Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

63 reviews

tlindhorst's review

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted reflective 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

3.75

A sweet story but a little rushed in the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Abandonment

dancing_dryad_85's review

adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Death

Minor: Cursing, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Hate crime

spilled's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Kidnapping, Grief, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Abandonment, Physical abuse, and Body horror

It is part of witch lore that they are all orphans, and parent death is mentioned in passing throughout. Main female character has had people (former caregivers and a boyfriend) take advantage of her witchy skills in toxic ways. Main male character experienced physical abuse as a child at the hands of his brothers after his father died. A secondary character has a natural death pre-narrative, but there is discussion of burying her, unburying her, and animating her bones. A minor character is locked in a tool shed and has his memories modified.

rorikae's review against another edition

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

4.5

'The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches' by Sangu Mandanna is a cozy fantasy about one witch finding the family she's always dreamed of. 
Mika Moon lives alone, isolated from other witches but using her 'magical abilities' on her YouTube channel. But one day she gets a strange request in her inbox. She has been invited to tutor three young witches living under the watchful eye of a few people in an isolated house. Mika takes up the offer but the girls and the situation surrounding them may be more than she can handle. 
Mandanna does an excellent job of creating a whole cast of characters that it is easy to care for. They each have their our faults and positive traits that makes them easy to love. Mika and her background in particular, make her easy to root for, especially as she starts to believe she's found a family after so long. The plot itself isn't overly complex but I think this book is best for people looking for something with a lot of heart and coziness. I do wish that more time was spent with the three girls. Their dynamic with Mika was wonderful to see. This book is a great read for the cozier, winter months and there is even a scene during the Winter Solstice. I'm very excited for the second book in this series as this was a truly cozy, heartwarming book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Sexual content, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Minor: Racism

tspice24's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Death

lunep's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol, Cursing, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Grief, Murder, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Misogyny, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Abandonment, and Classism

wickedgrumpy's review

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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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Cursing, Confinement, Outing, Death, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Violence

craftysnailtail's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

4.5

A delightful cross between House In the Cerulean Sea and Pride and Prejudice. A light read that was rather predictable, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable. I loved every character and the cottage/witch-core scenery was aimed at a very particular audience. And I am that audience. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Death, Grief, Homophobia, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Abandonment

clarabooksit's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted 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? Yes

4.25

I couldn’t put down this sweet story of a lonely young witch bonding with a houseful of strays that have made a home in each other.

This gem of a feel-good story was a very happy surprise, for me. I just loved it.

It’s not perfect, but it’s a cozy, engaging and diverse read with a likable lead, cute kids, found family and a soft enemies-to-lovers romance. I fell hard for the way Mandanna wove loneliness and whimsy together in her writing and I’m really looking forward to the sequel coming out this year.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Sexual content, and Grief

Minor: Alcohol, Racism, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

daphne_430's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Abandonment

Moderate: Grief and Cursing

Minor: Racism, Sexism, and Death