Cozy fantasy, with a mix of romance and magic. Marigold's grandmother comes to claim Marigold as the next honey witch, who must keep their island home safe from the Ash Witch. Cozy vibes mixed with romance and magic. I recommend it!

This was cute! Nothing super mind blowing but it was a fun, cozy, sapphic, witchy read.

The development of the character relationships went at a nice pace. The story line also flowed really well and didn't feel too rushed.

cottage core sapphic witches cozy romance? say less. this is the perfect book to get ready for fall. The atmosphere and the vibes really are what make this book

Sydney J. Shields weaves a captivating tapestry of magic, mystery, and emotional depth in The Honey Witch. This enchanting novel transports readers into a world where the line between the mystical and the mundane blurs seamlessly.

At the heart of the story is a richly developed protagonist whose journey of self-discovery and empowerment is both compelling and relatable. Shields’s portrayal of this character is nuanced and empathetic, drawing readers into her struggles and triumphs with vivid prose and heartfelt authenticity.

The world-building in The Honey Witch is nothing short of magical. Shields crafts a universe filled with intriguing lore and complex, well-realized characters. The settings are described with such detail and atmosphere that they practically come alive on the page. From the whimsical to the eerie, each scene is meticulously crafted to enhance the story’s enchanting tone.

One of the standout elements of the novel is its exploration of themes like identity, resilience, and the transformative power of magic. Shields addresses these themes with sensitivity and insight, offering readers not only a spellbinding story but also profound reflections on personal growth and the nature of power.

The pacing of the narrative is well-balanced, with moments of intense action and deep emotional resonance. The plot twists and turns are expertly executed, keeping readers on the edge of their seats while also providing moments of introspection and connection.

The Honey Witch is a triumph of contemporary fantasy, blending elements of classic witch lore with fresh, original storytelling. Sydney J. Shields has delivered a novel that is both a joyous escape and a thought-provoking read. Whether you’re a longtime fan of magical fiction or new to the genre, this book is a delightful and rewarding experience.

In conclusion, The Honey Witch is a must-read for anyone looking to be transported to a world of wonder and wisdom. Shields has crafted a tale that is as enchanting as it is thought-provoking, and readers will find themselves eagerly turning the pages until the very end.

I loved this!! I liked the way that magic was incorporated, the relationship between our two main characters, and how friendship works a different kind of magic. I thought it was really good paced, with a little bit of everything in between.

The relationship was fantastic! I loved the way Marigold and Lottie came together throughout the novel and kept trying to make things work in the face of adversity. Their relationship blossomed slowly but it felt like they knew each other for much longer, which was really great. I would have liked a bit more of screen time with them, though.

The magic system was really interesting and I liked how honey was incorporated into everything. I thought there were a few contradictions in the magic and how it worked, especially when considering Ash Magic was the opposite. Overall though it was a really interesting concept that provided some really cool scenes.

While I know it was more about moving the plot forward, I would have liked more time spent on the island rather than "going back." Marigold heard from her grandmother that she should be cautious with how she left the island but it wasn't even a second thought to leave. I just felt like it was a bit inconsistent there.

For a debut, I'm really impressed! I can't wait to read Sydney's next book.

Content Warnings:
Graphic: Death, Grief, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Alcohol, and Animal death

Minor: Kidnapping, Stalking, Infertility, Confinement, Death of parent, Child abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse

I really wanted to like this book. On paper, it looks like everything I love to read: witches, sapphic love story, familial love, cozy plot… Unfortunately, this one did not live up to my expectations. I gave reading it a few different tries, but the writing is so heavy with juvenile purple prose that it kept me from connecting with the characters or plot. The plot moves very slowly, and I DNF’d around the 50% mark because I was too underwhelmed to make myself continue.

I really enjoyed the concept of this book, I just wish it was structured differently. I would be interested in trying another book by this author as their style matures.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for this ARC.

The Honey Witch is a cozy, magical, witchy sapphic romance that is as sweet as that gorgeous cover. It’s highly enjoyable and reading it feels like the first warm hug you’ve had in years.

We follow Marigold (Mari) as she struggles to fit in with everyone else in her world. She discovers that she is actually a honey witch and has magic and nothing is actually wrong with her after all. She goes to live with her grandmother and learns how to use her magic so she can eventually take over as the Honey Witch in her grandmother’s place. Her grandmother informs her, however, that honey witches are cursed to never fall in love.

If you’re a fan of cozy fantasy or sapphic romance, this is for you. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was a nice break from my usual reads. Just so you know, though. With all the honey talk, it will likely make you hungry! 4 whimsical stars for me. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Redhook Books for the ARC!

Absolutely adorable! Lots of Practical Magic vibes. This is cozy, and a really cute read, especially for summer it fits the vibe perfectly. At times the dialogue felt a bit wonky, but the romance was great & I loved everything else about the book!

The honey witch by Sydney J Shields was a fun summer read!!! I was nervous about this one because it was written by a debut author and I heard mixed reviews about it. But I decieded to pick this up in July because not only was it a pick for a group buddy read I was partciaptiing in but it was also a book my friend Taylor bought for me.
I really enjoyed this novel we follow our main character Mairgold and she was snarky and sweet little lady, well not really little but u know what I mean! She is next in line for the Honey Witches and has to deal with the loss of a family member line and so we follow her as she is learning how to become the next witch. And so she must go on this quest and that was another thing I loved about this book was there was a quest that has been a new buzzword for me lately. Another reason why I picked this up is because I hear nothing but good things and some bad thing but I also loved how it had LGBTQIA+ REP in it! Not only is our main character sapphic but there is a m/m romance from our side characters!
Speaking of our side character August was so sweet and funny that i called him my new favorite man lol!(:
4/5 stars thanks tor books & redhook books for sending me an e-arc of this one and sorry for a late review but better late than never!!!(:

I love love love this book. The story and romance were beautiful. I will be recommending this to many library patrons.

The Honey Witch is a sweetly engaging historical romantasy by debut author Sydney J. Shields. Released 14th May 2024 by Hachette on their Redhook imprint, it's 368 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

This is a cottagecore/witchy F/F romantasy. The magic system is somewhat diffusely described, leaving readers to largely puzzle it out themselves. The honey and nature magic are interesting, but never directly developed (potentially to come in future works?). It's a historical setting, based very loosely on Regency England. Appealingly, but unrealistically, it's homonormative, lots of characters are in openly homosexual relationships, without any repercussions. It's pure wish fulfillment to read a historical romance without homophobia, and will likely deeply appeal to readers who want some escapist happy reading for a change.

There are some odd details which are introduced and then aren't resolved ideally (or at all) in the novel. It's mentioned, for example, that tattoos are hugely taboo and forbidden (illegal even), and then just ignored without explanation for the rest of the book. The prose is dreamy and the characterizations are diffuse and indistinct.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 13 hours 1 minute and is capably read by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw. She has a very young sounding voice which complements the YA(ish) vibe of the book. She does a good job delineating the various characters and keeps them distinct. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

Three and a half stars. It's not a YA read, but has a definite YA/NA vibe. It's dreamy and there's not a distinct plotline. Definitely readable, but readers looking for definition and directness and plot resolution tied up in a nice package are destined for disappointment.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Unfortunately, a DNF for me. I just couldn’t connect with the characters and even for a cozy, it was just too slow. I wanted to love this and the cover is gorgeous, but I can’t quite pinpoint what didn’t work for me. I thought maybe if I came back to it, it would change. Nothing wrong with the writing, just not for me.

I had really high hopes for this one and even though I enjoyed it, it fell a little flat for me. I would round it up to 3.5 starts. Thank you for the ARC.

This book was heartbreaking and beautiful, before reading it I had thought that cottagecore was synonymous with cozy, and while this book had cozy moments, it overwhelmingly emotional, I enjoyed reading it but would have loved a little more cozy/happy moments interjected between the heartbreak

3.75?

I liked this book, but it also could’ve been better. The love story was a bit rushed to me. I hated how lovey dovey they were, especially how they were talking. Cringed. Otherwise, I liked the story and the friendship and omg that old man🥲🥲 It was kind of predictable though—I like this author’s writing for sure, but I can definitely see room for improvement with future books.

This was the perfect cozy, sapphic fantasy for summer. The writing is as beautiful as the setting Sydney Shields paints for us, I had been anticipating this title form the moment I saw the author announce it on TikTok and it absolutely did not disappoint. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a soft slow burn romance, cozy historical fantasy, and another reason to want to protect bees at all costs.

Stunning in it's prose and ethereal atmosphere, THE HONEY WITCH is a can't miss read for those looking to indulge in a cozy fantastical romance starring two heroines - one measured and pleasant and looking to shake up her life, and the other feisty and damaged and just on the brink of embracing love in her life for the first time.

The Honey Witch was a lot more of an emotional read than I was expecting when starting it. I really enjoyed the overall premise of this book. It was so fun to see the magic and how it was used for free and to help so many people. Overall, I found this book to be just ok as it was definitely slow at times. I will definitely read more from this author in the future as I really enjoyed her writing!

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC for early review.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

I'm not joking when I say that this book feels like playing Minecraft. Especially since Minecraft has beekeeping. Following Marigold as she harvests flowers, crops, honey, and other resources on her little island is genuinely like having your game set to peaceful and waking up each day to do your self-appointed tasks, complete with a tamed cat and a messy but quaint little cottage.

However, anyone who says that this book is "a little bit sapphic" is off their rocker. This is one of the most blatantly gay fantasies I've ever read. There is literally lesbian intercourse. The background characters are gay. The foreground characters are gay. It's really gay. And I wouldn't REALLY pitch it as enemies to lovers either, it's more rivals to lovers if anything. Lottie has so much love and clings so tightly to August that a rivalry forms between her and Marigold, and it only gets stronger when Marigold promises to prove she has real magic to the unbelieving redhead.

I think anyone reading this could definitely see the twist coming from a mile away, but it was nice to know that Lottie was genuinely in love with Marigold. I think the way the curse was handled was fine, but I'm hoping that if a few more generations had to deal with it, we would have seen at least one asexual or aromantic character go "whatever," or have a perfectly happy non-romantic relationship with someone.

I think this concept is really Small, capital S. It fits into a perfect little box of "I made this, I make the rules, I define it." Honey witches and ash witches are something I've never seen before and I feel like it was pretty well fleshed out as a concept. The magic itself felt very down-to-earth for the most part, even if the things done with it were pretty powerful. I loved the island spirits, the subtle magic of the bees, and the implication that the honey witch and ash witch of each generation are supposed to be partners, and Lottie and Mari are finally closing that gap between the two lines of power.

This is a really soulful book as well, with plenty of grief, loss, and mourning. There's generational anger, trauma, and even some torture scenes that I wasn't expecting. I definitely would classify this as cozy fantasy, but it's not the coziest ever.

So, fellas, is it gay to tattoo your soulmate's breastbone in the middle of the night while straddling her thighs and calling her a good girl? "My need for you makes me wicked." Okay, yeah. Go off.

This book had a really interesting premise. I thought it was on a good track, but after 75% it just meandered around when I was ready to get the major plot lines sorted out. And the action was jam packed right at the end with very little build up and and intense outcome that didn’t quite fit the vibes of the rest of the book. So I’m bummed about how it ended but I still enjoyed the journey getting there! The love story was a little sweet, if cliche with the soulmates. Reading a historical fantasy that was queernormative was also really nice! Overall I’d hesitantly recommend this one, 3.75 rounded up.

🌈Queer rep: Bi female main character, lesbian love interest, FF main couple. Secondary MM couple, bi male character.