Atmospheric and ambitious. I enjoyed the braided narratives and the strong feminist themes. I didn't connect with the world or the characters as much as I would like but think many will fall in love with this story. Recommended if you enjoyed THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES or THE NATURE OF WITCHES.

Weyward by Emilia Hart

2019: Kate has to escape an abusive relationship. She leaves London and moves to Weyward Cottage, a property that her great aunt left her. When she’s there, she discovers the secrets of her ancestors.

1942: Violet lives with her father and her brother. Her mother died a long time ago. Now, the only thing she wants is to study biology, but her strict (misogynistic) father has other plans for her.

1619: Altha’s mother taught her the magical powers of the plants and animals around her. Now, years after her mother died, she’s accused of witchcraft and murder.

Three women in three different centuries find themselves wanting to know more about their ancestors and discover how the resilience, perseverance and determination of the women before them helped create the person they are and how their support and their innate connection to nature give them the strength they need to overcome the abuse and oppression they’ve had to endure.

This is a story about sisterhood across centuries, resilience, being grateful with the ones that came before you and making the world a little bit better for the next generations. I loved how the author managed to connect the three stories through the magical cottage, the atmospheric setting, the magical realism, and the historical context.

I listened to this one and the audio was phenomenal! Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the complimentary audiobook.

I think reading this book would be better than listening. I didn’t finish it because I didn’t want to go back to it and avoided it. I think the book will be great and will read that at some point.

Weyward is a magical story of 3 women spanning generations. All of which are forced to use their innate courage and curiosity to live.

Wayward follows Altha in the year 1619, a healer accused of witchcraft; Violet a young girl living a suffocating life in1942 and Kate in the year 2019 who courageously escapes an abusive husband. All women find safety and courage within the walls of the Weyward cottage. They learn the truth about themselves and Weyward women. With this knowledge and understanding they are able to move past and overcome the wrongs they have suffered at the hands of men.

“I had nature in my heart. Like she did and her mother before her. There was something about us, the Weyward women, that bonded us more tightly with the natural world. We can feel it. The same way we feel rage, sorrow or joy.”

The imagery of this story was beautiful. I could almost hear the midges swarm, smell the musty soil and feel the tickle of insect legs. It was a splendid narration with voices adding another layer to the characters.
“Who could refrain that had a heart to love, and in that heart Courage to make love known?” ― William Shakespeare, Macbeth

A spectacular novel on the power of women spread over generations. This book was a strong reminder on the strength being a woman holds and made me remember to be proud to be one as well as the connection we can have with the earth if we open ourselves to it. We follow the stories of Altha, Violet, and Kate as each overcome difficulties in their own timelines. As the book progresses we learn of how all three women are connected and how their lives intertwine. The audiobook is done beautifully and each character is assigned a different narrator. I believe I have found a new favorite book of all time in Weyward.

An incredible debut that follows the lives of three strong Weyward women across different time periods as they navigate dangers and misogyny at the hands of men they thought they could trust. I loved the focus on the natural world mixed in with a unique brand of witchcraft. Moving with unforgettable characters and a gorgeous cover!

The author did a great job seamlessly interweaving each of the women's stories and highlighting their different struggles as they dare to be different in a world that punishes women for having the audacity to exist outside of societal norms. Good on audio too narrated by Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley and Nell Barlow. Recommended for fans of Rachel Griffin or Philippa Gregory. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital copies of this book in exchange for my honest review!

“We never thought of ourselves as witches, my mother and I. For this was a word invented by men. A word that brings power to those who speak it, not those it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres. Turns breathing women into corpses. No, it was not a word we ever used.”

This book is a darker, historical, witchy read that follows a collection of women who are considered weird or offkilter, and what they’ve experienced in their lives across different time periods in England.

There are three POV‘s, which flow back-and-forth to mutually inform one another. I never had a problem separating the perspectives and I loved how all their stories blended together as a form of resulting in intergenerational memory-keeping.

A major theme in this book was on women reclaiming their power, exacting justice and finding themselves. I’ve been reading a lot of books lately that are focused on magical women finding the strength to assert themselves and become a force to be reckoned with. I think there’s something incredibly satisfying about reading a book set in a patriarchal world akin to ours with strong women who pursue justice and protect others. It reminds me how important it is to connect with your communities and the strength in numbers.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and I think that fans of more historical witchy reads like A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox, The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow and the Practical Magic series by Alice Hoffman will love this one too!

I ended up DNF this one. Nothing wrong with the story itself, I just didn't find myself enjoying listening to this one. I think I will give it ago again, just not as an audiobook. Going to give it 3 stars for what I've heard so far. I look forward to trying this again as a book book.

There is definitely something about the Weyward women! This book induced so many FEELINGS in me that I'm not even sure where to start. It was not an easy read. However, the stories of these three generationally connected women were so expertly written. Each character was likeable and complex. They share something so special that even time cannot break its hold on the Weyward women. The settings were so thoroughly described that I could easily picture them in vivid detail. The narration was also exceptional. Listening made the stories even more graphic!

Definitely for fans of Magical Realism, women's fiction and witchy reads!

Thank you @netgalley, @stmartinspress and @macmillanaudio for this thought-provoking arc.

This book was absolutely incredible. I loved every minute of it. This quickly has become one of my all time favorite books.

The narration was perfect. The three narrators did the characters justice and fit so well. The writing itself was beautiful. Just the right pacing and amount of description. Each of the three women in this book were deep and vulnerable and strong. It's a devastating, hopeful, inspiring, and infuriating story of the things women have had to face for centuries and the strength and bonds that carry us thought even the hardest of times.

I genuinely have nothing I would change, no critiques. There is not one word of this book that should be added or taken away. It was a beautiful book and one I will have on my shelf to reread many times. 5 stars is not enough.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC

File this under: Books for "Practical Magic" girlies.

Spanning decades, this feminist novel tells the story of three Weyward women who were wronged by men right and left and who took back control of their lives, bodies, and spirits. I cheered them on at every page!

“I am a Weyward, and wild inside.”
-
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Emilia Hart for providing me with an ALC of this book. This is my honest review.
-
Detailing the lives of three women across multiple generations, Emilia Hart’s debut Weyward delivers an impactful story that is sure to resonate with women everywhere. With touches of magical realism and a deep appreciation for the world around us, Weyward tackles the heavy weight of trauma against women and the resilience it takes to withstand and overcome said trauma.
-
The prose in this book was beautiful. From beginning to end, there are passages I’ll never forget. It felt even more poignant listening to the audiobook. Because each woman was cast separately, their identities were distinct. It felt like really getting to know Altha, Violet, and Kate and listening to them tell their own stories. Listening to the Weyward audiobook was a beautiful experience and one I enjoyed thoroughly.
-
Shout out to Rachel for recommending this book. It’s one of my favorite reads of the year so far. If you like stories that touch on harder themes or you’ve dreamt of living in a cottage near the woods, give Weyward a shot. You won’t regret it. Weyward is available for purchase NOW in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook format.
-
⚠️ Please check TW/CW before reading. Potential TW/CW include but are not limited to SA, domestic violence, and miscarriage. ⚠️

I love a good multigenerational novel where outcast, disenchanted, and abused characters liberate themselves and forge empowered identities by uncovering their history and by connecting with nature. The storylines of the three women are interesting and the women themselves are relatable.
This isn't the first and won't be the last book to employ this storyline, but I don't mind because this is a story convention I could repeatedly lose myself in.
I received this as an audiobook ARC from NetGalley.

Three generations of women living in England, one from the early 1600s, another from WWII-era, and the last from the present, are confronting their innate power in the face of patriarchal systems that seek to suppress them. From witch trials to reproductive health laws, parallels can be made throughout history on how men seek to control female bodies. The three women we meet are each fully realized with compelling stories that kept me listening. Each woman is presented by a different narrator, each with their own distinctive voice, which made it very easy to keep the stories separate, even as they wove together. A bit of a lean into thriller-like writing distracted me toward the end, but overall I found the characters to be beautifully written and full of interest.

The Secret Garden meets Practical Magic in this beautifully woven story about three women from three time periods who have to face what it means to be a woman, a Weyward, a witch.

I had the pleasure of listening to an audio ARC and I’m so glad I did. The accents of the characters made all the difference in keeping track of who was who and the shifts in time periods. The prose felt lyrical yet strong, beautiful yet devastating.

The Weyward women will not soon be forgotten by those who read their story. If you enjoy subtle magical realism and silently strong female characters, pick up a copy of Weyward.

First, I would like to thank Macmillan audio and NetGalley for sharing this audiobook narrated by Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley, and Nell Barlow in exchange for my honest review.

I was not initially intending to listen to the audio for this book instead of reading it but I am very happy I did. Each of the voices are truly perfect for their roles. Their cadence flowed magnificently, drawing the listener in with tone and inflection that seemed to genuinely match every emotion. It was nothing less than a stunning performance.

As far as the story itself goes, it was a bit slow at first. So slow that if I hadn’t committed to this review I may have considered giving up. However, the second half of the book helped me understand the painstaking detail the writer took to develop each of the three narratives. I would not change the beginning now having finished it.

It’s a story that hits personally for me on a few levels as I imagine it will for many other women. A few of the themes surround grief, loss, isolation, and familial relationships (both tender and toxic) in addition to more triggering topics of domestic abuse, rape, miscarriage, and abortion (while this may seem like a spoiler a lot of people in this book are pregnant at one point or another so good luck trying to identify who this might apply to). I can understand how this might seem daunting to some readers (I couldn’t make it through ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ myself). However the author takes great care to approach these events, using gentle prose and sparing the more lurid details, at least in my opinion.

Ultimately, I found this story profoundly beautiful in a way I wasn’t expecting. It has taken me some time to sit and marinate with it before writing this in the hope I can do it justice. I am grateful to the author for this novel. It will live with me for a while still and I’ve already recommended it to friends and family.

This engaging story of three women is told in multiple timelines spanning 5 centuries. Altha (1619), Violet (1942) and Kate (2019), all have an affinity with nature. They each find themselves trapped in their own lives, through societal norms or abusive men in positions of power.

The writing of this book was stunning. Amelia Hart did a wonderful job of weaving the three stories and holding my interest. I also enjoyed the three narrators. Even though there were three separate stories and timelines, I had no problem following due to fantastic narration by Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley and Nell Barlow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

**I would like to thank NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and Emilia Hart for an ALC of this book! This is available as of 2/2/23 and the Audiobook is available as of 3/7/23**

To start, I absolutely cannot believe that this is Emilia's debut novel. I truly wasn't sure what to expect and went in pretty blind (I saw a pretty cover and dove in). Emilia has woven together an incredible story about womanhood, strength, self-reliance, and finding connection to mother nature.

There is no review that could have prepared me for the experience that I had with this novel. Part of me wants to curl up in a blanket and ruminate, while another part wants to go take on the world. I felt inspired and sad and in awe and heartbroken and excited and angry. It was a total mixed bag of emotion that I felt deeply. I have never once read a book that has pulled these emotions out of me.

I do wish that the ending wasn't so rushed, but it was still written so well that I can't really complain.

For the audiobook specifically: I wish I could rate the audiobook 12/10. Having the 3 narrators for the 3 POVs was incredible. Not absolutely necessary, but it add to the experience. The audiobook was such a treat and I'm happy I listened to it. One of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to.

I'm so tired of reading books where all the men are horrible and all the women are violently abused. And especially bothered that the only way these women escape trauma is through a deep, magical connection to, and the ability to control, nature, which doesn't happen in real life but only in books. So this supposed statement of female empowerment is actually saying, it's a fantasy.

But that cover...

Weyward by Emilia Hart is a stunning novel that expertly weaves together the stories of three female protagonists in three different eras: Kate, a present-day woman fleeing her abusive husband in London for her great aunt’s Weyward Cottage; Altha, a girl in 17th rural England awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer and alleged witchcraft; and Violet, a young woman in WWII England trapped in her family’s estate wishing for a way out.

The way these three stories are woven together is nothing short of masterful. Each woman's story is compelling on its own, but the connections between them are what make this novel truly special. As the reader follows each timeline, they begin to see the threads that tie each woman's journey together, and by the end, it all conjoins in a way that is both surprising and inevitable.

One of the most impressive aspects of the novel is how the three storylines transport the reader in time. The settings and characters are vividly described, and it's easy to get lost in the worlds Hart has created.

I would recommend this to readers who have loved the writings of Stacey Halls and Alice Hoffman.