A Dark and Secret Magic, by Wallis Kinney is the perfect cozy fall read! I loved everything about this book, so I read it in one sitting. The world building, the plot, and above all the characters make this tale rich, and inviting.

4.5 stars. What a sweet, witchy, cozy read! A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney is reminiscent of practical magic with strong themes of family, magic, and a sense is belonging.

This is the first witchy book I’ve read that delves deep into actually explaining different types of witchcraft. While I may not know if it’s accurate, the descriptions of the different types of witches - hedge, shadow, kitchen, etc - were fascinating. The “world building” in this modern setting was excellent.

The story was cute with a few high stakes moments, but overall a perfect cozy fall read. Hecate is 30 year old hedge witch who is set her routine until a hexan from the notorious Pacific Gate coven, Matthew, shows up seeking sanctuary. Hecate is charming. Matthew is mysterious and precious. The overall story explores the idea of how the choices we make us who we are meant to be. The story wraps up nicely after some pretty tense moments.

The author uses the same descriptive words often, especially the word “bemused.” That’s really the biggest issue I had. It was a fun book and I will recommend it all October!

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove for the eARC!

This book was really good, a perfect book to read during fall. The witchy atmosphere and magical world were very well written, as it blended well with the mundane. I had trouble at the beginning getting into the book, but once I did I couldn't put it down. The characters were kind of cliche but I loved the banter between the two main characters.

I am loving this cozy witchy read! The unique magic aspects, the intriguing FMC and the curious dreams she's having- all keeping me vested in the storyline. Great addition to any fall TBR!

An easy reading romance between Kate and Matthew- and their relationship to her coven and her past. This is a sort of Hallmark view of witches, with both good humor and a touch of darkness that Kate must explore in order to dispel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of the genre.

A really cozy book perfect for the autumn!

I had so much fun reading this book - it was the perfect balance between interesting and active yet comforting. Kate was a really good main character and the supportive cast felt really fleshed out. Loved the mystery parts, LOVED the romance. Really my go to recommendation for the upcoming fall!

Hekate is a hedge witch coming up to her 31st birthday when her magical powers will be contained to just hedgewitchery. On top of planning her birthday and the covens Halloween celebrations and dealing with the loss of her mother her (rival?) Matthew arrives from a coven looked down upon by hers for practicing the dark arts arrives asking for sanctuary.
As she juggles Matthew’s arrival and the preparations for Halloween, Kate comes across an old tome shrouded in dark magic. She is horrified when she realizes the blood-red inscription is written in familiar handwriting: her recently deceased mother’s. Afraid to even touch the dark magic her mother secretly studied, Kate can turn only to Matthew for help. Her idealized memory of her mother begins to distort, and as she and Matthew grow closer, Kate has to reevaluate whom she can really trust.
I really loved this cosy cottagecore style book set in a stunning village. With a mystery to be solved and a budding romance this witchy book is a perfect read for the Halloween season.

i’ve been holding onto this one for a few months, desperate to read it in the fall, and i am so happy i did because this was such a fun and cozy read.

a dark and secret magic follows hecate, a hedge witch, through her journey of uncovering secrets, the extent of her magic, and love. if you love practical magic, this one is for you!!! if you enjoy crisp stormy autumn mornings with a cup of coffee and fresh baked goods, THIS. IS. FOR YOU.

i absolutely adored reading hecate’s character growth and her journey of self discovery, with the help of a cutie shadow boyyyyyyyy. i think this book does a great job of capturing moods and vibes. i think if you are looking for a book that is plot heavy and will suck you in to the conflict, and have you on the edge of your seat, i don’t think this is it. i think this book excels at being a cozy mood read, which is why i think it is the perfect halloween story.

i thoroughly enjoyed reading this from start to finish, i felt like it was very well paced and engaging. however, the ending fell off a bit for me. overall, it seemed rushed and like they were trying to just tie up loose ends. i do wish the ending was a smoother and more emotional experience.

🕸️ a must read if u love 🕸️
life x death magic
black cats
practical magic
stormy weather, sitting by the fire place with a cup of coffee
baking fall goodies

Hedge witches are supposed to provide comfort and healing, at least that’s what Hecate (Kate) has been told by her mother and her coven, who live amongst regular humans in the charming town of Ipswich. She happily lives a quiet, solitary life with her familiar, a black cat, and spends her days gathering herbs in the surrounding forest to make tinctures and salves for her apothecary shop. Her sense of peace is thrown into complete disarray when in quick succession she learns she’s expected to host the coven’s Halloween gathering, has a worrisome nightmare, and finally, an unexpected knock on her door leaves her with an unexpected, unwanted visitor who suggests her magical duties and power far exceed what she was taught to believe.
I loved how the cozy, autumny atmosphere contrasted with the dark magic, lies and secrets Kate is forced to confront, and how she grows and finds her strength. The ending wonderfully echos a Greek myth, a perfect resolution to a book that I was so happy to have had the opportunity to read. Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced readers copy, and to Wallis Kinney, the author, for creating a book that encompasses all that I love about fall, magic and mystery at the same time. A perfect book not only for Halloween, but any time of year.

I was utterly enchanted by this delightful book! The story had the perfect blend of magick, witches, Halloween and romance. I wish that I could step into the world that Kinney created. This is one read that can't be missed.

Spooky, cozy, and everything I wanted in an autumn read. Between the carving of pumpkins, the best little black cat, and the loose Hades x Persephone love story.. I literally couldn't get enough. I only wish there had been a little more to the ending of the story, but alas – I will absolutely be picking up a physical copy come publication day!

This was probably one of the most FALL books I’ve ever read. I immediately fell in love with the setting and the slow cozy pace of this book. I want to be a witch in a cottage knitting and baking and occasionally showing up to work at my apothecary . Is that so much to ask?

There’s romance , there’s secrets , there’s sisters, there’s covens, there’s Halloween, and the cutest cat named Merlin, he’s just so sweet I cannot not mention him.

I loved this book , I only wish there were more to the story and the world, like perhaps a second book haha. The ending felt rushed BUT it made complete sense and felt like one of those fairy tale endings where you’re left to imagine what happens next. It also made me feel like starting the book over again.

I have already recommended this book to all my friends. It’s just so good.

This is the *perfect* Halloween read.
This story is filled with deliciousness autumn descriptions that pull your senses into Kate's world, such as: "Every golden strand of happiness in this town can be traced back to a meal she cooked at some point her life."
And the way Matthew loves Kate, "It's not about you being delicate...it's about preventing any discomfort on your part whatsoever. For my own pleasure and peace of mind."
I could easily read this book every October. I can't wait to get my own physical copy. Highly recommend this book, preferably reading it next to a fire, with hot chocolate and your cat (or dog) curled up next to you.

What do you do when your entire path has been decided for you? when the mother you loved and trusted kept dark and dangerous secrets? lied to you about your own Gift. what do you do when your entire Coven might be keeping dark secrets, when they might be contributing to a terrible darkness? What do you do when you have to look within yourself, and realize everything you thought you knew, was a lie? you fall in with your once enemy, that's what you do. she never meant to discover a dark and terrible secret about her own magic. she never expected to learn about a great evil wicked coming for her. she certainly never intended to have to invite her childhood enemy into her home. but, he is there, and he is charming, and his magic is dark and dangerous and she should definitely kick him out... but her cat likes him, and he likes her cooking, and she can't seam to keep her feelings pushed down.

this was a thrilling tale full if mystery, twists and turns, and of course, Enemies to lovers. a perfect read for fans of Halloween, romance, and dark magics.

This book was slow at parts but other parts definitely made up for it. The loved the characters and the story. Will definitely read again.

This was a very well written story and in my opinion the perfect fall witchy read. I thought that Hecate was a great character and I liked the mystery surrounding her mother choosing her discipline for her. I love settings that are an entire small town full of a coven of witches. The politics of covens always interest me and this one was really cool. I really liked the magic system and how the different magics were chosen and controlled. The surprise shadow daddy was a fun additive to the plot and I really enjoyed the banter and way that they formed a bond. Over all I think this is a book that will forever be on my list of recommendations for witch season!

I was NOT expecting this book to be as good as it was!
The first 50% was a little slower and cozy with a subtle, witchy mystery, but the second half really kept me enthralled. With a twisted tale of a witch who only wants to do what’s right, what happens when you learn you need to do something wrong for the right reasons?
A beautiful romance and an ever-guessing mystery, A Dark and Secret Magic needs to be on your autumn reading list!

If you are looking for the PERFECT witchy read for Halloween, then you need to pick up A Dark and Secret Magic. This cozy tale has an amazing blend of romance, forbidden magic, and family secrets that kept me turning pages late into the night. And don’t even get me started on the amazing atmosphere and the food descriptions!

This story follows Hecate Goodwin, hedge witch of the Atlantic Key coven in Ipswich Massachusetts. Hecate, or Kate, as she prefers, is preparing for her 31st birthday - a significant day for these witches as they fully commit to their magical areas of expertise. This is also the first Samhain without her mother and her older sister Miranda has just asked her to prepare the family home for the coven party. She’s also having disturbingly vivid dreams about the recently deceased warning her of someone called the King Below. On top of all this, a handsome hexan man from her past has just shown up on her doorstep and asked for Sanctuary.

Kate is a truly delightful character who does a great deal of work behind the scenes to care for her fellow Atlantic Key witches and even the non-magical residents of Ipswich. She helps her friend Rebecca run an apothecary called the Raven & Crone - super witchy! Despite her skill at healing and navigating the forests, Kate doesn’t believe she’s a powerful witch, something that she will soon find is not true at all. Matthew Cypher on the other hand is the heir to the Pacific Gate coven, a group of magic users that don’t forbid any practice - even those that one might consider ‘evil’. Matthew himself is a necromancer and Kate is understandably quite distrustful of his motives when he first arrives. The longer she spends with him, the more she begins to realize that he might not actually be a bad guy and the spark they had so long ago might still be there. 

I personally loved the romantic aspect of this story. It’s just plain ol’ delightful and made me happy even though some parts were predictable. The overall cozy, autumnal atmosphere of the story is really what sold me though. There’s baking, pumpkin carving, prepping for Samhain celebrations. It sets up the most idyllic imagery of late October (my favorite month!) and it was exactly what I needed when I picked it up! My only complaint would be that the conflict with the King Below wrapped up very quickly and it hardly felt like a conflict at all. Other than that I totally loved this and can’t wait to see what else this author releases in the future!

If you’re looking for the perfect fall themed read that will give you a mix of magic and autumn this is it. A story of a Witch that has been named the Hedge Witch and is trying to understand why her mom gave her that title. Kate lives a quiet and tranquil life until her sister asks her to host the Covens Halloween event and things start to worry her when someone from her past comes to her home and...
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC read publishes 10/8/24

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.