A dark and secret magic was such a fun read and it was perfect for spooky season. It had magic, mystery, Yummy food and romance everything I want in a cozy fantasy. I really enjoyed it and if you are a fan of practical magic I think you will really like it too.

Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for the ARC!

A Dark and Secret Magic was a perfect witchy, spooky, cozy read. While the world Kinney created had cozy elements with the cooking/kitchen-witch moments, there was plenty of dark and atmospheric moments to keep me entertained. I loved the relationship between Hecate and Matthew, and I believed the trials of her relationships with her sisters. It was a beautiful book inside and out - the cover is gorgeous!

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an atmospheric, spooky, yet still somehow cozy, read. It has just a touch of romance, but the character development was what kept me coming back!

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review.

A Dark and Secret Magic definitely has the practical magic feel as well as the hades and persephone theme. I loved this book so much that I read it within 12 hours, and I couldn't put it down until I finished. Everything from the magic system to the humor and character development was immaculate and so well written that I was left wishing for more. The ending was perfect, so I can't be mad that it ended. This book has earned a place on my shelves upon official publication.

This is the perfect seasonal read! It was cozy and yet had stakes that weren't *so* cozy but just worked with this book

Updated Review: I lack the ability to write down how much this book means to me. When I started reading this book, I had no idea that it would end up being one of my most favourite books of all time. It did and I am so utterly at loss of words.

It is my witchy dream and the warmest hug. In this book a hedge-witch lives by the woods. In her small town of her small coven, she lives in a cottage and grows her own vegetables and cooks elaborate meals. She writes down daily tasks in her herbal and knits blankets and does her best to survive on her own.

But she has other identities as well. She is the middle child, afraid of not being good enough, torn between duties and desires and an overall good person.

In her story we meet a charming man, her sisters, coven full of witches and old curse. And it’s the perfect balance of all of those. The love story never takes the front role. It’s her story and we are fortunate enough to be witness of this.

Honestly if you ask me what I think of it, the best way I could describe it might be bunch of incoherent words- woods, magic, autumn, October, herbs, foods, brown, cozy, witchy and love.

Read this book. Now now now!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ebook and changing my life 😭 Because for the rest of my life, this is going to be what I associate autumn with.

Initial Review I will write a beautiful review for this beautiful book. For now the only thing you need to know is, I am in love with this book. I read 67 books so far this year and this is only the fourth book I gave 5 stars to. It blew me away!!!! And to think this is a debut novel!!!!! Truly magical!!!!

If you are looking for some fall witchy vibes that seem cozy, but also have some real evil stakes, A Dark and Secret Magic will be for you. Hecate was told her whole like she would be a hedgewitch, even though most of the witches in her village were allowed to choose. As she approaches her 31 birthday, Hecate feel pretty unfulfilled and aimless and has some deep resentment directed towards her deceased mothers. As Hecate gets closer to her birthday, and the ritual of containing her magic that all witches go through at this time, she starts to have questions and new faces arrive in the town. This book is a cute story of finding yourself mixed with a quest to resolve some generational trauma, mixed with a fun romance and a very very bad King of the underworld.

A Dark and Secret Magic has such an incredible cover that I was drawn to it straight away and I knew I had to read it because it sounded so interesting.
Taking place in the days leading up to Halloween this is the perfect seasonal read.
Filled with all the Halloween and Fall vibes you want including our main character a hedge witch. She lives in a cozy cottage filled with herbs and her cat's name is Merlin.
Hecate, our protagonist is always baking, cooking and making a special recipe hot chocolate, I swear I could smell the cinnamon as I read.
This is my first fantasy read and I was captivated by it. Witchy, Halloweeny vibes, black cats, cozy cottage, small town charm, a pumpkin contest I'm all in. Marvelous and I'll be looking for more like this soon.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was fall perfection. Witches, spells, love, a little bit of suspense/drama, and just ALL things Halloween and Autumn. The characters were wonderful, and I especially enjoyed the 3 sisters and their relationship. I loved this one, and if you’re looking for something seasonal, this will absolutely get you in the spirit. ✨🪄🎃

Set in the days leading up to Halloween, this atmospheric and magical tale of witches is an absolute must-read.

From the moment you start reading, Kinney’s writing style draws you in. The book is well-edited, and the plot is engaging from start to finish. The romance in the story is sweet and heartwarming, without being overly spicy.

One of the standout features of this book is its atmosphere. Kinney masterfully describes a cozy cottage, complete with mouth-watering autumnal dishes prepared by Hecate, the protagonist. You can almost taste and smell the delicious meals as you read. The small town setting, bustling with Halloween preparations and a charming pumpkin carving contest, adds to the enchanting vibe of the story.

In summary, “A Dark and Secret Magic” is a delightful read that perfectly captures the essence of the Halloween season. It’s a book that you simply must read before Halloween. I absolutely loved it.

A cozy, riveting read! The food descriptions inspired me to bake, cook, and make delicious fall tea to go along with the vibes. This is the perfect way to start your fall! The characters were realistic and felt like your friends.

This wasn't bad at all and in fact, I really enjoyed how this encompassed Halloween and the season, but I was less intrigued by 60% because I felt like it was dragging a bit toooo long and now I'm done and it was just okay.

What a lovely book for the spooky time of year. This book has a coherent magic system with enough complexity to keep fantasy readers engaged and a steamy enough romance to keep those romance readers turning the pages. Fans of Practical Magic will find much to love.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for this ARC.

This book definitely was a cozy, fall book with all the Halloween themes. I really loved the witchy vibes and the fantasy elements. It felt very reminiscent of a 90s era movie like Hocus Pocus or Practical Magic. I absolutely loved the nostalgia of that.

My only complaint was the romance. It felt exceptionally rushed and not well explained. However again that gave in to the 90s nostalgia as love at first sight is a common theme there.

Overall though I really did love this for the Halloween season and was a good break from the norm of horror for the month. I wish more books like this existed for my favorite holiday.

A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney is the perfect read for the fall/ Halloween season. This a perfect witchy book and the romance was adorable. I enjoyed the plot, the secrets, and especially the characters. Overall, it was a fun read and I can’t wait to read more books written by Wallis Kinney. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for giving me this opportunity. I can’t wait to purchase a physical copy because the cover is absolutely stunning.

A Dark and Secret Magic is a cozy fantasy following a hedge witch after her forbidden magic practicing ex shows up at her door and she finds an item of dark magic. This novel takes place during the week leading up to Halloween, and I enjoyed the fall atmosphere of the setting. I loved that the witches had different types of magic. Overall I enjoyed the book, but I felt a little disconnected from the romance and disliked a few of the witches.

I received an ARC and ALC from Alcove Press and Dreamscape Media via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Inside and out, this book is a wonderful addition to any fall TBR! Witchy, cozy and wonderfully written, definitely add this to your list!
Arc via netgalley

My heart is so ridiculously happy and full after reading this book. Obviously the cover and the premise are what initially drew me in but then I started reading and I was captivated, which is not something I've said about a book before. I immediately fell in love with Kate's character and her entire personality. She was such a wholesome, heart-warming witch and I strive to be like her. The romance was fantastic, really no spice and lots of fade to black which I appreciated a lot because I wanted a story more focused on the witchcraft, which is exactly what this was. This book broke my heart a couple of times while reading but the ending brought everything together and mended me. This is a perfect warm, fall, witchy book for October.

Many thanks to Alcove Press for the gifted copy for my honest review!

Full of cozy fall vibes, this witchy tale will sweep you away and into a story of magic, mystery, and romance.

Overall, I loved the autumnal nature of the book! Its charm just made me so giddy and reminded me why I love this time of the year so much. I also really enjoyed seeing our main character grow and develop throughout this read. I loved her little cottage too, and her cat. (How cute is the name Merlin?!)

I also LOVE the recipes at the end and will definitely have to try a few out this season!

3.25/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

A cozy and mysterious book about witches, family, and love.

I very much enjoyed this book - I finished it in one sitting. Hecate (aka Kate) is a lovely character. I found her so relatable while also wanting to be a bit more like her. The magic that is in this book is......well, magical, and I loved the setting. Any book that is set in a small town I'm interested in. Ipswich is actually one of my favorite towns to vacation in - it's so cute and it's close to both Boston and Salem. Being familiar with Ipswich made this feel so familiar. Matthew is the perfect book boyfriend and seeing the friendship (and romantic relationship) evolve between him and Kate throughout the book was something that made me so eager to keep reading.

The family ties in this book and the mysteries that surrounded Kate's mother was interesting. There are some themes that I think a lot of people who have lost a loved one can relate to. Learning more about the coven and Kate being named a Hedge Witch had me wanting to learn all of the secrets as quickly as possible. There are some spooky and exciting scenes throughout the book with the ending really amping up the excitement and had me on the edge of my seat.

While this story is cozy, it's also exciting with the best Halloween vibes. This is a perfect book to read in the fall, especially if you love witches.

the author really whipped up the perfect witchy halloween concoction in her cauldron, filled with sprinkles of forbidden magic, a shadow daddy love interest, a loyal black cat named merlin, a fall festival, warty pumpkins, and a dark and evil twist. only complaint is she threw in some insta-love on accident.

✧ 4 stars

thank you to Alcove Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review