Mika Moon is a witch - and that means a solitary life, never spending too much time with other witches, in case their powers are noticed, or with non-magical folks… in case her powers are noticed. Her one hobby is posting videos to the internet “pretending” to be a witch, sure that no one will believe her. But someone notices that she’s practicing real magic, and soon an invitation is extended to come to the mysterious Nowhere House and tutor three young witches living together: something unheard of in the witch community for its perceived danger. The threat of their separation, though, is even more dangerous to the girls and the makeshift family Mika finds at Nowhere House, and she’s determined to protect the first place  - and people - that feel like home to her.

This was an enjoyable, quick read. The magic system is fairly straightforward, and there’s a great, diverse cast of characters, even if the children just come off like short adults at points. It just didn’t all coalesce for me. It’s still unclear to me why the witches have to live in such solitude, and why the humans can never know of them. And, the premise of the book is that all witches are motherless. Anyone who gives birth to a witch dies, whether it’s an unknowing magic-less person or a knowing witch. With the awareness that giving birth would kill them, what witch would choose to do so? It just makes very little sense.

This book feels like a hayride through the changing leaves in the fall, cozy and a seasonal tradition you do every year, even if you’re not really sure why. It’s a great pickup for a long weekend or an autumn getaway. Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC!

CW:

vague parental figure disinterest, death of parents (off-page, multiple characters), dead bodies, memory modification, physical abuse by siblings, parental figure estrangement, manipulation by past partner