[Skye’s Review:] Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin

Wild is the Witch
by Rachel Griffin
Pages: 320
Published by Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: August 2nd 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Urban Fantasy, YA
Source: Publisher
Format Read: ARC

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Witches, comes another high-stakes contemporary fantasy. 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

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Rachel Griffin has a gift. Her writing is more than atmospheric and descriptive; her prose transports you into the woods. She captures nature in its rawest, purest form. The setting is a character in itself. I can’t wait for her to write more books!

Wild is the Witch is a story about Iris, an 18-year-old witch. After she witnesses a horrible tragedy, she and her mom relocate to the Pacific Northwest, where they open a wildlife refuge. Iris constantly thinks of the worst-case scenario for every situation, so she decides the safest course of action is for her and her mom to pretend to be human.

Enter Pike. Pike is the oil to Iris’s water. They clash and bicker at every turn–so much so that Iris creates a curse for Pike. Iris never plans to actually curse Pike; it’s just a way to work through her emotions, but an owl swoops down and bonds with the curse. Now, Iris has to find the owl and remove the curse. If the owl dies before she can remove the curse, Pike will be cursed. Then, to make matters worse, Pike is going with her to hunt down the owl. Will Iris be able to find the owl in time? Will she be able to keep her secret from Pike? You’ll have to read to find out!

Wild is the Witch is a story about learning how to open yourself up to the world after you’ve been burned. It’s a story about vulnerability and hope. You’ll finish this book feeling warm inside with a smile on your face.

If you’re a fan of witches, enemies to lovers, and the one tent trope, then you won’t want to miss out on this book!