I was quite excited for this book especially since the reviews are generally positive, however, I was very disappointed. I liked the narrator and think she did a great job, but the story itself fell short.

Defining this book as a romance seems like it was mislabeled to boost sales as the romance is so miniscule. Taking out the romantic elements and simply replacing the love interest with a friend would have changed nothing about this book. Also, falling in love after knowing each other for a total of maybe 10 days is a stretch.

All the characters seemed very one dimensional which resulted in feeling like I didn't know them or have any connection to them. Hecate seems to have been inspired by a manic pixie dream girl and has pretty much no personality. Matthew feels like he doesn't even count as a character. Both our MCs feel like they have no personality aside from the few times they become protective of each other. Then we have side characters that are very contrary with little explanation. Miranda is a perfect example of this. She is a complete jerk to everyone and then suddenly becomes a super protective older sister at the drop of a hat then goes back to being a jerk to everyone. None of these characters felt well thought out.

The world building was a bit non-existent to me. I like getting information from the character about how their world works, but this wasn't the case here. This one is likely just personal preference, but I found it frustrating. I didn't understand how these covens exist in relation to humans (do humans know they exist? Are there rules about humans finding out they exist?) Also what/who are the Hexans? This is mentioned multiple times, and at first I thought this was Matthews' family name, but it's not, then they said Hexan Texans (this was fantastic), but Matthew isn't part of that coven, so why is he still called a Hexan? Then we get no information about how inter-coven relations occur in the sense of one witch marrying into another coven.

Then we get to the big issue at the end and I just rolled my eyes at how stupid Hecate was. Just poor decisions abound.

Overall, I found this book to be boring and lacking in coherent characters and world building. If you enjoy a plot-driven book with spooky elements, this will be a great book for you. For me, I found it lacking in key details that ended up taking me out of the story.

I loved this book! I think everyone needs to put this book on their fall TBR! If you like a cute cozy witchy romance with a bit of a darker magical twist pick this up! Hecate Goodwin is a hedge witch living in a cute cottage with herbs and tinctures. Her sister puts her in charge of throwing their covens halloween gathering and it was so perfect for this time of year. I loved following Hecate and Matthew as they tried to uncover her family dark secrets all while still preparing for Halloween. This aspect kind of gave me stars hollow vibes- small town community fall festivities. The stakes were higher in this book and that really worked for me since I really enjoyed the fantasy aspects. The end had me tearing up. I loved every single fall vibe this book had to offer. This was a debut and I am so excited to read more by Wallis Kinney in the future! Please add this to your October reading list!! I am thankful I was able to listen to this audio book as an arc- the audio narrator did a great job!!! and the cover alone is perfect.

I can't stop thinking about this book. I couldn't read it fast enough. I absolutely loved it. The characters, storyline, and mystery leave you wanting more. Without giving too much away, the romance felt so honest, and I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. It was a book that felt like a gift that kept on giving. I would love to know what happens "after".

The perfect spooky-season cozy fantasy to sink you into the season. Although the conflict is fairly low stakes, the topic is grim. It actually felt reminiscent of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina in a lot a ways. The characterizations of Hecate’s sisters felt so similar to those of Sabrina’s aunts in my mind. Plus the general manner of being both cute and gothic at the same time. But don’t worry, the MCs are definitely not YA. While romance takes a backseat to the mystery, it’s still definitely there. Mostly in the form of sexual tension, however, which isn’t necessarily bad, but I think we had time to develop a few more moments of emotional connection. Overall, exactly what I wanted to kick off the best season of the year.

It made me feel warm and cozy and hungry and I binged it in one sitting. 3.75 🎃

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape for this advanced audiobook in exchange for my unbiased review!

OMG this was the perfect fall, witchy read! It was so cozy, full of Fall vibes and it had love, covens, witches, curses and magic! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! This is going on my favorites of 2024 list! I totally felt the Hades and Persephone/Practical Magic vibe but I'm going to add a tiny bit of Charmed too because Matthew did at times reminded me a bit of Cole.

Hecate Goodwin (Kate), a hedge witch lives in a cottage and spends time collecting herbs and a week before Halloween, her older sister tells her she is now hosting the coven's new year event and this also marks is coming upon her 31st birthday which is on Halloween. This event is a special "containment" event to acknowledge to her coven she will give up some of her magic. But that same night when she learns she will host, a man from her past named Matthew who is from another coven which she hasn't seen in over 10 years asks for sanctuary, but it is a hedge witches duty to honor. Kate is hesitant because Matthew has lied to her and she finds out he practices in the forbidden shadow magic.

Soon after Kate finds an old tome in her house spellbound and cursed with blood magic that only states in writing that is familiar to her mothers handwriting who recently passed in which she can asks Matthew for help on getting answers as theres more to Kates magic and her past then she was ever told.

Oh man, the pining, yearning and electric spark Matthew and Kate share! I really want to read more of them. I hope theres more in this world because I can just immersive myself in this world for a long time. All of the characters were great, even Kate's other two sisters. This was a fast pace read as there were no slow points at all in the story.

The writing was beautifully descriptive that I savored each word and speaking of savory, with how many recipes were described about, I want a cookbook of recipes based from this story LOL. I loved learning the history of the Hedge witch line of from Hecate's ancestorial family.

The Audiobook was so good I highly recommend. Narrated by Abigail Reno she did a really great job and was perfect for all of the voices, even Matthew's!

I received this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Advanced Listener Copy Review

A Dark and Secret Magic
Rating: 🌟⭐️⭐️🌟
Clean read with mild language

Hecate is a hedge witch who is nearing her 31st birthday when all but her trained magic will be contained for the sake of her coven’s strength. But when a midnight visitor arrives her entire world begins to unravel. “Find your mother’s book and you’ll know why she made you a hedge witch.” Hecate’s mother passed away some time before and took with her many secrets about herself and Hecate. When Matthew, an old and not entirely welcome acquaintance, arrives in the days preceding Halloween and Hecate’s birthday, he challenges everything she’s taken to be true. And what is right and what is wrong begin to blur.

This was closer to a cozy paranormal read than anything else, but there is a bit of danger. I really enjoyed Cate’s and Matthew’s characters - he was actually adorable. The driving force of learning the mother’s secrets made this a very enjoyable read and my only complaint was the ending, which while happy didn’t feel particularly realistic and gave me Hades and Persephone vibes. Regardless I’d totally recommend this read

Thank you NetGalley for this ALC

If the Hallmark channel made movies for Halloween, this would be it! Sweet and hopeful, this story is perfect for anyone looking for cozy fall romance vibes.

As the blurb promised, "A Dark and Secret Magic" truly is a love-letter to those who carry Halloween in their heart all year round.

Set in the atmospheric days leading up to Halloween, the story revolves around Hecate (Kate) Goodwin, a hedge witch. As she embarks on a quest prompted by a mysterious dream, Kate seeks to uncover the truths about her unique powers. Along the way, she encounters a handsome necromancer, coven secrets, intriguing characters and mysterious magic.

This book was a delightful blend of romance, mystery, and Halloween traditions. From pumpkin carving and cemetery visits to encounters with a necromancer and a black cat, the story immerses readers in a captivating, not-too-spooky atmosphere. The narrators performance was wonderful, making this the perfect cosy audiobook to pair with your seasonal activities all autumn long.

A big thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Wallis Kinney for providing me an ALC for honest review.

I am smitten. This story was beautifully written and held my interest the entire time. I REALLY hope this becomes a series because there is so much more to grow upon with these characters.

I loved everything about this book from the cottage to the cat to the characters. I can't wait to see where the story goes and how it develops. I was enchanted from the very beginning and it's the PERFECT fall read!

Audiobook review:
Wonderful! The narrator, Abigail Reno is clearly a pro. Excellent narration and production quality! I could just close my eyes and imagine I was in a cute small town a few days before Halloween.

Book review:
Perfect fall atmosphere in a provincial New England town full of witches. While I would hesitate to call this a cozy fantasy because the stakes do get a bit dire and it's a bit heavier at times, it mostly reads as a warm and charming tale. It does incorporate many common cozy elements that set the tone for the book (and gave me some recipes I'd like to try!) which was really enjoyable for me to read.

The book is slower paced, and while it isn't terribly long and I could have finished it in a couple days, I took my time finishing it. The discovery of dark secrets, Hecate having to get over learned biases, and the general slice of life elements were some of my favorite parts.

I think Matthew saying he has been in love with her since they met may have been a bit much, but I understand how he could have felt strongly about her, knowing all that he knew and revering her before they even met. It was a cute slow burn romance and I really loved the resolution. I'm so glad I didn't read the blurb so that I didn't see the ending coming as much.

Thank you Dreamscape Media & NetGalley for the ALC!

Book rating: 4.25 stars, Audiobook rating: 5 stars

4.5/5

A Dark and Secret Magic is such a good cozy book. Perfect for the impending fall vibes. The side characters and the town feel like a real place. It's everything that I want from a small-town backdrop.

The main character is great, Hecate is a hedge witch who loves her small-town life and is grieving the death of her mother. Her romantic interest, Matthew, is one of the rare instances that makes me like the second-chance/already-in-love love interest. Honestly, with Hecate also holding a torch for him after a decade of not seeing each other and having only met for like a week or two, there was no way anyone else would do for them.

Abigail Reno did a fantastic job narrating!

After a whole month of meh reads, it's so good to remember that there are good books out there.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for this early audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Hecate Goodwin is a hedgewitch. There hasn't been a hedgewitch in a very long time. That means that she didn't have another hedgewitch to learn from. Everything she knows, she learned from her mother. Sadly, her mother died four months ago, so she's on her own.
With her 31st birthday approaching, Hecate has a lot to do. That is a very important birthday for a witch. She also has all the preparations for Halloween to deal with. To add a little more stress, her sisters call and tell her to host the annual party at the Goodwin house.
Oh yeah, a guy from her past just showed up seeking sanctuary. As a hedgewitch, she has to let him stay.
Nothing else will happen right?

This is the perfect fall book. It's so atmospheric and witchy. Kate (Hecate) is such a great character. I love the small town vibes as they get ready for Halloween. If you like Practical Magic, you should definitely check this one out.

I highly recommend the audiobook. The narrator is fantastic!

This is like the ultimate cozy fall/halloween read that I’ve read/listened to so far. It felt very cottagecore and like it had the kind of vibe similar to Practical Magic. Most of the cozy fall reads I’ve read are romcoms & this is not that. It’s very world building & sets a very beautiful scene. While there is romance it doesn’t consume the entire plot. It was amazingly well done. I really enjoyed it & I would love to see more of this world again.
The narrator did a great job. She paced the story well & reflected the emotions of the characters the way they’re described. I’ve listened to other books narrated by her & I always enjoy her voice.

Thank you NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for the advance copy.

I stumbled across this book in the Netgalley app and requested it not knowing anything about the author or story. I'm so glad I found it. I absolutely ADORED this book. The writing was superb and the character development stunning. I loved the romance and the mystery was perfection. The plot twists were so unexpected not phenomenal. I sorta hope this becomes a series! I want more of this world and these characters!

The perfect fall witchy read! I enjoyed the covens and the romance and the small town setting. The narrator did an excellent job as well. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the audio arc.

Thanks for the audio arc!

I really enjoyed the writing style of this author. It was quite peasant and easy to follow, no strange dialogue etc. I also felt that though the pace of the story was a bit slow to start, it helped me connect with the MC.

Now the story wasn't super original (see introvert falls for old flame and finds out she's special), but I found that that fact didn't take away from the method the story was told. It's a great fall read with eery vibes. We are 'shown' more than we are 'told' and to me that's what really makes a story.

Also, I liked the narrator for the story! I tend to listen at 1.5-2x speed because that's now my attention span works. Sometimes narrators sounds robotic or awkward, but this narrator did a fabulous job.

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 really enjoyed the narration of this book, and thought that the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing it to life.

I love the narration! I was enthralled. I must say as a "hedge witch" (crazy plant lady) with "familiars" (cats) to be careful with tea tree in any form around cats. It is deadly.
The story was lovely and fun. I enjoyed every moment. I love the romance.

When starting this book I was a touch nervous because it eases you into the world of Kate and everything that is going on pretty slowly. Once you’ve been introduced to everything and visitors start to show up the pacing definitely picks up from there.

I really enjoyed the plot, setting, and even the love story. I didn’t really expect the love to take as much of a front seat as it did, but I’m glad it did. It truly made the story that much better. This really helped to balance the darker aspects of the book - smart writing, for sure.

This was a great read for a rainy, fall day snuggled with up cookies and your favorite fall drink.