First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley, Olivia Atwater, and Starwatch Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review. I am so incredibly grateful. That being said, I assure everyone that I will be sharing my honest thoughts about The Witchwood Knot below (also available on Storygraph & Goodreads).

To put it simply, I absolutely adored this book and will definitely be purchasing a physical copy as soon as possible. The Witchwood Knot was atmospheric and beautifully ominous in a way that immediately drew me into the story. Atwater’s writing is lyrical and on multiple occasions I found myself pausing to process how vivid her sentences were. While her descriptive writing was amazing, what truly made me invested in this book were the characters (mainly the fmc, Winnie Hall). Winnie was an absolute delight to read about and it was refreshing to see someone be curious without it becoming tiring, be stubborn but also calculated, etc. As her past gets revealed throughout the novel, she also becomes very easy to emphasize and connect with. As for the male main character, Mr. Quincy, I also found him very likable as the book progressed. At the start of the book, his main trait is being a bit off-putting and mysterious but if you keep reading he has moments where his personality really shines through (mainly when he interacts with Winnie). If the characters, ambience, and superb writing aren’t enough to convince you to give this book a try, I’d like to add that there is also a very well executed romance within a Witchwood Knot. The romance is definitely more of a subplot but regardless it had me kicking my feet and twirling my hair. I eagerly devoured all of the romantic moments and honestly even hours after finishing the book, I keep thinking back to them. There was just the right amount of tension & banter. There are no explicit/spicy scenes and honestly I don’t think they would have been needed. Truthfully, I wouldn’t change much about A Witchwood Knot.

The only minor aspect of the A Witchwood Knot that I wasn’t the biggest fan of was oddly the blurb on the back of the book. I read the description before I jumped into starting the novel and part of me wishes I opted to go into the book “blindly.” This is because the blurb reveals a plot point that doesn’t occur until midway through the novel (Robert being changed/replaced). I think I would have been more impacted, shocked and invested if I wasn’t already anticipating it. However, that is pretty much the only criticism I have regarding this book.

I will definitely be encouraging people to give A Witchwood Knot a try. I think it’s great for readers who are intrigued by a gothic Victorian setting, eerie magic, strong characters and a splash of romance. However, I do want to warn potential readers that the topic of predatory men is addressed a few times within the book. If occasionally reading about these predatory figures will be triggering then please prioritize your mental health and consider picking up an alternative book. I will say that I think Olivia Atwater handled the topic very masterfully and I walked away from the book feeling seen, validated and emotionally impacted by Winnie’s dialogue: “…I am not even afraid of being desired. I am simply afraid of what desire becomes whenever I dare to decline it (Atwater 183).”

The Witchwood Knot is Olivia Atwater’s newest book set in the same world as her Regency Faeries books, and it starts her new Victorian Faeries series. I would recommend reading the Regency Faeries books before this book that way you can get the most out of the world and world building, as Atwater has done a lot of the heavy lifting in her previous novels, but I believe this book can be enjoyed without having read the Regency Faeries book.

Winnie has been hired to play the role of governess by an old friend and benefactor from her days as an orphan. In truth she’s investigating the mansion, The Witchwood Knot, and doing her best to protect her young charge from nefarious faeries who are out to harm him. She also has several run ins with Mr. Quincey the “other” Witchwood Knots’ butter.

I’ve previously really enjoyed the Regency Faeries books and this was also and enjoyable ride for me, I will say that I found the romance was missing something but other than that I had a good time and look forward to reading more of this series.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

This was a quick entertaining read. While I enjoyed Atwater's Regency Faerie Tales series more, I still found myself wrapped up in the story and once I hit half way, I couldn't put it down. The spooky and sinister vibes were great and I appreciated the darker themes.

This was a delightful read through and through. Once I'd started it, I didn't want to put it down - I absolutely love the way Olivia Atwater writes faeries, and found myself completely enchanted by all of the characters, especially Winnie, whose relationship with faerie is something I very much hope is explored further in subsequent books. The spooky atmosphere was captured perfectly and I feel like I can see Witchwood Manor in my mind's eye still after having finished reading.

I think reading Atwater's previous faerie books can help a little with the context of some of the faerie lore - I have only read Half a Soul myself but a lot of the backstory there came across as faintly familiar. However, it's definitely not necessary so anyone who may be looking to dive in here should absolutely do so - this is a fantastic book that everyone should read.

A sweet, Gothic story centering around a woman who stands on her business, The Witchwood Knot was an enjoyable read for a cozy evening in. I loved Winnie as a main character, she was strong, clever, and also generally pretty rational, which is sometimes a rare trait. The house itself was an interesting limited setting with the divide between the mortal side and fae side. I think I would've liked to read more about the other rooms in the house on the fae side, but the story was mainly focused in the conservatory where all the action was taking place. I hope her sisters get to be featured as main characters or play a more prominent role in future stories as they seem pretty interesting. Overall, this was an interesting story and I would love to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an early copy of this book!

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater is an eerie, Gothic tale surrounding the mysterious goings-on at Witchwood Manor. Set in the world of Atwater's previous Regency Faerie Tales series, The Witchwood Knot follows Winnie: a cunning and devilishly intelligent young woman who arrives at the manor at the behest of the dying dowager living there. From the moment that Winnie walks across the threshold she is embroiled in a faerie curse that entangles all those that live in the manor. Servants refuse to stay the night, residents can’t sleep, and everybody sees the haunted faces screaming through the walls.

Winnie’s childhood has prepared her for the hoops, hurdles, and faerie tricks that she must face to untangle the curse before it can claim any more lives, but when the wild cards reveal themselves, doubt begins to creep into her resolve.

The characters in this novel play the roles you would expect to find in faerie story, but their personalities come with a twist. This story plays on the well-known rules that all faerie stories abide by but contorts them into something a little different, a little darker, and whole lot creepier. The faeries in this book evade the popular court dynamics that you might read in other recent releases, leaning harder into a food chain dynamic instead. Those who rule are the ones powerful enough to bully, murder, and trick their way into the top. They are the ones that gather indentured cronies to their side and lure unwary folk into their traps. There is no limit to how many can rise to power and there are no courts to be claimed, only territories to be carved. This aspect of Olivia Atwater’s worldbuilding is what adds an element of malice to this story and makes you think twice about the words you speak aloud.

Winnie is the steadfast, no-nonsense hero in this faerie story that turns the tricks on their heads and springs a few traps of her own. When presented with an unruly child to protect and a lecherous employer to evade, Winnie stands her ground and uses every trick up her sleeve to fix problems, dodge obstacles, and do what she was hired to do. She has her flaws and makes mistakes, but she makes the choices any sensible person would and refuses to be cowed by the ever-present threat of Witchwood Manor.

This is a sinister tale of nasty faeries, predatory humans, and the rules that bind anyone that stumbles into their path, but there are also lighter elements as well: the loyal, and fiercely protective ghost cat familiar, the brave servants who hold the fort, and the shared creative passion between the two romantic interests. This book has a lot of heart and doesn’t always do what you expect it to.

The Witchwood Knot is perfect for fans of Wuthering Heights who like a splash of fantasy in their stories, and for anyone who craves tales of traditional wicked faeries. If you want a short, punchy novel that swoops you into a Gothic mystery with a touch of romance, this is the book for you.

Victorian faerie tale plus gothic romance? Sign me up! I wanted a break from all things book series to read a stand-alone (though I did find out this is technically an interconnected series but can be read as a stand-alone), and this was my default comfort read genre.

The Witchwood Knot was an easy, quick read with an interesting world build set in Victorian England. I absolutely caught the Labyrinth-inspired elements woven throughout the first half of the story which I loved. And of course, I loved little Oliver the kitty familiar who plucked all of my heart strings.

I was hoping that the romance interest part of the book was fleshed out more (particularly the male character), but it also left me wondering if I should have read the Half a Soul books prior to reading. There were some references that felt too glossed over, so my experience may have been lacking because of this.

The writing style is great though, and the characters were well-presented. This one definitely makes me want to read more of Olivia Atwater’s stories.

// Thank you so much to Starwatch Press for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! //

A truly remarkable magical read. This book was highly enjoyable and I would thoroughly recommend. I loved the story and the characters were rich and well developed.

The Witchwood Knot was a quick and unique fantasy story with a historical setting. Although I found it slow at times, it was a quick and enjoyable read.

Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is fantasy. Our female main character comes to this house to be a Governess boy the house is supposedly cursed - it can't keep staff and the child she's supposed to be a Governess for, is quickly stolen away by the fae.

Can she get the joy back and can she break the curse when her only ally is the member of the fae who is responsible for maintaining the curse.

This was good, it's kind of historical fantasy, Victorian-esque era, and it's set in the same world as Half a Soul (also by this author). You don't need to have read that to enjoy this, but it does give some nice little easter eggs.

Our main character is confident and capable but has trauma in her background which makes the romance element in this a bit different.

4 stars and I really need to go back and read the other books that followed Half a Soul!

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater eBook Arc provided by NetGalley

Although this had already released, I had to request this book as Olivia Atwater is an auto-buy author for me. This book was described to me as a Gothic Faerie Tale with a side of mystery. It was definitely a bit darker than her Regency Series, which I was good with. I like that vibe.

Atwater’s writing style is very easy to read and keeps you wondering what’s going to happen, constantly asking, “where is this going?”. She gives you the feeling that something’s not quite right, but doesn’t reveal what that is until its time… Although I usually love this, I found myself slightly annoyed at the slowwwwwww reveal of what was happening. If that’s the direction an author goes, I prefer to have super strong character interest or world building, up front. Everything felt a bit mysterious, not good for my anxiety! LOL

The magic is sinister, the predatory behavior of men is repulsive, but all is well because Winnie, the main character is really great. What stood out to me is her magic, although fun is not how she seems to overcome obstacles in this story. She relies on people underestimated her, her intelligence and her outside of the box thinking. I loved that about her storyline.

My review of this is mixed because I loved the characters, but didn’t love the plot and found myself a bit bored and flipping ahead. This was an average read for me and won’t be continuing the series.

Oh, I loved this. It is gothic fantasy, touch of romance, with a modern twist, and a really sharp heroine. I've read Olivia Atwater's other books and I always find her premises really unique. Sometimes, I think the fae has been done to death, but Atwater always proves me wrong. My favourite part was probably Oliver, her cat familiar. Firstly, I am a cat person, but the idea that a cat's spirit would want to be with you after death is both deeply comforting and speaks to my inner child that always wanted a magical companion. I would definitely recommend this along with her Regency Faerie Tales.

A wonderful gothic faerie tale set within the Victorian era.
Winnie has arrived at Witchwood as a governess to Robert, son of Lord Longfell. Since Robert’s father does not believe in fairies it falls to Winnie to protect him when she discovers that the fae want to take Robert.
The book has much to enjoy. It has strong intelligent characters, along with magic and mystery carefully crafted with classic folklore. A thoroughly enchanting tale.

3.5 Stars

This book was OK for me but I did struggle with it. I just didn’t find myself hooked like I usually would. This dark Gothic fairytale is set in the same world as Half a Soul. I do enjoy it when authors create more stories set in the same world. I feel it gives us the readers more insight. I love that it has stories inside of stories. I did enjoy the mysteries throughout the book.
I did find it to be well written and the world building was great and descriptive. The plot would pick up for it to slow down again in the middle. I just didn’t find that it was a steady pace.
I did like the slow burn enemies to lovers romance in the book and felt that it came across really well.
I would still definitely read more from this author in the future as I’ve enjoyed many of her books before!

Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, publisher, and author for this ARC.

I ended up DNF'ing this title about 45% of the way through. As much as I loved the concept of it, it was very slow and I found the interactions between the characters a little dull. I love the way Olivia writes, but this was not grabbing my attention. I loved "Half a Soul", I was just waiting for that same spark. Hopefully one day I will revisit and finish this title.

4 stars.

This book is perfect for fall and Halloween time. This is a fantasy adult story with an historical setting, following the perspective of Winifred. I loved the eerie and gothic vibes to this book. It is creepier, with some shocking events taking place, but is not scary or adrenaline pumping, more of a slow climb with an ever-rising sense of dread. The plot was intriguing and pulled me right in with the mysteries happening that are going on. There were a number of plot points happening and great how they all came together.
Winifred was a great main character, strong, independent and knew her strength but also acknowledged her mistakes. Her magic and what she knew about the mystical fae was engaging and I loved finding out more and more about both from her perspective. The romance was ok, but I did not see chemistry or relationship development. It felt more like a sudden shift in the character’s relationship, brief and right and the end. It could have been left out of the story and would still be great. The fae in this world were fascinating and they had a number of aspects similar to ghosts, so I was confused for a little bit. They were very tricky, with no obvious rules and loopholes, I liked all the different twists and turns and really came together. I would definitely recommend it.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

Not entirely convinced about this yet, though I do like the writing. It hasn’t hooked me completely yet but I am enjoying it.

The Witchwood Knot was a solid introduction to a new series set in the same world as Half a Soul. I thought the writing was great, but overall I feel very neutral about the story. I enjoyed it enough, but at the same time it didn’t hook me like I wanted it to.

It also didn’t feel like a dark fairy tale. Yes, some darker subject matter was included (like sexual assault), but that fairy tale atmosphere didn’t come through as strongly as in her previous works.

I will be continuing with this series, but only because I think something bad happened to Elias (from Half a Soul) and I will not stand for that. I need to see him rescued.

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater is a dark, atmospheric gothic faerie tale set in a Victorian England. The story follows Winifred who comes to Witchwood Knot to help Lady Longfell and become a governess for her grandson. Winifred is more than just a governess. She is also a magician who is very familiar with the ways of faeries. She meets Mr. Quincy, a faerie serving the lady of the area and causing trouble for those int he Manor. As Winifred learns more of the mysteries surrounding Witchwood Manor and it's disturbing past, she must find a way to protect her ward and the others in the manor.

The gothic setting of Witchwood Manor immediately pulled me in. I rated the story at 3.5 stars. The story was intriguing with all of the mysteries of the world and the manor itself. I loved the Winifred's character and I enjoyed her interactions with Mr. Quincy. I didn't feel very invested in the other charrlacters in the story though. The story was interesting and had several mysteries that kept pulling me in but I found some of the pacing a little slower. The book would pick up and then slow down again. I found this happening multiple times where it felt like the story was going to really get into the thick of it, only to have it slow way down. Overall, this was a fantastic gothic read and an author I would continue to read.

4.5 start!

After reading Half a Soul by this author and loving it I was excited to read this one.
I love the characters Atwater writes as they have a lot of depth while also having their own little quirks. The quirks make the story a little humorous which brings a lightheartedness to darker storylines.

I particularly liked the main characters explanations of her greatest fears and how the author approached this storyline.

This novel was heartfelt, fun, quick and very entertaining and so beautifully written. I am excited to read the rest of her works in this series.

The only reason I haven't given it 5 out of 5 stars is due to a lull in the plot in the middle. However, this novel is almost a perfect book for my tastes.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!