Golden leaves, cozy hours with good books, tea, candlelight and fabulous outfits – for me, there’s simply no better season than autumn. And because I love this golden time of year so much, I pick out a few perfect autumn reads every year to curl up with. Last year’s autumn highlight was A Dark and Secret Magic. This year, I came across Witches of Honeysuckle House by Liz Parker, and in this post, I want to tell you more about the book and show you a matching outfit, too.
A magical bookshop, tarot cards, hand-dipped candles and a house that’s alive: Witches of Honeysuckle House initially sounds like a wonderfully cozy autumn story. That’s exactly what I expected – and then it took me quite by surprise. Because behind those cozy autumn vibes lies an increasingly dark family story about loss, control, toxic relationships and generational trauma that can no longer be pushed aside.
The final third in particular really had me hooked, and I just couldn’t stop reading. Although it took me a little while to get used to all the different perspectives and jumps in time, the story became more gripping with every new revelation.
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A Magical House and a Deadly Family Curse
Every thirteen years, on 13 October, someone dearly loved dies at Honeysuckle House. The sisters Florence and Evie Caldwell could hardly deal with this family curse more differently. Evie lives at Honeysuckle House with her young daughter Clara and has even turned it into a guesthouse. She tends the bees and makes magical hand-dipped candles, while Florence is much more sceptical about magic.
Florence lives in the small town, runs a bookshop that came to life when she moved in and, thanks to her niece Clara, now also has a cat called Ink. Afraid of the curse, she lets very few people get truly close to her. She barely uses magic herself, although she isn’t willing to give up her collection of protective crystals and plants.
As the next fateful date draws closer, both sisters try to break the curse – but in different ways. This causes friction between them and forces the whole family to finally confront Honeysuckle House’s dark past.
Cozy Autumn Vibes Meet a Surprisingly Dark Story
The beginning feels quite cozy. There’s the magical bookshop I mentioned earlier, candles, tarot and, of course, Honeysuckle House itself. The house and the bookshop are almost characters in their own right: they seem to feel things, react to the people around them and have personalities all of their own. It’s these little magical details that create such a lovely, witchy autumn atmosphere.
The story doesn’t stay cozy for very long, though. The more Florence and Evie discover about the curse and the history of the house, the clearer it becomes just how much pain has been passed down through the family. There is grief and loss, but also control, unhealthy dependencies and toxic family relationships. Some scenes are much more brutal than the cover and the German edition’s marketing as a “cozy mystery” might lead you to expect.
For me, that was actually a pleasant surprise. It gives the story much more depth, beyond a little witchcraft and some pretty autumn moments. If you’re looking purely for a light, comforting read with pumpkin spice and candlelight, though, the darker turn might catch you off guard.
Lots of Perspectives and a Slightly Bumpy Start
Especially at the beginning, I needed a little time to find my way around the story. Alongside Florence and Evie Caldwell, several other characters and even the house itself get their own perspective, and there are different timelines to keep track of, too. In principle, this way of telling the story works well for a curse with roots reaching far back into the family’s history. It also lets us learn more about the sisters’ ancestors. Still, it took me a while to place everyone and work out how they were all connected. A family tree printed in the book would probably have been helpful here.
Evie’s seven-year-old daughter Clara also gets her own perspective in parts of the story. Writing children of that age convincingly is probably quite tricky – and to me, Clara sometimes seems more like she’s five, and at other times almost sixteen. So I didn’t always find her perspective entirely convincing.
As the story progresses, though, the different threads come together more and more. I particularly enjoyed the final third. Little by little, the mystery of the curse unfolds, while the family has to realise that they can only work through the past and break the cycle of generational trauma together.
Relationships That Fit Naturally into the Story
Romantic relationships play a part, too, but they never take over the story. I particularly liked how naturally relationships between women, as well as between women and men, are woven into the family history. The book also explores the prejudice and conflicts the characters face in different eras.
There’s no spice. Instead, the book focuses on (family) relationships, old wounds and the question of how love can last when fears, expectations and family patterns keep getting in the way.
An Autumn Outfit Inspired by This Cozy Mystery
I really like the cozy vibes in the book, so of course I let them inspire a matching outfit. Natural fabrics and romantic floral prints felt especially fitting.
My floral linen dress is by Son de Flor* and is perfect for autumn. It doesn’t leave me feeling too hot on warmer days, but still keeps me nice and warm when the weather gets a little cooler. And once it gets properly cold, it’s easy to pair with warm tights, boots and knitwear.
Since it’s still quite pleasant outside at the moment, I’m wearing it with just sheer tights and my beloved pumps from the Christine McConnell collaboration with American Duchess. Do have a look at her DIY YouTube channel! Add a few accessories, like a belt and some jewellery, and my autumn outfit to match the book is ready.
Outfit Details:
Carmen Dress: c/o Son de Flor*
Heritage Belt: via Lena Hoschek
Shoes: Christine McConnel x American Duchess (similar shoes)
Necklace: FleurIsCoeur, also via Etsy*
Handbag: c/o Nadja Christner
Witches of Honeysuckle House: My Verdict
Witches of Honeysuckle House was very different from what I’d expected – but that’s exactly why it turned out to be such a lovely surprise. What begins as a fairly cozy witchy tale develops into a gripping, emotional family story about a deadly curse, old wounds and the attempt to finally break the cycle of generational trauma.
The many perspectives and jumps in time make the beginning a little confusing, and Clara’s behaviour didn’t always feel right for her age. But the story really comes into its own in the final third: the different threads come together, the house’s secrets slowly come to light, and I was happy with how it all resolved.
The book itself also looks absolutely gorgeous. My German edition even came with a tarot card! Speaking of tarot: it actually plays quite a big part in the story, and each chapter is dedicated to a tarot card, which I thought was such a lovely detail.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys magical houses, witchy families, tarot and an autumnal atmosphere, but doesn’t mind more serious themes and a darker turn along the way. If you’re looking purely for light cozy fantasy, this probably isn’t quite the right book. But if you’re happy to spend some time with family drama, generational trauma and a house with a very definite mind of its own, you should absolutely give Honeysuckle House a chance.
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Do you prefer your witchy novels cozy and light, or are you happy for things to get a little darker among the candles, tarot cards and magic?
You can find plenty more book recommendations in my reading category. I have also just started a book Instagram account, @retrocat_reads, where I will be sharing my latest reads and old classics. I would love it if you followed me there. 😉
