The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna | Book Review

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“This is one of my coziest reads of the last year, and I find myself thinking about its enchanted setting all the time.”−Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author

USA TODAY BESTSELLER • 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.

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....

Sangu Mandanna is such a talent. I cannot believe I waited so long to read her adult debut — The Very Secret Society Of Irregular Witches, especially because I LOVED her YA book, The Lost Girl. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches was so lovely and felt like a warm hug. If you are looking for the perfect cozy read featuring a charming witch, you must pick this book. And I have not even gotten to talking about the romance! Even the romance was a joy to read — it was an immediate ship for me. 

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna follows Mika Moon, a witch who frequently moves around. She is talented in making magical teas. She also runs a TikTok about being a witch – hiding in plain sight. Mika’s life is about to change in a big way when she is contacted to assist with training three young witches who live together. Mika agrees and soon finds herself staying at Nowhere House and really falling for the residents – an elderly gay couple, a middle aged woman, and even the prickly Jamie. The owner of Nowhere House is away on travel, however, she too is a witch. Life is ideal for Mika and her golden retriever. However, she’s under a deadline to help the girls learn to control their powers before the owner’s solicitor appears. FYI, the solicitor is a racist and a total jerk. 

I genuinely loved this book. Mika is someone that you can’t help but adore and want the best for. She’s had a tough childhood and really felt at a distance from her guardian. You see, in this story, when a witch has a child, they die shortly after. So, she wasn’t raised by her mother but by another witch. Then we learn about Jamie’s tough childhood as well and the loss of his father whom he loved deeply. I enjoyed seeing the trust and kindness build between Mika and Jamie — and how they warmed up to each other. Also enjoyable are Mika’s interactions with the children. There is a twist — which if you are smarter than me — you will see coming. I did not. Overall, this was a book that I can’t help but think of fondly. I know I will be adding a copy to my library in the future and very much look forward to picking up A Witch’s Guide To Magical Innkeeping.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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