I really like Olivia Atwater's Regency Faerie Tales, saying that I really recommend you read first Regency Faerie Tales, there's a lot of references and context that I think it really enrichs the story. Being this a continuation of the story there are major spoilers specially for Half the Soul. Important note, this book is a completely different vibe from the Regency Faerie Tales, this is a gothic fantasy book, and I can't stress it enough *the main focus of the book is not romance*, the book is engaging and the writing is as fantastic as her other stories, but the story is also darker and sinister. The book deals with themes like SA, it talks about predatory behaviors in men, about gaining ownership of ourselves after experiencing trauma, nothing explicit or written just to generate a shocking reaction regarding to the theme. However the book has a content warning, which is always appreciated, remember to check it out.amd be always kind to yourself, having said that, I think the book does a great job dealing with these topics, is not graphic and it treats the characters with kindness and respect.
Some notes:
I loved the dark tone of the book, the elements of the magic were interesting, and I want the next books to expand more on that.
Our main character is an opportunistic and a liar and distant woman, she is indifferent to what's happening in the house and I love her for that.
The book is engaging and, in my case I devored it in just 2 days.
Love

This was such a great, fun time! I wouldn't usually pick up a book like this but I am SO glad I did. Currently adding it to our book order at my bookstore. I wish it was already out so I could start recommending it right now!

Hired as a governess, not only to teach, but to protect a young boy, Winnie arrives at Witchwood Manor. The manor houses far more than it appears to, and eventually Winnie finds herself having to find and rescue the young boy she was meant to protect, for he is replaced by wood. With the help of Mr. Quincy, a mysterious yet charming butler, Winnie attempts to navigate the Witchwood Knot.

I truly enjoyed this one! The Victorian vibes, the strength and growth of Winnie as a character, it all made for a fantastic read. The cover pairs quite perfectly with it as well, capturing the vibes of it perfectly.

Mr. Quincy was a compelling character as well, I loved every interaction between him and Winnie and how like our governess, he evolved as a character throughout the story. I do wish I could hear his music too.

Oliver was definitely one of my most favorite characters as well, a fierce kitty who is also not quite what he seems!

I hope there will be more to the story in some form! It is a lovely world to delve into, and with fantastic lore.

Highly recommend to those who love Victorian fantasy with romance faerie and more!

Thank you NetGalley and Starwatch Press for the arc.

I wish this book were already available so that I could immediately begin recommending it to everyone I know! Olivia Atwater consistently writes books that brim with charm and wit and daring heroines, and this was no exception. The Witchwood Knot delivered everything I had come to love about her regency faerie tales, but this gothic evolution in her universe was oh-so-deliciously darker. It stays on the cozy side of the fantasy genre, but it had more atmosphere and higher stakes than what I had read from her previously. The setup and the ending for potential sequels was spot on and I eagerly await what comes next, hopefully featuring more of her sisters. We meet Bellamira only briefly in this one, but even in that brief encounter she was a scene stealer. I also now need my very own Oliver.

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwatch Press for this ARC.

THE WIΤCHWOOD KNOT by Olivia Atwater

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

" 'Innocence is so offensive, isn't it?' he asked her finally. 'It is never content in its existence. It must force itself upon the rest of the world, insisting that true horror is a fiction.' "

After Winnie, a magician and ward of the Lord Sorcier, is called to work as a governess for a young lord-to-be, she must face an eerie manor plagued with the tangle of ghosts and faeries that are trapped within the house.

The Witchwood Knot was darker than I'd anticipated: set in a Victorian manor, where ghosts haunt the walls and faeries and other creatures lurk behind mirrors, it bears none of the Regency Faerie Tales lightheartedness.

"It was somewhat flattering, Winnie realised, to be considered as a worthy opponent, instead of as a woman."

Winnie was a delightful heroine. Conniving and somewhat patronizing, she managed to become a strong protagonist that was far from unlikeable.

" 'You are so cruel, Mr Quincy,' she told him. 'I admire it intensely.' "

On the plot department, readers who seek a romance-led story won't find it here. I would compare it to The cruel prince in that sense: there is a sort of villanous character romance, but it's definitely slow-burn and a subplot rather than the main storyline (which I greatly enjoyed).

If I had to pick at something, it would be the rapid change of pace during the last third or fourth of the book (since I wish it would've been more paced out) and the need to have read, at least, Half a soul to fully understand some pieces of the story.

All in all, I'm very glad to have returned to this universe and I look forward to reading the next book in this series, Rosemary and Thyme (which comes out in 2024!)

Instagram handle: @librisinetenebris

Thank you to Netgalley & Starwatch Press for this arc. My opinions are my own.

When Winnifred Hall is hired as governess for the young lord of Witchwood Manor, there is more to her job title than it would seem. With a house full of ghosts and secrets within the walls, Winnie must fight to keep the young lord safe from the dangers of the manor while solving the mystery behind the home.

Earlier this year, I read “Half a Soul” by Olivia Atwater and loved it, so I was excited to have the chance to read this arc. Like before, I adored Atwater’s writing style and find it to be extremely unique to other fantasy books I’ve read. The world of this Victorian era Fantasy is the perfect backdrop for a gothic novel.
This book is dark compared to her previous one. I liked how Atwater handled difficult, but important topics in a gothic fantasy setting.
I also liked the concept of how the magic in the house worked.

As much as I was entertained by this novel, I found some of it hard to follow since I haven’t finished Atwater’s previous series, “Regency Fairytales' '. This book is directly connected to that series, and I think it’s important to read those books before reading this one. Some of the revelations didn’t make the impact that I think it was supposed to because of it.

I also think the synopsis of this book gives away too much of the story. It takes until 50% in for those events to even happen so it shouldn't have been in the synopsis.

Overall, I liked the book. I just highly suggest reading the previous books first! I believe it’s vital. Also please look up trigger warnings if needed!
3.25 stars

I will post my review on Instagram around the publication date.

The Witchwood Knot is a beautifully written book full of mystery, dark magic, and Victorian era vibes. That said, I felt like a ton of important backstory was missing. I really did love the writing style. It was descriptive, flowy, and felt magical. I loved that Winnie’s character was strong and intelligent. I just didn’t feel an investment in what was happening. Somehow the stakes sounded semi-high in real life, but then ended up feeling really low while in the Witchwood Knot. I also didn’t love how a loathsome creature suddenly turned into a love interest ¾ of the way through the book. It felt random and didn’t really add to the storyline for me. I may have enjoyed this more if I had read other books first, but as a standalone, this one just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwatch Press for the ARC.

A wonderful haunted mansion sort of book. Enormously darkly atmospheric. I thought this was a well-written and enjoyable novel.

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater

Themes: Gothic Fantasy, Atmospheric, Eerie, Mystery, Fae-like Creatures, Magic

Plot Overview:
In "The Witchwood Knot," we follow the journey of Winifred Hall, a Victorian governess with a keen eye for deception. When her young charge unexpectedly transforms into a block of wood, Winnie quickly deduces that the real boy has been stolen away by the Fair Folk. Standing alone in her belief of the fae’s existence, she finds herself tasked with the daring mission of rescuing the young heir from the enigmatic Witchwood Manor. This daunting task becomes even more complicated when she discovers that the Manor harbours secrets darker and more expansive than she could have imagined.

Navigating through the labyrinth of the otherworldly mansion, Winnie finds an unlikely ally in Mr. Quincy, the Manor’s fae butler. Despite his alluring charm and enigmatic smile, Winnie senses that he hides dreadful secrets of his own. As she ventures deeper into the Witchwood Knot, she realises that her usual wit and cleverness might not be enough to save the day. Faced with unprecedented challenges and dangerous alliances, Winnie must decide who she can truly trust.

Review:
"The Witchwood Knot" marks my first dip into Olivia Atwater's enchanting world, and although I haven't yet dived into her Regency Faerie Tales trilogy, this standalone novel captivated me from the start. The story unfolds at a somewhat slow pace, pulling me in until I found myself racing through the pages, eager to uncover the mysteries of Witchwood Knot.

Winnie, our fearless protagonist, is a revelation. She embodies strength, intelligence, and a refreshing self-awareness that sets her apart from the typical damsels found in gothic fantasies. Her journey through the eerie and mysterious corridors of Witchwood Manor is both thrilling and chilling, offering a perfect blend of adventure and suspense.

The romance within these pages, while not the central focus, adds a compelling layer to the narrative. It's a slow burn, gradually building momentum and weaving seamlessly into the character arcs of both Winnie and her fae counterpart - which is quite frankly **chefs kiss**

Concluding with a hopeful and open-ended HFN, suggesting the possibility of future adventures within this alluring and sinister world. If that proves to be the case, you can bet I'll be first in line to get my hands on the next book. Olivia Atwater has crafted a gothic fantasy gem!

Thanks to Netgalley & Starwatch press for this ARC. This was my first by Olivia Atwater and will not be last, also my first gothic horror! I love anything paranormal and faerie. It had me wondering what was going to happen next, and I had to pick up the book in any minute of spare time I had!

A perfect "light" read for lovers of dark, ominous faerie tales and changeling folklore, The Witchwood Knot, to me, is about finding courage, compassion, and reclaiming your independence.

I'm not sure where one would find the notion of this being a cozy read. The cover and description screams haunted Victorian estate and it's exactly the energy it emanates.

Trigger warnings include non-graphic adult and child SA, blood, death of close relatives/caretakers, child abduction.

Rating and Pacing
I rated it 4/5 stars for how easy it was to read and the feeling it left me with.
However, I'd give the plot itself 3/5 stars.

My reading was fast-paced, but I can't say the same for a good 65% of the story. For a while, we were simmering in the MC's hunt for clues and secret correspondence. While I wish we had used these pages to rather explore the romance and dive deeper into our mysterious character backstories, it never really felt as being stuck or bored as I have in previous books.

Trigger Warnings
The Witchwood Knot also deals with childhood and adult SA. At times, it was heavier to read (the scenes are not graphic) but, for me, it accurately represented how it feels to go through these horribly vile crimes.

We also have a few slashes and puddles of blood, but nothing I would consider even close to gore.

The Characters and Plot
What you read in the book's description is honestly what you get, but, unfortunately, quite late in the book.

Our protagonist, Winnie, is a dark magician, hired by her old friend/caretaker Lady Longfell to protect her grandson Robert from who or what is haunting the Withchwood Manor.

Winnie is not particularly fond of children, but she'll take on this task at a price, no matter her closeness to Lady Longfell.

We of course meet Lord Longfell, her broody, eerie son, and the manor's staff, like Margaret, the maid, Mr. Quincy, the mysterious butler, and Cook, well...the cook.

As a loyal listener to <i>Lore</i> and <i>Dark History</i> podcasts, I took this in as another episode of this kind. A folklore retelling of the Fair Folk. With some romance.

I truly appreciate when we see both scarily strong, indifferent-to-apparent-danger and fearing-her-deepest-fears sides of Winnie, as well as other leading characters.

What I would crave more, is to read more about Winnie's magical powers, as I feel they took the backseat in this book. Honestly, if it wasn't mentioned that she's a magician, I wouldn't have guessed.

This, however, does not take away the satisfaction of justly revenge she serves on more than one occasion.

Looks like this is the first book in a series, and I am confident in saying I shall read the next installment to see where this story develops.
___

<i>Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, Starwatch Press for the opportunity and pleasure to review this ARC.</i>

‼️ Spoilers ahead !!
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And lastly, never would I have thought I'd be simping for a man with a rat's tail. Will pigs fly tomorrow? It's possible.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I saw this available to request in the perfect moment: I had just finished "half a soul" and loved it, and it also sounded perfect for october. As much as in theory i enjoy the ideia of romance fantasy, in practice I almost always find at least one of the genres lacking and "half a soul" was one of the few exceptions so I had high expectations for this one and did not disappoint!
I loved the writing (as I already knew I loved), the plot was interesting and gripping, loved the characters and the romance is developed slowly — exactly the way I like it. The atmosphere was also great, and its a perfect read for october (especially for people who like to read in theme but nothing too scary).
My only complaint is that as much as I loved the romance and the way it was developed, I wish we saw a bit more of them, since this is such a small book.

I definitely recommend this and will look forward to anything Olivia writes!

Oh my goodness. I DEVOURED this book within a day - I was so immediately drawn in by the characters and the mystery that I simply could not put it down. I had to stop reading several times to rush out to my husband to fill him in on whatever little twist or clever bit of dialogue had just happened - to me, truly the mark of a great book! The Witchwood Knot is twisty, romantic, and absolutely brimming with magic. I cannot recommend it enough.

I didn’t realize this was part of a series, or part of an established universe, but I don’t think it hindered my enjoyment. Actually it made we want to go and read the other books that were alluded to.
This was a spooky mystery with intriguing characters perfect for October. But it also dealt with some very serious themes of SA and handled them beautifully. I’ve seen in some reviews that this is a bit darker than her usual writing, but I hope she keeps it’s up.

I was very fond of Half a Soul so I definitely was excited to hear about Atwater latest project. This book was great. I love the tone of it and what it presented us with. It was a delightful read, especially with the season we're currently in.

The more I read of this book, the more I fell in love with it.
We open with Winnie arriving at a mansion haunted by malevolent fae. She is hired on officially as a governess, and unofficially as someone to deal with the curse on the household.

I love what this book balances tonally. It's gothic and dark. It's romantic and wholesome. It's mysterious and fairytale. It's easy to follow and structured.
It certainly relishes its Victorian era setting by leaning more towards Gothic tropes, while not leaning so hard that it gets muddled in the Atmospheric Plotless Weeds that Gothic books sometimes do.

But after all of that, I think what I love most about this book is the romance. It starts so slowly. For the first half of the book, I was wondering if there was even going to be a romance. But it builds, and is built so well. They get to know each other, and learn to trust each other, and have many cute moments together.

I highly recommend this novel. It does act as a direct sequel to the Regency Fairy Tales series, but can be read without those ones.

A video review including this book will be posted on my Youtube channel, @ChloeFrizzle, on 10/27/23.

Thanks to Netgalley and Starwatch Press for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

The Wirchwood Knot is a fun, spooky, and engaging regency fairytale with a mystery at its core. I enjoyed every chapter and would highly recommend it for an autumn or Halloween read. Winifred Hall must know more than she presents walking near fearlessly into Witchwood Manor where a mysterious maybe butler sets the tone for a chilling tale from first introduction. Her adventure in the Witchwood Knot will keep you captivated until the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Olivia Atwater, and Starwatch Press for this ARC. This was my first Olivia Atwater book, and I know it won't be my last.

This was a 3.5-4 star read for me. I loved the spooky, gothic vibes making this the perfect late October read. It was a little dark, a little funny, and in the end a little sweet, and I enjoyed how the story unfolded throughout the book. The relationship development of the two main characters felt well thought out, and I only wished there had been a bit more romance between the two of them. This is a spooky story first, with a romance sub-plot. I also really loved the relationship between the FMC and the little baron of Witchwood. It was a sweet development between two highly skeptical characters.

I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, and I was hoping that in this installment we were going to fully solve the plot; however, this set up for the next book really well without a terrible cliffhanger.

I can't wait to see where the story goes, and I will definitely be continuing the series.

This was a lot of fun and good little spooky read. It had a gothic vibe and Fae so how cold i resist. I really liked Quincy and his backstory it was a fun little twist. The relationship between Winnie and Quincy evolved super well and fun, I really like their interactions/ relationship and his introduction. I also like that Winnie actually understands the situation she is in and doesn’t blame Quincy for not acting as she would, She also had an interesting backstory, also a little dark but she ultimately super interesting and I would love to see more of both of thier backstories, maybe even a prequel. I also liked that Winnie wasn’t afraid to share her opinions on children and admit her ambitions and fears. Overall it was a fun story that I’ll need to read again.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this one!*

My first Atwater book! I’ll admit I was hesitant to pick this one up without reading her previous series.

And I’m sure had I read her other books there might have been a few little glimpses and references into the world I might have enjoyed even more.

But I’ll say this was delightful. Immediately pulled me in- I adored Winifred. She’s smart and cunning and witty. I wish we could’ve gotten to know her magic more!

I love it when Faeries are cunning, cruel and dark.

I honestly went into this blind - was pleasantly shocked at who she fell in love with. I wasn’t sure in the beginning. And I loved that. I also loved how they fell in love, it slowly unveiled along with the plot.

The twist and turns of the plot were enough to keep me hooked and reading. I think when Victorian is mentioned there’s always the slight fear that it will delve too much into historical detail and become boring. But I found the historical details mentioned were charming.

Honestly- a five star read for me. I loved and adored every second. And I’ll be picking up her other series immediately.