Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book for review.

I’ve been following this book for awhile and was super excited to finally get my hands on a copy to read, and I was not disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed the mechanics of magic in this book, and I thought it was an interesting concept the way Clara changes along with the seasons, I thought in a lot of ways this made the story really interesting, but I also sometimes felt that it worked to the detriment of the story because sometimes the story seemed to drag as the main character explains to the reader how she’s changed. Overall though, a really unique book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

THIS WAS AWESOME. This book is about witches fighting climate change, but also so much more. It's about self-acceptance and the power of never apologize for who you are.

Tha magic system is so unique and special. The author's take on a magic school setting coupled with a Chosen One character is so fresh and completely mind-altering. I haven't felt the magic in a book feel so MAGICAL in a very long time. I am immersed with the main character's journey in learning to control her magic.

This is amazing. I don't know what else to say. Communicating by planting flowers of one's emotions??? AAAAAAAA SCREAM. Nothing more wholesome and romantic than this.

Feelings change with the season, and so does magic. In a world where each season has different witches who wield a specific seasonally magic, there are very rare witches who wield all the seasonal magic who are known as Ever witches. These witches are meant to protect the world from natural disasters and seasonal issues. Clara is the first Ever witch in about 200 years, but she absolutely hates and fears her magic. Every person she’s every loved has been killed by her magic and she is afraid of killing anyone else, but the world is facing more issues and people are in danger and if Clara cannot get her magic together more lives will be at stake. Clara is forced to be put in a new training program in order to fully test her powers, and she resolves that if after this program she still isn’t able to control her magic she will strip herself of her magic entirely, even if it kills her. With each new season, comes a new Clara, with new emotions, and new magic. New magic that pushes and warps her, and Clara hates the change. However, when she has to learn to try and control the magic with each season, she finds herself wanting to hold onto herself throughout all the seasons. Throw in a sweet spring witch boy who calms her and follows her through all her seasonal changes and many tests that push her to her limit and just as the seasons change, so will Clara.

Clara is a protagonist who has been hurt, who is still blaming herself, thinking it was her who killed all her loved ones. She has resolved to isolate herself completely and live in fear of getting close to anyone, but for some reason she just can’t resist the sweet spring witch Sang. Clara tries to fight her emotions as much as possible while loathing her magic and herself, but Sang helps her see a new version of herself. Sang is a spring witch who was brought to work on his research of botany but finds himself assigned to be Clara’s training partner as he is a new individual who has no connections to her so she can’t hurt him. Together they try and help Clara learn to see her magic for what it is and to try and get her to see that it is okay for Clara to love, to feel things, and to trust in her magic.

The story was sweet, magical, and just captivating. It goes through the seasons, and the struggles of the fear of feeling. The fear of hurting your loved ones and of having a duty you know you have to do but are afraid of. Clara’s inner strength and pain really allow you to empathize and feel her struggle between trying to keep people out and to trying to learn to love herself again and let people in. It’s a story about healing and about change.

*Thanks Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

‘You have to believe you’re worthy of the life you want. If you don’t believe that, who else will?’

I loved this book! The story line is so different from my usual picks and I am so glad I decided to delve into it. The struggles Clara deals with - her heartache, longings, the sadness and her hopefulness make such an endearing character. Everything fit together so well without a lot of story lines wrapping up in a short period. Huge fan and look forward to her next novel!

What a phenomenal debut for Rachel Griffin!! This was everything I was hoping it would be and more, I have found a new favorite author!!

I love the idea of "elemental witches" and how each Witch changes with the seasons. Clara was a great character and I completely feel in love with her! I love that this is an LGBTQ book as well!! I don't want to give too much away about the story so I'll stop here.

Overall I'd highly highly recommend this book!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Magick is not always used for evil, in fact, it is mostly used for good. I loved how this book brought up the idea of using magick to help the environment. I think my favorite aspect of this novel was that you had different season witches. There were winter witches, and autumn witches, etc. What a unique idea!

The world-building depth was incredible. Every aspect of the book felt well defined and researched. I am really looking forward to a sequel and I am hoping to see more books by the author in the future.

A truly fabulous idea about magic and how using it can help the environment. This story mixes so many things that this readers head is spinning. Clara has powerful magic that literally changes her every season but the cost is high. She's at a magical academy to hone her skills but fear of further loss cripples Clara. Her magic has taken her parents and her best friend from her and yet still the teachers push her to use it. In a world were non magical folk have polluted the environment the natural order is out of control and Clara might be the only one who could make a difference but is it fear holding her back or is she right to think it's a power far too dangerous to ever wield ?
Although this felt like a quick read there's plenty of time for character development. I adored Sang the quietly spoken boy who tries to help Clara and his scenes were some of the sweetest I've read in a long time. There's a nod to the fact that it shouldn't matter who we love which felt appropriate in our modern world. Plus the descriptions of the phenomenal weather conditions were truly outstanding and almost cinematic. This isn't just a simple coming of age story with magic though because it was also quite emotional at times as Clara accepted loss and learned to find closure by living her best life.
This is primarily aimed at the YA market so if you would also like an adult story I would recommend the Weather Wardens series by the much missed Rachel Caine. I really enjoyed this book and thought the author did an amazing job and is truly a born story teller.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

You definitely have to call this a beautiful book, cover and the story inside.
I feel like I didn’t love this book as much I was hoping to, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it, quite a lot. The whole season changes throughout the book was really cool, I loved that feature. How the witches belonged to their own seasons, like you had winter witches, summer witches, autumn witches & spring witches, and each season had their own unique magic. But of course you had Clara who was called an ever witch, and she is a rare witch who associates with all 4 seasons. Seeing her grow throughout the book was amazing, with her relationships, and learning how to use her magic.

I loved loved loved the relationship building between the two MC, seeing their relationship grow was so nice.

The ending I feel wrapped up really nicely, you can’t help it but fill with happiness ❤️

ELEMENTAL WITCHES!
(Thanks Net galley for the ARC)

I picked this book up as filler between books. This book cured my reading slump.
It starts strong, referencing recent events, not events that only a select few know, but rather ones that made global news. My breath hitched when Australia was mentioned.

The concept of elemental witches was expertly handled, it didn’t feel cheapened but rather a logical outlook on the situation.
One point I would like to make about the publication, more distinct separation between the different seasons and the chapters, but that is a formatting comment not one for the author.

By the end of the book, I was reaching for the internet hunting if there was a sequel before I remembered this was an ARC


https://www.instagram.com/p/CNl-FNdrz0g/

This was a strong debut book and I loved the powerful descriptive writing. It was interesting to have the themes of trust (in yourself and with others) intertwined with the issue of climate change. It was special to experience Clara's growth over the course of the book.

Well, I think I have a new insta-buy author!

I absolutely love stories about witches so when I saw the description of The Nature of Witches, I had a pretty good feeling I would love it...and it did not disappoint! The story is so unique and intriguing!

Clara is in training to master her magic as an Everwitch, which means she naturally changes with the seasons. Not only her magic changes, but the way she feels and how she perceives the world changes as well.
I was able to connect to Clara and really felt her pain and her happiness...and, for me, that's a sign of great writing. The story is set up around each season and comes full circle so the pacing is quick, making for an easier read. Now, don't mistake "easier" for "lighter" as this book will rip your heart open if you let it.

This story is one of love and longing all while Clara finds herself through her magic. It really is a wonderful tale all-around and I highly recommend diving into it!

And, I would really love to be able to control my own mini thunderstorm in my palm...justsayin' :)


Huge thank you to Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley for the e-arc to read and review honestly.

I enjoyed this book and liked the concept of modern day witches with power tied to the different seasons. The commentary on the environmental issues, the suspense of Clara learning to use her powers without hurting anyone else, and the little bit of sweet romance thrown in made for a good combination. The characters were developed fairly well, and the story moved along at a good pace. While I found Clara to be a bit annoying at times--cutting others out of her life in order to protect them without giving the person in question a choice in the matter--I tried to remind myself that she was after all a teenager, still trying to find her way in the world. Sang was by far my favorite character. I was drawn to his kindness, his patience, and his skill with plants.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I thought the premise of this book was good. Combining weather and the supernatural isn't something i'd really considered before, so it was an interesting take. I loved the growth of the main character in both her craft and as a person.

I think my favorite thing about this book is that even though it deals in a supernatural theme, there are very human elements at play that drive the narrative and make this book strong.

A romantic witchy read full of magic and whimsy. This is a stand alone fantasy YA novel about a young witch named Clara who has mixed feelings about her powers and pushes against who she naturally is. In this world witches control the atmosphere and the weather with their powers, and are designated different seasons from which their magic naturally originates from. The atmosphere is falling apart and Clara must stand up and be part of trying to save the atmosphere as she also falls unexpectedly in love.

This novel is separated by the different seasons. Beautiful descriptions and quotes accompany each of these. The prose is also stunning. Nature lovers will enjoy these aspects.

The magic system was very easy to understand (which I appreciated) but also very unique. I have never read a novel like it before. It was a very creative concept. Those new to fantasy will find the magic system and concepts easy to grasp.

The romance is quite sweet but not too sickly. I did find myself myself wanting a bit more from the relationship though. It did feel like it could have been deepened or elaborated on in some ways.

Overall this was a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to reading further work by Rachel Griffin.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a free eARC of this book.

A well written book full of magic and an interesting take on real world issues. I enjoyed the writing style and I am look forward to more by this author!

I am not typically a big fan of contemporary fantasy or the magical boarding school trope, however The Nature of Witches defied the odds and stole my heart. This book is the witchy, activist YA fantasy of my dreams! Rachel Griffin's debut novel is a must-read for fans of young adult fantasy.

First and foremost, I adore the way that Griffin chooses to tackle the issue of climate change in this story. I mean witches who use their powers to keep the atmosphere in balance? I'm so in. But I also really loved how this book did not sugar coat the issues or invent some imaginary magical solution to a real-world problem. Readers will walk away from this book thinking about their own impact on the health of our planet which I love. 

Griffin writes with the beautiful simplicity of Adrienne Young's Fable duology. The stories themselves are very different, however something about the writing style and storycraft is similar. Their worlds are enveloping and unique without being overly complex or convoluted. Readers of Griffin and Young will latch onto characters quickly and be invested in both the external plot and the internal character arcs. Both authors create atmospheric worlds and perfectly paced plots that make their books unputdownable.

This book was a really unique take on witches and the magic-system was fantastic. Griffin did an excellent job of introducing the reader to this world and how the witches' magic worked. I wasn't left with any questions (other than the questions that the characters themselves didn't have answers to) and I really appreciated that it was not the standard witchy story. Griffin really made it her own way and created a magic system that perfectly served the purposes she wanted to accomplish in this book. 

As I was reading this book, I found myself stopped in my tracks by a few lines that were just so lovely and impactful that I had to write them down and ponder them. Griffin has a knack for creating poignant moments for both her characters and her readers. Some of these moments were profound truths written lyrical prose and some were heart-stoppingly cinematic scenes that I desperately need to see brought to life on screen. 

I cannot write a full review of TNOW without talking about Sang. It was incredibly moving to read this story knowing that part of Griffin's inspiration for the book was the love that her husband has shown her and what she has learned from him. I really loved Sang's character and what he represented for Clara. He felt like the quintessential perfect book boyfriend, maybe a little unrealistically perfect: intelligent, artistic, encouraging.

For me, the weakest element of the story was Clara's relationship with her parents and how their death affected her. We knew it happened, but we never heard much about it or learned much about her relationship with them before they died. Personally, I feel like that would leave more of an emotional scar. Yes, Clara is affected by her trauma and loss but we mostly hear about her best friend and not her parents. 

The overall story was so lovely that it is so easy to forgive minor things like that in favor of appreciating the big picture that Griffin has painted. I highly recommend giving this book a read. I preordered a signed, personalized copy of the hardback and cannot wait until it arrives on my doorstep in June.

“Y𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚗𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚛𝚞𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝’𝚜 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎.”
First of all the imagery in this book is next level! Clearly Rachel Griffin is a great writer. Emotion pours off of these pages. I love that magic follows the seasons. And that the reader gets to experience what each season means. You’re dropped into the world right away (I kept checking to make sure this wasn’t the second book in a series!) so it took me a bit to get my footing. But wow once I did was this book GOOD! You know me, I love a good YA urban fantasy.
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I would recommend reading when it comes out - pub date is June 1, 2021! Thanks to NetGalley & SOURCEBOOKS Fire for this ARC!

This book was a fun fresh take on a unique magic system! It involves witches maintaining the earths climate and what happens when the climate starts to falter and the magic cannot continue to control it.

Each witch is tied to a specific season except for Clara, who is tied to all seasons. Her magic is considered rare and much stronger, so when the climate becomes erratic, it is only her who can help stabilize the weather before it destroys the world around her.

A witch named Sang is sent to help train her, and she ends up falling hard for him. Clara is terrified she will only hurt him like the other people in her life that she loved, and the only answer is to either learn to control her magic or lose her powers completely.

—-

I did really enjoy the whole idea of this story. I mean, it had witches, nature and a love story! Amazing!

Clara gave off some Harry Potterish vibes to me; No parents, kind of feels sorry for herself, the ones she loves get hurt and she withdraws into herself to avoid hurting others... Not that that part was a negative but I just didn’t find myself connected to Clara like the other characters. Sang was my personal favorite. Sweet and caring and I definitely took a liking to him. I also enjoyed the feistiness of Paige. Without getting into spoiler territory, I quite liked the romance and heartbreak that happened in the book and the direction it took.

All in all I did like this story. The parts that were more of a miss for me were mostly when Clara was actually using her powers. I wish I could elaborate more but I just didn’t feel into how the magic actually worked?

That being said, I think it was a good debut and I would definitely consider reading more from this author in the future. The writing flowed well, there was some great character development and the plot was super cool!

I give this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Pure magic! I absolutely loved this beautiful story and would love a continuation! At the end I was definitely wanting more. I can't wait to read more from this author!

This gets 2.5 stars rounded up. Generally speaking, I wasn’t impressed with the book, but it was OKAY. It was rather short for such a plot (although my pandemic attention span appreciated this aspect solely for readability purposes) and would have benefited greatly from more investment (read: page count devotion) to both the magic system and the romance, both of which are the main chunks of the book I’ll focus on.

The witches’ magic is obviously a huge focal point of the plot. The protagonist and company are all at a sort of North American Hogwarts, and have been since they were children, I guess – again, brevity obscured some of the worldbuilding. The magic system was intriguing, at least the idea: there are shaders, humans who don’t wield magic, and then elemental witches whose powers corresponds to a season, and wax and wane like the moon as their season approaches and then passes. This is important since the coming climate crisis means witches are called in to help with the non-magic public sector, and fight wildfires, droughts etc. I found this base motivation for the plot absolutely fascinating – if only we could mitigate climate change effects with magic for real – and here is where I wish this were a series, as such a big plot bunny needs room to grow.

Our protagonist is, as a friend I was talking to put it, “another ‘special’ red-haired white girl”. I increasingly hate this trope. This protagonist looks at a large tea collection and is bewildered by the terms Darjeeling and oolong, which I found bewildering in turn. Has she never been to a grocery store? Clara is one of two white girls from North America in history to have this power (*looks directly at camera*), the ultimate ability to use and amplify any season’s magic. Yeah, okay. The book started to lose me with the cheesiness at that revelation, and the protagonist’s blatant lack of likeability; I hated her. She whined constantly about her magic hurting people rather than trying to improve her grip on it. Oh, but to deal with this, here comes the other half of the book: enter the romantic lead, a nice Korean boy named Sang.

I absolutely wanted to root for a YA book with some different romantic aspects - a Korean boy as the love interest, plus it became clear Clara was bisexual and her ex- other best friend was also her ex-girlfriend? But no.

Firstly, Sang is relegated to an assistant, a whetstone for Clara’s powers – around to calm her down, focus her bouts of magic, and snap at her when she’s being bratty again. The other thing is – Clara has her biggest moments of character growth and complexity when she’s around Paige, her ex-gf and ex-bff. She has breakthroughs with her power around Paige, has the biggest inner monologues that established their relationship concerning Paige, something blatantly missing from interactions with Sang, and her biggest decision of the book is made in conversation with Paige. I was like, do I root for a threesome, or for her to get back with Paige, what is happening? The relationship with Sang was entirely flat and plot-convenient or something, because he’s the one with whom her powers are most successful. It felt lazy.

Random points: I did like some parts! The book was a quick read so I never hated it enough to stop; the elemental magic was interesting at parts, and I was curious at Clara’s weird seasonal mood changes to correspond with the current dominant power, wish it had been explored/explained more. There was some clear botany knowledge shown through Sang’s abilities and descriptive passages about flowers and trees, which was neat. The witches’ powers being tied to the sun via seasons, rather than the moon like we see often, was very promising; eclipses mean your power gets stripped, and that added some tension to the plot.

I’m probably fixating on issues because I read so many books about magic and witches, and also so many YAs that I have a huge frame of reference to pull from as concerns inadequacies here. All of this said, though, this book really was fine; good for a beach read or a road trip or sitting on the porch with.