Reviews with content warning for Confinement - The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

I found this book quite enjoyable for a story where not very much actually happens. I mean, of course there are things that happen, there wouldn't be a story to tell otherwise, but it's driven more by developments in the characters' thoughts and feelings rather than the events that occur. You get the feeling that most of the events could have not happened, or been left out of the story, and it wouldn't really make a difference.

There are a couple of pretty neat plot twists toward the end. They definitely make the last quarter or so very interesting indeed, I just don't think it's enough to make me forget about the lack of things happening during the first three quarters.

Normally a story without meaningful events is not one I'm going to be very interested in, but I think what saves this one is the rich character development. All the main characters have distinct and consistent personalities (except for gruff Jamie who shows an unexpectedly soft side at some point in the middle), they feel realistic and relatable, and most of all they're nice. These are the kinds of people I wish I could have as friends and family. So it didn't take very far into the book before I started caring about them and getting invested in their successes and failures. According to the afterword, the author was inspired to write this story as a reaction to the loneliness of the pandemic, and in that sense, mission accomplished.

All in all, it's a good book. I wouldn't put it on my list of all-time favorites, and it's not one that I see myself coming back to read and reread regularly, but any time I'm in the mood for something heartwarming and comforting, I'll be glad to have this on my (virtual) shelf.

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singalana's review

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funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I badly wanted to like this book, but it fell a bit short for me.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a fantasy novel about Mika Moon - a witch who has been taught not to attract any attention to herself. Until she attracts attention and is invited to a strange household to teach three small girls - all of whom are witches as well. Mika has to teach the girls how to control their magic, and while she does that, she gets to know the unconventional family living in Nowhere House.

I’m unfamiliar with the author’s previous work, but she has some interesting ideas, so it might be worth checking out. The cover art is absolutely stunning, and the typesetting was very pleasing to read. The magic in this book is charming and earthy, but there's one bit that felt a bit strange to me and needed more explanation.

Now, on to the characters: Mika Moon, our protagonist, is a loner out of necessity. She is the sunshine in this sunshine vs. grumpy romantic trope. The grump of the story is Jamie, the Nowhere House’s librarian. Other characters include Ian - a meddling ball of elderly energy, and his spouse, Ken. Then there is the housekeeper, Lucie, and finally, the three little witches: Altamira, Rosetta and Terracotta. It’s hard to describe the characters because it feels like they’ve been written with one defining characteristic, and that’s it.

The story itself feels quite low-stakes. It’s more about the vibes: the found family and the sunshine versus the grump. There are a few twists at the end, one of which I guessed, but I didn’t mind. You don’t pick up a cosy book to be sucker-punched with unexpected plot twists. The tension feels slightly lacklustre, and I wonder if the book could have maybe even done without it? Or could it have been better to focus entirely on the relationships within the Nowhere House?

Then there’s the romance. I didn’t quite feel the attraction, but I wasn’t opposed to it either. The book is not very spicy. Again, it’s mostly vibes. There are some sweet and romantic moments, but maybe if the story's focus had been a little bit different, the romance would have had more time to grow and be more convincing. It’s a charming book that has its moments, but to me, it needs something more. bit

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lunep's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

This was a very welcome softer read. It had the found family, the magic, life passions/ambitions, the kids were cute, and let's not forget the swoony words!

I don't know if I would change the rating if I reread it but since it's the first in a series I will continue when more books are released, there's a chance.

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pixelpigeon's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I loved this book. I loved it so much. Such a sweet story about found family. Some very good twists towards the end! Some I saw coming, but others I definitely did not expect.

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margaret_k30's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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rayreyes's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Good natured, grounded characters. Loved having nonwhite witches to fall in love with. Story flowed well and moved along steadily, which I loved. The characters were lovely and warmly, self possessedly addressed conflict. It felt honest and easy and the ending wasn’t rushed. I’d recommend suspending hypotheses and trying to guess thibgs just to enjoy the story.

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cooliuscaesar451's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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