This book’s title is quite the mouthful, but here we go. Welcome to my The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches Review. Whew. I’m tired already. Let’s jump in!
Quick Synopsis
A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family–and a new love–changes the course of her life.
About The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Title: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Author: Sangu Mandanna
Rating: 4 Stars
CAWPILE: 8.3/10
Genre: Fantasy, romance, paranormal
Content Warnings: Parental death (mentioned), drinking, swearing.
Format: eARC
Publisher: Berkley Books
Date Published: 23 August 2022
Goodreads Description: 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 a threat 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….
I received a review copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
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The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches Review
Characters – 8/10
I love all of the characters in The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. Seriously, every single one. They are all so fleshed out, with distinct personalities and quirks. This found family really wormed its way into my heart. It makes me wish there were more books in this series. My one complaint would be that I want to spend more time with Mika and Jamie. It’s a romance book, but there’s also a lot of other plot going on. I wouldn’t have minded an extra 100 pages.
Atmosphere – 8/10
The setting of this book is perfect. Old house in the middle of nowhere (lol, iykyk) by the beach, with an odd collection of characters and witches, everything about it is fun and cosy. The house is as much of a character as the actual characters, and I enjoyed all the time we spent there.
Writing – 10/10
Sangu Mandanna’s writing is so addictive. Like I could not put this book down. At first, I thought this wasn’t going to be my cup of tea, since I’m not usually into cosy stories (and it’s comped to House in the Cerulean Sea, something I’ve never had the urge to read). But Mandanna’s writing really sealed the deal for me. It was excellent. Truly gripping. If you haven’t read her Celestials series yet, what are you waiting for?
Plot – 8/10
This book has a weird tone. It’s at times cozy, but other times very witty and sharp. Not that those two things are mutually exclusive. I guess I just didn’t know what to expect going in, and I still don’t quite know what to make of it. I did enjoy the plot, and even the little twist at the end was fun. Now that I think about it, this could easily be turned into a Tim Burton-style movie. Cute and whimsical, yet sometimes maybe a little creepy, and with lots of swearing.
Intrigue – 8/10
I really liked Mika’s character arc in this book. She overcomes some personal trauma, and deals with the end conflict in such a graceful manner. It was heartwarming to read.
Logic – 8/10
A lot of this book centres around self-acceptance, but also about letting people in and being vulnerable. Mika’s journey reflects that, and it really resonated with me. I also liked the magic system in this book. It’s more of a soft magic system, with not many rules, but I found the parts we did see to be fun and creative.
Enjoyment – 8/10
Overall this book was a really good time, and I highly recommend you check it out!
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Wonderful review! This has been on my radar for a while!
Okay, you’ve sold me Bianca! I wasn’t sure because I am not a big cozy reader but the fact that the writing shines through AND that atmosphere? I think I would love to read a book with characters Sangu creates that doesn’t bring me heartache haha (Rama trauma). Great review!