Set just after the First World War, in a Britain where magic exists but has been outlawed. The main character, Annie, arrives on Crow Island, after the death of her estranged father, and immediately becomes intrigued by her neighbour, the enigmatic Emmeline Delacroix. She throws lavish parties, attended by the great and the good. That there is magic there is understood but tolerated, as it benefits those in power. Annie sets out to find out more about her, and in the process discovers more about herself and her father. I liked the atmosphere of this novel, and it does owe more than a nod to The Great Gatsby (and Practical Magic in parts), but I would not go so far as to describe this as a re-telling of the former. I enjoyed this very much.

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.

A brilliant gender bent great Gatsby tale. This book was so decadent and rich, highly recommend it for fans of the original source material.

I had a few weeks to think about this book and the longer I think about it, the more I understand why I did not like it as much as I hoped I would. This book is like a game of chess, a move is followed by another move by another move and whilst it’s not predictable as such what move is next, it still feels like it’s only ever going to be one of a series of moves. I expected a more expand story, one that would leave the board, but it did not. So yeah, it was a good read but not beyond that.

Historical fiction books are such good genres. Unfortunately I just couldn't finish this. The concept of the plot was really clever. I'd have to say it was the characters that let it down. The pace was set slowly and the world building made is more chaotic. It just didn't live up to my expectations

1.5 ⭐️

Unfortunately this has ended up being a DNF for me. I almost stopped reading at 30% but it did get slightly better. Currently at 70% and hardly anything has actually happened slow burn is an understatement. None of the main characters are likeable and there is barely a plot. This should have been a much smaller book the first 30% could have been done in 10%. I don't understand how anyone has given this 5⭐️

This was a very Gatsby inspired and feeling witchy story. Set on a crescent moon island of the coast of Whitby England where magic still lingers after being made illegal following World War 1.

Written from 2 characters points of view switching between characters, it was done well that you could easily know who you were reading about.

The book was written beautifully with lyrical descriptions, I loved the setting and the alluring yet dangerous feel toward magic.

I enjoyed the characters and the mc development through-out the story, but felt it was a little predictable and I didn't feel as emotionally invested in the relationships as much as I would have liked.

Still a great story and one I am glad to have read.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC copy.

Ugh, words can not describe how much I loved this book! I could not put it down! It was one of my highly anticipated reads of the year and it certainly did not disappoint. This is definitely a book I will re-read at some point in the future.

I didn’t know much about this book before requesting it but I knew it was sapphic, roaring 20s, with witches. The latter two I love and the first one is an extra. So I didn’t know it was a The Great Gatsby retelling but it’s everywhere. I loved the little details but nothing is an exact copy. Or at least, I can’t remember. I’m glad I’ve read this book instead of the classic (which my friend recommended against).

The characters are well done. The relationship dynamics between Annie, Bea, and Emmeline is interesting to read, especially since all three of them are so different. Annie does feel a little dull at the beginning until she starts to follow her heart. In a world where everyone is expected to conform, it’s sometimes better to not fit in. All of the characters have their own struggles and deal with them in their own fashion.

I loved the large number of mysteries in this book and how slowly the mystery of Bea is revealed. Everything is connected through magic. It reminded me a bit of the 90s/00s witchy movies. Super dark and bordering on horror. Do check content warnings if you need them. All of this increases the pace of the book the longer it goes on and by the last quarter, it’s hard to stop reading. You want to know how it’s going to end. How does it all tie together? Even the small questions prompted at the beginning of the book are answered.

I give Wild and Wicked Things four stars. It’s an incredible story with twists and turns, witchcraft, and powerful relationships. I highly recommend it to people who loved The Great Gatsby, The Diviners, or Practical Magic (1995).

No one is more disappointed to be DNF'ing one of my most anticipated books of 2022 than I am, but sadly this was going nowhere for me. I thought the author did an excellent job of creating a spooky, glittery vibe that perfectly matched the magical Great Gatsby comp, but I just did not care about any of the characters and every time I thought about picking this book up again, I found I had no motivation to keep reading. I also got the sense that the author was withholding things that it would have been natural for the characters to reveal solely to ramp up the suspense, rather than because it made any logical sense for them to do so.

I received a free advanced reader copy of Wild and Wicked Things in return for my honest opinion. Thank you to Little Brown book and Francesca May for allowing me the opportunity to read this.
As soon as I saw the synopsis for Wild and Wicked Things I knew it was a book I just HAD to read; a post World War 1 world, but with witches?! Count me in!
I absolutely adore the glitz and glamour side of the prohibition era, The Great Gatsby is a book that I devoured during my A Levels and May brought the 1920’s to life once more, a time of short hair and even shorter skirts! I was instantly drawn in by the concept of adding sorcery to this time, even though it is not something I ever realised I needed until I saw this book.
Annie moves to Crow Island after the death of her father, on what she intends to be a short period of time so that she can see to his belongings. She quickly sees first hand the enthralling nature of magic when she finds herself living next to Cross house, a den of magic, and cannot find herself keeping away from Emmeline.
To add a twist to her once quiet life, her best friend Bea is also on the Island, having fell out of contact with Annie after she married Arthur.
No relationship within this book is simple, each fraught with different issues of both the past and present, in a way that kept my attention and had me wanting to know more. The consequences of the first World War show on every character; the loss of Sam and Eddie adding to the tension of Annie and Bea’s fractured friendship.
I felt this book was brilliantly written, and while it took me a little perseverance to truly get invested in this book, once I did I could not put it down, desperate to know where the story would take the characters next.
The time period made the sapphic relationships within this book even more potent, being set at a time where same sex love was such a taboo it made the interactions even more potent; the bravery of the characters shining through as they tried to be true to themselves and not societal expectations. The addition of witches only served to heighten this, as being a witch was a huge risk in itself.
This book truly deserves a read, I’ll certainly be looking out for any future books by Francesca May!

Looking for a book to read this weekend? I highly recommend the magnificently seductive Wild and Wicked Things from Francesca May. Set against an alternate, decadent backdrop of 1920s hedonism the book has glorious vibes of two of my favourite books, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Witching Hour from Anne Rice. If you like your books packed with witchcraft, curses, glorious parties, and illicit love affairs then this is one for you.
The book is a slow burn to start but this reflects protagonist Annie’s journey from a life of repression to a new life that plunges her headfirst into a darker world of intoxicating witchcraft. Once the book has you in its grip you will not be able to stop reading.
The world building from Francesca May is perfectly balanced, there is enough alternate history to ground you in the book’s reality and the setting of Crow Island, albeit off the east coast of England has a richness that reminds you of an endless summer in The Hamptons. So this weekend, the cleaning can wait, indulge yourself in wild abandon of Wild and Wicked Things.
Magnificent, intoxicating, unputdownable debut. 2022 must read. Five out of five

Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May is described as a lush and decadent debut novel and it certainly lives up to that timeline. Set in the aftermath of the First World War, in a world where magic exists but is illegal this book is dark and romantic, a slow burn that layers the tension before a dramatic climax.
The book follows a young woman, Annie, who comes to Crow Island to settle up her late father's affairs and go through his belongings. In the process she hopes to reconnect with an old friend, Bea, who is now married and living on the island. When she discovers that the house next door is rumoured to be owned by a witch, she is understandably nervous but she is soon irresistibly drawn to the enigmatic Emmeline, a woman who will do anything to protect those she loves, even if it means putting her own magic and life in danger as part of the bargain. When Annie's old and new friendships collide she is forced into taking action and the consequences could destroy everything.
This is a slow burning book , and definitely one for readers who are drawn to character over plot and have a taste for the macabre. There are some interesting ideas, and I can't help but wish that some of them were a little more fleshed out to give a clearer vision of the world the book is set in. The concept of banning magic because of its misuse during conflict is a fascinating one, and it could certainly have been developed more. I would also have loved to spend more time with some of the secondary characters, particularly Nathan. I can definitely see the Gatsby inspiration, but since I was not a lover of the original this had little impact on my enjoyment of the book.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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This was absolutely thrilling!

A post-WWI setting with magic already sounds promising but combine that with some of the richest worldbuilding I've read in a long while and smooth writing, Wild and Wicked Things is an incredible debut novel!

I would love to read more of May's works after this. And that cover is stunning!

Overall rating: 5/5 stars

Wild and Wicked Things takes place in the 1920s, when people partied hard to forget the traumas of the War, but it is set in an alternative reality, where magic is real and dangerous. Witches controlled the soldiers and the fighting, so now magic is banned. Even being caught with magic paraphernalia is likely to result in being executed. One exception is Crow Island, where real magic is sold to the tourists as the fake, harmless kind.

The story is told in the main part from Annie's point of view, as she arrives on Crow Island to close up her late father's house and finds herself completely out-of-her-depth amongst the fashionable Bright Young Things. Even though Annie is wary of her glamorous neighbours and their out-of-control parties, she is drawn to them in equal measure, particularly the owner of Cross House, Emmeline Delacroix.

Emmeline was my favourite character; outwardly tough and hard, with an uncompromising attitude that wins her few friends on Crow Island, but who would do anything to help someone she loves, even put her own life at risk. The characters are a particular strength of this story. Along with Emmeline, there is Isobel, whose magic can affect the weather, and Nathan, a gentle soul whose power is to see into the darkness of others. And it was lovely to see Annie grow in confidence to become more than a match for Emmeline!

The story was a little bit slow to start and I would have loved more world-building - particularly backstory about Crow Island and the mysterious Council - but the characters were brilliant, the tension built up to a terrific finish, and there was even a sweet romance. A kind of mash-up between Gentleman Jack, The Great Gatsby and Practical Magic! Fabulous!


Thank you to Francesca May and Orbit for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

This is such an atmospheric book, magic and suspense drip off the pages.

I loved the pacing, it's got such a contrast of idyllic scene setting, really evocative of 1920's contrasted with edge of your seat tension. Interwoven with a sense of discovery and wonder, the constant watching eyes of the crows leave you constantly on edge.

This debut book was a really solid 3.5🌟 I really wish we'd have seen more of the supporting characters, some of the main ones were maybe a bit more self absorbed than I like and I find that whilst we were told about the 1920s society with a magical prohibition I felt like we could have had more exploration of it.

I received an eARC of this book, thank you @orbitbooks_uk and @netgalley it is out today, look at that gorgeous cover!

#WildandWickedthings #queerlove #witchesofinstagram #netgalley #historicalfantasy #1920 #gatsby #magic #witchy #bookstagramuk

This tale is set in an alternative Britain, where magic was once deemed acceptable and good but has turned bad and been outlawed after the unfortunate outcomes of the war. And witches have been demonised alongside.
Nevertheless, there is a significant wealthy sector of the population which wants to hang on to the good things that magic gave them: useful cures, charms and potions which guarantee a good time for all. A sizeable number of them visit the parties thrown at a sumptuous property on a mysterious island – thrown by a group of witches hiding in plain sight – in order to indulge in these forbidden concoctions.
It is to this island, property and group of people that Annie finds herself drawn when she receives a letter from her father – a man she barely remembers. As she gets drawn further and further into the activities of her new ‘friends’, Annie finds herself in the centre of a world which is dangerous, dazzling, exciting and ultimately terrifying, and the consequences of her actions threaten to overwhelm them all.

I have heard many many good things about Wild and Wicked Things and so I was very excited to pick it up. It sounded like a book that was right up my alley. It has sapphic witches, gothic vibes, a 1920s setting. I read The Great Gatsby years ago and while I don't remember much of it, I think this is a very well done retelling. Francesca May's writing is incredibly beautiful and draws you into the story and before you know it, you are completely engrossed. Once I picked it up, I simply did not want to put it down. I loved all the characters too. Emmeline and Annie were written so well, and I felt they had such a wonderful character arc, both as individuals but also together. I couldn't really pick a favourite between them even if I was forced to. I loved reading about the side characters as well; Bea being my favourite of everyone we see.

I lowkey did not want this book to end and I hope we get to read more of Emmeline and Annie's adventures someday.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit Books for the e-arc!

Unfortunately, I did not get to the Arc before I received my own finished preorder copy of this book arrived, so will not be reviewing the arc as I have a finished copy to read. I expect to read the finished copy in the near future.

The concept hooked me from the outset.
I love anything with dark magic and looking forward to immersing myself in Crow Island and its mysterious and decadent inhabitants.

The setting is eerily atmospheric, especially with the weather, the crows, and the isolated aspect of being on an island shrouded in darkness and forbidden magic.
Intrigue is there from the beginning. A seemingly sweet and somewhat naive Annie grows wonderfully throughout the book.
The neighbours and their magical parties seem innocent and fun except for an undercurrent of darkness and danger.
All of which create intricate threads wonderfully woven together by the end.

There is (as I love to say) a delicious array of characters, including Nathan & Isobel. I wanted so much more of them.
Emmeline is a favourite of mine. She appears strong, confident, and wise beyond her years, but not so deep down is vulnerable and delicate, which makes her such a compelling character.

The beautiful writing and characters kept me interested, but the first half of the book was slow, so much so, I would put my kindle down after two or three chapters and then not pick it up again for a day or two.

Randomly, I would love to ask the author if she loved The Golden Girls and one Golden Girl in particular? Why? Well, I’ll leave that as a mystery for now, as It might be pure coincidence, but whatever the reason is, it made me smile.

Thank you so much, @netgalley & Little Brown Book Group, for the arc ebook in return for my honest review.