The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Although I'm a huge reader (and writer!) of magic-realism romances - time slip/travel/loop, alternate realities, etc - I've never been a paranormal romance reader and have tended to stay away from vampire/werewolf/ghost/witch romances. But I was convinced to read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, and I'm so glad I did! It was truly the most heartwarming book I've read this year. It's less about the witch being a witch and more like found family in a quirky household, plus there's a handsome, grumpy Irish librarian as a love interest to make it really interesting! Utterly charming, funny, and… show more.

I loved this sweet story about a witch without a home or family who finds a home and family.

Mika was a likable, capable protagonist surrounded by a supporting cast of loveable misfits. The children she cared for were adorable and funny, especially the surly Terracotta. Ken, Ian, Lucie, and Jamie finish out the "family" and provide exactly the support Mika and the girls need.

Though there was romance in the book, it didn't overshadow the story, which I appreciated. The "found family" trope was executed masterfully, and I loved how everything tied together in the end.

Found family is one of my favorite tropes because I've had times in my life when I really didn't feel like I belonged in the place where I was planted and other times when I was embraced deeply in a way that had nothing to do with DNA. Reading about characters discovering the latter situations always leaves me with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

Which is a long way of saying: when I stumbled across the best found-family fantasy I'd read in a very long time, I wanted to shout it to the rooftops!

I also enjoyed the unique voice of… show more.