Rachel Griffin

4.0⭐

Tana is part of a coven of witches that weakens their magic on purpose to avoid persecution. To finalize the coexistence of witches and ordinary people, she is to marry the governor's son. She is at peace with her sacrifice, content with the path laid out for her. However, her world takes an unexpected turn when a fatal mistake, a twist of fate, reveals to her an alternate life—one brimming with powerful magic and the freedom to make her own choices.

I expected a book with an arranged marriage and forbidden love to be full of YA drama, but instead, I got a simple yet enchanting story. The story is one of a dilemma between sacrificing your happiness for the sake of your people or allowing yourself to be selfish when it comes to your own future. I liked that Tana wasn't someone who was initially rebelling on the idea and tried to escape it, but rather tried to find the best in the situation. Neither is her future husband made into a villain.

The story wasn't a complex one. We don't even get many characters involved. It focused on what was important and any secondary information was omitted. Like we have an island and then what seems to be one city and that's it. But we don't really need to know what more is out there.

The focus of the book, therefore, is on the characters and their relationships as well as on the magic and its connection to nature.

I can recommend this book to anyone who wants something simple and sweet.… (mais)

Iris is propelled by a mix of guilt and sadness after her best friend accidentally kills her boyfriend during a ritual gone terribly wrong. That event fractured her parents' marriage, resulting in her now living far from Nebraska, in the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. She and Mom manage a wildlife refuge where they use their magic to help injured birds and animals heal. Pike, an intern volunteering at the refuge annoys the heck out of her. She thinks him arrogant and a know it all.
Iris' late grandmother taught her a most unorthodox stress management tool, that of creating spells and then directing them into herbs that she burns instead of casting them. It's a pretty complicated stress management tool, but so far it has worked.
After her patience with Pike grows too thin, she creates a spell that could turn him into a warlock. When she tries destroying it, an injured and endangered owl swoops down and absorbs the spell.
The latter part of the story is a blend of her and Pike dancing around hidden feelings, trying to rescue the owl who has flown deeper into the old growth forest, plus her trying to figure out how to destroy the spell without Pike learning about it, or being harmed. The author does a masterful job of keeping readers on the edge of their seats while all this takes place.… (mais)

I have to say that this book is stunning. From start to finish. There are not many books that I receive arcs of that I actually go out and buy hardcover but this is on my shelves and it is stunning. In a world where witchcraft is to the season, she was born in. Clara was born an Everwitch and is now able to use the magic of all seasons which is very rare. With such magical ability comes the power that is immeasurable and hungry seeing as if Clara doesn’t control her powers, they tend to go after the ones she loves most. The solar eclipse is fast approaching and all witches are required by law to flee the path of totality, for being in the eclipse’s path will strip a witch of her powers permanently. If Clara can’t find a way to get her powers under control before the eclipse arrives, she has vowed to strip her powers to prevent hurting anyone else she loves.

That is all I am giving away from the story. I think. Now it’s time for some honesty. I don’t read enough YA to be a professional in this genre but I can tell you that I really did enjoy this. I am hoping that there might be a book two. I loved the magic in this book and thought it was a very unique take. The nature and weather that the author ties into each season in the book are just simply beautiful. I also loved that the author had a bisexual main character and managed to write it without it being complicated or questioned or over-explained or rationalized. There is so much beautiful character growth in this novel. There are not enough novels that express that love is love no matter who you chose to love. . Griffin elegantly explores risk and trust and believing in yourself. This was just an outstanding feel-good read. Thank you NetGalley for my arc I am truly sorry for my delay.
… (mais)