Cozyness at its finest
4 stars
It doesn't try to solve the world problems or even your problems, but offers the comfort and warmth when you need them.
Paperback, 336 pages
Published Aug. 22, 2022 by Berkley.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
4 stars
(34 reviews)
As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.
But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. …
As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.
But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.
As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when peril comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for....
Review of 'The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Cute, easy to read, wholesome with found family, loved the big mansion above the sea setting, and the cosy fantasy with the witches too, and i liked the romance ofc haha, it's not a new fave or anything though
Review of 'The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
It's simplest to say that I'm simply not the target demographic for this book. I came in blind and found it on the shelf at my local library with no idea what awaited me.
Mika's story is about unlikely romance and a 30 year old witch coming into her own and embracing her role as a mentor, and a woman of color in a white world.
And that's beatiful and worthwhile
But it's also incredibly boring.
The book makes magic feel mundane and unexciting, and the struggles all feel weightless, with no real tension.
I finished it mostly out of obligation after growing bored with the story and its cast. There is no twist. There is no second hook.
Someone is going to love this book. It will be exactly what they're looking for. I, on the other hand, left feeling distinctly like i should look elsewhere to find a …
It's simplest to say that I'm simply not the target demographic for this book. I came in blind and found it on the shelf at my local library with no idea what awaited me.
Mika's story is about unlikely romance and a 30 year old witch coming into her own and embracing her role as a mentor, and a woman of color in a white world.
And that's beatiful and worthwhile
But it's also incredibly boring.
The book makes magic feel mundane and unexciting, and the struggles all feel weightless, with no real tension.
I finished it mostly out of obligation after growing bored with the story and its cast. There is no twist. There is no second hook.
Someone is going to love this book. It will be exactly what they're looking for. I, on the other hand, left feeling distinctly like i should look elsewhere to find a book that makes me feel that way, or any way but bored.
too much cheese?
2 stars
Content warning minor spoilers
listen, i love the found family trope as much as the next person, and this book delivered just that. but every time the story veered into the romance i found myself cringing a lot because the dialogue was too cheesy for my liking.
i also wish the book touched more on what it's like to be a transracial adoptee living in britain and not having a direct connection to their heritage and culture. it did mention the struggle of being a brown witch in a white-dominated society like britain, but it never went beyond surface level and i really think that's a missed opportunity.
Review of 'The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
If you need a fresh, delicious rom-com with a magical twist, look no further.
This is a gem, with some important things to say about being a Witch, being different, and finding, not just love, but family. Especially when your childhood has been a painful dysfunctional mess.
Worth the long wait on the library's list. A cozy, well plotted, funny and addictive treat.
i love this book
5 stars
This is one of the few books I've read that makes me long so powerfully to live in its world (let's be honest, to be the main character.)
The story is warm and loving, the writing lively and interesting. I already miss reading this book, and I wish I could have never left.
Review of 'The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches' on 'Goodreads'
1 star
After two attempts, I had to bail.
Review of 'The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches' on 'Goodreads'
Delightful comfort read.
Review of 'The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
This is either going to be the miracle you hoped for or it's going to be an absolute focussing disaster.
This book was the right mixture of everything without overdoing it on one or the other. There was a sprinkle of romance, a touch of magic and some surprises along the way.
From the first chapter The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches grabbed my attention and didn't let go. Sangu Mandanna writes in a very casual way that allowed me to read a short chapter in a single sitting or go for hour plus reading sessions.
Magic meant well, but it did so want to be used and it had an irksome habit of taking matters into its own hands if witches didn't take the hint.
Magic isn't a focal point in the book and Mandanna doesn't go into the details of how the magic works because that's not …
This is either going to be the miracle you hoped for or it's going to be an absolute focussing disaster.
This book was the right mixture of everything without overdoing it on one or the other. There was a sprinkle of romance, a touch of magic and some surprises along the way.
From the first chapter The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches grabbed my attention and didn't let go. Sangu Mandanna writes in a very casual way that allowed me to read a short chapter in a single sitting or go for hour plus reading sessions.
Magic meant well, but it did so want to be used and it had an irksome habit of taking matters into its own hands if witches didn't take the hint.
Magic isn't a focal point in the book and Mandanna doesn't go into the details of how the magic works because that's not what this book is about. There are Rules for the witches to follow, and for better or worse their clandestine relationship with each other was a main motivator for Mika. Our past shapes who we are but doesn't need to shape who we become.
It's not always enough to go looking for the place we belong...sometimes we need to make that place.
This book is about a sense of belonging and finding your community. In some form or another we have all experienced cliques, being on the outside of the majority and feeling like you didn't have someone that shared your views and interests. This is a book about friendship and how a family can persevere, and just so happens to feature a few witches along the way.
