The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox (TLC Book Tour Review and GIVEAWAY!)

Lydia Montrose and her family have been forced to flee Boston due to unsavory rumors about their family and have settled in their newly built summer home, Willow Hall, in New Oldbury.  Sisters Catherine, Lydia, and Emeline couldn’t be more different.  Catherine is noted for her beauty, but what is the scandal that drove the family out of Boston?  Lydia is the plain sensible sister.  She should be heartbroken at the breaking of her engagement due to the rumors, but she finds herself enflamed by her new neighbor and her father’s new business partner, Mr. Barrett, who holds secrets of his own past.  Emeline is still a child entranced by their new home, but what secrets can a small child hold?

The Witch of Willow Hall is a Victorian story, but it has roots in the Salem Witch Trials of the 17^th century.  Montrose family lore is that a distant ancestress was killed as a witch.  Lydia has always thought of this just as a story, but she did have a jarring experience when she was a child.  As an adult, she now has ever more strange things happening to her and she starts to wonder if there is more to the story of her ancestors than what she had previously believed.

I really liked that this novel fit many different genres.  At the start it seemed like a family drama / coming of age or typical Victorian novel.  Then it veered into being a Gothic Victorian novel and included magical realism.  I enjoyed this.  I also loved the romance between Mr. Barrett and Lydia. It was interesting putting together the pieces of both of their pasts.  I also liked the sisterly conflict between Lydia and Catherine.  It was an original story that combined different fictional elements that I enjoy. 

Overall, The Witch of Willow Hall is a wonderful Halloween read that combines magic, witches, the Victorian era, love, and tragedy.  I really enjoyed it and hope you will as well.

Book Source:  Review Copy for being a part of the TLC Book Tour.  For more stops on this tour, check out this link.

 GIVEAWAY

One lucky winner has a chance to win a copy of The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox. If you would like to win this book, please leave a comment on what interests you about this book. What are your favorite books to read at Halloween?  What are your favorite books with witches or ghosts? 

As part of your comment, you must include an email address. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner.

For an additional entry, blog about this giveaway or post it on your sidebar. Provide a link to this post in your comment.

I will be using random.org (or a Monte Carlo simulation in excel) to pick the winners from the comments.

This contest is only open to addresses in the United States.

The deadline for entry is midnight on Friday October 26th!

Please make sure to check the week of October 29th to see if you are a winner. I send emails to the winner, but lately I've been put in their "junk mail" folder instead of their inbox.

Good luck!