why did I not have this when I was 10?

Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is definitely an amazing fantasy that proudly cherishes Indian culture whilst also introducing us to a world full of magic along with a brave young protagonist and amazing female friendship.

This book follows Rea, a 12-year old girl whose twin brother, Rohan goes missing on their 12th birthday. But he isn't in Darjeeling, he is held captive in the land beyond the banyan tree, Astranthia. It is up to Rea and her best friend Leela to find and save Rohan, and maybe find out the secrets her Amma has kept hidden from her.

“The mind is a mysterious place. In its vast and many corners are hidden pieces of knowledge. When we sleep, they float up in the form of dreams. They can be wild, have a mind of their own, and lead us to places. They can carry messages or warnings. If they recur, one must heed them.”

I LOVED this. Everything from the beautiful setting of Darjeeling (which is a well-loved hill station in West Bengal, India you need to visit ASAP after this pandemic because it is just gorgeous!), to the brilliant fast-paced world-building, was lovely. Did I mention that this book was also unapologetically Indian?

Rea was an amazing protagonist. She was brave until the very end and did not hesitate to take huge steps just for her brother Rohan, who didn't really treat her well before he mysteriously disappeared.

The descriptions of Astranthia was spectacular. I loved how original the world was which made me eager to learn more about it!

Overall, this is a great #ownvoices debut which I highly recommend!

Representation: Completely Indian cast
Trigger Warnings: Bullying, mentions of blood, absent parent, kidnapping.

I wanted to like it. It just took me too long to get what was going on. Some of the characters didn't interest me.

Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is a brilliant OwnVoices middle grade fantasy that starts off in Darjeeling, India before the adventures spills out into the magical realm of Astranthia. The excellent world building conveys a vivid detailed picture of the settings and draws you into the fast-paced scenes. This not only has an engaging and gripping plot but has extremely well-depicted and multi-layered main and supporting characters. Payal Doshi has done such a fantastic job with her debut novel - I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series!

Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this wonderful book which I will definitely be recommending and gifting to others when it comes out in May 2021.

Life is not easy for twins Rea and Rohan. Their small home in Darjeeling, India houses both the siblings and their Amma and Bajai, and they all must work hard to earn enough money to survive. As their twelfth birthday approaches, Rea begins to notice a growing distance between her and Rohan, especially when she overhears special birthday plans that do not include her. Despite warnings from their Amma, Rea and Rohan both sneak out to usher in their birthday with a midnight game of cricket. When Rohan does not come home, however, Rea finds herself on the greatest adventure of her life, discovering secrets and strength that will change her forever.

Based in a small town in Darjeeling, India, Rea’s story incorporates the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of her home. Beautifully rich, descriptive language makes each new setting palpable for readers, painting vivid images throughout the story. Readers will find inclusions of Indian words and concepts blending seamlessly into the narrative; however, a glossary and pronunciation guide at the end of the book help readers better understand potentially unfamiliar words and learn more about Rea’s reality. Filled with puzzles and colorful characters, this story engages readers from beginning to end. A blend of reality and fantasy creates a dynamic backdrop against which Rea begins to emerge as an independent young woman. Rea’s complex emotions and relationships are especially recognizable for middle grade readers and provide guiding messages embedded within a fictional framework. The first in its series, this book by debut author Payal Doshi is a necessary addition to libraries serving middle grade readers.

@Thanks NetGalley for giving me the access to read this wonderful story. It was such an emotional journey. I loved every line of this book. I give 4 stars to this wonderful book.

This is one of those stories that stayed with me after I turned the last page. I miss Rea and Rohan, and wish I could visit Astranthia again.

In this compelling MG fantasy adventure by Payal Doshi, Rea and her twin brother, Rohan, live with their mother and grandmother in Darjeeling, India. On the night of their 12th birthday, their mother and grandmother warn them to stay in the house, but Rohan slips out to meet his friends, and Rea follows him, bringing along her friend Leela. When Rohan goes missing, Rea blames herself and together with Leela set off to find her brother. Following advice from a fortune teller, they enter the magical world of Astranthia, where they come up against the evil, Queen Razya. I really enjoyed this story, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I would definitely recommend this story to fantasy lovers who enjoy a quest rich in detail and adventure, filled with magic, where good strives to triumph over evil. Suitable for Gd. 4-6

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

With thanks to NetGalley and Mango and Marigold Press for an early copy in return for an honest review.

What an action packed adventure/fantasy! I absolute love stories with a strong sense of setting and that is definitely the case with Rea and the Blood of the Nectar - both in the real world Darjeeling, India and the magical Astranthia. Rea is a strong female main character and I love what she learns about friendship and family along her journey to find her kidnapped twin brother.

While I would recommend this more for upper MG (for vocabulary and some of the content), this is an #OwnVoices debut you don't want to miss!

Twins Rohan and Rea Chettri live with their Amma and maternal grandmother, Bajai, in Darjeeling. On the cusp of their 12th birthday, Rea is upset that her mother always seems to favour her brother over her. It’s bad enough that Rohan has more free time and less responsibilities than she does. Rea also finds out that Rohan, who rarely has any time for her these days, plans to celebrate their special day with a midnight cricket match played with his new friends.

When Rohan fails to return home after the cricket match, Rea can’t escape the thought that something bad has happened to him. In her nightmares, she keeps getting a message from Rohan that says, Find me or I die. Yet, strangely Amma and Bajai make no effort to look for him, acting as if they truly believe that he has gone forever.

Then Rea’s nightmares lead her and Leela deeper into the forest. Seeking the help of a local woman, Mishti Dadi, who knows magic, they are led through a portal that leads them into an enchanted world, Astranthia.

But the land is also home to the dreadful Queen, Razya. Will Rea and Leela be able to save Rohan? Or will they be trapped in this land forever?



The book was well written, creating the right kind of imagery with the description and the riot of colour. There was just enough detail to pull you into the story. The description of the phantom bus in Rea’s dream reminded me of Harry Potter in the Knight Bus.

The descriptions of Sanober forest and the fantastic kingdom of Astranthia evoked an otherworldly atmosphere. The author did a truly fantastic job with the world building.

It felt good to read an Indian story with an Indian protagonist, where young Indian kids might have the leisure of being able to understand things without an explanation. The smattering of Indian words that peppered the narrative were fun to read.

Even though I’m no cricket fan, I enjoyed reading about the midnight match. It had the right blend of action, emotion and pace.





But beyond this, I had issues with parts of the writing. There were many awkward sentence constructions. Rea wanted to tell Amma she didn’t care and that she was welcome for helping her on a day when she had an extremely important plan to carry out.

Possessives were another problem. For ex, Meet outside our houses at 11.45 pm for Rohan and my birthday cricket match.

And

her and Rohan’s bedroom

And

Or does your intelligence match that of a six-year-old’s?



Another problem lay in the wide use of multi-syllabled words, unrequired in middle grade fiction. The Queen cachinnated in loud chuckles. Not only does the word, cachinnated, call attention to itself, it’s not something a middle grade child would be aware of. There are many such words strewn throughout the book, that make one feel that the author relied a little too much on her thesaurus.

The author has come out with a strong story. The indiscriminate use of big words weakens the prose.

At one point, Rea is described as having spots-clouding-your-vision anger which sounds colloquial and leads us straight out of the story. There were also several proofing issues in the Kindle edition that needed looking into.





Among the characters, we don’t really get a chance to get to know Rohan too well. But Rea gets an opportunity to emerge out of her own shadow and grow as an individual. At the beginning, she has no friends and is an average student at school, picked on by the mean girls. Feeling unloved by her mother and alienated from her twin brother, she makes for an unlikely hero.

I liked Leela from the beginning. Her act of rushing to Rea’s house from the principal’s office is a hoot. She is a solid friend, who takes her friendships seriously even though Rea doesn’t return the friendship for a long time. She lives up to a friendship that doesn’t yet exist in Rea’s eyes. The subplot of Rea being unable to reciprocate Leela’s loyalty and friendship was interesting.

Leela and Xeranther give Rea a much-needed lesson about friendship and loyalty.

This kid, Leela, deserves her own place in the sun. Her own mother forgets her name and no one in her very large joint family even notices that she’s been gone for three days – she’s a story waiting to be told.

It also seemed a little odd that no one from the village raised a hue and cry about the missing boy. In a real world, somebody ought to have complained to the police, unless that is a reflection on our society and how self-involved we have become.

One last issue. Towards the close, Xeranther reassures Rea, We are going to get him (Rohan) out, adding, I have an idea. But he doesn’t do anything about the rescue. Did the author forget?



Despite these issues, I liked the book, and I hope the author will come back with just as smashing a story for the second book in the series.

What a refreshing addition to middle grade fiction!

The cover art is fabulously vibrant, and it serves the reader well in preparing them for a lovely adventure with the young South Asian main characters. Doshi's world-building is first-class. I was immediately drawn into the action with Rea's home life in the brilliantly descripted Indian Himalayan foothills and begins her adventure in the fanstical world of Astranthia.

Full of action, intense battles against unsavory (yet still preteen-appropriate) creatures and villains, Rea and the Blood of Nectar skillfully develops Rea's character as she simultabeously battles her inner demons while combating the one of Astranthia in order to save her golden-child brother from the evil queen.

I look forward to this book's release in May 2021, and hope that schools and libraries across the nation will have plenty of copies for their students and patrons. An #ownvoices must-read.

What an exciting ride! I loved the setting in this book. First it had me googling Darjeeling (wow-gorgeous) and then, magical Astranthia full of flowers and fairies. The best part, though, is Rea. She is a strong, loyal #ownvoices girl who is determined to save the day. She confronts many dark forces, including her own doubt and insecurities, to rise to the challenge her voyage to Astranthia presents. You don't want to miss this one!

I flew through this book. I just wanted to know what would happen. Such a magical adventure with the brave Rea and her friend Leela. It is Rea’s birthday, and her brother is missing. This is the beginning of the fantastic fantasy/mystery journey that explores courage, family, love, friendship, appreciation, and forgiveness. An amazing strong female read reminding us that we are capable of anything. The cover is gorgeous. The cultural diversity is much needed and enjoyed. Just a wonderful story all around. Highly recommended!!
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you for NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! / ¡Gracias a NetGalley por darme este ARC a cambio de una reseña honesta!

English Review:
5 / 5 stars
Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is a great fantasy, middle-grade book that follows Rea, a Indian girl who is trying to find her twin brother, Rohan, after he goes mysteriously missing and everyone, including Ama and Bajai (her mother and grandmother), seem to have given up any hope to find him.

For starters, this book has one of the most original and amazing fantasy worlds I have ever read; everything about it was so magical, that I think is the most important element of this book. We get to experience a whole new way of living and is so well portrayed, you will want to live in it.

When it comes to characters, they really provide a great pacing of the story. Each character is as equally interesting as the others, and they make more entertaining to read. Besides, we also get to know more of the Indian culture with this characters, which the author handle really well, in a way that, for someone that didn´t have much knowledge of this culture, it was understandable.

In conclusion, it was a great first book of a series that I will be really looking forward to continue reading in the future.

Reseña en Español:
5 / 5 estrellas
Rea and the Blood of the Nectar es un gran libro de fantasía infantil que sigue a Rea, una niña india que esta tratando de encontrar a su hermano gemelo, Rohan, después de que desapareciera de manera misteriosa y que todos, incluidos Ama y Bajai (su mamá y abuela), parecieran haberse rendido en cualquier esperanza de encontrarlo.

Para empezar, este libro tiene uno de los mundos de fantasía más originales y grandiosos que he leído; todo sobre este mundo fue tan mágico, que creo que es el elemento más importante de este libro. Logramos experimentar una forma diferente de vivir y es mostrada tan bien, que querrás vivir en ella.

Acerca de los personajes, de verdad permiten que la historia se desarrolle de buena manera. Cada personaje es igual de interesante que los otros, y hacen al libro incluso más interesante de leer. Además, también conocemos más sobre la cultura india con estos personajes, lo cual la autora maneja muy bien de forma de que, para alguien que no conocía mucho a esta cultura, fue muy entendible.

En conclusión, fue un muy bien primer libro de una saga que espero tengo muchas ganas de seguir leyendo en el futuro.

Rea is a character that is very easy to cheer for. From the very beginning we see how she longs for her mother's acceptance and her brother's love but feels rejected. She is a loner, who isn't very good in school and has no friends. All she wants is to be seen and accepted. And the reader wants her to succeed in getting that because despite her flaws, she has courage and a willingness to better herself. One can't but like her.

I loved seeing her making friends, overcoming her shortcomings and growing up as she struggles to first solve the mystery of her brother's disappearance and then to free her brother.

The setting was mesmerising, too, be it Astranthia or Darjeeling. I loved getting to know more about India and Indian culture, but the fantasy land of Astranthia was so well described that it felt like a real place, too.

The only downside of the novel, I felt, was its length considering this is middle grade.

I would highly recommend this Book to parents of children of all Cultures, it is full of magic , travel, sibling rivalry , friendships good & bad . It's about living together no matter our backgrounds, how we look, any disabilities we might have it covers so many different area's of life & the skills we all need to develop in order to live those lives in the most alluring & fantastical way.
This story involving Rea & her twin brother Rohan when they turn 12 years of age , can be read by Children & adults alike , but it is also a beautiful book to be read out allowed at Bedtime , which is what I will now do this weekend to my eldest granddaughter who will be 12 years of age in a few days time.
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I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Rea and the blood of the Nectar is an beautiful #ownvoices read for children about a young girl (Rea) and her relationship with her brother, who gets a magical adventure in a place called Astranthia.
Rea learns much in this story such as love, family, friendship and her own abilities and power.
This book is as fantastic as the cover depicts and will definitely encapture the imaginations of children and adults alike.
I thought this book was wonderfully written and very whimsical too.

Book Review: Rea and the Blood of the Nectar by Payal Doshi
Publishers: Mango and Marigold Press
Genre: Children Fiction, Middle Grade, Own Voices (I got an e-ARC from Netgalley)
Pub Date 17 May 2021

While reading this book, two things should be remembered that are mentioned in the acknowledgement at the end. Firstly, even though the book is a Fantasy, the author took a trip to Darjeeling which forms the primary world for the story. Second, the author always carried a pocket dictionary looking up new words whenever she could until her late twenties.

The story is written in gorgeous prose...

The complete review at: https://anups.net/2020/12/04/book-review-rea-and-the-blood-of-the-nectar-by-payal-doshi/

Giving a glimpse into the South Asian Childhoods of Diwali, Siblings and midnight cricket, Payal Doshi's book is a gem!

It has a beautiful and a riveting plot. A celebration of family, of magic and of sibling love, it is an accurate representation of South Asia and the very different childhood we have compared to the western world.
Joyous!

Interestingly fantastical!

Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is a beautiful twist in the 'fairyland' type of children's novels. It's amazing cast of characters and it's themes make it so unique.

Rea is such a wonderful example for young girls out there, a reminder that they can do what they put their minds to. The twists and turns are so unpredictable yet so intriguing.

I enjoyed this book so much, I would love to find out how the story ends

Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book and for giving me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This books is the kind of book I read when I was a child. One of the books I couldn’t put down, true first few chapters are a bit slow, but once the plot started unravelling I was hooked. The author’s writing is wonderful, descriptive and informative. I was impressed by the Indian references, I had so much fun reading this and the Indian culture. More power to Payal Doshi!

This was a seriously great book. Family, friends, adventure, growth, all set against a gorgeously described backdrop.

There was a lot of culture that I as a reader got to experience and it was all so beautifully described that I felt like I was there. The main character is relatable. I remember being that age and the issues you go through and feeling like there's more expected of you than others, feeling ignored, all the the things this main character goes through and her growth are so well done.

I will be recommending this to young readers once it's out. A book that should be on any young reader's shelf.