The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

Amy     

Lynnie 

fantasy

Mika is a 30-something year old witch. She belongs to a “club” of other British witches which is led by an old witch, Primrose, who has been setting all the rules for the other witches in an effort to keep them undiscovered and safe.  Since it is a fact that all witches become orphaned, Primrose finds foster parents for the younger witches and keeps an eye on them. This all sounds like a good thing but the reality is that Mika has grown up feeling very alone, never being able to bond properly with people, and never being loved.  However, Ian and his unusual family is seeking a witch to help with three undiscovered, reckless young witches under his care and he has, surprisingly, suspected that Mika is a witch and asked her to live with them to tutor the children in witchcraft.

Amy's Review

Based on the quirky cover illustration of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, I went in hoping it would not be another typical witch novel about wronged women of the past. And, thankfully, it wasn't. Sangu Mandanna's tale was creative and set in the present day with fun, diverse characters. It was a cute story and I was happy to pick up the book at night to spend time in Mika’s world. The resolutions were predictable from a mile away and one of the kids spoke too maturely for her age, but it was light reading and never took itself seriously. The concept of nice vs. kind rang a chord for me. This novel is about love, family, and belonging.

I both read the book on Kindle and listened to the audiobook, alternating whenever one type of media was better for me. The audiobook narrator, Samara MacLaren, did a nice job with a variety of different accents and voices. I’ll give her an A-.

Lynnie's Review

This is a very quick, cute book. 

When Mika meets the residents of Nowhere House, she is both charmed and terrified. Now that she is with people who see her and accept her and her powers, will she be able to accept herself and their companionship?

There are no surprises in The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. The end is obvious from the moment you begin, but the joy is in the journey. Getting to know these lovely, quirky characters is a delight, and it's impossible not to wish the best for all of them. This is a great book for a rainy day when you just want something easy and fun.