I’m always a fan of found family tropes. It’s the best trope to read in any fiction genre. And it gives The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches the perfect cozy spooky romance vibe. It does help that we have a grumpy sunshine romance trope as well.

Mika has been hiding her witch side for so long that she never knew how lonely she is until she starts training newbie witches. It’s always been a rule to never be with so many witches at the same time. It attracts attention which will expose witches to others. But she is willing to risk it when she has a group of young witches who aren’t trained properly. Ultimately, she starts to form a family with these young witches including her guardians, especially the grumpy one.

You always know that the grumpy male character will fall for the sunshine character no matter what. They are destined too. Mike and Jamie may be different from each other, but they are so right for each other. They are both willing to do everything for these children, even putting their differences aside. But it also helps that they have a deep attraction for each other.

I just finished this wonderful book and am reveling in the warm fuzzy feelings of a meaningful story well-told. I don't want to leave the book's world. I want to meet Mika, Jamie, the other residents of Nowhere House, and the other witches. Mika has such lovely energy and such a strong longing to belong and connect and be seen and loved for who she is. This is a story of belonging and found family and connection and acceptance and love. It is gentle and soothing and explores bigger topics like the impact of childhood trauma and our need to be accepted and loved. I smiled throughout much of the book and felt for Mika as she struggled to find her place. I will happily recommend this book to all. It was like a hug. A really nice hug that gets all of you and still makes you feel loved and safe.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

This book is adorable. I can't find a better way to describe it.
Sangu Mandanna has created a simple but fascinating story that you just can't stop reading until the end!
First of all, I have to thank Netgalley and phrinternational for the free book.
It has been an enjoyable company in a very stressful couple of weeks and that meant a lot to me..This comedy has the power to make the reader smile and feel this story in their bones, empathizing with the main characters.
Loneliness and mistrust are something that the protagonists of this novel have to face and overcome. It's not easy and they have many scars on themselves, but love and affection will make the difference. Nowhere House makes the difference with all its inhabitants. I will never tire of reading about found families and the author was able to represent different kind of mistreatments (bullying, exploiting, violence and neglect) without exceeding with drama. It's something that I always underline when I find it, because I think that often being over-dramatic when it comes to talk about certain issues makes them lose their significance. Sangu Mandanna, instead, has been delicate and clever managing the balance between those arguments and the light tone of the rest of the story
And then there are the girls. Terracotta, Rosetta and Altamira are so adorable and entertaining I want them with me. They're the light of the story and they're depicted as real kids (with powers, of course). not mere specks with worths and flaws. Same applies for the inhabitants of Nowhere House. I ended up becoming fond of them as they were my family.
As per the romance, expect a slow-burn that is absolutely worth the wait.
A small flaw: the ending has maybe been a little bit too simple, but I think it's ok since we're talking about a comedy.
I would love to read other adventures about this beautiful new family, so I hope Sangu Mandanna will leave the door open for something more.
In the meantime, I absolutely recommend you this reading!

This is hands down one of my favourite books of the year! It had everything I look for in a good book: witches, found family, and a grumpy x sunshine pairing all wrapped up in an adorable rom com package.

"…witches were always orphans. According to Primrose, this was because of a spell that went wrong in some bygone era. Mika was certain this tale was a figment of Primrose’s imagination, but she also had no better explanation because the fact remained: when a witch was born, she would find herself orphaned shortly thereafter. It didn’t matter where in the world the witch was born, and the cause of death could be anything from innocuous illnesses to everyday accidents, but it was inevitable."
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"WITCH WANTED. Live-in tutor wanted for three young witches. Must have nerves of steel. Previous teaching experience not necessary. Witchiness essential."

We have all answered want ads, but I expect there are few (you know who you are) who have come across one like that. But Mika Moon has been looking for an opportunity. There are not many witches in England and they have lived very separate lives in Mandanna’s witchy world. Apparently when they get together, their magic, which manifests as something like those specks you see in the air when bright light shines in an enclosed space, but gold, visible only to those with witch blood, combine and draw attention. (maybe they are scraped from yellow bricks? ) Also, as noted at top, they are all orphans. There are quarterly meetings of England’s witch population, well, a portion of them anyway, but they are living very separate lives. (People come and go so quickly here.)Their cover story, of course, is that they are a book club.

Mika was unusual in the group, being the child of a witch, and the granddaughter of a witch. It appears that most witches in this world were born to parents the Potter-verse might refer to as Muggles. When she was orphaned in India, Primrose Beatrice Everly, maybe the oldest living witch, found her and brought her to England, where she was raised in Primrose’s home. Not the worst life, but a lonely one.

Sometimes, when she looked back on her childhood, Mika had trouble remembering all her nannies and tutors. There had been so very many of them that she would sometimes catch herself forgetting names or struggling to conjure up a face or attaching a memory to the wrong person.

What she did remember, in perfect, crystalline detail, was the loneliness. She remembered how much she’d longed for company. A parent, a sister, a friend. Someone who was there because they wanted to be and not because they were paid handsomely to be."

Mika amuses herself by posting videos on line of her pretending to be a witch, expecting that no one would believe she really is one. But someone does see, thus the Help Wanted ad finding its way to her. And the game is afoot, or maybe a-broom.

In a way, Mika’s experience is a bit like Dorothy’s when she first set foot in Oz. Where Am I? What is this place? Although she doesn’t, she could easily, on her arrival, have said, “Circe, [that being her dog] I don’t think we’re in Brighton any more.” There are three young witch girls living there. How is that even possible? Their combined magic is manifest, and a sure sign of imminent peril!

“Too much magic in one place attracts attention,” [Primrose] would say. “Even wards can only hide so much. And attracting attention, as witches have discovered time and time again over the centuries, is dangerous. Alone is how we survive.”

She meets with the four grownups of Nowhere House (yes, really) first. They are very welcoming, well, except for one, who is as crusty as he is handsome. The lady of the house, (Lillian Nowhere, and thus the name of the house. Yes, really. ) absent at present, had adopted the girls from different parts of the world. While it is clear that this is a loving household, it is also clear that someone needs to train the girls in how to manage their unusual gift. In the role of Wicked Witch, there is an accountant, engaged by the absent Lillian, set to arrive in six weeks, and he holds enormous power over them, the girls in particular. If their magic is not locked down it could result in the dissolution of the household. So, no pressure.

One thing Mika brings with her is a true heart and an eagerness to help, and a cheerfulness that runs into some barriers. There is no wondering for us if Mika a good witch or a bad witch as she teaches the girls not only how to better manage their power, gaining some trust and affection. But not all members of the household are convinced. One of the girls is overtly unhappy that Mika is there and does her best to be unpleasant to her, and unengaged.

"As for Mika in particular, honestly, I think she represented a ray of sunshine and hope that I needed when I started writing this novel in lockdown." - from the United by Pop interview

Then there is Jamie, the crusty, protective librarian who had the most responsibility for the girls. If you have ever seen a Hallmark movie, you can see what’s coming the instant these two cross paths. I am not saying that I mind this. I have been dragged to the living room to watch (more than) my share of Hallmark movies (Could you loosen those ropes a bit, dear? ) so I speak from a reasonable amount of experience. I will confess that I actually like some of these things, however formulaic. And the romance here is indeed formulaic, albeit charmingly done and with some nice magical elements.

"I’ve loved stories with fantasy and magic since I was a little girl, and I was an eager tween when I first discovered my love of romance novels. I think it was inevitable that I would write a book that combined fantasy with romance, but as I’ve grown older, I’ve also discovered a love of stories about found families, outcasts finding a place to belong, and the magic of the everyday. I wanted to write a book with all of these things." - from the United by Pop interview

Thankfully, there are other things going on. In her interview with Verve, Mandanna recalls being in love with the play, Les Miserables as a teen, and acting out all the parts herself, believing that there would never be a chance for someone with brown skin to play any of those roles. Even her favorite characters from classic literature seemed out of reach, and rom-coms and other forms all seemed to feature females of only one sort. So, when she started writing it was with an eye toward including people who looked like her. Thus, Mika was born in India. And the girls are diverse. One is black, one is from Vietnam and another is Palestinian. (I am sure that it is purely a coincidence that there are three children in the novel and Mandanna has three of her own. )

Mika struggles with her need for a family, for acceptance of what she is, for love. She has been raised to believe that attachment is lethal, as once non-witch people in her life learn of her powers, only trouble follows. So, don’t get attached, don’t settle in, keep moving, and stay away from other witches. It makes for a very lonely life. But with that mindset, how can you accept what appears to be a real connection to a loving family if they could yank it away at any time? This applies both to the family and her relationship with Jamie. But she feels herself falling in love with this family. Isolation sucks.

Mandanna wrote this during the COVID lockdowns, so Mika has taken on the additional task of standing in for so many of us who struggled with disconnection, who were unable to have physical contact with family and other people for a long time.

Gripes are modest. Yes, it is a romance, but I found it a bit jarring for a book that was going along reading very much like a YA title to then get a fair bit steamy a time or two. Not surprising that someone who has made her mark writing for a younger audience (The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is her first novel for adults) might retain a lot of that sensibility while adding more adult elements. (There is the odd profanity as well) But it felt unnecessary. What we gain from those scenes could have been accomplished with much less detail. I wanted to know so much more about Primrose, and how she located her special orphans. Ditto for Lillian. And maybe how witches who are constantly moving from place to place manage to make a living. While the setup makes sense to establish Mika’s situation and that of the residents of that special place, it does not seem likely to stand up well to much expansion.

I really liked the notion of making magic not only visually manifest, but with its own personality. There is some LOL material here as well. It is not a long book. The story rolls along quickly. It is engaging, as Mika is an appealing lead and her situation is tailor-made to pluck your heartstrings. It is a fast, enjoyable read, perfect for when you might be looking for something to cheer you up. You will be charmed. While reading The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches I expect there will be Nowhere you would rather be.

"She hadn’t understood how exhausting and heartbreaking it had been to hide such a big part of herself all these years, to reshape and contort herself into something more acceptable. She hadn’t realised just how heavy her mask had been until she’d discovered what it was to live without it."

Review posted – September 16, 2022

Publication date – August 23, 2022


I received an ARE of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches from Berkley in return for a fair review, and a few obscure ingredients for a potion. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.

This was a very sweet and enjoyable romance. I think Jaime's character could have been fleshed out a bit more, but it was obvious to me that this book was more focused on Mika and her journey, along with the overall magical world, than it was on Jaime. That worked fine for me overall. I also found the three witch children to be well-written, realistic, and loveable. The "twist" that Primrose was related to the children's guardian was pretty easy to spot coming, although I was surprised by the fact that she was actually secretly dead and buried in the garden! I think the highlight of this book was the cozy atmosphere and magical world-building. The world-building is impressively complex for a book that is more focused on the romantic relationship (or at least claims to be). I also really enjoyed how confident Mika is in her sexuality and how little she was embarrassed she was about her desire for Jaime. This was very charming and accessible, although I think someone looking for the romantic relationship to be the heart of the story might be a little disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

What an absolutely delightful read!

I am such a sucker for a found family tale, and this book has it in spades. The care with which Sangu Mandanna crafts this story, executes the plot, and builds up her characters is so refreshing and amazing. Her writing style feels very Austen-esque, and so does the tale she tells, spinning the reader a scintillating tale of magic, love, and acceptance.

I can't get over how much I enjoyed reading this book. The whole cast of characters were hilarious, the dialogue was fresh and witty, and even though the ending was predictable, I felt that it was written well, enough that it didn't matter. My soul feels so full after reading this book.

A very enthusiastic five stars.

Perfect for those who fell in love with TJ Klunes "The House in the Cerulean Sea," VSSIW is a sweet, tea-filled romp through found family and joyous magic. A MUST have for all libraries with witchy cottage-core readers.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches was a really fun read that follows Mika Moon as she breaks one of the main rules of the society: don't stay in one place with other witches. As she tutors the three young witches at Nowhere House we get to see Mika grow and find what it's like to have a family, but how long can they go before their safe bubble is burst?

Reason to love this book : witches, found family, nerdy librarian love interest, queer rep.

THank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

Found family, cozy fall vibes, and magic. Couldn't have asked for anything more. I adored this book and I think it's a perfect addition to any Fall TBR.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is one of those books that I really struggle to place genre wise. It's got bits and pieces of a cozy mystery, a rom com, an urban fantasy, and literary fiction but it doesn't firmly sit itself in any of those genres.

If you like stories about found families of groups of people you would never really expect to see together, a bit of steamy romance, and a MC who has to learn to love herself and trust those around her in order to fulfill a dream she never knew she had, then this book could be for you.

It's got a grumpy/sunshine romance that does have one incredible steamy scene but isn't necessarily a romance. There's not really a lot of fast-action plot either. It's a bit more quiet of a book.

Again I'm not really sure how to categorize this, but I did really enjoy the story. It had a few surprises and moments that made me laugh out loud.

I had no idea going into this book it would become one of my favorite books of the year! I went in thinking it was just going to be a cute witchy love story but it was really a story of found family and learning to let yourself be loved. Every single character was charming and felt familiar like an old friend. The three little girls were so lovable and I deeply dislike children lol. The Nowhere house enchanting and made me want to move in. The elder character's were the grandparents I never knew I needed. Of course I have to talk about Mika and Jamie. The best kind of grumpy x sunshine couple. They both had been deeply hurt in their young lives and that made them choose to face the world in different ways. It also made them fit so well together. They were slow burn so I wish we could have seen them together more (a sequel pretty please!). And our main character Mika was my absolute favorite character. Her passion for magic, her care with the children, and her story just made me want to be friends with her. This whole book felt like a warm hug. This needs to be turned into a movie ASAP so I could watch it every spooky season. I adored everything about this book from start to finish.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

5/5

I’m obsessed!!! If this isn’t on your TBR you need to go add it asap!! I loved it!!! It was the perfect amount of fiction meets fantasy meets romance. Definitely pulled at my heart strings 🥰
 
This is the first book from this author that I’ve read, and I will definitely be checking out the rest of her publications. This book is all about finding your family and was just a big ball of sunshine ☀️ You won’t be able to help it, you’ll be smiling 95% of the time while you’re reading.
 
The characters in this book were so well written and honestly, I just want to go live at Nowhere House with Ian, Ken and Lucie (the girls’ caregivers). The three little witches will legit have you in stitches from laughing. The bond and family they’ve created is just beautiful 🥲, every character has their own personalities and quirks. Also, the characters are diverse and multicultural!
 
Also did I mention Mika has a dog and magically fast traveling van!! Like does it get any better. Was definitely giving Practical magic meets House on the Cerulean Sea (but better) vibes 👏🏽
 
“She had been a ghost until Nowhere House, leaving no trace of herself on anybody, but she had thought for a few precious weeks that maybe she had at last come alive”
 
The relationship between Mika and Jaime was painfully a slow burn…. It worked though and I appreciated the friendship they built first. There was some spice when needed and it was well written. I need me a grumpy librarian 😏
 
The little twist at the end got me  was not expecting that to happen 😅
 
What’s bad is that it ended, and I need a sequel because I need answers 😫❤️

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is an absolutely wonderful book from start to finish. It is a contemporary fantasy with romance that I just adored. Mandanna crafts a contemporary world where witches and magic exist and are hidden in plain sight, and where our characters undertake a journey to discover themselves and finding where they truly belong. Found family is one of my absolute favorite tropes to read about, especially when magic is involved.

This novel was whimsical, with witty banter, strong character development, a unique cast of characters, a beautiful setting near the ocean, grumpy-sunshine romance, a dash of mystery, and the self discovery of our lead character. It was a cozy read to end the summer and bring in all the cozy fall vibes I have been dreaming of. I absolutely devoured this book over one weekend and strongly recommend this novel to anyone who is longing for a cozy fantasy.

I loved all of the characters we were introduced to in this novel (even the cheeky children!) and loved the magic system that Mandanna has created including the potions and the intention behind magic. The romance is a slow burn, but in a very realistic way that leads you feeling like you can relate to the characters. Overall this book just left me feeling warm and fuzzy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book. From the opening pages until the very end, THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES positively enchanted me. Mandanna expertly and seamlessly wove together the world of witchcraft with the emotion behind finding a place to belong and the discovery of what family can be in its purest form.

This story had it all. There was romance, un-malicious duplicity, witty dialog, cheeky children, and self-discovery. Honestly, what more can you ask for? Oh yeah. Magic. With that final piece, the reader is gifted with a truly beautiful novel about how making one choice will change everything for Mika. Nowhere House and its inhabitants is a place I will not soon forget. And I must say that the children really deliver in this book. Their personalities are just as bewitching as the rest of the cast.

Trust me when I say this, read this book. Taking a trip to Nowhere House will not be one you forget. Well, unless you meet Primrose. 😉

I really enjoyed this sweet little tale of a lonely witch who finds her chosen family. I finished in one day - nearly one sitting. The characters were lovable, they live by the sea, and there was some fun magic. The only thing at all that dimmed my enjoyment is that it seemed SO similar to The House in the Cerulean Sea that it felt more like a witch retelling of that story. Not that this is bad - I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea and I love witches - but it just felt a little extra predictable as a result. Overall, though, an enjoyable witchy fiction that gives you cozy feelings. I recommend it for a breezy read!

I loved so many aspects of this story. I loved that the protagonist was in her early 30s, like me. I loved that we got a bit of the grumpy-sunshine trope we all love. I loved that Nowhere House was a magical setting that I would love to live in. And I loved that it was a low-stakes story that didn't cause me any anxiety but was still engrossing enough that I finished it within two days. Any time it felt like there was going to be a plot hole, or a "but wait, how is this possible?!" question, Sangu immediately answers it. It was such a fun, sweet read!

"It's not always enough to go looking for the place we belong. Sometimes we need to make that place."

My heart. Oh, this was lovely.

To be fully enveloped by a fuzzy blanket in front of a fire, sipping on tea, with background music of whimsical string instruments and the sound of rain falling in the midst of autumn, completely happy with life as it is at the moment--that is what it feels like to read this book. It is a warm hug and it's comforting and magical. I loved every second of reading it.

The story centers around Mika Moon, one of the only witches in England, who is mostly reclusive and hides her magic due to the Rules of her fellow witches. Like most witches, Mika lost her parents at a young age and is used to a mostly solitary, lonely existence, though she secretly hopes for more. The only thing that Mika partakes in that only slightly gives away her abilities is her vlog channel where she "pretends" to be a witch: making potions, casting spells, and the like. Mika doesn't think anyone will take her vlog seriously until someone does: and from here, Mika is spirited away to Nowhere House to teach three young witches to control their magic at the behest of their very protective and loving caregivers, most of all a handsome, bristly librarian named Jamie. As Mika starts to find a place, possibly a family, among the occupants of Nowhere House, threats arise as to upend everything they have each worked so hard to protect.

This story is a gem. There is just so much to love about it: the hilarious banter and dialog, an intelligent, strong, and funny heroine, found family, a sweet slow-burn romance, sisterly bonding, plenty of magic, endearing characters, cottagecore vibes, and a cute dog. I loved the characters of Nowhere House as well as the other witches that pop in and out of the story. I loved the general feel of this book--it's as if the magic were tangible. Mandanna nailed the setting and I felt like I could conjure up Nowhere House and the grounds around it in my head very easily. The writing is just all-around beautiful.

Is it a bit saccharine? Sure. But personally, I adored it. Sometimes you just want to dip into a story that is mostly warm, gooey feelings, and this book delivered on that front. However, I will say that the story did discuss some slightly darker themes of loneliness, orphanhood, and not belonging, and it did make me a bit emotional by the conclusion. I would love it if Mandanna revisited this world again one day.

This book is easily a favorite of mine. 5 stars and one of the best of the year without a doubt.

I don't know why I took this book to review. I didn't know the author. Whatever the reason was, I'm glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the characters and the happily ever after.

There are a lot of mysteries for the reader to work out. Some Mika knows and perpetuates, some she has no clue about and other she thinks she knows but what she's been told is wrong or incomplete. When she takes a new job, because it's time to move on from her self-imposed six month tenure at her local job and apartment, she's unsure. She's breaking the rules she's strongly been advised to follow by associating with other witches. She may not realize it at first but she needs a connection. Her constant moving and limited association with other witches isn't fulfilling in any way. I can share her feeling the need to help out the young witches who lack training and are a danger to themselves and others with their unleashed power. Her fellow employees make it so easy to get comfortable in her new, temporary, home. She's fighting hard against this unaccustomed desire to stay put and create a family around her. The exception? Jamie. He's sexy, his devotion to the kids is amazing but he's determined to keep his distance from Mika. It's so heartwarming to see her get under his armor and insert herself into his psyche. He may not want to admit is but he needs her, her compassion, her friendship, her love, .

The characters in this book were maybe not always relatable but certainly likable, even prickly Jamie. The kids were a blast to watch and their budding relationship with Mika was amazing. The mysteries around the kids, their guardian, Mika's guardian, the witch's rules and Jamie and his issues were all fascinating and I was invested in learning the answers to them all. I was definitely not putting this book down and walking away until I knew all.

I found this book entertaining and would recommend it to paranormal, paranormal romance and romance fans alike.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC.

This book was great....ish. It felt cozy and comfortable and welcoming from page 1, but there was something missing from the story and I can't put my finger on what that is. I enjoyed the book, but I don't think I would re-read it. I'd probably just re-read one of the thousand other cozy fantasy stories on the market now. Maybe that's what my issue is: it's unique in premise, but falls short in practice. There are a million books "sort-of" like this one already. If cozy fantasy is your cup of tea, then The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches will amaze you. If you're like me and have a general apathetic stance on cozy fantasy, it'll just be an alright read.