The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

While I haven't read Sangu's middle grade books, her YA Celestial trilogy is one of my all time favorites, so I was definitely gonna pick up this adult fantasy book of hers. And I was upset that I didn't manage to get an arc, but I can now say that I'm glad I purchased the audiobook because I had such a lovely experience listening.

The past couple of months have been great in terms of reading cozy fantasy novels and I'm glad we get a new addition to the subgenre with this book, and wow isn't this one of the best. Ofcourse there are some tears and sad backstories and quite a bit of contemplation too, but the author manages to keep the book a breezy read for the most part, just full of love and feelings and hope and found family. The writing has a lot of charm to it, and I felt like I was coasting on a sugar high all the time I was listening to it. The pacing isn't too fast but it's also not slow to the point of boring - it's languid and soothing, and you just wanna keep going. Yes it is about witches, and we get some magic lessons and potion making and any other magical feels, but the world building is kept only as much as necessary and it mostly remains a story about love and family. The narrator Samara McLaren does a wonderful job keeping up the mostly cheerful voice of the narrative and I felt completely lost in it.

Mika is a delight. She is the sunshine character, seemingly ever optimistic and cheerful, bringing smiles to everyone around her - but she buries the hurts of her past deep inside. She loves being a witch but that has also led to her leading a very lonely existence, and all she wants is a place she can call home and people to love, who are accepting of everything about her. When she finds herself slowly getting attached to the little girls and other inhabitants of Nowhere House, she is scared to take that leap of faith and entrust her heart to others, but the ways in which she becomes a part of this family is something even she can't help.

Jamie on the other hand is a grumpy guy (but definitely not mean) who is prickly and protective of the kids and doesn't want someone new like Mika to show up at Nowhere House. Their dynamic doesn't start off well but it's a gradual progression to friendship and more, and I loved how realistic it felt. They were both holding back and took time to open up to each other, and it was lovely to see them get together.

But before Jamie, the ones who immediately accept Mika are the other inhabitants of Nowhere House - the over enthusiastic former theatre artist Ian who is equally as cheerful as Mika and just wants to set her up with Jamie, his husband Ken who is probably the most calm and wise person in the house, and Lucy who is the person who keeps the house running in order. They all play their parts in making Mika feel welcome in their home and show her the kind of familial love she has never experienced.

And ofcourse there are the kids. Terracotta is distrustful of Mika, just like Jamie is initially whom she adores, and it takes some magic for her to get to acceptance. But the younger ones Altimira and Rosetta are eager to learn more about their magic from Mika and love spending time with her. These three little girls are the fulcrum of this little found family, each who was lonely in their own way, but found a home in Nowhere House along with other lonely souls.

I can't deny that I love my epic fantasies but I feel like the year 2022 will be an year of cozy fantasies for me, and it'll probably reflect in my end of the year favorites post - and this book will be definitely be on it. It's a loving and charming book full of characters we can easily adore, with lot of found family feels and a swoony romance, and a warmth that just permeates the whole narrative. I was listening to the audiobook (which is amazing) but I missed having a copy in my hand because I just wanted to give it a hug. Thank you for another beautiful book Sangu.