This book really surprised me! I loved reading it and thought it was the perfect mix of adventurous, emotional, romantic and whimsical! I will definitely be recommending this book to friends and returning back to it as a comfort read!

🔊Song Pairing: Hoax - Taylor Swift (this book is basically folklore to a T

💭What I thought would happen:

Since The Nature of Witches I will follow Rachel into the unknown

📖What actually happens:

When Iris rages a little too hard after a particularly nasty altercation with her enemy/colleague, Pike, she conjures up a spell to turn that butthole into a witch. When Iris cannot contain it and accidentally attaches it to an owl she must track down this crazy night predator and correct her error before it finds Pike.

UNFORTUNATELY, Iris’ mother suggests she and Pike set out together to track down the owl and bring it back to the animal sanctuary. Of course Iris isn’t being forthcoming about what she’s done. Now she’s stuck with the insufferable Pike.

🗯Thoughts:

I DID NOT think this was a romance! What! I was expecting more magic and elements vibes. No this is not a sequel to The Nature of Witches.

I very much enjoyed this one from start to finish. I demolished the audiobook in a 24 hour window sooo ya know…oops? I love when a book is so delicious I can’t possibly pace myself

I have never in my life a) craved homemade granola b) laughing hysterically over KIND bars.

I think there is something for everyone in this book. Feel free to fall in love with this gem!🤍

This book contains:
🙅🏼‍♀️🙅🏽‍♂️Enemies to lovers
🔮Magic - spells, charms
🌲Nature - detailed atmosphere
🤣Comedy - quality LOL moments
🫦Witty Banter - yes please

I received an advanced copy of Wild is the Witch from the publisher so I could share my review with you!
Rachel Griffin writes beautifully natural books about witchy characters, and I cannot get enough! There is something about her writing style that effortlessly captures the magic in nature, both in fantasy and realistic contexts. Pike is one of my all-time favorite love interests from a YA novel! He is such a sweet and nerdy kid, and I loved reading about how Iris grows in her opinions of him. Griffin’s debut novel, The Nature of Witches, was one of my top reads of 2021 and Wild is the Witch is officially one of my 2022 favorites! She has more than earned her place as an instant-buy author for me!

My Recommendation-
If you love all things nature-centric and witchy, you need to grab a copy of Wild is the Witch! I would especially recommend this book to readers who love outdoorsy activities like hiking, wildlife observation, and camping!

If someone told me that I’d become enraptured by a YA witchy enemies-to-lovers romance I would chuckle to myself and exit the room rather awkwardly. But if they were to mention it’s Rachel Griffin’s newest release, then I’d grab a copy, a cozy blanket, and shoo them from the room.

Her newest, Wild is the Witch is not only beautiful on the outside, the sentences inside are a treasure trove of gems.

“Magic is always present, always close. It exists along with all the atoms and particles of the universe, and when enough of it is brought together, it produces a reaction most would call extraordinary. But the reaction itself isn’t the magic; it’s the existence of it in the first place that is.”

In this contemporary fantasy standalone, a tragic incident in her hometown causes teen witch Iris Gray to move with her mother to a wildlife refuge in the PNW where they can rebuild their lives and use their powers to care for any animals that need rescuing. When fellow intern Pike makes a hurtful comment, Iris blows off steam by creating a curse she never meant for him. Unfortunately things go awry when an owl swoops down and carries the curse further into the forest, which could ultimately mean demise for Pike…and everyone else in the region. Iris and Pike have to work together to find the owl before it’s too late, and Iris is determined to keep her abilities secret.

The one thing that really takes this YA read to the next level is the writing.
“I am the cosmos and energy and the matter of the universe held perfectly together with skin and bone.”
The majestic beauty of just being human and the magic inside people, animals, and nature pours lyrically from the pages. The exploration of grief, relationships, and teenage-hood within this witchy romance is such a great way to garner interest from that young adult age group and provide some ideas to really chew on as we look towards our future here on this planet.

Iris and Pike are the chips in this witchy romance sandwich. Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy to read and review. Also, that naked cover is perfection. Be sure to check it out!

Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin follows Iris Gray. Iris has vowed to keep the fact that she is a witch a secret after being forced to move after one fateful, magic-filled night went wrong. When she finds herself frustrated, Iris follows a ritual she learned from her grandmother and writes curses she then destroys. Her latest frustration is Pike Alder, the witch-hating aspiring ornithologist who interns at Iris and her mother’s wildlife refuge. Iris decides to curse Pike after he says something particularly hurtful. But before she gets the chance to destroy it, an owl takes the curse. This owl is a very powerful amplifier, and the curse will wreak havoc if the owl is to die. Iris and Pike are forced together to trek through the wilderness in search of the owl. But Pike doesn’t know the real reason they are trying to find the owl. Iris must decide if her secrets are worth keeping when danger mounts higher and higher.

I was instantly drawn into the woodsy atmosphere of this contemporary fantasy. The magic system of this book is so interesting. I adored Iris’ connection with the animals. I really loved watching Iris and Pike go from enemies to lovers. Everything about this book is just so enjoyable and cozy.

After a tragic accident, Iris Gray and her mother relocate to the beautiful Pacific Northwest and open an animal sanctuary. While everyone in the world knows witches exist and most are ok with them, Iris and her mom strive to keep a low profile. They work with their animals and don’t advertise that they use magic to help heal. All is going well until ornithology intern Pike Alder comes along. He and Iris do not get along, but it only gets worse when she finds out he hates witches. But after a magic spell goes wrong, they will have to team up and trek through the mountains to find an injured owl.

This book will keep you turning the page. Action packed & well-written characters will have you hooked.

This book was simple but beautiful. It was fast paced and had me glued to the story. I really wish there was more magic. I loved the banter between Iris and Pike. It was done perfectly. This is the perfect book to kick off the autumn season. What I loved most was Iris. I found her relatable especially her spiraling thoughts and anxiety. The love that Iris had for the Owl touch my heart and I definitely cried a little. I can't wait for cooler temperatures so that I can reread this with a hot cup of coffee and a cozy blanket. This book is definitely a cozy read and I highly recommend.

One of my favorite releases of 2022, WILD IS THE WITCH. Rachel Griffin’s new book about a young witch and the boy she cursed.

I finished reading Iris and Pike’s story last night. What a wonderful experience it was! Rachel must have magic of her own because I felt entirely transported, surrounded by the chill and beauty of the Pacific Northwest. The tone and setting were so strong and I find my mind drifting back to it constantly.

The relationship between Iris and Pike was one I deeply enjoyed. There’s something about couples that make so much sense but just can’t see it, even if the people around them can (thank you for the laughs, Isobel!). Their journey is deeply emotional, full of grief and forgiveness and learning to be vulnerable again.

More than anything this book gave me a sense of comfort and hope. Two things I didn’t realize I was needing but found myself drawn to like the first touch of magic, pulling it in until I burned with it.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for an eARC. And thank you Rachel for this magical story.

PS ✨I also just found out the book I ordered is going to be signed! I didn’t know when I ordered it and I’m so excited!🌙

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own!

Rachel Griffin has done it again. This book was fantastic. From the very first pages I was sucked into a lush world with the gorgeous prose and beautiful descriptions. This was stunning! Another 5 star read for me!

This was such a swift glorious read. First things first, the cover!!💕 The cover was what drew me to this book, I had no expectations as this was a new author to me (even though I've had her previous book on my wishlist forever, again purely because of the cover 😂) but I was totally bowled over by this stunning story.
I loved the style of writing so much, the story had such an enticing flow that made it effortless to read.

🐺When eighteen-year-old witch Iris Gray accidentally enacts a curse that could have dire consequences, she must team up with a boy who hates witches to make sure her magic isn't unleashed on the world.

🦉Iris is sweet and likeable and I love the description of how the magic is already everywhere and how the witches use it. Iris's communication with animals is a pivotal and endearing element of the tale.
An innocent story of enemies to friends.
A book which is incredibly satisfying and easy to read, I had no hesitation in awarding it a much deserved 5⭐as I whizzed through it in a day .

I'd highly recommend to all.

Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC!

This book had a very nice and light magic to it while the wooded setting really added to the atmosphere. I truly loved each of these characters and their motivations. The loathe-to-like storyline was done so well, and I really felt like their feelings for each other developed in a realistic and precious way. This book was short, but that did not deter the story... it had a quick pace to it. I also really loved the owl and the way the main characters interacted with it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down!

Rachel Griffin knows how to create the most interesting contemporary witchy worlds that integrate magic in such a seamless and natural ways. I didn't love this newest book quite as much as her first but it was still a fun YA adventure story between two teens tasked with chasing after an owl to rescue it after Iris accidentally curses it. The banter between Iris and Pike was great. The two are total opposites who do not get along but the forced proximity of their journey brings them closer to overcoming differences - the biggest of which is that Pike hates witches and doesn't know Iris secretly is one. Definitely recommended for fans of this author. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

First, I loved this book. Possibly because the setting is one of my favorites, or maybe because animals can make any story better. The pacing is perfect. We start out with the MC living isolated from her community because of a horrific incident where her best friend tries to turn her boyfriend into a witch and he dies. She is cleared of wrong doing, but her and her mom still leave and create an animal sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest. One of the ways the MC deals with her feelings is casting spells and then neutralizing them. When her coworker and nemesis Pike says things she doesn’t like about witches she decides to curse him to become a witch and then send it into the ground. But in a fun twist an owl swoops down and takes the curse instead. Oh and the owl is an amplifier. This is where it gets interesting as Iris and Pike set out to capture the owl and spend a dangerous and heart breaking few days in the woods. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Please see the review I attached to the audio format.

I love the Pacific Northwest setting, the adventure hiking camping animals and magic.

If I were to give a critique it would be that I would’ve enjoyed more world building. The story was quite short and I appreciate that not every book must be a series however a little bit more magic would’ve been nice.

Great book!

Rachel Griffin has done it again: she has created an amazing magic system, intriguing characters, wonderful relationship dynamics, and a compelling plot. I love how the owl was s central to the events that happen, and the feeling of nature throughout the whole book. Both Iris and Pike are extremely relatable characters and I love the physical and emotional journey that they go through. I also really liked that the ending was more open-ended and didn’t completely have all the closure that these characters are going to need, which leads the feeling that this was the start of their journey instead of the end. I would have liked to see more of Iris and Pike’s interactions before the curse caused the events in the book to take place, but I really enjoyed it and completely devoured it.

This cover is lovely... that and the fact that it was Rachel Griffin drew me in. I loved The Nature of Witches last year and was so excited for this new book, sadly it feel a little flat for me.

What I loved about the first book was the beautiful magic/power structire that Griffin had built out and how the humans and witches lived together and worked with one another. I fully expected this book to have an extension of that world and power structure, and it didn't. I felt like this magic was a bit meh in comparison. The magic in this book is three types and they are briefly described a few times but there isn't a lot of explanation.

Iris is the type that can use their power with animals, to communicate a bit and heal them/ help them. She works in an animal sanctuary with her mother and a grad student named Pike. While the book it a bit about the magic, it is really a romance. It is an enemies to dating relationship between Iris and Pike. It was cute. Iris can be super stubborn, independent, and she is really in her own head a lot. Pike is kind of an ass, he is entitled and bossy and a know-it-all and although they make it work with a friendship and then being together, I never really liked Pike all that much.

This was an ok read, it wasn't horrible, it wasn't wonderful it feel solidly in the middle. It was pretty quick paced and the plot was handled ok. There is a woman/woman relationship which is nice but that seemed very back-burner and only for the rep than the actual plot. Overall, this one was good... I am happy that I gave it a shot and it was a fast read for me.

Review will be live on the blog on 8/9/2022

Rachel Griffin writes so beautifully. I devoured her first novel in one sitting, and this book was no different. The Nature of Witches and Wild is the Witch are great companion novels. If you liked one, then you will like the other

This book was cute. More a romance novel with some magic, than a fantasy books - but not necessary a flaw - with the enemies-to-lovers trope.
Very comforting, but never exciting, always sweet. the plot was very simple, the writing extremely fast paced and this is, perhaps, the reason why i didn't fall in love with it. I
I would recommend it? yes, to very young adult readers that need this kind of book, because it's perfect for those readers that need a book to learn how to overcome grief, loss and moving forward from painful situations. In that, it's brilliant, not too sad, not too heavy but welcoming and a real cuddle!

I love a witchy read and these ones are good with animals and they have a nonprofit animal refuge in the Pacific Northwest. How fun does that sound?

Definitely got sucked in after Iris gets upset with her anti witch coworker/intern. She writes a spell to release her frustration and it ends up going wrong now she has to trek through the wilderness to search for something but she has to take him with her.

The thoughtfulness in Pikes packing of food and survival gear shows that he has been paying attention to her. But she wasn't seeing any of that.

I love how they both had a tragic background that made them fearful of eachother at different points. But also loving someone and having them see your rough edges is scary. Being vulnerable and showing all of yourself to someone can be very scary because of the fear they will reject what they don't understand.

Love this cover too! 

Thank you sourcebooksfire and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

This book was adorable. Both characters were a level of neediness in their own way that meshed together perfectly. But could they see that? Of course not! The descriptions of nature and it’s relationship with the witches was wonderful. And I so want to live in an animal sanctuary now with an owl.