Early Review – Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: August 2, 2022
ASIN: B09HYV2JDR
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eGalley from NetGalley
Rating: 4/5 stars
“After a night of magic turns deadly, Iris Gray vows to never let another person learn she’s a witch. It doesn’t matter that the Witches’ Council found her innocent or that her magic was once viewed as a marvel—that night on the lake changed everything. Now settled in Washington, Iris hides who she really is and vents her frustrations by writing curses she never intends to cast. And while she loves working at the wildlife refuge she runs with her mother, she loathes Pike Alder, the witch-hating aspiring ornithologist who interns with them.
When Pike makes a particularly hurtful comment, Iris concocts a cruel curse for him. But just as she’s about to dispel it, an owl swoops down and steals the curse before flying far away from the refuge. The owl is a powerful amplifier, and if it dies, Iris’s dark spell will be unleashed not only on Pike but on everyone in the region.
Forced to work together, Iris and Pike trek through the wilderness in search of the bird that could cost Pike his life. But Pike doesn’t know the truth, and as more dangers arise in the woods, Iris must decide how far she’s willing to go to keep her secrets safe.”
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this book through NetGalley to review.
Thoughts: I read this in pretty much one sitting. This is a well done novel in a modern day world where witches have become part of normal society but are still shunned by some. The story focuses on Iris. Iris and her mother were forced to flee their old home when Iris was involved in a magic accident. They now make their living working in a nature sanctuary.
When Iris accidentally releases a curse that could hurt the sanctuary’s intern, she is forced to chase down the animal the curse accidentally bound to. The intern, Pike, accompanies her and things get a bit out of control.
This was a simple story about magic, family, animals, and love. It’s a quick read and there is a cute love story in here. Most of the story focuses on Iris becoming more comfortable with her magic and on her relationship with Pike. This is very much a traditional YA paranormal love story.
The writing is beautifully done, with amazing descriptions and the characters are decent. I didn’t love the characters here but they were well enough done that I was rooting for them to work things out. I liked the subtle way magic is woven into the world and story.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. It is a simple and engaging story about magic. The description was well done and the romance is sweet and touching. This was a quick and engaging read that I enjoyed. I would recommend it to those who enjoy YA paranormal romance about witches.
