Weyward by Emilia Hart

Happy May! Beltane blessings to those who celebrate. I'm feeling the pull of the seasons for sure, and as much as I love spooky season spring has me wrapped around it's finger right now. The world has become green, and lots of my time lately has been out in my garden and doing a deep house cleaning to shake off the last bits of winter.

Weyward was my last BOTM for now, I'm cleaning house with subscriptions too, canceling them all and see who I miss. My tbr bookstack is very high still...so I'll see where I'm at once I work my way through all my books.

Synopsis:

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 begins to suspect 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. As a girl, Altha’s 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 for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of 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 enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.

Thoughts:

This book has a witchy cottage-core vibe with multigenerational feminism and strong indepened women that scare men, and I am absolutely here for it. The first thing I did when I finished this book was handing it right to my seventeen year old daughter to read.

The way this story is weaved together really blew me away. It was so creatively laid out, with some twists that actually surprised me. The character development for each of our leads was so deep and relatable. If you're looking for a cozy read with a satisfying feminist overtone, you'll absolutely love Weyward. 

Weyward was released March 7, 2023 is available on Amazon and Bookshop and if you're lucky..maybe still Book of the Month.

Disclaimer: I purchased this book on my own for my own enjoyment and merriment.  This however does not affect my opinions. There are links to Amazon, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

 

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Queentide: A Review

Queentide is a fictitious dystopian novel that hits very close to home.

Blurb:

Australia in 2026 is not an easy place to be a woman.

Authoritarianism has crept into the country and women have lost their rights and voices. But Bodie and her militant granddaughter, Insley, are gambling everything to return them. They have set up a radical feminist group, Queentide, to steal the upcoming election and make Aboriginal politician, Kathleen, the next Prime Minister of an all-women Government. The ex-wife of a senior Minister, Lilith, vows to help them by sharing explosive secrets that will guarantee Queentide's success.

But two things might stop them. A state-backed, violent men's rights group and a bitter power struggle that threatens to tear Queentide apart. Can the women harness the storm and smash the patriarchy?Or will Queentide wreck itself?

Thoughts: 

I want to preface this review by letting you know, I am absolutely a feminist.  The last few weeks in the US with the court rulings has tipped me further towards the radical feminist side. So when I read books like this it just ignites my fury. So having said that.... I found this to be a difficult read.

 

In 2026 in Australia women had no voice, no control over their bodies, their lives, or their children. Poor behavior from men was often overlooked or excused and women were perceived guilty unless proven innocent.  When a woman left her marriage she very likely lost her children. Lilith bravely left her husband, and only seeing her children when he allowed her to. Bravely..she secretly began attending meetings with Queentide.  Where she met Brodie, an older woman with experience leading groups for women.

I personally read books that pull me out of reality so I can get a break however this book immersed me into a reality that was not far from where we are.   Women had no voice, men's poor behavior was excused.  Women were perceived guilty unless proven innocent, and when a woman left her marriage she very likely lost her children. Ya'll...we are only four years away from the reality in this book...and I know a lot of women fear the world this book built may be our not so distant future. 

I would have liked to have seen more intersectionalism in the book. There were lots of strong independent women in this book, with lots of tense moments.  Would Queentide be successful and get Kathleen elected, dispite all the odds stacked against her? Well I'm not going to tell you, go get the book. If you enjoy feminists books, or need a book to ignite your fury then this book is for you.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced e-copy of this book free for review. This however does not affect my opinions, as I do not leave a review for each book I receive. There are links to bookshop here, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog. Thanks!

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