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The Honey Witch
The Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn’t believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.
Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who’ve tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch.
When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can’t resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home—at the risk of losing her magic and her heart.
Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who’ve tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch.
When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can’t resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home—at the risk of losing her magic and her heart.
368 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2024
About the author
Sydney J. Shields
1 book597 followersSydney J. Shields is a swamp creature who evolved to hold a pen. She is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Columbus State University where she majored in Communication. She currently lives in Savannah, Georgia with her partner and their dog. When not writing, Sydney can be found playing chess in the park, savoring afternoon tea, or doing any other activities that an 84-year-old soul trapped in a 25-year-old body would enjoy. You can find her across social media @SydneyJShields, or her website, sydneyjshields.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,749 reviews
March 15, 2024
Unfortunately this is a DNF for me @ 20% which seems super early to give up on a book but I was so damn bored.
The entire premise was enticing and the vibes were vibing - but the story was just not giving.
On to the next!
Super excited to start this one soon!
✨Magic
✨Witches
✨Cozy Cottage
✨Sapphic Love
'These are the wild women who run barefoot through the meadow. Who teach new songs to the birds, who howl at the moon together. Wild women are their own kind of magic.'
Many thanks to NetGalley, Redhook Books, and Sydney J. Shields for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The entire premise was enticing and the vibes were vibing - but the story was just not giving.
On to the next!
✨Magic
✨Witches
✨Cozy Cottage
✨Sapphic Love
'These are the wild women who run barefoot through the meadow. Who teach new songs to the birds, who howl at the moon together. Wild women are their own kind of magic.'
Many thanks to NetGalley, Redhook Books, and Sydney J. Shields for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 13, 2024
The Honey Witch by Sydney Shields is a sweet witchy romance buzzing with magic, generational curses, forbidden love, enduring friendships, witchy women, and momentous self-discovery.
Marigold Claude has never felt like she belongs in Bardshire village’s bustling social scene. Everyone seems to be magnificently talented---even her younger siblings, Aster and Frankie, are musical prodigies---and, naturally, everyone must stay ahead of the latest fashion and gossip and marriage proposals in Bardshire (oh the 1800’s of it all). Marigold has no exceptional talent she has been able to detect, but she has always known she was…different. She loves to run barefoot through grassy fields, dance under the full moon, and talk to the spirits of the wood. She hates going to social events since her mother seems unable to help herself in playing matchmaker for her eldest daughter, which has always proved to be an embarrassing and fruitless endeavor each time. Marigold tried to open her heart for love once, and she was cruelly stung; therefore, she has sworn off love and desperately wants to find her purpose in life instead.
One fateful night, her grandmother, Althea Murr, shows up without warning to appeal to Marigold’s mother about finally disclosing their magical family legacy to Marigold. Each first-born daughter of their bloodline is a witch. Since her mother has intentionally kept her daughter away from her grandmother since she was very little to keep her safe, Marigold’s memories of her grandmother are unreliable and cloaked in fear and trepidation. The last time she remembers seeing her grandmother was on a visit to her house in Innisfree where she experienced a terrible storm (a magical attack), and she almost died. Ash and honey witches are supposed to work together, but the local ash witch in her grandmother’s town has been corrupted by her own desires to attain immortality, which is grossly unnatural and goes against the balance of nature. Refusing the ash witch’s proposal to join her comes at a steep cost to Althea and her descendants who want to take up magic after her. The price is a bloodline curse: should they choose to take up honey magic, they are condemned to a lonely life, never to experience romantic love. Learning of all of this, Marigold is not deterred by the curse because love is foolish and painful, not worth having in the first place.
Marigold travels to Innisfree to study under her grandmother and become the witch she was always meant to be. There she reconnects with old friends and meets the beautiful, prickly Lottie Burke who is as vexing as she is bewitching for Marigold. She starts to understand her blossoming feelings for this strange girl at the same time she really starts to grasp what her life would look like long term as the next honey witch….lonely and absent of all traces of Lottie. Their discovery of each other’s love is greatly overshadowed by Marigold’s family’s curse, creating a sticky situation they are both powerless to navigate without confronting the corrupted witch herself. The ash witch has never stopped trying to possess Innisfree, and it’s up to Marigold to protect her town, her friends, and her birthright. Death and darkness will come for them all, but Marigold is ready to break what must be broken and fight for what is rightfully hers to have. She is determined to have a future where true love is possible, and she is free to become the author of her own life’s story.
What a unique and tender story! I have honestly never read anything like this before. The Honey Witch is enchanting and wholesome, heart melting and magical. It would be an enjoyable story for those who specifically like the Practical Magic books, and I do recommend it to any fantasy romance reader! To start with, the book cover was the first thing that grabbed my attention: there is a cute little cottage in the background that is framed in the foreground by an archway of wildly verdant and vibrantly colorful flowers. It’s so beautifully detailed it easily transports you into the story: when looking at the cover I always got the feeling I was on my way to visit the honey witch. I felt such a connection to Althea. It was like I could really feel her warmth and magic, and I could not help envisioning my own grandmother. The bond Marigold and her grandmother share is just so personal and special to read about. It feels like the author was able to capture the love and magic all grandmothers must have access to! I adore the sapphic love story too. It’s a slow burn, and I find it very charming and relatable. I also think the concept of honey and ash magic is so ingenious. The idea is beautiful in its simplicity and delicate balance, artistically unique. Sydney Shields is a seriously talented writer. I wish I could include quotes soo badly!! The whole book is honeycombed through with a thematic commentary on women being worthy of self-determination and autonomy. It is poignant and astonishing in the best ways. I was hooked on page one.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Publication is May 14th.
Marigold Claude has never felt like she belongs in Bardshire village’s bustling social scene. Everyone seems to be magnificently talented---even her younger siblings, Aster and Frankie, are musical prodigies---and, naturally, everyone must stay ahead of the latest fashion and gossip and marriage proposals in Bardshire (oh the 1800’s of it all). Marigold has no exceptional talent she has been able to detect, but she has always known she was…different. She loves to run barefoot through grassy fields, dance under the full moon, and talk to the spirits of the wood. She hates going to social events since her mother seems unable to help herself in playing matchmaker for her eldest daughter, which has always proved to be an embarrassing and fruitless endeavor each time. Marigold tried to open her heart for love once, and she was cruelly stung; therefore, she has sworn off love and desperately wants to find her purpose in life instead.
One fateful night, her grandmother, Althea Murr, shows up without warning to appeal to Marigold’s mother about finally disclosing their magical family legacy to Marigold. Each first-born daughter of their bloodline is a witch. Since her mother has intentionally kept her daughter away from her grandmother since she was very little to keep her safe, Marigold’s memories of her grandmother are unreliable and cloaked in fear and trepidation. The last time she remembers seeing her grandmother was on a visit to her house in Innisfree where she experienced a terrible storm (a magical attack), and she almost died. Ash and honey witches are supposed to work together, but the local ash witch in her grandmother’s town has been corrupted by her own desires to attain immortality, which is grossly unnatural and goes against the balance of nature. Refusing the ash witch’s proposal to join her comes at a steep cost to Althea and her descendants who want to take up magic after her. The price is a bloodline curse: should they choose to take up honey magic, they are condemned to a lonely life, never to experience romantic love. Learning of all of this, Marigold is not deterred by the curse because love is foolish and painful, not worth having in the first place.
Marigold travels to Innisfree to study under her grandmother and become the witch she was always meant to be. There she reconnects with old friends and meets the beautiful, prickly Lottie Burke who is as vexing as she is bewitching for Marigold. She starts to understand her blossoming feelings for this strange girl at the same time she really starts to grasp what her life would look like long term as the next honey witch….lonely and absent of all traces of Lottie. Their discovery of each other’s love is greatly overshadowed by Marigold’s family’s curse, creating a sticky situation they are both powerless to navigate without confronting the corrupted witch herself. The ash witch has never stopped trying to possess Innisfree, and it’s up to Marigold to protect her town, her friends, and her birthright. Death and darkness will come for them all, but Marigold is ready to break what must be broken and fight for what is rightfully hers to have. She is determined to have a future where true love is possible, and she is free to become the author of her own life’s story.
What a unique and tender story! I have honestly never read anything like this before. The Honey Witch is enchanting and wholesome, heart melting and magical. It would be an enjoyable story for those who specifically like the Practical Magic books, and I do recommend it to any fantasy romance reader! To start with, the book cover was the first thing that grabbed my attention: there is a cute little cottage in the background that is framed in the foreground by an archway of wildly verdant and vibrantly colorful flowers. It’s so beautifully detailed it easily transports you into the story: when looking at the cover I always got the feeling I was on my way to visit the honey witch. I felt such a connection to Althea. It was like I could really feel her warmth and magic, and I could not help envisioning my own grandmother. The bond Marigold and her grandmother share is just so personal and special to read about. It feels like the author was able to capture the love and magic all grandmothers must have access to! I adore the sapphic love story too. It’s a slow burn, and I find it very charming and relatable. I also think the concept of honey and ash magic is so ingenious. The idea is beautiful in its simplicity and delicate balance, artistically unique. Sydney Shields is a seriously talented writer. I wish I could include quotes soo badly!! The whole book is honeycombed through with a thematic commentary on women being worthy of self-determination and autonomy. It is poignant and astonishing in the best ways. I was hooked on page one.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Publication is May 14th.
May 22, 2024
ARC provided by Orbit - thank you so much !!
the honey witch is about a girl who is about to take up her grandmother’s legacy being, you guessed it, the next honey witch on her island. every eldest daughter in her family had the potential to be a witch, if they so do choose it. we follow our main character (and the eldest daughter), marigold, as she is healing and figuring out what she wants her life to look like, versus the life that society has always told her life should look like. and we are alongside marigold as she is learning her new potion making abilities, while also trying to prove to someone that witchcraft is very real.
this is a really hard book to rate and talk about, because i just never felt connected to the story itself, or the characters, or anything going on with the plot, but i can also recognize that this book had a lot of good in it, that did really mean a lot to me. i mean, first off, sapphic cottagecore vibes, with a queer beekeeper who is learning things from spellbooks her grandmother left her, who is also healing from her past and trying to have a healthy relationship with her friends and family in the present. like, a lot of good! a lot of stuff i will always recommend to you guys!! I just wish i could have connected more with the actual story and plot and not just the themes and concepts.
i also really loved the queer representation in this book, and even though no titles are actually given, i personally feel like the representation of bi, pan, and lesbian was really beautifully done. also, there is a tattoo scene in this book that is truly one of the hottest things i’ve ever read in my entire life. ahhh, friends - i recommend this book just because i want it to succeed and i want more stories from sydney j. shields, and more chances to fall in love with her books completely.
cws from the author at the start of this book: Tattooing/Needles, Burns, Blood/Injuries, Sex, House fire, Bee stings, Loss of a grandparent, Death/Grief, Discussions of infertility, A woman seeks aid of the honey witch for treatment of her miscarriage
other tw/cw i wrote down: mention and talk of abusive and predatory relationship in past, caretaking for a loved one, loss of parents in past, abandonment, fire, blood, vomit
blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon
the honey witch is about a girl who is about to take up her grandmother’s legacy being, you guessed it, the next honey witch on her island. every eldest daughter in her family had the potential to be a witch, if they so do choose it. we follow our main character (and the eldest daughter), marigold, as she is healing and figuring out what she wants her life to look like, versus the life that society has always told her life should look like. and we are alongside marigold as she is learning her new potion making abilities, while also trying to prove to someone that witchcraft is very real.
this is a really hard book to rate and talk about, because i just never felt connected to the story itself, or the characters, or anything going on with the plot, but i can also recognize that this book had a lot of good in it, that did really mean a lot to me. i mean, first off, sapphic cottagecore vibes, with a queer beekeeper who is learning things from spellbooks her grandmother left her, who is also healing from her past and trying to have a healthy relationship with her friends and family in the present. like, a lot of good! a lot of stuff i will always recommend to you guys!! I just wish i could have connected more with the actual story and plot and not just the themes and concepts.
i also really loved the queer representation in this book, and even though no titles are actually given, i personally feel like the representation of bi, pan, and lesbian was really beautifully done. also, there is a tattoo scene in this book that is truly one of the hottest things i’ve ever read in my entire life. ahhh, friends - i recommend this book just because i want it to succeed and i want more stories from sydney j. shields, and more chances to fall in love with her books completely.
cws from the author at the start of this book: Tattooing/Needles, Burns, Blood/Injuries, Sex, House fire, Bee stings, Loss of a grandparent, Death/Grief, Discussions of infertility, A woman seeks aid of the honey witch for treatment of her miscarriage
other tw/cw i wrote down: mention and talk of abusive and predatory relationship in past, caretaking for a loved one, loss of parents in past, abandonment, fire, blood, vomit
blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon
January 22, 2024
The Honey Witch is…aggressively fine. But it rubbed me the wrong way almost from the start; the story almost falls over itself it moves so fast, rushing as if trying to get itself over with. A story about honey-magic makes me expect lush, soft prose, and languorous pacing, but that is absolutely not what we have here; seriously, what is the damn rush? The dialogue is stilted and false, with random shifts in topic and passionate reactions that come out of nowhere and seem massively disproportionate. And rather than letting us slowly and deliciously discover this world bit by bit, Shields beats us about the head with clunky info-dumping.
There are moments of brilliance – especially in the opening chapters, Shields occasionally gives us a line that really sparkles;
But these are few and far between. There’s quite a bit of preaching, most of it shoehorned in where there really isn’t room for it; for example, early on there’s a passage where, out of nowhere, Marigold starts thinking about ‘the world’s penchant for beautiful, dead girls’. Cue a rambly aside on how society prefers girls die young and pretty rather than grow old and…become witches? Like, this is a genuine issue (well, maybe not the witchy part, in this day and age) but the lecture is coming completely out of left field; nothing in the chapter up to this point had anything to do with this topic. It’s not a tough subject being examined by the narrative; it’s Shields grandstanding, and not being even the tiniest bit subtle about it.
Then there’s the worldbuilding, which, hoo boy. So the whole honey-witches-can’t-fall-in-love thing???
The curse isn’t a punishment, or intended to inflict suffering – the goal was to end the bloodline of honey witches. What??? Uh, does someone need to explain to Shields that love isn’t a required part of the recipe for having a child??? How in the gods’ names does cursing you to never have true love equal a family dying out???
Except no, Shields is well aware; not only did Marigold’s grandmother have a child without love, she had a child without a partner at all. She literally made a baby with magic, all by herself.
HI. IF THAT’S A THING WITCHES CAN DO…WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH THE DAMN CURSE???
It annoys the hell out of me both because it’s just stupid, and because it would have cost Shields nothing to change the motivation of the witch who cast the curse. Say she wanted this family to suffer! Say she did it out of vengeance or sadism or anger or whatever. But if her goal was to end her enemy’s bloodline, the curse is completely pointless.
Does Shields require the curse for plot? Yes. So keep the curse, but come up with some kind of reasonable backstory for it, for crying out loud. It’s not hard.
Then there’s the whole nonsense about how, just like water is the opposite of fire, and air the opposite of earth…honey is the opposite of ashes.
No.
Sorry, but. No.
Again: completely and utterly unnecessary. All you had to say was, these are the two kinds of magic, honey magic and ash magic. Ta da! You didn’t need to set them up as some kind of elemental opposites. Because now you just sound confusing and stupid.
Why is this like this???
And I don’t even want to talk about how the whole ‘Marigold, you’re a witch’ thing went down, with her mother screaming at her grandmother and being The Most Dramatic and I could not stop cringing at all of it.
The Honey Witch just…really isn’t what it’s being marketed as. The book starts with Marigold – in a Regency-esque time period – not having fun at a ball, which, fair. But the whole first 20% is just this…not-that-subtly anti-men, anti-marriage spiel, which, somewhat fair, but Shields really shoves it down your throat. Marigold is The Most Special because she goes and dances in the rain and meets up with magic butterflies rather than looking for a husband, and all of this with the fast-forward button on, and the info-dumping, and dialogue like…like I don’t even know what. Like a badly written script being performed by very bad actors. And not just info-dumping, but telling-telling-telling, recounting the past for us at light-speed so we know how all the relationships work, because we certainly don’t get a chance to get a feel for those relationships ourselves. There’s no emotional development at all, and then the grandmother whisks Marigold away to start her new life as a witch.
I was expecting – and wanted – languid storytelling, cosy and sweet, with pretty prose and a grumpy/sunshine romance. Instead, I got choppy writing, an origin story we didn’t need (seriously, it would have saved so much cringing if the story had opened with Marigold on Innisfree instead of the headless chicken that was the glimpse of her home life), insultingly stupid worldbuilding, and a book that just can’t figure out how to slow down. Did someone hand Shields back her manuscript and tell her she had to cut 300 pages or something? Because that’s almost what it feels like, a story crammed into fewer pages than it needs.
Reading The Honey Witch was like wearing the worst scratchy wool you can think of; it just itched, and it’s such a relief to call it quits and not have to deal with it any more. THANK YOU BUT NO.
There are moments of brilliance – especially in the opening chapters, Shields occasionally gives us a line that really sparkles;
what is so wrong about being a bitch? It is the closest a girl can be to a wolf.
But these are few and far between. There’s quite a bit of preaching, most of it shoehorned in where there really isn’t room for it; for example, early on there’s a passage where, out of nowhere, Marigold starts thinking about ‘the world’s penchant for beautiful, dead girls’. Cue a rambly aside on how society prefers girls die young and pretty rather than grow old and…become witches? Like, this is a genuine issue (well, maybe not the witchy part, in this day and age) but the lecture is coming completely out of left field; nothing in the chapter up to this point had anything to do with this topic. It’s not a tough subject being examined by the narrative; it’s Shields grandstanding, and not being even the tiniest bit subtle about it.
Then there’s the worldbuilding, which, hoo boy. So the whole honey-witches-can’t-fall-in-love thing???
She cursed us to never have anyone fall in love with us in an attempt to end us.
The curse isn’t a punishment, or intended to inflict suffering – the goal was to end the bloodline of honey witches. What??? Uh, does someone need to explain to Shields that love isn’t a required part of the recipe for having a child??? How in the gods’ names does cursing you to never have true love equal a family dying out???
Except no, Shields is well aware; not only did Marigold’s grandmother have a child without love, she had a child without a partner at all. She literally made a baby with magic, all by herself.
HI. IF THAT’S A THING WITCHES CAN DO…WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH THE DAMN CURSE???
It annoys the hell out of me both because it’s just stupid, and because it would have cost Shields nothing to change the motivation of the witch who cast the curse. Say she wanted this family to suffer! Say she did it out of vengeance or sadism or anger or whatever. But if her goal was to end her enemy’s bloodline, the curse is completely pointless.
Does Shields require the curse for plot? Yes. So keep the curse, but come up with some kind of reasonable backstory for it, for crying out loud. It’s not hard.
Then there’s the whole nonsense about how, just like water is the opposite of fire, and air the opposite of earth…honey is the opposite of ashes.
No.
Sorry, but. No.
Again: completely and utterly unnecessary. All you had to say was, these are the two kinds of magic, honey magic and ash magic. Ta da! You didn’t need to set them up as some kind of elemental opposites. Because now you just sound confusing and stupid.
Why is this like this???
And I don’t even want to talk about how the whole ‘Marigold, you’re a witch’ thing went down, with her mother screaming at her grandmother and being The Most Dramatic and I could not stop cringing at all of it.
The Honey Witch just…really isn’t what it’s being marketed as. The book starts with Marigold – in a Regency-esque time period – not having fun at a ball, which, fair. But the whole first 20% is just this…not-that-subtly anti-men, anti-marriage spiel, which, somewhat fair, but Shields really shoves it down your throat. Marigold is The Most Special because she goes and dances in the rain and meets up with magic butterflies rather than looking for a husband, and all of this with the fast-forward button on, and the info-dumping, and dialogue like…like I don’t even know what. Like a badly written script being performed by very bad actors. And not just info-dumping, but telling-telling-telling, recounting the past for us at light-speed so we know how all the relationships work, because we certainly don’t get a chance to get a feel for those relationships ourselves. There’s no emotional development at all, and then the grandmother whisks Marigold away to start her new life as a witch.
I was expecting – and wanted – languid storytelling, cosy and sweet, with pretty prose and a grumpy/sunshine romance. Instead, I got choppy writing, an origin story we didn’t need (seriously, it would have saved so much cringing if the story had opened with Marigold on Innisfree instead of the headless chicken that was the glimpse of her home life), insultingly stupid worldbuilding, and a book that just can’t figure out how to slow down. Did someone hand Shields back her manuscript and tell her she had to cut 300 pages or something? Because that’s almost what it feels like, a story crammed into fewer pages than it needs.
Reading The Honey Witch was like wearing the worst scratchy wool you can think of; it just itched, and it’s such a relief to call it quits and not have to deal with it any more. THANK YOU BUT NO.
May 16, 2024
4 Stars
I’ve worked honey into my meals for four days straight, so inspired (and so hungry) was I to indulge my palate after all this book-talk of honey and magic.
This story was truly delightful on every level.
As refreshing as it was original, The Honey Witch gave off cozy fantasy vibes, with a historical (regency-era inspired) “cottagecore” feel to it that I loved being immersed within.
Add to that, it had a unique magic-system born of bees and honey, and followed one magically gifted young woman’s journey to self-discovery, female empowerment, and curse-shattering love—with a sapphic spin.
The writing was simplistic, yet utterly charming, with a whimsical, morish quality to the narrative style that I enjoyed. The whole thing was giving me peaceful, fairytale-like vibes that I relished in.
Mixing in with that core writing ingredient was a wonderful ensemble cast of characters, each more wholesome and lovely than I could ever dream of being myself, many of whom experienced a sweet and swoony soulmate romance within these pages, beyond that solely of the heroine and her snarky (and amusingly curmudgeonly) lady love.
For a debut, I was significantly impressed with what Shields delivered here: an uplifting and heartwarming fantasy story, with themes of family, friendship, magic, and love at its core.
I may have come for the gorgeous cover, but I happily stayed for the enchanting story within.
***A special thanks to the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve worked honey into my meals for four days straight, so inspired (and so hungry) was I to indulge my palate after all this book-talk of honey and magic.
This story was truly delightful on every level.
As refreshing as it was original, The Honey Witch gave off cozy fantasy vibes, with a historical (regency-era inspired) “cottagecore” feel to it that I loved being immersed within.
Add to that, it had a unique magic-system born of bees and honey, and followed one magically gifted young woman’s journey to self-discovery, female empowerment, and curse-shattering love—with a sapphic spin.
The writing was simplistic, yet utterly charming, with a whimsical, morish quality to the narrative style that I enjoyed. The whole thing was giving me peaceful, fairytale-like vibes that I relished in.
Mixing in with that core writing ingredient was a wonderful ensemble cast of characters, each more wholesome and lovely than I could ever dream of being myself, many of whom experienced a sweet and swoony soulmate romance within these pages, beyond that solely of the heroine and her snarky (and amusingly curmudgeonly) lady love.
For a debut, I was significantly impressed with what Shields delivered here: an uplifting and heartwarming fantasy story, with themes of family, friendship, magic, and love at its core.
I may have come for the gorgeous cover, but I happily stayed for the enchanting story within.
***A special thanks to the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read
January 3, 2024Hi! I wrote this book and I am so excited to share it with you. While this story has lots of warmth, heart, and cozy vibes, some heavier themes are discussed. Content warnings include:
- Tattooing/Needles
- Burns
- Blood/Injuries
- Sex
- House fire
- Bee stings
- Loss of a grandparent
- Death/Grief
- Discussions of infertility
- A woman seeks aid of the honey witch for treatment of her miscarriage
One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Marigold, the MC, is reprimanded by her grandmother for speaking poorly about the life choices of another woman. Her grandmother tells her, "What any woman wants for herself is not for you to decide. You would do well to remember that." This is something that my own grandmother instilled in me from a young age. Women deserve choices. Women deserve control over their lives and their bodies. That is a strong theme throughout the book, and I hope you enjoy it!
- Tattooing/Needles
- Burns
- Blood/Injuries
- Sex
- House fire
- Bee stings
- Loss of a grandparent
- Death/Grief
- Discussions of infertility
- A woman seeks aid of the honey witch for treatment of her miscarriage
One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Marigold, the MC, is reprimanded by her grandmother for speaking poorly about the life choices of another woman. Her grandmother tells her, "What any woman wants for herself is not for you to decide. You would do well to remember that." This is something that my own grandmother instilled in me from a young age. Women deserve choices. Women deserve control over their lives and their bodies. That is a strong theme throughout the book, and I hope you enjoy it!
December 30, 2023
Witchy book friends !!! This is a cozy, cottage core, and sapphic witchy book where the magic system revolves around BEES & HONEY 🐝🍯🌻
If you are a fan of “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches,” like I am, this is the closest thing that I’ve come across to that book. You would probably enjoy this one too.
Plot summary: The FMC’s grandmother comes to her and tells her that she’s a witch and wants to train her and pass on her legacy before she passes away. She moves with her grandmother to a gorgeous isle where she develops her power and learns what it means to be a honey witch, all while knowing that an evil ash witch will someday come for her.
I absolutely loved every single thing about this story!
I adored the setting, the atmosphere, the magic system, and the concept of a honey witch and an ash witch.
As an avid witchy book reader, so many of them feel exactly the same. But this concept was unique and felt very special.
This book makes me feel like I’m transported into a meadow overflowing with flowers, bees, and magic. It makes me want to walk around barefoot, eat honey,
and make potions and herbal remedies.
I feel like this book was written for me. It’s so perfect and lovely and comforting. I don’t have a single bad thing to say about it.
A few other fun things to note: there is a Bridgeton vibe when the FMC goes back to visit her family, a sapphic romance, a one bed trope, and feminist themes.
This was also my most anticipated book of 2024 and probably EVER!! I’ve been jumping out of my skin waiting to read this since I found out about it in January of 2023! 😭 I would have done AWFUL things to get to read it earlier this year. But it was completely worth the wait.
Thank you so much to the publisher for allowing me to read this early on NetGalley. Sydney is an instant buy author for me now!
If you are a fan of “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches,” like I am, this is the closest thing that I’ve come across to that book. You would probably enjoy this one too.
Plot summary: The FMC’s grandmother comes to her and tells her that she’s a witch and wants to train her and pass on her legacy before she passes away. She moves with her grandmother to a gorgeous isle where she develops her power and learns what it means to be a honey witch, all while knowing that an evil ash witch will someday come for her.
I absolutely loved every single thing about this story!
I adored the setting, the atmosphere, the magic system, and the concept of a honey witch and an ash witch.
As an avid witchy book reader, so many of them feel exactly the same. But this concept was unique and felt very special.
This book makes me feel like I’m transported into a meadow overflowing with flowers, bees, and magic. It makes me want to walk around barefoot, eat honey,
and make potions and herbal remedies.
I feel like this book was written for me. It’s so perfect and lovely and comforting. I don’t have a single bad thing to say about it.
A few other fun things to note: there is a Bridgeton vibe when the FMC goes back to visit her family, a sapphic romance, a one bed trope, and feminist themes.
This was also my most anticipated book of 2024 and probably EVER!! I’ve been jumping out of my skin waiting to read this since I found out about it in January of 2023! 😭 I would have done AWFUL things to get to read it earlier this year. But it was completely worth the wait.
Thank you so much to the publisher for allowing me to read this early on NetGalley. Sydney is an instant buy author for me now!
January 26, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
DNF at 32%
Another unfortunate disappointment for me. The writing in this was really lovely and it definitely had this calming, cottage core vibe, but nothing was happening.
She has a love interest here, but by 32% there was only two scenes with her and she said like two lines.
There are just so many other great books coming out right now, and I could tell I would have had to push myself to finish this, which I really don't want to do.
DNF at 32%
Another unfortunate disappointment for me. The writing in this was really lovely and it definitely had this calming, cottage core vibe, but nothing was happening.
She has a love interest here, but by 32% there was only two scenes with her and she said like two lines.
There are just so many other great books coming out right now, and I could tell I would have had to push myself to finish this, which I really don't want to do.
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 10, 2024Yeahhhh this ones going in the DNF vault.
I went into The Honey Witch with an open mind because I wanted a warm cozy world to escape into but the warm cozy world here feels cold and static and the characters read like wet soggy cardboard.
I went into The Honey Witch with an open mind because I wanted a warm cozy world to escape into but the warm cozy world here feels cold and static and the characters read like wet soggy cardboard.
June 8, 2024
Listen, I love dark, gothic, stories. We know that.
But a soft, hopeful, sweet sapphic witch story might be all I need to be happy again
EDIT after finishing it: It was. Do not be fooled by my tears.
My usual TS playlist:
-seven
-But Daddy I Love Him
-The Albatross
-Timeless
-Cruel Summer
-It's Nice to Have a Friend
-I'm Only Me When I'm With You
-A Place in This World
-Sweeter Than Fiction
-Invisible String
-Willow
But a soft, hopeful, sweet sapphic witch story might be all I need to be happy again
EDIT after finishing it: It was. Do not be fooled by my tears.
My usual TS playlist:
-seven
-But Daddy I Love Him
-The Albatross
-Timeless
-Cruel Summer
-It's Nice to Have a Friend
-I'm Only Me When I'm With You
-A Place in This World
-Sweeter Than Fiction
-Invisible String
-Willow
Shelved as 'dnf'
May 5, 2024DNF @33%
I am SO sad I didn't love this! It sounded like everything I would want- a cozy sapphic fantasy romance. Unfortunately, I am just not getting on with the writing style. I think part of this is the tense it's written in makes it feel more like a list of things that happen, and while I want a cozy book to have lots of sensory descriptions, this is oddly lacking any of that. For instance, we're told a honey cake tastes good, but not give ndescriptions of the flavor in the mouth, or how it might feel sticky to the touch, or what it smells like. That's one example, but this setting and plot are full of things that could be described in a way that is cozy and rich in sensory details. Instead it's just left feeling kind of bland. Which is unfortunate because I feel like this has a lot of potential. But I don't want to continue and end up giving it a low rating since it's a debut. Hopefully other readers will enjoy it more! I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
I am SO sad I didn't love this! It sounded like everything I would want- a cozy sapphic fantasy romance. Unfortunately, I am just not getting on with the writing style. I think part of this is the tense it's written in makes it feel more like a list of things that happen, and while I want a cozy book to have lots of sensory descriptions, this is oddly lacking any of that. For instance, we're told a honey cake tastes good, but not give ndescriptions of the flavor in the mouth, or how it might feel sticky to the touch, or what it smells like. That's one example, but this setting and plot are full of things that could be described in a way that is cozy and rich in sensory details. Instead it's just left feeling kind of bland. Which is unfortunate because I feel like this has a lot of potential. But I don't want to continue and end up giving it a low rating since it's a debut. Hopefully other readers will enjoy it more! I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
March 26, 2024
The one word I would use to describe Sydney J. Shield’s “The Honey Witch” would be whimsical. “The Honey Witch” follows Marigold, a young lady in the 1800s that feels she simply does not fit in. While others her age desire love, she feels that it simply is not in the cards for her. This idea is proven to be true when her grandmother reappears in her life. Her grandmother is a witch, more specifically, a honey witch. Honey witches cultivate bees, and can perform magic with their honey. Marigold is ecstatic about the news that she will be the next honey witch; she will finally have her calling in life.
However there is one catch: honey witches have been cursed to never fall in love.
I LOVED this book. It felt so cozy and whimsical. This book made me feel like I was covered in a warm blanket and drinking hot chocolate with a cat on my lap. The setting of Innisfree felt like something out of a children’s movie. I would move there in a heart beat. The world was definitely one of my favorite parts of this book. It was such a sweet setting that I never wanted to leave.
At the end of this book I found myself yearning for more time with the characters. I wanted to know what happened next. There was an epilogue, but I wanted to know more of the inbetween. Lottie was my favorite character in the book. Lottie and Marigold reminded of the grumpy x sunshine trope in the best of ways. Lottie never did anything to truly hurt Marigold, and there were heavy, conflicting emotions on both sides. For those of you that don’t like a quick, fast relationship, this is for you.
My main complaint about this book would be a lot of it did feel cliche. There were a lot of tropes throughout the book. I also predicted the ending less than half-way through. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book! It all worked for me, and did not take away from my enjoyment. I would caution other readers though, that if this is something you think you would not like, to research further and decide whether it is the book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley, Redhook & Orbit for this ARC in exchange for a honest review!
Make sure to look out for “The Honey Witch” by Sydney J. Shields coming out on May 14th, 2024!
However there is one catch: honey witches have been cursed to never fall in love.
I LOVED this book. It felt so cozy and whimsical. This book made me feel like I was covered in a warm blanket and drinking hot chocolate with a cat on my lap. The setting of Innisfree felt like something out of a children’s movie. I would move there in a heart beat. The world was definitely one of my favorite parts of this book. It was such a sweet setting that I never wanted to leave.
At the end of this book I found myself yearning for more time with the characters. I wanted to know what happened next. There was an epilogue, but I wanted to know more of the inbetween. Lottie was my favorite character in the book. Lottie and Marigold reminded of the grumpy x sunshine trope in the best of ways. Lottie never did anything to truly hurt Marigold, and there were heavy, conflicting emotions on both sides. For those of you that don’t like a quick, fast relationship, this is for you.
My main complaint about this book would be a lot of it did feel cliche. There were a lot of tropes throughout the book. I also predicted the ending less than half-way through. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book! It all worked for me, and did not take away from my enjoyment. I would caution other readers though, that if this is something you think you would not like, to research further and decide whether it is the book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley, Redhook & Orbit for this ARC in exchange for a honest review!
Make sure to look out for “The Honey Witch” by Sydney J. Shields coming out on May 14th, 2024!
May 28, 2024
“What is so wrong about being a bitch? It is the closest a girl can be to being a wolf.”
I need more books like this one in my life. Sweet but also bitter, witchy and filled with nature and a grumpy little romance. Is there a giant plot hole that could've been fixed with the removal of one paragraph or so? Oh, yes, there certainly is. But honestly, I don't give a damn because I loved spending time with this book and that's all that counts to me. 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5 because I needed these vibes.
Good stuff - if you're into this kind of stuff. If you read via audio, the narration is also excellent.
I need more books like this one in my life. Sweet but also bitter, witchy and filled with nature and a grumpy little romance. Is there a giant plot hole that could've been fixed with the removal of one paragraph or so? Oh, yes, there certainly is. But honestly, I don't give a damn because I loved spending time with this book and that's all that counts to me. 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5 because I needed these vibes.
Good stuff - if you're into this kind of stuff. If you read via audio, the narration is also excellent.
June 10, 2024
I enjoyed this book more than I expected. It reminded me of the classic Wizard of Oz story, with its magic, good and bad witches, thunderstorms, and enchanting setting. The vivid descriptions made me feel truly immersed in the story, and I learned a lot about bees and honey in the process. 🍯
The story follows Marigold Claude, who has always felt a deep connection to nature and possesses a unique gift to see and hear things others can't. One day, after a fifteen-year absence, her grandmother reappears and reveals that every eldest daughter in their lineage is a witch, including Marigold. Her grandmother also tells her that Innisfree, the island where she lives on and where Marigold grew up on, needs protection, a task that the grandmother is too weak and frail to undertake alone now. Hence, despite her mother's objections, Marigold sets off on an adventure to this magical place, where she learns about flowers, herbs, spices, and honey. She discovers the beauty of being a Honey Witch, as well as the curse that forbids anyone from falling in love with her.
Marigold mends her relationship with her estranged grandmother, forms a bond with a man she loves like a grandfather, reconciles with a childhood friend, and meets Lottie—a young woman with a traumatic past. Against all odds, Marigold develops a deep affection for Lottie—and she, for her—but it comes at a cost.
Initially, the story felt cozy and picturesque, making me almost forget about the evil witch and her dark intentions. However, the narrative took a darker turn in the last quarter. There were a couple of unexpected steamy scenes between Marigold and Lottie that I enjoyed. The book emphasizes friendship, family, and feminine power, and it celebrates the queer community. Although I anticipated the plot twist early on, I still enjoyed it. The story could have been slightly improved by reducing Marigold's brooding over the curse. Her prolonged internal struggle was somewhat tedious, especially since she made it clear from the beginning that she did not want a traditional life like her mother's. Additionally, I would have loved more character development, particularly for the grandmother, who played a crucial role in forming Marigold’s identity.
Overall, I really liked the novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys sapphic fantasy books with magic and witchcraft, set in a cozy world with moderate violence and dark themes.
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Sydney Shields, and the publishers for an advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The story follows Marigold Claude, who has always felt a deep connection to nature and possesses a unique gift to see and hear things others can't. One day, after a fifteen-year absence, her grandmother reappears and reveals that every eldest daughter in their lineage is a witch, including Marigold. Her grandmother also tells her that Innisfree, the island where she lives on and where Marigold grew up on, needs protection, a task that the grandmother is too weak and frail to undertake alone now. Hence, despite her mother's objections, Marigold sets off on an adventure to this magical place, where she learns about flowers, herbs, spices, and honey. She discovers the beauty of being a Honey Witch, as well as the curse that forbids anyone from falling in love with her.
Marigold mends her relationship with her estranged grandmother, forms a bond with a man she loves like a grandfather, reconciles with a childhood friend, and meets Lottie—a young woman with a traumatic past. Against all odds, Marigold develops a deep affection for Lottie—and she, for her—but it comes at a cost.
Initially, the story felt cozy and picturesque, making me almost forget about the evil witch and her dark intentions. However, the narrative took a darker turn in the last quarter. There were a couple of unexpected steamy scenes between Marigold and Lottie that I enjoyed. The book emphasizes friendship, family, and feminine power, and it celebrates the queer community. Although I anticipated the plot twist early on, I still enjoyed it. The story could have been slightly improved by reducing Marigold's brooding over the curse. Her prolonged internal struggle was somewhat tedious, especially since she made it clear from the beginning that she did not want a traditional life like her mother's. Additionally, I would have loved more character development, particularly for the grandmother, who played a crucial role in forming Marigold’s identity.
Overall, I really liked the novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys sapphic fantasy books with magic and witchcraft, set in a cozy world with moderate violence and dark themes.
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Sydney Shields, and the publishers for an advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 19, 2024
3.5 ☆
First of, thank you to NetGalley and Redhook books for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for an honest review. This book is set to be published May 14, 2024. Spoilers clearly outlined at the end of the review.
This book felt like Bridgerton meets witches and ✨magic✨. Overall I thought it was a very cute and cozy read! That said, it does have a few heavier scenes, so do check content warnings.
Description: Marigold never really felt like she belonged amongst her siblings and peers, going to fancy balls and waiting to be courted and married. Her grandmother shows up after fifteen years of absence and drops a bombshell on Marigold- she's a witch, a Honey Witch to be exact. Innisfree, the magical island where Marigold's grandmother lives is under attack from a rival witch. There's just one catch, becoming a Honey Witch leaves a curse behind, where one is not able to ever fall in love. No big deal, right? 🤔 Marigold must decide if the risk is worth it and if she will leave behind everything she knows to train in honey witchcraft and protect her legacy.
The overall storytelling is done really well. The writing is very descriptive and I felt very immersed in the story while I was reading. It was really easy to picture what the different cities and landscapes looked like and how the magic system worked. A lot of care went in to setting up the story. The Honey Witches are essentially healers, they use different potions for different ailments (as well as some fun spells too!). Each spell has it's own ingredients and reasonings for using it and it feels realistic in that sense. I love the softness to it, to think that Marigold is so powerful, but uses it to help her community. The story is very female empowering and has strong themes of choice sprinkled throughout.
I really liked the two main characters, Marigold and Lottie. Lottie is a character that has a lot of pain and baggage and lashes out to those around her, but I feel for her and enjoyed her character development. The grandmother, Althea, was also an amazing character. However, I did not feel very invested in any of the other characters and thought they were quite one-dimensional.
Things that weren’t my favorite- I found the story quite predictable. Some of the dialogue between characters felt a bit cheesy and the ending felt a bit rushed. The bulk of the story is pretty tame and low-stakes, and then the ending is fast and intense. SPOILER
Overall, I think it's a fun story and a strong debut novel!
I think you'll like this if you're a fan of soft, magical stories- such as Divine Rivals and The Ex Hex.
The big tropes are:
-forbidden love
-found family
-there's even a late night, one-room-left-at-the-inn scene....
-LGBTQIA+
Content warnings: blood, injury, fire/fire injury, death, and grief
First of, thank you to NetGalley and Redhook books for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for an honest review. This book is set to be published May 14, 2024. Spoilers clearly outlined at the end of the review.
This book felt like Bridgerton meets witches and ✨magic✨. Overall I thought it was a very cute and cozy read! That said, it does have a few heavier scenes, so do check content warnings.
Description: Marigold never really felt like she belonged amongst her siblings and peers, going to fancy balls and waiting to be courted and married. Her grandmother shows up after fifteen years of absence and drops a bombshell on Marigold- she's a witch, a Honey Witch to be exact. Innisfree, the magical island where Marigold's grandmother lives is under attack from a rival witch. There's just one catch, becoming a Honey Witch leaves a curse behind, where one is not able to ever fall in love. No big deal, right? 🤔 Marigold must decide if the risk is worth it and if she will leave behind everything she knows to train in honey witchcraft and protect her legacy.
The overall storytelling is done really well. The writing is very descriptive and I felt very immersed in the story while I was reading. It was really easy to picture what the different cities and landscapes looked like and how the magic system worked. A lot of care went in to setting up the story. The Honey Witches are essentially healers, they use different potions for different ailments (as well as some fun spells too!). Each spell has it's own ingredients and reasonings for using it and it feels realistic in that sense. I love the softness to it, to think that Marigold is so powerful, but uses it to help her community. The story is very female empowering and has strong themes of choice sprinkled throughout.
I really liked the two main characters, Marigold and Lottie. Lottie is a character that has a lot of pain and baggage and lashes out to those around her, but I feel for her and enjoyed her character development. The grandmother, Althea, was also an amazing character. However, I did not feel very invested in any of the other characters and thought they were quite one-dimensional.
Things that weren’t my favorite- I found the story quite predictable. Some of the dialogue between characters felt a bit cheesy and the ending felt a bit rushed. The bulk of the story is pretty tame and low-stakes, and then the ending is fast and intense. SPOILER
Overall, I think it's a fun story and a strong debut novel!
I think you'll like this if you're a fan of soft, magical stories- such as Divine Rivals and The Ex Hex.
The big tropes are:
-forbidden love
-found family
-there's even a late night, one-room-left-at-the-inn scene....
-LGBTQIA+
Content warnings: blood, injury, fire/fire injury, death, and grief
December 3, 2023
4.5 Stars
This story begins in the spring of 1831, on the day that Althea Murr will celebrate her hundredth birthday. As she looks back over her life with her cat on her lap, she listens to the sound of the bees song, a song that is deserving of the occasion.
She sits and reminisces on the years of her life, knowing that the stages of her life are nearing the end, and there is still much to do. And as she is pondering those things, a crow descends from the sky, a crow, a harbinger of impending death. And so she begins to make plans for what is to follow.
She needs to return to the home of her daughter, for she knows that time is precious, and there is much to do. She has placed her hopes for the future of Innisfree, and all who live there, on her granddaughter, Marigold. She will take her back to her cottage, and teach her all that she will need to know in order to become the next Honey Witch. Time is of the essence, as there is much to teach her, but first she must be told that this also means that there is a price: she must forfeit any idea of falling in love, and no one can fall in love with her.
Marigold isn’t interested in finding love, and she adores her grandmother and welcomes the idea of spending more time with her, learning everything she knows, and spending time in nature without being chastised.
When an old friend of hers, August, who is now a young man, introduces a young woman, Lottie, to her along with another young man, his partner, Edmund, they all, eventually, become friends.
This is a story of family, loss, magic, and love, of holding on to the places, things, and people that are the most important in our lives, and loving them regardless of what others may think.
Pub Date: 14 May 2024
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Redhook/Hachette Book Group
Read
May 23, 2024DNF
I can't believe the publishing industry really managed to make us all excited for this one lol i gotta hand it to them - the marketing was phenomenal. A sapphic, cozy fantasy about a honey witch? with this beautiful cover? How could anyone say no?
This was one of my most anticipated books of 2024 and I could barely make it a few chapters in before I was actually losing my mind about how bad it was. This might have been the worst 50 pages I've read in a published book in a LONG time - they were so incredibly dense, rambling, and info dumping but about shit that couldn't POSSIBLY have mattered. It begged the question of WHERE ARE THE EDITORS?
The quality of traditional publishing has truly gone so far down I don't even know what to read anymore especially since the marketing effort has gone so far up. I just want good books again - not all these mediocre novels with pretty covers and that get advertised as something completely different than they actually are.
I can't believe the publishing industry really managed to make us all excited for this one lol i gotta hand it to them - the marketing was phenomenal. A sapphic, cozy fantasy about a honey witch? with this beautiful cover? How could anyone say no?
This was one of my most anticipated books of 2024 and I could barely make it a few chapters in before I was actually losing my mind about how bad it was. This might have been the worst 50 pages I've read in a published book in a LONG time - they were so incredibly dense, rambling, and info dumping but about shit that couldn't POSSIBLY have mattered. It begged the question of WHERE ARE THE EDITORS?
The quality of traditional publishing has truly gone so far down I don't even know what to read anymore especially since the marketing effort has gone so far up. I just want good books again - not all these mediocre novels with pretty covers and that get advertised as something completely different than they actually are.
June 10, 2024
Breaks my heart to rate the lesbian bee book, one of my most anticipated books of the past several years, 2 stars. Loved the first 100 pages, but the rest was painfully juvenile in voice, pacing and general story happenings.
——————
you're telling me I can read another book about lesbians and bees??? we are blessed 🙏 (and I am...buzzed? 🐝🐝)
——————
you're telling me I can read another book about lesbians and bees??? we are blessed 🙏 (and I am...buzzed? 🐝🐝)
June 30, 2024
Magical and delicious. Loved every word.
May 14, 2024
14/05/24: Looks like goodreads deletes reviews now cause my review was gone and my book went from the DNF shelf to the “want to read”. Makes me really upset I took my time to even read the first 25%, I thought the point of ARCs was to give honest reviews but I guess not 🤪
29/04/24
Actual Review that was posted of an ARC:
DNF @ 25%
I tried, I really tried. This was one of my anticipated releases this year but i just can't do it. Once I hit 20%, whenever I picked the book up I closed it after a few pages and I dreaded coming back. I rarely DNF books, and never DNF ARCs but I hate this writing so much, I am doing myself a favor and leaving this book behind or else I'd be stuck in another slump.
First things first, the writing is overly explanatory while the plot points are extremely simple, and the fact the author takes time to explain everything to me as if I am a 5 year old child just felt insulting to me. It's just that the concepts are so simple I am confused as to why we even need the explanations to begin with. There is absolutely nothing complicated about the plot to require having everything spelled out the way it was. (It is totally okay not to have complex plots for a cozy fantasy but then let's simply not waste our time on explanations). Also, please do not misunderstand, I am not shaming the author for trying to explain their plot, my problem is with the way it's done because it really feels like the author is talking to a child. The plot is basically the most basic evil witches vs good witches, doesn't get any more complicated than that. Also, the book felt strangely preachy at times, which just added to the "child" feel of it all.
The writing feels a little all over the place too, unfortunately. Sometimes, in between scenes the author tries to include passages that are supposed to come off as profound and poetic (though it's debatable whether they did their job) but they stick out like a sore thumb when the rest of the book is written in this very simplistic manner.
On the topic of plot points, there is already a huge plot hole 20% in and I'm shocked it was not caught while editing? Because it literally makes the whole plot of the book absolutely meaningless? Perhaps it is explained later on but I don't see why it wouldn't be when we are told about the curse.
Lastly, do not expect it to be a historical novel. It says it's like Bridgerton but it's not accurate to the era. I am usually not pressed about inaccuracies but here the author didn't even try unfortunately. Unless, it's not supposed to be historical in which case I am not sure where the Bridgerton comparison plays in. If you just like the aesthetics of the setting (which is fair!) then you might enjoy it and it won't find it too grating.
The worst part of all is that I did not even get to the romance and it was what I looked forward the most.
That being said, while I am very disappointed, I think that this book has the potential to just be a vibe read where you just go along for the ride. Sadly, I can't overlook all that I have mentioned but I hope you will have better luck if you decide to pick it up.
Thanks to the published for the eARC in exchange for an honest review
29/04/24
Actual Review that was posted of an ARC:
DNF @ 25%
I tried, I really tried. This was one of my anticipated releases this year but i just can't do it. Once I hit 20%, whenever I picked the book up I closed it after a few pages and I dreaded coming back. I rarely DNF books, and never DNF ARCs but I hate this writing so much, I am doing myself a favor and leaving this book behind or else I'd be stuck in another slump.
First things first, the writing is overly explanatory while the plot points are extremely simple, and the fact the author takes time to explain everything to me as if I am a 5 year old child just felt insulting to me. It's just that the concepts are so simple I am confused as to why we even need the explanations to begin with. There is absolutely nothing complicated about the plot to require having everything spelled out the way it was. (It is totally okay not to have complex plots for a cozy fantasy but then let's simply not waste our time on explanations). Also, please do not misunderstand, I am not shaming the author for trying to explain their plot, my problem is with the way it's done because it really feels like the author is talking to a child. The plot is basically the most basic evil witches vs good witches, doesn't get any more complicated than that. Also, the book felt strangely preachy at times, which just added to the "child" feel of it all.
The writing feels a little all over the place too, unfortunately. Sometimes, in between scenes the author tries to include passages that are supposed to come off as profound and poetic (though it's debatable whether they did their job) but they stick out like a sore thumb when the rest of the book is written in this very simplistic manner.
On the topic of plot points, there is already a huge plot hole 20% in and I'm shocked it was not caught while editing? Because it literally makes the whole plot of the book absolutely meaningless? Perhaps it is explained later on but I don't see why it wouldn't be when we are told about the curse.
Lastly, do not expect it to be a historical novel. It says it's like Bridgerton but it's not accurate to the era. I am usually not pressed about inaccuracies but here the author didn't even try unfortunately. Unless, it's not supposed to be historical in which case I am not sure where the Bridgerton comparison plays in. If you just like the aesthetics of the setting (which is fair!) then you might enjoy it and it won't find it too grating.
The worst part of all is that I did not even get to the romance and it was what I looked forward the most.
That being said, while I am very disappointed, I think that this book has the potential to just be a vibe read where you just go along for the ride. Sadly, I can't overlook all that I have mentioned but I hope you will have better luck if you decide to pick it up.
Thanks to the published for the eARC in exchange for an honest review
June 24, 2024
A literary feast of love and enchantment, with prose as sweet as honey cake.
"The Honey Witch" transports readers to a whimsical world where sapphic romance blooms amidst the poetic ambiance of a cottagecore magical apothecary nestled on a serene island.
The prose is as enchanting as the setting itself, inviting readers to delve beyond the storyline and into introspective realms. Each character, even those initially challenging to embrace, gradually reveals layers that evoke empathy and understanding. I found myself eagerly anticipating moments to highlight and savor upon receiving my physical copy. The dynamic between sunshine and grumpiness, though not my usual preference, was expertly portrayed and surprisingly endearing.
Experiencing "The Honey Witch" in both early reading and audio formats proved equally delightful. While initially uncertain about the audio narration, I soon found it complemented the narrative beautifully, enhancing my immersion in the magical tale.
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Thank you NetGalley and RED HOOK for an eARC of this book.
"The Honey Witch" transports readers to a whimsical world where sapphic romance blooms amidst the poetic ambiance of a cottagecore magical apothecary nestled on a serene island.
The prose is as enchanting as the setting itself, inviting readers to delve beyond the storyline and into introspective realms. Each character, even those initially challenging to embrace, gradually reveals layers that evoke empathy and understanding. I found myself eagerly anticipating moments to highlight and savor upon receiving my physical copy. The dynamic between sunshine and grumpiness, though not my usual preference, was expertly portrayed and surprisingly endearing.
Experiencing "The Honey Witch" in both early reading and audio formats proved equally delightful. While initially uncertain about the audio narration, I soon found it complemented the narrative beautifully, enhancing my immersion in the magical tale.
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Thank you NetGalley and RED HOOK for an eARC of this book.
June 26, 2024
I was one of the lucky ones that got to beta read this book and let me tell you, this WILL be your favorite book of the year. I know for certain it was mine. Sydney will very quickly become an insta buy author for you.
This is a heartwarming, cozy, magical, cottagecore story that tackles love, curses, and loss. This book was there for me when I needed it most and I will forever be grateful.
The magic system alone is to die for. Marigold is a honey witch cursed to never fall in love. You heard me, a HONEY WITCH. I really don’t want to give too much away, so I’ll end with this. It’s truly amazing that within this book, every character manages to be my favorite.
This is a heartwarming, cozy, magical, cottagecore story that tackles love, curses, and loss. This book was there for me when I needed it most and I will forever be grateful.
The magic system alone is to die for. Marigold is a honey witch cursed to never fall in love. You heard me, a HONEY WITCH. I really don’t want to give too much away, so I’ll end with this. It’s truly amazing that within this book, every character manages to be my favorite.
December 24, 2023
I really wanted to love this book, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. The overall storyline was lovely - I loved the exploration of grief, found family, loneliness, and love. However, the dialogue and writing style fell a bit flat for me, and I think this kept me from fully connecting with the story. The characters felt one-dimensional - we were told about their attributes by other characters, rather than getting to observe for ourselves as readers.
I found myself wishing that we would have gotten more time with certain subplots - parts of the book felt rushed to me. But just because this book wasn't for me doesn't mean it isn't for you. If you're into ethereal cottagecore sapphic romances, you should definitely check this book out!
Thank you to Redhook Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I found myself wishing that we would have gotten more time with certain subplots - parts of the book felt rushed to me. But just because this book wasn't for me doesn't mean it isn't for you. If you're into ethereal cottagecore sapphic romances, you should definitely check this book out!
Thank you to Redhook Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2024
Call me Winnie the Pooh henny because I gobbled this little jar of honey UP!!!
This is such a VIBES witchy read that I just never wanted to leave. This book feels like kicking it in a meadow full of sunflowers, the bees (friendly ones) buzzing in the background, having a little picnic moment (maybe with 1 or 7 bottles of wine), while being serenaded by some master harpist whose assistant is like massaging your feet or something. IT'S SO COZY! And y'all already know how much I love the vibes. Especially the cozy ones. It just makes for such an enjoyable reading experience. And that is a testament to Shields' world-building and story-telling! It all just...worked.
This magic system is LEGIT! Honey and Ash witches that derive their magic from their namesakes?? That's a new one! It's a true light vs darkness moment, where the honey magic is healing and serenity (well, not always, but I don't want to spoil anything) and ash magic is raging fires and demonic spirits...and Shields TAKES YOU THERE. One minute Mari is boiling up a little soulmate potion amidst a bustling garden and the next some bat-shit curse is turning all the cute little island guardians into beefed-up, sharp-toothed minions of terror. Grab your tea (with honey naturally) because this is a SHOW.
Enemies to lovers :) I love this love so much! Well, I loved all the love stories in this book, but I'm mainly speaking on the MCs love story. I love it because it's one of those "defying the odds" types of love stories (not gonna spoil anything), but also the type of love story where Rose made room for Jack on that damn piece of wood! Both have their internal battles and things they're working through, but at the end of the day, can you really deny what you're feeling toward your soulmate?? Nope. You can't. So go ahead Mari and Lottie, get that kiss....and that nookie. And a twist at the end?? SUBSCRIBED!
My only qualm with it was there were times where I felt Lottie was being a bit too harsh. Like, over the top. Just CRUEL. And for no reason. Yes she has her traumas from the past but I just didn't get some of her moments of anger toward Mari. Like, she just wants to show you her magic and the bees bitch, chill out.
So yeah, I'm into this, and if you liked A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, I think you'd like this one too :)
Thanks so much to Redhook for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review :)
This is such a VIBES witchy read that I just never wanted to leave. This book feels like kicking it in a meadow full of sunflowers, the bees (friendly ones) buzzing in the background, having a little picnic moment (maybe with 1 or 7 bottles of wine), while being serenaded by some master harpist whose assistant is like massaging your feet or something. IT'S SO COZY! And y'all already know how much I love the vibes. Especially the cozy ones. It just makes for such an enjoyable reading experience. And that is a testament to Shields' world-building and story-telling! It all just...worked.
This magic system is LEGIT! Honey and Ash witches that derive their magic from their namesakes?? That's a new one! It's a true light vs darkness moment, where the honey magic is healing and serenity (well, not always, but I don't want to spoil anything) and ash magic is raging fires and demonic spirits...and Shields TAKES YOU THERE. One minute Mari is boiling up a little soulmate potion amidst a bustling garden and the next some bat-shit curse is turning all the cute little island guardians into beefed-up, sharp-toothed minions of terror. Grab your tea (with honey naturally) because this is a SHOW.
Enemies to lovers :) I love this love so much! Well, I loved all the love stories in this book, but I'm mainly speaking on the MCs love story. I love it because it's one of those "defying the odds" types of love stories (not gonna spoil anything), but also the type of love story where Rose made room for Jack on that damn piece of wood! Both have their internal battles and things they're working through, but at the end of the day, can you really deny what you're feeling toward your soulmate?? Nope. You can't. So go ahead Mari and Lottie, get that kiss....and that nookie. And a twist at the end?? SUBSCRIBED!
My only qualm with it was there were times where I felt Lottie was being a bit too harsh. Like, over the top. Just CRUEL. And for no reason. Yes she has her traumas from the past but I just didn't get some of her moments of anger toward Mari. Like, she just wants to show you her magic and the bees bitch, chill out.
So yeah, I'm into this, and if you liked A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, I think you'd like this one too :)
Thanks so much to Redhook for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review :)
December 21, 2023
I had the honor of reading an ARC of this book. It has been my first advanced copy, and let me say it has set the tone high for the others!! I was so excited to get approved for this novel as it's been top of my list for 2024, and I've seen so many reviews on tiktok about it!
This book gives very cozy cottage witchy vibes. A perfect Sapphic novel with a slight slow-burn. You heard it, Lesbians and witches. The author does a great job of setting up the fantasy world and giving each character life (no flats here)!! I love how the magic surrounds bees, and the author (Sydney Shields) is actually also a beekeeper!! It's such a cute way of adding your life experiences into a novel. There are a total of 13 (I believe) Taylor Swift references to find in this book, I have found 5 and I can't wait for others to read it so I can see which ones I've missed!!
The storyline is between a girl (Marigold) and her grandmother, and overall follows Marigold's journey as a Honey Witch. She's so cool. Chapter 34 had me REELING. Needless to say, I'll also be pre-ordering a copy because my ARC was digital, and I can't wait to have the final book in my hands!! I have a long list of quotes that I hope Sydney Shields keeps in the books!
This book gives very cozy cottage witchy vibes. A perfect Sapphic novel with a slight slow-burn. You heard it, Lesbians and witches. The author does a great job of setting up the fantasy world and giving each character life (no flats here)!! I love how the magic surrounds bees, and the author (Sydney Shields) is actually also a beekeeper!! It's such a cute way of adding your life experiences into a novel. There are a total of 13 (I believe) Taylor Swift references to find in this book, I have found 5 and I can't wait for others to read it so I can see which ones I've missed!!
The storyline is between a girl (Marigold) and her grandmother, and overall follows Marigold's journey as a Honey Witch. She's so cool. Chapter 34 had me REELING. Needless to say, I'll also be pre-ordering a copy because my ARC was digital, and I can't wait to have the final book in my hands!! I have a long list of quotes that I hope Sydney Shields keeps in the books!
April 12, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Redhook for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
1.5!
It is 1831 and Marigold Claude is the eldest daughter of a well-to-do family, there is nothing in the world she wants less than to get married. Left heartbroken by a former suitor, she dreads the fact she’s expected to get married and be someone’s wife. She’s also a little… different from everyone else, because she really likes to run around outside under the moonlight. Except this is because she’s a Honey Witch, and she jumps at the opportunity to learn witchcraft from her grandmother, regardless of the fact that their line of Honey Witches are cursed to choose between their power or finding true love.
I did like that this was a queer normative world and I thought the relationship between Marigold and her grandmother was lovely. The imagery was very pretty and the atmosphere was cozy. The magic, while a bit handwavy, was fun and fit the overall vibe of the story very well. I think it managed to maintain a level of whimsy without being overwhelmingly so. Shields explores themes surrounding love, grief, found family, patriarchy, and loneliness and I do think that these are compelling reasons to pick it up, even if I didn’t like how some of them were handled.
Unfortunately, this book and I did not get along. The premise of this was interesting and it seemed like it would have fun vibes (especially because I love bees!!!), but the execution didn’t work for me. This is in part because I didn’t realize the vibes here would be Regency (which is an era I don’t particularly get on with) and because I didn’t realize that this world would concern itself with soulmates (which is a trope I have not yet been able to gel with in original, published fiction). I don’t particularly mind Shields’ take that everyone has a soulmate, but it was deeply grating to read the way it was approached here. The idea that everyone has a romantic soulmate, and that being in love/with your romantic soulmate is the only way to feel whole and complete or just not lonely is pretty much the direct opposite approach to life that I have. I’m unsure why no one in this world is capable of finding emotional fulfillment with friendship or why marriage and love were so aspired towards, but it just irritated me to no end. Further, I don’t really understand how the curse works—it’s clearly designed to end the line of Honey Witches, but you don’t need to be in love or be married to have children. I don’t agree with the idea that romantic love is the solution to loneliness and so some of the things in this book were doomed to bug me.
I also struggled with the prose—it’s not particularly difficult to read, but I found that the writing style and present tense made the story read young to me, and there were times where I struggled to remember Marigold was not a teenager. Some lines were lovely but others felt very overdramatic, especially the lines at the end of a chapter. The dialogue felt stitled and the pacing was wild. I struggled with Marigold as a character and found her a little childish and righteously judgemental (and, more personally, someone I wouldn’t get along with) and the overall tone was much too twee for me. I thought the climax of the novel came a little too late and was resolved too quickly, but I do feel like Shields knew what the overall arc of the story was going to be, even if it was paced very strangely. Marigold and Lottie’s relationship didn’t really do much for me and the stakes were sort of… whatever, and as a result while this was a very easy read I wasn’t ever fully gripped. The writing wasn’t particularly subtle and while sometimes I’m okay with that, it didn’t work here.
This book and I got on like oil and water, but I think it’ll have its audience that loves it. This would be especially true if you love Regency vibes and soulmates and cozy in vibes and atmosphere with slightly higher stakes than what you’d imagine from cozy fantasy.
1.5!
It is 1831 and Marigold Claude is the eldest daughter of a well-to-do family, there is nothing in the world she wants less than to get married. Left heartbroken by a former suitor, she dreads the fact she’s expected to get married and be someone’s wife. She’s also a little… different from everyone else, because she really likes to run around outside under the moonlight. Except this is because she’s a Honey Witch, and she jumps at the opportunity to learn witchcraft from her grandmother, regardless of the fact that their line of Honey Witches are cursed to choose between their power or finding true love.
I did like that this was a queer normative world and I thought the relationship between Marigold and her grandmother was lovely. The imagery was very pretty and the atmosphere was cozy. The magic, while a bit handwavy, was fun and fit the overall vibe of the story very well. I think it managed to maintain a level of whimsy without being overwhelmingly so. Shields explores themes surrounding love, grief, found family, patriarchy, and loneliness and I do think that these are compelling reasons to pick it up, even if I didn’t like how some of them were handled.
Unfortunately, this book and I did not get along. The premise of this was interesting and it seemed like it would have fun vibes (especially because I love bees!!!), but the execution didn’t work for me. This is in part because I didn’t realize the vibes here would be Regency (which is an era I don’t particularly get on with) and because I didn’t realize that this world would concern itself with soulmates (which is a trope I have not yet been able to gel with in original, published fiction). I don’t particularly mind Shields’ take that everyone has a soulmate, but it was deeply grating to read the way it was approached here. The idea that everyone has a romantic soulmate, and that being in love/with your romantic soulmate is the only way to feel whole and complete or just not lonely is pretty much the direct opposite approach to life that I have. I’m unsure why no one in this world is capable of finding emotional fulfillment with friendship or why marriage and love were so aspired towards, but it just irritated me to no end. Further, I don’t really understand how the curse works—it’s clearly designed to end the line of Honey Witches, but you don’t need to be in love or be married to have children. I don’t agree with the idea that romantic love is the solution to loneliness and so some of the things in this book were doomed to bug me.
I also struggled with the prose—it’s not particularly difficult to read, but I found that the writing style and present tense made the story read young to me, and there were times where I struggled to remember Marigold was not a teenager. Some lines were lovely but others felt very overdramatic, especially the lines at the end of a chapter. The dialogue felt stitled and the pacing was wild. I struggled with Marigold as a character and found her a little childish and righteously judgemental (and, more personally, someone I wouldn’t get along with) and the overall tone was much too twee for me. I thought the climax of the novel came a little too late and was resolved too quickly, but I do feel like Shields knew what the overall arc of the story was going to be, even if it was paced very strangely. Marigold and Lottie’s relationship didn’t really do much for me and the stakes were sort of… whatever, and as a result while this was a very easy read I wasn’t ever fully gripped. The writing wasn’t particularly subtle and while sometimes I’m okay with that, it didn’t work here.
This book and I got on like oil and water, but I think it’ll have its audience that loves it. This would be especially true if you love Regency vibes and soulmates and cozy in vibes and atmosphere with slightly higher stakes than what you’d imagine from cozy fantasy.
April 1, 2024
Yes as others reviews say this is a very slow burn, but there is a lot of world building prior to the romance part of the story which helped paint a picture. Once the pace picked up I couldn’t read it fast enough wanting to see how it all panned out and enjoyed it. Definitely more than a sapphic romance book.
Thank you to the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 7, 2024
I was kindly given an early copy of this book by the author and I am absolutely obsessed with this story. Wow. Enticing and magical and SO beautifully written.
June 12, 2024
Whimsical, sweet and hopeful - and left me craving honey!
This is a delightful cosy fantasy, with such gorgeous vibes - the bees, the meadows, the little cottage, the spells - all of it was just so lovely. This was one of those books that just felt utterly peaceful (so admittedly, I didn't feel allll that concerned about the conflicts), and I loved each and every character. It was the kind of world I wished I could visit, and I'm so sad the isle of Innisfree doesn't actually exist! There is a beautiful grandmother-granddaughter bond portrayed in here, as well as a charming sapphic love story. As I said, the stakes didn't feel all that high, and the ending was a bit predictable - BUT, if you're looking for a lovely, sweet read, just a gentle time, I would highly recommend this!
This is a delightful cosy fantasy, with such gorgeous vibes - the bees, the meadows, the little cottage, the spells - all of it was just so lovely. This was one of those books that just felt utterly peaceful (so admittedly, I didn't feel allll that concerned about the conflicts), and I loved each and every character. It was the kind of world I wished I could visit, and I'm so sad the isle of Innisfree doesn't actually exist! There is a beautiful grandmother-granddaughter bond portrayed in here, as well as a charming sapphic love story. As I said, the stakes didn't feel all that high, and the ending was a bit predictable - BUT, if you're looking for a lovely, sweet read, just a gentle time, I would highly recommend this!
May 2, 2024
5★
It's less than two weeks untill the release so it's time to finally share my review!
Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc of this book!
This felt like it was written for me. It had everything I thought I'd love. Witches, cottagecore vibes, magic based around honey, and a sapphic love story? Just sign me up. And I was right! Such a lovely and comforting read!
We follow Marigold who finds out from her grandmother that she is actually a witch and is given a choice of staying with her parents in a town she doesn’t like, or coming with her to become one. However, there is a catch. If she accepts her power and becomes the next honey witch, she may never find true love. Nobody can ever fall in love with her.
This book was so adorable and cute. I loved how relaxing it felt at times. It just made me want to run outside and lay in the grass in the sun, drink tea with honey, and plant flowers. (Which I actually kinda did? I planted strawberries and blueberries, so I'd say this book succeeded at that.) It’s a perfect book for when you can read outside in the sun.
I loved that it was slow-paced which usually I am not a fan of. However, it worked so well for this story. Even the romance was very very slow. The author herself calls this a “slowmantasy” and that’s such an accurate term. With the romance, you could feel the pull between our two characters and the yearning and I loved it! You could tell they were simply meant to be. It was perfect.
I loved Marigold as our main character. I liked how courageous and strong she was. Her love for animals and spirits and her grandmother. And of course, for Lottie.
Lottie was such an interesting character as well. Especially because she felt a bit like me at times. Grumpy, tattooed, artist who mainly wears dark colors. I loved her.
The vibes though! This was so cozy and heartwarming! If you love cozy fantasy, this one might be for you. I personally am very picky about them, but this one just hit the right spot. It feels like a nice sunny day outside with bees buzzing around and the smell of honey. It was so enjoyable!
I also have to mention that I very much liked the writing style of the author. For a debut novel, this was so well written. I’d definitely read another book written by her for sure!
Read if you like:
☆ witches and magic
☆ cozy fantasy
☆ slow burn romance
☆ cottagecore vibes
☆ sapphic love stories
___________________
RTC (probably closer to the publishing date) but I already have to tell you that I loved this so much!
It's less than two weeks untill the release so it's time to finally share my review!
Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc of this book!
This felt like it was written for me. It had everything I thought I'd love. Witches, cottagecore vibes, magic based around honey, and a sapphic love story? Just sign me up. And I was right! Such a lovely and comforting read!
We follow Marigold who finds out from her grandmother that she is actually a witch and is given a choice of staying with her parents in a town she doesn’t like, or coming with her to become one. However, there is a catch. If she accepts her power and becomes the next honey witch, she may never find true love. Nobody can ever fall in love with her.
This book was so adorable and cute. I loved how relaxing it felt at times. It just made me want to run outside and lay in the grass in the sun, drink tea with honey, and plant flowers. (Which I actually kinda did? I planted strawberries and blueberries, so I'd say this book succeeded at that.) It’s a perfect book for when you can read outside in the sun.
I loved that it was slow-paced which usually I am not a fan of. However, it worked so well for this story. Even the romance was very very slow. The author herself calls this a “slowmantasy” and that’s such an accurate term. With the romance, you could feel the pull between our two characters and the yearning and I loved it! You could tell they were simply meant to be. It was perfect.
I loved Marigold as our main character. I liked how courageous and strong she was. Her love for animals and spirits and her grandmother. And of course, for Lottie.
Lottie was such an interesting character as well. Especially because she felt a bit like me at times. Grumpy, tattooed, artist who mainly wears dark colors. I loved her.
The vibes though! This was so cozy and heartwarming! If you love cozy fantasy, this one might be for you. I personally am very picky about them, but this one just hit the right spot. It feels like a nice sunny day outside with bees buzzing around and the smell of honey. It was so enjoyable!
I also have to mention that I very much liked the writing style of the author. For a debut novel, this was so well written. I’d definitely read another book written by her for sure!
Read if you like:
☆ witches and magic
☆ cozy fantasy
☆ slow burn romance
☆ cottagecore vibes
☆ sapphic love stories
___________________
RTC (probably closer to the publishing date) but I already have to tell you that I loved this so much!
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