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.

There's always a need for a cozy read, and I'm so thrilled that we have The Honey Witch to fill that need. A captivating magic system with enough intrigue and plot to keep us going, but we don't need to do the intense heavy mental lifting of the big fantasy epics - what a treat and delight to curl up with The Honey Witch!

A sweet forbidden romance with magic, cottagecore charm, and a witchy book—what more could you ask for? The unique magic system, centered around bees and honey, was captivating. While the writing fell a bit short for me, I still thoroughly enjoyed it!

I DNF'ed after a few chapters. I wasn't a fan of the setting or the main character. The writing was fine. I realized I do not think I am a "cozy fantasy" fan.

The Honey Witch wasn’t a great hit for me. The storyline felt super rushed and while I don’t need the story to be super drawn out, I just think it could have been paced better. Don’t get me wrong I liked the majority of the character and the premise, it was just both lacking and too much for me at the same time.

Thank you, NetGalley and Redhook for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn't giving cozy fantasy like I was expecting. It was too rushed and everything just fell really flat.

i think this book is just mid. it isn’t good, but it isn’t bad. it was perfectly predictable in a way that it good to entertain me for a few days.

This was a very lovely, cozy romantasy!
Lesbian witches will always have me happy to be reading, so I loved that piece of this. The tension between the love interests had me hooked from the moment they were introduced!
My interest honestly fell off a bit in the later half of the book. I was less interested in the witch fight I think than the internal battles of our protagonist.

*The Honey Witch* by Sydney Shields is a charming witchy romance filled with magic, family secrets, forbidden love, and self-discovery. The story follows Marigold Claude as she moves to Innisfree to learn from her grandmother and embrace her destiny as a witch. Reuniting with old friends and meeting the captivating, yet elusive Lottie Burke, Marigold is pulled into a whirlwind of emotions and new realizations. As Marigold navigates her growing affection for Lottie, she also begins to confront the weight of her family’s curse and the potential loneliness that comes with her future as the honey witch.

The relationship between Marigold and Lottie develops slowly, filled with tension and tenderness, but their love is overshadowed by the dark curse that haunts Marigold’s family. To protect her town and her loved ones, Marigold must confront the powerful ash witch who has longed to take over Innisfree. As danger looms, Marigold is determined to fight for a future where she can have both love and freedom, ultimately choosing to write her own story.

The book offers a unique and heartfelt tale that blends romance, magic, and a deep sense of belonging. The cover immediately draws you in, with its illustration of a cozy cottage surrounded by vibrant, wildflowers—a perfect reflection of the enchanting world within. The bond between Marigold and her grandmother feels warm and real, with Shields capturing the essence of family love and magical wisdom. The slow-burn sapphic romance is engaging, relatable, and full of quiet moments of connection. Additionally, the honey and ash magic system adds an intriguing and beautiful touch to the story.

While *The Honey Witch* is an imaginative and tender story, I personally didn’t feel a strong connection with the characters or the romance. This might be because I’m not a huge fan of romantasy, and the slow-building romance wasn’t enough to fully draw me in. The pacing felt a bit off at times, and some elements of the plot could have been more tightly developed. That said, fans of magical romance and character-driven fantasy may still find it enjoyable.

3 stars.

The Honey Witch had a captivating premise, but for me, it didn’t fully live up to expectations. The plot had a lot of potential, but there were a few things that kept me from fully enjoying it. One major issue I had was with the time period of the story. The dialogue and overall style felt mismatched to the historical period it was supposed to take place in. The characters’ conversations, with their modern expressions and casual tone, clashed a little with the world-building for me. It was distracting, and at times, it took me out of the story.

All in all, The Honey Witch has some good ideas but didn't quite nail the execution.

Cute story, not my cup of tea, but really good and cute. I definitely recommend to anyone looking for a cozy read.

Marigold sets out to learn from her grandmother and step in to her true potential, but a generational curse leaves her to fight for everything she worked for. The Honey Witch takes some of the best ingredients: witchy women, familial curses, sapphic romance, and a cozy feel, and blends them together into a sweet story that sticks on you, just like honey.

I looked forward to this book after seeing Sydney Shields posts on tiktok advertising her Sapphic, witchy, cottagecore novel. The anticipation bubbled throughout the whole booktok community and Shields definitely delivered with The Honey Witch.