Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna - Book Review

Series: (not yet mentioned) 

Publication Date: 06th March 2025

Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy Adventure 

4.5 Stars 

One Liner: Love the setting… but the book ends on a cliffhanger! 

Eleven-year-old Vanya lives with her parents above their bookshop. As a British Indian with ADHD and an ability to converse with books, Vanya knows she cannot fit in at school or anywhere else. 

However, when her family is attacked by a monster, Vanya finds out she has special powers like her parents. She is sent to Auramere, a magical academy for training kids like her. But with The Wild Hunt on the prowl and mounting danger, Vanya has to find the master and stop the monsters before they destroy everything she holds dear. 

The story comes in Vanya’s first-person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

I’ve read the author’s adult fiction, but this is my first MG book by her. 

Though the MC is a British Indian, her Indian identity is limited to skin color since she was born and brought up in Norwich. This plays an interesting role in her character arc (those one-liners are funny). On a side note, the illustrations make her look very much Indian (which I love). 

Vanya’s (Lavanya is a lovely name!) voice is quite authentic and a combination of sass, vulnerability, wonder, fear, curiosity, and recklessness. Yeah, she is stubborn too but it is necessary. Her ADHD is presented well alongside the insecurities it creates. All in all, we have a great narrator who can make us laugh and roll our eyes in the same paragraph. Her hair… my god! The long and thick braid reminded me of mine when I was the same age. Now? Don’t even ask! I’m grateful to have some hair left on my head. 

The author blends various folklore narratives and uses mythical creatures from different cultures. The more knowledge you have about these, the greater your enjoyment. I enjoyed this salad bowl since I knew many of them (including the ones from Hindu Puranas). 

The setting of Auramere is terrific. It has the potential to sustain a series (at least a trilogy). Heck, I hoped it would be a series until I realized (too late) that it is one. Moreover, the book ends on a cliffhanger! It would have been nice to know this in advance. I prefer starting a book with the right expectations. Wonder why there’s no mention of the series on Amazon, Goodreads, or NetGalley? 

The pacing is slow in the first 35% but picks up momentum and sustains it afterward. This works to establish the plot and the characters. The sprinkling of B&W pencil illustrations adds a nice visual touch. The illustrations are wonderful. Apart from Vanya’s hair, my favorite is that of Reya. It was just wow! 

The side characters are cool – diverse and inclusive. Some stand out more than others (not uncommon). The parents and adults do have a role though limited in some instances. Given the genre, you can expect kids to get into trouble by rebelling or doing things that put them in harm’s way. 

I love the nicknames Vanya’s dad uses. He rarely repeats the same thing! At one point, he calls her 'little Aardvark' and my desi brain read it as adrak (ginger), lol. Not the same at all! 

To summarize, Vanya and the Wild Hunt is an exciting and adventurous story with elaborate world-building and interesting characters. What with the cliffhanger, I can’t wait for the next installment and hope to get the ARC whenever it is available! 

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Books, for eARC. 

#NetGalley #VanyaAndTheWildHunt

***

Oh, the flowers on Nilgris that bloom once every twelve years are called Neelakurinji. 

A Sky Full of Stars by Fay Keenan - Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 18th March 2025

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/FullOfStars

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211081952-a-sky-full-of-stars

Genre: Contemporary Romance

3.7 Stars

One Liner: A bit slow but nice

Book Blurb:

Charlotte James prefers having her head in the stars to having her feet on the ground.

Moving around for her job as an astronomical archivist gives Charlotte plenty of opportunity to avoid putting down roots. When she accepts a post in the idyllic Somerset village of Lower Brambleton to archive an old observatory before its demolition, all that is on her mind is a chance to preserve the treasures of this remarkable place and another summer without having to settle down.

Tristan Ashcombe is managing the development of Observatory Field and as far as he’s concerned, the sooner the observatory is razed to the ground the better. The building holds complicated memories for him and his family, memories he’s ready to put behind him.

But as Charlotte’s work begins to unravel mysteries from a complex past, she realizes that there’s more to Tristan and Lower Brambleton than first impressions would suggest. Will Charlotte discover more than she bargained for, will she manage to avoid losing her heart in the process or is her fate already written in the stars?

***

My Thoughts:

The story comes in Charlotte (more %) and Tristan’s third-person POVs.

The story started slow and had the same pace almost throughout. However, I did like the descriptions of the place so it wasn’t boring. Locals might find it excessive but I like it when I can visualize a new setting.

The FMC’s career and her approach to it are well-presented. I like that she tries to balance between documenting and digitizing the past but not getting too attached to it.

Comet, the cocker spaniel is adorable! Cute dogs are always a plus in books. There are cute kids too, though we don’t meet them much.

The MMC is a grump with a golden heart and past trauma. It doesn’t take long for him to show his softer side.

However, the romance between the couple doesn’t feel organic. It’s too fast, with not enough chemistry to create the impact it should. Maybe they felt it but I couldn’t see it. Also, this should have been a slow burn.

The sort of mystery about the past had my attention coz it seemed like it had better potential than the love track. Do note that the mystery is not in the thriller sense but in the family drama vibe.

While there is a third-act breakup, it makes sense here. The message that it’s not our responsibility to ‘heal others’ but they should make an effort for themselves is spot on.

We get an epilogue too, which gives us a nice HEA. Another aspect I like is how development is not always damaging. Here, it creates the required infrastructure and housing without damaging the surroundings. It’s all about finding the right balance.

To summarize, A Sky Full of Stars is an entertaining story though the romance could have been better. The family dynamics are well done, though!

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley

***

About the Author – Fay Keenan

Fay Keenan was born in Surrey and raised in Hampshire, before finally settling in the West Country. When Fay is not chasing her children around or writing, she teaches English at a local secondary school. She lives with her husband of fourteen years, two daughters, a cat, two chickens, and a Weimaraner called Bertie in a village in Somerset, which may or may not have provided the inspiration for Little Somerby.

Follow the Author:

Facebook: @faykeenanauthor

Twitter: @faykeenan

Instagram: @FayKeenanAuthor

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/FayKeenanNews

Bookbub Profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/fay-keenan

***

This has been a stop on the #ASkyFullOfStars blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources (@rararesources). Thanks for stopping by!

The Warbler by Sarah Beth Durst - Book Review

Publication Date: 11th Feb 2025

Genre: Magic Realism, Drama 

3.7 Stars 

One Liner: An engaging read despite the flaws 

Elisa cannot stay in one place for longer than ten months. If she does, she’ll turn into a tree. It’s a curse that made her mother and her travel all over the US, taking new identities and leaving without a backward glance. 

After yet another move, Elisa is tired. She has been trying to break the curse but the first step is to find out more about her family. When she makes an impulsive decision to stay in Greensborough for the next ten months, Elisa is hopeful yet hesitant. After all, this small town in Massachusetts is a place where people cannot leave! 

As Elisa stays back and might be turning into a tree, she desperately needs to uncover the secrets of the past and break free of the curse. 

The story comes in Elisa’s first-person POV and third-person POVs of Rose and Lori. 

My Thoughts: 

Did you think I could resist a premise like that? No chance! 

Well, the beginning is strong but then we get into a sort of uncertainty where the FMC seems to be repetitive. The chapters from the past helped a lot by providing backstories and preventing the current track from dragging (it still did). 

The writing is pretty good even if the narration tends to go on and on at times. I didn’t need it to be that lyrical but okay. I was interested to know more, so it’s not too bad. Another round of editing would have sorted the issue and removed the repetition (especially about those kohl-rimmed eyes). 

I think the issue is that the reader knows a few things before the FMC and has to wait for her to catch up. This works in some plotlines. Here, I don’t think it fully helped. When the reader wants Elisa to catch up fast and it doesn’t happen, we are bound to be a bit irritated. 

Magic realism is an integral part of the storyline but I admit to being disappointed in this aspect. There’s a good atmosphere but the surreal part could have been stronger and a bit more prominent. Another scene with the three blue-haired ladies would have also helped. 

The side characters, though not fully developed, are interesting and add their share of intrigue and drama to the plot. I do wish the men were a little more developed to match the women, but this is quite common in this genre (women’s fiction). 

Since there is no romance as such, we have only one main lead, the FMC. This keeps the story within the required frame instead of adding unwanted tangents. That said, there are love and relationships and some of them play important roles. The focus is not on ‘lovey-dovey romance’. 

The book deals with many themes but the central one is choice. It shows various facets of choice and how giving someone a choice should not result in disregarding their choice. The book also deals with mother-daughter relationships, female friendships, expectations and acceptance. 

I guessed a good portion of the mystery at 45%. However, the author managed to give it a few twists in the last quarter. These align with the plotline and fit neatly, even if we don’t get detailed explanations for every question. 

There’s an epilogue of sorts, and I’d have liked it to be longer. Still, I can see why it ended at that point. It works for the book’s vibe. 

To summarize, The Warbler is a thoughtful read about choices, freedom, and mother-daughter relationships with a touch of magical realism. It has its flaws but it is still an engaging book. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for eARC. 

#NetGalley #TheWarbler 

The Red Fiend by Ranjit More - Book Review

Series: #1 (Cliffhanger) 

Publication Date: 08th Dec 2024

Genre: Hindu Mytho Fantasy 

3.7 Stars 

One Liner: Interesting! A decent debut with a cliffhanger 

Drumila, the king of daityas, wants nothing more than to kill the Creator to avenge his mother’s death. He needs to find a way to breach the wall protecting svarga to gain reach the Creator. However, Drumila should first deal with the attacks by Nagas. 

Arundathi, the daughter of the Creator, is chosen for a mission to weaken Drumila, which would lead to his demise. She is ready for her mission despite what she has to do to achieve it. However, when she gets to know her target, Arundathi is surprised. When there’s another attack on the kingdom by the Nagas, will she stand by him or use it to fulfill her mission? 

The story comes in the third-person POVs of Shukracharya, Drumila, Arundathi/ Nandini, Ramishka, Havi, 

My Thoughts: 

Well, this has been my year so far for reading Indic fiction (#touchwood and hoping it continues). When the author contacted me for a review, I was a bit hesitant but curious. Indie Indic authors need support, so once I confirmed the book wouldn’t have anti-Hindu content, I was happy to read it. 

The book is fairly big (446 pages including the multi-page glossary at the end) and has a slow start. This makes sense since we are introduced to the setting and the characters. However, it’s far from boring. We have a short battle scene right in the beginning. There’s intrigue, danger, and drama! 

The heroine’s entry takes a while. She enters in the second part once the MMC’s story is fully established. The shift to her setting presents a good contract (and comparison) between the regions of the daityas and devas. Yet, we see similar underlying emotions and feelings. 

There’s much opulence with mentions of lavish gold, gemstones, and riches that can your head swim. Watching our pauranic movies has prepared me for all this, so it was easy to imagine the descriptions. 

A sudden shift to the earthly locations, especially the modern-day world, was unexpected. It pulled me out of the story for a while but I decided to go with the flow. The setting changed from full fantasy to a sort of urban fantasy a few times. I was prepared for it, so the subsequent shifts were seamless. 

While I liked the mentions of the delicious food, the word ‘chai-tea’ caught unawares. I mean, it’s the last thing I expected in a book by an Indian author. Also, I’m not sure why ‘u’ was used in place of ‘a’ in words like Maya and kanya. It sounds a bit off, TBH. 

The characterization is quite good. You can create a checklist of tropes as well – forbidden love, a sort of grumpy vs. sunshine, brooding alpha male who is gentle with his lady love, and so on! 

Though things are tense, I ended up chuckling at unexpected moments. This random sprinkling of humor makes the book more enjoyable. The writing is decent, though I feel an experienced editor or a woman editor would have made a difference. While physical attraction is a big part of the plot, the descriptions of the FMC are borderline comical (I can’t help but laugh and cringe at the mention of melon-like breasts). In short, you can tell this has been written by a man. At least the steamy scenes are not too descriptive. 

The romance is obviously insta attraction because it is the core of the plot. The FMC’s mission is to weaken the MMC through excessive lovemaking. Interestingly, this is a known concept in Hinduism. In Mahabharata, Vichitrariya was said to have died due to the same reason (but alas, without either of his wives conceiving). Bhyrappa used it to present a pattern in Parva (retelling of Mahabharata). 

By choosing to present the story from the daityas POVs, the author does a good job of creating the difference between good daityas and the unruly ones and providing a voice to those who often get clubbed together. Since we get the FMC and MMC’s POVs, we see both their sides and how they come to understand each other. 

Puranic war scenes have always been a favorite what with those powerful astras and the twangs of the bows. This book too details the scenes well. I love the mention of the various astras and how they work. These are easily the best parts of the book. 

However, the book ends on a cliffhanger. Yeah, something I figured out a bit too late. Hopefully, the sequel is in the works (I asked the author about it). 

Due to the large cast, I suggest adding a list of characters (and their roles) at the beginning. It would be easier to track them and refer them when necessary. 

To summarize, The Red Fiend is an entertaining debut novel presenting the conflict between daityas, devas, and nagas with a good rose of romance. Despite the flaws, the book would make an interesting read for those into this genre (desi readers are the target audience). 

My thanks to the author for a copy of the book. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions. 

A Village Theatre Murder by Katie Gayle - Book Review - Blog Tour

Series: Julia Bird Mysteries #7

Publication Date: 11th March 2025

Purchase Link: https://geni.us/B0DGQL9HZFsocial

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218711555-a-village-theatre-murder

Genre: Contemporary Cozy Mystery

4 Stars

One Liner: This was fun!

Book Blurb:

There’s nothing quite like a night at the theatre. But Julia Bird is expecting a night of sweeping drama, not an onstage murder!

At the end of Berrywick’s amateur theatre’s latest production, a shot rings out amongst the rapturous applause. But when Julia Bird peeks through the curtain, she sees lead actor Graham lying still on the stage, his co-actor Oscar looking down at his prop gun in shock. She knows that Graham has been murdered, but with nearly everyone in the village helping with the play, anyone could have tampered with the props. And why was a beloved family man the target?

Graham’s wife Jane collapses in a puddle of tears as Oscar is comforted and led away from the stage. But days later when Julia spots prim and proper Jane kissing Oscar, she wonders if the grieving widow’s tears were fake. Graham served Jane divorce papers the day of the tragedy – was he killed before he could spill the beans on his wife’s affair, and sully her perfect reputation?

Meanwhile, the aptly named director, Roger Grave, wants the show to go on. The play is up for a local award, and this might just be Roger’s big break. But when failed actor Hector is not assigned the lead role he assumed he’d get, the mood among the cast quickly turns sour. Could Hector have killed Graham out of jealousy for the leading role, Julia wonders?

Then another member of the crew is found dead and Julia discovers there’s a dark secret at the heart of Berrywick’s local theatre society. But who would kill to protect it? Can Julia find the murderer before it’s curtains for another victim?

A totally gripping, charming cozy mystery set in the English countryside. Fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin, and Betty Rowlands will absolutely love the Julia Bird Mysteries.

***

My Thoughts:

The story comes in Julia’s third-person POV.

This seventh book in the series can work as a standalone. The official blurb reveals too much, so don’t read it beyond the first two paragraphs.

The mystery is decent and has quite a few suspects as more truths come out. This keeps the reader guessing, though if you are a fan of this genre, you’ll guess the killer after 50%. Still, there are a few surprising twists.

Things are steady between Julia and Dr. Sean even with the new development. In fact, I like the way Joan’s track progressed. Positive and hopeful.

As if Jake (the adorable bumbling chocolate Lab) and the hens with a bossy Henny Penny weren’t enough, Julia now has a cat named Chaplin. This cat is from the previous book. Though Chaplin doesn’t have much space, he establishes himself very well, in a way only cats can!

There’s a teeny development for Hayley too, though you’ll have to wait to know more. She is overworked as always, what with so many murders happening in the series, lol.

Despite the murder and stuff, the book has quite a few humorous moments. My favorite is the description of Hector’s audition; I laughed so hard at that one.

Nicky appears a few times since she’s a part of the theatre group but her cutie son Sebby doesn’t show up even once. I miss that kid and his interactions with Jake-y. Jake is his naughty self as always, though this might change a wee bit as he calms down. But where’s the fun in that?

To summarize, A Village Theatre Murder is an enjoyable and short mystery with a few laughs and some thoughtful themes. There will be another book, so I’m excited for it.

Thank you, Sarah Hardy, NetGalley, and Bookouture, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley

***

About the Authors – Katie Gayle

Katie Gayle is the writing partnership of best-selling South African writers Kate Sidley and Gail Schimmel. Kate and Gail have, between them, written over ten books of various genres, but with Katie Gayle, they both make their debut in the cozy mystery genre. Both Gail and Kate live in Johannesburg with their husbands, children, dogs, and cats. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatieGayleWriter

X: https://twitter.com/KatieGayleBooks

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Katie Gayle here: https://www.bookouture.com/katie-gayle

Sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

***

This has been a pitstop on the blog tour for #AVillageTheatreMurder by Bookouture (@bookouture). Thank you for stopping by! 

Girls: Life Isn't a Fairy Tale by Annet Schaap, Laura Watkinson (translator) - Book Review

Publication Date: 04th March 2025

Genre: Fairytale Retelling, Short Story Anthology, YA

3.9 Stars

One Liner: Darkish but suitable for YA readers

There are many fairytale retellings, right? This one, as the title suggests, focuses on the girls in these tales while pointing out that life is not a fairytale. Naturally, we can conclude that the collection of seven stories will have a darker note. However, the target age group seems to be young adults, so the content isn’t gruesome or graphic. There are some triggers (at the end) but nothing terrifying.

The book was first published in Dutch in 2021. Annet Schaap is an author and an illustrator. She included a few rough illustrations in the book. The sketches are in black and white (pencil or charcoal) and represent a character or an item in the story. Each story has about 3-5 illustrations. They don’t particularly add to the story but do create a sense of creepy vibe.

I reviewed each story after reading (as I always do).

Mr. Stiltskin – 3.5 Stars

(Retelling of Rumpelstiltskin)

The storyline is pretty similar to the Grimm’s version with a few changes. However, it’s the ending that makes all the difference. A rather good one; understated but good.

Wolf – 4 Stars

(Retelling of Little Red Riding Hood)

The story uses the core elements of the original and presents it with a fresh perspective. It is set in the future where technology is a bit more advanced than now. We get the girl’s and the wolf’s POVs, making it an interesting read.

Biscuits – 4.5 Stars

(Retelling of Hansel and Gretel)

Oh, this is really good! Another modern retelling set in a city but the presentation of human nature is terrific. The kids did what they had to, and the adults did… well what they are known for! My favorite from the collection.

Frog – 3.5 Stars

(Retelling of The Frog Prince)

It took a while to determine if this was historical or contemporary but I did find out! Here, the girl already has a frog that now needs to turn into a prince. She will soon realize that life isn’t a fairytale! It was good but not great.

Blue – 4 Stars

(Retelling of Bluebeard)

I didn’t read the original so I wondered what this was about (found it after finishing the story). This retelling has quite a few changes and works as a standalone as well. It’s the characters (Anne and Lisa) that stand out.

Sleeper – 4 Stars

(Retelling of The Sleeping Beauty)

It seems the book is also about sisterhood in various forms! What if Sleeping Beauty had a twin sister? Do parents love one child more than the other? Much to think about but it has a hopeful ending. I like this.

Monster Girl – 4 Stars

(Retelling of Beauty and the Beast)

This is the longest of the collection and quite detailed. It moves between the past and the present, showing many elements of social standards and expectations without being OTT. The ending is unexpected too and well done.

NGL, I finished the stories much sooner than I expected. The writing style is easy to follow and the narration flows well even between different POVs and timelines.

To summarize, Girls: Life Isn't a Fairy Tale is an interesting take on fairytales and leaves readers with much to think about. There’s a lot that’s unsaid but left for readers to feel. Despite the darkness, quite a few stories have hopeful endings. I like the overall vibe. Will definitely look up more books by the author.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pushkin Children's Books, for eARC. 

#NetGalley #Girls

TW: Parental death, parental abandonment, body shaming, chronic illness, murder (non-graphic).