"I am a Weyward, and wild inside.

2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha's mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.

1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives - and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.

Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world."

Can I go to a cottage and transform through the power of the natural world?

Thank you for letting me read this arc! This book was amazing. I felt every Weyward woman's tragedies and experiences. Watching them gain strength and overcome was incredible'

Weyward by Emilia Hart was a quick and compelling read. Following three generations of "wayward" women with powers they derive from nature's magic, the book is a must for fans of Alice Hoffman.

This was a very good story, told through three generations of women dealing with some seriously crappy bologna, but connecting to the natural world for solace and joy.
I enjoyed this book. It wasn't profound, but it held my interest enough that I wanted to find out how it would end.

This debut novel shows how much the world has changed for women, and how it has not.

3 Weyward women:
Athla on trial for witchcraft.
Violet is waiting to escape her home, which feels more like a prison.
Kate is running from an abusive relationship
At first it seems the only thing these women have in common is their unusual abilities regarding nature, but as the book progresses you see how intertwined they actually are. This is a story of women finding self empowerment and freedom.

This book did not disappoint. The writing was stellar. For example, I do not like creepy crawlers. But while reading those book I could easily see them as beautiful as the characters described. I am a sucker for multiple timelines. This story was no exception. The different POVs were interwoven together so well. I will definitely be on the lookout for Hart’s sophomore novel.
4.5⭐️ rounded up!

What a great book about the oppression and subsequent power of women! Strongly recommend!

"The physician spoke with confidence. He was a man, after all. He had no reason to think he would not be believed."

Weyward is three interwoven stories of three related English women across five centuries. Altha faces trial for being a witch in the 1600s. Violet is disowned by her father during WW2 after becoming pregnant from rape. Kate runs from her abusive partner in the present day.

While the three stories seem heartbreaking, this is not a depressing story. Instead, it's an uplifting story about women overcoming male oppression through the centuries. Escaping men trying to control them through violence, the women use their inner power and strength to create better, fulfilling lives. Emilia Hart expertly laces the three stories together to show the similar plights of each character and how the women are bonded through time, helping each other survive.



Two notes for the publisher: (1) The ending was perfect! The epilogue wasn't needed and removed some of the story's mystery. (2) 1619 is strongly associated with the beginning of slavery in the US. I was initially thrown by this date and assumed there would be something about slavery. It would have been better if the trial had been in 1618 or 1620.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

Weyward is a great story told in 3 different voices and time periods of Weyward women: Altha in 1619, Violet in 1942, Kate in 2019. All very strong women, all running away from something and finding their strength. I loved reading about all the women, learning of their differing yet somehow similar lives, of how their stories intersect and come together. I was completely hooked and couldn't put the book down. Highly recommend!

I'm always up for a book that involves witches - this book is beautifully written and intricate as a spider's web, Weyward weaves an intergenerational tale of sorrow, love, and strength. Though separated by decades or even centuries, these three Weyward women--Altha, Violet, and Kate--are each other's heritage and legacy, and the power they each possess pays tribute to the connections between women, nature, and family

Thank you to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital arc

Omg this book, though! It is like a cross between the last apocothery and once and future witches.

I love everything about it. One family and three women spanning generations. Be(Witching)... bad pun. I know.

The characters are rich and beautifully developed. Each woman has their own voice and ways of dealing with everything around them. The family connection is both tangible and yet just out of grasp to not just tell readers what to think about the hidden secret that will unfold.

The plot keeps you tethered throughout. And the common string of how society/circumstances tried to keep them from being themselves, was brilliant. Each situation was completely different, in each time period. Yet the commonality of themes is executed without faltering.

Each time period has its personality, showing the differences in women's circumstances. This is both different and yet oh so similar.

Weyward is lovely without being overly mushy. It is fantasy without being over the top. It is suspenseful without losing its themes (or beating them like a dead horse). It is completely genre-defying.

I can't wait for everyone to get a hold of Weyward in March.

Oooooooooof I mean ok, yah sure just yank my heart out and stomp all over it why don’t you!

This is SO good, immediately intriguing and suspenseful. The three different stories were woven together so well - every time it switched perspectives I was like noooo I need more right now!! But then immediately got swept up in the next story because they were all enthralling. And each felt true to the time period it was set in…overall so impressed with the writing as a debut novel!

There is a profound sadness to the book with everything the women endure, so prepare to have your heartstrings obliterated (and def check trigger warnings). And while I wouldn’t call the endings happy per se, they do end on notes of hopefulness and resolved in ways that left me feeling satisfied and not completely bereft.

It feels like there are a lot of books these days that are trying to tap into the power of feminism and witches, but not all are done well. Weyward manages to tow the line of thoughtful, piercing commentary on the strength and danger of female power without losing the beauty. The stories of 3 women across generations will have something familiar in them for all women, and the author maintains small mysteries throughout that are very satisfying. This is a great read for anyone who liked The Once and Future Witches.

I do recommend readers review any content warnings though as some events may be triggering.

Set over 3 generations, centuries a part we meet the Weyward women. They have an inclination towards magic from the natural world and casting spells that are beneficial. Throughout history we know women who are different, let alone women who are educated, are seen as dangerous. And often what isn't understood, is seen as witchcraft.
All of this is true Kate, Altha, and Violet. In this novel we fall in love with the mystic vibes of "crazy" women and find ourselves envious of their magical green thumbs.
In my opinion, dual time lines move slow, but in this case we have three time lines but the pace was very well kept and worthy of reading in one weekend.

WEYWARD by Emilia Hart

I devoured this book and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the Weyward women. The story is told through three alternating POVs across five centuries seamlessly.

While Altha, Violet and Kate live in completely different timelines, each has to contend with the unfair patriarchal system and oppressive religious beliefs of those in control. Their individual stories highlight how women across the ages have never been fully in control of their own lives, decisions or bodies.

I love the magical and nature-based elements the author incorporated into the women’s stories. It was done well and didn’t come across as too fantastical or cheesy.

Overall, this inter-generational story was very well done. Each character had depth and their storylines were compelling. If you love historical fiction and magical realism you’ll enjoy this book.


Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Pub Date: 03.07.23
#Weyward #EmiliaHart

*ARC courtesy of NetGalley & StMartinsPress

I was lucky enough to get an arc of this book! I can honestly say it was phenomenal. I had to force myself over the last 5 days to put it down!
I haven’t been able stop thinking about this book since I started reading it. The main characters were beautifully written and their individual stories touched my heart. I loved how each one connected with each other to where it all made perfect sense.
I could not have related to a grown up Violet more. She is everything I wish to be. Living how she wants to, in a cottage, with nature and her garden at her fingertips, wearing nothing but green (my favorite color), and learning how to heal with herbs and everything that comes from nature. She has learned to love herself and move on from her past traumas. She is strong and determined and the great aunt we all deserve.
This book has become a new favorite and one that I will reread and recommend for the rest of my life.
I am very picky when it comes to giving 5/5 stars and raving about how good they are, but with this book it comes easy. The author has written a beautiful story about 3 generations of women who finally accept and love who they are. I feel like there is a little bit of a Weyward woman in all of us.

It is early in the year, but this is definitely my favorite book of 2023, and it will be hard to top. Not just dual timelines, but three of them all focused on the strong Weyward women. I loved the introduction and the transition between Weyward and weird. Kate’s story is so compelling and her development and understanding of her inner strength and where it comes from is such a great story. Violet is just the under dog and you want so much for her to be appreciated and find happiness. And you can feel the desperation in Altha’s story and all the women who actually suffered as she did. I cannot say enough wonderful things about the story, the author, the characters, the ending, the justice- it is just great. So basically, read this one. I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley, however; this did no influence my opinion. I appreciate the opportunity to read this amazing book.

Weyward is a tale that spans multiple generations of women who although separated by the years are forever connected by the power that makes them special. Altha is accused of witchcraft, Violet is disinherited after a rape and Kate must free herself from an abusive relationship. Each woman lives with a foot in two worlds.

The multiple stories and viewpoints were handled really well and as the book progressed the stories all come together. It moves at a good pace with little cliff-hangers woven in that keep you wondering if this woman or that one will escape the threats surrounding her.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for one of those days when all you want to do is read a good book. Thank you Emilia Hart, NetGalley and St Martin's for the ARC and the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review. I loved it.

Weyward is so much more than I expected. Beautifully written and the multi-perspective timeline was executed so well. I was unable to put this down, each chapter consuming and revealing a little more of three separate stories that are woven together through time, connected by blood and sealed by the Weyward name.

Each setting - London, Crows Beck, and Cumbrian Village - I found myself swept up in the landscapes, Orton Hall and the Cottage - casting their own remarkable spell on the reader, laced with descriptive scenery, wildlife and insects at their finest.

There are some dark moments throughout this book, that I can't fail to mention, I found myself frustrated and angry at these real circumstances. However, I found solace in the last few pages, slowing my pace to cherish the end.

I hope to read more from this author! Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Emilia Hart for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Emilia Hart for the opportunity to read an ARC of Weyward. This is my honest and unpaid review.
I am most definitely going to be recommending this book to a lot of people at the library. What a unique story with a familiar theme. I love books that combine history, love and a bit of magic in a way that feels entirely genuine.
Sometimes dual timelines can get a bit confusing and this book is a triple, but not confusing at all. I really loved the 3 separate characters stories and how they were intertwined and sometimes parallel to one another. Often when there are multiple character stories to follow I will prefer one more then the other but not in this case. This was like reading 3 great books in one! Such a great book!

I went into this book not knowing what I was getting myself into. The cover intrigued me and I’m so so glad I requested it. The writing was beautiful and all of the characters and storylines were compelling. I cannot believe this is the authors debut and I can’t wait for her next one!

Altha, Violet, and Kate are Weyward women bonded by blood but separated by generations, these women are connected to each other and the earth; each is strengthened by the fortitude of her ancestors.

This is a novel that contains three empowering stories of women grappling with survival within the confines of an overly religious patriarchal society, the control of a domineering and distant father, and a controlling, abusive boyfriend.

A twenty-one year old Altha stands accused of witchcraft in 1600’s England due largely from being in the vicinity of when a man is trampled to death by a herd of cows. However, her true crime is being born to a woman who was the town healer and midwife. Her mother was an educated, unmarried, independent woman in a time when one of these characteristics was frowned upon, thus possessing three made her and her daughter targets and outcasts in an era where survival was dependent on communal inclusion and conformity.

During WWII, Violet is a motherless, nature-loving, carefree teen who must suppress her outgoing, curious nature to appease the whims of her oppressive father and societal expectations regarding the behavior of young ladies. When tragedy strikes, she and her brother Graham, are unfairly banished and disinherited. Finding help from Altha across the ages via an uncanny series of events; she finds fortitude and strength to change her fate.

Kate, a modern-day Londoner, harboring guilt from a childhood accident that causes an unimaginable loss; she loses herself to a controlling boyfriend whose abuse spans multiple realms of physical, verbal, and mental/psychological. Pregnant and scared, she escapes to great-aunt Violet’s estate for safety and invisibility, but finds so much more.

At its core, this book is about three women finding their agency and inner strength to live their lives, their truth, and become their authentic selves. It’s about listening to the universe and the voices within, finding the inner strength, and being brave enough to take the necessary steps to claim the desired life. An empowering read with a few doses of the supernatural.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to review.