So I'm rating this book 4 stars, It was a good fantasy and I would probably recommend it to other readers. Just about any fantasy that includes witches and vampires is an automatic yes for me so I knew I was going to have to try out this read.

The story is written from two points of views, Ava, a root witch turned vampire, and Kaye, her old friend who is a flame witch and fight in the Arborren army to keep the vampires out of the city. Following along their journey and watching their growth was really enjoyable for me. The story being complete was something I also really enjoyed since I tend to get lost in rabbit holes known as long series.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated Arcs/reads. A queer retelling of Rapunzel with witches and vampires seems so up my alley, so it was hard for me to just give this three stars. The magic system and world building was really really interesting, but I needed more.

I had a hard time connecting with Ava and Kaye, so their romance also fell short for me. Their set-up for friends to enemies to lovers felt a bit shallow to me. Ava is forced to become a vampire by her mother, so Kaye just jumps to the assumption that she killed her mother? Her bestfriend for her entire life? And then she just helps her search for other vampires? Seems to easy to me. I'd have loved a longer introduction to the world, witches, council, and history of the world in general.

I enjoyed the concept and it was a relatively quick read, but it unfortunately did not meet my internal hype.

This story had both highs an lows. The story is told in Dual POV. In a loose Rapunzel retelling we follow the story of Ava turn vampire and Kaye a very skilled fire witch who used to be best friends. Ava, who has been locked away kept hidden from everyone else in the town, can take no more of being kept weak and tortured by her step father. Ava's one mission is to escape and find the Queen of the vampires to tell her about a nefarious plan, even if her mother might be the one planning it. Kaye has never been the same since the night her mother was murder by a vampire and her best friend disappeared. Kaye's only mission is to find her mother's killer and put an end to them, even if it is her ex-best friend.

I will say that I like the dynamic between Kaye and Ava and the progression of their relationship. It made sense every step of the way. I enjoyed the journal aspect and uncovering the secrets that were being kept. I am a sucker for vampire and witch lore so this book sucked me in quick and kept be entertained throughout.

This was a very good concept for a book but at times I was lost on what was going on and where the story was going. Kaye and Ava did not read as two distinct character and mid chapter I would have to make sure who's POV I was reading. For most this won't be a bother though.

This was a very average read for me, it wasn't terrible but it wasn't fantastic. I would read more by this author.

This was one of my most anticipated YA books of the year, so I was very excited to get the chance to read an arc, Thank you to Netgalley for that.

The Witch and the Vampire is a sapphic retelling of Tangled/Rapunzel.

Ava is our Rapunzel. she is a witch turned vampire who has been locked in her attic by her mother and her horrible stepfather, Zenos. One day the town where she lives is attacked by Vampires from over the wall and her mother is away, Ava seizes the chance for escape and flees her tower.

Kaye is our Flynn. She is a flame witch, one of the brightest in her class despite her mother being labeled a traitor. She is hell bent on protecting the town from Vampires and on confronting and killing the vampire who killed her mother and all signs seem to point to Ava.

They both end up in the forest that night and agree to travel together. Kaye in the hopes of betraying Ava and turning her in and Ava in the hopes of reforging a friendship and explore the romantic feelings she has for Kaye. On the journey they both question the things they thought they knew....

I really liked the world building we got in this book. We got to explore the history of the witches, vampires, and humans and how not everything you learn about history is the actual truth of it. The forest and how it was changed/how the Bone Wall came into being was another really cool piece of the puzzle.

I also really enjoyed the magic of the Flame witches & Root witches and the different ways their powers could be wielded. Another cool aspect was if a witch was turned into a Vampire at the right age frame they got to keep their magic.

Now we come to our main characters! I liked each girls personal journey of growth both in their particular personal lives and as their broader worldviews shifted gradually till we have the Ava and Kaye at the end of the book.
I'm a massive sucker for enemies to lovers so I was all for the romantic journey between them as well and I like them together *Heart eye emojis would go here*

My only slightly negative aspect was the pacing. Some parts felt a little too slow/drawn out but that's just personal opinion.
I did enjoy reading this book and I'd recommend it to anyone wanting a sapphic Rapunzel retelling or just a cool book about witches and vampires.
It was a 3.5 stars for me

I don't really have many thoughts about this book as it was just... okay? A lot of the problems that I have with the novel was that the story was mostly telling and not showing with every aspect so a lot of it just felt a little stale. I think the main characters were really interesting and I would have loved to see their relationship develop more - but also, themselves individually. I found their wants and goals to be told to us, but I don't feel like they really embodied what we were told they wanted. Similarly, I thought the idea of the world and the system behind vampires and witches coexisting was interesting in concept, but a lot of their backgrounds were just told and not really shown. What I did appreciate about this dynamic was the discussion around having a sort of "black and white" thinking and I find the characters to have really grappled with that and I think it was interesting for them to deal with what they have been taught over the course of the book. At the end of the day, I think this novel could have used a couple more rounds of edits to really solidify the bones of what I think could have been a really interesting novel.

DNF @ 60%.

i really could not get into this book. the premise was sooo intriguing but the execution was definitely lacking. i felt the characters weren't very developed and their motivations were ideally strong but didn't feel impassioned. i just didn't feel connected to any aspect of the story, which is a bummer because rapunzel is one of my favorite fairytales and i was so excited for this witchy, vampiric, sapphic twist.

unfortunately just not the book for me.

I had high hopes after seeing the title and cover, but I was really disappointed. This book actually deserves its average rating on Goodreads. This ARC was clearly not ready for release, as certain sections are missing or in the wrong places. There were words that appeared in the middle of phrases, terms that were used incorrectly, and... the end of chapter 13 was a jumbled mess, with one scene ending suddenly and the next sentence beginning in the middle of the action of another. It was an embarrassment to parse. Everything felt predictable and uninteresting, and the writing was juvenile, telling rather than showing. There was also a lack of description and little effort put into worldbuilding, lore, relationships, romance, and stakes. The novel is brief, yet by the 40% mark, very nothing has transpired. Without Ava's knowledge or agreement, her mother manipulates, imprisons, kills, and transforms her into a vampire. The tone of the piece is far too light for the subject matter. Strange racism and the possibility of genocide or the extinction of an entire species lurk beneath the surface, but these themes are treated very...lightly? In what ways can racial and species bias be introduced covertly and never addressed? It's as if the author was trying to cover all the bases while appealing to today's current teen audience.

Definitely not my favorite book, not a huge fan of vampires as a rule of thumb, but otherwise very well done. Queer representation always wins me over in the end.

I ended up DNFing. I felt the writing was poor and I can not support a book with blood libel.

The cover is beautiful though

I liked this queer YA reimagining of Rapunzel. It’s got witches, vampires, a really creepy forest, and lots of secrets! The story has dystopian vibes, but with magic. I thought the magic system was interesting and well thought out, especially how it related to vampires.

I dnf'd this book. The writing is immature and not well done. I could not get into the story at all.

This book definitely delivers on its promise of a slow burn sapphic romance and a world revolving around witches and vampires. The relationship between Ava and Kaye was beautifully written with lots of tension that kept me reading page after page, dying to see them finally get together. Plus there's the added bonus element of the fairy tale retelling (Yes to all the Rapunzel vibes!). I'm definitely ready for the vampire comeback in YA!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2!

Age Range: Young Adult

Genre: Fairytale Retelling, Fantasy, Supernatural Romance

First Read or Reread: First Read
 
I was so excited to receive a Netgalley eArc of this novel that was described as retelling of “Rapunzel” with witches, vampires, and a sapphic enemies to lovers romance. As a lover of fantasy and fairy tale retellings, I knew that I had to read this.
 
TW: Fantasy Violence, Death, Blood/Gore, Forced Imprisonment, Implications of Torture, Toxic Family Dynamics
 
One night two years ago, Ava was turned into a vampire by her mother. Since then, she has been trapped as a prisoner in her own home by a mother who feeds off her and a stepfather who experiments on her. Ava longs to be free and escape.
 
One night two years ago, Kaye lost her mother and her best friend, Ava, to vampires. Since then, Kaye has been training to be powerful witch who suspects that Ava killed her mother. Kaye longs both to be accepted by her fellow witches and to avenge her mother by killing Ava.
 
When a mysterious plot threatens the kingdom, what will happen when the vampire and witch reunite?
 
I enjoyed this twist on the “Rapunzel” tale with vampires and witches, as well as the world building that Flores introduced in this story. This story had so many ups and downs and twists and turns, but I was happy and satisfied with the ending. My heart broke for both Ava and Kaye with their tragic backstories, so I was happy when they developed their relationship and overcame their hardships. I could easily see this as both standalone or the start of a series. This book is appropriate for the young adult audience, but be mindful of the warnings listed above.
 
If you enjoy fairytale retellings, sapphic romance, and a supernatural fantasy setting, then I recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Until the next book 📚

With ARCs I get, I try to read and review them (if I'm going to) by their release date. I almost didn't make it for The Witch and the Vampire. You may have seen this book on my most anticipated reads of 2023 list, so when I got the approval message from Netgalley, I screamed. I loved the cover, and the synopsis had me hooked. I just struggled so much to get into The Witch and the Vampire. The beginning felt really slow and choppy, and I came so close to DNFing. I ended up finishing but it wasn't my favorite read of the year by far.

While this book mentions a lot of death (not graphic depictions but a lot of death happens), it read more on the younger side of YA. I didn't like Kaye and how young her actions/thoughts were. I feel like she is around the age of 16 (could totally be wrong here), but it felt like she was a younger teen/preteen. She was very one dimensional and a tee-total asshole for the majority of the book. Then, she sort of switches about two-thirds of the way through and isn't as controlled by her hatred. It is good character growth, but the switch didn't feel justified.

The plot was confusing. It was in first person present (which I personally find to be jarring), but at points I had no clue what had just happened. I found myself rereading passages to somewhat understand what happened or why the plot took a sharp turn. This really happened when we met Casiopea for the first time and throughout her scenes in the book. I still think I don't fully understand all of what happened.

The bad guys were one dimensional. There wasn't enough evidence given as to why someone committed so many bad actions. All we were really given is this person was good, great even, like we had good interactions with them and nothing alluded to being off. Then all of a sudden, they told us they were bad. The actions leading up to this point in the book don't reflect the words. I feel like this shift in personality was mostly included for shock-value. Also, the reasoning they gave for being bad didn't make sense at all.

I did enjoy Ava as a character. I felt like she was justified and she had a lot of character growth by the end of the novel. But I felt like the ending didn't fit either Ava nor Kaye. It happened and I was like WHAT?! Thinking about it now, I didn't really like most of the characters. They were fairly one-dimensional and didn't have any depth outside of good or bad, vampire or witch. There are a few gems in there though, but they aren't the focus of the majority of the novel.

This is a queer retelling of Rapunzel, but the romance doesn't really give you anything until the later half of the book. Again, Kaye's and Ava's feelings are written more like a light switch. One minute they hate each other, the next they are kissing. This is for the fans of friends to enemies to lovers trope.

Overall, I wasn't the biggest fan of The Witch and the Vampire. While the cover is gorgeous and the plot sounds promising, it just missed the mark for me. I probably would read the next one (if there's a continuation) just so I know what happens. The Witch and the Vampire isn't able to stand on it's own, and I wouldn't mind seeing where it goes just to get some closure.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to and read this book as an ARC.
I normally would not read an FxF book like this one. There are a few triggers that I would suggest knowing about before reading. Mostly murder/death. I loved the cover once it was released. After reading the blurb of the book I was excited to find one of my favorite fairy tales turned into something more. This book didn’t live up to my hopes once finished. I did enjoy the relationship that was formed between Ava and Kaye. There was A LOT of tension which lead to a slow-burn feeling throughout the book. I do love good tension but it was a little too slow and predictable.

I have never read a Rapunzel retelling, but I LOVED it! The world building in this book is great, I loved the romance, I wasn’t confused about the magic system but still felt it was well developed, and I absolutely will be recommending it to friends. Everything about this book was so good, and I’m so glad I picked it up!

This book was amazing! From the romance to the character development, to the world-building everything was so good and so detailed. I loved how Ava and Kaye came to trust each other again even through all their trials. I especially loved the ending and how there is room for a potential sequel (hopefully there will be one). 10/10 was a really good read and a fun time!

4ish stars

This was a fun, supernatural sapphic YA adventure, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It featured two strong female protagonists with alternating perspectives, the magical elements were essential to the plot and character development, and there were some pretty overt fairytale references throughout (ex. Rapunzel). I didn’t necessarily love everything about the ending, but other than that, I really liked the story and will likely be buying a physical copy of the book for my classroom library in the near future.

The Witch and the Vampire is a captivating novel set in an enchanting world. The story is filled with fast-paced action, unexpected twists, and a heartwarming romance that takes center stage. The novel follows the journey of a witch and a vampire as they navigate through a world filled with danger and uncertainty. The characters are well-developed, and their interactions are both intriguing and entertaining. Flores' writing style is engaging and kept me hooked from beginning to end. The plot is well-crafted, and the pacing is just right, making for a truly enjoyable reading experience.

I feel like I should start this review with a little disclaimer: This review is based solely upon my personal reading experience with this story. It is 100% my opinion, please take it with a grain of salt. I am by no means an expert on anything. Further, I would recommend that anyone who finds the publisher's synopsis intriguing, gives this book a shot.

The Witch and the Vampire follows two girls, Ava and Kaye. Ava is a witch and Kaye is a vampire. They're enemies, but it hasn't always been that way. They used to be best friends, but two years ago everything changed. Kaye was turned into a vampire and Ava's mother was killed by a vampire. Kaye, coincidentally, disappeared the very night Ava's mother was killed.

Ava, of course, suspects Kaye, or more closely, she blames her for her mother's death. Ava is now a vampire hunter of sorts, how perfect. On the night of a vampire attack on their town, Kaye flees her mother's home and Ava runs into her. Ava convinces Kaye to travel with her into the forest. She pretends she is helping her, when really her plan is to backstab Kaye and get her revenge.

Obviously, I am simplifying this a bit, but honestly, that's really all I can tell you about the plot.

Let's start with a few positives. The cover is gorgeous. Also, the audiobook is very well narrated. If it weren't for the audiobook, I most likely wouldn't have finished this one.

While this book didn't necessarily do anything wrong, it just wasn't for me. I felt I didn't understand the world at all and it lacked the atmosphere I was hoping for based upon the synopsis and cover.

I also felt it had one note throughout, angst. Everything was angst. There was angst every moment of every page, even though I felt like the stakes were never high enough to justify that. Because of this it lacked the highs and lows and nuance I would normally like to see.

There were no moments of levity and it seemed like the more seriously the book took itself, the less seriously I did. Additionally, all the characters felt one dimensional. I struggled to distinguish between the two girls throughout the entire story.

This is the second book I have read from this author. The first, Diamond City, I felt to be in the good-to-really-good range. I enjoyed the world Flores developed in that one. I found it creative and intriguing. So, while this one fell flat for me, I would be willing to give this author another shot. I definitely wouldn't pick up another story based in this world though.

With all of this being said, as touched upon in my earlier disclaimer, just because I didn't connect with this story doesn't mean that you won't. There's a book for every Reader and a Reader for every book. Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. I truly appreciate it!