I didn’t know this was a Great Gatsby vibed/retelling. I was more interested in the witchy vibes. I do think that she got the mix of vibes down really well. Sadly, I was a bit disappointed in this one.

I loved the aspect of a witch finding out about her heritage and reconnecting with her best friend? I just didn’t really get that here. Annie goes to Crow Island but she finds a lot more than she bargained for. There is something going on and she gets thrust in the middle. Now, there’s a lot of history with Annie and Beatrice and I really wish she would have explored that. We get little tidbits here and there but it didn’t really do anything for me. I just didn’t really love their relationship or understand it. It could be because Bea annoyed me to no end. I did not like her character at all and it could be why I didn’t get their relationship.

I think the worst part of this book for me is that it is very slow. I had such a hard tie getting into this book that it took me over a week to finish. I was really close to DNF’ing this book several times. I kept with it and when I hit 60% I got sucked into the story. The plot takes so long to progress and I’m not sure if it was trying to give off a mystery vibe but it was too slow. Once things finally pick up it was very interesting. I couldn’t put it down because I had to know what would happen next. It was also a bit on the creepy side so don’t read this at night! haha.

Isabella and Nathan were my favorite things about this book. They were very strong supporting characters and loved when they were present. I was also a bit sad about the romance because I don’t feel like it got there. It was a slow burn but kind of not. I know, confusing. It wasn’t believable because they barely knew each other but in love with each other. We definitely needed more development there. There are times that they talk about the magical connection but I need so much more than that in a romance. It was a bit confusing and I don’t know that we really get clarity on that.

Overall, I’m sad that this was disappointing to me. I know a lot of people are really excited about it and have enjoyed it. I’m so bummed that I’m not one of those people. I do think it will be enjoyable for many but just know that there are a lot of triggering subjects (murder & others that are spoiler-y) so look those up before jumping in.

Myth: 3/5

This book has all the Great Gatsby vibes, the big lavish parties, the excess, the pining, the self absorption, it’s definitely not a retelling, but you get the Gasby feelings right off the bat. Throw in a dash of the gothic, witches and dark and dangerous magic and you’ve got Wild and Wicked Things.

I couldn’t get into the characters, which I guess shouldn’t be a surprise with all the Gatsby vibes, there aren’t a lot of inspirational characters in that story. And some characters (I’m looking at you Daisy Buchanan) are so selfish you want to shake them, repeatedly.

Magic: 3/5

The magic is a more traditional natural thing, it requires balance and it is dangerous. Similar to the witches magic in Serpent & Dove.

Overall: 3/5

I did like the concept, I actually can’t believe that I haven’t seen a magical Gatsby before. And it was a delight to see the person that everyone ‘knows of’ but no one knows, the Gatsby like character, was female.

I'm going to be honest - I don't actually like The Great Gatsby. And so when I saw that Wild and Wicked Things was being billed as "magical lesbian Great Gatsby," I wasn't sure what to do. I can get on board for the first two things, but Gatsby? Normally, I would pass. I'm really glad I didn't.

Wild and Wicked Things is so much more than a Gatsby retelling. Sure, it uses some of the bones of the original - a mysterious and alluring figure in a big fancy house, a newcomer who's drawn to them, poor choices made in a haze of booze and money - but the story goes above and beyond, building on that scaffolding to create a lush and dangerous post-war world of magic, witches, and power.

The descriptions - of the houses, the magic, the people - are gorgeous, but never shy away from the dark and often bloody underside, and the characters are layered and complex. They grow, change, shift, and come into themselves as the book progresses, but their development always felt true to who they were, and who they were becoming.

So why a 4/5 instead of a 5/5? I think on some level, it's just because this book didn't blow my socks off - and that's okay! There were also times I found myself wanting the story to move more quickly, or where I wished for a more concrete understanding of what the magic in this world was really like. But those are small things, in the scheme of it all. Mostly, I walked away from reading this book with a sense of satisfaction and enjoyment after so many dark, bloody, and - yes - wicked twists and turns.

4/5

This book was not for me. I ended up DNF around a third in. Given this is an e-ARC, I held out longer than I normally would but found myself avoiding reading altogether because of it. I’m sad that this didn’t work out for me since it sounds right up my alley, but hopefully the right reader finds this and loves it.

Side note: crows are mentioned an ungodly amount of times in the novel. It was getting to be too much and I would groan anytime crows appeared.

The writing was actually really well done and this story does sound interesting, it was just way too slow for me. I made a note at 20% in that the plot of the novel has actually started, everything before this is set-up and world building. I was getting excited about whatever action may start unfolding, but 10-15% more into the book and still nothing? I’m setting it down. Glancing at other reviews, it seems I’m not alone on this.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook Books for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 50% - I really couldn’t get into the characters well at well, and while the world building was absolutely beautiful, it wasn’t enough to support the plot line in my opinion. I think readers of a slightly younger age will find this a quick read and something to easily capture their attention. I just kept wanting more.

Book 👏 Review 👏

Anywhere between a 2.5 - 4 ⭐️

Now listen, I know that rating a little strange, but here’s why : rating depends on what you’re going in for and what you expect going in. I went in looking for a heavy and intriguing plot, which isn’t what this gives and that’s okay.
If you liked the Night Circus and other books of ‘no plot, just vibes’ this is entirely and solely for you. Had I been going in for nothing more than a sapphic, witchy, Gatsby retelling, I would have absolutely loved this.
That being said, I think my general dislike is due to my expectations, not anything this book fails at. The writing is great and lovely. I just wanted a bit more.

A beautiful setting, wonderful prose, and a magical world with a lot of darkness surrounding it. It's The Great Gatsby meets Practical Magic with some great witchy vibes, some dark atmosphere, and a little bit of romance. Thanks Orbit Books for the gifted read!

Trigger Warning: murder, blood, gun violence, sexual assault, domestic violence, and drug abuse

How can a book be both hopeful and dark? In many ways, this book was definitely one of the darker stories I've read. There's a large number of trigger warnings plus the magic in it gets pretty dark with the usage of blood, zombies, and power grabs, but this book is also about finding yourself, finding your people, and finding the strength to let go.

This book was surprisingly dark and for some reason I went into it thinking that magic was going to be some cute stuff. You know, growing some plants and making people feel happy. But making the magic users in this book deal with complex feelings like the sway of power, the usage of blood to make their magic stronger, making blood pacts really brought a much different feel to the story. There were also body possession, premonitions/visions, and so much more happening in this book! When I think about it now, I'm surprised I was able to read this so quickly.

But I think a lot of that can be contributed to the writing. The story is easy reading and straightforward written with a beautiful language style that really brings a level of magical feelings to the story. I loved the way some things were described bringing a romantic feeling to each phrase. I found myself underlying the beautiful quotes throughout the book and it lends itself well to the way these characters feel.

The book focuses more on the characters than the plot, but the plot was something interesting to behold. I loved getting to know these characters. Annie is my favorite and her precociousness, her innocence, and her strength were greatly admired while I read. The book is written in dual perspectives, but I couldn't wait to read Annie's parts. I also loved watching Annie come to terms with her sexuality and by the end, owning it like it made sense the entire time. I loved that!

Emmeline was also such an interesting character. While she comes off as this super strong leader of the group, there's also a lot of vulnerability to her as well. The author talks about how much anger and hatred Emmeline has from her experiences, but I felt like she was also soft and needed someone like Annie to really bring out her true self.

And both of these characters together, their romance, their attraction was so palatable throughout the story. I wouldn't say that there were strong romantic elements to the story, but the way they see each other, the way they felt was so prevalent and really engaging.

While the story is supposed to be loosely based on The Great Gatsby, I think that this was more loosely based on Practical Magic. I loved that it takes the same approach with that movie; where there's this plot happening with Bea and her husband Arthur, but there's an even bigger plot about magic, Annie and Emmeline's pasts, and how all that plays out throughout the story.

The only thing I wasn't fully on board with is the world building. It felt like the author combined a bunch of different witchy pop references (Practical Magic, The Craft, etc) and turned that into the world that these witches lived in. And there wasn't enough explanation for me. I felt like I was just along for the ride when it came to the witchy world and I wanted to understand it better and really immerse myself in this world, but most of the time I just felt lost. Magic just happened inexplicably and understandings of this magic were arrived with very little context on how, which took a bit of the luster out of my reading experience.

But if you're a fan of romantic writing, found families with a witchy tinge, and a dramatic crew of characters that you can easily fall in love with, then this is the book for you.

When I saw that this was essentially a sapphic Gatsby-esque retelling with witches, I WAS SOLD. If I had any doubts, the cover put the final nail in the coffin.

It’s the 1920’s and magic is illegal. But there’s one place you can go where you’ll be able to find magic: Crow Island.

There’s a house on the island known for its raging parties, as well as something called kazam. It’s alcohol laced with magic. Everyone knows not to mix with the residents of this house unless you want trouble.

Things that were a total vibe:

🥀 blood magic
🥀 sapphic rep
🥀 witchcraft
🥀 the writing

If you grew up watching Practical Magic, there’s one part in here that had HUGE Practical Magic vibes. If you know, you know.

The first half of this book I adored so much. I was hooked and speed reading my way through and then I hit a major wall.

The pacing is very very slow. Which will be the biggest hindrance for my enjoyment. And it really got to me.

I also really wanted a little more from the romance between Emmeline and Annie.

With that said, I still really did enjoy this book. It had the perfect atmosphere, a ton of witchy vibes and eerie crows in every tree.

Thank you to Hachette for my ARC!

3.5 rounded up.

I don't think I am vibing with this book and at 50 pages in, if I feel I am forcing myself to read it I give up. I don't think it is anything to do with the writing or the story in any way. It just isn't for me at this point in time.

I liked this book. We follow a family of witches and young woman unaware of the power she holds. After the death of her distant father, Annie finds herself on Crow Island and instantly drawn to Emmeline, her alluring neighbor. When Annie learns that her long-absent friend, Bea is somehow connected to Emmeline, she’s thrusted into the dark world of magic and forced to test the boundaries of wickedness.

The action scenes and main events in this book were suspenseful, but also lacking. I liked that the fantastical focus of this story is the intensity of blood magic, but there was little else that kept the magic alive. I typically enjoy more dramatic scenes, and while the sequences fit perfectly for May’s approach, it fell short for me. There’s a good amount of emotion that heightens each event to another level, but it took a whiiiile for the story to pick up.

This is definitely a character-driven story. I like that each person has their own unique personality that’s reflected in their powers (if they have any). I found it very clever that the main characters’ powers represented earth, air, fire, and earth. However, I didn’t like that the main events of the book surrounded entirely around Bea and not on our MCs.

And we love gay witches. Simply love.

Do I think this is one of the best fantasy books I’ve ever read? Probably not. But I certainly enjoyed the progression of the story once it picked up at the 30% mark. Overall I give this book 3/5 stars!

TW: This book discusses domestic violence and abortion. This includes a few scenes that could be disturbing to some.

DNF 35%

I am an absolute sucker for morally grey, complex characters and always down for more sapphic stories, but I struggled with this. I am realizing that I like the idea of a Great Gatsby retelling, but this reads too much like Gatsby and that makes It difficult to get sucked in. I think this has a lot of promise, and I may pick it up at a later date, but as fascinating and intriguing as Emmeline and Annie are, the difficulty I’m having engaging with the book is making it so it’s a struggle rather than enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is somewhere between 3 and 4 starts for me. There was a lot of action and a pretty quick pace in the second half of the book which I liked and it kept me interested. It did take a little bit to get going and hold my attention but that has been pretty much everything right now so I won't hold it against this book. The characters weren't super likeable and felt a little flat/one dimensional to me. Maybe this is because, again, I just got done reading a 500+ first-of-series fantasy book and this is a stand-alone. I think the other thing that I didn't care for was that the magic system wasn't really explained or didn't really seem to have specific rules (again, used to super detailed fantasy series over here). And maybe that was on purpose and it might work for other folks but I wanted a better magic foundation.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Redhook Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not at all on my radar until I watched bits and pieces from a discussion the author had with Tara Sim to celebrate both of their books. And then of course, there’s the gorgeous cover so I requested an advance copy and immediately set to reading it.

Wild and Wicked Things is pitched as a f/f retelling of The Great Gatsby but with magic. Sounds intriguing right? Welllllll… it was intriguing but I also had some issues with it.

What I liked:

I loved the gothic setting of Crow Island and the way the crows were interwoven into the story. The co-dependencies between Isabel, Nicholas and Emmaline were well done and probably my favorite part of the story. The relationship between those three is shrouded in secrets and mysteries and I thought the author did a great job at showing how messed up the trio were but also how much they needed each other to survive. I also really liked how you never were quite sure if anyone actually liked anyone else or if it was all because of the magic and the ties that bound the together.

What I didn’t like:

The book moved much too slow for me. I also really didn’t like any of the characters and had a hard time routing for them. Maybe that was the point but I don’t know. I also didn’t like the back and forth in time. I understand why it was done that way and it worked for the book but it’s not a favorite plot structure for me. Personal preference on that one. The book left me feeling really unsettled which is a great sign for the author’s writing and I look forward to more from her but this story was not my favorite.

Wild and Wicked Things releases on Tuesday, March 29 2022 and I give it three stars.

Honestly I have never read the Great Gatsby or even seen the movie. All I know about it is that it’s vaguely homosexual, took place in the 1920s, and everything was suffused in gold. Also I think someone dies and the green light is a big symbol. So, I can’t really tell you if WILD AND WICKED THINGS feels Great Gatsby-ish.

However. It is:
- full of magic
- sapphic
- Really, really vivid
- Prohibition based on magic instead of alcohol (I’ve never loved anything more???)

I can’t wait to read it in hardcover, sipping tea by a fireplace; the cover art is gorgeous, and the hardcover just looks really really good. I want to read it all over again for the first time. It’s a really eerie book and the vibes. The Vibes Are Immaculate.

Five stars.

I loved reading this book! I found the writing to be very insightful and interesting. I was intrigued by the premise and I enjoyed reading it from start to finish.

Witches, a Crow Island, mystery and intrigue, okay you've piqued my interest! It wasn't until I started reading that I understood it to be a retelling of The Great Gatsby, but yes please! I really enjoyed the character of Annie and given the glamour and decadence of the time period and the mystery of the next door neighbor Francesca May (what a name, seriously!), I was so excited to read this book... unfortunately, it fell just a bit flat for me.

I wanted to see more from Annie and to understand more about her and her family, her thoughts, and maybe see more to be able to form more of an opinion of her. I loved the intrigue and mystique of Francesca, but found the other characters to be a bit flat and although they had some interesting story lines, I never fully got to know them like I really wish I could have.

Overall, it's wonderfully witchy and set in a decadent era that is certainly able to pull me in, but as a reader, I kept wanting more...

i LOVE emmeline delacroix !!! AlSO *magic as a metaphor for queerness* my fav !!!! sapphic witches on an island is everything i love, and this was exactly i wanted it to be, and more.

Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May is full of dark witchy magic with a slow burn sapphic romance.

World War I has just ended, and Annie Mason has arrived on Crow Island to settle her late father’s estate. She quickly falls into a world of dark magic and feels a strong connection to her enigmatic neighbour.

This tale alternates between Annie and Emmeline’s perspective with a few others here and there. The writing style is very atmospheric and captures the era well.

Although the writing is beautiful, I felt distant from the characters. Not many of them were particularly likeable, even knowing their origin stories. Usually, I don’t mind reading from unlikeable characters pov’s if they are interesting, but with this one, they felt one-dimensional.

The pacing went at a snail’s pace as well. Not much happens for the first two-thirds of the book, but things did get exciting near the end.

I recommend this book to those looking for a sapphic historical fantasy read.

Thank you to Redhook Books for a finished copy to review.

https://booksandwheels.com

I'm going to be upfront at the beginning of this review. I passionately dislike this book. Personally, I think there were legitimate problems with this novel, but I also have no doubt that most of my dislike likely stems from personal preferences. I'm sure there will be plenty of 5-star reviews and people who disagree with me, and that is fine. The book has good qualities, and I'll expound on those too because I have no problem with giving credit where its due even if I dislike something overall. But damn was I angry after finishing this novel. I'm still angry a couple days later while writing this review. Maybe the author should be commended for creating a story/characters that brought out such strong emotions, but I still didn't enjoy reading it.

When I first started the book, I loved it. I was instantly transported to Crow Island, and the author did a fantastic job bringing it to life with vividly eerie descriptions. I also loved the roaring '20s vibes of the decadent homes and parties and the general air of mystery that surrounded the island and the characters. In general, the use of engaging imagery to explore powerful themes was very well done. These aspects were definite strengths of the book that continued throughout it as the story unfolded.

My first problem with the book was the pace. It was extremely slow at revealing anything and did so in ways that were confusing and hard to follow at times. This leads into my second problem with the book, the world-building. Put simply, it was a mess. The magic and its different types/levels, while interesting on the surface, were never really explained and seemed to be or do whatever the characters needed in the moment. The rationale for the blood debt made absolutely no sense, and the magic that resolved the main conflict flew in the face of what little rationale there was in the first place. I gave up on trying to understand it. Additionally, the politics of this world wasn't explored nearly enough given the important role it played throughout the book. It just felt like a nebulous, undefined threat because the major players were never really clearly delineated, which was a shame because it seemed like something that would have been very interesting to explore in more depth.

This brings me to the characters. The author deserves a lot of credit for creating incredibly complex characterizations that allowed for exploration of important themes related to freedom, oppression of women by society, the impact of severe trauma on one's psyche, the cost of power, and the healing power of connection, among others. The only problem was I didn't care because I hated these characters. Bea was obnoxious and selfish to the point of being insufferable. Emmeline was impulsive, selfish, and desperate. Annie had some redeeming qualities, such as her love for her friends, and I enjoyed seeing her coming into her own power and shedding the insecurities she had about herself. I just wish she had avoided adopting Emmeline's reckless, selfish behavior in the process. It was honestly weird because I usually enjoy morally grey and antihero characters, but I didn't like these characters at all and found myself growing angrier and angrier as the book progressed. Two of the supporting characters were the stars of the book for me, Nathan and Isobel. They were a light amidst the darkness of the other characters despite their own dark past, and my mood instantly lifted anytime they were present in the story. I think a lot of my dislike of this book comes from my dislike of most of the main characters because this is a very character-driven story with little plot outside of the interpersonal drama between Bea, Emmeline, and Annie. So, if you end up not liking them, there's not really a lot else to grab onto other than the pretty writing.

Despite my lack of love for the characters and world-building, I was prepared to give this book a pretty high rating because of its fantastic use of imagery, beautiful writing, complex characterizations, and exploration of important themes. The ending changed that. I HATED the ending of this book. ***SPOILER ALERT*** I understand wanting to make a hopeful ending that highlights how one can overcome their trauma to have a happier life less controlled by the darkness. However, this particular ending undermined the notion that runs throughout the rest of the book: power comes with both a price and a responsibility to wield it carefully. The two main characters made one horrible selfish choice after another throughout this book. I would argue they didn't really pay any price or take responsibility for their poor choices but instead got their happily ever after by destroying the lives of everyone around them. I'm also just super salty about how the book ended for Nathan. I'll never forgive this author for it (Yes. I know I'm being dramatic, but I'm in my feelings okay. If the characters can act this way, so can I! 😉). ***END SPOILERS*** In all seriousness, though, I probably will read something else by this author as long as it is a different sort of book because I did really like the use of imagery and writing style.

Overall, I'm not a fan of this book, but I can definitely see how someone else might be if they relate well with the characters. The prose really is exquisite at times, and the themes are timely and important. I just couldn't get past my intense dislike of these characters and disappointment in the world-building. Therefore, it gets 3 out of 5 stars from me.

First of all, this cover art? Breathtaking! Thank you so much Redhook for the e-arc of Wild and Wicked Things. It seems there is a spate of Gatsby-esque retellings lately and I'm totally here for it. I love when a story like Gatsby gets reimagined and subverted. Gatsby but make it sapphic! It definitely drew me to read this book.

This book is very confusing at first. Unfortunately the world building is scant and whte magical rules are not as well explained as I liked, i love that theres a pohibition type ban on it and that makes it underground. The first half of the book dragged for me. The second half was full throttle, though, so it picked up. Emmaline...what a scene stealer, She is a great character. Annie is as well, but she is much less dynamic. Bea can go choke. lol

Overall, I love the idea and the notion of this book but it was also a little hard to get into. May's writing style is beautiful and atmospheric, but the plot could have used some more fleshing out.

Still a really cool book!