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singalana's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content
sophi_ereads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
Impossible to put into words how much I enjoyed this book but for the sake of Storygraph I'll try.
If I loved you less... I'd be able to talk about it more
Beautifully written, would have been brilliant on its on with or without the romance in it. Truly magical
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Child abuse
maxcooper's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
it’s a cute book! very cozy and cute. a little too romance for my liking, i wish it had focused more on the plot because i thought it was interesting. the “twist” definitely felt a little forced. there was no hints that something else was coming, it was totally out of the blue. overall a fun read, but not a fav
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing and Death
readerette's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Cute and cozy fantasy about family and what makes one feel at home. Jamie changed over the course of the book in ways I found OOC, and some of the conversation felt more like it was telling the reader something than flowing like a real conversation would, but the characters are lovely, the setting endearing, and the magic is wholesome and fun.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Toxic relationship
rwsmith's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Homophobia, Grief, and Sexual content
quillify_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Grief and Sexual content
Minor: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Racism
temia04's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Child abuse
bexi's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Abandonment, Death, Cursing, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse and Homophobia
blckandread's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Physical abuse
wittyg's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
3.0
Interesting world creation, relatable main character, fun premise/plot... And then it fell flat. Loved the first half, and then it seemed to run away from itself.
Biggest complaints (summary of my own, as well as collective thoughts from our book club):
Biggest complaints (summary of my own, as well as collective thoughts from our book club):
- Lots of F words. Didn't bother me much, but it was a source of complaint for others in my book club. With the main character being a 30 something year old woman in modern England, it seemed to make sense contextually, but could be offensive for some.
- The kids aren't written well - their vocabulary choices, phrasing, and romantic teasing weren't realistic for even the most mature of children
- There's a pretty descriptive sex scene that was pretty uncomfortable for most of our book club members, albeit a pretty short scene. I think the bigger complaint with the sex scene was that it didn't seem to add anything to the book, nor did the timing make sense. Instead, it seemed to serve a "so now everything will be happy ever after" purpose. The tone also felt inconsistent with the rest of the book, almost as if the author has a ghost writer or chat gpt step in lol.
- The ending felt rushed and abrupt, and one-dimensional. There was lots of potential based on the world building and character development, but it fell flat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing