RATING: 3/5 STARS

WINTERWOOD is written beautifully. The descriptions and scene building are unique, and Ernshaw does a great job of slowly and subtly unfolding her characters. If you're looking for a book that is delightfully witchy, I'd recommend this one. However, a few stars were subtracted from my review because the plot was not fast paced enough and there was not enough dialogue to grab my attention.

A sincere thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Unfortunately, this one was not for me. I really thought it would be because I loved The Wicked Deep by the same author. I ended up DNFing this one and only read about 20%. From the very beginning I just wasn't drawn into the world and I didn't care about the characters and since that was the total opposite experience I had with her prior book, I decided to put this one down but I will be open to reading more books from this author in the future.

I loved Ernshaw's debut The Wicked Deep so I was eager to read this one.


The atmosphere really got to me. The loneliness and isolation of the location was such an intense character in the story. I really liked how it was described as well as how it effected the characters.


Nora's and Oliver's chemistry was very realistic. Each was wary of the other, cautious and so it took time for them to find a deeper connection but I liked that. The entire book moved slowly, as if slowly thawing from a long winter's night and that added suspense and mystery. I had guessed what was going on early on, but that didn't make the book any less enjoyable.


I do wish there was a little more. More action, more family dynamics, more friends or foil characters, more tension at the end. Nora is so cut off, with only memories of her grandmother really making an impact on the reader. Her mother is around, but absent and though this adds to Nora's isolation it doesn't end itself to giving us a clearer picture who Nora really is and where she comes from. We only catch a glimpse of Nora around another girl who is not a friend or an enemy. Most of the story centers around Oliver and Nora and it works in some ways but didn't in others.


Overall, Winterwood is a creepy and atmospheric story about magic and death and things we don't understand. I really enjoyed reading it and Ernshaw has cemented herself as an auto buy writer for me.

This book was SO GOOD!! Such a dynamic story with beautifully written characters. Loved it immensely

This book made me genuinely wish I was snowed in from an enormous blizzard and had a mysterious wood to walk through-Shea Ernshaw's writing is just so wonderful and atmospheric. I loved the setting of this book so, so much, and I loved how she wove Nora's rich family history throughout it. The short passages about her ancestors made me wish I had whole books to read about them-their whole family is so fascinating.
I also thought the overall story was interesting as well. However, I did find a couple aspects predictable- especially the big plot twist toward the end. Shea Ernshaw did a lot of foreshadowing at the beginning of the book that made it pretty obvious what the plot twist would be.
Overall, if you liked Ernshaw's debut novel, "The Wicked Deep' or if you like fantasy based magical forest type stories, I think you'd really like this one.

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw is a young adult fantasy novel published by Simon Pulse. This standalone was released on November 5, 2019.

Nora Walker lives in the mountains, and the rumor mill at school and in town proclaims that she is a witch. Only a member of the Walker family can wander the forbidden woods of Fir Haven where lost things are found. Then, one day, Nora finds more than she bargained for – a boy, named Oliver, who has been missing for the past two weeks.

Even though Nora thinks Oliver may have been involved in the death of another boy who disappeared that same night, she still helps him. Oliver doesn’t remember what happened, how he has survived in the snow for the past two weeks, or even how he ended up in that forest. But as Oliver and Nora become closer, his memory begins to return and what he remembers might just shatter all his hopes.

Winterwood was very well written, like Ernshaw’s earlier novel, The Wicked Deep. The story alternates between Nora’s and Oliver’s points of view. Both characters are intriguing and relatable characters, but I favored Oliver’s character simply because I really wanted to know what had happened to him.

I very much enjoyed the story, even though I figured out the conflict/storyline about one-third of the way through the book. Nonetheless, I did not see the very last action coming, and that made up a bit for the lack of mystery earlier for me. I loved the last two chapters – the conclusion was excellent.

This book is a four-star read for me, and I highly recommend it.

I want to start by saying I challenged myself to read this one, because I wanted to relate better to my fantasy-loving students. I enjoy how Ernshaw roots the book in reality - with a few minor departures. She uses Nora's family history to give readers some interest into how Nora's gift will manifest itself, and also creates an irresistible mystery with an ending I never saw coming.

Winterwood is my first Shea Ernshaw novel so I went in with zero expectations. Her writing was engaging and I was intrigued by the haunted, magical woods of Fir Haven and what rumored witch, Nora Walker, was capable of. It was these two aspects – the magic and the heroine – that kept me reading even when the plot turned out to be completely predictable. The predictability is what ultimately lowered my enjoyment of the book because it was too obvious as to where the plot was headed and I say that as someone who usually terrible at calling the twists and turns. Still, the atmospheric writing and the mystery around the Walker women reeled me in, in spite of that. Nora and her ancestors have always shared a special connection with the woods and each is blessed (some say cursed) with unique abilities. That's how Nora is able to find Oliver Huntsman alive and well despite having disappeared from the Camp of Wayward Boys weeks ago. But he doesn't remember what happened to him and Nora takes it upon herself to find out, especially as they become close and she begins to care for him. He has secrets of his own though and the story's intensity grew as those secrets, and the involvement of others who wanted his memories to stay that way, came to a head. But as I mentioned earlier, I found the ending disappointing in its predictability and rushed, convenient wrap-up.

Do I recommend? | It wasn't for me but despite that, I would be interested in reading more of her work in the future. If you really want to read this, I'd recommend borrowing from the library.

I loved the writing of this so much, the VOICE. I was hooked from the very beginning. But I was able to figure everything out SUPER early on, and even when I learned more stuff, it was never surprising to me. So this isn't that twisted up in sharp turns, but the fact that I so badly wanted to know if I was right helped keep me invested. And I adored the MC, and Oliver. I'm just not completely sure if I loved how it ended, because it was almost too easy. Hmm.

Rating: 3.5 stars!

Eerie and enchanting! love the witchy vibe. The descriptions in the book were enough for me to build the world in my mind. I connected with the characters and the plot. The story kept me wanting to to know more. The nature based magic was so intriguing to me. Overall this book was a perfect autumn witchy read! Can't wait to read more from Shea Ernshaw!

Review:

Like everyone else, I was enamored with Ernshaw’s previous novel The Wicked Deep. I knew immediately that I would want, no NEED, to get my hands on this one as well! I was not disappointed.

Things I Liked:

The writing was eloquent and atmospheric. The story was captivating. I really liked Nora’s character. Though she hasn’t come into her magic as soon as some of her ancestors, she was sure of herself and strong. While there was a romantic storyline, it wasn’t completely overpowering or frustrating. I loved the entire premise of the woods and the lake, and the histories of the past Walker witches sprinkled throughout. Genuinely this was a pleasurable read and I felt myself get swept up in the magic of it all. Finally, the ending was perfectly fitting.

Things I Didn’t Like:

I was so confused for the first bit of the book. The world building was either a bit hectic, or I just wasn’t getting it. But once everything fell into place and I understood more of what was happening, it was smooth sailing.

Would I recommend this book to a friend? Heck yes. It was truly wonderful.

Hauntingly gorgeous, this story reads like a fairytale. While it may be slow for some readers I found it to be the perfect autumnal mood read. Definitely will be rereading this in October of next year!

I’m between 3 and 4 stars on this one, and that’s mainly due to plot. I loved the atmosphere of the book - the slow, languid, dripping enchantment, the cold, icy chill constant throughout, and the eerie creep of the scary Wicker Woods. But the plot just fell through the cracks for me quite often, there are so many things I kept thinking, why would this strong, independent, Nora go and do that? I guessed the little twist quite early on, but enjoyed the slow reveal. Also the love was a bit sappy like “Twilight” or something, and I felt Nora deserved a bit better than that.

Well folks, she did it again.
Welcome to another beautiful world written by Shea Ernshaw.

Winterwood was one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2019 and it definitely didn't let me down. It also further solidified that I have a new auto-buy author who is going to steal all my money in the future, but it's fine, totally fine. I don't know what it is about her world-building and soft bit of magic but it totally steals my heart every time. Even though I will say that The Wicked Deep is my favorite book out of the two, Winterwood still was everything I hoped it would be and then some.

Nora, our MC, in the story finds a boy named Oliver in the woods during one of the worst snowstorms that has hit her cozy little hometown in years. There is no way he should have survived but much to her surprise he has. However, he fails to recollect what happened the night he disappeared. Little does Nora know finding Olivier will be the beginning of something much bigger than she can ever imagine. As Oliver slowly unravels what happened the night he disappeared he tries his best to keep his distance from Nora in an effort to not hurt her by exposing the truth. But fate has a way of making sure the two of them always find their way back to one another. The mystery of what happened that night, the soft romance, the setting, and magic in this one will have you flying through the pages in no time.

The setting itself for this one is a place I would gladly love to live in. A lakeside setting surrounded by an enchanted forest that gets so much snow it often falls off the grid for months at a time. YES PLEASE. I'm moving in. It's seriously the perfect book to cozy up to this fall/winter. Plus, the book also includes excerpts from Nora's family spell book which talks about all of Nora's ancestors and the powers they held and their pasts. It works so well for the story because when you get to the end and everything ties together it just pulls on your heart and feels so good. My only reasoning for this one not being a five star read is because I did find this to be a tad bit predictable. However, there's still so much beauty within this book that it was something I was easily able to overlook.

Favorite Quotes

"The Wicker Woods are where old, vengeful things lurk - things much older than time itself. Things you don't want to meet in the dark."

"Walkers cannot trust our own hearts -- our slippy, sloppy bleeding hearts. They are reckless, stupid things. Muscles that beat too fast, that cave inward when they break. Too fragile to be trusted."

All in all, I loved this one. It's perfect to read during a chilly night, bundled up under blankets, with a warm cup of hot chocolate. From the setting, to the characters, to the magic there's so much to love and I hope we get more beautiful books from Shea in the future!

Winterwood caught my eye with its gorgeous cover and magical synopsis. I had no idea what to expect going into this book, having never read a Shea Ernshaw novel before. I hoped for a story that was a little magical, a little spooky, and a little romantic and that's basically what I got, although I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped.

Nora Walker lives in the woods near a camp for troubled boys. She and her family are some of the few to brave the winters and the only family to go into the woods. Walker women are able to venture into the woods where others don't dare to venture. Oliver is a boy at the camp nearby and he has been missing for weeks, only to be discovered by Nora in the woods on one of her trips inside.

Together, Nora and Oliver form a tenuous relationship while they ride out the harsh weather. Meanwhile, Nora tries to get to the bottom of what has happened amongst the boys in the camp and how that relates to Oliver. There are other characters important to this story, but I didn't feel particularly connected to a single person in Winterwood. None of them were particularly likable.

While this story was by no means bad, I definitely think Winterwood is a case of "it's not you, it's me." Shea Ernshaw's writing was beautiful, but I found myself quickly becoming frustrated at how many words were used to say not much of anything. It's definitely worth pointing out that I usually don't enjoy overly flowery writing and that definitely could have been my problem here. The story was interesting, but it took so long to get to any point that I accidentally zoned out more than once.

The best part of Winterwood was the atmosphere. I loved the spooky woods and the winter setting. The seclusion of Nora and the camp made everything just a little bit more unnerving than it would have been otherwise. Just the thought of being stuck with no way out because of the weather reminds me of why I did not love Alaskan winters when I lived there!

I've also seen some people call this story and its twists predictable and, while I felt like something was going to happen, I wasn't able to put my finger on it. The twist defintiely caught me off guard and that's something I loved despite my other issues. If you're already a fan of Ernshaw or flowery prose is your jam, you'll probably love this book, but for me it was just okay.

Nora is a Walker, and Walkers are witches. At least they used to be. At least that's what people say. She lives in her ancestral home by a bottomless lake in the mountains, near a dark, malicious woods. She keeps to herself, only visiting the Wicker Woods when it's safe to do so. But one night, a boy who went missing for weeks during a terrible snowstorm turns up in the woods. What follows is a twisting tale of love, betrayal, pain, and magic. Nora sets herself to uncover the secrets kept buried deep under the snow, but they may be even darker than what she can imagine.

Winterwood took a while for me to get into (some parts would really lull for me), but towards the end I was hooked. The story and writing having an interesting flow to them. Several plot points are set up for twists, but I found them to be somewhat predictable. Overall, a good dark story for those who love a touch of magic in their twisted tales.

Winterwood is a haunting second novel from the writer of The Wicked Deep. Shea Ernshaw has an absolutely breathtaking way with words. Winterwood was at times a little predictable but that in no way hindered the story. Rather, it's the unfolding that makes it so mesmerizing. This is a must read.

I really enjoyed the author's first novel, The Wicked Deep , so I was pretty thrilled when this one was announced. Sad to say, I didn't have quite the same love for Winterwood. It wasn't bad, it just didn't leave me as enamored. So let's break down what I liked versus what left me wanting more!

The Stuff I Liked:

• The writing was fabulous as always! I definitely think the author just has a way with words, you know? It flowed beautifully, and painted such lovely pictures. Definitely a high point.

• On-point atmosphere. This is another thing the author seems to excel at, as it was one of my favorite parts of The Wicked Deep, too. I could feel the eerie vibe, the cold and barrenness of the woods, the bleakness of the whole area around them. I felt that the characters were trapped in this desolate landscape. It worked phenomenally!

• The backstory on the long-dead Walker Witches was so fun! I loved these little snippets, they gave a great insight into the family and the forest.

• Nora grew a lot as a character. I kind of hated Nora when the book started, but she did seem to develop a lot as a character, and I am always here for that!

What Left Me Cold (crappy pun wholly intended):

• The story itself kind of meandered. Fine, I was a little bored. It felt like Oliver leaves, Oliver comes back. Nora leaves, Nora comes back. Suzy leaves, Suzy comes back. Lather rinse repeat. I just didn't feel any urgency whatsoever. Which leads me to my next issue.

• I kind of guessed exactly what was going to happen at about 10% in. That isn't always even a dealbreaker for me, it's just that with feeling like the story wasn't really going anywhere, and feeling pretty (correctly) confident that I knew where the story was headed, I just didn't feel that invested.

• I really didn't care a ton about Nora or anyone else. Nora just wasn't all that likable to me, and even as she got better I was kind of too over it to care a lot. I was glad she started making friends with Suzy and Oliver, but neither of them had a ton of personality either. They just felt... lacking to me. I think had I liked them all more, I could have overlooked some of the other issues I had, but as it stands... I could not.

• Parent-In-YA Syndrome was strong with this one. Nora's mom is trying to idk, pretend she's not a witch. Oliver and all the dudes are at this school for troubled boys where no adult supervision is actually required apparently. And I just didn't buy it. Like Child Protective Services probably aren't going to allow any of this, I don't care how deep in the woods you are. But alas.

Bottom Line: Lyrical writing and an incredibly atmospheric setting just can't overcome the apathy I had to the characters and plot.

Yes to gothic storytelling! I was so in love with the setting of a snowstorm and a creepy wood. A good setting makes a book in my eyes. A family of witches is also the best. The only thing holding this back in my young adult eyes is the insta-love just didn't flow well. It seemed a bit disjointed.

Winterwood is a fairy tale reminiscent of stories from long ago. I loved it! The atmosphere was everything that you want in a traditional fairytale all while getting the sense that this story could be happening in the woods near your house.