Read a cozy and magical witchy book about belonging and finding your place
What to Read This Week
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
What It’s About
This is one of those books that I wasn’t sure was under-the-radar enough. It was one of my most highly anticipated books this year, but when I mention it to others, it seems like many people haven’t heard of it! And it was a five-star read for me, so during this lovely fall spooky time, I’m going to use this chance to tell you about how cozy and magical and lovely this book is.
Mika Moon has never really belonged anywhere for long—she knows that being a witch keeps her isolated, and that she can never share that part of herself. She has to keep her powers hidden to stay safe. But what harm can a fun online persona do? She’s a popular witch lifestyle content creator, never dreaming anyone will take her seriously. But someone does.
Mika is contacted by a man named Ian, and he claims he knows she’s a real witch. He won’t say anything—he just needs her help. Intrigued, Mika agrees to meet him and finds herself at a countryside cottage, where Ian explains he and the members of the household have been left with three young charges, who all happen to be witches. They need Mika’s help in teaching the young girls how to use and control their magic before it gets out of hand.
Out of nowhere, Mika is thrust into this new family, and though she is hesitant at first, she finds herself growing closer to everyone at the house, including the grumpy librarian, Jamie.
This book has it all: supreme happiness, a touch of romance, a lovable dog sidekick, and well-rounded characters that come to life and make you want to find a magical house of your own filled with witches.
Why You Should Read It
It’s no secret that we’re all looking for a little respite from the real world (and have been for a while), and this book is perfect to do just that. It feels similar to The House in the Cerulean Sea, with its lovely setting and found family vibes, but it also contains a happy-ending romance that will make your heart soar. Plus, who doesn’t love witchy magic?
Reader Beth wrote in a few weeks ago looking for cozy autumn reads, not horror, which inspired this recommendation! As much as I love a good horror novel, sometimes cozy is what we need. If you’re looking for more cozy autumn goodness, try The Nature of Witches or The Reading List.
Next Up
This week, instead of showing my current reads (which include The Temple House Vanishing by Rachel Donohue), I thought I’d give you a peek at my upcoming releases stack. This is where my ARCs and not-yet-published books go to live so I can get extra excited about picking them up. And sometimes, I get duplicates (which is when giveaways come into play!). The ones I’m most looking forward to from this stack are The Cloisters, Meredith, Alone, Now Is Not the Time to Panic, and Small Game. What would you start with?
The downside to reading books early (I know, I know, first-world book person problem) is that I often finish a book and don’t have anyone to gush about it with, because no one has read it yet! Would you like to read books early, or do you like to read them after they’re out and have lots of people talking about them?
More Books
Can’t get enough, or looking for a different recommendation? Browse the archives, or check out some popular past recommendations:
I also love hearing from readers! Let me know what kinds of books you’re looking for that you’d like to see featured, or send in your most recent five-star read (or two) and get a recommendation just for you. You might be featured in an upcoming newsletter! Reply to this email to get in touch!
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I read The Cloisters and enjoyed it. Will have to look into the others. As far as reading a book early or later, heck I just like to read lol. Thanks for adding more to my TBR list.
Yay! Thank you reader Beth for inspiring this pick. This book sounds perfect for me! I never know what to read during this time since I don’t do scary reads. Thank you for another great recommendation =)