The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

I must have felt like I needed a book hug, since I chose this one, which was described as a cozy read. I've heard of cozy mysteries and have been curious about the quaint worlds they inhabit. To be clear this is not a cozy mystery, it's a cozy story - a gateway drug of sorts into cozy mysteries. 

 

This is a story about Mika, a witch who lives in England. Mike meets with other witches, in a sort of bi-monthly support group, but members are discouraged against regularly interacting with other witches, as their power might draw attention. 

You can see how this might be an issue when Mika is contacted by someone who lives in a house with three young witches, interested in a magical nanny. Apparently her Instagram posts, where she "pretends" to be a witch, haven't fooled everyone. 

Mika knows having so many witches together could go wrong in a myriad of ways. But without her help, things could be worse. And Mika is intrigued by this strange family - three young adopted girls, a mysterious and famous head of household, and four adults who run things in her usual absence.  

As advertised, the story isn't offensive, or overly stressful (although Nart brings up an important point about how I really glossed over a problematic plot line). There is some drama, but nothing that's too high stakes or heart clenching. So as you might expect, it isn't terribly exciting either. The story was unique enough that it wasn't boring, but I'm not sure I'm a full convert to the genre. I will say, however, that if I feel like I want to read something for the sake of reading, I might turn to these types of books as sort of literary fidget spinners. I could see how the familiarity might turn to investment for a particular series.