Early Reader Review: Witch of the Shadow Wood by Tori Anne Martin

Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in now way alters my opinion or review. 

Witch of the Shadow Wood by Tori Anne Martin 

Publisher: Alcove Press
Publication Date:  March 10, 2026

 

Format: Paperback ARC

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A feminist cozy romantasy retelling of the classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, complete with a sapphic love story and a revenge tale, from USA Today bestselling author Tori Anne Martin, perfect for fans of The Spellshop.

Fifteen years ago, a little girl’s father bartered her away to the old witch in the woods for some magic. Abandoned by her brother, Hans, who promised to keep her safe, Greta learns to embrace her new life as an apprentice to the witch, and starts a new life as Miria.

Two years ago, she rescued a young woman who was lost in those woods, and she fell in love.

Just now, she learned that woman was engaged--against her will--to a man who once was complicit in trading his little sister, who'd used the magic her life had bought to give her former family wealth and power beyond measure, and then forgot all about her.

Soon, the young witch will leave the woods. Stop the wedding. Save the woman she loves. Get revenge.

But beyond the woods, nothing is ever that simple.

Review: 

Witch of the Shadow Wood is a loose Hansel and Gretel retelling focusing on the siblings getting separated and instead of an evil witch, Greta is bought by a witch that then trains her to also become a witch. The plot centers on Greta as she learns more and also falls in love with a girl she finds lost in the woods.  Greta takes on her new life as Miria and becomes a witch in the woods herself, and now she is set on helping Adaline get out of an arranged marriage. 

I was really curious how this book was going to balance being both a cozy cottage vibe and a revenge story. The cozy atmosphere comes through well in the beginning, especially in the quiet moments in the woods and Miria’s new life learning magic. But once the plot starts moving toward revenge and confrontation, the tone feels a little less cozy. There isn’t a lot of violence, but the shift in stakes makes the vibe change a bit.

One of the strongest parts of the book for me was the slow-burn romance between Miria and Adaline. Their relationship develops in a sweet, gentle way that fits the cozy fantasy elements. I also thought the characters were well developed, particularly Greta/Miria. I enjoyed the flashbacks showing her learning magic and growing into her role as a witch. Her relationship with her Nana/Yali added a lot of warmth to the story.

That said, the timeline was sometimes confusing. The story moves between past and present quite a bit, and at times the shifts felt jumbled. Because of that, some of the emotional moments didn’t land as strongly as they might have if the narrative had been more linear.

The revenge plot and the mystery surrounding the sick children were interesting ideas, but they really only start to take shape in the second half of the book. Because of that, the pacing felt quite slow, and some readers might struggle to stay engaged until the story fully picks up or give up on it entirely. If you are able to hold on, the ending is very sweet and the twists more the plot along swiftly. 

Overall, this was an interesting feminist retelling with strong character development and a sweet romance, but the uneven pacing and timeline jumps kept it from fully landing for me.