Beautiful from start to finish. Just the right amount of haunting Witchery, of blurry lines between the generations. And I love that the room was yellow. A clever touch.

I loved the stories of these brave women and wish there was more pages! Well written and fun I had times where I couldn't put it down.

Once again, I found myself picking a book up with no idea what the premise was. I knew there were witches and multiple timelines. That was enough for me to know I wanted to dive in.

I absolutely loved the interwoven timeline and the storytelling in this book. I thought they only served to make the mystery richer and more compelling.

The only thing I didn’t love was that the ending seemed a little too easily wrapped up. Things just “happened” that didn’t seem to have a lot of set up or basis. I think I’d have preferred a slightly more realistic ending or at least an ending that was set up more in the preceding chapters. (I can’t give more details without spoiling it but basically, things happened too easily.)

Overall, a solid 4 stars from me and a great edition to your spooky season TBR if you like witchy but not scary.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A moving, multi-generational story about endurance, perseverance and hope, Weyward follows the lives of three women as they struggle to be free of their circumstances. In 2019, Kate escapes her abusive husband for he great aunt’s cottage. In 1942, Violet feels trapped in her home by society as a war rages on. And, in 1619, Althea awaits her fate as she stands trial for murder.

While it took me a bit to get into the story, once I got into it, I struggled to put it down. I don’t typically read stories of this genre, but the elements of magic were subtle and delicately woven throughout the story. This book is perfect for fans of Practical Magic and Where the Crawdads Sing, and would make for an excellent book club read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Emilia Hart for an advance copy of this book.

Multi-generational female led #comingofage/family drama with a tiny sliver of domestic suspense vibes and a heavy dose of nature.

•

2019: Kate flees London after years of being a virtual prisoner to her abusive partner. Her saving grace: Weyward - the remote cottage she recently inherited from her recently passed great aunt.

•

1942: Violet, a teenager who prefers to be amongst the animals and forest than bowing down to the expectations of society and her ambitious father.

•

1619: Altha finds herself being tried as a witch and fighting for survival. The star witness in the prosecution against her? Her bestfriend.

•

These three women’s blood, stories, experiences, and lives all converge in this haunting but inspiring story of unusual women, bonded through generations by a hidden family secret, the undying love of their mothers, and their oneness with the earth around them.

I absolutely adored this book. It was quite possibly my favorite of the year so far. The writing and character development were beautifully done.
The stories of these three women and three timelines sharing the same bloodline were empowering. The witchy vibes and atmospheric setting in the English countryside, breathtaking in its visual description.
I can't recommend this book enough. It was thoroughly spellbinding.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Mmmm. There's not a bit of this read that didn't sizzle for me!

Starting with a nod to the Bard where he references the Weyward Sisters (who show up in later versions of Macbeth as the weird sisters), Author Emilia Hart quickly tosses the reader into 1619 with an accused witch filled with dark ponderings on the dungeon she's been in for ten days.

There are three distinct, yet generationally related, storylines: Altha, Violet and Kate. I loved all three! Often when reading books with this structure, I find one storyline far more compelling than the others - in Weyward, I was invested in each thread in a satisfyingly balanced way. And similarly, I find parallel POV endings usually fizzle, with one getting more attention. Not here - all the endings were well-attended and fleshed out with loose ends properly tied.

Lastly, the writing was watercolor-y, very much reminding me of painting with words used and words omitted. . .I will be looking eagerly for the next Emilia Hart work to hit the shelves.

A jolly good read - Witches, Ho!!!

*A sincere thank you to Emilia Hart, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review*

This was everything I wanted The Lost Apothecary to be: the generationally linked women, the nature imagery, the witchy elements... All of it.

Four stars because I can't not love anything about witchcraft, especially if it's historical fiction that switches between storylines. It wasn't the most groundbreaking book I've ever read but I definitely got the satisfaction I needed. I like how the author brought in multiple issues that women still face nowadays and intertwined them across multiple generations. Would recommend, but probably won't read again!

Seamlessly blends multiple timelines into a singular, cohesive, utterly gripping story. Sad and lovely and eerie and thoughtful and surprising. Loved this.

I absolutely loved this story. Not a moment went by that I was not enthralled with the stories of each of the three main characters. And the premise of being a witch was the icing on the cake. I would read this book again and again. Wonderful!

This is a story of strong, unconventional women who discover their power waging their same-but-different battles against the patriarchy (different centuries, same old shit). There are beautiful elements of magic here for those who like that, but they won't be' off-putting for those who don't (these are green witches, not Halloween witches - there are no spells, cauldrons, or black hats). The author beautifully captured the magic of the natural world, and the way it heals, sustains, and gives life.

I was surprised to learn that this is the author's debut - the story is so layered and nuanced, and written with a confident hand. The book is well-crafted, with beautiful writing, intricate characters, vivid imagery and symbolism, lovely pacing, and three equally-compelling storylines that unfold and interweave seamlessly.

It took me a bit to get into this book, but once I did, I didn't want to put it down. The stories of these 3 women stayed with me long after setting aside the book. It's a love letter to feminism and those women who came before us.

Kate is our modern-day protagonist escaping an abusive husband. As she flees to her great aunt's cottage (who recently passed away and Kate doesn't remember much), she uncovers family history that helps empower her. The stories of Altha and Violet are woven into Kate's life, showing how past trauma and those who overcame it can alter our perception and fuel us.

I read this free as an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

magical realism isn't really my thing, but i can do it if it's well written with intriguing, believable characters. so i think that's why i put off reading #weyward by @EmiliaHartBooks. but i couldn't deny the excellent reviews and started. SO glad i did, it's SO lovely and brilliant! men don't fare very well, except for graham, but no matter, this is an ode to women. altha, violet and kate - each has her own story in a different time, and yet they all connect in fascinating ways. i loved that "weyward" is from the first edition of macbeth, and was later changed to "weird." so fitting. terrific read, i just loved it! highly recommend.

p. s. thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

p.s.s. love the cover, love the crows. love how they rescue at the end.

I totally forgot to post this when I read it in February. I was pondering on it for a 4 or 5 star read.

1619-Altha Weyward is accused and tried for witchcraft. She tries to argue and defend herself for knowing nature and natural plant medicines, but nobody is listening. With her closest friend going against her and not for her, she knows she has no chance.

1942-Violet Ayres a sixteen year old wants to be treated the same as her brother who is educated, allowed off property to see the real world and also learn about her mother. Her father will not have any of it! Meeting her cousin Frederick will turn her life around.

2019-Kate Ayres is in an abusive relationship and after discovering she has inherited a cottage that her aunt Violet lived in, she makes a plan to escape, hide, and start over.

These three women are connected by blood and have a history in ways that will keep them connected, always. If I were to judge them, I loved Altha, really liked Violet, and just gave Kate a so-so, but the overall story was awesome! Awesome enough that I bought a physical copy!

Thank you #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for allowing me to read #Weyward

I love books that are a little witchy, and I love historical fiction. This one appealed to me, as it covers three different women across history. Unfortunately, it was a little too depressing. I wish there were more trigger warnings for this book, as it deals with heavy themes that weighed me down as I read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Told from the perspectives of three Weyward women: one during medieval times, one in World War 2 times, and the last in from modern times. Each faces a series of obstacles that they must overcome for their survival and wellbeing. Unbeknownst to them, these “weird” women provide support for each other as they learn their ancestor’s story. Three stars.

This gorgeously written gothic historical novel was amazing. This was absolutely lovely! There are so many historical books with a touch of magical realism to them, but this one stands out from the rest. I have been craving a book like this for years. The quality of the prose, with the magical elements and witchcraft reminded me very much of Alice Hoffman. Every phrase was poetry, and the descriptions were so vivid it was like I was there with the characters.
This book was everything I had been wanting and missing. Excellent dialogue, solid world building, an independent, likeable heroines, the three stories that are woven together. I just savored each page and was very sorry when it ended. I will definitely be buying this book in print! TEN STARS!

We follow three women in the Weyward family in three time points, the late 1600s, the 1940s and the present. Each woman is dealing with oppressive and controlling men in their time period. The women seem powerless and suffer many abuses. But as we flip back-and-forth through the time settings, the truth of their familial nature becomes clear. We see how, even though there is generational trauma each ancestral woman is able to help her future relative.

I really enjoyed this one. It does paint most men with a broad brush of negativity but, all of these harsh actions ring true to their time. I was much more invested in Altha’s story, 1600s witch trials will never grow old for me. Violet’s precocious, scientific nature won me over right away - I’m happy we spent the most time with her. Kate’s story I could give or take but I did think it brought everything together.

Thanks to St Martin’s Press for gifted access via NetGalley. All opinions above on my own.

Weyward by Emilia Hart is an engrossing, mystical tale of three interconnected women that spans centuries. Don’t start this book if you have things to do because once you start you won’t be able to stop.

Altha is living in the 1600’s England and is known as a healer in her village. After a farmer is trampled by his own cows she is accused of making that happen with witchcraft. Violet is a teenager in 1943, living with a father who won’t let her step off their estate and who discourages all contact with the natural world. Kate is in London in 2019 looking to escape an abusive husband.

The chapters alternate among these three women and as the story unfolds you learn more about their own lives and their connection. They all have a special ability to commune with nature and animals and they all wrestle with male dominance and abuse in their lives. Part historical fiction mixed with strong feminist vibes makes this a compelling read.