A review by ametres
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I loved the first 80% of this book—following Mika and her interactions with the kids and the adult residents of Nowhere House was engaging and sweet. However, I found the romance subplot clunky at best and deeply uncomfortable at worst. 
The kiss scene and sex scenes were a major tone shift from the rest of the book and seemed to be narrated in a very male gaze-y way that felt pretty icky to me. Mika seemed much more passive, which frustrated me since most of the book was focused on her relationships, feelings, and desires up until that point.

Maybe the romance tropes that  fall along very gendered lines just aren’t for me!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings