Publishers Weekly
03/04/2024
Debut author Shields spins a lush web of family, lore, and love in this coming-of-power fantasy set in 1831 England. As the eldest daughter of a well-to-do family, Marigold Claude, 21, faces increasing pressure to marry—but she has absolutely zero interest in doing so. Instead, she yearns for the peace she finds alone in her secret meadow, communing with strange, mystical creatures. Then her grandmother, Althea, shows up unexpectedly from the island of Innisfree and reveals Marigold’s destiny: “Every eldest daughter in our lineage is a witch.” Specifically, they are Honey Witches, who draw their power from bees and swear to protect the sacred land of Innisfree and its denizens. Marigold is eager to embrace her new role, even after Althea reveals the Honey Witch curse: she’ll lose her magic if she ever falls in love. Once in Innisfree, Marigold runs into her childhood friend, August, and his new best friend, the gorgeous, grumpily skeptical Lottie. With Innisfree’s future in her hands and the curse hanging over her head, Marigold must resist her attraction to Lottie, all while staying on the lookout for her enemy, the Ash Witch. The plot largely meanders, luxuriating in atmosphere and introspection as Marigold comes into her own. Though not a page-turner, this has its charms. Agent: Mollie Glick, CAA. (May)
From the Publisher
"Reading The Honey Witch is like dreaming in a fragrant sunlit garden while bees sing around you. It's a gorgeous book, with a lovely cottagecore ambience and a heart-warming sapphic romance intertwined with unique magic that enchants the imagination. I was so charmed by this impressive debut." —India Holton, international bestselling author
"The Honey Witch is a sweet feast, brimming with whimsy, magic, and tender longing. Shields' world is sugar-glazed and heart-warming and thoroughly enjoyable."—Rachel Gillig, author of One Dark Window
"The Honey Witch is a tale that deserves to be savored but begs to be devoured. Enchanting, whimsical, and firmly rooted in finding yourself after loss, this novel will break your heart and then soothe it with magic honey. Full of friendship and beauty at every turn of the page, The Honey Witch will heal you and help you feel seen in equal measure. Pour yourself a cup of tea, drizzle in some local honey, and let this decadent book transport you." —Breanne Randall, New York Times bestselling author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic
"As sweet and warm as honeyed tea. Shields’ debut deftly explores love, loss, and loneliness—and the joy of seeing magic in all things, however small. With charming characters and a lush setting, The Honey Witch will delight fans of cozy fantasy."
—Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic
"As effervescent as a bottle of sparkling mead, The Honey Witch charms with every sentence. Shields writes with a fierce, uncynical honesty that will have you believing in soulmates, uncovering magic everywhere, and embracing your own wildness."—S. T. Gibson, author of A Dowry of Blood
"The Honey Witch will charm you with its setting, its appealing characters, both young and old, and its love for all things natural—especially bees! This tale of a young witch dealing with a curse and a battle between dark magic and light, with her romance in the balance, is one all fans of witches and folk magic will love."—Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches
“For anyone who has ever known what the mundane world wants them to be isn’t possible or even desirable, The Honey Witch takes a luminous, divergent path." —Willa Reece, author of Wildwood Magic
"Shields has written a cozy confection of a book—full of whimsy, spice, and heart. With characters whose warmth and charm are irresistible, The Honey Witch is an ode to love, and just how sweet it can be." —Maiga Doocy, author of Sorcery and Small Magics
"With beautiful prose, a cozy setting filled with magic and honey, and a swoon-worthy sapphic romance, The Honey Witch delivers a gorgeous story of love, loss, and the perils of loneliness. This fantastic debut by Sydney J. Shields is an instant favorite." —Rebecca Thorne, author of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea
“Debut author Shields spins a lush web of family, lore, and love in this coming-of-power fantasy set in 1831 England […] luxuriating in atmosphere and introspection as Marigold comes into her own.”—Publishers Weekly
"[A] warmhearted fantasy [that] will satisfy readers of sapphic romances who love the alternate historical world of Bridgerton or who grew up watching Halloweentown and Practical Magic."
—BookPage
"Readers interested in a tale that sits at the intersection of witchy relationship fiction and sapphic historical romance will enjoy this charming, slow-paced tale of love triumphing over evil."
—Booklist
