I loved the sound of this one from the blurb and it definitely delivered on the dark and gothic vibe. This would make the perfect Autumn Halloween read, perfect for fans of Shakespearian retellings.

I love a witchy novel, and The Wayward Sisters did not disappoint.
Beautifully written, I was hooked from the start. Highly recommend

What a great read this was. Set in the 18th century Scotland, Nancy travels from London to investigate a mysterious event that occurs only twice a century.
The characters introduced in this novel weave history through their creation which makes this a fascinating read.
The world grips you straight away and I found myself captured within this read.
I really loved the way it was written - a great read.

The Wayward Sisters is the first novel by British author, Kate Hodges. When, after years of not being taken seriously at the Greenwich Observatory, thirty-year-old astronomer Nancy Lockaby is offered a post as Astronomical Research Fellow with Caleb Malles at Blackthistle House in Inverness, she decides to ignore gossip about propriety and take it. It’s early 1769, and she hopes to be able to continue working on her project before the Transit of Venus in June.

Daughter of (now-deceased) astronomers and instrument maker, Elizabeth and Benjamin Lockaby, and great-niece of the late Astronomer Royal, James Bradley, Nancy’s passion for astronomy was only heightened when she discovered notebooks detailing her mother’s teenaged discovery of an anomaly in the northern skies immediately prior to the Transit. Nancy witnessed and documented it, but was dismissed by the current Astronomer Royal, Dr Maskliss.

Before she encounters Blackthistle’s dour housekeeper and sees the austere interior, Nancy’s carriage is greeted at the gate by an unsettling trio of women. And before she meets her employer, a walk into town is marred by an attack by three crows.

When she does meet Caleb, she learns that the work required of her is neither onerous, not time-consuming: she will have plenty of time to devote to her own research. Caleb’s passion is Shakespeare and its connection to astronomy, so eventually, Nancy is teaching him basic astronomy.

Further encounters with the women, who refer to themselves as witches, and are warily visited by townspeople for cures, have Nancy fascinated if sceptical: evidence is what she relies on. Caleb disapproves of her contact with the women, and when she learns about Cassandra, his absent wife, then discovers the woman’s journal, she begins to understand why. Is it safe to stay at Blackthistle House until the Transit?

While it’s probably not necessary to know Macbeth, familiarity with the play would likely enhance enjoyment of this novel. Whether there are paranormal aspects to the story, whether there really is magic, or the characters are simply under the influence of hallucinogens, is never entirely clear. And what of Cassandra’s and her son’s fate? Dark and gothic, this is a tale with lots of rich descriptive prose and quite a bit of melodrama leading up to a rather fantastical climax. May appeal to fans of the mystical.
This is unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton.

Thank you to @hodderbooks for my finished copy of this novel and for including me on the blog tour!

The Wayward Sisters transports us to 18th century Scotland, where astronomer Nancy travels from London in order to continue investigating an incredible and mysterious event that occurs only twice a century. While she spends time in Scotland, Nancy meets three women who reveal themselves to be known across history…

If you’re still on the look out for an atmospheric read this autumn season, you’ll find a lot within The Weyward Sisters. Nancy’s journey in 1780 has many dark and twisty elements, and her grasp of magic and astronomy was incredibly interesting to behold.

The darkest part of this, though, is the wayward sisters themselves; Hodges stretches their story across centuries and millenia, in an incredibly well-layered story.

I really enjoyed this novel for some autumnal suspense and I’d recommend it if you’re looking for some witchy reading before the end of the year!

It’s 1769 and Nancy Lockaby is on her way to Inverness where she has been invited to stay with the renowned Shakespearean scholar, Caleb Malles, to help him with his research. Nancy is a keen astronomer who has been developing a theory of her late mother’s involving an astronomical phenomenon known as ‘the Fold’ – a theory that has provoked the scorn and derision of her male colleagues at the Greenwich Observatory. Nancy isn’t sure what her role will be in Caleb’s work as she has little interest in literature, but she welcomes the opportunity to get away from the hostile atmosphere of the Observatory for a while and start a new life in Scotland.

Arriving at the large, crumbling Blackthistle House with her maid, Cora, on a cold, snowy night, Nancy is immediately unsettled by the atmosphere. Why are there lights flashing in the window of a turret? Who are the three strange women she sees in the darkness as her carriage approaches the house? Once she settles in, however, she becomes fascinated by Caleb Malles and his passion for Shakespeare’s Macbeth. She also gets to know the three women she glimpsed in the dark and finds them less threatening as she learns more of their backgrounds. But is it true that they have lived for many centuries and possess special powers? And what is Caleb’s real reason for bringing Nancy to Blackthistle House?

The Wayward Sisters is Kate Hodges’ first novel, having previously written several non-fiction books. You never really know what to expect when trying a new author and I had mixed feelings about this book, but generally more positive than negative. The first half is slow, but has a wonderfully eerie, Gothic atmosphere as Hodges sets the scene and introduces the characters. There’s a particularly memorable scene where Nancy encounters some sinister crows during a snowstorm! I had expected elements of Macbeth to be more deeply woven into the plot, but they really aren’t, apart from the presence of the three women, who clearly represent Shakespeare’s three witches, the Weird (or Wayward) Sisters. The witches have more nuance here than in the play, with each being given a detailed backstory of her own.

Kate Hodges writes very well and there are some nice descriptions to bring the Scottish setting to life, although I was surprised that the recent Jacobite Rebellions were barely mentioned as they must surely have still been having an impact on the lives of the Highlanders in the 1760s. Nancy is an interesting heroine; astronomy is an area of science where women could and did make an impact in the 18th century (the most famous female astronomer of that period was probably Caroline Herschel, the first woman to discover a comet) although it was obviously still a male-dominated field and difficult for women to be taken seriously. However, Nancy’s theories regarding the Fold begin to take the story into the realms of science fiction, particularly when the witches get involved and we discover Caleb’s motives for enlisting the services of an astronomer.

I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it had continued as the atmospheric historical fiction novel it seemed to be at first, rather than the more fantastical story it became. There’s a lot to like about The Wayward Sisters, but it wasn’t really the right book for me.

First of all thankyou to the publishers Hodder and sloughton you know I love my witchy reads .

OH MY GOSH , we all know by now I'm a suckered for a witchy read I can tell you this book did not diisppoint me it gripped me from page one ,it definitely gave me vibes of discovery of witches so if your a fan of those books I know you would love this .

I really don't want to give to much away because if you love this kind of book I really want you to enjoy it .but I need to give you bit of outline ...
Nancy the main character is an astronomy scholar she leaves London to embark on a mysterious ,captivating spine chilling adventure. She meets Caleb he is not all that he seems ,three sisters end up paper to her well I can say this will have you mind sucked in to this story every page you will want more .
And the plot twist will have your mind playing tricks on you .I love how the book reference macBeth amazing .

Katie writing was incredible she really knows how to keep you gripped and on the edge of your seat ,she will make you question everything and pull the rug from under your feet that brilliant writing .

I highly recommend this book if you love witchy reads with bit of Shakespeare thrown in there and great feeling of gothic history

I'm giving this book 5 witchy spine tingling stars

An excellent story that kept me reading, a well plottest historical fantasy featuring a sassy heroine and three witches plus a Shakespeare scholar.
Loved the storytelling, the characters and the story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I'll start with a confession. I love books about witches, I love gothic historical fiction and I love a good mystery. But... I do not have a huge knowledge of Shakespeare, so even though I loved the sound of The Wayward Sisters, I was worried that story might be lost on me. However, this was not an issue at all. The writing is beautiful and the story is full of magic, intrigue and mystery. It's the perfect book to pick up during these colder autumn nights and be completely transported to another time. I really did get swept away by this enchanting tale.

I was able to pick up on the link to the three witches from Macbeth and the Wayward sisters in the story, three women who were granted supernatural powers and immortality, are a really interesting set of characters. I really enjoyed reading about them but would love to look into Macbeth a bit more to try and improve my understanding of some of the finer details. As far as the protagonist is concerned, I loved the fact that Nancy Lockaby was ahead of her time and held her own in a male orientated world, refusing to give up after she is ridiculed for her belief in something unexplained.

I thought that The Wayward Sisters worked really well with its unusual mix of topics that blended astronomy, witchcraft, Shakespeare, feminism and elements of the supernatural perfectly together. This, together with the rural Scottish setting, created the ideal atmosphere for this type of story.

An interesting and informative novel that blends fact and, well fiction. Natalie, an astronomer who has been belittled by peers for her beliefs, finds herself in Scotland with a Shakespeare expert and the three witches from Macbeth. They all have something to say. Suffice it to say that it will help to have at least a vague recollection of the play but that the readers' appreciation for Hodges' work will be amped up with a deeper knowledge. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.

This book did not contain the witchy magic that I was hoping for. I had difficulty concentrating on the book, picking it up and putting it down often. There was nothing specific about the writing itself that I had problems with--it just wasn't what I expected. Thinking back, I am not sure why I thought I would be interested in a book that contained Macbeth and astronomy. It was the witches that made me think it would be the book for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC. This opinion is my own.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to have the opportunity to read this early and the book was really good. I loved the interweaving of magic and I love astronomy so the fact Nancy works at the Royal Observatory was brilliant (even though she had to leave). I love how captivated Nancy is with Caleb even though he's so eccentric and full of secrets!

I can't wait to read more by this author!

3.25 stars
It is 1769, the year of Venus’s second transit, and as a woman in a man’s world, astronomy scholar Nancy Lockaby is reeling from the ridicule that her theories on the transit have earned from colleagues at the Greenwich Observatory, so when a mysterious invitation arrives from Shakespeare scholar Caleb Malles, to join him as a research fellow in Inverness, she jumps at the chance.

Initially, Nancy is drawn in by Caleb’s eccentric, brilliant mind, and his obsession with Macbeth, but when she crosses paths with three crones who warn her that he is hiding dark intentions, she finds herself wondering who to trust. Especially when the women claim that they have their own relationship with the play…

This is a novel about ambition, obsession, power and betrayal, and blends historical fiction, with witch lit, and magic, aiming to present a fresh, feminist perspective on the witches from Macbeth.
As a bit of a Shakespeare nut, it was this aspect which first drew me to it, and I can say that Kate Hodges has succeeded in her ambition to present the reader with a different view of the three weird sisters from Macbeth.

Here we have a much more nuanced portrait. As in the play, they exercise incredible magic powers in the service of Hecate, but rather than being one dimensional instigators of evil and tragedy, these women are survivors of trauma and brutal persecution. Instead of being the catalyst for malevolence and destruction they are using their powers to prevent it.

The theme of power and the patriarchal view of women is further explored in the character of Nancy. Not for her the stay-at-home life of a lady, engaged in domesticity. She has a very active brain, an enquiring mind, and an interest in astronomy. Brave at heart, independent of spirit, she is a positive, feminist role model, and the antipathy of the 18th century feminine ideal.

The prose is well written, and whilst the pacing is a little uneven, on the whole this supernatural, gothic, feminist, historical fiction is a fairly entertaining read, with appeal to readers of Bridget Collins and Jennifer Saint.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had not heard or seen anything about this book. I honestly saw this one pop up on Netgalley and thought I would give it a try as I am craving witchy books. Unfortunately, I was expecting a Shakespeare-esque Practical Magic and was quite disappointed. This book was ok but not gripping me nor giving me the cosy witchy feelings I was looking for. My bad for not doing research before diving in, I was hoping to get swept away by the story. Will check out the authors future books as I think there is great potential.

This book is the perfect Halloween read. Is a historical novel that was very interesting and got me hocked since the beginning. The way this book is write is one of the elements I enjoyed most. By the end of the book I didn’t enjoy much the way the author develop the whole story but that didn’t means I hated the book. For me is a solid read that worth the hype and I gonna recommend to people

I really enjoy the way this blended astronomy, history and Shakespeare. The plot was truly compelling and the characters very interesting - I wanted to get to know them and understand their motivations a bit more. At times the main character felt like the least interesting part of the book, but that’s more a credit to the mystery woven through the story. The pacing felt a little off, with everything building to a head in what felt like quite a short space of time.

I thought this sounded so intriguing the witches from Macbeth telling their story and it definitely drew me in, dark and gothic , such an interesting read, one that will definitely do well over Autumn nights, especially Halloween , really interesting and I’ll be following Kate Hodges eagerly for more

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The three witches from Macbeth have their own story to tell - this drew me in but its very much a book of two halves. The first is dark and gothic and then the second didn't live up to this for me. An interesting read for Halloween and I'd like to see what this author does next.

I really struggled with this, it took me forever to read and I gave up at 60% because I just didn’t find it gripping. It’s beautifully written but I felt it meandered along for so long that by the time the witches were properly introduced at well past the halfway point I’d moved onto other books. It’s a shame because I really enjoyed what I read of the witches and when I flicked to the last few chapters it sounds as though the story picked up pace and was intriguing. If I have time before publication I might go back and read it from chapter 16 but life is too short to read something I’m having to fight to concentrate on.

This had done interesting elements of magic and witchcraft mixed in with the historical backdrop. The gothic mystery aspect was well written and kept me hooked.

However, the characters could have been developed more, I loved Nancy but was intrigued to explore more about witches which didn't become fully integrated into the story until 70% in.

Overall, a fresh perspective on the Wayward Sisters navigating their friendship and magic in a thrilling Shakespearean atmosphere.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder Stoughton for a arc in exchange for an honest review.