I got approved for an ARC of Sangu Mandanna’s first book for adults a while back and then promptly forgot about it. I only remembered as the rave reviews started appearing from my most trusted sources - and more fool me, because I could have had this story in my heart sooner. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is the book equivalent of a warm bubble bath with a cup of hot tea and a box of expensive chocolates. The kind of bath that could only be improved by reading a book like The Very Secret Society while you’re in it. It’s BLISSFUL.

What do you need to know? For one, it centres on lonely eccentric witch, Mika Moon, who (like all witches) grew up orphaned and isolated because of her power. She’s got a gift for potion-making, a golden retriever called Circe and a little yellow car she calls The Broomstick but very little else. No friends, no family, no roots, just a social media account where she fake-pretends to be a witch just so she can share her joy of magic with others. She could so easily have been a pixie-dream girl but instead she’s my new best friend - positive, snarky, full of enthusiasm for the things that give her life meaning.

For two, it’s got found family in spades, the kind that makes you want to pack up your belongings and move in. When the inhabitants of Nowhere House - an out of the way place in Norfolk that no one can seem to find - realise Mika’s true identity, they set about luring her into their strange and beautiful home. Grumpy librarian Jamie, mothering housekeeper Lucie and gardener Ken are raising three young witches under the radar and whoa boy do they need her help. The witches in question, all three orphaned and adopted by a mysterious absentee patron, are a whole bushel of uncontrolled power, sibling rivalry and fierce love. Octogenarian actor, knitter, aspiring beekeeper and all round darling Ian - also Ken’s husband (and basically Ian McKellen) - rounds out the family.

The story revolves around Mika’s journey towards trust and belonging - can she find a home at Nowhere House? Is it possible for witches to live together, be loved and love in return, against everything she’s been told? Can a witch be wanted and needed for herself and not only for her power? These big searching questions are mixed together with so much fun and joy and coziness that the angst they imply sneaks up on you. As does the surprisingly steamy (this is open door), entirely satisfying romance between Mika and Jamie. Issues of race, gender and sexuality are integral and gracefully handled all the way through - Mika is British Indian and Rosetta, Altamira and Terracotta all have diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Seeing the long and loving opposites-attract relationship between Ian and Ken was heart-expanding.

About 1/3 of the way into the book I knew I was going to adore it; halfway and I was constantly texting my friends quotes with heart and crying emojis; and when I was done I marched into my local bookshop and convinced them to stock it. It’s a wonderful feeling when you find a book that makes you feel this safe and warm and hopeful. I’ll be rereading it a lot. I imagine there are some people who will feel it errs close to YA in tone but I think that’s only because we’ve forgotten how important these themes of joy and love are for all of us, adults included.

3.5✨

This was an absolutely adorable book. The characters were so loveable and I love all things witchy!
I absolutely do see what everyone means about Cerulean vibes. I could see the like-for-like scenes as I went through, which I think is why I couldn’t rate it higher.
As I was just thinking about Cerulean and never fully immersed into this. However, I am the biggest Cerulean fan girl and have read it so much.

Overall, a wonderful book and definitely one I’d recommend. There was a little steam which I wasn’t expecting but definitely not a bad thing at all!

I absolutely loved this book. It made me feel like a young teen again when I was really interested in witchy romance and to make me feel like that I had to give this book a 5/5.

I loved the adult and children characters and think they were all adorable.

I loved how they all in their own broken ways come together to be a family and just how close they are to one another.

The twists at the end just kept coming and I honestly did not see them coming so I was really happy to see that from a book .

This book is full of love, family, friendship and lots of laughs and would highly recommend.

Perfectly light and fluffy, would recommend as a witchy alternative to “The House in the Cerulean Sea”. Lovely characters, an easy and enjoyable read.

This is the season of witches.

Books usually go through trends, and witches are the trend. And I love it.

This book reminds me a lot of The House by the Cerulean Sea, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the author was inspired to write this after reading that because there are some similarities. If I had to pick which one I liked more then House by the Cerulean Sea was way more enjoyable and made more sense.

That doesn’t mean this is a bad book. It definitely has its good points. The characters are well written, the family dynamics and the friendships are great, and you can’t beat the cozy feeling this book invokes. The problem is that I had more issues with it.

The beginning was the best part by setting things up and establishing characters, and while the beginning was strong the ending really let it down, mostly by how nonsensical it was. The buildup kept me invested, but the conflict and resolution felt… stupid. I don’t know, it feels that way too convoluted for what it was, so maybe it was fake tension to give the book a “reason.”

And the romance was so boring. I literally did not care for it, and felt like the book would be stronger without it. It was so rushed and blah.

I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK! I got ALL the feels! I really resonated with Mika, her story was both sad and honest. Jamie was just a little hunk of Irish in my head, I loved the developing relationship they shared.

Those kids... My heart! Could it be on the verge of combustion? I really enjoyed their little - BIG personalities and would have loved to have got to know them more. What a diverse, beautiful, found family.

I think I just fell in love with the whole plot, the Broomstick, Nowhere House and even the members of the 'Society' we met along the way. I loved the descriptions of Mika's tea's and potions, loved the way the magic was described as mischievous.

What a book to kick of my Autumn reading season! There's some EPIC quotes in there too! It was very well written and I think I'd re-read again next year to give me autumn warm-fuzzies. Absolutely recommend!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It's a heartwarming and adorable romance, about found family and witches. It hit a sweet spot of balancing magic, mystery, and romance and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a cosy autumnal tale.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Well, this was fun! Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder&Stoughton for approving this read. With it being early September, this charming story was the perfect start to the spooky season without it being scary spooky. Mika is an adult witch, following the rules of all witches of staying alone and keeping witchcraft secret. When a new job appears she is shocked to discover three children who are witches living together in a house full of lovely people. Now it is up to her to make sure these kids are safe, and to win the trust of their grumpy guardian. And maybe even more? I always enjoy the found family trope, and here we got it mixed into a slow burn romance. The novel reminded me of "The House on the cerulean Sea" in the best way possible. The twist at the end was quite peculiar and straight up my alley. Couldn't put it down.

4.5 stars

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches was just the book I needed without even realizing it. This book was so heartwarming I just wanted to hug it when I was done. The found family trope is one of my favorites and I would love to be a part of the one we see here.

Mika is a witch, but it has to be kept a secret. No one can know, she can’t talk to other witches except their meetings every month. Mika was raised by strangers after her parents died and really never had a place to call home. I think her journey was my favorite. Throughout this book you see Mika realize that she is also worthy of love and someone who really cares. That was so emotional and beautiful.

Then we get to Nowhere House. This is such an interesting, messy, and very loved home. Every member is unique and maybe a bit quirky, but you feel the love for the three young witches that need help controlling their magic. Everyone wanted the girls stay protected and I loved the moments we had with Mika working on the magic with the girls. These people came together as a family I just wanted to move in.

Also, yes, there is a developing romance, but I loved that it wasn’t the biggest part of the story and also so much about character development. Everything Jamie and Mika needed to process from their childhood they worked on with each other without even knowing it. This seemed very special.

I honestly could keep on talking about this book, but all I really just have to say is please read The Very Secret Society of Witches. It’s one I’ll be thinking about now and in the future.

5*'s. This was wonderful. The comfort and coziness of a romance ft the fantastic grumpy/sunshine trope (grumpy Irish librarian with a heart of gold who just wants to save his family - I love Jamie so much) meets the whimsy and charm of an urban fantasy a la house in the cerulean sea style. Honestly loved this book so much, recommend the audio if you want to experience Jamie's Irish brogue! Cannot recommend this one enough for people who want cozy fantasy that will make you happy whilst also dealing with people's feelings of loneliness and isolation so please pick it up and give it a shot! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy.

I’m so glad I gave this book a shot. I was about to put it down feeling not so excited to read about a witch-nanny. But things picked on after Mika went to Norfolk,and I couldn’t help but like this cozy, witchy novel.

There’s just so much love and warmth in this novel that I want to hold it close to my heart. With two of my most favourite tropes and a bunch of very peculiar witches thrown into the mix, this book just became my new favourite of this year.

This was such a cute book. It had a cosy atmosphere that I love in romances. It was very enjoyable to read. I loved the family and their quirks, I loved the descriptions of Nowhere House and I loved the way that the magic was described and used.

Mika Moon, despite having a really stupid name, is a really great character. She is well rounded and her voice is funny, easy to read and completely right for the story. The narration added to this well and brought her and the other characters to life in a great way.

There were just a couple of things that bugged me. The first was the plot. It was all hinged around the fact that the girls would have to be at the house when the lawyer came and so their magic had to be kept in control. But during the book they leave the house! Rosetta goes to the bookshop, the other two are taken to the beach at the same time and all three girls go out foraging with Mika. There was no reason that they couldn't be taken out into the woods while the lawyer was there!

The other thing was explained and it made sense but was confusing for me through most of the book. Despite the witches being orphaned at an early age and it being stated at several times that they can't have siblings for that reason, a couple of witches are mentioned to have sisters!! It wasn't said out loud but it finally clicked why during the finale of the book, but it frustrated me a bit while reading. I think it would have been better if they'd explained earlier that it can happen.

All in all though, this was a good read and I really enjoyed it.

A cosy, magical read of hope, humanity, and found family,

A spellbinding, toothachingly sweet read for an adult fantasy novel, but in all the best ways.

Much as I don't usually find myself reading such books, this book was so reminiscent of when I used to camp out reading Diana Wynne Jones books when I was younger, with all the casual witchiness and witticisms, while working through trauma and heartbreak.

I loved the entire diverse cast of characters, from the protagonist Mika Moon, who masks her true self under her sunshiney persona, to the grumpy librarian love interest, Jamie, and all the characters in between. It was difficult not to be invested in Ian, Ken, and Lucie, as well as the precocious young witches who end up being Mika's charges, the quietly clever Rosetta, territorial but well-meaning Terracotta and all of her false bravado, as well as sweet and curious Altamira.

The themes of choosing love and happiness over past hurts, over fear and heartache and exposure, helped shape the refreshing and hopeful perspective of the book, one that should be explored more in the genre. The novel's message of self-love and acceptance is such an important one, as well as that of choice, and choosing to move forward towards a future that we desire.

I don't tend to read much fantasy with this level of positivity and warmheartedness, but reading this makes me think that perhaps I should, and just might, actually enjoy it!

3.5 stars

Very cute, heartwarming story of found family and romantic love. If you don't like earnest sweetness then this will be torture to read, to be honest, but if you're in the mood for something warm and witchy for autumn then this book is kind of perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this charming book in a day, which is incredibly rare for me!

This book ticks all the boxes for me with lovely, dreamy romance that makes you have that little sigh at the end (in the best way!), a strong set of female characters and a captivating plot. I loved all three of the girls of Nowhere House, as well as the guardians, and highly recommend this book for a snuggly spooky season.

Disclaimer: e-Arc provided by Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.

Plot
The book follows Mika Moon, a witch living in England. In the book all witches are orphans and live in isolation, the witches of Britain meet up once every three months to exchange spells. Mika spends her free time pretending to be a witch on social media. One day she receives an invite to become a tutor for three young witches, and she ends up moving to Nowhere House which is home to three young witches, and a group of mortals who protect them.

Thoughts
The Magic System -
I love witches!! The magic system in this book was so fun, and it was easy to picture these witches and their magic co-existing peacefully in our world. It was an interesting mix of 'traditional witches' alongside the new lore that the author created - namely that all witches are orphaned shortly after their birth.

The Family -
The inhabitants of Nowhere House were just so lovely, and I loved all the relationship dynamics between the characters. While Mika was raised fearful of telling others about her powers over fear of rejection, the adults of Nowhere House love and protect the three girls, and welcome Mika with open arms into their found family.

The Romance -
Mika has an adorable romance with Jamie, a librarian who lives in Nowhere House who is the girls father figure. I really liked watching their relationship develop from enemies (kind of) to friends to lovers.

The Girls -
The three girls play a pivotal role in the story, and I just adored them. I often find children in books unrealistic, however, all three have their own personalities and quirks and were so well written.

Overall, I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a cosy witch book to read this Autumn season!

Mika is called to Nowhere House to teach three young witches...
Nowhere House is home to the most unconventional group, all with their own unique quirks. I loved Mika, she was a ray of sunshine. I found myself getting annoyed at both Jamie and Terracotta, but enjoyed seeing the story progress.
This was the most wholesome, cosy and spooky story of found family, perfect for fans of The House In The Cerulean Sea.

Why are cosy books juvenile? Even with characters in their thirties? The therapy talk really ruins fiction. This book was cosy...at first but little girls talking like adults, shallow romance and the absolute in-your-faceness of the therapy talks ruined it.

WITCH WANTED? Well guys, I think we found her.

This is a story of a mismatch group of people who come together to do the seemingly impossible to help protect their family. And while Mika Moon hasn’t ever known what family really feels like, she’s about to get thrown in at the deep end. Providing she’s passes her two week probationary period that is.

There are two main reason I fell in love with this book (and about 3000 smaller ones). Firstly, the witchy world Sangu Mandanna created was like nothing I had read before. Witches are only allowed to meet in small groups on the third Thursday of every third month to avoid their magic attracting too much attention. Magic that floats like golden pixie dust around each and every one of them and is desperate to be used (and misused). So, when Mika Moon answers a rather irregular DM and finds herself at the steps of Nowhere House, with three little witches behind its gates, all bets are off.

Secondly was Terracotta. All three girls were beautifully and intelligently written, but there is something about Terracotta that had me laughing out loud. Her morbid sense of humour, child like vulnerability and downright stubbornness was a pleasure to read. Somewhere between The Worst Witch’s Mildred Hubble and Wednesday Adams.

There is something magical about this book that goes beyond its subject matter. It’s like a warm hug that makes you feel like you’re home and I can’t wait to return home very soon when I inevitably reread “The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches”. If you haven’t already, I implore you to read this book… if for no other reason than to give me someone else to talk all things Mika Moon with!

I didn’t really know a lot about this book. It wasn’t one that had appeared on my radar, but I am so glad I stumbled across it. I ended up reading my advance reader copy in a day and thoroughly enjoying it. It’s the kind of book that you want to read while curled up in a squishy armchair, with a big blanket and a nice hot beverage at your side.

If you love a good found family trope, this book is perfect for you. Found family is one of my favourite tropes in fiction and this book does it so well. I love how Sangu Mandanna portrays the stages of it all - it’s all a bit overwhelming at first, with everyone trying to make feel Mika welcome, but then once it settles down, it’s comfort and familiarity and home. It was so lovely to see, especially given Mika’s backstory and even though she is a fictional character, I was so glad to see Mika find acceptance and a place where she belonged. (There is also the grumpy x sunshine romance trope, but I won’t say anymore than that for fear of spoilers!)

As for the rest of the characters, I loved them all so much. All of them are fiercely protective of their young wards in their own way and it was so lovely to see the younger characters come into their own under Mika’s tutelage. There is so much love and care in this book and it gently pulls you in and wraps you in its warm embrace - if you let it, it becomes a balm to soothe your soul and somewhere to lose yourself for a few hours.

I also really like the writing in this - there were moments that made me laugh out loud and others that made me want to dive into the book and hug one of the characters. The descriptions of Nowhere House were lovely and really added to that delightfully cosy vibe.