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

Very wholesome, this book kind of feels like a warm hug<3
I loved all of the characters a lot!
One of the plot twists I saw coming, the other one I was totally suprised by.

The only two things that irked me a tiny bit were the dialogue of the children which seemed a bit too mature for a seven- or eight-year-old at times, and the sex scene which I could have done without and which kind of didn't really fit the vibe of the book.

Anyways, I too now want to live in a house on the coast in Norfolk (a place where according to Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, lost things are found, which I found wonderfully fitting) with witches, grumpy librarians, gay elders, a housekeeper, pets, and a lot of magic.

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librarymouse's review

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adventurous emotional funny

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

5.0

I love this book so much! It was such a fast and addictive read, and each and every character is so very easy to love!

The way in which the author navigates difficult social issues, and integrates addressing them into the story itself is gorgeous. She fits the necessity of self-representation and seeing oneself in one's mentors/seeing someone who looks like you thriving in a life you'd like to live when you grow up into the narrative in a way in which it is recognizable, but also slots neatly into the narrative like the rest of the lessons taught to the characters. The evolution of Mika and Jamie's relationship, the history of Ian and Ken's and the nuance given to all of the characters in the book make them all so round and lovable! Knowing this to be fantasy, and having read one too many fantasy novels with a prevalent male gaze, I was really pleasantly surprised with how the characters' traumas were explored, addressed, and healed. I should have known better than to expect the worst, but I was so pleasantly surprised that Mika's traumatic experience at University was not a sexual assault. I also really appreciated how the characters spoke to one another. Miscommunication tropes are some of my least favorite, but the way in which Mandanna explores what in Mika's past could cause her to misunderstand her being deserving of love and the idea that she is loved added so much depth to the story.

I might need to come back to edit this review later. I don't know that I can currently explain all the feelings I'm having about this book, other than to say that I waited two days to read the last chapter, after reading the rest of the book in one day because I was bereft at the thought of leaving this world and these people behind.

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eni_iilorak's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

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amy_reading_23's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

4.0

This is a very wholesome book, it's truly very warm and fuzzy and nice. Some parts felt a little rushed and I would have loved to have a lot more of it, but I enjoyed what there was. I kind of saw the ending coming, but I still liked reading it and recommend it to anyone looking for a wholesome, witchy, romantic read.

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lucystolethesky's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
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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gmolina's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted 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

3.5

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emily_mh's review against another edition

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lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

4.25

I thought I had written down my thoughts for this after reading it but apparently not! So here goes nothing.

If people are looking for a cosy, found family romance with a fantasy backdrop and DON’T want to support the harmful book that is The House in the Cerulean Sea, I would point them in this book’s direction. Reading it makes you feel safe and loved, just like the MC Mika who is finally finding a place to belong. The little family at Nowhere House is quirky and incredibly tight-knit. Ian and Ken’s relationship dynamic was darling in particular. While Mandanna does include sweet, casual moments (which are key to the found family trope), I do wish there had been more of these, spread out so we could see every character interact with every other character. I also wish we had seen Jamie as a father figure to all the girls like the book says he is - we are only really shown his interaction with Terracotta. I also wish Lucie and her story featured more.

Mika has some real depth to her as the MC. Her journey is all about feeling safe enough, loved enough, and valued enough to feel like she belongs. She’s dealing with childhood trauma stemming from exploitative carers, but also from the way the witching society is set up in the UK; that is, according to the mantra “divided we are safer.” Mika really questions this structure, seeing how the three kids she meets are thriving together, and so asks the question: is happiness together worth the risk of danger? I really liked the journey she went on.

The romance was pretty good. I don’t have the same issues some reviewers did where they couldn’t see the chemistry between Mika and Jamie - I personally did, and could definitely see the ways in which they fitted together. Hurt/comfort as a trope is employed, paired with the-LI-goes-feral-when-the-MC-is-hurt, which is a fave combo of mine and was done really well here. An issue I did have was that Jamie felt a little half-baked as a character sometimes. His POV is occasionally included, but not enough to get a real sense of him - given an element of the plot, I can understand why Mandanna didn’t commit to dual POV, but it did have that unfortunate effect. Also, the complication with his backstory (which gave him dynamism) is introduced and resolved within a couple of chapters, so the rest of the time he lacked the depth as a character that I wanted.

The non-romantic subplot was also enjoyable - I thought it was cleverly done and tied in well with the world-building and romance, only adding to the story. And the world-building itself was great. Mandanna really focussed in on the social element of witches, which as aforementioned, heavily plays into the characters and plot. But also the history she builds and how magic is personified was so cool. Don’t even get me started on the potion magic, which is my JAM. I lovedddd seeing Mika explain ingredients and their interactions, and mix up brews.

I thought this was a standalone but to my delight it seems that a companion novel is coming out next year. I’m looking forward to it!

Rep: British-Indian MC, Achillean SC, Achillean British-Japanese SC, Black SC, British-Vietnamese SC, British-Palestinian SC

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alotte's review

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adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.5

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