A family history of women who are attuned to nature, abused by men, accused of witchcraft and surviving it all. The story follows three women from different times, all from the same family. In 1619 Altha is accused of witchcraft, in 1942 Violet is sexually assaulted, and in 2019 Kate is fleeing from her physically abusive partner. In 1619, all Altha wants to do is help her friend but she soon finds herself being tried for being a witch, acquitted, and then must find a way to go on with her life as she questions: can she continue to help someone who continues to blame them for the death of their mother and hates them? In 1942 all Violet wants is to be freed from her family’s estate, she wants to study insects and travel the world but her father forces her to stay trapped inside and never speaks of her mother whom died mysteriously, and when a cousin comes to visit and commits an unspeakable act against Violet, she will seek the answers to what truly happened to her mother and how she will go on after the traumatic event. In 2019, Kate is feeling from her abusive partner who tracks her, commits violence against her, and keeps her locked inside, and when he wants her to have his child it is the last straw and she finally escapes to the home that her great aunt Violet left her... a little cottage that will change her life and she discovers her ancestors and the women in her family. Each of these women is connected to nature and its magic, and this is a story that deals heavily with abuse, trauma and survival. It was a rough read to get through and it really really was difficult because I went into this one blind and was thrown right into the very difficult topic of abuse, so please do read the trigger warnings before diving into this book because it can be hard to read if you dont.

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A family history of singular women who are healers and attuned to nature, abused by men, accused of witchcraft, and left to feel alone in the world all draw on an inner strength to survive. I loved this book so much I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting.

What a cozy, beautiful, stunning read! I loved each character, truly. I'm a sucker for books that weave multiple timelines and explore generations of a family. Just beautiful.

Weyward is a beautiful and moving story about Kate, a woman that’s run away from her abusive and controlling husband Simon, her great aunt Violet, and their ancestor Altha. Much like Kate, Violet also deals with controlling men in her life, while Altha as a healer in the first few decades of the seventeenth century has to deal with accusations and a trial for being a witch when her former best friend’s husband is stampeded to death. The underlying currents of a unique connection with nature and a desire to live life on their own terms connects all three women’s stories. The reminder that centuries have gone by and men are still controlling women’s lives and abusing them is terrifying. The story shows how the control exists both changes and stays the same over time is no less horrifying. Readers will come to love all three women and how they all learn to pursue their own passions, stand up for themselves and forge connections that help them break free. This story, while it has some magic realism to it, will resonate strongly for anyone that has read and enjoyed Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic series. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I received my copy of Weyward I knew I had to read it right away ! I usually read books closer to publishing date but something told me to move this one to the front of the line. I was not disappointed and devoured it in 2 days.

Three women connected across 5 centuries. Each with their own unique story, yet they are all connected by one secret. Each of them are put into horrible situations caused by men, whether they be friends, fathers or husbands. With their ability to connect to the birds in the trees and the insects in the ground, they come out stronger and able to face whatever is thrown their way.

Emilia Hart has given us three heroines: Altha, Violet and Kate. Through their eyes we see how they’ve been controlled by the men in their lives. They never break but instead show us how to use nature and their power to break free.

Each chapter focuses solely on one women. My favorite was Violet. What a strange and wonderful world she lives in. I was amazed at all she was able to accomplish.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of Weyward in exchange for an honest review.

Weyward tells the stories of three women from different times but the same blood: Kate in 2019, Altha in 1619, and Violet in 1942. Each woman tells her story differently, in engaging and exciting ways. The atmosphere of this novel was amazing, as was the gentle, natural magic. I loved reading about their experiences and seeing how the lives of Altha and Violet changed and helped Kate in 2019 as she runs from her abuser and hides in the Weyward house, a place rich with nature and magic and history.

It's important to be aware of content warnings when going into this novel. I wasn't aware I needed to look any up, but please do before reading! There was a scene involving sexual assault which made me quite uncomfortable and thankfully it doesn't affect me the way it will for others. I don't believe it was necessary to show this on page, but it's there either way. Look at content warnings!

Despite the content warnings, I recommend reading Weyward. It is a fantastic story about the power of women, nature, and strength found within.

A compelling story about three women bound together through nature and told through different timelines. I enjoyed the connection through these Weyward women and the author did a wonderfully job weaving the characters together. The book was filled with beautiful wording, interesting natural magic and pacing that made sense. I could not put this book down.

The Lost Apothecary meets The Book of Gothel in Emilia Hart's Weyward. This satisfying, multi-generational and multi-timeline story is the perfect witchy book for readers who like magic with a touch of revenge. Content warnings for sexual abuse, physical abuse and rape.

I really loved the 3 interwoven voices throughout the story, which is new because I don’t typically love different POV types of books, but this was done beautifully. Will definitely read from this author again!

Characters were well-written and developed. I enjoyed following the stories of three generations of women finding themselves and their power. The heart of the Weyward women knows no bounds as they fight for what’s right and protect those they love against their own particular villains.

Absolutely enthralling story about three women of the Weyward family that spans three generations - one tried for witchcraft, one who lives through an abusive childhood, and one who flees an unhappy marriage. The author is masterful at threading together the three timelines, and the story comes together in a very satisfying way. Each story and each character is compelling, and I found it hard to believe this is a debut novel - you'd never guess. At the end all three women come to find out who they really are and how their history and family have shaped them. 5 stars for an excellent historical read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

A tragically beautiful story about the lives of three women living in three different time periods. Altha is being tried for witchcraft in 1619. Violet is living a sheltered existence in an English manor during World War II. Kate is living with an abusive boyfriend in 2019. They are all connected, yet these connections are slowly revealed throughout the story.

I loved the themes of connection to nature and the ultimate triumph of women over adversity. Though much of each woman’s story is upsetting, they eventually find agency to help themselves. I liked that the witchcraft elements were secondary to the stories of their relationships.

It was nice to read something a little more serious and literary. Definitely a book I’ll be recommending!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

Weyward is gorgeously written. Hart weaves a tale of love, loss, and nature through the lens of three women's separate (yet connected) lives. Hart's writing is full of emotion and vivid imagery, and her characters are full of yearning for connection and freedom. She has created a beautiful novel perfect for fans of magical realism, historical fiction, and women's fiction.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing a digital copy of Weyward in exchange for an honest review. Weyward will be available March 7, 2023!

I knew I was going to love this book as soon as I saw that it was told through three perspectives spanning five centuries. Then there were witches? Like I said, I was in love with the synopsis, and I was not disappointed.

It’s 2019 and Kate is fleeing an abusive boyfriend. She ends up at Weyward cottage which was left to her by her great aunt she barely remembers. She begins to suspect her aunt had a secret and sets out to uncover it.

In 1619 Altha is awaiting trial for murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his cows. She’s accused of being a witch. The deck is stacked against her when she is put on trial.

1942, as the great war rages, Violet is trapped by her overbearing father. Her mother is dead, and she’s been told a lie her entire life of when she did. When her cousin on leave from the war, takes what he wants from her, she is cast to a small cottage where she lives the rest of her life.

This book guys, it is so good! I loved all three storylines and finding out how they intersected. I was so invested in the characters, I felt connected to Kate right from the get-go. I have been in abusive relationships, and it just helped me relate to her plight.

This one isn’t out until March 7th, but you should definitely do yourself a favor and get it pre-ordered now. It is so beautiful and well done you won’t want to miss it. Thank you thank you thank you to @netgalley and the publisher, @stmartinspress, for my advanced e-arc in exchange for this honest review.

Weyward by Emilia Hart is wonderful story about three different women over the span of several hundred years. I loved the small connections and breadcrumbs that led up to a really satisfying ending.

I would categorize this as magical realism. The magic was intriguing and the story gave enough to keep me feeling informed but still mysterious enough to keep me on my toes and guessing. I’m a big fan of everything coming together at the end and Weyward did just that.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Emilia Hart for the opportunity to read and review Weyward. I really enjoyed it and it gets 5/5 from me!

Weyward by Emilia Hart is such a great book! It weaves together the stories of three generations of Weyward women and explores their mystical connections to nature and witchcraft. Altha, Violet, and Kate are all exceptional characters, full of heartbreak and strength. They are each so dynamic in their storytelling that I would honestly love to read a book dedicated to each one! The underlying themes of female intelligence and gifts that thread them together is as powerful as the betrayals that seem to follow them. I couldn't put this book down and I think it's one of my current favorites in the magical realism genre.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for an opportunity with this title. This is one I can see selling like hotcakes to the Alice Hoffman/Practical Magic crowd. It has a heartfelt center and well realized characters in addition to the gorgeous cover.

The US version of “Weyward” has a mesmerizing cover and an equally mesmerizing story to accompany it. This is a tale of three related women across 400 years who are affected by nature as well as by encounters with toxic men but who nevertheless prevail over them.

The author mentions that the word “weyward” appears in MacBeth but was later conjugated to “weird.” The women, Altha of the 1600s, Violet of the 1920s and Kate of today are not “weird” as we now think of the word, but all are eventually in touch with nature in a way we would think of as unusual. The three intertwining stories are beguiling and spellbinding and empowering.

The reader gets immediately invested in present day Kate’s predicament — an abused, captive wife in London with a husband trying to impregnate her (to further imprison her spirit). Kate escapes to Weyward Cottage — once owned by her great-aunt Violet. Violet was initially imprisoned in the same cottage after being betrayed by her father, but came to make the little house and garden her very own. Violet, in turn, connected with the history of the house and her ancestor, Altha. The story is haunting and often stressful as all three women find themselves escaping people who should have loved them. And there’s some, um, delicious revenge involving crows and insects. 4 stars!

Kudos to whoever created the US cover design.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Frederick has bright green eyes which mark him in later years.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Crow’s Beck is imagined like a piece of fantastic botanical art,

I really enjoyed the way Weyward is written, moving between the three main characters. There is plenty going on and lots of clever ways of bringing the women together as each story is told, but it is so well written it keeps the reader engaged and not lost with the characters from each period in time.
A very satisfying read which I won’t hesitate to recommend.

WEYWARD
BY: EMILIA HART

"The Weyward
Sisters, hand in
hand,
posters of the sea
and l do go, about,
about,
Thrice to thine,
thrice to mine,
And thrice again to make up nine.
Peace, the charm's
wound up." MACBETH

"Weyward is used
in the First Folio
edition of Macbeth.
In later versions,
'Weyward' was replaced by 'Weird'"

1619 ALTHA
Altha is on trial being prosecuted as a witch. Herself, and her mother before her used herbs as a vehicle to heal. She sits in prison, when she is not in court being glad to have a spider for company. I felt so bad for her, because I could feel the sensations of being unjustly accused. Blamed for things that she didn't do.

2019 KATE
Kate flees an abusive relationship from her partner Simon who she lived with. Totally abusive both physically and emotionally. She worked in a job that brought her pleasure, but Simon undermined her, since he felt that he earned more money. Knowing what I know about controlling people, this was a deliberate act to isolate her from others. Simon tracks her phone. Lucky for Kate she has bought herself a second phone, that he doesn't know about. Kate has learned before she flees that she is pregnant with Simon's child. Good for her that she won't bring a child into the world of Simon's abuse. Kate has inherited a cottage from her Great Aunt Violet. It is there that she travels to. Her father had died while Kate was young being hit by a car. She was with him, and because she survived the word "Monster," enters her head as if she was to blame. Her mother lives with her husband in Toronto, Canada. When Kate calls her mother she is worried about Kate, since Simon has telephoned her mother already, saying Kate is missing and she left behind her phone. Kate has never met her Great Aunt Violet who left her the cottage in the United Kingdom.

1942 VIOLET
Such a beautiful name. She lives in a huge estate with her brother Graham, and her father. Violet knows very little about her mother. Her father treats her terribly. Her cousin Frederick who is visiting from fighting in Africa gives Violet her first secret kiss. While her father is gone to fetch Frederick Violet bribes her brother Graham not to tell her father that she has sneaked into her father's study by rifling through his desk looking for clues about her mysterious mother. Violet bribes Graham by offering her dessert a custard or pudding for a length of time. She had found the word Weyward scratched onto the wall of her bedroom. Violet thirsts for the knowledge and education denied her, but offered to her younger brother, Graham. She loves all living things and wants to become a biologist or entomologist.

This was an excellent story of three women who are connected somehow. I thought it was very impressive for a debut historical novel. I did feel the claustrophobia that these women I am imagining felt by their confinement or being stuck. I know an Author is talented if Emilia Hart had the ability to make me feel as these three women must have felt--such as confined or trapped. I was totally absorbed by the storytelling and the atmospheric settings. There is a love of nature and an appreciation of animals felt by Altha and Violet. I would totally be interested in reading whatever Emilia Hart chooses to write next.

Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Thank you to Net Galley, Emilia Hart and St. Martin's Press for generously sharing with me their Arc for me to read and review. All opinions are my own.

#Weyward #EmiliaHart #StMartinsPress #NetGalley