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Wildwood Whispers
A heartwarming novel of hope, fate, and folk magic unfolds when a young woman travels to a sleepy southern town in the Appalachian Mountains to bury her best friend.
Mel Smith has always known life isn’t easy. After all, she was abandoned as an infant and raised in foster care. But still, when the only bright spot in her life, her best friend Sarah Ross, unexpectedly dies, it’s a heartbreak unlike any other.
A final promise to lay Sarah to rest in the Ross wildwood garden draws Mel to Morgan’s Gap, a small town nestled in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains. Yet Morgan’s Gap is more than a land of morning mists and deep forest shadows.
There are secrets that call to Mel, in the gaze of the gnarled and knowing woman everyone calls “Granny,” who seems to have expected her; in a salvaged remedy book filled with healing tinctures and salves; in the strange connection she feels to the Ross homestead and the wilderness around it. In fulfilling her promise, Mel might end up finding home—and remain connected to Sarah—in a way she least expected.
The wildwood is whispering. It has secrets to reveal—if you’re willing to listen…
Mel Smith has always known life isn’t easy. After all, she was abandoned as an infant and raised in foster care. But still, when the only bright spot in her life, her best friend Sarah Ross, unexpectedly dies, it’s a heartbreak unlike any other.
A final promise to lay Sarah to rest in the Ross wildwood garden draws Mel to Morgan’s Gap, a small town nestled in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains. Yet Morgan’s Gap is more than a land of morning mists and deep forest shadows.
There are secrets that call to Mel, in the gaze of the gnarled and knowing woman everyone calls “Granny,” who seems to have expected her; in a salvaged remedy book filled with healing tinctures and salves; in the strange connection she feels to the Ross homestead and the wilderness around it. In fulfilling her promise, Mel might end up finding home—and remain connected to Sarah—in a way she least expected.
The wildwood is whispering. It has secrets to reveal—if you’re willing to listen…
384 pages, Hardcover
First published August 17, 2021
297 people are currently reading
7959 people want to read
About the author
Willa Reece
2 books121 followersWilla Reece has published more than a dozen books with top publishers as Barbara J. Hancock, most recently the Brimstone and Legendary Warriors series of paranormal romances for Harlequin and her gothic YA AFTER ALWAYS for Entangled Teen. Her novella “Ghost in the Machine” was a Dear Author Recommended Read. Besides writing, Willa is devoted to animal rescue and her three scientist sons—a biologist, a chemist and a physicist. Willa lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where stories are often told on a dark side porch by the flicker of firefly light.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 383 reviews
August 23, 2021
This is a beautiful and lyrical novel sprinkled with a dash of magic.
Having grown up in foster care, Mel Smith is an extremely guarded young woman who has only allowed one person into her life, Sarah Ross. Friends since they were children, Mel has always felt very protective of Sarah, putting her own needs second to that of her best friend. When Mel and Sarah get into a tragic car accident, Sarah makes Mel promise to bring her ashes home to Morgan’s Gap. Grieving, Mel is hesitant to follow through, but ultimately decides to fulfill her promise and deliver the ashes to the small town of Morgan’s Gap. This act sets Mel on a journey of self-discovery where she forms connections with both the townspeople and with the Wildwood.
But it’s not all rainbows and butterflies in the town of Morgan’s Gap. There is a Sect that seems very cultish with a vile man as the leader of a group of fearful women. And a mayor who is just as slimy as the sect leader. Mel joins her new community in helping these women in any way they can.
This is a slowly paced novel where not a lot happens until the last 100 pages. The writing is stunning; I could practically smell the Wildwood through the wonderful imagery presented. It is told mostly from Mel’s perspective, but there are a few others, including a mouse.
I was really immersed in this novel, but my one critique would be that, at times, the plot dragged. There were moments of suspense, but then it’d be back to making jam or delivering goods. Although, the last third of the book made it all worthwhile in the end.
Huge thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
Having grown up in foster care, Mel Smith is an extremely guarded young woman who has only allowed one person into her life, Sarah Ross. Friends since they were children, Mel has always felt very protective of Sarah, putting her own needs second to that of her best friend. When Mel and Sarah get into a tragic car accident, Sarah makes Mel promise to bring her ashes home to Morgan’s Gap. Grieving, Mel is hesitant to follow through, but ultimately decides to fulfill her promise and deliver the ashes to the small town of Morgan’s Gap. This act sets Mel on a journey of self-discovery where she forms connections with both the townspeople and with the Wildwood.
But it’s not all rainbows and butterflies in the town of Morgan’s Gap. There is a Sect that seems very cultish with a vile man as the leader of a group of fearful women. And a mayor who is just as slimy as the sect leader. Mel joins her new community in helping these women in any way they can.
This is a slowly paced novel where not a lot happens until the last 100 pages. The writing is stunning; I could practically smell the Wildwood through the wonderful imagery presented. It is told mostly from Mel’s perspective, but there are a few others, including a mouse.
I was really immersed in this novel, but my one critique would be that, at times, the plot dragged. There were moments of suspense, but then it’d be back to making jam or delivering goods. Although, the last third of the book made it all worthwhile in the end.
Huge thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2022
EXCERPT: Twelve year old Sarah Ross reached quickly for the fragrant charm beneath her pillow the same way she would have reached for a parachute ripcord if she'd been rudely pushed from a plane cruising at ten thousand feet. It was only an imaginary fall, one that had propelled her awake, as bad dreams do, but her trembling fingers clutched at the familiar shape of the tiny crocheted mouse like a lifeline. The charm her mother had filled with sage and lemon balm was supposed to help Sarah sleep, and it did, usually, but the dream fall had cannoned her awake with stomach-swooping dread, as if the entire world had disappeared beneath her sleeping body.
This time her knuckles didn't stop hurting even after the bed solidified beneath her. She wasn't falling. She was awake. Her soft bedding still smelled of sunshine from its time on the clothesline.
Her hands hurt.
It was only a ghost pain that had haunted her first waking moments since she was a little girl. There was nothing wrong with her fingers, her knuckles, the palms of her hands. The mouse usually banished the pain by grounding her in the real world.
Not this time.
ABOUT 'WILDWOOD WHISPERS': At the age of eleven, Mel Smith’s life found its purpose when she met Sarah Ross. Ten years later, Sarah’s sudden death threatens to break her. To fulfill a final promise to her best friend, Mel travels to an idyllic small town nestled in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains. Yet Morgan’s Gap is more than a land of morning mists and deep forest shadows.
There are secrets that call to Mel, in the gaze of the gnarled and knowing woman everyone calls Granny, in a salvaged remedy book filled with the magic of simple mountain traditions, and in the connection, she feels to the Ross homestead and the wilderness around it.
With every taste of sweet honey and tart blackberries, the wildwood twines further into Mel’s broken heart. But a threat lingers in the woods—one that may have something to do with Sarah's untimely death and that has now set its sight on Mel.
MY THOUGHTS: I was looking forward to listening to Wildwood Whispers, a story of magical realism set in a village in the Appalachian Mountains. But, sorry, this just didn't strike a chord in my heart. I found it difficult to connect with the characters and found the story very slow moving.
There is no real mystery, because it is apparent very early on, who is responsible. The why takes longer to be revealed, but by then I had lost interest.
I really enjoyed the scenes based around the bees, but the mouse really didn't work for me. I also felt that the romantic interest wasn't necessary, and was far too obvious.
The description of the wildwood and the garden interested me, and I would have liked more information about the recipes.
While I usually like audiobooks to have multiple narrators, there was one narrator whose voice grated on my eardrums, which definitely didn't enhance my experience.
Overall, this was just an average read.
⭐⭐.5
#WildwoodWhispers #NetGalley
I: @willa_reece @hachetteaudio
T: @ReeceWilla @HachetteAudio
#audiobook #fantasy #contemporaryfiction #cult #mystery #paranormal #romance
THE AUTHOR: Besides writing, Willa is devoted to animal rescue and her three scientist sons—a biologist, and an aspiring chemist and physicist. Willa lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where stories are often told on a dark side porch by the flicker of firefly light.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hachette Audio, Orbit via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of Wildwood Whispers by Willa Reece for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
This time her knuckles didn't stop hurting even after the bed solidified beneath her. She wasn't falling. She was awake. Her soft bedding still smelled of sunshine from its time on the clothesline.
Her hands hurt.
It was only a ghost pain that had haunted her first waking moments since she was a little girl. There was nothing wrong with her fingers, her knuckles, the palms of her hands. The mouse usually banished the pain by grounding her in the real world.
Not this time.
ABOUT 'WILDWOOD WHISPERS': At the age of eleven, Mel Smith’s life found its purpose when she met Sarah Ross. Ten years later, Sarah’s sudden death threatens to break her. To fulfill a final promise to her best friend, Mel travels to an idyllic small town nestled in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains. Yet Morgan’s Gap is more than a land of morning mists and deep forest shadows.
There are secrets that call to Mel, in the gaze of the gnarled and knowing woman everyone calls Granny, in a salvaged remedy book filled with the magic of simple mountain traditions, and in the connection, she feels to the Ross homestead and the wilderness around it.
With every taste of sweet honey and tart blackberries, the wildwood twines further into Mel’s broken heart. But a threat lingers in the woods—one that may have something to do with Sarah's untimely death and that has now set its sight on Mel.
MY THOUGHTS: I was looking forward to listening to Wildwood Whispers, a story of magical realism set in a village in the Appalachian Mountains. But, sorry, this just didn't strike a chord in my heart. I found it difficult to connect with the characters and found the story very slow moving.
There is no real mystery, because it is apparent very early on, who is responsible. The why takes longer to be revealed, but by then I had lost interest.
I really enjoyed the scenes based around the bees, but the mouse really didn't work for me. I also felt that the romantic interest wasn't necessary, and was far too obvious.
The description of the wildwood and the garden interested me, and I would have liked more information about the recipes.
While I usually like audiobooks to have multiple narrators, there was one narrator whose voice grated on my eardrums, which definitely didn't enhance my experience.
Overall, this was just an average read.
⭐⭐.5
#WildwoodWhispers #NetGalley
I: @willa_reece @hachetteaudio
T: @ReeceWilla @HachetteAudio
#audiobook #fantasy #contemporaryfiction #cult #mystery #paranormal #romance
THE AUTHOR: Besides writing, Willa is devoted to animal rescue and her three scientist sons—a biologist, and an aspiring chemist and physicist. Willa lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where stories are often told on a dark side porch by the flicker of firefly light.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hachette Audio, Orbit via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of Wildwood Whispers by Willa Reece for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
August 19, 2021
In a Nutshell: A decently-written magical realism story with some hits and some misses.
Story:
I was looking forward to this story because of that wonderful title and cover. But somehow, the book didn’t quite work out as I had imagined.
Where the book clicked for me:
• The concept of the book is superb. At its bare essence, the plot promises a journey through a magical wood with a disbelieving main character whose interactions turn her life. (The execution left a lot to be desired, but the concept was good.)
• After a long time, I found a book where the prologue justifies its existence in the story. The incident narrated in the prologue gives a wonderful setting to the kind of relationship that Mel and Sarah have. That’s how prologues must be used, rather than only repeating an incident coming near the end of the story to create an unnecessary suspense, most of which is forgotten as we go along the story.
• I loved everything connected to nature: the mountains, the bees, the wildwood itself! These were fabulously written. The wildwood is a character by itself in this book and it justifies the title through an almost sentient presence through the main story. I also liked Charm the mouse, a cute addition to the human characters.
• Some of the connections between the characters were portrayed well. Their attachment to nature and their interpersonal relationships within the small community stand out.
• The writing is quite lyrical in places, especially when it talks about the wildwood. The atmosphere it creates is at once spooky and appealing.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
• The pace, especially in the first 60% or so, is very slow. Sometimes, it felt like I had read/heard so much but in terms of the story, hardly anything had progressed. The writing takes its own sweet time rambling through multiple characters, flashbacks and incidents, many of which weren’t really needed.
• Most of the characters didn’t appeal to me. Of the three who did, two were dead. So I didn’t really feel much of a connect with the book.
• There is no mystery as such, though the plot tries to build up on atmospheric suspense. The guilty party is clear right from the moment of their introduction. So it turned out to be a game of “when” and “how” and not “who’.
• The romantic subplot was absolutely unnecessary.
• A small subplot depicts how talent in a particular field (not giving spoilers) is independent of gender. I loved that part. Wish there had been more of it. The rest of the book is quite gender-stereotypical.
• For a magical realism book, the magical content is just in a few scenes. Though those scenes are really well-written, they further increased my thirst for more, and that didn’t happen.
The audiobook experience:
A mixed feedback here. The two narrators voicing Mel and Sarah were great in their own way. But one of their accents was really grating on my ears, though it might have been authentic for the story. Furthermore, the identity of the third narrator, who comes in just randomly, doesn’t become clear until almost midway (for valid reasons). While this would have worked well if I were reading the book, it just became confusing the audiobook because I didn’t know who was talking and, more importantly, how he/she fitted in the story.
Overall, the book improves as the story progresses. The end is fairly satisfying. But you do have to trudge through a lot of content to reach that finale. I think I might have enjoyed this a little more if I had read it but I wouldn’t have loved it even then. The second half of the book does save it to a great extent, so if you go for it, have patience with it and focus on the wildwood for it is the best thing in the book.
A 3.5 from me, rounding up to 4.
Thank you, NetGalley and Hachette Audio, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Story:
Mel Smith’s life as a foster child has been a tough one and she has now learnt to stand up for herself. When she meets Sarah at the age of eleven, they form a sisterly bond. Now Sarah is dead and Mel finds herself in a small town in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains to honour Sarah’s last wish. There she finds secrets and threats, and mystique and creepiness, and her visit might just change her life forever.
I was looking forward to this story because of that wonderful title and cover. But somehow, the book didn’t quite work out as I had imagined.
Where the book clicked for me:
• The concept of the book is superb. At its bare essence, the plot promises a journey through a magical wood with a disbelieving main character whose interactions turn her life. (The execution left a lot to be desired, but the concept was good.)
• After a long time, I found a book where the prologue justifies its existence in the story. The incident narrated in the prologue gives a wonderful setting to the kind of relationship that Mel and Sarah have. That’s how prologues must be used, rather than only repeating an incident coming near the end of the story to create an unnecessary suspense, most of which is forgotten as we go along the story.
• I loved everything connected to nature: the mountains, the bees, the wildwood itself! These were fabulously written. The wildwood is a character by itself in this book and it justifies the title through an almost sentient presence through the main story. I also liked Charm the mouse, a cute addition to the human characters.
• Some of the connections between the characters were portrayed well. Their attachment to nature and their interpersonal relationships within the small community stand out.
• The writing is quite lyrical in places, especially when it talks about the wildwood. The atmosphere it creates is at once spooky and appealing.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
• The pace, especially in the first 60% or so, is very slow. Sometimes, it felt like I had read/heard so much but in terms of the story, hardly anything had progressed. The writing takes its own sweet time rambling through multiple characters, flashbacks and incidents, many of which weren’t really needed.
• Most of the characters didn’t appeal to me. Of the three who did, two were dead. So I didn’t really feel much of a connect with the book.
• There is no mystery as such, though the plot tries to build up on atmospheric suspense. The guilty party is clear right from the moment of their introduction. So it turned out to be a game of “when” and “how” and not “who’.
• The romantic subplot was absolutely unnecessary.
• A small subplot depicts how talent in a particular field (not giving spoilers) is independent of gender. I loved that part. Wish there had been more of it. The rest of the book is quite gender-stereotypical.
• For a magical realism book, the magical content is just in a few scenes. Though those scenes are really well-written, they further increased my thirst for more, and that didn’t happen.
The audiobook experience:
A mixed feedback here. The two narrators voicing Mel and Sarah were great in their own way. But one of their accents was really grating on my ears, though it might have been authentic for the story. Furthermore, the identity of the third narrator, who comes in just randomly, doesn’t become clear until almost midway (for valid reasons). While this would have worked well if I were reading the book, it just became confusing the audiobook because I didn’t know who was talking and, more importantly, how he/she fitted in the story.
Overall, the book improves as the story progresses. The end is fairly satisfying. But you do have to trudge through a lot of content to reach that finale. I think I might have enjoyed this a little more if I had read it but I wouldn’t have loved it even then. The second half of the book does save it to a great extent, so if you go for it, have patience with it and focus on the wildwood for it is the best thing in the book.
A 3.5 from me, rounding up to 4.
Thank you, NetGalley and Hachette Audio, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
December 15, 2021
5/5 stars
"It felt as if I was fighting this injustice, which was crazy: I was making jam and bread. And yet, the truth of the fight pounded in my heart when i realized that jam and bread from the wildwood was life. The simple power of life itself. By sharing what I made, I was sharing the ongoing cycle of life with others."
Set against the background of the a small Appalachian village and its lush surrounding woods,
Wildwood Whispers delivers a story that is the perfect bittersweet mix of haunting and strangely comforting.
We follow Mel, a young woman in de depths of grief over the loss of her best friend and “foster-system-sister” Sarah. To fulfil her final promise to her friend, Mel travels to Sarah’s birthplace Morgan’s Gap, a seemingly idyllic town nestled in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains, to scatter her ashes in the surrounding Wildwood. Once there, she feels a deep connection to the place, its community of Wisewomen and the hints of Sarah’s memories that linger everywhere.
Wildwood Whispers sets up an ambitious multi-layered story with some heavier underlying themes, and somehow manages to hit it home without missing a beat. With lyrical, descriptive prose, Reece brings to life the town of Morgan’s Gap and all its inhabitants, enveloping the reader like the misty groves envelope the town. Covering grief, healing, religion, prejudice and found family, she displays an impressive emotional range, without ever feeling melodramatic. We veer from melancholy to healing, from nostalgia to hope, and even from safety to claustrophobia in an instant once the thread that lurks among the town inhabitants makes itself clear. Even a non-book-crier like me had to swallow some emotions away at times at the wonderful depiction of grief and found family here…
In addition, this novel feels like a love song to modern green- or hedge witchcraft, and the healing power and lifeforce that can be drawn from nature. There’s a trend of witchy books in publishing at the moment (especially within YA) that is quite hit or miss for me. This is the kind of witch-story that I personally love: a bit more understated, grounded in nature and written with respect for modern witches. No sacrificing black cats or flying on broomsticks here.
Wildwood Whispers is out on August 17th and is one of my most anticipated releases for this month thus far. Although I highly recommend it regardless of the format, I especially endorse the audiobook. For the perfect experience; take this book with you on a walk through nature. I personally listened to it whilst walking the heathers near my town, and it really added to the immersion.
Many thanks to the publishers Redhook and Orbit for providing me with an ARC as well as a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
"It felt as if I was fighting this injustice, which was crazy: I was making jam and bread. And yet, the truth of the fight pounded in my heart when i realized that jam and bread from the wildwood was life. The simple power of life itself. By sharing what I made, I was sharing the ongoing cycle of life with others."
Set against the background of the a small Appalachian village and its lush surrounding woods,
Wildwood Whispers delivers a story that is the perfect bittersweet mix of haunting and strangely comforting.
We follow Mel, a young woman in de depths of grief over the loss of her best friend and “foster-system-sister” Sarah. To fulfil her final promise to her friend, Mel travels to Sarah’s birthplace Morgan’s Gap, a seemingly idyllic town nestled in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains, to scatter her ashes in the surrounding Wildwood. Once there, she feels a deep connection to the place, its community of Wisewomen and the hints of Sarah’s memories that linger everywhere.
Wildwood Whispers sets up an ambitious multi-layered story with some heavier underlying themes, and somehow manages to hit it home without missing a beat. With lyrical, descriptive prose, Reece brings to life the town of Morgan’s Gap and all its inhabitants, enveloping the reader like the misty groves envelope the town. Covering grief, healing, religion, prejudice and found family, she displays an impressive emotional range, without ever feeling melodramatic. We veer from melancholy to healing, from nostalgia to hope, and even from safety to claustrophobia in an instant once the thread that lurks among the town inhabitants makes itself clear. Even a non-book-crier like me had to swallow some emotions away at times at the wonderful depiction of grief and found family here…
In addition, this novel feels like a love song to modern green- or hedge witchcraft, and the healing power and lifeforce that can be drawn from nature. There’s a trend of witchy books in publishing at the moment (especially within YA) that is quite hit or miss for me. This is the kind of witch-story that I personally love: a bit more understated, grounded in nature and written with respect for modern witches. No sacrificing black cats or flying on broomsticks here.
Wildwood Whispers is out on August 17th and is one of my most anticipated releases for this month thus far. Although I highly recommend it regardless of the format, I especially endorse the audiobook. For the perfect experience; take this book with you on a walk through nature. I personally listened to it whilst walking the heathers near my town, and it really added to the immersion.
Many thanks to the publishers Redhook and Orbit for providing me with an ARC as well as a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2022
I loved this book so so much. 🥰 The story is beautiful. The sense of community in this book is perfect. Where can I find one like this?! The magic is there and just a part of life. The characters were good, the setting was great. I’m just on the other side of the mountains of NC (I’m in TN). So it was just like home. I bought this as an audible daily deal and so glad I did. I plan on reading or listening to more from this author.
did-not-finish
October 30, 2022October 2022: Havent touched this one for a few months so marking it as DNF at page 75
August 2022: I don't know about this book. Started it maybe 2-3 weeks ago and have been trying to pick it up several times since. It feels like a book I should love but whenever I try to read it, it never feels like the right time for it.
August 2022: I don't know about this book. Started it maybe 2-3 weeks ago and have been trying to pick it up several times since. It feels like a book I should love but whenever I try to read it, it never feels like the right time for it.
July 17, 2021
The Wildwood Knows.
An abundance of memories this book has brought back. The smells and the sounds of the mountains. The morning mist hanging over the peaks at first light. The sounds of the animals, the whip-poor-wills. An overall feeling of contentment and well being.
What a wonderful story of a young lady and her connection to the mountain and the people in Morgan’s Gap. I could see her growing in knowledge. Under Grandma’s teaching. She came to terms with the death of her friend, and began forging a life for herself.
After living as an orphan and foster child she found a home and a community of friends and neighbors in this small mountain community. Mel even found something more in her friendship with the young ranger Jacob.
A story of the mountain people coming together with the spirit of the forest to fight an evil man and his evil ways. Mountain people caring for each other as only they can. Their ways of life, their traditions and rites of passage.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Willa Reece, Redhook Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
An abundance of memories this book has brought back. The smells and the sounds of the mountains. The morning mist hanging over the peaks at first light. The sounds of the animals, the whip-poor-wills. An overall feeling of contentment and well being.
What a wonderful story of a young lady and her connection to the mountain and the people in Morgan’s Gap. I could see her growing in knowledge. Under Grandma’s teaching. She came to terms with the death of her friend, and began forging a life for herself.
After living as an orphan and foster child she found a home and a community of friends and neighbors in this small mountain community. Mel even found something more in her friendship with the young ranger Jacob.
A story of the mountain people coming together with the spirit of the forest to fight an evil man and his evil ways. Mountain people caring for each other as only they can. Their ways of life, their traditions and rites of passage.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Willa Reece, Redhook Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
August 6, 2022
What a great book! I enjoyed every aspect of it from the writing style and character development, to the world building and unique story line. It did drag on some in places but was very intriguing overall. I want to read more from this author!
May 18, 2021
I loved everything about WILDWOOD WHISPERS, Reece’s poignant writing style truly captured the vivid setting of small-town Appalachia. Readers craving a witchy story full of found family, lush nature, and small-town secrets will find it utterly enchanting.
May 29, 2021
Thank you to Goodreads and Redhook Books/Orbit/Hatchette Book Group for the advanced readers edition.
... it was the yard I walked across every night in my nightmares."
For quite a while, at least the first half of the book, this novel is haunting, melancholy, grieving--not the easiest thing to read when you're grieving.
This book reminds me of Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, although it mostly feels more serious and somber. I'm accustomed to much more whimsical novels about witches, but that's okay. There's room for all kinds of witch novels.
I think this is magical realism. It's realism... with low-key magic. So yeah.
The novel also has a gothic tone. It's set in Virginia, so... Southern Gothic? Southern Gothic combined with magical realism....
Suffice it to say, the novel mixes genres: fantasy, gothic, romance, and mystery.
It took me about 50 pages to get sucked into this book, but it's worth the wait. Part of it could simply be because I'm reading numerous books simultaneously and hadn't sufficiently focused on this one.
I love the mouse familar's perspective! Squee! Or... squeak!
The scenes with members of the Sect--basically, an overtly patriarchal cult in which women are raped and impregnated--are creepy and infuriating. They inspired me to chant about chopping up misogynists, but that's been pretty regular since the 2016 election.
Page 111: RUN AWAY, TINY PENIS! I HOPE YOU'RE COVERED IN STINGS!
Oh. He is!
I wish Mel had pepper spray. On the bright side, she has magical powers.
Page 157: I'm so glad she took the baseball bat she found. I keep wishing Mel had pepper spray and a taser.
Hmm, I like the word "wisewomen," but I love the word "witch." It's a bit troubling that some wisewomen in this book seem uncomfortable with being called witches--instead of embracing it--and at least some even go to church.
I can understand being Cunningfolk in 17th century England--practicing folk magic but not identifying as witches... in a time when you could be hanged or drowned for witchcraft (or burned at the stake, at least in continental Europe). But you probably won't be burned at the stake in the 21st century.
Stop going to that church and form a coven. EMBRACE YOUR WITCHINESS! USE IT TO TEAR DOWN PATRIARCHY!
Page 273: "How could any of us restore the connection between the wildwood and the town when there was such a blatant evil in the community?"
I love this sentence:
"I knew there would be a fight, but I went to answer the door as if crazed misogynistic freaks often came calling at the cabin in the middle of the night (p. 341)."
THE WILDWOOD BIDES ITS TIME, OLD MAN.
... it was the yard I walked across every night in my nightmares."
For quite a while, at least the first half of the book, this novel is haunting, melancholy, grieving--not the easiest thing to read when you're grieving.
This book reminds me of Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, although it mostly feels more serious and somber. I'm accustomed to much more whimsical novels about witches, but that's okay. There's room for all kinds of witch novels.
I think this is magical realism. It's realism... with low-key magic. So yeah.
The novel also has a gothic tone. It's set in Virginia, so... Southern Gothic? Southern Gothic combined with magical realism....
Suffice it to say, the novel mixes genres: fantasy, gothic, romance, and mystery.
It took me about 50 pages to get sucked into this book, but it's worth the wait. Part of it could simply be because I'm reading numerous books simultaneously and hadn't sufficiently focused on this one.
I love the mouse familar's perspective! Squee! Or... squeak!
The scenes with members of the Sect--basically, an overtly patriarchal cult in which women are raped and impregnated--are creepy and infuriating. They inspired me to chant about chopping up misogynists, but that's been pretty regular since the 2016 election.
Page 111: RUN AWAY, TINY PENIS! I HOPE YOU'RE COVERED IN STINGS!
Oh. He is!
I wish Mel had pepper spray. On the bright side, she has magical powers.
Page 157: I'm so glad she took the baseball bat she found. I keep wishing Mel had pepper spray and a taser.
Hmm, I like the word "wisewomen," but I love the word "witch." It's a bit troubling that some wisewomen in this book seem uncomfortable with being called witches--instead of embracing it--and at least some even go to church.
I can understand being Cunningfolk in 17th century England--practicing folk magic but not identifying as witches... in a time when you could be hanged or drowned for witchcraft (or burned at the stake, at least in continental Europe). But you probably won't be burned at the stake in the 21st century.
Stop going to that church and form a coven. EMBRACE YOUR WITCHINESS! USE IT TO TEAR DOWN PATRIARCHY!
Page 273: "How could any of us restore the connection between the wildwood and the town when there was such a blatant evil in the community?"
I love this sentence:
"I knew there would be a fight, but I went to answer the door as if crazed misogynistic freaks often came calling at the cabin in the middle of the night (p. 341)."
THE WILDWOOD BIDES ITS TIME, OLD MAN.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2025
I had to make a cottagecore shelf specifically for this book, and you best believe I'll be filling it soon.
Alright, so I did really enjoy this, but man I had a struggle seeing this book through. I started it a while back, made it about halfway, and then realized that I couldn't tell you a single thing that had happened or was happening. I can normally finish a book in a few days depending on what I've got going on. This took about a month and a half. I admit I've been a little scattered lately, but it just wasn't capturing my attention. The thing is that normally, that's when I'd shelf it as a dnf on grounds of loss of interest and move along. But there was so much promise. I remember doing a happy dance when I got my hands on this arc because I was so excited. So, I picked it up again and started over completely.
I'm really glad I did, because I would have missed out on a wonderfully magical read. This book ticks a lot of boxes for me. Southern Gothic? Check. Magical Realism? Check. Botanical magic abounding? Super check. Murders, mysterious deaths, and freaky religious cults? You betcha! Sexy biologists ? Gotta be honest, I didn’t even know that a was a box to tick but here we are. Consider it ticked. I do feel like I need to address the issues that slowed me down initially and then again on the reread. I just also wanted to make it clear that these issues don't change the fact that I loved it.
The first…maybe third to half of this book was often almost too flowery. Lots of passages with a lot of words that aren’t actually saying anything, and that verbosity had a tendency to take me out of the narrative. I kept skimming and then would find myself only half-reading, and I did that for long enough that I ended up starting over entirely around the 60% mark. It was easier the second time around when I was prepared for it.
It was a smidge unfortunate because the second half finds a better stride and easier rhythm that is much more absorbing. The language and writing don't necessarily change, it's just more effective, more focused. Paragraphs go from wordy and a bit superfluous to a lush prose that's deliciously atmospheric. The pacing suffers for it, though. This book felt pretty long for what it set out to do, though I admit that could also be because I read the slowest portion twice.
There are all these elements—the magic, Mel’s relationships with Sarah and all the women in the community, the religious cult, the murders—and plenty of space to explore all these things with depth, but I never felt like we really reached a satisfying level of exploration of most of it. It's a good and a bad thing. Reece has created a narrative that I really want to experience to the fullest immersion, but at the same time it's frustrating that it feels like we read so many words and never get there. There is full closure at the end, but when it was over it was less of that feeling you get with a thoroughly satisfying ending, and more of a, “Oh, okay, I guess that’s it." It doesn't help that the primary antagonist is kind of cartoonishly evil to the point that I kept expecting a plot twist where it was someone else pulling the strings because it just seemed too easy. So the big ending just gave me more of that, "Oh, okay," feeling. I wanted more, especially since for how many pages it has, I feel like several things could have been better explored. Don't worry, everything gets resolved, all questions answered, all plot lines concluded, but I just wanted more.
That said, there is a notable exception to this disconnect and surface exploration, and it’s the magic, which for me was just so fully immersive and so gorgeously done I could cry. The incorporation of magic was sublime in that it was genuine without being kitschy or cliche. Lots of herbal spells and remedies, tea leaves and tisanes, songs with words that dance on your tongue even before you know what they mean, exactly. Soft magic, smart magic, emergent magic, ancient magic. Magic in the connections Mel felt and eventually learned to listen to: connections with the earth, with the people of Morgan’s Gap, with music, with energy. Dizzying magic that pervades all your senses. It was understated in a lot of ways, muted but earnest, and just enough that I can believe that somewhere an hour’s drive from me in the mountains of western Virginia, there is a community of witchy wisewomen just like this.
It also might be an odd thing to note (it was weirdly grounding amidst the magic), but there’s a consistent stream of accurate depictions of what overshare in the midst of grief feels like. Where it’s spilling out of you and you just want to swallow the words up but you just can’t seem to get a solid grip on your emotions, on your walls, so it all just keeps spilling out of you. It feels very loose, very out of control, but it’s brief. Once the spillage is done your cup is a little emptier, there’s a little more room, and you feel in control again. But it’s not long after that you have another spillage. Your cup is still nearly full. It’s difficult to manage, and it’s very well represented in the first half of this book before Mel starts to really find her footing.
Anyway, all this to say this is still a wonderful read and definitely one I recommend. It's kind of the perfect transition summer-to-fall book, especially for someone like me who's just moved to the mountains of Virginia. I can't wait to reread it come September.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you very muchly to NetGalley, Redhook Books, and Willa Reece for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
Alright, so I did really enjoy this, but man I had a struggle seeing this book through. I started it a while back, made it about halfway, and then realized that I couldn't tell you a single thing that had happened or was happening. I can normally finish a book in a few days depending on what I've got going on. This took about a month and a half. I admit I've been a little scattered lately, but it just wasn't capturing my attention. The thing is that normally, that's when I'd shelf it as a dnf on grounds of loss of interest and move along. But there was so much promise. I remember doing a happy dance when I got my hands on this arc because I was so excited. So, I picked it up again and started over completely.
I'm really glad I did, because I would have missed out on a wonderfully magical read. This book ticks a lot of boxes for me. Southern Gothic? Check. Magical Realism? Check. Botanical magic abounding? Super check. Murders, mysterious deaths, and freaky religious cults? You betcha! Sexy biologists ? Gotta be honest, I didn’t even know that a was a box to tick but here we are. Consider it ticked. I do feel like I need to address the issues that slowed me down initially and then again on the reread. I just also wanted to make it clear that these issues don't change the fact that I loved it.
The first…maybe third to half of this book was often almost too flowery. Lots of passages with a lot of words that aren’t actually saying anything, and that verbosity had a tendency to take me out of the narrative. I kept skimming and then would find myself only half-reading, and I did that for long enough that I ended up starting over entirely around the 60% mark. It was easier the second time around when I was prepared for it.
It was a smidge unfortunate because the second half finds a better stride and easier rhythm that is much more absorbing. The language and writing don't necessarily change, it's just more effective, more focused. Paragraphs go from wordy and a bit superfluous to a lush prose that's deliciously atmospheric. The pacing suffers for it, though. This book felt pretty long for what it set out to do, though I admit that could also be because I read the slowest portion twice.
There are all these elements—the magic, Mel’s relationships with Sarah and all the women in the community, the religious cult, the murders—and plenty of space to explore all these things with depth, but I never felt like we really reached a satisfying level of exploration of most of it. It's a good and a bad thing. Reece has created a narrative that I really want to experience to the fullest immersion, but at the same time it's frustrating that it feels like we read so many words and never get there. There is full closure at the end, but when it was over it was less of that feeling you get with a thoroughly satisfying ending, and more of a, “Oh, okay, I guess that’s it." It doesn't help that the primary antagonist is kind of cartoonishly evil to the point that I kept expecting a plot twist where it was someone else pulling the strings because it just seemed too easy. So the big ending just gave me more of that, "Oh, okay," feeling. I wanted more, especially since for how many pages it has, I feel like several things could have been better explored. Don't worry, everything gets resolved, all questions answered, all plot lines concluded, but I just wanted more.
That said, there is a notable exception to this disconnect and surface exploration, and it’s the magic, which for me was just so fully immersive and so gorgeously done I could cry. The incorporation of magic was sublime in that it was genuine without being kitschy or cliche. Lots of herbal spells and remedies, tea leaves and tisanes, songs with words that dance on your tongue even before you know what they mean, exactly. Soft magic, smart magic, emergent magic, ancient magic. Magic in the connections Mel felt and eventually learned to listen to: connections with the earth, with the people of Morgan’s Gap, with music, with energy. Dizzying magic that pervades all your senses. It was understated in a lot of ways, muted but earnest, and just enough that I can believe that somewhere an hour’s drive from me in the mountains of western Virginia, there is a community of witchy wisewomen just like this.
It also might be an odd thing to note (it was weirdly grounding amidst the magic), but there’s a consistent stream of accurate depictions of what overshare in the midst of grief feels like. Where it’s spilling out of you and you just want to swallow the words up but you just can’t seem to get a solid grip on your emotions, on your walls, so it all just keeps spilling out of you. It feels very loose, very out of control, but it’s brief. Once the spillage is done your cup is a little emptier, there’s a little more room, and you feel in control again. But it’s not long after that you have another spillage. Your cup is still nearly full. It’s difficult to manage, and it’s very well represented in the first half of this book before Mel starts to really find her footing.
Anyway, all this to say this is still a wonderful read and definitely one I recommend. It's kind of the perfect transition summer-to-fall book, especially for someone like me who's just moved to the mountains of Virginia. I can't wait to reread it come September.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you very muchly to NetGalley, Redhook Books, and Willa Reece for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
October 17, 2022
Such a good book!! I loved the imagination and the setting which is in Appalachia. I enjoyed the magical realism and the homespun nature of the writing. The mystery and romance was perfect. I also appreciate the authors' note at the back of the book.
August 28, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.
Wildwood Whispers was my first delve into magical realism and man, was I impressed! What an amazing story!
In this novel, we're introduced to Mel Smith, an orphan since birth. Mel had forged a deep bond with a foster sister named Sarah. Upon Sarah's untimely death, Mel returns to Sarah's Virginia hometown to fulfill Sarah's final wish.
Upon arriving in the small, mountain town, strange things begin to happen and Mel meets Granny, an elderly town wise woman and she begins to study the ways of the wildwood. Along the way she forges bonds with people who had been part of Sarah's life. When a fanatical religious sect threatens this new family she's created, Mel Mel finds out who she truly is.
Magic, fantasy and a lot of heart bring this beautiful story together. I found myself deeply engrossed in this story. I fell in love with the characters and the story. I also loved the writing. We got a first person view of Mel, but we also get Sarah's POV told through dream sequences. The book was just magical. Highly recommended!
As for the audio, I loved it. It was read by three different people and I loved the Appalachian drawl of the narrator reading Sarah's POV. Absolutely perfect narration.
Five stars!
Wildwood Whispers was my first delve into magical realism and man, was I impressed! What an amazing story!
In this novel, we're introduced to Mel Smith, an orphan since birth. Mel had forged a deep bond with a foster sister named Sarah. Upon Sarah's untimely death, Mel returns to Sarah's Virginia hometown to fulfill Sarah's final wish.
Upon arriving in the small, mountain town, strange things begin to happen and Mel meets Granny, an elderly town wise woman and she begins to study the ways of the wildwood. Along the way she forges bonds with people who had been part of Sarah's life. When a fanatical religious sect threatens this new family she's created, Mel Mel finds out who she truly is.
Magic, fantasy and a lot of heart bring this beautiful story together. I found myself deeply engrossed in this story. I fell in love with the characters and the story. I also loved the writing. We got a first person view of Mel, but we also get Sarah's POV told through dream sequences. The book was just magical. Highly recommended!
As for the audio, I loved it. It was read by three different people and I loved the Appalachian drawl of the narrator reading Sarah's POV. Absolutely perfect narration.
Five stars!
August 23, 2021
The nitty-gritty: A lushly written tale rooted in folklore and magic, Wildwood Whispers has a lovely, homespun vibe as comfy as a warm blanket.
I couldn’t resist this beautiful cover, and I’m happy to report that the cover is perfect for this magic-tinged tale. This is a quieter and more uplifting story than I normally read, but I have to admit it was a breath of fresh air. There is a lot of Alice Hoffman's style in Wildwood Whispers, in the whimsical magical realism that Hoffman does so well, although the writing doesn't quite have that sparkling quality that Hoffman's has. Still, if you are looking for a heartwarming, folkloric story of sisterhood, set in a small town with plenty of quirky characters, you will probably enjoy this too.
Mel and Sarah grew up in the foster care system together, and Mel made it her duty to protect Sarah over the years. But one day when the girls are grown, Sarah is killed in a car accident. Sarah had always talked about her life growing up in Morgan’s Gap, Virginia, which she fled after her mother was murdered. And Mel promised Sarah that if anything ever happened to her, she would lay Sarah to rest in her beloved Wildwood, the forest where she spent so many happy years growing up. Now the unthinkable has happened, and Mel makes the trip to Morgan’s Gap with Sarah’s ashes in tow.
When she arrives, she meets some of the quirky townsfolk, including Granny, who takes Mel under her wing; Sadie, a beekeeper; Lu, a musician who makes dulcimers; and Jacob Walker, a mysterious and handsome biologist who seems to always turn up wherever Mel goes. Granny and the others introduce Mel to the Wildwood garden, full of blackberries and medicinal herbs and other rare plants, and Mel is given an old book to read, the Ross Remedy Book, which contains the knowledge of generations of Ross women. Little by little, Mel comes to feel that she belongs in Morgan’s Gap, and that she has some sort of connection to the Wildwood, although she doesn’t yet understand what that is.
As she becomes more and more entrenched in small town life, Mel explores the reasons she was brought to Morgan’s Gap. The Ross women “know” things, can cure ailments, can read tea leaves and predict the future, and seem to have an affinity with certain animals. Mel herself feels drawn to the garden behind the old Ross cabin in the woods, and she’s learning some of the recipes in the Book. But a threat hangs over the town, the threat of progress. Mayor Hartwell is determined to turn the Wildwood into a fracking site, threatening the natural resources that the town’s residents have come to depend on. Mel wants to learn the truth behind Sarah's death, but could being too close to that truth put her in danger as well?
The story is told from Mel’s first person point of view for the most part, and I enjoyed joining her on her journey to becoming a wisewoman of Morgan’s Gap. Reece intersperses Mel’s chapters with flashbacks showing Sarah’s early years growing up near the Wildwood with her mother Melody Ross. These flashbacks are structured as dreams that Mel is having about Sarah’s life, which was a nice way for us to learn bits of the past, but also to reinforce the fact that Mel is somehow connected to Sarah and the people of Morgan’s Gap. Later in the story we get a third point of view from a mouse that has befriended Mel, which turns out to be another connection between the two girls. The mouse, who Mel names Charm, is one of the few magical elements in the story, and I really enjoyed these whimsical scenes.
I loved the message of female empowerment, although there are some male characters that are part of this as well. As one character says, “The Wildwood isn’t concerned with gender,” which I thought was a nice sentiment. But it’s mostly the women who drive the story, and I loved each of them for different reasons. They call themselves “wisewomen,” but the word “witch” is also thrown around a couple of times too. The women are connected to nature in some interesting ways, and they have a fierce sense of loyalty to each other and are always looking for ways to protect the most vulnerable among them. There is a horrid character named Reverend Moon who has a group of women under his control, called “Sect” women, who I’m assuming are abused in some way—probably raped and physically abused as well, although we don’t actually see any of that happening. Granny and the others have helped these women over the years, especially the ones who have the strength to run away from the Reverend. The wife of the Mayor (another awful male character) is a fragile woman named Violet who used to be part of Reverend Moon’s Sect, but the Reverend “gave” her to him and now she’s even worse off than she used to be. My heart ached for Violet, but I loved the way the other women rallied around her.
My very favorite parts of the story, however, were the descriptions of food and how the townsfolk came together to carry on their traditions of making and baking. Granny tells Mel that she should harvest the blackberries behind the cabin, and then Mel makes her own blackberry jam from a recipe in the Book. In another favorite scene, Mel decides to try a pickle recipe, and I can’t tell you how much it made me want to make my own pickles! Some of these scenes were told in lush, sensual language, in particular a scene with Mel and Jacob in the blackberry patch, that I could practically taste the blackberry juice and feel it dripping off my fingers.
I did have a few issues with the story, though. The first half is very slow, and it wasn’t until the midway point that I really became invested in the characters. I also didn’t care for the “bad guys,” the Reverend and the Mayor, who are so moustache-twirly and obvious that I almost laughed every time they made an appearance. The story would have worked better if their characters had been more subtly drawn, although I do admit there were some very unsettling scenes involving the Reverend that weren’t too bad. And if you’re hoping for intrigue and mystery, it's there but it's subtle. I knew immediately who was responsible for the deaths of both Sarah and her mother—it was telegraphed early on—and I also guessed Mel’s connection to the Wildwood, so it’s not hard to figure out either of these “mysteries.” There’s also a very slow burn romance between Mel and Jacob that felt a bit odd to me. I enjoyed the focus on the women’s relationships, and the story didn’t really need a romance on top of that.
But these small issues aside, I loved the story’s folksy vibe and the familial love the characters have for each other. This one really grew on me the more I read, and readers who are in the mood for a feel good story of female empowerment and subtle magic will enjoy this as well.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
I couldn’t resist this beautiful cover, and I’m happy to report that the cover is perfect for this magic-tinged tale. This is a quieter and more uplifting story than I normally read, but I have to admit it was a breath of fresh air. There is a lot of Alice Hoffman's style in Wildwood Whispers, in the whimsical magical realism that Hoffman does so well, although the writing doesn't quite have that sparkling quality that Hoffman's has. Still, if you are looking for a heartwarming, folkloric story of sisterhood, set in a small town with plenty of quirky characters, you will probably enjoy this too.
Mel and Sarah grew up in the foster care system together, and Mel made it her duty to protect Sarah over the years. But one day when the girls are grown, Sarah is killed in a car accident. Sarah had always talked about her life growing up in Morgan’s Gap, Virginia, which she fled after her mother was murdered. And Mel promised Sarah that if anything ever happened to her, she would lay Sarah to rest in her beloved Wildwood, the forest where she spent so many happy years growing up. Now the unthinkable has happened, and Mel makes the trip to Morgan’s Gap with Sarah’s ashes in tow.
When she arrives, she meets some of the quirky townsfolk, including Granny, who takes Mel under her wing; Sadie, a beekeeper; Lu, a musician who makes dulcimers; and Jacob Walker, a mysterious and handsome biologist who seems to always turn up wherever Mel goes. Granny and the others introduce Mel to the Wildwood garden, full of blackberries and medicinal herbs and other rare plants, and Mel is given an old book to read, the Ross Remedy Book, which contains the knowledge of generations of Ross women. Little by little, Mel comes to feel that she belongs in Morgan’s Gap, and that she has some sort of connection to the Wildwood, although she doesn’t yet understand what that is.
As she becomes more and more entrenched in small town life, Mel explores the reasons she was brought to Morgan’s Gap. The Ross women “know” things, can cure ailments, can read tea leaves and predict the future, and seem to have an affinity with certain animals. Mel herself feels drawn to the garden behind the old Ross cabin in the woods, and she’s learning some of the recipes in the Book. But a threat hangs over the town, the threat of progress. Mayor Hartwell is determined to turn the Wildwood into a fracking site, threatening the natural resources that the town’s residents have come to depend on. Mel wants to learn the truth behind Sarah's death, but could being too close to that truth put her in danger as well?
The story is told from Mel’s first person point of view for the most part, and I enjoyed joining her on her journey to becoming a wisewoman of Morgan’s Gap. Reece intersperses Mel’s chapters with flashbacks showing Sarah’s early years growing up near the Wildwood with her mother Melody Ross. These flashbacks are structured as dreams that Mel is having about Sarah’s life, which was a nice way for us to learn bits of the past, but also to reinforce the fact that Mel is somehow connected to Sarah and the people of Morgan’s Gap. Later in the story we get a third point of view from a mouse that has befriended Mel, which turns out to be another connection between the two girls. The mouse, who Mel names Charm, is one of the few magical elements in the story, and I really enjoyed these whimsical scenes.
I loved the message of female empowerment, although there are some male characters that are part of this as well. As one character says, “The Wildwood isn’t concerned with gender,” which I thought was a nice sentiment. But it’s mostly the women who drive the story, and I loved each of them for different reasons. They call themselves “wisewomen,” but the word “witch” is also thrown around a couple of times too. The women are connected to nature in some interesting ways, and they have a fierce sense of loyalty to each other and are always looking for ways to protect the most vulnerable among them. There is a horrid character named Reverend Moon who has a group of women under his control, called “Sect” women, who I’m assuming are abused in some way—probably raped and physically abused as well, although we don’t actually see any of that happening. Granny and the others have helped these women over the years, especially the ones who have the strength to run away from the Reverend. The wife of the Mayor (another awful male character) is a fragile woman named Violet who used to be part of Reverend Moon’s Sect, but the Reverend “gave” her to him and now she’s even worse off than she used to be. My heart ached for Violet, but I loved the way the other women rallied around her.
My very favorite parts of the story, however, were the descriptions of food and how the townsfolk came together to carry on their traditions of making and baking. Granny tells Mel that she should harvest the blackberries behind the cabin, and then Mel makes her own blackberry jam from a recipe in the Book. In another favorite scene, Mel decides to try a pickle recipe, and I can’t tell you how much it made me want to make my own pickles! Some of these scenes were told in lush, sensual language, in particular a scene with Mel and Jacob in the blackberry patch, that I could practically taste the blackberry juice and feel it dripping off my fingers.
I did have a few issues with the story, though. The first half is very slow, and it wasn’t until the midway point that I really became invested in the characters. I also didn’t care for the “bad guys,” the Reverend and the Mayor, who are so moustache-twirly and obvious that I almost laughed every time they made an appearance. The story would have worked better if their characters had been more subtly drawn, although I do admit there were some very unsettling scenes involving the Reverend that weren’t too bad. And if you’re hoping for intrigue and mystery, it's there but it's subtle. I knew immediately who was responsible for the deaths of both Sarah and her mother—it was telegraphed early on—and I also guessed Mel’s connection to the Wildwood, so it’s not hard to figure out either of these “mysteries.” There’s also a very slow burn romance between Mel and Jacob that felt a bit odd to me. I enjoyed the focus on the women’s relationships, and the story didn’t really need a romance on top of that.
But these small issues aside, I loved the story’s folksy vibe and the familial love the characters have for each other. This one really grew on me the more I read, and readers who are in the mood for a feel good story of female empowerment and subtle magic will enjoy this as well.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
April 1, 2024
2.5 stars
This book had a lot of potential but just doesn’t hit the mark. The writing felt like it was trying too hard to be beautiful and lyrical but just ended up being cringey. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters and the main character Mel, who is only about 22, read much older to me. The book could have been about 100 pages shorter and still been the same, just not as long winded. We get paragraphs describing the same things over and over in this book and it just was too repetitive to enjoy. I thought the inclusion of a cult would be a great part of this story, but it just ended up being meh. The only part I really actually like was Mel’s familiar. He was cute and I liked the little places we got to follow him around. I didn’t mind the inclusion of magic and liked what the story was trying to teach about it, I just don’t think the story was written well. I guessed all the twists and the ending falls flat. I also definitely thought this was the authors first book, but it’s not (she writes under a different name as well), so that made it even harder to excuse the poor writing. I’m not mad I finished the book but I am mad it was so long (or at least felt so long). I would not recommend this book.
This book had a lot of potential but just doesn’t hit the mark. The writing felt like it was trying too hard to be beautiful and lyrical but just ended up being cringey. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters and the main character Mel, who is only about 22, read much older to me. The book could have been about 100 pages shorter and still been the same, just not as long winded. We get paragraphs describing the same things over and over in this book and it just was too repetitive to enjoy. I thought the inclusion of a cult would be a great part of this story, but it just ended up being meh. The only part I really actually like was Mel’s familiar. He was cute and I liked the little places we got to follow him around. I didn’t mind the inclusion of magic and liked what the story was trying to teach about it, I just don’t think the story was written well. I guessed all the twists and the ending falls flat. I also definitely thought this was the authors first book, but it’s not (she writes under a different name as well), so that made it even harder to excuse the poor writing. I’m not mad I finished the book but I am mad it was so long (or at least felt so long). I would not recommend this book.
Want to read
October 15, 2020"The wildwood is whispering. It has secrets to reveal - if you're willing to listen."
This witchy book sounds amazing and this cover is stunning!
This witchy book sounds amazing and this cover is stunning!
August 5, 2021
Wild wood Whispers by Willa Reece
I absolutely loved this e-book have never read any of the authors books before and hope to read more.
.
I absolutely loved this e-book have never read any of the authors books before and hope to read more.
.
June 8, 2021
I think this is going to be my most favorite read of 2021. It is my most surprising this year, so far. I was expecting a pleasant read that had some drama and was set in the place my heart calls home. I figured it might be a little emotional for me. I was right but oh so wrong, too. It was that but so much more. This book holds so many genres inside its cover that I really can’t determine a best match to just one.
The author did an amazing job with descriptions. I felt the forest and pictured it coming alive in my mind. The characters were well written with some feeling familiar to me. Reading this I thought often of the women who are no longer here but influenced my world. There were romances. The major one between Mel and Jacob. But also some lesser ones that were lovely and written in so naturally it didn’t feel completely like a romance novel at all. There was also the non romantic love between friends who become family. There was a mystery to solve that involved murder bringing with it ties to human trafficking. There was the lessens from nature and folk remedies. The magic found in the hills and hollers that you can hear of in sayings, songs and folklore still today. This would probably fall into the fantasy genre but, as a woman who still holds deeply her girl belief in fairies, I hesitate to place it completely in that genre. There is a battle between good and evil. I would have liked a bit of blending between Christianity and the Old Beliefs but that’s just me. I have a blended belief that holds both equally. Sadly, though, I know there are still religions, (mostly in the extremes, I feel), that lock out other beliefs. The battle between the two religions made for riveting reading, especially in terms of how women can be treated within any religion extremist beliefs. It is a book about small towns and the secrets they can hold. It is a book about grieving and a young woman finding herself while letting go of her best friend. So you can see why I find it difficult to put this book into one genre and why I think this book will be my most favorite of the year. I honestly want to buy copies for all my friends and tell them, “you must read this book!” I hope you, reading the reviews, decide to read it and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
*I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. No review was required, just as no word of mouth recommendations are, but I will be doing both. My review is based on my overwhelming delight in reading this book.*
The author did an amazing job with descriptions. I felt the forest and pictured it coming alive in my mind. The characters were well written with some feeling familiar to me. Reading this I thought often of the women who are no longer here but influenced my world. There were romances. The major one between Mel and Jacob. But also some lesser ones that were lovely and written in so naturally it didn’t feel completely like a romance novel at all. There was also the non romantic love between friends who become family. There was a mystery to solve that involved murder bringing with it ties to human trafficking. There was the lessens from nature and folk remedies. The magic found in the hills and hollers that you can hear of in sayings, songs and folklore still today. This would probably fall into the fantasy genre but, as a woman who still holds deeply her girl belief in fairies, I hesitate to place it completely in that genre. There is a battle between good and evil. I would have liked a bit of blending between Christianity and the Old Beliefs but that’s just me. I have a blended belief that holds both equally. Sadly, though, I know there are still religions, (mostly in the extremes, I feel), that lock out other beliefs. The battle between the two religions made for riveting reading, especially in terms of how women can be treated within any religion extremist beliefs. It is a book about small towns and the secrets they can hold. It is a book about grieving and a young woman finding herself while letting go of her best friend. So you can see why I find it difficult to put this book into one genre and why I think this book will be my most favorite of the year. I honestly want to buy copies for all my friends and tell them, “you must read this book!” I hope you, reading the reviews, decide to read it and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
*I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. No review was required, just as no word of mouth recommendations are, but I will be doing both. My review is based on my overwhelming delight in reading this book.*
April 11, 2024
I got about 200 pages in and just couldn’t finish. The story and the characters just felt forced and underdeveloped. I feel like there are authors who write about traumatic experiences because they themselves have experienced them and want/need to share those stories. And then I feel like there are authors who have not undergone said traumatic experiences who then romanticize them, and it’s incredibly uncomfortable and if I’m being honest, super cringy to read. The latter is unfortunately how I felt with Wildwood Whispers. This definitely should not be considered a “cozy read”.
November 5, 2021
A good mix of magical realism and mystery. This was a book I didn't want to put down and I would definitely shelve it in the "cozy" category. The atmosphere of the woods and the small towns just hit the spot for me and I loved all of the quirky little characters.
The writing is really good and moves with a fantastic flow. The prose is fairly lyrical and great in description. I was really sucked into the story with the imagery created. The pace is a little slow and there is a lot of setup, but it worked for me. Some readers may get bogged down by this.
I also really enjoyed the cultish element that was mixed in to the narrative. I would've honestly liked more, but that's no surprise. Cults in fiction are kind of my jam.
The plot is a bit of a mystery, but it's fairly predictable, so I would plant it solidly in the magical realism genre. Don't go into this expecting a thriller or a complex whodunit. It's just an enjoyable tale with a little bit of tension and a small town with a good mix of good and evil. Cozy up with a blanket and enjoy.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The writing is really good and moves with a fantastic flow. The prose is fairly lyrical and great in description. I was really sucked into the story with the imagery created. The pace is a little slow and there is a lot of setup, but it worked for me. Some readers may get bogged down by this.
I also really enjoyed the cultish element that was mixed in to the narrative. I would've honestly liked more, but that's no surprise. Cults in fiction are kind of my jam.
The plot is a bit of a mystery, but it's fairly predictable, so I would plant it solidly in the magical realism genre. Don't go into this expecting a thriller or a complex whodunit. It's just an enjoyable tale with a little bit of tension and a small town with a good mix of good and evil. Cozy up with a blanket and enjoy.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
December 1, 2021
I read Wildwood Whispers with two friends, and it has given us a lot to discuss. Overall, I quite enjoyed it. The book follows Mel, who, after returning her friend's ashes to the small Appalachian town where she grew up, finds she has a deep connection to the wildwood + the people who live there. I really appreciated the descriptions of the wood and the plants and animals who call it home; I also enjoyed the representation of folk magic, the development of the relationship between Mel and Granny, and slow shift in Mel's thought process and beliefs as she gradually allows herself to meaningfully connect to her new surroundings. What didn't work for me quite so well were the mystery elements (I kept hoping that the plot with the antagonist wouldn't be as obvious as it seemed from the beginning, but it was) and the romance (which the book may well have been better without, and which certainly wasn't necessary).
Content warnings: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, reproductive coercion, murder, grief, misogyny, human trafficking, forced confinement
Content warnings: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, reproductive coercion, murder, grief, misogyny, human trafficking, forced confinement
September 16, 2023
I had some ups and downs with how I felt about this. Overall I liked it, but some of it was a little sappy for me. The writing was really good and the characters felt real and the town was atmospheric. The romance was very cute and soft. Great plot twist I didn't see coming and the resolution was satisfying. I enjoyed this magical mountain small town! Many parts and details accurately depicted traditional Appalachian living. But there were times we dwelled on mundane things with detailed description and it started to bore me. Like, his isn't a book about how to make bread and jam okay. Because of that, the book was longer than it needed to be and I felt like I was reading it forever. And the audiobook narrator's fake accent is horrible! The intrigue is what kept me reading though, I had to find out what was happening. I recommend it if you want a cozy, feel-good book with a mystery to read in the summertime.
October 25, 2024
An almost - almost - perfect blend of fantasy and magic realism with loads of cosy cottage core vibes and a touch of romance.
However, there's a murder mystery and a horrifying sekt lurking in the background that gives the book a darker tone than what I would call "feelgood".
The prose is beautiful and really wound me in. Perhaps more than the characters did, to be honest. The Wildwood itself was maybe the "character" I liked the most. Our main character, Mel, didn't really catch my interest or sympathy. At least not as much as I would have liked.
I feel very positive about checking out other titles by this author.
However, there's a murder mystery and a horrifying sekt lurking in the background that gives the book a darker tone than what I would call "feelgood".
The prose is beautiful and really wound me in. Perhaps more than the characters did, to be honest. The Wildwood itself was maybe the "character" I liked the most. Our main character, Mel, didn't really catch my interest or sympathy. At least not as much as I would have liked.
I feel very positive about checking out other titles by this author.
March 8, 2024
i want to be nice so badly but like. i can tell this is obviously some old grannys hard work she so lovingly explained pages worth of how to make blackberry jam and i imagine this is so cottagecore cutie trimming branches making little teas and breads and whatnot except if that shit took place over 5 pages fine 10 pages fine 20 pages fine BUT 300?????? 300 PAGES OF MINEAL TASKS WITH THE MOST BORING NARRATER WHO has. ZERO social skills. the conversations were so awkward and its obv the author has never witnessed communication between young adults because everyone and i mean everyone spoke in the style of an elderly woman you find at the farmers market. its had so so so much potential except the middle (page 9 to page 350) was SO BORINGGGGGGGG i lost interest and would have dropped it except my library kept automatically renewing it and i felt bad for letting it catch dust for 2 months on my desk.
May 28, 2022
Like the wildwood itself, this is a dark and beautiful story of life, death, and rebirth, of separation and togetherness. I fell in love with all the wise and wild women of the mountain, as well as the woodsmen and all of the wild creatures. This book is made my fingers twitch to knead bread, brew remedies, weave baskets, forage for food, and cultivate an even deeper relationship with the forest around my home. I loved the magickal realism in this story.
January 24, 2022
3.5 stars
The VIBES and setting of this book are immaculate, and it has so many of my favorite things going for it - witches, Appalachia, a CULT ELEMENT. So I obviously enjoyed myself. BUT I do think the story itself and the pacing of that story left a little to be desired. All the descriptions were absolutely gorgeous though.
Ok bye, going back to my home state of Kentucky to become a mountain wisewoman!
The VIBES and setting of this book are immaculate, and it has so many of my favorite things going for it - witches, Appalachia, a CULT ELEMENT. So I obviously enjoyed myself. BUT I do think the story itself and the pacing of that story left a little to be desired. All the descriptions were absolutely gorgeous though.
Ok bye, going back to my home state of Kentucky to become a mountain wisewoman!
September 11, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
A magical realism story set in the Appalachian mountains about family, connections to people and nature, and personal autonomy. It was not quite what I was expecting, but it was an interesting plot and very atmospheric.
A magical realism story set in the Appalachian mountains about family, connections to people and nature, and personal autonomy. It was not quite what I was expecting, but it was an interesting plot and very atmospheric.
February 18, 2022
Review to come ...
April 17, 2021
Wildwood Whispers is a fantastic book about a woman who is bringing her friend's ashes back to the mountains where she grew up. She meets a cast of really interesting characters, some good, some bad, and along the way she finds that there is a lot more to herself than she knew. I loved all the wise woman stuff, the recipes, the history, all of it was wonderful and really added a lot to the book. The atmosphere was so well written you can feel the blackberry thorns poking you, smell the scent of lavender in the air, and hear the hum of the bees. There is also a thriller/mystery aspect, which while it was a bit predictable near the end, was very satisfying. I absolutely loved the book and can't wait to see what this author has in store next.
July 1, 2023
This was the balm I needed for my stressed out mind these days. A slow burn, empowering, magical, nature filled book full of witchy moms, an old school rural town, a cute love interest and a fulfilling journey of finding one's self. It's funny that I randomly picked this book from my tbr list just as YouTube kept suggesting cottagecore videos for me. It fit the theme perfectly.
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