YA can be hit or miss for me, but this one fell right in the middle. The first half of the book was so fun, but the second half and the romance parts were not my cup of tea. Lovers of YA will probably fall head over heels for this one!

Characters 3/5
The characters in this one are fun, but no one jumped out as a new favorite. You will definitely have the one(s) you don't like, and boy! You really won't like them!

Plot 4/5
I loved the idea of this story, the climate/weather connection, and the different elements involved in it. This book will fly by because the plot is so fascinating that you just want to know what happens next. Definitely a bingeable book just based on plot alone!

Storytelling/Writing 3.5/5
The second half of this book was cringe-y for me at best, and that was probably half due to the romance parts and half due to the writing. I can't say much more than it was so "YA." Cheesy. Corny. It just didn't work for me. The pacing and everything was fantastic though. I had to keep reading to know what was going to happen next!

Enjoyment 3.5/5
This was definitely a fun one. I think those who love YA will absolutely gobble this one up (especially those who like romance plots/subplots). While I haven't read enough "fantasy romance" to know if that's what this is qualified as, I like my fantasy with a little less romance in general.

Atmosphere 5/5
Aside from the plot, the magic and the world of this book were what really hooked me on this story! The different seasons, the different magics, the different strengths and weaknesses of the magic... LOVED IT! This was such a fun concept, and I loved the way it was done. I would read a companion story to this following a witch from each season. Such a cool world!

If you're looking for a book that feels like a warm hug look no further! It's got a badass independent female protagonist with a frenemies to lovers plot and STUNNING visual language. I cannot recommend this book enough.

This was such an incredible story about a witch with more power than those around her. Clara is tied to the seasons, and she gains power with each season, unlike the other witches, who are only tied to a single season. Clara's emotions and powers shift and change with the season.

I loved the way this story portrayed climate change and how the witches were trying to fight back against it. I really liked the magic and how it worked. Clara was an incredible protagonist, and I loved her and Sang's relationship, how they got to know one another and slowly fell in love over the course of the season, how Clara was worried she would lose those feelings at the turn of the season, how she didn't, how she learned more about herself through him.

This was just such a grand story, and I loved everything about this book <3

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now!

I will be honest--I had a hard time sticking with this one, and not because I don't think it is good. I just always wanted to read something else! I feel like normally that feeling wouldn't place the book in a favorable light, but honestly, this book was really cool. I thought the premise of witches with powers tied to a specific season (and the main character whose magic is tied to all seasons) dealing with the issues of climate change was wholly original. Our MC Clara is annoying and frustrating at times (truly, can you name a main character who isn't?) but Griffin's writing makes you feel for Clara and her struggles so much. And Sang....sigh. Sang is LOVELY.

There are slower moments throughout but overall, once I actually made myself stick with it, I thought it read fairly quickly. Plus...the descriptive language of everything, especially the magic...that it was propelled this book from a 3 rating to a 4 for me. It was done so well.

If you want some YA fantasy set in a world that resembles ours in many ways (ahem, climate change), I recommend this one!

TW: Death of loved ones (happens before story starts)

I’m not a big fan of Urban Fantasy and Magical Schools but I liked this new point of view of witchcraft and magic and was really intrigued to learn how it works.

Although its Hogwarts-ish feeling, the book was a little too Urban Fantasy for my liking and although I like complex characters, it felt very YA.

To sum up: a good story anyway.

I couldn't get in to this book not matter what I tried. It might be from my book hangover.

The book it's self is beautifully written and the characters are rich and have depth. I just couldn't get in to it that was all

You'll always get me to pull a book off the shelf if it has to do with magic. Adding in a magical system based on the weather made it that much more appealing. Kudos to Rachel Griffin. This story had me hooked from page one. I'm even telling adults to read it, proof of an excellent tale.

The Nature of Witches, hands down, has to be one of my favorite books of 2021, and possibly one of the greatest books I have ever read. First off, if you look under the dust jacket you have the prettiest cover I have ever seen. Then when you open the book, there are beautiful flower illustrations at the beginning of each section, or season. Not only that, but the words themselves are beautiful. This was such a beautifully written story. It’s so atmospheric and character driven. There were so many wonderful quotes throughout. This is definitely a book that I will continue to reread for years to come.

This is a lovely story that celebrates nature in all its wonderful forms but also addresses climate change and it’s devastating effects.

It was a comforting story that wrapped you up and carried you along. The book is split into seasons with the identity of that season setting the tone and atmosphere, which I particularly loved.

The main character, Clara, struggles with her abilities as an Everwitch and the danger it poses to those she cares about. Her arc is satisfying, although at points along the way I wanted to slap her. Thankfully Paige was on hand to be my voice!

The cast of characters were wonderfully written, from Paige to Mr Hart.

And there was Sang. He was my favourite. Calm, gentle and good. The balm Clara needs.

I felt my attention wander a bit in the middle as Clara continued to struggle with her abilities but the story was fast paced and soon I was back loving it all.

It’s a brilliant debut YA Fantasy, if you love the sound of the wind through the mountains, the tinkling of a stream, the lightning and thunder that follows, love stories that refuse to diminish then this is the book for you.

Don’t get me started on the beautiful cover, drawings and the even the paper it’s printed on!

4.5/5

This book is an amazingly powerful depiction of a woman who's been fed the belief that she's too much, all of which has led her to actually feel like she's never enough. A beautiful tale of learning to trust ones self, to feel the true weight of your own magic, and to stand behind the power of your own voice. Rachel did a brilliant job creating relatable characters that grew so much in such a short book. I loved every moment of this read & can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

lovely book. have heard great things about it and i'm glad so many people are enjoying it! i'm glad i got an opportunity to read this book beforehand and i hope more people pick it up

Have to say it up front: I love this book. Rachel wrote beautiful story which makes me smile and cry in some points. I like writing style used here and how story flows from the start to the end. Good, solid read. I'm happy to have a chance to read it.

Thank you netgalley for letting me read this book. I don't normally read novels more than once, however, I thoroughly enjoyed #thenatureofwitches and saw the beautiful cover of the physical book under the dust jacket I want this book in my collection!

It is very well written, had me captivated and gave me major book hangover, I just love the characters and the story so much, I was incredibly invested and lost myself in the pages. I can't stop talking about this book and recommend it to everyone. I will be purchasing a few copies to gift to friends!

#rachelgriffin
#netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a really solid 3.5 - 4 stars. I really enjoyed the created magic system based around the seasons and weather and the interpersonal relationships of the novel! I really enjoyed the romance; a slower-burning friends-to-lovers. I loved to see the relationships unfold and refold and unfold. The author was really masterful at creating realistic relationships with realistic reactions.

I'm not sure if this book is going to be part of a series or companions set in the same world, but I would have loved to see Clara get wrapped up in a bigger plot so she could continue her character arc. The book felt long for the her character arc progress, although it didn't drag.

I felt like there could have been more. Most of the book is based on Clara's relationships whether that's to her magic, to her school, former/current friends, everything is based around Clara's feelings. We get a little peek into the world beyond, but really not much. I feel like the promise of the premise isn't actually what we got, and that kind of still has me thrown for a loop. Due to the meandering, realtionship-based plot, it felt more like literary fiction-lite spiced up with magic than a YA fantasy book. Which there's nothing wrong with since I like literary fiction, except maybe it not being what I expected.

The Nature of Witches, the debut book from author Rachel Griffin is a captivating novel about the witches who help to protect the atmosphere and the earth from destruction, and the story of Clara, a young witch with a huge destiny and a fear of the power she has within her.

It has been a while since I picked up a book that I could not put down and this one has checked all of the boxes, Griffin writes in a way that you are completely drawn into the story and just enjoy the natural rhythm of the characters, the main character is such an interesting and complex character and watching her journey throughout this story is amazing. I am excited to see what other stories Griffin will bring in the future.

I absolutely adored this book! The story centers around Clara, an everwitch, whose magic is tied to all four seasons. Her magic is so rare, that the last everwitch had lived centuries before her. The majority of the witches shes surrounded by have magic that is solely tied to one season, making Clara a powerful witch.

This books focus about the ongoing environmental crisis happening in the world and how the witches have been trying to restore balance since.

I loved Clara as the main character! She was relatable and so easy to connect with. (Sang was probably my favourite character🥺❤️) Overall, I loved reading this book and highly recommend it!

QOTD: what seasonal witch are you? I would say I am a summer witch🌻

thank you again to @netgalley & @timesnewrachel for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

In the world of Griffin's young adult fantasy novel The Nature of Witches, witches control the weather. And (this part of the storyline may feel familiar) climate change has weather patterns spinning out of control. Destructive blizzards, devastating tornadoes, desperate heat, and shockingly bitter cold are alternately threatening the land around them--and endangering the lives of witches and shaders (regular humans) alike.

Luckily, Clara is the most powerful witch in a generation. Unlike other witches whose powers peak during certain series, Clara's powers as an Ever span all of the seasons, and the promise of what she could achieve--all those she could help and save--is enormous. But she doesn't have a clue how to control her power, and she's destroyed some of those closest to her while trying to test it, so she's understandably hesitant to explore what's possible.

The magical school setting reminded me of Naomi Novik's A Deadly Education, although the tone of this book is more romantic without an edge. There are lovely moments of humor interspersed with the action and lots of (literally) flowery language (characters in love communicate by magically creating flowers that hold symbolism).

Small moments ring true, and the story feels primarily about relationships with a witchcraft background and setting. A chaste attraction involves lots of romance and a love that must not be (in order to save lives)--and I was up for all of it.

I received a prepublication digital edition of this book courtesy of Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley.

Griffin's second witch-focused, standalone book is scheduled for publication in 2022.

If you like books about witches, you might like some of the books on the Bossy Bookworm Greedy Reading List Six Wonderfully Witchy Books to Charm You.

I wasn't sure what to expect with The Nature of Witches when I picked it up, but I knew this was Rachel's debut novel, and from what I'd seen of her online, that alone made me excited to read it. I don't always enjoy "witch books," and I'm sensitive to dark magic, but this story doesn't have the dark, creepy feel that often accompanies witchcraft. For that, I was grateful, and happy to read it.

I absolutely got swept up in Clara's story, and couldn't wait to keep reading it. It has a great balance of emotion, interesting world building, and characters that you want to stay with. Clara has a solid growth arc, and I found it so unique to have the witches' magic tied to the sun, nature, and weather. The romance plot line was sweet and emotional without being graphic, and felt true to the characters.

I'm not surprised at all that The Nature of Witches is an instant bestseller. Rachel Griffin's debut is delightful. Looking forward to her next project.

Clara is an Everwitch, the first in almost 200 years. She can do magic throughout all four seasons of the year, while every other witch is tied to one specific season. Clara should love her magic, but because her magic seems to kill everyone she loves, she is afraid of having strong relationships. She believes her magic caused the death of her parents, her best friend, and soon after the book begins, her mentor. She won't let her magic hurt anybody else. Except witches are dying in droves because the climate changes are making seasonal magic almost impossible. Clara is the only one with the power to save these witches, except that she just doesn't want it. She has an impossible choice ahead of her, and not much time to make it.

I wish I could put into words how much I loved this book. It was wonderful. Rachel Griffin did an incredible job with the world building and the magic systems. I loved how the witches were tied to a season, and how Clara as an everwitch (a witch who can do magic in all seasons), was isolated from everyone else at school. The characters were really well-rounded and fleshed out, and Clara herself grew so much throughout the course of the novel. This one was unputdownable for me. It was fantastic. Sang was remarkable, and I loved Clara's complex relationship with Paige. Often I just wanted to hug Clara and tell her it would all be okay. This will be an awesome book for our collection and I know my teens will love it.

CW: There is some fade-to-black sexual content, kissing, etc. There is death of a friend and teacher.

Clara is an Everwitch - the first one in 100 years. This means that she contains the magic of all 4 seasons, and it is a powerful, yet dangerous magic. Clara has lost loved ones due to her magic and now distances herself from everyone, afraid of what could happen if she gets emotionally attached. When a tragedy strikes at the Eastern School of Solar Magic, Clara is ready to leave her magic behind forever. Then she is paired to train with a witch from the Western school, named Sang. As she learns more about her magic, she realizes that she has to make a choice: keep her magic and stay far from others, or lose her magic forever. However, with the world erupting into environmental chaos, she is the only one who can save it.

The Nature of Witches was a fantastic debut novel! I loved the strong female protagonist, Clara, along with her classmates Paige and Sang. I would recommend this book to children.12+
Thank you to #NetGalley and #SourcebooksFire for an ARC copy of #TheNatureOfWitches by #RachelGriffin. 4.5 stars