⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I enjoyed reading The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells by Rachel Greenlaw. This novel tells many evocative stories within its pages, all of which swirl around The Morgan Women and the mountains of Woodsmoke.

I would have enjoyed learning more about the history of the family and the stories that were passed down. Perhaps that could happen if more is written in the future about The Morgans and the small town of Woodsmoke.

To be published October 22nd, 2024
by Avon and Harper Voyager

#Fiction #mountains #Magic #folklore #legacy
#Fantasy #wildplaces #superstition #Family
#Romance #tradition #secrets #friendship
#lostlove #Avon #HarperVoyager
#Brightbookreviews #Goodreads

I enjoyed this as a cozy magical realism story but I thought the romance was a bit underdeveloped. We are told they are falling in love but outside of one or two moments I didn't feel like I was actually being shown that they were having any kind of connection.

I really enjoyed the multiple POVs and the shifting timeline. I loved Howard and Cora. Their story was so sweet and heartbreaking.

Thank you to Netgally, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Rachel Greenlaw for providing this ARC and the opportunity to read and provide an honest review.

★★★★★ - 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells by Rachel Greenlaw
༘Spoiler free ༘
⭐️4.3125/5
Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal
Multi POV
➳ curses
➳ magical realism
➳ small town
➳ nonlinear timeline
➳ cosy
➳ family legacies
➳ healing
➳ forbidden/doomed romance

✨ “Maybe, as I learn to love this place and embrace every facet of it—and myself—I will accept the magic and the mountains as a part of me in a way I never did before. I will tell him. I will. But tonight is for starlight, and tomorrow belongs to the future.“ ✨
Rachel Greenlaw’s poignant yet whimsical prose created the perfect sense of magical realism that will leave you spellbound. This read is perfect for fans of Practical Magic, The Unmaking of June Farrow, Spells for Forgetting, and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. It was the perfect balance of romantic love and familial/platonic love and healing. I loved following the characters on their paths to healing and redemption.

📚📚📚
*Song - [Season of the Witch by Lana Del Rey](https://youtu.be/ifGx4ZH2U1Y)*
If you’re curious about whether Rachel Greenlaw’s writing lives up to the book description (and don’t want any major plot points spoiled) then read below

1️⃣

Atmospheric Setting?

❦The slow trickle of fear taking hold, the knowing that life is different in Woodsmoke. You can’t be sure that a gift is always left with good intent. You don’t stray from the path. And if you see someone stepping off the mountain trails, or hear a voice luring you away, never follow. Sometimes a gift is just a gift. But sometimes . . . I swallow. Sometimes it’s a warning.❦

Absolutely delivered. It was lush, cosy and eerie all at the same time. The small town of Woodsmoke was richly described, and the ominous and haunting presence of the mountains and the magic associated with them could be felt on every page. I can’t place my finger on exactly why, but the setting of this story was giving the same vibe as the standing stones at Craigh na dun in outlander, meets the small town in practical magic. While the mountains don’t serve as a method of time travel, they have the same sort of foreboding and almost *alive* presence about them.

2️⃣

Mystery and Intrigue?

❦ I have that feeling again. Like I’m being watched. Tested. Like every move I make is being weighed and measured.❦

If you’re not questioning reality and asking yourself whether the mountains truly are living things that enable/perform magic, then you’re probably hyper-analysing every crumb of interaction between Carrie and Matthieu desperate to discover the mystery behind him.

As soon as he appeared on page i was lured in… a man that appears with first snowfall and disappears with the thaw? Who is he?! Frosty the Snowman? Jack Frost?! More importantly… would he be interested in coming to my house and performing handiwork and making me coffee this winter too?? This man is mysterious, and I found myself immediately intrigued.

3️⃣

Romantic Tension?

❦love doesn’t work that way. It can’t be forced; it can’t be tricked.❦

I was initially reticent with this story and had the sickening feeling that Carrie might’ve returned and ended up with the childhood sweetheart, Tom, that she left at the altar. While i’m not against second chance romances, Tom is now married to her childhood best friend Jess. Although i was initially a bit resistant to Jess, they have an adorable daughter and i just don’t support breaking up a happy home.

❦Everything around us, everything else boiling up inside me, fades away, leaving only him, only his mouth, his touch, the warmth of him wrapping around me. It’s as though I’ve been lost in a blizzard with no end and no beginning. And now suddenly I’m no longer cold.❦

Thanks a million, Rachel Greenlaw for delivering us a forbidden romance to support in the form of Carrie and Matthieu. Nothing makes for romantic tension like a forbidden/doomed love, and the curse surrounding their relationship had me on the edge of my seat and overanalysing every interaction.

As an additional bonus we were graced with Cora and Howard’s romance in the form of flashbacks and i think they’re my second favourite couple of this story. I honestly think the love Howard had for Cora was the sweetest love in this entire novel, as it aged over the decades.

4️⃣

Magical Realism?

❦This is the way of the mountains, the way it has always been. This is the truth we learned as children, the truth that followed us into adulthood, through whispers that bound us. A Morgan woman can cast a wish. She can scratch at the door of the mountains and ask for the world, but if they agree to help, she must give something of equal importance in return. An eye for an eye. A secret for a secret. A life for a life.❦

The magical elements rooted in the folklore and traditions of Woodsmoke, added an enchanting layer to the novel without overshadowing its emotional core. The magic here genuinely did feel as if it could exist in our everyday world.

5️⃣

Sense of Home?

❦I spend the rest of the afternoon highly aware of him. Of myself. Of the air between us, crackling and heavy as we move around each other, painting the kitchen and then the lounge. And realise that you can belong with a person as much as you belong to a place.❦

Yes, yes, a million times yes. I feel like the whole sense of home and homecoming was one of the more poignant themes in this novel and gave me one of my favourite quotes.

This was one of the few books where i can genuinely say i *felt* that sense of belonging that the characters experienced. Carrie struggled her whole life in the small town of Woodsmoke never truly feeling like she belonged, i felt an overwhelming sense of peace as she found her way and place in her life.

❧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*❦*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧❧

Initially, I only felt connected to carrie. as the story unfolded I found myself understanding and hurting for jess and cora’s journeys as well. Rachel Greenlaw has a way of easing you into empathising with the other characters, even when their personalities and characteristics differ from your own.

I found the nonlinear timeline helped provide peeks and insights into the characters hearts and motivations. The character arcs felt natural, and some of the plot twists felt undeniably and beautifully realistic. The characters are all flawed humans and these flaw provided so many growth opportunities.

For me personally, the most gripping aspect of this story was Carrie’s curse. I found myself eagle eyed and rereading every interaction she had with Matthieu desperate to find clues and answers regarding the mystery that surrounded him and their romance.

This book is slower paced in the beginning while you’re laying the foundation and getting a grip on the world building, but after the first quarter things speed up a bit and you will find yourself struggling to put this book down.

100% would recommend this book to anyone in search of a cosy, slightly chilling, low stakes romantic fantasy. Perfect for fans of Practical Magic, The Unmaking of June Farrow, Spells for Forgetting, and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

💖
LIKES:
⋆ The setting and atmosphere of this book was unmatched
⋆ Rachel Greenlaw’s prose was evocative and whimsical without feeling campy.
⋆ The romantic moments drew me in and left me wanting to fully immerse myself in the character’s lives.
⋆ Healing, Homecoming, Reparations/Redemption themes were so beautifully executed in this novel.

❤️‍🩹
DISLIKES:
⋆ Not quite a dislike per se, but i would’ve appreciated a …. second epilogue. With a glimpse into the story maybe a few years or more down the road. Unless this isn’t meant to be a standalone, in which case the single epilogue was perfect.

**Fantasy Scoring**
Worldbuilding ➷ ✅ 4.5/5
Foreshadowing ➷ ✅ 4.0/5
Plot ➷ ✅ 4.5/5
Relationships ➷ ✅  4.25/5


Thank you to Rachel Greenlaw, Avon, Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide my honest opinion on the ARC of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
A lovely little cozy read with witchy vibes. Great palette cleanser book!

This was cozy and definitely witchy vibes. I was waiting specifically for it to have a little more things happening. The women were complex but I grew to love the town and them.

This is a great palette cleanser book. It is cozy and witchy (but also has some dark themes).

I found myself really immersed in the town of Woodsmoke (it's giving Hallmark movie vibes) and fell in love with the Morgan women. This is a story about coming home, rehashing + healing old wounds, romance, complicated family relationships and acceptance.

The book also flows nicely between the past and the present. Can't recommend it enough!

Thank you to Netgalley and Rachel Greenlaw for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am new to Rachel Greenlaw but this title and cover just sunk its hooks into me immediately. So aesthetic and I was extremely hopeful for the story as well. I was anticipating it to be a little campy, but I honestly finished this feeling pleasantly surprised. Greenlaw has a penchant for building a beautiful setting and even more beautiful love. I found the chemistry between these two main characters to be extremely compelling. The magical element felt like just the right amount, and I think this will be a good book club read when the fall rolls around.

This book had a very cozy atmosphere- a little haunting but beautiful as well. It was well paced but could be a little slow in parts. The characters were wonderfully complex and I really enjoyed this book overall.

I liked this! It felt pretty slow and I would have liked for a little bit more to have happened...or at least some more backstory about the other Morgan women. But otherwise, I liked it. FYI throughout the book, Kep is referred to as both a boy dog and a female dog!

This is a book filled with magic and family and love.
This reminded me of an Adrienne Young book, but different setting and feel. But I could feel the haunting beauty of the mountains and the town.
It is slow moving at times, but there is build up to things to come.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

3.5 / 4
incredibly well written, it had a haunting cozy atmosphere and paced well, the twists caught me by surprised and i loved the complexity of each character, thank you for the arc!

Thank you Netgalley for the free E-ARC! I have to admit, this was pretty underwhelming. I was intrigued by the cover & synopsis, but the story just didn't deliver. I didn't connect with the characters as much as I'd hoped & the events that took place were a bit anticlimactic. It was a cozy read at times, but I expected more out of it.

Greenlaw has crafted a absolute joy of a sophomore novel, it brims with complex characters and otherworldly atmosphere.

Readers follow Carrie Morgan as she reluctantly returns home to her mountain town. We get a glimpse into her life as she tackles renovations of a family property and as she navigated relationships left long abandoned. As she finds her footing and a mysterious confidant she is quickly reminded that the mountains, ever present and all watchful, still brim with magic and trickery. She may have left the old ways behind but they are keen to invite her back.

I thought this was such a lovely look into love on so may levels. Greenlaw writes romantic love in such a sweet and whimsical way but she also touches on family, friendship, motherhood, and the love we have of place. The pacing is just speedy enough, it keeps the pages turning but allows the magic in the mundane a little room to breathe too. The Characters were easily the highlight for me as each felt fully realized and had messy complexity that I think most will find relatable.

The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells is achingly beautiful and haunting. I loved the history and lore of the town, combined with the generational magic of the Morgan women. This story was one of reckoning, of coming to terms with the past and carving a new path. I loved the themes of magic, love, and enduring sibling bonds. Plus, the characters were so real and relatable - the definition of perfectly flawed. The ending shattered my heart, but left me with feelings of hope and renewal.

I am quickly becoming a huge fan of Greenlaw’s work (Compass and Blade was also a five star read for me). She writes with such lyrical and atmospheric prose, which gives her stories almost dreamlike qualities. If you loved Adrienne Young’s Spells for Forgetting or Emilia Hart’s Weyward, then this story is absolutely for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4 Stars

Compelling, enigmatic

My summary:

In a small mountain town called Woodsmoke, the Morgan women have been notorious for years. Their belief in the power of the mountains and “the old stories” have led to much speculation and superstition surrounding their family. This intensifies further when Carrie Morgan returns home to Woodsmoke after leaving 10 years ago. Her late grandmother left Carrie her old cottage and storefront, with the one request for her to renovate the cottage and take care of the shop. Carrie’s great-aunt Cora is still in Woodsmoke, and does her best to help Carrie form more lasting roots in Woodsmoke and reclaim it as home. The ghosts of Carrie’s past life there come back to haunt her, though, initially convincing Carrie that this is not her home. Her attitude changes upon meeting Matthieu, a mysterious man from the mountains who helps her with the renovations. Cora warns Carrie that Matthieu is not what he seems, and is convinced he is a curse from the mountains -retribution for when she left. As Carrie works to rebuild her life and start anew with Matthieu, secrets from all of their pasts come to light and change everything.

My reaction:

I was instantly hooked reading his story. Rachel Greenlaw draws you into the lore of the Morgan women perfectly. They are mysterious, misunderstood, and constantly searching. Their Book of Spells holds stories, spells, and warnings that they alone manage. The mountains are their own foreboding character and presence throughout the story, very early on setting the tone of mystery and caution.

What worked for me:
The slow unraveling of everyone’s secrets: why Carrie left, what happened with Tom, what Cora and Jess did, who Matthieu is -all of it ties together wonderfully
The characters: fit together perfectly in this story. The amount of development each character had was appropriate -enough to see it and acknowledge it, not so much that it was hard to believe
The setting: I just imagined a smokey mountain town with a dilapidated cottage and run down main street and loved every moment of it
The romance: I really enjoyed how it developed throughout the mystery of it all. I was both hopeful and filled with dread for Carrie -rooting for it to work out, but scared of heartbreak. It was artfully done
The themes of friendship and coming home -it felt so good for Carrie to re-connect with her past friends and find her roots again. Everything in the story led you to this moment and feeling naturally.

I would have liked more:

Matthieu! As much as I loved the mystery, a few more breadcrumbs about him would have been awesome for me and helped the mystery pay off a little more. At times, most of his mystery was explored through his absences, and a few more moments of intrigue with him in person would have been great for me.
Spells! The beginning of the story is very dry on spells and magic. The pay off comes later, but since the title has “book of spells” in it, I was expecting a little more magic/spell work.

After reading this ARC, I am excited to read Rachel Greenlaws other works. Her writing and storytelling abilities are impeccable. Even writing my “critiques,” I kept arguing against myself that she actually did a great job with both Matthieu and the spellbook. Overall, great 4 star read. I would only have wanted more story here!

I enjoyed this book a lot! It had family lore/inherited magic, and (though I think it was actually set in UK) Appalachia superstition/folklore vibes. I’d recommend it if you enjoy stories along the lines of Practical Magic.

The story was at times heart wrenching and very very human. I enjoyed seeing this town and these events both from 3 different points of view, and through the lense of quotes from the family compendium.

I was grateful to receive a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this gem. This book reminds me of a mix of practical magic and spells for forgetting, both of which I loved.
A woman returns to her hometown of woodsmoke after a family death. She inherits her aunts house and needs to refurbish it. She deals with the curse of the mountains, her aunt, and a stranger who shows up to help. Carrie deals with the curse of the mountains", family drama, past relationships while home, and a buddig relationship.
The characters are all real and flawed. It makes them very relatable and an enjoyable read!

If practical magic met the divine secrets of the yaya sisterhood. So beautiful and touching, so much mystery. And I loved that the mountains were as much a character as anyone else.

This is part of my review for publisher but not in my public reviews: I do think some polishing could happen up front. The tenses feel weird in some places, the story takes a second to be coherent enough to pull me in. I put it down after the first 20 pages (not my typical move) and picked it back up. my second time picking it up was when it became a nonstop

The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells by Rachel Greenlaw is a great contemporary fiction that felt very real, raw, and yet magical at the same time.

Boy I am really into these autumn-ish feeling, atmospheric, magical, and mysterious novels lately.

I loved how the author balances love, loss, finding oneself, magic, real-world problems, and mystery all into one nice package.

Carrie is so realistic and relatable, but she also has access to something that is just beyond our comprehension. The interweaving of this fine tapestry created a novel, that for me, was unique and I was drawn in after catching on to the vibe that was presented. I like the emotions that this novel was able to provoke as it continued onward, especially with the ending.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/22/24.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of The Woodsmoke Women's Book of Spells by Rachel Greenlaw.

Carrie Morgan returns to her hometown of Woodsmoke after ten years of running from her past. She has always felt like an outsider, in a small town where the Morgan family women have a book of magic and a relationship with the mountains surrounding the town that sometimes draw people in, never to be found again. With the death of her grandmother, Carrie returns home to fix up her cottage and find closure with her town for good.

Carrie's great aunt, Cora, has run the Morgan magic for decades, with some things saved, and some things feeling forever harmed. With Carrie's return, she is desperate to set things to right.

Jess, Carrie's former best friend, is also anxious over ten years of silence and for Carrie to come back to town.

When Carrie begins to renovate the cottage with the help of a man no one else has seen and who comes with the frost, Cora begins to suspect the mountains may be at work again...

This book very much vibed with The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic or a less dark Spells for Forgetting - it's definitely a book that feels like being in fall/early stages of winter. It also is not just Carrie's story, but equally that of Cora and of Jess, which I had not anticipated. In its own way, this split narration helps to move the plot and to further character growth in three people intertwined with each other. It also then greatly dilutes that this is a story about Carrie and a man who arrives with the frost - with that being just a microcosm of the larger story. I think this split made me feel less connected to all of the characters and more that this is a story of women and time and not of a romantic relationship. That being said, it is still engaging and interesting - it's just not what I expected from the description. I actually don't even think I'd classify it as fitting under romance, and I would have loved a bit of a deeper dive into each of the women as well to better connect with them.