About the Book:

Title: The Nature of Witches 

Author: Rachel Griffin 

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: June 1, 2021 

Pages: 362

Genre: YA Fantasy 

Synopsis:

Practical Magic meets Twister in this debut contemporary fantasy standalone about heartbreaking power, the terror of our collapsing atmosphere, and the ways we unknowingly change our fate.

For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, their power from the sun peaking in the season of their birth. But now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch whose rare magic is tied to every season.

In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It’s wild and volatile, and the price of her magic―losing the ones she loves―is too high, despite the need to control the increasingly dangerous weather.

In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she’s the only one who can make a difference.

In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she’s terrified Sang will be the next one she loses.

In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty and the people she loves…before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.

Review:

*I received an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Great debut from author, Rachel Griffin! This book was not only about witches, but it also had a sweet romance, and spoke about some environmental issues in this fictional world.

Every witch in this book, no matter their gender, have their powers based in one season: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. The main character, Clara is an Everwitch, meaning that she has the power of all four seasons and can use them throughout the year. As an Everwitch, Clara is very powerful but she is afraid to wield her power, as she feels that she can’t control it. She wants to help the world that’s been damaged by climate change, but she’s afraid she’ll hurt the ones that she loves. Losing her loved ones has been too high of a price to pay.

In the Autumn she wants nothing to do with her magic. In the Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster and Clara realizes she may be the only one who can help. In the Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch who is training her and helping her figure out her powers. As her magic grows, so do her feelings for Sang, and she’s terrified that she will lose him next. In the Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness. 

Great for lovers of angsty romance and witchy reads! Be sure to check this one out. 

About the Author:

Rachel Griffin writes young adult novels inspired by the magic of the world around her. She is the author of the upcoming The Nature of Witches, releasing from Sourcebooks Fire on June 1, 2021, with a second standalone novel to follow in 2022.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Rachel has a deep love of nature, from the mountains to the ocean and all the towering evergreens in between. She adores moody skies and thunderstorms, and hopes more vampires settle down in her beloved state of Washington.

On her path to writing novels, Rachel graduated from Seattle University with a Bachelor of Science in diagnostic ultrasound. She worked in healthcare for five years and taught ultrasound at her alma mater before making the switch to a small startup. She has been mentoring in Pitch Wars since 2017 and now writes full-time from her home in the Seattle area.

When she isn’t writing, you can find her wandering the PNW, reading by the fire, or drinking copious amounts of coffee and tea. She lives with her husband, small dog, and growing collection of houseplants.

Rachel is represented by Elana Roth Parker of the Laura Dail Literary Agency. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter @TimesNewRachel.