Dorothy Gale doesn’t know where she came from. She has only the vaguest memory of her life before landing in the dull, gray world of the vast Kansas prairie.
Then a cyclone rips through the night and carries her, her dog, and the farmhouse somewhere a lot farther than Dorothy imagined. She’s in a strange land that’s apparently cursed, shrouded in shadow. And to get home, Dorothy needs to seek out a wizard, following a treacherous path and watch out for a never-ending list of forest beasts, witches, a cursed mercenary, and perhaps most dangerous of all, the wizard himself.
Nikki St. Crowe vividly reimagines the world of the Wizard of Oz, where the villain gets the girl...and the girl gets the power.
Then a cyclone rips through the night and carries her, her dog, and the farmhouse somewhere a lot farther than Dorothy imagined. She’s in a strange land that’s apparently cursed, shrouded in shadow. And to get home, Dorothy needs to seek out a wizard, following a treacherous path and watch out for a never-ending list of forest beasts, witches, a cursed mercenary, and perhaps most dangerous of all, the wizard himself.
Nikki St. Crowe vividly reimagines the world of the Wizard of Oz, where the villain gets the girl...and the girl gets the power.
Title: West of Wicked (The Great and Terrible Land #1)
Author: Nikki St. Crowe
Publisher: Bramble/Macmillan Audio
Expected Publication Date: Aril 7, 2026
Review:
Thank you to NetGalley, Bramble, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I'm a huge fan of re-imaginings. Especially when those re-imaginings are dark! I will be honest and say I wasn't quite sure how someone could take one of my favorite childhood movies and make it dark. But, as I got older and realized this movie was already a bit dark, having someone make it darker seemed appropriate. This is not the fun lollipop guild world you remember. Where Dorothy is revered, gets into a bit of trouble, and then gets to go home. Nope, this one plays on the darker thoughts of just exactly who Dorothy Gayle is and why she landed in Oz to begin with.
I really enjoyed the narrators for this audio book. I will say I wish I knew which narrators were playing which part, it would help me look at other books the narrators have done and maybe listen to those. But overall, all the narrators did truly amazing jobs voicing the characters and keeping my interest throughout.
As per the original story, Dorothy's house gets lifted up in a cyclone and deposited in Oz. And, while she does land on the witch of the East, this is not how that witch dies. And it's from there you realize this story is not going to be what you remember of your childhood Oz. This retelling is dark, somewhat bloody, and a little terrifying, There's not telling who can and cannot be trusted. And all the characters have side stories and their own agendas. The Tin Man isn't just missing his heart, he's missing his scruples. And his oil that keeps him moving isn't just oil, but I won't spoil that for you. The Scarecrow is missing his memories instead of his brain. Or is he? He's definitely not who you think he is!
I won't dive into too much of the spice. There is some, though it's nothing super deep and it's just one scene. I actually was happy the story didn't center too much around the spice but really did rely on the plot and characters to lead the way. I definitely love me some spice, but I also prefer a good plot over an abundance of sexy times.
Crowe builds a new and imaginative version of the Oz everyone knows. The darker parts of the land are so dark. The entire journey to The Emerald City takes you through rough terrain and forests that are scary. The characters are well developed and definitely not who you think they are. The pacing keeps you pulled in the entire time. And the ending? Prepare for a bit of a cliffhanger that will absolutely leave you wanting the next installment yesterday.
Crowe takes a years old story and turns it into something new and refreshing, if not a little sinister. This is my first book by her and I can see I will be investing my time in her other stories for sure. I cannot wait to see where she takes Oz in the next book!
Author:
Nikki St. Crowe is a USA Today and No. 1 Amazon Bestselling Author specializing in dark, spicy romantasy where the villain gets the girl and the girl gets the power.
Nikki considers the start of her professional career to be in the 4th grade when she placed 2nd in a Young Author’s Competition. Back then she crafted stories about magical mansions and lost treasure. She’s since ditched the treasure hunts, but she'll never give up on the magical mansions (or the morally grey men who inhabit them).
These days, when Nikki isn’t writing or daydreaming about villains, she can either be found in the woods or at home with her husband and daughter.
For information on new releases, sign up for Nikki’s newsletter, The Forbidden Garden: https://nikkistcrowe.myflodesk.com/th...
Nikki considers the start of her professional career to be in the 4th grade when she placed 2nd in a Young Author’s Competition. Back then she crafted stories about magical mansions and lost treasure. She’s since ditched the treasure hunts, but she'll never give up on the magical mansions (or the morally grey men who inhabit them).
These days, when Nikki isn’t writing or daydreaming about villains, she can either be found in the woods or at home with her husband and daughter.
For information on new releases, sign up for Nikki’s newsletter, The Forbidden Garden: https://nikkistcrowe.myflodesk.com/th...
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