Useless Witch – A Magical, Fun Ride!

If you’re looking for a light, magical read, Useless Witch is exactly what you need! The story is filled with interesting characters, an intriguing world, and a touch of magic. It’s an easy read that keeps you turning the pages, especially as you get closer to that ending—trust me, it’ll leave you wanting more!

The characters are quirky, relatable and lovable, and the world they live in is full of magical twists and turns. It’s one of those stories that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which makes it such a fun escape. Plus, there’s a good mix of action, humour, and a dash of romance.

Tropes:
✨ Found Family
✨ Who Did This
✨ Touch Her and You Die
✨ Instant Love

If you're into books with magical worlds, fun character dynamics, and a story that’s easy to sink into, Useless Witch is perfect for you!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

4.5 stars. I enjoyed this enough to read in one sitting lol. The pacing was good and I enjoyed the characters. Definitely on the darker side at times. The spice is mild but I liked the relationship between Saoirse and Vane. I'm curious to see where the next one goes!

Loved this from start to finish. I adore the main characters, as well as some of the (still important) side characters. I don't feel like anything was missing from this book, but I'm yearning for more just because of how much I enjoyed it. There's forbidden romance, shadow shifters, who did this to you? an FMC without any magic, and just a splash of spice that will leave you wanting more. Trigger warning for self harm and parental abuse. I can't wait for the next book!

The story was well written and was interesting from the first few chapters. I can’t wait for the conclusion of the story! Yes, there is trauma. There’s also shadow daddy energy, “ touch her and d!e” vibes and forbidden love. It was not super spicy, but there was a storyline to build.

I enjoyed reading about how the FMC discovers herself and how she overcome some of her childhood trauma in this.
I really loved how quick and easy this was and how we also got so much information, and that this didn’t feel rushed!

I cannot wait for the second book!!!!

The Useless Witch is the first book in the Darkwing Duet by Indie author Savannah Lee - and wow, I devoured this page-turner!

Set in a world of witches the FMA Saoirse is the eldest daughter of the King of the Sol Kingdom - but she has no magic. Meanwhile the MMA Vale is a Darkwing (more like a hot shadow daddy) on a mysterious mission in Lanthus, the capitol of the Sol Kingdom.

* Witches
* Shadow shifters
* Enemies to lovers
* Forbidden romance
* One bed
* Angst
* “Who did this to you?”
* A dash of 🌶️


I won’t spoil too much, but Saoirse’s journey is one of survival. She has endured so much abuse, leaving her with many insecurities, trauma and anxiety. I appreciate how the book didn’t shy away from exploring those darker, raw emotions. As someone who has dealt with anxiety for many years myself, her inner dialogue was deeply relatable. It was refreshing to read about a heroine who isn’t perfect, who doesn’t have any powers, who isn’t the “chosen” one like in so many romantasies.

“Control was something I needed, something I craved, and I had none of it.”

Vane on the other hand was not your typical shadow daddy either. He isn’t rude or dislikable at all and actually really sweet and not afraid to show his emotions. He supports Saoirse in her darkest moments but isn’t afraid to give her some tough love when needed.

"You can’t lose yourself if you don’t even know who you are in the first place."

The book also has many great side characters, particularly Saoirse’s bond with her sister, Xan. She matured so much in the book.
And Maeve, the bakery owner, who helped Saoirse find a new life outside the castle, teaching her ways to cope with her anxiety—serving as the mother figure Saoirse truly deserves. The cozy bakery setting was a charming touch and added some lightness to the story.

If I had one critique, it’s that the pacing felt a bit rushed. Everything unfolds within a few weeks or months, which could’ve been stretched out to give more time to certain plot points. But it was great how the book got straight to the point - no unnecessary dragging! It’s packed with yearning, tension, a great plot twist, and a cliffhanger that left me craving for book 2!

Be sure to check the trigger warnings before picking this up, as there are some graphic scenes that could be upsetting and/or triggering to some. 



Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

I received this book as an ARC.

I really enjoyed this story! I found the characters to be interesting and fun to read.

Some of the instances seemed a little predictable and cliche, but it was an overall fun book to read.

I look forward to book 2 after the cliffhanger!

This book is good for people who enjoy romantasy and main characters with tragic pasts. There isn’t much to the story but the chemistry between the romantic leads is really good. Some spice but not a lot.

This was a strong start to the Darkwing Duet series, it had what I was looking for from a opening chapter. The characters had that element that I wanted and thought it worked in this world. Savannah Lee writes a great magical world with characters that make you care. I thought the fantasy romance element worked in this story and had that dark topic that can be too much. Savannah Lee left me wanting more in this world and to read more.