I was really excited about this book from Instagram (great marketing!), but it’s not for me. I tried the first couple of chapters, but I personally just don’t like first-person present narration.
Cover is great, book hook is great, and it seems like an excellent concept with well-developed characters, but it’s not my book. I will not be posting reviews elsewhere, and I do think there is an audience for this author, and the cottagecore elements are excellent. Best of luck!

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook for the ARC to review


I rated this book 3 stars because while I did like this book, it is not one of my favorites in the genre. It would’ve been 5 stars for me if there was more time spent on some subplots ( like her relationship w/ Althea) and less on other plots that don’t make a difference in the overall story. The ending felt rushed as well and I wish Marigold would’ve done something to make me believe that she was as powerful as Althea believed.

This is a book for readers looking for cottage vibes, found family, and some heavier topics like grief. This is not a book for those who criticize writing style and look closely at magic systems/world building.

3.5 🌟I've really been looking forward to this book! This sapphic, cozy fantasy made my off-time extra magical!

The writing of this novel is great for those starting to get back into reading again as an adult. The writing is pretty straight-forward, enough so that I thought I was reading a Hallmark movie. I did think for a while this book was a YA novel, but when the first spicy scene came up halfway in, I was very surprised. I would say that was the one moment of this book where I was surprised. The Honey Witch was predictable, but that's what made it extra cozy and easy-going. Though, I do wish it had more unexpected moments to add to reflect the unexpected nature of magic in the book.

The world-building was really at it's prime in the middle of the book. I would've loved to have seen this book open up with a cooking scene, or went straight into learning about being a honey witch. Even if it started out like Kiki's Delivery Service I would have loved that. But alas, I felt as though the beginning was a little rough. Once I got 40% in, everything started to finally fall into place for me. The scenes outside and around the cottage could've used more whimsy detail -- even simple fluff would really entrance me into the magic of this story. I would've loved to see more cozy moments with Marigold practicing her spells. Regardless, the regency twist with modern language was very interesting to see play out. And with that, the descriptions of those very regency x modern outfits were so fun!

Overall, this book lifted my spirits for two nights. I can't wait to see what else Shields comes up with after this book. Huge thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and Sydney J Shield for sending me an eARC of this book.

this enchanting story had me wrapped in a warm, cozy embrace of beauty and emotion. the delicate prose painted a picture of love and loss that felt both familiar and mystical. there was a really comforting exploration of death, which i never knew i needed. let’s just say this book hit extremely close to home for me in more ways than one. despite feeling the occasional lag in pacing, this book really got me and i’m currently still crying while typing this review. <3

thank you to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed the world building within the book and the relationships between the characters. I personally wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style or the FMC which made it hard for me to get into the book. The premise of the book is great, but really started to fall apart for me in the end. The ending seemed a bit rushed and confusing.

This book was extremely disappointing to me. And I'm really upset about it because this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I mean... sapphic witches, magic, cottagecore vibes...how could one possibly go wrong? But everything about this book rubbed me all the wrong ways. Let me break it down...

1. The Magic System
Now, I'm all for loose magic systems that are just vibes. But even those have to make at least a little bit of sense. I didn't understand any of the magic in this book. The main character, Marigold, was wielding different kinds of magic on every page and none of it made any sense. It was so hard to follow for absolutely no reason. It was like the author was making it up as they went with no concern for continuity. It was so frustrating to read.

2. Characters
The characters of this book fell so flat. I didn't care about any of them. One of them literally dies (only to be brought back to life in .2 seconds) and I had no emotional response to it whatsoever. I didn't care about the main relationship of the book much less the side relationship. And "found family" is a very loose term for what this describes. We don't get to know the characters at all. I couldn't tell you a single thing about any of them except that Marigold is extremely annoying and acts like a 5-year-old throughout the entire book and Lottie's character does a straight-up 180 on us halfway through the book. No character growth or development, just an entirely different character.

3. Story
There wasn't even really a "story" or "plot" to follow throughout this book. Literally, nothing happened throughout the entire book aside from the last 15 pages when the "final battle" happens if you can even call it that. It was so slow and so boring. We don't pick up where we left off in the synopsis until a good 30% of the book. So boring. So slow. It was an absolute drag to read.

4. The Prose
The writing in this book is some of the most mediocre writing I've ever read. It just...I don't even know. Some really cringy dialogue scenes made me roll my eyes and want to throw the whole thing away. And please don't even get me started on the number of times we see the phrase "impossible girl". Oh my god, every time Marigold referred to Lottie as an "impossible girl" I was transported back to my Wattpad fanfiction days. It was so cringe and frustratingly annoying. That phrase was in there at least 100 times. Also, half the writing didn't even make any sense. There were a few scenes when the characters would be conversing in one room and then with no transition, they'd just end up somewhere else. It was so incredibly frustrating to read.

I want to make it clear that I have nothing against books that are just vibes. But this is not that. Nothing about this book was vibes. It was all very annoying, frustrating, and honest to god a burning dumpster fire. I question how this was passed through rounds of edits because...it's just bad. Like are we sure there was an editor on this team and if so why are they not doing their job? Anyway, that about sums up the most devastating read of the year so far for me. For me, this book was just straight-up garbage.

Cozy, bees, witches, love story......give me more! I really enjoyed this book so much!

Marigold is the Honey Witch and she cannot find true love, but she meets a young woman who doesn't believe in magic at all and maybe she'll break the curse!

If you love cozy, magical, love stories, this one is for you! I loved this book and loved how it flowed...didn't want it to end!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Redhook for allowing me access to the e-arc of The honey Witch in exchange for my honest review,

The Honey Witch was unfortunately, a miss for me. I knew almost from the beginning that I wouldn't connect with the book. The writing felt like it was trying so hard to be lyrical that it lacked depth. The pacing of the plot was completely off.

Unfortunately the world building and characters weren't enough to keep me want to keep reading so I unfortunately DNF'ed early on.

I don't know what didn't work for me and this book. Early on, I found the exposition of the magic system to be overbearing and 'tell don't show'. That could have soured me for the rest of the book.

Bridgerton/Pride & Prejudice/cottagecore vibes but make it sapphic with witches & magic!
I absolutely loved “The Honey Witch” by Sydney J Shields. It’s just so beautifully written. I highlighted more passages in this than any book I’ve read.
Set in the 1800s, Marigold rebels against the expectations of marriage & bearing children. She learns that she is a Honey Witch with the power to heal and help others. But this power comes with a price, the witches in her family have been cursed to never find true love. Marigold gladly accepts her new powers and position until she meets the prickly & skeptical, Lottie. Will love conquer all or is Marigold doomed to be alone?

Thank you to NetGalley & Redhook Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

2.5 stars.

Okay, I’m kinda bummed about this one. It had so much potential…

This is a very cozy, very atmospheric, cottage-core fantasy-esque story that, once again, had so much potential but was lacking in a few areas. The plot felt a little thin, as well as the world-building and characters. I wasn’t connected to them at all. There were MULTIPLE issues that began and became resolved on the same page. Plot holes, yes. Predictable, kinda. The pacing was very, very strange to me and I kept having to re-read to ensure I didn’t miss something. Perhaps worst of all, there was basically INSTA-LOVE.

I will say that this book earned its stars in imagery. The author did a fantastic job of setting the scene and making Innisfree somewhere I would love to visit. The premise was cool and there were elements of the world-building I really enjoyed. Sitting outside on a warm spring day, reading about Marigold’s potions and tonics would definitely be a vibe.

I was also thrown as some of this book is so well written and beautiful, and some of it feels very childish and unpolished ??

This review will be shorter than it deserves due to spraining my wrist -BUT - I loved this. I've been searching for something similar to the very secret society of irregular witches since I read it last year for book club, and this scratched that itch.

If you love nature and flowers and are looking for something with a cottage-core vibe, this is for you. The magic system was new and unique, and the idea of an Ash Witch and Honey Witch is so fun.

Thank you, Netgalley, for allowing me to read an early copy of this book!

Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
Steam: 🔥🔥 /5
Overall: 5/5

The Honey Witch is a cozy + sapphic fantasy romance about a Honey Witch who learns to protect the magical Isle of Innisfree. Marigold Claude is done fielding dances with underwhelming suitors. When her grandmother arrives at Marigold’s family home with an offer to train as the next Honey Witch, Marigold accepts immediately, consequences be damned. But as Marigold spends more time on Innisfree with a certain grumpy tattoo artist, she begins to understand the consequences of her choices, and how there may be no going back.

I feel so incredibly grateful to start 2024 with one of my most anticipated releases of the year, so thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is such an incredible book. The setting is so immersive and atmospheric, and the magic system is unique yet easily understood.

I adore this cast of characters so much. Marigold is a very relatable protagonist, filled with feminine rage and happiness and everything in between. I really need Sydney Shields to go full Bridgerton and write a love story for all the characters because I can’t get enough of them.

The romance is easily my favourite part of this book. A Honey Witch cursed to never fall in love and a stubborn artist who falls in love with her anyway??? HARD YES.

Do yourself a favour and pre-order this book from your local indie ASAP.

The Honey Witch comes out May 14th!

Content warnings:
- Tattooing/Needles
- Burns
- Blood/Injuries
- Sex
- House fire
- Bee stings
- Loss of a grandparent
- Death/Grief
- Discussions of infertility
- Miscarriage (not the heroine)

(Rating rounded up from 2.5*)

The concept of this book is wonderful! There are a lot of great things, but also some areas that fell short for my liking.

Pros:
× very interesting and unique magic system
× lovely LGBTQIA+ rep
× sweet, cozy vibes and some really beautiful prose and great, quotable passages
× the relationship between Althea and Marigold is beautiful - I know it was personal to the author and this shines through
× interesting and whimsical world building

Cons:
× many places where more showing vs telling would have helped
× the pacing felt very strange and I went long stretches without feeling engaged in the story
× I felt there was a lack of character/relationship building
× the writing style/tense/POV felt clumsy and I was sometimes confused by the flow of things/events and actions felt unclear
× this was described as "regency era" but if that's the case, it was very ahistorical and definitely needed more research (especially around dialogue)

Overall this is a good read for those interested in a soft cozy fantasy with queer rep and a unique magic system. I think the author has a lot of potential; I would have loved for her to lean a lot more into describing the whimsical world and engaging all of the readers' senses. She introduced a lot of cool things that I wish were more fleshed out.

This was exactly what I was needing from a book right now. This was such a cute, cozy, magical sapphic story. I had such a fun time reading this book. I adore the magic system in this book. Everything about the concept of the honey witch is just lovely. I loved getting to see the magic building in this book. It was one that was super easy to follow, which I loved.

I definitely had a hard time putting this book down while I was reading. I adored this story so much and I wish I could see more of this world. This was my highest anticipated read for 2024 and I am very honored to have received this arc. I can’t wait to read more from Sydney Shields when the time comes! I seriously love her writing style, The Honey Witch was truly so beautiful.

Thank you Netgalley and Redhook Books for this arc!

Gosh, I think the idea could’ve been executed much differently if its biggest obstacle wasn’t the dialogue, which felt so stilted and out of place. I really wanted to like this but I couldn’t. DNF @ 20%.

I believe that the premise of this book is so promising and paints a wonderful story of magic, love, and perseverance. Unfortunately, I really couldn’t get into this story at any point and much of it fell flat for me.

The main turn-offs for me were that the book’s timeline felt very choppy, especially in the beginning, with the story skipping forwards with no/minimal explanation as to what happened during the time in between. Additionally, the writing style seemed very telly, not showy, leaving very little opportunity for me to have the experience of imagery or immersion. Also, there was one main plot and it really seemed like that was the only thing that matter in this story, that the actions of the main characters were isolated in their world and the outside world had no effect or influence.

The main reason that I found myself disappointed in this story, however, was the romance. While I loved the idea of a lesbian witch relationship when I read the description (and the existence of said relationship at all helped bump up to a 2 star rating), the relationship seemed so fake and forced. I suppose it was meant to be an enemies to lovers type relationship, however the ‘love’ interest just came across as plain mean and dismissive of the main character, yet the main character kept going on about how much she loved her.

To end on a positive note though, I did think that this story, though definitely not my favorite and felt to me as though it could have used more time with editing and polishing, does have some potential, especially with the honey/ash magic system which is quite unique.

3 stars. The Honey Witch, on paper, sounds like a novel I would absolutely eat up - a sapphic, cottagecore romance about a witch cursed never to find love and the girl who breaks her curse. And it is true that The Honey Witch is those things - one of my favorite parts of reading this book was the passages describing Marigold's life on Innisfree, her days spent learning magic and making potions and tending bees with her grandmother. But another thing that is true is that I put this book down at ~30% and read something like 3 other books in the meantime because the slow pacing bored me so much that even the honey-colored aura of Marigold's cottagecore life couldn't entice me back in.

This is an odd novel. In many ways, it reads like a fairytale - the magic, the themes of love and family and dealing with grief, the Regency-era setting conveniently free of homophobia, the simplistic characterizations of the characters, the last of which I would've excused more if it had remained true to that fairytale tone, which it didn't. At first, I almost wondered if I had accidentally overlooked a middle-grade rating when I requested this ARC, but then I checked the Goodreads page and found out that this is meant to be an adult novel, after all. This made sense after I finally convinced myself to pick this book back up and read further; for all of its fairytale, cottagecore vibes, the plot veers into some very heavy (as well as very adult) themes later on for which the author's simplistic prose and fairytale-esque tone unfortunately doesn't do any favors. The plot jumps from a cozy, cottagecore tone to Marigold frantically fighting for her life with a jarring lack of build-up, which also made the high-stakes moments fall flat when they seemed to come out of nowhere (and get resolved just as quickly). Honestly, it felt to me that this novel probably needs another round or two of editing before publication.

Marigold and Lottie's romance was sweet but underdeveloped, which - again - I would've excused more if The Honey Witch didn't try to be more than a silly, sweet fairytale. But because it asked me to take it seriously, I did, and doing so takes The Honey Witch a step down from a sweet escapist fairytale into ... something less cohesive. A story that is still sweet and cozy (sometimes) for those who are looking for those vibes - if there's something that The Honey Witch certainly delivers, it's vibes - but otherwise not quite as compelling as I'd hoped.

I was intrigued by the summary of this book and the coziness (which I usually love!) but I ended up DNF'ing this one. I am very much a mood reader so it could have had something to do with that, but I just could not connect to the writing even though the story itself was intriguing.

Dnfing 10% in. The prose is very pretty and it drew me in immediately but there is something odd, disjointed, and robotic about the dialogue. The conversations seem to move past the characters, rather than connecting with one another. It's the author's first novel, so I'm not gonna be overly critical, they just need more practice at dialogue.