𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒌𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒏 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒆𝒕. 𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.

Hello, my name is Nici and I now identify not just as a witch but hence forth as a Honey Witch.

Y’all, this book is magical. The writing is so beautiful and everything I needed right now. It reminds me in so many ways of a warm hug and I had more than a few teary eyed moments as Mari is navigating life with Althea (and without her). I have been having the absolute best time with debut authors this year! Sydney J Shields really did amazing with this one.

As I tend to do, I went into this arc rather blindly. I have a few criteria: 1) beautiful cover 2) magic 3) witches and as long as I have those three things little else matters when I am picking up a new book. Throw in sapphic love and BAYBEEEE (pun unintended, but it fits) and I am SOLD immediately. So I did not realize it was sapphic until I was well into it around 45% and very happy once we got to that point. I am very much someone who skims a synopsis for main clues and knows if I will like something or not. The surprise of doing this is also often the best part.

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏, 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆? 𝑶𝒓, 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖?

Watching the growth of Marigold as it unfolded was second favorite thing only to watching the relationship of Lottie and Marigold come to life. These two women both having been through various traumas and not only finding but holding onto that connection in spite of what may occur due to said traumas.

I adore these characters so much. Marigold reminds me of myself in so many ways. Althea could also be a composite of both of my grandparents. I love also how August comes back into the picture later when Marigold needs people the most.

Dare I say again, how much Marigold reminds me of me? Although older and having been married and had children (very young), I am at a chapter where my children are adults and living their own lives so I get to think first and foremost of myself for the first time in my life. I am also happy being alone but alas, realizing I do indeed get lonely from time to time and have been searching for people to believe in me and form a friendship much like Mari, August, and Lottie.

Dare I also mention that I need to find my own Innisfree because landlocked city of St Louis is not where my nature loving/water needing soul is happy!

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.

Honey Witch will make you want to curl up with a Cindershine of your own. Brew a fresh cup of Earl Gray and your coziest of socks and throw blanket. I had a hard time putting it down and had sleep requirements and my dreadful 9-5 not been in my way, I would have easily knocked this out faster. But I will add that some part of me wanted to take it slower, to spend more time among the apiary and the cottage.

𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒖𝒑 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒎𝒆. 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐 𝒔𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕.

I am looking forward to future books by this author and having a beautiful copy of The Honey Witch in my hands come 14 May 24.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝘼𝙧𝙘 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝 @𝙤𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨_𝙪𝙨 @𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 @𝙨𝙮𝙙𝙣𝙚𝙮𝙟𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙𝙨

I went into this book with high expectations and I was not let down. It was the exact witchy cottagecore book I was expecting. I can see myself re-reading this again and again for the cozy vibes.

Thank you NetGalley for a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Honey Witch" by Sydney J. Shields is a heartwarming debut that skillfully blends elements of magic, romance, and self-discovery. Set against the mystical backdrop of the Isle of Innisfree, Shields weaves a tale that resonates with the power of love and the complexities of embracing one's true self.

The story follows Marigold Claude, a young woman more at home with spirits than suitors, who embraces her destiny as the next Honey Witch under her grandmother's guidance. However, this magical inheritance comes with a significant caveat – the Honey Witch cannot be loved. This rule is put to the test with the arrival of Lottie Burke, a skeptic who dismisses the magic Marigold holds dear. The dynamic between Marigold and Lottie is expertly crafted, evolving from playful antagonism to a deeper, more meaningful connection.

Shields' narrative shines in its exploration of themes like the conflict between duty and desire, and the courage to defy expectations. The magic system in the book is both unique and charming, centered around the ancient and nurturing craft of beekeeping. The ‘Honey Witch’ concept is not only original but also serves as a metaphor for Marigold's journey towards understanding her powers and the sacrifices they entail.

While the novel is a delightful read, some readers might find the pacing a bit slow in the middle sections. However, this pacing allows for a deeper exploration of character development and the enchanting world Shields has created. Additionally, the book handles its LGBTQIAP+ themes with sensitivity and grace, making it a significant contribution to diverse fantasy literature.

In summary, "The Honey Witch" by Sydney J. Shields is a sweet and enchanting story that successfully marries elements of fantasy and romance. It’s a tale that speaks to the heart, exploring themes of acceptance, love, and the magic that resides within us all. Ideal for readers who enjoy magical realism with a heartfelt romantic subplot, this book is a testament to the enduring power of love and the magic of finding one's true place in the world.

I really enjoyed this book, I would recommend it to those who loved Legends and Lattes. Ever since I read that book I have been searching for other cozy fantasies that are fairly low stakes and I feel like this book fit in that category. There was a conflict but instead of having it drag on and on, I feel like it was resolved quickly enough where it doesn't make you anxious. I'll definitely be recommending this book and I will be on the lookout for any future works from this author.

Thank you to Redhook/Orbit and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up

Fitting solidly into the cozy fantasy sub-genre, the publication announcement for "The Honey Witch" describes it as a mix between Bridgerton and Practical Magic, but vibes-wise it lies closer between Howl's Moving Castle (both book and movie version) - which is in no way a bad thing. The magic system was lovely and the character dynamics were sweet. This was an impressive debut.

I do think that the twist/climax came a bit late and were resolved quickly. I had figured out the twist fairly quickly, and the finale was well written, but very quickly solved. It was a lingering threat throughout the book, but got bad very quickly at the end, and was solved almost as quick.

I immediately got lost in the words of this book and pulled into Marigold’s story! I was unable to put it down until I finished it. It was a refreshing story of ‘Love Conquers All’ that I thoroughly enjoyed. Great LGBTQ+ representation as well, and I look forward to reading more novels from Sydney J. Shields.