Thank you Netgalley and Starwatch Press for allowing me to read a digital ARC of The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater in exchange for my honesty review.

Cardan walked so Mr. Quincy could run.

But seriously, if you have any issue with rat rails then this book might not be for you. Luckily, I could and did enjoy this release by Atwater very much! At first I was unsure about the romantic aspect of the book (i wasn't sure it was going to happen at all) but by the end of it I was very happy with how the relationship between Winnie and Quincy progressed. I liked seeing two people take back their autonomy and go after what they truly want.

I don't think it leaned into the gothic themes enough for me, but that didn't take away anything from the book for me. I enjoyed it enough to finish it within 24 hours of starting it and will definitely be keeping my eye out for future sequels.

The world-building was good, a bit confusing, but I caught up to speed quickly. I loved our FMC and thought the romance was done well. The heavy topics were done seamlessly.
I am looking forward to reading more by this author!

I have loved the Regency Faerie Tales series by Olivia Atwater, I read all of them in preparation for this!

I am so glad she did a gothic version of this!!! Totally my favorite out of them all!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up adoring this book. It was twisty and fun and magical with fae and a spooky house. I will note that I think going in having read her Half a Soul series will better enrich the experience

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely loved everything about this book, absolutely everything.

We meet Winnie, who has arrived at Witchwood Manor where she has been hired as a governess for the Lord's young (and spoiled) son Robert, it turns out that not only is Winnie not a governess, the manor is also haunted! Winnie was actually hired as a protector for Robert in the form of a magician to protect him from all kinds of fae folk. Along the way we meet Mr. Quincy (the not-butler with red eyes), a cook who knows her way around the house and a housemaid who only steps foot inside to work and returns home every single night, refusing to sleep in the manor. Low and behold Robert is kidnapped by the faeries and Winnie must do all she can to get him back.

This is a gothic fantasy (with a small, tiny bit of romance) set in Victorian England, but with a twist, with a whole mix of faeries, magicians, familiars, and necromancers. Atwater's description of her characters, her settings and her attention is detail is phenomenal, the amount of research that went into the book is mindblowing, and I am absolutely here for it, it absolutely paid off!

We get a wonderfully strong FMC who takes absolutely no sh*t which I love to see and characters the blend so nicely together, you are rooting for them from the very start, even if you don't like them! Woven in between chapters are 'real-life' faerie stories which were a lovely addition, it really brings the story to life. Also a special mention to her kitty familiar Oliver, this really tugged on me with three cats of my own, I love him.

I cannot wait for the next book in the series (!) and I can't believe this is the first book I've read by Atwater, when she has a whole host of them, I can't wait to delve further into her worlds!

This was a standout of the year from me, if I could rate it higher I would.

What to expect:
• enemies to lovers
• gothic fantasy
• strong FMC
• haunted mansion
• magic + faeries
• bloodline curses

4*

I really enjoyed Atwater's previous work and I was excited to return to the world of Half a Soul. Witchwood Knot paints a beautiful and haunting gothic romance set in Victorian England, peppered with fae and magic.

Witchwood Manor is the story's cornerstone and it is full of mystery and danger and helps to shape Winnie's character arc and drive this rich story forward. It also helps to set the scene perfectly for the slow burning romance, which Atwater sculpted deliciously.

This story is perfect for fans of the Labyrinth and and continues Atwater's legacy of supreme storytelling.

My goodness was this perfect. From the deliciously gothic storytelling to the setting of Victorian England, this was my bread and butter through and through. The enemies to lovers was tension filled and had me positively swooning, while the writing was dark and captivating- everything i love in a book. I highly recommend checking this out if you liked starling house by Alex E. Harrow.

There’s a lot of dark elements in this book which I really enjoyed! The writing is engaging and very easy to read, I went through this book quite quickly. The magic in this book is quite sinister, and the story speaks to reclaiming one’s identity after suffering through terrible trauma. This wasn’t cozy, not like the author’s other books, but it was fantasy world-building and very interesting. I adored the romance in this one, highly recommend! This is a gothic romance set in England with faeries, magicians, familiars, & necromancers, and it kept me very entertained!

Winnifred Hall is not a governess. She is a black magician, sent by and old friend to help her in her time of need. Winnie arrives at Witchwood Manor posing as a governess to protect her old friend’s grandson whilst using her skills as a magician to discover what haunts Witchwood Hall. While there may be ghosts, it is the fair folk who haunt the halls of Witchwood Manor, led by the mysterious Mr. Quincy. When her young charge seemingly is replaced overnight with a fetch, Winnie must venture into the faerie side of the house to protect young Robert and end the curse on Witchwood Manor once and for all.
The Witchwood Knot is the first book by Olivia Atwater that I have read, and it has instantly become a favourite. I loved this mix of faerie lore and gothic novel. This book would appeal to readers of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries. I can’t wait to read more by Olivia Atwater!

Thank you to Netgalley, and Starwatch Press for giving me early access to this book, I am so sorry that it took me so long to write my review. I love Olivia Atwater and was so excited when I got approved for this arc. Unfortunately, as a student some things slip by me, and writing reviews is one of those things.

This book follows Winifred Hall as she embarks on a new job at Witchwood manor as a governess, this, of course, is just a cover for the real reason she's been hired, to protect the boy she's suppose to be a governess for from the powers of the fae. But not all is as it appears.

This book really dives deeper into the world created in the Regency Faerie Tales series, and includes references to some beloved characters. This book has just the right amount of a dash of romance to keep you on your toes without letting it get too in the way of the plot.

I really enjoyed all the characters and their development throughout the story. No one was left without some sort of larger story, which I really appreciate.

This was just a fun spooky time and I would highly recommend it. Atwater is an auto read for me now.

Olivia Atwater's The Witchwood Knot takes a darker, atmospheric, and eerie new vibe. This was not the first book I have read from the author but the writing remains impeccably good and engaging through and through.

Honestly, this was not the type of book I usually read but I enjoyed it, hence, took me long enough to finish the book. Also, I'm still processing my thoughts about this because it feels like all the things that I want to say are inside the box. This was a good read but I don't know how to articulate enough how good it was. I have nothing to say. Additionally, I was low-key rooting for Mr. Quincy and Winefred and I was very happy they happened.

I just hope this review makes sense. Even though I, am confused and lost with all the things I am writing right now. But don't let this review be a sign to put this book off just because I can't justify or can't give a satisfactory review, this was nothing but immensely good for an atmospheric and gothic fairytale. Olivia Atwater did not disappoint

Arc

This book tells a gothic story set in classic regency England but with fae present.
I haven’t read the regency fairy books but I get the feeling a few familiar faces pop up in this book.
Also any book with an animal familiar sucks me straight in.

Thank-you to NetGalley and the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this free eARC in return for an honest review.

I requested this book from NetGalley, despite having not read any other Olivia Atwater, having seen that it came thoroughly recommended by Alix E Harrow, which was recommendation enough for me. I look forward to working my way through the rest of her back catalogue!

I enjoy a good faerie tale, but can find gothic a bit hit and miss, but this was one of the best books I've read from NetGalley all year, and I attacked it voraciously (and probably would have finished it in under a week if I hadn't been double-fisting with The Skeleton Key at the same time).

This was some beautiful world painting, with a feisty heroine who I warmed to without her becoming over bearing and annoying. The back story and faerie tales were skilfully interwoven with the contemporary story, while the faerie elements wove together nicely with the more mundane aspects of the narrative.

Overall it was a skilful piece of writing and an enjoyable narrative. 5/5 would thoroughly recommend.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This should be more like 4.5 stars. It is the first book by Olivia Atwater that I have read but it wont be the last. Although this does reference her other books, it doesn't interfere with the story too much but I think if you've read her other books you'll get a lot more out of The Witchwood Knot.

The story really sucks you in from the get go and I really thought I was going to get more of a haunted house tale but wasnt at all disappointed with the faerie aspect. The half star that I took away was because of Winnie. She seemed just too capable and everything that happened was more of an inconvenience than a serious problem. Overall a light fantasy that was perfect for the dark evenings.

4.5 stars but I’ll round up. I really liked this! Especially fun if you’ve read Half a Soul; it almost felt like a true sequel to that because I get so much from Lady Hollowvale.

I love this universe — it’s such a lyrical, fresh take on the uber-popular faerie fiction. I also think it’s so refreshing to have romance without smut. I really, really recommend this book and others from the author.

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater is the perfect Fall read to get your spooky vibes vibing. Its blend of dark fantasy, gothic horror, and slight romance felt like a cozy, warm blanket over the cozy, warm blanket I was already wearing.

I was expecting more from this book and unfortunately it let me down. I did not feel that it was a romance at all, which is what I have seen it advertised as. The romance happens in the last 20% or the book and is minimal. I found the characters hard to like and started to just skim through some of the last 40 or so pages until the last chapter. I did like how the book connected with the authors other books and I will read the next book in there series because the ending if this book was quite interesting

(4,75☆)

Wowowow, I never would have thought how much I'd like this book! It has the perfect somewhat cozy gothic setting and I loved all the ghosts and fairies so much.
I started this book without reading half a soul first and was a little afraid that I wouldn't understand a few things because of that, but it really wasn't a big problem. And it also really wasn't my last Olivia Atwater book! I'm SO exited for rosemary & thyme and I will read half a soul as soon as possible!
The main character was excellent, I enjoyed seeing through her eyes a lot (it also made the scary parts less scary).
The only flaw is that sadly it has this "immortal man x young woman"-thing. I also would've enjoyed a more diverse set of characters.
But nonetheless I had so much fun reading it and from now on will count it as one of my favorite books!

Thanks a lot NetGalley for providing and e-ARC of this!

The highlight of these books for me has always been the romances. And I really loved the romance in The Witchwood Knot (as long as I ignore one specific detail about the love interest’s appearance). This is a story of two people with a lot of sharp edges finding comfort in each other’s brutal honesty. There was so much raw emotion in their relationship that I couldn't stop highlighting lines. But the romance only takes up so much of the story. And I’m left with very mixed feelings when it comes to the rest of the book.

Winnie is an amazing main character. She is determined and strong and doesn't take shit from anyone. Her cat familiar Ollie was adorable and I really hope the future books in the series follow her sisters. However, I wish the book had explored her magic a bit more. The Witchwood Knot introduces the idea of black magicians who practice forms of magic that the current Lord Sorcier has deemed dangerous and forbidden. However, Winnie’s magic is almost irrelevant to the story as she navigates the challenges through wit and her knowledge of faerie behavior.

The setting of The Witchwood Knot is a bit weak. Though the story is set in a haunted manor with a horrible past I would not consider this a gothic story. The Victorian atmosphere was practically nonexistent. It is only Victorian because it is set many years after the books set in the Regency era. The split between reality and a dream realm was interesting as Winnie faced different horrors on each side of Witchwood Manor.

The overarching plot that was set up in this one was intriguing and I would be very interested to see Winnie and Quincy return in later books. However, very little happens in The Witchwood Knot itself. The events mentioned in the premise don't happen until over halfway through the story. The second half is more interesting only because the romance comes into play. Though it was fun to have a main character that was unphased by the horrors plaguing the manor, I wish there had been more of an effort to set up the curse and the presence of the Faeries at Witchwood Manor. Or that the rescue mission had stretched into the first half of the book to allow for more time to explore the Knot and the Faeries trapped inside.

I was not expecting this story to be so tightly connected to the Regency trilogy. Though I don’t think you need to read the first series to read this one, there are many nods to the characters from that series. I have read the first two books and do not plan to read the third as I do not enjoy reading books about the children of characters from previous books. As I was unfamiliar with the characters introduced in book three I was a bit confused at some points. I don't think it significantly hindered my enjoyment of the book but I would almost suggest that readers view The Witchwood Knot as a fourth book in a series.

Though I was a bit underwhelmed by the plot, I really enjoyed The Witchwood Knot and I am excited to see where the series goes from here.

Wonderful gothic fantasy romance in the world of Half a Soul.
I enjoyed the gothic spin to the cozy regency fantasy romances set in this world. The atmosphere was done extremely well. The characters were layered with a good characterisation. As usual there was a social theme, this time about sexual assault. It was well handled and I loved the portrayal of different reactions of the victims.
The inspiration from Wuthering Heights is clear in both the setting and the excessive emotionality in some parts of the book - I would have preferred some more level-headedness in some points, but the extreme emotions did fit the tone of the book.
I am very interested to see what comes next in this world. I predict that the books in this series will be more interlinked that the ones in the Regency Faerie Tales series, but this is not a bad thing.
Great book, highly recommended!