I can definitely appreciate the comparisons to Amari and the Night Brothers this book is getting. It does similarly introduce of heroine to a world of magic her family is a part of, but she hasn't known about it until now. However, where I think this book falls a little short is that there is a lot of set-up for what I thought would be a big adventure in this book, until I realized how little pages I had left to read. Instead, I felt a little bereft because I'm instead asked to wait for a sequel to get into the nitty-gritty. As a grown-up I can deal, but for some young readers this is going to be super frustrating. Maybe it is more of a pacing issue than anything, but I would've liked to see something done differently. That said, I will definitely being handing this to my younger middle grade readers. Do be aware of some violence and scary moments. Great narration by Safyiya Ingar.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt is one of my favorite middle grade reads! It has a truly fantastic magical system and delves into mythology in fun and exciting ways. I loved the ADHD representation and felt like that was handled really well, especially focusing on a young girl. I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook and that was fantastic! The narrator did a great job keeping the pace exciting.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sangu Mandanna, and Macmillan Audio for the chance to read and review!

Eleven-year-old Vanya has daily conversations with books—literal conversations—but she didn't realize that her parents have pasts and powers, too. Then a monster—yes, a real one—appears in her home and a whole new world opens up to her.

Soon she finds herself at the enchanted library and school of Auramere, where she’ll learn to hone her skills and become an archwitch, someone who fights the ancient monsters that roam the earth.

Vanya is a neurodivergent, British-Indian tween from a predominantly white town in England. She’s just beginning to understand her ADHD, and we see a theme of what it’s like to feel like you don’t fit in and like you are misunderstood. One of the other students at Auramere has autism, and I love how he is portrayed as being very perceptive. Mandanna explains ADHD and autism through these two characters in a way that is understandable for children (and that many adults could benefit from learning).

The world building aspects are accessible to elementary-aged readers, and I liked how Mandanna incorporates folklore from different cultures, e.g. the Wild Hunt, the Headless Horseman, Baba Yaga, phoenixes, etc., in the story.

I also liked how Mandanna introduces the idea of children learning that parents have pasts and lives outside of what their kids see day-to-day. I feel like this is a concept that starts dawning on children as they get ready to enter their teen years.

The audiobook features excellent narration by Safiyya Ingar. Ingar captures the various accents, ages, and tones of the characters well, and intro and outro music helps delineate each chapter.

4.5⭐️

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio. All review opinions are my own.

Wonderful middle grade fantasy that acknowledges mythology across many different cultures and takes the magical school trope into the modern age. Imagine Hogwarts, but with internet access, art therapy, and neurodivergence is accepted and celebrated.

I love Sangu Mandanna’s writing so much. She has written such an enchanting middle-grade fantasy with a mix of Indian mythology and British folklore thrown in. I love learning more about mythology from other cultures. Sangu’s descriptions are magical and drew me into the story from the first chapter. Gotta love the talking books, familiars, and huge library. Not only is this a story full of magic but it also shows the joy and love of reading.

The neurodivergent representation is a wonderful aspect of this story. I love how supportive most of the adults in Vanya’s life are about how she feels and trying to make her feel comfortable. It is beautiful and such an important story for younger readers. I like that the discussions on ADHD and neurodivergence were broken down in such a way that younger readers would be able to also understand.

Vanya feels so real, and one of the best parts of the story was seeing her finally feeling like she belongs at Auramere. She is such a strong character, who was kind, independent, and brave. Along with Vanya there are so many other great side characters.

Safiyya Ingar does an incredible job narrating the audiobook and creating voices for each of the characters. She was a perfect choice for this book. I highly recommend reading or listening to Vanya’s story. It is a terrific story and I cannot wait for further adventures in this world.

Talking books and animals, magical library, mythical creatures and monsters, portal doors, school of magic, this is a middle grade fantasy perfection.

Vanya is adorable and lovable, the world building and magic system aren’t too complicated but mesmerizing nonetheless. I admit the main conflict wasn’t really big but the storyline was nice, I especially loved the character interactions that were wholesome and mostly heartwarming. I’ll definitely wait for the next book!

On top of that, the audiobook was FANTASTIC. The narrator gave so much soul to the characters and I enjoyed her performance very much.

Listening to this audiobook was a delightful trip into a magical world. Sangu Mandanna has done a fantastic job of world building and Safiyya Ingar brings it to life with her versatile narration. She voices a multitude of characters including humans, monsters and talking books, all with distinct expressive voices.

This is so much more than a magic school story. It is packed with whimsical talking books, secret worlds, magical creatures and monsters. But it also explores self-acceptance. The main character has ADHD and also has to deal with racial stereotypes when people see her as Indian, even though she has spent her whole life in England. Both things eat away at her self-confidence. she assumes that only she can hear the books talk to her until she is faced with the reality of magic. Once she comes to the school, she blossoms. There is a lot of rep in this story. The book includes autistic and gay characters as well. The characters are all well-defined and empathetic. The world building is fantastic. The adventure is fast paced and engrossing. The only problem with this book is the cliffhanger. I can't wait for the rest of the series.

I expected this to be a fantastic read as I have read Sangu's other books and loved them. It exceeded all my expectations. The writing was exceptional and many times I forgot I was reading a children's book. I loved the inclusion of Vanya's neurodiversity and her struggles to fit in due to it. Vanya's voice will appeal to many kids who face the same self-doubt. I loved the fantasy elements and think it will capture the minds of kids who love Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. I cannot wait to add this book to my classroom library!

Vanya and the Wild Hunt was such a pleasant surprise. I was drawn in because of the cover but the magical story within was clever and satisfying for those looking for a new magical school to join. There don't appear to be houses which compete with each other, but there is a level of team work and friendship Vanya is able to find in her new school which she had a hard time finding in her more traditional school in London.

Vanya is a neurodivergent young girl who feels as though she doesn't really fit in the way other people do. She states she has ADHD which has been recently diagnosed and it helps her and others around her understand her learning and interacting with the world around her is different from the way other people do. One day she is on her way to school when she forgets the homework her mother tried to remind her about, and she has to turn around and go back to her home only to discover her father unconscious at the bottom of the stairs and her mother arguing with and Old one being.

Soon after, Vanya finds herself stepping through a magical doorway into the realm of Auramere where unique creatures seem to roam and magic is more prevalent than in the outside world. Though this is only book 1, I am hopeful this will be a series with lots of adventures and mysteries. We are left on a bit of a cliffhanger and I can't wait to see what happens next.

DNF at about 20%. More tell than show about ADHD issues and unexpected sexual content that was not appropriate. Thanks to netgalley and MacMillan Audio for an audio arc to review. The narrator is excellent!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Vanya and the Wild Hunt! Vanya is an eleven-year-old girl of British and Indian descent who lives in England with her parents. Due to her heritage, her ADHD diagnosis, and her ability to hear and speak to books, she has always felt a bit out of place. When she returns home early one morning to retrieve her forgotten school work, she finds her parents being attacked by a monster. She helps fight off the monster and discovers that her family is part of a whole magical world that she never knew anything about. Overnight, a family friend whisks her away to Auramere, a school for archwitches and archivists. Just as Vanya finds a place where she finally feels like she belongs, she learns that Auramere is being threatened by the mysterious and dangerous Wild Hunt. She must summon all of her courage to uncover the leader of the Wild Hunt and stop them before they destroy her friends and the home that she has come to love.

Sangu Mandanna is an incredible writer who does such a good job of creating stories that help people feel seen and loved. I absolutely adored this whole cast of characters, and I really appreciated Mandanna's normalizing Vanya's feelings about her ADHD and the way others see her. I also loved that Vanya sees a therapist to help her overcome these struggles. As a mom of a neurodivergent child, I feel it is important that all children be able to see themselves reflected in book characters, particularly strong, courageous protagonists. I shied away from sharing this book with my seven-year-old because I worried that parts of it would be too dark for him at the moment, but I cannot wait to reread this one with him when he is a bit older. I am eagerly awaiting a return to Auramere in book 2!

I was fortunate enough to listen to the audio version of this book and thought that the narrator, Safiyya Ingar, did a lovely job. The music that played at the beginning of each chapter help set the mood for the book, and I think it is fun little addition, especially for young readers.

Middle grades at its finest. Vanya is fighting with herself and her own insecurities with having ADHD and fitting into the social norms. It's a very strong subject in the story talking about her ticks and her aloofness towards subjects and how some may find her weird and isolate her in school until she finds out about the magical aspect of her family and moves.
The magical part of the story is very similar to those who love Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments story but want a very 'G' version of it. It explains magical runes and steelies? (I'm not sure how to spell it) And how there is a magical world that they can see and hear and fight the old monsters.
This story is a wonderful representation of all types of families and different types of children. I would absolutely let my 10 year old read this story and I am invested in how Vanya's story will turn out.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Young Listeners for the opportunity to listen to this wonderful story.

4.5 stars

This is a delightful book with an 11 year old protagonist with ADHD who learns about a side of the world hidden by her parents. It spoke to my younger self who would have loved my own animal familiar, talking books, and a magical school.

I appreciate its statements on neurodivergence and critique of racism. It approaches each with delicacy and I think captures accurate representations of each as well as encourages acceptance.

After reading The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and now this, I am looking forward to anything else that Sangu Mandanna writes.

The narrator for the story, Safiyya Ingar, has voices for each character which added to the story. It made it a great experience for the story.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

4.5

“Vanya, you’re allowed to be yourself…. No one is as different or as alone as they think.”

This middle grade book’s blurb says it’s for fans of the Nevermoor series and Amari and the Night Brothers, both of which I adore. And it’s by Sangu Mandanna, who wrote my go-to comfort read that I come back to over and over. This is all to say that I had high expectations coming into the book, and it definitely delivered!

We have a neurodivergent protagonist who struggles to be kind to herself and worries about fitting in, an inclusive magical school that has normalized the teaching of social/emotional skills, so many valuable lessons like consent and self-acceptance… oh, and there are talking books! This has all of the whimsy of your favorite magical school novels, with excellent life lessons and diverse characters. There is action and adventure, there is powerful discussion and self-reflection, and there is magical whimsy aplenty.

This will be part of a series, though I’m not sure how many books will eventually be in it. What I do know is that I’m invested and I’ll be reading as many of them as she writes! My original rating was 4 stars, but I bumped it up a half star because it made me cry twice 😭😍

I listened to the audio for this one, performed by Safiyya Ingar, and it was so lovely. Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audio edition!

Sangu Mandanna became one of my favorite middle grade authors with Kiki Kallira, so I had to jump on Vanya and the Wild Hunt immediately. And no surprise, I LOVED IT! Of all the magical schools I've read about, this is the one I want to be a part of!

Magical doors that fit into a piece of wood, runes, weapons made from sunlight, animal familiars that talk, talking books, magical beings of lore, evil creatures of lore, a spell that makes you instantly able to translate what others are saying. Just....give it all to me now please!

And then there is Vanya, our young character who finds out she is part of this magical world when she finds herself saving her mother's life one morning. But Vanya is not like other kids her age; she has ADHD and it is truly a part of her character in large and small ways. I appreciate how Sangu represented this in the book and didn't make Vanya out to be abnormal. Representation matters!


Ohhhh I just had a thought of a most excellent crossover! Vanya + Kiki! oh my gosh, it would be so cool!

The audio narrator was Safiyya Ingar, and she did a phenomenal job with the various voices for the characters. Eager to listen to more of her work.

Soooo when is the next book coming out? Because I need to know what happens next, like right now. Please and thank you.

Mandanna is providing Middle Grade readers with their next favorite magical series with VANYA AND THE WILD HUNT! The cast is diverse and side characters have depth to them. Vanya's struggles with her ADHD and not knowing a whole lot about her parents add additional layers to a book about a kid who finds out magic is real and that the human race is in danger. As an adult I was fascinated with Auramere and I am positive that if I met Vanya when I was Eleven-years-old like she is, I would have been devastated that I would never be able to visit a place like it in real life.

While I impatiently wait for the second book to be written, I will ponder what my familiar would be.

Safiyya Ingar does a wonderful job with the audiobook narration, I particularly enjoyed some of the voices for the books.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Macmillan Young Listeners in exchange for an honest review.

Vanya’s struggles to fit in and her insecurities about her ADHD—forgetfulness, sensory issues, difficulty focusing on anything she isn’t obsessing over, and more—were so relatable. This book healed my inner child in ways I didn’t realize were still smarting.

This book is going to be so powerful for neurodivergent kids to feel represented and seen. Plus it was just so much fun.

I cannot wait for the next installment. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Young Listeners for the audiobook. Safiyya Ingar did a great job with narration and I loved the addition of musical chapter openers.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt is a fantastic opening to a new middle grade fantasy series. The pacing, characters, and plot were thoroughly satisfying, and the magical creatures and talking books were such fun elements.

Perfect for fans of Nevermoor.

Narration performed by Safiyya Ingar was 10/10.

I received an ALC from Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt
by Sangu Mandanna
Narrated by Safiyya Ingar

I received an advanced reader copy of this audiobook through Netgalley.

I highly recommend this book!

It was a thrilling tale of magic, enchanted doors, magical creatures, scary horrible beings, animal familiars, friendship, family, and an insatiable need to learn more.

I think the best part of this book is that the 11 year old heroine is someone with ADHD.

If you love action & adventure - you’ll love this book!!

I loved this book and I highly recommend it to everyone!!

I wanted to love this. It has all the ingredients for the types of stories I like, but it moves so slowly I just can’t get into it.