The London Séance Society: A Novel by Sarah Penner

Available now

CW: a comprehensive list can be found on The StoryGraph

From the Publisher:

1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.

Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. With shared determination, the women find companionship that perhaps borders on something more. And as they team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…

Reader Friends, this book is absolutely captivating! It’s lushly written with interesting and engaging characters and the setting is well developed and richly described. Penner does a great job of keeping you guessing with both the mystery behind Evie’s death and an even broader mystery that encompasses nearly everyone in the story. It truly has a little bit of everything: a mystery, a love story, betrayal, the supernatural, and some good ol’ female rage. It’s a book that I wanted to make time to read and I still find myself, weeks later, thinking about the characters.

Once again, this is a Book of the Month pick that I held on to for way too long; although I’ve come to consider these my “Break in Case of Emergency” books. This was from Mach of 2023 and since I enjoyed The Lost Apothecary so much, I knew it was going to be a good one.

If you’d like to add this gorgeous book to your shelf, you can click on the cover above for more ordering information. If you’re interested in Book of the Month, that I use my own real money on, you can use my referral link to get a great deal for yourself, and a free book for me. As always, check your local library for these gems and recommend the title if they don’t carry it.

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Weyward by Emilia Hart

Available now

CW: Here’s a list provided by The StoryGraph. Please check before reading.

From the Publisher:

I am a Weyward, and wild inside.

2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great-aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she suspects that her great-aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.
1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. When Altha was a girl, her mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence of witchcraft is laid out against Altha, she knows it will take all her powers to maintain her freedom.
1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.
Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an astonishing debut, and an enthralling novel of female resilience.

This book is absolutely captivating! Beautifully written with lush descriptions, this book broke my heart over and over again-but in a good way, promise. If you enjoy books that combine female rage with a healthy dose of female empowerment, this book should be on your TBR. Hart effortlessly wove together the lives of three incredible women into a compelling and enthralling story of love, revenge, and resilience. The incredible descriptions of Weyward Cottage and it’s gardens were absolutely enchanting and I loved how books were an integral part of Kate’s story. Her love of them, her aunt Violet’s gorgeous collection of science based books and books by women authors, and how a bookstore became so important to her own story. You can tell the author has a deep love and appreciation for books and that love shone on the page.

Weyward, with it’s gorgeous cover and lush writing, is actually a pretty dark and haunting story of tragedy and trauma. But underneath that darkness is a great deal of hope and love. This book has an extraordinary ending that stayed with me for weeks after reading. It’s a powerful and enthralling story and once again, I can’t believe this another debut author! I don’t know what Emilia Hart has planned next, but I can’t wait to read it.

This book was my March 2023 Book of the Month pick and yep, I waited way too long to read it. If you’re interested in BOTM, you can use my referral link to get your first book for $5. Full disclosure: I get a free book when you use my link. I spend my own real money on BOTM and have really enjoyed the wide selection of books and authors and the ease of skipping a month if you’re not into any of the titles.

If you would like to add this enchanting novel to your shelf, you can click on the cover above for ordering information. This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Affiliate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.