Weyward by Emilia Hart

Pages: 368 

Publisher: The Borough Press 

Released: 2nd of February 2023 

KATE, 2019

Kate flees London – abandoning everything – for Cumbria and Weyward Cottage, inherited from her great-aunt. There, a secret lurks in the bones of the house, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

VIOLET, 1942

Violet is more interested in collecting insects and climbing trees than in becoming a proper young lady. Until a chain of shocking events changes her life forever.

ALTHA, 1619

Altha is on trial for witchcraft, accused of killing a local man. Known for her uncanny connection with nature and animals, she is a threat that must be eliminated.

But Weyward women belong to the wild. And they cannot be tamed…

Weaving together the stories of three women across five centuries, Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.

TW: Rape, Domestic Abuse, Abortion, Death of a parent, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Dead Animals 

What I Have To Say 

I really enjoyed this, but it is really really important to read the content warnings. It does not go easy on them. The second scene in the book is about an abusive relationship and contains domestic abuse.  

As I said though this was a really enjoyable read. It was atmospheric and full of  an appreciation of nature. It really made me think about the birds and insects all around me! I loved that the magic was so tied up with the natural world. The only problem with is was that I would have liked more magic. 

My favourite storyline was Violet's I loved the rebellious girl who had such a connection to nature that no one could tame. I love the idea that everyone who reads this will have a different connection to the three characters and will like a different character best! 

If you want a story about three strong women with themes of witchcraft and overcoming the place of women in society, then this is the perfect book to pick up. 

(4 stars) 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Harper Collins for providing me with this copy for review. 

You Can't Hide by Sarah Mussi

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 352

Publisher: Hachette Children's Group 

Released: 7th of February 2019 

When Lexi wakes up in the Hudson Medical Center, barely in one piece, she is unable to recall how she got there.

Nobody seems to be able to tell her.

Disturbing memories haunt her daylight hours. Nightmares stalk her sleep. 

With huge unanswered questions, like where is her Mom - why doesn't she visit? What's happened to her boyfriend Finn - and who is this friend, Crystal, who visits her a lot and of whom she has no recollection? Lexi sets out to discover what's happened.

But the more she searches for answers, the deeper and darker the mystery gets.

And as she begins to piece the fragments together, she remembers one thing: I MUST HIDE FROM CHARLIE.

But the question is: who is Charlie? And is he still out there?

Trigger Warnings: Domestic Abuse, bullying, 

What I Have to Say 

This was completely enthralling from the first page. The secrets, the loss of memory, the things that Lexi won't write because she's so worried about being found by Charlie? All of these added up to a great mystery. 

As the story unfolded, it grew darker. The pressure on her to go along with the bullying because she's so scared of Charlie finding them and hurting her and her mum. It makes it different from the typical bullying story, because if Lexi doesn't do what Finn's girlfriend says then a video of her will be posted on the internet and Charlie will know where to find her. 

I did have to wonder about some of the things Lexi did though. I mean she stood outside the school completely naked? And no teachers came out to tell her off? It seems pretty unlikely that no teachers saw her or at least heard the buzz from the other students and came out to find out what was going on. 

Still, it was a really great plot and I loved the ending. 

My thanks go to Hachette and Netgalley for providing me with this free copy for review.