The very secret society of irregular witches

Orphan and witch Mika Moon was raised to keep her magic hidden and taught that spending too much time around other witches is dangerous. She posts videos of herself "pretending" to be a witch, certain that nobody will see through them, until she is invited to tutor three young witches at a secluded house 500 miles away. The girls are being raised by four nonwitch adults who desperately need someone to help the girls control their power. Mika reluctantly agrees, not wanting them to suffer the isolation she endured but knowing that it won't be easy to win over stubborn middle child Terracotta or Jamie, the gruff but protective librarian who doesn't trust her. Mika soon discovers that the girls aren't Nowhere House's only secret, and she and Jamie struggle to deny their attraction to each other. Mandanna's first adult novel celebrates found family and trusting one's instincts, with a cast of truly endearing characters. This sweet and sometimes steamy fantasy romance will appeal to fans of TJ Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) or Karen Hawkins' The Book Charmer (2019).

A misfit witch finds her place in the world in this utterly enchanting fantasy from Mandanna (A War of Swallowed Stars). Witch Mika Moon has never felt like she belonged; as an orphaned child, she was raised by a controlling older witch named Primrose and educated by a succession of nannies, each of whom was whisked away before they could realize Mika's power. She's never told anyone her secret, but as an adult she takes a risk by posting videos online in which she "pretends" to be a witch. It's all harmless fun--until retired actor Ian Kubo-Hawthorn recognizes her as the real deal. He invites her to Nowhere House, home to a found family working together to raise three young, untrained orphan witches. The children's unchecked magic has become impossible to contain, and Ian recruits Mika to become the trio's live-in magic tutor. But not everyone is pleased with the arrangement: "devastatingly handsome" Jamie Kelly, the house librarian, is hyperprotective of the children, and despite the immediate heat between him and Mika, he's determined not to let her melt his icy exterior. Mandanna crafts a cast of winningly quirky characters, each with their own part to play in Mika's path to belonging. The masterfully shaded relationships between Nowhere House's residents give rise to plenty of touching moments sure to tug on readers' heartstrings. This charming romantic fantasy is a gem. Agent: Penny Moore, Aevitas. (Aug.)

Children's author Mandanna's (Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom) adult debut follows Mika Moon, an orphaned witch who finds her place in the world. Mika was raised to keep her magic secret and avoid connecting with other people, especially other witches. All that changes when she accepts a job tutoring three young witches. Narrator Samara MacLaren communicates the novel's cozy atmosphere, complete with quirky side characters and adorably precocious children. MacLaren deftly captures the movement between Mika's sunny dialogue and her guarded inner monologue, allowing listeners a glimpse into her pain and insecurity. She instills strong personalities and creates distinct accents for each character, which is impressive, since the characters range widely in age. Listeners will empathize with Mika and hope that she finds happiness in this found-family story. The novel features a light enemies-to-lovers romance and a lyrical, if not in-depth, magical system. VERDICT Mandanna's enchanting fantasy will have wide appeal and is a must-buy for all public library collections.--Matthew Galloway

A British witch takes a job as a magic tutor and finds the place she belongs. Mika Moon's parents died when she was a child, and she's spent her entire adult life moving every few months, never staying in one place for long or getting attached to anyone. At 31, she's been raised to keep magic secret; her sole contact with other witches is a small group she sees every three months, and she can't even text with them in between, as the group's leader thinks having too much magic in one place will draw unwanted attention. Mika does, however, do one thing that skates the edges of propriety: She posts online videos in which she "pretends" to be a witch: "Witchcore....Not quite as popular as cottagecore or fairycore, but it's up there." Then she gets an interesting request in her DMs, and Mika finds herself at Nowhere House, an old country estate, teaching three orphaned children how to control their magic. Suddenly surrounded by people who not only know her secret, but accept her for it, Mika is dangerously close to getting attached, both to the girls she's teaching and to their caretakers, including Jamie, the cute librarian who didn't want to send for her. But with the clock ticking until an upcoming visit from a lawyer who's suspicious about the "unconventional household" and the witch rules Mika's been raised with ringing in her ears, is this all just a bomb waiting to explode? The world Mandanna has created is exceedingly cozy and heartfelt, full of people bursting with love who have trouble expressing it due to trauma in their pasts. From the three magical girls to the elderly gay caretakers to the hot, young Irish librarian, each resident of Nowhere House is a lovingly crafted outcast reaching for family. Various threads laid out seemingly haphazardly through the story all come together in surprising ways in the last 30 pages for a finale worthy of the tale that preceded it. A magical tale about finding yourself and making a found family that will leave the reader enchanted. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Orphan and witch Mika Moon was raised to keep her magic hidden and taught that spending too much time around other witches is dangerous. She posts videos of herself pretending to be a witch, certain that nobody will see through them, until she is invited to tutor three young witches at a secluded house 500 miles away. The girls are being raised by four nonwitch adults who desperately need someone to help the girls control their power. Mika reluctantly agrees, not wanting them to suffer the isolation she endured but knowing that it won't be easy to win over stubborn middle child Terracotta or Jamie, the gruff but protective librarian who doesn't trust her. Mika soon discovers that the girls aren't Nowhere House's only secret, and she and Jamie struggle to deny their attraction to each other. Mandanna's first adult novel celebrates found family and trusting one's instincts, with a cast of truly endearing characters. This sweet and sometimes steamy fantasy romance will appeal to fans of TJ Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) or Karen Hawkins' The Book Charmer (2019). Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

DEBUT Mika Moon lives a very lonely life most of the time. Orphaned at a young age, Mika was raised by a series of nannies and tutors. Other than infrequent meetings with her fellow witches, Mika doesn't get to share her love of magic with others, so she starts a YouTube channel where she plays a fake witch. She never expected anyone to realize she was a real witch, but to her surprise, she gets a message asking her to tutor three young witches. Mika knows she shouldn't take this job, but the idea of sharing her passion for potions and spells with the young witches is hard to resist. Before long, she finds herself a welcome part of their little found family—by all except the cute, grumpy librarian named Jamie. Mika and her new family shine with a glow all their own. This book is like a warm welcome home and is sure to find itself being a comfort read for many. VERDICT Mandanna's (Kiki Kallira Conquers a Curse) first adult novel is a positively adorable romantic fantasy and a must-buy for all public libraries.—Amanda Toth

A misfit witch finds her place in the world in this utterly enchanting fantasy from Mandanna (A War of Swallowed Stars). Witch Mika Moon has never felt like she belonged; as an orphaned child, she was raised by a controlling older witch named Primrose and educated by a succession of nannies, each of whom was whisked away before they could realize Mika's power. She's never told anyone her secret, but as an adult she takes a risk by posting videos online in which she "pretends" to be a witch. It's all harmless fun—until retired actor Ian Kubo-Hawthorn recognizes her as the real deal. He invites her to Nowhere House, home to a found family working together to raise three young, untrained orphan witches. The children's unchecked magic has become impossible to contain, and Ian recruits Mika to become the trio's live-in magic tutor. But not everyone is pleased with the arrangement: "devastatingly handsome" Jamie Kelly, the house librarian, is hyperprotective of the children, and despite the immediate heat between him and Mika, he's determined not to let her melt his icy exterior. Mandanna crafts a cast of winningly quirky characters, each with their own part to play in Mika's path to belonging. The masterfully shaded relationships between Nowhere House's residents give rise to plenty of touching moments sure to tug on readers' heartstrings. This charming romantic fantasy is a gem. Agent: Penny Moore, Aevitas. (Aug.)