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!

In addition to reading my physical copy, I also listened to an audiobook version of Wild is the Witch sent to me by Recorded Books! Laura Knight Keating’s voice was the perfect fit for Iris’s narration, capturing the highs and lows of the story beautifully. I also really enjoyed the length of this book in audio format, as it was a nice medium-length for listening at work!

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!

First of all THESE BOOK COVERS THO 😍😍 absolutely gorgeous and perfect!!

I thought this book was just as good as The Nature of Witches, one of my favorite books! I love this author so much, and she is definitely an auto buy author for me now. I thought the narrator did a FANTASTIC job and made the book so much fun. I didn't want this to end! Young Adult romance is not a genre I read enough of because it's sooo good!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮:
• "oops one tent"
• a meddling owl
• loath-to-lovers
• forced proximity
• witches & magic
• contemporary fantasy
• absolutely beautiful writing 🖤

✍🏼 𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧: Rachel Griffin
🗓️ 𝙋𝙪𝙗 𝘿𝙖𝙮: 8/2/22
📚 𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: YA Fantasy Romance
⏱️ 𝙇𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝: 8 hrs and 44 mins
🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧: Laura Knight Keating

Thank you RB Media for this ALC!!

If I stay vibes! I loved that book and I love this book. I was not expecting this book at all and I absolutely loved it! It was everything I needed and more. Deff got me out of a reading slump highly recommend

I’m a city girl. I was born in a city and I’ve always lived in a city and I can never see myself living anywhere else. I actually kinda hate nature in real life, if I stay there for too long. But for some reason, I loved the atmosphere of this book, the connection Iris felt with animals, and the fact that it took place in a forest and a wildlife refuge. It all felt very comforting, like the kind of quite life I will never have and I could never bear, but maybe in another timeline, I would’ve been content with.

Wild is the Witch tells the story of a young witch, Iris, who had to move to the Pacific Northwest with her mother 2 years prior because of a tragedy she witnessed, and which stripped her former best friend of her magic. She now lives and works in a wildlife refuge with her mother, and unfortunately that summer has to put up with Pike, an ornithologist in training interning with them. She is so infuriated by him in fact, that she creates a curse for him, even though she never intended to actually cast it. But the curse is stolen by an owl who then escapes, and Iris has to go after it (with Pike, of course) in order to prevent the curse from being unleashed, which would have terrible consequences.
If I had to sum up this plot with 3 words to convince someone to read the book, I’d say “high stakes hike”. It was pretty simple, but I thought the urgency of the situation was conveyed pretty well in the writing and Iris’ inner monologues. I could really feel how dangerous the situation was, both for the environment and the people who would be affected by the curse, but also for Iris herself, who faces major punishment if the Witches’ Council finds out what she did. The situation wasn’t so desperate that it was unbelievable for Iris to think she could deal with the owl by herself, and her mum making Pike go with her was a bit of a stretch, but I’ll forgive it for plot convenience reasons. At the end tho, I really wish we had found out why the owl acted the way it did? Especially with the weird vision of Pike and her on a beach Iris gets when the owl is dying in her arms? That was weird, I didn’t get what that was about.

The romance was cute and I found myself giggling a few times. It was pretty clear their dislike for each other was only surface-level and rooted in appearances and prejudices more than anything, and they fell for each other SUPER quickly once they spent time together (by force). To be fair, they both sound like HUGE nerds, so I wasn’t too mad it happened that fast – and I mean FAST, it took like 2 days for them to go from “pretend hatred” to “imagining a future together”.
Individually, I liked the characters enough. I had some issues with Pike being such a brat to Iris, especially if he actually thought she was cool from the start and impressed by her. Maybe he was intimidated and showed that by annoying her, like a 12 year-old would. Like I said, big nerds. But they had some interesting background and emotional baggage, and it was sweet to see them confide in each other and move on from their past trauma. Iris’ dad choosing his own comfort over his daughter especially hurt.

The ending was satisfying, I wasn’t expecting anything grand and that’s not what I got. Of course, it was pretty convenient that Pike accepts the situation and that Iris doesn’t get stripped of her magic like Amy did, but what else could’ve happened? This wasn’t a tragedy, it was a cute read and I wanted that ending. I was also very glad that Cassandra didn’t turn out to be some evil antagonist with an obsessively strict moral compass who wanted to end Iris no matter what. It was very moving to see her show regrets to what happened to her sister and help Iris as much as she could given the similarity of the situations.

To conclude this review, if you wanna read a cute atmospheric story about witches and their connection with nature with some romance on the side, pick it up – you won’t regret it.
TWs: parental abandonment, some blood, death, cancer

This book was hands down my most anticipated read of this summer. Since I read the synopsis a few months ago, I had wanted so badly to read it. Imagine my joy when my request for an eARC was approved.
This preamble is just to say that my expectations for Wild is the Witch were pretty high and should have affected my final opinion.

The story
Iris is a young witch who after a terrible incident involving her best friend has been forced to move away with her mother, leaving her father and carefreeness behind. Now she is guarded, wary and bound to keep her identity a secret - especially from Pike Alder, the witch-hating, infuriating intern who works with her at her mother's Wildlife Refuge.
When - with the complicity of a mischievous owl - Iris accidentally enacts a curse that could turn not just Pike, but everyone in the region, into a witch, she must unwillingly team up with her nemesis to prevent her magic to be unleashed on the world.

The story is set in a world pretty similar to ours, with the only difference being that it's imbued with magic. In Wild is the Witch, magic is gentle and delicate, working with the universe rather than defying it. It's dew on the skin rather than spectacular fireworks. I loved this concept, but I also felt that the worldbuilding was underdeveloped as well as the whole story.

I enjoyed the ride, but I would have loved to see more magic displays or know more about the witch community. What bothered me the most, though, was the dynamics between Iris and Pike. I love the enemies-to-lovers trope, but it annoyed me how easily, in the beginning, Iris decided she had figured Pike out, without actually knowing anything about him, and then, when she discovered that he was actually "multilayered" (well, color me impressed), how she suddenly felt drawn to him. Despite the sweet moments between them, it all felt a bit too hasty, sketchy and predictable.

My words sound harsher than I intended because, I swear, I enjoyed spending a few days with Iris and Pike in the woods. However, sadly, Wild is the Witch didn't live up to the (admittedly) high expectations I had for it.

Format: Netgalley Audiobook ARC

Rachel Griffin has such a beautiful way with words, and you can really feel the connection with nature and magic in her stories. Wild is the Witch is no exception.
Iris is a witch, and she loves her magic. But after a tragic event involving her best friend, it is a secret she now keeps close to her chest. Which makes it hard when Pike, the annoying intern at her family's wildlife refuge starts saying how much he hates witches. Iris feels unsafe and turns to magic to help her with her feelings. Only an owl gets in the way. What unfolds is a curse gone wrong and Iris and Pike forced to work together to find the owl and reverse the curse, all while Iris tries to keep her secret.

Iris has so much character growth throughout this book, which I loved reading. I love Pike's sarcasm and wit, and the banter between the two had me smiling many times.
The romance is so sweet, like Griffin's other book, The Nature of Witches. It's just heartwarming and gives you all the fuzzy feels.

The narrator did a great job, she embodied the characters perfectly. Thank you to Netgalley and Recorded Books for this advance copy.

I'm going to jump right in and get straight to the point. Wild is the Witch is one of the most beautifully written books that I've read in a long time. Set in the Pacific Northwest, the imagery and descriptions are lyrical and melodic, painting a world saturated with magic and emotion.

I was hooked from the prologue and kept on the edge of my seat throughout the entire read. Rachel Griffin has a knack for writing a character whose innermost thoughts have you resonating with your own, questioning everything, and enjoying every second of the story.

Overall, I gave this book 5 stars. I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts fully into words because I just finished the book 5 minutes ago and am still in that on the edge of my seat mentality.

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. Good on audio and 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!

This is my type of YA - set in the wild nature of the PNW, adventure, hiking, camping, animals, magic, young love.

If I were to critique I would ask for a bit more world building surrounding the magic. It was a bit on the simplistic side.

But all in all, I enjoyed this story!

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the advanced electronic audio review copy of this great book. I enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook version, loved the gorgeous descriptive language, vivid imagery, and a touch of magic (would have loved to see much more of it). Looking forward to seeing what Rachel Griffin writes next.

**Review will be published on my sites/socials August 9th!**

TAKE ME TO THE WILDS.

I was craving a witchy read and this delivered. Wow do I love how atmospheric and moody Griffin is able to create in a setting. I felt like I was out in the wood with Iris and Pike. The vibes are all there to bring about the best things in paranormal reads.

A ridiculous meddling owl caused all sorts of problems leading to an adventure that brought our couple together. There were solid loath to love nods and I definitely felt the initial animosity between Iris and Pike. I liked the development of their relationship and the trust they formed together. And even when things fell apart the admittance of a connection had my heart swelling.

It’s a very fast paced read with the big focus on Iris righting her wrongs. The tumultuous events lead to declarations of feelings and powerful magical moments. I liked the choices made for the story including how the curse was resolved and the relationships in general. There’s great exploration of forgiveness and working through grief too.

All in all, a vivid read filled with perseverance and hope that the sun really will rise in the morning. I love the sense of learning to let go and let be and the many aspects of growing up.

Audiobook notes: I have none! I LOVED the audio and the narration. It was well done and definitely enhanced the story for me.

Overall audience notes:
- YA Paranormal Romance
- Language: a little
- Romance: make-outs
- Violence: medium
- Trigger/Content Warnings: parental divorce mentioned, PTSD & trauma, anxiety, panic attacks, blood & injury depiction, cancer mentioned, fire, animal death and injury

While I usually enjoy witch themed novels, this one just really didn't do much for me. The story wasn't very exciting and I'm not sure would hold the majority of young adults attention.

This book is perfection. A perfect mix of magic and YA romance.
I love the idea that magic is 'accepted' throughout the world. But not exactly embraced by everyone.
I also really enjoyed the magical aspect that there were 3 focuses of magic; human, animal, or elements. That was a really neat aspect.

I'm also a sucker for an enemies turned lovers trope. Iris and Pike 'hate' each other. But in reality, they just misunderstand each other. Iris is a witch. Her father had issues accepting her magic, and he abandoned her and her mom. This left her with all sorts of trust issues. Pike has his own trust issues with magic, which come out later in the book. The world that Rachel Griffin builds is truly a magic in its own and I can't wait to go back and read book one, and I truly look forward to reading book 3 ( ::crosses fingers:: )

Thank you netgalley & RB Media for the ARC audiobook
Thank you, Rachel Griffin for writing this phenomenal book
Thank you, Laura Knight Keating for lending your voice to bring these characters to life!

What a wonderful wild witchy read! I loved this book and hope there is a sequel! Definitely loved this concept and it was different from the typical books i read.

I was already a fan of the author going in, and I was glad to see so many of the things I loved in her previous book in this one as well. The naturalistic and ecological message was clear and present in this story and woven so well into the magic system. The romance was wonderful as was the well-established world building. The setting was the most stand-out factor to me — it was naturalistic and atmospheric, stunning and eerie in turns, and always completely engrossing.

Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin is a young adult contemporary fantasy with a compelling story and well-developed characters. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Laura Knight Keating who did a fantastic job and made it easy to fall into the novel. Between the Griffin's skill with storytelling and Keating's natural narration, I found myself a couple hours into the story on a Sunday night before even realizing it. I can't recommend this one enough, in either book or audio form!

Iris Gray moved to the PNW with her mother to open a wildlife refuge after tragedy struck in their hometown. While witches are known to live alongside those without magic, Iris hides her true nature as one. She loses herself in taking care of the animals and practices her magic alone. It would be a pleasant existence, except for intern Pike Alder, who distrusts witches and makes snide comments without realizing he's speaking to one. When Iris prepares a curse to turn Pike into a mage as an outlet for her frustration, the curse she never intended to cast is accidentally bound to an injured owl and at risk of transforming everyone in the surrounding area. Now, Iris and Pike need to search the wilderness for the owl as Iris desperately tries to keep her secret.

Griffin does an excellent job in weaving so many layers together in a way that feels genuine, heartfelt and engaging without sacrificing any of the other elements or the pace: The adventure of their trek through the woods, the acknowledgement of the magic of the natural world, witches or not, and characters that feel exceptionally real and grounded. Iris deals with anxiety, guilt and the impact of keeping parts of yourself hidden, and Pike is similarly multi-dimensional. The development of Iris and Pike's relationship is lovely and explores the vulnerability inherent in that experience. This is on top of a magic system that is as interesting as it is believable. This is the witchy story of my dreams - I loved it so much and definitely recommend checking it out!

"I want to be known by you. And I'd rather you know all of me and hate me, than only know parts of me and like me."

The cover was an instant attention grabber. Throw in the word 'witch' and I knew I had to read it. It doesn't take too much to make me excited for a novel. I did what I lovingly do best and jumped feet first in fully blind. Fun fact, I did not know this was young adult fiction. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. This was wonderful in audio format and in digital. Adored both!

Iris is a young witch working with her mother rescuing wildlife. In a world where witches are tolerated, she holds her heritage to herself. When Pike, an intern at the refuge, gets under her skin just a little too much and proclaims his dislike of witches, it's too much for Iris. Trigger the bad decision and forced partnership and this little gem journeys at top speed.

I loved the way Griffin crafts the magic and places it into a modern world. The animal refuge setting in Washington blended the different characteristics I love seeing with green/earth witches. The connection to nature and the animals wrapped my heart around the book. I found myself moved along effortlessly by Griffin's writing style as she explores self acceptance, inner strength, preserverance and hope.

I even found myself getting misty-eyed at some of the more heartfelt highlights of the narrative. I had to check my calendar and make sure Aunt Flow wasn't pulling my over-emotional strings with how much this book sucker punched my feels. My only slow down was Iris' reasoning for what started the catalyst. It didn't seem worth the risk of what she could lose. Maybe that's one of the points though. Laura Knight Keating narrates and I think that also had a lot to do with my reaction with the beautiful delivery. I really can't decide which format I enjoyed more.

Definitely one I'd recommend to young adult fiction lovers. Thank you HighBridge Audio for the opportunity to be gifted an ALC from Netgalley!

Quick Summary: Powerful and intense

My Review: Wild is the Witch completely captivated me. It was magical. What made this book so wonderfully enthralling was the emotional arc associated with Iris. Her story was heartbreaking. Even with that, there were glimpses of light that gave cause for hope. Hope for healing. Hope for reconnection with those outside of her mom and her mother's partner. Hope for a future with someone who was willing to see beyond what she was.

Iris and Pike had rather intense feelings for each other from the beginning. They did not like each other. The question became why. What caused Pike to pick and poke with Iris, and why was she so easily irritated with him? All became clear as they went on a search and rescue mission for a beloved friend. That part - the mission - revealed so much. The most beautiful gift or lesson that came from their adventure was how much Iris and Pike were willing to sacrifice for the other. My heart was so affected by a particular extended scene sequence that I literally shed several tears.

My Final Say: I absolutely loved, loved, loved this book! I actually want to encourage the author to keep this couple's story going. Surely, there are more things to come down the line for this these two and for those they care about. Please make it happen. I would be more than happy to support the effort.

* I will be recommending this book to our library system as soon as possible.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: YA to A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status: Clean

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley, who provided an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own.

* A Goodreads review has been posted.

I chose this book to have more recommendations on hand for teen patrons and loved every second of it! Rachel Griffin has written a lovely book full of nature, a bit of magic, and a sweet teen romance. Iris and her mother are both lunars, a type of witch who has powers mainly involving animals. Following an accident involving Iris' best friend misusing magic with tragic consequences, they move to a wildlife refuge in the Pacific northwest to hide from Iris' perceived backlash. When a spell that she has written to burn is stolen by an owl, Iris must work with a witch-hating intern at the center to track down the owl to stop the curse from getting loose. I loved the narrator of this audiobook, particularly her reading of the great interactions between Iris and Pike as they hike through the forest learning more about each other and changing their hate/love relationship. Thank you to RecordedBooks and NetGalley for the early listen and I cannot recommend this book enough.

Rachel Griffin writes such beautiful witchy stories. Wild Is the witch is just as beautiful.
Iris, Pike and a owl that Iris accidentally cursed, go on quite the adventure in this book.
Iris has to fix what she's done wrong or else innocent humans and animals could be hurt.
The way Rachel writes makes you feel like you could be in the forest with the characters.
This book and audiobook is prefect if you've got a young teenage reader in the home to. I'll definitely be letting mine read this one.

Overall 4/ 5