Wild is the Witch Published by Sourcebooks Fire by Rachel Griffin
on August 2, 2022
Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, Witches, Romance, YA
Pages: 320
Source: Netgalley
Format: ARC, eBook
Find the Author: Website, Twitter, Goodreads
Also by this author: The Nature of Witches
Find the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
ISBN: 1728229456
Rating:
When eighteen-year-old witch Iris Gray accidentally enacts a curse that could have dire consequences, she must team up with a boy who hates witches to make sure her magic isn't unleashed on the world.
Iris Gray knows witches aren't welcome in most towns. When she was forced to leave her last home, she left behind a father who was no longer willing to start over. And while the Witches' Council was lenient in their punishment, Iris knows they're keeping tabs on her. Now settled in Washington, Iris never lets anyone see who she really is; instead, she vents her frustrations by writing curses she never intends to cast. Otherwise, she spends her days at the wildlife refuge which would be the perfect job if not for Pike Alder, the witch-hating aspiring ornithologist who interns with them.
Iris concocts the perfect curse for Pike: one that will turn him into a witch. But just as she's about to dispel it, a bird swoops down and steals the curse before flying away. If the bird dies, the curse will be unleashed―and the bird is a powerful amplifier, and unleashing the curse would turn not just Pike, but everyone in the region, into a witch.
New witches have no idea how to control their magic and the consequences would be dire. And the Witches' Council does not look kindly on multiple offenses; if they found out, Iris could be stripped of her magic for good. Iris begs Pike to help her track the bird, and they set out on a trek through the Pacific Northwest looking for a single bird that could destroy everything.
My goodness this book took me on a ride!
At the first, I completely fell in love with the heart of this story; young witch who went through a terrible trauma with her best friend, then her life basically crumbles and now she’s starting over with her mother in the Pacific Northwest.
That sums it up. But, my gosh, there’s so much more here. In the beginning, Iris (previously mentioned witch) is running an animal sanctuary/refuge in the Foggy Mountain Wildlife Range. Pike, who interns with them is just annoying. And Iris pretty much hates him from day one. They have very little in common, and neither take the other seriously.
Pike also doesn’t know Iris is a witch–but has no problem talking about how much he doesn’t like witches. And although he has his reasons–that Iris has no knowledge of–she takes this as a threat, given everything she’s been through.
So she deals with her anxiety over Pike’s presence the way her grandmother taught her–she curses him. Except, it’s not really a curse because she always releases it into the earth–the way her grandma taught her. It’s more cathartic that anything. But then… Something goes wrong and the curse becomes dangerous for Pike.
The whole ambiance of this story is dark and mysterious. This is a perfect fall read for those wanting something a little spooky, a little thrilling, and a little bit romantic. Because nothing says romance like a curse, right?
But, seriously, it worked. The whole story worked. And I absolutely love the way the author wrote this supernatural world and its inhabitants.
About Rachel Griffin
Rachel Griffin writes young adult novels inspired by the magic of the world around her. She is the New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Witches and the forthcoming Wild is the Witch, releasing from Sourcebooks Fire in summer 2022.
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Rachel has a deep love of nature, from the mountains to the ocean and all the towering evergreens in between. She adores moody skies and thunderstorms, and hopes more vampires settle down in her beloved state of Washington.
On her path to writing novels, Rachel graduated from Seattle University with a Bachelor of Science in diagnostic ultrasound. She worked in healthcare for five years and taught ultrasound at her alma mater before making the switch to a small startup. She has been mentoring in Pitch Wars since 2017 and now writes full-time from her home in the Seattle area.
When she isn’t writing, you can find her wandering the PNW, reading by the fire, or drinking copious amounts of coffee and tea. She lives with her husband, small dog, and growing collection of houseplants.
I love seeing curses in a romance, there is something about them that just builds on the intrigue of it that works so well combined with a romance.
Great review! Happy reading!
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I’m so glad to hear you loved this one, I’m hoping to read it soon with the upcoming ~spooky~ season, it feels like it’ll be the perfect read!
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