A review by myhomextheroad
The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields

lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

I loved the premise of this book, and the set-up showed a lot of potential. I appreciated that the magic system had Ash and Honey witches as opposites in a "keep the balance between death and rebirth" kind of way, but I felt like more could have been done with it. I was most disappointed, however, by the lack of any engagement with ace or aromantic experiences—or even just taking seriously the idea that sex doesn't equal love. Instead, I was left with the feeling that this is a world where not having a monogamous romantic partner with whom you can have a house and children is a great personal tragedy, and that jarred very harshly against the on-the-surface queernormative worldbuilding. I was also quite disappointed by the climax, which built very quickly towards an epic fantasy showdown when the scale of the book had, so far, dealt with the challenges of adjusting to a new town & trying to win over a prickly friend-of-a-friend. There were also a few scenes where the level of violence described was far more visceral than I expected from a cozy fantasy, and it took me off guard in a way it wouldn't in another genre.

There were things that I enjoyed about this book: it was an easy read & compelling. But I think that the premise had a lot of room for complex characters and themes—while still being cozy and gently—which unfortunately went un- or under explored.
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