Spellbinding. If I had to use one word to describe this book, that would be it. From the moment I started reading, to the second I turned the last page this book had my full and undivided attention. I knew Rachel was an incredible author, her book The Nature of Witches was a favorite of mine last year. This further solidified her place on my list of auto-buy authors.
The pace of this book was so fast, one chapter just falling into the next, and I loved and hated it. I loved that it just kept pulling me in. At the end of each chapter I would think, 'I can't stop here, just one more...' and before I knew it, I was at the end. And I hated that cause I wanted to keep going, to remain immersed in this story and these characters and the emotions it evoked in me.
I'm not normally a fan of a fast paced enemies to lovers, I think those sorts of things need time, and if they don't it's usually because the focus isn't in the right place. This book might be the first little baby step in changing my mind. I wasn't 100% on board with it, but I also wasn't mad at it.
I loved the raw honesty of the main characters, and the growth that both Iris and Pike had through out. It didn't end the way I expected, but it did end the way it needed to.
This is one you will definitely want to add to your TBR, so mark your calendar for August 1st or preorder a copy.

I can not properly thank Netgalley and Source Books Fire enough for giving me the opportunity to read this beautiful story. I can't wait to hold a physical copy in my hands.

All thoughts are my own.

Trigger Warnings:
Language, People are burned, Animals are hurt, Sexually suggestive scenes, Death of family member, a compound fracture is described

4.5 Stars
Rachel Griffin has done it again. I loved reading this witchy story!

She brings characters to life who don’t usually get to be main characters. The real, flawed humans we see ourselves in. Iris has a kind, anxious heart. Sometimes that gets her in trouble, like when she curses Pike. The boy who does nothing but annoy her.

Together they will trek through the forests of the Pacific Northwest and find more than they bargained for.

In this book you will find atmospheric writing, enemies to lovers, animals, nature, witches, banter, and romance.

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Rachel Griffin is back again with a heartwarming story full of magic and romance! Wild is the Witch is a cozy contemporary fantasy about grief, forgiveness, and healing and it captured my heart from the very first page. Pick this up if you’re looking for a quick standalone to read and love!

WOW. This was easily one of the top 5 books I'll
read this year. I'm confident in that.
Goodness, I can't say enough about
this beautiful story of magic, nature,
wildlife, love, grief, and healing.
Reading this book was like being
transported to the PNW, and finally having
the space to take a satisfying and
desperately needed deep breath. It has
excellent anxiety rep, and Iris' words
tugged on my anxious little heart strings
time and time again. I felt seen and known
and safe within these pages, and that's a
special kind of book magic. I loved
everything about the characters. The
growth, vulnerability, healthy
communication,
*chefs kiss*. My heart
rose and fell in tune with them throughout
the entire book, which I read within a day
because I just could not stop. I don't want
to say too much more, because I want you
to experience this book with your own
fresh perspective and absorb all the
goodness for yourself.

It’s no secret that I was instantly smitten with Rachel Griffin after reading The Nature of Witches. That is why I was overjoyed when I received an ARC for her second novel Wild is the Witch.
.
Just like with TNOW, Griffin’s second novel is absolutely stunning. Her writing is beautiful, raw, and deeply emotional. She has an amazing affinity for writing strong characters (specially females) who are flawed but are so strong, and willing to work through their trauma and accept the consequences of their actions in order to become the heroes of their own stories.

Additionally, she does a phenomenal job of creating beautiful magical systems that are strong connected to nature and that carry strong messages of ecological conservation. The most amazing part of that it’s all woven into the scenic landscape and culture of the majestic Pacific Northwest.

I seriously recommend reading this book (August release) and TNOW, if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it. I personally can’t wait for my preorder copy and my bookishbox copy to arrive this year.

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✨WILD IS THE WITCH✨

🦉🌲🪶
WILD is an atmospheric read with a moving storyline that fulfills all of your wanderlust and gives you a story that will stay with you for a long time.


A trek through the forest with the boy Iris dislikes, to find the curse she wrote for him.
Along the way, Iris finds out so much more about him and wonders how to tell him she cursed him with the thing he hates.
Becoming a witch.

I loved this book so much. Gave me the feels and made me want to go sit in the pnw forest and just be w nature.


The character arcs were beautiful and I felt compelled to see how Iris and Pike’s stories would end.
The themes and details woven within the tapestry of the story not only highlight the thought, Rachel Griffin put into this book, but also the research.
You can tell when an author does their research, and this book is infused with descriptions and observations that put you right in the middle of the story.
Her details of the Pacific Northwest made me believe I was right there, in the pnw forests hiking with Iris and Pike.
So, If you are looking for a book that is lush with wanderlust and nature while being the perfect enemies to lovers story, then WILD is a must-read for you.
Also, there are so many funny moments, just wait😉😉


Thank you so much for Source Fire Books and NetGalley for letting me have access to an advanced reader copy. Such a privilege!!
And of course, thank you a million times over Rachel for writing this book. I would follow you anywhere. Especially through the pnw😉

Out August 23rd

This is a departure from Nature of Witches in that the magic is much more subtle at times and it has far more contemporary references. The main character Iris shows incredible growth and strength throughout the book and you’ll just have to find out about Pike!

Rachel’s writing once more has me wishing I was a witch who lived in the forest and now has me looking into moving to the Pacific Northwest.

Also, this may be the most attached you’ve grown to an owl since Hedwig, so prepare yourself for that.

This book had me completely hooked. This book to me is about forgiveness. I really enjoyed Pike & Iris’s story. Together they will learn so much from each other. The ending was absolutely perfect. An amazing story with such amazing characters. Definitely a book everyone should one-click.

Rachel Griffin’s Wild is the Witch is a charming, suspenseful, and moving read. Set primarily in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, Griffin’s novel follows Iris Gray as she builds a new life for herself after witnessing a tragic act of magic change the course of her best friend’s life forever. When a curse of her own making takes an unexpected turn, she has to act quickly to save her new home — all while maintaining her secrecy about her magic for fear of her life unraveling a second time. The novel is a classic enemy to friends to more-than-friends tale that sees Iris team up with her rival (and avowed witch-hater), Pike Alder. The novel is in turns sweet, endearing, and charged with will-they/won’t-they situations that make this novel a satisfying and quick read. Underlying commentary about the power of nature, and the connection between humans and their environment, make the novel a timely piece of eco-fiction that young adults of all ages can enjoy.

This book is absolute perfection. I’ve been obsessed with witches since I was a little girl and Griffin’s characters are exactly the kind of witches I dreamed of being. This communion with nature, with the animals and the poetry and emotion with which it’s depicted reads like a love letter to our world.
I couldn’t stop reading this book. I couldn’t stop reading it even when I was so sure I would never like Pike. I couldn’t stop reading it even I thought I would miss the elemental witches from her first book. I couldn’t stop reading it even when it utterly broke my heart and the tears were flowing faster than I could wipe them off.
Being immersed in this kind of magic as if it were a natural part of our contemporary lives was both heart opening and comforting. I can’t wait to read Griffin’s next book.

"Wild is the Witch" felt so real. From the breathless descriptions of the settings to the real life conflicts and changing feelings of the two protagonists, I felt like I was there. Kudos to Rachel Griffin for giving us all of the feels and taking us on a magical vacation. Can't wait for the next saga.

Thank you to the publisher for the Netgalley!

Honestly Rachel Griffin is the new YA witchy author that we all need in our lives.
Her writing is phenomenal and she writes such atmospheric books.

Wild is the Witch is a enemies to lovers with witches and an owl that loves to cause trouble for poor Iris.
At first I thought there is no way that Pike will be likeable. But nope Griffin wrote his Arc so well that I was blushing over Pike halfway through.

The most interesting part of the whole book is the way she created a whole new way witches are either created or born. A whole new way witches access magic and use it. It was so bound in Mother Nature and this whole book was like a warm hug in the forest with the scent of pine and a hot cocoa. That cozy!

Definitely an auto-buy author. Will definitely recommend this to everyone!
5/5 sparkly stars when you close your eyes 🤩

Most people think magic is created, that it goes from nonexistence to existence in the span of a moment. That isn't true.
Magic is always present, always close. It exist 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, its the existence of it in the first place that is
-Wild of the Witch

Haunted by her past, Iris Gray and her mother decided to move places and have a fresh start,together they run a wildlife refuge (both of them are witches, and their magics are connected to animals)

Under a weird circumstances, Iris found herself wandering in the woods along with Pike (who happened to hate the existence of witches) to chase after an owl.

Wild is the Witch is a contemporary fantasy novel which can easily capture the heart of readers.
It has the elements of nature, witches, cozy setting and what I loved most about the whole book, the author also focuses on mental health issues (anxiety and trauma), plus it has enemies-to-lovers trope and a thrilling adventure in the woods

“You’re strange and surprising, and I’m endlessly curious about the things that take up space in your mind.”
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If you also loved The Nature of Witches you will adore Rachel Griffin’s newest book, Wild Is the Witch. She is the queen of magical realism & thing nature into magic. Urban fantasy done perfectly. I just cannot get enough of her writing style & find myself so thoroughly immersed in her book worlds that I get lost in them in the best of ways.

Read if you like:
•Witchy books
•Animals but especially owls & wolves
•The Pacific Northwest
•Curses
•Enemies to lovers trope
.
Coming it at 320 pages of absolute delight, you won’t want to miss this one when it’s published on August 2, 2022!
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Thank you so much to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Fire for the eARC!

I am truly convinced at this point that everything Rachel Griffin writes is perfect. As a fan of her debut novel, The Nature of Witches, her newest novel is no exception.

Wild is the Witch is a fantastic adventure with strong themes on nature, love, and self-love. The forest setting that takes up the majority of the story is magical and well-developed. It is so immersive that, as a reader, I easily was able to find myself lost in.

Iris and Pike are phenomenally developed characters. Both complex and self-reliant, the reader is able to easily fall in love with them individually and as a pair. Their journey together through the forest to retrieve an important owl from their refuge allows them to grow individually, together, and through their grief.

Truly, this novel is absolutely magical and deserves a read. I highly recommend it. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a previous ARC for my review.

Wild Is the Witch is a wonderful book! Iris has learned to deal with her turbulent adolescent emotions by writing them into spells which she releases to the Universe to deal with. Unfortunately, an owl steals one of her spells and threatens everything she holds dear.

This book had amazingly realistic characters and great situations. I think it will appeal to lovers of magic, young adult adventure, and anyone who enjoys a great tale in nature. I loved it and read her previous book right away! I will definitely be reading any future books by Rachel Griffin.

Thanks to Rachel Griffin and NetGalley for a review copy of this e-book!

Wild is the Witch is an atmospheric, vibrant story following Iris Gray in her attempt to find the owl that stole a curse she never intended to actually cast on her annoying, but cute coworker Pike Adler.

Rachel Griffin is one of my favorite authors not only because her writing is absolutely gorgeous, but because her characters resonate so well with her readers. Her characters are complicated, they face hardships, they make mistakes and they are so, so real. I love that Rachel combines beautiful imagery with such deep and interesting characters. This novel is female driven with a supporting male role that helps the heroine discover and come to love herself without compromising who she is to “get the guy” in the end.

My heart ached with this book because it deals with so much loss, but also so much forgiveness and love. I will carry this book with me for a very long time and anything Rachel writes you can bet I will buy without a second thought.

As a huge fan of Rachel Griffin's debut novel, The Nature of Witches, I was beyond excited to see where she would take us with her next book. Griffin stayed true to her roots with a book centered around the power of nature and how young people cope with trauma. Wild is the Witch explores grief and anxiety against a magical and ominous backdrop. If you are picking this book up for an introspective new adult romance with a dose of magic and woodland creatures, you are certainly in the right place. I really enjoyed this read and will continue to follow Griffin's career, however Wild did hit home for me in quite the same way at Nature did.

Wild is the Witch takes place in an atmospheric Pacific Northwest forest setting and it was everything I could have asked for and more. Griffin's love for the natural world and her home state shine through this novel with the environment taking on a character of its own. In a similar fashion to Nature, the magic system in this story is closely tied to the natural world, though I did wish we got a deeper dive into the magic system. There were some elements that confused me and some questions I had floating around in my head that I didn't feel were ever answered about how the magic worked.

Iris, our main character, was once again incredible. Griffin writes her leading ladies in a way that feels so vulnerable and authentic. The reader gets a close look at Iris's trauma and anxiety. As someone who also struggles with mental health issues, I felt very connected to Iris and really enjoyed her growth and discoveries about herself throughout the book. Character development is a strong suit of Griffin's and I am certain that we will continue to see main characters with lots of depth come from her works.

Pike is a delightful love interest and his character was so fun to read about. The issue I had with the romance in this story was simply the timing. This book takes place over the course of a few days and I personally prefer a slower burn romance. I have a hard time caring about a couple when their relationship has only had 24 hours to develop. It was sweet but I honestly might have been more invested had it not been romantic and had they just developed a sweet friendship during their adventure.

A few other qualms I had with the book were the timeline and the dialogue. There were points where I did not understand how full days were supposed to have passed with so little movement or action (not to mention meals). As far as dialogue, it just felt stilted and unrealistic at points, like the dialogue was not differentiated from the narrative language and it didn't feel natural. These are things that very easily could change by the time the final version of this book is out in the world.

The adventure and plot of this book were super unique and fun. It was full of many extremely memorable moments and my new favorite trope: only one tent. The premise of this story sounded so exciting and fresh, and Griffen certainly delivered on that front. I loved the idea of an owl carrying off a curse and two people going on a backpacking adventure to track it down. I also really enjoyed that these characters were college aged. I think that was a perfect choice for this story and we don't see enough literature for that age range.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to any fan of NA fantasy and/or romance. Rachel Griffin has once again delivered an atmospheric witchy story complete with romance and emotional depth!

Rachel Griffin is a magical writer and I love to escape in the worlds she has created! „The Nature of Witches“ was my favourite book of 2021, so I had high hopes for „Wild is the Witch“. It did not disappoint!
„Wild“ is a beautiful book about finding your place, accepting yourself, overcoming prejudices and most of all, loving nature! I loved to read it. Rachel writes in such a unique way, you simply cannot escape the beauty of her words. She creates atmosphere like no other and I would love to live in a Rachel Griffin book.
Iris Gray is a wonderful protagonist. She is a Witch and has a special connection to animals, from which she can profit working at her mother’s wildlife refuge. Magic is her second skin and she loves it deeply. Iris never sees magic as normal – it is a gift to her, that she cherishes and loves. But the world is cruel and Iris has made some bad experiences, so that she grew to trust nobody and hides the fact that she is a Witch.
Working in the refuge with Pike Alder makes her life complicated, because Pike really doesn’t like Witches. He is a student and wants to become an ornithologist, so working in the refuge helps him to get the experience he needs. Iris and Pike together are a burning mixture, because they can’t stand each other. There is a lot of teasing and you can quickly tell that beneath all the comments, Pike really likes Iris.
When Iris makes a mistake and and owl steals a ure that was meant for Pike (not really for him but more for herself to release some of her anger), Iris must find this owl to prevent the worst from happening. Pike joins her on this adventure and together they have to spent several days in the woods, trying to find the owl.
This journey was so lovely! You culd grasp the deep love for nature that not only Iris but the author as well feel on every single page. I was as if I was there beside Iris and Pike, seeing the woods through their eyes! I really loved the main characters and I could totally understand Iris‘ worries for Pike. He is such a sweet person – the little things he does for Iris and the way he beahves made my heart jump! He ist just adorable. And Iris is a very self-reflective caracter that I loved a lot. She does not want to depend on anybody, she really wants to do everything herself. It was awesome to see her character growth! To achieve her goel she learns that trusting other people is important and that you simply cannot control everything.
Rachels writing style is so beauiful, I could’t put the book down! I devoured it within a day. It ist he little things she captures brilliantly, the silent moments in the wood, the beauty of a smile or the breeze that carries a scent. Honestly, I can’t really put into words how much I loved this book! I connected with Iris from the beginning, because her struggles (even if they have a magical component) are everyday struggles! And the relationship between her and Pike was so sweet! I loved to see it unfurl. There was no haste, just two young people falling for each other.
There aren’t a lot of characters in this book but that is exactly what makes it so special: every character is unique and you can feel the thought Rachel put into everyone. I loved Iris‘ mother Isobel so much! She is such a cool mom and the way she loves the ones surrounding her just made me smile a lot! I also loved the setting, not only in the woods but especially the wildlife refuge! That was absolutely fascinating.
All in all, let me tell you something real: „Wild ist he Witch“ is definitely a new favourite book of mine! I loved everything about it and cannot wait to see what the future holds for Rachel Griffin!

Wild is the Witch broke my heart and put it back together, all in the span of one afternoon.

Iris is starting a new life with her mom, after an incident with her best friend. When one of her co-workers becomes vocal about his dislike for witches, Iris panics. When a ritual her grandmother taught her goes wrong she ends up unleashing a curse onto Pike, the coworker.

I devoured this book in one sitting, and couldn’t put it down. I was completely consumed by this world, feeling like I was right along side Iris as she goes on her journey. This book has a soft little romance story (and even just one tent *internal screams*)! But it was also so much more, Iris embarks on a mission to help reverse the curse but instead discovers so much more along the way.