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Witch vs. Witch

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When these two meet, ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.
City—Country
Metal—Blues
Farrah Worships the goddess, nature. Light .
Sirena is from a powerful family of lawyers that deal in darkness, blood and death.
They are fighting over a boy, but not like you’d think.
Adrick is the chosen one, the savior.
They’re each supposed to be fulfilling their destiny, securing Adrick for their side.
Neither expected to catch feelings.
Now they face a sea of impossible odds as they try to balance their attraction with their duties.
Can they rise above the legacy their parents left them?
Welcome to Birmingham, Alabama and the apocalypse.

171 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2021

9 people are currently reading
95 people want to read

About the author

A.C. Merkel

17 books63 followers

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5 stars
27 (54%)
4 stars
9 (18%)
3 stars
11 (22%)
2 stars
2 (4%)
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1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Anna Mocikat.
Author 57 books203 followers
May 22, 2021
Fun read for fans of f/f romance in an urban fantasy setting!
I usually don't read romance, but for A.C. Merkel, I make an exception. His books boil over with unique ideas, boldly redefining the urban fantasy genre.
In Witch vs. Witch we meet Farrah and Sirena, two witches in Birmingham, Alabama, who couldn't be more different. Farrah is an "earth child", a modern-day hippie who feels deeply connected to nature and is a kind-hearted, soft person. Meanwhile, Sirena is the rich, spoiled goth offspring of a powerful witch.
When those two opposites meet, not only sparks fly immediately but they need to work together to save the world from the apocalypse...
The best about the book are two main characters and Merkel's descriptions of Alabama, which almost feels like a character in the book.
The atmosphere reminded me a bit of True Blood, minus vampires but with witches and magic.
I listened to the audio version of the book and can really recommend it! The narrator, Jamie Moore, did a wonderful job voicing the different female characters and the two heroines in particular.
Profile Image for Allison.
Author 6 books161 followers
April 13, 2021
Sexy-lawyer-rockstar witch meets green goddess witch and fireworks ensue--quite literally--in this romantic adventure with a playlist all its own. The attraction between the two witches is nothing short of magical, but they can't abandon those they love and who are depending on them when the apocalypse looms large and they find themselves embroiled in bad blood that entwines their families for generations. Perfect for fans of paranormal romance who lean into the action side of things. A sizzling good time!
Profile Image for Eva Alton.
Author 38 books221 followers
January 16, 2021
Fun! An urban fantasy filled with magic and some "lovers to enemies to lovers" romance between the daughter of a scary lawyer/witch and a hippie green witch (hedge witch?) who must join forces to save the world on their very own. A quick read with lots of popular culture references which add realism to the story.
Profile Image for M.E. Aster.
Author 4 books51 followers
July 28, 2022
After reading and falling in love with the Lady Dreamscapes series, I was so excited for this novella and Merkel doesn’t disappoint. He brings us another amazing story featuring incredible female leads that I’m both in love with and also want to be all at once.

Sirena and Farrah were both amazing characters. I loved them both from the word go and I was impressed how effortlessly Merkel crafted these women and wove their lives together.

Everything about this story was impeccably done, from the editing to the plot to the fast moving pace. Filled with magic, high stakes, metal bands, and just a bit of sex, Witch vs. Witch is an exciting read that will have you tearing through it and wishing for more once it’s over.
Profile Image for Halo Scot.
Author 14 books154 followers
December 4, 2020
WOW! YES! GET IT! READ IT! INHALE IT!

It’s no secret that I’m a massive fan of the LADY DREAMSCAPES series (HER NAME IS MURDER and LONDON CALLING), and so I say, as a Merkel zealot, that I believe this is the author’s best work. He started brilliant and just gets better and better. This story shines with his unique, on-brand blend of emotion, empathy, magic, and music. It’s so sharp, so expertly written, and so, so, so addictive. I read this book in one sitting, barely breathing, and forgot to eat (that’s saying a lot for me, because I never forget to eat).

WITCH vs. WITCH is a contemporary/urban fantasy novella told from dual POVs. The reader can thus experience both witches’ perspectives and sympathize with each’s motives and reactions. I loved bouncing between viewpoints like this—it deepened an already stellar story. With magical realism, an enemies-to-lovers F/F romance, and a healthy dose of fun, this book will be your next obsession.

Set in hot and humid Alabama, Merkel renders this story with luscious talk of honeysuckle, sage, and wildflowers. He fully immerses you in the Deep South with an incredible level of detail—it reads as a modern period piece with the attentive descriptions. There’s sparkling dialogue, quick quips, heated momentum, a diverse cast, and an impending apocalypse. And it’s wicked sexy.

I fiercely adored both main characters. Farrah is a “pagan in Bible Country,” outcast and bohemian. Sirena is an illusionist goth with mommy issues. There’s an instant, visceral attraction between the two of them that they struggle to process as they grapple with duty, purpose, and love. Merkel has a way of flipping tropes upside down—he cleverly navigates multiple genres while bending expectations and thwarting predictability. I get strong BUFFY vibes and can’t recommend this book highly enough.

5 sapphic stars ★★★★★
Profile Image for Elizabeth Holland.
Author 11 books105 followers
February 24, 2021
Wow! What a book. I loved how the story had so much energy, and imagination leapt out at you from every page. Having read Merkel's Her Name is Murder I was pleased to see that Witch vs. Witch also referenced cars and music. These passions shone through and only added to the story.

The plot focuses on two female witches, both yielding their own unique powers. They find themselves lost in a fight to save the world, but are they on the same team? Their attraction and love for each other grows but as secrets are revealed and their actions are influenced can Sirena choose the right path?

I particularly loved Farrah and her love for the environment!
Profile Image for Anya Pavelle.
Author 6 books122 followers
December 24, 2020
Witch vs. Witch is an amazingly fun and touching novella….with a hefty dose of the apocalypse. A. C. Merkel’s books are hard to pigeonhole because they fall into many genres. On one hand, this is an urban fantasy novel or one that can be classified as magical realism. On the other, it’s a beautiful romance I cheered for. Let’s not forget the musical references that give the book a hip character.

At the core of things, Witch vs. Witch focuses mostly on two women. The first is Farrah, a powerful and witchy hippy who loves living close to nature. The other main character is Sirena, a gothic lawyer who believes she’s under her mother’s thumb. Sirena’s mother, Ava, is controlling and micromanages every aspect of her daughter’s life. Immediately, I wanted Sirena to escape her mother’s clutches because Ava’s covert plans put Sirena at odds with Farrah. Farrah and Sirena fall in love and are insanely cute together, yet an impending apocalypse threatens their relationship.

The book is fast-paced, and the action comes to a head quickly. I won’t spoil what happens, but not all of the characters emerge unscathed. Some live and thrive, others get their proverbial asses handed to them. Anyone who wants a fun, quirky, and magical lesbian romance will love this delight of a book :)
Profile Image for Ash Knight.
Author 3 books63 followers
December 28, 2020
AC Merkel has done it again, but this time with a bit more edge and magic!

In this magical romantasy (romantic fantasy) two women who are very different in nature and background, find each other to have quite a bit in common... their both witches. The devastating part is that they have been pitted against each other, but the sparks of lust fly hotly between them.

There was never a dull moment between Farrah and Sirena as far as saving the world goes. Merkel definitely shows off his skills in this novella with precisely described action scenes that make you feel like the wind in your hair is actually from the action sequence and magic.

The romance and heat scorch the pages leaving you wanting more of Sirena and Farrah's story, hoping the magic will never end.
Profile Image for Kelly Miller.
Author 14 books432 followers
February 25, 2023
An exciting, engaging Novella!

There is so much to enjoy in this novella: The colorful characters, the southern setting, the musical elements, and the clever writing that is a trademark of this author. Farrah and Sirena have an instant connection, but are they fated to be on opposite sides? And what about Sirena's controlling mother Ava? Is she good or evil?

Although this story is entirely different from Mr. Merkel's first two books, it is no less compelling and uniquely his. This LBGT romantic fantasy is a wonderful, fun read!
Profile Image for Michele Quirke.
Author 2 books137 followers
February 24, 2021
What a fun story!

Witch vs. Witch is a novella with so much to offer! Enemies to lovers, awesome music & pop culture references, a fight to save the world from the apocalypse, two seriously awesome main characters, AND magic! What's not to love about all that?

I think my favorite thing about this book is the characters, especially Farrah. She was such a fun character with some seriously cool magical abilities! She was a great contrast to Sirena and the two were a pleasure to get to know!

This is random, but I also liked the scene lengths. Many of them were short enough that I could steal a few minutes from my day to read, which is great for parents with young children.

5/5 Stars!
Profile Image for S.P. O'Farrell.
Author 3 books118 followers
March 6, 2021
Can they rise above the legacy?

A.C. Merkel delivers a fast-paced paranormal urban fantasy novella that grabs you from the first page and won’t let go. Compelling antithetical forces collide on this rolling adventure towards the Apocolypse.

Music, cars, and that unescapable Alabama heat propel this new age romantasy to a gratifying conclusion, although these dynamic characters will stay with you. Perhaps there is a prequel or sequel on the horizon? Readers of romantic paranormal fantasy should check out Merkel’s other offerings as he is building a solid bibliography that demands a place on your bookshelves or Kindle. I highly recommend this book.
25 reviews1 follower
December 10, 2020
This was such a fun read.

It had everything I've come to love and expect from AC Merkel's writing after devouring the Lady Dreamscapes series: an urban setting, cars, music and magic.

The f/f romance had a great enemies to lovers vibe with flawed characters who were called out on their actions, sexy moments and strong dialogue. I loved the contrast between the 2 MCs and all the thoughtful touches like the types of elemental magic amongst the characters.

If you love fast, addictive reads, Suits, Buffy and The Craft, then this book is for you.
Profile Image for Nat Paga.
Author 3 books19 followers
May 13, 2021
Witch vs. Witch was a fun read! Led by two interesting, well-defined characters in a real world setting dabbled with magic, it was a great book to dive right into. While the romantic scenes between Farrah and Sirena felt a bit rushed, overall the relationship that the two develop is the hook of the whole novel. As the reader, you're left rooting for the pair as they fight for their love and the life of their friend. Fans of magic in an urban setting and F/F relationships won't be disappointed.
Profile Image for J. T. Wilson.
Author 7 books67 followers
March 24, 2021
A witchy tale about love and stopping the apocalypse.

A different but fun take on witches and saving the world. This was a fast paced and enjoyable read that took off from the 1st page to the very last word.
Profile Image for Lesley.
Author 37 books33 followers
May 2, 2022
Not for me

DNF. I was very hopeful about this but unfit wasn't for me and I couldn't finish it. There was no variety to the sentence structure, which I found annoying. And the plot felt like it needed a little more room to grow.
Profile Image for Martina Weiß.
Author 6 books27 followers
June 29, 2022
3. 5 / 5 Stars

Let's start this review by clarifying: I didn't hate this book. In fact, I had a really good time. And I'd actually reccomand this to people, if they can overlook a few of the negative points this book has.


This book had a lot of tropes that I knew of going in and some that came as a surprise. Like

+ Enemys-to-Lovers-to-Enemys-to-Lovers
+ Opposites Attract
+ Bisexual Awakening
+ Insta-Love

I was not prepared for the bisexual awakening. It's usually a trope that I'm not the best of friends with. But this book pulled it off in a great way. It made me question wheather or not I had been to harsh to this trope in general. I might be more open to books who feature it openly.

The Insta-Love/Attraction aspect wasn't as bad as I feared. It's kinda a given with how little page numbers this book has. Especially since the first two tropes were executed really greatly. Especially at the beginning, where we get to spend a lot of time with the cottage core Indigenious witch, before switching to our goth, metal witch. You'd think they'd never work, but the book somehow sold me on them. Everything that had to do with them was great.

Problems happend when the plot was involved. Not at the start. But later on when we had to give our Antagonist/Villain a motive and stuff it became .... questionable.
Don't misunderstand, I love the evil viallain who's evil just cause it's fun a lot, but this isn't this kind of book or that kind of villain. It also trys to give backstory by telling and throwing it at us and I'm like "Was I supposed to understand any of this? No? Ok."
The world itself - outside the big bad -was intersting and I'm sure this could have been executed better, but the result we got was just meh.
The epiloge was cute and sweet, but the part that came before didn't quite manage to sell it for me.

Like I said, there's a lot of stuff I enjoyed, but other stuff was just not done that greatly.
Still a great book.

So I guess, if you want some great sapphic, witch-y enemys to lovers (truly, the book did great ) who couldn't be more opposite then go for it.


Profile Image for Tyerone Johnson.
Author 3 books6 followers
August 25, 2023
An interesting premise marred by subpar writing and stale tropes

Witch vs Witch by A C Merkel is a female/female paranormal romance centering on witches Farrah and Sirena who fall instantly in love at first sight only to later discover they are on opposite sides an apocalyptic battle.

I wanted to love this story , but it was sorely lack in plot, characterization, and the prose.

First, due to this being a novella, there wasn’t enough time to develop the plot beyond save Adrick, save Sirena, save the world. And because of this the relationship between Sirena and Farrah wasn’t developed at all. They literally go from strangers to hooking up and being being madly in love with each other after only seeing each other three times.

Moreover, the world building was lackluster and not fleshed out at all, and the story dragged towards the end.

This was made worse by the utter lack of variety in syntax or any detailed descriptions.

And when I finally got to the end it was beyond cheesy.

While this was a quick read, I only finished it because it was so short. Otherwise, I would have DNF’d it were it 300-plus pages.

Honestly, this read more like a first or second draft than a finished manuscript and could use a ton of editing/rewriting.

While I did enjoy Farrah’s sense of humor and thought her plant magic was a cool concept; it, like the novella in general, lacked in execution.

Overall, I didn’t like this novella much and only give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Maybe this story will resonate with you but it’s a pass for me. Rent it or sang it when it’s on sale.
Profile Image for Saffronwriting.
7 reviews
June 19, 2022
This book is enthralling, from its introduction of the characters to the chemistry between them. Everything was well placed.
The magic system was fun and easy to understand.

"Wildflowers bloomed before her eyes as she played."

Days when Farrah did not hate her job as a cashier, she was out worshipping Goddess, nature.
Sirena is from a powerful family of lawyers that deal in darkness, blood and death.
Both have a saviour to protect, a chosen one.
Will they put their duty above their heart or disappear into a painting as Moiraine did in the Wheel of the time?
So hop on this thrilling ride of love and magic to find out.

It is one of those books that I wish I could be friends with the characters.
There are only two issues I have with it. First, it became a bit too fast-paced once the lead characters met. And lastly, the romance between Farrah and Sirena felt like they were stuck in a soulmate bubble. It was missing a little bit of friction. Nonetheless, the chemistry was on fire.

If you are looking for f/f paranormal romance, then this book is for you.
Profile Image for Kat.
Author 14 books605 followers
July 27, 2024
WITCH vs WITCH was a fun FF paranormal romance and my first read by author AC Merkel! I loved absolutely everything about this book, but especially the characters. Every character in this book, from the main players to the side characters, was quirky and fun. Farrah is a blond pagan hippie witch who lost her parents, loves playing acoustic guitar, and feels an instant connection with Sirena, a goth electric guitar playing witch in a rock band that she sees one night. Sirena is from a powerful witch family and I loved the complicated relationship between her and her lawyer mother. The setting in this book is great too—set in Alabama, with a cool historical cavern setting. There’s a prophecy of doom and complicated family histories, great chemistry between Farrah and Sirena, and a nice urban fantasy plotline. Loved this one! 5/5 stars.
Profile Image for Tanweer Dar.
Author 22 books53 followers
May 13, 2021
A great little book which is lively and entertaining throughout.

The characters are likeable, the cars and music wonderful, and the magical plot gripping.

I loved how Merkel ended the story, too (no spoilers!).

Definitely recommend to all lovers of urban fantasy. Witch vs. Witch really delivers!
Profile Image for MelissaBu.
73 reviews2 followers
December 2, 2021
This book is totally different and more up to date with issues of today society. Add in the supernatural, romance, and action that sound like a winner. Plus, the author add in different locations in Birmingham, Alabama area that I knew (I am from Tuscaloosa, Alabama). A great read.
Profile Image for Jamie (TheRebelliousReader).
6,920 reviews30 followers
January 16, 2025
3 stars. Wasn't bad. I liked the main characters well enough but the writing really left a lot to be desired. I wasn't pulled into the plot like I wanted and I was honestly a bit bored. There's potential here but again the writing didn't really work for me it felt a bit stilted.
Profile Image for Brooke,.
375 reviews26 followers
March 7, 2025
What an incoherent, full of plot holes, mess that was.
Profile Image for Jon Lewis.
9 reviews
June 6, 2025
An engrossingly witchy tale!

A fast enjoyable read. Just the right amount of spice. Likable interesting characters.Highly recommend!
Look forward for more from this author.
Profile Image for Valerie Evans.
Author 9 books62 followers
December 12, 2021
First and foremost, how gorgeous is this cover? It really caught my eye, and the synopsis of a pair of opposites witches fighting over the fate of a musician and ending up in love pulled me in.

Farrah and Sirena had such a great start as characters (really liked how they were set up as individuals) and their first meeting was cute, but then too much happened. I did like the magic system in the book and how it differed based on characters' type.

I think a more cohesive story involving less side characters would have been better. It had a lot of great potential except everything felt too rushed and convoluted after the initial meeting. I'd also have liked a little more build up to their relationship since I'm not a fan of the soul mates plot. It wasn't a bad read, though, just could have benefited from doing a little less a little slower in my opinion. However, I did finish reading it in a day so that tells you it kept my attention despite being less than fond of certain parts.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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