The Witch and The Vampire is a stunningly sapphic Rapunzel retelling- if vampires also made an appearance in the original story. Fortunately, this retelling is as compelling as the original! Rapunzel is one of my favorites and I was very excited to see the queer rep. I was immediately drawn in by the beautiful cover.  Kaye and Ava were friends and witches together- before Ava’s mother sent her to study in the country. Except Ava’s mother has been keeping secrets and Ava never left the town. When Kaye realizes Ava and her mother are secretly vampires, Kaye and Ava must work together to survive a ravenous forest. 

Ava and Kaye once had a friendship, which was broken when Ava disappeared. I love how Kaye never forgot about her and spent time looking for her. Ava has endured unimaginable experiments while trapped in the tower and is desperate to escape her evil stepfather and morally-gray mother. It was great to watch Ava and Kaye reconnect and try to get past the differences that divide them. Ava's magic was so interesting and I loved how she was able to harness it even as a vampire. 

Kaye is very intent on doing the “right thing” and soon realizes that Ava is trying to be one of the good vampires (not killing humans). Ava is extremely powerful once she escapes and dedicates her talent to finding out why the forest has become ill and starving. I would have liked a little more background about the relationship between Ava and Kaye, or maybe some more time for them to rediscover the relationship. Still, I loved the progression from friends to enemies to romance. 

I would recommend this for readers who love sapphic fairytales, atmospheric writing, and classic fairytale themes. Readers who are fans of Heather Walter (Malice), Adrienne Tooley (Sweet & Bitter Magic), and Alicia Jasinska (The Midnight Girls) would enjoy The Witch and The Vampire. 
 
Thank you to Francesca Flores, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.