The Honey Witch

Author: Sydney J. Shields

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy

Format: Physical purchase

Publish Date: May 2024

Read: November 2024

Favorite Quote: There are countless things she would rather be doing. On a night like this, when the blue moon is full and bursting with light like summer fruit, she wants nothing more than to bathe in the moon water that now floods the riverbanks. She wants to sing poorly with no judgment, wearing nothing but the night sky.

Story Synopsis: Marigold can’t seem to fit in anywhere in Bardshire. She’s too strange for boys to truly fancy her, and while her father supports her quirks, Marigold’s mother wants nothing more than for Marigold to settle down and be a wife and mother, even if it’s not what Marigold wants for herself. When Mari’s grandmother, Althea, comes to visit, Marigold learns of her lineage. She’s a Honey Witch.

Descended from generations of Honey Witches before her, Marigold now has the opportunity to leave her home and Bardshire to live with her aging grandmother to learn the ways of Honey Witches and protect the isle of Innisfree from the Ash Witch, Versa. Once in Innisfree, Marigold must learn how to protect the land, aid the locals, make friends, and stop Versa from destroying everything.

Why does this book beguile? The Honey Witch is a lovely, cozy standalone novel! I loved it’s LGBTQ focus and alternate Regency-era reality where people are free to love whom they choose. The Honey/Ash witch dichotomy was also fun to explore, and I enjoyed the magic system Shields created. The Honey Witch would make a great gift for anyone who enjoys cozy queer fantasy!

Rating: 4/5

Link*: The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields

If you’re interested in this, read*: In the Shadow Garden by Liz Parker