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fpgreviews 's review for:
Witch of the Wolves
by Kaylee Archer
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Cordelia is used to strange supernatural men following her, but when she loses one and informs her aunt, who she lives with, of the details, her aunt tells her they need to flee. It turns out that the man, Bishop, works for her father, the alpha of a werewolf pack. They attempt to flee, but despite their best efforts Cordelia is captured and engaged to Bishop because her father wants a strong male heir. Cracks begin to show in the leadership of the pack, and Cordelia must decide who to trust and put her loyalty in.
So, I did enjoy a lot about this book. It's well-paced, and the worldbuilding is interesting. I kept on thinking that the plot twist would be that female werewolves actually do exist and Cordelia is one, and that didn't happen, so kudos for that. She's genuinely "just" a lycan witch, but she's not actually "just" anything — she's a kickass FMC. Bishop is also a great love interest and a really interesting character. I didn't buy their romance, since the thing that caused their first kiss seemed kind of random, and suddenly they're in love and jumping into bed together, but I guess that is fairly common for the genre.
I unfortunately have major issues with the way the greater-scope villains were presented. I am aware that if you are reading fantasy as a Jewish reader, due to the roots of the genre, you need to be prepared for at least a chance of antisemitism — but wow, there was way more than just a little bit in this book. The villains have a Jewish last name, are literally called a cabal (a word derived from Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism), steal/buy children and entice women to have sex with demons. I appreciate a little more creativity in my villains, honestly, not just copy/paste of blood libel. Did they really have to use such a stereotypically Ashkenazi Jewish last name? Not to mention, it also has aspects of people from the cabal running away and changing their names to assimilate into British society, and taking British lovers. I'm not advocating for censorship here, just sensitivity in a world where Jewish people are expected to assimilate. It's especially problematic since one of the witches from the cabal is forced into a marriage with a gentile. Archer clearly has a creative flair for worldbuilding, and I am hoping that the second book in this duology shows it better.
Witch of the Wolves releases September 30, 2025 from St. Martin’s Griffin. I received an advance reader copy (thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Kaylee Archer), but my review is unbiased.
So, I did enjoy a lot about this book. It's well-paced, and the worldbuilding is interesting. I kept on thinking that the plot twist would be that female werewolves actually do exist and Cordelia is one, and that didn't happen, so kudos for that. She's genuinely "just" a lycan witch, but she's not actually "just" anything — she's a kickass FMC. Bishop is also a great love interest and a really interesting character. I didn't buy their romance, since the thing that caused their first kiss seemed kind of random, and suddenly they're in love and jumping into bed together, but I guess that is fairly common for the genre.
I unfortunately have major issues with the way the greater-scope villains were presented. I am aware that if you are reading fantasy as a Jewish reader, due to the roots of the genre, you need to be prepared for at least a chance of antisemitism — but wow, there was way more than just a little bit in this book. The villains have a Jewish last name, are literally called a cabal (a word derived from Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism), steal/buy children and entice women to have sex with demons. I appreciate a little more creativity in my villains, honestly, not just copy/paste of blood libel. Did they really have to use such a stereotypically Ashkenazi Jewish last name? Not to mention, it also has aspects of people from the cabal running away and changing their names to assimilate into British society, and taking British lovers. I'm not advocating for censorship here, just sensitivity in a world where Jewish people are expected to assimilate. It's especially problematic since one of the witches from the cabal is forced into a marriage with a gentile. Archer clearly has a creative flair for worldbuilding, and I am hoping that the second book in this duology shows it better.
Witch of the Wolves releases September 30, 2025 from St. Martin’s Griffin. I received an advance reader copy (thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Kaylee Archer), but my review is unbiased.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Fatphobia, Torture, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual violence, Trafficking