By Meghan Mazzaferro
Content warning: xenophobia, abandonment, child neglect and abuse, homophobia, death, death of a parent, racism
In The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, it is the curse of every witch to be orphaned young and to live in isolation for most of her life. Mika Moon knows the Rules, and though she lives by them, she craves a community and posts videos online “pretending” to be a real witch. These videos attract the attention of an eclectic group seeking a magic teacher, leading Mika to discover a tight-knit family harbouring three young witches. With an impending deadline putting their little family at risk, the group of caretakers at Nowhere House beg Mika to teach the girls to control their magic, and though Mika knows it breaks all the Rules, she agrees to stay. For a girl whose life has been spent isolated and on the move, Nowhere House may be just what Mika needs—if she’s willing to open herself up to it.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a romance, but it is also a deeply moving story about family, choosing your community, and letting go of the traumas of your past to build a better future for yourself and your loved ones. This book feels like a warm hug, and from the moment you open the book to when you read the last line, there is a feeling of comfort and peace.
I absolutely loved the writing style of this book. While it has a more modern voice, the humour and narration style reminded me of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton, which is excellent because that style of writing really brings me into the story and makes me immediately invested. Each of our main cast of characters was vibrant and unique and wonderful to read about, and their little quirks and habits had me smiling and seeing them in my head as I read. I, for one, would love to join the wonderful family at Nowhere House.
I found the plot of this book really interesting, and the pacing well executed. The book did a great job of explaining the magic system organically while still leaving a feeling of whimsy and, dare I say, magic to the whole thing. Mika’s journey as both a teacher, and as a member of Nowhere House, felt organic and smooth. Likewise, her relationship with Jamie, the grumpy librarian, was very well done. I know we all love the grumpy/sunshine trope, but it can be hard to execute well, and I feel like Sangu Mandanna nailed it.
The stakes of this book felt appropriately high, and I enjoyed the way the book balanced the heartwarming found-family moments with the fears the characters faced at the thought of the girls’ witchcraft being discovered, and at the threat of their family falling apart. This book balanced a very valid justification of why witches must remain isolated with the proof that they may not always have to, and that was excellent to read. Mika’s exploration of what a witch should be, and what type of community she is allowed to find for herself, was really compelling and powerful, and the plot of this book helps that discovery progress in a really natural and impactful way.
This book is absolute perfection. I don’t mean to oversell it, but literally my only criticism is that this book was published in August when it has perfect winter vibes—but also, I could not have waited another second to read it, and neither should you.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.