Two centuries after the Salem witch trials, there’s still one witch left in Massachusetts. But she doesn’t even know it.

"Take this as a warning: if you are not able or willing to control yourself, it will not only be you who suffers the consequences but those around you, as well."

New Oldbury, 1821

In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters—Catherine, Lydia, and Emeline—flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall. The estate seems sleepy and idyllic. But a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere, remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline.

All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves. For Willow Hall’s secrets will rise, in the end…

I've been guilty of judging a book by its cover here as I wasn't expecting this to be such a well written & atmospheric tale. Rather than being supernatural fluff - & hurrah that it wasn't - this has all the elements required of a Gothic romance: scandalous behaviour, misunderstandings, & of course there's a few ghosts thrown in for good measure (I did like the fact that the ghosts showed signs of decay rather than being simply the translucent floaty kind!).

It's a well written novel & does really well at evoking the uneasy atmosphere in Willow Hall & in particular the tension between Lydia & Catherine (what a cow she could be!)
But for a book with the tagline, "Years after the Salem witch trials one witch remains. She just doesn't know it....yet" it was a bit lacking in witchiness! But that's just my thoughts as I would have expected & certainly liked a bit more about the history of witchcraft in Lydia's family at least. That little gripe aside I still found it a fascinating read.

Added to my "Debut Novels" Bookbox ready for round 2

Released as part of the NOVEMBER "THE" CHALLENGE (#7)

Taken from the Debut Novels book box

I read this book a while ago and really enjoyed it. It is now going off to a new reader as part of a VBB.

Received from the First Sentences VBB round 19. This looks great! Also it arrived with a beautiful card, in lovely wrapping paper and on my birthday. :)

When her family is driven away from Boston by a scandal involving her sister, Lydia Montrose moves to Willow Hall, a house built by her wealthy mill-owner father. But Willow Hall has been built on a place with a history, and Lydia is forced to confront her heritage - her inheritance from the witches of Salem. Both a romance and a story of the supernatural. I really enjoyed this though I do feel that it could do with more character development in places - why is sister Catherine so horrible? Nevertheless I was absolutely gripped.

Sent to Tanamo for the UK Wishlist Tag game. Sorry for the delay in posting!

Safely arrived in Hinckley. Thank you.

A well crafted, historical novel that certainly kept my attention though I found myself wondering what happened to Charles, who caused much of the trouble in the first place, and kept thinking he would turn up in the book. I also find myself wondering about Catherine at the end of the novel too and its rare for me to think about the fates of the less pleasant characters.

Going in the Halloween bookring.

Received as one of the two books in Tanamo's Halloween Bookring.
I will keep this one. :)