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.

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.

I thought this book had great spooky season vibes! It has a lot of things that I love during this season =- witches, magic, a little bit of mystery, and a little bit of romance.

Did I always totally understand what was happening with the plot? Not really! But it didn't affect my enjoyment at all. This is kind of on the cozier side but had enough plot to keep me engaged.

I liked the narration by Abigail Reno! I don't think I've listened to anything from her before.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

First of all, thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to listen to this !
The magic in the book gives and takes and there is a balance which kept it interesting. I love how there’s checks and balances that make it more believable.

Don’t want to give spoilers but it’s a must read! I really really enjoyed this book!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this Audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It will be great for anyone who wants to read a cozy, witchy book this fall.

3.5 ☆
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If you're looking for a cozy, witchy, October vibe book, this book will be for you! It will definitely give you those vibes. They say this book is like Hades and Persephone, um, I don't know about that. It didn't really give me those vibes. (Just my opinion, though.)
The audiobook is good. The narrator did a good job telling the story! She was easy to listen to and follow.
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Thank you, Netgellay, and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review. .

A great witchy-fall vibes book to get you in the mood. Hecate “Kate” Goodwin belong to coven of witches, her mother chose her path as a hedge witch unknowingly tying her to dark magic when she made a deal for more power. After her mother passes she learns the truth, just in time for her powers to be stripped as a coven tradition… unleashing darkness. Matthew Cypher, a practitioner of dark magic shows up days before the ceremony to help stop the outcome. How many secrets will be learned, can the dark magic be stopped, will love prevail? The best part, the ending is wrapped up nicely… you aren’t left with a cliffhanger and a year to remember what happened.
Thank you NetGalley & Alcove Press
#netgalley #arc #walliskinney #adarkandsecretmagic #alcovepress
#hedgewitch #witchybooks #witch #fallvibes

A witchy story perfect for spooky season. There’s romance, family, covens. The narrator did a great job, very natural sounding, good voices for other characters. It was easy to listen to sped up if you prefer that.

A Dark and Secret Magic is the perfect read if you want Hades & Persephone witchy vibes. I would also say this would be perfect for fans of A Discovery of Witches.

I enjoyed Kate, her coven and Matthew. I thought all of the relationships were interesting. I liked the romance between Kate & Matthew and found it to be very romantic.

This was cozy with the right amount of magic and drama to keep it from being boring.

Narrator Abigail Reno did a fantastic job bringing the story to life.

Would recommend!

This was so cozy!! I loved it! It felt a bit like a Hades and Persephone retelling (indirectly) with a sprinkle of Practical Magic in a Halloween/Witchy capsule. If I’m a sucker for anything in my stories, it’s mythology and Halloween/Samhain. I really enjoyed the world building (it was very detailed!), the plot, and the characters (there’s a cat!). This did have insta-love vibes (the MMC and the FMC knew each other before this story began, so it’s not unreasonable) and while their love was a subplot, I basked in it, it was wholesome and had me feeling sappy. The pacing was fairly slow, but I didn’t mind it because it added to the whimsical feel of this book. Overall, this was a beautiful cottage-core vibes book, and perfect for an October read!

Release Date: 10/07/24

Thank you Dreamscape Media for providing an ARC via NetGalley!

Hecate Goodwin has always been a hedge witch and believed she had been well-trained in the craft by her mother. Halloween is almost upon her and the coven expects that she will entertain in the traditional manner of her family for the celebration. Everything points to a normal celebration when Matthew Cypher arrives at her door during a storm seeking sanctuary. Matthew was no stranger to Hecate. She first met him years before when he and his father attended an important meeting of witches all over the country. The two spent the evening becoming friends to only find out that Matthew's coven were practitioners of forbidden magic and he had been banished from the area. Now, he is here and Hecate learns that her mother and the coven has been hiding the truth about hedge witch magic her entire life.

As the days move closer to Halloween, Hecate learns that she is in danger of becoming the hedge witch of the Lord Below. She, with Matthew's help tries to save herself both of them in danger. When she learns the depth of her coven's deceit she is left with confusion and fear that she can trust no one. I enjoyed this story and hope there will be a sequel.

I went into this expecting sort of a cozy fantasy and that is not what I got; this book was so much more. A rich and detailed storyline, an intricately crafted world and magic system, and a swoony romance were at the center of this read. It was the perfect book for the start of fall, and now I’m so ready for spooky season.

4.5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I just wrapped up a super fun, quick Halloween read that totally got me in the spooky spirit! If you’re trying to embrace all the fall vibes or just need a little autumn magic in your life, this book is for you.

Picture this: a cute small town packed with witches, an epic pumpkin patch, some seriously magical cooking, a little romance, and a cozy cottage right by the woods. Oh, and there’s a black cat named Merlin who was my personal favorite.

I highly recommend listening to the audiobook version of this story; the narrator did a wonderful job bringing this witchy, spooky, cozy world to life.

Seriously, if you're looking for the perfect October read that’s cozy and a bit whimsical, I can’t recommend this enough. Grab your pumpkin spice and dive in on October 8th

_A Dark and Secret Magic_ by Wallis Kinney and read by Abigail Reno is a cozy romantic fantasy read that is atmospheric and magical with sincere narration. Hedge witch Hecate Goodwin lives a mostly solitary life as she approaches her 31st birthday. When former acquaintance and necromancer Matthew Cypher knocks on her door requesting sanctuary, Hecate’s peaceful life is soon changed forever with the reveal of dark family secrets. It’s a great audiobook for cozy fantasy lovers.

4.5⭐️
You are definitely going to want to add this cozy book to your fall TBR. This book was exactly what I was needing to get out of my reading slump.
I loved Hecate so much. She was such a wonderful character full of development. Reading her journey into finding herself and falling in love was beautifully written. Perfect read for Halloween/fall.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow this exceeded all my expectations! The premise sounded interesting so I thought I’d give it a try, little did I know I’d love it so much!

It’s both a cosy fantasy while also being full of dark magic. The characters are well developed and interesting! And I LOVED Hecate and Matthew! They were adorable together!

This felt incredibly well rounded from the characters, the magic system all the way to the relationships. Everything was extremely well written!

My one small complaint is I wish this was a bit longer and we got to learn more about her mother and her whole line. Hecate’s position needed a bit more explaining. Along with more about Matthew’s family.

I enjoyed the narrator as well! It was easy to tell when someone was talking vs thinking. She distinguished each character well!

Overall though, a very solid fantasy! I will definitely be reading more by this author!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Witches with a mythology angle? Yes please!!

I really enjoyed this, and that was a pleasant surprise. The end even shocked me, when I thought it was over and then a whole new lie was revealed -- so clever. The author carefully walked the line between a guy caring and watching over a woman while not being a creepy stalker. Many popular fantasy and romance novels before this could not accomplish that feat.

The nature elements, the sister relationships, the sense of family betrayal, the types of witches, were really engrossing. The ending was quite well done, and while I could see this turning into a series, it felt absolutely complete and satisfying.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media for the copy of this book!

Hecate, who goes by Kate, is living as a hedge witch in a secluded cottage with only a black cat for company when her older sister, Miranda, reaches out and asks her to host their coven’s annual Halloween gathering. While she's stressing about the pressure from putting this all together, Matthew Cypher shows up and throws even more of a wrench in things.

This was filled with lots of Fall and witchy vibes, and an MMC who is a SHADOW DADDY -- totally unexpected. I love when witchy or fantasy books include old books, so Kate finding an old tome that belonged to her mother was really fun. This had all the elements of a traditonal small-town witch read, with a coven, family drama, secrets, and romance.

This was really well narrated by Abigail Reno!