This book is a wild ride through a unique setting employing one of my favorite tropes. Forbidden magic provides instant tension and stakes to the story while forcing the reader to question the validity and reasoning for the laws in this world.

The title does come off as a little rough around the edges with pacing near the end speeding up to nearly a break neck pace but this does not distract from the charm or originality of the story for me.

I will be purchasing a physical copy when the book goes live and recommend those who enjoyed show’s such as BBC’s Merlin do the same.

The Bookweaver's Daughter
by Malavika Kannan

@tanglewoodbooks
@malavika.kannan
#TheBookweaversDaughter

Set in the ancient Indian kingdom of Kashmira, we meet Reya, the Bookweaver's daughter, forced to keep her true identity a secret from everyone in her life.

A gorgeous #ownvoices novel featuring Indian characters and traditions,
The story was captivating and beautiful one I was able to fully immerse myself in it.
Kannan's writing is a powerhouse that you can be completely immersed in
You will be immediately transported to the lush world of Kashmira, cheering on the main protagonist, Reya and follow along side her every step of the way.
A wonderful book of Indian folk lore and captivating friendship that I loved from start to finish. This book that is chuck full of magic and creative twists, making for enjoyable read.

I can't think of much wrong with The Bookweaver's Daughter, it just wasn't the book for me. The story progresses quickly, with the MC being moved around by the plot and has all the hallmarks of a great adventure story with the added bonus of being deeply entrenched in Indian culture and mythos. I want to describe it as 'campy' but that feels off somehow. The Bookweaver's Daughter is clearly meant to be more than just a fun adventure and I think for another reader it could be. I'm very character-oriented story wise and the Bookweaver's Daughter definitely has interesting characters and ARCs but ultimately, whether due to the book's short length or the amount of plot Malavika Kannan had to fit into it, I had a lot of trouble getting interested and invested. If you're a more plot based reader this is a great book to read though (especially if you're into shorter stories because generally plot based stories struggle to stay both concise and strong and this book does both!)

One nitpicky thing that's not this book's fault as much as just something I want to mention because I've been reading it happening a lot this week. That thing where we humanize an MC by having them tell someone stationed below them "call me my [insert first name here]" and treat it like a big deal? Not a fan. In real life power situations that makes most people uncomfortable and unless a character has a significant reason for desperately wanting to be called their first name instead of their title, save it for once that relationship's a tad more developed. That's not really this book's fault at all but I've read it happen 6ish times this week alone and it's really been getting on my nerves.

Anyways, I wouldn't reread the book myself but I'd definitely recommend it if you're into plot-driven, shorter novels! Also, Malavika was 17 when she wrote this and teenagers writing teenagers? Literally a dream come true. Incredible.

*2.5
I went into this book intrigued by the synopsis which sounded magical and exciting. I think the idea itself was so interesting because it weaves Indian folklore with magic. Unfortunately, I didn't feel the same excitement while reading the book. There were times that I wished the story was longer and more intricately written. There were other times I felt that certain parts of the book were dragged out too long. I found the characters fairly flat which made them difficult to relate to and empathize with. The main character Reya actually got on my nerves quite a bit because I really wanted to understand the reasoning behind her actions and thoughts, but they didn't feel authentic. As someone who struggles from self doubt, I could see where the author was trying to come from. Reya was adjusting to a new normal and also trying to create her own path to follow. What I did enjoy about the book was the representation of South Asian characters. I enjoyed the little hints of Hindi and culture that were hidden in the words. Speaking of the writing style, I really loved it! The writing was full of imagery and really beautiful. I really wished I could have enjoyed this book more. 

https://lostinabookstore.wordpress.com/2020/05/09/the-bookweavers-daughter-book-review/

I'll start this review by commending Kannan, as she wrote this story in high school, not many people manage that! I hope Kannan continues writing. But, at the same time, that is the most noticeable flaw with the book.

This book follows a young female Mage, Reya Kandhari, on her journey of self-discovery. Ruled by a tyrannical king, he's banned the practice of magic in their kingdom of Kasmira.

It's rushed, not very fleshed out and I found it hard to connect with the characters as things and conversations happen in a blur. First, our main character Reya is picking mangoes; next, she and a friend are on the run from the crown prince, next they are brought to the palace... It's just an endless chain of: "first this happened, and then this, and also this...!", which does not make for an interesting story or strong character building. I also feel like the world-building is lacking, in the sense there not being much to it. I don't care why there was a rebellion as nothing previously in the story or the character arcs have told me why this is relevant to the story. Why are book weavers important? I don't know. It's not very clearly laid out - maybe the story could have been better had this been established early on in a prologue or something to make the readers care more?

Not a book for me.

Also, I struggled a lot to download this book as it was not available for kindle.

18-year-old Malavika Kannan’s debut is a fantasy adventure good for fans of RED QUEEN and other stories of revolution. The protagonist’s central relationships are with her family and a close female friend, and the focus of the plot is on her discovering her magic and her independence.

This book follows a young female Mage, Reya Kandhari, on her journey of self-discovery. Ruled by a tyrannical king, he's banned the practise of magic in their kingdom of Kasmira. This book was a pleasant read, and I enjoyed all the bits with Indian mythology. I identified with Reya, especially in regard to her relationship with her father.

Though I do think that the story is a little rushed, but since this a standalone, I understand that maybe the author wanted to make sure she managed to say everything that she wanted to say. I do wish it was at least a duology, because a story like this, with its interesting worldbuilding, definitely deserves to be more fleshed out. I enjoyed it nonetheless!

Reading this book came so easy. The words seem to flow :)
It was a bit confusing in some parts but a nice story in the end, considering this was written by Kannan at 17. Keep the good work and maybe we will see a second book as some things might need a bit more explaining.

Thank you to netgalley for sending me a copy of the book weavers daughter. I didn’t really care for the story or the characters much I mostly just liked the setting. I would definitely read more from this author.

I was hesitant about this book at first because the first ten pages or so had me confused and unsure of what was going on. I am not sure if this is because it is the first book I read on my laptop, and I wasn't comprehending the information as well as I normally would while getting used to a new set up. I don't want to discredit the book however, because it was amazing. After the first ten pages the story clicked for me and picked up rapidly. I read this book in one sitting which is no easy feat considering I have two little girls running around.

This book was really special because it gave us a story infused with Indian culture and influence. I love reading about other countries and cultures, so getting to do that in a fantasy based novel was really unique for me. I love the food, and scenery the author described. Kannan also did an amazing job tackling the dark theme of oppression in a vibrant and hopeful way.

Nina and Reya are two amazing female leads. If not for anything else getting to see their friendship and sacrifice is reason alone to read this book. The girls are together when Reya thinks this quote, "I could teach a thousand girls like Nina to read- a magic more potent than anything a Mage could summon." This quote stuck with me the entire novel, and will stick with for awhile.

One last thing that really stuck out to me is that THERE WERE NO EDITING ERRORS. I have read a lot of books where I find grammar issues, or problems that make me think the book wasn't edited that well. This may not bother everybody, but these mistakes usually jump out of the page at me. So, it was really nice reading a book and not seeing any errors. So bravo to the author, and the team of editors for this book. Great Job! I will be recommending this book!

Magic and danger had always been a part of Reya Kandhari. She was once told we all leave something behind when we die Reya works in the fields harvesting mangos. There is talk of a raid searching for those with magic and the renegades helping them.reya denys to her father ,the book weaver there is danger lurking nearby until it's too late.

I'll start this review by commending Kannan, as she wrote this story in high school, not many people manage that! I hope Kannan continues writing.

But, at the same time, that is the most noticeable flaw with the book. It's rushed, not very fleshed out and I found it hard to connect with the characters as things and conversations happen in a blur. First out main character Reya is picking mangoes, next she and a friend is on the run from the crown prince, next they are brought to the palace... It's just an endless chain of: "first this happened, and then this, and also this...!", which does not make for an interesting story or strong character building. I also feel like the world building is lacking, in the sense there not being much to it. I don't care why there was a rebellion as nothing previously in the story or the character arcs have told me why this is relevant to the story. Why are bookweavers important? I don't know. It's not very clearly laid out - maybe the story could have been better had this been established early on in a prologue or something to make the readers care more?

Not a book for me.

This is a beautiful, pacy, magical novel that brings close to home a rich and vibrant ancestral folklore, linking generations in an exciting story of life stories woven together and enlivened by powerful female characters. The setting and backdrop are painted in words as the environment for harsh political and power struggles..

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *

The author has a good voice and a talent for storytelling. I was impressed with the imaginative world-building and overall plot of the book. However, there were occasional uses of certain words or phrases that jolted me out of the story because they didn't seem to mesh well with the setting or feel of the story. I also didn't connect with the characters in a way I usually look for in a great story. I really didn't care about the main character or her journey like I should have.

Overall, this was an entertaining, light read, if not slightly juvenile. It seemed to have more of a middle grade feel than young adult, aside from the characters ages.

This book wasn't for me. I wasn't a fan of the writing style and I just wasn't a fan of the story. Fantasy is usually a hit or miss for me and this was a miss. The story did seem good for someone who enjoys high fantasy and is short enough to be read in a day.

This book was a very interesting read and I enjoyed every minute of it! The cover caught my eye right away, the blurb pushed me forward, and I fell right into the story, not resurfacing until I finished the last page! What fantastic worldbuilding the author managed to bring to life, and I say from experience that is not an easy thing to do, and to do well. The characters themselves were fully fleshed out and absolutely a delight to get to know!

<I>*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *</i>

A vivid piece of strorytelling, the Bookweaver's daughter follows Reya, daughter of a powerful mage, on her journey through the fictional kingdom of Kasmir, where mages hunted.

This was an enjoyable, light read, albeit a bit predictable and a little juvenile in parts (although I will accredit that to the author's age).

This book seems like it tries to be profound in parts for the sake of being profound, and no other reason, and the writing seemed a little overly descriptive.

I definitely also would have liked to see a bit more world-building!

What a fantastic book I sat and read it this afternoon it is brilliant, so descriptive the characters are really believable. 5 stars. I will be buying this when it comes out.

I would have loved to have reviewed this book but could not as it was not in kindle format. However, I look forward to revisiting it upon release!

Set in the ancient Indian kingdom of Kashmira, we meet Reya, the Bookweaver's daughter, forced to keep her true identity a secret from everyone in her life.

Kannan's writing is so powerful that you feel yourself immediately transported to Kashmira, cheering Reya on every step of the way.

This book is full of magic and many twists and turns. Once I picked up this book, I couldn't stop reading, it was so engaging. I was sad when this book ended as I felt as though I had been on a full journey with Reya and wanted to see what was next for her; I hope that Kannan expands this book into a series, possibly exploring the lives of the other yogis and mages.