diazona's review against another edition

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emotional 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

3.75

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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johannaplatt's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted 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

3.75

A fun quick standalone fantasy novel with a sprinkling of romance. Found all the characters to be very endearing (would like Iain to be my pal please), story was tight and enjoyed the magic system. It's no epic fantasy, but sometimes you want a single book rather than a 12 volume series. 

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ribbonquest's review against another edition

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lighthearted
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

The exploration of magic and witch culture is interesting. Every witch is orphaned soon after they're born and intercountry witch adoptions seem to be very common - there are four in this cast alone! Rich white witches adopting and neglecting dark skinned babies from around the world isn't really explored, which is a shame.

The three children are cute and remind me of the girls from Despicable Me. The oldest is a bookworm, the middle child is rebellious and aggressive, and the youngest is adorable and mimics the swearing of adults around her. The adult cast is varied as well.

I found the romance itself very typical and dull. It's your typical grumpy/sunshine dynamic. Spice level = Yes

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maeverose's review against another edition

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5.0

I love this so much

I feel so stupid for ever thinking I wasn’t interested in this book. I don’t tend to like romance genre books, so I found it so refreshing that this completely subverts all the tropes I hate in romance. They actually communicate. I could cry. The third act conflict is a completely understandable conflict and is resolved quickly. There’s absolutely zero pettiness between the love interests. And it has tropes I like! Grumpy / sunshine!! Semi-dislike to love!!! I’m actually screaming internally. This was so good.

It’s definitely cozy fantasy, but it does have stakes and plot (which I personally prefer). It’s very much a comfort book.

I loved all the characters, they all had distinct personalities and quirks. They’re the found family I wish I had. Jamie was my type of love interest. Wouldn’t mind one of those for myself thank you.

It’s also really funny, and I don’t often find funny books to be funny. But the humor worked for me in this.

My only very minor not very serious complaint is I wish it was just a tad steamier… but I’ll take what I can get.

I had a stupid smile on my face the whole time reading this (except for when I was crying). If you like romance books, witchy books, or cozy fantasy, please read this. I don’t even tend to like any of those things, hence why I wasn’t interested initially, but this is now one of my favorite books. I need to go buy a copy.

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singalana's review against another edition

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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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rwsmith's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

5.0

truly, i could not put this book down. it just got better and better the more i read. a wonderful and heartwarming story. 
i loved the worldbuilding of the magic - just as you expect, and it aligns with all the familiar fairy tales, but with a touch of uniqueness to this fictional world. 
the romance was also SO GOOD. ive never been into the romance genre, and i wouldnt say this is necessarily a romance novel, but the romantic plot was incredibly well done - relatable, funny, emotional, perfectly paced, and incredibly satisfying. 
the representation in this book is lovely as well. the different races of the characters are simply stated, but the differences between each are acknowledged and deemed important at the same time. 
anyone who loves love, magic, and silliness - and a happy ending - should give this book a read. 

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violetends's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

This was as warm and lovely as I had anticipated from all the reviews I had previously read. I am so happy to have access to all these cozy stories and be able to indulge the cold winter months that I am spending still healing from a longer illness with these types of narratives. This was is intricately crafted, with each character being lovely in their own way. And honestly, I am so very much here for a grumpy-sunshine romance arc! Especially if it happens in a found family setting.

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thehobbitbarbie's review against another edition

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funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

This book has been on my fall TBR since it published, and it absolutely delivered on the promise of a cozy fall read! This is such a feel-good book with a lovely English setting and a charming cast of characters. At times, it does suffer from having too many characters, but each of them is so lovely and feels so fully realized that it's hard to stay mad about it. 
My biggest complaint is that this book, like so many new adult romance novels, makes great use of tropes, but still seems embarrassed by them. When I pick up a romance novel like this, I expect and want to see tropes. When a book points out how ridiculous its tropes are, it completely rips me out of the world and makes me feel like I'm being ridiculed for enjoying it. Romance novelists, it's okay to be a little corny! That's why we're here! 
Soap box aside, this is a fantastic cozy fantasy that will give you all the warm fuzzies to carry you from fall into the cold, dark winter months. 

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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

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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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