I was thrilled to start a new witchy/spooky season book, and it did not disappoint. The atmosphere was just the right mix of eerie and suspicious without being too horrifying or suspenseful.

The story follows a woman fleeing from her past who comes across a peculiar man who takes her under his wing, protecting her from those searching for her and offering her a fresh start. However, as the woman starts to uncover the kind of life she has stepped into, she becomes wary. Rumors of a witch in their town start to swirl around "All Hallows Eve", and as the woman navigates her new life and relationships, the threat of dark magic grows stronger.

Overall, it's a captivating story! My only issue was that it seemed to be set in the past, yet some of the language felt quite modern, which took away from the story a bit. Nevertheless, it's a great choice for a spooky season fiction read!

I rated this book 4.5/5 stars! This was my first read by Jenni Keer and definitely won't be my last! I also discovered that she's local to me in MA, which is so fun. One of my favorite books of all time is Jane Eyre, so The Ravenswood Witch was right up my alley. I had a hard time fitting it neatly into one genre (which is a great thing): thriller, suspense, gothic horror, magic surrealism, and surprisingly erotic romance.I was delighted each chapter discovering which direction we were going. This book is a perfect addition to anyone's Fall TBR-- witchy vibes, haunting, some doomed romance. I loved reading this book, thank you so much for letting me!

Told initially from the point of view of a young woman on the run from the law, accused of murdering a man, she's quite literally stopped in her tracks when she injuries herself by colliding with Marcus, who insists she recuperates at his house, the only request he makes is that she pretends to be his wife Luna to receive payment from her dowry. It seems that Luna was ostracized by the community for witchcraft, and she's now missing, presumed dead.

The new Luna and Marcus manage to keep up the charade but both of them are hiding a dark past from each other and with strange goings on at Ravenswood they need to confront the ghosts of their past if they're going to get away with this deception.

I loved this story, it was the perfect read as we're coming into autumn and the mystery of the new Luna's past added an extra element to this.

A young woman is on the run from the police for the alleged murder of a man, and breaks her ankle when she runs into a man. The man helps her hide and heal, in return for her pretending to be his wife.

In this Victorian story there are lots of elements that make the book really engrossing: there's the historical set up, there's romance, there's suspense, there's plot twists. Yet, somehow, I found it hard to pick the book back up each time.
I enjoyed the dual timeline, which was executed really well, the plot twists, the development of the relationship between the two main characters. However, the pace of the story is quite slow in the first 3/4 of the book, meaning I really had to plow through it, and I only got invested at the end.
I think the writing style contributed to that sense of slowness: it often felt like a creative writing exercise, so packed with rhetorical questions and introspective reflections.
Speaking of the ending...for me, it felt very sudden, leaving me with a sense of unfinished business. I wish there had been an epilogue to take away that feeling.
All in all, I like the concept of this book, though I didn't love the execution - or, to be fair, some aspects of the execution. It might not have been the perfect read for me but I do think lots of people, perhaps slightly more in the YA audience, will enjoy it.

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 |

The year is 1885 and a young woman is on the run, knowing if she's caught, she'll be hanged for murder. Moments from a safe haven, she collides with a gruff stranger, falling and breaking her ankle.

To her surprise, the man - Marcus Greybourne - convinces the local constable that she is his reclusive wife of ten years, Luna. He carries her back to the neglected and crumbling Ravenswood Hall, promising if she agrees to maintain this charade, he will keep her safe until her injuries have healed.

But the house is haunted by shadows and secrets. What's more, the real Luna is missing. Scratches and marks made by her around the house suggest witchcraft; and indeed Luna is known locally as the Ravenswood Witch; her reputation in tatters, like the wallpapers of the padlocked rooms she'd destroyed.

As strange happenings in the house continue, the woman who is now pretending to be Luna can't help but fear she's escaped the noose for a far more terrible fate...

🍂

I was so happy to get a copy from @netgalley ahead of its release on the 30th September.

In The Ravenswood Witch, we get a dual pov but all is not as straight forward as it seems and there's a massive twist about three quarters through which turns the book on its head. Honestly, I was shocked.

I love a dark, atmospheric, witchy book with big houses full of secrets so this was right up my street and perfect for fans of Laura Purcell etc. I'd definitely recommend checking it out for the Autumn!

A suspenseful tale with several twists and turns about two people that were thrown together by fate but throughout the story, you’re unsure is it is a good or bad thing. This was a fun and fast-paced read.

This was an entertaining mystery with some supernatural/folklore aspects. The pacing was nice and kept me engaged. The backstory was interesting and provided extra drama. Great read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

On the surface, this book should have everything I like! I enjoy historical mysteries, and I also particularly love gothic stories. Add a dash of romance, and this seems like it should be right up my alley! And, looking at the elements themselves, it does. From a distant perspective, I liked a lot of what this book had to offer. There were some decent twists (especially one that comes about one third of the way through the book and which was genuinely a surprise!), as well as some nice spooky moments. I also thought the three POVs were distinct from one another and had interesting stories to tell.

However, something was lost in the writing itself. It almost read as bland. There was nothing drawing me in or adding a sense of depth to the scenes or characters. Instead, the story almost felt mechanical, plotted out to perfection, but lacking in any true voice or heart. I couldn't become truly invested in any of these characters or their stories. And I struggled to remain interested in the story itself, when the style of writing was so stilted.

Overall, this was just an ok read for me. I think there was a lot of promise to be found here, and maybe other will connect better with the writing itself. I'll definitely keep any eye out for the author's next book, however.

Jenni Keer provides a historical fiction story with a touch of magic in 'The Ravenswood Witch.' A mystery woman stumbles upon a mysterious manor and agrees to impersonate the lady of the house, but this impostor begins to realize that there is more than meets the eye with the home and the people in it. The home is very much a character in this book, as is the specter of the missing woman our main character is impersonating.

This book is a slow burn, for much of the book, the reader is left with more and more questions. I struggled some with this pacing, and would've loved to have more insight into some of the happenings earlier in the process to feel more invested in the story and characters. There was a pretty excellent twist, which did have some very creative breadcrumbs in hindsight.

Thank you to Jenni Keer and Boldwood books for digital ARC of 'The Ravenswood Witch' in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a 3.5 for me, I loved that there were two main twists in this book. This book is a perfect cozy read for fall! As someone who isn’t a big fantasy reader, I thought this book had the perfect blend of fantasy type elements, mixed with some realism. I did find a few chapters repetitive, but overall I enjoyed the writing of this book.

I'm not usually a historical fiction reader but this one had a really intriguing premise. There were parts of it where it felt like nothing was happening but I didn't guess two of the twists so I call that a win!

The Ravenswood Witch

An atmospheric gothic and witchy read, perfect for the autumn season! Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood for providing me with an ARC of Jenni Keer's The Ravenswood Witch in exchange for a honest review

A woman accused of murder is on the run through the English countryside when she collides with the solid figure of Marcus Greybourne, the master of Ravenswood house, and breaks her ankle. With the constable on her heels, Marcus surprisingly announces that she is actually his wife, Luna, thus saving her from authorities. He takes her to his manor give her time for her ankle to heal. He explains that his wife Luna is gone, and he needs her to play the role so that he can continue to receive his wife’s promised inheritance. But the real Luna was known as the Ravenswood Witch: hated and distrusted in the village for cursing people, ungodly acts, violence and destruction. Taking on this role is challenging and distressing. Where is Marcus’ real wife and who wants the “new” Luna gone? Can the “new” Luna keep up the charade and convince everyone she is the real Luna? So many secrets, but meanwhile the “marriage” between her and Marcus starts to feel more and more real.

Although this was a bit of a slow start for me, I ended up really enjoying this witchy read. There was a surprising twist in the second half that was completely unexpected. There are a number of interesting (and questionable) characters. Overall it’s a satisfying love story with a side of supernatural and a wonderful raven named Bran.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. The premise of witches and magic and secrets seemed exciting, but I could not get invested in the storyline. Thank you for the ARC and the opportunity.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for offering me an Advance Readers Copy.

Genres : Historical Fiction | Sci-Fi & Fantasy
** The magic is only real if you believe **

This story takes place in 1885 at a gothic house in rural England. It has the perfect mix of romance, mystery, and magic. The setting is perfect for spooky season and it pulls you right in to make you feel as if you are standing within the scratched up walls of their home.

There were several plot twists in this story, one being about ⅓ of the way through, and completely unexpected. It only gets more intriguing after the fact and truly pulls you into this magical, spooky time.

With several POV, you are never left bored, wondering when it might get interesting.

The final plot twist earned this book a 5 star rating and I definitely recommend to anyone wanting a spooky read.

The Ravenswood Witch is a modern gothic novel set in a time when people still partly believed in witchcraft.
We follow a heroine whose name we do not know for most of the book as she impersonates Luna, the mysteriously absent wife of the lord who accidentally broke her ankle as she was running away from justice, and took her in.
There is everything here to make a very memorable gothic, sooo many possibilities, so many mysteries as we wonder if witchcraft is truly taking place and who can be trusted.

But the writing is so non-personal, all the characters are bland and everything is extremely emotionally stunted. There could be some brilliantly creepy moments, but there isn't. There could be some truly romantic interaction, but there isn't. There could be some deep emotional turmoil, but nothing. And the main characters could have some personality... but they don't.

There is a good plot, but the whole book is missing drive, heart, characterisation, I don't know, a voice maybe.
It felt repetitive and emotionless and I was disappointed.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Beware of possible spoilers.

This book really is beautiful. It truly feels a late 1900s gothic tale. Something about the way it's written has you embracing that vibe down to your core.

I think my main issue with it was that I'm not the kind of reader that enjoys a slow flow. The majority of the book doesn't have much happening. You spend a lot of time going back and forth between timelines, but not a lot happens. The clues of the mystery are dropped so softly to the point where you sort of feel like it isn't much to think about. It isn't as if it's building and building into something grand. It stays rather static for about 60% of the novel until things really start to pick up. I even struggled to get behind the romance because the male lead wasn't there an awful lot until further into the story.

I tend to like a more gradual climb in my reading experience. That being said, I know exactly who would love this book and I've told them all about it. This is for people who enjoy the slower pace of something like The Priory of the Orange Tree or When the Moon Hatched. If you like that style, you'll probably adore this!

I read this book in a few sittings and I was always sad to put it down and ripped out of the story just because there were things that needed to be done (just life).
The whole book is very atmospheric and captivating from the first page and it sucks you right in. I was interested in the characters and their individual journeys and how the plot was going to progress which is always a good thing but not always given nowadays.
With this book I found that it does not only rely on tropes and keywords to tell the story and keep you engaged. I also love the length of the chapters as chapters. Overall I just enjoyed my time reading this and I’ve also grown fond of our main characters very quickly.
I’m glad to be adding this to my list this year and I wanna thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC! <3

✨ARC Review ✨

I was really looking forward to diving into The Ravenswood Witch since I have a soft spot for period pieces with a supernatural twist. That said, my feelings about this book are a bit mixed.

Did I enjoy the premise and the setting? Absolutely! The world-building, clever misdirection, and twists were fun. However, I found the pacing a bit off for my taste. The first half of the book felt slow, and despite the rich world-building, I struggled to stay engaged with the story, even resorting to skimming to make it through.

Because of that pacing, I didn’t really connect with the characters, which was disappointing. I did find myself more drawn to Bran, the raven, and found myself theorizing about his role and significance as I read.

Normally, a slow read with flat characters might have driven me to put the book down, but those little breadcrumbs kept me curious enough to push through to about the 60% mark, where the twists and big reveal finally came into play. Unfortunately, it all felt a bit rushed and underwhelming since it was crammed into the latter part of the book.

So, would I recommend it? Maybe! But I’d probably only suggest it to those specific readers who I think would really appreciate this kind of story.

I would rate this: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice rating of - 🌶️0.25/5

Thanks to @NetGalley and @theboldbookclub for the chance to read this advanced copy of this book. The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer releases on 09/30/2024.

#TheRavenswoodWitch #NetGalley

I loved The Ravenswood Witch, with its gothic feel and sense of dark, impending dangers as witchcraft and love weave their threads through this mysterious tale.
Our heroine is a young woman on the run from authorities when she encounters Marcus Greybourne, who helps her to escape - but then extracts an unusual promise. What follows is a historical fantasy, that is full of twists and turns, and every time that I thought I had guessed the truth, then there was an expected surprise.
The Ravenswood Witch is a true page turner and I loved it.

Not a bad story but not one of the best ‘witch’ books I’ve read recently.

The year is 1885 and a young woman is on the run, knowing if she’s caught, she’ll be hanged for murder. Moments from a safe haven, she collides with a gruff stranger, falling and breaking her ankle.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.