I really love Olivia Atwater's whimsical writing and magic filled worlds. I think she has such a great voice and great characterization and I always feel like I'm transformed into her worlds. I read the author's other series, Regency Faerie Tales, and really enjoyed them, but I fear I felt the same way about them as I did this one.

While the fantasy and historical elements are so strong, the romance is oftentimes underdeveloped or shoved into the last 10% of the book. This might be due to marketing, but this was not a fantasy romance. It was a historical fantasy with a romantic subplot. The two have a difference and because the romance was not at the forefront as I thought it was going to be, I was overall a little disappointed. I still enjoyed this book overall, the plot was engaging and the mischievous faeries were so fun to witness, but I am foremost a romance reader, and this was lacking in this story.

Thank you NetGalley and Starwatch Press for the ARC.

First of all Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

I adore Olivia Atwater’s Regency Faerie Tales so I went into this with somewhat high expectations.
And they have been met.
I adore the more darker almost gothic setting of this new Faerie Book. However I do believe the setting had the potential to be so much more than it was and I feel as if there was so much going on that a lot of things came too short.

Still Atwater’s writing is as engaging as ever and I managed to read the entire book within almost a single day. She always manages to write incredible characters where none is like the other yet I still love them all equally.
This is no different in the case of Winnie.

In terms of romance I feel as if this is her weakest one yet. That does not mean I think the romance in this book was bad at all, quite the opposite I enjoyed it quite a bit but even though you could see it coming form the beginning it still felt a little sudden and rushed towards the end. But both Quincey and Winnie were compelling characters (although I could have lived without the rat tail) and I enjoyed watching them grow both individually and as a pair.

Overall I adore this new book and it’s broadening of the magic and world already set up in the previous three books.
Even though this book, like the one before can be read as a standalone I do recommend reading the Regencies Faerie books before reading this, as it will definitely improve the reading enjoyment.
I made the mistakes of not reading Longshadow before this, which in hindsight, was a bit of an error on my end. However even on its own this book is definitely enjoyable.

What I especially enjoyed about this book was that unlike the endings in her previous books, this one didn’t have an overly sappy ending but rather it is a cliffhanger which hopefully explains some of the unanswered questions I still have.

3.5/5 ⭐️
rounded up to 4

I LOVED this book. From the beginning it was super atmospheric and beautifully descriptive which is exactly how I like books to be. I loved Winnie from the moment we met her. The mysterious vibes around the house had me hooked immediately. There are some darker topics/themes covered so please check the content warning. It was a lovely book.

[3.5 stars] Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

We follow Winifred, a secret magician assigned as governess to the Witchwood Manor, tasked to protect the young Lord from a looming threat from the faerie world. It’s a callback to the spooky gothic of the Victorian age, but with added charm in ghostly feline familiars, magical card tricks, and dark fairy tales. I especially appreciated the standalone chapters which served as Beedle the Bard-eqsue fairy tale interludes to deliver plot reveals.

Pacing was a challenge for me, with the first 50% building up characters/atmosphere but lacking the promised disappearance plot, not enough tension, and little romance. The second half of the book plays better, but given the long setup time, I’m not sure the payoff offsets it. That said, the romance was fun and the emerging dark themes added a welcomed complexity to the characters. In particular, I loved Winifred’s competent, thorny demeanor and her interactions with Robert.

I sort of doubt it’s marketing as a standalone; there’s enough callbacks to Atwater’s Regency trilogy that I felt a little lost/like I was missing elements of the plot, having not read them. The magic system and history aren’t well explained and assumes likely prior knowledge from that series, which makes this a harder entry point.

Overall, I would recommend to anyone who doesn’t mind a longer plot setup time, enjoys Victorian fairytale elements/settings, and loved Atwater’s prior work in the Regency Faerie Tales.

This is goth fantasy Bridgerton x Nanny McPhee. The writing style was easy to get into and the world was rich and atmospheric. The characters were delightfully captivating, and the story itself was largely enjoyable. I look forward to reading the next book.

Thank you NetGalley and Starwatch Press for this eArc.

Victorian era romance meets haunted house meets light fantasy! Olivia Atwater has a super engaging writing style that I absolutely love. It is so descriptive and I very much enjoy how she uses it to develop her world building. As usual in her books, there’s a light and airy magic system and characters with tons of personality, but this one touched on some more serious topics that I really enjoyed. I wasn’t 100% sold on the romance and it felt a bit rushed, especially in the last quarter of the novel, but overall it was cute and I did enjoy the connection between Winnie and Quincy.

A spooky, cozy fantasy. It gave me feelings of Bly Manor mixed with Emily Wilde, with a dash of A Study in Drowning.

The main characters were intriguing and their magic unique. The villain was unconventional for fantasy but all too conventional in real life.

There is very little romance which was a bummer for me, I was left hoping for a bit more tension throughout

The witchwood knot is the perfect Gothic fairrystory. Set in a eldritch manor magical manor with a gateway to the Fae surrounded by foreboding woods. Our protagonist Winnie Hall finds herself employed as governess and charged with the protection of the young master against Fae who are out for vengeance but Winnie has some tricks of her own up her sleeve.
I absolutely adored this book and cannot wait to read the authors other offerings

I really love Olivia Atwater's voice and style of writing. Her books are so fun and enjoyable and the exact kind of book I'd want to just grab and cozy up with. I previously really enjoyed Half a Soul by her. I really enjoyed this as well, but it had a bit of a darker vibe. Excited to read more of the victorian faerie tales!

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater was a gothic faerie tale in a Victorian setting. It tells a story about Winifred who came to the Witchwood Manor to be a governess to the manor’s young Lord. Winifred knows that her charge was abducted by the fairy folks of the manor and since the lord of Witchwood Manor does not believe in the existence of the fairies, Winnie will be rescuing the young lord all on her own while protecting the everyone else in the manor.

I must admit that as beautiful of a gothic romance this book is, fantasy is not my genre. I have a love-hate relationship with this style that I am having a hard time connecting. I love Winifred’s character and the story is very interesting. There were a whole lot of characters to explore too but with the flow of the story that was a little slow for me, they just fall right off to the background. This is my first Olivia Atwater book and even though The Witchwood Knot is not for me, I am not giving up on this author that easy. I can explore her other work for sure!
Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange of my honest review.

3.5 Solid Stars!

A successful first read with Atwater, and I'm definitely intrigued!

I will say the blurb doesn’t tell you everything about what’s going on, and I’m reluctant to reveal more. Just know that Winnie isn’t all that she seems to be, and though she’s hired to be a governess, past sentiment compels her to promise more than she expected to, and she soon finds herself caught in the middle of a curse plaguing Witchwood Manor.

This was densely eerie and atmospheric, steeped in all sorts of faerie lore, filled to the brim with unsaid truths, dark subterfuge, and dangerous bargaining. As Winnie races against time to rescue her charge, she plays a perilous back and forth with the enigmatic butler Mr Quincy. However she is honor bound and stubbornly ventures into the fray despite the mortal risks.

This for sure capitalized on its Victorian setting with lots of prim and proper rules and societal class division, all intertwined with various faerie tales and complicated protocol. If you are well versed in such, then you know the fae are very tricksy, always after their own interests and advantages and ready to bind one into an unbreakable promise.

Overall, I liked Winnie. She’s a strong heroine contrasting smartly with the alluringly mysterious Mr. Quincy who in turn, makes an interesting tortured tragic hero. I enjoyed seeing their antagonism turn to grudging respect, to more, but beware a bratty child and a very chaste, but layered, romance (which I quite enjoyed). Admittedly, I have a love/hate relationship when it comes to the fae because while a fascinating folk, they come with a bazillion rules of engagement, their cunning and cruelty knowing no bounds. Atwater’s rendition is no different and again, I was intrigued nevertheless.

This neatly concludes the first act of this story arc but leaves the reader wanting more as the challenges ahead have only just begun for Quincy, Winnie, and their allies. Luckily for me the next installment comes out later this year, and I look forward to what's in store for these characters! If you want a historic, gothic faerie infused tale, then this should deliver on all points!

Thank you to the author and Starwatch Press via NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review posted on Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6346613243?book_show_action=false

Thank you NetGalley for sending me a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the perfect fall vibe or if you're in the spooky mood in general. I had some strange dreams while reading this book but I'm not mad about it! This one is for all gothic lovers.

This is fae fantasy plot with a very slight romance subplot (two kisses only) set in Victorian England. It follows Winifred who is brought to the Witchwood Manor under the guise of being a governess for Robert, the Lady's grandson. In reality Winnie is has been called in as the Manor is haunted by faeries trapped in the Manor and they require her expertise.

The MMC is Mr Quincy, a fae-like male with a rat's tail and red eyes (this did take me a minute to get past) but I assure you he is actually pretty sweet.

My fave character would have to be Ollie - Winne's dead cat who comes to life in the knot, hates men and ferociously protects women. I also really liked Winnie. She's a badass, independent woman and spinster in her twenties. She doesn't look for male attention, knows how to play her cards right and isn't afraid to use the knife she carries to protect herself.

Slight trigger warning for sexual harassment. I really enjoyed how the book covered these themes particularly in the time period this book is set in.

The first 25% was a little slow for me to get through as expected with a new fantasy and third person perspective but I'm glad I stayed with it as the magic system is very interesting. It has a potential to be a series with the way it ended. This is my first Olivia Atwater book, I'm keen to read she comes out with next!

The Witchwood Knot is a gothic fantasy and I swear I could feel the atmosphere of it. I dived so deep into it, and it’s a story with such amazing characters. It was a delight to read this book.

Winnie is a superb character, intelligent, manipulative and I really liked her. This has horror and romance with a few cruel and conniving Faeries and a haunted house that’s the cherry on top of it. The romance in this book is not the center of it, however, the bits we got were slow burning moments and heart-wrenching ones.

Overall, this was a great cozy Victorian fantasy with amazing and well-developed characters in a creepy setting. This felt like a promising start to a new series, and I look forward to reading the next book.

Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher, for approving me to read this arc and write this review.

This was such a good read! It was my first book by this author but definitely won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this one.

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley, Olivia Atwater, and Starwatch Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review. I am so incredibly grateful. That being said, I assure everyone that I will be sharing my honest thoughts about The Witchwood Knot below (also available on Storygraph & Goodreads).

To put it simply, I absolutely adored this book and will definitely be purchasing a physical copy as soon as possible. The Witchwood Knot was atmospheric and beautifully ominous in a way that immediately drew me into the story. Atwater’s writing is lyrical and on multiple occasions I found myself pausing to process how vivid her sentences were. While her descriptive writing was amazing, what truly made me invested in this book were the characters (mainly the fmc, Winnie Hall). Winnie was an absolute delight to read about and it was refreshing to see someone be curious without it becoming tiring, be stubborn but also calculated, etc. As her past gets revealed throughout the novel, she also becomes very easy to emphasize and connect with. As for the male main character, Mr. Quincy, I also found him very likable as the book progressed. At the start of the book, his main trait is being a bit off-putting and mysterious but if you keep reading he has moments where his personality really shines through (mainly when he interacts with Winnie). If the characters, ambience, and superb writing aren’t enough to convince you to give this book a try, I’d like to add that there is also a very well executed romance within a Witchwood Knot. The romance is definitely more of a subplot but regardless it had me kicking my feet and twirling my hair. I eagerly devoured all of the romantic moments and honestly even hours after finishing the book, I keep thinking back to them. There was just the right amount of tension & banter. There are no explicit/spicy scenes and honestly I don’t think they would have been needed. Truthfully, I wouldn’t change much about A Witchwood Knot.

The only minor aspect of the A Witchwood Knot that I wasn’t the biggest fan of was oddly the blurb on the back of the book. I read the description before I jumped into starting the novel and part of me wishes I opted to go into the book “blindly.” This is because the blurb reveals a plot point that doesn’t occur until midway through the novel (Robert being changed/replaced). I think I would have been more impacted, shocked and invested if I wasn’t already anticipating it. However, that is pretty much the only criticism I have regarding this book.

I will definitely be encouraging people to give A Witchwood Knot a try. I think it’s great for readers who are intrigued by a gothic Victorian setting, eerie magic, strong characters and a splash of romance. However, I do want to warn potential readers that the topic of predatory men is addressed a few times within the book. If occasionally reading about these predatory figures will be triggering then please prioritize your mental health and consider picking up an alternative book. I will say that I think Olivia Atwater handled the topic very masterfully and I walked away from the book feeling seen, validated and emotionally impacted by Winnie’s dialogue: “…I am not even afraid of being desired. I am simply afraid of what desire becomes whenever I dare to decline it (Atwater 183).”

The Witchwood Knot is Olivia Atwater’s newest book set in the same world as her Regency Faeries books, and it starts her new Victorian Faeries series. I would recommend reading the Regency Faeries books before this book that way you can get the most out of the world and world building, as Atwater has done a lot of the heavy lifting in her previous novels, but I believe this book can be enjoyed without having read the Regency Faeries book.

Winnie has been hired to play the role of governess by an old friend and benefactor from her days as an orphan. In truth she’s investigating the mansion, The Witchwood Knot, and doing her best to protect her young charge from nefarious faeries who are out to harm him. She also has several run ins with Mr. Quincey the “other” Witchwood Knots’ butter.

I’ve previously really enjoyed the Regency Faeries books and this was also and enjoyable ride for me, I will say that I found the romance was missing something but other than that I had a good time and look forward to reading more of this series.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

This was a quick entertaining read. While I enjoyed Atwater's Regency Faerie Tales series more, I still found myself wrapped up in the story and once I hit half way, I couldn't put it down. The spooky and sinister vibes were great and I appreciated the darker themes.

This was a delightful read through and through. Once I'd started it, I didn't want to put it down - I absolutely love the way Olivia Atwater writes faeries, and found myself completely enchanted by all of the characters, especially Winnie, whose relationship with faerie is something I very much hope is explored further in subsequent books. The spooky atmosphere was captured perfectly and I feel like I can see Witchwood Manor in my mind's eye still after having finished reading.

I think reading Atwater's previous faerie books can help a little with the context of some of the faerie lore - I have only read Half a Soul myself but a lot of the backstory there came across as faintly familiar. However, it's definitely not necessary so anyone who may be looking to dive in here should absolutely do so - this is a fantastic book that everyone should read.

A sweet, Gothic story centering around a woman who stands on her business, The Witchwood Knot was an enjoyable read for a cozy evening in. I loved Winnie as a main character, she was strong, clever, and also generally pretty rational, which is sometimes a rare trait. The house itself was an interesting limited setting with the divide between the mortal side and fae side. I think I would've liked to read more about the other rooms in the house on the fae side, but the story was mainly focused in the conservatory where all the action was taking place. I hope her sisters get to be featured as main characters or play a more prominent role in future stories as they seem pretty interesting. Overall, this was an interesting story and I would love to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an early copy of this book!