Half Wild: The Half Bad Trilogy, Book 2
By Carrie R. Wheadon,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Mature, gory, riveting story of warring witches.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Nathan is frustrated and in love. All he wants to do is save his sweetheart Annalise from a death-like sleep and hide away with her from all the warring witches that want him found and killed just for being the son of notorious black witch Marcus. Instead of immediately finding the black witch Mercury who has her, he's stuck in a cave awaiting the return of his friend Gabriel after they were both chased by Hunters. Finally, a witch who helped save Gabriel comes to find him, and the friends are reunited. Gabriel owes a powerful black witch named Van his life, and Van is ready to strike a bargain with Nathan and Gabriel: They join an Alliance of witches to help fight against British witches killing masses of black witches and any white witches that get in their way, and she helps them find Mercury and Annalise.
Is It Any Good?
As all sequels in a trilogy go, HALF WILD is a setup for the big finish -- and it's an exciting series buildup all around. The war drums are beating, and this is the book where everyone forms their grudges, chooses sides, and gets ready to fight. But the time doesn't pass twiddling thumbs. There's plenty of fighting -- bloody fighting -- with hunters and a particularly elusive and deadly black witch. And there's the main character's fight within himself to control his new gift. Nathan fears what others think about his being a half black and half white witch -- one who also becomes a dangerous animal when provoked. And he's in love with someone who's all wrong for him and not in love with someone who adores him.
Despite all the blood on display, it's still more about the characters, especially Nathan. Which is probably why readers may feel cheated when certain scenes are hurried through. Two parts feel particularly rushed: when Nathan explores his gift with his father, and when his relationship with Annalise starts to go sour. Overall, this is a great sequel that promises a thrilling finish.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the line between good and evil in the Half Bad trilogy. Why and how does the Alliance form? Do you think there can be a truce between white and black witches?
Nathan is angry and brooding and at first reluctant to join any Alliance and fight for a "cause." So, is he a hero in this story? Why, or why not?
If you could turn 17 and get a witchy gift, what would you like your gift to be?
Book Details
- Author: Sally Green
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Brothers and Sisters, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires, Wild Animals
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Viking
- Publication date: March 24, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
- Number of pages: 432
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Fantasy Books for Kids
Romantic Fantasy Books for Teens
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate