Name: The Light Between Worlds
ISBN: 9781911490036

Laura E. Weymouth

Six years ago, Evelyn and Philippa Hapwell were swept from war-torn England and into a woodland fantasy kingdom. Now back in the real world, eldest sister Philippa is relieved, but Evelyn is grieving for the magical place she called home. When she goes missing, Philippa must confront the truth of what happened to them, and the lengths her little sister was willing to go for a chance to return to the kingdom of her heart ...

The Light Between Worlds

What happens when you return to the real world after being in a fantastical one like Narnia? This YA debut by Laura E. Weymouth is perfect for fans of Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood and Lev Grossman’s The Magicians. Six years ago, sisters Evelyn and Philippa Hapwell were swept away to a strange and beautiful kingdom called the Woodlands, where they lived for years. But ever since they returned to their lives in post-WWII England, they have struggled to adjust. Ev desperately wants to return to the Woodlands, and Philippa just wants to move on. When Ev goes missing, Philippa must confront the depth of her sister’s despair and the painful truths they’ve been running from. As the weeks unfold, Philippa wonders if Ev truly did find a way home, or if the weight of their worlds pulled her under. Walking the line between where fantasy and reality meet, this lyrical and magical novel is, above all else, an exploration of loss and healing, and what it means to find where you belong. This edition uses deckle edges; the uneven paper edge is intentional.

Rachel Kanyid

Loved this, especially with the Narnia-ish element it pulls throughout the story.

Libby G

"A Woodlands heart always finds its way home." 

5/5 stars

Three children huddle in a London bomb shelter during World War II. The youngest, Evelyn, prays to be 'anywhere but here.' The children find themselves in Woodlands where they have been called to serve. They spend the following six years helping with the Woodlands war before returning back to their world to the moment they left.

No, this is not a cheap Narnia remake. While it is similar it is its own rich, original story. The story is split into two parts the first following the youngest girl Evelyn six years after leaving the Woodlands still struggling to stand on her own two feet when she aches for the Woodlands. 

The chapters switch back and forth between the time in the Woodlands and her struggling to exist in our world where she does not feel she belongs. She feels as though her siblings have moved on too easily when all she wants to do is return home.

The second half follows the middle child Philippa as she returns to London from America after Evelyn goes missing. It switches between her current struggles to show flashbacks as she attempted to help Evelyn resettle in their world. 

The story is well thought out and rich in detail. It's a story about coming of age, moving on and finding where you belong. 

A beautiful debut standalone from Laura Weymouth. I am excited to read her next book in the fall and see how she grows as a storyteller.

allie

Candyce Kirk

laura

*I got this book for review for my honest thoughts*

I was impressed by this novel. I went into this book curious by the topic but overall this book was such a fast pace/engaging read. I really loved how this book was structured both with the duel characters and the duel timelines. I really found the "fantasy" world to be a world that even I wanted to attend and really liked the the POV of both girls. I was a bit more invested in Phillipa storyline. I really also enjoyed the elements of poetry and how that was structured in to the novel. I also liked the historical fiction novel and how relastic these characters storylines was. I also like both girls love intreats and really enjoyed this read. I thought it was sold standalone as well and hope to read more book by this author in the future.

zafira zan

** spoiler alert **
           3.8**

DNF (stopped reading as soon as Evelyn's POV ended) 

i couldn't do it. i just kept thinking about Tom. seems stupid that i'm so fixated over Tom when so many more people "lost" her (family and other friends), but i essentially couldn't imagine the heartbreak Tom must've felt about her agreeing to meet on Saturday but find her missing instead. More so when Tom himself had lost two extremely dear people to him already, but i understand that depression isn't easy to deal with no matter what you try

Nikki Sojkowski

What happens in the aftermath of adventure? This is the story of the Hapwell family, trying to piece a life back together in England after the fantasy of a lifetime.

Natascha Dahl

I really loved this book, the serious storyline involving mental health mixed together with a fantasy world that reminds you of Narnia was something very special. The book was not what I expected, but that only made it better!

Lisa Beasley

I ended up enjoying this more than I expected to. While aspects of both girls annoyed me at points I found myself rooting for them anyway- perhaps more Phil the Ev. A nice read, well written and there is no denying the cover is gorgeous. 3 and a half stars.

Liz Griffin

Beautifully haunting. I’ll post a longer review when I’ve had time to collect my thoughts.

The Light Between Worlds

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