I absolutely loved this novel, thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review the audiobook. I loved the story building and how the author weaves in and out of history. It really is a beautiful story and would recommend to anyone who wants a multi POV novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to listen to the audio version of "Weyward".
This debut novel by Emilia Hart has me anticipating her future publications.

A beautifully written story spanning several centuries; with three "different' young ladies tied together through ancestry, that face adversity head on and arise stronger on the other side of turmoil.
With an affinity for nature and the stunning creatures of the earth as their bond, all call upon their inherent "ability" to help them in their time of need. they all lean into this "ability" when it is apparent that self reliance was all either could rely upon.
It is with a rich imagination and a lovely ability to paint pictures with words, that Hart pulls her audience into the tumultuous lives of three generations of Weyward women. Hart manages to give each woman her own voice while masterfully connecting the generations through discovered letters and intuition.
I would be remiss if I did not take the time to mention the narration - as I listen to the audio version. The narrators did an outstanding job! I was tickled to hear that there would be three different voices before even listening to a single word of Hart's text. All three narrators gave their character and all time related characters a special nuance that I appreciated.
Brilliant read....a solid 4 1/2 stars

3.5 stars, rounded up

On the surface, this is a story about witches. But underneath, as many stories about witches turn out to be, it's actually a story of resilience and the way men and society treat women.

We get three story lines in this book and I enjoyed all 3:
- 1619 Altha is on trial for murder during the height of the witch trials and tries to protect the knowledge her mother passed on to her. It's based in understanding nature not magic.
- 1942 Violet feels stuck with her overbearing father. He doesn't support her love of nature, expects her to be a prim and proper lady, and most of all her doesn't talk about the mother she lost. She tries to find out more about her mother from the few small things she left behind.
- 2019 Kate escapes an abusive relationship to the old house her great aunt left her.

This was an enjoyable book and I loved how their stories fit together, men got their comeuppances, and the way the beauty of nature was highlighted.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I really wanted to like this one. I love historical stories about women who were accused of witchcraft, especially when it's possible that maybe they were. At the beginning, it was a bit difficult to keep track of the switching POV, but after a couple chapters of each character, it became easier to shift my brain between the timelines. I have a few complaints about this story. First of all, it kept striking me throughout this story how isolated these characters were. I understand that each of them had story reasons why they had limited interactions with others, but even when they did, it felt like other characters existed simply to reinforce how alone the Weyward women were. I wish there had been more time spent on seeking and finding a healthy community. Especially with Kate, it felt like a missed opportunity. Throughout the story, the characters experienced a lot, but I never felt like I truly saw character growth. At the end of the story, the conflict was resolved, but the characters didn't seem to have learned much from the situation. It felt like a story I had read before and I likely could've predicted quite a bit of what would happen after the first few chapters. If you enjoy historical fiction that borders on magical realism and feminist literature, pick this one up. If you've read about historical witches and multiple generations of women before, you've probably read a very similar plot and might want to skip this one.

3.5

Based on the blurb and information about this book on the listing, it sounds like a lyrical and quaint feminist book with some history between generations. Upon starting it, I don't find this to be accurate. I had high hopes going in, but I got about 40% through before I decided to DNF. If I had been reading the physical book and not listening to the audio, it would have been even sooner.

It's not that it was a bad book, I just think the content and writing style didn't really vibe with me. It was a lot of women's pain and neglectful /abusive men. For the portion I listened to, I didn't see why the three generations of stories were important to the book, since they were all repeating the same narrative in a different font. I think some people will love it, it just wasn't for me.

Additionally, a note on the narrators: Sometimes the actor with the Irish voice could be a little bit hard to understand.

The three different timelines worked well for this one. I liked the older storyline better, the current one send and lastly the one set between. It was a nice way to show the connection of the women and their repeated family trauma. It was interesting how the cottage was described as being so quaint but was such a huge part of the story.

ooks don't often come with content warnings, but this one should. So, if you follow my reviews and are thinking of reading this book here are the content warnings - multiple rape scenes (discussed after the fact and some as it happens), domestic violence throughout the novel (some discussed after the fact and some as it happens), multiple still births, multiple abortions, incest and general fear and anxiety surrounding male encounters (exhaustively described).

Phew, okay. I wouldn't say I enjoyed this book, but I think my experience was tainted because I listened to the audio book and had to listen to all those content warnings being described to me. I also like books with more nuance. This was very "men are bad" and there wasn't a ton of wiggle room in that thought process. I also made the mistake of looking at the tags "historical fiction" "fantasy" "magical realism" and "witches" and thought, yea this will be my jam. However, this was a very bleak account of extensive generational trauma, with less empowerment than one would have hoped. Perhaps the last chapters bring some closure, but after 11 hours of listening to the distressed narrators, it wasn't enough to lift my spirits.

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

Thank you to St Martin’s Press for the gorgeous promo box and gifted ARC! Also thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the digital ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review!

This is the story of three remarkable women who all have a wildness in their blood. Spanning five centuries, the stories of Altha, Violet, and Kate are beautifully woven together to show the resilience of women as they try to break free from oppression. In the 1600s, Altha is being tried as a witch for the death of a neighbor who was trampled by his livestock. Violet is held prisoner by her father during WWII and being forced to marry a violent man. In the present day, Kate is on the run from her abusive partner. All these women are Weywards, meaning they share special gifts that connect them to the natural world and a spirit that cannot be tamed.

This story was so magical! I keep trying to decide which storyline was my favorite, but it’s kind of like trying to choose a favorite kid. I love Altha’s story because of the witch trial plot, but Kate’s story was full of so much suspense. Violet’s story was the heaviest of the three, but I still found myself drawn to her character. There were parts where the overall pace slowed down quite a bit, but other than that, this was a wonderful read. Fans of historical fiction, feminist themes, and witchy elements will definitely want to pick this one up when it comes out!

I alternated back and forth between the physical book and the audio. The audio was great and had different voices for each of the women, which I liked a lot.

My Rating: 4.5/5

I really enjoyed this book! The characters, the narrator, the plot, all of the WORDS! Wow! Would definitely recommend. Thank you for the advance copy!

I broke my resolve to request less ARCs with this audiobook but I am so glad I did. This was such a delight. I definitely recommend listening to this one. I enjoyed all three narrators and will be checking to see what other audiobooks they have done as well.

Often times, there’ll be one or two POVs that I enjoy more than the rest even if they’re all good in their own ways. For Weyward though, I couldn’t tell you which was my favorite because I really liked all three of them. They were so distinct and all had their own charms, interesting drama, and riveting interactions with other characters. I also loved the different intensities of witchy feels that I got from each POV depending on how much their lives were affected by it.

While there were a couple of things that could be seen as a little bit predictable, that didn’t really bother me because there was still a process to figuring them out anyways. The clues for each character that were placed into the other POVs came together in a really satisfying way and the way they connected in general was really well done.

Stop what you are doing right now and go and put this beauty on your "to read in 2023" list because, in my opinion, Emilia Hart's debut is an absolute work of art. I was stunned at the beauty of this story, Hart’s way with words, and how invested I became in the three Weyward women.

Weyward follows three women in very different time periods. In 2019, Kate is fleeing an abusive relationship. In 1942, Violet is begging for answers around her deceased mother. She knows there are secrets, but she just doesn’t know where to begin. Lastly, in 1619, we follow Altha who is standing trial for witchcraft after a local farmer is trampled to death by his cows. All three women are surrounded by intrigue and connected in such a beautiful way.

I LOVED this book so much. I’m having trouble putting it into words. There is history, mystery, views on how women are seen and treated, family drama, and so much more. The way Hart was able to immediately draw me into this story is nothing short of magical. Three different POVs is hard to pull off in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming. Here it is anything but. I was so interested in how all three women’s storylines weave together. It’s beautiful.

Here is a story about three strong and powerful women who are taught that they are small. Watching each woman find themselves, accept their strengths, and push back on those who are oppressing them speaks to my soul. I love the way Hart layered this story so richly with the theme of accepting yourself and rising up to be the powerful woman you are meant to be.

Think a mix of historical fiction and women’s fiction with a dash of magical realism. The magic system is rooted so deeply in nature, and it is a thing of beauty. I am a sucker for a nature driven unique magical world.

Pick this one up if you love:

-Strong women
-Magical realism
-Alternating Timelines
-Multiple POVs
-Witches
-Entomology and Botany
-Mystery

Sidenote: If you are an audiobook lover, this one is absolutely FANTASTIC! I would 100% recommend this on audio. The readers are amazing and transport you into this word so beautifully.

I really liked this book but it didn’t wow me. I can’t quite put my finger on why. Maybe I wanted a little more overt witchcraft…but part of the genius is that the reader is left unsure if there’s any witchcraft at all. The audio book is well done and I appreciated the three narrators, which made it easy to follow.

I can’t help myself when witchy books come out! I’m a hardcore thriller/ horror reader, but I have a soft spot for all witchy fiction. Weyward is a new book, about generations of healing women, or witches. It’s everything you think it will be and some.
Told through the eyes of three Weyward women, from different generations, this story is a history of the oppression of women and the rejection of natural medicine. Each women tells the tale of her coming into magic, how it’s perceived by outsiders, and what drove them to use it. It’s beautiful, sad and uplifting.
I loved all three women, and how their stories intertwined. The modern story is the real culmination of all the women, and the most inspiring. You can’t read this book and not feel the power of the story. Emilia Hart is a wonderful storyteller.
I loved the narrators for the audiobook. Their accents gave authenticity to each woman’s story. Altha’s story felt more real and recent because of the emotion and age in the narrator’s voice. I could listen to these women all day.
If you liked Hester, you’re going to love Weyward. While Hester is more of a love story, Weyward is about finding your own way and embracing it. This would make an excellent book club book. I also recommend it for young adult readers.

Weyward by Emilia Hart follows three women, Altha, Violet, and Kate, that are separated by generations. Each woman has her own struggles to overcome and secrets that she's trying to keep. I really loved the alternating perspectives in this book and I feel like the alternating narrators in the audiobook really made for an exceptional listening experience. The three main characters are all well-developed and readers are given backstory and insight into each of their lives, which really helps build a feeling of connection with all of them. I enjoyed the slow unravelling of the women's stories and was satisfied with how everything was resolved. Parts of the book are unsettling and even disturbing, but I feel like these hard parts reflect the reality of hardships that women have faced throughout history.

I would recommend this book to adult readers that are looking for stories of female empowerment. I think it would especially appeal to those that are interested in stories of witchcraft and/or historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to review an audio ARC of this title.

Three woman representing generations a family of women and their bond to the natural world. This is the story of how Alva, Violet, and Kate discover their connection with nature and use it to save themselves from the machinations of men.

The narrators do a good job of giving voice to the women.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for this ALC.

Wow wow wow. I was blown away by this audiobook!! The story, the narrators, the characters- all perfection.

This book followed three generations of Weyward women, and told the story of how their generational magic changed their lives. Each women had an impact on the next, without ever knowing it. The way the author weaved their stories together was exceptional. It was a feminist masterpiece that fully awoke my own feminine rage! & I mean that in the best way possible.

The three narrators were amazing. Macmillan Audio always has stunning narrators that add even more depth to the audiobook.

Would highly recommend reading this, especially for those who love and support women.

Beautiful. Heartrending. Empowering. 𝘞𝘦𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 by Emilia Hart was a gorgeously written novel told from the perspective of three generations of Weyward women: Altha in 1619, Violet in 1942, and Kate in 2019. Theirs is a story of triumph over darkness. A story full of magic, secrecy, nature, violence, primal bonds, sisterhood, love and loss, betrayal, survival, self-discovery, and family. And so much more than even that. For the most part it was hard to put𝘞𝘦𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 down, though at times it was admittedly hard for me to get through because of the brutality they experience (TW for SA and DV). But, ultimately, I did get through it because these amazing, complicated, fierce ladies had stories to tell and I needed to, wanted to, hear them. And I’m so glad I did. The audio, which I listened to, narrated by Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley, and Nell Barlow, flawlessly and vibrantly brought Altha, Violet, and Kate to life. This is definitely a book that will stay with me long after it’s finished, and as long as you pay attention to trigger warnings, I highly recommend it.

This is a story about 3 woman Alva, accused of being a witch in the 1600's and sits on trial, Violet is a eccentric young naïve girl who in the 1940's who finds herself rapped by her cousin, and Kate, flees an abusive relationship after finding herself pregnant to Wayward Cottage that she inherited by her Aunt Violet that she never met. This story weaves a tale of these Wayward woman and how their stories connect and the truth of the weird situations with their connection to the earth. This is a story celebrating the female spirit and empowerment. The narrators for each woman on the audiobook are spot on. It was very easy to get hypnotized by their voices and this story. Love it!

Women across generations fight against abuse.
Altha - accused of witchcraft
Violet - her father and cousin
Kate - her partner
They fight for their survival, their independence - forced to do whatever they can.
Generations apart, they connect; they are bond together - fighting for their independence.
Loved the narration. Very well done.

Weyward was an interesting book, but it didn't have quite enough witch plot for me! There was a subtle hint at witchcraft and magic but not as much as I would have liked. The story follows 3 storylines of Weyward women through their experiences with family, witchcraft, and finding their way in this world. I enjoyed the most recent storyline of Kate the most. I wanted to hear more of her story but I also understand the need to have all of the stories and only being able to fit in so much for each story. Overall this was good, just not my favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley for access to an advanced copy of this book.