The House at the End of Hope Street - Magical Realism Novel | Heartwarming Story of Second Chances & Self-Discovery | Perfect for Book Clubs & Literary Fiction Lovers

I have been obsessed with reading books since I was 4. I read them for one of 3 reasons: I need to (for education & information), because I think I should (it sounds interesting enough, someone suggested it, or everyone is talking about it), or my favorite reason: because it's so good I can't put it down, and the book stays with me in some way for the rest of my life! I know when it's the third kind because I find myself thinking about the book throughout the day and counting the minutes until I can read the next chapter. It's not easy to write books like that - to captivate and impact the reader this strongly, so when I find one I treasure it forever.The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna van Praag is such a book. I couldn't put it down! To simply summerize it - the book is about women who find themselves at crossroads in their lives. They're lost, feeling hopeless, frustrated, scared and confused about their future. We all can relate to that. But for the book's characters there is hope, and it is hidden on appropriately named Hope Street in a magical house that summons these desperate women in order to give them a chance to heal. In an almost Harry Potter-esque way the house is filled with souls of its former inhabitants, often famous women who have sought solace within its boundaries at some point in their lives. These souls help the new inhabitants during the course of their stay by nudging them on their individual paths to happiness and success. But here is the catch - the women can only stay there for 99 days - long enough to make significant changes in their lives, but short enough so they are motivated to make those needed changes. Brilliant concept! It's like a 3 month retreat with the guidance of history's most inspirational gurus - a sanatorium for the soul. It's life coaching on steroids. Added to that are the mysterious pasts of the book's main characters: the 3 women currently living in the house and the house owner - the gatekeeper, who herself learns a much needed lesson at the end.The author writes brilliant prose and develops the characters and their stories beautifully. She weaves suspense and magical mystery into an inspirational story of triumph: finding strength and courage at the lowest point of one's life. And yes there is a love story or two in there as well because, after all, that is what life is about: having the courage to be yourself, love and be loved. The author keeps you in suspense by slowly revealing details of each character's past. And there are many surprises! In my opinion, this would be a wonderful series, but that is of course for the author to decide... :)Highly recommended for: anyone who has ever felt desperate, hopeless, or in need of an emotional make-over, and those who enjoy a good novel, deep characters and some mystery and magic! You won't be disappointed!