The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (★★★★★)
Print • Owned (indie bookstore) • Fantasy • 2022
Short synopsis: A lonely witch who secretly posts fake spell videos online is summoned to a mysterious house to teach three young witches to control their magic.
This book was adorable in every sense of the word. I loved the magical world that Mandanna created. It felt like sinking into the softest sweatshirt–cozy, warm, and comfortable. Mika, the witch at the center of the story, is full of life and incredibly easy to root for. As an orphan raised without the community she longs for, she’s spent most of her life following strict rules meant to keep witches hidden and separate. It’s led to a lonely existence for Mika until she is summoned to Nowhere House and meets an unforgettable cast of characters. Every character in this novel is fully formed and so precious to me. The children are delightful, and I just adored the the found-family dynamics. As a bonus, there is a romance woven into the story like a small gift tucked between the pages. I adored this book, and it’s already a strong contender for one of my favorite reads of the year. (Recommendation source: IRL friend, Lynn)
Homeseeking by Karissa Chen (★★★☆☆)
Print • Owned (indie bookstore) • Historical Fiction • 2025
Short synopsis: An epic and intimate tale of one couple across sixty years as world events pull them together and apart, illuminating the Chinese diaspora and exploring what it means to find home far from your homeland.
This is a tough one for me to review because it’s a book so many people love, and I went in expecting to feel the same way. I’m usually a big fan of historical fiction, especially stories that immerse me in a time and place I don’t know much about, but this one just didn’t land for me emotionally. While the writing is beautiful, I never felt particularly compelled to pick it up and found myself struggling to connect with the characters. The shifting timelines were occasionally confusing, and the present-day chapters felt somewhat unnecessary to the overall story. Ultimately, it just felt like a bit of a slog to get through. I can absolutely see why this book resonates with so many readers, but it just wasn’t the right fit for me.
Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford (★★★☆☆)
Audiobook • Libby • Contemporary Fiction • 2024
Short synopsis: After nearly sixty years of marriage, Jenny Quinn takes a chance and tries out for Britain Bakes. She’s surprised to be cast, only to find that the pressures of the show stir long-buried memories and a decades-old secret that could unravel her marriage.
This novel had all the ingredients (see what I did there?) of something I should love—reality TV, an adorable older protagonist, and a touch of found family—but it ultimately left me a bit bored. The story jumps back and forth in time, which was particularly confusing on audiobook; for the first 15% or so, I genuinely thought there were two different protagonists—a young baker named Jenny and then Mrs. Quinn—when in fact they were the same person, just sixty years apart. I struggled to fully buy the central premise of Jenny keeping such a massive secret from her husband for SIXTY years, as it didn’t quite align with how her character was portrayed. That said, I loved the behind-the-scenes look at reality TV and especially the tender relationship between Jenny and her husband. What I loved most was the portrait of a marriage that has endured for sixty years, full of quiet support and deep love, and the unsettling question that runs beneath it all: how does one of them go on when the other is gone? While it’s not a book I’d rush to recommend, it makes for a light, cozy palate cleanser filled with plenty of delicious baking scenes.
What are you reading?
I have read two of those books, and both of them I gave four stars. I read Mrs Quinn and liked it a lot, and I also really enjoyed Homeseeking – I actually liked the weird timelines and the name changes! I just started a book called Stay With Me, by a Nigerian author, about polygamy! Will report back.
I feel like I read that book, Stay With Me. Hold please! Yes, I did – I gave it 3 stars and I’m guessing it was a bit too literary for my tastes. I hope it works better for you!
That’s too bad that Homeseeking didn’t work for you. It is a unique narrative structure with one character narrating from the past to the present and the other from the present to the past, but I liked it. I can see how it wouldn’t work for every reader. And I love how much I learned about China and Taiwan. I also like the Mrs. Quinn book. It went down pretty easily for me but it might have been a “right book, right time” kind of situation.
Right now I’m reading “We Love to Run” which I am really enjoying. I would only recommend it to runners because it’s about a collegiate cross country female team and I think it might bore non-runners, but it’s working for me. I had to DNF my book club book for april (Lush) because I just could not get into it. I’ve had several DNFs lately so my brain is feeling a little bit broken for some reason.
I really hate when I have a bunch of DNFs in a row because then I start worrying that I broke my reading and I’ll never read a good book again. I like to thought spiral, can’t you tell?!
Oh, now I kind of want to read the Witch book.
I’m currently listening to What Stays in Amsterdam, and really enjoying it! Thank you for that recommendation.
Oh yay, I’m glad you’re liking the Amsterdam book. Such a fun story!
The Mrs. Quinn book has such a good title. I imagine that the past and present flip flopping style would confuse me too. Thanks for sharing these. I’m reading Good Dirt right now. It’s really good.
Good Dirt is on my TBR. I read her debut, Black Cake, this week, and while I didn’t love it, I did really enjoy the writing style and want to try her other book. Glad you’re loving it!
I tried to read Mrs. Quinn, but had to return it before I finished it; it clearly didn’t hold my interest enough to either read it faster or borrow it again. I liked the premise of the book, but found the writing a little dull . I am, however, curious about the big secret….
I am happy to tell you about the big secret! Shoot me an email and I’ll tell ya. 🙂