This is the perfect spooky read for this time of the year. This is the second book I’ve read from Bea and i loved it. I enjoyed the dark atmosphere and enjoyed the book from start to finish.

Was a great Gothic, dark read. Just when I was expecting it to go one way, I was thrown for a loop. I really enjoyed this book and the characters. Had just the right amount of spice and a whole lot of mystery. It was a great read. I was lucky to get this as an ARC from NetGally and Author Bea Northwick. I will definitely be purchasing it when it comes out to add to my collection.

Blackwicket is a dark and atmospheric blend of gothic fantasy and romance, with just the right touch of horror to keep things unsettling. The cursed estate setting was wonderfully eerie, and the writing pulled me in with its moody, almost cinematic detail. I loved the slow-burn tension between the characters, though at times the pacing dragged a little in the middle. Still, the mix of romance, gothic dread, and sinister magic made this a captivating read—I couldn’t stop turning the pages. Perfect for fans of romantasy who like their stories laced with shadows, curses, curse eaters and more curses!

Thank you NetGalley and Bea Northwick for the ARC!

You'll love this if you like...
✨️Gothic fantasy
✨️Curses
💀Horror
✨️Magical organized crime
✨️Slow burn
✨️Enemies to lovers

sadly, i am dnf-ing this one at 65%

the pacing of this book is slow, there was not a lot going on that held my attention and i found myself dozing off or simply wanting to read something else. northwick's writing is beautiful, i will give her that. there was tons of potential had things within this story been handled differently. this writing is dark and gothic, perfect for fall time but it's one that you need to dedicate time too. it's not a quick read.

the magic system lacked, heavily and as someone who prefers fantasy over romantasy; this irked me. especially since northwick poured so much time into miscellaneous things that hold zero weight onto the overall story. she did well with the world building but things happened throughout the book that simply made no sense to me. i simply could not tell you how the magic system worked or what a drudge even is. but the idea of curse eaters? insanely cool. i would have loved to had more time spent explaining on those things than a room that had mold.

the premise of this story sounds incredible and that's what made me want to read the arc. however it just missed the mark. maybe i will give it a second chance in the future but as of right now, i'm putting it down.

thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Blackwicket is a gothic romance fantasy with a bit of a horror twist. While this was a little different than your average fantasy, the dark atmosphere, mystery and suspense make for a good autumn spooky read. I will admit to being a little lost with some of the magic system, and struggled with the pacing some. However, it was still an enjoyable story - and I will still recommend for anyone looking for spooky vibes and an elaborate story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Blackwicket is a romantasy horror filled with unique magic, dark secrets, and plenty of spice! This story follows Eleanora, a curse eater living in secret, as she returns to her childhood home after the death of her sister. She’s pursued by Victor, a brash inspector for the Authority, trying to contain her illegal magic. Sparks fly when they must work together to try and solve the dark secrets unraveling around Blackwicket and her sister’s death.

Overall, this was a decent read with a unique magical world and a fun variety of characters. The creepy house was my favorite part, as well as the horror aspects that ran throughout. The main romance was heavily “romantasy” coded, with a typical brooding hero that might be a monster himself. There was definitely a lot of spice. However, I did find the magic system confusing at times and hard to follow. The romance, while well written, also verged in stereotypical tropes that some readers love but aren’t my personal favorite. I would recommend this book for lovers of spicy horror and I think there’s room for more explanations of the magic system in a follow up book.

Magic AND mystery?! Yes please! Dark, gothic, fantasy, & an out of nowhere romance? 4.5 stars!

This book was very captivating & has you needing to turn the page because once one question is answered, another one surfaces. I really liked the magical aspect- it was very different from others I’ve read. I also enjoyed the plot twists! I didn’t see any of them coming. I will definitely be reading more from this author & this proves to always take a chance on a book you see on Instagram!

I really didn’t expect to love this as much as I did, it’s not my usual kind of read, but I’d heard only good things so really wanted to give it a go.

The great thing about Bea is her ability to make us feel so many different of emotions throughout this book, one minute I’m smiling and the next I’m crying.

I might be in love with Victor, I won’t lie.

My only criticism would be that the descriptions were a bit extra, I did find myself skipping over them a bit but felt like I hadn’t missed anything, so the extra description wasn’t really necessary.

Thank you so much to Bea and NetGalley for the arc of this book!

This was a super unique fantasy. I really enjoyed the gothic atmosphere and setting and also the magic system, which was different than anything I have read. I absolutely LOVED Harrow, I really enjoyed the romance between him and Eleanora. I also love a good twist and this book had a few of them that I much enjoyed.

I do wish the world building and explanation of the magic system was fleshed out a bit more, I found it hard to follow or understand fully. I also struggled a bit with the pacing of this story at times.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I think it’s a great book to pick up especially during the fall months. And Bea’s writing is beautiful as per usual!

Bea Northwick, in response to your acknowledgement, you are certainly not a one hit wonder.
This was such a brilliant, refreshing story. By refreshing I'm talking a tale that's different from the ones circulated at the moment. In no way am I saying they're bad, but I'm always looking for a new read, a new world and new characters to get lost in.
This was very good.
It starts off a little slow but, the pace and the story really picks up as it goes. Don't ask for completed arcs as they are few but I believe it's because there is going to be a second book. Blalckwicket does enough to keep me guessing, reading and craving for book two.
It's a slow burn romance also that once it hit, it hits. The writing was great. As an arc read, a few typos here and there but nothing major.
I liked the character development and I also see that there is more to explore as the story continues with other characters.
The magic isn't discussed in detail, it is there and that's fine, I hope we get a little bit more background and explanation again as the story develops and that's because there is a lot that can be talked about.
I loved the world and setting and like how it wasn't necessarily 'this world' again so much to explore.
This was a great way to delve into romantasy after The Cruel Dark and I am definitely on board for the ride.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me so I don’t want to give it a bad review just because of my personal preferences. I thought it would be different to what it was, but as I say this is just personal preference and not because I think the book is bad. However I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a copy for a review.

Absolutely Loved this one! Took me a bit longer to finish for personal reasons but I could not stop thinking about it. The writing was great and keep me hooked to the end!

“Why was I here for a sister who hadn’t wanted me?”

After escaping her home of Blackwicket, Eleanora, a young curse eater, must return to carry out her beloved and estranged sister’s funeral. Curse eaters scare anyone who comes near them, especially in a time when magic is banned.

Eleanora wants nothing more than to put her sister to rest and leave Blackwicket for good. The once beautiful childhood home has grown thorns and grieves the loss of Eleanora’s mother and sister. As Eleanora pulls back the layers of her sister’s mysterious life-and death-she finds that humans are just as terrifying as the supernatural.

Eleanora displays an admirable balance of strength and vulnerability as she struggles to let those into her life after facing such pain in her life. Mirroring Eleanora’s rough exterior, Blackwicket as a house is an imposing and omnipresent character of its own. Bea’s skill at gothic writing is fully on display in her gorgeous description and tense character dynamics.

Blackwicket will be published 9/9/25. Thank you so much to Bea Northwick and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I was so drawn into Bea Northwick’s debut novel, The Cruel Dark and enjoyed Blackwicket just as much. I am so excited to see that Blackwicket is the start of a series.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing an advanced reader copy of this book.

4.25 stars - I DEVOURED this. I only wish I read this in the fall because this is a great autumn read! I really enjoyed the gothic vibes, the slow burn romantic tension, and Eleanora and Victor as characters! Bea does a fantastic job at creating the atmosphere of this book and though I was confused at times with the magic system, I really loved the writing and the focus on curses!

I was on the edge of my seat, nail biting, with the twist and turns! This is a must read for the autumn season. Not only is it eerie and mysterious with all the secrets, but it deals with topics of loss and grief so you really become immersed in the world and with the characters, even the side ones who I also adore! And that ending WHEW!

I already want to read it again!

4.5 ⭐️. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc for an honest review. I just loved the overall vibes of this book, so atmospheric and gothic. The main characters sister dies and so she returns to her childhood home Blackwicket which right away you find out is a spooky place. All kinds of secrets unravel with a romance intertwined. I devoured this book, perfect for the fall season.

**Features:**

- A young woman facing her dark past and uncovering family secrets
- Slow burn gothic romantasy
- Setting feels like a character
- Dangerous underground organizations and secret agendas

**Synopsis:**

All Eleanora Blackwicket wants to do is leave the past behind and create a new life beyond the reaches of the Blackwicket legacy. However, her interest in curses and abilities as a curse eater prove far more difficult to repress than she anticipated. After her latest attempt at starting a new life comes crashing down around her and she learns of her estranged sister Fiona’s death, Ellie’s only choice seems to be to return to the town of Nightglass and Blackwicket House. Though she has no intentions of staying, Ellie quickly finds herself cornered by a dangerous underworld organization, a mysterious government investigator, and Blackwicket House itself. Ellie learned long ago that some doors are best left unopened, but something far more sinister is at play and threatens to ruin them all.

**Thoughts:**

This book really delivers on the atmosphere and is a great fall/Halloween read! It moves at a slower pace with Northwick really taking time to create that eerie feeling I always look forward to in a gothic tale. With its magic, quirks, and secrets, Blackwicket House truly becomes a character in its own right. Though I wish the world around it was a little more developed, I still found this a compelling playground for the cast of complicated, morally grey characters at the heart of this story.

The book is told from Eleanor Blackwicket’s perspective as she finds herself with little choice but to return to her family’s old home after her estranged sister’s untimely death. We know from the beginning that Ellie is at least partially at fault for this estrangement and that the event that created this tension is the reason Ellie does not want to be in Blackwicket House. A big part of the story is learning exactly what happened and what some of the broader implications were and/or might be. Ellie is the type of character that has good intentions but is often impulsive and/or misguided in her actions. However, she has a level of self-awareness and accountability that really made me feel for her from the very beginning and root for her growth.

The romance itself is a slow burn between Ellie and the broody Investigator Victor Harrow. Their relationship starts as a more ‘predator vs. prey’ dynamic with Victor tailing Ellie on behalf of the government’s anti-magic agency and threatening to reveal some of her darkest secrets. Though I wouldn’t describe Ellie as a ‘sunshine’ character, the two still have great chemistry and the evolution of their relationship felt really natural as they slowly broke down each other’s walls. Despite its slow development, there is plenty of romantic tension that pays off with some spicy scenes towards the end of the book.
The area this book somewhat falls flat for me is in its world building/magic system. While I think some information is being purposefully withheld due to Ellie’s own lack of knowledge, the pieces we have don’t fit together as tightly as they should and things that fall outside of Ellie’s direct experience feel quite vague. This world and the agencies we see at play all have a complicated relationship with magic, but I was left with a lot of questions of exactly what that looked and why on a broader scale. I hope we get future installments that explore some of these interesting concepts a little more.

Blackwicket by Bea Northwick is a dark gothic tale that is absolutely perfect for spooky season. It begins with the death of the heroine’s sister, which forces her to return to her childhood home. That return immediately stirs up haunting memories and sets the tone that she is about to face more than her share of awful memories and difficulties within its walls. The setting is steeped in atmosphere, heavy with shadows and secrets, and it hooked me straight away.

The curse-eater element adds a fresh and intriguing layer, sparking instant curiosity, this wasn’t something I’d read before and so I was really enjoying that element. Questions piled up as the story progressed, and I really appreciated how they were eventually answered while still keeping me on edge- I hate a loose end! The protagonist herself is very likeable and develops well! exactly the kind of heroine I adore, so her voice was right up my street.

I will admit that some sections moved slower, and there were moments where I had to push myself to keep reading. However, just when I thought things were slowing too much, another twist would strike and pull me right back in. And then came our MMC, dark, intense, and magnetic. His arrival shifts the story in such a compelling way. The dynamic between him and Eleanora had me gripped, and it felt like fire meeting ice, dangerous yet irresistible. Their chemistry crackled, and the spice was pretty darn good too - after the slow burn.

With its gothic tension, well thought out twists, and atmospheric writing, Blackwicket is a brooding and dark ride. It is a solid 4⭐ read for me, and one I would happily recommend to anyone craving something spooky, sensual, and dark.

Thank you to Bea and the Victory editing team for the ARC!

This is the first of Bea's books that I've read and it did not disappoint. I am obsessed with the magic system in this story - the noir vibes, magic being outlawed, the way curses and fowl magic are formed?! Impeccable.

The setting and premise, Elanora trying to unravel the mysteries left behind at there childhood home, we're both really engaging. I always wanted to know what was coming next and really enjoyed some of the twists in this story.

I wasn't that interested in the romance plot, it tied together much more satisfyingly towards the end and I started to get invested, but at first it didn't make the most sense to me.

Overall, this was a really great read. I enjoyed the setting, it's an interesting take on magical fantasy that I haven't read a lot of and it felt really fresh and engaging.

As an ARC reader for Northwick's debut The Cruel Dark, I was over the moon for the opportunity to read her sophomore novel Blackwicket—and it did NOT disappoint!

Like TCD, Blackwicket is a slow-burn gothic romance with a strong FMC, a brooding and mysterious MMC, twists, and deliciously sinister atmosphere. But where Blackwicket sparkles is in establishing itself as a fully realized fantasy world of epic proportions. I did not expect this book to end how it did!

Curse-eating as a magic system is one I've never read before, and that, combined with the drudge, numerous clashing factions of people, and the element of alchemy was the perfect recipe for the gothic horror-romantasy this story turned out to be. Northwick accomplishes so many things—setting the stage, moving the plot forward, and creating heroes and villains alike who truly exist in the gray and come with their own traumas, goals, and failings that make them so fascinating. And the family dynamics! I was completely locked in.

I love the emotional depth of Northwick's writing and Blackwicket has it in spades.

I'll be waiting to see what happens next in Dark Hall.

"I'm a Blackwicket. Trouble and I know each other well."

3.5 stars.

I loved ‘The Cruel Dark’ and ‘Lover’ so much, Bea’s writing is exquisite, and as gothic romance / romantasies are becoming a fast favourite, I quickly applied to receive an ARC!

I really enjoyed the concept but must confess, I was confused at times due to the magic system.

Everything else, detail and plot wise was absolutely beautifully written, so descriptive you can practically see it. The world building regarding the magic of the story felt like it wasn’t shared with the audience, hence common confusion.

It was intriguing but needed explanation… what is a brom? What exactly is the authority? What is a drudge? Where/what is the dark hall? I couldn’t really be shocked by the plot twist because I didn’t really have a grasp on what anything actually was.

That being said, I will always be excited and intrigued to read anything Bea writes and already can’t wait for whatever is next.