First of all, love Jane Eyre and love witchy books. So... witchy Jane Eyre? I'm sooooo in.
And it didn't disappoint! I adore the writing style and the settings, the gloomy and foreboding mood around the manor, the mystery, all the herbs and potions and spells, basically everything! Taking this spin on Jane Eyre is a stroke of genius and I just love how the author tell the story too!
IT WAS SO GOOD.

A witchy new take on Jane Eyre? yes please. Jane Aire is an orphan witch who also teaches magic and at a sheltered girl's school. When she is asked to come to Thornfield hall and help the reclusive master of it get rid of whatever is haunting it, she can't say no. Edward Rochester is at his wit's end, something is haunting his home, the servants are threatening to leave, he keeps seeing his dead ex-wife and hearing mysterious things, and he just can't explain the nightmares that plague him... so he hires Jane. Jane finds herself building a strange friendship with her prickly employer, yet the more she begins to unravel what is happening at Thornfield Hall the more she is beginning to think that whatever it is is too powerful for her and that she might not be able to protect the man she is falling in love with. This was a gothic witchy take on the classic, yet it does remove a few of the elements (cough cough, Rochester's wife being trapped and such) and it definitely sat better with me. I was never a big fan of the original story but I had fun with this one and enjoyed it. I think it'd make a great cozy read on a rainy or cold day! Jane feels so much more spirited and the relationship between her and Rochester was nice.

*Thanks Netgalley and 47North for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

“Salt & Broom” by Sharon Lynn Fisher is about Jane Aire, a woman who has knowledge of potions and superstition, being hired by the reclusive Edward Rochester. When mysterious things happen around Edward Rochester estate Jane wonders if she has the skills to cleanse the past of the home.

The book is a Jane Aire retelling in a magic world. I liked the book despite it have slow portions. I like Rochester more in this book than in other retellings or the original. I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars.

For the sake of being honest, I don't like Jane Eyre. So needless to say I was skeptical. But I like retellings of classic stories and so I took a chance. I was not disappointed. This is a refreshing retelling of Jane Eyre.

Sharon Lynn Fisher had me in her clutches when I learned her new book, Salt and Broom, was a “witchy retelling of Jane Eyre.” As a fan of both 19th century novels and witch lit, I was excited to fall into a tale that brings the latent magic of Charlotte Bronte’s work to the forefront with Fisher explaining, “Rochester teasingly refers to Jane as fairy, elf, witch, and sprite, but we know she is not any of these things. At one point, the question came to me: what if she was?”

Although I adored Salt and Broom, I would not classify it as a retelling of Jane Eyre, but rather a rewriting. The story does not advance readers’ knowledge of the original work or broaden the audiences’ perspective on the characters in the same way that Jean Rhys’ sequel Wide Sargasso Sea does, but it is a lot of fun! In Fisher’s version of the story, an orphaned Jane Aire, named after the famous river in Yorkshire, is left on the steps of Lowood School as an infant. The novel opens thirty years later when Jane is working at the school as an herbalist. Edward Rochester writes to the headmaster seeking a “Lowood witch” to help him break a curse that has been haunting his ancestral home since his wife’s death. Milk has been souring, apples have blighted, and the servants have come down with fevers. Rochester seeks supernatural help in return for a large donation to the Lowood School for Orphaned Girls, and Jane, who has benefited from the charity of the school, feels pressured to unravel the mystery.

Jane is much more than an herbalist; she is a witch who engages with the fairy world, casts spells, and uses magical enchantments. Throughout the course of her time at Thornfield she maintains her fierce independence, residing in a small cottage on the grounds of the estate, while also falling in love with the brooding and mysterious master. She faces dangers and discovers hidden information about both her own past and the past of Rochester’s family. I did find the characters of this novel somewhat stripped of their complex identities; Jane has not suffered the abuse and indignities of her original childhood, Rochester has never locked his wife in the attic, and Antoinette Mason is presented as a kind and loving spirit who perished early in her life. Nevertheless, the story is great fun, and I devoured it in one sitting. If you love classic Gothic romance, 19th century estates, herbal witchcraft, and fairy lore featuring ghosts, dryads, and fairy cats, then you will enjoy Salt and Broom. This was a lovely escape from the heavy content of the original work, and it provides both dark thrills and a satisfying happily ever after.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This clever, creative, and more lighthearted re-imagining of the classic Jane Eyre story is a balm for the soul.

While reading it, you'll instantly feel better. You'll want to drink healing herbal tea, go look for magical creatures in your neighborhood, connect with genuinely caring friends, and go on mystical mystery solving adventures with a dashing, brave, caring, and scarred man.

There's feminism, overcoming prejudice, beating oppression, finding family, growing self-confidence, facing fears, sweet courtship, and deep love.

The historical specifics, the fantasy magical element, and the building mystery were beautifully entwined in the plot. Even the smallest details mattered in moving the plot forward, so make sure to pay attention! 

I feel smarter and more cultured thanks to Sharon Lynn Fisher's intelligent and gorgeous writing style.

A perfect story for those who need a cozy fall-themed feel-good read.

The book is just as fabulous as the cover and title. The cover does a great job of giving you the aesthetic and vibe for the realistic world this author built.

This is a good witch vs bad witch ghosty mystery. A note of forbidden romance carries throughout and the slow burn leaves you pushing for them to 'get on with it'. ;-) Because that's what a good slow burn does to a reader.

The side stories supporting the main goal of the strong FMC are well thought out and plotted.

If you want a gothic witchy vibe with a little romance and mystery this is an excellent read. The vibe throughout this book is green witch and it gives you all the feels you want in that witch aspect.