The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

By: Sangu Mandanna

Narrated by: Samara MacLaren

Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

“This is one of my coziest reads of the last year, and I find myself thinking about its enchanted setting all the time.”—Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family—and a new love—changes the course of her life.

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for.....

©2022 Sangu Mandanna (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"An effervescent stunner."—The New York Times

“This whimsical romance is full of quirky, lovable characters who will charm even the grumpiest of readers. It’s an enchanting story that brings to life the wonders of finally finding your people and letting love find you.”—The Washington Post

"The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a warm and witchy hug of a book. Full of endearing characters, romance and found family, it's the cozy magical romance you've been waiting for. I absolutely adored it!"—Tasha Suri, Author of The Jasmine Throne

The perfect cozy fall read!

Ugh, this book is so cozy and lovely and the perfect fall read. It fulfills my desire for stories with richly described worlds full of magic, casual diversity, and wonderfully round characters without ever sacrificing the plot or depth of the world it’s created. The twists and turns were lovely and just predictable enough that they felt both refreshing and believable. The characters are so lovable and feel like old friends only a few chapters in.

The narrator is charming, lovable, and so so enjoyable to listen to — she’s spoiled other romance audiobooks for me because I keep comparing them to her! Her accents are amazing and I just love her and this book so much.

lovely, sweet and hilarious

Really enjoyed this coy read. Such a sweet story about finding family and love and creating the world in which you want to live. Samara MacLaren's narration was utterly beautiful

Felt like a hug

Funny, clever and highly enjoyable. Thought the story was fresh and progressive. Good for book clubs.

So warm and uplifting!

Such a great story with such lovable characters. It’s not hokey and gushy like I expected. Very Practical Magic vibes. The narrator was great. I could listen to her Mika voice all day.

Best book I’ve read this year

What a lovely book! The story left me grinning and the narrator may have spoiled me for all others. She was excellent.

perfect mix

This book is the perfect mix of relationships, calamity, whimsy and romance. When you need a mental break from murder mysteries and true crime, this is it. I know I will listen to this recording again.

For anyone who has ever felt like they weren’t enough

I think in the description the reviewer calls this a “hug of a book” and that is hitting the nail on the head, sprinkled with some Mary Poppins and Jane Austen vibes. If you have read the two wisteria society of lady witches books you’ll love this.

Fabulous Book

I very much enjoyed this story it was a fabulous read. The narrator nailed it.

The perfect escape

This was a warm hug of a book, with characters I liked, and lines I loved.
I’ll let you discover those for yourself. Just know that this book is very British, very wry, and extremely funny.
Mika Moon is a woman without a true home or a real family. In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, she is optimistic, warmhearted, and the kind of person I’d want to befriend. The three girls she looks after her nothing short of hysterical. If you need a laugh, or just a break from everyday nonsense, please, open this book and read the most extraordinary, *adorable* nonsense I’ve read this year. It’s wonderful, and like Mika’s magical teas, it will make you feel better.

Absolutely Delightful

This was truly a delight. Loved the story, which was only made even better by the wonderful reader.