I did not finish - I have tried reading this book on multiple occasions and just could not get into it.

I kept giving this book a chance, but the sudden changes of perspective were confusing and frustrating, as if a single man could know everything that was going on around him even when he's not there. I kept going because I liked the author's style, but I gave up at 20% of the reading.

This story definitely had some interesting points to make about the understanding of medicine in the early 19th century on the frontier. It adressed superstition and how people associated women who knew natural medicine with witches.
But the plot itself was a little too weird for my taste. I couldn't find my way into it at all. The characters felt so foreign to my soul and so it all left me rather cold and detached.

I thank Netgalley and QW Publishers for an ARC to read and review.

Deeply disturbing in a central action, the novel reveals the historical strength of women in the face of America's history of anti-woman philosophy. While the novel centers on a single action in Albany in the 1870s, the women of America in 2020 find their analogues in the characters of the novel and in the experiences, prejudices and biases that form the social context of what it means to be non-male in America... and how that definition is so unlike what it means to be a male or even "a real man" in America.

I apparently lost my review for this book. I'm pretty sure I wrote one. I remember enjoying the book and found the story unique. The authors style started off a bit dry but ended up being very entertaining.

This was an enjoyable read. I think it's interesting how women healers throughout history are penalized and "educated" male doctors are glorified. It's especially redeeming when herbal cures and other folk medicines are now being studied in modern times. I thought the pacing was a bit slow and some characters could have been a bit more developed, but overall, not a bad story. I enjoy historical fiction on occasion and this one fit the bill nicely.

This was an interesting read, although not one I found myself particularly engrossed in. I mainly returned to reading hoping I would figure out exactly where the plot was leading, or what in the world the Winter sisters were actually capable of. I especially struggled with my strong dislike of the narrator, intentional as it may have been on the author’s part; it made me struggle even more with the eventual romance and marriage that seemed unexpected and ill-matched. Still, and entertaining story, and an interesting take on medical history!

I received an advance copy of this book from the author, QW Publishers and NetGalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Winter Sisters is an well thought out mix of historical fiction and fantasy. A mix of "modern" medicine and sorcery in a believable tale of faith and science. At times, the story did lag and the characterization fell flat, overall it is an excellent and enjoyable story.

3 out of 5 stars. Good reading.

Thank you Netgalley, QW Publishers and Tim Westover for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

Early 1800s in America was not a good time for a women to be a healer and play practical jokes on her own patients. Three of the Winter sisters has healing powers to some extent, Rebecca and Sarah know their herbs and potions, but the youngest possesses some enrgy which she is not sure how to use. In the midst of rabies, a new doctor comes to town by pastor's invitation. Little does he know that he is the new instrument in pastor's hand to drive the sisters (witches) out.

Quite interesting story. Female characters are truly exceptional. The doctor is a bit shallow to my taste and a bit undeveloped, though through him I could see the power and knowledge of the Winters sisters. She did not learn anything in medical school and knew way more than doctor who was accustomed only to draw blood and to provide some narcotics.

Overall, good but not remarkable.

Excellent blend of historical fiction and fantasy. Fresh new book in a forest of witch stories. Recommend hand sell.

In the mountains of Georgia in 1822, the WInter sisters are the local healers. They use herbs, poultices and other herbal medicine to cure everything from yellow fever to bowel ailments. Some people think they're witches. Maybe so, but their efforts to care for the townspeople work. Enter Dr. George Waycross, an honest to God medical doctor. It is George's personal mission to bring all the current, SCIENTIFIC, medical practices to the mountain people. Dr. Waycross butts heads with the WInter sisters until the threat of rabies endangers the townsfolk. Dr. Waycross and the sisters must work together to find a cure, relying on science and superstition and cooperation.

This is a fascinating look at what happens when old and new ways collide. Tim Westover has written an excellent historical novel. Fans of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and The Giver of Stars will love this as will anyone who enjoys great historical fiction!

3.5 stars. Very enjoyable historical fiction, set in the early 1800s in northern Georgia. The characters are drawn well, from the main ones (the young doctor and the three Winter sisters), to the minor characters (various townspeople). We see the limited knowledge of doctors at that time and the handed-down traditional knowledge of the herbalist, along with some mystery abilities of one of the sisters. My main complaint is about how the author keeps switching from first person narrative (Dr. Waycross) to the third person, with no warning or delineation. I read an ebook and there was no spacing to indicate a change in narrative or scene. I don’t know if the print book has the same issue.

Thank you to NetGalley and QW Publishers for an advance readers copy of this book in return for my honest review.

First, I want to thank Tim Westover and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this title. As a Georgia girl with deep roots throughout the state, I found The Winter Sisters to be a delightful romp along the frontier of the early 1800's. As an herbalist, I enjoyed Dr Waycross getting a lesson in the remedies of our ancestors. The characters are well described and believable (did the author look in my family tree?), and the settings are exactly as I imagine the town of Lawrenceville would have looked back in the day. I can easily see more stories based on some of the other townsfolk, and would eagerly read them. Overall, The Winter Sisters was a fun step back into history.

The Winter Sisters was a fun historical fiction read. I loved the premise, and I loved the sisters. Each sister was unique, with her own kind of humor and personality. I loved the humor throughout the book. The pacing was a little slow for me. I understand that the author was trying to gradually build the relationships between the characters throughout the story, but it seemed too slow. Overall though, it was a great read.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed reading this book I enjoyed the historical time period. Overall the characters were great and I really enjoyed the world in this story.

I found this book, okay, but a little slow in places. I wanted to like it more, but I could not get into it properly. Great characterisation, good sense of time and place and with a touch of humour. Different.

Thanks to Netgalley for the e arc and the author for sending me a copy of this book! I procrastinated reading it and eventually listened to it on Scribd.

This was a unique book, unlike any I have read before. It really went into the southern culture of the 1800s with the lack of real medical knowledge and people still seeing witch doctors. The story followed a doctor, Dr Waycross, as he arrives in the Georgia mountains in 1822 to help the town deal with their rabies threat. When he gets there, he realizes that the town really believes in the Winter Sisters, local healers, and it may be hard to get them to think about going to a medical doctor.

The book is a goofy romp through the trials and tribulations that the doctor has while trying to help the town deal with the rabies. There’s also a panther in the story that the town is scared of.

There were a few times when the descriptions kind of grossed me out. The book is filled with magical realism and it’s a very different story. Highly recommend if this sounds like your cup of tea! It wasn’t totally for me but I really respect what the author did.

I didn't know what I expected of this book, but it took me a while to "engage". I couldn't get involved with the story and characters and it took me 20% of reading to finally get really into it.
After that, I had a difficulty putting it down and finished it fast.

Most of the story is narrated from Dr. Waycross's point of view. He is a young doctor who came from the developed Savannah to the small town of Lawrenceville, Georgia, after receiving a letter from the town Mayor asking for help in a case of rabies.

After an exhaustive trip that consumed all his economies, Dr. Aubrey Waycross finally gets to Lawrenceville just to find out that the town didn't really want a doctor, or even needed one. They had the Winter Sisters, who Waycross thinks must be old herb ladies or the like, until he gets to know the three young, very interesting sisters, Rebecca, Sarah and Effie Winter.

From this point on we follow Aubrey Waycross's relation to the sisters and the town residents.
Waycross truly believes in bleeding, lancets, amputations and his acids and other chemicals, while the sisters follow a more natural healing approach. While some town folks consider them as witches, especially under the influence of the town's pastor, Boatwright, who tries to put the town against the sisters, Waycross is more curious than completely skeptical.

Even though the story is set in the 1800's, the narrow-mindedness / open-mindedness contrast in the book reflects what we still can see in our society today. Some people are so certain of their beliefs that they are not open to discussion, they are always ready for a fight,

The book has its interesting points when showing the strong belief Dr. Waycross had in his medicine, which today we know was "not quite right" (like unbalanced humours!), and the way the Pastor tries to manipulate Waycross and the town to stand against the sisters.

For those who appreciate the writing qualities of the author, the text is very well built and the vocabulary is a treasure! It's been a while since I had to use my Kindle's dictionary research so often and could learn so many words. For me, this is a great quality in a book! It has words that are not so commonly used, but not in a way that makes the reading difficult or boring.

In the end, it was a good reading!

It was...okay. The setting was interesting and also the characters were peculiar, but I wasn't pay attenction at the end and I lost every grip on the story because I was bored after all.

An enjoyable book with the perfect mix of fantasy and folklore and a hint of southern charm. The characters are relatable and well developed. This is a great good for anyone that loves fantasy.