This has been one of the best audiobooks that I’ve listened to in a while. It’s set during Halloween, and it just has all of the cozy, witchy, spooky, vibes. It came up as a suggestion on Audible when a different book had just ended, and I’m very happy that it did! It’s not very often that a book catches me like this, where I’m looking forward to listening to it every spare second I can. That’s why I knew I had to type up A Dark And Secret Magic Audiobook Review as soon as possible!

I found out recently that there is a sequel being written that will be placed during Yuletide instead of Samhaine, I’m very excited about that.

Genre

Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Fantasy, Witch Fiction.

This book is very much in the realm of fantasy and magic with an underlying romance. I would say it’s like a cozy fantasy plus. It is on the wholesome side however there is some blood magic and quite a bit of grief.

There is no sex if that’s a concern and the audiobook is 11 hours, so it’s a fair length for an in depth story.

A Dark And Secret Magic Book Summary

The story starts with Hecate Goodwin crocheting a small plushie, well passed her bed time. Just as the clock strikes 3 am, and she’s about to go to bed, her broom falls. Someone is coming, is the old adage her mother would say. She rights the broom and looks out the window of her small cottage, at the dark shadow that is the larger manor her late mother had resided in just 8 months ago. A pang of loss hits her. The broom falls again… seemingly insistent in it’s warning. Out her window, coming through the woods, is an older woman she knows well. An elder of her coven. As a hedge witch, Kate makes all of the remedies for the coven members. So, she knows this foray into the cold can’t be good for the older woman. Immediately, Kate, runs outside into the biting October night, concerned about the older witch. She is disturbed and even frightened by her interaction. The sea witch grabs her arm painfully, practically clawing her. The last words she hears are, ” find your mother’s book and you’ll know why your mother named you a hedge witch.”

Nothing but a dream

The next morning she is almost surprised there are no scratches on her arms, but it was just a dream after all.

Kate is comfortable with the solitary life she has as a hedge witch. She goes about her day as if it were any other, and allows herself to think of her recently departed mother. With even a quick thought of Hecate’s own upcoming 33rd birthday on October the 31st. The day her coven will take away her ability to practice anything other than what she knows of hedge-craft. But her dream from the night before still stirs in her mind..

Before she can really give too much thought to her reservations of being forever on the edge of society…her older sister Miranda surprises her with the request of hosting the covens annual Halloween gathering. As Halloween is the witches new year, there is a lot to do and not much time to do it in.

Enemy or Friend?

If that wasn’t enough to be getting on with, enter the handsome and potentially dangerous Matthew Cypher.

One of the oldest duty’s of hedge witchery is to provide sanctuary when asked. And that’s just what Matthew asks for. But he’s not just any person in need of help, he’s a practitioner of forbidden magic. Kate has been tricked by him once before, so to say her guard is up is an understatement.

Kate comes across an old tome shortly after her guest arrives. She is horrified to see that the blood-red inscription is written in her mother’s handwriting.  Kate can only turn to Matthew for help, but can she really trust someone her own mother forbid her from seeing? Is this really her mother’s book? If so, does that mean her momp wasn’t who she thought she was? Kate has to reevaluate whom she can really trust before it’s too late.

Reader

Abigail Reno did a fantastic job as the narrator of this audio book. I always knew who was speaking before the name was said and I was pulled into the story almost immediately. She had fantastic voices and accents. I never heard anything that broke the spell of feeling immersed in the book which is what I look for in my audiobooks.

A Dark And Secret Magic review

As a woman in her 30s it’s nice to read about someone of a similar age. Kate is comfortable with her life on the edge of society. She gathers herbs from the nearby forest, cares for her garden and makes tinctures for an apothecary she owns. She works at her crafts of crochet and embroidery, and stays to herself and her cat.

The story has a very Hades and Persephone backbone. Kate is talented, but largely confined to what others, namely her mother and her coven, expects of her. While Matthew’s character is dark and secretive, but undeniably caring when it comes to Hecate. As a romance I was enchanted by it. I find myself unable to pick just one part I like the best between Kate and Matthew.

As for the twists and turns I was very happy with the level of time and research put into the witchcraft aspect. I wasn’t completely surprised by some of the reveals, but that could very well be because I’m well versed in witchcraft as well as stitchery.

However, I will say that I listened to this book every chance I got and it felt like it was over far too quickly. I had the fantastic luck to have listened to it during the month of October. But, I’m fairly sure this book could make me feel like it’s fall outside at anytime of year. It has it’s very own ambience and it will probably be a book I come back to over and over.

WHERE TO GET A Dark And Secret Magic

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Here is the book on Amazon: A Dark And Secret Magic

You might be able to find it at your local library or request it. Just go to the circulation or check out desk and ask for a book request form. (That’s how my library works with requests any way.) Bear in mind that you’ll probably be waiting a while if you do a request form.

WANT MORE AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS?

Try one of these out!

• Audio Book Review: The Vampire Knitting Club
• Audiobook Review: Stitches And Witches
• Audiobook Review: Crochet And Cauldrons
• Audiobook Review: Stockings And Spells
• The Audiobook Review Of Purls And Potions, Love Is In The Air..But So Is Murder
• The Fair Isle And Fortunes Audiobook Review, A Deadly Fortune
• The Lace And Lies Audiobook Review, Lights, Knitting, Murder
• Audio Book Review: Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce Book 1
• Audio Book Review: Mystery Stories Of Violet Strange by Anna K. Green.

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