So fun! Perfect cozy, witchy, fall book. Lots of people are really into witchy romances right now and will totally eat this one up. Already can't keep it in stock in our store. A great gift idea but also going to be perfect for anyone shopping in the contemporary romance area in general.

I think I was smiling while reading the majority of this book. It was such a heartfelt case study in being alone and then finding a community/family. I thought it was such as an interesting discussion on having to hide yourself in order to survive but what does that do to you overtime. When Jamie asked Mika have you ever had any worry over you cue the waterworks. Such a sweet book!

What a warm ,wonderful book! I think it reads more like a fairy tale than a traditional romcom although there certainly is romance and humor. Mika has been raised by nannies as her guardian, Primrose, believes witches need to live alone to safeguard them from society- people would notice if witches lived together as there would be lots of magic. Mika has felt lonely and unlovable for most of her life. She gets asked to go to Nowhere House to help raise three orphan witches who have been kept hidden from witch society and there the inhabitants of the house teach her about how lovable she really is.
Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy- I really enjoyed this.

The plot and romance of this book felt extremely forced and I couldn't connect with the writing the whole time.

2.5 stars

This book was okay. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't great either. I found it overly twee, and the main character's woe-is-me attitude really grated on me throughout the book. There are some sweet moments throughout, but overall, I was a bit underwhelmed by this book especially given the rave reviews I've seen for it. The characters are all a bit one-note and the three children aren't really distinguishable from one another (they did have some funny moments which I liked though). The romance wasn't very well developed but it wasn't as big of a part of the book as I had expected so it was fine. What I do think was not well-done was some of the social commentary towards the end - it wasn't explored in any sort of depth, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but the way that it was laid out was so patronizing and honestly made me feel like I was reading a middle grade novel instead of an adult novel. I think there's a way to do a cozy adult fantasy without making it feel juvenile, and I'm not entirely sure this book was able to do that.

Strangely enough, I felt very similarly about House in the Cerulean Sea, which I've also seen many 5 star reviews compare this book to, so admittedly, the problem probably lies with me. I'd say if you liked that book, you'll probably enjoy this one too.

This book is SO CUTE!! It definitely has whimsical vibes like “House in the Cerulean Sea”, but with witches and more of a focus on the romance. And it’s a grumpy/sunshine romance!

Mika has always been told that witches are safer when they are separated, so she spends her life moving from place to place, longing for somewhere she can be herself. Then, she’s asked to go to Nowhere House to help train 3 young witches and she’s forced to question everything she’s been taught.

I absolutely loved the found family aspect of this book and all of the characters are really likeable and realistic. Sangu Mandanna did a great job of giving them distinct personalities that come alive and the way they interact with each other is delightful. Terracotta was definitely my favourite of the children, but they were all really adorable and impacted Mika in different ways. Jamie also had a really sweet relationship with the kids and just wanted to make sure they were loved and protected. Ian and Ken were definitely the eccentric dads/uncles of the group and I loved how invested Ian was in the relationship between Mika and Jamie.

I also enjoyed how much Mika’s magic was used in the plot; from harvesting ingredients, to teaching the kids, and even defining her personality. Plus, I’m a sucker for a book with magical tea.

Overall, this is a delightful, uplifting novel and I couldn’t get enough. Definitely recommend!!

This book was an absolute delight to read and one of my favorites of the year by far. It was included in a round-up of cozy books to read on The Everygirl and will be personally recommended to readers on The Everygirl's Instagram page.

thank you PRH International for sending me an EARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

5 STARS!!!! <3 (if i could give it more, i would)

this book spoke to my soul. i feel like it was written FOR ME. it is literally what i would call a warm, fluffy hug and it had EVERYTHING i could have asked for. first of all, the main character is INCREDIBLE and a self call out in the best (and most painful) way. i don't know for certain if this was intentional or not, but she had so many autistic behaviors, that it almost felt to me like the book equaled being a witch to being autistic in our wold, and if it was planned it was just simply so incredibly well done. Mika, the mc, constantly talks about how she has a mask she puts on and how it varies depending on who she interacts with, describes her "love for sensory joys", has hyperfixations that she talks constantly about and that make her happy, and even has an episode where after wasting all her energy on a powerful magic spell she then has to rest to recover (also known as autistics masking for so long that they end up having burnout and having to rest for some time before they are able to interact again). Mika was such a real, and incredibly well done character that i already miss her with my entire heart.

Then, every other character was INCREDIBLE as well. how so many broken people found each other, and their love is so strong that they will fight anyone to protect their little found family. how those three little witch girls were adorable and a joy to read about (even if i hate kids). how the DOG was such a joy to read about every single time. literally i have not one bad thing to say about this entire book.

Not only is it a warm and cozy found family with witches, it's also a grumpy sunshine romance that was so incredibly well developed that i was screaming and kicking my feet in the air when they finally kissed. This book is just pure absolute joy, and the ULTIMATE COMFORT BOOK. it even made me cry by how much i related to Mika's feelings. this book spoke to my soul and it honestly feels like it was meant to be read by me. it will be hard to pick up any other book after this, and i'm certain it won't be long before i re-read it, since i miss it already.

Boy, do I have a Halloween treat for you!

Sangu Mandanna's first novel for adults, "The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches," is an absolute gem. It's a perfect fall read, filled with lovable witches and whimsical magic. And it will lift your spirits and make you happy grin. (You know the type of grin I'm talking about, where you smile the entire time you're reading simply from the pure joy of the story.)

Mandanna's writing is infused with kindness and amusing humor, and she has crafted characters you just want to hug. The novel has a gentle feel to it, too, and is in some ways reminiscent of T.J. Klune's "The House in the Cerulean Sea," only there's the added bonus of a hot and sexy romance.

"The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches" is a big-hearted novel, focused around the wonderful themes of found family and self-love. I am so grateful to have read it, and you can bet I will be recommending it for years to come.


My sincerest appreciation to Sangu Mandanna, Berkley Books, and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

Thank you, Berkley Publishing, for the gifted copy of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. {partner}

Genre: Fantasy
Trope: Romance (grumpy/sunshine & found family
Format: 📖🎧
Pub Date: 8.23.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

“Niceness is all about what we do when other people are looking. Kindness, on the other hand, runs deep. Kindness is what happens when no one’s looking.”


I sometimes feel that witchy romance books can toe the line of being overly cheesy. I’ve read a few, and they have just felt straight from a hallmark movie (which isn’t bad, just not what I wanted). The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is EXACTLY what I was looking to read this season.

It’s full of heartfelt moments, laugh-out-loud moments, and a little steamy open-door romance. It didn’t feel overwhelmingly like a romance, but when it was, it was a lot of fun and sweet; the relationship between Mika and Jamie felt natural. The whole book was one big breath of fresh air for the witchy romance trope, and I recommend adding it to your Spooky Season reading list.

🧙🏼‍♀️Delightfully witchy
🥰 About learning to be loved & loving in return
🤗 Triple Hug
👌🏼 That ending

I recommend reading The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches if you enjoyed reading The House in the Cerulean Sea.

This was a cute book. At times it was too cute, but if you’re in the right mood it will definitely win you over.

Mika Moon was raised by the leader of a group of witches in England who believed that witches need to stay apart and stay secret to stay safe. This has understandable led to a rather lonely existence. When Mika is offered a job as a live-in nanny for three young orphaned witches being raised by an odd group of adults, she takes a chance on them.

I struggled to stay interested in this one at times, I think partly because the romance was underdeveloped—it felt shoehorned in, and took time away from the other characters. I didn’t feel like I knew the love interest very well as a person.

There were a few plot points that didn’t feel resolved, like how the witches were cursed so that when a witch is born her parents die. This was brought up many times, and seemed like something that maybe could be undone, but it never was? So I guess our happy couple can never have kids—not that they have to, but it seemed like something that needed to be discussed at least.

I also read this book thinking it would be a great selection for fall/Halloween, and yet most of the book revolves around the winter solstice/Christmas.

There were a lot of tropes that people might like, including found family and grumpy x sunshine. Overall, I can definitely see why people enjoy it but it won’t be a personal favourite.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mika Moon is a witch.

From a very young age she's been told that it's very, very dangerous for witches to congregate in one place so that means Mika has had to hide who she is from nearly everyone in her life. So she turns to the internet where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch as a way to share herself with others without getting caught.

But that doesn't work when someone watching you on the other side knows what to look for. Only the situation doesn't turn violent or involve blackmail. No, what results from the discovery is a plea from an old man asking Mika to travel to a remote destination called Nowhere House. Nowhere House is the home to some interesting characters. An absent archaeologist, an older retired actor, two caretakers, and a handsome librarian. Oh, and Nowhere House is also home to three young witches who need someone to guide them along their magical journey.

The situation at Nowhere House breaks all the rules Mika has ever known but it also holds everything she's ever wanted. A community of witches and people who know what and who she really is.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches was a truly wonderful read full of hijinks and sweet interactions between everyone in Nowhere House. Both the set of adults and the set of kids are lively and it's a book with a decent amount of characters and yet there's no risk of confusing them once you get to know them because these characters are lively and jump off the page.

And, at the heart of the book, it's truly a heartwarming read all about found family and finding a place to belong, for everyone.

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes witches, magic, found family, quirky characters, and heartwarming stories.

Absolutely brilliant book! Perfectly autumnal, romantic, and the best group of outcasts brought together for a found family. I will be reading this again!

What a fun book! Miku is a fun character and when she and the witch girls get together mayhem ensues! I thoroughly enjoyed this book

Rather too self-consciously heartwarming, but that didn’t stop me from immensely enjoying this story of found magical family and romance, and even tearing up in a few places.

Thank you, @netgalley for my copy of this book. This story was such a cozy, romantic story about magic and family. It was the perfect Fall read!

I absolutely fell for this. Imagine the cute, cozy vibes one feels as an adult watching Kiki's Delivery Service, and now transfer that feeling to an adult setting. Found family, sweetness, and a deep-rooted loneliness. Highly recommend!

If House in the Cerulean Sea had witches and was a little less heart warming it would be this book. It was cute but the characters fell a little flat for me and I struggled to emotionally commit to any of them really.

If you like The House in the Cerulean Sea + Mary Poppins + The Sound of Music; read asap. It is just so so cute, funny and cozy with a grumpy + sunshine romance, amazing side characters and three cute kids. I will be recommending to all looking for a cozy fall read.

This book was unexpectedly twee. I couldn't tell if it was meant to be a romance or a cozy family fantasy story. It felt a lot like The House in The Cerulean Sea. The romance honestly felt forced/ out of place, to the point that the sex scene felt awkward.