i’ve been holding onto this one for a few months, desperate to read it in the fall, and i am so happy i did because this was such a fun and cozy read.

a dark and secret magic follows hecate, a hedge witch, through her journey of uncovering secrets, the extent of her magic, and love. if you love practical magic, this one is for you!!! if you enjoy crisp stormy autumn mornings with a cup of coffee and fresh baked goods, THIS. IS. FOR YOU.

i absolutely adored reading hecate’s character growth and her journey of self discovery, with the help of a cutie shadow boyyyyyyyy. i think this book does a great job of capturing moods and vibes. i think if you are looking for a book that is plot heavy and will suck you in to the conflict, and have you on the edge of your seat, i don’t think this is it. i think this book excels at being a cozy mood read, which is why i think it is the perfect halloween story.

i thoroughly enjoyed reading this from start to finish, i felt like it was very well paced and engaging. however, the ending fell off a bit for me. overall, it seemed rushed and like they were trying to just tie up loose ends. i do wish the ending was a smoother and more emotional experience.

🕸️ a must read if u love 🕸️
life x death magic
black cats
practical magic
stormy weather, sitting by the fire place with a cup of coffee
baking fall goodies

Hedge witches are supposed to provide comfort and healing, at least that’s what Hecate (Kate) has been told by her mother and her coven, who live amongst regular humans in the charming town of Ipswich. She happily lives a quiet, solitary life with her familiar, a black cat, and spends her days gathering herbs in the surrounding forest to make tinctures and salves for her apothecary shop. Her sense of peace is thrown into complete disarray when in quick succession she learns she’s expected to host the coven’s Halloween gathering, has a worrisome nightmare, and finally, an unexpected knock on her door leaves her with an unexpected, unwanted visitor who suggests her magical duties and power far exceed what she was taught to believe.
I loved how the cozy, autumny atmosphere contrasted with the dark magic, lies and secrets Kate is forced to confront, and how she grows and finds her strength. The ending wonderfully echos a Greek myth, a perfect resolution to a book that I was so happy to have had the opportunity to read. Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced readers copy, and to Wallis Kinney, the author, for creating a book that encompasses all that I love about fall, magic and mystery at the same time. A perfect book not only for Halloween, but any time of year.

I was utterly enchanted by this delightful book! The story had the perfect blend of magick, witches, Halloween and romance. I wish that I could step into the world that Kinney created. This is one read that can't be missed.

Spooky, cozy, and everything I wanted in an autumn read. Between the carving of pumpkins, the best little black cat, and the loose Hades x Persephone love story.. I literally couldn't get enough. I only wish there had been a little more to the ending of the story, but alas – I will absolutely be picking up a physical copy come publication day!

This was probably one of the most FALL books I’ve ever read. I immediately fell in love with the setting and the slow cozy pace of this book. I want to be a witch in a cottage knitting and baking and occasionally showing up to work at my apothecary . Is that so much to ask?

There’s romance , there’s secrets , there’s sisters, there’s covens, there’s Halloween, and the cutest cat named Merlin, he’s just so sweet I cannot not mention him.

I loved this book , I only wish there were more to the story and the world, like perhaps a second book haha. The ending felt rushed BUT it made complete sense and felt like one of those fairy tale endings where you’re left to imagine what happens next. It also made me feel like starting the book over again.

I have already recommended this book to all my friends. It’s just so good.

This is the *perfect* Halloween read.
This story is filled with deliciousness autumn descriptions that pull your senses into Kate's world, such as: "Every golden strand of happiness in this town can be traced back to a meal she cooked at some point her life."
And the way Matthew loves Kate, "It's not about you being delicate...it's about preventing any discomfort on your part whatsoever. For my own pleasure and peace of mind."
I could easily read this book every October. I can't wait to get my own physical copy. Highly recommend this book, preferably reading it next to a fire, with hot chocolate and your cat (or dog) curled up next to you.

What do you do when your entire path has been decided for you? when the mother you loved and trusted kept dark and dangerous secrets? lied to you about your own Gift. what do you do when your entire Coven might be keeping dark secrets, when they might be contributing to a terrible darkness? What do you do when you have to look within yourself, and realize everything you thought you knew, was a lie? you fall in with your once enemy, that's what you do. she never meant to discover a dark and terrible secret about her own magic. she never expected to learn about a great evil wicked coming for her. she certainly never intended to have to invite her childhood enemy into her home. but, he is there, and he is charming, and his magic is dark and dangerous and she should definitely kick him out... but her cat likes him, and he likes her cooking, and she can't seam to keep her feelings pushed down.

this was a thrilling tale full if mystery, twists and turns, and of course, Enemies to lovers. a perfect read for fans of Halloween, romance, and dark magics.

This book was slow at parts but other parts definitely made up for it. The loved the characters and the story. Will definitely read again.

This was a very well written story and in my opinion the perfect fall witchy read. I thought that Hecate was a great character and I liked the mystery surrounding her mother choosing her discipline for her. I love settings that are an entire small town full of a coven of witches. The politics of covens always interest me and this one was really cool. I really liked the magic system and how the different magics were chosen and controlled. The surprise shadow daddy was a fun additive to the plot and I really enjoyed the banter and way that they formed a bond. Over all I think this is a book that will forever be on my list of recommendations for witch season!

I was NOT expecting this book to be as good as it was!
The first 50% was a little slower and cozy with a subtle, witchy mystery, but the second half really kept me enthralled. With a twisted tale of a witch who only wants to do what’s right, what happens when you learn you need to do something wrong for the right reasons?
A beautiful romance and an ever-guessing mystery, A Dark and Secret Magic needs to be on your autumn reading list!

If you are looking for the PERFECT witchy read for Halloween, then you need to pick up A Dark and Secret Magic. This cozy tale has an amazing blend of romance, forbidden magic, and family secrets that kept me turning pages late into the night. And don’t even get me started on the amazing atmosphere and the food descriptions!

This story follows Hecate Goodwin, hedge witch of the Atlantic Key coven in Ipswich Massachusetts. Hecate, or Kate, as she prefers, is preparing for her 31st birthday - a significant day for these witches as they fully commit to their magical areas of expertise. This is also the first Samhain without her mother and her older sister Miranda has just asked her to prepare the family home for the coven party. She’s also having disturbingly vivid dreams about the recently deceased warning her of someone called the King Below. On top of all this, a handsome hexan man from her past has just shown up on her doorstep and asked for Sanctuary.

Kate is a truly delightful character who does a great deal of work behind the scenes to care for her fellow Atlantic Key witches and even the non-magical residents of Ipswich. She helps her friend Rebecca run an apothecary called the Raven & Crone - super witchy! Despite her skill at healing and navigating the forests, Kate doesn’t believe she’s a powerful witch, something that she will soon find is not true at all. Matthew Cypher on the other hand is the heir to the Pacific Gate coven, a group of magic users that don’t forbid any practice - even those that one might consider ‘evil’. Matthew himself is a necromancer and Kate is understandably quite distrustful of his motives when he first arrives. The longer she spends with him, the more she begins to realize that he might not actually be a bad guy and the spark they had so long ago might still be there. 

I personally loved the romantic aspect of this story. It’s just plain ol’ delightful and made me happy even though some parts were predictable. The overall cozy, autumnal atmosphere of the story is really what sold me though. There’s baking, pumpkin carving, prepping for Samhain celebrations. It sets up the most idyllic imagery of late October (my favorite month!) and it was exactly what I needed when I picked it up! My only complaint would be that the conflict with the King Below wrapped up very quickly and it hardly felt like a conflict at all. Other than that I totally loved this and can’t wait to see what else this author releases in the future!

If you’re looking for the perfect fall themed read that will give you a mix of magic and autumn this is it. A story of a Witch that has been named the Hedge Witch and is trying to understand why her mom gave her that title. Kate lives a quiet and tranquil life until her sister asks her to host the Covens Halloween event and things start to worry her when someone from her past comes to her home and...
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC read publishes 10/8/24

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

4.5⭐ rounded up to 5. This was the absolute perfect read for a witchy fall weekend getaway with bestie @vero.g.reads. A true love letter to Halloween!

❤️ Atmosphere and witchy vibes
❤️ Loveable, well-rounded characters
❤️ Interesting worldbuilding and lore
❤️ Abundance of magical and paranormal elements
❤️ Swoon-worthy MMC
❌ That asshole sister Miranda
❌ Unpunished bullying/violence
❌ Some inconsistencies (insufficient editorial rigour)

Trigger warnings: death and grief, death of a parent, gaslighting and bullying, blood, injury detail.

Plot:
Hecate (Kate) Goodwin is the first hedge witch in over 100 years. Unaware of her fame, she lives in a secluded cottage with her black cat Merlin, foraging herbs and creating tinctures to sell at her apothecary. One day, her solitary routine is disrupted by a ghost from her past: tall, dark, and handsome Matthew Cypher. Kate is forced to play host to her rival coven’s heir after he asks for sanctuary. As she and Matthew prepare her family home for a Halloween gathering, and eventually grow closer, Kate realizes that her coven’s elders have been keeping dark secrets from her and that she is in great danger.

With only 304 pages, this short cozy read kept me on the edge of my seat with mystery, forbidden-love romance, witchy vibes, betrayal, both creepy and whimsy details, and more. The only thing that bothered me was that some characters acted in unforgivable ways and the issues were forgiven after being barely addressed. I can’t deal with glossed-over bullying or violence.

Characters:
Most of the characters were well rounded and likeable. I enjoyed Kate as an FMC, and Matthew made me weak in the knees with his smirks and overprotectiveness and pumpkin-carving skills. I loved Ginny and would have liked to see more of her.

Writing:
I enjoyed Kinney’s writing and would read more from this author. Perhaps this was fixed in the final copy, but there were also some inconsistencies that should have been addressed during the edition process to make some parts of the story more believable: characters taking *very, very little time* to clean and decorate a whole manor, being madly in love after only a few days, typo in a French word, making it sound like maple syrup comes right out of the tree (snort).

This book promised to be a love letter to Halloween and wow! It most certainly delivered.

From the very first chapter you're transported to this wonderful, cozy, witchy world. I was immediately enthralled by Hecate and her coven, with all their varying types of magic. Woven together is a tale of mystery and traditional Halloween festivities, bound to keep you reading while you snuggle under the covers and unravel the secrets that have been kept from Hecate. Even if I hadn't read this while Halloween draws near, I most definitely would have felt like I was living in autumn.

Now, I'm not normally one who is into the romance aspects of books, but I found myself rooting for Kate and Matthew. Though I must admit, their relationship, particularly Matthew's feelings for Kate, seemed a little rushed, somewhat forced. But I was so captivated by the story that such minor things really didn't dampen my reading experience.

One last thing: Thanks for the recipes! I didn't expect to find dinner ideas, but brown butter brussel sprouts and bacon ravioli sounds amazing.

I will, without a doubt, be keeping my eye out for new stories from Wallis Kinney!

Fun, cozy, atmospheric fall read! Would recommend for anyone looking for a witchy autumnal book with romance, magic and detailed food descriptions that will make you hungry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.

To start, a beautiful cover. In this cozy magical realism novel, the reader follows Hecate Goodwin as she approaches Halloween and her 31st birthday. The atmosphere of Hecate’s cottage and family home, the apothecary in the town of Ipswich, and her passion for baking fall themed meals really gets the reader in the mood for Halloween.

The magic system is interesting and easily understandable. I loved how the majority of the characters were female, and I had a good time unraveling their relationships with one another and understanding the coven politics.

Hecate and Matthew’s relationship was heartwarming and endearing, if not a little rushed. I wished they had been given a bit more of a backstory, instead of meeting once ten years prior to the novel’s events. I think it would have made their ‘insta-love’ a bit more believable.

My only complaint lay with the pacing. Times where I hoped for more detail and for the scenes to last longer - such as Hecate’s final confrontation with the King Below – were blown over too quickly, and sometimes lacked suspense. Other than that I had a great time reading this cozy witch story, and thought the recipes added to the end pages were a great autumnal touch!

Thank you to Alcove Press, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to review this story and provide my unbiased opinion.
The perfect read for Fall and Halloween season!
A Dark and Secret Magic follows the life of hedge witch Hecate Goodwin, in the countdown to Halloween when she will be locked into hedge magic for the remainder of her life. But when she is visited by an elder of her coven with a cryptic message and an unwanted but handsome houseguest arrives, she begins to feel like the path her mother set her on may not be the one she wants.
There was so much to like about this story. As a lover of cosy fantasy, I enjoyed the slice-of-life elements like crochet, cottagecore & baking, but it was also packed full of witchy vibes that definitely gave Practical Magic. The settings were atmospheric and the pacing was good (if slow for someone not used to the genre) and I was able to float along with it. I really liked the ending and the romance within the story.
Extra points for Merlin the cat.

4,5 stars for this autumn gem!

Let’s start with a huge thanks to NetGalley, Alcove Press and Wallis Kinney for letting me read this arc. And now on to the book…

I loooved it! It’s spellbinding✨
This book is the perfect autumn read 🍂🍄
It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for (for a long time).

If you’re wondering what I loved about it?
It’s cozy, there are witches and witchcraft, the story takes place around Halloween, it has believable and sympathetic characters and there is also romance.
But no smut, which I think is a huge plus. It’s not that I’m a prude, but for me a story doesn’t always has to have smut. Let’s be honest; most books nowadays don’t go without. Smut sells.

Besides all things above, I also fell in love with the world Kinney has created. The story is written very visually. And I would love to live in Kate’s cabin in the woods.

Conclusion;
If you’re looking for an autumn/Halloween read with cozy vibes? Than this is a must read! ✨🍂

The story is full of magic, intrigue, coziness, and romance. I enjoyed the story and the characters were fun.
It was a delightful read that kept me entertained from the beginning until the end. The writing is good and the story is well told. Sometimes with some bits of info dumping, but overall it progressed steadily.
It embraces the Halloween season and the story gets suspenseful and thrilling at some points. I liked how Kate slowly solved the mystery and learned to deal with the truth. It is a heartwarming story that is just perfect for a spooky season!