4.5 Stars
The House at Watch Hill is the first book in a new fantasy series following grief stricken Zo Grey who inherits a large fortune and a Gothic mansion in Divinity, Louisiana that’s full of ominous secrets.

This was a captivating and atmospheric read filled with mystery, magic, rich world-building and a small hint of romance.
I absolutely LOVED it. Reading this also reminded me why I love KMM’s writing (and that I still need to finish the Fever series).

Zo was an amazing lead. She’s strong, fierce and determined to embrace this new chance at life she’s been given.
After losing everything and finding out she’s a witch who’s been lied to her whole life, it’s no surprise she’s a bit…volatile at the moment.
I loved the haunting yet beautiful mansion and I’m looking forward to learning more of the secrets housed within its walls.

I still have SO MANY questions which I'm okay with considering this is only the beginning. KMM did a phenomenal job setting up the world and ensuring we’re invested in Zo’s story.
This is a bit of a slow burn but trust me, it’s completely worth it because THAT ENDING. The wait for the next book is going to suck because I need to know what happens next!

This is a must read if you enjoy fantasy with magic, danger, mystery and a dash of romance!

So if there’s something you didn’t know about me, I love haunted house stories and this is exactly that. We follow a woman who inherits a large fortune and a gothic mansion in Louisiana so another southern gothic horror, after her mother passes away. Of course the house is ominous as hell and full of secrets. Now this is actually the first book to a trilogy which is rare to see in horror so that’s interesting and I'm not mad about it. I loved this so I can't wait for more.

The House at Watch Hill is book 1 in Karen Marie Moning’s new trilogy. It follows Zo Grey, a twenty-four year old woman who has done her best with the life she has been dealt. She works numerous jobs as her mom battles cancer. When tragedy strikes, and her mom passes suddenly, she is at a loss. Then she receives notice that she has been left a sizeable inheritance, but she must appear in person to learn the details. With nobody to stay for and no home to speak of, Zo travels to Divinity, Louisiana. To receive the sizeable monetary fortune, properties, and other items, Zo must reside in the dark, forbidding house on the hill which looms over the town of Divinity for three years.

After the continual cycle of moving from place to place during her twenty-four years, Zo now has the chance to put down roots and have a home. Strange happenings while she’s there sent some apprehension down her spine, but Zo remains steadfast in exploring the house, despite doors that won’t open and hidden passages that do. Along with the rule about living in the house for three years, she has several contingencies that need to be met. Zo is powerful and there are motions in play that both her, and the reader, are left in the dark about in this book. Some things are revealed, Zo’s powers are manifesting, but who or what is behind it all? Protected while inside the house, she still has encounters that make her question the reality she is living.

There are several interesting characters who are introduced in this story. The mysterious and sexy Kellan, her best friend Este, the handsome estate worker Devlin, and a Stygian owl named Rufus all add to the allure of this book. There is also Alisdair…who remains hidden, even though he’s heard from six times in this book.

Moning has again woven her magic with the tale of Zo and the Cailleach, while dropping hints about what may or may not be. I admit to being hooked already and needing to know what happens next, especially with that ONE name that readers of the Highlander and Fever series will recognize. Moning is a true storyteller who can spin a tale that has you walking along in the footsteps of the main character, feeling the cold air on your neck, hearing all the bumps in the night, all while keeping you on the edge of suspense just waiting to find out what happens next.

I don’t know how I’ll be able to wait for book 2 to get released after being engrossed in Divinity and its people, not to mention needing to know what happens with the cliffhanger at the end of this book.

It is important to note that this story is a world building book. I can’t even say there is a slow burn, because nothing is set at all with Zo and any of the male characters. If you are used to Moning’s way of telling her tales, you will understand this ahead of time. This is NOT the Fever series, you need to go in without having the expectation of it being that epic, otherwise you will be disappointed. I believe this series will stand on its own when it is complete, so I am going to wait until the last page of the trilogy before I fully reflect on it. If you are new to her, you may want to wait until the trilogy is complete before you begin reading.

Well, done, Moning! Well, done.

This was a great way to start off my scary season readings. Dark, gothic, portentous, atmospheric, a little creepy, and a lot magical. A big content warning with this one because in the beginning it deals with caring for a parent with terminal cancer, death of that parent, and the grief that accompanies losing someone. So take care of yourself if this is a tough topic for you.

Moning’s prose was back to how I remembered it. Lush, provocative, reflective with lots of foreshadowing. We’ve got witches, vampires, owls with red eyes and who knows what else.

This book spent a lot of time in Zo’s grief after her mom’s passing, which is understandable, but also made the plot move very very slowly. There was a lot of world building and set up for the rest of the series. There was foreshadowing from the first sentence, and much of it isn’t resolved by the end of the book. POV’s where you aren’t exactly sure whose head you are in (there’s a name in the chapter title, but you never really meet a character named that! )

I did get a little frustrated with Zo…. ASK MORE QUESTIONS GIRL! But given her history and the situation, I did understand the reasoning given. She’s so alone with no one she feels she can trust, not even herself.

Craft things - i feel like at times there was too much thesaurus use.... you can just say stubborn instead of obdurate 3 times. I didn't feel like the word choice fit the character at times, even if her mom did encourage her to enrich her vocabulary.

The book ends in a cliffhanger, which I saw coming, but does make me want to keep reading the rest of the series. This isn’t a romance (yet) though there are plot threads seeded here that I’m sure will carry into the next books in the trilogy, but probably not in the way you expect (given Moning’s writing style!)

Can't wait to find out what happens!

I've been a fan of Karen Marie Moning for a long time, was excited when I heard she had a new paranormal/fantasy series coming out. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing the eBook in exchange for my review.

When the story begins, we're immediately thrust into Zo Grey's life. She and her mother lived a nomadic lifestyle and when her mother suddenly dies, Zo is alone and feels as if her life couldn't get any worse. While grieving the loss of her mother Zo finds out she's the only living relative of a family member she never knew. And, more importantly, as the sole beneficiary she will inherit a small fortune along with the house at Watch Hill in Divinity, Louisiana. She just has to meet a few specific stipulations. This seemed like an easy task​ to me.

The story is mainly told from Zo's perspective. There are a few chapters from another narrator. These chapters, in my opinion, add to the suspense and mystery surrounding the house and Zo's ancestry and inheritance. I liked that there were stories with a bit of mystery within the story itself. This helped with the world building as Zo discovers and adapts to her new life. I enjoyed the suspenseful chapters where Zo ​discovers aspects of her magic and those where she explores her new magical home. I liked that there seems to be a bit of a mystery about Zo's full name. We don't get her entire first name until later in the story and I wonder what that means.

Zo's behavior and reactions to situations were at times frustrating. While her initial anger and resentment is warranted, after a while I felt like she needed to not take her anger out on the messengers and just move on already. And then I'd remember this is someone who is grieving, but still. Also, Zo's use of sex as a stress reliever got to be eye-rolling after a few times and of course means this will get her into trouble at some point.

Overall, I found The House at Watch Hill a great start for this new series and am looking forward to reading the next book.

The House at Watch Hill is book one in the Watch Hill Trilogy by Karen Marie Moning.
Karen Moning is one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint with her upping title.
An intriguing atmosphere, compelling characters and phenomenal writing. This book kept me flipping the pages till I was finished!
Creepy, magical and so dang intriguing I was utterly hooked!

Thank You NetGalley and William Morrow for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

It’s been quite some time since I’ve read a new Karen Marie Moning story. I remember (years ago) discovering the Fever Series and the absolute rabbit hole she created with that world. And while her Scottish romance series was good, they didn’t hold the same ethereal feeling like Fever did. That is until The House At Watch Hill. I am positively stunned by how captivating this book was. Most of the book is spent inside Zo’s brain but the winding thought processes she goes through are just as spell binding as the mysterious new future and new town before her.

In short, Zo’s life takes two hard turns when her beloved (yet sick) mother passes in a horrifying way but then she discovers a long lost relative has left her an inheritance. But it’s no small sum of money or cozy home, it’s a literal mansion on a hill with an insurmountable amount of money and a sprawling town dependent on Zo’s decision to accept or deny her inheritance. But the story is less of a moral quandary and leans heavily into the seduction of a mystical world roiling beneath Zo’s feet.

I refuse to spoil this for you because as a reader, I never knew what was truly real and what was coming next. Would Zo accept? How much of her life has been kept from her? What past lies behind her and what of the path ahead? I couldn’t wait to metaphorically turn the page on my ereader. I became as obsessed as Zo; I needed to know the truth. Warning: it’s a trilogy….who knows what’s true? I’m dying for more.

This author loves to develop intriguing characters and she does it beautifully again.The female lead character Zo is young, naive and has a lot of life lessons to look forward to in this series. She is strong in her sexuality and takes what she needs without relationships. I didn’t really like her at first, but as her character developed I really started to like her.
The males are strong, sexy and withhold information. Men ! She enjoys them physically and doses’t seek more from most of them now. Who they are remains a mystery in this first book they’re only developed on the surface. It’s a rather nice surface ;P I can’t wait to hear more on their stories. Knowing KMM’s writing they will be very interesting.

Zo is a newly orphaned young woman, that has spent the last few years caring for her terminally ill mother. She devoted everything to her mother, losing her was devastating. She was left with no family, and no ties to ground her. They moved often running from some unknown danger, her mother never explained. Her life does a complete turn around when she inherits a home from a relative that she didn’t know she had, in Louisiana. Oh but, it’s not just a house, but a HOUSE and it has some quirks that will raise the hair on your neck. Oh wait till you get to explore this beauty ! There are some really nice things that come with this house, we should all have one. ;P The will has weird stipulations and hoops she must get through, they are exact with no wiggle room. Challenging to say the least.
Her life already doing a 360 is now thrown into a world of magic. She’s not a believer at first this is a world she never knew existed. Finding her life has been a blur based on lies, has her unsteady questioning everything. Who is she, where did she come from ? A truth that has always been hidden from her.
I loved this story. I loved the slow build, nobody can build a character or world like KMM. I’m ready to re-read it already this time on audiobook. Her books are fantastic in audio too. It was filled with unknowns, unexpected and amazing details. I can not wait to get to book 2, there is a stunning cliffhanger.

💀I cut my dark fantasy teeth on The Fever Series back in the day, and will forever hold that series sacred. Since it ended back in 2021, I have been absolutely craving more of KMM’s impeccable writing, and utterly addictive stories. So I could not be more grateful to have received an ARC.

From the very first paragraph, it felt like coming home. As always, the incredible writing was intelligent, insightful, raw, and polished. It whisked me away into this new world she’s woven, taking me far from my troubles and the minutia of daily life.
It was dark, spooky, and witchy… all the things we crave this time of year, with some lush southern gothic vibes to boot. The story is layered and complex, and this installment, which is the first in a trilogy, really lays the groundwork for the overall story, and all of the developing relationships.

I absolutely loved the FMC, and I’m so intrigued by all of the characters we’ve met thus far. As for the romance, if you’re familiar with this author, you know that she’s the QUEEN of the slow burn. 🫠 So don’t jump in thinking you’re gonna get a lot of spice and romance, because that’s just not her style for book 1. But I guarantee she will build up to that in the books to come.
If you’re looking for the perfect spooky season read, THIS IS IT! It drops today, so go get it!! 👏🏻👏🏻

THANK YOU 🙏🏼 @netgalley & @williammorrowbooks for the digital ARC and GORGEOUS hardcover. I will treasure it forever. 😭

I'm a fan of this author's previous works and was so pleased to see she had a new book coming out! I dug in right away. However, something just didn't work for me with this book. It almost felt like the same books I was reading 10 or 20 years ago. I had a hard time identifying with Zo, and at times she seemed to have entirely different personalities. I'm also not a huge fan of cliff hanger endings, even in series--there really should be more resolution.

I’m a fan of this author’s and really enjoyed both the Fever and Highlander series. I was surprised to receive an ARC for this novel and relished digging into this brand new series. The synopsis sounds eerie and interesting I just knew that I was going to love the main character, Zo, and her story. For some reason though, I had difficulty falling into the story and really had trouble caring for Zo. She was impressively whiny and her character was very dark. Granted, she was going through some tough times, and I tried to give her some slack, but as the book went on she became more unlikable. The characters around her were interesting and ultimately my curiosity about those characters was the reason why I did keep reading. Also, I kept thinking there would be a shift and Zo would evolve into a character I could come to care about but she just never got there. It wasn’t until the final chapter that I became more interested, wondering where the author would take us in the next novel.

If your a fan of this author’s your either going to love or hate this book. I kind of fell in between, but I will admit it was a tough story to love. If it wasn’t for the cliffhanger ending (yes, there is one!) I probably wouldn’t be invested enough to pick up the second novel. However, she made me just curious enough that I know I’ll give it a try. I have hope that Zo becomes more interesting, less self-serving, and a bit more about her background is explained!

An atmospheric read filled with the paranormal and gothic vibes. Also had a touch of mystery. The plot was a slow build up but the ending definitely makes me want to read the sequel. The characters were interesting and the steamy/tension was chefs kiss.
Thanks to netgalley and publisher for ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing the ARC.

I love a good Gothic thriller/mystery and I absolutely enjoyed the heck out of this book.

This book is great for those who like mystery and puzzles with their romance. Zo is an intriguing character, and I often found myself wanting to more about her and her intentions as the book went on. Kellen is the resident bad boy, and will likely be an even bigger focal point in the next two books.

This was a sufficiently spooky beginning of a new series and I can't wait until we meet the next on.

I have been a fan of Moning for years now and have devoured all of her previous works so when I saw that she was coming out with a witchy new book I immediately hunted it down to read. I was not disappointed. Though a little slow to get into I eventually found my groove with the characters and story and couldn’t put it down. I finished reading it hours and hours ago and still find my brain going back into the story and wishing for more.

Zo Grey is a 24-year-old struggling to survive when suddenly she loses everything… only to find something new. When Zo is approached by a stranger about an inheritance from a newly deceased relative, she is weary but accepts the invite to visit charming town and all that comes with the inheritance. Soon she finds herself embroiled in a past she knows nothing about, magic she was never meant to know, and a town with even more secrets.

I cannot wait to see where this story takes us. The ending was somewhat expected (especially if you’re a fan of previous works) but still did not disappoint. I be thinking about this one long after I close the back cover.

Book #1 in a planned trilogy. I'm a Karen Marie Moning fan so knew what to expect in this first book. She introduces the main cast of characters andd gives us their back stories. She develops a spooky, eerie, creepy.....name your own adjective here......house in which the MC must live, by herself, for three years, at which time she inherits the house, alot of money and finds her true heritage. But KMM does so much more than give us a dry run up to some killer events in the next two books. She builds the momentum that will keep readers thinking about the house, the characters and what could possibly be happening when we meet next. Loved it!!!!

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. KMM is a must-read author for me with her evocative writing style. This is the first book in her long-awaited new trilogy after her iconic Fever series. It sets the scene for the story to come which begs the reader to have patience for the character development and action to come in future books

The book's main character Zo has had a tumultuous life, and the book begins with personal tragedy and then, utter shock as things are revealed to her about her mother and herself. The other looming character is, of course, the House in Divinity with all its secrets, complications and hidden agendas. It's gothic; it's creepy, and utterly fascinating.

It wouldn't be a KMM book if there aren't a host of characters with ambiguous motivations. By the end of the book, we have no idea who Zo can trust. Her best friend Este has somewhat lost her trust. And then there's the men, Devlin and Kellan. Who knows what they really want from her? What role will Alisdair and Rufus play?

I'm not sure where it's going but I've learnt to trust KMM to tell a spellbinding story, so I'm eagerly awaiting the next book. Thanks to Net Galley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I don’t know how I got lucky enough to get an ARC for this but I couldn’t be more thrilled. As a huge KMM fan with her fever series that I have read multiple times, I was very excited to get my hands on this. Let me tell you..

OMG…. KMM does it again. This story was so addictive and intriguing. I loved Zo. I loved watching her character come to life as she went through this self discovery journey. Kellen I already know is going to be my bad boy that I will love and be on my BBF list. I am sad that this book is brand new and now I will have to wait until whenever book 2 will come out. Don’t let that deter you though! Love this witchy world and I can’t wait to see what journey she is going to take is on. Buckle up! I have a feeling it’s going to be a wild ride!

I have to admit, I had forgotten just how long KMM books can be. The House at Watch Hill begins a new trilogy (I believe) that I will definitely be watching. I'm not gonna lie, this book is long. And sometimes it feels a little *too* long. But the overall concept and execution is spot on and different than anything I've ever read. Can't wait for more!

This was a really intriguing start to a series! It was atmospheric and creepy and left me with countless unanswered questions. And that ending?! I wish I didn't have to wait so long to find out what happens next.

I found this a cozy, fun fantasy read! This was my introduction to Karen Marie Moning, never read anything of hers before, so I had no idea what to expect. I enjoyed the pace, but grew frustrated with some of the decision-making from Zo and felt like this was more of a "set-up" book for the rest of the series. I don't mind that, but I wanted a little MORE out of the culmination of the book besides just a massive cliffhanger that I now have to wait a long time for! However, that's probably just me being impatient, and I'll read the next installment when it comes out.