Tag: Magdalena Stanhoff

The Voice in the Well (Migrant Birds Book 3) by Magdalena Stanhoff Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young man returns to the city he grew up in, hoping to reconnect with a lost flame, only to discover she is different than he even knew, and perhaps they both need each other, in author Magdalen Stanhoff’s “The Voice in the Well,” the third book in the Migrant Birds series.

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The Synopsis

Kamila never thought she’d need saving. Nor did she peg Taeyeon as romantic hero material. Wrong—on both counts.

At eighteen, Taeyeon had to leave the city where he’d grown up, his laid-back life, his school buddies…and Kamila. He always intended to return and find her again, and now he’s finally free to give that old dream a good chase. But nothing goes as expected.

The unfriendly ghost he meets in Warsaw hardly resembles the dauntless girl from his memories. Something happened to her while he was away, but as Taeyeon digs around for clues, it also becomes clear that he never knew the real Kamila in the first place. And that he needs to make up for it—fast.

Kamila’s life is unraveling: her friends have scattered all over the world, she’s dropped out of college, and what’s left of her family is quickly falling apart. And then, that juvenile player from her teenage years, the devil-may-care boy she never expected to see again appears out of the blue and starts messing with her miserable existence.

Only, Taeyeon’s not a boy anymore, and he will do anything to wake Kamila up. Upon which, she may discover she’s not the only one who needs to be saved…

The Review

Emotionally driven and relatable, the author has crafted a novel that speaks volumes with subtle scenes and powerful character development. The reflective nature of the book’s themes and character arcs was both unique and insightful, allowing the reader to become engulfed in the drama and the heartfelt romance of the story while also reflecting on the real-world experiences the author infused into the fabric of this story, such as the border conflict between Poland and Belarus, as well as the theme of going home again and helping others in their time of need. 

The driving force behind this story, though, was the romance between the two protagonists, Kamila and Taeyeon. The hardships they both endure, together and in their respective corners of the world, and how they come together to find solace in one another’s orbit, give the reader a relationship to become hooked on and an emotional connection to the characters. The imagery and poetry of the author’s writing style brought these scenes vividly to life, giving readers a cinematic quality, much like watching an indie romantic drama for the first time.

The Verdict

Heartfelt, emotional, and thoughtful in its delivery, author Magdalena Stanhoff’s “The Voice in the Well” is a must-read novel and a grand entry in the Migrant Birds series. The romance, drama, and complex themes of identity, cultural clashes and cohesion, and the evolution of relationships will keep readers invested until the very last page. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Magdalena Stanhoff loves traveling and is vividly interested in how diverse cultures coexist, clash, and mix, and how it influences people’s life. Her contemporary novels explore romantic love, family bonds, and friendship in their various forms and shades, and since the author is an incurable dreamer, they always end with the HEA.

The Flaws in Our Prayers: A Novel by Magdalena Stanhoff Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Four people defined by their past and reluctant to accept love find themselves drawn together and must discover if they can truly have a happily ever after in author Magdalena Stanhoff’s “The Flaws in Our Prayers: A Novel”. 

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The Synopsis

Someone needs to save the savior. And someone has to protect the protector.

Years ago, Hana left her homeland with her little daughter, and she has steered clear of romance ever since. Sebastian graduated from a hard school of life, and he firmly believes love is a weakness. Neither plans to change their single status—but fate has a different idea.

One winter morning Hana saves a stranger’s life, setting off a chain of events that will thoroughly entangle their families. Sebastian won’t stop until he finds his elusive rescuer, and in his search, he unknowingly sends a young relative on a collision course with Hana’s darling girl…

Sori comes off as the epitome of composure and grace, but her childhood memories left her with zero tolerance for unkindness or cruelty. And Filip is like a shard of glass: beautiful, hard, jagged, and brittle. But oddly enough, the sun’s always shining when they get together, and every trouble can be reduced to a joke.

And thus, two parallel love stories unfold. But new feelings quickly awaken old demons, and soon it turns out conventions are against them as well. Neither Sebastian nor Filip will accept defeat, but can they both find—or fight—their way to a happily ever after?

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The Review

This was a captivating and thrilling read. The balance of romance and character development the author found was greatly appreciated, as it felt like the world the author built in this story was realistic and heartfelt in its delivery. The setting taking place at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic was unique as well, as it didn’t really focus on this aspect of the narrative too much like many books in recent years have, but instead used it as a springboard for the situations that arise to bring these four people together in their own unique way.

The individuality and creative development of these characters made the story for me. Without it, the romance and relationships they built together would have felt forced, but instead, they appear to readers as a natural and relatable story. Each character feels unique to themselves and is very multi-dimensional. Rather than being stuck in a one-dimensional story where two people fall head over heels for one another instantly with little to no stakes, the author gives us flawed, emotional, and self-assured characters who own their pasts and strive to rise above them, even when it becomes too difficult to handle at times. The way these unique backstories bring these very different characters together made this a compelling romance and contemporary women’s fiction novel.

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The Verdict

Memorable, heartfelt, and engaging, author Magdalena Stanhoff’s “The Flaws in Our Prayers: A Novel” is a must-read women’s fiction and romance novel. The heart and passion that the author touches upon while still remaining realistic and attainable in the world-building made this an enthralling read, and one that readers won’t want to put down until they turn that last page. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Magdalena Stanhoff writes contemporary novels about third-culture people. She loves traveling and is vividly interested in how diverse cultures coexist, clash, and mix, and how it influences people’s life. Her novels explore romantic love, family bonds, and friendship in their various forms and shades, and since the author is an incurable dreamer, they always end with the HEA.

Visit www.magdalenastanhoff.com

The Trouble with Belonging by Magdalena Stanhoff Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Two young kids who meet one another in the city and grow up together as friends find their relationship changing, and the challenges of everyday life changing them as well, in author Magdalena Stanhoff’s “The Trouble With Belonging”. 

The Synopsis

New city, again. New language, new school, new people. Another place where he doesn’t belong. Chen Kehuan is a boy adrift: he has no friends and no family to speak of, and he doesn’t care much for anyone. Until he meets that little girl, and then everything changes.

Niki roams the streets, talking to strangers on a whim and making things out of nothing, and since she has no choice, she fends for herself well enough. But then that older boy starts looking after her, and everything changes.

Years later, teenage Niki still struggles with the fallout of her turbulent childhood. Thankfully, Kehuan is there to help solve each and every problem she may have. Until everything changes again, and he becomes the problem. Now what?

The Review

This was such an intriguing and thoughtful read. The author does a great job of exploring so much about the lives of our younger generations and how the way we raise our children can really have an impact on how they handle situations as they arise in their lives. The author does a great job of covering so many different issues that young people face on a daily basis all around the world through these characters, from racism and alienation from their peers to developing hormones and the impact adult decisions have on still developing teens. 

What was fascinating to read was the examination of different cultures within this YA Romance and Drama. The multi-cultural cast of characters found the perfect balance of highlighting the aspects of each character’s background and culture that makes them unique, and the similarities they all shared in the issues that came across their paths. One thing I noticed that the author highlighted so well was the impact absent parenting and tragedy can have on young children as they grow older, and how moving too fast in any relationship can lead to hardships and struggles as they each look to find their own footing in the world.

The Verdict

A thought-provoking, engaging, and emotional read, author Magdalena Stanhoff’s “The Trouble with Belonging” is a fantastic YA Romance/Drama to read this fall. The story can get quite adult in certain spots, but the emphasis on relationships of all kinds and the way real issues are worked into the narrative along with the main character’s growing relationship and their own development made this such an interesting character study overall in the narrative. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

I’ve always loved books, and I’ve always wanted to see the world.  But while I read compulsively in my childhood and teenage years, traveling used to be just an unrealistic dream. Many years had to pass before I could pack my bag and set off on my first journey abroad, but it happened in the end. Since then, I’ve visited many countries and met many amazing people of different nationalities and cultures. We worked, and learned, and played together, and I’ve gained some wonderful friends this way. My life would’ve been so much duller and paler without them.  Books and travels have made me who I am. And my family, of course, but that goes without saying.

As for my books, I write what I like to read: stories about people overcoming various difficulties, sometimes fighting their inner demons, sometimes struggling to fit in or starting anew from the scratch, and finding love and happiness with a little help from their friends and family. Throw in the motif of clashing cultures and world views, and the mess and growth that can come out of it. And since I’m an incurable dreamer, also the obligatory HEA. 

P.S. As you may have already guessed, Magdalena Stanhoff is a pen name. My real name wouldn’t fit on any book cover, and besides,  most of you wouldn’t be able to pronounce it anyway.

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