Hide the Witches

Leslie Hirgelt

Nostalgic Magical World with Witch vs. Witch Hunter and Huge Plot Twists

"Without exaggeration, I enjoyed this story, its characters, and its plot so much that I had the strong urge to immediately restart it. I haven’t immediately reread a book in over two years. I literally shrieked at the final plot twist, because I truly didn’t see it coming. If all of that doesn’t convince you, then maybe this will: Hide the Witches gave me all of the nostalgic vibes of the magical world in a certain 7-book series from millennial adolescence. So, let’s start there, because I’ve seen some other ARC reviews for Hide the Witches, but I haven’t seen anyone else mention this. If you spent your adolescence reading about a Boy Who Lived, waited patiently for your magical letter of acceptance, and loved that world and all of the magical beings and creatures in it...but you no longer support and platform that author for obvious reasons, then may I present this book to you? I have not read anything else that gave me those specific vibes...maybe ever. The magical government, magic casually being cast and used all around, magical shops and communities, diverse magical beings coexisting...it’s all here. Miranda Lyn writes diversity with intention, care, and love. If you’re seeking that specific nostalgia, from an author you can feel comfortable supporting, then please, preorder this book and have it queued up in your April TBR. But, I will agree with the more common comparison I’ve seen: if you loved Heartless Hunter, then you will likely enjoy this, too. The witch versus witch hunter storyline is heavily present, even with a bit of that cat-and-mouse element that was so fun to read. The next thing I want to highlight is the final plot twist and the cliffhanger, because Miranda! I am not kidding when I say that I shrieked as soon as I read it, and it was not cute, and I am so glad I was home alone! I was completely blindsided by it, and Hide the Witches is going on my list of books with shocking plot twists. But, I suspect there were hints for it that can be spotted on a reread, once you know how it ends! I have so many questions, though. So many. It’s too bad this book hasn’t actually released yet because I would like to read Book 2 right now! The cast of characters was fantastic, as well. Now, this is an adult dark fantasy (in comparison to the Boy Who Lived series), so the world is grim, and almost everyone has secrets. It’s very much a “Who can the MC trust?” situation. But, even with that, the side characters felt fleshed out enough to connect to them in some way and to feel like you understood them. Pip was my favorite, and she made me laugh out loud multiple times (and I agree with Demi Winters’ blurb that Pip must be protected at all costs!). It’s a balanced mix of both character-driven and plot-driven. The slow burn girlies are going to love this one, because it is a solid slow burn. There’s tension, there’s reluctance, there are stolen moments. It’s lower on the spice scale for this first book of the series, but it’s got all of the fun romance elements we love. If you enjoy theorizing and predicting while you read, then this is a great book for that. I frequently made predictions as I read, and while I was right some of the time, other times I wasn’t, but it was all fun! (And, like I said, so many questions for the next book!) I do think this could be a vibes read if that’s more your style and you don’t prefer to make a bunch of predictions or look for clues while reading. I consider this a medium brain power book. For me, this book was well-balanced between the plot and the characters, it has rich world-building, and it stands up really well in both of those regards, but I also loved the vibes and nostalgic feels it gave me. For all of that, this was an easy 5 stars from me. ["

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April 20, 2026 Verified Purchase

Pauline

Plot twists and turns galore

"3.5 stars rounded up because what did you do to me with that last 10-15%, Miranda Lyn??? This book reminds me of some of the MCU miniseries, in which there are so many plot threads and elements happening and you know they're all going to tie together somehow, but you don't quite know how and you start getting a little impatient about it because you're running out of time. Of course, when everything does come together, it's well done, but it ends up being a lot all at once and you almost wish things had started weaving together sooner. There's a lot going on in this book. You're given the guides to magical races and beings and magical terms and concepts at the beginning and it's a lot of information--almost too much for that early in the book. Similarly, the prologue gives you the foundation and backstory, but you don't really have the context for it yet. (Some of it also gets repeated later in the book and for me, I think I would have liked the information interspersed throughout the book, rather than big info dumps that required me to go back and forth to remember things.) I do think it would be easier with a hard copy of the book, versus an ebook, so there's that. This was my first Miranda Lyn book and I think she does a wonderful job with world-building and her characters, especially the relationships between the characters. For me, the non-romantic relationships were the best. Found family is one of my favorite tropes and this book does it so well. The Venatori shouldn't be friends, they should just be hunters on a mission, and yet they form these strong bonds and grow so close that I loved them and wanted to protect them all. Lyn's other strength in this book comes when the characters are actually involved in their mission and the hunt. When she lets the action and high stakes speak for themselves, I was super engaged and invested. I wanted more of the investigation. I wanted more of the action. I wanted less of the politics and more of the actual doing of things. This definitely started happening more towards the end of the book. At that point, I could barely put the book down because of all the twists and turns the plot took. AND OF COURSE, THAT ENDING. So those were the things I enjoyed, but there were things that kept me from rating this higher. First, the competition in the first part of the book to become Venatori. It didn't really make sense to me and it wasn't well-developed, so I found it confusing and unnecessary. Second, anything that had to do with the Magistrate and his machinations made the story drag for me. It was a lot of telling, not showing, because the characters are hearing about it secondhand/speculating. This was definitely one of the areas where I would have liked the little hints and threads to have been tied in sooner. Third, the romance was on the weaker side for me. I didn't find they had that much chemistry, except they found each other attractive and it was forbidden. Otherwise, I didn't really connect with them. None of these critiques will prevent me from picking up the second book, of course, but they were things I didn't love. One other thing I should mention is that while this book is marketed as 1920s dystopian magical London, I didn't really get any of those vibes. The language wasn't particularly reminiscent of that time period and there wasn't really anything that gave off true dystopian vibes, versus more fantasy vibes. I received an advance copy of this book and I'm leaving this review voluntarily. ["

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April 20, 2026 Verified Purchase

Ashley Cowan

Not enough stars…read this!!

"If you’ve read Miranda Lyn before, you already know—you’re going to love this. And if you haven’t, consider this your sign to start. Hide the Witches may look like a big book, but it completely pulls you in and doesn’t let go. It has the high-stakes intensity of The Hunger Games, the magical depth of Harry Potter, and a gripping witch-versus–witch hunter dynamic that keeps the tension high. The story itself is compelling, but the world-building is what truly stands out—rich, immersive, and layered. The characters are equally strong, with hidden identities, corrupt leadership, bonded heroes, and a slow-burn romance that absolutely sizzles. And that ending… the cliffhanger is brutal. I need the next book immediately. This is, without a doubt, my favorite fantasy read so far. ["

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April 23, 2026 Verified Purchase

lindsey

Must Read!

"Hide the Witches by Miranda Lyn was absolutely amazing. From the very first page, the story pulls you in and never lets go. The pacing was fast and perfectly executed, with each chapter raising the stakes and keeping me completely hooked. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the tension kept building and the story continued to amp up in the best way. One of my favorite parts of this book was the characters. They felt distinct, layered, and easy to connect with. The main character was strong and relatable, and I loved watching their growth as the story unfolded. The supporting characters added so much depth, and the dynamics between them made the story even more engaging. I especially enjoyed how the relationships developed naturally alongside the rising tension — it made the emotional moments hit even harder. The world was intriguing, the stakes kept climbing, and the twists kept me turning pages late into the night. Miranda Lyn did a fantastic job balancing action, suspense, and character development, making this an incredibly satisfying read. If you love fast-paced fantasy with compelling characters and a story that only keeps getting better, Hide the Witches is a must-read. I couldn’t put it down and will definitely be reading more from Miranda Lyn. ["

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April 20, 2026 Verified Purchase