A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney | Book Review

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A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney
Published by Alcove Press on October 8, 2024
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 304
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Death of a Parent, Suicide, Blood, Injury, Sexual Harassment, Grief
Rating:

Hecate Goodwin, Kate to her friends, has curated the perfect life as a hedge witch, living in a secluded cottage with only a black cat for company. She spends her days foraging herbs from the Ipswich forest, gardening, and creating tinctures to sell at the apothecary she owns. Most evenings pass without her speaking to another human being, an arrangement she quite prefers. Kate’s solitude is thrown into disarray when her older sister, Miranda, reaches out and asks her to host their coven’s annual Halloween gathering. The day marks the beginning of the new year for witches and is also Kate’s birthday. The pressure from her coven to make the evening memorable mounts as the event draws near. To complicate things further, a handsome man from Kate’s past turns up at her cottage, asking for sanctuary. It is Kate’s duty as a hedge witch to honor this request, much to her dismay. Matthew Cypher is no ordinary lost soul–he’s a practitioner of forbidden magic who’s tricked Kate once before, and her guard is up. As she juggles Matthew’s arrival and the preparations for Halloween, Kate comes across an old tome shrouded in dark magic. She is horrified when she realizes the blood-red inscription is written in familiar handwriting: her recently deceased mother’s. Afraid to even touch the dark magic her mother secretly studied, Kate can turn only to Matthew for help. Her idealized memory of her mother begins to distort, and as she and Matthew grow closer, Kate has to reevaluate whom she can really trust.

A Dark and Secret Magic was the perfect read for the month of October. Full of witches, pumpkin carving, dark magic, and a cozy cottage complete with a cat, I couldn't put this book down! I absolutely devoured it, even staying up late on a work night to finish it.

A Dark and Secret Magic is a debut adult fantasy novel that follows Kate, the first hedge witch in several generations, as she navigates the loss of her mother, her role in her coven, and the return of a years-old crush and practitioner of dark magic, Matthew Cypher. It was so refreshing to have a 30-something-year-old witch to read about, as I too am a 30-something-year-old witch, and we just so happen to both be hedge witches. It's clear Kinney did her research prior to writing this book or is a practitioner herself. While there are many fantastical elements to this story, there is a lot rooted in modern witchcraft, especially her description of what a hedge witch does and their role in society. I use society lightly here because many believe witches do not exist or that the work we do is inconsequential. Thankfully it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, as long as the task is complete, which is exactly how Kate approaches her day-to-day life. Part of the work of a hedge witch is to act as a psychopomp, a ferrier of souls, commune with the dead, and otherwise cross over into the Otherworld for various reasons. Veil crossing, also known as hedge crossing, is a central practice of a hedge witch, and I loved that Kinney included this in her novel through the use of shadow stepping or shadow walking. Kate has been denied central aspects of her power in an attempt to protect her, which completely backfires, leaving Kate and Matthew woefully unprepared for the dangers that lurk in the shadows.

All of the other witchy aspects of this book were beautifully done as well, from the Dumb Supper, or spell casting with intention, to the spell ingredients used. Kinney even includes a handful of recipes in the back with some witchy tips to boot! I am super excited to try her hot chocolate recipe when it gets a wee bit cooler here as recent temperatures have been in the upper 70s for several days, even this far into November. Despite this, I was compelled to carve two pumpkins after finishing as I was so smitten with the pumpkin carving contest and other festivities of the fall festival.

Apart from the magical elements, which I appreciated and adored, the overall story was sweet and alluring albeit sometimes slow, taking on a Hades and Persephone-like retelling in many aspects. The pacing seems off at times, with events happening rather quickly while others dragged needlessly. There were parts that could have been cut or otherwise glossed over as they really didn't add much to the story, while other parts should have received more attention to better flesh out the main plot. I too get distracted by side quests, but the main story deserved a little more attention at times. This didn't take away from my overall enjoyment, as it made me fall in love with the lead characters even more, allowing the reader an opportunity to see how they live "day-to-day" sort of speak.

My favorite part, however, was Matthew Cypher. My fiancé accused me of wanting to run off with a fictional man and he isn't wrong. Matthew is clearly a man written by a woman, as he checks off every. single. box. I mean even one. Tall, dark, handsome, mysterious, and deeply, deeply devoted to the safety and well-being of Kate. It's obvious from the moment he arrives that he loves Kate with a fierceness rarely shown by men today. Not to give too much away, but the man carves Kate's cottage into a pumpkin as his contest entry and names it "Home." Hello?! Take me now. The lengths this man goes to, despite everyone's doubts and accusations, are representative of his love. He is a beautifully written male character who uplifts and supports our heroine, instead of overshadowing her. While Kate may need help, Matthew consistently reminds her that she is the powerful one and capable of doing extraordinary things. Gotta love a man who supports and uplifts women!

Overall, this book was a win for me, and I encourage anyone interested in some cozy, autumnal, adult fantasy to pick up A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney. It's the perfect pairing for a gray autumn day, a cozy blanket, and a warm cup of hot chocolate.