Altha, Violet and Kate are separated by time, but linked by blood and by a powerful force. A force of nature. We meet Altha in 1619, awaiting trial in Lancaster Castle. We meet Violet in 1942, awaiting the arrival of a cousin to her family home. And we meet Kate in 2019, awaiting the opportunity to escape her own prison – her own home.

I really enjoyed this book. It combines my favourite fictional devices – multiple timelines and magical realism – with my favourite genre, historical fiction (two of the three timelines are set in the past, the third in the modern day). I loved how the natural world was almost like a fourth main character in this novel and how the three women used their innate connection to nature to both heal and bring forth retribution to those who deserved it!

Of the three women, I was most engaged by Violet’s story. I could have read a whole book just about Violet’s extraordinary life following the events of 1942! I also enjoyed finding out Altha’s story, although this was a little more of a slow burning timeline. Unfortunately, I didn’t particularly connect with Kate, but I appreciated how her story shared elements of the other two women’s experiences in a modern day setting.

This really was a page-turning read with some fantastic twists and reveals. The magical realism is done extremely well, in the historical timelines especially, and is further supported by the references to the actual witch trials that took place in Lancashire. A fantastic debut – I’d love to see more from Emilia Hart in future.

Thank you to the publishers, Harper Fiction and The Borough Press, for the opportunity to read an advance copy of ‘Weyward’ in return for this honest review.

TW: Controlling behaviour, sexual assault, rape, domestic violence, abortion, violent death. Also unlikely to be suitable for those with a fear of insects (entomophobia) and birds (ornithophobia).

This is a really solid book. The plot is excellent across all three timelines, the writing is superb - Emilia Hart is an author I'll be looking out for in the future.

This reminds me of The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner which I read last year however, that was based on reality and this is magical realism. The themes being explored, the multiple timelines, the characters ... just give me the same vibes and they are both really good reads.

You may ask why I am giving this 4 stars instead of 5 and that is because it didn't have a WOW factor for me. But 4 stars is still a brilliant read and actually is a book I can see myself recommending to family and friends (many of my 5 star reads I would not actually recommend to family and friends...).

I will absolutely be recommending this on my YouTube channel and purchasing a physical copy upon release.

Thank you for the opportunity to review :)

Altha, 1619, held in a prison with no food for 10 days before being tried as a witch!
Kate, 2019, trapped in a marriage with an abusive, controlling husband!
Violet, 1942, motherless and ignored by her father with an annoying brother!
Three women from the same family facing abuse across the years. Gradually their stories unfold. As a cliffhanger is reached the scene changes to another story. Well told and well described this is a definite page turner. Look forward to reading more by this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Emilia Hart/Harper Collins UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Weyward is three stories woven into one which spans across five centuries, with the heart of Weyward women pulsing in each thread. A multi POV can be confusing but here it is seemless. The author cleverly entwines the stories to create a novel that is something really magical.

The historical and modern parts blend really well. Each time period captures the irrepressible strength of our Weyward women as they learn about their legacy and harness the power of the natural world to overcome their adversaries.

Weyward is a debut novel by Emelia Hart and I absolutely LOVED it. This is definitely an author to watch.

Thank you to Harper Collins for the eARC of Weyward

This novel is so beautifully written the characters all bring the story to life and the magic brings the story to life.
Each of the three women are intertwined, they're all strong and the magic they yield is green magic.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, it's multilayered and so richly described you feel part of the story. I loved how three timelines and three characters are all connected and the multiple povs create a layer to each character, surprisingly this does not create confusion but gives the story more depth.
I highly recommend Weyward to everyone. It's a fantastic debut!

Thank you HarperCollins UK, HarperCollins Fiction and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.
An interesting story of 3 women during different time periods who were all treated badly by men and who were all healers / witches.
Violet was my favourite, then Altha and then Kate. I felt the character of a Kate could have been better.
The story was well written and although not the usual type of book I read I did enjoy it. However I have one problem, the ending it was so weak compared to the rest of the book that is why I can only give it 3 stars, plus, there is too much hype about this book.
I would like to read more by Emilia.

Definitely a 5 star read. This is a brilliant mix of historical and modern fiction. It is full of beautifully descriptive writing. It has the perfect mix of real life and superstitions.. It tells the story of three generations of women from the same family all with different backgrounds but all with very similar stories connected though the ages.

As soon as I started reading this book, I knew I was going to absolutely love it! The descriptive writing of the characters feelings, the atmosphere, the surroundings and the experiences they were going through felt so real and as soon as I began reading, I was completely hooked.

I love all the main characters in this book, they are well developed. The format of how it is written flowed so beautifully for me, the pacing was excellent and I felt fully immersed in the story. I have read books with this style of three characters related in different time lines and this one is the best I’ve read. I definitely enjoyed it the most. With how the characters felt so entwined and connected, it enraptured me and I was consistently eager to know more. All the characters and their experiences pulled at my heart strings profusely.

This book shows the potential of ancestral patterns and how repetition is known to cause havoc in the lives of generations and the potential for opportunities to arise to break them. Every part of the book was concluded perfectly.

This was a truly wonderful read! Thank you so much to NetGalley and all involved in me being able to read this book. I absolutely loved it!

Ever since I got this book I've heard so many great reviews and opinions I've decided to give it a try one, second, and third time. When I first read the description I thought it will be my new favourite. But 15% in (which is definitely much less than I'd usually give) I'm just so- not interested. The writing is great. The characters seems so interesting. The stakes seem so high. I just cannot get myself to keep reading it. However, like I said, 15% is too little to really decide about the book, so I will give it another try at some point.

So very nearly a 5 star read for me! I loved the story of the Weyward women, told from three different perspectives and generations.

Kate's story is present-day, Violet's is set in the World War 2 era and Altha's is back in the 17th century. Over the course of the book we see all three characters learn of their heritage and what that entails, as all three come into their own individual powers and understanding of what it means for them. There is strong characterisation of all three leads, with the supporting characters given a lighter touch but enough to help build the story.

I really enjoyed the three different viewpoints and thought they were interlinked well, as the character's journeys progress things start to make more sense and the reader gets a real sense of how all the women are connected. What stopped this being a 5-star read for me was the end - the author skillfully built the separate storylines so you knew there had to be a reckoning/discovery, but the climax of Kate's story in particular was a bit of a letdown after the build up to it.

I still thoroughly enjoyed this and would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a bit of fantasy and witches thrown in for good measure. If I could award 4.5 stars I would.

Not my usual genre but having been recommended this book by a friend I thought I’d give it a go. What a fabulous debut novel about three very different women, all linked by blood and all living in different centuries. It’s well written, well constructed and despite the different timelines it flowed easily. There is a feminist slant to the book as each woman is treated badly by men but all come out stronger.

Briefly, in 1619 Altha is accused of witchcraft and sent to Lancaster assizes for trial. A healer in her local community she is accused of killing her former best friend’s husband. More than 300 years later in 1942, as a young teen Violet is raped resulting in pregnancy and sent into exile by her wealthy father. In 2019, following the death of her great aunt Violet, Kate leaves her abusive husband and goes to live in the property left to her by Violet. Three women, one house and an uncanny connection to nature…

I won’t lie, I have quite a phobia about insects so some parts of this were uncomfortable reading for me; that said it was an engrossing read and I read it in an afternoon. I’m not really sure what genre this fall into, maybe fantasy, but I really enjoyed each woman’s story. A good read. 4.5⭐️

Three Weyward women: Altha, Violet and Kate. Separated by time, but linked by blood. Both victims and survivors, these women share a bond.
Altha, a healer, was on trial for witchcraft. Violet, raped at sixteen by a family cousin and disowned by her father. Her only solace the insects that so fascinate her. Kate, in the present, escaping an abusive relationship. She flees to Crows Beck, a remote Cumbrian cottage left to her by her eccentric great-aunt Violet. Upon her arrival she starts to unearth her family history.
Multiple points of view can be distracting, but these blended almost seamlessly. With interwoven elements it was fascinating to read about each woman and to see their growing personalities as they each challenge the expectations of their time.
While it’s infuriating to see the ongoing issues women who do not conform to society’s expectations face, I feel that the author focuses on the developing strength of each woman and growing courage to stand firm in her own identity. I adored the way nature was presented here, in each time period.
This is part of a growing trend in books focusing on witches and exploring womens’ identity. While the character of Kate is presented as the one who is uncovering the family history and the one who may be seen by a contemporary audience as most sympathetically presented, I found Violet and Altha the characters who most caught my interest. Their stories, sadly, may have been common and I - like Kate - was eager to learn more about the two women who took on the patriarchy in their own ways.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this prior to publication.

What a brilliant and unique debut novel by Emilia Hart. Once you have started it you will not want to put it down until the end of the book. Not a genre I would usually go for but the reviews have been terrific and couldn’t deny myself the pleasure of reading it.
Spanning the years 1619 to 2019 we race through the years. The story is told by three women, all related, and we go back and forth between them.

Kate, 2019 is an amazing woman. She has been fortunate enough to have been left a cottage in Cumbria by her great aunt. Weyward Cottage can tell many tales of times gone by. Kate flees from London to get away from her life. She is really intrigued with her heritage and tries to find out about her descendants. The cottage is full of secrets and unrest. Kate came across as a kind and compassionate woman, who manages to find the strength to leave her old life back in London.

Violet, 1942. This is a really heart-breaking tale of loneliness and demonstrated just how much some of us require to be loved. Her love of life as she was growing up was all about wildlife. Violet was quite young and naive and hasn’t had anyone to tell her about the ways that humans procreate. Her father was horrible. He showed no warmth, kindness or love. This leads to a change in her circumstances rather quickly.

Altha, 1619. Altha also had a love for nature and had been accused of murdering a man from her hometown by means of witchcraft. As her story unfolds we learn of someone who is brave and compassionate.

This is a brilliantly written book. I loved the way we flipped from one generation to another. How life had been in 1619 and not a time I would like to have lived through. The descriptions of the sound of nature bought this book to life. Through her written word I could certainly hear and visualise the birds, bees and insects.

I was told that this is going to be one of the top books for 2023. I agree wholeheartedly. Congratulations to Emilia Hart on such a marvellous debut novel. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for a truthful review. Definitely a five star read and suggest that everyone should support such an inspirational novelist as her debut is published.

Weyward is a beautiful enchanting tale of three women at different times in history and the challenges they face.
A story of feminism and love but also strength and hope. I picked this up not quite knowing what to expect. I could not put it down.

If you love witchy folk tales then this is perfect for you.

Telling the stories of Altha 1619, on trial for witchcraft and the murder of a local man.

Violet 1942, she loves nothing more than to be outside with nature but a shocking harrowing event will change her life forever.

Kate 2019, fleeing an abusive relationship, is she ready for the secrets of the Weyward women?

Gripping, thrilling and heartbreaking. It’s a must read.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this magical book. I was really looking forward to reading this one and it certainly didn’t disappoint. I absolutely adored it and didn’t want it to end. 3 strong, brave and formidable female characters who I instantly loved. I loved the historical elements as well as the modern, with just the right amount of magic! I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone. A huge 5 stars from me.

Weyward is a hauntingly stunning debut novel. It interlinks the lives of 3 women from the same family, over a course of 500 years and their connection to nature and the natural world.
Altha has been accused of witchcraft and stands trial in Lancaster, Violet is trapped in her ancestral mansion with a father who doesn't understand her and plans to marry her off as soon as possible, while Kate finds herself trapped in a violent relationship. Across the span of centuries they find that they face the same issues with misogynistic and violent men.
The separate timelines and narratives all share interconnecting themes and the three protagonists all have to deal with their problems in a shared way and all come together beautifully.
This was a truly wonderful and clever debut. It was a joy to read about how the womens connection to nature gave them a true power and how certain men were scared by these 'Weyward' women. A real must for fans of magical realism and feminist novels.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an arc in return for an honest review.

A solid 4.5 stars - there was something gentle and familiar about this book that made it a really enjoyable read.
I love the connections that slowly unfurl about our three protagonists, and the way their lives reflect each other in different ways.
There’s some heavy subject matter and so I’d always suggest readers check content warnings before going in!
This is a powerful story of feminine strength and the magic of nature.
Enjoyed it so much that I’ve preordered a physical copy!

Wonderfully tense and charming. I didn’t know at the beginning if I was going to like Kate but I did take to her and cared about what happened to her. Violet was the same but Althea I felt a kinship with immediately. This story follows these three women; Kate now, Violet in the 1940s and Althea in the 1600s who are all connected with the cottage that Kate has inherited from an aunt. It is to there she runs to escape and abusive relationship and where she finds the other women. It’s really good to read this in one go but I urge you to read it anyway!

Weyward is a beautiful story about three generations of women connected to each other by blood and by their affinities with nature.

I really thought this book was beautiful. I was accepted by netgalley for an ARC but it became sort of buried under everything else, until the reminder email came. I'm so glad it did. It was so worth unearthing from my kindle! I flew through it.

The book is told through three different perspectives in different time frames and yet none were more favourable than the others. I felt truly connected to each of these characters and invested in their stories and outcomes.

I feel as though there are a tonne of witchy reads being released right now but this is so different from the others I've read recently, being not in the rom com sort of genre, It is purely about femininity and strength, it is wonderful.

**Side note - I would really recommend going into it aware of trigger warnings though, as there are descriptions of DV and SA etc**

Run date of review: 25/01/2023
Outlets posted on: Instagram & Goodreads


Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC! I was so excited to read this because I am a member of the Harper Collins readers room and saw the cover and synopsis earlier in 2022. It immediately drew my attention and I added it to my wishlist to buy when it came out. I was so excited to receive this ARC! Let me tell you I was not let down in the slightest, this was everything I expected and more!

We’re following three different women over three different time periods. Altha, a woman being tried for witchcraft in 1619. Violet, a sixteen year old girl stifled by the expectations of a woman in 1942. Finally, Kate, a woman in present day escaping her abusive boyfriend and fleeing to her Great Aunt’s cottage. Secrets are buried there and the story flows through time.

This book is absolutely STUNNING. I can’t tell you how excited I am to see what else this author writes because Emilia Hart is a new favourite author for me! Her writing is very reminiscent of Stacey Halls who is one of my favourite authors of all time. This story is crafted flawlessly. I absolutely love books told over different periods of time and the way the story is told through these different timelines is so immersive and you feel a real connection to this family and the characters.

This book focuses a lot on the violence that women have suffered and continue to suffer at the hands of men. I would advise you to look up trigger warnings because there are some difficult topic’s discussed in this book including sexual assault. As a survivor of sexual violence I felt that Emilia Hart addressed this topic with so much care while showing the harrowing details of not just the act itself but the aftermath. I really appreciated.

With that being said, this book also showcases how POWERFUL women are and have been over many centuries. How even in times such as the 1600s when women could be tried as a witch for simply thinking for themselves, women have still found ways to be powerful. Each character in this book develops so much over the course of the book and you see each woman discover their inner power which I loved. This book also talks a lot about nature and the power of nature which was magical. Although one of the women’s point of view is told in first person and the other two third person it isn’t jarring in the slightest and there is a reason for it.

I’m still in shock that this is a debut and as I said Emilia Hart is a new favourite author for me! I wouldn’t be surprised if this made it into my top 10 favourite books of 2023 it was beautiful. I am recommending it to all of the Weyward women in my life.