lizacorn's review against another edition
- 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
A truly special story.
Also! Loved how everyone’s skin colour was shared.
Moderate: Death and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Homophobia, Racism, and Death of parent
dreamingofreading's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Racism
leilah_m's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism
angelmoo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Child abuse, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Toxic relationship
dodecashedron's review against another edition
- 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
The magic system is delightful, I loved Mika, Jamie, and everyone else. This is the epitome of found family and it made me all warm and cozy.
I do feel that I have to warn people, I did she'd a few tears during this book, and I had not expected it and was on a train. So be warned. (they were so worth it though).
It's also proof that the chipper protagonist gets with grumpy, mean, seemingly uncaring person with heart of gold is not a bad trope, if you actually make sure the person is just grumpy, does like the protagonist and has a heart of gold! Instead of just being awful to the protagonist all the time and then all of a sudden also being in love???
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death, and Gaslighting
Minor: Xenophobia, Body horror, and Racism
bookmark3brodi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
ksuazo94's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Sexual content
trips's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Mika Moon finds herself tutoring 3 young witches who according to the "rules" shouldn't be living together. However, Mika herself, having known how lonely it is to grow up with a revolving door of nannies, agrees to stay at "Nowhere House" to help the little found family out.
There is also a love interest, Jamie, who seems to be a grumpy to Mika's sunshine. While I found their relationship cute, I thought it was more touching how Jamie had become essentially a father for these 3 witches...Which isn't to say I don't like Mika and Jamie together, I just think they kinda needed more time to learn about each other before becoming romantic given their individual trauma butttttttt its a book so I understand.
The writing is bright and entertaining, the plot is warm and inviting. Overall I enjoyed this book!
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
ohheyitskaitlin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Confinement, Bullying, Grief, Blood, Alcohol, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, and Violence
skudiklier's review against another edition
- 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
Original review pasted below:
I absolutely adored this book. I mean, really. It's got witches. It's got found family. It's got enemies to lovers. It's got queer grandpas. It's got cute little kids. It's got plot twists. What more could you ask for from a book, honestly.
Also--you know that feeling you get when you're deep into a good story, or maybe you've already finished it, and you find yourself wanting to go back to that world and those characters? You could be doing anything and then suddenly you have this weird urge that maybe you can't place for a minute, until you go, oh, I just want to go back to reading/watching that.
I get that a lot, but in most cases it's not until I'm a good ways into the story, unless I'm rereading a childhood favorite or something like that. What's weird about The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is that I started feeling that way almost right from the beginning. I was barely into the book, and still would feel myself drawn to the characters. I didn't have a lot of time to read it at first, so I made my way through the first third the book pretty slowly, and it was surprisingly hard to not just drop everything and read it all so I could stay in the story.
By midway through, I sort of did drop everything to finish it. I couldn't help it. And agh, I just, I loved it so much. I have no idea if the author plans to write sequels, but I hope she does, just because I feel like I could spend so much longer in this world and with these characters, and never have enough.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.
Graphic: Xenophobia
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Bullying, Abandonment, Child abuse, Alcohol, Racism, and Sexual content
Minor: Murder, Homophobia, Abortion, and Death of parent