Winnifred Hall is not a governess. She is a black magician, sent by and old friend to help her in her time of need. Winnie arrives at Witchwood Manor posing as a governess to protect her old friend’s grandson whilst using her skills as a magician to discover what haunts Witchwood Hall. While there may be ghosts, it is the fair folk who haunt the halls of Witchwood Manor, led by the mysterious Mr. Quincy. When her young charge seemingly is replaced overnight with a fetch, Winnie must venture into the faerie side of the house to protect young Robert and end the curse on Witchwood Manor once and for all.
The Witchwood Knot is the first book by Olivia Atwater that I have read, and it has instantly become a favourite. I loved this mix of faerie lore and gothic novel. This book would appeal to readers of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries. I can’t wait to read more by Olivia Atwater!

Thank you to Netgalley, and Starwatch Press for giving me early access to this book, I am so sorry that it took me so long to write my review. I love Olivia Atwater and was so excited when I got approved for this arc. Unfortunately, as a student some things slip by me, and writing reviews is one of those things.

This book follows Winifred Hall as she embarks on a new job at Witchwood manor as a governess, this, of course, is just a cover for the real reason she's been hired, to protect the boy she's suppose to be a governess for from the powers of the fae. But not all is as it appears.

This book really dives deeper into the world created in the Regency Faerie Tales series, and includes references to some beloved characters. This book has just the right amount of a dash of romance to keep you on your toes without letting it get too in the way of the plot.

I really enjoyed all the characters and their development throughout the story. No one was left without some sort of larger story, which I really appreciate.

This was just a fun spooky time and I would highly recommend it. Atwater is an auto read for me now.

Olivia Atwater's The Witchwood Knot takes a darker, atmospheric, and eerie new vibe. This was not the first book I have read from the author but the writing remains impeccably good and engaging through and through.

Honestly, this was not the type of book I usually read but I enjoyed it, hence, took me long enough to finish the book. Also, I'm still processing my thoughts about this because it feels like all the things that I want to say are inside the box. This was a good read but I don't know how to articulate enough how good it was. I have nothing to say. Additionally, I was low-key rooting for Mr. Quincy and Winefred and I was very happy they happened.

I just hope this review makes sense. Even though I, am confused and lost with all the things I am writing right now. But don't let this review be a sign to put this book off just because I can't justify or can't give a satisfactory review, this was nothing but immensely good for an atmospheric and gothic fairytale. Olivia Atwater did not disappoint

Arc

This book tells a gothic story set in classic regency England but with fae present.
I haven’t read the regency fairy books but I get the feeling a few familiar faces pop up in this book.
Also any book with an animal familiar sucks me straight in.

Thank-you to NetGalley and the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this free eARC in return for an honest review.

I requested this book from NetGalley, despite having not read any other Olivia Atwater, having seen that it came thoroughly recommended by Alix E Harrow, which was recommendation enough for me. I look forward to working my way through the rest of her back catalogue!

I enjoy a good faerie tale, but can find gothic a bit hit and miss, but this was one of the best books I've read from NetGalley all year, and I attacked it voraciously (and probably would have finished it in under a week if I hadn't been double-fisting with The Skeleton Key at the same time).

This was some beautiful world painting, with a feisty heroine who I warmed to without her becoming over bearing and annoying. The back story and faerie tales were skilfully interwoven with the contemporary story, while the faerie elements wove together nicely with the more mundane aspects of the narrative.

Overall it was a skilful piece of writing and an enjoyable narrative. 5/5 would thoroughly recommend.

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

This should be more like 4.5 stars. It is the first book by Olivia Atwater that I have read but it wont be the last. Although this does reference her other books, it doesn't interfere with the story too much but I think if you've read her other books you'll get a lot more out of The Witchwood Knot.

The story really sucks you in from the get go and I really thought I was going to get more of a haunted house tale but wasnt at all disappointed with the faerie aspect. The half star that I took away was because of Winnie. She seemed just too capable and everything that happened was more of an inconvenience than a serious problem. Overall a light fantasy that was perfect for the dark evenings.

4.5 stars but I’ll round up. I really liked this! Especially fun if you’ve read Half a Soul; it almost felt like a true sequel to that because I get so much from Lady Hollowvale.

I love this universe — it’s such a lyrical, fresh take on the uber-popular faerie fiction. I also think it’s so refreshing to have romance without smut. I really, really recommend this book and others from the author.

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater is the perfect Fall read to get your spooky vibes vibing. Its blend of dark fantasy, gothic horror, and slight romance felt like a cozy, warm blanket over the cozy, warm blanket I was already wearing.

I was expecting more from this book and unfortunately it let me down. I did not feel that it was a romance at all, which is what I have seen it advertised as. The romance happens in the last 20% or the book and is minimal. I found the characters hard to like and started to just skim through some of the last 40 or so pages until the last chapter. I did like how the book connected with the authors other books and I will read the next book in there series because the ending if this book was quite interesting

(4,75☆)

Wowowow, I never would have thought how much I'd like this book! It has the perfect somewhat cozy gothic setting and I loved all the ghosts and fairies so much.
I started this book without reading half a soul first and was a little afraid that I wouldn't understand a few things because of that, but it really wasn't a big problem. And it also really wasn't my last Olivia Atwater book! I'm SO exited for rosemary & thyme and I will read half a soul as soon as possible!
The main character was excellent, I enjoyed seeing through her eyes a lot (it also made the scary parts less scary).
The only flaw is that sadly it has this "immortal man x young woman"-thing. I also would've enjoyed a more diverse set of characters.
But nonetheless I had so much fun reading it and from now on will count it as one of my favorite books!

Thanks a lot NetGalley for providing and e-ARC of this!

The highlight of these books for me has always been the romances. And I really loved the romance in The Witchwood Knot (as long as I ignore one specific detail about the love interest’s appearance). This is a story of two people with a lot of sharp edges finding comfort in each other’s brutal honesty. There was so much raw emotion in their relationship that I couldn't stop highlighting lines. But the romance only takes up so much of the story. And I’m left with very mixed feelings when it comes to the rest of the book.

Winnie is an amazing main character. She is determined and strong and doesn't take shit from anyone. Her cat familiar Ollie was adorable and I really hope the future books in the series follow her sisters. However, I wish the book had explored her magic a bit more. The Witchwood Knot introduces the idea of black magicians who practice forms of magic that the current Lord Sorcier has deemed dangerous and forbidden. However, Winnie’s magic is almost irrelevant to the story as she navigates the challenges through wit and her knowledge of faerie behavior.

The setting of The Witchwood Knot is a bit weak. Though the story is set in a haunted manor with a horrible past I would not consider this a gothic story. The Victorian atmosphere was practically nonexistent. It is only Victorian because it is set many years after the books set in the Regency era. The split between reality and a dream realm was interesting as Winnie faced different horrors on each side of Witchwood Manor.

The overarching plot that was set up in this one was intriguing and I would be very interested to see Winnie and Quincy return in later books. However, very little happens in The Witchwood Knot itself. The events mentioned in the premise don't happen until over halfway through the story. The second half is more interesting only because the romance comes into play. Though it was fun to have a main character that was unphased by the horrors plaguing the manor, I wish there had been more of an effort to set up the curse and the presence of the Faeries at Witchwood Manor. Or that the rescue mission had stretched into the first half of the book to allow for more time to explore the Knot and the Faeries trapped inside.

I was not expecting this story to be so tightly connected to the Regency trilogy. Though I don’t think you need to read the first series to read this one, there are many nods to the characters from that series. I have read the first two books and do not plan to read the third as I do not enjoy reading books about the children of characters from previous books. As I was unfamiliar with the characters introduced in book three I was a bit confused at some points. I don't think it significantly hindered my enjoyment of the book but I would almost suggest that readers view The Witchwood Knot as a fourth book in a series.

Though I was a bit underwhelmed by the plot, I really enjoyed The Witchwood Knot and I am excited to see where the series goes from here.

Wonderful gothic fantasy romance in the world of Half a Soul.
I enjoyed the gothic spin to the cozy regency fantasy romances set in this world. The atmosphere was done extremely well. The characters were layered with a good characterisation. As usual there was a social theme, this time about sexual assault. It was well handled and I loved the portrayal of different reactions of the victims.
The inspiration from Wuthering Heights is clear in both the setting and the excessive emotionality in some parts of the book - I would have preferred some more level-headedness in some points, but the extreme emotions did fit the tone of the book.
I am very interested to see what comes next in this world. I predict that the books in this series will be more interlinked that the ones in the Regency Faerie Tales series, but this is not a bad thing.
Great book, highly recommended!

To be totally honest I put off reading this book for a while because I assumed I wouldn't be able to get into it. Books with a gothic atmosphere have failed to draw me in, in the past. But by the third chapter I was so sucked in, and now find myself looking for more fantasy books with gothic elements. The prose of the story was so charming and it actually felt like I was reading a fairytale. It felt very proper and polite but with a whimsical feel to it.

The main character Winnie was amazing. I usually find the main character in a story to be boring and they end up coming across as very mid to me. But Winnie didn't come across this way, she was strong, funny and resourceful. I loved the way her magic was described, although I wish we would have sent more of it in action. If she was hired to deal with this fairy problem, I'd assume she had more than just her card magic up her sleeve but that's all we really saw.

I loved that the romance was on the back burner for most of the novel and we were able to focus more on Winnie and her journey. Everytime you caught a whiff of it, you'd kind of question, "wait...but IS there romance in this book." But then by the time the romance has come into play it's so quiet and lovely. Although I have to admit this was one of those books were I really had to ignore the provided description of the male main character and imagine him in any other way. Everytime a tail was mentioned it was like a jumps are lol.

Winnie arrives at Witchwood Manor, ostensbily to play governess to grandson of the lady of the manor. In truth, it's more like she's there to protect him and she's not really all that fond of children either. Winnie is met at door by the butler but she later discovers there is no butler. There's a lot of darkness and mystery in this book along with some good-humored pokes at the gothic genre. All is revealed by the end and it's a pretty satisfying finish at that. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy gothic stories, but only if they don't mind it being turned on its head just a little bit. I really like the characters of Winnie, the butler and the grandson. The lady of the house and her son are also of interest and I liked the way the rervelations came along through the story.

I rate this four stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Starwatch Press for giving me an advanced reader copy. I look forward to reading more from the writer.

It felt like I was reading a nothing classic fairytale and I'm here for it. I love the building and tension. I will be keeping an eye out for more books by this author

Victorian England, Magic, immaculate gothic vibes, what more does one really need in a story!?

The Witchwood Knot is my second read by Olivia Atwater and it certainly wont be my last. From the moment Winnie, our MC arrives as Witchwood manor readers are transported to a world that is both lush and evocative. Atwater does a wonderful job building tension and unease in true gothic style and yet she perfectly balances the impending doom with classic fairy tale like whimsy. It's a brilliant mix of tones that really worked for me!

Readers will find themselves drawn in quickly and soon find themselves fully captivated by this tale.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.

I always enjoy Olivia Atwater's writing, and this is no different. We have a fun and rootable main character, who grounds the story and has a great character arc throughout. The writing was entertaining, and the spooky house was atmospheric. Overall it was a great fun read, but two things stop it being a 5 star read for me, one being the romantic sub plot pacing, which felt a little rushed in the end. And secondly, a lot of the stakes for the plot were introduced too late. We only realised the significance of certain things about the Witchwood Knot as they were being solved. That said, it was an interesting concept, and I enjoyed the book so will likely carry on with this series!

Given that The Witchwood Knot takes on some decidedly weighty subject matter and exquisitely embraces its penchant for dark, gothic vibes, I found that it still retained a strangely cozy undertone throughout. I loved the fairytale feel of the storytelling, and this was a surprisingly quick read for me.

While I appreciated how Winnie's backstory was threaded throughout the narrative, it felt like it could've done with a bit more fleshing out; similarly, I really enjoyed a lot of the characterizations, but the pace clips along just a bit too quick to really feel like you've bonded with the characters.

Overall, this was a beautifully penned tale, which made use of an enchanting blend of sinister & soft storytelling that definitely hit its mark. I'll absolutely keep an eye out for future installments, as I'd love to see how this series progresses!!

As an established fan of the Half a Soul trilogy, I consider The Witchwood Knot to be (again!) Olivia Atwater at her best!

Fans get to see cameos featuring Dora’s other half and some familiar fae faces (approximately 30 years later than their last outings), but the story and characters feel fresh and new, and somewhat darker and more Gothic than those original Regency faerie tale romances.

There are some quite haunting ghostly apparitions and a mixture of monsters, supernatural and human, plus an entirely new species from the fae realms to contend with. And the origins of Witchwood Manor gave me actual night terrors! So this book is not for the faint-hearted or sleep-deprived.

Perhaps even more disturbing are the references around coercion, child abuse and sexual assault which form an important part of the story and the main characters’ development, so those triggered by such material should proceed with caution. Personally I found the subject was handled with both realism, empathy and sensitivity, with no graphic detail or attempt to titillate or shock.

I absolutely adored the characters – Winne, of course, but also Mr Quincy, Oliver the spectral familiar and the brave servants-who-become-allies of the Manor. Even young Robert had his moments… the less said about his father, the better, though.

Those who love fantasy frenemy romance stories, however, will enjoy this delicious mixture of dark magic, mystery and perilous adventure as main character Winifred Hall attempts to rescue her young charge whilst also pursuing her personal quest to investigate fae disappearances across England.

This leads to a wider storyline which remains unresolved at the book’s conclusion, causing me to cross everything that this is the start of at least another trilogy. I will be buying them all for my keep shelf, of course!

https://lynns-books.com/2023/12/05/the-witchwood-knot-by-olivia-atwater/#comments
4 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Gothic setting, dark tricksy fae

The Witchwood Knot is a gothic, light romantasy set in a haunted mansion that is creepier and holds more secrets than you first imagine.

As the story begins we meet Winnie as she arrives at Witchwood Manor. These early chapters were so good at pulling me in, I felt at times as though I was visiting a Bronte novel. The approach to the manor, the overall sense of foreboding and then Winnie is met at the door by a butler – but it turns out later the manor doesn’t have a butler. Anyway, I was hooked from the opening chapters to be honest.

Anyway, Winnie, on the face of it has been employed by the Lady of the Manor to act as Governess to her grandson, in truth she’s actually there to use her wiles and her magic to protect him. Witchwood Manor is haunted and to be frank, the ghosts are the least of the problem. Although, Winnie is no lover of children and her new charge isn’t exactly enamoured with her and from the outset makes her life difficult.

Witchwood Knot is set in the Victorian period, this lends itself particularly well to a story with fae. This is a time of great invention and the new and old were clashing and this plays into the central theme of this story. Here we have a young woman trying to find out why the fae seem to be disappearing, at the same time we have a manor with a past, one that is barely keeping the fae at bay with old magic that is coming to an end.

In terms of the plot. I don’t really want to overdo the description here. Suffice to say that the fae are crying out for the hunt. They take Winnie’s charge and leave a changeling in his place and Winnie is determined to bring him back, with the help of the mysterious butler.

What I really liked about this story is the writing. In fact I would say that I think this could have done with filling out a little more. It felt almost too fast paced. I wanted to take my time a little more and really see things for what they were. I loved the descriptions, the fairytales and spending time with the characters but I felt like the story was in a rush and I wanted it to hold back a little.

That being said, there’s some fantastic imagination at play here, the dream sequences, the way the house is haunted, and the backstory.

In terms of the characters, well, Winnie can be a bit prickly but her back story makes this understandable. Over the years, she’s had to build up her own defenses and whether that means telling lies (which come remarkably easy to her) or doing whatever is necessary then she’ll do it. I liked her though.

Criticisms. I’m not totally sure I felt the romance but in fairness it’s not the sort of romance that takes over the plot and it certainly isn’t love at first sight so I didn’t have those issues.

Anyway, overall, I had a good time with this. The writing is brilliant. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to sleep in this Manor and push come to shove I’d like Winnie on my side. Also, I’m definitely on board to read more from this series and by this author.

I received a copy through Netgalley, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.