Southern Occult Meets Gothic Vibes
I was drawn in by the slow-burn unveiling of Divinity—a town shrouded in mystery that only reveals itself to those invited or powerful enough to gain entry. The plot held my attention as ominous secrets and intriguing connections began to take shape, blending southern occult elements with classic gothic undertones.

By the end, the story leaves you with more questions than answers, setting the stage for the sequels. While a few chapters had moments that made me roll my eyes or feel a bit let down, I couldn’t put it down. The cliffhanger was both deliciously frustrating and left me eager to dive into the next book.

Karen Marie Moning’s The House at Watch Hill establishes a fresh and compelling foundation for the Watch Hill Trilogy. It follows Zo Grey, a 24-year-old who’s faced a lifetime of loss and uncertainty, now finding herself in Divinity, Louisiana. Thanks to a long-lost family connection, she inherits a sprawling Gothic mansion full of dark secrets—but there’s a catch. To claim the estate and the fortune that comes with it, Zo must live there alone for three years.

With its unique take on paranormal tropes and a darkly atmospheric setting, this book is a promising start to what could be a fascinating series. I can’t wait to see where the next installment takes us.

3.5⭐️ Karen Marie Moning blessing us with a new fantasy series in 2024 was not on my bingo card but I’m so happy it happened!

In this book we meet Zo who is grieving her mother and is moving into a spooky mansion that she inherited from an unknown relative. Zo is a fun character and I liked that she is learning all about this mansion with us the readers and it felt like we were on a journey together.

This book laid down the ground work to the world and Zo’s backstory so because of that there were moments where I felt like I wanted more to be happening. I think this is the type of series that will get even better as it goes on. The ending definitely left me interested in what’s to come!

While slightly predictable, The House at Watch Hill was still a good time. I absolutely love the gothic, creepy atmosphere!

The House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning is about a young woman named Zo who is thrust into a paranormal world she didn’t know existed but everyone else did. Her mother dies in a house fire and a wealthy random relative leaves her an inheritance, what ends up to be a sentient gothic mansion along with a sexy Scottish grounds man named Devlin. Who doesn’t want that? No one knows who this vague relative is!

It was difficult for me to get used to this authors writing style. I often found myself out of breath with the long run-on sentences and even longer descriptions. Because of the many pages spent on world-building and heavy yet vivid descriptions this book has a very slow start.

Zo is well-written and utterly clueless. For a paranormal romance, the story spends a lot of time on Zo’s desires in her mind, but there isn’t much romancing. When there is, it’s awkward and weird. So, the whole “fall in love with the love story” aspect wasn’t there for me.

The story starts to pick up towards the end when Zo decides to accept; and then uses the worst literary device ever - a cliffhanger! Noooo.
The entire book is a long set up for the series.

It has all the things I love; witches, southern gothic vibes, vampires, some twists and secrets, a paranormal world, magic, mysterious things,’a wealthy random person or thing, attractive men ready for romance! I finally got into it maybe 75% in and then cliffhanger. Ok, so who the heck are these people?

The second book will hopefully have more going on, but I’m not 100% sure if the “intro book” has enough to hook me into a whole new series. It is still a great atmospheric read, especially for spooky season. Either way I will most likely pick up the next book because that annoying cliffhanger has me intrigued!
I do recommend reading this booknfor yourself, especially if you’re a fan of the fever series, which I know nothing about. It always takes a learning curve for me when I read a new author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for my honest review.

I've been avoiding big fan of KMM's books since the beginning of her Fever series. I was so excited to see she had a new series coming out. I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to continue the series. There was a lot of world building in this book which slowed things down a bit. I enjoyed the cliffhanger ending and was highly entertained. 4 stars

While the overall storyline and concept for this book was interesting, the book in total was very meh. The vocabulary throughout the book was very excessive and much more flourished and complicated than was necessary. It very much felt like the author was trying to sound more intelligent and different from her typical novels and this got in the way of my enjoyment of the story. It also felt like not very much happened in this novel, it was a lot of small things that somehow amounted to this big thing at the end and I can barely tell you how it all fits together.

This was just as good as I expected. Karen Marie Moning is a master storyteller and I cannot wait for the second book!

Wait one damn minute. Mckeltar . Isn’t that the name of one of the Druids from the Highlander series? So this book is connected to that series?

Ok. Now let’s look at this book on its own. There is so much extraneous information in this book. Yes past is important but this was a lot of telling with little showing. Maybe a novella would have been a better introduction to this world. But I’m not a writer so what do I know?

There were some great elements. Some intriguing magics. There was so much marching to Mordor.

I am interested in continuing the trilogy.

There is a lot of world building. The characters are complex and interesting. I had a hard time getting into this one but it was worth sticking with. The ending is a big wow. I definitely think this trilogy is going to be worth the wait.

As a huge Karen Marie Moning fan, I was anxious to start this book!
This book you kind of know what to expect if you are a Moning fan, the world building is compelling and though the main character is a little irritating you learn to love her. Zo is a witch and learns of her birthright after the death of her mother. I had a hard time with this one since the love interest has my youngest son's name so I'm not sure if I can go any further.

This book ends on a cliffhanger.

Thank you to Net Galley for the free book for honest review.

I've typed and retyped out a review, deleting and struggling to articulate how I felt about this book. I spent most of the book pushing through(I was kind of in a book slump where I didn't want to read anything?? Nothing was sounding good and I am 100% a mood reader, which makes it hard to force read a book I got an ARC for)

Let's start with the pros.
The ending? The ending scene was really cool, albeit a little predictable...I mean you knew what was coming.

James B. He was cool.

The owl.

The first chapter was interesting.

Now for the cons, I didn't love the FMC. I didn't love the constant back and forth of her making comments like, "I didn't know how wrong I would be about this" Not an exact quote per say, but there were enough annoying sidebars throughout the book.

I also did not love how horny she was all book. It was just written so weirdly, and in the start when she's talking about sex and how she picks her partners, it was just awkward. It was explained later, but it just left me side-eyeing a lot of things and feeling annoyed that she wasn't thinking with her brain.

It took this b*tch literally 2/3 of the book to realize what everyone else can figure out in TWO chapters at the start of the book. Like don't be a dummy. USE YOUR BRAIN. PUT TOGETHER THOSE OBVIOUS NEON SIGNS.

Anywho, I finished it- and I didn't DNF so there's that. If you want a fairly predictable (HER LAST NAME WAS SUCH A GIVEAWAY C'MON.) urban fantasy, where the FMC takes most of the book to figure out what literally everyone else knows and then is grumpy about it, read this.

This is classic KMM for me - a first book where there is so many layers, so much build up, so much confusion. Things that won't pan out until book 3 are in here. Random interactions and interludes are going to be critical but now just add to the confusion. Y'all I am INTO IT. It is so fun to me to highlight things and think - will this come back into play later? It felt very Fever series KMM - young girl loses someone/something (in this it's her mom), travels to a new place to get answers, and is surrounded by mysterious people, hot men, and power.

I can't wait for Zo's power to be revealed.

And that ENDING OMG I SCREAMED. I can't wait for book 2!

ust finished this book, and I’m still catching my breath. It’s one of those stories that sneaks under your skin before you even realize it. Zo Grey, struggling with the death of her mother and no prospects to speak of, suddenly finds herself thrust into an unexpected inheritance in Divinity, Louisiana. What starts as a glimmer of hope quickly turns into something more twisted and chilling. There’s a catch—she must live in a brooding, Gothic mansion alone for three years to claim it. Sounds easy, right? Not quite.

Zo is desperate for a chance to rebuild her life, and the promise of money and a new beginning is too tempting to resist. But from the moment she steps into that sprawling, ominous house on Watch Hill, something feels wrong. The red-eyed Stygian owl that seems to be keeping an eye on her and the enigmatic Scottish groundskeeper only add to the atmosphere of unease. The house itself is practically alive—full of locked doors, impossible passages, and secrets that seem to whisper in the dark. Divinity, the strange little town where everyone has an eye on Zo, doesn’t make things any easier.

I loved how the author weaves the supernatural elements through the story. There’s an uncanny tension in the air, and you can practically feel the house breathing, waiting. And Zo—poor Zo—slowly realizes she’s tied to this place in ways she could never have imagined. The deeper she digs, the darker it gets, and it becomes clear that the stakes are much higher than just an inheritance. There are forces at play that are far beyond her understanding, and the realization that her lineage is connected to this house sets off a chain of events that kept me on the edge of my seat.

The real charm of this book lies in its atmosphere. The humid Louisiana air, the creaking, haunted halls of the mansion, the sense of isolation—it all works together to create a genuinely eerie setting. And there’s something incredibly satisfying about a haunted house story where the house is a character in its own right. The Gothic vibes are strong, and the twists are genuinely unsettling. If you love dark, atmospheric tales that mix mystery, magic, and a touch of horror, this book will absolutely deliver. It’s the kind of story that keeps you guessing, right up until the very end, and it left me with a chill that I can’t quite shake.

Spicy and an interesting storyline. Just enough mystery to leave you wanting to know more, too! I truly hope good things are in store for our Zo Grey. The girl desperately needs it, lawd a'mercy.

Premier tome de la nouvelle série de Karen Marie Moning et je ressors de ma lecture un peu mitigée!

Nous allons suivre Zo, une jeune femme qui galère un peu à joindre les deux bouts et qui vient de perdre sa mère. Elle va recevoir un coup de téléphone d'un notaire qui lui annonce qu'elle est l'héritière d'un vieux manoir en Louisiane. Elle se rend donc à Divinity et le testament est clair : passer 3 ans dans ce manoir et elle reçoit l'argent. Simple? Mais elle va découvrir des secrets de famille qui vont peut-être bouleverser toutes ses croyances...

C'est un premier tome qui nous introduit un nouvel univers. Celui-ci a un potentiel de dingue! Mais le bémol, selon moi, c'est que c'est beaucoup trop introductif (et descriptif) le rythme de lecture est cassé. Idem, l'action n'est quasi qu'à la fin du livre et cela se termine sur un sacré cliffhanger! J'ai beaucoup aimé l'évolution de Zo tout au long du livre même si parfois, j'ai eu envie de la secouer pour la réveiller

En bref, un tome qui a du potentiel!

I absolutely loved The House at Watch Hill. Another great book by Karen Marie Moning. I couldn't put it done and finished it in 2 sittings. Will definitely be recommending it to anyone who will listen.

I’m not sure I’ll survive until the next book, I’m dead. ☠️ The House at Watch Hill sucked me right in and it was just what I needed to completely escape. I have a love affair with New Orleans and we go as often as we can. To have Watch Hill set in the area, I can see, and smell the verdant moss, and live oaks, and feel the heat. The characters are killer and KMM is a master. Absolutely phenomenal new series.

This book was just okay for me although by the end I was much more invested. I normally love Moning's writing but this particular book felt like the descriptions was just so over the top. I found myself skimming through descriptions of what something looked like hoping to find some dialogue to keep my interest. The story definitely took a turn for the better and intrigued me enough to want to read the next book which for a while I wasn't even sure I'd finish this one.

The House on Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning captures everything I love about her writing: the lush atmosphere, complex characters, and that irresistible blend of mystery and magic. Moning takes us on a haunting journey, weaving a tale that feels like it exists just beyond the veil of our own reality. The tension and suspense build masterfully, making this a page-turner I couldn't put down. As always, Moning’s storytelling prowess shines; truly, I’d read her grocery list if she published it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As a long-time Karen Marie Moning fan, I was excited to dig into The House at Watch Hill, the first book in her new trilogy. While the Gothic mood and intriguing premise first pulled me in, I felt the pacing to be a little slow, with the first half feeling like a prolonged setup for the main tale to come.

Zo Grey's path from grief to inheritance was fascinating, and I admired her character's complexity. The mystery mansion in Divinity, Louisiana, is eloquently detailed, yet at times there seemed to be too much description and not enough action. I kept hoping for the big reveal or a fight, but instead, we're left with more questions than answers, due to a cliffhanger conclusion that makes me eager for the next book.

Overall, I liked the mood and some of the characters, but I was hoping for more depth. I am still rooting for Zo and can't wait to see where Moning takes us next!