Reviews tagging 'Cursing'
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, by Sangu Mandanna
26 reviews
kaymay29's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
The book is heartwarming and relaxing. This is a story of found family and finding small ways to make changes in the the world. Pretty much every character is lovable in their own way and all of their interactions are so wholesome and the romantic relationships are very sweet.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Alcohol, and Death of parent
hootreads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content, Cursing, and Death of parent
Minor: Physical abuse, Abandonment, and Emotional abuse
flyintothestorm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It is a really cozy and warm story. Perfect for a calm afternoon. And the kids are a mood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, and Death
Minor: Racism and Homophobia
ijustreallyliketrees's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Very cozy, low stakes story about magic and found family. I want to live in Nowhere House and try some of Mika Moon's teas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing and Death
Minor: Racism
bringmybooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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? Yes
4.75
<<<<<<<<< cozy fantasy
(that's it. that's the tweet)
(that's it. that's the tweet)
✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
(JK - I, of course, have more to say)
Okay, so last year the sub-genre "Cozy Fantasy" starts getting thrown around a whole lot, and I'm intrigued. I then discover that some of my favorite series as a kid fall into this category, and I'm even more intrigued. I then read Legends & Lattes and I'm HERE. FOR. IT.
So on a whim I buy the hardcover UK edition of L&L and while on the site I snag this adorable UK hardcover of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches as well. And I debate waiting until October to read it, but then I don't, which I'm glad for because HELLO THIS WAS DELIGHTFUL.
Okay, but seriously. This book was pure magic. The relationships, the magical system, the plot, the characters, the romance, the ending, just ... all of it. I was hooked pretty much immediately and once Mika Moon (also, the name? I mean? are you kidding me?) gets to Nowhere House I didn't want to put this book down until I finished!
(The absolute. only. thing. that gave me pause was the amount of cussing in it. Well, not necessarily the cussing because I don't really care about that, but more so that there were a number of times that it seemed like the three young children would have been in the room with the cussing just flying around and that wasn't my fav)
That aside - I genuinely LOVED this book and I cannot WAIT for the next book to come from Sangu Mandanna!
(according to her IG, it's A WITCH’S GUIDE TO MAGICAL INNKEEPING and it's coming in April 2024!)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing and Grief
Minor: Murder, Homophobia, Death, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia
readwithria's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a heartwarming, cozy book about finding yourself and and your family. It’s a book about belonging, and its sparkling magic feels like a farm hug by the fire.
I adored this book! It’s so cozy, which is my favorite kind of fantasy, and the balance of romance with the other aspects of the book was beautifully done. This book makes me want to drink a warm cup of tea and return to my personal witchy phase.
The characters in this book are so special, and their impacts on each other are so wonderful to read. Mika and Jamie are precious, as are the three witchlings and the rest of the Nowhere House crew. I love the little coven they build together, and how they build each other up.
This book was absolutely beautiful, I can’t wait to read more from Sangu Mandanna. 4.5 stars.
I adored this book! It’s so cozy, which is my favorite kind of fantasy, and the balance of romance with the other aspects of the book was beautifully done. This book makes me want to drink a warm cup of tea and return to my personal witchy phase.
The characters in this book are so special, and their impacts on each other are so wonderful to read. Mika and Jamie are precious, as are the three witchlings and the rest of the Nowhere House crew. I love the little coven they build together, and how they build each other up.
This book was absolutely beautiful, I can’t wait to read more from Sangu Mandanna. 4.5 stars.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment and Death of parent
andloveistoolong's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Child abuse
Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Injury/injury detail, and Physical abuse
jaydub0221's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing and Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Alcohol, Sexual content, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Homophobia
tragedies's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
I started The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches around November last year, but I only got around to finishing it this January while my sister and I were completing a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle for the holiday break. I blame this for my recent, all-consuming affinity for the cozy fantasy subgenre, which I never knew was a thing until I stumbled upon this wonderful novel. It was first pitched to me as The House in the Cerulean Sea meets Practical Magic, and I couldn’t agree more. It has the charming, whimsical tropes reminiscent of The House in the Cerulean Sea, while the magic system and the lore echo that of Practical Magic. I love both, so it’s not entirely surprising why this book captured my heart.
It follows Mika Moon, a member of the Secret Society of Witches (which was not its actual name but Mika likes to pretend it is). All her life, she has lived by two rules — hide your magic and stay away from other witches. “Alone is how we survive,” declared Primrose, head of the society and her mentor. And so Mika does. She moves to a new place every few months and mostly keeps her magic to herself. Operative word being mostly. Sometimes, she shares her magic on the Internet by pretending to be a witch on camera, confident that no one would take her blatant displays of power seriously.
However, someone does. That person reaches out and asks for her help to train three young witches in a place called Nowhere House. Intrigued, Mika agrees and moves to this mysterious estate which, apart from the children she just took under her wing, also houses a retired theater actor, his husband slash resident gardener, a housekeeper, and a grumpy librarian. As she spends more time with this eccentric yet loveable group of people, she begins to realize what it means to have a family and a home. She also experiences what it feels like to love and be loved in return. For once, that familiar chasm of loneliness she'd known since childhood is merely a whisper to the boisterous cheer and laughter of Nowhere House.
Sangu Mandanna has the gift of turning mundanity into moments of pure and utter magic that warms the heart and soothes the soul. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was a witch herself because she has definitely casted a spell on me with this enchanting tale about found families and coming home.
P.S. Anyone else here who's weak for the grump and sunshine dynamic? It's my absolute favorite! I've read my fair share of it, so when I say this book delivered, I mean it DELIVERED. Sangu Mandanna not only understood the assignment, she aced it with flying colors too. Special shoutout to Ken and Ian, who melted my cold cynical heart just as much as Mika and Jamie did.
It follows Mika Moon, a member of the Secret Society of Witches (which was not its actual name but Mika likes to pretend it is). All her life, she has lived by two rules — hide your magic and stay away from other witches. “Alone is how we survive,” declared Primrose, head of the society and her mentor. And so Mika does. She moves to a new place every few months and mostly keeps her magic to herself. Operative word being mostly. Sometimes, she shares her magic on the Internet by pretending to be a witch on camera, confident that no one would take her blatant displays of power seriously.
However, someone does. That person reaches out and asks for her help to train three young witches in a place called Nowhere House. Intrigued, Mika agrees and moves to this mysterious estate which, apart from the children she just took under her wing, also houses a retired theater actor, his husband slash resident gardener, a housekeeper, and a grumpy librarian. As she spends more time with this eccentric yet loveable group of people, she begins to realize what it means to have a family and a home. She also experiences what it feels like to love and be loved in return. For once, that familiar chasm of loneliness she'd known since childhood is merely a whisper to the boisterous cheer and laughter of Nowhere House.
Sangu Mandanna has the gift of turning mundanity into moments of pure and utter magic that warms the heart and soothes the soul. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was a witch herself because she has definitely casted a spell on me with this enchanting tale about found families and coming home.
P.S. Anyone else here who's weak for the grump and sunshine dynamic? It's my absolute favorite! I've read my fair share of it, so when I say this book delivered, I mean it DELIVERED. Sangu Mandanna not only understood the assignment, she aced it with flying colors too. Special shoutout to Ken and Ian, who melted my cold cynical heart just as much as Mika and Jamie did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Cursing, and Death
rhi_'s review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, Bullying, and Abandonment