I really enjoyed this novel, I loved the historical aspects of it as well as the humorous moments. What I didn’t like was the lack of character development and growth. If you are long for a easy read to pass the time then this is the book for you.

I enjoyed reading this book. It's a fun historical fiction with a touch of magical realism. I find the Winter sisters fascinating with varying degrees of supernatural abilities. The story introduces you to a host of peculiar personalities which I find really fascinating and humorous. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I just wish there was more narration about the sisters vs. the doctor.

This book was not for me. The dialogue was very corny and unrealistic. The characters were very one dimensional and rural stereotypes. It was all very typical for a witch book.

A compelling piece of historical fiction, but unfortunately a slow burn that took me a while to get into, and at times it felt overcrowded by details.

My grandmother was a "strange" woman. She lived in a small home in the North Georgia mountains, father north than the Hope Hollow of this book, and the people from down the mountain came to see her when wounds, or bad luck or ailment fell on them. She was a folk healer, and my grandmother's memory is largely what made me want to read Tim Westover's The Winter Sisters. I wanted to come home. I wasn't disappointed as a Georgia I only knew from my mother, grandmother, and great grandmother's stories came to life through the eyes of an author who wasn't born here, but must be in his heart as Southern as any of us.

Tim Westover was able to tell this story about a place where he has no roots. I had to keep reminding myself that his aunts and grandmother did tell him about these three beautiful healer women with their mysteries and their wyrd ways, or the city Doctor who opposed them at first but came to see the efficacy of their treatments and the need for their work and wisdom, but Westover found their story anyway. He told it like they were his kin; like it was his to tell.

The story centers on a town at odds with folk traditions, superstition, innovation, the future, and the past. I loved the characters of Effie, Rebecca, and Sarah. If there's magic in this book then it lies in Effie who seems to have some claim to supernatural ability. Rebecca is a gifted healer, and Sarah is a lost middle sister. The new doctor, Aubrey Waycross, is a man of learning and he disregards the sisters and their healing arts favoring his own brand of new science based medicine. And then there's the preacher Boatwright who was compelled by his beliefs to run the sisters out of town. A panther in the woods, a rabies epidemic, and a host of other characters including a traveling medicine man, a dying woman, and a race for a cure, and unspoken and forbidden loves, all add to the story and should make this book impossible to put down for most readers. For me, the book mostly hits.

Where it misses for me is the number of characters. There seem to be a lot of characters to add to the local color, especially for such a relatively short book. There are some implied and open ended relationships and little stories that maybe aren't compelling enough for a sequel, but also feel unfinished. I can't get into it without spoilers, but I will say these things are not a reason to leave this book unread. They are minor annoyances in an otherwise exceptional book journey. I hope this author revisits the setting and tells an even greater story. I'd like to know stories of Salmon Thumb for example or maybe more about Ouida Bell. I'd even like to know about the ancestors of the Winter Sisters and their learned arts. I'm curious for more. The Winter Sisters is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Winter Sisters. This novel has a little something for everyone. It is a tale of three ‘witches’ living on the outskirts of a small town in early 1800’s. Along comes a reluctant physician, with this staples, saws, and other various cures. He befriends the witches and each learns from the other. The reader will encounter a rabid panther, people buried alive in graveyards, amputations, and unexplainable cures. This novel will have you laughing out loud and turning pages well into the night, It's a quirky read but with enough plot to have the read invested in its characters. Sarah, Rebecca, Effie, thank you for the wonderful tale!

I was slightly interested in the premise of this book... then 20% in I read at every opportunity for two days to finish it. The characters are relatable and I loved visiting this world, which is magical even though mainly practical. As a proponent of alternative medicine, I appreciated reading about the "remedies" used by the sisters. As a student of history, I loved learning about the doctor's education and practices during that time period. As a 20 year resident of Georgia whose daughter was born in Lawrenceville, I loved reminders of that area and the regional customs. Well-researched and superbly written, this book was a joyful vacation from modern life.

This novel is the exact embodiment of what I want in a book: the story is intriguing, concrete and well-balanced, a work of fiction based on historical facts, the characters are unique and lovable. We have love, we have action, we have fun and all in an ideal dosage that does not tire the reader out. I want to congratulate the author for balancing a great novel on a thin rope.

The Winter Sisters tells the story of a doctor, who is lured to a town thinking he would entreat patients with rabies but instead he finds himself among people, who are as healthy as an ox but just as ignorant.

They believe in charms, ointments, magical waters offered by the Winter Sisters and hecklers who provide them a medicine show every once in a while to sell potions wth weird names. Having spent all his money travelling to this forgotten part of the world without an imminent escape, the doctor starts discovering the town and undertake the mission of directing the attention of the townsfolk towards hippocratic medicine and positive science (by positive science, don’t expect something complicated though, it’s mid 1800s for God’s sake, the most advanced method is bleeding the patient by opening up some woulds to let the infected/dirty/excessive blood and getting high on ether for fun.)

A civilized, educated western man amongst common people, trying to persuade them that witches and magic do not exist. Will he accomplish his goal or lower his guard to let the magic leak into his spirit, changing his core beliefs? This is a great read for the lovers of the genre.

The Winter Sisters is an inviting read with a unique storyline. The Georgia Appalachian setting is the perfect location to find holistic healers, medicine shows with a banjo strumming salesman, and simple country folk willing to believe in magic cures. Lawrenceville, a small mountain town, is in need of a licensed doctor. Enter Aubrey Waycross. The townsfolk aren't a welcoming bunch. They're accustomed to tonics sold at rousing medicine shows. Most rely on homeopathic remedies provided by the Winter Sisters. However, the town's pastor is placing his faith in Dr. Waycross and hopes everyone else will follow suit. Pastor Boatwright is convinced that the Winter Sisters are blasphemous witches. He and his righteous followers have banished the sisters deep into the forrest, where the women reside peacefully at Hope Hollow. Bound together in a magical charcoal circle, the Winter sisters are a curious trio. Dr. Waycross makes it his mission to discover their cures. He's instantly fascinated by Rebecca, Sarah, and the ethereal Effie. Can herbal healers and modern medicine blend?

I can't say enough about Westover's writing skills. I loved his use of words. He has a wonderful sense of humor that spills onto the page. Tim Westover subscribes to the "show don't tell" means of storytelling. Imaginative and entertaining. I hope Westover offers a second dose of The Winter Sisters. I'm as curious about Effie as Dr. Waycross.

“It was, of course, a grand and impressive thing to do, to mistrust the obvious, and to pin one’s faith in things which could not be seen.”—Galen, On the Natural Faculties



*I was granted an ARC courtesy of NetGalley. Many thanks to QW Publishers and the talented Tim Westover.

1822, Hippocrates vs natural remedies. Blood letting, bone saws, old time methods of medical remedies vs age old tried and natural "medical" healing. Myths, mysteries, superstitions, and deadly nonsense hysterics. With a very real threat of rabies, the only helpful outcome is to bring the two together to provide healing and working remedies to a small outback rural Georgian town.

Rating- 4.5 stars

This book was really really good. I really enjoyed the chemistry between natural medicine and scientific medicine. I really enjoyed the romantic relationships. I really enjoyed the mystery of Effie's character. So yes, basically I don't have any specific thing to point out that interested me, cuz the writing style was so fluid that I kept reading on and on.. and didn't want to finish it.

I enjoyed reading this book, I found the plot to this book very interesting though it did tend to meander at times and the characters were likeable and well written

Unfortunately, this one just did not mesh well with me. I found myself actually falling asleep when trying to read this one. I loved the premise and the cover but for the actual story it just did not engage me at all.

It is 1822. Dr. Waycross has been lured to the frontier town of Lawrenceville, Georgia. He expects to encounter a rabies outbreak. Instead, he meets the three Winter sisters, who are healers. The reverend of the town is convinced they are witches.

The book is beautifully written and offers insight into the state of accepted medicine in the 1820s. It is entertained with herbalism and folklore..

I found the plot meandered and dragged in places. I liked the Winter sisters but found Dr. Waycross arrogant and unlikeable.

Additionally, I didn't see the relevance of the panther or the pigeons. They were unnecessary, unexplained elements.

The historical elements were fascinating. While I didn't love this book, I would definitely give the author another chance.

I liked this book and I enjoyed reading it. The Winter Sisters are intelligent and they knew what they are doing. The doctor was an pompous idiot and I can't connect with his character at all. The thing I loved about this book is the writing. The writing was wonderful and I hooked into the story from the beginning. But unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the ebook version of this book at all. The ebook version disturbed my reading experience. I think that will be rectified soon. I would recommend this book to all the fantasy fans.

I significantly enjoyed the book named The Winter Sisters because of the interesting and entertaining characters displayed in the story. Besides the small-town background and the intrinsic relationships between the different characters in the book, I found the historical setting extremely amusing. The storyline focuses on the relationship between a new resident medical doctor named Aubrey Waycross who attempt to align his science orientated practice with a community's belief in herbs, spells and alternative medicine methods.

I loved the manner in which the doctor commenced to integrate with the Winter Sisters' practices and the manner the local people reacted towards these different types of medical approaches. The author excellently described the manner communities historically understood medicine and the difficulties to accept new scientific concepts (not typical to their town environment). I also loved the manner in which the different beliefs came to together and allow the diverse viewpoints to work together for the better good,

I enjoyed the small town focused book because it kept my interest at all times and it permits the reader to become part of the community's views, challenges, sadness and happy moments. I most definitely recommend the book to any reader who enjoys historical setting readings focused on the lives of a small community and with some added spells to make it more interesting.

This book presents an amazing story and allows for much-loved enjoyment to all historical book readers.

Description
Folklore, medicine, witches, and superstition in the Georgia mountains. Dr. Waycross knows bleeding and blistering, the best scientific medicine of 1822. He arrives in the Georgia mountains to bring his modern methods to the superstitious masses. But the local healers, the Winter sisters, claim to treat yellow fever, consumption, and the hell-roarin' trots just as well as he can. Some folks call the sisters herb women; some call them witches. Waycross calls them quacks. But when the threat of rabies—incurable and fatal—comes to town, Dr. Waycross and the Winter sisters must combine their science and superstition in a desperate search for a remedy. Can they find a miracle cure, or has the age of miracles passed?Dr. Waycross knows bleeding and blistering, the best scientific medicine of 1822. He arrives in the Georgia mountains to bring his modern methods to the superstitious masses. But the local healers, the Winter sisters, claim to treat yellow fever, consumption, and the hell-roarin' trots just as well as he can. Some folks call the sisters herb women; some call them witches. Waycross calls them quacks. But when the threat of rabies—incurable and fatal—comes to town, Dr. Waycross and the Winter sisters must combine their science and superstition in a desperate search for a remedy. Can they find a miracle cure, or has the age of miracles passed?

My Review:
The Winter Sisters was a delightful book to read. It is an extremely enjoyable historical novel full of magic and mystery based in the mountains of Georgia during the early 1800's.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Definitely a winner, highly recommend this novel. A must read.

A gorgeously written, magical story full of science, superstition and sisterhood An engrossing and enjoyable read. Witchy and wonderful. .

The luscious setting and beautiful historical backstories were excellent. It is expertly crafted and rendered with interesting and unusuual characters. The build up is great, but the plot becomes stagnant. Once the main character, Dr. Aubrey Waycross, travels to a new town, there's great excitement but then all the character's relationships feel forced. Hardly any of the relationships feel genuine. The main love story has no chemistry and I didn't like how Aubrey showed interest in all three sisters. Too quickly did he hate them then feel attracted to them, it was just all too strange. I get that the witches are supposed to be charming and easy to love but even this interaction felt forced.

While I fell in love with this story's setting, the plot didn't capture my attention. None of the characters had a clear motive or focus. Aubrey did want to get the witch sisters to leave town but it clearly wouldn't happen when he fell for them. I struggled to care for any of the characters, even though I expected the female characters to be badass kick butt witches. Overall this book's plot disappointed me and the characters needed more development.

I so wanted to like this, but it ended up just being a chore to read.
The premise was interesting but I wish we were able to spend more time hearing about the sisters instead of the doctor, as I found his character so dull. The lack of paragraphs and clear definition of where the POV changes made this quite difficult to read; it was all quite confusing to start with! At times I felt like the author had tried to shove too many ideas or points in, and it all just got too much or dense - so I would definitely have preferred fewer events and more character background for the sisters.
The cover is gorgeous though, and I did enjoy reading about the herbal/natural remedies that would've been in common practice back then!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.