Actual rating: 4.5 stars

If you ever wanted a book that quite literally made you feel like you were stepping into the most luscious, cottagecore, bee filled garden you could ever imagine The Honey Witch is your book. It is a wonderful standalone, discussing grief, duty, and guardianship over the land.

Marigold is our protagonist, who has never felt like she has belonged in the world of balls and suitors. She prefers to run barefoot in the moonlight and mud, to dance with spirits, and shout just as she would sing. When she is reunited with her estranged grandmother, Marigold finally understands where this part of herself comes from. Her mother had a choice, to stay with the magic or embrace romantic love, and she had chosen love. Marigold seizes the other option.

We see Marigold grow into a witch alongside the help of her grandmother - helping out those in the community with spells and tonics, not only deepening her relationship with the earth, but physically and spiritually as well.

As her learning progresses, we are introduced to Lottie, a young woman who is skeptical of magic and who brings something neither of them expect…

This book genuinely feels like stepping through a magical door and walking through an early summer field of tall grass and running your fingertips over them as you pass by.

There is a level of queerness in this story that is just so delicious. In the various acts and words and approaches, it’s so comforting. For the aromantics like me, there’s even this wonderful passage where Marigold thinks about how she cannot love and be a witch, but that she would not object to a long-term companion - ugh I loved that so much. But then of course when she is at the risk of having romantic love, we get some aro-phobic language so keep an eye out for that. There’s some good and some bad.

On the vibes alone, this book is definitely worth picking up. Just let yourself step through that magical door and be ready to get lost with Marigold.

I will add that during the reading of this book, I was going through a very difficult time with my grandmother’s health (one that I have a much poorer relationship with compared to Marigold and her grandmother) and the themes of grief and loss and moving on were quite difficult to read when my feelings were still so raw. So I think readers should keep that in mind regarding _when_ they actually pick this up and to make sure they are in the right headspace for some of the heavier themes of this otherwise cozy fantasy.

Hisses & Kisses 🐍

*I received an eARC from Redhook Books & NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*

I really, really wanted to love this book but it just didn't live up to my expectations. I found the story and characters quite flat and was bored at times. That being said, it was still a solid book.

It's a cute book. I thought the magic system was interesting (which I really wished we got to see more of), and I enjoyed the setting. I appreciated the themes it attempted to tackle, especially how it discussed grief. The characters all feel like separate people with their own goals and the tension between them makes sense. But all in all, it was only meagerly executed.

The bulk of this book's issues are structural. It just didn't feel like anything was happening and the narrative had very little forward momentum. Most of this had to do with the isolated nature of the main character, which I do understand is the point, but if that was the case I think it would've benefited from giving her a larger overarching goal or a more looming threat. Some of the discussions about judging women's decisions came off as weird to me and were very elementary executed. I understand that this is a debut novel, but I think a LOT could've been tightened up if each scene accomplished multiple things at once and added some much-needed dimension and texture to the book.

But, if you like the premise, it's very much you get what you see. It's cute, it's comforting, it's a little dark. Some of the conflict is a little ridiculous... like two sapphics who are so horny for each other it causes issues. But alas.

4.25 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


I always wanted my letter from Hogwarts or a family member to tell me that secretly I was a witch. In the Honey Witch, Marigold is the one who is awkward and lives in the fringe of society in her very artsy community of Bardshire. Her one serious romantic entanglement ended abruptly, and she has no prospects for marriage.

Marigold sees magical creatures, at least some, in a meadow near her home. No one else can see them, and it seems that everyone humors her tales of these creatures and her gifts. While her brother Frankie can play the violin like a dream and her sister Aster sings like an angel, this is Marigold’s only gift.

Until her grandmother appears at the family home in Bardshire and she gives Marigold the news Marigold has always wanted to hear. She is special. She has a very important gift. And as her grandmother Althea is on her way out of this world, it is up to Marigold to take over and protect the island of Innisfree.

I loved this book. While there were times it did drag a bit, the story of Marigold, her family, and Althea was so magical (no pun intended.) I was captivated by Honey Magic. I did not want the story to end. There were no throwaway characters. Everyone had a place an purpose in the novel.

Would definitely recommend!!

I think I'm supposed to start with a brief description of the story and a hook for you. I can't. I was confused most of the time. There's a girl that learns she's a witch. There's a skeptic that must be proved wrong. It's sapphic. Oh, there's a curse. There's a lot and it seemed like too much.

The premise is interesting. Kind of Practical Magic like but the comparison stops with the curse and a skeptic. The pacing was all over the place. Some scenes seemed superfluous to the main story. And while they may have supported some subthemes, those subthemes did little to help move the story and only bogged the pacing.

The Honey Witch didn't land for me but ymmv.

The Honey Witch is a Bridgerton X HalloweenTown novel. Set in the regency era, Marigold is a young woman who flee s high society to become a witch alongside her grandmother. unfortunately, her powers come with a curse, if she becomes a Honey Witch no one can ever fall in love with her.

This cottage core romance is a little slow pace at first which may be difficult for some readers and then at the end it feels a little rush. Besides that, it's a beautifully written story, the way she describes the settings and surroundings is breathtaking. The magic system is centered around bees which I really like. It's a sweet, heartfelt story, with a little bit of spice. Please check the trigger warning before diving into this book, since it contains descriptions of like grief, loss, burns and needles.

DNF at 20%

I really wanted to love this! The writing is beautiful and this book had many things I was excited about: magic, witches, and sapphic love. However, I had no investment in continuing the story and it felt like a chore every time I picked it up. I cannot speak for the entire novel, but the buildup to being a sapphic love story just seemed too stereotypical. Girl has fancy balls and dresses, girl never wants to get married, girl complains about everything love and romance related. When the love interest was introduced it had the same vibe, girl in pretty ball gown looks so uncomfortable, like she would rather be in any other outfit, and also hates the world. I feel like in 2024 there is a better way to begin the telling of a sapphic love story without going to stereotype route.

Again, the writing was beautiful and I would definitely be interested in reading another story from this author! This wasn’t for me, but hopefully it resonates with someone out there.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I wanted to read this book so much just based on the blurb and the beautiful cover and I am not disappointed! This book is so freaking cozy and mysterious with magic and forbidden love and found family. The beginning felt a little bit slow for me. That’s why it took me a while to actually finish reading it, but probably at about 20%. I was really getting to know the characters and wanting to know how everything would play out by the end. I had tears of sadness, tears of happiness And what I love most happily ever after! Thank you so much to Sydney Shields and Orbit Books US for this advance reader copy!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is such a heartwarming sapphic tale. A witch cursed to never love who finds someone to love her. I love anything fluffy and magical so this was a win for me. The characters are sweet and you want them to fall for each other. This was such a warm debut and I can’t wait for more from this author!!

This was pretty good. It was a quick and easy read and easy read. Perfect for the witchy season. It was also a bit on the cozy side which I like.

If you are looking for your next cozy read, then I would definitely recommend reading this book! It was beyond adorable and it definitely hit the spot with a warm cup of tea! If you love, Legends and Latte, then I would definitely pick this up as soon as possible.

This one wasn't for me. This is for the girlie who really loves Regency romance with a witchy twist. A little bit of cozy fantasy with a lesbian romance at the core focus. I just felt like almost nothing happened. The the fmc has a curse on her and she ends up figuring out l9ve life and being a witch. Cute and cozy but just not my taste.

I really enjoyed The Honey Witch, it was the perfect cozy, sapphic whichy romance with such a fun and unique magic system!
The writing style was very enjoyable, and extremely atmospheric and had me feeling like I was transported to the world. Definitely reccomend if you are a cozy fantasy fan!

Generational magic, witchy women, cottagecore, a very well lid out magical system. While this read is a slow burn, it does a great job of setting up the world and parameters making it easy to follow once the book really takes off. It made me want to curl up in my chair with a warm cup of tea and not let this book go!

This was absolutely amazing definitely what I expected an enchanted and whimsical witchy tale I loved marigold and her character development all and all definitely recommend this book!

A sapphic fantasy romance reminiscent of Practical Magic that is sure to sweep you off of your feet! The atmosphere and mood of this book was its biggest selling point and I was definitely sold!

In 'The Honey Witch,' twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude, destined to become the next Honey Witch of Innisfree, embraces her magical heritage and the bittersweet stipulation that no one may fall in love with her. Her resolve is tested when Lottie Burke, a skeptic of magic, arrives, challenging Marigold not only to prove the reality of her powers but also stirring unexpected feelings. As darker forces threaten their blossoming connection and her island, Marigold must fight to protect her home, her magic, and the possibility of love defying her curse.

The story follows Marigold as she learns about her power, learns about being a witch, grieves the loss of her Grandmother, finds friends, and eventually finds her soulmate. By the end of the book, she grows into her power and love and who she is meant to be as a person. It was beautiful to read about Marigold. The book also follows Marigold's siblings, Aster and Frankie, who go on to find their soulmates and have happily ever afters.

Finally, in the very beginning of the book, Marigold's mother, Raina, is found to have been keeping Marigold's true nature as the honey witch a secret from her to protect her. When Marigold's Grandmother, Althea, comes to collect her, this explosion of emotion happens in the family over Marigold's choice to become the next Honey Witch. Throughout the book, you watch Marigold and Raina repair the relationship and understand the other's choices. It promotes this healthy and happy family that people strive to have.

The writing style of The Honey Witch was very easy to read and follow. At times, it felt as if I was being told rather than shown, which isn't the way I prefer to read. But with the book being written in the third person, it did make a bit more sense. Overall, the writing style was well done and made the experience of reading the book all-consuming. At times, it even made me forget I was reading.

The story unfolds in a very linear fashion, with Marigold having a few flashbacks to a particular moment during her childhood: when the Ash Witch attacked her and her family while they were staying at her Grandmother's cottage.

Love triumphs over all. This was the central theme throughout the book, but it also allowed for an examination of grief and how complex those feelings are. Marigold lost her Grandmother a couple of months after being reunited with her. Near the end of the story, she ultimately loses Mr. Benny, whom she sees as a grandfather figure, and she grieves this. Marigold also grieves what could have been with Lottie when they were separated during the winter. All of this is real and raw for Marigold, and it feels as if it were written in a place of love.

In The Honey Witch, soulmates are seen as the ultimate happiness, which is extremely beautiful. Marigold and Lottie, Althea and Mr. Benny, Marigold’s parents, August and Frankie. This makes the idea of this "ultimate love" something so special and cherished, giving the feeling that this is why we go through life. Lottie even says, "I can finally love you the way I am meant to," which is a heartbreakingly beautiful concept for these characters and makes you reflect on your own life. Both topics, grief, and love, were beautifully handled and expertly written.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am very glad that I had the chance to read it. It had been on my radar ever since Sydney J. Shields' TikToks started to pop up with her promoting her book. It's a nice, low-stakes, cozy, magical realism book set in a Bridgerton-esque world.

I LOVE the premise, and I'm always here for a cozy sapphic story. I think I was just surprised to be thrust into the world so quickly and without a breath. The characters also felt so distant, particularly with the narration and writing style, making it difficult at times to stay focused on the story.

I unfortunately had to dnf this @ 24% I really loved the cottagecore vibes and I think the worldbuilding had a lot of potential but I simply found myself so incredibly bored and couldn’t get myself to continue reading. I don’t wanna push myself to finish this book because I know I wouldn’t have been able to rate the book very highly.

DNF at 36%
While the topic of grief got me emotional at times, once that passed into the next part of the plot, it lost me. I don’t like the girl the fmc is likely to have a romance with and I’m not invested enough to stick around for it to work out.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook books for a digital arc in exchange for my honest review