The House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning is the first book in her new Watch Hill Trilogy. We meet Zo Grey, who is 24 years old, and grieving the sudden death of her mother; and seriously in debt, with multiple jobs. She receives a surprising phone call from an attorney in Divinity, Louisiana, as she has been left an inheritance by an unknown relative (she never knew), Juniper Cameron. Zo decides to drive to Divinity to meet the attorney, James Balfour, to learn about the inheritance. She discovers that she is the sole beneficiary of a huge fortune, as well as a gothic manor house, built on Watch Hill. There are some terms; she must live in the house for three years, she will be paid 1 million dollars for the first and second years, and at the end of the three years, she will inherit 140 million, including all assets from Juniper Cameron. The attorney, James Balfour, becomes her right-hand man, who will protect her against the many townsfolks who do not accept her.

Zo learns more about the witch coven, who are part of Divinity, which has a dark history, with warring clans, and powerful enemies, which also include witches, covens, vampires, shapeshifters; and a ongoing battle between light and dark magic. Kovan, is a 13-witch family with 169 members. Zo is expected to become the leader, once she learns everything, including the magical powers that continue to increase. Zo will need to get experience and training to fight her enemies. Will she survive, as the witch clans will do anything to kill her.

Zo has been through a lot, especially waiting for the 7 days and nights until she is allowed to open a letter from Juniper, explaining her responsibilities, the town history, and more about her magical powers. Zo learns the secrets within the house, which will awaken her dormant powers. She will have to face off against sinister forces in Divinity that are determined to stop her from reaching her powerful potential. Zo finds herself lusting after Devlin, the Scottish groundskeeper, who also wants to protect her from evil. I really did like James Balfour, Devlin and Rufus, the owl.

The House on Watch Hill is a fabulous dark fantasy, with a bit of mystery, danger, romance, sex, magic story line. It was very exciting as we get close to the end, which does end with a cliff-hanger. The House at Watch Hill was so very well written by Karen Marie Moning. I can’t Wait for the next book in this trilogy.

Karen Marie Moning's new book feels like Discovery of Witches meets True Blood (though lighter on vampires, more on vibes). I was super excited for a witchy read for October but unfortunately this one didn't really work for me. I felt like there were too many confusing layers, and the prose often felt overwrought. The premise of the book was super intriguing with warring covens and supressed magic and supernatural houses but there were so many unknowns that i often felt as confused as Zo because i also didn't know who to trust or what to believe. I think I would have been able to roll with this if i had gotten ANY sort of answer by the end of the book but the cliffhanger just left more questions without answering any of the mysteries already established. also the build up to the letter for hundreds of pages to finally read it and it just be like 'oh i'm so glad you're here' as opposed to offering any further information was WILD.

This was my 3rd book for my month of creepy reads. It did have a creepy undertone and one scene that gave me chills. Otherwise this was a witchy unraveling of one young woman's situation. I was wanting to know all the things and will most likely wish to read more in this world.

This is a mesmerizing start to an exciting new series. The story follows Zo Grey, who inherits a mysterious mansion and a large fortune after her mother's death with one condition: she must live alone in the eerie house for three years. Set in Divinity, Louisiana, the mansion is filled with secrets, from hidden doors to a red-eyed owl and a mysterious Scottish groundskeeper. Zo’s journey uncovers deep family ties, hidden powers, and dark forces she must confront. Moning’s blend of Celtic mythology, magic, and Gothic mystery kept me hooked. I can't wait for the next book!

This has the vibes for spooky season. You have a creepy house at the top of a hill, untimely death, magic, vampires, and a mystery.
Zo finds out she has an inheritance from a mysterious relative after her mother dies under suspicious circumstances. Once Zo shows up in the small Louisiana town, she discovers she has inherited a monstrosity of a house. And a lot of money. But there are stipulations that include living in the house before she can become obscenely wealthy. Who could say no? There she discovers her heritage and magic. But with answers come so many more questions. And there’s so many questions I want answers to. What all has been hidden from Zo? Who can you trust? And what will happen in Zo’s future?
I will say there was less romance than I wanted, but I could definitely see some in future books. I look forward to getting my questions answered as the series progresses. Another book with an ending where I want the follow up asap!

Thank you to William Morrow Books for the earc. All opinions are my own.

Be warned - this ends on a cliffhanger!

What a perfect fall book. Spooky, eerie, mysterious and thoughtful, KMM is introducing us to thought out characters and a complex world, but I'm left feeling a little bit confused. This feels like an amuse-bouche to the real story. Confusion aside, this is beautifully constructed and I look forward to the next installment.

Quick Thoughts

🍁 The House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning feels similar in vibes to the Fever series, for good & fo bad. This book (which ends on a cliffie) features a brave heroine who’s just experienced the horrific loss of her mother & who inherits a mysterious mansion. She’s driven by new physical urges & the desire to find out more about herself & her new family home. For me, this book was interesting & sensual but also felt dated. But like I said, if you feel the urge to step back into a world like Fever, you might enjoy it more. 3.5 ⭐️, out now. (Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.)

🎃 Tastes Like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma is a warm & 🔥 contemporary with a determined wedding planner trying to take down a saboteur & plan the wedding of her bestie’s dreams & the chef who once frustrated her but now might be the man of her dreams. I adored so much of this one & I’m already eager to read more. The mystery was my least fave part but everything else felt fresh & hot. 4.33 ⭐️, out now.

🌻 Isabel & the Rogue by Liana De La Rosa is another sexy & heartwarming installment in the Luna Sisters series. Isabel is such a great heroine—she’s a wallflower who’s also a spy for Mexico. The chemistry between Isabel & Sirius is so good & the audio for this one is fantastic. I’m loving learning more about 19th century Mexico & reading about Mexican heiresses wielding power in their largely prejudiced aristocratic social circle 👏🏻. 4.5 ⭐️, out now.

📖 have you read any of these books or are any on your TBR?

I love KMM. I’ve read her druids books and Mac and Barrons. Her books are so descriptive and her worlds so immersive. You feel like you are there with them and feel what they are feeling. She weaves such engaging stories.
I love a huge house and instant change in fortune. But there are witchy powers involved and constant threats.
You don’t know who is in your side and who to trust. Definitely constant mystery and you can’t predict what will be next.

I loved this book. The story line definitely packs a punch at the begining of this story and it honestly doesn't really stop. I love the setting and the Cameron House with all its twists and turns and mystery. I thought the characters were well written and each character that was written lent so much to the story. I was super interested in the magic system and cannot wait to see more of the Greys in book two. I also was fascinated by the "warm vampires" and how they came to be the way that they are. I loved how self away that Zo was and that she was able to simultaneously come into her own and fall completely apart at the same time. I think this really says something about Monings writing. I really cannot wait for book two because I need to know what happens and how this is all going to play out.

The House at Watch Hill is the first book in a trilogy. It is the classic first act. The characters are introduced and developed—some more than others, the location/scene is set, the heroine’s tragedy is outlined, and she is poised for her hero(ine) journey. Don’t go into this read expecting romantasy; it is a southern-gothic paranormal story.

The main character, Zo Grey, is supremely naive about the world, herself and her history. When she loses her mother and their current home, she mysteriously finds she is the heir to a large estate in Louisiana. Zo’s sadness and naivety are as fully discusses as is her specific “appetite” for men. Every other character in the book is somewhat suspect in the growing mystery and seeming conspiracy that surrounds Zo, the house, and the Cameron dynasty. The dark, atmospheric Watch Hill House is almost a character in the story; it feels sentient and that is unsettling. I was intrigued by the mysteries that are threaded through the book.

In characteristic Moning style, this book ends on a huge cliffhanger. Fans of Moning’s Fever series hung onto every word even though it took the author seven books to finish her story. While cliffhangers can be incredibly frustrating, Moning makes them worth her readers’ angst. In a recent interview, Moning presents the Watch Hill Trilogy as:

"The first novel of the trilogy sets the stage. as I build in the layers. The second installment blows it all to hell. The third takes Hell to a whole new level. Expect cliffhangers, and a few other shocking surprises.

Welcome to the world of Zo and Kellan, Este and Devlin, a Stygian owl named Rufus, and a host of witchy and otherworldly characters.

Welcome to Divinity, a very strange town a few hours from New Orleans that is virtually impossible to find without formal invitation or guide, which exists a smidgen adjacent to reality, rather like a radio station that perpetually eludes your dial, affording only brief, staticky bursts of a mesmerizing song."

A good series to start this fall to get you in a spooky mood for Halloween.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the ARC!

Very conflicted on how to rate/review this one! It was mostly entertaining and I think overall did enjoy it, and will be looking forward to the next book with THAT ending! But I definitely have some tiffs with the book as a whole. However they are complaints I’ve also had about Karen Marie Moning’s other series - so I knew what I was getting into!

The like super like cheesy? just over the top ramblings about how horny she is and the sexual chemistry she feels for like every single attractive man and just like the sec scenes in general are my biggest complaint. Idk I feel like there’s a way to get your point across without it feeling like you’re trying so hard 🤷‍♀️

I also really wasn’t a fan of the comments/references to what she knows/finds out in the future. They just really took me out of the story at present and felt unnecessary.

Being in the FMC head also got frustrating at times 🙃 her endless rambling thoughts just went on and on and on, taking up most of the story. Which meant the actual plot was pretty light, and I expect Moning to continue to breadcrumb us - giving the barest of information/smallest of plot reveals as the series goes on, as is her usual. But that will keep her readers reading!

This book felt like a lot of just introductory plot,as first books tend to be but I just wish we were given a little more as I wasn’t really invested until around the 30-40% mark. But all in all, if you loved her other books, I think you’ll love this too - and by the last chapter you’ll truly be hooked!

There is a large part of me that would love to rate this book higher. The author does an amazing job of describing the house and the town. Each description literally painted a perfect picture in my mind.
The issue I have with the book is that it spends so much time describing everything, that it seems to lose the plot. I literally kept waiting for something to Happen and it never did. This is one of those books rush didnt need to be a series but apparently everybody is jumping on that train. I still will read the next book. Hopefully it will be the authors redemption.
I received. an arc of this title, all opinions are my own.

Holy cow! I am bewitched. When I wasn’t reading, I wanted to be reading. I couldn’t stop thinking about what was going to happen next. What was going to be in the letter Juniper left for Zo? What is next for Zo? What’s building at The House at Watch Hill? And that ending!!!!
This is 5 stars all the way. I can’t wait for more.

Not going to lie, I was disappointed by this one. I was really looking forward to a new series by this author, but this did not work for me.

The premise was fun. Woman who finds out she's actually a witch with powers, from a very old family of witches. Inheritance drama. More drama ensues.

Most of my problem was how it was written. It very much felt like a late-90s paranormal in a way that didn't work for me. The FMC was 24 yo and horny all the time. ALL the time. And you're in her head because it's 1st person POV. It got really old, really fast. There was also quite a lot of talk about her "needing" to have babies (from others and herself), and weird statements involving that. I didn't think this was needed at all and it gave me the ick.

Content/Trigger Warnings: Parent with cancer, loss of a parent, grief

I have been a long-time fan of Ms. Moning, going back to The Highlander series. I love that her stories have elements of Celtic/Scottish myths/legends. It did take me a few chapters to get fully invested, but once you hit about the halfway mark, things really start to twist and turn. The house and town are characters within themselves and meeting the staff/townspeople adds depth.

Quite a few mysteries are happening at the same time with hints providing you just enough information to think you might have an idea of what’s happening, but you don’t.

The cliffhanger ending definitely makes you want to find out what happens next.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Karen Marie Moning for the eARC.

I just finished The House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning, and I’m still reeling from that wild ending! This book drew me in right from the start with its witchy vibes, atmospheric mystery, and an irresistibly spooky gothic house that almost felt like a character itself. The suspense kept building with every page, and the last part of the book was a whirlwind of twists and turns. And that cliffhanger—wow! I’m already counting down the days until the next book. If you love eerie settings and gripping mysteries, this one’s a must-read!

Thank you so much to Willam Morrow and NetGalley for proving an eARC to review!

The House at Watch Hill follows Zo Grey after she inherits a gothic mansion in Divinity, Louisiana following her mother's death. Divinity is full of secrets and supernatural creatures. This book pairs unraveling secrets with a cliffhanger sure to have readers wanting to continue the series. I enjoyed The House at Watch Hill thoroughly and am excited for Book 2.

I received an ARC from William Morrow via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm baffled by this book. It has the cringy explicit sex thoughts constantly but then is closed door when it comes to any action. Mental erotica only, I guess. Didn't make sense.

I also couldn't get on board with Zo as a protagonist. She is written with a scattered internal monolog that gets old very quickly. She has no family left and no job, but is not sure about accepting a massive inheritance...because the house was creepy when she first saw it out of the car window. What else could she possibly have to do?

The writing further put me off with continuous unpolished foreshadowing {"later I would learn..."), and flowery vocabulary that didn't fit. Nothing here worked for me and I dropped it 20% in.

eARC provided for review via NetGalley.

I read Karen Marie Moning romance with a touch of supernatural years in paperback, then moved on as she wrote the Fever Series. The House at Watch Hill, the first book in this series is much more gothic in nature that shows her moving even more into the unusual, unexplainable worlds similar to the first books in Fever. This time it takes place in Divinity, Louisiana where a near destitute young woman finds she has inherited a mansion, money and much more. This is Zo Grey’s story but also the mansion’s past owner too. Somehow, they are all tied together.

Do not expect for all to be answered in this first book, that is not this writer’s style. Instead expect to have questions, assumptions and speculations. Darker than any of her other books. This strong atmospheric story that keeps you wondering if things are as they seem and unsure who Zo should trust. An interesting first book in a brand new series. What can I say, we are not in Ireland anymore.

It feels like forever since I have read a book from Karen Marie Moning. I must confess that I was book obsessed with the 'Fever' series (Mac & Barrons, *sigh*), so when I saw that Ms. Moning had a new book (possible series?) releasing I knew I needed to read it immediately. I just
wish this story lived up to my high expectations.

The tragedy surrounding Zo's past home and everything about her future existence was filled with so much sadness that it broke my heart for Zo. I really, really, really wanted to like Zodecky 'Zo' Grey, but I struggled, at times, to understand her as a character. My issue centers around the two sides to Zo and each side is quite dramatic. On the outside, she is a faithful daughter, struggling to support her and her ailing mother in a small, unforgiving town. Then there is the wild side of Zo, seeking one night stands to feel alive.

A tragic house fire and a meeting with a distant family lawyer suddenly rocks her fragile world, leading her to Louisiana and a scary house on a high hill called Watch Hill. Eventually her changes in personality started to make sense to me. But understanding Zo's personality really didn't change how bored I was with her as a main character, and sadly with this book.

I want to quickly mention the mystery man in Zo's life, Devlin Blackstone. To me, he is the best part of this book, and the only one able to bring Zo out of her sadness. If there was one character that kept me interested at all in 'The House at Watch Hill', it was Devlin.

I waited a few days to write this review and as I'm writing it I'm still struggling for the words to express how depressingly long this book feels to me. Maybe if this book was a novella instead of a full length book, I would have appreciated this story more.


3.5 stars