Magical realism isn't my favorite genre, but I really enjoyed this book! I thought Clara was a great character, and the concept of witches controlling the weather was interesting and done well. I never wanted to stop reading and still want more after it's over.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me to read a digital ARC of “The Nature of Witches” by Rachel Griffin. Although this book had a June 2021 publication date, I’m just now getting around to reading and reviewing this book.

The story revolves around witches who control the seasons and Shaders (non-witches) who inhabit this fantasy world. The protagonist, Clara, is an Everwich who attends the Eastern School of Solar Magic in Pennsylvania. An Everwitch's magic is powerful and tied to all four seasons; whereas seasonal witches’ powers are seasonal and heightened during specific seasons. The witches are trying to control weather events that are weakening and dying, so Clara's power is needed. Unfortunately, Clara despises her magic because she cannot control it, resulting in the loss of loved ones.

Throughout the novel, Clara struggles to harness her magic. Enter Sang, a whisperer who helps Clara manage the pressure teachers and peers place on her to master her magic. Clara gradually learns to understand her gift and fully accept who she is. I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter and found Sang's patience, understanding, and love for Clare nurturing; he was the perfect mentor, friend, and boyfriend. Initially, Clara whined too much, but she matured and persevered as the story progressed.

“The Nature of Witches” deals with multiple themes: forgiveness, self-acceptance, death and guilt, isolation, coming of age, and the power of nature. The characters are well-developed, and the setting is atmospheric, beautiful, and nature-filled. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I found this Young Adult fantasy enjoyable.

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin is a captivating YA fantasy that blends magic, self-discovery, and romance. The story follows Clara, an "ever-witch" whose powers are tied to the seasons. As the climate grows more unstable, Clara’s abilities become unpredictable, forcing her to face her fears and her connection to nature. With a unique magical system, a compelling heroine, and thought-provoking themes of climate change and personal growth, this book is a beautifully written and emotional read. Ideal for fans of atmospheric fantasy with a strong, relatable protagonist.

I read about 30% a few years ago and unfortunately couldn't bring myself to finish it but the premise is interesting so I decided to give it another shot. I listened to the audio this time around and I’m so glad I did.
The Nature of Witches was an atmospheric, witchy read with a focus on climate change. I loved the magic system and the way magic was tied to the seasons. The idea of witches maintaining the climate was intriguing and I was excited to learn more, especially as the weather became increasingly dangerous.

The main character, Clara, is an Everwitch so instead of her magic being tied to a specific season it's tied to all of them making her a very rare and powerful witch. Unfortunately, she learned the hard way just how volatile her magic can be and refuses to lose another person she loves to it.
I liked Clara but I have to admit she wasn’t my favorite. I understand why she’s hesitant to use her magic, especially as she gets closer to Sang, but it could help save the world. She knows that witches are dying trying to regain control of the weather but she continues to resist and has no true sense of urgency to train for a majority of the book. I did love how Clara begins to accept herself and trust her magic by the end though.
I loved Sang’s character and the romance that was developing between him and Clara. He’s incredibly sweet and patient which is what Clara needs. I was hoping for more world-building or a little bit more information about how the elemental magic worked but the romance kind of took over the second half.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read (with a beautiful cover!) and I’d recommend it if you enjoy character-driven fantasy!

I loved the concept of this book. As someone who studied environmental sciences in college, I loved the idea of witches being able to control the weather.

This book definitely made me think about the climate reality and made me wish we were able to control the weather.

Our main character Clara is dealing with a lot of fear, grief and pressure. She has this power that allows her to control weather in all seasons but her power has cost her many of the people she loves.

There are some really devastating moments in this book but also some hopeful ones and I enjoyed it overall.

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin is an atmospheric, magical read that totally sucked me in! The story follows Clara, a witch whose power is tied to the seasons. While other witches have their abilities linked to one specific season, Clara’s magic is all over the place, and that makes her dangerous. As the world starts to face environmental disasters, Clara has to figure out how to control her powers and stop the damage before it’s too late.

What I really loved about this book is how unique the magic system is. The way the witches’ powers change with the seasons is really cool, and it adds a lot of depth to the story. Clara is a great protagonist—she’s struggling with her powers, but she’s also really brave and determined to do the right thing, even when it’s hard. There’s some romance in the book too, but the main focus is on Clara’s growth and learning to accept who she is.

The writing is beautiful, and the world-building is amazing. The book has this kind of haunting vibe to it, especially with the environmental themes and the way Clara’s magic affects everything around her. It’s a slow-burn story, but it’s so worth it, especially if you love magical worlds with complex characters.

DNF @10%.
I just couldn't get into this one and it put me in a little bit of a slump. I really do like the premise though! I hope to give this another chance one day!

Loved this book’s modern day setting and connection to climate change. Felt both magical and relevant.
Received an ARC from NetGalley for review.

Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into this. I really wanted to like it because I love a good witchy story. I didn’t care for the writing or the FMC. DNF’d at 13%.

I started this book. It was really hard for me to get into. The main character has a special ability that hasn't been seen in over a hundred years. I think the plot showed promise, but the execution was poor.

I really wanted to like this book, but it just wasn't for me. The writing and the message are good, but I just did not like Clara which made it a bit of a slog to get through.

I’m a sucker for a witchy story. This was a light fantasy with a cool magic system. I enjoyed the main character and felt her intentions were in the right place. I would read more from this author.

I thought i would love this book, witches, a witchy school whats not to love? Sadly it was a DNF for me :/

Absolutely loved this. It was like a breath of fresh air. The writing was great, the story wasn’t something we seen over and over and I really enjoyed the characters. I definitely have recommended this book and will continue to do so.

In the same vein I'd spoken in before, YA has been a little bit of a struggle for me. So maybe that's why I didn't LOVE this one.

With that said, there were many solid aspects to this story. My favorite? The main character, Clara. She's written well; she's interesting, she has growth throughout the story, and (most importantly) she doesn't annoy me to no end.

Even though I've been in a YA rut lately, because of my love for witchy stories, this one resonated with me and I'm glad to have read it.

I tried really hard to get into this story. I found the premise to be very interesting and unique, but hard to read. It did not hold my attention as I would have liked and was easy to forget about once I stopped reading and sat it aside. I was unable to finish this book at this time, but hope to revisit it in the future.

This was a lush, imaginative fantasy—a new take on what it means to be powerful, and I loved watching the protagonist grow on her journey as she figures out how to use her powers in a way that feels good to her.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy earlier.

A charming story about coming into your own power… even if it doesn’t always come naturally. I think many of us can relate to that. It was easy to get into the magic system of the book. I also remember the cover standing out… it’s beautiful!!

Hello yes I loved this. Magic, growth, climate change, the cutest little cat, love, yes to all of it. Clara was an absolute delight and her journey was wild and sad and wonderful and I loved her and she is my ever ever ever okay???

So precious, so easy to listen to and devour, I enjoyed the hell out of this.

I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did, one of my new favorite quotes is from this book. “ Be wary of those who will let you apologize for who you are”

I have gotten this book for my mom and my sister because I thought they would also love it