Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children  No Solicitations No Visitors No Quests Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else. But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children. Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world. But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter. No matter the cost.  ✱ Pages: 160 (hardcover) ✱ Publication date: 5 April 2016 ✱ Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review ✱ Amazon UK | Amazon US ✱ Add it on Goodreads!

"Real is a four-letter word, and I'll thank you to use it as little as possible while you live under my roof."

Every Heart a Doorway is a unique, quirky novella about teenagers, written for adults. The writing is brilliant, the dialogue delightful, and there are numerous amazing characters involved in the story: a Goblin Prince-in-waiting, a girl who went to a Nonsense world, a boy who can make skeletons dance... Not to mention the protagonist, Nancy, who is definitely just as interesting as all the others!
 
   The thing I love about this, is that every person you meet has a back story that could easily be a book on its own. These are people of fairy tales, except their stories have been cut short and they've been sent back home. It's a pretty cool premise - what happens when you've been somewhere amazing but have been sent back home? Where is 'home,' anyway? Is it where you're from, or is it where you feel you belong?

    There are some frank things said about sexual orientations, sex, and there's a bit of swearing - I didn't mind these at all (quite appreciated it actually), but some of you might, depending on your preferences. The story also has some slightly macabre elements, and I'm all for anything spooky, weird, or slightly disturbing. This is probably why this story was such a good fit for me!