*Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this arc. All opinions are my own.*

This book was such a delight from the very first page.
I loved the whimsical way the story was written and told, and how our main character Winnie found herself where she was.
It reminded me of Howls Moving Castle, in the way the mystery and magic came about.
From our very first meeting with Mr Quincy, I knew I would like him, and like him I did.
I enjoyed the way the story evolved, and how everything was connected in ways that we, and Winnie didn't see at first glance.
The banter between Mr Quincy and Winnie makes my heart flutter, and how they found themselves growing more comfortable with one another over the time they shared.

I enjoyed this gothic mystery, with the faerie lore woven in, and all the characters too.
The way the story ended, I instantly needed book two!

“All of my worst fears take the form of human beings, you see. As soon as I realized you were a faerie, I lost my fear entirely.”

The Witchwood Knot is a Victorian-era, historical fantasy set within the same timeline as the Regency Faerie Tales series. This book showcases 1) a sharp-witted and cunning FMC who acknowledges her flaws, 2) significant character development, and 3) authentic Victorian-era traditions seamlessly blended with an unique fairy tale. Though the atmosphere is darker than her other series, Olivia Atwater’s signature witty prose shines through, giving the beginning of the book a light-hearted feel. As we learn more about the main character’s backstories, the book takes on a more serious tone, where the reader is shown the consequences of greed & acting without consent.

You do not need to read the Regency trilogy before starting The Witchwood Knot BUT I would recommend it as it will provide more depth to the story & characters mentioned throughout the book. If the next book, like the Regency Faerie Tales, changes main characters, I hope it will follow her sisters! I would love to learn more about their backstory and the magic they possess. Overall, I would recommend this book & highly enjoyed reading it!

“The world is full of monsters, she reminded herself grimly. I knew that all along. What can I do, except to fight them?”

Winnie Hall is hired to be a governess for the dowager’s grandson at Witchwood Manor. The manor has many dangerous secrets, and luckily Winnie has her own set of secrets ready to use at her disposal. However soon young Robert goes missing, and Winnie is forced to partner with Mr. Quincy, the suspicious butler, to find him.

This gothic faerie tale is darker than Olivia Atwater’s previous works, but I enjoyed it all the same. I love her whimsical writing style and how she pulls in the dark realities of the world into her work. Reclaiming freedom and autonomy was a strong theme in this book. I enjoyed the development of mutual trust Winnie built with the various characters. Especially since we learn that she does not give her trust easily.

The Witchwood Knot takes place in the same universe as Half a Soul, but we are now in Victorian England. There are even references to the Regency Faerie Tales series (with a hint of possible reunions later in the series🤞🏾). I am super excited to see where the rest of the series goes!

CW: non-graphic sexual harassment

Thank you to the Netgalley, author Erika Johansen, and, Dutton Books for an advanced copy of this book! All opinions are my own. Available as of November 28, 2023.

I really loved reading this book. It’s so eerie and sinister and has some absolutely gorgeous writing. This is my first Olivia Atwater and I really loved her style of writing; she really creates a claustrophobic, oppressive atmosphere throughout that had me feeling on edge. There were some scenes in this that were downright chilling, and I loved how a lot of the actual horror came not from faeries but from actual people. The scene where Winnie, the main character, has taken laudanum was so effectively written, I felt so nervous during it.

The worldbuilding is solid and there’s lots of very clever, intriguing ideas in how the magic works; it constantly took me by surprise and I loved how dark and twisted all of it was. The depiction of faeries was really menacing and nasty.

The other big highlight, for me, was Winnie, the main character. She’s such a determined, bold character; so capable and confident. I loved how she stood up for herself, how resourceful she was, how quick and clever she was. She was just a great addition to the book. Characterisation in general was really strong – even for the minor characters.

This also had a lovely romance, too. I’m not sure I personally would characterise this as a romance because I didn’t think it was the central plotline, but it was gorgeously written. The development of the relationship between Winnie and Quincy was subtle but effective and led to some really beautiful scenes. The part where he teaches her to play her song on the pianoforte was very sensual and romantic; as was the idea that he composed a song to protect her, which was just a lovely concept. The romance actually made a really nice, sweet contrast to the rest of the book – eventually! (They definitely get off to a rocky start but it’s worth it in the end.)

And, of course, I must mention the way her relationship with Quincy was used to show Winnie’s reclamation of her sexuality, which was worked into the book really effortlessly, in my opinion. I hadn’t really realised till reading the author’s note how much this book focused on the subject of bodily autonomy and abuse, and I think that’s a credit to the author’s writing that she got all of that across to me as a reader.

Overall, it was just a really satisfying book; it’s very dark and twisty, and the author has done a fantastic job at creating this sinister world of magic. It also has a really lovely romance underlying it all. As a whole I thought this book was fantastic – just beautifully written, plotted, great worldbuilding and characterisation…I just loved it. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes: Violence, death, murder, body horror, blood, injuries, animal death, death of a pet, death of a close friend, death of a parent, child sexual abuse (in past), references to child abuse, sexual harassment, references to rape and sexual violence, threat of sexual violence, imprisonment.

An incredibly quick read.

This follows Winnie who becomes the governess of a child who is later abducted by faeries. Winnie sets out to save the child and is assisted by the faerie butler.

This was a quick and fun read that allows you to revisit the world of Atwater’s Regency Faerie Tales. The cameo appearances of characters from that trilogy will be a treat for fans of those books. I love the writing in this book and also enjoyed seeing Winnie develop a relationship with the child she is newly in charge of. However, I do feel as if not much actually happened in the first half of the book. Because it seemed like not much was happening in the beginning the development of the romance in the second half seemed just a little bit rushed and incomplete.

Overall, I would recommend to readers looking for more romantic fantasy books.

*the content does get rather dark and I would recommend checking content warnings

The Witchwood Knot is a fun gothic fantasy novel set in Victorian England.

Winifred Hall comes to Witchwood Manor to help protect the young heir Robert, per the request of his Grandmother the Dowager.. A manor house that was built of witchwood and appears to have quite the Faerie infestation. Winifred is no ordinary governess and is quite the warrior when it comes to Faeries and their ilk. When Robert is kidnapped by the Faeries, Winifred must call on her knowledge and training to get him back. Will Faerie butler Mr. Quincy be a help or a hindrance? Is there more to the manor than just a bunch of mischevious Fae? Winnie is bound and determined to find out.

I really enjoyed the alternate magical world and the Gothic themes. There were also some scary moments as all good Gothic novels should have.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Starwatch Press and the author for the chance to read ad review this book.

The Witchwood Knot follows Winnifred Hall as she begins her time as a governness in Witchwood Manor. It is a gothic tale of a home being overtaken by faeries, and the people of Witchwood Manor are in danger. Winnifred takes it upon herself to save them.

During the first half of this book, I would have described this gothic tale as a "light haunted house" type story with aspects of fae and other dark creatures. It had the charm and softness of Half a Soul, the other book by Atwood that I have read, but with a slightly darker tone. The second half, however, was no joke, with some gore, some triggers, and some darker aspects overall.

This story is a horror novel for a slightly advanced beginner. There will be blood, but there will also be love. I felt cozy while reading this, which still doesn't make sense to me, but I did just adore it. Atwood has a way of making faerie tales feel real, and deep stories feel light. I don't know how she does it, but I loved it. I heard mediocre reviews of her other books, but this one felt just as strong as, if not stronger than, her beloved novel Half a Soul. I would highly recommend.

Note: while this book is not in the same series as Half a Soul, it does spoiler Half a Soul!

Thank you to Starwatch Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun book! I really liked the gothic vibes plus the romantic elements throughout the whole book. The relationship between the FMC and the MMC was a fun journey to follow and they were cute together even though the MMC is more of an antihero and morally grey.

I have never read anything by this author but after reading this one, I am definitely interested in going back to read her other work!

Olivia Atwater's newest release is a wonderfully dark faerie tale set in magical Victorian England. At the Witchwood Manor, we meet Winnie Hall, the new governess who was hired by the estate's dowager to protect her grandson. Winnie has other motives for her presence at the manor - she wants to uncover the mystery surrounding the faeries at the manor. Winnie finds herself needing to enlist the aid of the faerie butler, Mr. Quincy, to help her uncover the secrets surrounding the manor - but can she really trust him?

The Withwood Knot is a truly delightful and engaging story. I was charmed immediately by Winnie and her confidence. She knows herself, what she wants, and what she can provide to the world. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the slow build to the romance - the characters learned to trust one another and the romance felt very real and fully developed.

Olivia Atwater's writing is beautiful - she balances the mysterious, dark, and gothic with romantic and sweet extremely well. This is the first in a new Victorian Faerie Tale series, but takes place in the same world as Half a Soul, but can still be enjoyed if you have not read the other series.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a mysterious, gothic fantasy!

Star Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:
0 / 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄: The Witchwood Knot
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: Olivia Atwater
𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑: Starwatch Press
𝐏𝐔𝐁 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: ⁣11.28.2023
𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: Fantasy
Thanks to @oliviaatwaterauthor for my early arc

{𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒}
I like my fairytales delightfully dark and creepy In world that is curiously like our own, but not. Olivia Atwater returns to the world of Half a Soul, a magical version of Victorian England. Readers follow Winifred Hall, a young governess who risks everything to take back her young charge. The lord of Witchwood Manor young son has been packed off by by the Fair Folk. Witchwood Manor is more than it seams, actually it’s a lot more than anyone realizes. Winifred Hall must use all her wits and tricks and that might not be enough to retrieve the little lord. Having to trust someone who isn’t all together trustworthy presents a challenge for resilient Winifred.
Oh this was such a captivating reading experience. Olivia Atwater, has once again won my heart over. Superb storyline and wonderful characters that were amazing.

»༒»❀🍁❀«༒«

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣{𝐇𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐒} #thewitchwoodknot #oliviaatwater #victorianfaerietales #regencyfaerietales #enemiestoloversromance #fae #faeries #fantasyreader #femalefantasyauthors #romanticfantasy #fantasyromance #fantasyromancebooks #romanticbooks #instabook #bookstagram #fantasybooks #witchyreads #spookyreads

I would highly recommend this book, such a lovely cozy eerie feel book. Perfect for the spook season. This is my first Olivia Altwater book, will not be my last after this read. Loved this and would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a spooky read.

The Witchwood Knot is a perfect book to curl up with on a gloomy winter night. It is a gothic Victorian romance that explores the dark nature of the Fae and perhaps the even darker nature of humankind. Winnie as a main character was wonderful and engaging, and the romance was swoon-worthy. The book touches on some heavy themes, which is handled well with nuance and care. The author has even included a trigger warning at the start, which I thought was a considerate touch.

When I saw that TWK was listed as Victorian Faerie Tales #1, I was not aware that there were precious Regency Faerie instalments so this was my introduction to the world. I understood most things and definitely enough to follow the plot and enjoy myself, but from reading other reviews there were definitely nods to others and easter eggs I missed. I am happy to go back and read the Regency Faerie Tales as I loved Atwater’s writing, but for others it might be wise to view this as the fourth book in the universe to avoid any confusion.

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.

I have read all of the regency fairytales by Olivia Atwater and have really enjoyed them. The writing is beautiful and immerse and I love the dash of humour she adds into her stories.

While the previous books have been very whimsical, this one is definitely darker in tone and I enjoyed seeing her writing progression for this one.

The reason this didn’t get 5 stars for me is that I didn’t buy into the romance in this one - for me it was a bit sudden and wasn’t the slow burn I’d come used to with Olivia’s stories. I also didn’t find my myself overly invested in the story until the last 30% so it made it a bit of a slog at the start but the ending had made me interested in anything else she brings out to continue this story!

I would definitely recommend this one if you liked her previous books.

I think this book was not for me. It took me a very long time to get into it, and even then I wasn't very much involved in the story. It got better in the second half, but still not enough to save it.

The regency vibe and dialogues felt forced - like they were trying to reproduce some sort of Pride and Prejudice? But it didn't work for me. The writing style was also not my favourites, I kept getting distracted by all the adverbs, instead of focusing on the story. And maybe it was because I kept getting distracted by that, but all the names of the fairies (ladies and lords) got kind of confused in my head and I had to keep going back to check who was whom and how they were all connected. There were too many (and some were mentioned with different names) and I couldn't keep track of all.

Something I did like, though, were the chapters written and told as fairytales! They felt like dreams and they explained all the little things we didn't know going into the book.

And the way trauma was portrayed for the FMC. I think that was done quite well and well integrated into the story.

5 stars
TW: sexual harassment
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC to review. All thoughts are my own.

From the very first scene, I was smitten with this whimsical world. Winnie is an absolute delight to follow as she slowly unravels the mystery of the manor she reluctantly steps into the role of governess at. Her true goal, aside from doing a favour for the dowager of Witchwood Manor, is to look further into the sinister happenings within the manor with the Fair Folk and discover the truth of what curses the place.

The world is enchantingly deadly at every turn, and I admire how clever Atwater was in crafting this masterpiece. It's ladened with exceptionally dry banter between Winnie and Mr Quincy that I thoroughly devoured every drop of. As a huge fan of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries this year, I was delighted to find another historical fae fantasy that has a strong, intelligent female lead who is equally brazen and reckless, set in a world where the fae are sinister and cruel yet somehow she is immune to such efforts. She remained cunning and crafty, just as much as the fair folk, making her a stellar match against the dour butler of the house. Mr Quincy is a wonderful opponent for Winnie, who rises to all of her challenges with such exasperation that I adored him immediately. Whilst the romance is subtle, and very much a subplot to this book, I was enthralled by every interaction that slowly pulled them closer and into the roles of reluctant allies against the Witchwood Knot. What I appreciated most wasn't that they compromised for the other, rather, Winnie was aware of how inhuman Mr Quincy was and worked around his machinations, giving him more food for thought along the way. It was brilliantly done - neither fully conceded their own goals for the other, yet were able to innocently bask in the soft feelings of romance.

The storyline, whilst at times felt like nothing much was happening, was full of wonder at every turn and very character-led. There were the faerytales that fed the story and built up an understanding of several characters. The smallest of details that built the personality of everyone Winnie met made me laugh with delight when I realised what the physical trait represented (especially Mr Quincy's less than desirable body part). The connections between the characters and how they fuelled parts of the plot along or grounded moments where the story grew too much and the reader needed reprieve from the darkness of the Witchwood Knot was something I appreciated too. The bonding between Winnie, who is not fond of children at all, with Robert her charge, as well as with the servants in the manor was a great touch. I came to love many characters in this storyline, and even the villains and their tales were woven into the world so creatively, that I enjoyed anticipating their next move. I will admit, I was made uncomfortable at the scene I placed in my trigger warning, but it was written well, and with the understanding of Winnie's past, was rather poignant.

I'm excited to see there will be another book in this series released as many things that happened towards the end need further explanation. This is the first book I've read by Olivia Atwater, but it certainly won't be my last.

This was such a cool storyline. I absolutely loved the historical vibes but being fantasy as well! This was an amazing read!

I don’t think I’ve ever read a Gothic romance quite like this one. I’m used to “Gothic” implying ghosts, and there *are* ghosts in this story, but the real haunting and the real horror comes from other sources. Similarly, I’m used to Gothic houses being old buildings (usually made of stone) that have stood for centuries, not buildings made of wood that have only stood for decades. But the more one learns about Witchwood Manor, the more disturbing it becomes. Ultimately this recently-built manor ends up being far creepier than a stereotypical haunted house.

The other striking thing about THE WITCHWOOD KNOT is the way the romance took me by surprise. A quarter of the way through, I found myself thinking “But isn’t this a romance? I don’t see a romance arc! I don’t even know who the love interest is!” Then that arc slowly began to unfold. The romance is a slow burn, but the payoff is so, so worth it. (Heat level is kissing-only, FYI).

Be warned that there’s a lot of potentially triggering content in this novel, including endangerment of children. Most importantly, THE WITCHWOOD KNOT contains multiple references to sexual assault, including sexual assault of a child. There are no graphic, on-page depictions of rape, but there are multiple depictions of unwanted touching and kissing.

But, because this is a romance, THE WITCHWOOD KNOT also abounds in love, sacrifice, courage, and redemption. This is indeed a dark fairy tale, but as with the romance arc, the payoff for the main story is worth all the suffering it takes to get to the end.

I received a digital ARC through Netgalley, but this is my honest review.

I have only read Half a Soul and not the other books in the Regency Faerie Tales series. While I may have understood more about the story if I had finished the story, I enjoyed this book immensely. I will absolutely be prioritizing a re-read of Half and Soul and finishing the series.

Winifred Hall is a fantastic character. While declaring herself a liar, she always honors who she is. Mr Quincy was wonderful from the start. He's odd and sarcastic and I loved him. Winnie is sent to Witchwood Manor to assist the Lady of the house with a curse that is set on the Manor. She must use all her experience and knowledge to navigate the house and the creatures within. She is a survivor and is clever in the most wonderful ways.

This story does have an ending that I can only imagine is a lead up to another book. Hopefully this will be a second series in the Regency Faerie Tales world. I will absolutely keep my eye out for further titles.

While this book has a HEA, it deals greatly with themes of abuse and SA and how victims deal with the trauma. There are many layers to this story and while it is a gothic fantasy romance in a cursed house, it also deals with serious, real life topics and does it, in my opinion, in a really authentic way. But if these are topics you'd like to avoid, please protect your peace.

This is a historical fantasy set in the Victorian Era (England)- where Faeries do exist however Winnie is the FMC who is the Governess for Witchwood Manor where there are Faeries that haunt this residence. She is there to aid and assist with the resident's grandchild, Robert who is will be the Lord who will oversee Witchwood Manor one day as well as assist in uncovering the strange things that happen in Witchwood Manor.

When she notices that Robert has been abducted by the Fair Folk- she is faced to turn towards unlikely person for assistance in order to get him back as she ventures into the Witchwood Knot.

Overall I enjoyed this book- it was a little slow pace in the beginning and about midway through it picked up. I enjoyed the Winnie's character and that she was resourceful and clever. I also enjoyed the the romance sub-plot with the unlikely character (I would have never known from their first interaction). I was a little shocked about his personal appearance but his underlying charm made up for it.

I want to preface by saying that you don't necessarily need to read the Regency Faerie Tales series in order to read The Witchwood Knot. However, there are some easter eggs that you'll catch if you do read that series beforehand.

I was surprised by how dark The Witchwood Knot got at times. It deals heavily with sexual assault which is something I'm usually not comfortable with because it is so hard to get right in stories. I'm happy to say The Witchwood Knot handled it in a way that I actually felt seen and understood as a victim myself. I especially appreciated Winnie reclaiming her sexuality and learning that it's possible to move past sexual trauma and be able to enjoy her sexuality. I thought the afterword at the end of the book was also very lovely as the author discussed how people's reactions to sexual assault can be wildly different and they're all valid.

That being said, I loved the romance between Winnie and the love interest. I loved how vulnerable they were with each other and how they helped each other heal. I truly cannot wait to see more of them. Oliver was by far my favorite character. I just love the concept of familiars so much and cats are also my favorite animal so it was meant to be. The book was also very atmospheric with creepy vibes that I adored. I'm genuinely enjoying this series more because of the darker vibes. I can't wait for the next book!