BOOK REVIEW: THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES BY SANGU MANDANNA
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal
Publication Date: August 23, 2022, by Berkley Books
OFFICIAL BOOK 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.
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….
BOOK REVIEW OF THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES
In search of a cozy witchy read? Look no further than Sangu Mandanna’s The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.
Nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fantasy, it’s easy to see why this one stands out with a fun and diverse cast of characters, a swoony romance, and a fascinating magical world that invites more books.
THE STORY
The story follows Mika Moon, an orphan witch raised by various strangers, with no one there to create an actual family unit.
In this world, witches always lose their parents, and witches are supposed to keep their distance from one another for safety reasons. It’s a lonely existence.
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Then Mika is invited to the Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their powers. But their proximity breaks all the witches’ rules, and she doesn’t know who she can trust in a house full of secrets.
In the meantime, their guardian is also rather attractive, even if he doesn’t entirely trust Mika either.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Overall, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna is a fun and addictive read if you like books with magic and romance.
In particular, I enjoyed the setting and the world-building. Because there’s so much untapped potential, I hope Mandanna tells another story in this world to develop the magic system further.
Unfortunately, the story focuses too much on romance and less on the witch mythology. More could have been done there.
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Hence, why I want another book! Also, as a cozy read, the reading flow is occasionally interrupted with unnecessary strong language. It just feels out of place.
The same can be said for one steamy scene that was slightly over the top. Still, overall, an enjoyable bewitching tale and a fast read with unexpected twists.
ADAPTATION RECOMMENDATION
How could this not work as a TV series with its cozy, magical romance? It would be the perfect comfort television viewing. I would turn this into an ensemble show and build up the magic system and romance.
Content Note: Strong language is sprinkled throughout the book, with one explicit love scene.
Have you read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches? What did you think of this cozy paranormal mystery book? Let me know in the comments!
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