The Honey Witch. Miele e cenere

by Sydney J. Shields

Marigold Claude ha ventun anni e da sempre preferisce la compagnia degli spiriti del prato a quella dei pretendenti che cercano di corteggiarla. Così, quando la nonna la porta nel cottage di famiglia sulla piccola isola di Innisfree e le offre di diventare la prossima strega del miele, lei accetta immediatamente. Ma la magia e l’indipendenza hanno un dovrà rinunciare per sempre all’amore.
Un giorno Lottie Burke, una giovane notoriamente scettica e scontrosa che non crede al sovrannaturale, si presenta alla porta di Marigold. La strega non riesce a resistere alla sfida di dimostrarle che la magia esiste ed è reale. Ma ben presto Marigold e Lottie iniziano a provare l’una per l’altra qualcosa che non si sarebbero mai aspettate.
E quando un potere oscuro si risveglia e minaccia di distruggere il cottage, la nuova strega del miele capisce di dover lottare per molto di più della sua nuova casa, anche a rischio di perdere la sua magia… e il suo cuore.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT, Lesbian, Queer, Witches, Cozy

391 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 14, 2024

About the author

Sydney J. Shields is a swamp creature who evolved to hold a pen. She is a No. 1 Sunday Times, USA Today, and Indie Bestselling author. Her debut, The Honey Witch, is an Amazon Editors’ Choice for Best Fantasy and Best Romance, and a 2024 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee. When not writing, she enjoys playing chess in the park, keeping bees, and doing anything that an 87-year-old trapped in a gen-z body would enjoy. You can find her across social media @SydneyJShields, or her website, sydneyjshields.com.

Reviews

[Siavahda · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Honey Witch is…aggressively fine. But it rubbed me the wrong way almost from the start; the story almost falls over itself it moves so fast, rushing as if trying to get itself over with. A story about honey-magic makes me expect lush, soft prose, and languorous pacing, but that is absolutely not what we have here; seriously, what is the damn rush? The dialogue is stilted and false, with random shifts in topic and passionate reactions that come out of nowhere and seem massively disproportionate. And rather than letting us slowly and deliciously discover this world bit by bit, Shields beats us about the head with clunky info-dumping.

There are moments of brilliance – especially in the opening chapters, Shields occasionally gives us a line that really sparkles;

what is so wrong about being a bitch? It is the closest a girl can be to a wolf.

But these are few and far between. There’s quite a bit of preaching, most of it shoehorned in where there really isn’t room for it; for example, early on there’s a passage where, out of nowhere, Marigold starts thinking about ‘the world’s penchant for beautiful, dead girls’. Cue a rambly aside on how society prefers girls die young and pretty rather than grow old and…become witches? Like, this is a genuine issue (well, maybe not the witchy part, in this day and age) but the lecture is coming completely out of left field; nothing in the chapter up to this point had anything to do with this topic. It’s not a tough subject being examined by the narrative; it’s Shields grandstanding, and not being even the tiniest bit subtle about it.

Then there’s the worldbuilding, which, hoo boy. So the whole honey-witches-can’t-fall-in-love thing???

She cursed us to never have anyone fall in love with us in an attempt to end us.

The curse isn’t a punishment, or intended to inflict suffering – the goal was to end the bloodline of honey witches. What??? Uh, does someone need to explain to Shields that love isn’t a required part of the recipe for having a child??? How in the gods’ names does cursing you to never have true love equal a family dying out???

Except no, Shields is well aware; not only did Marigold’s grandmother have a child without love, she had a child without a partner at all. She literally made a baby with magic, all by herself.

HI. IF THAT’S A THING WITCHES CAN DO…WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH THE DAMN CURSE???

It annoys the hell out of me both because it’s just stupid, and because it would have cost Shields nothing to change the motivation of the witch who cast the curse. Say she wanted this family to suffer! Say she did it out of vengeance or sadism or anger or whatever. But if her goal was to end her enemy’s bloodline, the curse is completely pointless.

Does Shields require the curse for plot? Yes. So keep the curse, but come up with some kind of reasonable backstory for it, for crying out loud. It’s not hard.

Then there’s the whole nonsense about how, just like water is the opposite of fire, and air the opposite of earth…honey is the opposite of ashes.

No.

Sorry, but. No.

Again: completely and utterly unnecessary. All you had to say was, these are the two kinds of magic, honey magic and ash magic. Ta da! You didn’t need to set them up as some kind of elemental opposites. Because now you just sound confusing and stupid.

Why is this like this???

And I don’t even want to talk about how the whole ‘Marigold, you’re a witch’ thing went down, with her mother screaming at her grandmother and being The Most Dramatic and I could not stop cringing at all of it.

The Honey Witch just…really isn’t what it’s being marketed as. The book starts with Marigold – in a Regency-esque time period – not having fun at a ball, which, fair. But the whole first 20% is just this…not-that-subtly anti-men, anti-marriage spiel, which, somewhat fair, but Shields really shoves it down your throat. Marigold is The Most Special because she goes and dances in the rain and meets up with magic butterflies rather than looking for a husband, and all of this with the fast-forward button on, and the info-dumping, and dialogue like…like I don’t even know what. Like a badly written script being performed by very bad actors. And not just info-dumping, but telling-telling-telling, recounting the past for us at light-speed so we know how all the relationships work, because we certainly don’t get a chance to get a feel for those relationships ourselves. There’s no emotional development at all, and then the grandmother whisks Marigold away to start her new life as a witch.

I was expecting – and wanted – languid storytelling, cosy and sweet, with pretty prose and a grumpy/sunshine romance. Instead, I got choppy writing, an origin story we didn’t need (seriously, it would have saved so much cringing if the story had opened with Marigold on Innisfree instead of the headless chicken that was the glimpse of her home life), insultingly stupid worldbuilding, and a book that just can’t figure out how to slow down. Did someone hand Shields back her manuscript and tell her she had to cut 300 pages or something? Because that’s almost what it feels like, a story crammed into fewer pages than it needs.

Reading The Honey Witch was like wearing the worst scratchy wool you can think of; it just itched, and it’s such a relief to call it quits and not have to deal with it any more. THANK YOU BUT NO.

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this is a DNF for me @ 20% which seems super early to give up on a book but I was so damn bored.

The entire premise was enticing and the vibes were vibing - but the story was just not giving.

On to the next!


Super excited to start this one soon!

✨Magic
✨Witches
✨Cozy Cottage
✨Sapphic Love


'These are the wild women who run barefoot through the meadow. Who teach new songs to the birds, who howl at the moon together. Wild women are their own kind of magic.'


Many thanks to NetGalley, Redhook Books, and Sydney J. Shields for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kaitlyn Herrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Honey Witch by Sydney Shields is a sweet witchy romance buzzing with magic, generational curses, forbidden love, enduring friendships, witchy women, and momentous self-discovery.

Marigold Claude travels to Innisfree to study under her grandmother to become the witch she was always meant to be. She reconnects with old friends and meets the beautiful, prickly Lottie Burke who is as vexing as she is bewitching for Marigold. She starts to understand her blossoming feelings for this strange girl at the same time she really starts to grasp what her life would look like long term as the next honey witch….lonely and absent of all traces of Lottie. Their discovery of each other’s love is greatly overshadowed by Marigold’s family’s curse, creating a sticky situation they are both powerless to navigate without confronting the corrupted witch herself. The ash witch has never stopped trying to possess Innisfree, and it’s up to Marigold to protect her town, her friends, and her birthright. Darkness will come for them all, but Marigold is ready to break what must be broken and fight for what is rightfully hers to have. She is determined to have a future where true love is possible, and she is free to become the author of her own life’s story.

What a unique and tender story! I have honestly never read anything like this before. The Honey Witch is enchanting and wholesome, heart melting and magical. It would be an enjoyable story for those who specifically like the Practical Magic books, and I do recommend it to any fantasy romance reader! To start with, the book cover was the first thing that grabbed my attention: there is a cute little cottage in the background that is framed in the foreground by an archway of wildly verdant and vibrantly colorful flowers. It’s so beautifully detailed it easily transports you into the story: when looking at the cover I always got the feeling I was on my way to visit the honey witch. I felt such a connection to Althea. It was like I could really feel her warmth and magic, and I could not help envisioning my own grandmother. The bond Marigold and her grandmother share is just so personal and special to read about. It feels like the author was able to capture the love and magic all grandmothers must have access to! I adore the sapphic love story too. It’s a slow burn, and I find it very charming and relatable. I also think the concept of honey and ash magic is so ingenious. The idea is beautiful in its simplicity and delicate balance, artistically unique. Sydney Shields is a seriously talented writer. I wish I could include quotes soo badly!! The whole book is honeycombed through with a thematic commentary on women being worthy of self-determination and autonomy. It is poignant and astonishing in the best ways. I was hooked on page one.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Publication is May 14th.

[Cristina · Rating 1 out of 5]

How are you going to set your book in a queernormative world, but still have heteronormative social structures? How are you going to have a queernormative world but still have a patriarichal system?? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE A QUEERNORMATIVE WORLD BUT STILL HAVE RESTRICTIVE GENDER ROLES???

The opening portion of this book, the entire lead up to Marigold discovering her witch calling, is her fighting against societal norms that dictate that she must be a wife and mother. The entire beginning is her entire woe-is-me tantrum about not falling in line with society’s expectations for women. The whole point is that finding out she’s a Honey Witch makes it click for her that the reason she never fit in was because she has a different calling. And you’re telling me this whole time same-sex couples are happily accepted???? How on earth do you expect that to work? How can you have enforced gender roles in a queernormative world? Because despite the lack of homophobia, this world mirrors the regency era fairly close. Women are still forced to have a chaperone when in mixed company. There’s a whole plot point about how it’s illegal for women to have tattoos but it’s fine for men. Aster mentions making the “unconventional” decision to make her brother Frankie a part of her bridal party. The magic being so gendered is also strange.

AND ON TOP OF IT ALL!! Marigold is such a hateful pick me bitch. At no point does she dismantle her own misogynistic perceptions. She looks down on and mocks the “silly” love struck girls she encounters. She believes she’s more enlightened because she “wants more for her life.” Even her own grandmother calls her out on it. And you’d think this means at some point Marigold would have a moment to change her way of thinking, but she doesn’t! We never touch on it again. She gets to keep being her manic pixie dream girl self as she dances around barefoot in the moonlight and makes friends with the flowers and dirties her dress as she runs through the forest. She’s so quirky and different!! She’s feral and wild, not like those other girls who allow themselves to be caged!!!

It feels like queerness was used merely for the cutesy sapphic cottagecore aesthetic, rather than actually doing the work to breakdown heteronormative structures and depict what such acceptance would mean for society and its gender distinctions.

And to be honest, this was such a wannabe cozy cottagecore fantasy anyways. Aggressive adjectives does not a whimsical book make. If you have to keep reminding me over and over and over again how whimsical and vibrant and magical everything is then, well, it’s simply not! It was like Shields just threw a bunch of terms at the wall and picked whatever stuck. I think this excerpt is a perfect example:

“She fills her day with her favorite things—summer fruit, Earl Grey tea, spell casting, and honeybees. Fresh sunflowers, yellow ribbons, daydreams, and lullabies”

It’s just so lazzzzzzzy, what are we even talking about. You cannot shove an atmosphere onto readers, you have to actually build it through your skills as a writer. You can’t force something to be just because you declare it so.

How are you going to have a grumpy x sunshine romance without a grump or a sunshine??!? Just because Marigold is all golden honey and flowers does not make her sunshine. The title is meant to describe personality… and her personality is nowhere near constant positivity and happiness. She’s literally miserable for the majority of the book, and with a temper to match. Lottie may be somewhat closed off and sour at the beginning, but it’s later revealed that it was the curse’s influence, so! She’s not even a true grump, it’s just a cop-out. If anything Marigold should have been the grump and Lottie should have been some lovey-dovey sunshine girl that Marigold would have called an airhead. That way Marigold would have been forced to change her perception on other women.

Their entire romance starts out wonky because while we get their first lukewarm meeting, it’s just a passing encounter. Their next few encounters actually occur off page. You’re setting up the romance of your romantasy… and you make their first few defining interactions OFF PAGE?? You’re joking. Also if I have to read “impossible girl” one more time I’ll punch a wall.

We then have our main conflict, the love curse. Which we proceed to trample on for the next 300 pages and question what its purpose even is. The Ash Witch cast the curse in an attempt to destroy the Honey Witch bloodline. But Marigold’s grandmother circumvents this by magically creating asexual reproduction. Not to mention the magic still gets passed through their bloodline even when they give up magic, as Marigold became a witch even though her mother was not. And how does a bloodline curse work in a queernormative world anyways?? Like is the curse homophobic because it still prevents queer love despite them not being able to reproduce, or?

But that doesn’t even matter because apparently the curse bends against the will of soulmates. Which directly contradicts what we learned earlier in the plot. Marigold’s mother forsook her magic to be with her soulmate. The curse is that magic and love cannot coexist. So why is it that the curse is killing Lottie?? Shouldn’t it be that Marigold begins to lose her magic the closer they get?? Where did the death sentence come from? Don’t even mention the orgasm scene, I truly cannot. Almost turned this entire thing into a comedy I laughed so hard.

Lastly, the plot was so predictable. There were so many ways to prevent what happened. Marigold sets out to prove magic is real to Lottie, and all she does is make potions that Lottie doesn’t even get to see the results of. Marigold can literally make plants grow, and she doesn’t even bother to use that as proof?

Marigold’s grandmother sought her out to train her as her replacement because she feared the Ash Witch would return and overpower her. But as the new Honey Witch, the moment there is a hint of danger Marigold LEAVES? Things are being set on fire and she leaves the island to go to a wedding, like are you serious? Stupid stupid girl.

*spoiler I guess*
It was obvious from the start that Lottie was going to be a witch too. Once again such a cop-out that the skeptic magic hater is actually the lost descendant of witches. Her entire background was so convoluted and I still do not understand her origins.

The ending of this book was a mess. The Ash Witch was such an underdeveloped villain, we barely learn anything about her or her exact motivations outside of wanting to be immortal. The final battle was so out of left field. Completely rushed and confusing, Marigold should not have won.

I hated every single part of this book, I don’t have a single good thing to say about it. I should have dropped kicked it into the sun at page 20 like I originally intended.

[ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stats unfortunately🥲

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by Orbit - thank you so much !!

the honey witch is about a girl who is about to take up her grandmother’s legacy being, you guessed it, the next honey witch on her island. every eldest daughter in her family had the potential to be a witch, if they so do choose it. we follow our main character (and the eldest daughter), marigold, as she is healing and figuring out what she wants her life to look like, versus the life that society has always told her life should look like. and we are alongside marigold as she is learning her new potion making abilities, while also trying to prove to someone that witchcraft is very real.

this is a really hard book to rate and talk about, because i just never felt connected to the story itself, or the characters, or anything going on with the plot, but i can also recognize that this book had a lot of good in it, that did really mean a lot to me. i mean, first off, sapphic cottagecore vibes, with a queer beekeeper who is learning things from spellbooks her grandmother left her, who is also healing from her past and trying to have a healthy relationship with her friends and family in the present. like, a lot of good! a lot of stuff i will always recommend to you guys!! I just wish i could have connected more with the actual story and plot and not just the themes and concepts.

i also really loved the queer representation in this book, and even though no titles are actually given, i personally feel like the representation of bi, pan, and lesbian was really beautifully done. also, there is a tattoo scene in this book that is truly one of the hottest things i’ve ever read in my entire life. ahhh, friends - i recommend this book just because i want it to succeed and i want more stories from sydney j. shields, and more chances to fall in love with her books completely.

cws from the author at the start of this book: Tattooing/Needles, Burns, Blood/Injuries, Sex, House fire, Bee stings, Loss of a grandparent, Death/Grief, Discussions of infertility, A woman seeks aid of the honey witch for treatment of her miscarriage

other tw/cw i wrote down: mention and talk of abusive and predatory relationship in past, caretaking for a loved one, loss of parents in past, abandonment, fire, blood, vomit

blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon

[Brend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen, I love dark, gothic, stories. We know that.
But a soft, hopeful, sweet sapphic witch story might be all I need to be happy again.

EDIT after finishing it: It was. Do not be fooled by my tears.


My usual TS playlist:
-seven
-But Daddy I Love Him
-The Albatross
-Timeless
-Cruel Summer
-It's Nice to Have a Friend
-I'm Only Me When I'm With You
-A Place in This World
-Sweeter Than Fiction
-Invisible String
-Willow

[Holly Hearts Books]

Yeahhhh this ones going in the DNF vault.

I went into The Honey Witch with an open mind because I wanted a warm cozy world to escape into but the warm cozy world here feels cold and static and the characters read like wet soggy cardboard.

[Kate♡]

DNF

I can't believe the publishing industry really managed to make us all excited for this one lol i gotta hand it to them - the marketing was phenomenal. A sapphic, cozy fantasy about a honey witch? with this beautiful cover? How could anyone say no?

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2024 and I could barely make it a few chapters in before I was actually losing my mind about how bad it was. This might have been the worst 50 pages I've read in a published book in a LONG time - they were so incredibly dense, rambling, and info dumping but about shit that couldn't POSSIBLY have mattered. It begged the question of WHERE ARE THE EDITORS?

The quality of traditional publishing has truly gone so far down I don't even know what to read anymore especially since the marketing effort has gone so far up. I just want good books again - not all these mediocre novels with pretty covers and that get advertised as something completely different than they actually are.

[Heather myfriendsdontread · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witchy book friends !!! This is a cozy, cottage core, and sapphic witchy book where the magic system revolves around BEES & HONEY 🐝🍯🌻

If you are a fan of “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches,” like I am, this is the closest thing that I’ve come across to that book. You would probably enjoy this one too.

Plot summary: The FMC’s grandmother comes to her and tells her that she’s a witch and wants to train her and pass on her legacy before she passes away. She moves with her grandmother to a gorgeous isle where she develops her power and learns what it means to be a honey witch, all while knowing that an evil ash witch will someday come for her.

I absolutely loved every single thing about this story!

I adored the setting, the atmosphere, the magic system, and the concept of a honey witch and an ash witch.

As an avid witchy book reader, so many of them feel exactly the same. But this concept was unique and felt very special.

This book makes me feel like I’m transported into a meadow overflowing with flowers, bees, and magic. It makes me want to walk around barefoot, eat honey,
and make potions and herbal remedies.

I feel like this book was written for me. It’s so perfect and lovely and comforting. I don’t have a single bad thing to say about it.

A few other fun things to note: there is a Bridgeton vibe when the FMC goes back to visit her family, a sapphic romance, a one bed trope, and feminist themes.

This was also my most anticipated book of 2024 and probably EVER!! I’ve been jumping out of my skin waiting to read this since I found out about it in January of 2023! 😭 I would have done AWFUL things to get to read it earlier this year. But it was completely worth the wait.

Thank you so much to the publisher for allowing me to read this early on NetGalley. Sydney is an instant buy author for me now!

[Meags · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

I’ve worked honey into my meals for four days straight, so inspired (and so hungry) was I to indulge my palate after all this book-talk of honey and magic.

This story was truly delightful on every level.

As refreshing as it was original, The Honey Witch gave off cozy fantasy vibes, with a historical (regency-era inspired) “cottagecore” feel to it that I loved being immersed within.

Add to that, it had a unique magic-system born of bees and honey, and followed one magically gifted young woman’s journey to self-discovery, female empowerment, and curse-shattering love—with a sapphic spin.

The writing was simplistic, yet utterly charming, with a whimsical, morish quality to the narrative style that I enjoyed. The whole thing was giving me peaceful, fairytale-like vibes that I relished in.

Mixing in with that core writing ingredient was a wonderful ensemble cast of characters, each more wholesome and lovely than I could ever dream of being myself, many of whom experienced a sweet and swoony soulmate romance within these pages, beyond that solely of the heroine and her snarky (and amusingly curmudgeonly) lady love.

For a debut, I was significantly impressed with what Shields delivered here: an uplifting and heartwarming fantasy story, with themes of family, friendship, magic, and love at its core.

I may have come for the gorgeous cover, but I happily stayed for the enchanting story within.


***A special thanks to the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[✨⚡ Kelcey (felinebooktrovert) ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

DNF at 32%

Another unfortunate disappointment for me. The writing in this was really lovely and it definitely had this calming, cottage core vibe, but nothing was happening.

She has a love interest here, but by 32% there was only two scenes with her and she said like two lines.

There are just so many other great books coming out right now, and I could tell I would have had to push myself to finish this, which I really don't want to do.

[Sydney Shields]

Hi! I wrote this book and I am so excited to share it with you. While this story has lots of warmth, heart, and cozy vibes, some heavier themes are discussed. Content warnings include:

- Tattooing/Needles
- Burns
- Blood/Injuries
- Sex
- House fire
- Bee stings
- Loss of a grandparent
- Death/Grief
- Discussions of infertility
- A woman seeks aid of the honey witch for treatment of her miscarriage

One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Marigold, the MC, is reprimanded by her grandmother for speaking poorly about the life choices of another woman. Her grandmother tells her, "What any woman wants for herself is not for you to decide. You would do well to remember that." This is something that my own grandmother instilled in me from a young age. Women deserve choices. Women deserve control over their lives and their bodies. That is a strong theme throughout the book, and I hope you enjoy it!

[Maeghan 🦋 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here’s a rapid fire summary of this book:
The story starts out with this *weird girl* and the grandma she hasn’t seen in 15 years shows up like yo you’re a witch, that’s why you’re weird.
The grandma tells her she created her mom with magic because a witch cursed their bloodlines to never fall in love or be loved (because *obviously*, people never make children if they don’t love each other duh! LOL).
And then they go off together and after a week the weird girl is like : I don’t want you to die, you’re so important to me 😂

And then the grandma dies, the girl is dying of grief like she spent the last 15y with her instead of away from her but they were only together for a month.
Weird girl meets mean girl and 75% of the population in this book is bisexual.

You will wonder a few times wtf you just read and why you’re reading this.
This book was absolutely hilarious.

[Bridgit · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's hard to process how badly I disliked this book. I was looking forward to it because I generally love cozies and I love witchy books. But this disappointed in so many ways. I think this book was in turn juvenile and unnecessarily sexual. It was shallow and lazy and had pretty much no plot. The characters were wooden and the relationships were forced and made no sense. The world building was laughable. It was all tell and no show. I would have been much happier if there was no conflict at all and it was just a sappy story about a witch and her bees and falling in love.

I don't want to give this book the time it would take to organize this, so here is just a spoilery list of the things that irritated me to no end.
- The tattoos. What the heck was the point of this? First, we learn that Lottie has tattoos at the exact time that we learn that they are a major crime. Why was this not established earlier? In a way that will actually lead to some tension as we find out that Lottie has them. Instead we are told Lottie has tattoos simultaneously as we learn they are illegal, nullifying any impact this may have had. Then, to make matters worse, we NEVER learn why they are illegal. There is no circling back to this in the end. It has absolutely no bearing on the story. Aside from leading to the third worst scene in the book...
- The seamstress. OMG was this the most juvenile, 12yo english class writing project. The EVIL seamstress spies these super illegal tattoos and immediately becomes and extortionist. All to be undone by the brilliant apology honey cake that instantly and conveniently erases all of her memories of the day.
- August and Lottie. This friendship has no base. His parents rescued her, so they are best friends, but she is a raging b*tch and he knows it. She brings nothing to this relationship. There is nothing that justifies their BFF status.
- Lottie and Marigold. Detest. Lottie is horrible. There were no qualities that warranted Marigold developing affection for her.
- The erotic bee sting. The 2nd worst scene. Really? Lottie gets stung by a bee and we need to turn this into some synchronized heavy breathing and lip caressing moment?
- The villain. So Versa is this big bad Ash Witch, which we have learned absolutely nothing about. No motivations, no history. And we save her until the last 5% of the book to even give her page time? Seriously? And then we have to watch Marigold, who has spent the entirety of her witchiness making lipstick and love potions, decide she is ready for battle magic. Surprise, surprise, she wasn't.
- Self Love. One of the cringiest things I have ever read. WTAF this made me want to throw the book in the trash.

For being a cozy fantasy based on bees and honey, the lack of evocative language was conspicuous. The world seemed inconsistent, with a casually accepted queerness that doesn't really jive with the 1830's vaguely provincial European/rural American setting that she set the world in. The men were all painted as evil, but despite George, seemed quite lovely .

To say I am disappointed is an understatement. If you are reading it and find yourself debating a DNF, do your self a favor and listen.

[julia ☆ [owls reads] · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm giving this 1 star instead of none because I appreciated the bees and also the queerness. The rest was terrible.

[Yorha · Rating 2 out of 5]

14/05/24: Looks like goodreads deletes reviews now cause my review was gone and my book went from the DNF shelf to the “want to read”. Makes me really upset I took my time to even read the first 25%, I thought the point of ARCs was to give honest reviews but I guess not 🤪


29/04/24
Actual Review that was posted of an ARC:

DNF @ 25%

I tried, I really tried. This was one of my anticipated releases this year but i just can't do it. Once I hit 20%, whenever I picked the book up I closed it after a few pages and I dreaded coming back. I rarely DNF books, and never DNF ARCs but I hate this writing so much, I am doing myself a favor and leaving this book behind or else I'd be stuck in another slump.

First things first, the writing is overly explanatory while the plot points are extremely simple, and the fact the author takes time to explain everything to me as if I am a 5 year old child just felt insulting to me. It's just that the concepts are so simple I am confused as to why we even need the explanations to begin with. There is absolutely nothing complicated about the plot to require having everything spelled out the way it was. (It is totally okay not to have complex plots for a cozy fantasy but then let's simply not waste our time on explanations). Also, please do not misunderstand, I am not shaming the author for trying to explain their plot, my problem is with the way it's done because it really feels like the author is talking to a child. The plot is basically the most basic evil witches vs good witches, doesn't get any more complicated than that. Also, the book felt strangely preachy at times, which just added to the "child" feel of it all.

The writing feels a little all over the place too, unfortunately. Sometimes, in between scenes the author tries to include passages that are supposed to come off as profound and poetic (though it's debatable whether they did their job) but they stick out like a sore thumb when the rest of the book is written in this very simplistic manner.

On the topic of plot points, there is already a huge plot hole 20% in and I'm shocked it was not caught while editing? Because it literally makes the whole plot of the book absolutely meaningless? Perhaps it is explained later on but I don't see why it wouldn't be when we are told about the curse.

Lastly, do not expect it to be a historical novel. It says it's like Bridgerton but it's not accurate to the era. I am usually not pressed about inaccuracies but here the author didn't even try unfortunately. Unless, it's not supposed to be historical in which case I am not sure where the Bridgerton comparison plays in. If you just like the aesthetics of the setting (which is fair!) then you might enjoy it and it won't find it too grating.

The worst part of all is that I did not even get to the romance and it was what I looked forward the most.

That being said, while I am very disappointed, I think that this book has the potential to just be a vibe read where you just go along for the ride. Sadly, I can't overlook all that I have mentioned but I hope you will have better luck if you decide to pick it up.

Thanks to the published for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

[meggy (readsinbloom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one word I would use to describe Sydney J. Shield’s “The Honey Witch” would be whimsical. “The Honey Witch” follows Marigold, a young lady in the 1800s that feels she simply does not fit in. While others her age desire love, she feels that it simply is not in the cards for her. This idea is proven to be true when her grandmother reappears in her life. Her grandmother is a witch, more specifically, a honey witch. Honey witches cultivate bees, and can perform magic with their honey. Marigold is ecstatic about the news that she will be the next honey witch; she will finally have her calling in life.
However there is one catch: honey witches have been cursed to never fall in love.

I LOVED this book. It felt so cozy and whimsical. This book made me feel like I was covered in a warm blanket and drinking hot chocolate with a cat on my lap. The setting of Innisfree felt like something out of a children’s movie. I would move there in a heart beat. The world was definitely one of my favorite parts of this book. It was such a sweet setting that I never wanted to leave.

At the end of this book I found myself yearning for more time with the characters. I wanted to know what happened next. There was an epilogue, but I wanted to know more of the inbetween. Lottie was my favorite character in the book. Lottie and Marigold reminded of the grumpy x sunshine trope in the best of ways. Lottie never did anything to truly hurt Marigold, and there were heavy, conflicting emotions on both sides. For those of you that don’t like a quick, fast relationship, this is for you.

My main complaint about this book would be a lot of it did feel cliche. There were a lot of tropes throughout the book. I also predicted the ending less than half-way through. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book! It all worked for me, and did not take away from my enjoyment. I would caution other readers though, that if this is something you think you would not like, to research further and decide whether it is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Redhook & Orbit for this ARC in exchange for a honest review!

Make sure to look out for “The Honey Witch” by Sydney J. Shields coming out on May 14th, 2024!

[taylor ❤️‍🔥 · Rating 2 out of 5]

i’m so happy i’m done with this 😭😭

this was like cottage core on fucking steroids and not for me.

[Laurie (barksbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What is so wrong about being a bitch? It is the closest a girl can be to being a wolf.”

I need more books like this one in my life. Sweet but also bitter, witchy and filled with nature and a grumpy little romance. Is there a giant plot hole that could've been fixed with the removal of one paragraph or so? Oh, yes, there certainly is. But honestly, I don't give a damn because I loved spending time with this book and that's all that counts to me. 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5 because I needed these vibes.

Good stuff - if you're into this kind of stuff. If you read via audio, the narration is also excellent.

[karli hayden · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit/Redhook for providing me with an e-arc copy in turn for an honest review.

This book was extremely disappointing to me. And I'm really upset about it because this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I mean... sapphic witches, magic, cottagecore vibes...how could one possibly go wrong? But everything about this book rubbed me all the wrong ways. Let me break it down...

1. The Magic System
Now, I'm all for loose magic systems that are just vibes. But even those have to make at least a little bit of sense. I didn't understand any of the magic in this book. The main character, Marigold, was wielding different kinds of magic on every page and none of it made any sense. It was so hard to follow for absolutely no reason. It was like the author was making it up as they went with no concern for continuity. It was so frustrating to read.

2. Characters
The characters of this book fell so flat. I didn't care about any of them. One of them literally dies (only to be brought back to life in .2 seconds) and I had no emotional response to it whatsoever. I didn't care about the main relationship of the book much less the side relationship. And "found family" is a very loose term for what this describes. We don't get to know the characters at all. I couldn't tell you a single thing about any of them except that Marigold is extremely annoying and acts like a 5-year-old throughout the entire book and Lottie's character does a straight-up 180 on us halfway through the book. No character growth or development, just an entirely different character.

3. Story
There wasn't even really a "story" or "plot" to follow throughout this book. Literally, nothing happened throughout the entire book aside from the last 15 pages when the "final battle" happens if you can even call it that. It was so slow and so boring. We don't pick up where we left off in the synopsis until a good 30% of the book. So boring. So slow. It was an absolute drag to read.

4. The Prose
The writing in this book is some of the most mediocre writing I've ever read. It just...I don't even know. Some really cringy dialogue scenes made me roll my eyes and want to throw the whole thing away. And please don't even get me started on the number of times we see the phrase "impossible girl". Oh my god, every time Marigold referred to Lottie as an "impossible girl" I was transported back to my Wattpad fanfiction days. It was so cringe and frustratingly annoying. That phrase was in there at least 100 times. Also, half the writing didn't even make any sense. There were a few scenes when the characters would be conversing in one room and then with no transition, they'd just end up somewhere else. It was so incredibly frustrating to read.

I want to make it clear that I have nothing against books that are just vibes. But this is not that. Nothing about this book was vibes. It was all very annoying, frustrating, and honest to god a burning dumpster fire. I question how this was passed through rounds of edits because...it's just bad. Like are we sure there was an editor on this team and if so why are they not doing their job? Anyway, that about sums up the most devastating read of the year so far for me. If you enjoyed it, great! But for me, this book was just straight-up garbage.

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Anyone can be capable of something impossible— as a witch, she must believe that.”

4.25⭐️

i did not expect to cry reading this 😭 a moving story about love, magic, family, and finding your place in the world.

the cottagecore witchy vibes were top notch. i loved the detailed spell crafting and the day to day life on Innisfree. this will seriously want to make you run away to the country and live off the land in a splendor of nature and magic.

while i did love the romance, marigold's relationship with her grandmother althea moved me the most. i should've known from the foreward but i still cried.

a bittersweet magical tale 🐝🍯

“But what happens when the girl keeps living, when she ages proudly and defiantly, without abandoning imagination, or stories, or that secret wish to find magic wherever it hides? Well, then the poets would call her a witch.”

[Kyre Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

The setting was really nice and it’s a nice and cozy love story, but super slow paced, very predictable, and wasn’t really my thing.

[Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than I expected. It reminded me of the classic Wizard of Oz story, with its magic, good and bad witches, thunderstorms, and enchanting setting. The vivid descriptions made me feel truly immersed in the story, and I learned a lot about bees and honey in the process. 🍯

The story follows Marigold Claude, who has always felt a deep connection to nature and possesses a unique gift to see and hear things others can't. One day, after a fifteen-year absence, her grandmother reappears and reveals that every eldest daughter in their lineage is a witch, including Marigold. Her grandmother also tells her that Innisfree, the island where she lives on and where Marigold grew up on, needs protection, a task that the grandmother is too weak and frail to undertake alone now. Hence, despite her mother's objections, Marigold sets off on an adventure to this magical place, where she learns about flowers, herbs, spices, and honey. She discovers the beauty of being a Honey Witch, as well as the curse that forbids anyone from falling in love with her.

Marigold mends her relationship with her estranged grandmother, forms a bond with a man she loves like a grandfather, reconciles with a childhood friend, and meets Lottie—a young woman with a traumatic past. Against all odds, Marigold develops a deep affection for Lottie—and she, for her—but it comes at a cost.

Initially, the story felt cozy and picturesque, making me almost forget about the evil witch and her dark intentions. However, the narrative took a darker turn in the last quarter. There were a couple of unexpected steamy scenes between Marigold and Lottie that I enjoyed. The book emphasizes friendship, family, and feminine power, and it celebrates the queer community. Although I anticipated the plot twist early on, I still enjoyed it. The story could have been slightly improved by reducing Marigold's brooding over the curse. Her prolonged internal struggle was somewhat tedious, especially since she made it clear from the beginning that she did not want a traditional life like her mother's. Additionally, I would have loved more character development, particularly for the grandmother, who played a crucial role in forming Marigold’s identity.

Overall, I really liked the novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys sapphic fantasy books with magic and witchcraft, set in a cozy world with moderate violence and dark themes.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Sydney Shields, and the publishers for an advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[siena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. The overall storyline was lovely - I loved the exploration of grief, found family, loneliness, and love. However, the dialogue and writing style fell a bit flat for me, and I think this kept me from fully connecting with the story. The characters felt one-dimensional - we were told about their attributes by other characters, rather than getting to observe for ourselves as readers.

I found myself wishing that we would have gotten more time with certain subplots - parts of the book felt rushed to me. But just because this book wasn't for me doesn't mean it isn't for you. If you're into ethereal cottagecore sapphic romances, you should definitely check this book out!

Thank you to Redhook Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Raynee]

Thank you NetGalley and RED HOOK for an eARC of this book.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This story begins in the spring of 1831, on the day that Althea Murr will celebrate her hundredth birthday. As she looks back over her life with her cat on her lap, she listens to the sound of the bees song, a song that is deserving of the occasion.

She sits and reminisces on the years of her life, knowing that the stages of her life are nearing the end, and there is still much to do. And as she is pondering those things, a crow descends from the sky, a crow, a harbinger of impending death. And so she begins to make plans for what is to follow.

She needs to return to the home of her daughter, for she knows that time is precious, and there is much to do. She has placed her hopes for the future of Innisfree, and all who live there, on her granddaughter, Marigold. She will take her back to her cottage, and teach her all that she will need to know in order to become the next Honey Witch. Time is of the essence, as there is much to teach her, but first she must be told that this also means that there is a price: she must forfeit any idea of falling in love, and no one can fall in love with her.

Marigold isn’t interested in finding love, and she adores her grandmother and welcomes the idea of spending more time with her, learning everything she knows, and spending time in nature without being chastised.

When an old friend of hers, August, who is now a young man, introduces a young woman, Lottie, to her along with another young man, his partner, Edmund, they all, eventually, become friends.

This is a story of family, loss, magic, and love, of holding on to the places, things, and people that are the most important in our lives, and loving them regardless of what others may think.



Pub Date: 14 May 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Redhook/Hachette Book Group

[Alya ( 20 comments restriction ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts
Again, I went into this blindly - in full transparency I added to my TBR as soon as it came out due to the cover lol...Did it deliver? Yes but the plot was kinda slow for my liking. I loved the cosy visuals I got from the setting ~ Cottage, meadows, bees and spells ~ it just can't get any cuter! No I had no idea this was a Sapphic romantasy - emphasis on the blindly 😂 on the subject of romance it was so cute but rushed which made it predictable - I think my main issue with this read is the pacing it was slow in the plot and fast in other places that shouldn't be rushed if that makes sense! Overall was a pleasant read and super cute! I think I've unlocked myself a new favourite author and on that note I can't wait to get my hands on her next book!

Plot Summary
Marigold Claude, who discovers she is destined to inherit the role of Honey Witch on the magical Isle of Innisfree. Gifted with healing magic drawn from honey and flowers, she must live under a curse that forbids her from falling in love. But when she meets the skeptical Lottie Burke and feelings spark between them, Marigold is forced to choose between protecting her magic and following her heart

[Cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

First of, thank you to NetGalley and Redhook books for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for an honest review. This book is set to be published May 14, 2024. Spoilers clearly outlined at the end of the review.

This book felt like Bridgerton meets witches and ✨magic✨. Overall I thought it was a very cute and cozy read! That said, it does have a few heavier scenes, so do check content warnings.

Description: Marigold never really felt like she belonged amongst her siblings and peers, going to fancy balls and waiting to be courted and married. Her grandmother shows up after fifteen years of absence and drops a bombshell on Marigold- she's a witch, a Honey Witch to be exact. Innisfree, the magical island where Marigold's grandmother lives is under attack from a rival witch. There's just one catch, becoming a Honey Witch leaves a curse behind, where one is not able to ever fall in love. No big deal, right? 🤔 Marigold must decide if the risk is worth it and if she will leave behind everything she knows to train in honey witchcraft and protect her legacy.

The overall storytelling is done really well. The writing is very descriptive and I felt very immersed in the story while I was reading. It was really easy to picture what the different cities and landscapes looked like and how the magic system worked. A lot of care went in to setting up the story. The Honey Witches are essentially healers, they use different potions for different ailments (as well as some fun spells too!). Each spell has it's own ingredients and reasonings for using it and it feels realistic in that sense. I love the softness to it, to think that Marigold is so powerful, but uses it to help her community. The story is very female empowering and has strong themes of choice sprinkled throughout.

I really liked the two main characters, Marigold and Lottie. Lottie is a character that has a lot of pain and baggage and lashes out to those around her, but I feel for her and enjoyed her character development. The grandmother, Althea, was also an amazing character. However, I did not feel very invested in any of the other characters and thought they were quite one-dimensional.

Things that weren’t my favorite- I found the story quite predictable. Some of the dialogue between characters felt a bit cheesy and the ending felt a bit rushed. The bulk of the story is pretty tame and low-stakes, and then the ending is fast and intense. SPOILER I did not like the pairing of August and Frankie. I understand this is a magical fantasy world, but their relationship was very insta-lovey and too coincidental and unnecessary.

Overall, I think it's a fun story and a strong debut novel!

I think you'll like this if you're a fan of soft, magical stories- such as Divine Rivals and The Ex Hex.
The big tropes are:
-forbidden love
-found family
-there's even a late night, one-room-left-at-the-inn scene....
-LGBTQIA+

Content warnings: blood, injury, fire/fire injury, death, and grief

[Frank Socha (franksforeword) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Call me Winnie the Pooh henny because I gobbled this little jar of honey UP!!!

This is such a VIBES witchy read that I just never wanted to leave. This book feels like kicking it in a meadow full of sunflowers, the bees (friendly ones) buzzing in the background, having a little picnic moment (maybe with 1 or 7 bottles of wine), while being serenaded by some master harpist whose assistant is like massaging your feet or something. IT'S SO COZY! And y'all already know how much I love the vibes. Especially the cozy ones. It just makes for such an enjoyable reading experience. And that is a testament to Shields' world-building and story-telling! It all just...worked.

This magic system is LEGIT! Honey and Ash witches that derive their magic from their namesakes?? That's a new one! It's a true light vs darkness moment, where the honey magic is healing and serenity (well, not always, but I don't want to spoil anything) and ash magic is raging fires and demonic spirits...and Shields TAKES YOU THERE. One minute Mari is boiling up a little soulmate potion amidst a bustling garden and the next some bat-shit curse is turning all the cute little island guardians into beefed-up, sharp-toothed minions of terror. Grab your tea (with honey naturally) because this is a SHOW.

Enemies to lovers :) I love this love so much! Well, I loved all the love stories in this book, but I'm mainly speaking on the MCs love story. I love it because it's one of those "defying the odds" types of love stories (not gonna spoil anything), but also the type of love story where Rose made room for Jack on that damn piece of wood! Both have their internal battles and things they're working through, but at the end of the day, can you really deny what you're feeling toward your soulmate?? Nope. You can't. So go ahead Mari and Lottie, get that kiss....and that nookie. And a twist at the end?? SUBSCRIBED!

My only qualm with it was there were times where I felt Lottie was being a bit too harsh. Like, over the top. Just CRUEL. And for no reason. Yes she has her traumas from the past but I just didn't get some of her moments of anger toward Mari. Like, she just wants to show you her magic and the bees bitch, chill out.

So yeah, I'm into this, and if you liked A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, I think you'd like this one too :)

Thanks so much to Redhook for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review :)