Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Gothic and a unique magic system. A REALLY creepy house. 1930’s vintage vibes. TRUE Enemies to Lovers (with some unexpected spicy tropes and I don’t know how I feel about it).

Bea Northwick is setting herself to be a top name in the gothic horror genre. Ultimately this book falls into more of the Romantasy genre with Gothic tropes. Her other book the Cruel Dark is on my TBR (to be saved for fall vibes) and if this book intrigues you, I’d recommend to save for a chilly autumn night - ideally with a thunderstorm in the background. The writing is strong, but I found the magic system confusing - I still don’t fully get it and the romance went from semi 0 to 100 very quickly. Our poor FMC and reader are really the only ones out of the loop with everything going on so a lot of the tension and mystery could have been/is resolved with a conversation. The romance goes into a trope I wasn’t anticipating and isn’t always for me personally - but I can’t say more without spoilers. We end with the door open for a sequel that has left me curious enough to want more.

Would I recommend: If you like monster or curse focused romantasy with spice, maybe.

This book had a lot of things I loved: creepy gothic vibes, magic, enemies to lovers, plot twists. So, in theory I should have loved it… but I didn’t.

The magic system was confusing. I’m done with the book and, to be fair, still don’t understand it. I thought that maybe it was just me and my brain fog, but I’ve seen other reviews mention it being confusing as well. I also found it difficult to keep track of all of the “bad guys” and “authorities”. I found myself having to ask who was who on multiple occasions. Overall, I feel like the author sacrificed readability in favor of superfluous language and suspense. But the initial suspense of not knowing never gave way to a thorough explaining of the magic system at any point and just kept me confused.

Also, the lovers? I felt like two cardboard cutouts whoops have more chemistry than they did. I understand the reason that they were probably drawn to each other, but beyond the magic, they had no real chemistry.

I did like the setting and story though… so maybe I’ll read book two.

Romantasy girlies this one is for you: Dark, sultry, and full of creative twists!

You'll love it if you love:
🏚️ A haunted house
🩸Gory magic systems
❤️‍🔥 Lovers who have every reason to hate each other
➿ Twists on twists on twists!

I picked this up because I've been on the hunt for fantasy outside of the classic European setting. (I'm tired of the medieval ages, y'all!) Blackwicket delivered on that front!

I loved the setting - 1920s gothic coastal town full of secrets - and elements of the super unique magic system. Curse eating is SO cool! There's also a lot of genre-bending elements beyond the romance, including mystery and thriller. Northwick is clearly setting up a series and I found the ending extremely satisfying, which is so hard to pull off.

Admittedly, I struggled with this review. There were times where this story was a 5⭐ experience, especially after the halfway mark when Northwick's creativity really shone through. That being said, a few issues held this story back from its full potential for me.

The pacing was extremely slow to start and I never felt like I fully grasped the rules of the magic system, which made parts confusing (obviously, this could be a me problem). Weirdly, my biggest hang up was that it felt like this story should have been written in third person vs first. There was just enough head hopping and narration to break me out of Eleanora's perspective. I found it a bit jarring but this I suspect really is a me problem.

Ultimately, I would consider another of Northwick's books and suspect this series will find lots of avid fans.

Many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the eARC!

✨ ARC Review ✨
Blackwicket by Bea Northwick
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — absolutely 5 stars

“The darkness that devoured people from the inside out was often their own.”

The emotional turmoil this story sent me through wrecked me in the best possible way. The magic system was both intricate and easy to follow, and the corruption of magic, along with the blatant abuse of it by high powered people, draws such clear parallels to politics in general. Few things are as fueling as the greed for power.

Eleanora is a Curse Eater, an intrinsic magic that allows her to take in curses, unravel the defilement, and release the magic back in its pure form. Much of my enjoyment was in speculating why Curse Eaters were essentially shackled or eradicated, and what that means for the power dynamics of this world… so I’ll let you unravel those curses for yourself. Some cursed magic can take a semi-physical form called a Drudge, which I pictured as an angry Flubber. It’s an encounter with one of these Drudges that truly kicks off our journey—Eleanora is being pushed by her estranged father, chased by an emboldened Inspector Harrow, and pulled back to Blackwicket House for the unexpected passing of her sister.

Blackwicket House itself is a character—steeped in secretive magic, holding the illusive Dark Hall, a dangerous, dimension-like space all its own, and hoarding more secrets than anyone inside. The story peels back in layers—childhood memories, old traumas, friendships as they evolve, and the mystery of who’s really the villain.

A hauntingly gothic setting, forced proximity, and enemies-to-lovers with an HEA (but not the one you’d expect). Through the creation of curses and ventures into Dark Hall, you can’t help but reflect on how much of our successes, or destructions, are of our own making. The writing is haunting with a dash of lyrical, and spice-wise there are a handful of open-door scenes that are explicit, but skippable without losing story.

Overall? An absolute 5-star read for me. If there’s another book coming, it’s immediately going on my TBR. I already ordered the SE box for my shelf, where it will sit proudly among my favorite reads.

As self-proclaimed president of the Bea Northwick fanclub, I actually freaked out a little bit (read: A LOT) when I was approved for this ARC!! One of my very first ARCs ever was The Cruel Dark (😭🖤) and I was eager to return to the gothic worlds Bea weaves with her words.

This dark gothic romance is everything you wish it would be - vintage, horrific (I actually gasped and gagged at times), and so detailed I felt as though I was right there with Eleanora.

What brings me to my knees in every Bea book is watching the main character (and others) struggle with trauma, grief, and growth. Eleanora deals with so much death and loss (including the heartbreak of being tethered to someone who should care for you more than they do) it's gut-wrenching and self-affirming to read at the same time.

Even when I thought I guessed the twist (there's a few!) I was left absolutely floored and wishing for more.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this eARC! I am forever in your debt for introducing me to this author 🖤

4 star read
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

thank you to netgalley and bea northwick for the gifted e-arc in exchange for an honest review

if you love morally gray EVERYONE this one is definitely for you!

Eleanora is a curse eater who apent her adult life running from her home. Upon finding out of her sisters death, she returned to Blackwicket House which used to be an Inn for healing curses she found it to be full of unhealed curses and untold secrets. as she spends more time in the town and the house she grew up, more secrets and strange occurrences begin.

this was a slower read with a complex magic system which took a bit of rereading to understand but the story was very well written and worth the parts I had to reread.

⭐️slow burn
⭐️morally gray EVERYONE
⭐️dark gothic fantasy
⭐️monster mmc
⭐️mysteries

this would be the perfect read for autumn/halloween spooky vibes

Blackwicket was exactly what I was hoping for when I came across it!

The romance is a very slow burn but when it burns, it BURNS! And I am a sucker for that slow burn and yearning.

“I deserve to be dust, but as long as you still breathe, there’s something in this life I want, and I’m going to choose it always.”

“In whatever form, I crave you more than life.”

The plot and story building intrigued me and drew me in from the start. And if the plot line wasn’t already enough, the TWISTS made my jaw drop all throughout the second half.

I’ll be recommending this book to everyone and a physical copy will be on my shelf trophy once is releases. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC opportunity.

Blackwicket
by Bea Northwick

3⭐️

Blackwicket is a gothic magical fantasy that has the perfect vibes for spooky season, the story is very descriptive and atmospheric. The author does a fabulous job with the description of the creepy coastal town “Nightglass “

The story centers around Eleanora , who is a “Curse Eater “ she is trying to live a semi normal life and escape her birthright . But when she receives news of her sister’s passing, she returns to Nightglass a town with mysterious dark magic occurrences.

The story was very slow paced and I really thought I would love this story … but I really couldn’t connect with the writing or characters.
I was so confused throughout this whole book, especially with complex magic system? I’ve read plenty of fantasy books where there are very complex magic systems, but this story left me truly confused .

That being said, some may enjoy this story, but me personally just had a very difficult time getting through it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bea Northwick for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

“𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲.”

So, for starters: WHAT THE HECK?! Leaving me in the dark like that is unkind, and quite frankly, should be a chargeable offence. I need more and I need it right now.

The first half of this book? Pure atmospheric bliss—gothic, ghostly, and gloriously ghastly, just the way I like it! Then the second half started, and oh boy, did the plot get thick! Every time I thought I could breathe, something twisted me sideways and left me stunned. And, BAM! Another twist, and honestly, I wasn’t mad about them! Well, maybe a few because the villain is a grotesque slimebag that needs to perish immediately.

The romance in this was scrumptious. I like my fictional men dark, broody and broken, and our MMC delivers on all fronts. Our FMC managed to slowly break down his walls and his mask, and what happened next I was… phew, I can’t even say but I wasn’t ready. Now, I’m not much of a smut reader, and I don’t really care about it when I do read books that have it, but this one had me cold showering—no, like, I literally had to have a cold shower because of it.

Northwick crafted an incredibly intriguing and atmospheric world that I’m quite happy doesn’t exist. The side characters were not just there for filler; they each brought something unique to the story. And the writing was a dream! I do wish the magic system was fleshed out a little more, but it was kind of refreshing to learn about it with our FMC.

This book was a wild mix of spine-tingling suspense and heart-pounding romance, and I can’t wait to read more by Northwick.

Thank you Bea Northwick and NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Blackwicket is gothic, magical, and straight-up addictive. The magic system? Totally unique. The romance? Villains-to-lovers—but they’re both villains—and the tension is chef’s kiss. Spicy, but every bit of it is earned. That “good girl” moment? Yeah, I squealed. If you want mystery, intense magic, and romance that makes your heart race, read this.

Thankyou for a copy of this ARC!

Blackwicket gave me all the gothic, vintage, 1920s prohibition vibes and felt like the perfect autumnal read, even though I ended up reading it during a UK heatwave…

The atmosphere and setting were so vivid and moody that they completely pulled me in and kept me reading.

The author has created such an interesting and unique world but I often felt lost on how everything actually worked. There were so many original terms and concepts that I struggled to keep track of what each one meant, and even a simple glossary would have made a big difference. The pacing is very slow and while the descriptive writing sets the mood beautifully, I found myself wishing some of that detail had been used to make the magic system and world clearer.

Despite all of that, I still came away enjoying it more than I expected. The world might have left me confused, but the rich atmosphere and those dark, vintage vibes made the journey worth it.

If you’re into moody, slow-burn stories with a dash of mystery and romance, Blackwicket is definitely worth picking up. The gothic vibes are strong, the atmosphere is rich, and the tension simmers nicely. That said, the world-building can be a little fuzzy, and the pacing drags in spots, which might pull you out of the story now and then. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read. A solid a 3.5 star for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC.
This book totally pulled me in. It’s spooky, but in this quiet, sneaky way that sticks with you, kind of like a curse. Blackwicket isn’t just about ghosts or creepy stuff, it’s also about family, memories, childhood, and how those things shape the choices we make.

The whole curse-eating magic thing? Super cool and felt surprisingly real. Nothing over-the-top, just eerie and raw in the best way. The writing has this gritty, emotional vibe that works so well. I really hope that one day this is picked up for a TV show or movie because the visuals I had while reading this book were incredible.

If you're into fantasy that’s got heart, atmosphere, and a fresh twist, definitely give this one a shot.

4.5 Stars

Author: Bea Northwick
Release: Sept 2025

I was a volunteer ARC reader. Thank you Net Galley.
I thoroughly enjoyed the dark gothic atmosphere this story saturated me in. The beginning started a bit slow, but picked up the pace after a few chapters. The magic system of this world is slowly dying, leaving the world and the authority is there to seeming help it move faster.

Bea does a wonderful job immersing us in her prose.

Our main lady Eleanora is the younger Blackwicket daughter and unwilling to hold the mantle of her family as a curse-eater.

However the Brom- which appears the be the black-magic dealing underground power hungry organization has already set their eyes on the Blackwicket women. Eleanora who has been on the run and assuming other idenities for years has gotten on the radar of the Authority agent Victor Harrow who see her as a very important person of interest.

First of all thank you SO much NetGalley and Bea Northwick for an ARC in exchange for an *honest* review.

Regrettably, this is a DNF at around 20%.

As expected from Northwick, Blackwicket is beautifully written, with lush prose and a dark, immersive setting. Having adored The Cruel Dark and Lover, I approached this one with high expectations, but sadly found it hard to fully connect with the characters and plot. The world building and magic system felt a little confusing at the start, leaving me disoriented. I persisted for a while, but unfortunately didn’t find myself gripped enough to continue.

I’m genuinely gutted by this DNF, yet her storytelling remains captivating, and I will absolutely return to Bea’s work in the future!

Beautifully written. I enjoyed everything about this read. I was hooked from the start. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bea Northwick for allowing me to read an ARC of Blackwicket and provide an honest review.

What an incredibly beautifully written story.
The dark gothic atmosphere was the perfect amount of horror and fantasy, filled with dark magic and raw, honest romance. The author made it feel as though every element is this story was alive...the walls, the forest, the secrets and the curses.
The eerie, haunting depth of emotions brought about by tragedy, pain, grief, loss and family ties was incredibly poignant.

This is a slower paced read and was exactly what I needed to take the time and enjoy something so heart-rendering.
I did not want this book to end, but when it did...it was beautiful.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Blackwicket is such a beautifully written story. It's dark, it's unique, it's spooky. The spice pops in out of nowhere and it is HOT. It did take me a little bit to get into, about 30% for my interest to be truly piqued - but once I got immersed into the story, I couldn't get enough. I wish there had been a bit more depth/explanation of the magic system, but what was explained is like nothing I've read before which is always exciting.

2.5 ⭐️ (rounded up) I desperately wanted to love this book, but there were quite a few things about it that I can’t overlook. To begin, I’ll start with what I loved; the author never fails to elicit such haunting, gothic imagery, and the writing itself is beautiful. The book is often times eerie and unsettling, and you as a reader know everything is not quite as it seems, which only adds to the suspense of the story.

However. However… quite frankly, I was confused for the entirety of the book on the world building and magic system. The gothic elements and romance were strong, but the fantasy piece completely altered my perspective and diminished my experience. The magic system was extremely underdeveloped and confusing, and I feel like more and more kept being added without any real explanations first. It felt like the author was attempting to build an intricate magic system and world, but it left me with only questions and confusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bea Northwick for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

A beautifully written gothic fantasy with romance subplot. This one is for the girlies who live for fall and spooky season. The vibes were eerie and dark. The magic system is complex with curses, curse eaters, and a sentient house. Honestly I probably only understood like half of it, but still had a good time getting swept up in the world Bea Northwick created.

I really liked Eleanora’s character development. At first after coming back to Nightglass she had a hard time reconciling the sister she knew before leaving Blackwicket house with the one that she was learning about after she returned. As the book progresses she struggles with judging actions, her sister’s and even her own, according to her black and white evaluation. By the end she realizes that there is a grey area where people do what they have to do to survive the environment and circumstances they’re in, there is a complexity to living life and being human that surpasses black and white.

Overall I think this book is worth reading even if it’s a bit slow at parts and the world building requires a bit of figuring out.