[A quick note: This is the second book by this author. The two are unrelated and stand alone. In fact, I don’t think they’re even set in the same world, even though both are set in alternative reality where witches live among us and are recognized, even celebrated. I can tell this author’s writing and storytelling has improved. I love seeing an author grow!]
“𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝. 𝐈𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐳𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡.”—Rachel Griffin
Having read Nature of Witches, I was really looking forward to this one. It didn’t disappoint! In fact, I enjoyed it more! The writing was lovely, full of nature, wildlife, and the essence of the Pacific Northwest. Even though it takes place in spring, it had a autumnal feel to it with its witchy vibes and the ominous curse lurking just over the horizon. I found myself highlighting so many passages. Plus, the storyline was a forced-proximity romance so, what could go wrong?!
“𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝.”—Rachel Griffin
Iris is a witch who has an affinity for animals. When she accidentally releases a rogue curse into the world, it’s swallowed up by a spotted owl. Now she must track the owl and remove the curse. The only problem? Pike Alder is the boy she intended to curse, and he’s stuck with her, traipsing through the wilderness.
This was a short read. Very easy to get through. It flowed effortlessly. There was an elegance to it I appreciated. The plot was simplistic, but that’s okay. I wanted something light and easy. Being YA, I expected well-executed character arcs. It delivered. The growth between Iris and Pike’s characters was clear. Iris suffers a tragic event in her past that dictates all her choices. Pike, likewise, suffers a tragic event in his past that prejudices him towards witches. CUE THE TENSION!!! They must both come together and work through their flaws. It’s pretty “by-the-book” in terms of execution. This made for a cleanly crafted story.
The only negative I felt was in regards to Iris’s character flaws. She blatantly lies about several things towards the end of the story, when she was given the opportunity to come clean. I’m someone who disdains lying, so when characters do it, especially in dire circumstances, I cringe. It’s not a feel-good thing for me. Ultimately, that is why I didn’t give this all the stars. I know this was technically part of her arc, but when I experience this yucky feeling, it takes my enjoyment down. But overall, a charming, enjoyable read. 𝐌𝐘 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝟒.𝟓/𝟓⭐️