This book was pleasantly surprising. It was not what I expected going into it. However, it was a wonderful story of a young woman coming into her own and learning to stand up for herself in a time when independent women were frowned upon. I loved watching Fleetwood develop into an independent woman who stood up to the powerful men in her life and tried to make a difference in the life of her midwife, Alice Gray. I was drawn into this book from the first page. It was truly a joy to read.

This was an enjoyable read. Fleetwood, the main character is likable and generates sympathy for the situation she is in and in her determination to survive.

I liked the emphasis on the link between midwifery and the suspicion of witchcraft, with the idea that witch hunts hurt all women in one way or another.

I wasn't much taken with the other woman subplot but it did allow characters to develop and create tension.

The period detail is gorgeous and I had a frisson of horror at the amount of alcohol that Fleetwood drank - such contrast with today!

The Pendle witches were well handled - there was enough historical detail to move the plot but not so much that it felt like reading a historical account. This is great because I feel encouraged to go and find out more for myself, the mark of a good book is that it creates the spark of curiosity to go and read more.

This is such a good novel! It weaves the Pendle Hill Witch Trials of 1612 into a believable and historically correct drama. The two lead female characters are strong-willed and independent, which was good for them but bad for their roles in a structured society.
Fleetwood learns that she’s pregnant about the same time she discovers a letter hidden in her husband’s office stating that it would be deadly for his wife to conceive again. What shocks her most is his joy at her pregnancy; he voices no concern whatsoever with her wellbeing.
Fleetwood crosses paths, literally, with Alice, a naturopathic doctor, whom she immediately feels a kinship with and asks to be her midwife. Alice has to be discreet about her talents; in that time and place, the knowledge and use of plants for healing purposes were indicative of witchery.
What follows over the months of Fleetwood’s pregnancy is a constant battle to keep her and her baby safe. The countryside, the castles, the clothing, meals, and habits of the characters in the book bring the settings to life in a colorful, realistic and enjoyable plot.
I enjoyed reading Stacey Hills’ Author’s Notes at the end of the book. She did a great job mirroring actual events.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Harlequin MIRA and NetGalley for making it available.)

IN 1612 IN LANCASTER, ENGLAND, THE HUNT FOR WITCHES IS RAMPANT…
BUT IN A TIME OF SUSPICION AND ACCUSATION, TO BE A WOMAN IS THE GREATEST RISK OF ALL.

**This book has content of child brides, adultery, and female oppression. It is the 17th century. If you know you can't handle this stuff then don't read the book. It will not be for you.**

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in 24 hour time span. I did not want to put it down. The historical fiction in this book was fabulous. It was well researched. I like that it wasn't just facts thrown at you in the book. It made it more interesting to read it when it was mixed in with a great story. I highly recommend this book f you are interested in historical fiction about witches and the witch trials. While the book doesn't have a huge amount about the witch trials, or scenes at them, it was just the right amount in my opinion.

Fleetwood was a amazing. I related to her. She would do anything to get out of her parents house and escape her life. At the beginning of her marriage she didn't ask a lot of questions. She was care free, well besides trying for an heir. She is married to a wealthy man that is high up in society. She doesn't have much to worry about. Then she met Alice, a poor girl at the very bottom of society. The universe brings them together because they need each other. In the book Fleetwood goes from being a spoiled rich young bride to a women who thinks for herself and cares about others below her standing in society. I loved how she grew up to be at the end of the book.

Speaking of the end of the book. I LOVED IT! This was a interesting conclusion to the book that I wasn't expecting to happen to be honest. Stacey Halls writing was great. She is being added to my favorite authors list. I hope she writes more books in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this book to read and review. All opinions are 100% my own.

"She certainly looks like a witch. She is very thin and rough-looking, with black hair and a sullen face. My mother says never trust someone with black hair because they usually have a black soul to match."
"I have black hair." (p. 26)

I have to admit that going into this, I didn't know much about the Pendle Hill Witch Trials, I only knew Pendle because of Joseph Delaney's Wardstone Chronicles (he got inspired from history so much for his Pendle, and my favourite book of the series is the fourth one, set there, what a surprise). Reading about those events was both frightening and fascinating, because of the awful fate these women were to know and it became even scarier when I read the author's note and that Stacey Halls explained that all her characters had actually existed. In any case, I felt like I was in early 17th century Lancashire, Stacey Halls did a great job at recreating its atmosphere.

Moreover, as said in the summary, The Familiars explored the rights of women in different ways, from gentry-born women to the poorer ones, who didn't have wealth or status to protect them and it was really interesting. It showed how little choice, on their different scales, women had at that time. For Fleetwood, our gentry-born main character, it was about making a good marriage, then having to produce an heir for her husband, whereas for Alice, it was about keeping a job and surviving, when no one really cared about her: in a way, both only could count on themselves, and later on each other. On another hand, The Familiars explored the way men had power over women, whether it was through their marriages or even when it came to the law: they barely were held accountable for their actions, which the author discussed through the main character's point of view.

"I remembered Alice's words: I am afraid of lies. Now I knew what she meant: lies had the power to destroy lives but also create them." (p. 198)

I adored the main character, Fleetwood, because I could relate to her so much. While she felt helpless, she never gave up and tried to do all she could to stay alive, then to save Alice, when she could have stayed in her comfortable, but imperfect, life. Her friendship with Alice was so heartwarming, because it was portrayed in a healthy way: the both of them had been brought together by Alice's job as a midwife, but came to mean so much more to each other and to always be there for the other.

The Familiars started with exciting chapters before slowing down, then I wondered where the author was going and thought I knew, until it took me by surprise several times, which I loved. It had such a gloomy atmosphere as the story progressed, to the point that I could be as tense as Fleetwood. From the moment this novel first took me by surprise, I couldn't stop reading, because I had to know what would happen next. It might have been a bit slow in the beginning, but it was all worth it as I kept thinking about the story, even when I wasn't reading this novel.

On top of that, I really liked that the author always made me doubt whether the "witches" had magical powers or not. I found the theme of the familiars really interesting, as it had to do with natural magic and the way Fleetwood encountered magic was really well-written, as she was an outside point of view on the topic of magic.

Last but not least, I can't say much because it would be a spoiler, but I adored the very last chapter! I am often disappointed by endings, but it wasn't the case at all here, I thought it was a perfect way to conclude!

Overall, if you love historical fiction and are intrigued by witch trials stories, I would totally recommend you this one! It portrayed a friendship between two women from different parts of society in a healthy way, had a gloomy atmosphere like I love and discussed the rights of women at the time. It was Stacey Halls' debut, so I'll be sure to keep an eye out for more of her works, because this one sure was amazing.

Atmospheric and tense, this work of historical fiction based on the Pendle Hill Witch Trials in seventeenth century England, had me captivated from the very first page.
Teenage bride Fleetwood Shuttleworth seems like she has it all, married to a handsome, wealthy noble young husband, living in a manor house with servants to attend to her every need, and a sumptuous wardrobe of jewels and velvet. However under the surface lurks sadness, though she is pregnant she is haunted by the miscarriages which have ended all her previous pregnancies, and worried that this pregnancy will end the same way. While out on her husband's lands she meets a strange young woman, Alice, and through talking to her she learns that she is a skilled midwife and wise woman despite her tender age. She offers her a position at the manor , sure that Alice will be able to help her have a healthy child. Unfortunately Alice is soon caught up in the political ambitions of another local lord, and finds herself arrested for witchcraft . Can these two young women stand strong and save each other?
The lush writing and evocative descriptions throughout the book make every page a pleasure, and really help to bring history to life for the reader. The story of the two young women fighting for their rights is one that still speaks to women today and it is impossible not to feel sympathy for their plight. I loved that the author was able to show that even wealth and privilege did not guarantee safety or security for a woman , as both Alice and Fleetwood faced very difficult circumstances. Although the book is based on the Pendle Hill trials, they do not dominate the story, instead forming a narrative frame on which the stories of the two women and their relationship is allowed to develop.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

A solid historical fiction, well researched and interesting.
I liked the description of the historical background, the women condition and how the witch hunt worked.
It's a bit slow at times but I think this helps to see in a better way how the characters evolve and how they are involved in a historical event.
Fleetwood goes from being a spoiled young girl to a woman able to fight and stand for what she cares.
The cast of characters is well written and fleshed out.
I will surely read other books about the Pendle process and look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to HARLEQUIN - MIRA and Netgalley for this ARC

I'm trying to think of an adjective to describe the reason I enjoyed this book so much, but everything I come up with makes it seem dull, which it was not, so I will just say that I enjoyed it.

It's based on the 1612 witch trials in Lancaster, England, but there is so much more to this novel. The main character, Fleetwood Shuttleworth, is a very young bride, living the life that is expected of a wealthy female during this time period. Her duty is to provide a dowry, bear children and to do as she's told, but after a chance encounter with Alice Gray, a young midwife she meets in the forest, her life changes and she grows in strength and confidence as she and Alice's life intersect.

This book is really so much about women and their lack of worth and respect in the eyes of men. It is set during a time period when women had no rights, but in many respects the story could be adjusted and reworked to fit many other time periods.

I really enjoyed it.

There are times when I get absolutely giddy over a book that I've just finished, so much so that I start babbling to my neighbors, call up family members, talk about it to strangers in stores despite their strange looks as though I've lost my mind. That is exactly what I have found myself doing with Stacey Halls new book, The Familiars.

Fleetwood Shuttleworth is the 17 years old mistress at Gawthorpe Hall. The year is 1612, and she pregnant for the fourth time. The problem, however, is that she has yet to bring a child to term, something both she and her husband are concerned about, each for very different reasons. By chance, Fleetwood encounters a woman in the forest on her property. This woman, Alice Gray, claims to be a midwife and promises Fleetwood that she can help her give birth to a healthy child. They agree on terms and Alice is brought into Gawthorpe Hall where Fleetwood almost at once begins to feel better. There are problems, however. King James, as we all should know, is on a witch hunt and his minions who wish to stay in his favor will do whatever necessary to stay in the king's good graces, including accusing innocent women of witchcraft. Fleetwood has the misfortune of living near Pendle Hill and one of her husband's dearest friends and benefactor's is just the sort of man to gather up innocents to appease the king - and that is exactly what he does - including Alice Gray.

I live in a town named Pendleton settled by men originally from Pendle Hill. We actually have a place called Pendle Hill in our tiny town so I have a strange, slightly bizarre fascination with the Pendle witches of Lancashire. When I first read about The Familiars, I was led to believe that it was a witch story and somewhat cutesy. That is far from the truth. This is a story of the women in the surrounding village who eventually were charged with murder and witchcraft at Pendle Hill, specifically, Alice Gray. It is the story of Alice's friendship with Fleetwood and the extreme measures that Fleetwood took in order to save her friend. It is a beautifully told story of women, devotion, love, motherhood, history and so much more but it is very much rooted in historically accurate research. At the heart of the tale is Fleetwood and her desire to bring her child into the world safely and alive. In order to do so, she truly believes she must have Alice by her side. It isn't about magic or witchcraft, it is about herbs and knowledge passed down from one generation of women to the next. As we learn, these women were being rounded up far too often because of men who merely wanted them gone for reasons of cheating, anger, because the women were more knowledgeable, not unlike what is happening today when intelligent women are mocked in the public arena. They were also being hanged because their religion no longer aligned with that of King James. Then, as now, religion was a source of war. Isn't it amazing how absolutely nothing has changed after all of this time? How we have learned nothing from the past?

I absolutely loved the transformation of Fleetwood from silly, frivolous socialite to the mature woman willing to fight for her child and her friend. Women will do that when they have the right influences to guide them and it was beautiful to see how Alice, so quiet and unassuming, could give the much needed confidence to Fleetwood, not with magic but through friendship and care. In the end, this is a novel of historical fiction and it stays true to the story. Twelve women were charged with witchcraft, some were hanged, one landed in stocks for a fortnight and one is released. This is a wonderful imagining of their story, one that I highly recommend!

Thank you to #Netgalley, #Harlequin-Mira and #StacyHalls for my advanced copy of #TheFamiliars.

Set against the Pendle Hill Witch Trials, The Familiars is historical fiction about Fleetwood Shuttleworth (yes, Fleetwood. I love it.) and Alice Grey, Fleetwood's midwife.

After 3 miscarriages, Fleetwood finds a letter from her doctor stating that she will not survive another pregnancy. Desperate to save her baby and her own life, she hires Alice, who promises a healthy baby. Alice, however, is soon accused of witchcraft.

This book captures the frenzy surrounding the witchcraft accusations that surrounded mostly poor and illiterate women. With reach historical figures, such as King James I, this is a good beginner novel for someone who is interested in the witch trials but not quite ready for a deep dive.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A very interesting take on historical events. Witches tapes are everywhere it this one is a new spin that starts out admittedly a little slow but finishes strong!

Stacey Halls’ novelization of the Pendle witch trials is a solid story with a well described setting. I wanted to be more engaged by the main character, Fleetwood Shuttleworth, but found myself much interested in her midwife Alice, and felt a bit cheated by her underdeveloped story.
All in all a very readable historical novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This novel tells the story of Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a 17-year-old noblewoman, anxious to provide her husband with an heir. But at what cost? None of her previous pregnancies have come to term and a discovered letter to her husband reveals that she would not survive childbirth. Scared and alone, Fleetwood strikes up an unlikely relationship with Alice, a woman of lower standing, who has skills as a midwife and promises that, with her help, both mother and baby can survive.
However this is Pendle, Lancashire, early in the 17th century. Accusations of witchcraft are rife and soon Alice and Fleetwood are implicated in practicing the dark arts and the Witch Trials are looming.

If you are interested in reading about the supernatural and witches covens then this isn’t the book for you. This is a book about power, and the abuse of power, but mostly it’s about what it was like to be a woman in the 17th century.

It’s a good observation of social history of the time, expertly researched and brought to the page. This book highlights the role of women in the 1600’s, how they were massively subservient and their views dismissed. The author manages to stress how this was irrelevant of class or place in society, and shows how the male abuse of power was very much evident in the home and perceived as ‘normal’.
The persecution of the witches, who were merely, midwives, herbalists or ‘wise women’, was an extended branch of this, although men, on occasion, were also accused.

However, step forward Fleetwood Shuttleworth and Alice Grey, the perfect antidote to this. The author provides two indomitable female characters from very different backgrounds. Fleetwood is strong, determined and refuses (mostly) not to back down and fight for what she believes in and grows throughout the book. Alice has to battle not just against male dominance, but also class prejudice and a crazed witch hunting King. They combine to create a formidable and inspiring duo.

I enjoyed this book for these excellent female characters set against a dark but interesting period in English history. The pace of the book is slow, but not an issue, and does pick up with the climax, with some decent plot twists and turns.

This is rich, historical fiction all about the treatment of women and the abuse of power. It’s also a little bit about witches.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC, in return for an honest review.

I expected to like The Familiars more than I did. I found the age of the girl very disturbing. I realize that girls were wed and pregnant very young during the time, but I didn't care for reading the details of this practice. I skimmed through some of this story because I just couldn't read it without being upset. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I found this very slow and more than a bit creepy. I realize that a bride of 13 was common for the time but the idea of a 17 year old heroine who is already in pregnancy #4 is hard to read about. There are some revelations that occur by the end which I don't care for although again, they were probably common then. The adultery and what is told about what happened to the heroine before her marriage to Richard are not what I want to read. The historical details are well done but aren't enough to overcome the rest.

Based on the blurb, I was expecting a lot more from this book than I felt it delivered. Some of the historical details were quite interesting, but the pace was just too slow to maintain my interest. I found myself skipping around at times. I figured there would be quite a bit on witches and familiars, but, again, that wasn't the case. Fleetwood felt a bit flat to me, overall. It did pique my interest about the Pendle Witch Trials of 1612.

Fleetwood Shuttleworth is trapped. This is her third pregnancy, and she has just found a letter from a doctor stating that another pregnancy will kill her tucked among her husband’s papers. However, Fleetwood is a member of the gentry of Northern England in 1612, taught from a young age that her only role is to give her husband an heir. Furious and desperate, she goes out riding and meets Alice, a frightened and destitute woman with knowledge of herb-lore and midwifery. Alice promises Fleetwood that she will do her best to keep both Fleetwood and the baby alive. The local magistrate, Richard Shuttleworth’s mentor, has taken up a witch hunt to curry favor with the king. One woman stands accused of witchcraft based on the collapse of a local peddler (an episode that, in my highly un-medical opinion, sounds like a stroke), and as these things were likely to do, the hunt spiraled out into the community.

This is somewhat unique in the assortment of witch hunt novels that I have read in that the protagonist is not the accused. As is common, the accused is a mentor to a young teenage girl, however the accused is a young girl herself, and stands accused not by jealous other teens but instead by a power hungry politician. While few of the plot twists are shocking, it is still an engaging book and a well-told story. Fleetwood has been fairly sheltered from poverty, and the implications of being poor and can be naive, for all her understanding of her role in society.
[Behind spoiler warning]: The largest issue I had with the book was the references to a childhood rape when a character was 4 years old. I felt that the episode did not contribute to the story, and seemed to be either an afterthought or something that was once more developed but lost to editing and revision.

Verdict: A 17th century witch hunt set in Northern England, with the protagonist set just outside the witch hunt panic. You won’t be shocked with wild plot twists, but you will enjoy a solid story.

The Familiars by Stacey Halls is a much more serious book that takes a fictional look at the Pendle Witch Trials of 1612.

Most of the characters were real people, and Stacey Halls creates a rich and frightening narrative with the character of Fleetwood Shuttleworth. Fleetwood, a genuine historical figure (as imagined by Halls) is a fascinating young woman whose character grows and develops throughout the novel.

Having suffered three miscarriages, seventeen-year-old Fleetwood is suffering through her fourth pregnancy, ill and frightened that she will once again loses the baby. After finding a letter written to her husband by a doctor who examined her, Fleetwood realizes that she may not survive this pregnancy, and her fear and distress is heightened.

When Fleetwood meets Alice Grey, she discovers that the young woman is a midwife. In her desperation, she insists on hiring Alice to care for her and to deliver her child, bucking the advice of others who believe a more experienced midwife should be engaged.

In the meantime, Alizon Device is arrested and accused of murder by witchcraft. Much like in the Salem witch trials, the frenzy of accusations increased and spread.

As she loses trust in almost everyone else, Fleetwood comes to trust Alice Grey, and when Alice is also caught up in the accusations and imprisoned, Fleetwood is determined to save her.

What resonates so strongly in the book is the role of women--obedient wives, powerless over their own wealth; the importance of producing an heir and the dangers of childbirth; women whose opinions are ignored, and who are easily blamed for things that have natural causes.

Initially, I was distressed and worried by Fleetwood's vulnerability, but the book moved
into a compelling story as Fleetwood and Alice work together to insure Fleetwood's health and a successful childbirth. Then Fleetwood does her best to prevent Alice from facing the gallows after her arrest.

There is also an understated, but intriguing element of the supernatural that gives some ambiguity to the story. I liked the way this was hinted at, rather than emphasized.

Interesting tidbit: Sharon Bolton's The Craftsman is a suspenseful modern take on Pendle Hill and the witches.

NetGalley
Historical Fiction. Feb. 19, 2019. Print length: 352 pages.

The story opens on Gawthorpe Hall with Fleetwood Shuttleworth pregnant and extremely upset. She’s found a letter to her husband from a doctor saying she would not survive another pregnancy. While she’s in the woods near the home she runs into a trespasser, Alice Gray. Alice is a young midwife and Fleetwood quickly hires her to help her have a healthy pregnancy that doesn’t end in death. At the same time in the area are women being outed as witches and they will stand trial. Quickly Alice’s name is added to the list and Fleetwood must figure out how to save her.

I’ve heard of the Salem witch trials, but I didn’t realize something similar happened in England. I thought going into the book that it would be more of a paranormal book, but it was more historical fiction. Once I realized that I set in and enjoyed the book. I felt that the author stuck to historical details that rang true. The book was well written and I quickly read it trying to find out what would happen to Fleetwood and Alice.

Thank you Netgalley and Mira for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book. This book is set during the Salem Witch Trials and the main character has had trouble carrying a baby to full-term and how she brings in a new-midwife to assist through her pregnancy. Eventually the midwife is accused of being a witch. This book started a little slow for me and then about a third of the way through the story picked up that I felt like I blinked and it was over. I loved the main character, she was a feminist ahead of her time and carried the story so well. This was such a solid read with a great story and great leading female. Highly recommend.