2.5 because I'm so 50/50 on this!

I love Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater SO much!!! But this one sadly just didn't have the same charm and couldn't grip me as much.

I found myself pretty bored if I'm completely honest - and I hate to say that!

The gothic atmosphere was great, and I enjoyed the location setting within the manor but ultimately everything else felt a little flat for me. The characters didn't seem nearly as compelling to read compared to Half a Soul. And okay maybe I shouldn't compare them but because I know what Olivia Atwater is capable of, I just felt let down/confused.

Ultimately this was underwhelming for me but I could see others really enjoying this!

This was my first time reading anything by Olivia Atwater and it definitely won’t be the last. Her writing immediately sucks you into this Victorian Fae world. I really enjoyed diving into this eerie, unique gothic fairytale fantasy. It constantly keeps you guessing of what is really going on in Witchwood Manor and who to trust and believe. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending me this arc, these opinions are 100% my own and honest.

I’ve really become a fan of Atwater’s books, and I really like her faerie stories. I liked this one too but I wish it would’ve committed more to the Gothic vibes it was promising. I wasn’t nearly as scared or on edge as I think I could’ve been, and the romance felt a bit too rushed—a shame because I thought the pairing was really interesting!

I found this book to be really engaging and I loved the premise. I'm a sucker for spooky stories so this story was right up my alley. I am looking forward to reading other books by the author.

Overall I enjoyed Winnie’s character, and her contrasting dynamic with Mr. Quinn was fun to see pan out. If you want historical, gothic, fantasy this book is for you!

I love Olivia's writing in every book I have read so far and this one is no exception! I love the little spooky vibes mixed with a bit of mystery and sweet romance! It is a perfect book for fall! The main character was so fierce and well written! I can't wait to read more books from her!


Also, sorry this review is being turned in late! I thought I had already reviewed it but it must not have sent correctly!

I loved Atwater’s regency trilogy so I was so excited to see her going more gothic with the victorian aesthetic!
The main characters are always so wonderfully written and its so great to have realistic female characters who are strong and independent without being over the top.
The romances are always the best part of her stories and as always this one really delivers and you cant help but love them!

4.25
Again a beutifully written story by the amazing Ms. Olivia. At first I was a little bit sceptical if I would like this but the story swet me right off my feat.
The atmosphere was perfect, a little bit spooky. The characters were just as fascinating.

When the young lord of Witchwood Manor is stolen away by dangerous faeries, his governess must find a way to steal him back. But Miss Winnifred Hall has a few surprises up her sleeve that even Witchwood’s sinister butler won’t be expecting. A Victorian gothic tale woven together from intricate world-building, a brilliant protagonist, and a heart-warming romance.

This book was so beautifully written & darkly whimsical! The story follows Winnie, a governess hired at Witchwood Manor, but there is more to why she is there than that. We meet mysterious characters & encounter eerie quirks of the manor, & as the story goes on, we start to learn why exactly Winnie is there & what is causing all of these creepy things to happen within the manor. This story was like a fairytale flipped upside down & I had so much fun reading it & finding new pieces of the story to unfold the mystery! The world building was also so stunning & the characters were so interesting. Great read!! I gave this 4.25 stars on StoryGraph.

The Witchwood Knot - Victorian Faerie Tales, Book 1 by Olivia Atwater is absolutely, compleyely and utterly my jam, toast and tea and everything in between!

Faeries, Magicians and Manors oh my! (See what I did there? Hehe) I digress, wow, wow and wow again! From the reverse pinocchio effect to the character development of Winnie, everything about this book is perfection.

Set in the Victorian era, Winifred Hall is employed to be a governess at the spooky Witchwoood Manor, owned by a cynical lord who just won't listen! Mr Quincy, we see you, yes, we see you

The perfect combination of Victorian Mystery and paranormal capers, a wholly unique read worthy of a re-read

Thank you to Netgalley, Starwatch Press and the incredible author Olivia Atwater for this stunning ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

There is just something so wonderful about Olivia Atwater’s mind. This is only the second book of hers that I’ve read and she is just it.
Winnie was delightful, but I’d really like to talk about the setting of the book. LOVED the whole haunted house vibe. It was giving all the mystery and spookiness I wanted in my life.
Extremely fun, interesting read!

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

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater is a historical Gothic fantasy set during the Victorian era. Winifred arrives at the Witchwood Manor to become the governess of Robert, the son of a widower. Despite her dislike of children, Winifred refuses to let the fairies who haunt the estate take her young ward without a fight.

I was intrigued by this when I saw that it was set in the same universe as Half a Soul. While I haven’t read Half a Soul yet, I have friends who loved it and the Victorian era has a lot of fun ideas to play with. The blending of a Gothic atmosphere with the fairies really felt Victorian to me in the best way possible. I had a clear sense of time and place and everything felt rich and connected in that setting.

Winifred and Robert’s relationship was one of my favorite ward-governess relationships I’ve seen in a while. Winifred does not hide that she’s not a big fan of children and Robert doesn’t hide that he doesn’t want to be sent to Eton, a school away from his father and away from Witchwood Manor. Their wants seem opposed at first, but they’re actually in sink and the two have a battle of wills that felt true to the time period.

Mr. Quincy is an interesting fairy in that he tells Winifred a lot but he is also bound by his own rules of morality and loyalties. I’m always here for more stories about fairies having blue-orange morality, going back to the original Gaelic and Celtic influences. Mr. Quincy develops a begrudging respect for Winifred and she does for him as well as they continue to interact the longer she stays at the Manor and the more the fair folk demand Robert.

I would recommend this to fans of Gothics who also like stories about fairies with blue-orange morality, readers looking for historical fantasy with a darker edge, and those who want novels with a female main character who doesn’t like children.

This book was the fairy tale I needed, I had been in a fantasy rut. The Witchwood Knot got me out and I am looking forward to Book 2 in the series.

Everything Olivia Atwater writes is always so magical and whimsical and beautiful, it’s always so much fun to jump into a new fantasy world and this was no different. I love books about fairies and fairie lore and I’m happy to say Atwater delivered. I’m super excited for the next instalment as this left me with questions I cannot wait to be answered. 5 stars!!

Atwater grabbed me from the first page and wouldn’t let go in this Victorian gothic fantasy, complete with haunted house and family curse. Atwater herself provides a trigger warning for child kidnapping and historical child grooming, so I think it’s only fair to pass that warning on.

I love the character of Winnie, whose strong character pings off the page from the opening lines. She is brave, determined and clever, but with her own vulnerabilities that prevent her from becoming a Mary Sue. Her spiky relationship with the sharp-edged Mr Quincy is enjoyable and well done, as it gives the reader opportunities to learn a lot more about both characters, who begin to lower their barriers as they start to work together. I also enjoyed their developing friendship which didn’t hold up the pace.

Several enjoyable revelations along the way had me reading far later than I should to discover what happened next. One of the issues I often have with this sub-genre is that the tension created and the dreadful secrets hinted at can fall flat once we reach the denouement. This proved not to be a problem when all was revealed in this instance. I also liked the fact that the child who Winnie is battling to save isn’t a sweet little victim, but a snooty brat who is far too entitled for someone of his age. All in all, this is a thoroughly satisfying read I highly recommend for those who enjoy a Victorian gothic tale, complete with some nicely spooky paranormal twists. While I obtained an arc of The Witchwood Knot from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

3 star rating from me. I liked this book but I was expecting more from it. The story is beautiful, well written but something is missing.

I found this book difficult to put down. We follow Winnie, a woman with a background in magic and a knowledge of faeries, as she takes a position as governess at a haunted manor. However, she is not really there to teach the dowager lady’s young grandson, but to protect him from and teach him to stay safe against the presences in the house that want to harm him,

I found the setting quite enjoyable, as I always love a good haunted/creepy house story. The different layers to the manor were fun to explore, even though I had trouble keeping up what was going on in the Witchwood Knot sometimes (mainly in the labyrinth). I definitely would have enjoyed getting to see more of the house and how it interacted with the Witchwood Knot, though, as we really only spend time in a few of the rooms.

The characters were all enjoyable to read about, and I found myself even caring about the characters who only showed up a couple of times, like the maid. Oliver is definitely one of my favorite animal characters I’ve read about. His personality and his protectiveness over Winnie was adorable. Also, the romance in this story was perfect. It didn’t feel rushed or unearned. The two love interests served to make each other better and learn from each other, and it was just the sweetest thing. I was rooting for it to happen from almost the beginning, before I even knew this story had romance in it at all.

While the conclusion to the story did feel a bit rushed and like it was resolved too easily, that didn’t really hinder my enjoyment of the story at all. I would have been sad if it had ended any other way, I think. Overall I will definitely be recommending this book! 4.5/5 stars rounded up.

Atwater is an expert at writing cozy regency romances, and this one is no exception. I loved the more gothic tilt to this story, it immediately draws in the reader to the mystery behind the house and the family living in it. Atwater has become an auto-read author for me at this point, and this book is no exception.

I have received this wonderful book on NetGalley for an honest review. Thanks again NetGalley.

What a deeply beautiful gothic book. With darkness hiding in each chapter .

If you are looking for the next Jonathan strange and Mr Norrell you have found it.

It has taken me back to when the storyteller was on tv and John Hurt would say “ join me by the fire “

Winnie is a stern but clever character always surprising you with her wit and bravery. I would love to see more of her in other books even just a small appearance.

Mr Quincy oh he gave me chills from the very first chapter the bar tender at the overlook hotel offering drinks for the damned.

Oh the fetch I shall say no more was brilliant! I thought it may happen I do enjoy when real research has been done to create such vivid stories.

Iam still thinking of the haunting of hill house the people in the walls will
Forever haunt me Olivia Atwater !

Thanks again NetGalley !