A Dark and Secret Magic
by Wallis Kinney
Summary
A warm, spellbinding tale about a witch and the secrets her coven has been keeping from her, with echoes of the classic Hades and Persephone story, in the tradition of Practical Magic and Witch of Wild Things.
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 is a celebration of the Halloween season and a love letter to anyone who drinks pumpkin spice in August and carries the spirit of a witch inside their heart all year long.
My Review
I had such a great time with this Halloween witchy fantasy and was pleasantly surprised by how strong the writing was for a debut. It hooked me from the start and never let go. It quickly became one of my top witchy reads of October.
Kate and Matthew were an absolute delight. Their chemistry was hot and steamy, and I loved how the romance stayed clean while still giving those fluttery, swoony moments. This is a closed-door romance. It leans a little toward insta-love, but once I remembered their long history as childhood friends, everything clicked. Watching them reconnect as adults and fall for each other made their relationship feel tender and genuine. Their banter was charming, and I rooted for them the entire way.
The atmosphere is where this book shines. It captures autumn and Halloween so beautifully that I could almost smell the caramel apples and crisp leaves. From pumpkin carving to fall festivals to cozy seasonal treats, the setting felt perfect for Spooky Season. I loved all the food descriptions and autumnal settings. It is absolutely one of those books you want to read with a fluffy blanket, a warm drink, and a piece of pumpkin bread.
Even with its cozy feel, the story is not afraid to wander into darker territory. The eerie touches, family tensions, and magical dangers give it the perfect balance for a Halloween read. The second half especially ramps up the energy with action, twists, and surprises that genuinely caught me off guard. It gave me hints of Practical Magic and moments that reminded me of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I also appreciated how much actual magic and spellwork the story included. Many witchy fantasies hold back on magic, but this one leans into it in such an enchanting way.
I will definitely be watching this author going forward. For a debut, this was impressive, atmospheric, and thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend it for your next autumn read.