I found myself enjoying this book a lot even though I wish I was able to read that in autumn - maybe for a reread - because it's giving very cozy fantasy, witchy october vibes! I liked the story itself even though the pacing could've been a bit faster at times and was pleasantly surprised by the ending of the book. The magic was great and I love myself a sweat romance and mystery book!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of A Dark and Secret Magic.

Perfect if you’re looking for a cozy, witchy, autumn read.

This story takes place in the days leading up to Halloween. Hecate/Kate is a hedge witch, living an isolated life in her cottage with her familiar. While coven tradition dictates a witch gets to choose her magic on her 13th birthday, Kate is declared a hedge witch by her mother when she was born. One night, Kate dreams of a coven witch telling her to find her mother’s book to know why she was named a hedge witch. From there, we follow a series of events that leads to the unraveling of coven secrets.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. It was filled with magic, a sweet romance, and mystery. As I got to the end, I was a bit worried about how this would play out but found myself satisfied with where everyone ended up. The only thing that took me out of the story a bit were the occasional spelling and grammatical errors.

The vibes in this book! Halloween, Samhain, magic, cozy cabin and witchy. It was a fast and very cozy read. And I loved the love story. The way Matthew adored Kate and would do anything for her. And the way Kate takes care of him and everybody.
The worldbuilding was very special and I liked the way the magic felt like home but with the potention to be dangerous at the same time.
This book made me feel as if It was already October and I loved it.

I was looking through NetGalley and the stunning cover of "A Dark and Secret Magic" caught my attention immediately. After reading the description, I just had to get my hands on it and luckily, I did! This book did not disappoint! It was everything I hoped it would be and more.

The autumn, Halloween atmosphere was written so excellently. Halloween is my favorite holiday and I've been missing it lately since the summer heat has been so relentless. "A Dark and Secret Magic" was the best escape! Pumpkin patch and cemetery visits, pumpkin carving, cider, caramel apples, rainy days, a spooky forest, an adorable black cat, and hearty fall recipes make this the perfect Halloween novel. I loved the characters too. Hecate and Matthew are now one of my favorite book couples. The magic system was interesting, and I would definitely choose to be a crystal witch. This book was overall very cozy, but also had a lot of mystery and some thrilling parts to it as well.

No spice which was so refreshing! Just some wonderfully written kiss scenes. Language was mild too - nothing explicit.

I will be buying this when it comes out and honestly, I might make this a tradition to read every October because I loved it that much.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This wonderful story is perfection, I had to pace myself not to devour it so quickly, if I could give it ten stars I would. I can’t wait to add this book to my small favorites library, yes this is a top 5 for me. The autumnal Halloween vibe from this story was so well crafted. The characters came to life in my mind. One of the most important quotes that I loved “Intention is what feeds magick. The desire to have something done and then increasing the chances that it will happen, all through our intention.” Doesn’t that ring true for everything in our lives. And isn’t there a little bit of witchy energy in all of us.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to read this ARC for an honest review. Thank you Wallis Kinney for not just a great story, also some tasty recipes. If you love Halloween and witches, Buy the book, thank me later. Pub Date October 8, 2024 put it on your calendar. #NetGalley. #AlcovePress #ADarkandSecretMagic

| ❝ Part of me wants to tell her to rot. But even in the face of her selfish deeds, I can't punish her in such a cruel way. ❞

ʚɞ ✧˖° thoughts

This book is the perfect example of a fall witchy read. Grab your pumpkin spice latte, light your favorite fall scented candle, and cozy up under a blanket you're in for a helluva ride

This book is a page turner, I finished it within a day. I was caught up in the whimsical magick, what happened to Hecate in her past, what happened to her mom and why she only taught her half magick and what Matthew's true intentions were.. pure or not!

The descriptions and imagery throughout this book are absolutely breathtaking.

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡♡˚ side note

I absolutely adored the witchy recipes at the end. I saved all of them for a later date. I can't wait to try them!

Thank you to NetGalley for this Arc!
I’m really starting to get into more ‘witchy’ books so this was a perfect fall read ( even though I’ve read it in this British summer )
the romance was so swoone worthy & some bits had me teary eyed! I’ve only recently started being a lover of Halloween as I’m getting older & this book was perfect! Was very Sabrina X Halloween Town 🎃

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
A magical book that is perfect for those of us that are autumn-hearted. It was filled with magic, mystery, strength, and romance. I really loved the characters and their personal growth. If you love all things witchy and Fall, this is the book for you!

I'm a sucker for anything related to spooky season, particularly anything witchy. This was a great book and I felt that the fantasy/romance balance was pretty perfect. The atmosphere made me feel like I was in the book and I loved the characters as well.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! I love anything witchy so this was very enjoyable. The fall vibes were immaculate and I wish I could've read it in season! I enjoyed the cozy cottage, the spells, the romance, and of course, Merlin. I would recommend this if you want a quick, magical book.

This was a fun read, reminiscent of Sabrina meets a grown up version of Disney’s Halloween Town with a little Hades & Persephone on the side. One of the best Romantasies I’ve read this year. Wallis Kinney masterfully balanced the romance plot against the fantasy plot, progressing both so naturally while sacrificing nothing from either. The mystery peppered just enough breadcrumbs to let you sink your teeth into solving it and the romance was swoon worthy. I adore a boy who’s sweet and committed from the jump.

(*pats book cover*) This bad boy can hold so many feels in it. I laughed. I teared up. I tingled. The whole time I was reading I wished for a cool, rainy day and some of the main character’s magical hot chocolate. I’ll definitely be re-reading this novel again come autumn when the Vibes are Vibing. (And I can’t wait to try some of the recipes at the back of the book!)

An easy 5/5 stars for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing the eARC of 'A Dark and Secret Magic' by Wallis Kiney in exchange for my honest review 💫

'𝐻𝑒𝑑𝑔𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑡, 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡, 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦. 𝐴 ℎ𝑒𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒.'

Are you looking for the perfect autumn witchy read? Get your pumpkin spice latte, light the candles, pick up your blanket and let me present you 'A Dark and Secret Magic'!

Hectate has always lived her perfect life just like her mother intented. Practicing hedgegraft and never leaving Ipswich. But now her mother is gone, and her 31st birthday is getting close, all she believed was true is crumbling away. It all starts when Matthew, a hexan who practises forbidden magic, asks for sanctuary. Hectate learns of forbidden dark magic and needs to reevaluate whom she can trust.

A Dark and Secret Magic was a really fun and quick read, and matched the weather perfectly (it may be spring, but I would believe you if it was autumn)! Combined with a lighted candle and a Hazelnut coffee, I imagined myself in the world of Hectate. When reading trough all of the delicious foods, I couldn't help myself, but get hungry.
The romance felt a little short for me (too quick, too soon). The book would be, in my opinion, better when certain parts would be more detailed. But all in all, it was a quick and cozy read, perfect for a rainy day! 🧡

Tropes:
🍂 Fall & witchy vibes
🧙🏼‍♀️ Evil witch
🎃 Halloween
☠️ Necromancy
🖤 (very loosely) based on Hades & Persephone

Rating:
3.5/5 🎃
2/5 🌶

𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑟 2024!

I cannot say enough good things about this book. I absolutely fell in love with the story, characters, and atmosphere. This book felt like stepping directly into autumn, regardless of the time of year I read it. Even though I read it at the beginning of a hot summer, I felt like I was transported by the words on the page to chilly Fall time and spooky Halloween. Reading this book felt so warm and cozy, and it really felt like all five senses were ignited. There was such amazing description woven in with the story about autumnal recipes, smells, Halloween decor, and even tiny details that romanticized the fall season.
The story was addicting and had me hooked from the beginning. I was so invested in the mystery and secrets Kate was trying to unveil. I felt so much empathy for her as she navigated the grief from losing her mother and learning more about the secrets she never told her while she was alive. The characters were so well developed and easy to fall in love with. I also loved how the romance between Kate and Matthew was weaved in so seamlessly with the rest of the story. It felt natural, but also swoon-worthy and romantic at the same time.
I can honestly say that I can see myself wanting to pick this one back up each year as Halloween nears, or even other times during the year when I need the comfort of my favorite holiday.

This book was such a warm & cozy, yet exciting read.

I really enjoyed it from beginning to end. I felt like each part of the plot all came together for a satisfying and meaningful end. I also loved the little details the author included throughout - the setting description, the ingredients, the touches of magic and so on.

The characters are all enjoyable in their own way & I would happily read more books from this world. Whether it was a different character or short stories about the MC.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for my ARC.

This was a really unique concept in the now trendy Romantasy space — a hedge witch who recently lost her mother and suddenly has an unexpected and unwelcome (did I mention attractive?) male visitor she must host. This a story of that witch’s journey of self discovery (and some world saving too).

The romance didn’t really grip me and I found the saga a bit underwhelming, but this would be a cozy October spooky season read!

Such a cozy, witchy, fall book. As someone who loves the spooky season, this book definitely hit the spot with all the wonderful descriptions of the world surrounding this book. From the charming little cottage our main character lives in, to the adorable town, all the way down to the wonderfully spooky Halloween decorations. The characters in the story were also great. As a sister of three I loved the sisterly relationship and how different each one was. I also really loved all of the witchy elements tied into the story; they did not feel overwhelming or hard to understand. Can't wait for everyone else to be able to read it!

I wanted to love this, but this story seems to not really know what it wants to be. There are some serious pacing issues. So many things were rushed while others were overly drawn out. We spend a lot of time reading descriptions of recipes (the names started out cute but I quickly grew tired of them) and outfits, and hardly any learning new information about the antagonist or time to build out the love story. Even the dialogue seems to be inconsistent. Sometimes it reads as being very modern, and others it reads like we’re in the 20’s. I really loved the magic system at the start, where each witch chooses their magic and dedicates themselves to it, but even that seemed to not be fully fleshed out. What would seem like the main plot (the king below) is more of an afterthought. Most of the time spent learning about him is brushed off as a dream or rushed. Overall, this was entertaining enough, but I do think the author needed to commit to either a cozy witchy story or a dark romantasy instead of flirting with both and not really hitting the mark on either.

Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

Take me to Ipswich! This was such a welcome and refreshing witchy romance! Perfect for fans of Practical Magic and The Ex Hex, A Dark and Secret Magic will be the book you need during this spooky season. Not only was the story enchanting, but all of the food, recipes, scenery, and autumnal fun had me counting down the days until fall!
I enjoyed the plot being more than just a romance. It is a story focused on family ties, grief, and discovering what it means to be bold in your own story.

Thank you, NetGalley and Alcove Press, for and ARC of A Dark and Secret Magic! The opinions expressed in this review are my own. Expected Pub Date: October 8, 2024.

4.25! I truly LOVED this book. It is such an ode to Halloween. This is the perfect read for anyone who is a fan of the Practical Magic movie and Emily Henry romance books. Grab a cup of tea or hot cocoa and dive into a mystical world full of witchy atmosphere, and the right amount of plot and romance. This book left me feeling so happy. :)

This was described as a love letter to Halloween and it is! This was a super cute, fun, fall story that I just really enjoyed drinking coffee and reading. If you're looking for a solid witchy story that feels like a mug of warm coffee, this is pretty great.