Title Winterwood
Author Shea Ernshaw
Release Date November 5, 2019
Description from Amazon
Be careful of the dark, dark wood…
Especially the woods surrounding the town of Fir Haven. Some say these woods are magical. Haunted, even.
Rumored to be a witch, only Nora Walker knows the truth. She and the Walker women before her have always shared a special connection with the woods. And it’s this special connection that leads Nora to Oliver Huntsman—the same boy who disappeared from the Camp for Wayward Boys weeks ago—and in the middle of the worst snowstorm in years. He should be dead, but here he is alive, and left in the woods with no memory of the time he’d been missing.
But Nora can feel an uneasy shift in the woods at Oliver’s presence. And it’s not too long after that Nora realizes she has no choice but to unearth the truth behind how the boy she has come to care so deeply about survived his time in the forest, and what led him there in the first place. What Nora doesn’t know, though, is that Oliver has secrets of his own—secrets he’ll do anything to keep buried, because as it turns out, he wasn’t the only one to have gone missing on that fateful night all those weeks ago.
Initial Thoughts
This book wasn’t really on my radar until I received it in my November OwlCrate box. Also, the reading group I belong to (hosted by @betterwithabookinmyhand), decided to make this one of our December books – so I decided to give it a chance.
Some Things I Liked
- Mystery and suspense. I loved that this book kept my on the edge of my seat. This wasn’t a traditional thriller, but there were several suspenseful moments and I really enjoyed that.
- Twists. There were some really great and unexpected plot twists in this story.
- Witches and their backstories. I loved the intermittent chapters with the stories of the Walker witches of the past. I really enjoyed the thoughtfulness that went into their stories as well as the recipes and spells that went with them.
Final Thoughts
I didn’t really plan on reading this book in 2019 (or really at all), but I’m so glad I did. The romance was super cute, the story was mysterious and unexpected and I loved the setting. I love the way Shea Ernshaw writes and her descriptions are so vivid. I am definitely a big fan of her as an author now.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
- The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones – if you liked the mysterious elements and a strong, independent main character, give this standalone a try.
- Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin – once again, if you liked the witches element, do yourself a favor and read this new release by Shelby Mahurin. It’s seasonal, perfect, and has multiple POVs.
- The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw – if you enjoyed the writing style in Winterwood and the witchy elements, definitely try her other book, The Wicked Deep. I’m reading it right now and loving it.
Books Over Everything 