If you are looking for a witchy/paranormal book without the spooky or scary element, this is it. It has all the atmosphere, magical vibes, and the forest setting that I always look for in my fall reads. It’s a quick read, perfect for an afternoon. I loved the setting and the little bits of magic that we got to see, but would have loved it if there was just a little more.

Overall, I enjoyed it and look forward to more of Griffin’s writing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, and Rachel Griffin for the e-arc of Wild is the Witch in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first read by Rachel Griffin and while I wasn't fully impressed, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fast paced witchy book, an emotional story, and atmospheric PNW vibes! Iris and Pike can't stand each other, but when her curse goes wrong, the two of them set off on an adventure to save an owl, Pike, and possibly the fates of the entire region. The ending of the book was good and the point of "the truth shall set you free" was absolutely proven. I felt that everything fell into sync and came together so well in the end and I loved how the magic system was written.

It was full of slow burning romance, sweet interactions and unstated suspense that made me keep flipping the pages. In Wild Is The Witch, Griffin puts her individual spin on the enemies to lovers (kind of) trope and gives you all the warm fuzzies by its final pages.

Going in, I kind of expected something different but also, I’m not at all mad that it isn’t what I thought it would be because I really enjoyed what it turned out to be. The two main characters are at odds with each other over pretty much everything for the first few hundred pages. Iris is the perfect prickly protagonist while Pike is just kind of obnoxious but in that ‘drive you mad but also endearing’ kind of way. Once they’re forced together by an owl called McGuffin (I see what you did there and I thoroughly approve of literary jokes), all bets are off.

While not usually a fan of romance and fluff, it was a good change from my usual reading. But also, as was evident in The Nature of Witches, it was a sort of commentary on environmental conservation in the form of a young adult novel. Is it OTT? No, but it’s just enough to realise what the author is attempting to accomplish. This novel also, in part, dabbles on broaching the subject of consent, subject matter that is so important in this day and age.

I have to also mention the excellent world building in Wild is the Witch. While not familiar with craggy mountains or lush forests myself, the way in which the story of Pike and Iris is told left me wanting to go adventuring – I literally hated camping as a kid and for a good day or two after finishing this one was contemplating packing up for the weekend and heading our into the nearest national park.

Overall, it was a very beautifully written and engaging novel, firmly depositing Rachel Griffin as a must buy author for me. With its lush scenery and enemies to lovers plotline, it’s the perfect weekend read. The fact it has some real magic as well as some romantic makes it a favourite of mine for this year.

Iris Gray keeps the fact that she is a witch a secret. She and her mother had to leave behind their last home after Iris was involved in a spell gone wrong. Now the Witches' Council is keeping tabs on her closely and Iris doesn't want to destroy her mother's newfound happiness. So when her coworker, Pike, threatens their happiness Iris casts a spell she thinks will be perfect for him, but it ends up going horribly wrong and only she can fix it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had so many good elements and I enjoyed the chemistry between Pike and Iris. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I’m very quickly becoming a big Rachel Griffin fan! I absolutely love the way her magic systems are so closely tied to nature. Just like in The Nature of Witches, this book was very atmospheric. The entire time I felt just like I was in the middle of a forest in the PNW.

This was a pretty quick read, and I thought Iris and Pike had a really lovely relationship. The more they had to work together, the more they had to reveal about themselves and let the other in. The mutual respect and forgiveness they were each able to find for each other was very special.

A perfect cozy read for a rainy day!

Witches are a known part of life, but Iris knows that they aren’t always welcome, she isn’t always welcome. After being forced to leave her home, Iris has kept to herself, not wanting anyone to see who she really is. When Pike, an intern who she works with, mentions hating witches, Iris can’t let it go. Following her grandmother’s words, she creates a curse to get rid of her feelings about it, but right as she is going to dispel an owl swoops in and steals it. Now she has to find the owl before he dies and the curse is unleashed. To do this, she has to work with the very individual she was trying to curse, Pike.

This isn’t what I was expecting when I picked this up, but I enjoyed this fast-paced ride.

Part of what caught me off guard about this book is how it really felt like a contemporary book. There was some witchy things and enough mentions of it that I didn’t completely forget it was a thing, but I did fully expect more throughout this.

I loved seeing Iris’ magic with the animals and how that worked with them. The connection she could form between them to help them was wonderful. I would have loved to see that go a little more in depth, but I did love what we got to see.

I also would have loved seeing how other powers worked as well and just a little more world-building in general. The witches seem to have a whole system in place that we hear about, but never really get to see or experience. I think that would have been nice or even a sequel/companion that kind of expands on this world.

On the flip side, for me, the lightness of it really helped me get into it and dive back into fantasy worlds. So, if that is something you are looking for, give this book a shot! It could be exactly what you need to start getting back into that.

The romance wasn’t something that worked for me. Iris and Pike didn’t click for me which is a shame as their romance is the focus of this book. The book became more about forcing them together. They did have a lot of conversations, so it was nice to see how their opinions of one another changed instead of being told, but I don’t feel like they really had any chemistry. I would have loved to see more focus on world building than their romance.

Wild is the Witch is a book that I did have fun with, but do to the lack of world building and the focus on a romance that didn’t work for me, this isn’t going to be a book that sticks with me for long. It is fast-paced and a light fantasy, so if you are having trouble getting back into fantasy novels, this could be a good place to start.

#ifthennextreadbooks Showcase Series:

IF you like watching Fate: The Winx Saga on NETFLIX …..
THEN you might enjoy reading Rachel Griffin’s books!

Her first release THE NATURE OF WITCHES was featured right here previously on The Erudite Bibliophile with Wanderlust, and her latest release WILD IS THE WITCH was just published in August. Although both are listed as YA , this latest release felt more so upon reading. When starting to watch Fate: The Winx Saga, I actually looked back on Rachel’s Insta to see if it had been based on THE NATURE OF WITCHES and I had possibly just missed seeing that connection previously — that is how alike and similar they felt! Although I didn’t find that connection, it made Griffin’s books the perfect fit for the next #ifthennextreadbooks showcase series!

This was a wild and unbelievably wonderful story about a young witch who can communicate with animals - definitely one thing I really wish I could do in my own life. This story is atmospheric and highly emotional - it's a story of dealing with your emotions and finding yourself in the process. I loved the enemies to lovers story between Iris and Pike, I am a sucker for an enemies to lovers trope. I also loved their adventure in nature to find the enchanted owl and stop the curse from happening. A truly beautiful, romantic and utterly magical story.

Words cannot express how much I loved this book. I picked it up and could not put it down. I literally devoured it in one day. From the concept, the characters and the way the story builds up, I found myself wrapped up in the world that Griffin has created with this one. I loved the dynamics and the depth of the way the witches are done in the story and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.

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.