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teabrewer's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.0
I chose this book because I needed a cozy lighthearted romance for a stressful week that was to come. This book was, mostly, cozy, lighthearted and romantic. The kids were funny, the love interest is a grumpy, but good, person who is raising these kids. It talked about some interesting topics like the difference between being nice and being good, the different ways people deal with trauma, particularly parental negligence, and feeling alone in the world. There was no gender essentialism and consent is very respected throughout the book, and not only in romantic situations, so it escaped my most common pet peeves in this genre. I liked the magic system. Magic is palpable and a bit personified and witches have actual conversations with it to use magic. It also interacts back with the witches. I know it has become a more common thing in this kind of book but seeing the casual representation of a lesbic couple made me happy and they felt like very natural characters. I also liked seeing an older gay couple, it is good to be reminded queer people can be alive and happy for that long. That being said, there were a few things I didn't like in this book. Ian trying to force Mika and Jamie's relationship felt, well, forced. The references to witchcore and TikTok at the beginning of the book felt out-of-touch. The main characters were all only a step away from stereotypes, and although that's not always necessarily a bad thing, in some cases it took me away from the book. Ian was the biggest offender but they all had dialogue that made me grimace at least once. The forest make out scene was cute and full of want but the sex scene in the house was clunky and weird. It felt more like a list of actions than someone's perspective. It also felt a bit out of place in the context of this book. The sudden "we buried a dead body in the garden" felt extremely out of place, like the author had planned that at first but forgot about it while writing the book and had to cram it in there somehow afterwards. And the "secret identical twin" twist just after that felt like a lazy, cliché band-aid, especially since before it appeared the plot was going in a way more interesting and relevant direction. I don't understand why that was included, there was no hole to be covered. A plot-hole was actually created because of it and had to be addressed with an even lazier excuse, that is the pictures with Lilian in them always being blurry. Lastly, what was, for me, the biggest elephant in the room: Maybe I'm expecting too much of a cozy lighthearted romance, and maybe having read Babel by R.F. Kuang recently affected my expectations and tolerance for this specifically.But it was a choice to include how the children, and the main character, were taken from their birth countries. How they were stripped of their original names raised by white people while completely isolated from anyone from their original cultures. How there were other witch societies in those countries and Primrose and Lillian had contact with them but still did all that. I don't understand why make that choice if you never planned to address the subject properly. With these last 4 topics, The Super Secret Society of Irregular Witches' problem is that it bites more than it could ever swallow being what it is. It didn't have to have a spicy scene, a "mystery" or to mention xenophobia and colonialism, but it did and couldn't do them all and the actual plot of the book at once.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Death, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Emotional abuse
jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This was an interesting but not overly engaging read.
Found family is certainly at the heart of this, with nowhere house being a magnet for strays who need a family of sorts.
Although the general premise of the trying to break witchy societal norms was intriguing and engaging, for me it lacked wider plot and worldbuilding that would’ve helped me engage with the story more.
I will admit I would’ve never seen the plot twists and the links between Mikas lives coming but unfortunately this wasn’t enough to keep me engaged. This is a great shelf filler, and a great entryway to fantasy but just doesn’t meet my personal standards I prefer my witchy/fantasy books to stand up to.
Found family is certainly at the heart of this, with nowhere house being a magnet for strays who need a family of sorts.
Although the general premise of the trying to break witchy societal norms was intriguing and engaging, for me it lacked wider plot and worldbuilding that would’ve helped me engage with the story more.
I will admit I would’ve never seen the plot twists and the links between Mikas lives coming but unfortunately this wasn’t enough to keep me engaged. This is a great shelf filler, and a great entryway to fantasy but just doesn’t meet my personal standards I prefer my witchy/fantasy books to stand up to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
peasandpancakes's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.5
Very lovely and easygoing story with some nice unexpected scenes. Love the characters and the dynamics between them. I kinda did not expect this book to get a little spicy, but it was fun! And not too much.
The only thing I do not get [spoilers ahead]is how Lilian died. She just dropped?
The only thing I do not get [spoilers ahead]
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Cursing and Death
wardenred's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
It’s a leap of faith to love people and let yourself be loved.
An absolutely lovely read. It reminded me strongly of The House in the Cerulean Sea without the certain problematic parts. I loved the found family dynamic, the kids with their different personalities, the inclusive and diverse world of this story, the magical house and the locations around it, the magic—really, just about everything! And the balance of sweet coziness and serious feelings was just right, too.
The absolute strength here is the assortment of relationships: all the connections inside the Nowhere House, the grumpy/sunshine romance between Mika and Jamie, Mika’s complex relationship with her mentor Primrose, and more. I loved seeing all of those connections develop and strengthen. There’s so much positivity here, but it never turns saccharine; on the contrary, the story very much affirms that good things can still be complicated. Being good for each other and hurting each other aren’t mutually exclusive; it’s what you choose to do with the results that matters.
I’ve definitely got a lot of snippets from this story stuck in my head now. The whole interginerational trauma plotline/arc. Small bits of conversations characters have had: good vs nice, living vs surviving, taking the risk to let yourself be loved, making the world just a little bit better even if it can’t be all fixed in one go. And that twist in the final act??? OMG, I was so lulled into the overall sense of security, I did not see that coming and I loved how it played out. Also, there’s something absolutely haunting about the image of
Very much recommended to anyone looking for some witchy coziness with lovable characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Minor: Death
eitrlund's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Abandonment
Minor: Racism
kds247's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
4.25
This book was just downright wholesome and comfy! It had great characters and the writing was excellent. If you’re looking for a book that creates the same feeling as a warm blanket and a nice cup of tea, then I would recommend picking this book up first
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Cursing and Child abuse
diazona's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment and Cursing
Minor: Vomit, Murder, Death, Alcohol, Confinement, and Death of parent
moonlitreading_'s review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
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
“She, Mika Moon, would not be the witch who transformed the world, but she was making it a little better, day by day.”
A secret witch making silly witchcraft videos because she doesn’t think anyone will take her seriously suddenly gets hired to teach three witch children about magic. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches was fun and cozy and I had a really great time reading it. It took me less than a day to finish and that’s saying something because I’ve been an awful reading slump for weeks now.
The characters were funny and their different personalities made for a chaotic bunch. I found myself anticipating what’s going to happen next just because their interactions were really entertaining and heartwarming. Bonus points for the romance in the book<333
A secret witch making silly witchcraft videos because she doesn’t think anyone will take her seriously suddenly gets hired to teach three witch children about magic. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches was fun and cozy and I had a really great time reading it. It took me less than a day to finish and that’s saying something because I’ve been an awful reading slump for weeks now.
The characters were funny and their different personalities made for a chaotic bunch. I found myself anticipating what’s going to happen next just because their interactions were really entertaining and heartwarming. Bonus points for the romance in the book<333
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Death
bronzel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content
Minor: Racism, Death of parent, Xenophobia, and Death
kaylurzz's review against another edition
adventurous
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Abandonment, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism