Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. I wanted to love this book, but I dnf’ed at 17%. The story just wasn’t grabbing me.

I was super excited to read this book, I love Queer witches. Sadly, I didn't really connect this book and ended up being a little bored.
There were parts that were really interesting, it just felt rushed overall.

One of my September listens was The Honey Witch, which has all the things you’d want in a magical cozy fall read. While the premise was great, the execution left me wanting. Filled with cottagecore vibes, this fantasy romance read more as a YA and/or a cozy read than anything else. So while the story itself was…fine; I never full felt invested in any of our characters, the plot, and thought the storyline felt a bit forced. I’m also still not 100% sure on the bases of the ‘magic’ and that always is just a let down for me.

I’m glad I did a buddy read otherwise I probably would have DNF’d. The audiobook itself was also fine, the narrator I liked but again just couldn’t seem to focus or care much about the story.

The Honey Witch comes out now. Huge thank you to Redhook for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my:
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Sweet, whimsical, and just a touch witchy, The Honey Witch is like sipping floral tea in a sun-dappled cottage—cozy with a hint of mischief. Shields crafts a charming world where bees are magical assistants and love blooms as unpredictably as wildflowers.

The vibe? Cottagecore, but make it mysterious. Endearingly chaotic even. Plot-wise, don’t expect high stakes—just a breezy escape into botanical enchantment.

Perfect for bee enthusiasts or anyone who’s ever side-eyed their houseplants and wondered, *What are you plotting?* 🍯🐝

This book was my dream as a child! A distant relative comes along to suddenly tell me that I have magical powers and we are going off somewhere magical. I truly loved the world and especially loved that bees were part of the magic system. I found this to be so creative! The romance was very sweet and took it's time getting there (in a good way!). For a debut, I especially loved this book and can't wait to see what the author does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book!

I was quite excited for The Honey Witch when I first read the premise. It sounded like a feel-good, warm-hug type of story. And while that is what it was, unfortunately I just didn't connect with this story in the same way I have for other stories within the cozy fantasy genre.

For one, I never felt like I connected to the characters real well. I'm not sure exactly what it was or why, but Marigold just felt a little flat to me. I never found myself growing with her or feeling her emotions throughout the story. The same was true of the cast of secondary characters. This story had elements of found family, which is normally one of my favorite tropes, but none of the characters induced that heart-tugging sensation in me.

The other drawback for me was that the plot felt a bit slow and drawn out at times. I think the story would have benefited by being cut down a bit.

Ultimately, it was a fun, light-hearted cozy fantasy but it just didn't draw me in and warm my soul like some of the most notable in the genre. A solid 3 star read for me.

Okay here is the thing, I think this book has a lot of potential, BUT there are many areas it is lacking. The first 14 or so chapters drag on. Shields includes many details that I feel do not add to the plot or characterization. There are many places in which things are brought up, but never tied back into the story. Then there were details that should have been included earlier than they were. I do feel Marigold is a relatable and likable character. Mari and Lottie’s relationship kept me reading. The tattoo scene on the ship is perfect! I do wish we were able to see Lottie’s growth rather than it be being a sudden shift in her character. The last thing: I feel the ending was extremely rushed. In my opinion, the first 14 chapters could have been shortened to 4, and the last 2 could have been 10 chapters. I think had a read this 3 years ago, I would probably have enjoyed it a lot more.

'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.'

The Honey Witch has all the ingredients for a cozy, magical read, but instead of a slow, honey-drenched tale, it rushes through its story at breakneck speed. The prose is more clipped than lush, the world-building often feels flimsy, and the dialogue shifts erratically between grand statements and awkward exposition. Marigold, our protagonist, is special because the book tells us so, not because we get to experience her growth naturally. The curse that drives the plot—preventing honey witches from being loved—falls apart under the slightest scrutiny, especially when magic baby-making is casually introduced.

There are occasional flashes of brilliance, particularly in Shields’ lyrical descriptions, but the story can’t seem to decide whether it wants to be a whimsical romance or a bitter commentary on societal expectations. The pacing is chaotic, dumping backstory at full speed instead of letting relationships and stakes develop organically. A novel about honey-magic should have been slow and decadent, but instead, it’s frantically trying to get itself over with.

Ultimately, The Honey Witch isn’t bad, just deeply frustrating. The potential is there, buried under awkward storytelling choices and an exhausting rush to the finish line. If you’re looking for a cozy, atmospheric fantasy, this probably won’t satisfy your craving.

The Honey Witch has a lot of mixed reviews, and until reading the book I couldn't pinpoint what about it could be so devisive. Now that I have read it, I can understand why so many people feel so uncertain about this novel. I think in terms of plot and setting, this novel is very strong. I really like the story's premise and the setting of Innisfree. Unfortunately, I found a lot of issues with the writing itself. Throughout the book, there are many signs that this is an inexperienced author's work (that is not to say a bad author's work). My main issue was how blunt and unnatural so many scenes felt. There were so many moments that felt like they were added solely because the tropes were trendy, and as such, weren't incorporated into the story very smoothly. There was also a lot of dialogue that felt like the author was trying too hard to be poetic. Overall, I think this story's plot and themes are quite strong, but I had issues with how hand-fisted, and often poorly paced the story is. That being said, the potential is there, and I would love to revisit this author's writing in the future after she has a bit more experience under her belt

Cozy witchy fantasy read with a HEA. I love that she found her soulmate ❤️. Also…I received this as an ARC early last year then my life crashed and burned and I never got around to reading it. I’m sad I put it off this long because it was right up my alley. I ended up borrowing the audio from Libby while reading the arc copy and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Loved the magic system, this was a really beautiful story of magic and love and the trails to get there.

Unfortunately this was way more historical that I expected, which isn't quite my taste. The paragraphs were longgggg with tons of exposition and hardly any dialogue. I wanted to jump right into the story, but the style prohibited that. I couldn't connect and felt a distance from the characters.

Let me start by saying that this is the cozy sweet witchy romance of my dreams!

Marigold Claude has always felt different and discovers that she is part of a long line of women called honey witches, who create magic using the natural world around us and, you guessed it, honey! When she travels to Innisfree to study under her grandmother, the current honey witch, she uncovers a generations long curse preventing her from being in love with the girl of her dreams and an angry ash witch hell bent on possessing Innisfree.

This is such an enchanting and sweet story that gives strong Practical Magic vibes. Marigold is such a relatable character as she goes on this journey of self discovery and I loved her interactions with the rest of the characters! The bonds she makes feel real and warm and helps you fall in love with every character that comes into her life!

The star of the story is for sure the setting and the magic! Shields does such an amazing job weaving the setting of Innisfree that you feel like you can taste the honey, smell the flowers, feel the grass under your feet, and see the bees buzzing away. The descriptions of everything are so consumingly wonderful that I flew through this book because I couldn’t put it down! The magic systems are also so unique that I was hooked after a couple chapters in!

I really wanted to like the Honey Witch. Marigold and Lottie were engaging characters, and I was so delighted to see more cozy, sapphic fantasy. Unfortunately, this was one of those books that had too many loopholes. The Honey Witches are cursed by the Ash witches to have to choose between love/procreating and retaining their magic. However, Marigold's mother gives up her magic, but was still able to have a child that has the Honey witch magic, making the Ash Witch's spell... useless?

Also, while Marigold's mother was able to choose between her magic and her love, Lottie just starts dying/suffering grievous injury when Marigold has feelings for her? It didn't make sense at all why these two experiences were so different.

I wish I had more positive things to say about this reading experience, but I was mostly just confused. I'm afraid I won't be recommending this title.

I think this is a really cute book, the end is a bit dramatic and hectic feeling, but everything else is like very cute, fun. I would love to know more about the world!

The characters really made it though, all but the lady they bought the dresses from and obviously the ash witch sucked too. But I loved the boys are our main girls and I thought the dad was so cute.

It's kind of slow but like not bad if you're in the mood for that.

Also. I feel like you can always tell when someone has spent time on tumblr 👀

This is perfect for people who are committed to the cottage core witch aesthetic with a touch of regency. There were definitely plot holes and the romance could have been more developed but I was in it for the vibes.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook for an advanced reader copy.

The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields was such a delightful read, and I absolutely loved every single thing about it! The world-building, the setting, and the atmosphere were all so rich and immersive. The magic system was fascinating, and the concept of a honey witch and an ash witch felt incredibly unique—especially as someone who’s read a lot of witchy books, it was refreshing to encounter something so different and special.

The story has this enchanting vibe that made me feel like I was transported to a meadow full of flowers, buzzing bees, and magic in the air. It made me want to take off my shoes, indulge in sweet honey, and whip up potions and herbal remedies. The atmosphere was that vivid and enchanting!

The romance, the LGBT representation, and the witchy elements came together in such a heartfelt and magical way. This is definitely a book I’d recommend for anyone looking for a charming, spellbinding story with a fresh take on magic and love. I truly adored everything about it!

"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." This was good for a debut novel. Look up trigger warnings before reading though.

I liked the characters, but wish I could have had more time with them. I didn't feel like we got enough time with the story or the characters. However, I did love that there was queer representation. I liked the sapphic romance and the cottagecore witchy vibes. I want to read more books by Sydney in the future.

This book had everything you could want in a sapphic novel! The FMC struggled initially, not knowing fully who she was. Discovering her family's secrets the length that went into protecting them and how everyone's worlds are tied together makes this book an easy read but also captivating. Light-hearted enough but still plot-driven and emotionally damaging!

I don't know if anyone else has ever read Chalice by Robin McKinley, but that is why I picked up this book. I've craved for years something similar.

Unfortunately, I felt this book just didn't live up to my hopes? Maybe I was putting too much pressure on it, but the story felt very flat and dull, despite such a great concept and cool world. I was expecting warm vibes and coziness, but everything felt too rushed and forced?

I found the whole focal point of the story (no marriage for Honey Witches) to just be....not great. I was expecting more of a reason why, but when the reveal happens I was pretty disappointed. Like that's it? That's the point? K.

All-in-all, I think this one just needed more to it. More story, more world building, and more warmth.