I really thought I would enjoy this book, but I was bored by the entire story and very tempted to DNF it. The story itself was very easy to follow, but the FMC had a very bad tendency to over stress about everything. I think it was designed to build stakes within the story, but it became overkill.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rachel Griffin did it again! Wild is the Witch is the perfect book to cozy up on the couch with on a rainy day. The writing is incredibly atmospheric and transports you right into the magical world. I love the fast paced storytelling. It had my attention from page one till it the end. All in all this book was done beautifully.

I have been so excited for this book and it didn’t disappoint! Rachel did suck an amazing job with her first book that I had to read her second book. They are both stand alone and this one was a good break from what I’ve been reading lately.

It gave such cozy vibes while reading it I just wanted to stay home and devour it. But alas I had to adult and parent and what not.

Iris character was very likable, she was purely human and showed that we all make mistakes. The thing that separates us all is who is willing to take accountability for those mistakes. I really liked that she as willing to do everything to make up for those bad choices. I also really appreciated her anxiety and her panic. As someone that has anxiety and panic attacks, I liked being able to see characters experience this and how real it was written. I found myself having to take a few deep breaths as I got tense reading how her anxiety took over.

Pikes character was the best because he wasn’t written as a cliché. He was the nerdy guy who was so unapologetic and cared without being all in your face about it. He was observant and tries to make Iris less anxious without asking questions or telling her what he was doing. He was the support everyone needs that experience anxiety.

Iris and Pike were inevitable I saw that immediately but it was enjoyable to see what they had to go through to lead up to the trust and comfortability.

I unexpectedly fell in love with The Nature of Witches so I had high hopes for this companion novel and as you can see, it fell short. From the start, I felt disconnected from Iris, a witch who's been hiding her abilities after her and her mom have started over in a new town, away from their magical community. She "accidentally" curses a boy her age named Pike, a co-worker who seems to hate witches, and the whole plot is about how she gets him to help her track a bird to reverse the curse (while lying to him about why, naturally). Predictably it was just a series of things blowing up in her face (starting with the accidental cursing) but I just wasn't thrilled with the direction of the story or the ending and I honestly felt kind of bored with it all.

Wild is the Witch is a fast-paced, dark, magical, YA novel. All the characters in the story added so much to the plot and I really enjoyed the journey that Iris and Pike have to go on to save the realm. The world building and the witchy vibes were immaculate!

truly nothing better than a witchy, autumnal vibes book for these darkening mid-october days. idk about you guys, but toronto is getting dark quickly in the evenings, and while i’m missing the long days of summer, there’s something special about rushing home to curl up with tea & a good book at the end of the work day.

speaking of good books, last month i read rachel griffin’s sophomore ya novel ‘wild is the witch’ and let me tell you this book is awesome. we follow a young witch named iris who knows her magic isn’t welcome in most towns, and keeps is secret from those around her. but she has lots to fill her time, between working at the wildlife refuge with her mum and writing curses she never intends to cast. her days would be perfect if not for pike, the witch-hating intern at the refuge she has to spend her days with. when a curse to turn him into a witch goes very wrong, the unlikely pair has to track an owl in the woods outside of town, lest the curse lead to repercussions neither iris nor pike are ready to deal with.

this book had just the perfect amount of intrigue blended with magic & romance & beautiful setting descriptions. honestly read this for the setting alone — it made me miss the pnw greatly!

This was a fast paced, magical, YA novel. The relationship was believable and I liked the characters together. The mom was my favorite, actually, but the owl was also pretty cool.

The magic system was unique enough to keep me interested, even though I’d have liked to see more of it. The MC was very much a YA character in that she often reacted, rather than planned. It was done in a way that didn’t make you cringe, however.

It has some great tropes and a fantastic setting. I’m ready to head back to Washington to relive the scenery!

Griffin has done it again! I loved this book and couldn't get enough. It has a great story, an immersive world and characters you care so much about.

Iris wanted to move on from the past experience she had had. She didn't do anything. That's why she would always take precautions when writing a spell.

When this young witch couldn't handle her frustrations toward their aspiring ornithologist intern, Pike, she wrote a curse that would make him a witch.

The bad part: before Iris had a chance to dispel it, a bird suddenly swooped down and stole the curse.

Iris needed to haunt that owl because if the curse was released, not only would Pike be a witch, but everyone in the region would be. She has no choice but to ask for help from none other than the guy who intended the curse and who hated witches in the first place.

It's been awhile since I read a fantasy romance story that really caught my interest. Although this was a slow pace at the beginning, I enjoyed the time of Iris and Pike in the wilderness looking for the owl. I didn't expect the outcome near the end, yet it was understandable. I wished, though, that there were more action scenes, but all in all, this is a good YA read too.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley, for the ARC.

I am devouring witchy books at the moment and I love the diversity within the genre. I had no idea what to expect from this book but the cover suggested a nature theme and that was very intriguing for me.

Iris and her mother have fled their home after the Witches Council let Iris off with a lenient punishment, following a tragic incident. Their days are now spent hiding their powers and running a popular wildlife refuge with the help of student ornithologist Pike Alder. Pike has some questionable views on witches and Iris is tired of his antics, so she creates a curse to turn him into a witch. But the curse is stolen by a rare owl, which quickly flies away. Iris knows the dangers of the curse escaping on the bird’s death, so she must find the owl and protect him. How can she find the owl and keep the powers of the curse under wraps without alerting the Witches’ Council once again?

I love the idea that magic is naturally here and that witches have the ability to see it and use it. The notion that it’s part of nature fits with the vibe of this book and makes it seem like an inevitable, immovable thing. Nature magic seems to have a bigger impact and power, so that helped me really grasp the threat of what would happen, should Iris and Pike be unsuccessful in their mission.

Pike and Iris are always at odds with each other but they have a chemistry that is ideal for an enemies-to-lovers romance. I wasn’t sure that was where the book was heading but I assumed that was the general direction. To be honest, both Iris and Pike come across as a little arrogant and self-centred like normal teenagers, so they are certainly well-suited!

Pike hates witches and the prejudice that he holds is typical of the majority of society within this book. A horrible tragedy is behind his reasoning but he speaks like any other bigot in terms that allude to the idea that all witches are bad. I wasn’t sure that Pike could have the redemption arc that he got because of his strong, fixed, emotionally-charged views on people like Iris but perhaps she is the reason for his softening.

The romance is a slow-burner, which was great fun to watch. I think that Pike has always been interested in Iris but perhaps neither of them really recognised it. The most important thing for Iris is being seen and understood for who she really is and Pike shows that he can do that in tiny, thoughtful ways that warmed my heart.

Wild Is The Witch is a tense, interesting witch book with a gorgeous setting and beautiful magic system. If the book had been longer, there would have been scope to develop the characters a little more and I’d have been able to get attached easier. However, I loved it for the fun, ethereal, autumnal vibes it gave me.

I loved Griffin's previous witchy novel, but this one was set up much different. It was a completely new-to-me magic system, so it did take me a bit to get settled into the rhythm. But once I did, it was a great read. I love Griffin's writing style and storytelling.

This is the story of Iris, a teenage witch who accidentally cursed her arch nemesis and has to go on a quest to save him. Classis enemies to lovers YA fiction. Its written in a very descriptive and picturesque manner so you really felt like you were in the pacific northwest with these characters.

The only reason for the 3 star review was because I felt like it could have developed more on the story could have continued on. It was just very fast paced plot and then it was done.

I would recommend in you are into YA witches/fantasy and need a quick read


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

I had such high hopes for this book but I ended up being very disappointed. For this to be a book about witches, there really wasn’t any magic or spells. I didn’t really get the world building that I needed…if the world knows about witches and they coexist, how did that happen?

This was really more of a YA romance with a witch as one of the characters than a fantasy book about a witch and magic.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion

I enjoyed this book with its fresh take on a magic system. It was a quick read. 3.5 stars. Thanks to the author and publisher for an egalley.

Yet another book about witches from Rachel Griffin!

I didn’t like this one quite as much as her first book, but i still feel like it was pretty solid, 3.5 rounded up. I’m impressed that she has written two books about witches with COMPLETELY different magic systems, as opposed to revisiting the world of the first.

About the book itself: I feel like it was all a little too “it all worked out ok in the end!” And I really wish there would have been more substantial conflict between the MC, it all kind of happened very quickly? I mean, This book was also a REALLY short read for me, only took me a couple hours to finish.

I liked the magic system and I really enjoyed the main characters connection to animals. I think this world could just use some more fleshing out! Maybe a sequel to improve the worldbuilding

I just couldn't get into this one, which is a shame because it sounds right up my alley but I think I'm just not into the nature trek books this year.

"Wild is the Witch" by Rachel Griffin is a wonderful YA magical adventure, full of struggles and grit. Wonderful characters, conflicted, good hearted and strong, overcoming great obstacles. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Iris is a young witch that works on a nature preserve with her mother. However she accidently lets loose a curse that his captured by an owl. She needs to get this curse back before it gets to the intended person, Pike, because it could have dire consequences. She and Pike set out to find the owl who is injured. A lot of the book moves very slowly. There is bickering between Iris and Pike --enemies to lovers. It was a cute YA novel.

I loved that this story took place in the PNW. That's always one of my favorite places for a setting of a book.

The magic within the story wasn't really a hit with me. It was such a small part of the book and when I think of a Witch story, I always assume it will be front and center.

As well, the relationship between the 2 teens was fun at first but as the story progressed, it became a bit annoying. Pike was always getting in the way at the last minute and screwing everything up and Ira's inability to communicate the truth added complexity that couldn't be removed. Also Ira did a lot of really dumb things that prolonged the story but just increased my disinterest in the story.

This book gets really high ratings so I'm either on the outside or perhaps I need to step away from some YA books for a bit.

2.5 stars

Wild is the Witch is giving me all the fall feels, and while the temps are currently in the triple digits, I’m going to take all those feels I can get. The imagery is amazing and has me wanting to book the next flight to the PNW. Annnd enemies-to-lovers is kind of one of my favorite troupes, so there’s also that! I also love the message of the power of your words and decisions.