The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater

Themes: Gothic Fantasy, Atmospheric, Eerie, Mystery, Fae-like Creatures, Magic

Plot Overview:
In "The Witchwood Knot," we follow the journey of Winifred Hall, a Victorian governess with a keen eye for deception. When her young charge unexpectedly transforms into a block of wood, Winnie quickly deduces that the real boy has been stolen away by the Fair Folk. Standing alone in her belief of the fae’s existence, she finds herself tasked with the daring mission of rescuing the young heir from the enigmatic Witchwood Manor. This daunting task becomes even more complicated when she discovers that the Manor harbours secrets darker and more expansive than she could have imagined.

Navigating through the labyrinth of the otherworldly mansion, Winnie finds an unlikely ally in Mr. Quincy, the Manor’s fae butler. Despite his alluring charm and enigmatic smile, Winnie senses that he hides dreadful secrets of his own. As she ventures deeper into the Witchwood Knot, she realises that her usual wit and cleverness might not be enough to save the day. Faced with unprecedented challenges and dangerous alliances, Winnie must decide who she can truly trust.

Review:
"The Witchwood Knot" marks my first dip into Olivia Atwater's enchanting world, and although I haven't yet dived into her Regency Faerie Tales trilogy, this standalone novel captivated me from the start. The story unfolds at a somewhat slow pace, pulling me in until I found myself racing through the pages, eager to uncover the mysteries of Witchwood Knot.

Winnie, our fearless protagonist, is a revelation. She embodies strength, intelligence, and a refreshing self-awareness that sets her apart from the typical damsels found in gothic fantasies. Her journey through the eerie and mysterious corridors of Witchwood Manor is both thrilling and chilling, offering a perfect blend of adventure and suspense.

The romance within these pages, while not the central focus, adds a compelling layer to the narrative. It's a slow burn, gradually building momentum and weaving seamlessly into the character arcs of both Winnie and her fae counterpart - which is quite frankly **chefs kiss**

Concluding with a hopeful and open-ended HFN, suggesting the possibility of future adventures within this alluring and sinister world. If that proves to be the case, you can bet I'll be first in line to get my hands on the next book. Olivia Atwater has crafted a gothic fantasy gem!

Thanks to Netgalley & Starwatch press for this ARC. This was my first by Olivia Atwater and will not be last, also my first gothic horror! I love anything paranormal and faerie. It had me wondering what was going to happen next, and I had to pick up the book in any minute of spare time I had!

A perfect "light" read for lovers of dark, ominous faerie tales and changeling folklore, The Witchwood Knot, to me, is about finding courage, compassion, and reclaiming your independence.

I'm not sure where one would find the notion of this being a cozy read. The cover and description screams haunted Victorian estate and it's exactly the energy it emanates.

Trigger warnings include non-graphic adult and child SA, blood, death of close relatives/caretakers, child abduction.

Rating and Pacing
I rated it 4/5 stars for how easy it was to read and the feeling it left me with.
However, I'd give the plot itself 3/5 stars.

My reading was fast-paced, but I can't say the same for a good 65% of the story. For a while, we were simmering in the MC's hunt for clues and secret correspondence. While I wish we had used these pages to rather explore the romance and dive deeper into our mysterious character backstories, it never really felt as being stuck or bored as I have in previous books.

Trigger Warnings
The Witchwood Knot also deals with childhood and adult SA. At times, it was heavier to read (the scenes are not graphic) but, for me, it accurately represented how it feels to go through these horribly vile crimes.

We also have a few slashes and puddles of blood, but nothing I would consider even close to gore.

The Characters and Plot
What you read in the book's description is honestly what you get, but, unfortunately, quite late in the book.

Our protagonist, Winnie, is a dark magician, hired by her old friend/caretaker Lady Longfell to protect her grandson Robert from who or what is haunting the Withchwood Manor.

Winnie is not particularly fond of children, but she'll take on this task at a price, no matter her closeness to Lady Longfell.

We of course meet Lord Longfell, her broody, eerie son, and the manor's staff, like Margaret, the maid, Mr. Quincy, the mysterious butler, and Cook, well...the cook.

As a loyal listener to <i>Lore</i> and <i>Dark History</i> podcasts, I took this in as another episode of this kind. A folklore retelling of the Fair Folk. With some romance.

I truly appreciate when we see both scarily strong, indifferent-to-apparent-danger and fearing-her-deepest-fears sides of Winnie, as well as other leading characters.

What I would crave more, is to read more about Winnie's magical powers, as I feel they took the backseat in this book. Honestly, if it wasn't mentioned that she's a magician, I wouldn't have guessed.

This, however, does not take away the satisfaction of justly revenge she serves on more than one occasion.

Looks like this is the first book in a series, and I am confident in saying I shall read the next installment to see where this story develops.
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<i>Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, Starwatch Press for the opportunity and pleasure to review this ARC.</i>

‼️ Spoilers ahead !!
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And lastly, never would I have thought I'd be simping for a man with a rat's tail. Will pigs fly tomorrow? It's possible.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I saw this available to request in the perfect moment: I had just finished "half a soul" and loved it, and it also sounded perfect for october. As much as in theory i enjoy the ideia of romance fantasy, in practice I almost always find at least one of the genres lacking and "half a soul" was one of the few exceptions so I had high expectations for this one and did not disappoint!
I loved the writing (as I already knew I loved), the plot was interesting and gripping, loved the characters and the romance is developed slowly — exactly the way I like it. The atmosphere was also great, and its a perfect read for october (especially for people who like to read in theme but nothing too scary).
My only complaint is that as much as I loved the romance and the way it was developed, I wish we saw a bit more of them, since this is such a small book.

I definitely recommend this and will look forward to anything Olivia writes!

Oh my goodness. I DEVOURED this book within a day - I was so immediately drawn in by the characters and the mystery that I simply could not put it down. I had to stop reading several times to rush out to my husband to fill him in on whatever little twist or clever bit of dialogue had just happened - to me, truly the mark of a great book! The Witchwood Knot is twisty, romantic, and absolutely brimming with magic. I cannot recommend it enough.

I didn’t realize this was part of a series, or part of an established universe, but I don’t think it hindered my enjoyment. Actually it made we want to go and read the other books that were alluded to.
This was a spooky mystery with intriguing characters perfect for October. But it also dealt with some very serious themes of SA and handled them beautifully. I’ve seen in some reviews that this is a bit darker than her usual writing, but I hope she keeps it’s up.

I was very fond of Half a Soul so I definitely was excited to hear about Atwater latest project. This book was great. I love the tone of it and what it presented us with. It was a delightful read, especially with the season we're currently in.

The more I read of this book, the more I fell in love with it.
We open with Winnie arriving at a mansion haunted by malevolent fae. She is hired on officially as a governess, and unofficially as someone to deal with the curse on the household.

I love what this book balances tonally. It's gothic and dark. It's romantic and wholesome. It's mysterious and fairytale. It's easy to follow and structured.
It certainly relishes its Victorian era setting by leaning more towards Gothic tropes, while not leaning so hard that it gets muddled in the Atmospheric Plotless Weeds that Gothic books sometimes do.

But after all of that, I think what I love most about this book is the romance. It starts so slowly. For the first half of the book, I was wondering if there was even going to be a romance. But it builds, and is built so well. They get to know each other, and learn to trust each other, and have many cute moments together.

I highly recommend this novel. It does act as a direct sequel to the Regency Fairy Tales series, but can be read without those ones.

A video review including this book will be posted on my Youtube channel, @ChloeFrizzle, on 10/27/23.

Thanks to Netgalley and Starwatch Press for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

The Wirchwood Knot is a fun, spooky, and engaging regency fairytale with a mystery at its core. I enjoyed every chapter and would highly recommend it for an autumn or Halloween read. Winifred Hall must know more than she presents walking near fearlessly into Witchwood Manor where a mysterious maybe butler sets the tone for a chilling tale from first introduction. Her adventure in the Witchwood Knot will keep you captivated until the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Olivia Atwater, and Starwatch Press for this ARC. This was my first Olivia Atwater book, and I know it won't be my last.

This was a 3.5-4 star read for me. I loved the spooky, gothic vibes making this the perfect late October read. It was a little dark, a little funny, and in the end a little sweet, and I enjoyed how the story unfolded throughout the book. The relationship development of the two main characters felt well thought out, and I only wished there had been a bit more romance between the two of them. This is a spooky story first, with a romance sub-plot. I also really loved the relationship between the FMC and the little baron of Witchwood. It was a sweet development between two highly skeptical characters.

I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, and I was hoping that in this installment we were going to fully solve the plot; however, this set up for the next book really well without a terrible cliffhanger.

I can't wait to see where the story goes, and I will definitely be continuing the series.

This was a lot of fun and good little spooky read. It had a gothic vibe and Fae so how cold i resist. I really liked Quincy and his backstory it was a fun little twist. The relationship between Winnie and Quincy evolved super well and fun, I really like their interactions/ relationship and his introduction. I also like that Winnie actually understands the situation she is in and doesn’t blame Quincy for not acting as she would, She also had an interesting backstory, also a little dark but she ultimately super interesting and I would love to see more of both of thier backstories, maybe even a prequel. I also liked that Winnie wasn’t afraid to share her opinions on children and admit her ambitions and fears. Overall it was a fun story that I’ll need to read again.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this one!*

My first Atwater book! I’ll admit I was hesitant to pick this one up without reading her previous series.

And I’m sure had I read her other books there might have been a few little glimpses and references into the world I might have enjoyed even more.

But I’ll say this was delightful. Immediately pulled me in- I adored Winifred. She’s smart and cunning and witty. I wish we could’ve gotten to know her magic more!

I love it when Faeries are cunning, cruel and dark.

I honestly went into this blind - was pleasantly shocked at who she fell in love with. I wasn’t sure in the beginning. And I loved that. I also loved how they fell in love, it slowly unveiled along with the plot.

The twist and turns of the plot were enough to keep me hooked and reading. I think when Victorian is mentioned there’s always the slight fear that it will delve too much into historical detail and become boring. But I found the historical details mentioned were charming.

Honestly- a five star read for me. I loved and adored every second. And I’ll be picking up her other series immediately.

“The Witchwood Knot” is an eery and whimsical story, perfect for fans of “Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.” I have not read Olivia Atwater’s other books, so I cannot speak to the connection between this book and the others. But I can tell you that I greatly enjoyed this curious tale of a visiting governess, a mysterious butler, and an overlapping faerie world. This cozy, gothic fantasy has romance and speculative world-building that fits well with the autumn season.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

"Olivia Atwater returns to the world of Half a Soul with "a sharp and beautiful gothic romance" (Alix E. Harrow). Dive into The Witchwood Knot, and enjoy a dark faerie tale set in a magical version of Victorian England.

The faeries of Witchwood Manor have stolen its young lord. His governess intends to steal him back.

Victorian governess Winifred Hall knows a con when she sees one. When her bratty young charge transforms overnight into a perfectly behaved block of wood, she soon realises that the real boy has been abducted by the Fair Folk. Unfortunately, the lord of Witchwood Manor is the only man in England who doesn't believe in faeries - which leaves Winnie in the unenviable position of rescuing the young lord-to-be all by herself.

Witchwood Manor is bigger than its inhabitants realise, however, and full of otherworldly dangers. As Winnie delves deeper into the other side of the house, she enlists the aid of its dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr Quincy, who hides several awful secrets behind his charming smile. Winnie hopes to make her way to the centre of the Witchwood Knot through wit and cleverness...but when all of her usual tricks fail, who will she dare to trust?"

Olivia Atwater is THE AUTHOR with the most books on my TBR list. I think I better start working on that...

*taps mic* ladies we have a new fae butler to add to the fae/sorcerer/demon butler/steward shelf

Half a Soul was fun but this was for ME, SPECIFICALLY. Enjoyed it so much. The fae are tricksty and sinister but somehow not the worst thing bumping around the gothic mansion at night. Lovely brand of faerie gothic. Definitely run to the bookstore and treat yourself to this one (and sign me up for the sequels!!! MORE PLEASE!!!)

I will say having read Half a Soul definitely helped with background. I have not read the other two HAS sequels so I don’t know if they’re necessary, but having some knowledge of prior world and character events was helpful.

Heat level: just kissing
The author has cws at the start of the book for anything folks might be sensitive to.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC. The Witchwood Knot releases Nov 28. All opinions are my own and this is my honest review.

The Witchwood Knot is a beautiful and dark gothic fantasy with delightfully rich world-building. Set in Victorian England where faeries are feared for their cruelty, Winnifred Hall sets out on a journey to an eerie potentially haunted manor in the middle of an ancient mystical forest. Winnie is a determined and resourceful young magician summoned to Witchwood Manor by an old acquaintance with the goal of protecting her grandson from the nefarious faeries who mean him harm. Upon her arrival at the ominous-looking manor, she meets the butler, Mr Quincy, a curious fellow who appears and disappears in a most suspicious fashion just in time to cause mischief. Winnie’s work is made all the more challenging in that her charge, the Honourable Robert Murray the Third, is hell-bent on disobeying her at every turn and putting himself in further danger, not to mention his father, the lord of the manor, has taken a very overbearing and unwelcome interest in her.

Throughout his tutoring, Winnie tells Robert faerie stories, which are a delightfully clever way to give the reader more insight into the world, Winnie’s history, and the current problems plaguing her world. As Winnie begins to unravel the mysteries at the heart of Witchwood Manor, she begins to wonder which monsters she should be more worried about.

There are plenty of references to Atwater’s Regency series that I have possibly missed, this being my first book by her, but the story is set within the same magical England, sometime after the events of Half a Soul. We get mentions of Lord Sorcier Elias Wilder, Magician to the Crown of England, as well as some of his friends, who appear to be background players in the overall plot of this story.

I appreciate that Atwater has included a content warning, showing a dedication and duty of care to her readers' mental health. Most scenes including Lord Longfell thoroughly made my skin crawl. He was written in such a way as to have absolutely no redeemable qualities and I believe Atwater captured the intense uneasiness many women face at least once in their life under the male gaze, without ever reducing Winnie’s character. Despite her experiences, Winnies retains her autonomy and fights back.

Atwater’s newest novel is a dark and ethereal gothic fantasy with a hint of romance, a strong female lead and a richly crafted world that you will not want to pull yourself away from. You will be eagerly awaiting the next installment with bated breath!

Thank you to Netgalley and Starwatch Press for providing this ARC. I am now fully invested in Atwater's work and she has now become an auto-buy author for me!

This book wasn't for me. Not to say it wasn't well written- it was. The book is a gothic fairy tale and gives all the haunting, dark fantasy vibes. A great read for the Halloween/Spooky season. I wouldn't say it is a romance just because that part doesn't happen until the book is almost finished. It's more of a detail than a description.

Things I enjoyed:

The FMC was smart and wasn't taking anything from anyone.
-I absolutely loved Oliver the main character's familiar who is a cat.
-The banter
-The setting

What I didn't:
-For me the pacing was slow, and I felt it didn't pick up until over halfway through the book.
- Even though I understood it to be a stand alone, I believe I would have a better appreciation if I read Atwater's other books.

I was a huge fan of Half a Soul, less of the remainder of that trilogy, so I was excited to read Oliva Atwater's newest book. Unfortunately, this story felt very much like her latter two books in the distinct coldness and woodenness of the characters. I had a very difficult time feeling anything about them. Further, the pacing was very clunky. I just had the most difficult time with this book despite loving the darker themes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I was instantly drawn in by the setting of this story! Atwater uses such striking Victorian gothic imagery that kept me hooked throughout. The narrative relies on a very traditional view of witchcraft and the fae and yet it never felt stale or overdone. The whole aesthetic of the novel was simply stunning!

The pacing was a little slow in the first few chapters as the characters and setting were introduced, but it soon picked up and after a while it was hard to put down! I wasn't overly fond of Winnie at the beginning as it felt like the narrative was creating a bias toward her. As I kept reading though, she definitely grew on me! I did get a little muddled with some of the names (especially the faeries) being too similar at times but the characters were distinct enough that it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story.

I really loved the way the story was written from Winnie's POV as if it were being told in the Victorian era. It had the characteristics of a classic novel but her mindset, thankfully, was much more akin with women in the present day.

I can't finish this review without mentioning Oliver. Winnie's undead, one-eyed cat familiar was a highlight of this book for me! Their mutual distrust (maybe hatred in Ollie's case) of men make them a formidable duo.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Witchwood Knot, and will definitely keep an eye out for the continuation of the Victorian Faerie Tales series.

A story of dark whimsy, this one took me by surprise.

This is the first I have read from this author and I was pleasantly impressed with the ability Atwater has in painting a picture for the reader.

Winnie is a new governess for the ill behaved Robert Murray, son of the Lord of Witchwood Manor. When he suddenly begins acting starkly different from before, she knows there is something wrong. So begins her journey to get the real young Robert back from the fairies who have taken him.

With help of a strange character, the butler, Mr. Quincy, a fairie himself, Winnie does the unthinkable. Seeking out Robert will be a dangerous task and while noble, may cost Winnie greatly.

I loved the strange relationship between Winnie and Quincy. I also really enjoyed the way fairies are portrayed in this book, as cunning and ruthless creatures. There are some other fun characters we meet along the way, as well.

I enjoyed this so much and am eager to see the next knot untangled.