When I tell people about this book, I tell them how it was such a fun, cute, cozy read from start to finish! All the characters were super enjoyable and I am in love with the world that Sydney J. Shields brought to life. I wish I had better words than “cozy” to describe it but that’s really such an accurate description. I plan on checking out more of her books because of how much I loved this one.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Slow-burn, sapphic, and just the right amount of suspense. Shields did a wonderful job of fleshing out her characters, showing their motives, and hinting at what was to come. I was tearing through the pages to see how the story would end, and while I hope to see more of Marigold and Lottie, the end of this story left me feeling cozy and content.

Amazing story! I loved the characters and really connected with their journey. It really inspired me to be more intentionally cozy.

This was a DNF. I just wasn't feeling it. I've heard mixed things about it so I didn't feel like pushing through. A lot of readers who enjoy cozy fantasy may enjoy this! It just wasn't for me. Love that it's sapphic though! I would consider listening to an audiobook from this author in the future, depending on the plot.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was very much a cosy read. Unfortunately it wasn't for me.

just started reading (managed to get my paws on a copy of the gorgeous YELLOW sprayed edges from Fairyloot) and my goodness this is quite beautiful.

If I had to recommend one cozy fantasy novel, this would be it. This book stole my heart and the characters live rent-free in my mind. The main characters remind me of my great grandmother and it warmed my heart to it's core every time she appeared on the page. I loved the opposites attract trope and the ending was so heartwarming!

This book was like a warm hug--I was captured right away. The characters were vibrant and caught my attention. I connected with them so deeply. I'll be rereading this one and it is a permanent fixture on my shelf.

I really wanted to like this book and I gave it a good try. I had to DNF at 60%. Marigold was an insufferable main character to me. She did not question anything that she needed to. The romance was not even believable to me. Going from hating each other to love so quickly did not work.
The prose is beautiful but not enough to keep me going.

really wanted to like this (sapphic witchy vibes?! yes, please) but... it is just so boring. i can't get into it at all. the vibes were there, it could be a lot more interesting & readable, though.

I loved this story!
The romance felt alittle too love at first sight, but it was cute nonetheless! Loved the plot. I saw some people promote this as a cozy book, I would have to disagree with that.
But basically I’m down for any witchy book with a great story, and this definitely fit the bill for me!

It was a quick read that left me wanting more of the world. I felt like the author did a lot of explaining, but we didn't actually get to /see/ any of it.

I originally received an ARC (Thanks NetGalley!) but didn’t make it past 40%. I picked up the audiobook once it was released. The present tense made it difficult to become immersed in the book. The magic system and the curse left me a little confused. But I adored Marigold, Lottie, and the land spirits. 3,5 ⭐️

I read this entire thing and kept hoping it would get better but it never did. One of those times I regret not DNFing because the way I felt about it at 10% is the same as I felt at 100%. Actually, no, I take that back. It started going downhill when Lottie became the love interest and just never recovered. (I should clarify that most of the reason I picked this up was because of the sapphic love story.) I was wavering between 2 and 3 stars for the first half but the second half solidified it as a 2.

Most of all it is boring. There are moments that are interesting and in theory I liked the honey witch vibes, but vibes is pretty much all we got. The spells and magic are all accomplished by putting honey on things, mixing honey with things, and eating honey. Literally. There's a recipe book that says to mix certain varieties of honey with other ingredients and then do random things with the result (eat it, wear it, paint with it, put it under your pillow...) and bam! magic happens. How? Why? I know the title is Honey Witch but I didn't expect it to be quite so literal.

Except for when she decides to just randomly regrow damaged plants with her innate magic and then has to refresh herself with honey, I guess.

There was SO MUCH POTENTIAL for cozy found family vibes and they just fizzle. Like, There are moments, when Lottie and Augustus join Marigold at the cottage. And then Augustus meets his soulmate and like, we could have beautiful found family with the four of them! But no, Augustus immediately drops his best friend who is terrified of abandonment. He disappears off page almost immediately after meeting his soulmate and that's that. Then it's just Lottie and Marigold and they don't have the chemistry or charisma to hold up the book on their own. Their entire relationship is based on antagonism and lust which doesn't really work for me. Also they double down on the lust again and again when it literally keeps trying to kill Lottie.

Also the plot twists were incredibly obvious from practically the beginning and by the time they were revealed they really fell flat because it was like, that's it?

*Thanks to Redhook for providing an early copy for review.

To say I loved everything about this would be an understatement. Cozy, magical AND sapphic? The perfect combination. The plot and characters were so perfectly balanced and written in a way that felt so real and easy to follow and enjoy.

"I feel like I've been searching all Fall for my next favorite cozy fantasy, and I think this is the one! I really enjoyed the atmosphere throughout the entire book, and the descriptions of Innisfree felt as magical as the honey on it. Although a decent amount of time passes within the book, and I never minded when the story started meandering or moving slowly. Marigold's Honey Witch magic is used for big things and small, both for life-saving and for creating lipstick. The characters were a bit much at times (looking at you, Lottie), but that didn't hinder my enjoyment. I LOVED the descriptions of honey and the magic done with each type. There is also a romance present, but I think my enjoyment would've been the same without it as it was largely the atmosphere and magic that won me over. I can absolutely see why this book would not work for some given it is, for the most part, a slow story with minimal stakes until around the 70% mark. But for me, it was exactly what I was looking for.
4.5⭐"

Honey, magic, and the cooling fall weather all blended together to create a cozy experience in The Honey Witch. A bit of a shift from what I normally read, this book offered nice cozy feelings with a sense of "cottagecore" that readers who enjoyed books like Legends and Lattes will appreciate. Bees and honey power this unique magic system, and the combination of self-discovery, sapphic love, and empowerment really made this a charming and easy read.

This was a good conflict-ridden and unique book, but a big part of the plot is that the people who have a natural artistic talent are the most respected and appreciated in society, and I couldn’t get behind that kind of setting, because I’ve been through too much as an artist and had to make a lot of sacrifices due to being an artist, for that kind of a world to make any sense to me without it being an actual commentary on how society works.

The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields was a magical (and fairly cute) read! I'd been looking forward to this book ever since I saw it on here, and after reading it I recommended it to my best friend, who also loves cozy reads like this one! The story blends fantasy, romance, and a bit of mystery in a way that kept me turning the pages. The characters are fairly likable, whereas the world-building is very, very charming. I loved the sweet, witchy vibes and the bit of romance woven into the plot. That being said, the definition of romance that they adhered to in this book seemed very narrow, which was a bit disappointing to me. All in all though, if you're into light fantasy with a touch of magic and whimsy, this is definitely worth at least checking out! I'd be interested in reading future titles by this author.

A BIG thank you to NetGalley for giving me this opportunity to read The Honey Witch for free in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this! Of course I loved the sapphic witch vibes, but what really stood out to me was the granddaughter-grandmother relationship. I wish more books included that kind of relationship.