Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 out of 5 stars

Generations ago, Tana Fairchild's ancestors made the choice to completely abandon any dark magic in order to attempt to make the "mainlanders," people without the ability to do magic. They stopped doing magic at night. They stopped doing any magic that could be considered to alter a person's choices. They only live and practice on the east side of their island, so that the mainlanders can see them and know that they are open and truthful and trustworthy in what they do.

Tana Fairchild has a role to play in the history of both the witches of the island and the mainlanders - she is going to marry the mainlander's governor's son, Landon. She is okay with this role that she has been given. For now, though, she is content to work with her parents at the perfumery they own. She has a best friend, Ivy, who creates teas to calm, to energize, or to remember.

Once a month, during the full moon, the witches of the island gather at the western shore and rush their magic - release the leftover magic they did not use in order to avoid it poisoning them and killing them. Their magic rushes out of them and into the ocean. But one month, Tana misses the rush, having bumped into a boy she has never met before, but claims he lives on the island in a different coven. Tana knows the only possible explanation is that he is part of the old coven who did not agree to tame down their magic, who still practice dark magic.

Now, with only nine days to live before her magic eats her alive, Tana reaches out to the boy, Wolfe, to see if he can help her rush her magic. But Wolfe explains that what the new coven has been doing - releasing their magic into the ocean - is actually effecting the currents in a negative way and damaging the island. And it is unsustainable. He refuses to help her rush, but he will help her release her excess magic in a different way: using it up.

But the magic the new coven practices is not nearly enough to use up her magic, and so Wolfe begins teaching Tana spells that use more magic - growing ferns, flying. Although neither of them can see eye to eye on which side is right, they are learning to see through each other's eyes and maybe understand each other.

When Tana's relationship with Wolfe threatens all that she is and all that she has planned, her parents step in, and enlist Tana's best friend, Ivy, to create a tea for forgetting. Forgetting Wolfe. Forgetting the meetings on the beach at night. Forgetting the dark magic she has learned. Forgetting the feelings she felt that had her willing to give up everything she thought she wanted of her life.

But on an island, secrets can't stay secrets forever.

I am absolutely taken by Rachel Griffin's stories. Like Alice Hoffman. Like Sarah Addison Allen. The magic lures me in, the story keeps me there. This was a phenomenal story, and like The Nature of Witches and Wild is the Witch, she connects magic with nature, with wildness, and draws a clear line between what is wild, and what is tame.

While I absolutely adored this story, I did have some lingering questions that I am not quite certain are plot holes or not, mainly pertaining to the moonflowers. But all in all, this was a stunning third book from an author that I hope to read many more books from.

Bring Me Your Midnights has left me a bit speechless.

Bound by duty to keep the peace between her coven and the people on the mainland, Mortana Fairchild is fated to marry the governor’s son. Always knowing she was destined for this path, Tana has never questioned the plans laid before her. That is until she meets Wolfe Hawthorne who opens her eyes to the secrets of so-called dark and forbidden magic.

Bring Me Your Midnight has light, whimsical elements surrounded by a deep, dark, and highly atmospheric vibe. Themes surrounding midnight, darkness, and the sea immerse you in a world that shows just how stunning the darkness can be.

This story is deeply romantic and filled with the most beautiful imagery. I will be thinking about this story for a long time to come.

4.5/5 - another amazing read from Rachel Griffin

Having read this authors previous books (wild is the witch and the nature of witches) and loving them, I went into this book with high expectations, and I was not disappointed (this may now be my favourite of the 3).

We follow Tana, who lives on a small island with her coven, has had her life planned out for her for as long as she can remember. She is meant to marry Landon, a mainlander, to solidify an alliance between the humans & the witches. However, during the monthly ritual to release their magic into the ocean, Tana stumbles upon Wolfe, who is not a mainlander nor a witch from her coven. With this, she discovers a complex web of deceit and betrayal that has been woven by her coven to appease the mainland, and she has to decide which path she will choose to follow.

The writing was fantastically whimsical as always. As someone who is passionate about climate and sustainability, I thoroughly enjoy the emphasis these books always have on the environment. My only complaint would be that Tana/Wolfe seemed to fall in love pretty quickly without seemingly spending much time together, but that aside I really did love this book.

This creation was beautiful..Tana and Wolfe are so perfect. I love how the story flowed. I thought it would go different between her and her mom but I was so happy with how it ended.

With the insanely beautiful writing & unique, emotional story, I can't give this anything less than 5 stars!!!

Think Spells For Forgetting vibes (witches on an island in the PNW + issues between witches and humans) but with more magic involved!!

It's clear from all the descriptions in this book how much Rachel Griffin loves the earth and the ocean and wants to preserve it! I loooove the ocean/water myself so I instantly related to the FMC for that.

Review: I devoured this book and loved it. The story, the characters, the world, the ending… all great. I often find adult fantasy novels to not be nearly as enjoyable as young adult, but with young adult I often long for more story, more depth, more drama even. I need to find a young adult fantasy novel written like an adult one.
Recommended For: Highly recommended for those who like witchy books that have beautiful writing.

There is great world development and an intriguing premise *sigh* this wasn’t the book for me. It didn’t capture my interest and didn’t feel very well thought out. It wasn’t engaging.

A very whimsical and kind of dark sometimes witchy book, with betrayal, pain, love and witchy politics. I liked Mortana and Wolfe and the story behind the Witchery. I feel there’s more to the story but it was well done in one book if it’s going to stay that way.
Mortana feels like maybe I would’ve wanted to be when I was younger, brave, a tad rebellious and full of life and dreams.
Wolfe is a very good love interest and companion for Mortana.
I would’ve liked for Ivy to be more developed in the book because up until the last 30% of the book I didn’t see the connection she was suppose to have with Mortana. It felt most of the time a one-sided friendship until Ivy let go of her beliefs for Mortana to be happy.
Overall a very good and fast read

What a beautiful witchy book with romance!
This is her third witchy novel and while I do have the other two and have had them on my TBR forever, I hadn't quite made it to them yet. This novel definitely pushes them up to the front of the queue.
This one utterly captivates you. The way it's written and the story flowing through the pages just puts it like a movie in your head. I could picture every detail. Probably it being about witches with the sea background.
Absolutely a must read.

Another phenomenal read by Rachel Griffin!! I loved her other books and this may be my very favorite of them all! Thank you so much for ARC and I cannot wait to get a physical copy of this😍

Really enjoyed Bring Me Your Midnight. I love the worlds Rachel Griffin creates—all full of magic and hope in a world dying by our own hands. And this was no exception.
That soulmate sort of spark wasn’t quite there for me between Tana and Wolfe, but they certainly had more of a connection than she and Landon had. And I still found myself begging for them to be together in the end.
All in all, and without spoilers, I loved this book. Loved the conclusion, loved the environmental sub plot that Rachel Griffin does so well, and I loved Tana’s tie to the sea. Absolutely beautiful.
4.5 stars!

Many thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Griffin writes about witches in an incredible way, in fact, I'm 100% sure she is a witch whose power lies in the words. Every time I read one of her books I feel so calm, and I feel like I'm in the middle of a forest or in this case, the ocean. It's something incredible.

It definitely goes to the list of favorite books, it made me feel thousands of emotions, and I managed to empathize with the protagonist (Tana), whose world changes completely, and she ends up with several internal conflicts where she has to choose between her home and her duty.... or what her heart wants, but that terrifies her.

The book presents us with two types of witchcraft that clash with each other, and it seems that there is no way they can coexist in peace. Not only with each other, but also with the nature.

It's a story of magic and romance, but also of fighting for survival and defending your beliefs. It's a story of love for the ocean, the largest place on earth and home to thousands of species, literally a magical place. It's a beautifully written story that captivates you and doesn't let go until you read the last page (and even then, you're left thinking about the story for hours, loving everything it meant). It makes you smile, gives you comfort, but at the same time squeezes your heart (yep, I cried a bit).
It's a book I would blindly recommend if you like nature, fantasy and/or romance!

I was so excited when I was approved for this. This book did not disappoint I was completely hooked from the first page and loved every second of it so much.

I received an ARC of this book and am writing this review voluntarily.

Breathtaking, gorgeous, heart-stopping, stunning.
Just some of the words I jotted down while plowing through Bring Me Your Midnight. A truly luscious tale of expectations, destiny, feared magic and a love stronger than everything else.

Brief synopsis (no spoilers)
Nineteen year old Tana has had her life planned out for her. Work in her family's perfumery until the day she pledges to her coven of gentle magic, then marry the governor's son to bring deeper stability between their magical island and the mainland. But when a chance meeting with a mysterious witch from a coven thought to have died out years ago exposes Tana to a type of magic which has her soul singing, she is thrown into chaos between what her community expects of her and what she perhaps expects of herself.

Bring Me Your Midnight had everything I want from an easy romantic fantasy read. Engaging characters, beautiful landscapes, heart-pounding betrayals and fun dialogue. Tana felt different to me than other heroines confronted with similar issues. She deals with them differently and is decidedly darker. I really hope we get a sequel here because I'd love to see how she explores this new side of herself more. There were a few moments that gave me pause and made my forehead wrinkle, but they were few and far between. Ultimately, this book was an absolute delight and I got lost in it from the first page to the last and didn't want to be found.

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS BOOK!

Forbidden romance with a dark MMC, witches, magic, heartbreak, this has it all! The writing is absolutely beautifully descriptive and captivating, I honestly already want to read it again.

This book was incredible and it is definitely my favourite out of Rachel Griffin's three witchy novels. The story flowed so perfectly, I really didn't want it to end. Rachel Griffin, PLEASE tell me there will be a second book because I NEED more of Wolfe and Mortana's story. Please Please Pleaaassseee!

3.5

I always look forward to Griffin’s books, because they are simultaneously adventurous and cozy. The magic wraps around the reader like the softest of blankets. Knowing this one was to be set on a small island, I was excited to see how the ocean would play into the atmospheric magic present in her books.

Some things I enjoyed:

✨ The different types of magic were beautiful and whimsical, especially the tea shop!

✨ The atmospheric island vibe reminded me so much of the Pacific Northwest (US), and the main character’s tie to the ocean was fabulous. I could relate to her in many ways.

✨ The friendship between the MC and her best friend was beautiful, even with its flaws and the mistakes each one makes.

✨ The internal strife and weight of expectation is palpable, and I enjoyed seeing the main character struggling through this tug-of-war.

✨ I think the author’s biggest strength lies in our connection to nature, especially in seeing both the beauty and potential danger that go with that. This was especially present throughout the book, with the sea conditions playing a huge role.


Some things I didn’t:

✨ The main character is nearly 20 but is treated like/acts more like a 16-17 year old throughout the book. I know it seems like a small thing, but it took me out of the story several times.

✨ Griffin’s other books focus on an MC who battles inner turmoil and reckons with who she is vs. what she’s expected to be, with a bit of romance on the side. This one felt like the romance was driving her reasons for changing, instead of her own agency and desire to accept her magic for what it is and what it could be. I wish there had been more decisiveness on her part before the romance hit, or even instead of some of those insta-love feelings.

Overall, I liked the book, and I think it will appeal to romantasy lovers. Thanks so much to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for the arc!

This was such a good book! It had themes of the sea, witches, forbidden romance, forbidden magic, tea, all of which I love. Tana was a really likable main character, and her dedication to her civic duty and familial obligation was something she tried hard to follow through with. I loved that she, of course, went with what her heart wanted, while still trying to make her coven a better place to be in and still trying to unite the two opposing sides. I also loved Wolfe(the love interest) and his reluctance to give into his feelings for Tana. It was so obvious he liked her, and it was a very young adult-accurate thing for him to act angry at himself for liking her and trying to ignore his feelings instead.

This was everything I could’ve wanted in a young-adult book and more. If you’re a fellow bookseller, this is a perfect recommendation for witchy fantasy lovers!

Another brilliant story by Rachel Griffin. Her world building, character arcs, and sprinkling of magic on every page never disappoint. Finished in one sitting and will be sure to suggest to other friends.

I've been a fan of Rachel Griffin since the release of her first novel, The Nature of Witches. After reading her sophomore novel, Wild Is the Witch, and now her newest novel, Bring Me Your Midnight, I can safely say that Rachel Griffin is an auto-read author for me at this point.

Each of her stories so far has been a cozy contemporary fantasy set in the Pacific Northwest (my favorite location on earth!) about a witch learning to use her magic while also falling in love. The books are fun, fast-paced, emotional, and heartwarming.

Bring Me Your Midnight is Rachel's strongest book yet! I loved every minute of it and completely flew through the story. This novel contrasts the duty one has to their family, their ancestors, and their community with the desires of their heart that are completely at odds with what is expected of them. Would you let down everyone around you for your own happiness, or sacrifice your own happiness and future for the safety and happiness of those closest to you? This is the dilemma that the protagonist, Tana Fairchild, faces in this novel.

As the coven leader's daughter, Tana has been expected since birth to marry the governor's son, Landon, to secure an alliance between the witches on the island and the non-magic humans on the mainland. Tana has always agreed to this plan, until she meets Wolfe, a member of the forbidden dark magic coven, and learns that her coven's magic is slowly killing their island and the surrounding ocean. As Tana learns the truth about her coven's history and the truth about her magic, she will have to decide on a fate that will affect not only her future but the future of everyone in her coven. Bring Me Your Midnight deals with the consequences of one's choices and how something can be both good and bad, both desirable and undesirable at the same time.

This novel was magically ethereal and thoroughly enjoyable. If you haven't read a Rachel Griffin book yet and love cozy and romantic witchy stories, definitely check out Bring Me Your Midnight. I can't wait to see what novels she has planned for the future.

Once again, I was drawn in by a gorgeous cover and an intriguing synopsis, just to be utterly let down by the story execution. Overall, the plot sounded intriguing and felt like a fun entry into the young adult fantasy genre. However, the lack of narrative depth and poor plotting made the novel difficult to read.

Bring Me Your Midnight is a novel about Tana, a twenty-year-old witch who is betrothed to Landon, the mainland’s governor’s son. An alliance is being sealed through marriage in order to protect the witches that call the island, the Witchery, home. However, Tana’s world is shaken when she misses her monthly rush—a ceremony where the witches expel their extra magic into the ocean—and finds her life is at risk due to an excessive build up of magic. And then she meets Wolfe, a witch who practices dark magic, and he challenges her worldview as she begins to fall in love with him.

This novel is lacking in tension. That is a direct result of the novel, frankly, lacking emotional and descriptive depth, while plot conflicts never last longer than a chapter. As I read, I found myself craving concrete and descriptive details. I wanted to sink into the setting and imagery of the Witchery, and I wanted figurative language to invoke Tana’s emotions as the story played out. Instead, the story felt like a skeleton of itself. The writing presented itself with minimum details; if I had to describe the writing style in one phrase, it’s this: telling and not showing.

This lack of detail brings me to our main character, Tana. I struggled with her as a narrative. First, her voice did not sound like a twenty-year-old. Her voice felt juvenile and immature in the face of everything happening around her. Which brings me to the issue of conflict and development, especially when it comes to Tana. I would argue that this is a character-drive plot, as much of the conflict revolves around Wolfe challenging Tana’s worldview and everything she knows. However, even when her worldview was challenge, she accepted it quickly and moved on. Generally, no conflict lasted longer than a chapter, nor did it cause much emotional distress for Tana. I wanted to see her struggling to accept what Wolfe was telling her compared to what her mother taught her. Even when faced with asking her mother for the truth, she often chosen to not act, which made Tana a passive character. And a passive character often does not change and develop, which furthers the lack of tension in a story.

The most frustrating aspect, however, was the lack of overall plot. I’ve made mention that conflicts often didn’t last longer than a chapter, which was true. A conflict would set up and resolve itself within a few pages, which destroyed any chance of tension coming into play. However, there was one overarching plot shadowing the novel: the fact that the low-tide witches magic was negatively affecting the ocean and causing destruction of the island. While we didn’t see much evidence of this destruction—outside of the dangerous currents surrounding the island (and even then, no one died? Tana almost did, in her past, but that was it.)—but it was still an issue that needed to be resolved. And we did not get to see that plot be resolved. Tana provided a solution to the issue, strongarmed her mother into agreeing to it—and that was it. We never got to see Tana’s plan play out or see the ocean heal from her plan. Seeing that plot resolution was a driving factor behind my finishing reading this novel, and to see the sole plot conflict go unresolved was frustrating.

A smaller note: the “love-triangle” and “romance” were also underdeveloped. Tana and Wolfe’s relationship was a textbook example of insta-love. (Tana fell in love with Wolfe after meeting up with him six times. Six. Times.) And I wouldn’t label this novel as a love triangle, considering Landon was only on the page four times and gave zero indication of having romantic feelings for Tana. The romance is yet another example of something needing further development.

I haven’t read a Rachel Griffin novel before and, after experiencing this story, I probably won’t read another one of her novels again. This story was riddled with developmental issues and was lacking in a narrative depth that never allowed me to sink into the story. I was hoping to read an immersive, atmospheric novel and instead I walked away feeling frustrated and wanting more from the narrative.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.