The Cozy Fantasy Romance Everyone’s Reading This Fall l Sangu Mandanna Author Interview episode artwork

EPISODE · Oct 27, 2025 · 10 MIN

The Cozy Fantasy Romance Everyone’s Reading This Fall l Sangu Mandanna Author Interview

from What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.This episode was originally published on August 29, 2022This episode was initially published in August 2022 — but lately, one book keeps coming up in nearly every author interview I record: A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna. It’s easily the top Fall 2025 book recommendation among authors, and after reading it myself, I completely understand why.So I’m pulling this conversation from the vault. In this interview, I chat with Sangu about how she built the whimsical, witchy world of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, what inspired her to write for adults after years in YA and middle grade, and how her stories deliver the kind of cozy comfort we all crave when the world feels heavy.If you’ve already fallen in love with A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping, this episode gives you a deeper look at where it all began — straight from the author herself.📚 Books MentionedA Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna — Buy on Amazon | Cozy Fantasy, Witchy Romance | Audio ✅The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna — Buy on Amazon | Cozy Fantasy, Found Family | Audio ✅Babel by R.F. Kuang — Buy on Amazon | Dark Academia, Historical Fantasy | Audio ✅Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood — Buy on Amazon | STEM Romance, Enemies to Lovers | Audio ✅⏱️ Timestamps[00:00] – Welcome + why we’re revisiting this conversation[01:00] – The cozy, witchy vibes of A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches[03:00] – Writing for adults after years in YA and middle grade[05:00] – Character-driven fantasy and how Sangu builds her worlds[07:00] – How she balances writing across genres and age categories[08:00] – Sangu’s favorite reads and upcoming projects[10:00] – Where to find Sangu onlineJoin the ConversationSubscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read NextSubscribe & leave a review!

Today’s guest is Sangu Mandanna. Her adult debut fantasy is The Very Secret Society Irregular Witches. We chat about the writing process for writing fantasy, books that she enjoyed reading, and why asking for your favorite book is such a hard question to ask. SHOWNOTES AND BOOK LINKShttp://WhattoReadNextBlog.com (http://WhattoReadNextBlog.com)Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/hartzmann/sunny (https://uppbeat.io/t/hartzmann/sunny)License code: 0RDRBKGH6NGQCAXRBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-podcast-l-book-recommendation-show--5263998/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-podcast-l-book-recommendation-show--5263998/support).

NOW PLAYING

The Cozy Fantasy Romance Everyone’s Reading This Fall l Sangu Mandanna Author Interview

0:00 10:38

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Big Old Life: Heather Blackbird interviews people on planet earth. Heather Blackbird loves asking questions. This podcast is a learning experience. Join me, Heather Blackbird, as I talk to people about their lives. Frequency of new episodes is a little all over the place and I'm learning as I go. Big Old Life is a small way of talking about the vastness of life, one person at a time. If you are reading this or found this podcast it's probably because someone you know gave you a link to it. :) Explicit Tales Of A Superstar DJ The Insomniac Spun seemingly out of nowhere from her complacent life in the corporate world, turned seemingly overnight from 16-Hour shift work and into the life of a literally starving artist and working musician, The Protagonist navigates her supposed rise to fame and superstardom on a journey through spiritual awakening, coming-of-age, and intimate self-realization--guided by an omnipresent force and equipped with the power of love, magic, and music. {Enter The Multiverse.} [The Festival Project] The Festival Project, Inc.™ is a multidimensional multimedia platform which encompasses exploratory and artistic social personifications and expressions on cosmic theory, spirituality, growth, health & wellness, philosophy and theoretic dynamics in entertainment such as music, design, film, television, radio, dance and festival culture, art, fashion, literature, and science. The Festival Project™ and its subsidiary Non-Profit, The Collective Complex © aims to challenge modern artistic and philosop Explicit Bitcoin Is Dead Trey Carson Welcome to Bitcoin is Dead, the ultimate Bitcoin variety show where host Trey takes you on a journey through the ever-evolving world of Bitcoin. Each episode brings new personalities, fascinating locations, and insightful conversations with politicians, educators, and innovators shaping the future of Bitcoin. Whether you're a seasoned Bitcoiner or just starting your journey, tune in for thought-provoking discussions, unique perspectives, and a deep dive into the ideas and people driving the Bitcoin revolution. Explicit The Sacred +Profane Podcast nephtaragrace The Sacred + Profane Podcast is a provocative conversation dedicated to cementing a better future for all. We specialize in unpacking the nuances of what is considered sacred and profane, particularly focusing on sex, death, and all that pertains to the circle of life. Our aim in focusing on such ”taboo” subject matter is to demystify what is unconscious, bring to light what has been known for centuries as ”the occult,” and empower the rapid transformation that is occurring on the Planet. Explicit

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show?

This episode is 10 minutes long.

When was this What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show episode published?

This episode was published on October 27, 2025.

What is this episode about?

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.This episode was originally published on August 29, 2022This episode was initially published in August 2022 — but lately, one book keeps coming up...

Can I download this What to Read Next Podcast l Book Recommendation Show episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!