I had a hard time reading this book. Eva is visiting her grandmother for the first time in England. Her mother packed up and left a long time ago.. They only reason they are back is to locate something for Eva's father's research. Eva has always been fascinated with magic and other worlds, but coming to England has opened her eyes to new adventures beyond her wildest dreams. She is thirsty to explore the worlds that everyone around her seems to whisper about and her grandmother tries to deny their existence during the day, but at night Eva's grandmother transforms. This book has a lot of potential. The main story seems to be about the broken mind of Eva's grandmother and what happened in the past. It felt like there as a lot of words but no true world building. It took me to read 80% of the book before the story really got off the ground and the ending sub par. I would suggest putting more true adventure in the story instead of the constant build up to an anti-climatic end. I am really disappointed. Something was missing and I was not satisfied with this reading.

I’m not really sure what to make of this. I found it at points a little confusing but also, it seems to serve as more of a prequel to a different story. Not a lot happens. It feels like a lot of build up to something else. Which is fine. But it’s hard to get a full picture of where it’s going to go.

I didn’t dislike it, I don’t think it’s a bad story, I think it just wasn’t a good fit for me.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this - when I got to the end/acknowledgments I realized it was possibly Christian fiction, which I would never normally pick up. The vibes of the story were great, but the plot got very repetitive in the midde and now that I'm looking at it from a Christian fiction lens the main message feels a bit like it was beat over my head.

I was super excited to read this book. The description is super interesting and the author looked promising. Unfortunately, however, this book just fell flat. I struggled with following the different timelines, and I thought that the title didn't really relate to the heart of the novel.

However, if you do like fantasy novels that jump timelines, then you might enjoy this story. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for the free e-arc.

Thank you very much to the publishing company as well as NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is an adorable fantasy that is lush with coziness. I love a good cozy fantasy and this YA fantasy did not disappoint. Very sweet and heartwarming. Make sure to read it with a cup of tea by a fireplace.

i hate to say it, but I found this really boring--I wish the characters had spent any time at all in the magical world. Instead, the book was taken up with repetitive, vague mentions of a Narnia-esque world that others had been kings and queens in. Ternival doesn't enter into the picture until 80% of the way through the book, and even then it is present only long enough for the magical residents to tell Eva that she must return to the real world of England. Truly repetitive, and in my opinion, unenjoyable.

This was such a delightful YA fantasy!!
The world building was captivating and the characters pretty well developed, and fun to experience the journey with.
The plot was fun as well, and I think this would be really well suited for a younger audiences!

This book captivates me with its detailed world-building and well-developed characters. Even though the story moves at a slower speed, I guess it's on purpose, giving a chance to really dive into the characters' feelings and the deeper ideas explored. The gradual storytelling creates an engaging vibe, making it a satisfying and thought-provoking read. So far, I enjoyed reading this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC copy.

What if your sad, confused granny once ruled a fantasy world, but had become trapped in the mundane world, with only a little bit of magic to sustain her? Wouldn't you follow her as she wandered around secret gardens in the middle of the night, talking to the sentient topiary? That's exactly what happens here, in a coming-of-age novel that also addresses the end of life, memory, and the complexities of family. While it's a little bit pat, and some story lines are picked up and dropped or go unfulfilled in promise, and the ending doesn't hold up to the rest of the book, it's an interesting thought exercise in speculative writing.

I was having big issues with the pacing, and everything was so confusing. Also this book felt extremely juvenile and just not for my taste. It feels like this book was written for a very young audience.
I did end up DNFing it sadly.
Disclaimer I did receive an ARC through Netgalley but all opinions are my own.

I wanted to love this book, but really struggled getting into it, and it almost ended up a DNF. I found the first half especially to be tedious and not particularly exciting and think that if some of the filler were removed the book could be at least 50 pages shorter. A lot of the fantasy elements seemed to be borrowed from other stories with a lot of it seeming to come from the Chronicles of Narnia, which I love, and the resused elements just weren't as well done in my opinion. I did get more engaged in the last 3rd but I was really expecting more time in the other world, and it felt almost like it was added as a throw away at the end rather than a key plot point.
The first person narrative in some way helped as we learn about things as Eva does and so the suspense and curiosity was really what kept me reading, but I found that toward the end the narration changed from present to past tense, but only for a line or two here or there, I know that the author was intending to set up further stories with this technique but to me it just ended up being a little jarring and distracting.
The author also mentions in her interview at the end that weaving was supposed to be a key theme in this book, and although weaving is mentioned often throughout the book I don't think I would have picked it up as a key theme if I hadn't read the q&a.
I'd be interested to read the second book, simply to see if it improves on any of the above mentioned issues.

I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Arc copy received through NetGalley, this review is my honest opinion.

I struggled to get through this book, that being said there were many parts that I did like, I enjoyed the beginning but around the middle I felt like the story started to get flat and it felt like there was a lot of moments that were just there a filler. The characters weren't very developed for the most part, I feel that we really only knew who Eva was and she wasn't very likable because she was just a spiteful teenager.
I also had so many questions, because it was in first person and in Eva's POV we knew as little as she did and it was frustrating to read not knowing what was going on, though it was a smart choice as I was more inclined to keep reading in order to find answers.

I did however very much enjoy the worldbuilding throughout and the descriptions were really well done. I could very easily picture the characters and places in my head. I also enjoyed the incorporation the fairytale from Eva's childhood, it gave the story a further sense of mystery of trying to determine what's real and what's fairytale.

I would definitely say that it's suitable for a younger audience, it would be a good introductory book into YA as a genre.

Overall, not a bad book - 3.5 stars

An amazing read for the beginners . Fourteen year old Eva spends her summer in her grandmother house . There takes place a mysterious event that makes rises of questions . Eva searches for the answers and dive into her family's history and the secrets that are hidden in the manner. She discovers another world with full of magic that makes her glitch. Will Eva ables to find the answer and in the mean time she develops a bond with Frankie , the grandson of the gardener.. Their bond is like a sunshine and it grows naturally .
I love everything in this book like the plot , the character develoment and the suspense, the hidden secrets and identity and everything.
It is a young adult book and the fantasy book and if you are a new reader and search for the magical books you should definitely read this.
Thank you Netgalley for sending me this ARC.

Fourteen-year-old American Eva has come to England for summer vacation with a grandmother she has never met. While there, she sees something happening in the garden of the old English manor house that leaves her deeply unsettled. Eva is determined to uncover the truth, but the mystery only deepens as she begins to piece together the secrets of her grandmother's past and the reasoning behind the estrangement between her mother and grandmother.

While it took me a while to get into the novel, it seemed a bit slow in the beginning but once it started picking up I really started to enjoy the novel. Eva has come to England never knowing the grandmother or the reasoning behind the estrangement even her mother doesn't seem to be willing to divulge the information. In fact, it even seems like she has no desire to be there. As Eva begins to bond with the people around her, she starts to learn that everything is not all fairytale.

This book was a really fun read. I enjoyed the characters and the plotline, but I would have loved more of the other world. Short glimpses were really not enough for me to form an opinion about the world itself. Still, it worked I suppose for a first book. The main character was relatable and well-developed, and I appreciated that the secondary characters weren't just mere background people who blended into the tapestry of the storyline. No, they had personalities and stories to tell which is what I like about many secondary characters.

The pacing was also on point, keeping me engaged and wanting to know what would happen next. However, I couldn't help but feel like the book was missing something. Perhaps it was a certain depth in the world-building or more exploration of the magic system. I am going to surmise we will learn more with the next book so this gives us a lot to look forward to.

Final Thought:

Overall, I would recommend this book to fans of YA fantasy looking for a fun and easy read. While it may not be a groundbreaking novel in the world of "falling into another world", but it does set itself apart from the others.

Base on folklore this multigenerational family home hold many secrets. No one is as pleasant ans sweet as they seem.... Specially if they came from the underworld.

I honestly don’t know how to feel about this book. In someways, it was wonderful and engaging. In other ways, it felt very confused, and like it jumped around. The writing was great, although a little pretentious, which is understanding considering the subject matter. I definitely find myself curious about more books in the series and would be willing to read those to get a better handle on the author. I love the idea of this, but the execution felt a little flat for me.

*3.5

Thank you NetGalley for allowing access to the e-arc. All the opinions and thoughts are all my own.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought that overall this was a well written story. The plot was very interesting from start to finish. It was hard for me to put the book down at times. The premise of the book is a young girl discovering about family secrets especially her grandmothers. Her mother and her go away to England for the summer to spend time with the grandmother. There is mystery, found family, and coming of age tropes all wrapped into one novel.

I had no idea that this was possibly going to become a series. I’m curious to see how the story continues. I highly would recommend this to anyone who would like a YA mystery with bits of Narnia influence and bits of Emily Wildes Encyclopedia of Faeries.

I do not normally read fantasy tales but I love the author's book "The Year of Small Things" and wanted to read this latest creation. Sarah Arthur paints a good portrait of the main character as she experiences all of the emotions and confusion that a teen/young adult goes through. The elements of fantasy, mystery and magic blended well with the family and drama in the real world. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Once a Queen is a captivating young adult fantasy novel that skillfully intertwines family secrets, enigmatic manor houses, and portals to otherworldly realms. The author's storytelling effortlessly draws us into a web of intrigue and adventure, leaving us spellbound from beginning to end.

The main word that comes to mind with this book is sweet. I really enjoyed reading about the fantastical secrets, developing friendships, and reparations to the familial relationships. As a teacher, I can see myself recommending this book to my students! I think it will really take off with a middle/high school audience. The main character's self-discovery, confusion around her family keeping secrets, and need for independence took me back to the time of being a young teenager. I think the author really nailed this book! I look forward to reading more from the author/publisher in the future!

I will also be posting a review to my Instagram account: @disassociatedbookgirl