Reviews with content warning for Cancer - Wild is the Witch

I loved Rachel Griffin's previous book: there's something about witches and general natural setting being used as the source of their power. I just love witches that derive their powers from flora and fauna, seasons, weather, etc. This one just didn't hit the mark as well as her first book. I felt less of the magic in this one and more of the relationship tension between the main character and her love interest and more focus on her internal conflict with herself. Which honestly would be fine and all, but I couldn't really connect to the love interest or read much chemistry between them. Rachel Griffin's prose and description of the setting is beautiful as always, making me want to take a vacation out to the PNW. But the characters just didn't vibe well with me.

Content Warnings

cheryl_gager's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I did like the story and the atmosphere was great. The magic system was interesting and really drew me in, I wanted to explore more of it, just like with The nature of witches, which shows how good Rachel Griffin is at writing magic into normal, contemporary settings. Though I liked how the relationship between Iris and Pike developed, I had a hard time with how it started. For most of the book Pike seemed like a really sweet and funny side with a touch of sarcasm, however at the beginning of the book there were times when he was fairly rude to Iris for no reason other than it seeming he had a problem with her mum owning the animal refuge and Iris having a job there without going to college. This made it slightly jarring when having to see him be something which shows no hint of the guy at the start. Now I get that they needed to have a conflict in order for Iris to curse him, but I feel like not enough time passed for him to have switched personalities like that. Overall, this was an easy and enjoyable read, but just nothing I would rave bout or remember in a few days time.

Content Warnings

czoltak's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

martin27's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

If you’re going into this book expecting a masterpiece of literature, you’ll probably find yourself a bit disappointed, but if you’re looking for a lot of classic YA tropes all in one place, it’s perfect. The world building is a pretty weak, and the resolution is very rushed, but the prose is extremely pretty and Pike and Iris have a lot of great banter. It’s very fast-paced— I read the whole book in one day, and the main action all takes place in under a week. It’s a great read for anyone who feels most at home in the woods at dusk, loves sarcasm, and is looking for a book where the love interest is more of a nerd than a leading man.

The side characters play basically no role in this book because so much of it is about Pike and Iris on their quest to capture the owl, but when they do show up, they’re delightful. Especially Iris’s mom.

Content Warnings

snapdrag_n's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Content Warnings

clairew97's review

Go to review page

funny lighthearted tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

tkatt20's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

After reading The Nature of Witches, I had a feeling that Rachel Griffin would become one of my auto-buy authors, and this book solidified that. Griffin continues to craft the most unique and wonderful magic systems, expertly weaving it into a story full of love, hope, growth, and heartbreak. I genuinely am at a loss for words to express how much I loved this story. Just trust me when I say that you will not regret reading this.

Content Warnings

betweentheshelves's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Atmospheric, witchy, and such a quick read! You get pulled in from the beginning, and the plot overall is pretty fast-paced. I basically almost read the entire book in one sitting! I enjoyed the way that the relationship evolved throughout the book; it felt realistic and believable. And not too heavy on the romance, which I especially appreciated.

The magic system was interesting, I just wish we got to see a bit more of it? We get bits and pieces throughout, I think I just wanted a little more magic. Give me more books set in this world because I'd love to see the different ways witches use magic. Maybe we'll get something in the future!

Content Warnings

More...