The Honey Witch is an enchanting cosy novel about a young woman named Marigold who discovers that, like her grandmother, she is a honey witch who must learn the ways of magic and protect the island of Innisfree from danger. Yet being a honey witch comes at a price, and Marigold is cursed so that she will never know true love. Destined to live her life alone, Marigold accepts her fate until a mysterious woman called Lottie Burke appears and claims that magic does not exist! The tension between these two characters is luscious, and the slow intensity of their relationship was excellent! I wish there had been more of a focus on the bees and the magic, but otherwise this is a sweet and charming fantasy, full of romance and whimsy!

Cozy Fantasy, sapphic Lovestory, LGBTQ, für Fans von "The Spellshop"

Wie schon das Cover andeutet, hat das Buch Frühlings- und Sommervibes.
Hauptsächlich findet die Handlung auf einer kleinen Insel statt. Die Landschaft, Blumen, Seen und Bienen geben das perfekte Ambiente für diese Jaheszeit.

Das Magiesystem beruht auf Honig. Das Honig als Heilmittel gilt, ist ja bekannt und das noch weiter auszubauen, finde ich eine tolle Idee. Zaubertränke und -sprüche die für Gutes eingesetzt werden. Heilung und Liebe stehen im Vordergrund.

Besonders haben mir die wohlfühl Charaktere mit found family und die wohlfühl Handlug
gefallen, die vor allem gegen Ende noch mal richtig spannend wurde. Ein netter Sidekick waren die Companions bzw magiesche Tierwesen. Auch wenn die Geschichte Themen wie Trauer und Verlust, Einsamkeit, Vermächtnis und Vorurteile behandelt, hat sie sich nie schwer oder deprimierend angefühlt. Durch das Setting in der Natur mit Blumen und Bienen, dem
grossen Thema "Freundschaft" und der Hoffnung die über allem schwebt, dass man sein Schicksal zum Besseren wenden kann, war es eine cozy Stimmung.

Die Geschichte beinhaltet mehrer Lovestories im LGBTQ-Bereich, vor allem die Hauptlovestory. Es ist ein kleines bisschen spicy, nimmt aber keinen grossen Teil der Geschichte ein.

Ein Wohlfühlbuch, das ich gerne weiterempfehle.

This is a rare DNF, sorry.

I have been trying to read this for months. Unfortunately, I just can't keep my attention on this story and find myself drifting to read other books instead.

Nothing in particular negative to say about The Honey Witch. Just not the right story to hold my concentration.

The Honey Witch was such a cosy read, I really enjoyed it. I felt the pacing started slow but it picked up and once it found it's footing it was easy to get swept away with.
I really enjoyed the characters, they were created with such creativity that they came off the page and really brought the story together. I enjoyed the writing style of Sydney J Shields and looks forward to reading more.

The Honey Witch 🍯 🧙🏻‍♀️ was such a cosy read which is what i was expecting and hoping it to be.

Due to this, I found the pacing of this novel was relatively slow especially at the beginning. However, this did not deter me from enjoying it! The way the author writes her characters was so engaging and the sapphic representation was so well handled that I didn’t seem to mind the plot being a little sluggish. In fact, I found this slow pace made the novel feel even cosier to read.

Overall, if you’re looking for a fast paced fantasy with lots of action, this novel might not be for you. However, if you’re just looking for something warm and safe to curl up with, this novel fits the bill! Thank you to the author and to Netgalley!

this was just such a sweet and cute story, i loved the characters, they were all so lovable, every single one (except for one, of course). this was a bit slow yes, especially at the beginning, but it is a cozy fantasy, it's not super high stakes, so that is kind of the point. but this was so unique and different, i loved getting to know the characters, the world and the magic system.
this book is mostly just vibes, with amazing, super lovable and adorable characters, a romance to die for, and a super thrilling and exciting ending
my main (and almost only) complaint about this book is the ending though, the "fight" if i may call it that, which did feel a bit short in my opinion, like we were kind of waiting for it through out the whole book and then it happened and then was finished almost immediately after.
i will definitely be reading any future books this author might publish

Tropes: Small town, cozy fantasy, found family, reluctant witch, magical inheritance, queer romance, healing journey, witchy vibes

Rating: ★★★★☆

Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields is cozy, queer, and full of heart, exactly the kind of cozy fantasy that I love and makes me want to read in a rainy day (which I did). The small-town setting, honey-based magic, and cute romance made me feel happy and eager to keep reading.

What I loved most was how the author combines grief and queer identity into a story that feels safe and full of care. The pacing is slower than other reads (but good for the narrative), the stakes aren't that high, but it still kept me intrigued, and the relationships, both romantic and platonic, felt genuine.

I also loved the witchy aesthetic throughout, from enchanted gardens to honey-based spells, which I really liked. I gave it 4 stars because while the plot is light and character-driven (which I adore), some scenes felt a bit too predictable. Still, that didn’t decrease the cozy comfort it brought me. If you love books like Legends & Lattes or The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, you'll love this one as well!

The book is about grief, love, and finding the courage to grow into who you’re meant to be, but it never overwhelmed me with drama or darkness. I really connected with the FMC journey as she slowly opened herself up to both magic and love, and the queer representation felt natural.

Such a wonderful setting and incredibly lovable characters. I had such a wonderful time reading this book from start to finish and will absolutely end up rereading this book many times!

The most amazing cosy fantasy I have read for a while!!! Cottage core, witches, sapphic I mean way more can you ask for!
Definitely worth a read!!

Being really into cosy fantasy and wanting to read more, I requested this book. It tells the story of our main character, who has always felt that something is missing in her life. Never quite feeling like she belongs in her talented family, she yearns for more. One evening, her grandmother—a honey witch—suddenly turns up and whisks her away to fulfill her destiny.

I loved the beautiful appreciation of nature, and Sydney has a real talent for bringing that to life. The scenes with Marigold and Althea were heartwarming, and I found myself wishing there were more of them. The bees were a lovely part of the story, adding a unique charm.

Unfortunately, though, something was missing for me. I couldn’t quite connect with the characters. The conversations felt a little stilted at times, and the story didn’t always flow—it felt sporadic. I wanted a steadier pace and richer cosy world-building. Of course, I appreciate the need to find balance as a writer, and there were undeniably beautiful elements in this book. It just wasn’t consistent enough for me to fully immerse myself in the tale.

Huge thank you for NetGalley for a copy of this, in exchange for an honest review.

what an amazing book this was, i loved the storyline and the way the author draws you into this magical world.
a story of love, family and finding magic
a great read

This title has been reviewed as part of a monthly reading wrap up of mini book reviews https://youtu.be/4BQ2QzAycdU

I loved the Honey Witch so much that I stayed up late into the night every night until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. The romance was beautiful and I enjoyed immersing myself in the setting of Innisfree. I would recommend The Honey Witch to anyone who loves a magical, queer romance.

I had high hopes for The Honey Witch, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. The story starts off very slowly, which made it hard for me to stay engaged. I also felt that the worldbuilding was lacking the setting had potential, but it wasn’t developed enough to truly draw me in. Overall, the book had an interesting premise, but the execution fell flat for me.

4.5 stars

THE HONEY WITCH is a richly sensual tale of nature magic and love.

This was such a warm, cosy tale. It's not just that it fits into the conventions of cosy fantasy - not world-ending stakes, focusing on relationships of all sorts - but the very subject matter of the book was so warm. It's a story full of rich descriptions of nature, the world sun drenched flowers and luxurious honey. I felt I could taste the honey, and really wanted to try all the types in the book!

It's also got a slower, more pastoral pace to the book which, combined with the prose, helps evoke the sense of time passing naturally, the characters in time with the natural rhythms of the world. This meant that it didn't feel odd that Lottie doesn't really arrive until almost a third of the way into the book, the first section of the book all about Marigold learning the craft. Usually, I'd find that a little frustrating, but it was such a delightful tale of nature and sweet magic that I didn't feel the lack of a driving plot.

It is also a story of love in many forms. There is the romantic, soulmate idea of love - with many characters finding them - but there is also so much familial love. I really liked that family wasn't the obstacle in this book. Yes, Marigold and her mother fall out over the magic, but it's not the way their relationship ends. Family in SFF can be horrible antagonists so it was a nice change to have supporting, loving family on show here.

Tanks NetGalley for the arc !

the honey witch is a fast paced story about a witch coming into her power and her legacy!
It’s also a sapphic romcom with two polar opposite characters who can’t stop clashing with each other. I LOVED THIS RELATIONSHIP. THOSE WOMEN ARE SO GOOD TOGETHER.

Marigold, is a 21 years old young lady who never fitted anywhere in society and longs for something more for her life.
And when her grandma comes to visit her and tell her about her magic, everything makes sense to Marigold, she was meant for more indeed.
Marigold learn that night that she will never fall in love if she choose to inherit her power, because their family is cursed !
Aaaand shenanigans happens !!

Marigold is a whirlwind of a character, she’s full of life and just so so loveable, her counterpart Lottie is her total opposite. They both work so well together. Like Lottie’s scepticism over Marigold power, like damn, their banter was chief kisses.

I really enjoyed this book, while I would have loved if it was more slow paced to build their relationship more but it was still super enjoyable.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher Orbit Little Brown for an advanced copy of the book en exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Witches whose power come from honey? A curse that blocks out love? High stakes? Oh sign me up.

This was a particular read, from one point I absolutely LOVED the magical world of The Honey Witch, but at the same time it felt not deep enough, not described enough. It made me want to know more but not in the usual pleasant way it feels. I loved reading about the spirits, but at the same time I didn't like how *easy* it was for the Ash Witch to hurt them and subjugate them.

I absolutely loved all relationships we read about in this book, all the different pairings (MM, FF and MF) and can I just say Auggie has to live happily forever after otherwise I will riot, enter the story and smack dear old musical Frankie in the head the humber of layers Asters original wedding cake was.

The first half of the book didn't draw me in as much as I expected, especially since the second half picked up well, my main problem was that the ending felt a bit too much anticlimactic for me? The high stakes didn't feel as high even if at the same time they did? I don't know it was a strange experience.

Sydney J. Shields writes magnificently, no doubts on that, Lottie and Mari (especially Lottie) were some of the sweetest girls I've ever read about. The rightfulness of their relationship felt so right and true I was so happy with how the book ended.

Can't wait for the authors next book to see the growth with my own eyes.
3.5/3.75⭐️ 1.25🌶️ (1 full scene and another half one)

If you go into reading this book looking for cosy witch vibes, then you will most likely not be disappointed.

I had a few issues with the pacing of this book. Plot points either felt dragged out for far too long or were completely rushed. This affected my reading experience of this book negatively but did not take away from the lovely cast of characters or the cosy setting the book is based around.

Thank you so much to the publishers Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me with an eARC to read and review.

I really struggled to get into this book. The beginning was promising, and I’m normally a huge fan of sapphic stories. However, the writing wasn’t for me. It was a bit too simple and lacklustre for what the story is, it doesn’t fit the setting and it kept pulling me out of it. Immersion is very important for me to actually enjoy a book, and unfortunately I couldn’t feel it at all. The story also got progressively boring, it really had a strong beginning. I also didn’t feel like the characters were believable, they all felt surface level and kind of like NPC’s (if you’re not familiar with gaming: ”Non Playable Characters). But I’ve decided to give the book 3 stars, cause I do think it comes down to a matter of preference, and in this case I think the writing style made it hard for me to enjoy most parts of this book.

Good cozy read, a gentle calming fantasy and I enjoyed it.
Could it have had something more happen, yes, did it really need it - probably not.