Home is where the curses are.

In the coastal town of Nightglass, Blackwicket House looms on the cliffs, far from the charming streets bustling with wealthy visitors seeking to experience a bit of real magic. Once an esteemed Inn with a reputation for healing, it now serves only as a grim warning to anyone tempted by curses. With Fiona Blackwicket, its sole caretaker, newly deceased, it stands empty - a dangerous thing for Blackwicket House to be.

If you're like me and you love all things fall and Halloween, Blackwicket is just the read you've been looking for. This book is dark, moody, mysterious, and eerie with just the right amount of romance.

Blackwicket is a truly unique story and I loved the idea of "curse eaters". The characters were entertaining and kept me on my toes. Yes, the pacing of this story was a bit slower than anticipated, but with all the world building, I think it worked. There's also some great twists that will keep you guessing.

All in all, Blackwicket is a great read to get you in the mood for Spooky Season. If you're a fan of unique and mysterious gothic romances, you'll definitely want to check out Blackwicket.

This was really interesting and had great potential but the world-building is extremely confusing. It took a long time before things were explained and I found myself ging 'Huh?' a lot. Even by the end I still wasn't 100% clear on what was going on.

I inhaled Bea Northwick's last book and novella. I was so excited when she announced "Blackwicket" and have been waiting patiently for it since! It did not disappoint!
Eleanora left her family home of "Blackwicket" some 10 years prior and has hoped since never to return. It wouldn't be much of a novel if her wishes were granted and so she finds herself being drawn back to it and all the secrets it holds. There is curse eating, slow burn romance and not one character is fully as they seem.
Whilst there is a lot going on, it took me longer to get into than I expected. The magic system is complicated and I'm not sure I'd ever be able to explain it to another individual. This being said, Bea Northwick is never boring and a new book from her will always be eagerly awaited.

Eerie and haunting, yet so beautiful at the same time!

I don’t want to give too much away before it’s release, but I genuinely enjoyed this book. Slow burn romance, unique magic system, and dark and gothic vibes? I’m in! Bea’s writing is lovely as well. The characters are flawed, morally grey, and nobody is pretending to be perfect. Very refreshing!

My only note is that the magic system could have been explained a little bit better in the beginning. I struggled to follow some parts at first but started to put the pieces together near the end. Nonetheless, I would recommend this book to anyone in search of a spooky, fall read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bea Northwick, and Victory Editing for access to this eARC! Review is left voluntarily and opinions are entirely my own.

Looking forward to publishing day and eventually continuing on with Eleanora and Victor’s story!

4 stars – A deliciously dark and gothic tale that crackles with cursed magic, secrets, and sin

Welcome to Nightglass—where the sea mist carries whispers, the houses remember, and home isn’t where the heart is… it’s where the curses live rent-free.

Blackwicket by Bea Northwick is one of those books that quietly grabs your wrist and pulls you deeper into the dark, page by page, until you realize you’re completely spellbound. This is gothic fantasy done right—think creaky doors, cursed bloodlines, magic with teeth, and morally messy characters who you can’t help but root for.

Eleanora Blackwicket, our stubborn and sharp-edged heroine, returns home to bury her sister and walk away from a legacy she never asked for. Unfortunately for her (but lucky for us), the infamous Blackwicket House—and the town of Nightglass—has other plans. Between a black-market magic syndicate (hello, Brom), a government inspector with far too many secrets and a face that doesn’t help, and a family past so cursed it might as well be haunted, Eleanora is thrown headfirst into a nightmare soaked in secrets, violence, and twisted romance.

Let’s talk about the magic system: unsettling, unique, and steeped in history, with “curse-eating” as both a power and a burden. It’s refreshing to see a fantasy that doesn’t rely on tired tropes but instead leans into the eerie and the visceral. This isn’t “light a candle, cast a spell” magic—it’s blood and bone, trauma and consequence.

The pacing starts out slow, sure—but that’s world-building, baby. By chapter five, you’re knee-deep in intrigue, rooting for Eleanora’s survival while side-eyeing every character and wondering who’s going to betray who next.

And yes, there’s romance—the dark, forbidden kind with heat and heart. Victor Harrow is all broody antihero wrapped in Authority-issue leather and danger. Is he trustworthy? No clue. Do we still want them to kiss and maybe burn the world down together? Absolutely.

Trigger warning: this book does touch on themes of trauma, loss, isolation, and emotional suppression. But it handles them with care and makes the characters’ emotional arcs feel earned. Eleanora doesn’t just grow—she claws her way forward.

Blackwicket is darkly beautiful, with haunted hallways, messy emotions, and magic that bites back. Northwick has built a world I want to revisit—and a protagonist I’d follow straight into the shadows. 4 stars of spooky satisfaction, and a big fat YES to more from the Dark Hall universe.

thank you Netgalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and the author for my eArc. all opinions are my own.

I love a gothic and spooky book and that is exactly what I got with Blackwicket. We follow Eleanora and her story of coming back home to Blackwicket House to bury her sister, but finds herself there much longer. The plot was very interesting, albeit confusing at times because of all of the moving parts. I also felt like this was very wordy and thus had a difficult time getting and staying engaged. The plot was definitely the main focus of the book with a side of romance, which was slow burn. Once I sat down and gave this book my full attention near the end, I got really into it and was intrigued to know what happened next. I will say though, I can’t wait for the next book and that is pretty rare for me. I would definitely recommend this if you like gothic romantasy, magic systems, slow burn, magical houses, and some creepiness. Thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really excellent spooky coastal vibes. I really loved the magic system and the main plot was excellent and really drew me in. It well-paced, but slow. It wouldn't work as a binge-in-a-day read, so I really appreciated the pacing.

The biggest issue I had was the lack of world building. There was enough for me to be immersed, but I had to reread things a few times to understand what was happening. The summary on Goodreads explained more about the Brom and the Authority. I also found drudges confusing as they were never really defined and the author didn't do a great job of differentiating between drudges when there were multiple in a scene

HOWEVER, I do think the story more than made up for the lack of world building. While I could see this developing into a series, I really enjoyed it as a stand alone. While breaking it up into two books would have allowed for more world building, I think it was the right decision to make it a stand alone (or possible first book).

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you so much Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, Bea Northwick, NetGalley for this ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed The Cruel Dark and have been waiting with anticipation for Blackwicket. I feel really excited and honored to be approved for this ARC! The writing and character development are polished with Northwick’s signature dark, sinister atmospheric narrative style. The plot really took off at the 40% mark. Unlike The Cruel Dark, I got more dark fantasy rather than unsettling gothic horror vibes from this book. Northwick is an incredibly skilled writer and it’s always easy to connect with her characters.

Welcome to Nightglass an eerie town with ties to magic that the protagonist, Eleanora, cannot seem to break free from. Running from her past and trying to make her own way, Eleanora unfortunately is called back to Nightglass and her childhood home, Blackwicket House, after a loss. As she is trying to grieve she is thrown into a world of secrets, ultimately trying to unravel who is friend and who is foe while disappearances and murders take place.

This BOOK! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5! It has a unique magic system that truly is spooky with an engaging plotline and characters alike. The beginning is slow which is needed for the world building and understanding of the magic system. I was engaged the second I started reading, loving Eleanora’s wit and attitude as she navigated her past and present. If you like dark, gothic, magic, and a touch of horror this is the book for you!

There is also romance in the book which is beautiful how it ties together. It is well-written and you root for the characters as they have endured so much trauma and isolation. There are spice scenes (open-door) which makes the novel definitely for adults!

Overall, I loved this story and I am so intrigued by Dark Hall and this magic world. I hope that there is more to come from it. Highly recommend! I feel so special for this to be my first Advanced Reader Copy, I have already pre-ordered the physical book for when it is published 9/9/25 ♥️✨

Thank you to #NetGalley and for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. And thank you to the author @beanorthwick for writing a good one!

3.5⭐ rounding up - After loving The Cruel Dark, I knew I would be reading more from this author.

Northwick seems to truly thrive in these gothic atmospheres and her descriptive writing works so well to create such a thrilling reading experience that is just spooky enough. I love the way her story-telling creates this immersive experience that invokes visceral reactions.

This book is pitched as a 'dark gothic romantasy' and I don't know that I agree with that. I do not think this fits well in the Romantasy category and could lead to disappointed readers. Dark Gothic paranormal romance...with horror elements? Yes. Romantasy? Not quite. This also reads a bit more like a thriller novel in which you're kind of confused for a while, kind of left in the dark, and then at about 80% multiple plot twists kick in and you get that "ohhhh" moment.

I did really enjoy the romance in this. It was giving great enemies-to-lovers vibes as Eleanora was a curse eater and Victor was basically hunting her down as a member of The Authority. Victor was deliciously grumpy while also being fiercely protective. I would call this more of a medium-burn (rather than a slow burn), especially if this ends up being a series (with that ending, I'd assume so but nothing confirmed).

While I enjoyed the magic and the plot I just needed a little bit more, specifically, more explanation. There were multiple things I just never felt I truly got a grasp on. Beyond Curse Eaters, I have no idea what non-Curse Eater magic looks like, who possesses it, what they can do with it, etc. I also don't think I fully understood the act of Curse Eating, where curses come from, how a curse becomes a Drudge, etc. Also, who or what is "The Brom"? I spent the entire book trying to use context clues to figure it out but I still don't know. I even did a search to see if I missed when it was first mentioned but all we get is "The Brom know I'm here" ... like okay, who are they?!

But the plot twists?! Maybe I was distracted by trying to understand the magic but I did not see any of those twists coming. Color me SHOCKED for each and every one lol which made for a really enjoyable ending where I did not want to put this down. I really hope this is the first book in a series with where this ended which is not quite a cliffhanger but definitely open-ended.

Overall I had a great time and would recommend this. I think it was clear in the writing that this was the author's first crack at writing something with more magic and fantasy elements so while I had some criticisms, I still enjoyed myself and think others would too.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC. This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

*♡Thank you to Bea Northwich and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion♡*
Blackwicket was such a spooky little treat! I loved the gothic atmosphere, the slow-burning mystery, and that ever-present sense of unease that kept me hooked. Bea Northwich has a real knack for writing vivid, moody settings and morally grey characters that get under your skin in the best way.

It gave me dark academia meets folk horror vibes and I was so here for it. Definitely one to curl up with on a rainy day if you're into eerie reads with bite!

I was drawn to this book after I kept seeing it on social media where I was intrigued by its gorgeous cover art and the blurb. I'm so happy I was approved for an advanced review copy!

There was a lot I really enjoyed about this book. The world building and atmosphere were really well depicted and it definitely had an eerie haunting atmosphere that was masterfully maintained throughout. It reminded me of The Turning of the Screw with elements from TV show The Haunting of Hill House. I loved the realistic way that the emotions were portrayed and the central theme of family and grief were very evocatively written throughout, so much so it felt like an almost palpable presence within the house. The magic system of curse-eating also added an interesting dimension to the story, and I'd be interested to hear more about how this practice developed within the world as well (perhaps in a future installment) as it seems so intrinsically linked to the emotions that permeate the book.

The pacing was very well done and I also really enjoyed the development of the characters including exploring their individual flaws and motivations. I'm eager to learn more about the different organisations and their histories. This book definitely left me wanting more.

Overall I loved this spooky, evocative book and whilst this is my first novel by Bea Northwick, I'm definitely excited to read more from this author in the future.

This was an amazing read! Complex characters, twists and turns, high heat and a horror setting you fall into from the start. True gothic masterpiece!

The dark atmospheric of this novel is incredible! I absolutely loved this book, from beginning to end. It was eerie, emotional, mysterious, tense and sad. This is more of a slow paced read, that is both plot and character driven. It was very thought provoking, easy to read and came with effective visuals. It is beautifully written, came with a clear thesis and is full of dark fantasy! The magic, secrets and the horror that this book came with was extremely entertaining! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!

“Blackwicket” is book one of the Dark Hall series. It is a novel about a Blackwicket house, which is nested off of the cliffs. It is currently a relic for curses, but it used to be a healing inn. Eleanora Blackwicket comes back to the town, to bury her sister who passed away suddenly. Her plan takes a turn and ominous things start happening! The authority gets involved and Eleanora’s dark forces will get released if they are provoked! This is an amazing dark and eerie novel that you don’t want to miss out on!

I think fans of gothic horror, along with supernatural realism, would really enjoy reading this book! Content warnings include death, grief and violence and trauma.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Bea Northwick and Northwick Books for this digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on September 9, 2025!

This book got me. Haunting in the quietest, most secretive way—Blackwicket isn’t just about ghosts or curses, it’s about memories, family, and how they alter the choices you are willing to make.

The magic (curse-eating!) felt raw and real, not overdone. The story is eerie, emotional, and beautifully written with just the right amount of grit.

If you like your fantasy with heart, atmosphere, and something different—read this.

3.5 stars

Gothic and atmospheric, with beautiful prose. Blackwicket has the perfect vibes for an autumn or spooky-season read.

Our main character, Eleanora, is a Curse-Eater, quite literally, who has unsuccessfully spent her adulthood trying to escape her heritage. When she is called back to her hometown after the passing of her sister, she’s forced to face her past head-on, while avoiding being ensnared in a plot by an underground, illegal-magic organization and an Inspector who is searching for any reason to take her down.

Stepping into the coastal town of Nightglass is reminiscent of Fairydale to me, which I greatly enjoyed, as they both share similarities of mysterious townsfolk, unnatural occurrences, and secrets of the past coming to light in a vintage setting.

I found the magic system to be unique, but I struggled to follow it throughout the book, which made me disengage with the story at times and heavily influenced my rating.

It’s important to note that this is a slower read, which is not a criticism, but if you’re looking for something fast-paced I’d recommend saving this for a time when you’re able to slow down and give it the attention it requires. Even though it wasn’t a 5 star read for me, I’d absolutely recommend this book for the vibes and beautiful writing.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Pretty, atmospheric writing with elegant prose, but the excessive descriptions made pacing feel slow at times.

While the magic was unique and intriguing, I also found it very confusing. The concepts of curses, drudges, dark hall, and how the magic system worked needed clearer explanation.

I thought the romance was good—slow burn and didn’t overshadow the plot. I liked the connection between Victor and Eleanora.

Overall, not bad but it didn't work for me. The vintage 1920s/30s setting was my favourite element. Unfortunately, the messy magic system and pacing issues made it hard for me to stay fully engaged.

Creepy, gothic house? Check. Enemies to lovers? Check? Magic? Check

This definitely feels like 1920s America, but instead of alcohol being prohibited, it’s magic, and the Brom are the mafia. At first I was confused by the magic system and the Drudges in this book, but around half way through, it all a started to fall into place. I’d definitely like more information on Dark Hall, but I feel like that’s what book 2 will bring, and I’d definitely love a prequel of Eleanor’s past faux lives - but more because I’m nosey and want to know more about her back story!

I’m excited to see where this series will lead, and I’m rooting for the characters to prevail!

Holy shit! Finally a good gothic suspenseful dark story! I have been disappointed lately with the lack of good gothic books! Well I am happy I got this arc and will def be talking about it in the future! Thank you for this arc!

I was eager to step into another Bea Northwick world; her writing so encompassing & emotion-evoking, and Blackwicket did not disappoint! Bea’s brilliant use of language lands you viscerally into the plot; weaving a tale that feels different amid the ever-growing fantasy genre. I adored the characters - their imperfections moulded perfectly to show their strengths & vulnerabilities in a way that made you care for them regardless of their flaws. If you’re looking for a gothic yet mysterious tale, with a flare of romance and a drop of eeriness added in, Blackwicket is one for you!