Collect Rea And The Blood Of The Nectar (The Chronicles Of Astranthia, #1) Written By Payal Doshi Shown As Softcover

full review on my sitelinkblog!

I wanted something fun and easy to read, given how messy the past week was for me and Rea and the Blood of the Nectar was just that.
Id missed how much fun MG books could be, despite not being the target audience for it, It has adventure, family secrets, sibling rivalry and bond and strong friendships,

First, my heart swelled with the Indian rep in this book, I wish I had books like this in my school library back when I was a kid, From the terms used, to the setting, everything was so authentically Indian, I had a fabulous time reading it.
Mentions of food like pakoras, roti and dal, thupkas as well the festival of Diwali or kids playing cricket, everything was a delight.
Own Voices stories just make me really happy,

From the tea plantations in Darjeeling to the sparkling fantasy world of Astranthia with its plants, fairies, and magical creatures, the beautifully pictured worldbuilding takes us through an action packed story about Rea on a quest to save her twin brother.
Also, Darjeeling is a beautiful hill station as it is, you all should really look it up!!

This book thoroughly explores sibling relationships and friendships.
Rea starts out as feeling inferior to her brother, not blending with the children around her and pushing people away, which is something children and preteens do experience in their lives.
As she embarks on her adventure and learns of the secrets she comes to appreciate the people around her.
I particularly loved her friendship with Leela as well as the ones from Astranthia, Though, I wouldve liked if there were more moments which showed the depth of the relationship between Rea and Rohan.


Reas character development is also commendable, Shes strongminded and strongwilled for a twelve year old, From

drifting apart from her brother to risking her life in an unknown world to save him, she has come a far way.
Its refreshing to see a young girl with magical powers discover familial ties and learn the lessons of life, which could be applied to readers of our ages too.
She solved the riddles with her intelligence and till the end she proved to be brave,

No memory of her past was worth more than Rohans freedom,

Did I say I loved the magical world of Astranthia Let me say it again, Doshi painted a spectacular picture that literally transported me to it, It was so creative and exciting, The characters Rea meets there like Flula the pari or Xeranther and some others, all were significant to the story.
We even get glimpses into the villains POV that adds to the intrigue of the story,

Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is a promising middlegrade debut about an adventurous fantasy imbibed with Indian culture, vivid settings, thoughtful relationships dynamics and interesting plot.
I cannot wait to see what happens in the sequel! If youre a MG reader or looking for an enjoyable, quick tale or you simply want more SouthAsian books, I definitely recommend this book to you.


Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is a promising middlegrade debut about an adventurous fantasy imbibed with Indian culture, vivid settings, thoughtful relationships dynamics and interesting plot.
I cannot wait to see what happens in the sequel! If you're a MG reader or looking for an enjoyable, quick tale or you simply want more SouthAsian books, I definitely recommend this book to you.


Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

original: omg this was so much fun my indian heart is so happy ltFor fans of Aru Shah and The Chronicles of Narnia, this middlegrade fantasy is about twelveyearold Rea Chettri, who portals into an otherworldly realm to go on a secret quest to find her missing twin brother Rohan.
The clock is ticking in this adventure rife with evil creatures, a ruthless villain, and unforgettable friendships,

It all begins on the night Rea turns twelve, After a big fight with her twin brother Rohan on their birthday, Rea's life in the small village of Darjeeling, India, gets turned on its head.
Its four in the morning and Rohan is nowhere to be found,

It hasnt even been a day and Amma acts like Rohan's gone forever, Her grandmother, too, is behaving strangely, Unwilling to give up on her brother, Rea and her friend Leela meet Mishti Daadi, a wrinkly old fortuneteller whose powers of divination set them off on a thrilling and secret quest.
In the shade of night, they portal into an otherworldly realm and travel to Astranthia, a land full of magic and whimsy.
There with the help of Xeranther, an Astranthian barrow boy, and Flula, a pari, Rea battles serpentlilies and bloodsucking banshees, encounters a butterflyfaced woman and blue lizardmen, and learns that Rohan has been captured.
Rea also discovers that she is a princess with magic, Only she has no idea how to use it,

Struggling with the truth her Amma has kept hidden from her, Rea must solve clues that lead to Rohan, find a way to rescue him and save Astranthia from a potentially deadly fate.
But the clock is ticking, Can she rescue Rohan, save Astranthia, and live to see it all I was lucky to have read the e ARC and simply put, I couldn't put the book down!
This is a beautifully told story of ayear old girl who goes on an adventure to find her missing twin brother on the night of theirth birthday.
More importantly, this is also a story about family secrets, sibling rivalry, friendships andyear old Rea's attempt to right the wrong.

The Authors prose is so magical, it made me feel like I was alongside Rea on her quest and could literally visualize all the beautiful landscapes she navigates! Personally for me, I was thrilled that Rea, a South Asian girl will forever share my bookshelf with the like of Nancy Drew, The famous Five and The Harry Potter Series while having an adventure of her own! Indian representation Check.

For Narnia fans Check,
For Aru Shah fans Check,

THIS BOOK IS FOR ME

Oh and also, . . this book is being published by Mango and Marigold Press, This just makes me want it more XD, The gorgeous cover tells you everything you need to know: this is an ownvoices story set in India and a fictional country called Astranthia filled with adventure, heart, and magic.
I loved the realistic portrayal of the main character's relationship with her brother in a small village in India as much as I loved the whimsy and magic of Astranthia.
Add the main character's exploration of friendship, family, and her own power, and you've got a middle grade story well worth reading! As an adult with young kids, I still love reading middlegrade books.
It makes my inner child happy, AND it helps me to find some amazing reads so that our bookshelf is stocked to the brim when my young uns reach middlegrade age and can actually read them.
Its also extremely important to me to support OwnVoices books and OwnVoices authors and diversify their bookshelf even before they are ready to read at this level.


I always love when I find middlegrade books that suck me in and make me feel like Im not reading middle grade.
That was definitely the case here when reading Rea and the Blood of the Nectar,

I almost finished Rea and the Blood of the Nectar in one day! I was so entranced with the setting, characters, and story that I could not stop reading.
If I was reading it to my daughter, it would be me for once keeping her up late and saying one more page!

Cant wait to reread it with her when shes old enough and to see where Reas story goes.
Id also love to reread as an audiobook if one is made because I love audiobooks and it would be so helpful to hear the pronunciation of things like all the rich descriptions of the realworld setting, fantasy world setting, and even the food: pakoras, roti and dal, and thupkas.


I loved the adventure, Indian culture festival of Diwali, one of the settings being Darjeeling tea plantations, kids playing cricket, magic in the real world with Reas travel to Astranthia, and the critical and realistic descriptions of relationships and feelings towards family and friends children and preteens will come across in their own lives either while reading or after.


I did find a twist in the first half to be predictable but again, this is Middle Grade so many of our young readers will probably be shocked by it and not expect it.
I did like that the villain is multifaceted, and we get to see through their eyes a bit, That felt original and unexpected in this type of MiddleGrade fantasy,

Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is an important and most of all fun Middle Grade read for any fantasy lovers bookshelf.


Thank you to NetGalley and Mango and Marigold press for my earc copy of Rea and the Blood of the Nectar.
I received this earc free of charge, It was my choice to read it and Im leaving this review voluntarily,
.