Witch of the Wolves

Kelley Armstrong vibes, Kaylee Archer magic.

Witch of the Wolves pulled me in from the very first page. Kaylee Archer weaves a gothic, supernatural world full of secrets, politics, and slow-burn tension that feels both lush and lived-in. The heroine is fierce, flawed, and impossible not to root for, and every twist kept me hooked.

I ended up finishing it in one night because I just couldn’t stop. Archer’s writing is vivid and emotional, with that perfect mix of heat, heart, and danger. The characters feel real, the chemistry burns slow and bright, and the world hints at deeper myths I’m dying to uncover in whatever comes next.

It gave me all the Kelley Armstrong feels—strong women, tangled supernatural loyalties, and just enough darkness to make the light hit harder. If you love romantasy that bites back, Witch of the Wolves is one you shouldn’t miss.

I read this as an ARC! 4/5⭐️ So first off, I don’t think it’s a very well kept secret that, Kaylee Archer is actually Kelley Armstrong writing under a pen name, and if you’ve read her Otherworld series, you’ll probably catch that same feeling and atmosphere that right away. This book is set in an earlier version of that universe (Victorian London), and I’ll be honest, that threw me a bit at the beginning. I found myself trying to line things up with the existing lore, and it took a little while before things clicked into place. There were a few historical details I just had to trust would be explained eventually and thankfully, most of them were. Even if they weren’t I needed to remind myself that these were technically two different authors. As to the positives - she nailed the setting! The gothic vibes are strong here: dark, moody, full of secrets and the whole supernatural politics angle kept things interesting. You’ve got witches, werewolves, and all the tension you’d expect from a forced political alliance. Cordelia, the main character, is feisty and clever (definitely not a damsel type) and her dynamic with Bishop (her brooding future alpha werewolf) is full of slow-burn tension. I really liked their back-and-forth and how their trust slowly starts to build, even if the situation starts out more forced than romantic. That said, I wasn’t a huge fan of the very beginning. Things kick off super fast and I found some events a bit abrupt or underdeveloped. Honestly, the book could’ve used a longer page count to help flesh out both the romance and the political machinations. But even with those bumps, I think it’s a solid setup for what’s coming next. There’s definitely enough intrigue, emotion, and worldbuilding to hook me into the rest of the series. I read this as an ARC (thank you NetGalley!), but I’m already eyeing that sprayed-edge edition. I want my shelf trophy!