【 THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES 】

Genre: Fantasy [low fantasy]
Audience: New Adult
Author: Sangu Mandanna
Published: August 2023
Publisher: Hodderscape
Pages: 336 (paperback)

This surely is peak cosy read. I devoured this within a few reading sessions and loved every minute of it. Completely innocent (well, almost) and definitely funny, this is a fun witchy read to add to your TBR.

What I loved about this, was that it didn’t try to be something bigger than it was. The plot was simple, yet still contained enjoyable twists and surprises, and felt like a fun contemporary take on witches. I thought Mika’s penchant for potion making was really cool, and I loved how frequently that appeared/was woven into the story without it feeling forced.

There’s no great time spent on explaining the magic system – you don’t need it for a cosy witch read! – and the bulk of the time is spent on character development. There was a delightful cast of characters, including what is undoubtedly everyone’s favourite, the grumpy Jamie, which of course offered just the right amount of romantic interest.

There was also a lot more swearing (specifically the F word) than one would anticipate in this sort of book. I felt it was used just right, so as to be shocking and therefore hilarious. But fair warning if that ain’t your jam.

I think where we really have to doff our hats is to Mika’s own character development and reflection. Because of the witch politics (or ‘Rules’), she has one heck of childhood to unpack (Mika is 31 in this book). And that is explored diligently, gently and naturally over the course of the story. I thought it was really well done and the main enjoyment from the story. This is ultimately a great self-discovery novel, for those who are still working themselves out, and their luggage, well after the age you expected to be doing so.

And don’t even get me start on the best theme of all: found family. Explored so well and so heart-warmingly on every page.

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Title: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Author: Sangu Mandanna
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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 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….