Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

I think this book changed my life. I found myself completely enthralled with each of the Weyward women. The book jumps between three women in the Weyward bloodline at three different points in time. It sounds like it should be confusing but it genuinely works so well in this book. The natural imagery is to die for. Its so rich and full of descriptions that place you right there in the cottage with the women. I love a good female empowerment novel as well, and this featured not only one empowered female, but three! Each Weyward woman was a survivor in their own right. This book was beautiful. The perfect atmospheric read to help usher in the spooky/fall/witchy vibes of the upcoming season. I think every woman should read this.

“Weyward,” by Emilia Hart is a witchy wonder of a book that ultimately proved to be a satisfying read.

It’s the story of the Weyward women, a line of witches who have terrific powers and a profound connection with nature and insect life. The story weaves through 21st century England with Kate’s thread, World War Two with Violet’s, and early 17th century with Altha’s. Along the way there is a witch trial, a gothically horrible father and a truly evil husband. And depending upon your point of view, neither of them is the very worst villain. I won’t say more, because this story would be easy to spoil.

The pros of this book are many: The details of the cottage that is central to the story are well drawn. The three main character’s interior lives and profound struggles are well detailed, and you really care about all three women by the book’s end. Nature is beautifully described, and the hardship of being a woman is honestly portrayed. Seeing the supernatural powers of these three witchy women is hugely enjoyable. The book’s end is also deeply satisfying. Hart pulls it all together well.

The cons are less important, but still matter. It took me longer to care about Kate and Althea. Kate, at first, seemed a bit too much of a cardboard cutout damsel in distress. I felt sorry for her, but I wasn’t sure I could grab onto her story. Altha felt ghostly and a bit superfluous at first. Happily, both become more real and interesting as the book goes on. Violet, by the way, jumps off the page right from the get go.

The men are just so, so awful that I yearned for a bigger storyline for one male character—I won’t say who he is, but he’s interesting and a very good person. I could have done with a bit less of the truly horrendous men who populate this book, and a bit more of the one terrific guy, just because he really was interesting to read about. Having said that, the power of the women in “Weyward” is stronger than the awfulness of the men.

The bottom line is that this is an entertaining and engrossing book that is well worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for a review

Weyward by Emilia Hart is a lovely book.
The book centers around 3 generations of "weyward women" who have a special connection with nature. Are the witches? Sensitives? This is not clear, but nothing is ominous.

We follow Altha , Violet, and Kate who are all women in the Weyward line.
Every Weyward woman's first born is always a girl, who is usually endowed with these special nature powers.
Altha is a young woman in the times of the witch trials, 1619, on trial for witchcraft.
Violet is a young woman who is a victim of sexual abuse in 1942.
Kate is Violet's niece shown in 2019 who is trapped in an abusive and controlling relationship.

I don't want to include any spoilers, but the stories follow the women as they struggle to find their own identities and overcome their circumstances.
I really enjoyed this book because it is focused on strong women, and how women in general can be belittled and put down by the arrogant men around them.
I would have liked to see more male characters who were empathetic and understanding.
Violet's brother Graham is shown in a very good light as one of the few "nice guys"

This is such a fun book to read as we get close to "Spooky season"
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Several generations of women struggle to use their power despite the domination of cruel men. They are witches, in tune with nature, whose power threatens men.

An excellent debut novel

I received a free ARC and this is my honest review.

Weyward is a fantastic debut novel by author Emilia Hart. If you like all things to do with an eerie aesthetic, nature, and witches, then this one is for you!

I enjoyed this book. It was interesting to follow our three MC’s- Kate, Violet, and Altha. I do feel as if the plot could have been slightly more developed, but overall this was a quick and entertaining read. Readers may also want to look up trigger warnings before starting this novel.

I loved this book! The perfect mix of past and present, magic, and the power of women. Thank you @NetGalley for this!

Weyward my Emilia Hart had a beautiful concept and reminded me a lot of The Lost Apothecary, which I read earlier this year. I misread the Weyward's summary and overlooked the "escaping an abusive partner" plot. Reading Kate's perspective was uncomfortable. Secondly, the prologue was in first person, but then the next chapters were in third person. The transitions between first and third person was jarring. The characters and the story were lovely and I do recommend picking up Weyward.

I'm not normally into books where we're jumping around in time periods but I read this book in one sitting. I had to know what happened next and didn't want to stop reading. The quote on the last page was the perfect ending.

Weyward tells the stories of Altha, Violet, and Kate jumping between the 1600s, 1940s, and present day. It is the perfect spooky season read - not a thriller or scary, but all the witchy, fall vibes! All three of these women had mesmerizing stories that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Highly recommend and I can't wait to see what Emilia Hart does next.

This book takes you on a few journeys. It’s written so you follow the story of 3 women. women all connected by blood and nature. Please make sure to look up trigger warning for this book since at times it gets a bit heavy. I enjoyed the female empowerment I felt and the sense of connection all the weyward women had. I would recommend this if you are into witchy things and love when books showcase STRONG women.

I had to look thrice to see that this is actually a debut novel’!! Well done, Emilia Hart-

Weyward gives me all the appropriate spooky fall vibes that I could ever want- but not scary.
Witches, women being wronged - and bringing their powers that be back to help them- just hits me in my core. What a beautiful generational story. Will definitely be purchasing a physical copy Because not only is it a beautiful story, it has a beautiful cover as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to receive an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Wayward is the story of a line of women throughout generations. It focuses on the stories of three women in a familiarly- Altha, Violet, and Kate, all set during different time periods. I especially loved the storylines of Altha and Violet!

Overall, this is a story about the innate strength that women have in spite of adversity. What a great read!

Weyward by Emilia Hart is a great historical fiction that gives us three stories about three formidable women bound together by family, life, love, nature, and magic.

This is a wonderful book that gives us the stories of three women that are part of the same family, generations, and sometimes centuries, a part that at first seem like they might not have too many things in common…but as the reader continues onwards, we see how each woman has similar struggles, fears, hopes, desires, and talents.

The way the author is able to weave three stories into one cohesive unit and the magical, earthy elements that are balanced perfectly with historical and contemporary life and detail, is just great.

A true gem from a debut author.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and St. Martin’s Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/7/23.

As a women in this world, this book both broke and healed my soul.

Alternating between the view of three young women - Altha, a woman accused of witchcraft in the 1600s, Violet, a women of the 1940s with a burning desire to be closer with nature, and Kate, a women of today escaping an abusive relationship - this story takes you on a journey to discover the strength of women despite the many faces of subjugation we have faced throughout time. The beautifully written imagery of this work will connect you to nature as you witness the heartbreak and rebuilt strength of these three women.

Emilia Hart has a stunning way with words, making you feel every moment of natural wonder of the world through her beautiful prose to the deep pain of what it means to be a woman in a often unforgiving patriarchal setting. With this novel, Emilia Hart has immediately become an automatic read for me with anything they publish in future.

If you’re looking for a beautifully written piece of fiction that will break you and heal you up stronger, with a touch of witchcraft, I highly recommended this book.

Thank you NetGalley for supplying me with an advanced reader copy of this book.

Trigger warnings: sexual assault, miscarriage, domestic abuse

This. Book. Was. AWESOME. It had me hooked from the very beginning and kept me on my toes the whole time.

This book made me want to get out into nature and find my own witchy powers. It me feel extremely connected to myself as a woman and proud of the strength of all women.

Weyward is a beautifully gripping exploration of contrasting themes. The main characters learn to push back against the cold, isolating cages of the patriarchy in their time.
In 2019, Kate has finally managed to escape her abusive boyfriend, seeking refuge in an inherited cottage in the woods.
In 1942, 16 year-old Violet yearns to study biology while her father attempts to leash her into the perfect young lady.
In 1619, Altha is on trial for the murder of a local farmer and husband of her former best friend Grace.

These three women yearn to understand the Weyward woman who has come before them, their connection to nature, and to free themselves in the process.

Weyward is beautifully written and the characters are incredibly complex. Hart does a wonderful job of juxtaposition and subtly evoking meaning and feeling to the reader.

You’ll like this if you enjoy: century-spanning family connections, mystery, secret powers, exploration of matriarchy vs. Patriarchy, stories about strong women saving themselves.

Content Warning: physical and sexual assault, self-induced miscarriage.

This story was good but a bit confusing at times.
It’s a about 3 generations of women who all have surprisingly similar lives despite living in different time periods.
I really Enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone

'Weyward' is a story of wild women, mayflies, crows, and of heartbreak, loss, and survival. The story is a triple timeline set in the Cumbrian countryside, that follows the lives of three women- Altha, Violet, and Kate whose lives intersect through tragedy. Through their powerful ancestral and intuitive connections they are able to forge a deep connection to the natural world that helps them to blossom into the powerful wild women they are.

This is not a typical witchy book as it focuses on the magic of nature to inspire, heal, and protect. It’s a story that is rooted and grounded in the regenerative and destructive aspects of nature. The writing was beautiful and had a suspenseful enchantment that had me bewitched. The author captured the beauty and wonder of insects, animals, and plants that gave them a sense of magic and mystery. While I was reading this story, I kept having the feeling that something magical was about to happen, even though it didn’t. There are no spells or rituals in this story but rather, a psychic relationship with nature that conjures the strength of the feminine for each character. Heavy subject matter is present throughout the entire book as they are the catalysts for the characters' rebirths.

A powerful story about what it means to be a wild woman having to navigate the seen and unseen worlds of everyday life using the magic and power of nature to transform, heal and free oneself from shame, guilt, and fear.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Weyward by Emilia Hart is a sweeping story.

Hart's work is beyond amazing. Her writing is flawless and the characters and storyline of this book are perfectly developed.
The writing style was great and she swept away with it.
Also the way Emilia developed her characters was nothing short of amazing. I think the characters had depth and a little intrigue and I really just wanted to know everything about them.
Three different women Altha, Violet, and Kate went through some hard times and the way their story was told is something special. The different timelines was phenomenal.
Weyward is a book that that kept me engaged, intrigued and flipping the pages for hours straight.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

St. Martin's Press,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Kate is fleeing domestic abuse when she runs to the remote cottage her aunt left to her. The cottage holds a definite appeal to Kate, and not because it’s a respite from violence. The bones under the house would indicate that her great aunt had some pretty big secrets. It turns out those bones go back to the 17th century when a young woman, wise in the healing properties of plants is accused of witchcraft. Telling the story in three timelines, Kate in the present, Altha in the 17th century and Violet in World War II, a young woman who yearns for the freedom to live free from the conventions of the time. Three different women, all persecuted, all remarkable tell their stories across 500 years in this beautifully constructed story