This book was well-written in atmosphere and EXTREMELY well-narrated, but the slower plot line and family magic story was not for me. This feels like it would be a great fit for fans of Alice Hoffman!

Weyward tells the story of three generations of Weyward women, Altha accused of witchcraft in the 1600s, Violet finding her way in the 1940s without the benefit of a maternal presence, and Kate running from an abusive boyfriend and then finding her feet at the family cottage in 2019.
I was immediately sucked in to all three storylines. The choice to have three different narrators was perfect as it made keeping the stories separate much easier especially as we see Kate and Violet go through some similar moments. The writing was incredibly immersive and rich, I was shocked to realize this was Emilia Hart’s debut novel as it was so well polished.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"People lie when they are afraid."
"What are they afraid of?"
"Women."

As I listened to the eloquent prose of Weyward by impressive debut author Emilia Hart I got emotional as the genius of this story revealed itself with each character, each chapter and every cruelty experienced by the Weyward women.

In 2019, Kate, 29 years old, is pregnant in an abusive marriage. She escapes when she inherits her Great Aunt Violet's cottage. As she starts to heal from physical, mental and emotional abuse she discovers secrets about her aunt, the legacy of the Weyward cottage, the power of the Weyward women and their connection to nature.

In 1942, Violet at 16 is practically a prisoner in her father's estate. She longs for the education and the freedom that is given to her brother. When a distant cousin visits she doesn't even understand how he not only violated her body but took her innocence from her. But when her misogynistic father blames her for being pregnant and hides her away at Weyward cottage she discovers the true strength of her ancestry.

In 1619, Altha, at 21 years old is on trial for practicing witchcraft and murder. She knows she's at least not guilty of murder. Her compassion, her heart and her gifts allow her to help those she loves even if society fears her pride, her abilities and her power.

The connection of these three women is enhanced by the performances of narrators Bell Harlow, Aysha Kala and Helen Keeley. Each one brings an emotional depth to these characters that makes them matter as you listened to them overcome the patriarchical abuse that really hasn't changed in over 400 years.

Some call them witches but for me the Weyward women are brave, fierce females who found their strength in their power and, mostly, their love.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from MacMillan Audio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I listen to this fascinating audiobook just over a week ago and was blown away at how these three women were connected over five centuries of time and how women’s power and autonomy are treated in their generations.

Weyward tells three stories that are interconnected through history that binds them together. First we have Altha a young woman during the 17th century witch trials, she has been arrested and put on trial as I suspected which causing the death of the neighbor. Next we meet Violet, the daughter of a baron, during world war two. She is cloistered and locked up in her family manse. And lastly, modern day Kate, as she escapes an abusive partner, and finds solace in the cottage she inherited from her great aunt Violet.

This is a fast paced book with excellent narration that included three female voices ( Aysha Kala; Helen Keeley; Nell Barlow) for the three protagonists. This really differentiated between not only the characters but the different time frames as well, with a different dictation style appropriate for the period.

I found each heroines story, extremely compelling and easy to sympathize with. There was a great representation of the struggle of women through these periods but on the flipside, it also showed their strength, their resilience it showed how powerful women can be when they are not letting outside sources hold them down.

This book was an emotional roller coaster, and that with a lot of tough subjects, such as special abuse, family abuse, rape, and even isolation. At some point, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue on, but I was extremely glad I did, because the strength and fortitude shown Was absolutely breathtaking

This book blew me away, it’s one of those ones I would love to listen to again, just to find out what nuances I missed the first time within its many layers.

Weyward by Emilia Hart is available in all formats now.

Thanks to Macmillan Press for my advanced listening copy through Netgalley.

This was such an amazing story about 3 women , over 3 different centuries, it was heartbreaking and so intriguing I could not put this audiobook down. The narrators did such an amazing job with delivery such a heartbreaking story you could feel every emotion. I can not wait to read more of this authors works.

When I want a magical realisim, feminine yet feminist tale, this is exactly what I want - Weyward. It is a tale of three women and how their life stories are connected. Which one is the first and which one is the last - it doesn't matter, as the same story repeats itself over and over, just the years change.

What I loved was seeing the growth of these women, and release of their powers as acceptance comes that one can control its future, if one chooses to.

This story is simple, yet lush and magical. There's strength, there's sorrow, there's pain and there's acceptance. Let's all be wild, weird and free to carve our own futures.

Thank you to the publisher for my gifted book and audiobook. All opinions are my own.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Narrated by Aysha Kala; Helen Keeley; Nell Barlow

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan audio for the early listen/read. This review will be for both the audiobook and the ebook.
Very enjoyable read. Enjoyed listening/reading about the 3 main characters in 3 different timelines. The reader learns what happened in the past which explained why things happened in the 2 present or past and the present now.
Watching all 3 female characters grow into the strong women they became.
Will recommend!
The narrators (and author) did a great job telling the story of Altha, Violet and Kate.

Three different ladies with the same bloodline, the way of wayward. It's melancholy and deeply frustrating but beautifully written. Relatable but also filled with discomfort, the rage of patriarchy, and the history of being a woman isn't... my cup of tea.

This story weaves through three different time periods: 2019, 1942 and 1619. In 2019 Kate finds herself needing to escape her life and her abusive boyfriend. She flees to Weyward Cottage that was recently left to her by a great aunt she can't remember clearly. During her escape here, Kate begins to feel that her aunt has a deep dark secret hidden right here at the cottage. In 1942, Violet is stuck at her family estate as the war roars on. Violet's mother has long been dead and she longs to know more about her. Violet wears her mothers locket with the letter W and she later finds the word weyward scratched into the wall in her room. There are many hushed rumours that her mother went completely mad before she died. In 1916, Altha is awaiting trial for witchcraft. When she was younger, her mother taught her magic of the natural world. Altha knows that any. woman that is different in anyway will and has been deemed dangerous. It will take a miracle for her to survive a sentence of hanging.

I do not think it was a fluke that this powerful story of three resilient women was to be published in March, during Women's History Month. There is a sense of power, courage and determination in all three of these leading ladies across the five centuries that they are connected. I was hesitant to read this knowing there would be an element of magic, but it was nothing what I had expected. Altha deemed dangerous, Violet longing for education like her brother and Kate the meek who finally takes a stand for herself and escapes. I dare you to not see yourself or some other woman you know personally or in history. I was captivated by this powerful story and the three women that bring it to life. Thank you, Emilia Hart for your brilliance.

I really enjoyed the audio for this one. I was immediately hooked! The plot is masterfully woven together.

Weyward is the story of three women who have a deep knowledge for the natural world and how their stories interconnect.
2019, Kate makes a daring escape from her abusive husband.
1619, Altha is on trial for witchcraft.
1943, Violet is trapped by societal convention.

Weyward will appeal to readers who enjoy reading about strong women. This would make the perfect spring read! Weyward is available now.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. 🙏🏻🥰

Disclaimer: I received an audiobook ARC of this book, my thoughts are my own.

This audiobook was great.
I loved our three MC's, their women empowerment, timelines and magic.
It's this subtle magic, connected to nature, but not fantasy world type of magic, more so related to healing and more "undercover" type of magic.

Each characters felt fleshed out and I could see and truly understand how their timeline, situations and daily life affected their different approaches to discovering their magic and reacting to it, etc.

The audiobook narrator had a lovely voice and way to narrate the book, I loved the atmosphere and how engrossing she made the experience. I did listen to it 1.75-2x speed, but that's normal to me.

All the voices of each character felt very different and I enjoyed how each chapter began by giving us the POV, date and place. Overall I had an amazing time with it and the writing beautiful (from me hearing it).

I highly recommend this audiobook/novel.
4/5 stars
Bookarina

This one pulled me in immediately. Appealing to my love of genealogy, strong women characters, unexplained, supernatural events. Several time lines - Altha, 1619, witch hunt timeframe - Violet, 1942, WWII time period - Kate, present day, leaving an abusive partner. Women passing down their stories throughout the years.
This is a novel of female resilience and ingenuity. It intertwines the beautiful natural world of birds (mainly crows), insects, and plants into their lives.
There is always hope - learn from the past and believe there is something better.
I really enjoyed this one. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was fabulous!!! I would change nothing.
I loved the triple timelines, the familiar ties woven through them, the witchy vibes, the small town setting, the conflicts and the strength.
Three very different women in three very different times, dealing with three very similar problems...men.
I loved that there were different narrators for each voice, it made the transitions that much more powerful. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story, strong characters and getting swept away in a book.
Do look at the trigger warnings, 'cause there is a lot of stuff people may have trouble with being sprung upon.
Much love to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this delight of a novel!!!

Spanning the lifetimes of three women and hundreds of years, Wayward is a slow and winding historical fiction mixed with a bit of magic that comes together in a very satisfying story of the intrinsic connection between women, nature and the men who abuse and fear both.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨I simply adored this book. 4.5 stars. Emilia Hart had me enthralled from beginning to end. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator nailed her performance. I loved following the three weyward women over 5 centuries where they (eventually) thrive on their connection to animal and earth. The weyward woman may seem meek to start but you can fuck around and find out with them.

Another March Book of the Month, that with its cover lured most like the light attracts a moth. And from this perspective, I will approach this, because I was one of them! Fortunately, Netgalley allowed me to listen to the audiobook before I even received the books (I mean, it takes 7 days to deliver to FL!). I was enchanted. This book was everything I did not expect it to be. I thought it'll be a multigenerational connection between women and the events in their lives at that time. With of course some magic because why not. I got it. I got this and more. Emilia Hart gave those women voice, story, and personality. All of them pop out with their sense of powerlessness and strength and how they overcome it. They bring natural sensitivity as a strength, not as a weakness. There is no unnecessary drama, just feelings that might surface in situations they struggle with. I loved how different they were and how connected at the same time. I loved this theme of otherworldly connection to ancestors so much that I am not sad that I got the book after I finish it because I will be coming back to it!

This book was written with beautiful imagery and continued to satisfy throughout the whole story. While it was somewhat predictable, it was a whimsical twist on the regular generational female story. I appreciated the characters’ depth, their struggles, and how brilliantly the author navigated them through.

I loved this bewitching debut! I was equally fascinated and captivated by all 3 main characters and couldn’t help but root for them. If you loved Hester as much as I did and love remarkable, resilient female characters, I highly recommend this one!

4.5/5⭐️

I think this was good - solid 4 stars for me. I loved the message, but don’t know that it was much more profound than others if this genre. Overall message? Men suck!! But to be totally serious, this was wonderfully written, especially as a debut! It’s a great read but I probably won’t be carrying it with me for a while. The cover is out of this world good though so I foresee it doing well!

"The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet."

Weyward is a story of generations of female resilience and their strong connection with nature. I wanted to like this book but something about it did not fully come together and give that experience I was expecting.

There were parts of this book that were well written and resonated with me. Political and religious commentary from the days of witch trials to domestic abuse and the right to choose that still continue in current times. I related with Kate burying herself into reading and the stories in times of adversity. Altha and Violet's storylines were interesting and what kept me going to finish this book.

However this book felt a tad too long, with some chapters that could have just been skipped altogether. Throughout the book I felt for the women and their predicament but I felt very little about their bond with nature. It just felt like some bugs and birds were constantly brought up but only in the epilogue did I feel any semblance of oneness.

Strong trigger warnings on miscarriage and sexual abuse

Thanks for St Martin's press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an ARC of the audio and ebook.