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nrogers_1030's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
syraluna's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was really an amazing story. I can’t wait to read more from Shea!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism and Bullying
Minor: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Murder
gmat's review
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent and Car accident
celery's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Grief, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Cursing, and Death
thegazillionthreader's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
My Thoughts. These are moreso for myself to look back on and is less of a review with critiques, more of a reaction/discussion.
Non spoiler thoughts
I loved the writing, it was so pretty ✨ So many sentences I loved and screenshotted. I enjoyed the additions of the pages in the SpellBook.
I can see myself reading more by this author in the future. The story itself did keep me reading, but the 4 stars are moreso for the writing and enchanting vibe of the story.
DETAILED THOUGHTS THAT WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
As I said the story kept me reading to figure out what exactly happened , although sometimes I was wary that I wasn’t going to get a clear answer because of the way the characters acted or said things in their mysterious way that sometimes seemed like a poetic code. But everything is summed up fairly clearly by the end.
I did figure out most of the twist pretty early on. (That Oliver was dead. Which I think was supposed to be a twist to the reader but maybe not?) A couple times Nora sorta frustrated me when she didn’t figure out what seemed obvious, (Oliver being dead then at the end she didn’t realize she was reliving the night of the storm when it seemed apparent) but not in an angry way, moreso amused because I adore her. Then again I realize as I’m writing this it’s more obvious to the reader and wouldn’t be as obvious to her. 😅
I was never bored, but overall the events and magic seemed kinda subtle at times. Not much going on… but at the same time so much going on.
The story was wrapped up pretty well… but something about it is keeping me from being completely satisfied. Maybe it’s that Oliver can not completely remember. Like he knows, but not completely, and that’s sad. Idk. Loved the quotes at the end though (I will share at end of this) And then the camp boys… kinda concerned they’re sorta off the hook and have no memory of their consequences… because it never happened and they never did anything. Especially Max 👀Ugh. They were annoying characters. I had forgotten it is a camp for boys who need reform though and that is why they were as awful as they were. When the one boy got buried in the forest I did not expect it tbh, but I mean… consequences. 🤷🏻♀️😆😭 They should have listened to her.
Overall though, an enchanting story with gorgeous writing and mysterious characters. I am glad I read it. It is perfect for winter. Towards the end of the book I was reading it outside when it was chilly under the moon with a mug of hot chocolate and that was so awesome and immersive & something I’ll remember when I hear/think of this book ✨
And I kid you not, immediately after finishing this book on Libby while outside, a white moth started flying around me. Kinda scary, but very beautiful ending to reading this! 😆❤️
Loved this at the end of Oliver’s POV
“Sometimes I'm certain I've loved her before. That this is the second time my heart has knitted itself too tightly around hers.
The second time I've kissed her for
the first time.
The second time I've placed my lips on her neck and let my hands drift up her spine.
The second time I've fallen in love.
The second time I've known that I'll never leave these mountains, the cold dark of the forest, the bottomless lake
beyond her room.
The second time I've known without question I'll never leave her”
Non spoiler thoughts
I loved the writing, it was so pretty ✨ So many sentences I loved and screenshotted. I enjoyed the additions of the pages in the SpellBook.
I can see myself reading more by this author in the future. The story itself did keep me reading, but the 4 stars are moreso for the writing and enchanting vibe of the story.
DETAILED THOUGHTS THAT WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
As I said the story kept me reading to figure out what exactly happened , although sometimes I was wary that I wasn’t going to get a clear answer because of the way the characters acted or said things in their mysterious way that sometimes seemed like a poetic code. But everything is summed up fairly clearly by the end.
I did figure out most of the twist pretty early on. (That Oliver was dead. Which I think was supposed to be a twist to the reader but maybe not?) A couple times Nora sorta frustrated me when she didn’t figure out what seemed obvious, (Oliver being dead then at the end she didn’t realize she was reliving the night of the storm when it seemed apparent) but not in an angry way, moreso amused because I adore her. Then again I realize as I’m writing this it’s more obvious to the reader and wouldn’t be as obvious to her. 😅
I was never bored, but overall the events and magic seemed kinda subtle at times. Not much going on… but at the same time so much going on.
The story was wrapped up pretty well… but something about it is keeping me from being completely satisfied. Maybe it’s that Oliver can not completely remember. Like he knows, but not completely, and that’s sad. Idk. Loved the quotes at the end though (I will share at end of this) And then the camp boys… kinda concerned they’re sorta off the hook and have no memory of their consequences… because it never happened and they never did anything. Especially Max 👀Ugh. They were annoying characters. I had forgotten it is a camp for boys who need reform though and that is why they were as awful as they were. When the one boy got buried in the forest I did not expect it tbh, but I mean… consequences. 🤷🏻♀️😆😭 They should have listened to her.
Overall though, an enchanting story with gorgeous writing and mysterious characters. I am glad I read it. It is perfect for winter. Towards the end of the book I was reading it outside when it was chilly under the moon with a mug of hot chocolate and that was so awesome and immersive & something I’ll remember when I hear/think of this book ✨
And I kid you not, immediately after finishing this book on Libby while outside, a white moth started flying around me. Kinda scary, but very beautiful ending to reading this! 😆❤️
Loved this at the end of Oliver’s POV
“Sometimes I'm certain I've loved her before. That this is the second time my heart has knitted itself too tightly around hers.
The second time I've kissed her for
the first time.
The second time I've placed my lips on her neck and let my hands drift up her spine.
The second time I've fallen in love.
The second time I've known that I'll never leave these mountains, the cold dark of the forest, the bottomless lake
beyond her room.
The second time I've known without question I'll never leave her”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
itsreirei's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Grief, Violence, and Death
bookcaptivated's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Death
Moderate: Bullying and Alcohol
Minor: Murder, Child death, Death of parent, Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
kassidyreads's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcohol, Abandonment, and Death of parent
laurenleigh's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I’ll start with my negatives so I can end on a positive note lol. I really didn’t care for this writing style. There were so many incomplete sentences. All the time. Constantly. Like they’d never stop. 😅 I totally get that we don’t think in complete sentences all the time, but would it kill you to use a conjunction? It just took me out of the story and felt half-baked. Despite that, I did like the overall plot. I kind of saw the twist coming, but that doesn’t bother me so much. The vibes were immaculate, helping bring me back into the plot when the writing bugged me. Pro tip: when it’s 115 degrees out, read a book set in the dead of winter! I could really feel the chilly, witchy, forest energy throughout the text.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Child death, Violence, Misogyny, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Confinement
maple_dove's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw is an atmospheric, dark book follow the MC, Nora Walker. Nora Walker is descended from a long line of witches, all born in an old house beside the Jackjaw Lake. The Walkers have always shared a special connection to the Wicked Wood, the forest surrounding the Fir Haven. One day, Nora Walker finds a boy, Oliver Huntsman, who disappeared from the camp for wayward boys two weeks ago. While Nora attempts to discover how Oliver survived in the forest for that long, and how he got there in the first place, Oliver has his own secrets to keep. Ones he'll never unearth.
I Liked
I Liked
- The dark atmosphere
- The idea of an MC, being separated from the rest of society :)
- The action (scenes) (apparently, I like action combined with thriller)
- The ENDING :O HOW DID I NOT SEE IT COMING?!
I Didn't Like
- The romance (sorry, I don't ship it)
This was the first book in a while that I didn't want to stop reading. While not a favorite read, I think this was worth it.
Later in life, she preferred the way Chinese vowels curled off her tongue, and she spoke it while walking through the autumn aspen trees reading from her favorite book.
Keep in mind, Chinese is not a language, rather, an umbrella term for multiple Chinese languages/dialects.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Confinement, Kidnapping, Death, Grief, Bullying, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Car accident and Pregnancy