Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Winterwood

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”

Content Warnings

xvictoriam9's review against another edition

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adventurous dark sad 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? Yes

2.5

Very young adult but dark
Not sure about the hipe
The ending / what happen to oliver is very obvious

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itsreirei's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

3.5

The best character doesn't even get a mention at the end of the story #justiceforFin

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bookcaptivated's review against another edition

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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

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kassidyreads's review against another edition

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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

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jupiter_01's review against another edition

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adventurous inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

I found this novel really inspiring for my own writing. Adored the atmosphere, the premise, and the world building! Absolutely loved the idea of the woods being alive and a little evil. Hope the author delves more into it at some point!

I don't think it was as insta-lovey as other reviewers have noted. To me, it seemed more like Nora was off-kilter because of her conflicted feelings about being lonely and the fact that her powers had begun to manifest. I also didn't mind the repetition.

Learning about the elder witches was a very cool edition and just like the woods, I wish we knew more!

Some of my favourite descriptions:

"They have limbs that sway ... instead of moan and crack; they aren't old enough to hold grudges ... not like ... the Wicker Woods."
"I feel like I'll never be warm again. Like I can feel tree roots growing ... inside my bones, and soon they'll ... tear through my skin and push thorns from my eyes."
"Better to not remember the woods. Or how dark the dark can be."
"By morning, Oliver will be gone. Melted into the floor like a boy made of snow. A trick of the woods."
"We see heartache coming from a mile away ... but we don't know how to step out of the way."
"My heart cracked so deeply it split open and my shadow side spilled out like black mud."

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maple_dove's review against another edition

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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

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.

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