Sydney J. Shields – författare

'Reading The Honey Witch is like dreaming in a fragrant sunlit garden while bees sing around you. It's a gorgeous book, with a lovely cottagecore ambience and a heart-warming sapphic romance intertwined with unique magic that enchants the imagination' India Holton, internationally bestselling author***THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER***The Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn't believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who've tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a price: No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch.When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn't believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can't resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home-at the risk of losing her magic and her heart..A delicious debut that combines the swoon-worthy romance of Bridgerton and the whimsical sorcery of Practical Magic, with a dash of The Secret Life of Bees thrown in for good fun.Praise for The Honey Witch:'As effervescent as a bottle of sparkling mead, The Honey Witch charms with every sentence. Shields writes with a fierce, uncynical honesty that will have you believing in soulmates, uncovering magic everywhere, and embracing your own wildness' S.T. Gibson, author of An Education in Malice'The Honey Witch is a sweet feast, brimming with whimsy, magic, and tender longing. . . sugar-glazed and heart warming and thoroughly enjoyable' Rachel Gillig, author of One Dark Window'As sweet and warm as honeyed tea. Shields' debut deftly explores love, loss, and loneliness-and the joy of seeing magic in all things, however small. With charming characters and a lush setting, The Honey Witch will delight fans of cosy fantasy' Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic'Gorgeously lyrical and utterly addicting' Rebecca Thorne, author of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea'Enchanting, whimsical, and firmly rooted in finding yourself after loss, this novel will break your heart and then soothe it with magic honey. Pour yourself a cup of tea, drizzle in some local honey, and let this decadent book transport you' Breanne Randall, author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic'The Honey Witch will charm you with its setting and its love for all things natural - especially bees! This tale of a young witch dealing with a curse and a battle between dark magic and light, with her romance in the balance, is one all fans of witches and folk magic will love' Louisa Morgan, author of The Secret History of Witches'Shields has written a cosy confection of a book-full of whimsy, spice, and heart. The Honey Witch is an ode to love, and just how sweet it can be' Maiga Doocy, author of Sorcery and Small Magics'For anyone who has ever known what the mundane world wants them to be isn't possible or even desirable, The Honey Witch takes a luminous, divergent path' Willa Reece, author of Wildwood Magic

'Reading The Honey Witch is like dreaming in a fragrant sunlit garden while bees sing around you. It's a gorgeous book, with a lovely cottagecore ambience and a heart-warming sapphic romance intertwined with unique magic that enchants the imagination' India Holton, internationally bestselling authorThe Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn't believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who've tried to woo her. So when her grandmother whisks her away to the family cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence come with a price: No one can fall in love with the Honey Witch.When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn't believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can't resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home-at the risk of losing her magic and her heart..A delicious debut that combines the swoon-worthy romance of Bridgerton and the whimsical sorcery of Practical Magic, with a dash of The Secret Life of Bees thrown in for good fun.Praise for The Honey Witch:'The Honey Witch is a sweet feast, brimming with whimsy, magic, and tender longing. . . sugar-glazed and heart warming and thoroughly enjoyable' Rachel Gillig, author of One Dark Window'As sweet and warm as honeyed tea. Shields' debut deftly explores love, loss, and loneliness-and the joy of seeing magic in all things, however small. With charming characters and a lush setting, The Honey Witch will delight fans of cosy fantasy' Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic'Enchanting, whimsical, and firmly rooted in finding yourself after loss, this novel will break your heart and then soothe it with magic honey. Pour yourself a cup of tea, drizzle in some local honey, and let this decadent book transport you' Breanne Randall, author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic'The Honey Witch will charm you with its setting and its love for all things natural - especially bees! This tale of a young witch dealing with a curse and a battle between dark magic and light, with her romance in the balance, is one all fans of witches and folk magic will love' Louisa Morgan, author of The Secret History of Witches'Shields has written a cosy confection of a book-full of whimsy, spice, and heart. The Honey Witch is an ode to love, and just how sweet it can be' Maiga Doocy, author of Sorcery and Small Magics'For anyone who has ever known what the mundane world wants them to be isn't possible or even desirable, The Honey Witch takes a luminous, divergent path' Willa Reece, author of Wildwood Magic

From breakout star Sydney Shields comes An Arcane Study of Stars, a historical dark academia fantasy filled with ancient secret societies, a swoon-worthy rivals-to-lovers romance and dangerous deals made after dark. Perfect for fans of Heavenly Bodies and The Atlas Six.Claudia Jolicoeur shouldn't be here.When she was rejected from Cygnus, her dream occult university, she was supposed to live out her life as the wife of an old man, a pawn sacrificed for her father's debts. But her celestial magic is rare enough to attract a desperate demon named Dorian, and when he offers her a bargain -- acceptance to Cygnus in exchange for his freedom -- she accepts.As Claudia unravels the mystery of Dorian's prison of stars, the only thing standing in her way is the handsome, cruel academic star of Cygnus: Cassius MacLeod. What begins as a fierce rivalry devolves into something deeper, darker and dangerously sensual. Now caught in the centre of an ancient curse, Claudia must decide who she can trust -- and who she must kill. 'Utterly transportive and thrilling. Shields is clever as they come, and this the author at her most ambitious and triumphant' S. T. Gibson bestselling author of A Dowry of Blood'An Arcane Study of Stars is a deal with the devil like you've never read before. Sharp, clever, spicy; this is the blueprint for dark academia romantasy' Breanne Randall, author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic'An atmospheric and devastating tale. . . This magical, phenomenal novel will keep you guessing until your last second at Cygnus' Kamilah Cole, USA Today bestselling author of An Arcane Inheritance'Gothic, gripping and utterly spellbinding' Hazel McBride, author of A Fate Forged in Fire'Glitters with the lush atmosphere and heart. . . written in prose so sharp it sinks its teeth into you and takes a bite out of your soul' Callie Rowland, author of Fields of Asphodel

From breakout star Sydney Shields comes An Arcane Study of Stars, a historical dark academia fantasy filled with ancient secret societies, a swoon-worthy rivals-to-lovers romance and dangerous deals made after dark. Perfect for fans of Heavenly Bodies and The Atlas Six.When Claudia Jolicoeur is rejected from Cygnus University, a devilish stranger named Dorian appears in her nightmares offering a bargain: he will get her into Cygnus if she learns how to free him from a prison of stars.With a bite of her soul to seal the deal, Claudia is enrolled, taking the place of Odette, a student who mysteriously passed away.Her arrival sparks suspicion and Cassius MacLeod - her infuriating academic rival - spreads the rumour that Claudia had a hand in Odette's death.Hell bent on clearing her name, Claudia makes a discovery that puts her in direct danger. The only way to protect herself: free Dorian.By night, she studies the stars, slowly unravelling the mystery of Dorian's prison. By day, she and Cassius wage rhetorical war as debate partners in class. What begins as a fierce rivalry devolves into something deeper, darker, and dangerously sensual. But Cassius may not be who he says he is, and soon Claudia must decide: will trusting him be the last mistake she ever makes?'Utterly transportive and thrilling. Shields is clever as they come, and this the author at her most ambitious and triumphant' S. T. Gibson bestselling author of A Dowry of Blood'An Arcane Study of Stars is a deal with the devil like you've never read before. Sharp, clever, spicy; this is the blueprint for dark academia romantasy' Breanne Randall, author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic'An atmospheric and devastating tale. . . This magical, phenomenal novel will keep you guessing until your last second at Cygnus' Kamilah Cole, USA Today bestselling author of An Arcane Inheritance'Gothic, gripping and utterly spellbinding' Hazel McBride, author of A Fate Forged in Fire'Glitters with the lush atmosphere and heart. . . written in prose so sharp it sinks its teeth into you and takes a bite out of your soul' Callie Rowland, author of Fields of Asphodel

From breakout star Sydney Shields comes An Arcane Study of Stars, a historical dark academia fantasy filled with ancient secret societies, a swoon-worthy rivals-to-lovers romance and dangerous deals made after dark. Perfect for fans of Heavenly Bodies and The Atlas Six.Claudia Jolicoeur shouldn't be here.When she was rejected from Cygnus, her dream occult university, she was supposed to live out her life as the wife of an old man, a pawn sacrificed for her father's debts. But her celestial magic is rare enough to attract a desperate demon named Dorian, and when he offers her a bargain -- acceptance to Cygnus in exchange for his freedom -- she accepts.As Claudia unravels the mystery of Dorian's prison of stars, the only thing standing in her way is the handsome, cruel academic star of Cygnus: Cassius MacLeod. What begins as a fierce rivalry devolves into something deeper, darker and dangerously sensual. Now caught in the centre of an ancient curse, Claudia must decide who she can trust -- and who she must kill. 'Utterly transportive and thrilling. Shields is clever as they come, and this the author at her most ambitious and triumphant' S. T. Gibson bestselling author of A Dowry of Blood'An Arcane Study of Stars is a deal with the devil like you've never read before. Sharp, clever, spicy; this is the blueprint for dark academia romantasy' Breanne Randall, author of The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic'An atmospheric and devastating tale. . . This magical, phenomenal novel will keep you guessing until your last second at Cygnus' Kamilah Cole, USA Today bestselling author of An Arcane Inheritance'Gothic, gripping and utterly spellbinding' Hazel McBride, author of A Fate Forged in Fire'Glitters with the lush atmosphere and heart. . . written in prose so sharp it sinks its teeth into you and takes a bite out of your soul' Callie Rowland, author of Fields of Asphodel