If you loved Olivia Atwater's Regency Faerie Tales series then this is the book for you. It's a bit of a continuation of the series but in a more gothic, darker setting. 

Winnie Hall has been hired on to be the governess for the young man of Witchwood Manor, a house full of secrets and even 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. Winnie hopes to make her way to the center of the Witchwood Knot through wit and cleverness and save the inhabitants of Witchwood Manor. With so many secrets around, who can she trust and what choices will Winnie have to make to succeed?  

The book involves a guard cat, morally grey mmc, clever magic, a haunted house, and a gloomy Victorian setting.

I love Olivia Atwater's writing and this was such a good read. Can't wait to see how she continues the story from here. Go preorder this now!

The Witchwood Knot
By Olivia Atwater

Oh
My
Goodness

I was immediately pulled right into this story and didn’t want to put it down.

Our protagonist is capable, confident, and maybe little out of her depth. We delve into what the word “monster” really means. And it’s all tied up in a spooky, gothic setting.

I was impressed with the nuance of Winnie’s character. How confident she is when interacting with the Fae and how terrifying humans can be. Her navigation of interacting with a kid and how she stumbles and learns and grows. She’s intelligent and sometimes over confident. Her character growth I felt was very believable.

I’m the first to admit I’m not crazy into romance and especially not enemies to lovers. But this just really worked. Maybe it’s because they weren’t so much at odds with each other as having opposing goals. So there wasn’t necessarily hatred involved.

I believe this book is set in the same world as Half a Soul, etc. but I haven’t read those and enjoyed this book just fine. So even if you haven’t read the others, don’t let that stop you!

This ARC was provided by @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love with Olivia Atwater's writing after reading Half a Soul, and since then, have been consistently obsessed with her writing. The Witchwood Knot is everything I hoped it would be and more- this book was exactly what I needed to get out of a slump. It's comforting, it's whimsical, it's cozy, it's creepy- it's everything I love. There's magic! There's one-eyed ghost cats! There's yearning! There's a mmc with a tail that I was willing to overlook! (Cardan girlies I respect you, but I just.. yeah). I am consistently delighted with the way that Olivia's writing makes me FEEL, and the gothic atmosphere of this book was so incredibly wonderful to slip into. Reading this was a visual experience, if that makes any sense.

I will warn that there are some instances of mild, non-graphic sexual harassment. There is one chapter that includes a flashback of this happening towards a child, and is otherwise mentioned towards the FMC in adulthood. There is a content warning at the beginning of this book, but I feel it's important to put that in my review as well. Be aware of your TW/CW's in that regard before reading!

All that being said- I truly loved The Witchwood Knot, and I am so looking forward to this being in hardcover and paperback this November. Thank you so much for the chance to read this as an ARC- I am really excited about this one.

Olivia Atwater writes the BEST faerie books and always captures historical vibes perfectly.

The way the fae are portrayed are spot on, a sense of unease and eeriness you feel in their presence; powerful, deep and dark. Conniving and clever. And the romance elements are always worth the wait. You never think fairies can love that deep but then they always surprise you! You think them superficial and selfish and although Mr Quincy may seem menacing, perhaps there is a deeper layer to his menace..

Getting to know Winifred was great, and the dark suspense of feeling something awakening was foreboding and brilliant. Witchwood Manor was super creepy and it set the scene perfectly. Faces hidden in walls, mysterious noises and sleepless nights filled with nightmares… oooo I was all for it. I also so admired Winnie’s metal when she was faced with all sorts of terrifying things and she never backed down. Also Oliver the Cat kinda had a peace of my heart too!

I found this book immensely easy to read and incredibly easy to want to return back to. It has a way of enfolding you in the mystery and it was an entertaining joy to finish. I’m starting to always look forward to what this author will produce and I’m excited for more! (Also, the cover is stunning!)

What an absolutely DELIGHTFUL little bit of fae literature. This is truly a story that your grandmother would tell you in front of a roaring fire with a cup of tea. I am enamoured by Miss Winifred Hall and the representation of faerie and the fae folk is the perfect amount of hard to get a handle on. It twists and slips between your fingers while you try to understand. I’m thrilled to realize this is not a stand alone because I cannot wait to read the next book. This is dark and lush and gothic in a way that makes me want to wander a stone hallway with a candelabra. Chefs kiss

THE WITCHWOOD KNOT could serve as a great introduction to the cozy and fun works of Olivia Atwater, which are beloved by so many. It is fantastically gothic, and has a good amount of faerie lore. While it didn’t work for me on several counts, it was still a fun whimsical historical fantasy I enjoyed as a bedtime read.

Full review to come.

A wonderfully dark and mysterious Victorian fantasy that delivers magic, fae and pockets full of scones (something I’m sure we all wish we had!). This story keeps you on your toes throughout, with dark and dangerous things lurking around the corners and going bump in the dead of the night. Winnie is not your average governess and arrives at Witchwood Manor with a few tricks up her sleeve which she has to rely upon when facing the faeries and attempting to rescue her charge. Winnie has to unravel the mystery of Witchwood Manor whilst protecting those who live within - as well as herself. There’s a monster in the woods and faces in the walls but the practical and knowing Winnie throws herself into her task, finding herself in danger that she doesn’t blink an eye at. She’s an intriguing narrator and the setting was so well constructed in this book that it’s easy to imagine the Manor and the Witchwood Knot through Winnie’s descriptions. The cherry on top of an already fascinating story was the drop of romance that unfolds in an unlikely place.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Fabulous gothic romance with if I’m honest a romance I truly hadn’t expected . I loved the heroine as she’s not one to back down and the hero ( or is that anti hero ?) kind of grew on me as he too underwent a journey . The ending was clearly well thought out and definitely leaves me wanting to read more by this new to me author . Final thoughts are this went in directions I hadn’t expected and was very satisfying and perfect for the spooky season .
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from NetGalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

With The Witchwood Knot, Atwater slips back into her faerie tale world and I'm thrilled to join her. However, this new installment didn't live up to the expectations the previous series set.

The draw for me to Atwater's Regency Faerie Tales series was largely the romances. It looks like this new Victorian era series will be the same. Aside from what I thought was a sudden start, the relationship ended being the highlight of the book. I enjoyed how emotionally honest the pair was without being overly saccharine.

My biggest issues with the book are the pacing and the setting. The synopsis explains that the heir of the manor goes missing, but that major plot point doesn't happen until halfway through the book. While I wouldn't say this is a boring book, not a lot happens until the final chapters. Even then I found the climax to be underwhelming. It ties up enough loose ends, but leaves plenty of questions. While I'm sure the next book will follow a different set of characters, I would not consider this a standalone if you want the full story.

Having the heir kidnapped so late in the story also stopped Winnie from exploring the Knot more. The mystery of the curse, the manor, and the faeries are the most interesting aspects of the plot. I wish the author had delved more deeply into them. There are also several world-building details--like the concept of black magicians--that I wish were explained more. It would helped orient this new time period and show how the setting has changed.

Another world-building issue I had was with Winnie's magic. I routinely forgot she even had magical abilities. I didn't understand what her power was anyway. She can read cards? Was this her only magical gift?

Additionally, this book was more connected to the Regency series than I expected. New readers will be able to read this, but will certainly have questions about mentioned characters.

I didn't love this new start as much as hoped, but I am excited to read more from this new era. If you loved Atwater's other works, this is worth a try.

Having read Half a Soul, I was prepared for a fluffy concoction of a book with faeries. More the fool was I. This is gothic and dark and full of sinister characters, both mortal and other. I was immediately drawn in thought to the house, the mystery, and the characters. Winnie is unbelievably mentally strong and clever. Mr Quincy is so darkly mysterious and fascinating; is he evil, can he be trusted, whose side is he on? And who is the real monster of Witchwood?
There are some tough topics covered here, including childhood abuse and employer sexual harassment. But the topics are handled with care, and the most beautiful part of the book is when Winnie can reclaim herself and chooses to give affection instead of having it taken from her.
This is dark and gothic and a bit bloody, but overall I really really enjoyed it. There’s definitely an open ending for future books, which I will absolutely read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early look at the book for review. All opinions are my own.

4.5/5

The Witchwood Knot is the perfect gothic read for the spooky season! It was cozy, eerie, and thrilling. A great book to read by the fireplace with a warm, fall drink.

Winnie was a great protagonist to follow, and the fact that she has Oliver, an undead cat, as a familiar made me love her even more. Although she shows up at the Witchwood manor with an ulterior motive to unravel where all the faeries have disappeared to, she ends up tied to a young lord and an ancient fae. The slowburn between Winnie and Mr Quincy was written beautifully, especially after Winnie's greatest fear revealed. Although it took a little bit to get the ball rolling and to truly understand why Winnie signed herself up for an arguably REALLY bad job, it was an enjoyable book to read. I wish it went a little bit more into detail on the relationships between characters, as some of Winnie's decisions during the book didn't make a whole lot of sense, especially given that it seemed that she had just met those at the manor.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Witchwood Knot is not my first Olivia Atwater book, and certainly not the last. I did not expect to squeeze it into my schedule so soon, but the cover reveal excitement got the better of me, so I had to rearrange things a bit. I have no regrets, though.

The Witchwood Knot is set in the same world as Atwater’s Regency Faerie Tales series, there are even references to the characters in Half a Soul (if you know, you know). There are no spoilers though, so even if you haven’t read those books, you will be able to fully enjoy them at a later time. If you already read Half a Soul, however, then you’ll be happy to find some additional bits that will enhance your reading experience.

Our heroine this time is Winnie, who just arrived at Witchwood Manor to be the governess of a young boy, the grandson of Lady Longfellow, who is aware of Winnie’s abilities. That’s why she asks her not to tutor Robert, but to protect him while he is staying. But of course, Winnie has her own reasons for taking the offer – she is looking for answers as to what happened to faeries, and specifically to the Hollow Lady. And she doesn’t arrive without weapons, so to speak. She has a bottle of magical perfume, a silver knife she got from the Hollow Lady, and of course Ollie, the undead cat (you are going to love him). She also has knowledge about the faeries which definitely comes in handy, when dealing with the Witchwood Knot. But what the hell is the Witchwood Knot, you might ask. The question is excellent, but I’m afraid you’ll have to find the answer for yourself. Let’s just say it’s the stuff of nightmares – quite literally. I enjoyed exploring it, but I also wanted more of it.

This book has a fairly small cast of characters, and because it’s also a short book, there isn’t much time to get to really know them. I think that was my biggest issue with The Witchwood Knot – I wasn’t able to build an emotional connection with the characters, especially Winnie. It’s not to say I didn’t like her, or Mr Quincy for that matter. And that’s a bit frustrating, because we got to know Winnie the most, including childhood traumas that still haunt her. Atwater handles the topic of child abuse and trauma with deft hands. We get as much information as we need to ensure we can understand what Winnie is going through, and why she makes the choices and has the personality she has. And this aspect of the book works really well. Atwater builds up her character beautifully, and in a way, many people will be able to identify with her. And yet… for me, there was something missing, but I couldn’t tell you what, exactly. Maybe it’s her hard facade, the way she keeps her distance from everyone. At the same time, it was interesting to follow her coming out of her shell a bit and letting herself open up.

I don’t often say this, but I think The Witchwood Knot could have done with some more pages, to fatten it up a bit. I loved the included fairy tales, maybe there could have been more. But I also wanted to understand more about The Witchwood Manor’s past and its connection with Faries, or maybe to get to know a bit more about the characters like Cook, or Lord Longfellow who ended up being a bit one-dimensional. A monster, for sure (one that totally creeped me out, so he certainly fulfilled his purpose), but still one-dimensional, or even Robert and his past and present experiences to give us a glimpse into the changes he is going through (because he does), or Winnie’s sisters and how the Lord Sorcier’s new laws affected their lives in general. And probably a bit more suspense, too would have done it good. Also a second POV character. I just can’t help thinking that while I enjoyed my time with this book (which reads super fast), there could have been so much more to it.

While there is some romance, I wouldn’t say it’s the main focus of the plot. But it’s definitely an integral part of it. It plays into both parties’ character arcs. It’s a slow build one, and it takes a good portion of the book to get going. It’s written very well too, so even if you are not a fan of romance in your fiction, you should still be able to enjoy this one.

The Witchwood Knot is a delightfully dark and gothic faerie tale about trauma, love, revenge, and greed. A visceral and atmospheric read that’s best enjoyed curled up with a cup of tea on chilly autumn days. A definite must read for fans of Olivia Atwater. And if you dare to fall asleep, you might hear Mr Quincy’s haunting music. But beware, danger is always just a step away, and you definitely don’t want to step on Lady Mourningwood’s toes…

I loved this addition to the fairy tales of Olivia Atwater. Having read and adored her Regency Faerie Tales series, I was so excited to see a return to that world. This keeps the same magic and love of the previous series, but with a darker undertone and great gothic feel. The paranormal, sinister vibe is perfect for the fall season. Not as romance forward as the previous series, this is much more fantasy focused and Atwater excels in the world building and tension in this plot. Though there still is a very sweet slow burn romance!

I do believe reading her earlier series is needed, as it helps give a lot of background information into some of the mystery surrounding the faeries, etc. But I always recommend reading these because they are also great reads!

This review will be published on Goodreads and Amazon upon publication

I adored this Gothic Fantasy story so much it had me gripped from the start, set in Victorian England it had gothic vibes, a mystery, faeries, folklore, a haunted manor, a slight romance and an undead cat familiar, this is the perfect spooky season read. Really hoping for a sequel 🤞 This is my first read by this author and I will definitely be reading more of her books now 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5 stars

I adore Olivia Atwater’s Regency Faerie Tales series so I was extremely excited to learn that she was writing a book set in the Victorian era (one of my favorite settings to read about). Atwater’s writing remains incredibly engaging and I read this latest book very quickly. The Witchwood Knot has a darker tone which I really enjoyed. The magic is more sinister and the story explores the predatory nature of men and the struggle of reclaiming one’s agency and identity after trauma. Though the fantasy world-building and magic system are still very light, I would not consider this installment cozy.

The highlight of these books for me has always been the romances. And I really loved the romance in The Witchwood Heart (as long as I ignore one specific detail about the love interest’s appearance). This is a story of two people with a lot of sharp edges finding comfort in each other’s brutal honesty. There was so much raw emotion in their relationship that I couldn't stop highlighting lines. But the romance only takes up so much of the story. And I’m left with very mixed feelings when it comes to the rest of the book.

Winnie is an amazing main character. She is determined and strong and doesn't take shit from anyone. Her cat familiar Ollie was adorable and I really hope the future books in the series follow her sisters. However, I wish the book had explored her magic a bit more. The Witchwood Knot introduces the idea of black magicians who practice forms of magic that the current Lord Sorcier has deemed dangerous and forbidden. However, Winnie’s magic is almost irrelevant to the story as she navigates the challenges through wit and her knowledge of faerie behavior.

The setting of The Witchwood Knot is a bit weak. Though the story is set in a haunted manor with a horrible past I would not consider this a gothic story. The Victorian atmosphere was practically nonexistent. It is only Victorian because it is set many years after the books set in the Regency era. The split between reality and a dream realm was interesting as Winnie faced different horrors on each side of Witchwood Manor.

The overarching plot that was set up in this one was intriguing and I would be very interested to see Winnie and Quincy return in later books. However, very little happens in The Witchwood Knot itself. The events mentioned in the premise don't happen until over halfway through the story and the second half is dominated by the romance. Though it was fun to have a main character that was unphased by the horrors plaguing the manor, I wish there had been more of an effort to set up the curse and the presence of the Faeries at Witchwood Manor. Or that the rescue mission had stretched into the first half of the book to allow for more time to explore the Knot and the Faeries trapped inside.

I was not expecting this story to be so tightly connected to the Regency trilogy. Though I don’t think you need to read the first series to read this one, there are many nods to the characters from that series. I have read the first two books and do not plan to read the third as I do not enjoy reading books about the children of characters from previous books. As I was unfamiliar with the characters introduced in book three I was a bit confused at some points. I don't think it significantly hindered my enjoyment of the book but I would almost suggest that readers view The Witchwood Knot as a fourth book in a series.
Though I was a bit underwhelmed by the plot, I really enjoyed The Witchwood Knot and I am excited to see where the series goes from here.

I was really excited to read this but sadly just didn’t really connect with it. The story has its moments where I was very invested and couldn’t wait to see what was next, but a lot of the time I was a little bored. Olivia Atwater’s writing is so fantastic but I just think this wasn’t the book for me.

Well, this was fun and absolutely prefect for the season! It was quite elegant and suitably gothic for a Victorian suspense novel, and though contemporary, I felt it could have been written for a young Victorian lady to swoon over as she turned the pages long into the night. Absolutely wonderful and I can't wait for more from Olivia Atwater! Highly recommended!

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and Starwatch Press for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Witchwood Knot on November 23, 2023.

Wow. What an incredible entry into Olivia Atwater's existing Faerie Tales universe. I loved the original trilogy and was excited to visit this world again, but I did not expect the absolute Gothic and eerie vibes that Witchwood Knot would emit. This book is atmospheric, creepy, magical, and romantic all at once.

It took a minute to get to know Winnie and her purpose at Witchwood, but once the pieces fell into place, the plot zipped forward at a crazy speed. It felt like something new and exciting and disturbing occurred every other page, keeping the reader entrenched in the atmosphere the whole time.

I loved Winnie's growth by the end of the book, and her blossoming relationship with Mr. Quincy. They were sweet and cruel to each other in equal measure, and I wish we could've seen even more growth in their relationship before the book ends.

That's really my only complaint -- I wish this book were at least 50 pages longer. The ending felt so sudden, and I had no idea how everything would get wrapped up so quickly. I think it would've had a more emotional impact if the ending had been drawn out a bit more (and if we had even more time to learn about and love Winnie and Quincy).

Also, I appreciated the care Atwater took with discussing SA. The events of the book and Winnie's background were handled so well, though again, I wish we had more length in the book to sit with these feelings and events.

Overall, a fantastic Gothic story, and one you must read if you loved Atwater's other works.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ //5

The Witchwood Knot
by Olivia Atwater

THOUGHTS:

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Do you like:

*Gothic Fantasies
*Magic
*Victorian Era
*Fae/Creatures
*Haunted Houses

Then this book IS FOR YOU!

Ate it up! I ate this entire book up. IN ONE SITTING. I was living for this entire adventure. I am a sucker for all things gothic placed into a book and when you sprinkle that adventure with fantasy, a smidge of romance and some horror you have me on my knees. This book was beautiful, mysterious and dark. The world building was fabulous, the characters and their dialogue were perfection, this plot had it all from start to finish.

This book has you guessing everything until the very end. There are twists and turns throughout and I loved the mystery of thinking I know what is going to happen in the book and being wrong. LOVED IT. I loved following the relationships and the dynamics between characters. Oliver and Winnie were perfection!

This book needs to be read by everybody who loves all things dark and spooky and gothic. It comes at a perfect time and I am so glad that I got to sink my teeth into this book. I am absolutely going to be sharing this and recommending this book to ALL PEOPLE. A MUST HAVE on the TBR.

Olivia Atwater remains one of my all time favourite authors, and I had to immediately devour this book as soon as it was in my hands. The atmosphere is always full of whimsy, but this time with a darker, gothic feel that is perfection for spooky season. I adore the wit and charm that is laced through both Winnie and Quincy, they're such loveable characters that they make reading this book a treat, I think they have one of my new favourite dynamics to date. I'm always laughing out loud when reading Atwater's writing, and this book is no exception. I want to throw myself back into Half a Soul and re-experience the joy of living in this author's writing all over again. It's my happiest place to be.

If you want a creepy, humorous, heartfelt story full of tricky fae and a charming touch of romance, this is the book for you! I can't recommend this or any of Atwater's books enough.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Starwatch Press for the e-arc of this beauty!