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Wild and Wicked Things
In the aftermath of World War I, a naive woman is swept into a glittering world filled with dark magic, romance, and murder in this lush and decadent debut.
On Crow Island, people whisper, real magic lurks just below the surface.
Neither real magic nor faux magic interests Annie Mason. Not after it stole her future. She’s only on the island to settle her late father’s estate and, hopefully, reconnect with her long-absent best friend, Beatrice, who fled their dreary lives for a more glamorous one.
Yet Crow Island is brimming with temptation, and the biggest one may be her enigmatic new neighbor.
Mysterious and alluring, Emmeline Delacroix is a figure shadowed by rumors of witchcraft. And when Annie witnesses a confrontation between Bea and Emmeline at one of the island's extravagant parties, she is drawn into a glittering, haunted world. A world where the boundaries of wickedness are tested, and the cost of illicit magic might be death.
On Crow Island, people whisper, real magic lurks just below the surface.
Neither real magic nor faux magic interests Annie Mason. Not after it stole her future. She’s only on the island to settle her late father’s estate and, hopefully, reconnect with her long-absent best friend, Beatrice, who fled their dreary lives for a more glamorous one.
Yet Crow Island is brimming with temptation, and the biggest one may be her enigmatic new neighbor.
Mysterious and alluring, Emmeline Delacroix is a figure shadowed by rumors of witchcraft. And when Annie witnesses a confrontation between Bea and Emmeline at one of the island's extravagant parties, she is drawn into a glittering, haunted world. A world where the boundaries of wickedness are tested, and the cost of illicit magic might be death.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published March 29, 2022
About the author
Francesca May
1 book347 followersFrancesca May grew up in the middle of England where she spent her childhood devouring fantasy books and brewing potions in her back garden. She currently lives in Derby with her partner, three black cats and two elderly rescue dogs.
By day she works as a bookseller. By night she accidentally kills every house plant she touches and writes novels about gothic mansions, witchcraft, and queer love.
By day she works as a bookseller. By night she accidentally kills every house plant she touches and writes novels about gothic mansions, witchcraft, and queer love.
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March 27, 2022yes hi, hello i have read this book approximately 1,342 times and i STILL adore it even though i wrote it. it is the absolute book of my heart and i can't wait for you all to read it. if you want a very slowburn sapphic historical fantasy novel loosely inspired by the great gatsby, or if you like lots of pining, dark witchcraft and blood curses, then WILD AND WICKED THINGS might be for you!
if you're looking for content warnings for any of my books you can find them here: https://franwritesstuff.com/content-w...
if you're looking for content warnings for any of my books you can find them here: https://franwritesstuff.com/content-w...
April 12, 2022
I have been highly anticipating Wild and Wicked Things ever since it was announced and described as a sapphic, witchy The Great Gatsby and I am happy to say it did not disappoint. It was the gorgeous gothic slowburn I didn’t know I needed.
I studied The Great Gatsby in school and thanks to my wonderful teacher, it became my favourite classic. So I was beyond excited to read Francesca May’s take on it. Wild and Wicked Things captures so much of what I loved about Gatsby: the symbolism, the nature of the island and its people (though with a fun magical twist) and the characters who are wonderfully imperfect (and often downright horrible). The gift of this book is that it lays bare these characters’ flaws and you empathise with and love them anyway.
What struck me from the very first page was how gorgeous the writing is. The decadent nature of the prose worked so well with the story to create the perfect Gatsby-esque atmosphere, with hints at the occult and wickedness too. The way May describes the setting, the characters and the magic is so compelling and visceral that I was immediately drawn in. This is particularly impressive as the slow building, simmering nature of the book isn’t one that usually works for me. I often find myself getting bored in these scenarios but Wild and Wicked Things sunk its claws in and refused to let me go.
As I’ve mentioned the characters were all deeply flawed but so compelling that I adored reading about them. I related a lot to Annie, our main character, who has always felt meek and timid, and been written off for that. Seeing her come into herself in this book was a delight. Emmeline was another interesting character: the definition of morally grey, alluring and with a dark past. I loved the complex relationships between them all too: the sibling bond between the witches of the Delacroix house, the old friendship between Bea and Annie and the new blossoming relationship between Annie and Emmeline. Though I would have liked to see a bit more development on the romance and that’s what stopped this book from getting five stars.
I really enjoyed Annie’s slow realisation that she’s a lesbian and the self acceptance that came with that. I felt that it was handled very well within the context of the time period. I also liked that Emmeline was gender nonconforming. On Twitter, May called her a nonbinary lesbian and I loved getting to explore this in the novel, though I would have liked a bit more emphasis on her not feeling like a woman, rather than just not conforming to society’s views of womanhood in the 20s.
The plot diverged from The Great Gatsby quite a bit so I wouldn’t go into this expecting a true retelling, though there are definite influences and references throughout. Wild and Wicked Things is undeniably gothic, with its creeping mystery, unfurling darkness and careful, slow burning plot. It is an absolutely stunning novel and I highly recommend picking it up.
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*eARC received in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley*
I studied The Great Gatsby in school and thanks to my wonderful teacher, it became my favourite classic. So I was beyond excited to read Francesca May’s take on it. Wild and Wicked Things captures so much of what I loved about Gatsby: the symbolism, the nature of the island and its people (though with a fun magical twist) and the characters who are wonderfully imperfect (and often downright horrible). The gift of this book is that it lays bare these characters’ flaws and you empathise with and love them anyway.
What struck me from the very first page was how gorgeous the writing is. The decadent nature of the prose worked so well with the story to create the perfect Gatsby-esque atmosphere, with hints at the occult and wickedness too. The way May describes the setting, the characters and the magic is so compelling and visceral that I was immediately drawn in. This is particularly impressive as the slow building, simmering nature of the book isn’t one that usually works for me. I often find myself getting bored in these scenarios but Wild and Wicked Things sunk its claws in and refused to let me go.
As I’ve mentioned the characters were all deeply flawed but so compelling that I adored reading about them. I related a lot to Annie, our main character, who has always felt meek and timid, and been written off for that. Seeing her come into herself in this book was a delight. Emmeline was another interesting character: the definition of morally grey, alluring and with a dark past. I loved the complex relationships between them all too: the sibling bond between the witches of the Delacroix house, the old friendship between Bea and Annie and the new blossoming relationship between Annie and Emmeline. Though I would have liked to see a bit more development on the romance and that’s what stopped this book from getting five stars.
I really enjoyed Annie’s slow realisation that she’s a lesbian and the self acceptance that came with that. I felt that it was handled very well within the context of the time period. I also liked that Emmeline was gender nonconforming. On Twitter, May called her a nonbinary lesbian and I loved getting to explore this in the novel, though I would have liked a bit more emphasis on her not feeling like a woman, rather than just not conforming to society’s views of womanhood in the 20s.
The plot diverged from The Great Gatsby quite a bit so I wouldn’t go into this expecting a true retelling, though there are definite influences and references throughout. Wild and Wicked Things is undeniably gothic, with its creeping mystery, unfurling darkness and careful, slow burning plot. It is an absolutely stunning novel and I highly recommend picking it up.
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*eARC received in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley*
March 30, 2022
Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May is full of dark witchy magic with a slow burn sapphic romance.
World War I has just ended, and Annie Mason has arrived on Crow Island to settle her late father’s estate. She quickly falls into a world of dark magic and feels a strong connection to her enigmatic neighbour.
This tale alternates between Annie and Emmeline’s perspective with a few others here and there. The writing style is very atmospheric and captures the era well.
Although the writing is beautiful, I felt distant from the characters. Not many of them were particularly likeable, even knowing their origin stories. Usually, I don’t mind reading from unlikeable characters pov’s if they are interesting, but with this one, they felt one-dimensional.
The pacing went at a snail’s pace as well. Not much happens for the first two-thirds of the book, but things did get exciting near the end.
I recommend this book to those looking for a sapphic historical fantasy read.
Thank you to Redhook Books for a finished copy to review.
https://booksandwheels.com
World War I has just ended, and Annie Mason has arrived on Crow Island to settle her late father’s estate. She quickly falls into a world of dark magic and feels a strong connection to her enigmatic neighbour.
This tale alternates between Annie and Emmeline’s perspective with a few others here and there. The writing style is very atmospheric and captures the era well.
Although the writing is beautiful, I felt distant from the characters. Not many of them were particularly likeable, even knowing their origin stories. Usually, I don’t mind reading from unlikeable characters pov’s if they are interesting, but with this one, they felt one-dimensional.
The pacing went at a snail’s pace as well. Not much happens for the first two-thirds of the book, but things did get exciting near the end.
I recommend this book to those looking for a sapphic historical fantasy read.
Thank you to Redhook Books for a finished copy to review.
https://booksandwheels.com
April 12, 2022
3.25 Stars. This was a tough one for me. I think the book was well written, but my enjoyment level wasn’t as high. I was quite excited about this one at first. I love retellings so a witchy sapphic retelling of Gatsby was right up my alley. The Gatsby feel, the whole setting and atmosphere was right on pointe in my opinion. The problem was I wasn’t enjoying myself as much as I expected to. I was reading another book at the same time, Truth and Measure, and while both sapphic, these two books could not be further apart. I decided to put T&M down, hoping if I only focused on this book it might click better. Unfortunately, that is when I realized that the main problem was deeper because I actually didn’t care for the characters.
This is historical fantasy, since it takes place after World War 1, and most things felt very true to the period except that magic and witches were prevalent enough that magic was recently banned. This is a longer book, and at times it was a little slow. I personally would have cut out a few chunks, but the author was very successful in building the past and how this little island steeped in magic felt (as if it had a life of its own). Even magic had different tastes and smells to it which was all wonderfully described. The book is very atmospheric and done well.
When it comes to the characters, there are three main characters and three important secondary characters. The problem I had is that I found I only cared a little about one character. I’m okay with flawed characters, but their flaws where so played up that I started not to like them. The characters refused to communicate, never wanted to except help, and just always made things worse. They would say nasty things to each other, meant to hurt, and either ‘I’m sorry’ didn’t happen or they did but seemed forced. Can I really root for these characters and even a slow burn sapphic romance when I don’t care for most of them?
TLDR: While this is a historic fantasy, and has a Gatsby feel, the witch story also reminded me of a more depressing Practical Magic (movie version). If you are a fan of either of those, this book might be for you. As a very character driven reader, I had trouble connecting to this story because of not liking the characters but this author definitely has talent and the book was well written.
A copy was given to me for review.
This is historical fantasy, since it takes place after World War 1, and most things felt very true to the period except that magic and witches were prevalent enough that magic was recently banned. This is a longer book, and at times it was a little slow. I personally would have cut out a few chunks, but the author was very successful in building the past and how this little island steeped in magic felt (as if it had a life of its own). Even magic had different tastes and smells to it which was all wonderfully described. The book is very atmospheric and done well.
When it comes to the characters, there are three main characters and three important secondary characters. The problem I had is that I found I only cared a little about one character. I’m okay with flawed characters, but their flaws where so played up that I started not to like them. The characters refused to communicate, never wanted to except help, and just always made things worse. They would say nasty things to each other, meant to hurt, and either ‘I’m sorry’ didn’t happen or they did but seemed forced. Can I really root for these characters and even a slow burn sapphic romance when I don’t care for most of them?
TLDR: While this is a historic fantasy, and has a Gatsby feel, the witch story also reminded me of a more depressing Practical Magic (movie version). If you are a fan of either of those, this book might be for you. As a very character driven reader, I had trouble connecting to this story because of not liking the characters but this author definitely has talent and the book was well written.
A copy was given to me for review.
Want to read
May 4, 2021Gothic + Gay = my new favourite type of book 👌
February 16, 2022
I really enjoyed the atmosphere this book created but I couldn’t find it in me to like any of the characters.
Full Review to come on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/hollyheartsbooks
Full Review to come on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/hollyheartsbooks
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 22, 2022DNF @54%
Wild and Wicked things is a gender flipped retelling of The Great Gatsby set in post-WWI England, except with witchy magic and sapphic love interests. Which sounds intriguing, but ultimately this book ended up being more atmospheric vibes than anything else. It moved at a glacially slow pace with characters I had a hard time caring about (whether to like or dislike them). At over 400 pages retelling a quite short novel, I think this book is far too long. I ended up deciding to stop reading a little more than halfway through because I am just uninterested in what's happening or in what might happen in the second half of the book.
I think the idea is cool, but at the halfway point the sapphic elements are pretty vague- we have a female character who dresses in menswear (sounds great), mentions of characters having had feelings for women, and a character perspective who can't quite figure out that what she's experiencing is attraction. But that's about it and given the pitch I was expecting something a bit more torrid. Hopefully other readers will do better. The audio narration is decent, very British. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Wild and Wicked things is a gender flipped retelling of The Great Gatsby set in post-WWI England, except with witchy magic and sapphic love interests. Which sounds intriguing, but ultimately this book ended up being more atmospheric vibes than anything else. It moved at a glacially slow pace with characters I had a hard time caring about (whether to like or dislike them). At over 400 pages retelling a quite short novel, I think this book is far too long. I ended up deciding to stop reading a little more than halfway through because I am just uninterested in what's happening or in what might happen in the second half of the book.
I think the idea is cool, but at the halfway point the sapphic elements are pretty vague- we have a female character who dresses in menswear (sounds great), mentions of characters having had feelings for women, and a character perspective who can't quite figure out that what she's experiencing is attraction. But that's about it and given the pitch I was expecting something a bit more torrid. Hopefully other readers will do better. The audio narration is decent, very British. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
October 17, 2023
TW: self harm; possession; physical abuse; sexual abuse
This sapphic witchy story inspired by The Great Gatsby meets Practical Magic is great for spooky season.
This sapphic witchy story inspired by The Great Gatsby meets Practical Magic is great for spooky season.
March 7, 2022
I very much wanted to like this book. I've been so excited for all The Great Gatsby retellings - especially the gay ones! But this unfortunately did not live up to my expectations.
It had a lot of great things going for it. The atmosphere was incredible: I could really get the feel of a spooky, small island shrouded in fog and all the mysterious goings-on that make the protagonist fear for her life and sanity. And I adored Annie and Bea as characters - they frustrated me a lot, but I really appreciated their struggles and how they were portrayed in general.
Things I could not get behind:
- Emmeline annoyed the fuuuuck out of me.
- Despite being a very wordy and description-heavy novel, the world-building was still somehow lacking. I've spent nearly 2 months reading this book (picked it up first in January, put it down, and then began reading it again in February) and I still can't explain to you how kazam works or what the blood debt entails.
- The pacing 100% was much too slow, and I say this as a fan of slow books in general. Plus, the pay-off of reveals was not worth how slow the entire thing was. I have read books before where the pacing was off but it didn't bother me because there was a very satisfying payoff related to the characters or the events in the book. (One example that comes to mind The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He, which was honestly way too slow for me but the reveal was WORTH IT.) I didn't feel that way about Wild and Wicked Things, unfortunately.
It had a lot of great things going for it. The atmosphere was incredible: I could really get the feel of a spooky, small island shrouded in fog and all the mysterious goings-on that make the protagonist fear for her life and sanity. And I adored Annie and Bea as characters - they frustrated me a lot, but I really appreciated their struggles and how they were portrayed in general.
Things I could not get behind:
- Emmeline annoyed the fuuuuck out of me.
- Despite being a very wordy and description-heavy novel, the world-building was still somehow lacking. I've spent nearly 2 months reading this book (picked it up first in January, put it down, and then began reading it again in February) and I still can't explain to you how kazam works or what the blood debt entails.
- The pacing 100% was much too slow, and I say this as a fan of slow books in general. Plus, the pay-off of reveals was not worth how slow the entire thing was. I have read books before where the pacing was off but it didn't bother me because there was a very satisfying payoff related to the characters or the events in the book. (One example that comes to mind The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He, which was honestly way too slow for me but the reveal was WORTH IT.) I didn't feel that way about Wild and Wicked Things, unfortunately.
June 13, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!
They said lesbian witches in the 1920s and gave me a pretty cover and I ran.
I’m not really sure what it was about this book, but I couldn’t really get into it. I was fully prepared to start shipping and screaming and overall getting really immersed in the aesthetic - because witches in 1920s England. But I didn’t.
I don’t understand why. Maybe it was my mental state, maybe I wasn’t in the mood, but I’m almost 74% sure it wasn’t actually the book’s fault that I couldn’t enjoy it.
The plot didn’t feel as exciting as I hoped it would. I was expecting intrigue from the romance, danger and suspense from the plot, and generally just a lot more intensity? I was promised a “bloodthirsty, glittering world” and most of what I got was Annie being indecisive and Emmeline being stressed.
Which, honestly, was a mood, because I am both of those things. But it didn’t give me a lot of the storyline that I’d been waiting for.
I didn’t have as much interest in the storyline as I should have. It felt predictable to me. Nothing was all that surprising and nothing really affected me emotionally. Even at the end, when character backstories and motivations had finally been laid out, I had been predicting most of it from the onset.
The world-building was really cool, incorporating witchcraft and magic into WWI-era history. Historical fantasies are generally interesting, and this followed the pattern. But the magic wasn’t explained to me very well.
I learned from Emmeline that blood magic is the most dangerous and potent type of magic, and she technically shouldn’t have been using it, but I didn’t learn about any of the other kinds of magic? I couldn’t really tell what Nathan or Isobel were doing with their magic or how it worked.
I also was given no information on what kazam was, aside from a magical drink. What did it do aside from get people both high and drunk? Was it just like a different, enchanted form of alcohol?
For something that was so emphatically illegal and important to the plot, I understood very little of the magic and the magic system.
For example, the moments (especially near the end) where the characters were in danger. I would usually find myself thinking, “well if they’re witches, couldn’t they just do x” or “why don’t they just y” and then learn more about the world-building and character flaws through their limitations.
However, with this book, those things didn’t occur to me. I thought it was a nice touch that the magic wasn’t something they could use as freely or with as much power as the regular witch books, but it kind of annoyed me that it played such a little role.
The characters were all great and I loved how distinct everyone was, but I also felt like they could have been developed a lot more. I kept expecting more layering and depth from each character, and I couldn’t find it as I read.
Annie specifically wasn’t my favorite protagonist. I loved that she started out as this naïve, clueless woman, because it was both realistic and something that I don’t see often, but I think a lot of the plot was devoted to what should have been her “development” that for me just wasn’t there. She was supposed to be growing and sort of waking up to the reality of how things are, and I just got a lot of indecision.
Emmeline was very interesting and I liked reading her perspective a lot more, but I think a lot of the problem was just that I didn’t care that much about each character? I didn’t really look forward to reading any of them.
The romance also was not the best. I was expecting some tension and intrigue and just…attraction? I don’t ship couples very much, but I was waiting to start rooting for Emmeline and Annie, and I never got around to doing that.
Their romance was mostly summed up by the magical tether that inexplicably bound them, which bugged me a bit. Why do they have this mystical connection, what does it do and why is their only reason to be attracted to each other?
I didn’t feel like either of them had a lot of chemistry and I didn’t care much about the romance. To me, it seemed like an actual developing relationship was being replaced just by mentions of their “bond” and the “tether” and the “inexplicable pull,” with not enough character involvement for me to see anything happen.
My favorite thing by far was the aesthetic. The atmosphere of Cross House and Crow Island was so compelling. I am a sucker for tarot cards and witchcraft-y things, and the writing and drama of the book really captured that perfect dark-and-slightly-unnatural vibe.
I was promised something “bloodthirsty and glittering” which wasn’t quite what I received, but it was very close and definitely enjoyable enough to make up for it.
Overall, this book didn’t do it for me, and I’m not entirely sure it was the book’s fault? I definitely was not connected to life for most of March and my reading habits have been all over the place, so my enjoyment of this book was definitely not proportionate to how good the book actually was.
Generally, my expectations were not met and I can’t figure out why.
March 27, 2022
rep: lesbian mc, nonbinary lesbian mc, bi side character
tw: domestic violence, child abuse, magic requiring self harm, blood, body horror, violence, murder, guns
Review also on Reads Rainbow. ARC provided by the publisher.
Imagine The Great Gatsby, but if Gatsby was a nonbinary lesbian blood witch. That single sentence alone should be enough to convince all the people with good taste to read Wild and Wicked Things, but I can and will say more!
Wild and Wicked Things is very much an adult book, despite the description that seems very in vogue for the current young adult landscape. This isn’t an admonishment of any kind, though, for neither of the literature groups. It’s simply something to be taken into account, when managing your reading expectations. Wild and Wicked Things is a slow book, it takes time to develop the world, the characters, it pushes the plot forward in small steps. And it’s very dark and bloody (figuratively and literally).
The slowness of the book works like a charm (no pun intended), because of May’s writing style. There’s no other word to describe it but lush. It shines like a diamond, every sentence somehow more beautiful than the last. Some descriptions feel truly otherworldly, while others forcefully bring you to the pain & dirt of everyday life. The stylistic choices help create the atmosphere of the scenes themselves.
And given that this is an adult novel, you as the reader have to piece together the world and its rules yourself. You’re given some pieces of information here and there, but only in the way that is natural to the characters existing in said world. No conversations about things all parties already know about, no infodumping in the narrative. No holding your hand. All is as it’s supposed to be in a fantasy book.
The greatest achievement of Wild and Wicked Things are the characters, though. Some of them are terribly selfish, some of them will give all of themselves for others, and all of them are so very, very human. They grow throughout the story, as well, especially Annie. Her journey into confidence, into finding a goal in life, mirrors her lesbian awakening. It’s absolutely spectacular.
Wild and Wicked Things is the kind of book to make you feel things. It’s full to the brim with magic, and yearning, and secrets… It’s not an easy to forget story, instead one that will find a place in your heart, like the characters within who carved a space for themselves in the world with blood & tears & love.
tw: domestic violence, child abuse, magic requiring self harm, blood, body horror, violence, murder, guns
Review also on Reads Rainbow. ARC provided by the publisher.
Imagine The Great Gatsby, but if Gatsby was a nonbinary lesbian blood witch. That single sentence alone should be enough to convince all the people with good taste to read Wild and Wicked Things, but I can and will say more!
Wild and Wicked Things is very much an adult book, despite the description that seems very in vogue for the current young adult landscape. This isn’t an admonishment of any kind, though, for neither of the literature groups. It’s simply something to be taken into account, when managing your reading expectations. Wild and Wicked Things is a slow book, it takes time to develop the world, the characters, it pushes the plot forward in small steps. And it’s very dark and bloody (figuratively and literally).
The slowness of the book works like a charm (no pun intended), because of May’s writing style. There’s no other word to describe it but lush. It shines like a diamond, every sentence somehow more beautiful than the last. Some descriptions feel truly otherworldly, while others forcefully bring you to the pain & dirt of everyday life. The stylistic choices help create the atmosphere of the scenes themselves.
And given that this is an adult novel, you as the reader have to piece together the world and its rules yourself. You’re given some pieces of information here and there, but only in the way that is natural to the characters existing in said world. No conversations about things all parties already know about, no infodumping in the narrative. No holding your hand. All is as it’s supposed to be in a fantasy book.
The greatest achievement of Wild and Wicked Things are the characters, though. Some of them are terribly selfish, some of them will give all of themselves for others, and all of them are so very, very human. They grow throughout the story, as well, especially Annie. Her journey into confidence, into finding a goal in life, mirrors her lesbian awakening. It’s absolutely spectacular.
Wild and Wicked Things is the kind of book to make you feel things. It’s full to the brim with magic, and yearning, and secrets… It’s not an easy to forget story, instead one that will find a place in your heart, like the characters within who carved a space for themselves in the world with blood & tears & love.
April 2, 2022
(4.5)
read my review on reads rainbow
Rep: lesbian mc, nonbinary lesbian mc, bi side character
CWs: domestic violence, child abuse, magic requiring self harm, blood
read my review on reads rainbow
Rep: lesbian mc, nonbinary lesbian mc, bi side character
CWs: domestic violence, child abuse, magic requiring self harm, blood
April 9, 2022
DNF at 50%
Life is too short to waste time on books that fail to captivate me. Sapphic Gatsby retelling with morally ambiguous witches sounds perfect but once you go into this book, it's just slow pacing and repetitive writing. Literally, nothing interesting happens in the first half of the book. I didn't understand what Emmeline's powers were, how the magic worked or the part it played in WW1. The romance is the slow slow slowest burn so I can't even say that it made up for the lame plot.
Seriously disappointed and let down by this book.
Life is too short to waste time on books that fail to captivate me. Sapphic Gatsby retelling with morally ambiguous witches sounds perfect but once you go into this book, it's just slow pacing and repetitive writing. Literally, nothing interesting happens in the first half of the book. I didn't understand what Emmeline's powers were, how the magic worked or the part it played in WW1. The romance is the slow slow slowest burn so I can't even say that it made up for the lame plot.
Seriously disappointed and let down by this book.
February 7, 2022
"I wasn't sure why I was here, why I could think of nothing else but her."
there is little in life that i love more than books about myserious sapphic witches falling in love !
there is little in life that i love more than books about myserious sapphic witches falling in love !
June 29, 2022
Where to begin with how incredibly insane this book is!
I read this during a readalong and it was literally the only reason that i persevered and got through such a horrendous mash up of words ive recently come across.
WAWT had so much potential with its subject matter but it basically just ended up being a forced mash up of Practical Magic and Great Gatsby mixed with the randomness of the film Shutter Island.
There were so many elements that could have been utilised better to create a dark and mysterious story that would leap off the page and this just wasnt it. The only reason it doesnt get one star is because i had plenty of feelings about this book. Its just that none of them were particularly good!
The main characters in Annie, Emmeline and Bea were all unlikeable and I wasnt rooting for any of them throughout the book. Each POV chapter, while had a distinct voice just sort of melted into one by the end. An end that JUST WOULDNT COME, even when it was so obvious would could/should have been done to get them out of their self imposed mess.
The setting was confusing and the entire story felt White Roomed in that there was nothing and noone around other than the main characters, with a few side ones thrown in just to give them someone else to talk to. Nathan and Isobel were decent enough additions to the story but even they werent given enough to be fully interesting unless it was in the few flashback scenes/chapters.
For a book based on magic/witches, the magic system wasnt explained. Sure we understood that it was nature based and rooted in their emotions, desires and their blood, there was no thorough enough explanation as to why they could do these things, why they would want to and why Emmeline knew practically nothing about powers she'd had her whole life.
The book in short was weak, slow placed and by the end, completely uninteresting. There was a peak in the second half when it started to get interesting but the endless monologuing grew tiresome and the ending didnt provide any form of satisfaction or care for the characters. It was just all too easy without having really been thought through.
In short, it was just a massive let down.
I read this during a readalong and it was literally the only reason that i persevered and got through such a horrendous mash up of words ive recently come across.
WAWT had so much potential with its subject matter but it basically just ended up being a forced mash up of Practical Magic and Great Gatsby mixed with the randomness of the film Shutter Island.
There were so many elements that could have been utilised better to create a dark and mysterious story that would leap off the page and this just wasnt it. The only reason it doesnt get one star is because i had plenty of feelings about this book. Its just that none of them were particularly good!
The main characters in Annie, Emmeline and Bea were all unlikeable and I wasnt rooting for any of them throughout the book. Each POV chapter, while had a distinct voice just sort of melted into one by the end. An end that JUST WOULDNT COME, even when it was so obvious would could/should have been done to get them out of their self imposed mess.
The setting was confusing and the entire story felt White Roomed in that there was nothing and noone around other than the main characters, with a few side ones thrown in just to give them someone else to talk to. Nathan and Isobel were decent enough additions to the story but even they werent given enough to be fully interesting unless it was in the few flashback scenes/chapters.
For a book based on magic/witches, the magic system wasnt explained. Sure we understood that it was nature based and rooted in their emotions, desires and their blood, there was no thorough enough explanation as to why they could do these things, why they would want to and why Emmeline knew practically nothing about powers she'd had her whole life.
The book in short was weak, slow placed and by the end, completely uninteresting. There was a peak in the second half when it started to get interesting but the endless monologuing grew tiresome and the ending didnt provide any form of satisfaction or care for the characters. It was just all too easy without having really been thought through.
In short, it was just a massive let down.
June 3, 2024
This is a hunting tale with a supernatural twist that spins an interesting yarn about the seemingly unlikely bond between three women – Annie, Emmeline, and Bea. We have witches, blood magic, and small-town intrigue on the shores of the North Sea. It's an atmospheric, slow burner of a tale that will delight until the very end.
I loved the hauntingly atmospheric setting of Crow Island. It was reminiscent of the American Roaring Twenties, but it is hauntingly familiar to readers of this genera to be a U.K setting that would make Agatha Christie proud. Among many other good things, this is an exceptional piece of writing.
Our main character, Annie Mason has come to Crow Island to settle legal affairs after the death of her father. As she walks along the shore by her cottage, she is drawn to the revelries taking place in Cross House, the manor house next door. This is the grand home of Emmeline Delacroix, who is known for loud, boisterous parties with the serving of Kazam, which we learn is an alcoholic drink that may...or may not... be laced with magic. She had been warned of this, but Annie feels almost magnetized and that she is being drawn into a world of magic and forbidden romance.
With the exception of a few brief diary entries from a mysterious "someone", the story flows back and forth between Annie and Emmeline’s individual perspectives. The secrets the novel focuses on are gradually revealed and shared with the reader. I don't usually care for this style of presentation but in this case, it worked exceptionally well as each character’s perspective gives up pieces of the puzzle and uncovers the true nature of this mysterious bond between Annie and Emmeline.
This is a slow-paced story that demands the reader to be patient. From each conversation we learn more and more of the important aspects of the characters. The story has been crafted meticulously to be savored and enjoyed.
I loved the hauntingly atmospheric setting of Crow Island. It was reminiscent of the American Roaring Twenties, but it is hauntingly familiar to readers of this genera to be a U.K setting that would make Agatha Christie proud. Among many other good things, this is an exceptional piece of writing.
Our main character, Annie Mason has come to Crow Island to settle legal affairs after the death of her father. As she walks along the shore by her cottage, she is drawn to the revelries taking place in Cross House, the manor house next door. This is the grand home of Emmeline Delacroix, who is known for loud, boisterous parties with the serving of Kazam, which we learn is an alcoholic drink that may...or may not... be laced with magic. She had been warned of this, but Annie feels almost magnetized and that she is being drawn into a world of magic and forbidden romance.
With the exception of a few brief diary entries from a mysterious "someone", the story flows back and forth between Annie and Emmeline’s individual perspectives. The secrets the novel focuses on are gradually revealed and shared with the reader. I don't usually care for this style of presentation but in this case, it worked exceptionally well as each character’s perspective gives up pieces of the puzzle and uncovers the true nature of this mysterious bond between Annie and Emmeline.
This is a slow-paced story that demands the reader to be patient. From each conversation we learn more and more of the important aspects of the characters. The story has been crafted meticulously to be savored and enjoyed.
July 1, 2022
2.5. This book had such potential but it turned out to be a disappointing read.
Firstly what I liked. There were some truly creepy moments and the action scenes were exciting and well written. All the elements - Great Gatsby, witchy, dark magic, LGBTQ+ rep - really got me excited, but I just could never get into the read.
Despite the 1st person narration, I really struggled to engage with either of the MCs. Their decisions and motivations were never fully investigated and it kept me at a real distance emotionally. Annie, in particular didn't engage me although on paper her wallflower to poweful witch arc should have been gripping. Don't even get me started on one of the main side characters, Bea, whose selfishness and unwillingness to face what she's done just seems to go unnoticed by all those around her.
The setting could have been anywhere, and I had to continually remind myself where we were. It could have been anywhere in the post-war Western world. This is such a shame because the setting could have added a huge amount to the tense and darkening atmosphere of the novel.
The magic system was really intriguing and early on had me reading on to find out more. Sadly there wasn't much pay off. Even though it's central to the plot, it was never expanded and remained vague, meaning it was hard to feel the tension and stakes.
There were a lot of subplots that didn't seem fully fleshed out, and left me feeling unsatisfied come the end.
There were some good moments and one liners where the novel lived up to its promise but sadly couldn't keep up it up for the full 400 pages
Firstly what I liked. There were some truly creepy moments and the action scenes were exciting and well written. All the elements - Great Gatsby, witchy, dark magic, LGBTQ+ rep - really got me excited, but I just could never get into the read.
Despite the 1st person narration, I really struggled to engage with either of the MCs. Their decisions and motivations were never fully investigated and it kept me at a real distance emotionally. Annie, in particular didn't engage me although on paper her wallflower to poweful witch arc should have been gripping. Don't even get me started on one of the main side characters, Bea, whose selfishness and unwillingness to face what she's done just seems to go unnoticed by all those around her.
The setting could have been anywhere, and I had to continually remind myself where we were. It could have been anywhere in the post-war Western world. This is such a shame because the setting could have added a huge amount to the tense and darkening atmosphere of the novel.
The magic system was really intriguing and early on had me reading on to find out more. Sadly there wasn't much pay off. Even though it's central to the plot, it was never expanded and remained vague, meaning it was hard to feel the tension and stakes.
There were a lot of subplots that didn't seem fully fleshed out, and left me feeling unsatisfied come the end.
There were some good moments and one liners where the novel lived up to its promise but sadly couldn't keep up it up for the full 400 pages
January 16, 2022
A darkly magical novel with an intensely descriptive setting and a group of characters whose relationships are hugely intriguing.
The crow island setting and the immersive time period add to the atmosphere here and the plot is imaginative and clever.
Basically Practical Magic with added oomph. Highly enjoyable.
The crow island setting and the immersive time period add to the atmosphere here and the plot is imaginative and clever.
Basically Practical Magic with added oomph. Highly enjoyable.
Read
June 29, 2022DNF 25%
This just was not for me. I’m sure fantasy lovers would adore this, though.
This just was not for me. I’m sure fantasy lovers would adore this, though.
January 12, 2022
This hauntingly dark and vivid, sapphic witch story was beautifully written. I really enjoyed the mystical writing style, dark magic, and the intense chemistry between these characters. I wanted to love this book and I’m sure a lot of readers will. However it felt slow paced, a bit too somber & traumatic, and dare I say… predictable?!? Also I never mention trigger warnings because I’m not easily triggered. But this book has a ton of blood magic, parental figure abuse, alluded rape, and multiple murders.
Thank you to Francesca May and the publisher Redhook Books for the opportunity to read this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Francesca May and the publisher Redhook Books for the opportunity to read this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
November 7, 2022
So much potential but it had way too much going on and the different POVs, time jumps, and odd tense shifts weren't for me. I didn't like any of the characters except Nathan and WOW did everyone but Isobel do him dirty. The ending with Nathan was honestly unnecessary.
Want to read
February 11, 2022historical magic island?? gay witches?????? Yes.✨
*Thanks to Redhook Books for an advance review copy!!
*Thanks to Redhook Books for an advance review copy!!
March 26, 2022
This book was such a vibe.
Thank you Redhook for sending me a copy early!
I loved the character. Annie was such a sweet girl dealing with loss and loneliness in a new town where witches roamed. I loved the parties, the slow burn between her and Emmaline, the mystery and just the god damned vibes.
I did get a little bored in the middle but overall it was definitely a worthy read 👏🏽.
Thank you Redhook for sending me a copy early!
I loved the character. Annie was such a sweet girl dealing with loss and loneliness in a new town where witches roamed. I loved the parties, the slow burn between her and Emmaline, the mystery and just the god damned vibes.
I did get a little bored in the middle but overall it was definitely a worthy read 👏🏽.
May 23, 2022
(3.7 stars)
“I do it because… because this life chews people like us up and spits them right back out again. Because I have never asked for anything more than safety for my brother and sister, yet all we get is tolerance at best and downright hatred at worst. I’ve watched my family crumble and not been able to do anything about it. People don’t think of us as being human. They don’t care if we live and live well as long as their needs are fulfilled. I do it, Annie, because I’m good at it. It gives me power—a future—when I can see no other way forward.” There was heartbreak on her face, not hidden behind her usual bluster or false amusement. “I do it,” she added softly, “because magic is all I know.”
this was such an entertaining sapphic slow burn witch book! I enjoyed it a lot though I did find the plot a bit..annoying? I guess it's mainly bcs I didn't like Bea's character. I didn't like how everyone treated Annie for 70% of the book, she pretty much saved everyone's ass and they were blaming her a lot and pushing her away up until 30% of the end, when rlly all this happened bcs Bea was the selfish one. but besides that, I think everything was nicely written and Emmaline's story was really interesting to me!
“I do it because… because this life chews people like us up and spits them right back out again. Because I have never asked for anything more than safety for my brother and sister, yet all we get is tolerance at best and downright hatred at worst. I’ve watched my family crumble and not been able to do anything about it. People don’t think of us as being human. They don’t care if we live and live well as long as their needs are fulfilled. I do it, Annie, because I’m good at it. It gives me power—a future—when I can see no other way forward.” There was heartbreak on her face, not hidden behind her usual bluster or false amusement. “I do it,” she added softly, “because magic is all I know.”
this was such an entertaining sapphic slow burn witch book! I enjoyed it a lot though I did find the plot a bit..annoying? I guess it's mainly bcs I didn't like Bea's character. I didn't like how everyone treated Annie for 70% of the book, she pretty much saved everyone's ass and they were blaming her a lot and pushing her away up until 30% of the end, when rlly all this happened bcs Bea was the selfish one. but besides that, I think everything was nicely written and Emmaline's story was really interesting to me!
April 3, 2022
DNF @ 70%
High on potential, low on execution.
I’ve read some version of this book hundreds of times before, and most of them were better than this one.
While this is the type of fantasy and magical system I often gravitate to in a story, it’s also not a particularly unique approach, and therefore needs to be either extraordinarily well crafted or laced with unique touches to work. This book was, unfortunately, neither of those things.
The bones of the plot are fine, but what should have been eerie and beautiful is mostly grating, largely due to the oft-hysterical and always angst-ridden dialogue. Both the spoken exchanges and the narrators’ thoughts are maudlin, overwrought, and shrill, which makes the tone veer into obnoxiousness and gives the whole thing a feel of being, well, just not very smart. Which is a shame, because there are flashes of potential in some of the descriptive portions of the book.
Finally, please, please ignore comparisons of this book to The Great Gatsby, which is only accurate if you believe these to be the only two books in existence which feature a lavish party.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
High on potential, low on execution.
I’ve read some version of this book hundreds of times before, and most of them were better than this one.
While this is the type of fantasy and magical system I often gravitate to in a story, it’s also not a particularly unique approach, and therefore needs to be either extraordinarily well crafted or laced with unique touches to work. This book was, unfortunately, neither of those things.
The bones of the plot are fine, but what should have been eerie and beautiful is mostly grating, largely due to the oft-hysterical and always angst-ridden dialogue. Both the spoken exchanges and the narrators’ thoughts are maudlin, overwrought, and shrill, which makes the tone veer into obnoxiousness and gives the whole thing a feel of being, well, just not very smart. Which is a shame, because there are flashes of potential in some of the descriptive portions of the book.
Finally, please, please ignore comparisons of this book to The Great Gatsby, which is only accurate if you believe these to be the only two books in existence which feature a lavish party.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
January 19, 2023
This could have been a great book. It promised so much and for me did not deliver. It was too long and very gushy. I really think that this book is targeted at a younger audience.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.
March 6, 2022
Did sadly not live up to my expectations
March 28, 2022
A beautiful setting, wonderful prose, and a magical world with a lot of darkness surrounding it. It's The Great Gatsby meets Practical Magic with some great witchy vibes, some dark atmosphere, and a little bit of romance. Thanks Orbit Books for the gifted read!
Trigger Warning: murder, blood, gun violence, sexual assault, domestic violence, and drug abuse
How can a book be both hopeful and dark? In many ways, this book was definitely one of the darker stories I've read. There's a large number of trigger warnings plus the magic in it gets pretty dark with the usage of blood, zombies, and power grabs, but this book is also about finding yourself, finding your people, and finding the strength to let go.
This book was surprisingly dark and for some reason I went into it thinking that magic was going to be some cute stuff. You know, growing some plants and making people feel happy. But making the magic users in this book deal with complex feelings like the sway of power, the usage of blood to make their magic stronger, making blood pacts really brought a much different feel to the story. There were also body possession, premonitions/visions, and so much more happening in this book! When I think about it now, I'm surprised I was able to read this so quickly.
But I think a lot of that can be contributed to the writing. The story is easy reading and straightforward written with a beautiful language style that really brings a level of magical feelings to the story. I loved the way some things were described bringing a romantic feeling to each phrase. I found myself underlying the beautiful quotes throughout the book and it lends itself well to the way these characters feel.
The book focuses more on the characters than the plot, but the plot was something interesting to behold. I loved getting to know these characters. Annie is my favorite and her precociousness, her innocence, and her strength were greatly admired while I read. The book is written in dual perspectives, but I couldn't wait to read Annie's parts. I also loved watching Annie come to terms with her sexuality and by the end, owning it like it made sense the entire time. I loved that!
Emmeline was also such an interesting character. While she comes off as this super strong leader of the group, there's also a lot of vulnerability to her as well. The author talks about how much anger and hatred Emmeline has from her experiences, but I felt like she was also soft and needed someone like Annie to really bring out her true self.
And both of these characters together, their romance, their attraction was so palatable throughout the story. I wouldn't say that there were strong romantic elements to the story, but the way they see each other, the way they felt was so prevalent and really engaging.
While the story is supposed to be loosely based on The Great Gatsby, I think that this was more loosely based on Practical Magic. I loved that it takes the same approach with that movie; where there's this plot happening with Bea and her husband Arthur, but there's an even bigger plot about magic, Annie and Emmeline's pasts, and how all that plays out throughout the story.
The only thing I wasn't fully on board with is the world building. It felt like the author combined a bunch of different witchy pop references (Practical Magic, The Craft, etc) and turned that into the world that these witches lived in. And there wasn't enough explanation for me. I felt like I was just along for the ride when it came to the witchy world and I wanted to understand it better and really immerse myself in this world, but most of the time I just felt lost. Magic just happened inexplicably and understandings of this magic were arrived with very little context on how, which took a bit of the luster out of my reading experience.
But if you're a fan of romantic writing, found families with a witchy tinge, and a dramatic crew of characters that you can easily fall in love with, then this is the book for you.
Trigger Warning: murder, blood, gun violence, sexual assault, domestic violence, and drug abuse
How can a book be both hopeful and dark? In many ways, this book was definitely one of the darker stories I've read. There's a large number of trigger warnings plus the magic in it gets pretty dark with the usage of blood, zombies, and power grabs, but this book is also about finding yourself, finding your people, and finding the strength to let go.
This book was surprisingly dark and for some reason I went into it thinking that magic was going to be some cute stuff. You know, growing some plants and making people feel happy. But making the magic users in this book deal with complex feelings like the sway of power, the usage of blood to make their magic stronger, making blood pacts really brought a much different feel to the story. There were also body possession, premonitions/visions, and so much more happening in this book! When I think about it now, I'm surprised I was able to read this so quickly.
But I think a lot of that can be contributed to the writing. The story is easy reading and straightforward written with a beautiful language style that really brings a level of magical feelings to the story. I loved the way some things were described bringing a romantic feeling to each phrase. I found myself underlying the beautiful quotes throughout the book and it lends itself well to the way these characters feel.
The book focuses more on the characters than the plot, but the plot was something interesting to behold. I loved getting to know these characters. Annie is my favorite and her precociousness, her innocence, and her strength were greatly admired while I read. The book is written in dual perspectives, but I couldn't wait to read Annie's parts. I also loved watching Annie come to terms with her sexuality and by the end, owning it like it made sense the entire time. I loved that!
Emmeline was also such an interesting character. While she comes off as this super strong leader of the group, there's also a lot of vulnerability to her as well. The author talks about how much anger and hatred Emmeline has from her experiences, but I felt like she was also soft and needed someone like Annie to really bring out her true self.
And both of these characters together, their romance, their attraction was so palatable throughout the story. I wouldn't say that there were strong romantic elements to the story, but the way they see each other, the way they felt was so prevalent and really engaging.
While the story is supposed to be loosely based on The Great Gatsby, I think that this was more loosely based on Practical Magic. I loved that it takes the same approach with that movie; where there's this plot happening with Bea and her husband Arthur, but there's an even bigger plot about magic, Annie and Emmeline's pasts, and how all that plays out throughout the story.
The only thing I wasn't fully on board with is the world building. It felt like the author combined a bunch of different witchy pop references (Practical Magic, The Craft, etc) and turned that into the world that these witches lived in. And there wasn't enough explanation for me. I felt like I was just along for the ride when it came to the witchy world and I wanted to understand it better and really immerse myself in this world, but most of the time I just felt lost. Magic just happened inexplicably and understandings of this magic were arrived with very little context on how, which took a bit of the luster out of my reading experience.
But if you're a fan of romantic writing, found families with a witchy tinge, and a dramatic crew of characters that you can easily fall in love with, then this is the book for you.
April 2, 2022
I have received this ARC from Netgally in exchange for an honest review.
Wild and Wicked Things was so hard to put down. Seriously, I fell in love with the characters pretty quickly. I was also really enjoying the Great Gatsby vibes I was getting too. In it, you will meet Annie Mason. She is new to the mysterious Crow Island due to inheriting her father's estate. While there, she starts to hear whispers about everything that happens within the island. For example, talks of magic and blood debts.
The one thing she didn't expect was to live near a witch or two. Things really change after seeing her bestfriend, Bea, get into a confrontation with her neighbor, Emmeline. Annie is thrown into the magical world where she needs to figure out what's true and what's not. Throw in some dark spells, and other kinds of drama, and you will eventually be hooked.
Now I really liked Annie and Emmeline. Bea, unfortunately, took me a while to get on board with. She just really frustrated me for most of the book. It's like she didn't want to deal with the consequences of her decisions and blamed everyone else when things went bad. Eventually she got better but I really liked everyone else way more.
Other than that, this also dives into some harder to read topics. Like abuse, homophobia, anxiety, and assault to name a few. Each twist, turn, and graphic scene definitely pulled me further into the book. Whether it made me emotional or not, I just wanted more.
In the end, I definitely enjoyed the heck out of this book. I'm so happy that I got the opportunity to jump into this and I can't wait for Francesca's next book.
Wild and Wicked Things was so hard to put down. Seriously, I fell in love with the characters pretty quickly. I was also really enjoying the Great Gatsby vibes I was getting too. In it, you will meet Annie Mason. She is new to the mysterious Crow Island due to inheriting her father's estate. While there, she starts to hear whispers about everything that happens within the island. For example, talks of magic and blood debts.
The one thing she didn't expect was to live near a witch or two. Things really change after seeing her bestfriend, Bea, get into a confrontation with her neighbor, Emmeline. Annie is thrown into the magical world where she needs to figure out what's true and what's not. Throw in some dark spells, and other kinds of drama, and you will eventually be hooked.
Now I really liked Annie and Emmeline. Bea, unfortunately, took me a while to get on board with. She just really frustrated me for most of the book. It's like she didn't want to deal with the consequences of her decisions and blamed everyone else when things went bad. Eventually she got better but I really liked everyone else way more.
Other than that, this also dives into some harder to read topics. Like abuse, homophobia, anxiety, and assault to name a few. Each twist, turn, and graphic scene definitely pulled me further into the book. Whether it made me emotional or not, I just wanted more.
In the end, I definitely enjoyed the heck out of this book. I'm so happy that I got the opportunity to jump into this and I can't wait for Francesca's next book.
April 13, 2022
Wild and Wicked Things makes clear that Francesca May has an incredible sense of style, with a rich and compelling authorial voice. While I had several issues with the book, not one of them was to do with the writing. Her Gatsby influenced novel, decorated with lavish parties and dark magic, has a decadent and dangerous edge. Yet, it lacks emotional impact thanks to patchy and unsatisfying characterisation. The sapphic insta-obsession was unconvincing and the plot was slow and rather tenuous. The relation to Gatsby was all surface, and it wasn't the only fictional 'inspiration'. Some stories felt a little too close to witchy things we've seen before- anyone who's seen Practical Magic will certainly understand the problem of burying angry men on the property...
The book had so much potential, but other than the writing, it failed to realise it.
ARC via Netgalley
The book had so much potential, but other than the writing, it failed to realise it.
ARC via Netgalley
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