I was lucky enough to receive a digital advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. I don't normally read books that span different timelines, but this one was written so well that it wasn't jarring jumping between periods of time. It is beautifully written and immerses the reader in a world of nature. Hart did a fantastic job of writing relatable characters that will immediately have the reader rooting for them. A story of strength and empowerment, I definitely would recommend.

Loved, loved, loved this beautiful, layered read of natural magic and the female through a triplet of timelines. It was so inconvenient when life interrupted my reading of 'Weyward', and I genuinely couldn't wait to pick it up again. A really impressive debut which doesn't shy away from difficult subjects and violence from others and to self. It was the connection to nature and the detail of the natural world that really stood out for me, and I loved the weaving of the narrative and its development into a coherent whole.
A powerful earthy read with depth, power and heart. 4.5 stars

As soon as I read about Weyward I knew it was a book I just had to read, and I was not disappointed!
Intelligent, rich and superbly magical, this story of three women, bound by similar circumstances but centuries apart highlights both the differences and similarities of what women experience, particularly when unconventional.
The book explores witchcraft; the green, wild, natural healers and often lost craft of herbs, tinctures and being attuned to the earth magic, that was once demonised as unchristian and now is often ridiculed or misrepresented in popular culture. This story also explores how easily physical attributes such as birthmarks, mental health conditions such as postnatal depression, or even medical circumstances such as Rhesus disease in pregnancy (something that's occurred in my own family history) could condemn women as being a witch or possessed, or "hysterical", or cursed. The age-old paradox of good and evil is very cleverly composed in each of the characters's storylines, and you see each play out the ways the odds are stacked against fairness and justice as well as how we must be true to ourselves and trust in our inner intuition.
I have spent hours researching my own family history, I find it fascinating to see the long and short lives that shaped my very existence and I can only hope to somehow unearth some of the stories attached to the names, particularly the women- this book emboldened this longing I have to get to know some of their experiences.
I am a big fan of dual timeline stories and this has three different timelines but it swings effortlessly between them each with such clear character formation and narrative that it wasn't difficult to follow at all. The build up in all of the stories to the dramatic revelations and conclusions in each was masterfully done and I truly felt I didn't want to stop reading about these phenomenal women. I am forever now connected to the Weyward women and I hope many more will enlist on reading this impressive debut.

I unfortunately struggled with this and DNF it. I found it too dark and the change in narrators was confusing at times. Thank you to the publisher for this ARC, via NetGalley.

An atmospheric tale told from 3 generations of female protagonists, who are all related and are all witches! They are connected to animals and insects, all their familiars and this connection with nature forms an integral part of the story.

I read this on a very clichéd, dark and stormy night! It is a beautifully told, the description of nature and the animals so beautifully interwoven. You can hear the bees buzz, sense the crows nearby, smell the soil. The three leads are all very likeable, and it is easy to switch from the different eras as they each get their own chapters throughout the book.

It is by no means a whimsical tale; indeed the story explores toxic men and domestic abuse, including rape, so it may be triggering. It is not overly graphic in the violence but I felt it important to mention it is there.

I know we are rating the story, but a bonus heart from me for the cover art, which is simply stunning. (Both the UK and the US versions but I prefer the US cover myself, on this occasion)

A really enjoyable book, one I 100% recommend.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @HarperCollinsUK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review and congratulations to @emiliahwriter on a stunning debut.

Weyward is a compelling historical novel told through three timelines and three generations of women. It was exactly what I'd expected from the cover and the blurb: an easy-to-read novel exploring the well-trodden themes of witchcraft and womanhood.

There are, as you'd expect, a fair few cliches along the way, but I still found it an engaging read - the plot is well-paced and I liked the use of interwoven narratives. A welcome addition to a popular genre.

I've just emerged from the rich, sensory world of Weyward and I am satisfied.

It's a story of three women in peril - Altha, Violet and Kate. There is something about each of these women, from different times, the humming of the unused powers within them.

Emilia Hart's elegant writing pulled me into each of their worlds, with friendly spiders, stalking crows and damselflies. The magic of this book is in how quickly I accepted the peculiarities of the characters. I particularly enjoyed Violet's company as she tried to hide her curiosity about nature, which her stern father took for wildness.

Although the stories take predictable turns with reliable villains and Altha's sections didn't always have a sense of forward motion, for the most part, well-judged pacing, layered revelations and a sprinkling of magic made it feel new.

What a beautiful, beautiful book. I hope there will be more.

Three women in three different eras, bound together by the thread of family and something far stronger. I loved this book and the three distinct voices – and the descriptions of the natural world were entrancing. This really came to the fore towards the end, with a bewitching, compelling ending. A powerful book that will be a big hit in 2023.

Sadly I didn't enjoy this one as much as I was hoping to enjoy. Too one dimensional and dark. Not a sliver of hope in sight. If you want to be happy be alone---seems like a hopeless piece of advice. It is 2022, I thought we were well past the need for "woman good, man bad" stories. Not a single piece of nuance in sight.

A story that absolutely lives up to its promise; a bewitching tale that sprawls across time, with roots that run deep. Three women, from three different ages, each facing their own unique challenges, although even these have a common thread: the struggle that women so often face when men feel threatened by their power and independence.
Thankfully not all the men in this story are lost causes, although the good ones are rare.
This is a beautiful story of women whose lives are closely entwined with nature and the strength they draw from that.
Delightful, gentle and fierce.
Five stars from me, with thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins U.K. for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Intriguing read. Really enjoyed it.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my review.

This book centres around the lives of three women Altha, Violet and Kate, who are bound together by ancestory and 'witchcraft'

The story tells the three womens point of view, their affinity to nature and the torment and struggles they overcome; caused by the men in their lives.

This book made me feel empowered to be a woman and that its OK to be different and embrace one's true self.

I was extremely impressed with how the author portrayed 'witchcraft' in its truest form; spellbinding, powerful, majestic, and at peace with the natural world.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for this ARC.

This is the intertwining story of three women, Altha, Violet and Kate. The plot is set over three timelines, following the lives of each of the main characters and the bond that unites them. What is the real secret of the Weyward women?

This was a a real treat to read. Full of atmosphere and intrigue, the writing superb. The bringing together of each strand in the story was very well done. I enjoyed how the story of each character unfurled and evolved and how they coped with the events that led them to take extreme measures to survive.

If I have one gripe, it is that the Kate storyline was very predictable and something of a cliché. However, there is a nice little twist in the epilogue that goes some way to redeem this.

A very enjoyable read, would definitely recommend.

Thank you NetGalley.

This book was amazing, with me not wanting to put it down. I loved every character ( the main ones) and there was points in each of their lives that I didn’t want to know how bad it was going to get because I felt so deeply with them I wanted everything to be easy. There are things in this book I could easily relate to and the feelings were spot on that they felt. I loved the connections when they came through.
The pace and depth of each character was just right and it was a great enjoyable read with witchiness spanning the three different ages. Perfect!

This is a story of three women of the Weyward family and the narrative weaves its intricate way over three timelines. It is a beautifully written debut novel, a tale of women's innate power and men's destructive deceit. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Things I liked about it:
This story is told on 3 timelines which kept it interesting, plus I enjoyed each narrators voice.
I loved the focus on nature and how it can be healing.
The focus on empowerment was also brilliant.

Things I didn't like:
Things could get confusing at times! It could be complicated to figure out how everyone was related and if I fell asleep halfway through a chapter(this happens frequently!) it was tricky to work out who's story I was reading.

'Weyward' didn't always have me gripped but it kept me going back.

Wayward by Emilia Hart is a unique spin on the whole witchy genre and its the perfect book for a rainy day with a cup of tea. It follows 3 generations of women who are witches and I found myself rooting for all 3 women as we learn about these women and disliking some of the male characters in their lives. The characters and the world is fascinating and the writing style is so engaging. This book is out in Feb and I highly recommend.

Weyward by Emilia Hart

Thank you Netgallery and Harper Collins UK for an arc for an unbiased review.

This book is about 3 separate Weyward women. Kate, in 2019, finally leaves her abusive boyfriend. To leave she needs somewhere he doesn't know, and that is where Weyward Cottage comes in. It is a recent inheritance from her Great Aunt, and here she unearths secrets about previous generations of Weyward women. In the process, she discovers more about herself.

The other Weyward women we meet are Altha in 1619, who was, as many were during this time, tried for witchcraft. Then in 1942, we meet Violet, who in in the midst of WW2 and all that entails.

This whole book was raw, emotional. The time hops through the story work extremely well. The connections are believable. We see compassion, survival, heartache. We see unfairness, misogyny, anger.
What I found the most striking was just how the stories of how these women have gifts that linked them. It was done in a realistic manner, that allowed us to explore beyond the norms, and the book felt all the more complete for me as a result.

A book I have pre-ordered, and will gift readily. In fact I have 2 extra pre-orders for others I know will love it. It is hard to believe this is a debut novel. I sincerely hope we see many more novels from Emilia Hart.

I have no hesitation giving this 5/5 stars ✨️

Three women, three time periods, and always the same old shit of male coercion and violence.

This book affected me strongly. It made me sad and fuelled my rage. It made me want to incite my friends to form a coven. It reminded me how passionate I used to feel about women's rights when I was a teenager in the 70s, and how defeated I feel now as I watch the world and see how little things have really, fundamentally improved.

Have you seen the data on domestic violence during the pandemic? Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.

Weyward is a totally absorbing, immersive story about so-called "wayward" women. AKA women who resist and fight back. It's so important, especially today, for women everywhere to be aware of their vulnerability (we've seen that it doesn't take much for womens' hard-earned rights to be overturned) and their strength (as I write, Iranian women are battling to survive and regain their lost rights...)

So yeah, in short, girl power. Come on women, rise up! Be wild!

Three generations of wayward Weyward women - and their survival despite the men individually and the patriarchy generally that impacted upon them and their lives.
Really engaging - and frustrating - but ultimately powerful and hopeful