Review: West of Wicked by Nikki St. Crowe
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Content Warning
This book contains subject matters not suitable for some readers, including graphic language, graphic sex, violence and gore, child abandonment, talk of animal death, imprisonment, drug use/addiction, and war.
Morally grey men, cursed witches, dangerous secrets, a mysterious Scarecrow named Rook, and a plot twist that had me STARING at the wall afterward.
My Review
🌪️ Welcome to Oz… But Make It Twisted
I went into this expecting the chaotic spicy energy Nikki St. Crowe gave us in the Vicious Lost Boys series… and instead I got a dark, atmospheric, twisty Wizard of Oz retelling that leaned way more into the plot, mystery, and world-building than the smut. And honestly? I had such a fun time with it.
This version of Oz is cursed, dangerous, morally grey, and full of secrets. Everyone feels just a little unhinged, a little suspicious, and definitely not who they claim to be. Exactly how I like my fantasy men 😌
🖤 A Darker Road to Oz
At first, the story honestly felt pretty close to the original Wizard of Oz. Dorothy gets swept away by a cyclone, lands in Oz, follows the yellow brick road… you know the drill.
But then Nikki starts twisting the story into something darker and completely her own — and THAT is when I got hooked.
“If you have to call yourself good, are you truly good?”
This Oz is gritty and dangerous. Dorothy isn’t some innocent little girl skipping through fields. She’s older, sharper, and immediately thrown into bloodshed the second she arrives. The witches are terrifying, the Tinman is basically a heartless mercenary, and the Scarecrow? Ohhhh, we’ll get to him 😮💨
The atmosphere was honestly one of my favorite parts. It felt eerie, seductive, and unpredictable the entire time.
🌾 Rook, My Morally Grey Little Scarecrow
Listen… Rook had me giggling and kicking my feet.
A mysterious man with no memories calling Dorothy “Kansas”? Immediate obsession.
The chemistry between Dorothy and Rook was SO good. It had that yearning, fate-tangled, “something is very wrong here but I want you anyway” kind of energy. Their connection carried so much emotional tension, even without this being a super spicy book.
“Can I tell you a secret, Kansas? Yes, please. You are a wonder.”
And honestly? That surprised me.
🌶️ Wait… Nikki St. Crowe Wrote THIS?
If you’re coming into this expecting nonstop spice like The Never King universe… adjust your expectations a little 😂
This book is MUCH milder on the spice scale. There’s really only one major spicy scene, but it actually felt intentional and important to the story rather than thrown in just for shock value.
This definitely felt more fantasy-driven and mystery-focused than smut-driven.
And you know what? I didn’t even mind.
The plot twists, secrets, betrayals, and character reveals kept me fully entertained the entire time.
🪓 Twists, Secrets & “WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?” Energy
The multiple POVs worked so well here because everyone seems to be hiding something. Every chapter had me trying to piece together who people really were and where the story was heading.
Some twists I guessed.
One HUGE twist? Absolutely not.
The final reveal completely changed everything I thought I knew about the story, and now I’m sitting here desperately needing book two because that cliffhanger was criminal.
💭 Final Thoughts
West of Wicked was such a fun surprise for me. It’s darker, moodier, and far more plot-heavy than Nikki St. Crowe’s Peter Pan retellings, but I honestly loved seeing her take on fantasy this way.
The world of Oz felt dangerous and addictive, the characters were morally messy in the best way, and the twists kept me glued to the pages. While I would’ve loved a little more spice and maybe a longer book overall, this felt like a really strong setup for what’s coming next.
If you love:
✨ dark fantasy retellings
✨ morally grey characters
✨ dangerous magical worlds
✨ slow-burn tension
✨ Wizard of Oz with a sinister twist
✨ “who can I even trust?” vibes
…then absolutely add this to your TBR immediately.
Because trust me… nothing in this Oz is what it seems 🖤
🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 Stars from this “Good Girl”
