dmnich's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Had similar vibes to The House in the Cerulean Sea, but was definitely it’s own story. Cozy and heartwarming.
nyailrac's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? No
4.25
seagate's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
As a POC, the diversity felt pandering, insulting, and utilized only when the author wanted to pat themselves on the back. There were multiple instances in the book for them to actually show us how diversity is affecting their everyday lives, but they don't, instead the author tells us how to feel about it. And that's the thing about it too, the author overelies on "telling" the readers instead of "showing" us. And that has caused things like the romance to feel forced. The characterization was very poor, and the dialogue even more so. It felt like the author's personality was constantly in the background of all the characters. Internet humor culture seeps through the pages, making the author come off unoriginal and uncreative. They tried for a grumpy x sunshine trope, but it was as if they didn't know how to create romantic or sexual tension with someone wh 's grumpy and so they would un-grumpy him for that moment.
Some aspects were good. The way magic was described and parts of the world building were good. The children were believable (aside from one scene towards the end) and had a childlike appreciation for magic. There were great scenes that depicted consequences, although they were always patched up a little too smoothly.
Some aspects were good. The way magic was described and parts of the world building were good. The children were believable (aside from one scene towards the end) and had a childlike appreciation for magic. There were great scenes that depicted consequences, although they were always patched up a little too smoothly.
thiane_reads_sa's review against another edition
3.0
Round up to 3.75 stars⭐️
One of the best diverse and unique representations in a book I’ve ever read. I really loved that!
Mika is a sweetheart, and I love her quirkiness, humor and my heart even broke a little at how she had to hide who she is, and especially her upbringing.
Her moving to Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their powers was really cute and uplifting- and I absolutely loved all the side characters- except for Teracotta, damn that child worked on my every nerve.
Loved Ian, Loved Jamie. Overall- just amazing cast
of characters. Why I’m giving this 3 stars is the middle part of the book I found quite boring. Only here after about 80% into it again things got quite interesting.
Also- I have no love for children so I might not be the target audience for this. In my mind for some reason I thought the witches would be a bit older.
The narrator did a fantastic job. Nailing the accents, it was a huge cast that she had to portray and she did it excellently. You could distinguish super easy who is speaking.
Overall- beautiful, uplifting and super fun!
I would recommend this highly.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC
One of the best diverse and unique representations in a book I’ve ever read. I really loved that!
Mika is a sweetheart, and I love her quirkiness, humor and my heart even broke a little at how she had to hide who she is, and especially her upbringing.
Her moving to Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their powers was really cute and uplifting- and I absolutely loved all the side characters- except for Teracotta, damn that child worked on my every nerve.
Loved Ian, Loved Jamie. Overall- just amazing cast
of characters. Why I’m giving this 3 stars is the middle part of the book I found quite boring. Only here after about 80% into it again things got quite interesting.
Also- I have no love for children so I might not be the target audience for this. In my mind for some reason I thought the witches would be a bit older.
The narrator did a fantastic job. Nailing the accents, it was a huge cast that she had to portray and she did it excellently. You could distinguish super easy who is speaking.
Overall- beautiful, uplifting and super fun!
I would recommend this highly.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC
bloggingwithdragons's review against another edition
5.0
Actual rating: 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars
I received The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches as a surprise gift from my dear friend Meghan, from over at Meghan Plays Games, who knows how much I love spooky season. I sat down one night to get started reading The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches only to read the entire darling thing in one sitting. Honestly, this book is like being wrapped in a warm blanket after an entire day of being stuck in cold, wet, and dreary reality.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches follows a young adult witch, Mika Moon, who lives a pretty lonely life as a secret witch. Forced to pick up and leave if anyone suspects her of having magical powers, Mika has always been afraid to put down roots. Her one solace is pretending to be a witch on her popular social media account, which features her happily brewing potions and herbal teas in what is a caricature of herself, of sorts. But one day, her social media catches the eye of a family in need and Mika's life changes forever.
Skeptical and afraid, Mika ventures to Nowhere House, a home filled with three young girls in desperate need of a tutor—a magical tutor. Though Mika has spent her whole life hiding her identity as a witch and almost never in the company of witches, she finds she cannot leave these three girls, raised as sisters, to fend for themselves. Before she knows it, Mika is defying everything she's ever known, and moving into Nowhere House with a housekeeper, an elderly retired actor and his husband groundskeeper, and an attractive and grumpy Irish librarian named Jaime.
What follows is an absolutely delightful tale of acceptance and love, as Mika sets aside her fears and past traumas to pass on her love of magic to the young wards of Nowhere House. Through magic lessons and living together, she slowly earns the trust of both the girls and their grumpy librarian father figure. I was absolutely charmed by this story of found family and cozy witchy-ness, which was filled with Jane Austen quotes, and delightful depictions of brewing magical potions by way of ingredients like moonlight.
Mika is a likable and relatable heroine, simultaneously rebellious and reluctant to rock the boat. Her love interest, Jaime, is a protective father figure with a crunchy exterior and a soft and chewy center. Their romance is very sweet and doesn't unfold too quickly—The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches takes just the right amount of time and care in setting up the transformation from initial attraction and distrust into full blown affection and love.
I delighted in the original take on witches that The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches presents too. When many of us think of witches, I think we picture covens, made up of powerful and confident women, chanting spells together under moonlight, as a sisterhood. But in The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches all witches come into the world as orphans due to a mysterious spell gone wrong in the ancient past. And when more witches are together, the amount of magic becomes more bountiful, powerful, and ultimately, uncontrollably dangerous. Therefore, it's simply deemed too risky for witches to gather.
Literally my only "complaints," so to speak, about The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is that some of the side characters could be a little more fully developed. The young girls themselves, especially outside of Terracotta and Rosetta, could have used a bit more page time and development, but what we do get from these girls is precious and mostly believable for children of their age. I also thought the sex scenes were a little out of place in what mostly feels like a wholesome and family friendly read. However, the scenes aren't too salacious or too frequent, so the incongruity is not that big of a deal.
Other than that, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is absolutely delightful and charming. I'd recommend this novel to fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea or The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and for those that love witches, romance, found family, and fun reads. If you're looking for a cozy fantasy read for fall, this is the perfect one.
I received The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches as a surprise gift from my dear friend Meghan, from over at Meghan Plays Games, who knows how much I love spooky season. I sat down one night to get started reading The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches only to read the entire darling thing in one sitting. Honestly, this book is like being wrapped in a warm blanket after an entire day of being stuck in cold, wet, and dreary reality.
"Magic. As a child, she had discovered the existence of her magic alone, had been afraid of it and then fallen in love with it alone, and had learned to use and control it alone. Even now thirteen years into adulthood, she continued to experience the joy and wonder of magic alone. Apart from when she posted her witchy videos online, of course. That was the closest she'd ever gotten to sharing who she really was with anyone."
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches follows a young adult witch, Mika Moon, who lives a pretty lonely life as a secret witch. Forced to pick up and leave if anyone suspects her of having magical powers, Mika has always been afraid to put down roots. Her one solace is pretending to be a witch on her popular social media account, which features her happily brewing potions and herbal teas in what is a caricature of herself, of sorts. But one day, her social media catches the eye of a family in need and Mika's life changes forever.
Skeptical and afraid, Mika ventures to Nowhere House, a home filled with three young girls in desperate need of a tutor—a magical tutor. Though Mika has spent her whole life hiding her identity as a witch and almost never in the company of witches, she finds she cannot leave these three girls, raised as sisters, to fend for themselves. Before she knows it, Mika is defying everything she's ever known, and moving into Nowhere House with a housekeeper, an elderly retired actor and his husband groundskeeper, and an attractive and grumpy Irish librarian named Jaime.
"For one thing, witches were uncommon. It wasn't every day you stumbled upon one, let alone three. And for another, three witches living alone together was absolutely not allowed."
What follows is an absolutely delightful tale of acceptance and love, as Mika sets aside her fears and past traumas to pass on her love of magic to the young wards of Nowhere House. Through magic lessons and living together, she slowly earns the trust of both the girls and their grumpy librarian father figure. I was absolutely charmed by this story of found family and cozy witchy-ness, which was filled with Jane Austen quotes, and delightful depictions of brewing magical potions by way of ingredients like moonlight.
"In moments like this, she really and truly loved being a witch. She loved losing herself for hours in the hum of magic, the sparkle of gold dust in the air, the soft warmth of witchfire, the ideas and the creativity and the fun. Why would anyone ever want to do anything else?"
Mika is a likable and relatable heroine, simultaneously rebellious and reluctant to rock the boat. Her love interest, Jaime, is a protective father figure with a crunchy exterior and a soft and chewy center. Their romance is very sweet and doesn't unfold too quickly—The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches takes just the right amount of time and care in setting up the transformation from initial attraction and distrust into full blown affection and love.
I delighted in the original take on witches that The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches presents too. When many of us think of witches, I think we picture covens, made up of powerful and confident women, chanting spells together under moonlight, as a sisterhood. But in The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches all witches come into the world as orphans due to a mysterious spell gone wrong in the ancient past. And when more witches are together, the amount of magic becomes more bountiful, powerful, and ultimately, uncontrollably dangerous. Therefore, it's simply deemed too risky for witches to gather.
"'It's not always enough to go looking for the place we belong,' Jaime said, his eyes on the house ahead. 'Sometimes we need to make that place.'"
Literally my only "complaints," so to speak, about The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is that some of the side characters could be a little more fully developed. The young girls themselves, especially outside of Terracotta and Rosetta, could have used a bit more page time and development, but what we do get from these girls is precious and mostly believable for children of their age. I also thought the sex scenes were a little out of place in what mostly feels like a wholesome and family friendly read. However, the scenes aren't too salacious or too frequent, so the incongruity is not that big of a deal.
Other than that, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is absolutely delightful and charming. I'd recommend this novel to fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea or The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and for those that love witches, romance, found family, and fun reads. If you're looking for a cozy fantasy read for fall, this is the perfect one.
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chelseazo's review against another edition
4.0
I think I had a smile on my face for this entire book.
christyrunsdc's review against another edition
5.0
Delightful. What a beautiful, sweet book! I loved every page.
danireadsbooks1's review against another edition
4.0
4.25 Stars
If we have yet to define Cozy Fantasy as a genre, then I would like this book to help define it. A book I didn’t expect to like, this book felt like a warm hug and I was tearing up by the end.
Quick Synopsis: Mika Moon makes YouTube videos on the internet demonstrating her magic, creating potions for her viewers. Only her viewers don’t know or think it’s actually real. One viewer however can spot her magic, and approaches her with an offer: help them to raise and teach 3 orphaned young witches how to control their magic. Mika has always abided by the rule that witches can’t exist together for fear of too much magic running amuck, but these three witches and their loving family are just what Mika needs to find her own happily ever after
What I liked:
-Mika was an amazing Female Main Character and I enjoyed how kind and warm she was, despite her rather traumatic background and childhood. She was just so patient.
-The stakes were low, but high enough that I was still incredibly intrigued and engaged with the plot.
-The found family trope in this novel sets the bar: it was a beautiful culmination of colorful characters that created such a warm and loving family.
-The three young orphaned witches were so cute even when they weren’t being cute. It seemed incredibly realistic that witches that young would get into trouble.
If this is cozy fantasy, I need more.
If we have yet to define Cozy Fantasy as a genre, then I would like this book to help define it. A book I didn’t expect to like, this book felt like a warm hug and I was tearing up by the end.
Quick Synopsis: Mika Moon makes YouTube videos on the internet demonstrating her magic, creating potions for her viewers. Only her viewers don’t know or think it’s actually real. One viewer however can spot her magic, and approaches her with an offer: help them to raise and teach 3 orphaned young witches how to control their magic. Mika has always abided by the rule that witches can’t exist together for fear of too much magic running amuck, but these three witches and their loving family are just what Mika needs to find her own happily ever after
What I liked:
-Mika was an amazing Female Main Character and I enjoyed how kind and warm she was, despite her rather traumatic background and childhood. She was just so patient.
-The stakes were low, but high enough that I was still incredibly intrigued and engaged with the plot.
-The found family trope in this novel sets the bar: it was a beautiful culmination of colorful characters that created such a warm and loving family.
-The three young orphaned witches were so cute even when they weren’t being cute. It seemed incredibly realistic that witches that young would get into trouble.
If this is cozy fantasy, I need more.
zhariah's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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? No
5.0
emmelle's review against another edition
emotional
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
5.0