Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC. This is a hard one to review because for me, this book is just an introduction to the beginning of this series. You don't really get into the heart of the story until the very end, and of course it ends on a cliffhanger. And what a interesting cliffhanger it is. I have a feeling that the second book in this series will really set the tone for this series and leave us racing to get our hands on the next one to come. I will of course be waiting.

The beginning of this book sucked me right in. I liked Zo from the moment we met her, and I loved the setting of Divinity and all the people helping her with the inheritance.

We get some explosive moments when Zo learns some things about herself and finds out she was lied to, well for pretty much her entire life, by everyone she loves. So some emotional outbursts are to be expected. But a lot of the book is a bit on the slower side. We get lots of descriptions of the house, which I did enjoy, although I did think it was going to give off a more haunted vibe—descriptions of Zo and her lust for both the opposite sex, and food. I wasn't too bothered because I could tell we were ramping up to something at the end.

And while the ending wasn't quite as action-packed or explosive as I thought we were going to get, I was definitely surprised by it. I think as the first book in this series, it set a good foundation for the characters and the world, and I'm excited to continue on in this series.

The House at Watch Hill had me hooked from the very first chapter! Karen Marie Moning weaves a dark, atmospheric tale full of mystery, magic, and danger that kept me on the edge of my seat. Zo Grey, reeling from grief, inherits a creepy Gothic mansion in Louisiana, and the house itself feels almost alive with secrets. The suspense builds as Zo uncovers unsettling truths about her past while contending with ominous forces—and the enigmatic Scottish groundskeeper adds just the right amount of simmering chemistry. This is a haunting, addictive read that I couldn’t put down, and I can’t wait for Book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

atmospheric introductory novel in this new series. Dark and delicious for witchy lovers of True Blood and Starling House filled with magic. It's a gothic mystery/romance/horror that is character driven and interesting. Good pacing and world building, and kept me wanting more throughout the entire read. It has that same KMM style I loved from the fever series. I am questioning everything and cannot wait to finish the series.

I liked a lot of things about this book, but still I cannot shake the feeling that this first book is like an overlong intro, a setting-of-the-stage for the actual story which we just barely get introduced to at the very end (and, even then, there's still a million unanswered questions).

I liked the premise, I liked the protagonist Zo (even if her constant horniness is a tad off-putting) and I liked the atmosphere of the creepy house in the mysterious town of Divinity, Louisiana. The first chapter was very strong and I wanted to know what was going to happen. But the getting there was slow-going. I unfortunately did a lot of skimming, but I also wanted to keep on finding out what was going to happen next. I think there's a lot more to come and I'm looking forward it - I just hope that the set-up will be worth it in the end.

I liked this, but I think it fell prey to the hype for me. I felt like the beginning was too slow/slice of life, and our FMC just let things happen to her. I wanted her to have more agency and to question things. She didn't know she was a witch but all the weird impossible things were like "okay!" and that just didn't seem realistic. I didn't love the romance introduction either. BUT I did still really love KMM's writing and the way she tells a story. I think I will continue and the ending had me very curious! 3.5 stars

I thought some good witchy vibes would be nice for spooky season, but this one left me wanting more. I think here was a lot of promise and I do think there were some good elements. I understand it is a trilogy but I felt like the giant cliffhanger at the end was a bit too much and would have liked resolution to at least a plot point. Zo is reeling from losing her mother (this was done very well) when she gets a weird message about an inheritance from a relative she’s never heard of or knew she had. When she arrives she finds much more than expected and an inheritance she can’t refuse. But Zo is learning that everyone, including her beloved, deceased mother, have been keeping secrets and nothing in the world is what she thought which has left her incredibly ignorant and vulnerable. I likely will read the next book if I come across it, but I won’t be setting alarms and preordering to ensure I do. It was a decent read with a good premise and I hope the series grows as the potential there is.

This book is full of mystery and witchy atmosphere. It’s slow moving but it builds with the intriguing politics between the light and dark witches and the ominous nature of the gray witches. There are a lot of secrets being kept and wondering who is who and who can be trusted. Zo is dealing with the grief of her mothers death and dealing with the duties and responsibilities that come with the estate she has suddenly been left in Divinity, Louisiana. All of sudden she is dealing with an identity crisis, crazy wealth, and a whole supernatural world she knows nothing about.

I really liked the world building and the families we get to learn snippets about that settled the town. By chapter 10 I was only getting more and more intrigued and nervous about what could happen and who Zo could trust. I think this is going to be the start of a wonderful trilogy. This first book had the same sort of cliffhanger that the Fever books have, the kind that feels abrupt and annoying. I really hope the next book comes out soon because at least with the Fever books I read them when all the books were already out. This time around it’s going to be painful to wait. I’m excited for what’s to come. I really want to learn more about the witches and other supernatural beings in Divinity. I can’t wait to see how Zo grows into her powers.

Special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, the Publisher and Author for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review.

The House on Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning is a witchy, atmospheric, foreboding and suspenseful magical realism romance.

This eerie story is book 1 in a new series by the author of the Fever Series. The plot zoomed by very quickly in the beginning and then slowed down a bit. The character and world-building is detailed and vivid yet mysterious with a slow build. The book does have a few spicy scenes, but they are detailed mildly.

Overall, it was a good start to a promising series and everything you could want for an October read!

When I think of paranormal or romantic fantasy, I go straight to Karen Marie Moning. Her Fever series is one of my all time favorites. This book fell a little flat for me. Maybe it was the expectation I set on the author based on her previous works, but I am also hoping it is because this is the first book in the series. I will definitely be reading the second as it held my interest, but I was a little bored reading through. Doesn’t change my mind on KMM, though! She will always be the GOAT.

The House at Watch Hill is the first book in the Fever series. It is a paranormal romance novel set in the fictional city of Fever. The book follows the story of MacKayla "Mac" Keenan, a young woman who is forced to return to her hometown after her mother dies. She is drawn back into the world of faeries, a world she had tried to forget after a traumatic childhood experience.

MacKayla meets and falls in love with Curran, a powerful faerie warrior. Together, they must face a series of challenges, including a dangerous faerie queen and a dark secret from MacKayla's past.

The House at Watch Hill is a well-written and entertaining paranormal romance novel. The characters are complex and engaging, and the world-building is rich and detailed. The story is full of action, suspense, and romance.

Overall, The House at Watch Hill is a great read for fans of paranormal romance. It is a fast-paced and exciting book that will keep you hooked until the very end.

Here are some specific aspects of the book that I enjoyed:

The characters: MacKayla and Curran are both strong and independent characters. They have great chemistry and are a joy to read about.
The world-building: The world of Fever is richly detailed and believable. It is full of magic and mystery.
The plot: The story is fast-paced and exciting. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing.
The writing: Karen Marie Moning is a talented writer. Her prose is beautiful and evocative.
I would definitely recommend The House at Watch Hill to anyone who is looking for a fun and entertaining paranormal romance novel.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4.25 Stars ⭐️

Well, this was a definitely intriguing surprise. As many of us are, I am a huge fan of Ms. Moning and found her many, many years ago through her "Fever" series - which I absolutely fell in love with. Now, I am not one of those readers that is over the top devoted, so I have no idea if there have been other books that have been released in between these two series, but it has been a pretty long time since I have seen anything released from Ms. Moning. I was even more excited when NetGalley approved my request for this ARC. So, to say I was excited would be an understatement.

This book is unique. It is the first book in a new series so there is a lot of time and words devoted to setting the stage - building the world and introducing us to the characters. We get to meet Zo Grey and little by little we are given snippets from her unusual upbringing. Zo is a fun character and she is pretty easy to like.

Then....well, we start to get to the introduction to the house itself and to the town in which it resides. Unfortunately, this is where I started feeling my first bits of disappointment. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but from what we are given in this first book - the house itself was a bit of a let down in terms of the info we are given. I did like the caretaker/attorney who's responsibility it is to take the time to introduce her to the various quirks of the house, to protect her from the town members who may have nefarious intentions...etc. But, well, it was a bit underwhelming.

I will say that the narrating duo of Amanda Leigh Cobb and Tim Campbell did a fine job, so there is that. I guess I was just wanting ....well....MORE. Zo does have a friend with a background that could have been EXTREMELY helpful, but she is relegated to the side for most of the book. Then there is the possible love interest, well, maybe more than one possible love interest and that was fun, but again.......who knows?

I guess, what I am trying to say is that I have come to expect QUITE a lot from Ms. Moning and since it has been so very long since I went back to the very beginning of a series introduction from her - my expectations may have been a little bit much. So please....do not take this in a bad way.

I enjoyed the book. I AM intrigued. I AM looking forward to eventually finding out more about what the heck is going on, I just wish that maybe there had been a little bit more information given out in this first book. *okay, stepping down from my soap box...*

I guess that is why we call these books suspenseful, and I guess that is what makes us readers keep coming back for more. Will I be moving on to book 2? You better believe it! Absolutely.

Thank you to NetGalley and to William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone. This book will be out for publication on October 1, 2024.

I love this author and I was crazy excited to see that she was finally coming out with another series! I love her Fever series and couldn't wait to crack this one open.

It was a struggle for me to stay interested! It was like whip lash where I was super interested and then struggled and then got super interested and then struggled. It took me a but eventually it got goooood.

This book is perfect for the halloween time. It's super creepy and sexy all at the same time. It's fascinating, unsettling, and just brilliant! I love Moning!

Looking forward to all her stuff!!!

I was very excited to see a new Karen Moning series. That said, this book was really long for how much plot it actually covered. The world building is enticing, the house is so intriguing and the world she has built has so much potential. That was mostly what this book contained ..potential. You get glimpses into the possible future of Zo here and there when she breaks the fourth wall and that is the main element that kept me interested in her. Overall, this was exciting enough but only just. If the series is short then I will definitely read it but if it’s over 5 books then I’m pretty apprehensive.

KMM released a new fantasy series? Sign me up! I went in completely blind, trusting the process. This book is the perfect read for the season, giving gothic witchy vibes. KMM does a great job depicting magical realism while building a fun new fantasy world! The book ends off on a huge cliff and I can’t wait to continue the series!

Read if you love:
✨ Witchy Vibes
✨ Vampires
✨ Magical Realism
✨ Gothic Spooky House
✨ Hidden Identities
✨ Cliffhangers
✨ Fantastic World Building
✨ Rags to Riches

the story was a little too far fetched for me. the main character finds out she's a witch and then she finds out her bestie is a witch too and kept it from her, the same way her mother kept her magic from her too. and then there was an unnecessary sexual tension between her and the groundskeeper. Don't get me wrong, I am always up for a romance subplot and even prefer when one is there, but this was so forced.

The first book in the trilogy, Karen Marie Moning does it again-- makes you fall in love with the setting and sets the stage for what's to come.

The world building is lovely, the mystery is intriguing, and the characters we meet are filled with so much gusto.

I always find Moning is a master of showing the transitions of grief and loss in a way that makes her characters human (even when they may not seem like it).

Overall, I am excited for this new journey and hope readers give it a go!

The House at Watch Hill is Karen Marie Moning's latest, and I was so excited to read it. It's been many years since I've read her books, and I was eager to see the new world she's created. This is the first in her new trilogy so while it sets the stage for her new characters, I think it'll be a year before we get the next installment.

Zo Grey is 24 and just now finding out many things that her mom kept from her. Along the way she's met a couple men who intrigue her...especially Devlin. Grab the book or listen to the audio that Amanda Leigh Cobb narrates...either way it's the perfect October read!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 1 October 2024

THE HOUSE AT WATCH HILL, A Novel, The Watch Hill Trilogy, Book 1
by Karen Marie Moning
Ms. Moning is brilliant at her craft and has done such an excellent job with this new well written, addictive, mysterious, intriguing tome. I am anxiously waiting for the next installment! This story ends this with a cliffhanger.
I listened to the audio version narrated version by Amanda Leigh Cobb and Tim Campbell who do an excellent job with it. This is 5 stars.

This book is perfection! I love Karen Marie Moning's previous series and this book just proves how talented of a writer she truly is!! I couldn't put the book down...ended up purchasing all 3 formats and would switch between reading the ebook and listening to the audiobook (the Hardcover is gorgeous too). The world building that KMM writes makes you feel as if you're IN the story, experiencing everything while the character is. The characters are so intriguing. I can't stop thinking about the story and what is going to happen next!! I absolutely LOVE this book and although the wait is going to be tough for the next book in the series, it is well worth it! I'm so happy KMM is back, she is truly gifted! I also wanted to mention that the narrators for the audiobook did an excellent job bringing the book to life!!