I think there should be a genre called “Creepy Cozy” or “Comfy Creepy” because that is exactly what this book is. It has all the Gothic vibes, for those of us, who actually find the strange, slightly dark and unusual quite comforting somehow.

The Witchwood Knot, book one in the Victorian Faerie Tales series, is a wonderful and whimsical tale about a governess named Winnie, who has come to Witchwood Knot, a haunted manor, at the request of an old friend, the dowager (who’s health is failing) in order to keep the dowagers grandson Robert, safe from the fairies. To Winnie’s dismay, Robert is quite a handful and his Father a predatory, entitled, aristocrat, who gave me the creeps, with each and every scene he was in. When young Robert suddenly starts being extremely polite and well behaved, Winnie knows that the REAL Robert has been taken by the fairies and she must do whatever she must to get him back.

A few other wonderful little tidbits I absolutely loved about this story, was how Olivia wrote in so many little details, that pertained to the Victorian era, including some very strange historically accurate Victorian death rituals and such that were actually preformed back in the day, that just added to the atmospherics of the story.

There are even a few bits and pieces mentioned here and there, from some of Olivia’s other stories, which were worked perfectly into the story. I just loved that.

I found this story to have some dark moments, but nothing too scary or too gory, it was just right for me. Perfectly Creepy Cozy. (I do not enjoy extreme gore or horror)
There are also some scenes of some childhood abuse and sexual harassment, but Olivia took great care in how she wrote of this and in the end, our MC chooses to take back her sexuality for herself, after having had it used against her in the past, which was such a strong part of this story.

I believe this is being marketed as Gothic Fantasy Romance, and it was just that, and the perfect read for me. If you have read any of Olivia Atwater’s other books, then you will already know, this is a must read! And even if you haven’t read any of Olivia’s other works as of yet, you can still read this one on its on. Then you’ll be hooked and will want to read ALL of her other tales.

I immediately signed up for Olivia's newsletter, to receive her Atwater Scandal Sheets.

Thank you Netgalley, for allowing me to read this wonderful story and I look forward to reading more of Olivia’s VICTORIAN FAERIE TALES!

2.5⭐️

What can I say? At this point I’m afraid it’s me and not the book 🤣 So take my opinion during this ongoing reading slump for a grain of salt.

This book gave me Mexican Gothic x Rebecca vibes. It relied heavily on atmosphere and mood, and the worldbuilding and pace were far too slow and ultimately underdeveloped for my taste. I loved the romance, but by the time we got to it I wasn’t invested anymore. On a positive note, the writing and language was immaculate. I am not giving up on this author yet!

I loved Half a Soul, and the whole regency faerie tale series, so I was excited to come back to that world for a bit with this new series - and having read it, I enjoyed it, and I'll read more books in the future, BUT, it had a much different vibe and atmosphere than the other series. So you're not going to find a repeat of half a soul et al if that's what you are looking for, you might only find glimmers of it, it's the same world, but there has been a shift in that world. Things have changed.

The series name is telling - it's very much more a *Victorian* faerie tale vs the regency style of her previous series, I mean, this one takes us into an isolated haunted mansion, the faerie aspect is more dismal, It's less faerie frippery and more mean faeries that are kind of the worst. The romance aspect is much more muted - because they're Going Through Some Things.

Ultimately, I did enjoy it - but I had to adjust my expectations away from this becoming just another book in the original series.

I was a big fan of Half a Soul in spite of not being a big fan of regency era books so when I saw she was writing a darker Victorian era book I was so excited.
I adored the characters in this book, especially Ollie and the dark and gothic atmosphere was so rich and memorable . I appreciated that the story wasn't wholly focused on the romance aspect and we got a really good plot out of this book. Overall I really enjoyed this and can't wait for more.

This one had all the ingredients for an enchanting gothic tale, but it didn't quite come together as expected. The premise was promising: Victorian governess Winnie sets out to rescue the young lord of Witchwood Manor from the Fair Folk, but the plot takes its time to get going.

I love a good gothic atmosphere, but the setting didn't really deliver. It was a bit flat and lacked the dark, brooding vibes I was hoping for. The pacing was also slow— the major plot point of the boy's disappearance doesn't happen until halfway through the book.

Winnie is a strong lead, but her magical abilities were underutilized and not well explained. The world-building needed a bit more depth, especially around the concept of black magicians. The narrative's connection to Atwater's Regency trilogy might leave new readers like me feeling lost.

Overall, this one had its moments but left me wanting more in terms of atmosphere and pacing.

5⭐️ - This book was so unbelievably good! The setting in the victorian era together with a haunted manor and mysteries and riddles was done so well 🥰

It was such a delight to follow Winnie how she discovered folklore and stories about the faries. She had such a strong character development and I felt so much for her 🥺💛

I absolutely loved this book from the beginning to the very last page. I’ll definitely check out her other books 😍
If you want a victorian gothic fantasy book with dark tales and wicked fairies, I can just recommend you to read this! ✨

Thank you Victory Editing and NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book!

This review was posted on Goodreads (on May 9th) and Instagram (on May 4th).

I loved this book and the characters. I enjoyed the story and the slowly building relationship around the rest of the plot. My favourite Atwater book yet, can't waiting to see more from the world and the cross over from previous books!

I loved her previous works but this one was really hard to get into.
The pacing felt so awkward at times and I haven’t been able to pass from de 85% of the book which should be where the story picks up.

The most important thing you can know about this book is that it has a ghost cat and he's a very good boy. The Witchwood Knot follows Winifred, a magician who has been hired to be a child's governess, but really, she's there to free Witchwood Manor from the curse that holds it. This is a pretty solid book. I usually really dislike the Victorian Age, but Winnie was a very solid protagonist. The rest of the cast was also good, between the hardy cook, Winnie's petulant charge Robert, and Mr. Quincy, a faerie butler who is so far from what he seems. The writing could be a little dense at times and the beginning is slow. If you make it through that, it's a satisfying read. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequel.

Olivia Atwater can write and delivers an entertaining and compelling story set in the world of half Soul.
It was a lot of fun and I can't wait to read another book by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a lovely read!
The Victorian Gothic atmosphere was spot on, and I really enjoyed the story and characters.
I wish the chemistry with the love interest (no spoilers) was built up even more but overall it was a good book, with deeper themes than I expected at I first, including themes around childhood, trauma, and metaphors about human exploitation of nature and others.
The several "true" fairytales interspersed in the book really added to the world building. I get that this book is set up in a wider universe created by Olivia Atwater but I never felt like I was missing out on something or not understanding something.

I want to thank Victory editing and NetGalley for giving me a copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

--
This was published on Goodreads on April 29th 2024, and May 1st 2024 on Librarything and StoryGraph

2.5 because I'm so 50/50 on this!

I love Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater SO much!!! But this one sadly just didn't have the same charm and couldn't grip me as much.

I found myself pretty bored if I'm completely honest - and I hate to say that!

The gothic atmosphere was great, and I enjoyed the location setting within the manor but ultimately everything else felt a little flat for me. The characters didn't seem nearly as compelling to read compared to Half a Soul. And okay maybe I shouldn't compare them but because I know what Olivia Atwater is capable of, I just felt let down/confused.

Ultimately this was underwhelming for me but I could see others really enjoying this!

This was my first time reading anything by Olivia Atwater and it definitely won’t be the last. Her writing immediately sucks you into this Victorian Fae world. I really enjoyed diving into this eerie, unique gothic fairytale fantasy. It constantly keeps you guessing of what is really going on in Witchwood Manor and who to trust and believe. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending me this arc, these opinions are 100% my own and honest.

I’ve really become a fan of Atwater’s books, and I really like her faerie stories. I liked this one too but I wish it would’ve committed more to the Gothic vibes it was promising. I wasn’t nearly as scared or on edge as I think I could’ve been, and the romance felt a bit too rushed—a shame because I thought the pairing was really interesting!

I found this book to be really engaging and I loved the premise. I'm a sucker for spooky stories so this story was right up my alley. I am looking forward to reading other books by the author.

Overall I enjoyed Winnie’s character, and her contrasting dynamic with Mr. Quinn was fun to see pan out. If you want historical, gothic, fantasy this book is for you!

I love Olivia's writing in every book I have read so far and this one is no exception! I love the little spooky vibes mixed with a bit of mystery and sweet romance! It is a perfect book for fall! The main character was so fierce and well written! I can't wait to read more books from her!


Also, sorry this review is being turned in late! I thought I had already reviewed it but it must not have sent correctly!

I loved Atwater’s regency trilogy so I was so excited to see her going more gothic with the victorian aesthetic!
The main characters are always so wonderfully written and its so great to have realistic female characters who are strong and independent without being over the top.
The romances are always the best part of her stories and as always this one really delivers and you cant help but love them!

4.25
Again a beutifully written story by the amazing Ms. Olivia. At first I was a little bit sceptical if I would like this but the story swet me right off my feat.
The atmosphere was perfect, a little bit spooky. The characters were just as fascinating.

When the young lord of Witchwood Manor is stolen away by dangerous faeries, his governess must find a way to steal him back. But Miss Winnifred Hall has a few surprises up her sleeve that even Witchwood’s sinister butler won’t be expecting. A Victorian gothic tale woven together from intricate world-building, a brilliant protagonist, and a heart-warming romance.