Thank you to Netgalley & publisher for a free ecopy.

I personally did not think this book started strong. The beginning of the book was very repetitive as the Amy situation was mentioned endlessly. Unsure why, as I felt the point was clear. Also, Pike & Iris' dialogue was annoying. Their constant bickering over everything and "wittiness" was wasteful. I love enemies to lovers and felt this was not the best use of the trope, as it felt more like elementary playground banter.

However, once we went on the owl hunt, I was way more invested. I felt the plot took good turns and the time we saw Iris and Pike on the trip was way better. Their banter was still there, but their conversation was better written. The character depth and backstories evolved continuously throughout the story and this I appreciated. I wish there was a bit more magic sprinkled in, but I liked the explanation of the magic.

Overall, I liked this book and I think some will like it more than others.

I had some high expectations for this one, because everyone else seems to be enjoying it. This was unfortunately a DNF for me.

The author over explained the world and how magic worked, but it still didn't make sense, despite the overexplaining.

The protagonist's mother is a vet, but "was able to tell if the animal was hurt because the animal knew." but there's no way an animal would know specifics like internal bleeding or if certain organs were hurt. Not to mention the mother was doing surgery on an animal, something that would take years to learn how to do, but had no veterinary skills, just magic.
The voice is young, so much so that I thought the protagonist was much younger than 18.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This young adult book of witches has made it to my favourites for the year and also the all time favourite. I read it in one sitting and can't wait to read more of author's work.

Iris is a witch and lives in the fear of losing everything she has and more so her magic because of incident that happened in the past. Pike comes of as arrogant but cares much more. He has his own reasons for hating witches and magic.

Both of them with their fights, arguments, unexpected caring nature are someone worth knowing and loving. I loved their chemistry, banter and slowly sharing their pasts. I would want to know them all over again for the first time. Pike, he has special place in my heart. I couldn't control my tears for him and the hurt be did face.

The writing, plot and magic, everything about this was beautiful and enchanting. It had me hooked from the start and I couldn't turn the pages fast.

The author has given us a story raw with emotions, it shows you the impact of vulnerability and how can we come out as someone strong with more clarity.

Overall a read you shouldn't miss, I highly recommend this enemies to lovers, forced proximity, magical story of witches and am glad to have been approved to read the e-arc.

I loved this magical and awe inspiring story. It was a perfect escape read.
Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Not everyone likes witches.
Pike Alder is one of those people.
To release her anger and fear of Pike hating her people, eighteen year old Iris follows her grandmothers tradition of creating a curse, and then safely dispelling it. All is going to plan until an endangered owl swoops down and steals the curse.
Now the curse is out there and can be released at any moment turning Pike into a witch and possibly killing him in the process.

This is not what I was expecting. I was expecting a fully magical adventure.
This was more an enemies to lovers romance with a girl with can talk to animals.
But I’m all for it. It was an enjoyable read. Decent story, witty banter, cute romance and a touch of magic.

Iris has had to flee her hometown after an incident her best friend had. She is now living away from her dad and doesn't tell anyone she's a witch anymore.
But she fucked up and to save her own ass, she has to trek around the woods looking for a magical owl with the boy she hates, who hates witches and whom could be cursed if this all goes wrong.

I liked this book but I didn't love it. While I liked the setting, and the atmosphere and the magic system, I just wasn't all that into the romance and I found the plot to be a bit slow.
I did love the main character though and her mother. I really liked the magical side of things, with how the magic worked and the connections to animals and the council thing and the backstory.
The pacing, though, like it was a pretty short book, but I just feel like so little happened and yet, the MC fell for the guy so quickly for me.
But overall, it was enjoyable and I still want to read the author's first book.

This is my first book that I've read from Rachel Griffin and it definitely won't be the last.

I saw the cover and thought it was beautiful. The story was brilliant.

An easy 5 stars

Wild is the Witch is my first book by Rachel Griffin. I missed The Nature of Witches last year but I will definitely be adding it to my Fall list this year. I was fortunate enough to read an ARC given to me by Rachel and Netgalley. Thank you to both because I thoroughly enjoyed this witchy, wild adventure in the Pacific Northwest wilderness!

Two years before this story begins, something terrible happens when a magic spell is misused. The Witches’ Council finds Iris innocent but the damage in the community has been done.

Now Iris and her mom are living in Washington, close to the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, where they operate a wildlife refuge together. Iris has an affinity for animals. Because of the events of two years ago, Iris refuses to tell anyone that she’s a witch and will only use her magic when she’s positive no one is around to see it.

Then there’s Pike. He is infuriating and has proclaimed that he hates witches. Iris takes it to heart and decides to write a curse, not to actually curse him but just to make herself feel better as it burns away. Things done in anger and haste often backfire, don’t they? Just as she’s about to burn the curse up, an owl flies in and takes it. Now she has not only cursed something for real, even if unintended, but she’s put Pike and everyone around her in danger. This is where the adventure part, the quest, begins.

I love a quest story. This one doesn’t have clear signposts on the path toward completing the overall task. But there are definite markers along the way where something changes–an attitude, a thought, a perception. Iris and Pike have to take this adventure together to find the missing owl. Of course Pike doesn’t know the whole truth about the importance of this journey–he did proclaim that he hates witches after all–but he’s willing to go along to help Iris.

While I do like Iris’s character with her sassiness and her insecurities, Pike is my favorite character. He comes across as this snarky guy who doesn’t really care all that much about things. He picks on Iris incessantly and doesn’t even seem to realize when he goes too far. But there’s something there, hidden far below the surface, that made me care about him. I love how their relationship evolves.

The journey through the woods is dangerous, much like life sometimes. Every setback teaches them something that helps them continue on. The ultimate few scenes toward the end are heart-pounding and heart-wrenching. I love the way Rachel writes this particular part of the story. And when the journey ends, lives are changed forever, as they should be.

I like standalone novels but this is one of those that I’d love more of. It’s just that good.

I highly recommend Wild is the Witch to fans of YA Fantasy, magical realism, contemporary fantasy, enemies-to-lovers, and quest adventures. Rachel has found another fan in me and I cannot wait to read whatever is next.

Rachel Griffin is a masterful storyteller and beautiful world builder. I really enjoyed Rachels debut book, The Nature of Witches, and I’m happy to see that same kind of beauty in this book as well. I also loved the fact that this book was more of a story about witches and the lives they live as opposed to a “girl saves world” epic. I really enjoy getting to peak into what a “regular” character is experiencing. The relationship between both Iris and Pike is more of an enemies (but nice enemies… maybe more like hate) to lovers. Iris is a witch who has experienced some trauma in her past and Pike is a human who has a strong opinion of witches. After some hateful words on Pikes part, Iris comes up with a spell for Pike that she never intended to release to the, well, wild. Naturally, there is a turn of events and Iris and Pike must work together.

As mentioned before, the world building is beautiful. Griffin really knows how to draw you in with her words and keep you there with her imagery. The book is set in the Pacific Northwest and as you read you are really brought into the area.

atmospheric
enchanting
emotional
compelling

I loved the world building.
And now I want to go camping in the PNW.

easy 5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks, and the author for the eARC in exchange for my review.

I became obsessed with this book when I learned about it at TLA 2022 - I got to hear Rachel talk about her book and you could see the passion in her eyes when she wanted to dive into Pike and Iris's relationship so when I got my ARC I was so excited.
There were a lot of moments that made me go feral whenever Pike and Iris would bicker. My favorite thing about Antagonist to Lover and you can always tell who is in love with the other first and the moments of vulnerability that Pike expresses to Iris during their journey made me want to scream with happiness.
The fact that they both noticed little things about the other while simultaneously not sensing the other's deeper wounds was such a beautiful way to show that you can fall in love with someone and still have the opportunity to know each other. I will say that I did start to panic thinking that this book was going to be spilt in two - there were so many things that were going too well if you know what I mean, that I feared there wasn't going to be a resolution in this book, but I was wrong!
This was a great comfy read - while the stakes were high everything fit together so beautifully that although the ending was maybe just a little too convenient I would not have wanted it any other way!

I went into this expecting a beautifully weaved witch story and I was given a "younger" YA romance. The characters left me wanting and the dialog did not deliver.

That being said, Griffin's writing style is what most consider "easy" or as a friend has started saying "effortless". She takes a simple story and adds a smidge of depth to create a quick and fun read. I think this book just landed at a time when I was craving a bit more.

I was lucky enough to get this on audiobook and digital copy. The narrator was perfect for this light and easy read. She kept you engaged and had a nice style.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I loved the author’s debut novel and was eager to read this. There aren’t enough standalone contemporary fantasies, and that I definitely enjoyed from this one. I enjoyed, in particular, the themes throughout of forgiveness and grief and fear, of being careful what grudges you hold.
Unfortunately, the enemies to lovers narrative just didn’t work for me here. Pike’s behavior in the beginning was so obnoxious, the way he treated Iris so poorly, and no excuse really “excused” that for me. I couldn’t move past it and their dynamic felt off.

I was pleasntly surpirsed with how much I enjoyed this book. And I can safely say I actually liked this one a lot more than The Natures of Witches; I simply enjoyed the tropes more in this second book--with enemies to lovers, close proximity, only one bed etc.

I also felt Pike and Iris had tons of chemsitry and the enemies to lovers was justified. Though I will say I wasn't Pike's biggest fan; he got on my nerves quite a few times, but he grew on me by the end.
Also side note, I loved the queer representation we got in this--with Iris' mom being in a relationship with a woman--like it didn't play huge role in the plot, but it was still nice to have the rep.

Last thing I'll say, was that the world was easily understood and the explanation of it wasn't overly complicated. I feel like it's the perfect book to read if you want a simple, but entertaining urban fantasy (or if you really like witches).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest reivew.

was so excited to read this book, as I absolutely adored The Nature of Witches, also written by Rachel Griffin. Plus, this book promised so many elements that I love: nature, owls, wolves, woods, magic. So when I settled in with this book and a cup of tea the other night, I already knew that I would more than likely love this book. And, I did.

Iris Gray loves her life in Washington. She loves the animal rescue she and her mother run, Foggy Mountain Animal Sanctuary. She loves the wolves, particularly a wolf named Winter, the animals they help, her mom's "friend", and most of all helping the animals using her special brand of magic that allows her to communicate with the animals. What she doesn't like - or rather who - is Pike Alder, the intern at the rescue, who hates witches. After one particularly ugly incident between them, Iris practices a tradition taught to her by her grandmother, one that allows her to give her feelings to the earth, in a ritual that involves writing spells but not actually sending them into the world. However, the one that Iris intended for Pike but not really gets away from her, and could have terrible consequences, for more than just Iris and Pike.

I have to admit it sort of gave me anxiety! The rest of the story is about Iris trying to recapture her curse before it blows up, and to do so, she needs Pike's help.

This book is a fast read, quick paced, and definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. I even got a little teary at one part! I would love to read a sequel, as I enjoyed the setting of the animal rescue and the Pacific Northwest. And I feel like Iris and Pike's story is not over yet!

This was a fun read, and if you are into witchy magic books, this is a definite must!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

BEAUTIFUL + BROODY🌿✨

Not only do these two words describe the PNW but they perfectly describe Rachel Griffin's new release, Wild is the Witch.

I read this all the way back in March, snuggled in my hotel room with the fireplace roaring as the rain poured over the Oregon coast.

It was the perfect setting to read this book that features a loathe-to-love romance, an adventure in the woods, only one tent and a beautiful magic system that focuses on nature & animals.

Pick up this book today!

I loved everything about this story! The nature and the animals and the two main characters! The suspense, the romance, the magic. Rachel did it again with this one. I was so impressed and strongly recommend this book! I read it in less than a day and loved every second of it. Will definitely be picking up a physical copy to have. I cried, I laughed, I had hope, I was happy. This book was so phenomenal and Rachel took me on an emotional roller coaster ride that was worth every second. Five stars easily!

3.5
A fast paced read with a nature based magic system.
Iris is working at her mothers wild rescue Resort, together with pike whom she doesn’t get along with. After a encounter where iris is angry with pike she curses him with the intent on destroying it after. Before she can destroy it however the curse gets stolen by a owl who flies a way with it. To get it back and prevent the curse to strike, she needs to team up with the one the curse was intended for.

I already read Griffins first book the Nature of witches wich I really enjoyed. The story felt unique in combination with a campy atmosphere.
As for the writing it was immersive and felt somehow comforting. The characters were likable and the romance was cute. I just wish there was a bit more magic.

Read via Audio Book wich I enjoyed, the narrators voice fitted well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rachel Griffin does it again! She is a word witch, and her stunning sophomore novel just further solidifies her as an author to watch for!

She paints the setting for her readers like an artist, immersing the readers in the sights and smells of the characters. If every single Rachel Griffen book is like her first two, I’ll be perfectly happy.

Iris is a fantastic protagonist who feels more and more real to the reader as her story progresses. Her connection to the world around her makes me appreciate the beauty of the world even more. As she faces her challenges head on, as a reader I found myself rooting for her, cringing with her, and my heart thumping alongside hers.

And Pike. The enemies to lovers arc we all know we needed. Iris and Pike together are a force to be reckoned with, and I loved reading as they learned and grew from one another. Their witty banter and secret longing was enough to fuel me for…well, until her next book!

The world building of the magic system is simple yet fresh. The issues she faces unbelievable yet relatable. Griffin creates a world I would get lost in time and time again.

I definitely suggest you pick this one up and read it over and over again!

Absolutely fire. This book will take you out of a book slump and bring you on the rollercoaster that is "Wild Is The Witch". Perfect spooky vibe before Halloween.