world building plot holes and the overall rushedness of the plot itself. Definitely a great concept, but I was wanting more around the world, characters, and romance by the end.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores
Rating: 3.5 stars
Pub Date: 3/21

This story is about Ava, a vampire, and Kaye, a flame witch trained to hunt vampires. The two women grew up together and remained friends until two years ago when Kaye’s mother died, and Ava became a vampire. Ava’s mother has kept Ava locked in her attic bedroom under the guise of keeping her safe. Kaye has been wondering if Ava killed her mother and has spent two years working hard to become the best flame witch she can be. Kaye doesn’t know that Ava has been held captive in the attic of her mother’s house and hasn’t been allowed to leave. When Ava finally breaks free one night and flees to the cursed forest to find more of her kind, Kaye catches up and offers to travel through the forest together.

I’m on the fence with this one. This queer, YA, Rapunzel retelling was fun and entertaining. It’s fast-paced and action-packed, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. I thought the story flowed well, making the world-building easy to follow as we navigate this dystopian world.

On the flip side, there’s a lot of telling and not a lot of showing going on. I had a hard time connecting to either character, and I felt like some of the darker themes in the story, i.e., child abuse, torture, and the fact that Ava’s mother kills her and turns her into a vampire, are glossed over. Ava suffers severe trauma, and aside from a few flinches, she seems completely fine. The romance is secondary, very subdued, and builds slowly over the course of the book. I also think calling this a Rapunzel retelling is a stretch. Aside from Ava being locked in an attic and having long hair, there aren’t a lot of elements present from the actual fairy tale.

Overall, this was an easy and enjoyable read if you’re not looking too deeply. This could have been marketed for a middle-grade audience if it wasn’t for the abuse and torture. But if you like magic, adventure, and a forbidden love story, you’ll enjoy this one. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for my advanced reader copy. Preorder your copy before its release on 3/21!

There were some good bones here, but ultimately we’re left with something repetitive that drags on far too long. I liked the main characters but was bored long before the end.

Thank you for this advanced copy to review. I will be posting this review to Goodreads but will be omitting my star rating for several reasons. I truly wanted to like this book but I knew it was a risk to try it since I struggle with YA. If you enjoy YA, this still may be a hit for you.

The concept is fun. Vampire books were so overdone that it’s less common to see new takes on the concepts come out. That is partly what drew me to the book.

What I didn’t enjoy, and what somewhat ruined the experience for me were the characters and the presentation of backstory.

The characters felt a bit flat. Their motivations were a bit shallow and, while they felt strongly about them, were hard to connect to or feel for as the reader. I found myself really not caring as much as I would have liked to.

There is so much infodumping in this story. It’s a pet peeve of mine and every time it happens in a book it feels more noticeable to me. This just throws the backstories and explanations at the reader. It’s not a very fun way to learn things about the world and characters.

I can see this book being appealing for those rooted in the YA genre but it ultimately felt young even for young adult.

This was such an interesting retelling of Rapunzel but with a trusted group of witches that were backyard the security or the enforcers. And there were vampires that were beyond a wall. But when a breach occurs and Ava (Rapunzel) escapes people start making up stories to explain her - a vampire with witches powers.
Her best friend Kaye who she would see out her window is angry cause she doesn't know where she went. We follow these two throughout the story as they find out the truth of what actually happened and all the politics and adult ruining their lives. Like that sadistic yucky guy that was living with her.
I love that the original vampire is a woman Cassiopeia. And the magic was cool with the invisibility, fire, and nature root magic.
Thank you wednesdaybooks for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Rating: 4/5
Pub: 3.21.23
I received a copy of eARC for my honest opinion.

I rounded up the rating of this book because at times I felt that it was more of 3.5 than 4 stars and vice versa. I can’t really say that this was a Rapunzel retelling other than the fact that Ava did have long hair and she was kept away from everyone other than her mother and step-father. For me only the first few chapters were kinda like a retelling of Rapunzel but more of Tangled vibe. This book felt to me on the younger side of young adult, borderline MG but that did not take away from it still being a good fantasy.

What I liked about the book was the world-building, it helped me to connect with the characters and to picture what was going on. I enjoyed the drama/action in this book with a lot of different things going on and helped keep this book at a fast pace. I loved that we had vampires and witches in the book and that they were enemies. I thought the characters were likable and easy to connect with. I enjoyed the LGBT+ representation in the book and the rivalry between lovers. I liked that the author talked about the darker sides of an evil stepparent, but people should know that there are abusive parental figures and neglect.

What I didn’t like: I felt at times that I was missing some pieces of the story, whether it was something in the background or if it was something I should have known. At times I felt that it was a little repetitive and slow. The magic for the witches I wish we could have gotten a little more history and with the vampires, I felt that it was really glossed over.

Even though it was not one of my favorites, I will still recommend this book to people interested in reading their first fantasy LGBT+, to YA lovers, and enemies to lovers.

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for the opportunity to review this book.