Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Winterwood” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Winterwood

Shea Ernshaw (Goodreads Author)

3.94 · Rating details · 609 ratings · 271 reviews

Be careful of the dark, dark wood…

Especially the woods surrounding the town of Fir Haven. Some say these woods are magical. Haunted, even.

Rumored to be a witch, only Nora Walker knows the truth. She and the Walker women before her have always shared a special connection with the woods. And it’s this special connection that leads Nora to Oliver Huntsman—the same boy who ...more

Get A Copy

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published November 5th 2019 by Simon Pulse

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Winterwood, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Best books of November, 2019

37 books — 26 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.94 ·

Rating details

· 609 ratings · 271 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Winterwood

Nov 07, 2019 jessica rated it really liked it

wow. this story is hauntingly gorgeous, enchantingly mysterious, and supernaturally lovely. this is a magical slow-burn that will have you believing in the inexplicable and admiring the unexpected. i think this book has cast its own spell on me because i honestly cant get over how bewitching the connection between nora and oliver is.

there are some aspects of the story i found to be predicable, but the predicability comes from a place of feeling like i cleverly picked up on the authors subtle ...more

flag 197 likes · Like · see review

Oct 18, 2018 megs_bookrack marked it as to-read · review of another edition

On this day, I am blessed!
This most beautiful book arrived in my mailbox today and it is....

Thank you so much, Riveted by Simon Teen, for providing me with a finished copy to read and review!! ...more

flag 124 likes · Like · see review

Aug 12, 2019 Chelsea Humphrey rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bookstagram-made-me-do-it, from-publisher, netgalley

Uff. I really wanted to give this one a higher rating, because the writing is just so beautiful and atmospheric, but the predictability of the plot and the gaping holes in character development left me wanting more. I have heard that the final copy will be different from the ARC I received, and I'm very excited to see what changes are made. It's quite clear that the author is immensely talented, and I enjoyed the dark, oppressive setting so much that I've grabbed her first book from the library ...more

flag 109 likes · Like · see review

Jun 24, 2019 ELLIAS (elliasreads) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019-books

The ending made the whole book. Quiet, slow, and intense, with a touch of cold magic. Like a fairy tale.

flag 108 likes · Like · see review

Oct 04, 2019 Cassie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book is simply beautiful.

It is a slow burn fairy tale-esque sort of story and I loved it. Nora and Oliver’s story is so, so, so lovely. The setting is rich in atmosphere and is magnificent. The writing is exquisite and lyrical. I loved this story so much.

Expect this story to be slow, but it will absolutely tug at your heart, burrow deep into your soul, and stay there for many moons to come.

I was greedy and requested it from Netgalley first and then Edelweiss. They both came through and ...more

flag 57 likes · Like · see review

Mar 21, 2019 Candace Robinson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Let me just say how much I loved The Wicked Deep. LOVED IT! So I was super anxious to get my hands on the author's next stand alone book. More witchy magic!! Oh, and some creepy woods!

Ernshaw just knows how to write so freaking well. I love her words as much as Brenna Yovanoff's, where it sucks me right in and doesn't let go until the end. This book had everything—magic, romance, mystery, and a unique world with great atmospheric scenes.

I liked Nora and Oliver both equally, and found their ...more

flag 52 likes · Like · see review

Jun 12, 2019 Julie Zantopoulos rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own-it, read-in-2019

"A sleeping forest will allow safe passage. But if it wakes, be prepared to run."

In Shea's sophomore novel we follow Nora who is a Walker witch and has always lived near the Wicker Woods and the lake that borders it. The Walker witches are as old and talked about as the woods, as mysterious and dark. The kids at the camp for wayward boys across the lake whisper about the witches who lure boys away and bury them under their floorboards, about the women whose lovers all die and who never leave, "A sleeping forest will allow safe passage. But if it wakes, be prepared to run."

In Shea's sophomore novel we follow Nora who is a Walker witch and has always lived near the Wicker Woods and the lake that borders it. The Walker witches are as old and talked about as the woods, as mysterious and dark. The kids at the camp for wayward boys across the lake whisper about the witches who lure boys away and bury them under their floorboards, about the women whose lovers all die and who never leave, not even in the unrelenting winters that hit the area.

"Oliver breathes and I swear the wind calms, he closes his eyes and the forest trembles against the house. My lost item found in the woods. Who is now more forest than boy."

At the heart of this story we have Nora who has always felt separate and alone until she finds a lost thing in the full moon Wicker Woods where she collects those items that the world no longer wants...until she finds Oliver and wishes desperately to keep him. Shea has a way of writing twisted and complex romances and this one is no different. Oliver is a mysterious boy, changed by the woods, and Nora is a Walker witch who feel the woods deep in her bones. They're cautious of one another, and rightfully so. The progression of their relationship is both natural and haunting and I was very here for it.

" The wilds of this place dislike our midnight chatter, our rising voices, the flickering flame and the sparks wheeling up through the trees. We have woken it."

Like The Wicked Deep Shea makes her setting its very own character and in this instance, the character of the woods is better than any human (or witch) character we are introduced to. It's a truly atmospheric novel, one that will immerse you in the spooky woods, in the ominous snow storms, and no amount of closing the book will make you feel safe. She does it so so well, but I wanted so much more from the characters and plot.

I'm not going to go and spoil anything about this novel but I will say that I saw what Shea was doing with the characters and story long before it was revealed and that did detract from my overall enjoyment. Also, this book suffers from excessive repetition of themes/sayings/information. For example, the fact that Walker witches are older than the woods, the fact that you can't enter the Wicker Woods unless you're a Walker witch or it's a full moon, her grandmother's moonstone ring (honestly mentioned SO often), the fact that others think the Walker witches are...well, witches. The fact that they stay through bad weather, the fact that the campers thing the witches are odd. All of these are repeated frequently and it really detracted from the story. The repeated information wasn't something hard to grasp, wasn't something that needed repeating for the reader to understand. I'm assuming it was intentional but it did not work for me, at all.

Shea has said that she reworked this novel post arc printing, and that readers of the arc should expect to see differences, apparently substantial ones, between what we read and the finished copy. I look forward to finding out what those changes are and to reviewing the finished copy (which I of course, have preordered) and updating my review/rating. I'm REALLY hoping the changes improve the story and are extensive enough to raise this rating because giving it a 2,5/3 star hurts my heart.

All quotes taken from the ARC and are subject to change. ARC received at BEA. ...more

flag 41 likes · Like · see review

Nov 07, 2019 alana ♡ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, from-publisher, reviewed-arcs

"Others look at me and see a witch. A girl who is dangerous and fearless and full of dark thoughts. But they don't see the parts of me I keep hidden."

Well folks, she did it again.
Welcome to another beautiful world written by Shea Ernshaw.

Winterwood was one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2019 and it definitely didn't let me down. It also further solidified that I have a new auto-buy author who is going to steal all my money in the future, but it's fine, totally fine. I ...more

flag 42 likes · Like · see review

Oct 09, 2019 ✨Brithanie Faith✨ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

4.5/5 stars .5

e-ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start this review by saying that Shea Ernshaw could continue to write stories about witches for the rest of her career and I would continue to devour them as they became available to me!

This spellbinding tale following the Walker women (mainly Nora) and their connection to the enchanted forest near their home would have been enough to keep me hooked from page one, but throw in the mystery ...more

flag 25 likes · Like · see review

Jun 25, 2018 Kristen rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

11/18/19 - REVIEW TIME!

So first of all, A HUGE, GIGANTIC, EARTHSHATTERINGLY BIG thank you to the publishers for reaching out to little old me and offering me a free copy of this, my most anticipated book of all of 2019! I have never before felt like a bookish rockstar but the day I got that email I did. lol They even sent me a nice little pin. I'mma cherish it forever.

Anyway, that being said, this book was a small disappointment for me in the long run. As you can see, I rated it 3 stars - a bit ...more

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Oct 31, 2019 Lisa Wolf rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, witches, magic

Rounding up from 3.5 stars.

It's interesting that the blurb mentions Practical Magic -- I definitely got an Alice Hoffman vibe while reading this story. The language is very lyrical and has that tinge of magic that elevates it above ordinary storytelling.

Walkers cannot trust our own hearts -- our slippy, sloppy bleeding hearts. They are reckless, stupid things. Muscles that beat too fast, that cave inward when they break. Too fragile to be trusted.

The plot itself has a haunting setting -- an ...more

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Nov 20, 2019 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin marked it as to-read

November Owlcrate Unboxing! They out freaking did themselves. Click on GOODIES LINK under the pic to see the GOODIES!

GOODIES LINK

flag 54 likes · Like · see review

Jul 29, 2019 Tara ☽ marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Me without this book in my hands? A crime.

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Jan 13, 2019 Celia McMahon rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5*

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the chance to review this title ahead of its release date.

When I read THE WICKED DEEP, I knew Shea Ernshaw would become an auto-buy author, so when I saw her sophomore work to review, I jumped at the chance. I'd been following her on Twitter and seeing all the posts she's made about Winterwood before it even had a title and I was PUMPED.

This story follows a girl named Nora, who comes from a long line of magical women. They have always been drawn to ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Dec 31, 2018 ✨Arielle✨ marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Edit 2: Shea liked this review. This is now a blessed review. Anyone reading this has my permission to take pictures of their baby next to this review.

Edit: Oh. My. God. We have a cover AND a release date!!! Thank you book lords
---
I'm going crazy waiting for more details, more pleeaseee ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Nov 16, 2019 Cortney LaScola - The Bookworm, Myrtle Beach rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I absolutely loved The Wicked Deep, so I have been anxiously waiting for Winterwood... Unfortunately, it was a disappointment. The book dragged on, there was a lot of repetition, the characters were all one dimensional, and I figured out where the story was going within the first few chapters.

I do think the author is a talented writer, and the story had a lot of potential, but it just didn't work. 2 stars.

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Jun 22, 2018 Alexis Justine marked it as to-read · review of another edition

February 8th, 2019- ooooh, look! Another pretty and mysterious cover! I can’t wait.

June 22nd, 2018- Whatever this is I AM ON BOARD!

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Nov 01, 2019 Toya rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, most-anticipated-reads-2019, fantasy, arcs

4.5 stars rounded up!

I had the pleasure of reading The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw last year, and the story absolutely blew me away. When I found out about Winterwood, I could not wait for the opportunity to dive into another one of her richly imagined and beautifully written tales.

Nora Walker comes from a long line of Walker women who have always lived near the dark and mysterious Wicker Woods as well as its surrounding lake. The Walker women are rumored to be witches. Only Nora and her 4.5 stars rounded up!

I had the pleasure of reading The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw last year, and the story absolutely blew me away. When I found out about Winterwood, I could not wait for the opportunity to dive into another one of her richly imagined and beautifully written tales.

Nora Walker comes from a long line of Walker women who have always lived near the dark and mysterious Wicker Woods as well as its surrounding lake. The Walker women are rumored to be witches. Only Nora and her family knows of the nightshades…the shadow that is responsible for their magical abilities. The nightshades have always presented themselves in the Walker women, but Nora doesn’t seem to have the great powers that her ancestors did, but she is able to retrieve lost things.

Every full moon, Nora is able to enter the Wicker Woods to retrieve lost items (during the full moon, the Wicker Woods sleep…any other time, it is awake and you won’t make it out alive). On one of her trips, Nora finds a boy who is nearly frozen to death. It is Oliver Huntsman, the boy who went missing from the camp for wayward boys across the lake. Nora decides return Oliver to camp after nursing him back to health, but his apprehension to return makes her question if she can trust him. Nora is determined to figure out what Oliver is hiding as well as the uncover the secrets that the boys at camp don’t want uncovered.

I am still amazed at how beautiful and effortless, Shea Ernshaw’s words flow off of the page. After reading the first chapter, I was immediately gripped by the atmospheric setting. While Nora was in the Wicker Woods, its dark and insidious nature was palpable, which definitely quickened my heartbeat. Each one of the scenes that were presented with such clarity that I felt that I was trapped in the snow storm alongside Nora and Oliver. Additionally, Ernshaw transports you into the minds of both Nora and Oliver allowing you to feel their emotions alongside them. It was truly remarkable.

I loved the romance between Nora and Oliver. It’s hard to describe because it’s not a love at first sight or even a gradual sort of love. Both of them are outsiders and are trying to find their place in a confusing and isolating world, but neither one of them has managed to prior to their meeting. I loved watching their characters grow to protect one another even when others are set out to destroy them.

As far as the plot goes, there is a plot line that I was able to predict, however, I didn’t think that guessing it detracted from the storyline. Instead, it made me even more invested into understanding this beautiful world that was created and how everything fit together in the end.

Overall, if you love atmospheric reads filled with beautiful imagery and characters that pull at your heart strings, definitely pick this one up. I know that spooky season is technically over, but this is the perfect read to curl up to under a warm blanket as it transports you to a dark, snow filled abyss with magic, mystery, secrets, and betrayal.

Thank you to Simon Teen and Simon & Schuster for providing an ARC for review. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own. ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Feb 04, 2019 Caidyn (SEMI-HIATUS; BW Reviews; he/him/his) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, fantasy

That cover is GORGEOUS.

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Oct 31, 2019 USOM rated it really liked it

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

More like a 3.5

Winterwood is like a winter dream. It's not all iydllic. It's one of those winter scenes where the absolute quiet becomes unnerving, where a twig snaps and your heart jumps into your throat. A world blanketed in white, held hostage by nature. That sentence alone sums up the atmosphere in Winterwood. While you can easily get swept away with the woods, the scent of ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Nov 14, 2019 Lila (Hardcover Haven) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019-most-aticpated

3.5 stars
incredibly atmospheric! it did begin to drag in the second half, but managed to keep me interested enough to push on. definitely a very quiet book, but worth the read on a snowy winter day.

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Oct 24, 2019 Megan ❀ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, young-adult, ya-fantasy, witches

I am absolutely head-over-heels in love with Shea Ernshaw's writing. It is so beautiful and lyrical and creates such a strong atmosphere that it's difficult not to feel yourself transported. I'm not always in love with her plots, but her writing is just so strong that from this point forward, I will likely read everything she writes.

I really liked Winterwood. I didn't love it and I'm not sure I'll ever reread it, but I enjoyed my time with it nonetheless. It's a strong sophomore novel and if you ...more

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Nov 14, 2019 ;3 added it · review of another edition

Shelves: boring, insta-love, audiobooks

this is like the fifth book in a row i’ve had to dnf bc the characters lacked depth and a personality and the romance was bland ...more

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Jun 18, 2019 Amber LaShell added it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, arcs

Winterwood is Shea Ernshaw's second novel, her first being the New York Times bestselling novel The Wicked Deep. The Wicked Deep was one of my favorite novels of 2018 and I was highly anticipating this one.

Shea Ernshaw's beautifully lyrical writing and an explosive atmosphere are on full display here and I enjoyed reading about the small town that has some really deep woods surrounding it.

However, I have to admit that while I loved the atmosphere and setting, the rest fell a little flat for me. ...more

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Oct 15, 2019 Sheila Goicea rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, 2019-completed-reads, netgalley, witches-warlocks-wizards, magic, ya-fantasy, 2019-releases, 2019-top-picks, romance

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! In no way does this affect my rating or review.

description

Content Warning: Death, Murder, Injury

All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.

I do not think the forest would be so bright, nor the water so warm, nor love so sweet, if there were no danger in the lakes. --C.S. Lewis

Shea Ernshaw has done it again. She’s captivated my senses and left me yearning for ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Nov 15, 2019 Catherine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, 4-stars

"In winter, these woods feel like a fairytale suspended in time—the princess forgotten, the hero eaten whole by a noble Fir goblin. The story ended, but no one remembered to burn the haunted forest to the ground."

I really wanted to see what Shea Ernshaw would come up with after her first novel. I gave "only" three stars to The Wicked Deep because, like I said in my review at the time, the background story was more appealing to me. It's really the only reason it didn't get four stars. But it's a ...more

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2019 Jes Reads rated it liked it · review of another edition

Very atmospheric, but the characters lack depth for me.

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Jun 26, 2018 Kaya is currently reading it · review of another edition

Excuse me what is this and why are all the interesting-sounding books coming out in 2019?

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Oct 06, 2019 Stacy Fetters rated it really liked it

"Can you hear it? The moon is whispering your secrets. It knows your darkest thoughts."

This was my first experience with a book written by Ernshaw and I'm freaking the f**k out!! This book was so good that I finished in a very short period of time. I am so deeply in love with this book. It was dark, haunting, and really unique. My witchy heart is overjoyed with darkness!

Fir Haven is a very small town surrounded by the dark, dark woods. The woods are something that you should always be leary "Can you hear it? The moon is whispering your secrets. It knows your darkest thoughts."

This was my first experience with a book written by Ernshaw and I'm freaking the f**k out!! This book was so good that I finished in a very short period of time. I am so deeply in love with this book. It was dark, haunting, and really unique. My witchy heart is overjoyed with darkness!

Fir Haven is a very small town surrounded by the dark, dark woods. The woods are something that you should always be leary about. There are many rumors swirling around about them but the thing you should remember most is to be aware and keep your eyes open.

Nora Walker knows things about rumors, her family has had to deal with them all throughout their lives. The one that follows them the most is witch! The Walkers have always lived in the woods and that makes their rumors that much more believable. And since they have always known those woods, they share a special bond with it.

That bond leads Nora to the missing boy, Oliver. Oliver disappeared from the Camp for Wayward Boys two weeks ago. She found him in the middle of the woods during the worst snowstorm that they have seen in years. But there is something off with him because he should have died in those woods but there he is breathing and talking.

There is something off about Oliver and the story he tells. Two boys entered the woods, one boy lived and the other died. But the story in between doesn't add up. Nora is determined to uncover the secrets that lay hidden in the woods. But what she has to remember is that he isn't the only one keeping secrets.

This book was disturbing in all the best ways and absolutely beautiful. Everything about this was stunning. I can't even find the right words to describe how exquisite this was. I adored every single second of this book and Nora and Oliver were two characters that I'll never forget.

Winterwood was the perfect fall read. The creeping darkness of it made my heart overjoyed. Please don't hesitate to pick this up. ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Nov 11, 2019 Leah rated it liked it

As much as it pains me to say it, I don't think it's going to workout between me and Shea Ernshaw. One of those it's not you, it's me, but actually it probably is you type of relationships. How do I know this? Because I broke one of my cardinal reading rules to get to the last page.

Full review at Write, Read, Repeat

What rule did I break, you ask? Well. I couldn't put myself through it anymore and skimmed the last half. It's positively sacrilegious! But I'd had enough. I couldn't sit with this As much as it pains me to say it, I don't think it's going to workout between me and Shea Ernshaw. One of those it's not you, it's me, but actually it probably is you type of relationships. How do I know this? Because I broke one of my cardinal reading rules to get to the last page.

Full review at Write, Read, Repeat

What rule did I break, you ask? Well. I couldn't put myself through it anymore and skimmed the last half. It's positively sacrilegious! But I'd had enough. I couldn't sit with this book anymore and ended up just reading the dialogue and a few paragraphs here and there to get the gist. Really, I should have DNF'd it, but that's a rule never break. So, I found out how it ends and I'm really just sort of meh over it all.

It sucks, because on paper Ernshaw's books are everything I want. Living woods with malicious intent? A family of female witches? A snowed in group of people in the middle of nowhere with a murder on their hands? Yes, please. So why does it never pan out for me? Easy. The pace is far too slow. There is far too little witchery, far too little malevolent woods and too. much. feelings. Much of it got quite repetitive, and Nora didn't come off all too clever at times because of it. I’m genuinely disappointed that there was so little forest and witchery focus. There were little snippets from the Walker family spell book that talked about the past witches, and I LOVED that. It was quirky and cute and made me smile? Why couldn’t there have been more of that?!

I think the main reason why I couldn't get into this book is that there seems to be something about Ernshaw's stories that makes me weirdly uncomfortable. In the way her characters are and their fall in too deep and too fast attitudes. I can do all the gore and blood and dark twists you want, but not ... this. With The Wicked Deep I found myself very uneasy with the relationship that blossomed. One, because it really felt completely unasked for. And two the deeper connotations just held a whole lot of wrong. The same holds true for Winterwood. Worse is that I figured out the major plot twist early on, and it made everything profoundly more unnerving.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the e-Arc. ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Fantasy

237 users

Young Adult

137 users

Young Adult > Young Adult Fantasy

32 users

See top shelves…

About Shea Ernshaw

Shea Ernshaw

1,409 followers

Shea Ernshaw is the New York Times Bestselling author of THE WICKED DEEP and WINTERWOOD. She is a 2019 Oregon Book Award winner and her debut novel, The Wicked Deep, was an Indie Next Pick.
She often writes late, late, late into the night, enjoys dark woods, scary stories and moonlight on lakes.

You can connect with her here:
www.sheaernshaw.com.
www.twitter.com/SheaErnshaw
...more

See a Problem?

Preview — Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

Winterwood

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Shea Ernshaw

Books by Shea Ernshaw

Trivia About Winterwood

Quotes from Winterwood

See a Problem?

Preview — Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

Winterwood

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Shea Ernshaw

Books by Shea Ernshaw

Trivia About Winterwood

Quotes from Winterwood

new topic
Discuss This Book