The Hedgewitch of Foxhall is a beautifully written, cozy and magical fantasy novel, filled with witches, magic and romance! The use of Welsh mythology was really interesting and seemed very thoroughly researched.

I really enjoyed the romance as I’m a sucker for a love triangle, slow burn and a one-bed trope!!

Such a cozy read for the spooky season!

(Apologies for the delayed review on this one, life got in the way)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. I really enjoy author Anna Bright, unfortunately this book just didn't mesh well with me or I just didn't mesh well with it. I would highly recommend Anna bright She is a wonderful author And this book has an audience it was just not me.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

First, I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel! I really was excited for this novel but unfortunately, it fell a little short. It took me forever to actually finish...and I didn't really finish. I skimmed the ending to see how it was resolved but just wasn't invested enough to read the whole thing honestly. I think it has potential to be good, but it was simply lacking the storyline and world building to make it a good witch novel.

This enchanting standalone cozy fantasy delivers a perfect blend of magic, romance, and medieval Welsh lore. The fading magic of Wales sets the stage for a captivating quest, where Ffion, a rebellious hedgewitch, is thrust into the rivalry between two princes, Taliesin and Dafydd. The characters are richly developed, with Ffion’s practical approach to magic standing in sharp contrast to the political ambitions of the princes, creating both tension and charm. The plot weaves together themes of power, duty, and love, making the story both engaging and heartfelt. Fans of magical adventures and slow-burn romances will find themselves completely immersed in this beautifully crafted tale.

Almost DNF's but instead skim read the last few chapters to the end. So disappointed as I actually bought this book as they didn't stock it in the library. And I was craving a good witch book.

Plot/ Storyline: 3* interesting concept of attempting to entice magic to return, which declined due to the abuse of natural resources (almost a simile on current human consumption impacting climate change and our eco system).
In this book the practitioners of magic were wielding said magic via sacrificial offerings that included acres of burning forest, animals, etc in order to enhance their spells. Consequently reducing the overall magic due to the magical creatures that lived in the forests were exiting themselves and taking their magic with them. Imagine Princess Mononoke but deficient in taste. Failed massively in execution due to the lack of character development and hyper focus on the tedious, Twilight-esque love triangle.
A case might be made for this book, but it would involve transforming the characters (who became increasingly insipid with every chapter) into characters you want to read about.

Writing style: 0* started off ok but turned into a turgid drag. Very much of the teenage YA variety (spare me!).

World building/ fantasy: 1.5* there was potential, alas it was ruined by the focus on the angst-y romance and the immature characters who were a caricature of poor writing.
Based on ancient Wales but a multicultural ancient Wales.

Characters: 1* receives a * due to Ffion's mam-gu.
Prince Taliesin aka Tal: a one-dimensional woe-is-me princeling. Being inside his head was unequivocal torture. It's a great puzzle as to why he was considered a strategic thinker?
Prince Dafydd: slightly more interesting. I liked his hardworking no-nonsense quiet manner. But otherwise there wasn't much on him and he didn't seem at all strong
Ffion: the protagonist, a proudly unhygienic witch who started off interesting but who increasingly became insipid as she moped over Tal.
Osian: the King of Powys magician who strolls around almost naked.
Mam-gu: is Ffion's paternal grandmother and the most interesting character in the book but she's dead.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

*The Hedgewitch of Foxhall* by Anna Bright is a beautifully crafted tale of magic and self-discovery set in a charming village with a hint of enchantment. Bright’s lyrical prose and well-drawn characters create an immersive experience, making it a delightful read for fans of magical realism and heartfelt storytelling.

Rounded up form 2.75. The characters were charming enough to keep me going (especially Cadno 🦊) but it was a bit slow and hard to follow.

This book was such a case of “wanted to love it but sadly didn’t”. It took me 3 tries to actually finish this one. I did not like the narrators for the male main characters and I found the world building to be super confusing.

I hated the love triangle and the resultant romance that ended up happening. Honestly, I shouldn’t be surprised, this is the exact same feeling I had after reading Anna Bright’s debut duology.

The mythology and history were great here though. I need to point out that this felt well researched and was very interesting on that front. I just didn’t like any of the characters and didn’t like the way the romance resolved.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hedgewitch of Foxhall is a wonderfully cozy fantasy full of Welsh mythology, witches, and magic! I loved the backdrop of Wales in 796 AD, as we follow Ffion, Tal, and Daffyd on their quests to save their home.

The incorporation of mythology and magic was seamless and fun. I haven’t read about Welsh mythology before so I enjoyed seeing something new—however I wish there was maybe a glossary in this one to keep some of the names and terms straight.

I am also a sucker for a good love triangle and this one did not disappoint! I’ll admit I was rooting for Tal, and I flew through the second half of the book with my heart hurting for the guy. My only complaint here was Ffion. What was she doing? It seemed like a lot of her choices were at least a little questionable.

While I did enjoy the end outcome of the book, I was little disappointed how almost everything wrapped up nice and neat, whether we had closure or not. It was a very quick ending.

I also felt like things could be a bit disjointed at times, especially conversations. Sometimes it didn’t make sense to me how one thing led to another or why a character would say something in response to another. Maybe it was something about the character or setting since it takes place in the first century? I don’t know.

Overall, The Hedgewitch was a cozy little adventure fantasy! Perfect for fall!

I loved every bit of this book. Historical fantasy isn't always my thing, but this book is steeped in Welsh mythology, language, geography, and character in a way that really drew me into the setting. I loved Ffion as a main character, from her complicated family relationships to her independence and defiant witchery. I love this type of rambling plot--the goal is singular, the path is clear, but the story itself feels broader and more sweeping. This reminded me of the feeling I had reading Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman.
I don't really love the whole kissing both brothers thing, but it resolved in a way that made me so happy that I don't mind overlooking it. Also, I love how the brothers make peace in a mature and nontoxic way. The first kiss scene between Ffion and Tal had me grinning and kicking my feet!! I was also sooo happy that Ffion didn't have to go be court wizard at the end. Wheww. The ending was so satisfying. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

The cover and premise made this book seem *so* promising. I was even willing to dive headfirst into a love triangle, in this year of 2024. But the story was so forgettable. The best thing I can say about Hedgewitch is that at least the entire story wraps up in a standalone novel.

I... really struggled with this book. I found myself wanting to skim a lot of it, and honestly if I hadn't been reading it for Netgalley, I'd have seriously considered DNFing it. It just felt... lifeless, honestly? I didn't care for the plot or for the characters. I liked the magic system and the nods to Welsh folklore, but that was about it. I really did NOT like the love triangle - it felt so unnecessary and the main romance would have been so much stronger if the other side had just been friendship. Sadly such a miss for such a gorgeous cover.

Having a hard time following all the shifting perspectives and names of things. We decided not to finish and not to include in our box.

Taking place in magical medieval wales from the view points of a hedge witch, an heir and a spare. Ffion is a hedge witch who has separated herself from the coven in her town. She prefers to work magic by putting in physical work and channeling from the earth, she also believes in helping everyone who needs it. After a run in with Tal, spare to the throne but fighting to become king, they team up and work together to destroy a neighboring kingdoms wall. However neither of them has a plan and they are both withholding information from each other. The additional viewpoint of Dafydd the prince who is Tal’s brother and who is tied to the hedge witches quest despite his refusal to ever want to be king adds more secrets. I really enjoyed this standalone and all the additions of welsh folklores magical creature.

I thought this was a nice fantasy, but I honestly found the plot a little slow at times, and quick at others. The pacing just felt off to me. The story overall was a nice read and it was interesting, but underwhelming!

Unfortunately, I think this is more of a case where this book just isn't for me. I am not a big fan of love triangles and I don't think I ever will be. Some authors can do them well and it works well within the plot enough that I don't knock the book for having it in there, but I just couldn't stand it. I also didn't really care for a lot of the characters, and I'm a big character focused reader as opposed to a plot focused one. I'll still recommend this to my patrons, but this just wasn't a favorite of mine.

3.5*

You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but this was so beautiful that I had to read it. The fact that it was based on Welsh folklore and history also helped.

Bright weaves a sweeping landscape of myth and romance, with feisty Ffion and the princes. What she lacks in depth of character, she makes up for in story intrigue and the vibes of the story.

I was eager to learn more about Ffion, and I think that we really missed the true character of the princes, but it remains a great introduction to the genre for those who are seeking less of a deep dive into the Celtic history back catalogue.

Ffion is willing to literally sleep under hedges to maintain her integrity. She refuses to become a part of the powerful coven Foxhall with her mother and sister, both former hedge witches themselves. But Wales is becoming less and less magical. Ever since the kingdom of Mercia built Offa’s Dyke, effectively sealing off the small country between the dyke and the sea, magic has been dwindling. No longer are dragons seen, or the sighted ravens, or the Mari Lwyd. There’s a sickness on the land, and Ffion is furious that Foxhall uses up what magic is left to increase their own coffers, rather than help people.

Meanwhile Prince Taliesen is fed up himself. He’s King Bran’s second son and technically illegitimate, but he is sure he should be king, if for no other reason than to protect his mother. His older brother Dafydd is too weak and mild! So when his father challenges each son to a quest to save the remaining magic, Taliesen heads to the south, in search of a hedgewitch who’ll help him. He and Ffion form a most unlikely duo, but nonetheless they team up to walk the length of the dyke in an attempt to return magic to the land.

The Hedgewitch of Fox Hall is in some ways a coming of age story as Taliesen learns to accept his limitations and accept his brother’s strengths and his father’s limitations, and as Ffion grows in self confidence and knowledge. I enjoyed the tautly-drawn familial relationships that both of the duo have to deal with, as well as their own developing relationship. The fate of their country rests on them both, and they do not disappoint!