Weyward by Emilia Hart

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CW: Here’s a list provided by The StoryGraph. Please check before reading.

From the Publisher:

I am a Weyward, and wild inside.

2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great-aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she suspects that her great-aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.
1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. When Altha was a girl, her mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence of witchcraft is laid out against Altha, she knows it will take all her powers to maintain her freedom.
1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.
Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an astonishing debut, and an enthralling novel of female resilience.

This book is absolutely captivating! Beautifully written with lush descriptions, this book broke my heart over and over again-but in a good way, promise. If you enjoy books that combine female rage with a healthy dose of female empowerment, this book should be on your TBR. Hart effortlessly wove together the lives of three incredible women into a compelling and enthralling story of love, revenge, and resilience. The incredible descriptions of Weyward Cottage and it’s gardens were absolutely enchanting and I loved how books were an integral part of Kate’s story. Her love of them, her aunt Violet’s gorgeous collection of science based books and books by women authors, and how a bookstore became so important to her own story. You can tell the author has a deep love and appreciation for books and that love shone on the page.

Weyward, with it’s gorgeous cover and lush writing, is actually a pretty dark and haunting story of tragedy and trauma. But underneath that darkness is a great deal of hope and love. This book has an extraordinary ending that stayed with me for weeks after reading. It’s a powerful and enthralling story and once again, I can’t believe this another debut author! I don’t know what Emilia Hart has planned next, but I can’t wait to read it.

This book was my March 2023 Book of the Month pick and yep, I waited way too long to read it. If you’re interested in BOTM, you can use my referral link to get your first book for $5. Full disclosure: I get a free book when you use my link. I spend my own real money on BOTM and have really enjoyed the wide selection of books and authors and the ease of skipping a month if you’re not into any of the titles.

If you would like to add this enchanting novel to your shelf, you can click on the cover above for ordering information. This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Affiliate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.