Going Home

Orryn ran away from home as a young teenager. After years spent trying to forget, she is forced to face the memories she’s been hiding from.
Thea never understood why her sister left. Her childhood was happy and she lives her adult life surrounded by people she loves, but she never stopped wondering.
When the two sisters meet again, a struggle to mend the bond they once shared, and reconcile their differing memories of their childhood, begins.

In a world where blending in is valued above everything else, scars can be a dangerous thing to show. After years of drifting and hiding, Orryn returns to her homeland and must choose between baring her scars and losing her sister a second time.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Emma Lindhagen shares the first in a novella series with Going Home, a story about sisters reuniting in England. Though the novella focuses on Thea and Orryn's relationship, it also introduces the setting for the future novel. This is a world where magic is a tool that can be honed, but it is also considered a deviant act, those caught practicing are treated like criminals and Wardens are watching. 

Orryn and Thea are sisters who have lived in two separate countries for most of their lives. Orryn ran away, across the Atlantic, when she was a young teenager. Thea remained with her parents unsure of why her sister left, upset that Orryn had abandoned her. Now, years later, after both parents have passed away, Thea invites her older sister back and Orryn dares to accept. Orryn is a very secretive and afraid young woman. Readers don't get the whole story in this novella, but they learn a lot about her past that allows them to initiate an emotional connection with Orryn. Thea is a settled woman, living with her loving partner Kella in a commune of sorts. Thea still looks up to her big sister but wants to understand why she left. When the truth comes out, Thea struggles to believe it. 

Usually I feel like novella's lack enough back story to form strong connections with readers, but Going Home shatters that idea. The entire novella is an emotional experience between two sisters where their back stories are revealed. This first installment does it's job perfectly, connecting the readers with the characters. It piques the interest for the main plot line with the creepy Wardens and illegal magic. I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read and am looking forward to the next book. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups