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The Witch's Tree
A tale as old as time. A spirit that has never rested.
Present day
As a love affair comes to an end, and with it her dreams for her future, artist Selena needs a retreat. The picture-postcard Sloe Cottage in the Somerset village of Ashcombe promises to be the perfect place to forget her problems, and Selena settles into her new home as spring arrives. But it isn’t long before Selena hears the past whispering to her. Sloe Cottage is keeping secrets which refuse to stay hidden.
1682
Grace Cotter longs for nothing more than a husband and family of her own. Content enough with her work on the farm, looking after her father, and learning the secrets of her grandmother Bett’s healing hands, nevertheless Grace still hopes for love. But these are dangerous times for dreamers, and rumours and gossip can be deadly. One mis-move and Grace’s fate looks set…
Separated by three hundred years, two women are drawn together by a home bathed in blood and magic. Grace Cotter’s spirit needs to rest, and only Selena can help her now.
Present day
As a love affair comes to an end, and with it her dreams for her future, artist Selena needs a retreat. The picture-postcard Sloe Cottage in the Somerset village of Ashcombe promises to be the perfect place to forget her problems, and Selena settles into her new home as spring arrives. But it isn’t long before Selena hears the past whispering to her. Sloe Cottage is keeping secrets which refuse to stay hidden.
1682
Grace Cotter longs for nothing more than a husband and family of her own. Content enough with her work on the farm, looking after her father, and learning the secrets of her grandmother Bett’s healing hands, nevertheless Grace still hopes for love. But these are dangerous times for dreamers, and rumours and gossip can be deadly. One mis-move and Grace’s fate looks set…
Separated by three hundred years, two women are drawn together by a home bathed in blood and magic. Grace Cotter’s spirit needs to rest, and only Selena can help her now.
401 pages, ebook
First published May 17, 2022
2492 people are currently reading
3529 people want to read
About the author
Elena Collins
17 books196 followersElena Collins is a pseudonym of author Judy Leigh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 735 reviews
June 3, 2022
In a Nutshell: Outlier opinion alert! Would have worked better for me had it been faster and had I not read another book with a similar storyline. Too much of déjà vu!
Story Synopsis Sans Spoilers:
Where the book worked for me:
😍 Loved, loved, loved the cover! Perfect for the story!
😍 I liked Grace. Her character was nicely developed and she seemed to fit into her historical era. Other than Grace, only Grace’s Gran has enough of a personality to make her stand out in the historical timeline.
😍 Many of the secondary characters in the contemporary timeline are quite appealing, with their varied interests and varied personalities. They aren’t as layered as I would have liked them to be, but still, they add value to the timeline.
😍 I liked the atmosphere. The blackthorn tree (which also appears on the book cover) serves as the perfect deliverer of spooks and creeps. This was one rare occasion where I enjoyed the contemporary timeline better than the historical one, simply because of the atmosphere.
😍 The descriptions of the places in Somerset are amazing. Made me wish I could go there for a peek!
😍 The historical research is good and this is evident from both the timelines. All aspects of the 17th century seem to be spot on.
😍 Unlike typical dual timeline stories, the character perspectives don’t change with the change of a chapter. Rather, many times, there is a shift from Grace to Selena (or vice versa) within the same chapter. But these are marked clearly. I liked this unusual approach of writing the dual perspective, though I am not sure how this would work with other readers.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😢 It was sloooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Took me ages to complete. I felt like a person climbing UP on the DOWN escalator – the percentage indicator wasn’t moving upward fast enough!
😢 There is a great deal of repetition in the writing, especially in the dialogues which sound quite unnatural at times. Like, if I were to tell my dad, “Next Sunday is Christmas day, the 25th of December, when our Lord was born into the world”, I am sure he would look at me as if I have lost my marbles. Even the scenes gets repetitive after a while. The book would have been much more impactful had it lost a hundred pages of such fillers.
😕 Selena is supposed to be 38 but acts nothing like her age. (Is 38 the new 28 of fiction, I wonder?) She seems very short-sighted at times.
😕 All the characters other than the ones I’ve mentioned so far are uni-dimensional caricatures. Flat, not layered, boring. David was the worst prig of all.
😕 Unlike what the tagline says, it is not timeslip!
😕 The book might have worked better with me if I hadn't read this kind of storyline before. Unfortunately it felt quite similar to ‘The Visitor’ by Sara Sartagne. Of course, I am not saying that the story has been plagiarised. There are only SO many stories in the world after all. But as I had read the other book just a few months ago, I couldn’t enjoy this one as much as a lot of the plot was similar.
I might have been more forgiving of the problems had this been a debut writer. But the author’s note confirms that this is the pseudonym of a prolific romcom writer. As such, I can’t ignore what didn’t work for me. My high expectations because of that gorgeous cover didn’t help matters.
That said, you might like it better, as mine is pretty much an outlier opinion. Do read the other reviews before you make up your mind about this one.
2.5 stars.
My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Witch's Tree”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Story Synopsis Sans Spoilers:
Present day, England. When her married lover dumps her, landscape artist and gallery co-owner Selena takes a break in Somerset valley. The cosy Sloe Cottage appeals to her artistic sensibilities. However, she soon starts feeling a strange vide from the past. What secrets is Sloe Cottage trying to whisper in her ears?
1682. Grace Cotter is mostly content with her lot in life, taking care of her old grandma and her sick father, and working as a milkmaid on a nearby farm. But when her eye falls on the farmer’s son Nathaniel, the troubles in her life begin. With rumours and gossip always abundant in a small village especially when it comes to single women, what lies in store for Grace?
The story comes to us in the third person perspectives of Selena and Grace.
Where the book worked for me:
😍 Loved, loved, loved the cover! Perfect for the story!
😍 I liked Grace. Her character was nicely developed and she seemed to fit into her historical era. Other than Grace, only Grace’s Gran has enough of a personality to make her stand out in the historical timeline.
😍 Many of the secondary characters in the contemporary timeline are quite appealing, with their varied interests and varied personalities. They aren’t as layered as I would have liked them to be, but still, they add value to the timeline.
😍 I liked the atmosphere. The blackthorn tree (which also appears on the book cover) serves as the perfect deliverer of spooks and creeps. This was one rare occasion where I enjoyed the contemporary timeline better than the historical one, simply because of the atmosphere.
😍 The descriptions of the places in Somerset are amazing. Made me wish I could go there for a peek!
😍 The historical research is good and this is evident from both the timelines. All aspects of the 17th century seem to be spot on.
😍 Unlike typical dual timeline stories, the character perspectives don’t change with the change of a chapter. Rather, many times, there is a shift from Grace to Selena (or vice versa) within the same chapter. But these are marked clearly. I liked this unusual approach of writing the dual perspective, though I am not sure how this would work with other readers.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😢 It was sloooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Took me ages to complete. I felt like a person climbing UP on the DOWN escalator – the percentage indicator wasn’t moving upward fast enough!
😢 There is a great deal of repetition in the writing, especially in the dialogues which sound quite unnatural at times. Like, if I were to tell my dad, “Next Sunday is Christmas day, the 25th of December, when our Lord was born into the world”, I am sure he would look at me as if I have lost my marbles. Even the scenes gets repetitive after a while. The book would have been much more impactful had it lost a hundred pages of such fillers.
😕 Selena is supposed to be 38 but acts nothing like her age. (Is 38 the new 28 of fiction, I wonder?) She seems very short-sighted at times.
😕 All the characters other than the ones I’ve mentioned so far are uni-dimensional caricatures. Flat, not layered, boring. David was the worst prig of all.
😕 Unlike what the tagline says, it is not timeslip!
😕 The book might have worked better with me if I hadn't read this kind of storyline before. Unfortunately it felt quite similar to ‘The Visitor’ by Sara Sartagne. Of course, I am not saying that the story has been plagiarised. There are only SO many stories in the world after all. But as I had read the other book just a few months ago, I couldn’t enjoy this one as much as a lot of the plot was similar.
I might have been more forgiving of the problems had this been a debut writer. But the author’s note confirms that this is the pseudonym of a prolific romcom writer. As such, I can’t ignore what didn’t work for me. My high expectations because of that gorgeous cover didn’t help matters.
That said, you might like it better, as mine is pretty much an outlier opinion. Do read the other reviews before you make up your mind about this one.
2.5 stars.
My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Witch's Tree”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
June 6, 2022
It was ok. But it was very very very very slow.
The cover is just exquisite and the writing fine.
Yet the pace of this just made this heavy work for me as a reader to get through it unfortunately.
It’s written in dual timelines and third person which isn’t always a good double combination for me. One or the other would have been fine.
It has atmosphere and the characters well formed.
If it just wasn’t for it being tediously slow.
The cover is just exquisite and the writing fine.
Yet the pace of this just made this heavy work for me as a reader to get through it unfortunately.
It’s written in dual timelines and third person which isn’t always a good double combination for me. One or the other would have been fine.
It has atmosphere and the characters well formed.
If it just wasn’t for it being tediously slow.
May 9, 2022
Publication Date: 17th May 2022
4.2 Stars
One Liner: A slow start but worth it
Present Day:
Selena decides to take a break and move to the countryside and recover from heartbreak. She chooses Sloe Cottage in the Somerset village of Ashcombe and is determined to heal and paint to her heart’s content. Her friend and business partner, Claire, encourages her to go ahead with the plan. Their business is doing well, and the duo can make more if Selena can paint during her stay at the cottage.
Sloe Cottage is beautiful, though the original part feels cold no matter what. Selena tentatively makes friends with the locals while finishing a series of paintings. However, she cannot get over the feeling of sadness in the cottage. She starts to research the history of the place and the cottage, only to uncover some shocking incidents.
Somerset, 1682:
Grace Cotter is quite content taking care of her father and learning from Betty, her grandmother. Her herb garden, the blackthorn tree, and the wishing well keep her happy. There’s just one thing she wants to have a happier life.
But hopes, dreams, and longing for a happy ever after are dangerous in times when superstitions rule the land. A single word or whisper could brand someone a witch and get them killed. Grace does her best to remain hopeful and kind. But when things take a turn for worse, she might lose everything…
With more than three hundred years between the times, Grace and Selena are bound by an invisible thread. They need to heal and move on. Can Selena get another chance at love? Can Grace’s restless spirit be free from the bonds that tie her down? How do these women help each other?
My Observations:
• The book starts slow but picks up pace in the second half. The prologue and epilogue fit like a glove. I love how the author used them.
• The writing is descriptive and atmospheric (a reason for the slow beginning) but covers a good amount of time from start to finish.
• I confess I didn’t like Selena at the beginning. She seemed too naïve and passive for a 38-year-old woman with a good career. But her character arc improved and got better as the story progressed.
• The side characters (in the present-day track) are lively and bring much-needed positivity to the storyline. The cottage itself is a character, just like the blackthorn tree.
• As with most dual timelines, I love the past track more than the present. Grace is a beautiful character. Her innocence suits her, given the timeline and age.
• The past track effectively showed how gossip and rumors can take a life, and malice, more often than not, is the root cause.
• The touch of paranormal blends seamlessly with the atmosphere in the book.
• The prejudice against healers and women and the subsequent witch trials are well presented in the book. Except for the climax scene, the rest of it is not graphic or overwhelming. Even the climax manages to keep things from going OTT.
To sum up, The Witch’s Tree is a beautiful and bittersweet story of Grace and Selena, connected through the expanse of time.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheWitchsTree
4.2 Stars
One Liner: A slow start but worth it
Present Day:
Selena decides to take a break and move to the countryside and recover from heartbreak. She chooses Sloe Cottage in the Somerset village of Ashcombe and is determined to heal and paint to her heart’s content. Her friend and business partner, Claire, encourages her to go ahead with the plan. Their business is doing well, and the duo can make more if Selena can paint during her stay at the cottage.
Sloe Cottage is beautiful, though the original part feels cold no matter what. Selena tentatively makes friends with the locals while finishing a series of paintings. However, she cannot get over the feeling of sadness in the cottage. She starts to research the history of the place and the cottage, only to uncover some shocking incidents.
Somerset, 1682:
Grace Cotter is quite content taking care of her father and learning from Betty, her grandmother. Her herb garden, the blackthorn tree, and the wishing well keep her happy. There’s just one thing she wants to have a happier life.
But hopes, dreams, and longing for a happy ever after are dangerous in times when superstitions rule the land. A single word or whisper could brand someone a witch and get them killed. Grace does her best to remain hopeful and kind. But when things take a turn for worse, she might lose everything…
With more than three hundred years between the times, Grace and Selena are bound by an invisible thread. They need to heal and move on. Can Selena get another chance at love? Can Grace’s restless spirit be free from the bonds that tie her down? How do these women help each other?
My Observations:
• The book starts slow but picks up pace in the second half. The prologue and epilogue fit like a glove. I love how the author used them.
• The writing is descriptive and atmospheric (a reason for the slow beginning) but covers a good amount of time from start to finish.
• I confess I didn’t like Selena at the beginning. She seemed too naïve and passive for a 38-year-old woman with a good career. But her character arc improved and got better as the story progressed.
• The side characters (in the present-day track) are lively and bring much-needed positivity to the storyline. The cottage itself is a character, just like the blackthorn tree.
• As with most dual timelines, I love the past track more than the present. Grace is a beautiful character. Her innocence suits her, given the timeline and age.
• The past track effectively showed how gossip and rumors can take a life, and malice, more often than not, is the root cause.
• The touch of paranormal blends seamlessly with the atmosphere in the book.
• The prejudice against healers and women and the subsequent witch trials are well presented in the book. Except for the climax scene, the rest of it is not graphic or overwhelming. Even the climax manages to keep things from going OTT.
To sum up, The Witch’s Tree is a beautiful and bittersweet story of Grace and Selena, connected through the expanse of time.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheWitchsTree
July 25, 2022
Being a big fan of Barbara Erskine, Collins’ book has flavours of the supernatural, ghosts and the past, all intermingled in a dual-timeline narrative. Reading this book, I was chilled, I was thrilled and I was engrossed by how the past informs the present with this ghostly tale.
At first I thought I would not get into this story because I disliked Selena so much! She is weak and insipid and I grew quickly frustrated by her ways, especially as it is revealed she has been having an affair with a married man. Even her best friend has little sympathy for Selena and for that I was grateful: it didn’t feel like I was being too harsh on my judgements of her. When Selena decides to move to Somerset for a time out, it marks a change in her character and I think this is when she came into her own, becoming a person I warmed to and one who didn’t make such awful decisions.
Whilst watching Selena rediscover herself through her art and make friends in her new community, the narrative switches to rural Somerset in the seventeenth century. Following young woman, Grace, it is clear that she struggles with life. Having to care for her aging father, look out for her elderly grandmother and trying to make ends meet, Grace does not lead a life of luxury. Grace’s grandmother is known for her healing and Grace has learnt what she can to help her family. Yet, this soon becomes her downfall and, as a sign of the times, Grace’s actions become aligned with fear and witchcraft, leading to her becoming further isolated from the community.
As the story progressed, it was interesting to observe the emerging parallels between the two heroines. I liked how subtly they are portrayed and I enjoyed being able to make the connections between Grace and Selena. Both women have been judged by men and suffered at the hands of patriarchy. Whilst centuries separate these characters, it highlighted how some of the issues that Grace suffered from still exist in modern society today.
Undoubtedly, Collins creates a very spooky atmosphere and I found my skin tingling with some of the scenes described. Selena feels that there is a presence in her holiday cottage and this is coupled with hearing strange noises, seeing shadows and smelling scents of flowers that should not be there. Even her friends pick up on this chilling sensation and there were times when I found myself shivering in scared delight. It certainly adds to the atmosphere of the story and I liked how there always remained a presence in Selena’s cottage, even when the truth is finally revealed.
I really enjoyed Collins narrative and it has reminded me that I need to read another Erskine book before the year is out. This is an enjoyable historical read and whilst I did not fall into the story straight away, it was a rewarding plot and I look forward to reading another book by this author.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
At first I thought I would not get into this story because I disliked Selena so much! She is weak and insipid and I grew quickly frustrated by her ways, especially as it is revealed she has been having an affair with a married man. Even her best friend has little sympathy for Selena and for that I was grateful: it didn’t feel like I was being too harsh on my judgements of her. When Selena decides to move to Somerset for a time out, it marks a change in her character and I think this is when she came into her own, becoming a person I warmed to and one who didn’t make such awful decisions.
Whilst watching Selena rediscover herself through her art and make friends in her new community, the narrative switches to rural Somerset in the seventeenth century. Following young woman, Grace, it is clear that she struggles with life. Having to care for her aging father, look out for her elderly grandmother and trying to make ends meet, Grace does not lead a life of luxury. Grace’s grandmother is known for her healing and Grace has learnt what she can to help her family. Yet, this soon becomes her downfall and, as a sign of the times, Grace’s actions become aligned with fear and witchcraft, leading to her becoming further isolated from the community.
As the story progressed, it was interesting to observe the emerging parallels between the two heroines. I liked how subtly they are portrayed and I enjoyed being able to make the connections between Grace and Selena. Both women have been judged by men and suffered at the hands of patriarchy. Whilst centuries separate these characters, it highlighted how some of the issues that Grace suffered from still exist in modern society today.
Undoubtedly, Collins creates a very spooky atmosphere and I found my skin tingling with some of the scenes described. Selena feels that there is a presence in her holiday cottage and this is coupled with hearing strange noises, seeing shadows and smelling scents of flowers that should not be there. Even her friends pick up on this chilling sensation and there were times when I found myself shivering in scared delight. It certainly adds to the atmosphere of the story and I liked how there always remained a presence in Selena’s cottage, even when the truth is finally revealed.
I really enjoyed Collins narrative and it has reminded me that I need to read another Erskine book before the year is out. This is an enjoyable historical read and whilst I did not fall into the story straight away, it was a rewarding plot and I look forward to reading another book by this author.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2022
Cripes, yet another 400-page dud. Set in an old English country cottage, this unoriginal parallel timeline "plot" creeps along at a snail's pace. To ensure we know the cottage is haunted, we hear "This house is so cold! It's creepy! It's so EERIE!" uttered about a million times. Yet this obvious foreshadowing and other 2x4-to-the-head clues lead to nothing but anticlimaxes.
Implausible scenarios and historical inaccuracies abound. For example, in one 17th century scene, the humble, God-fearing, modest young heroine ventures outside to the cottage yard in cold early spring to do laundry, clad in nothing but her linen shift. This public state of undress would have been regarded as shockingly immoral near-nakedness, yet all is well. Furthermore, without boiling a single bucket of water, she manages to wash ALL of the household's filthy clothes by hand in five minutes flat; an hour after that, they're perfectly dry and wearable again. Ahem, but in that period, outer clothing was rarely if ever washed - and heavy work clothes would never dry that quickly, even on the hottest summer day.
The rest of the book is filled with similar unbelievabilities as well as stilted dialogue and two incredibly wimpy female protagonists: 17th century Grace allows herself to be raped and impregnated without saying so much as "boo" then continues to hanker after the rapist; modern-day Selena moons incessantly for the dirtbag married boyfriend who dupes, impregnates and dumps her. Other characters are flat and inconsequential: Grace's father, a 42-year-old farm hand, is so perpetually weary from his labours that he spends the entire book slumped mutely by the fire; so weary, in fact, that he says not a word when he realizes unwed daughter is scandalously pregnant, and, when she's hauled away by a handful of vengeful villagers and instantly hanged without benefit of trial for witchcraft, he never lifts a finger to protest her innocence or stop the witch hunt.
To top this nonsense off, the modern-day ending is so incredibly facile and saccharin-sweet, I'm sure I now have a raging case of diabetes.
Implausible scenarios and historical inaccuracies abound. For example, in one 17th century scene, the humble, God-fearing, modest young heroine ventures outside to the cottage yard in cold early spring to do laundry, clad in nothing but her linen shift. This public state of undress would have been regarded as shockingly immoral near-nakedness, yet all is well. Furthermore, without boiling a single bucket of water, she manages to wash ALL of the household's filthy clothes by hand in five minutes flat; an hour after that, they're perfectly dry and wearable again. Ahem, but in that period, outer clothing was rarely if ever washed - and heavy work clothes would never dry that quickly, even on the hottest summer day.
The rest of the book is filled with similar unbelievabilities as well as stilted dialogue and two incredibly wimpy female protagonists: 17th century Grace allows herself to be raped and impregnated without saying so much as "boo" then continues to hanker after the rapist; modern-day Selena moons incessantly for the dirtbag married boyfriend who dupes, impregnates and dumps her. Other characters are flat and inconsequential: Grace's father, a 42-year-old farm hand, is so perpetually weary from his labours that he spends the entire book slumped mutely by the fire; so weary, in fact, that he says not a word when he realizes unwed daughter is scandalously pregnant, and, when she's hauled away by a handful of vengeful villagers and instantly hanged without benefit of trial for witchcraft, he never lifts a finger to protest her innocence or stop the witch hunt.
To top this nonsense off, the modern-day ending is so incredibly facile and saccharin-sweet, I'm sure I now have a raging case of diabetes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2022
The book moves back and forth between the two timelines with some interesting parallels between the two women’s experiences. There are some clever, subtle touches such as when Selena and Grace share the same impulse, for example to walk barefoot in the garden at night or to warm their hands in front of the fire. I also liked the way certain characters echoed others in the alternate timeline. For instance, Bett, Grace’s grandmother and Selena’s friend, Joely, who both have knowledge of natural remedies, or Nathaniel and Nick who are both sons of the owners of Hilltop Farm (although quite different in personality). There were also some neat opposites as well, such as Selena and Grace having quite different experiences of motherhood and friendship. There was one particular character in Grace’s life I didn’t trust from the outset!
The author gives Sloe Cottage an unsettling atmosphere, something sensed not just by Selena but by other visitors to the cottage. Personally, I found the hints of a supernatural presence – rooms that have a perpetual chill, unexplained noises in the night, the tapping of branches against a window – scarier than any actual physical manifestation. I liked how Grace’s experiences became somehow manifested in Selena’s artwork, as if by a spectral guiding hand. I wonder if it also influenced Selena’s productivity as she seemed to produce paintings at a rate of knots!
There are some beautiful descriptions of the Somerset countryside and I can see quite a few readers including visiting the area in future holiday plans. Several characters are given an interest in local history which allows the author to include some historical detail about the period in which Grace’s story is set and enable the eventual discovery of her fate and that of her family.
I’ve read enough books set in the period to know that women perceived as ‘different’ – unmarried or gifted in the art of healing – were often the subject of accusations of witchcraft, either as a result of superstition, ignorance or vindictiveness. Along with subtle clues from Selena’s exploration of the local area, it wasn’t difficult to guess what Grace’s fate would be although it was still desperately sad to witness. By the end of the book if Grace’s story is one of love and sacrifice, Serena’s is one of healing and hope.
The Witch’s Tree weaves together a number of different elements – a little bit of drama, a little bit of romance and a touch of the supernatural – to form an enjoyable time-slip novel.
The author gives Sloe Cottage an unsettling atmosphere, something sensed not just by Selena but by other visitors to the cottage. Personally, I found the hints of a supernatural presence – rooms that have a perpetual chill, unexplained noises in the night, the tapping of branches against a window – scarier than any actual physical manifestation. I liked how Grace’s experiences became somehow manifested in Selena’s artwork, as if by a spectral guiding hand. I wonder if it also influenced Selena’s productivity as she seemed to produce paintings at a rate of knots!
There are some beautiful descriptions of the Somerset countryside and I can see quite a few readers including visiting the area in future holiday plans. Several characters are given an interest in local history which allows the author to include some historical detail about the period in which Grace’s story is set and enable the eventual discovery of her fate and that of her family.
I’ve read enough books set in the period to know that women perceived as ‘different’ – unmarried or gifted in the art of healing – were often the subject of accusations of witchcraft, either as a result of superstition, ignorance or vindictiveness. Along with subtle clues from Selena’s exploration of the local area, it wasn’t difficult to guess what Grace’s fate would be although it was still desperately sad to witness. By the end of the book if Grace’s story is one of love and sacrifice, Serena’s is one of healing and hope.
The Witch’s Tree weaves together a number of different elements – a little bit of drama, a little bit of romance and a touch of the supernatural – to form an enjoyable time-slip novel.
March 21, 2023
A wonderfully written and crafted tale, about love, loss, and betrayal!!!
Full of vivid characters brimming and sparkling with life!!!
Elena Collins managed to rapture the reader into a world full of hardship and magic...
Two young woman separated from each other by hundreds of years, but join together by their sufferings...
Burdened with the same heavy load, they desperatly need to find the way to victory over their inner demons, or else be crushed and evolve into beings without hope and the spark of life which makes us humans...
Will they find peace, or will they succumb to the destructive powers stalking the inner core and fabric of their innermost being?...
But read for yourself...
Dean;)
Full of vivid characters brimming and sparkling with life!!!
Elena Collins managed to rapture the reader into a world full of hardship and magic...
Two young woman separated from each other by hundreds of years, but join together by their sufferings...
Burdened with the same heavy load, they desperatly need to find the way to victory over their inner demons, or else be crushed and evolve into beings without hope and the spark of life which makes us humans...
Will they find peace, or will they succumb to the destructive powers stalking the inner core and fabric of their innermost being?...
But read for yourself...
Dean;)
May 16, 2022
This is a wonderful dual timeline story and I felt for both Grace and Selena immediately. Despite being three hundred years apart I could see such similarities between the two women and could see how Selena was drawn to the story of the cottage and Grace. The beauty of the Blackdown Hills is vividly described by Elena Collins and I could easily see the paintings detailed in the story. A beautiful story of love and hope.
May 20, 2022
The Witch’s Tree by Elena Collins is a dual timeline that follows Selena and Grace who are separated by three hundred years but still connected. I really enjoy dual timeline stories. I find it fascinating to switch back and forth between timelines and still find connections between two seemingly different stories throughout the main plot line.
The Witch’s Tree does start off as a slow burn. In my opinion, this allows us to get to know the main and side characters well, and also allows us to really understand the two time periods. The writing is very atmospheric and draws the reader in.
In the second half, the book picks up speed and becomes a very addictive read. I think I liked Grace and her story a bit more, but Selena was a great character as well. It was intriguing to see how each woman lived.
Beautiful and bittersweet. If you enjoy dual timeline and paranormal, you’ll enjoy The Witch’s Tree!
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and the author for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
The Witch’s Tree does start off as a slow burn. In my opinion, this allows us to get to know the main and side characters well, and also allows us to really understand the two time periods. The writing is very atmospheric and draws the reader in.
In the second half, the book picks up speed and becomes a very addictive read. I think I liked Grace and her story a bit more, but Selena was a great character as well. It was intriguing to see how each woman lived.
Beautiful and bittersweet. If you enjoy dual timeline and paranormal, you’ll enjoy The Witch’s Tree!
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and the author for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
April 6, 2023
A good story overall, however it took way too long to move. I got that the one character really liked the cottage and all her new friends, but did we need to have this reiterated every time she met someone new. And she met them all one at a time.
And after all that build-up, the final act that frees Grace was such a big let-down. I won't do a spoiler and say what happened, but I expected something a lot more symbolic or something.
Also, no one researched the inhabitants of at 400 year old cottage before? No one else was interested, even though it seemed really easy to find the information? Again, way too simplistic a wrap-up, especially after such a long preamble.
And after all that build-up, the final act that frees Grace was such a big let-down. I won't do a spoiler and say what happened, but I expected something a lot more symbolic or something.
Also, no one researched the inhabitants of at 400 year old cottage before? No one else was interested, even though it seemed really easy to find the information? Again, way too simplistic a wrap-up, especially after such a long preamble.
October 22, 2022
This was such a wonderful dual time-line book, very similar to Barbara Erskine books which I love. This grabbed me from the first page until the last and at times was very creepy.
December 27, 2023
Truly an unforgettable, heart-breaking, gripping timeslip novel.
Oh my, such a great, unforgettable novel. I don't really want to share any information with you. I want you to read this this dual timeline story about two women, staying in the same cottage, centuries apart but experiencing similar feelings. Well written and very descriptive, I was was totally invested from start to finish.
Oh my, such a great, unforgettable novel. I don't really want to share any information with you. I want you to read this this dual timeline story about two women, staying in the same cottage, centuries apart but experiencing similar feelings. Well written and very descriptive, I was was totally invested from start to finish.
May 12, 2022
What a lovely book that was. Romance, ghostly goings on, tragedy, friendship, history, beautiful scenery, art and poetry all in one book. It’s well written, very descriptive, and well researched and it seems to me that author might live in this part of the UK as it covers a good sized area of Somerset very accurately. If I have one tiny little gripe it is that I feel some of the historical facts didn’t flow properly as part of the conversations - they seemed a bit contrived. But that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of what was a great read. Written in two timelines - the present and 1682, a time of much upheaval in British history, and a time of superstition and ignorance.
Briefly, Selena has broken up with her partner, and has had a miscarriage, so she’s decided to take a break and chooses Sloe Cottage in Ashcombe, Somerset. She soon makes friends in the village but she is beginning to realise that she is not alone in the cottage. Grace works on a farm and lives with her father in a tied cottage. She believes herself in love with the farmers son, and one evening, she gives herself to him. But when bad things happen the villagers start to look at Grace accusingly. 300 years later and Grace cannot rest. Can Selina help her troubled spirit settle.
The book is well paced from the start, with a good prologue and epilogue, and the authors notes at the end are well worth a read. The characterisations are good, although, as there a quite a lot of them, they are not fleshed out, and the cottage itself had its own ‘character’, particularly in the old parts of the building. There are no big surprises and no shocking revelations just a good, easy to read novel and one I really enjoyed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Briefly, Selena has broken up with her partner, and has had a miscarriage, so she’s decided to take a break and chooses Sloe Cottage in Ashcombe, Somerset. She soon makes friends in the village but she is beginning to realise that she is not alone in the cottage. Grace works on a farm and lives with her father in a tied cottage. She believes herself in love with the farmers son, and one evening, she gives herself to him. But when bad things happen the villagers start to look at Grace accusingly. 300 years later and Grace cannot rest. Can Selina help her troubled spirit settle.
The book is well paced from the start, with a good prologue and epilogue, and the authors notes at the end are well worth a read. The characterisations are good, although, as there a quite a lot of them, they are not fleshed out, and the cottage itself had its own ‘character’, particularly in the old parts of the building. There are no big surprises and no shocking revelations just a good, easy to read novel and one I really enjoyed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
May 22, 2022
There are literary no words I think are enough tp praise this book, but I’ll try.
The witch’s tree alternates narration between two women in different periods of time, connected by a place and by grief. In 1682 Grace longs for a family of her own filled by love and hope while she helps with her knowledge of natural properties to anyone who needs her. In the present Selina, an artist, rents a cottage in a small town to get pass a love affair and an abortion. The two will brake time itself to help each other get pass injustice in a male ruled world. One fouled by a married man, the other giving everything to the hope of love and pregnant in a word where single women have no place.
This tale is simply, perfect. The characterization could not be more perfect. each chapter leads you to mysteries, stories, answers. The narration is mixed perfectly among the two female main characters. Each of them a whole entity with a complex mind. A book that everyone should read, fans of mystery, historical fiction, contemporary fiction or strong female characters. A book that will stay with you for a long time.
The witch’s tree alternates narration between two women in different periods of time, connected by a place and by grief. In 1682 Grace longs for a family of her own filled by love and hope while she helps with her knowledge of natural properties to anyone who needs her. In the present Selina, an artist, rents a cottage in a small town to get pass a love affair and an abortion. The two will brake time itself to help each other get pass injustice in a male ruled world. One fouled by a married man, the other giving everything to the hope of love and pregnant in a word where single women have no place.
This tale is simply, perfect. The characterization could not be more perfect. each chapter leads you to mysteries, stories, answers. The narration is mixed perfectly among the two female main characters. Each of them a whole entity with a complex mind. A book that everyone should read, fans of mystery, historical fiction, contemporary fiction or strong female characters. A book that will stay with you for a long time.
May 26, 2022
I absolutely adored this story! It was fantastic going between the two times, it added drama and depth to both stories.
It’s a topic that interests me too, and you had to feel for Grace, her situation was truly difficult.
Such a compelling and emotive story, told perfectly!
It’s a topic that interests me too, and you had to feel for Grace, her situation was truly difficult.
Such a compelling and emotive story, told perfectly!
October 11, 2022
I don't understand how this novel merits even 4 stars. First, it's written in such dumbed down language I thought at first it was written for preteens, but the subject matter suggested otherwise--especially since the protagonist is 38 years old. It's also far too long, and it drags abysmally. It would have been better suited as a novella or short story.
Also, the book utterly fails to portray the reality of witch hunts, as they focused on childless and/or chaste women (who had the apparent temerity to control their own fertility) and elderly women--NOT young mothers.
Many books deal to far better effect with the horrific executions by men of wise women who were most often doulas and healers; then as now, men fear capable women.* This story is further hopelessly muddled by both main characters' rigid preoccupation with having a child: in the past, because her child, the product of rape, is taken from her, and in the present, when the 38-year old victim of a cheating philanderer suffers a miscarriage. Having a baby, or wanting one, seems to be touted here as a kind of salvation for even a 23-year old hanged as a witch. I find this "motherhood is sainthood" mantra to be a dog whistle to those who castigate women who have no desire to bear children. Women should not be engaged in pressuring other women to want children, especially when it costs $300K to raise a single child to age 18, with no help from society at large; both these women would have been raising their offspring alone.
Moreover, there's no mention at all of the pitfalls of motherhood at 38 and beyond. At 38, pregnancies are termed "geriatric" because it's really too late to be having children without significant damage to the health of the mother. "The rates of pregnant people having their first babies even in their 40s is as much as 4 times higher than it used to be, according to the same 2014 CDC report...Some of the risks of advanced maternal age during pregnancy include: premature birth, low birth weight in the baby, miscarriage, stillbirth, chromosomal abnormalities, birth defects,
labor complications, such as early labor, cesarean delivery, preeclampsia, a serious form of high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, [and] multiple pregnancies, such as twins or triplets. As you get older you also have a higher risk of chronic (long-term) high blood pressure." See: https://www.healthline.com/health/pre.... Not mentioned in this article: critical organs shunted out of place as the fetus develops during advanced maternal pregnancy most often do not return to their original state. The skin, which is the largest organ of the body, most definitely does not retract back; mothers who have had advanced maternal pregnancies carry that pregnancy pouch throughout the rest of their lives.
Yes, this is merely a novel. But since Roe v. Wade was abolished--and particularly because Justice Alito's head-turning, history-defying ruling quoted (misquoted, actually,**) a 17th century man (Sir Matthew Hale) who ordered the executions of women as witches--and the forced birth movement, contrary to their self-styled "pro-life" belief, has so often resulted in violence and deaths, any review of a book like this has some obligation to bring a bit of reality to the fore.
For further reading as to what's really at stake, here, see: https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-... "If a majority of the Supreme Court decrees that Roe is, at its core, a subversion of American democracy, then there is some symmetry in the fact that four of the five Justices voting to end it were appointed by men who won the Presidency despite losing the popular vote, that three of them were appointed by a man who was twice impeached, and that one was appointed to an essentially stolen seat. A majority of Americans support abortion rights...Alito does not quantify what the end of Roe means, nor does he personify it; there are no women here. There is “the womb”—the generic vessel outside of which the fetus cannot survive—but there is no body. For all the suffering and havoc that may result from this decision, it is a bloodless text, on a matter that is all blood."
**(The misquote occurred when Alito deliberately omitted the word "quickening" from Hale's opinion, as abortion in the 17th century was legal up to that point when a woman first feels the fetus move, referred to as "quickening." Even by Hale's misogynist rulings, abortions in the 1600s were permissible at least up to the 16th to 18th week.)
*Read a work of non-fiction about past and present misogyny to understand its continuing oppressive power: "Witches are both the ultimate victim and the stubborn, elusive rebel. But who were the women who were accused and often killed for witchcraft? What types of women have centuries of terror censored, eliminated, and repressed?
Celebrated feminist writer Mona Chollet explores three types of women who were accused of witchcraft and persecuted: the independent woman, since widows and celibates were particularly targeted; the childless woman, since the time of the hunts marked the end of tolerance for those who claimed to control their fertility; and the elderly woman, who has always been an object of at best, pity, and at worst, horror. Examining modern society, Chollet concludes that these women continue to be harrassed and oppressed. Rather than being a brief moment in history, the persecution of witches is an example of society’s seemingly eternal misogyny, while women today are direct heirs to those who were hunted down and killed for their thoughts and actions.
With fiery prose and arguments that range from the scholarly to the cultural, IN DEFENSE OF WITCHES seeks to unite the mythic image of the witch with modern women who seek to live their lives on their own terms." https://us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
Also, the book utterly fails to portray the reality of witch hunts, as they focused on childless and/or chaste women (who had the apparent temerity to control their own fertility) and elderly women--NOT young mothers.
Many books deal to far better effect with the horrific executions by men of wise women who were most often doulas and healers; then as now, men fear capable women.* This story is further hopelessly muddled by both main characters' rigid preoccupation with having a child: in the past, because her child, the product of rape, is taken from her, and in the present, when the 38-year old victim of a cheating philanderer suffers a miscarriage. Having a baby, or wanting one, seems to be touted here as a kind of salvation for even a 23-year old hanged as a witch. I find this "motherhood is sainthood" mantra to be a dog whistle to those who castigate women who have no desire to bear children. Women should not be engaged in pressuring other women to want children, especially when it costs $300K to raise a single child to age 18, with no help from society at large; both these women would have been raising their offspring alone.
Moreover, there's no mention at all of the pitfalls of motherhood at 38 and beyond. At 38, pregnancies are termed "geriatric" because it's really too late to be having children without significant damage to the health of the mother. "The rates of pregnant people having their first babies even in their 40s is as much as 4 times higher than it used to be, according to the same 2014 CDC report...Some of the risks of advanced maternal age during pregnancy include: premature birth, low birth weight in the baby, miscarriage, stillbirth, chromosomal abnormalities, birth defects,
labor complications, such as early labor, cesarean delivery, preeclampsia, a serious form of high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, [and] multiple pregnancies, such as twins or triplets. As you get older you also have a higher risk of chronic (long-term) high blood pressure." See: https://www.healthline.com/health/pre.... Not mentioned in this article: critical organs shunted out of place as the fetus develops during advanced maternal pregnancy most often do not return to their original state. The skin, which is the largest organ of the body, most definitely does not retract back; mothers who have had advanced maternal pregnancies carry that pregnancy pouch throughout the rest of their lives.
Yes, this is merely a novel. But since Roe v. Wade was abolished--and particularly because Justice Alito's head-turning, history-defying ruling quoted (misquoted, actually,**) a 17th century man (Sir Matthew Hale) who ordered the executions of women as witches--and the forced birth movement, contrary to their self-styled "pro-life" belief, has so often resulted in violence and deaths, any review of a book like this has some obligation to bring a bit of reality to the fore.
For further reading as to what's really at stake, here, see: https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-... "If a majority of the Supreme Court decrees that Roe is, at its core, a subversion of American democracy, then there is some symmetry in the fact that four of the five Justices voting to end it were appointed by men who won the Presidency despite losing the popular vote, that three of them were appointed by a man who was twice impeached, and that one was appointed to an essentially stolen seat. A majority of Americans support abortion rights...Alito does not quantify what the end of Roe means, nor does he personify it; there are no women here. There is “the womb”—the generic vessel outside of which the fetus cannot survive—but there is no body. For all the suffering and havoc that may result from this decision, it is a bloodless text, on a matter that is all blood."
**(The misquote occurred when Alito deliberately omitted the word "quickening" from Hale's opinion, as abortion in the 17th century was legal up to that point when a woman first feels the fetus move, referred to as "quickening." Even by Hale's misogynist rulings, abortions in the 1600s were permissible at least up to the 16th to 18th week.)
*Read a work of non-fiction about past and present misogyny to understand its continuing oppressive power: "Witches are both the ultimate victim and the stubborn, elusive rebel. But who were the women who were accused and often killed for witchcraft? What types of women have centuries of terror censored, eliminated, and repressed?
Celebrated feminist writer Mona Chollet explores three types of women who were accused of witchcraft and persecuted: the independent woman, since widows and celibates were particularly targeted; the childless woman, since the time of the hunts marked the end of tolerance for those who claimed to control their fertility; and the elderly woman, who has always been an object of at best, pity, and at worst, horror. Examining modern society, Chollet concludes that these women continue to be harrassed and oppressed. Rather than being a brief moment in history, the persecution of witches is an example of society’s seemingly eternal misogyny, while women today are direct heirs to those who were hunted down and killed for their thoughts and actions.
With fiery prose and arguments that range from the scholarly to the cultural, IN DEFENSE OF WITCHES seeks to unite the mythic image of the witch with modern women who seek to live their lives on their own terms." https://us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
July 21, 2023
So this is another of the books that I was able to download free when I did not have immediate access to my library card. Overall, it was a perfectly fine read. It is a fantasy/ghost novel that alternates chapters between modern day and late 1600s; with the idea that the woman from the 1600s (who was tried as a witch) is hauting the cottage in which the modern day main character lives.
The writing is clear, if a little heavy handed (Collins uses conversation to give the reader background, so within the first couple of chapters we have fake dialogue in which the charcters tell each other about their history together). It is also very romantically focused, so the main characters are both escaping from bad relationships, but of course find better men in the end.
The historical facts were not new to me (I already knew about the witch hunts in America), but the story was interesting and compelling enough. Nothing special, but perfectly satisfactory for a vacation read.
The writing is clear, if a little heavy handed (Collins uses conversation to give the reader background, so within the first couple of chapters we have fake dialogue in which the charcters tell each other about their history together). It is also very romantically focused, so the main characters are both escaping from bad relationships, but of course find better men in the end.
The historical facts were not new to me (I already knew about the witch hunts in America), but the story was interesting and compelling enough. Nothing special, but perfectly satisfactory for a vacation read.
February 24, 2025
I would simply rate this book in one word: unbalanced
Selena’s story: 4/10. Boring, really unnecessarily long story about almost nothing. But seriously, does no one do anything there other than drink tea and meet up with friends?
Grace’s story: 8,5/10. An amazing, touching, engaging and heartbreaking story. I devoured every chapter in one go.
Overall: 6/10. If the book had focused solely on the past, I would have included it among my all time favorites. But thanks to this format, I will pass it on, as I will definitely not read it again.
Selena’s story: 4/10. Boring, really unnecessarily long story about almost nothing. But seriously, does no one do anything there other than drink tea and meet up with friends?
Grace’s story: 8,5/10. An amazing, touching, engaging and heartbreaking story. I devoured every chapter in one go.
Overall: 6/10. If the book had focused solely on the past, I would have included it among my all time favorites. But thanks to this format, I will pass it on, as I will definitely not read it again.
May 13, 2025
Lijkt wel heel erg op het Lady of the Loch book, maar een fijn cozy ghost story.
January 22, 2023
Excellent story. Loved every page.
November 17, 2022
Well researched..sensitively written..
July 20, 2022
I'm not one into spiritual things like ghosts, evil spirits or tarot, yet I enjoyed this timeslip novel quite a bit. Both the old and new storyline was entertaining, and the book felt well balanced. Beyond romance and history, I was glad to read about nature and art. The main characters discussing painting, literature and poetry was a breath of fresh air.
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this Advance Review Copy.
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this Advance Review Copy.
October 15, 2023
This book had a lot of potential- but there was no climax. There was no point... I feel like the writing was juvenile, and the two parallel stories lacked connection.
May 15, 2022
I feel like I have read a few dual timeline books recently, and I have enjoyed them all. This is the first one that has taken me back to medieval times and I found it compelling. The writing is as I would have hoped but there was no sign of the comedic hand that is certainly the author’s usual style.
Even though the title suggested the fate that could befall Grace Cotter, I found myself crossing fingers and toes that she would find a happy ending, despite the way that she was treated by the very people that she endeavoured to help. It’s almost impossible to imagine a life without mod-cons, reading about life in 1682 reminded me how fortunate we are with even the most basic of conveniences like medical care and hot water. The thought of living in a time of so much superstition was honestly chilling.
As we jumped forward to the present day, I was moved by Selena’s tragic loss and completely understood her need to flee her hometown and find sanctuary in the Somerset countryside. The cottage was easily imagined as the descriptions take in every last detail. I thoroughly enjoyed imagining Selena’s landscapes and envisioning the sights that she saw as she visited the local beauty spots.
One of the gifts that Judy Leigh never fails to demonstrate is her ability to develop a character to its full potential with expert ease. She may make it look easy, but I know it’s not.
Whilst elements of this book seem desperate and hopeless, I found the overall story to be positive and uplifting.
Even though the title suggested the fate that could befall Grace Cotter, I found myself crossing fingers and toes that she would find a happy ending, despite the way that she was treated by the very people that she endeavoured to help. It’s almost impossible to imagine a life without mod-cons, reading about life in 1682 reminded me how fortunate we are with even the most basic of conveniences like medical care and hot water. The thought of living in a time of so much superstition was honestly chilling.
As we jumped forward to the present day, I was moved by Selena’s tragic loss and completely understood her need to flee her hometown and find sanctuary in the Somerset countryside. The cottage was easily imagined as the descriptions take in every last detail. I thoroughly enjoyed imagining Selena’s landscapes and envisioning the sights that she saw as she visited the local beauty spots.
One of the gifts that Judy Leigh never fails to demonstrate is her ability to develop a character to its full potential with expert ease. She may make it look easy, but I know it’s not.
Whilst elements of this book seem desperate and hopeless, I found the overall story to be positive and uplifting.
May 18, 2022
I've previously read other books by Judy Leigh
But this is the first from Elena Collins for me.
They're the same person, as you'll find
But the book genre is of a totally different kind.
Sloe Cottage is where artist Selena goes to stay
And recover after things didn't go her way.
A broken relationship, a miscarriage, too,
She needs to rethink what she wants to do.
But Sloe Cottage has a long, tragic history
One that gives the home a sense of mystery.
What happened all those centuries past
Need discovering and sorting out at last.
Grace Cotter grew up in the cottage back then
A gentle, caring young lady but then again
What happened is part of the story that's told
Involving witchcraft, betrayal and more in days of old.
With stories of life now and in 1682,
Sharing the lives and women in these eras, too.
The lives of the two women you'll discover
Have surprising similarities to one another.
Both have been betrayed by men in their life
Causing them different trouble and strife.
However back in the seventeenth century
Gossip and jealousy can release fatal fury.
A fascinating and very different read
With whispers from the past, what is the need?
A story of healing, dreams, attitudes and romance
A brilliant tale, I recommend you give it a chance!
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
Such a gorgeous, very different read and this is my honest review.
But this is the first from Elena Collins for me.
They're the same person, as you'll find
But the book genre is of a totally different kind.
Sloe Cottage is where artist Selena goes to stay
And recover after things didn't go her way.
A broken relationship, a miscarriage, too,
She needs to rethink what she wants to do.
But Sloe Cottage has a long, tragic history
One that gives the home a sense of mystery.
What happened all those centuries past
Need discovering and sorting out at last.
Grace Cotter grew up in the cottage back then
A gentle, caring young lady but then again
What happened is part of the story that's told
Involving witchcraft, betrayal and more in days of old.
With stories of life now and in 1682,
Sharing the lives and women in these eras, too.
The lives of the two women you'll discover
Have surprising similarities to one another.
Both have been betrayed by men in their life
Causing them different trouble and strife.
However back in the seventeenth century
Gossip and jealousy can release fatal fury.
A fascinating and very different read
With whispers from the past, what is the need?
A story of healing, dreams, attitudes and romance
A brilliant tale, I recommend you give it a chance!
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
Such a gorgeous, very different read and this is my honest review.
April 18, 2022
The Witch’s Tree by Elena Collins is a marvellous dual timeline novel that completely enthralled me from the start.
The action is set in Somerset in 1682 and present day. Both time periods are linked by an old house in which each main character lives.
The leading ladies lives mirror each other as an invisible thread unites them down the years. Both have known betrayal and sadness.
The house retains an atmosphere down the years which has repelled many until one empathetic soul reaches out across the years.
Elena Collins has perfectly captured both time periods with her choice of words. 1682 was a time of poverty with many working the land. It was also a time of superstition and suspicion, as anything unknown was labelled as witchcraft. Many innocent women faced their accusers and were powerless to resist the made-up accusations.
I absolutely loved The Witch’s Tree. The characters were well drawn and easy to empathise with. The plotline was well thought out and intriguing.
Elena Collins is the pen name of author Judy Leigh, whose books I absolutely adore. I love her writing historical fiction too. If Judy Leigh/Elena Collins writes it, I am certainly going to read it. I adore all her books.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
The action is set in Somerset in 1682 and present day. Both time periods are linked by an old house in which each main character lives.
The leading ladies lives mirror each other as an invisible thread unites them down the years. Both have known betrayal and sadness.
The house retains an atmosphere down the years which has repelled many until one empathetic soul reaches out across the years.
Elena Collins has perfectly captured both time periods with her choice of words. 1682 was a time of poverty with many working the land. It was also a time of superstition and suspicion, as anything unknown was labelled as witchcraft. Many innocent women faced their accusers and were powerless to resist the made-up accusations.
I absolutely loved The Witch’s Tree. The characters were well drawn and easy to empathise with. The plotline was well thought out and intriguing.
Elena Collins is the pen name of author Judy Leigh, whose books I absolutely adore. I love her writing historical fiction too. If Judy Leigh/Elena Collins writes it, I am certainly going to read it. I adore all her books.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
April 1, 2022
This is a wonderful story about love, heartbreak and history. Sloe Cottage is a home to Grace Cotter who works in the fields and in her garden, helps her widowed father get by and hopes that someday she'll have a family on her own . 300 years later (present day) we follow Selena settling into the Sloe Cottage to get over a heartbreak and find some inspiration in the rural area for her paintings. But nothing is as it seems and as Selena makes new friends , Grace's life gradually falls apart . Both of them are connected though , as the story goes the truth is slowly revealed about Sloe Cottage . The writing is beautiful and i got easily absorbed into the story , i swear i could feel the coldness of the walls and the warmth of fire. 10/10 from me :)
Thank you so much Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sending me an ARC for an honest review!
Thank you so much Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sending me an ARC for an honest review!
April 29, 2022
A wonderful dual timeline novel set in present day and the seventeeth century.
In present day Serena retreats to a cottage in Somerset to paint and soothe her soul after a traumatic break up. In the 17th century Grace leads a simple life with her father in a tied cottage before villagers start becoming suspicious of her.
The beautiful prose and writing in this novel kept me enthralled, I was invested in both Grace's and Serena's story.
This book will appeal to lovers of Barbara Erskine books.
I highly recommend it
In present day Serena retreats to a cottage in Somerset to paint and soothe her soul after a traumatic break up. In the 17th century Grace leads a simple life with her father in a tied cottage before villagers start becoming suspicious of her.
The beautiful prose and writing in this novel kept me enthralled, I was invested in both Grace's and Serena's story.
This book will appeal to lovers of Barbara Erskine books.
I highly recommend it
November 28, 2023
Ghost mystery about two girls who have called an old cottage their home. One in present day and one in the 1600’s. Serena (present day) is trying to figure out the who/why behind the ghost in her rental home while also figuring out her love life. Grace (1600’s) is enduring hardship after hardship at her cottage and we uncover what befalls her and why her spirit gets trapped.
This book was pretty boring and snail paced. The main characters are both naive, docile and bland. I wanted more fire from them, more fight.
The conclusion was very underwhelming.
This book was pretty boring and snail paced. The main characters are both naive, docile and bland. I wanted more fire from them, more fight.
The conclusion was very underwhelming.
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