This was absolutely lovely. I really liked the general atmosphere established in the world, that deep alchemy and the dark, magical woods that Maggie's house is in. The cast of gray-characters and outright villains populating the world were so interesting to hate. One critical note is that there were maybe a few too many and/or some weren't fleshed out enough for the context they come up in.

I also really appreciated that our heroine was the serious, practical, emotionally damaged one and that Wes was the loving, erratic, positive one. I was in tenderhooks the whole time waiting for them to get together and was 100% NOT disappointed when it happened. The author did a lovely job at the slow-burn, really detailing how and why they were falling for each other.


I found the ending satisfying and the whole ride captivating and interesting. Would read again.



Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

Magic. Secrets. And old creepy house. Romance. What else do you need from a gothic tale? I am really excited for this title to hit the shelves next year. If you love gothic tales and magical realism, this is a must for you.

This book was a wonderful read. Saft's writing is lush and descriptive; I felt as though I was living in the world she created. The romance was perfect!

I would have been excited for this book even if I wasn’t already a big fan of Allison Saft’s writing, from the blurb and cover alone. But seeing as I was a huge fan of ‘Down Comes The Night’ released earlier this year, this book had big boots to fill. It’s safe to say this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, and was delighted to receive an early copy, and even more delighted to say it surpassed expectations. I loved the dual POV and how distinctive our main characters’s voices are from each other, and the inner struggles both face throughout the novel. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and getting in depth with the magic system. Even secondary characters really shine, and I particularly loved any scene that involved Wes’s family. The writing is, as per usual, stunning and atmospheric, delivering lines that made me feel real emotion and put me in the shoes of the characters. I couldn’t recommend this more!

I am a dedicated Allison Saft fan girl and she can do no wrong. Gothic in fantasy right now is super trendy, but I feel like Allison really understands it and utilizes it in clever and engaging ways. This was such a pleasure to read, and the cover was to die for!

This book was such a fascinating little gem. I was really was not expecting this to pull me in as much as it did but I found myself pulling away from other books to get this one finished.

The dual perspectives were really well done, I thought. I liked that we could see the situation through both Weston and Margaret's eyes, and how we could see how they both had major family problems. I also really much appreciated how both of them handled their issues.

The idea of the hunt was ...interesting? I will admit, some of the world building for me felt a little lacking. or well, it felt as though there was something I was missing completely but since it wasn't explained and there was no primer, I felt a little lost. Which is fine -- it allowed me to be immersed in the world but still felt a little removed from it.

Again, Weston and Margaret were really wonderful characters. I liked how their romance built up and how they managed to slowly go from strangers to falling in love. Though, maybe this is just me, but why is it always love, and not just like "strong feelings?" Can anyone like people in these YA books? We're immediately at love??

Yeah that's a me issue.

Anyway, excellent book, and I'll probably keep an eye out for it when the book releases!

Thank you Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft is a triumph! This book swept me up with its magic and heart. Saft created characters and settings that were beautiful and heartfelt. I was rooting for our two main characters right from the start of the book and only continued to care for them more and more as the story went on. I felt the character’s pain and joy and rushed through the book to find out what would happen to them. The story is atmospheric, haunting, and full of Saft’s magical storytelling. If you love alchemy, the 1920s, slow-burn romance, and grumpy/sunshine romance, you cannot miss A Far Wilder Magic. Fans of Saft’s first book, Down Comes the Night, will equally be fans of her second novel as well! I highly recommend pre-ordering this book!

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft will be published on March 8, 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC of this book.

A beautifully written fantasy, with atmospheric setting and interesting in-world mythos and religions. It's more of a character focused novel though, so if someone doesn't like the characters that can diminish their enjoyment. Luckily both mcs are easy to relate and care for, their dynamic and reluctant, well-built relationship was a joy to read about!

This book read a little slow, with a lot more intricate writing and description than I'm used to in a YA fantasy, but I loved it. It gave the story and the characters a lot more depth and understanding. In that way it felt very character-forward even though they were working on a timeline and the tension of what was going on in the world around them. The romance felt very organic and well-earned. The magic system is one I didn't always fully understand but it didn't feel like the most important thing anyway.

when i started this book i didn't think i'm gonna love it as much as i did, but after i got into the story - which didn't take long at all - i couldn't put it down. it was just so addictive, i needed to see what's gonna happen next.

the prose is beautiful and so atmospheric. the writing style actually reminds me of a few different authors i've read and loved in the past and because of that reading AFWM truly felt like coming home. even though i haven't read AS's debut novel (DCTN) yet i'm pretty sure that when i finally do i'll love it just as much.

this story is definitely character driven with a focus on the MCs struggles, their growth and the romance.
the main characters in this book are everything. they feel painfully real and relatable with all of their flaws and insecurities and internal conflicts.
i love how different Wes and Margaret are from one another - i mean it's literally grumpy/sunshine trope, with the girl being the grump, and i love that - and yet at their core they're frightfully similar. they understand each other better than anyone else.
Maggie sees through Wes's bullshit from the moment she meets him and doesn't let him get away with anything and i love this so much. i love how they both challenge each other and how they grew because of it and with them their relationship.

the slow burn romance was *chef's kiss*. OH, the angst, the tension, the longing, the will-they-won't-they - everything about it was on point, just perfection.

the deadly hunt that forces Wes and Maggie to work together isn't really in the center of the story but that wasn't a problem for me because i loved the characters so much i didn't really need more plot, if i can put it this way, but if you love plot driven stories or you don't click with the characters you may not enjoy this as much.

the only thing that frustrated me in the beginning is the time period and with it the world building. i just couldn't figure out during the first half of the book what precisely the author was going for. i'm glad a specific year was mentioned a little later on because that really helped.
except for this, i have no other complaints.

if you've read and loved books like For the Wolf, The Wren Hunt & Into the Heartless Wood and if love character driven stories (side note: one of the MCs is dyslexic, the other is Jewish coded), grumpy/sunshine trope, creepy woods, deadly hunts, gothic-like mansions, slow burn romance and magic you should definitely give this one a try!
➵ 4.5 ⭐

My heart is warm. I love Allison's writing so I knew right away I'd adore this one and I was right. I loved maggie and wes and their dynamic, I'm a sucker for the grumpyxsunshine trope so it was a delight to read their interactions. This book is a gem. I recommend it to anyone who's looking for a good fantasy read that will not only make you smile, but also open your eyes to things you never thought about.

I loved this book so much! The description was both atmospheric and immersive, the characters were lovable or hate-able, depending on their personality, but either way, they were all captivating. Even when I didn't like a character, most of the time I could empathize with them anyway because they were so fleshed out. The plot was well-paced, with the perfect placement of tension, romance, and moments to breathe as a reader. Though the magic system took a bit of time to adjust to, as it's somewhat complicated, once I did, I found it fascinating in it's combination of magical and scientific elements, which is something I was thrilled to see carry over from Down Comes the Night. I also loved seeing the contrasting dynamics between Wes and Margaret's families, which was one facet in which the complexity of the characters was at its best. Overall, I adored this book and will recommend it to anyone in speaking range who likes YA fantasy.

DNF @ 20%

Okay, I really wanted to finish this, but I despise the male lead. It's nothing I can really put my finger on except a general aura of sleaze when it comes to his attitude toward women. And it's not obvious, so I might be reading into things. It feels like he likes women, but only as objects, or as far as they please him, visually or otherwise. The line that finally did me in was this:

After nearly two weeks in Wickdon, Wes has come to understand its sunsets. They are normally slow, preening things, like a woman shrugging off her shawl.


Why? WHY? He's the guy that fully supports women's rights because he has a mother and sister. He's entitled and I can't make sense of him, and I find nothing about him endearing. Here's what he thinks when he sees the heroine for the first time. He doesn't even meet her, she just opens the door he knocked on.

As his eyes adjust, her face comes into view blink by blink. Her hair, unbound and golden. Her skin, white as cream. Wes braces himself for the inevitable ache of love.


I can't root for a guy who apparently expects himself to fall in love with a girl two seconds after laying eyes on her. That tells me he does it often. And it's not charming or silly, like the behavior of a lighthearted rogue from a romance novel. It's slimy. Because of him, I couldn't believe in the connection he and Margaret apparently share, even though they haven't had any meaningful interactions by this point.

Unfortunately, Wes soured the rest of the book, which is a shame, because the writing is great. Example:

The rainwater pooled in its basin is silvered with too-early frost and reflects a hazy glimmer of the bruised-sky.


This has a good cover and an interesting premise, but I just couldn't get into it.

I think for me this book wasn’t what I wanted it to be. I fully expected it to have more of a high fantasy feel, and I felt as if the plot didn’t flow as nicely as I would’ve liked. It definitely felt slower and less compelling than Down Comes the Night, which is a shame because it was one of my most anticipated books of 2022.

That being said, I still love Allison Saft’s writing style and world building, this one just sadly didn’t do it for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!

Absolutely magical! Lovers of fantasy are sure to devour this book same as I did!
Allison really does know her how to charm with a few simple sentences that have the depth equal to the sea inside of them. What I'm saying is I loved the emotions wrapped up in this book. If I had a physical copy I would annotate every book because I simply love the author's writing style! I loved the idea of alchemists, it was very strange and unique. Most of all, the well-developed characters and the depth, the flaws they had was just amazingly handled. I adored Margaret, she's my definition of a strong female protagonist. And of course, can't forget Wes and his whole family! They're so cute and kind! Though this book is set in the woods, I didn't find it creepy and scary and I liked that because I'm not a fan of horror. The ending was so wholesome! All in all, this story is soft, warm and completely magical!
My rating is 4.5 stars!💖

Tender, intimate, and atmospheric, A Far Wilder Magic is unlike anything on the YA shelf. With devastatingly gorgeous prose, intricate worldbuilding, and an utterly original plot, Saft weaves a love story that will tear you apart and then stitch you whole again.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

Prior to reading A Far Wilder Magic, I hadn't read any of Allison Saft's books but I enjoyed it so much that I went ahead and purchased her other work "Down comes the night" right after!

A far Wilder Magic fallows the story of Weston and Margaret and jumps between both their points of view. Personally, I love discovering a story through its many eyes and the rhythm that such writing style allows is perfect in mine. You get to learn what is important for both characters and experience the story has they would. I went through this book in one sitting and enjoyed it immensely.

I recommend this story to fans of Fantasy Romance and to readers who love character driven books. I will also definitely be on the look out for any other work Saft creates in the coming years!
5 stars!!

This was really just a stunning, beautifully written book. The concept is incredible and unique, and the characters were artfully drawn and wonderful. You couldn't help pulling for them. I loved everything about the magical system, from alchemy to the hala, and this reminded me a little of Diana Wynne Jones' world-building meets Alix Harrow's prose. Highly recommended.

"Margaret knows the truth. Alchemy is neither progress nor salvation. It's the stench of sulfur she can't scrub out of her hair. It's packed suitcases and locked doors. It's blood and ink on the floorboards."

This book is captivating with a great YA romance, but I strongly disliked the ending.

Seventeen-year-old Margaret blames alchemy for everything that has gone wrong in her life. After her brother died, her happy family was ripped to pieces as her father left and her mother, Evelyn, lost herself in pursuit of an alchemical way to bring him back. Every time Evelyn leaves for a trip, she promises, "When I get what I need for my research, we'll be a family again." Now Margaret lives mostly alone, taking care of her mother's big estate along with her horse Shimmer and her hound Trouble, avoiding the village where half of them will insult her because of her mixed race heritage from her father.

But then Wes arrives, seeking an internship with Evelyn, as he's been fired by nearly every other alchemist around due to his trouble with reading. Wes desperately wants to rise above his impoverished background and make a difference and sees alchemy as his only possible path to success. Margaret tries to send him packing, as Evelyn is absent on yet another trip, but his charm keeps tugging at her heartstrings.

Then the mysterious hala, an immortal, magical fox that can only be killed through alchemical means, is spotted in their town, bringing the annual hunt to their doorstep. Margaret and Wes decide to enter the hunt together. Margaret hopes that giving her mother the magical hala will bring her back for good, while Wes wants the monetary prize for his family. They find themselves drawn to each other, but Margaret struggles to trust that anyone will love her and stay.

The positive aspects of this book:

The relationship between Margaret and Wes was beautiful. Wes begins to see Margaret's charms above Annette's, the more conventionally attractive girl from the village who keeps flirting with him. I enjoyed seeing Margaret learning to trust and rise above her troubled background.

The magical system was well-developed, and the book tackled some tough issues with prejudice, as both Margaret and Wes face discrimination, hatred and even bodily harm because of their backgrounds.

The negative aspects of this book:
*Spoiler Alert*

Both Margaret and Wes come from backgrounds that teach them not to harm the hala. Margaret's Yu'adir father told her that the hala was sacred and a carrier of divine knowledge. Wes's minority religion considers killing the hala a mortal sin. Beyond that, both hear the hala calling to them.

On the day of the hunt, however, when they corner the hala, someone comes to kill them, and the hala saves them. Then Margaret stabs it anyway, and Wes finishes it off. This betrayal of the hala, who just kept them alive, really bothered me. I had been expecting the hala, who has been calling to them, to reveal something sacred and important to them, giving them knowledge or riches that way. Instead, they slay it and smear their cheeks with its blood. Not the ending I was expecting or hoping for.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This read is utterly amazing!!! I'm a sucker for fantasy stories, especially when they center around witches! The unique magic system incorporated into this story will definitely have you immersed in the story. Not to mention the slow burn romance between the main couple will leave you swooning! Overall, I highly recommend this read for anyone interested in a story centered around witches and an unbelievably crazy amazing magic system.