The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a book that I’ve been anticipating for who knows how long. Probably at least since it was announced. So, really, this is a disappointing turn of events for me. I expected to love this book! Sadly, I did not.

That’s not to say I didn’t like it! Because, and this is a hill I’ll die on, I gave it a good rating of 3 stars. I just thought I would be sat here giving it more, struggling to write my review because I didn’t know how to put how much I loved it into words.

Instead, I’m sat trying to work out what exactly it was that led me to only liking this one.

I think, maybe, was that, despite everything, it all fell a little flat to me. What was great about the Celestial Trilogy was how immediately I loved the characters and how much I was rooting for them. This book never quite inspired that strength of feeling, although I always felt as though it should.

Perhaps the issue was I read it in the midst of, not a book slump, but a period where nearly every book has been “okay” or I just liked it. That’s a sentiment that, despite my best efforts, has tended to bleed into most books I’m reading, regardless of how much I’m expecting to like them. Maybe this is a book that, if I came back and reread it, I would enjoy it a lot more.

Because it’s not a bad book, not by far! There are so many elements of it that are great: the found family, the whole wary allies of convenience to lovers, the general themes around love and finding your people. This was all great! I’m sure this is a book that will work for so many people better than it did for me.

So, really, the only conclusion I can draw here is: it’s not you, it’s me.

This is a quick, easy and adorable read that I devoured in one sitting I couldn't put it down. Well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters and incredible world building. I LOVED IT

I absolutely loved this book! I read it in about a day because I couldn't bare to put it down, I just wanted to stay in that world.
Mika is a fantastic character, perfectly quirky and completely herself and I loved that! We should all be more like Mika Moon! Sangu Mandanna has created the most enjoyable characters to read about and dearly hope that she creates more stories about them because id love to see how their lives unfold. This book is going to become a re-reading favourite because I can't see myself ever not wanting to step back into it.

I inhaled this book! This was an amazing read filled with magic, found family, humour around every corner mixed in with a little bit of heartbreak and of course, heart warming times!

Mika Moon is a witch and part of a secret group of witches who look down on her online past times!

'Witchcore. Not quite as popular as cottagecore or fairycore, but it’s up there.'

Because of her online presence she gets offered a job to teach 3 young witches in Nowhere House how to control their power. So of course, in the interests of secrecy, she takes the job!!!!

We have.....

* Irritable librarian, Jamie with the dab forearms
* Ian, once actor (and my fave!)
* Lucy, housekeeper
* Ken, gardener
* Rosetta, kid witch
* Terracotta, kid witch
* Altamira, kid witch

And of course now, Mika!

The recipe for a great potion consists of a dollop of magic, 2 fabulous old gents, a few secrets, a spoonful of drama, and of course, a pinch of romance!

And if this book was a potion, it would be a powerful one. Utterly fabulous!

"Niceness is all about what we do when other people are looking. Kindness, on the other hand, runs deep."

I received an E-ARC from NetGalley and Hodderscape in exchange for an honest review (@ Hodderscape besties pls send me a physical arc, I want to cherish this book forever).

You know when a book gets hold of you and won't let go? The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches does just that. It doesn't grab you in a violent, gotcha by the throat kinda way, but in a soft and gentle way; you don't even notice it at first, until you try to put the book down and discover that you can't. It's like you're a cartoon character walking down the street and you walk past a tasty smelling pie and the smell lifts you up and drifts you over to the windowsill where the yummy pie is sitting, except this particular pie is a deliciously magical romantic comedy with some of the loveliest characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading about.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is about Mika Moon, an actual witch, who is hired as the live-in teacher for three young witches, who are looked after by their unconventional but fiercely loving family. This book is also about learning to heal from trauma, finding a family, and the power of accepting one's identity.

There is SO much to love about this book. Seriously, when trying to come up with what to write in my review all I could think was "10/10, perfect, no notes".

The characters are a charming and eclectic mix of people with brilliant and witty dialogue and interactions; the relationships feel so real and grounded and your heart genuinely aches for these characters when things go wrong. I would die for all of the Nowhere family without hesitation. I do have a soft spot for Circe though, as I mainly read IRREGULAR WITCHES while sat next to my own hairy golden soul mate.

Identity is a key theme in this book, and as someone who belongs to a marginalised identity, I really loved and appreciated that part of it. So many of the things Mika and the others talk about resonated with me and it often felt like witchiness could be an allegory for other marginalised identities. At a time when the world feels increasingly hostile towards those who are "different", I really needed to hear Mika talk so positively about her identity.
I also deeply related to Jamie, the grumpy bastard to end all grumpy bastards. The romance in this book is the kind that makes you smile to yourself while you're reading (and sometimes squeal with all the feelings too).

The plot is expertly woven and full of surprises and sneaky callbacks to earlier things. It's beautifully written, and I found myself highlighting passages every other page. Trying to choose a quote to pop at the top of this review was an almost impossible task when only reading the whole book will ever fully encapsulate it's brilliance. The pacing is perfect, nothing is ever stagnant but you're also not rushed through anything; it's like a stroll through the countryside on a summer's day. Reading this book genuinely feels magical and I cannot express how much I loved it.

10/10, perfect, no notes.

This novel was said to be a witchy version of The House in the Cerulean Sea so of course I wanted to read it! Unfortunately, this book left me indifferent.

The characters were too superficial. I liked the side ones such as Ian, Ken, Lucie and the children but we didn't learn much about them, which was a huge problem as the story was about finding a home among these people. Except for Mika and Jamie's romance, no other significant ties were formed. The romance wasn't believable: it happened too fast and it felt forced. I didn't buy it.

I'm afraid I didn't care about Mika and Jamie. Mika was so smooth and so kind and so understanding and so forgiving that it made her invisible in my eyes. She lacked spirit. As for Jamie, he's a cliché: mysterious, grumpy and beautiful but without real substance.

The story with the witches wasn't explored and the one with the solicitor was useless. The solicitor wasn't a threat AT ALL.

The unique magic was what I liked the most. I wish we had more of it. The diversity was also much appreciated.

I'm in the minority though. People seem to love this book.

If I could give this book more than five stars I would! I think it has been written just for me, the perfect, cosy, witchy, swoony romance I’ve always wanted to read. It is - and I do not say this lightly - grown up Ballet Shoes with witches. (I KNOW!) It is an absolute dream, a warm, enchanting place to spend time in.

I adored the entire cast of characters, they were utterly real to me. Yes it is a sweet, cosy book but it packs an enormous emotional punch. It is perfectly balanced, never tipping into saccharine, and I just wanted more of it. I know it’s a book I will reread, I think it would make the most glorious tv series. This is the book we need right now - comforting, romantic, full of joy and hope. I loved it.

An utterly captivating book, I knew from the first page that I would absolutely love it. Filled with magic, friendship and love it has a wondrously joyful feeling which carries you along to the perfect ending. I would give it ten stars if I could, I so hope this is going to be the first in a series.

Oh this book was BEAUTIFUL. 5 stars doesn’t cut it. I’m giving it 10.

My heart was full after I’d finished this book and it was just everything I wanted. It was so heart warming and lovely and really warms up the marrow of your bones. The character progressions, the plot, the overcoming of past demons. Was truly a sight to behold (or read in this case).

I absolutely adored the characters in this. Like all of them. Mika, the main character, quickly earned my affection and I fell in love with the three girls of Nowhere house. And all of the guardians of course.

They were all so lovable and there was something so endearing about a bunch of mistrustful misfits slowly finding their place. The home that they belonged too. With plenty of twists and turns along the way and a potential disaster seeing them all face the possible future of their home in ruins, they have a lot to overcome.

From the very first page I could tell I was going to love this. And right up to the end, I never wanted to put it down and saw the pages fly by. Seriously, a gorgeously happy, witchy read with romance, magic, friendship and a real sense of belonging. There was nothing I didn’t love!

A truly magical tale about a witch, Mika, who answers a job advertisement on the Internet and gets a lot more than she expected. I cannot say any more for fear of spoilers, but this novel is delightful and I recommend it highly. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.