Review: The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox
Published by Harlequin on October 1, 2018
Genres: Fiction, General, Ghost, Gothic, Historical, Occult & Supernatural
Pages: 408
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher

After a scandal rocks the reputation of the Montrose family, the three daughters  Catherine, Lydia and Emeline, leave Boston with their parents and head to their new home, Willow Hall.   Country life is meant to be a source of calm for the family, but it's soon obvious that something ominous resides on the grounds of Willow Hall.  Lydia, the middle daughter, has struggled with her "temper" most of her life.  At Willow Hall, surrounded by the remnants of its dark and haunting past, she soon understands that there is something in her family's past that explains these "spells" she experiences. The new setting seems to feed this aspect of her life, and she must learn to control them in order to protect not only her life, but the lives of those around her.

I absolutely adored the dark and Gothic setting!  A perfect fall read, this most certainly put me in the mood for Halloween.

Fox has created quite the addictive read (I read it in one weekend afternoon).  The setting, so vivid and well developed is truly almost a character itself.  The depth that the author goes into describing it makes it leap from the pages. You feel the chill in the air, the dampness of the rain.  The characters, too are expertly crafted. The each have their own uniqueness about them, making it quite easy to stand out from one another.  Lydia was easily my favorite character. Overshadowed by her gorgeous older sister, she’s often the one that is forgotten.  Her abilities, however, allow her stand out in true form!

When reading a 19th century historical fiction with themes like witchcraft, readers are often forced to endure cliches about the Salem Witch trials and what transpired. That’s not the case with this title.  It does stand out as a truly unique read.

I labeled this as horror for there are some dark and spooky aspects, but in reality it reads a bit more like a historical Gothic romance with tinges of horror.  This is certain to appeal to readers of all types. Highly recommended.