Honey in Her Veins is so beautifully written, with such an interesting concept and magic system. The story follows Arthur, who carries a monster within him, and Eva, whose rare gift allows her to create life and coax plants to bloom. They are opposite sides of a coin, one tied to taking and the other to giving. This world explores what it means to live with darkness inside you, and it felt raw, real, and powerful. I loved how it showed the struggle of accepting that part of yourself instead of trying to cast it out.

Arthur and Eva’s relationship was breathtaking. They are truly made for each other, and their love felt so genuine. Then there is Dane and Isobel, whose friendship slowly blossoms into something deeper and tender. Watching their bond shift added another heartfelt layer alongside the main romance.

This book is emotional, magical, and deeply human. It is about love, acceptance, and the balance of light and dark. I highly recommend, such a beautiful and creative debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

From its first page, Honey in Her Veins casts a spell. The prose is breathtaking—every sentence feels like a drop of honey, sweet and sticking to you. The novel is deeply atmospheric, infused with a quiet magic that lingers long after you close the book.

The premise feels like folklore retold through modern bones: the theft of something beautiful brings a curse, and in that transgression lies both warning and wisdom. The balance between life and death, creation and destruction, pulses through the story—especially in the fragile bond between Arthur and Eva. Their magic, in opposition and in union, underscores a truth: only in needing each other can balance be forged.

I was really struck by the portrayal of the “monster” in Arthur— the dark, restless piece you cannot wholly slay nor wholly deny. This internal monster becomes a companion, adversary, a mirror. To see how McKell approached this as something to be understood, not just vanquished, felt deeply validating for anyone wrestling with mental health and identity. There is sorrow in these pages, but also tenderness, acceptance, and the fierce longing to be seen.

The tone is emotional, magical, and deeply human. It is a book about love and acceptance, but also about the hidden hollows we carry. There is a cottage-core softness to parts of it, but never naive: darkness always lurks just behind the petals and moss.

I closed this book feeling as though I had wandered through a dream and carried home a wild seed—small, fragile, yet alive with possibility.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There are no words for how this book has imprinted itself within me. The concept of befriending the monster within us instead of casting it out is so incredibly powerful. This book leaves readers feeling seen, validated, & like all their worst thoughts about themselves are ones that still deserve space to breathe because smothering them only makes them fester & rot. Bonus - Ruth writes some of the most atmospheric, evocative, breathtaking prose l've ever read! She will forever be an auto-buy author from me after this breakout debut!

This is the kind of book that breathes life back into your bones. It comes around at the perfect time, just when you need it. In a world that constantly has us chasing imaginary goals and bowing under pressure, this story forces you to sit and breathe and soak it all in. This isn't just a book for your yearly goal. This is a book that haunts you far beyond its pages. If sad, soft, and sexy is your brand, look no further.

Like a freshly buried seed, Ruth takes tender care with this story and how she handles the intimate themes that blossom throughout. Mental health is an important subject and often requires a certain gentleness, and Ruth does such an incredible job showing us the monster in Arthur's head in a way that is raw and vulnerable and sensitive. This is not an "I need to be fixed" kind of book. This story teaches us what it means to be human. That our insecurities and our fears are pieces of us, and that we are not broken or ruined or unworthy of love despite what those monsters tell us. I also feel it's necessary to give a shoutout to the side characters and their incredible complexity, vulnerability, and humanness. I am obsessed with Jack and Izzy and all of the cast. So anyway Little Brown, how about some spinoffs???

Between Ruth's exquisite prose, attention to detail, and ability to charge every word with emotion, there is a tender heart beating at the center of this book that touches all of your human parts. Following along with Eva and Arthur's story, living through their traumas, engaging with their demons and their doubts and their fears felt a lot like holding up a mirror to my own insecurities. This is a book that will make you laugh and cry and swoon with its aching emotion.

What an absolute feat of a debut.

Hey, bee girl. I'm so glad I got to meet you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an Advance Reader Copy of Honey in her Veins.

This is a book you sit in quiet with after you finish. Honey in Her Veins moved me and touched vulnerable and raw pieces of me I thought I kept well under wraps. And what a beautiful and breathtaking experience that is.

It’s a slow paced, emotional and painfully human story told through beautifully dark lyrical prose. That moved me to tears on more than one occasion.

Gothic fantasy intertwined with Appalachian folklore creating a story that took root in my soul. I believe McKell did a wonderful job creating a bridge of mental health and magic. I adored the magic system and the connection to emotion.

This story is beautifully human and a reminder there is always hope and keep choosing life even when it feels too heavy to go on.

Oh my, this is one of those books I expected to like but ended up loving! A truly unique story with intricate characters and magic like I've never seen before. We've got bees and their seemingly enchanted honey, dual timelines, a death touched mmc, and a fmc who makes everything around her bloom. I truly think you should go into this one without knowing too much detail and just enjoy what's to come. This deserves all the praise and I highly recommend it. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Keeping this non-spoilery here but I very much enjoyed Ruth McKell’s debut! Extremely well-written, and I LOVE that it’s dual POV. Pacing was just right, the characters are layered and complex, and the plot kept me up in the middle of the night reading. And the romance?? SO GOOD. I can’t wait to read more from McKell!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOW! This book is easily one of my favorites of the year. It was so atmospheric that each time I picked it up to read, I felt transported into the story as if I was a part of the scene itself, watching the events unfold. The prose is to die for! There were so many lines in this book that just gave me all the feels and were just utter poetry. One of the biggest takeaways from this story for me was the message of hope. Despite everything thrown at these characters, they pushed on because there was nothing else for them to do but hold onto that hope.
Ruth McKell is an auto buy author for me now and I cannot wait for this books release next year so I can recommend it to everyone

This book is pure magic. I fell in love with these characters so quickly, and Ruth McKell's prose is so stunning. This story feels like it burrows into you, and it won't let go, but only in the best way.

Honey in Her Veins is a beautiful story of love, grief, and the family roots that bind us. The wondrous magic at its heart allows this story to bloom into something wholly unforgettable.

A lush and deeply atmospheric debut, Ruth Mckell's HONEY IN HER VEINS is the kind of story that will stay with you long after the final page. Arthur and Eva's story is one of my favourites and I fall more and more in love with them with every read. Arthur is a character I resonated with on such a deep level, and Eva's softness and sensitivity was so beautiful to see come to life on the page. I adore everything about this book and these characters, and I can't wait for readers to fall in love with it the way I have!