Winterwood

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.

SIMPLY MAGICAL Seriously, I think this book melted my iced, cold heart. Lately I have been reading a ton of thrillers so I wasn’t sure at first how much I would like this book since it seemed different than what I have been reading. Although it wasn’t a thriller, there were a couple plot twists that kept me guessing through the book. Overall, this story was beautiful. I appreciated the world that the author built: a modern day town by a lake with a forest that is almost as alive as the humans who live there. The whole narrative had a fantastical, magical element to it that almost seemed real. I really enjoyed the main characters and felt like I got to know Nora (the main character) on a more intimate level. I especially loved how the author included some pages of the “spell book” that told about Nora’s relatives and their lives. I felt that these pages give the reader insight into her life, but they are not too long or too dense to take away from the main narrative. One thing, however, is I would still like to know more about certain aspects such as Nora’s mother/ father and the woods. However, with this type of magical story maybe it’s best that everything is not known. Overall, this was not a book I would normally pick up, however I am glad that I read it. It was a welcomed heart-felt tale and a break from all the darker books that I have been reading lately.

I love the book!! Shea Ernshaw did it again. I read The Wicked Deep and was hooked from the beginning and WinterWood was the same thing. I love both stories but this WinterWood made me cry and brought so many emotions while reading. One dead boy. One missing boy. The story is about a girl name Nora Walker and she finds a body in the forest of a boy name Oliver. Oliver does not remember how he got to the forest. Read it to find out how Oliver got to the forest. I love when I can see myself in the story and feel the atmosphere around me. This is a perfect read for the Winter time because it will give your body chills. You will need a blanket and comfy pajamas to read this in bed or on the couch. It is a fast read that can be read in a day or two.

This book caught my attention right away. Shea Ernshaw’s writing is poetic, rhythmic and draws the reader in. I was hooked. I wanted to know more about who Nora was and what kind of witch she might be. I wanted to know about the missing boy. I wanted to know what happened the night he went missing. So many questions drive the beginning of this novel that the reader can’t help but eagerly search out the answers. Unfortunately, the story gets bogged down in the middle. After setting up an intriguing premise, Ernshaw flounders. Nora spends too much time wondering whom she can trust, if she is afraid, and lamenting about the Walkers. Oliver keeps leaving and returning and acting untrustworthy. Also, there is a romance that develops out of nowhere and over a span of two days. Even for a YA book that’s fast. It’s also pretty baseless. These hiccups aside, don’t put the book down because it gets good. Really good. The ending packs a punch as questions are answered and theories are upended. I really enjoyed the beginning of this book, was bored through the middle and loved the ending. I think Ernshaw’s writing is beautiful and strong. I think her characterization is mostly enough for this contained story. I think the romance was shoddy and unbelievable. I don’t know if I particularly really like how the story ends, but it definitely was exciting to read. All in all, it was pretty good as long as you push through the mid-section.

Muy bonita edición! La historia es equis, a mitad del libro, quizá antes, se hace super predecible pero el final si toma un poco por sorpresa (para bien). Genial si quieres algo fácil y rápido de leer

Some writers cast a magical spell upon their readers and entrance them. Shea Earnshaw is one of those rare but beautifully talented authors that succeeds in weaving her spells. Some books become friends for life, this like The Wicked Deep have earned special places in my heart and will be treasured. I am so looking forward to her next enchantment.

If you liked “Into the Deep” you will definitely enjoy this book too. Delve into the mystical woods and fall in love with the Walker Witches!

La trama y personajes se asemeja mucho a The wicked deep, pero esta es una versión mejorada

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw is Utterly mesmerising. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with such 19th century writing style in the 21st century before... the words & sentences are utterly enlighting & spark off the page. I adore Ernshaws writing style .. it is profoundly beautiful and utterly mesmerising! Winterwood is darkly atmospheric with such intense vivid imagery. It was like the words came to life off of the pages and all the scenes played out as I was reading. Although I found the major part of story very obvious from the beginning it just added to my curiosity. What was going to happen? How would events unfold? I throughly enjoyed the story and the black pages with spells and the history of walker witches. That was a really nice touch. This story honestly brought my heart to its knees and I was so hoping for happy ending after the wicked deep... again, the way Ernshaw writes I find utterly mesmerising but the way she writes about love is it utterly bewitching and so so deep from the depths of the soul. The entire story draws you in from the first sentence and doesn’t quite let go.