The Witch of Willow Hall

by Hester Fox

"In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters -- Catherine, Lydia and Emeline -- flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall. The estate seems sleepy and idyllic, but a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere. Remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline. All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves." --

• ISBN10: 1525833014
• ISBN13: 9781525833014
• Publish Date: 2 October 2018 (first published 1 October 2018)
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Graydon House
• Edition: Original ed.
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

What is described as a ghost story is actually a family drama, with a large dose of romance added in. That is far from the usual type of book I read, so I can’t really compare it to others in the same genre. But maybe that’s a good thing?

The author is very skilled at creating an eerie atmosphere, and the first few chapters were engrossing. Unfortunately, the ghost story aspect ended up being left by the wayside in favor of relationship drama and romance. The romance seemed to be going for a Pride and Prejudice vibe, so if you go for that sort of thing you might be jazzed. I honestly didn’t care about it at all, though.

I liked the youngest sister, Emmeline, and the leading man, John Barrett, but I couldn’t stand either of the oldest sisters. It’s been a while since I’ve wanted to reach into a book and smack someone as much as I wanted to wallop Lydia. She had an irritating martyr complex that grated on my nerves. The oldest sister, Catherine, was selfish and narcissistic. There was never any explanation for the reason she was that way, so she came across as a very underdeveloped character.

There were some parts of Catherine’s storyline that were very difficult for me to read about. I don’t want to give anything away, but be aware there is some serious unpleasantness throughout the book.

If you enjoy period romance, including longing glances, misunderstandings, and “propriety be damned”, then this book is for you. There is a review on the back of my copy of the book that compared it to Kate Morton’s works. I quite enjoyed The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Morton, so I would suggest you read that as well (or, dare I say, instead?).

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

The Witch at Willow Hall by Hester Fox is a wonderful surprise. Fox creates a suspenseful atmospheric story that weaves family drama, romance and the supernatural together. The end result is an elegant novel that goes beyond being just about witches and ghosts.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

[kalventure]

"There are stories around here that the place is haunted. All manners of ghosties and goblins."

This book wasn't what I was expecting but I found myself devouring the pages in one morning nonetheless. If I were to categorize this book it is first and foremost a historical romance; it felt like reading Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights with supernatural/witchy elements. This is a successful historical fiction book, but unfortunately I found the witch plotline underdeveloped and secondary to the romance.

The Montrose family has all but been run out of Boston due to rumors, but it is not until well into the book that the reader learns what happened. Lydia did something as a child; however, what ran them out of Boston was not the incident with the Bishop boy but something that her twenty-one year old sister Catherine did. The Montrose family loses their status and items, having to move to the country.

Witch of Willow Hall is honestly about the family's relocation, their struggles with their new status, interpersonal conflicts, and romance. The sisterly relationship between Emeline and Lydia warmed my heart and actually reminded me a lot of Little Women in a lot of respects. Fox was able to craft a compelling plot-driven story that felt very much like books written of this period, making for an immersive experience. Unfortunately, other than Lydia Montrose (our MC), John Barrett, and Emeline Montrose all of the characters are pretty much horrible. Catherine Montrose is awful, Cyrus Thompson is terrible and his actions make no sense,

There's a lot of tings happening in this book, and unfortunately for me it didn't really gel 100%. The book opens by saying “It was the Bishop boy who started it all…” yet none of that really felt connected until the end of the book, and the supernatural/witchy plot didn't really start to surface until 50% in and I was honestly left wanting a lot more.

Overall I found this to be a decent book that I enjoyed, but I was hoping for more. If you go into this book thinking that there will be witchcraft you will be disappointed. I would recommend this book to lovers of the historical romance genre, particularly if you enjoy the cattiness and competition between women of a marrying age.

CONTENT WARNINGS: animal death, incest, miscarriage

Many thanks to the publisher for providing me an electronic advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Quotations taken from an uncorrected proof and may change upon final publication. The Witch of Willow Hall will be published on October 2, 2018.

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[kimbacaffeinate]

Caffeinated Reasons to Grab The Witch of Willow Hall

• The tale Hester Fox weaves is dark and atmospheric with unrestful spirits, jealous spiteful sisters and denial that may be their undoing. The Montrose family is not new to scandal and Mr. Montrose has become a successful businessman until a scandal involving Catherine forces the family to flee the city.


• When they leave Boston and move to Willow Hall the country air brings more troubles. The slamming of doors, floating entities and voices that only Lydia and sometimes Emeline can hear.


• Told in first-person, present-tense by Lydia herself. While I know not everyone likes this POV, I felt it worked brilliantly as the story unfolded. Fox slowly reveals what really happened in Boston and the consequences that are still unfolding. It hooked me, disturbed me and before I knew it, the story held me spellbound.


• There is a subtle romance weaved into the story and it added suspense and uncertainty. It was a nice blend of supernatural and historical romance with walkabouts, and subtle glances.


• Lydia is a witch, only her mother has kept it from her, denying her access to a family journal that is passed down to those with the gift. Despite this and because of this strange things occur with unexpected consequences. That is until someone crosses the veil to warn her.


• I liked Lydia, but wanted her to stand up to Catherine who is an unholy terror wrapped in a pretty package. Emeline was adorable until she wasn’t. Their father was present, yet absent and their mother suffers from melancholy and perhaps denial over the scandal and wrongness of it all.


• While you might not like the characters, you will become caught up in their story and form strong opinions of them all.


• If you love Gothic, atmospheric tales that cause you to look over your shoulder, The Witch of Willow Hall will delight you. Fox does a delightful job of building the suspense, adding twists and shocking us with unimaginable reveals.

This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer