IM NOT SOBBING YOURE SOBBING!!!

This was by far the coziest book I’ve ever read. The descriptions of the food, the environment, the magic, it was all so damned cozy and wonderful, like a giant hug in the middle of autumn with pumpkin spice in the air. 🎃🍂

It was also simultaneously eerie, with the spooky mystery looming over the characters. I know, cozy AND eerie? But trust me, it was a perfect mix. 👻

Also, can I just say that every single book from now on needs a kitty sidekick??? 🐈‍⬛

I adore this book so so much. The ENDING? The JUST BEFORE THE ENDING?? This book had me on the edge of my seat, swooning and biting my nails and “aww”ing and screaming at my headphones to tell me what I just heard wasn’t true. Lots of emotions haha! 😅

Overall I cannot recommend this book enough!!! It’s perfect for this time of year, so so cozy yet just enough mysterious mystery to keep you on your toes. This book has magic, heart, and a cat that will make you feel all the feels.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

this book comes out October 8, 2024, so get ready. 😉

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book early!

--Review contains mild spoilers about premise of the book--

Narration: By Abigail Reno
Whenever I listen to an audiobook, I always try and imagine how reading the physical copy of the book would be compared to listening to it, and ask myself how it would be different. I am admittedly very picky about audiobook narration, and Abigail Reno did not disappoint with her performance. She really brought the story to life and I can say without a doubt that the audio version really elevated the story for me. She brought Hecate and her home to life and I can't think of much else to say except that I adored her performance.

Story: The premise of the story centers around a young hedge witch - the only of her kind in recent past - and her discovery of the truth behind her magic and the secrets of her family and her coven, sprinkled with elements of a star-crossed romance.
I absolutely adored the story. From the first chapter I felt like I was wrapped up a warm sweater with a hot mug of something in my hands. The writing evokes feelings of warmth in what often feels like a love letter to autumn months in New England. I almost had the sensation while listening that it was a book I'd read before - not in the a way that its story is common, but in a way that it just feels nostalgic. It brought to mind Practical Magic and Halloween movies as a kid and I found that I could not stop listening.
I immediately liked the protagonist, Hecate, feeling some kinship with her preference for living alone with her cat in a small New England home. At times the writing does feel perhaps a little heavy handed with the cozy vibes, however I ended up thinking that this only added to the charm and did not detract. The cooking scenes in particular came alive in a way that evoked thoughts of Simply Irresistible (1999) and once again just brought warmth to the story.
I won't say too much about the plot so as to keep the review as spoiler free as possible but I was pleasantly surprised that it was driven mostly by the main character and her personal growth. There is a strong subplot of romance, but not so strong as to overtake the main point. I did not find myself predicting the plot reveals, and simply enjoyed letting the story whisk me along. If you are looking for a spicier romance, this may not be for you, however the amount felt just right for my preferences.
My one complaint is hardly a complaint and it's that I wish the ending had been drawn out a little more! I wanted to revel in the ending in the way one relishes every bite of a good dessert, and I feel like it was gone too quickly. I did not want to say goodbye.

Overall thoughts: I really adored this book. I found myself listening as often as I could - during chores, while driving, before bed. A perfect Fall read that's got me putting on old romance movies and baking. While I can't claim it's the best book I've read, my five star rating comes from just pure enjoyment; a truly fun read.

This cozy witchy tale is perfect for the fall season, offering a delightful mix of dark magic, family secrets, and light romance. The atmospheric setting, with its Samhain traditions and magical elements, draws you in, while the relationship between the main characters is charming and filled with growth. Hecate’s journey from an isolated hedge witch to confronting her past and family dynamics is engaging, though her sister Miranda’s harshness can be frustrating. Fans of Hades and Persephone vibes and cozy fantasy will love this story, especially paired with a crisp autumn day. A must-read for Halloween lovers!

This cover caught my eye. It screamed Halloween vibes and it wasn't wrong. I loved the immaculate Fall atmosphere this story gave. The Samhain traditions were fascinating and a total vibe. I loved all the witchy magic from tarot, earth, to necromancy and shadow. Usually Hades and Persephone isn't something I enjoy but this worked. It felt just inspired without being a direct comparison. I enjoyed the sister dynamics and the family secrets at play. The romance had good chemistry with no spice which was nice. I loved the receipts and wonder if the physical book has some included, that'd be a fun tie in. My only complaint was the audio narration. I wish this had been duel cast. Other than that, definitely an October read MUST. 4.5 STARS.

Nothing is more perfect for the fall and spooky season of the year than a great witchy book with a bit of romance, dark magic, and mystery about hidden powers and malevolent forces lurking in the night.

This book truly captured each of those elements and still seemed to hold on to the coziness of the season with references to baking and cooking, the glow of pumpkins illuminated on the side of a porch, and the crisp fall air as the leaves are turning.

Hecate Goodwin was assigned to be a hedge witch by her mother at birth, even though the rest of her cover got to chose their course of study when they turned 13. As she's grown, she's settled into her life making tinctures and foraging herbs and healing, never asking much of others but also keeping a bit of a distance from her sisters. However, 4 months ago, her mother passed and now it is her responsibility to welcome in the Halloween season and her sisters as they prepare for the holidays.

A man from her past shows up on her doorsteps a few days before the events of the year are intended to take place and his arrival also brings about questions of her own past and secrets which have been kept from her.

This book is so incredibly good and I loved every minute of it... minus how poorly her sister Miranda treats her. Right up until Miranda gets a bit of what she's asking for. Sure, it's a bit of overkill but she treats Hecate like a servant and not like a sister in any respect and it's rude and uncalled for... so, she had it coming.

this book was so perfect for the fall season! the vibes and how atmospheric it was … AMAZING. cannot recommend enough

This was everything my Halloween loving heart wanted after seeing the cover. It’s a book that pushes the boundaries of the cozy fantasy genre while giving us vibes reminiscent of Hades and Persephone. It felt like a love letter to all those that wait for the first hint of cool crisp air, changing leaves and grew up wishing they had magical powers. I mean just look at the gorgeous cover. I loved everything about this book especially both main characters. I really enjoyed how the MMC went full on cat dad with the FMC’s familiar. I also found the dynamic and growth between the main characters to be incredibly well done. Matthew challenged Kate in ways that forced her to rethink her outlook and what she thought she knew of witchcraft. I also thought the pacing was well done and enjoyed the countdown to Halloween. There were plenty of revelations and twists to keep me interested in the story. As someone who doesn’t read a lot of standalone fantasy books, I felt that Kinney did an excellent job taking the story from start to finish without feeling like the story was lacking in some way. I had both the ebook and audiobook. I loved Abigail Reno’s narration and felt it fit the overall vibe of the story well. I don’t think you could go wrong either way, but I really enjoyed the audio. If you’re a lover of Halloween, I would highly recommend checking this book out.

I’ll start by saying this was a DNF for me at about the 50% point. I actually think the cover, title and description do a pretty large disservice to the book as I was expecting a story with a darker vibe, and this was pretty light and read like a Halloween Hallmark movie.

I think those looking for a lighthearted cozy holiday read will enjoy this story and the narrator did a good job bringing it to life on the audio book as well.

A very witchy story but also very focused on food, which was kind of fun to read at the start of fall. Loved the enemies to lovers to enemies…to lovers between the FMC and MMc and loved how answers slowly unfolded throughout the book. Great read.

This was more of a cozy story. Reading this will make you hungry! The story was engaging and kept me wanting to know more. I look forward to see what the author does next. This is a very strong debut.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this audiobook.
I honestly thought this one of the most interesting magic systems I have ever read. I hope the author decides to turn this into a series.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. And this book scream witchy fall, just look at that cover! This book was a little bit of a slow burn for me. But once I hit about 30% in, I flew through it. It was the perfect amount of witchy, charming, and romance I needed to get me into the fall season.

I was a fair bit into this book before I realized this was a Hades and Persephone vibe. I tend to find them bland or just generally lacking. And I don't know if it was the plot or the narrator but I was really invested in this one.

As a the debut novel, I thought this did a really great job of perpetuating the plot without adding unnecessary plot devices. There weren't a lot of side characters but there was still enough to keep it interesting and the journey flowed.

I really liked the main character's relationship and how it kind of evolved and flourished. I don't know if this is meant to be a standalone. I'm hoping for a duology but if I don't get any more story I am satisfied (which I think is a real talent).

Thank you so much to the author, netgalley and Dreamscape Audio for this opportunity.

I cannot.believe this is a first time author. This is absolutely one of my favorite books this year. I also want to say I enjoyed the narration very much. I thought it was very well done. Hecate is a hedge witch and has never had any choice. Her mom passed away and she is grieving. Matthew is a shadow witch and has had come to help her. Matthew is a very interesting character and has a lot of development throughout. Hecate grows so much throughout the story and the romance was beautiful. Highly recommend

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an audiobook arc of this book.This is a great witchy book to cozy up with for the fall season. I enjoyed the plot, the secrets, the twists, and the characters. We all, of course, know the real star of the book is Merlin. I wish that there was more background on the main villain as I feel like they were just kind of thrown in there, but overall, a fun read.

Delightfully entertaining Autumn 🍂 Read

Just finishing up this Cozy atmospheric love note 📝 to spooky season. I absolutely loved this audiobook, devoured it in one day. The narrator Abigail Reno painted a cinematic story that kept me hooked. Wallis Kinney truly captured the essence of all things Fall and Halloween in this a witchy tale. Set to be published Oct 8, 2024. 🍁🍂🎃

Thank you @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for an arc of this audiobook in exchange for my honest

ADarkandSecretMagic #WallisKinney @NetGalley #witch #paranormal #magicalrealism #Halloween #Samhain #romance #rituals #truelove #soulmates @alcovepress

This was a really fun fall read. I enjoyed the magic and the small town fall vibes. If you're looking for a magical fall read, this one is a definite win. The romance was very fade to black, which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your preference as a reader. I liked the plot quite a bit. I did not predict every twist and turn, and I was pleasantly surprised by the culmination of the story. The vibe is definitely right if you are looking for a witchy fall read!

🧹🍂 ARC REVIEW🍂🧹

A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney
4.5/5 ⭐

This book felt like that first sip of hot cider on a windy fall day. ☕ This story welcomes you into a witch's cottage as she navigates love, life, and confronting family secrets.

Please read if you like:
🍁 A hedge witch preparing for the Samhain/Halloween celebration 🎃
🍁 Morally gray warlocks 🩶 🪄
🍁 Dark family mysteries coming to light 😱
🍁 Deliciously described autumn food 🤤 🥧
🍁 Black cats named Merlin 🐈‍⬛

A big thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for providing an advanced copy of this wonderful book ❤️

#ADarkandSecretMagic #NetGalley #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #books #booklover #bookworm #bookstagrammer #reading #bookish #bookaddict #booknerd

Such a cozy, autumnal story! Perfect for the lead-up to Halloween 🎃 🍂 I really liked the character dynamics, and the setting. Definitely a fun, light-hearted, cozy read.

I think the author really nailed the vibes and setting of this book. There could have been more development of the magic system and how things worked. But overall, I think this is an ideal autumnal read.

4.25 ⭐️

5⭐ because the vibes were ✨ immaculate ✨.

This is just such a perfect, cozy spooky season read. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic, she really had the perfect cadence and tone- super easy to listen to.

Hecate and Matthew are both enjoying, likable main characters. Their relationship is a little "insta-love-y", but I can't deduct any points there. It worked, and who doesn't love a protective MMC? 😍

It just really captured everything I could want for a cozy, witchy read. The nods to Persephone and Hades were great. I can see a lot of people really enjoying this one!!!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ALC. My opinions are my own 💕