Had it not been for the brilliant My Weekly, I wouldn’t have discovered Jane Corry’s fabulous books. I reviewed Jane’s Coming to Find You for My Weekly here, and We All Have Our Secrets here. Now, My Weekly have given me the opportunity to review Jane’s latest book I Died on a Tuesday and I couldn’t be happier!

Published by Penguin on 20th June 2024, I Died on a Tuesday is available for purchase through the links here.

I Died on a Tuesday

THERE’S THE STORY EVERYONE BELIEVES . . .

The victim: Eighteen-year-old Janie leaving home for a new life.
The criminal: World-famous rockstar, Robbie, who harbours a shocking secret.
The protector: Witness support officer, Vanessa, desperate to right the wrongs of her past.

They tried to bury that fateful day. Now it’s back to haunt them.

. . . AND THEN THERE’S THE TRUTH.

My Review of I Died on a Tuesday

My full review of I Died on a Tuesday can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that I Died on a Tuesday is an absolutely cracking read with something for everyone in an enthralling and twisty plot that feels mature, engaging and thoroughly entertaining.

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Jane Corry

Jane Corry is a former magazine journalist who spent three years working as the writer-in-residence at a high security men’s prison. This often hair-raising experience helped inspire her Sunday Times-bestselling psychological dramas, of which she has now sold over a million copies worldwide. Jane is a regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph and My Weekly magazine.

For further information, follow Jane on Twitter/X @JaneCorryAuthor or visit her website. You’ll also find Jane on Facebook and Instagram.

My very great thanks to Drew Jerrison at Viper books for sending me a copy of The Dead Friend Project by Joanna Wallace. I’m delighted that The Dead Friend Project is my latest My Weekly magazine online review.

Published by Serpent’s Tail imprint Viper on 11th July 2024, The Dead Friend Project is available for purchase through the links here.

The Dead Friend Project

Everyone needs a hobby…

Things haven’t been going well for Beth. Her husband has left her for one of her friends. Her fellow school mums judge her for swearing too much and not shifting the baby weight. And now she’s stuck in A&E after her son fell off the climbing wall on the first day of school.

In fact, things haven’t been going well for Beth since Charlotte died – her best friend, a favourite at the school pick-ups and the only person to ever run an interesting PTA meeting. But after being hit by a car while on an ill-timed evening jog, Charlotte is no longer there to help Beth pick up the pieces of her increasingly difficult life.

That is, until Beth discovers that Charlotte left her toddler alone in the house during that fatal run. The Charlotte she knew would never do something so irresponsible, and suddenly Beth is questioning whether Charlotte’s death was really an accident. With a newfound purpose and a glass of wine in hand, it’s time for Beth to uncover what really happened to her best friend. And what better place to start than the circle of chatty school mums, who can’t be as perfect as they pretend. But which of them is hiding something? Beth’s determined to find out. Once she’s put the kids to bed, of course…

My Review of The Dead Friend Project

My full review of The Dead Friend Project can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that The Dead Friend Project is brilliant. It’s packed with mystery, humour and toxic relationships in a hugely entertaining blend that keeps the reader gripped. Not to be missed!

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Joanna Wallace

Joanna Wallace studied Law at Birmingham University before working as a commercial litigation solicitor in London. She now runs a family business and lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, four children and dog. She was partly inspired to write You’d Look Better as a Ghost, her debut, following her father’s diagnosis of early onset dementia. Joanna’s second novel, The Dead Friend Project, is published in July 2024.

For further information about Joanna, follow here on Twitter/X @JoWallaceAuthor, or find her on Instagram.

Having heard very positive things about Natasha Pulley’s writing I was excited when her novel, The Bedlam Stacks was chosen for this month’s U3A book group. It’s my pleasure to share my review today.

The Bedlam Stacks was published by Bloomsbury on 14th June 2018 and is available for purchase through the links here.

The Bedlam Stacks

In uncharted Peru, the holy town of Bedlam stands at the edge of a mysterious forest. Deep within are cinchona trees, whose bark yields the only known treatment for malaria.

In 1859, across the Pacific, India is ravaged by the disease. In desperation, the India Office dispatches the injured expeditionary Merrick Tremayne to Bedlam, under orders to return with cinchona cuttings. But there he meets Raphael, an enigmatic priest who is the key to a secret which will prove more valuable than they could ever have imagined.

My Review of The Bedlam Stacks

Merrick Tremayne is off to Peru.

The Bedlam Stacks is an unexpected read that blends reality, geography, history and fantasy into a gripping narrative that is wonderfully entertaining. 

Natasha Pulley writes beautiful prose that conveys her setting to perfection. The use of colour is exquisite and the descriptions of Peru place the reader right where the action is happening. There’s a mesmerising blend of clarity and dreamlike depiction so that the setting feels almost hallucinatory at times. 

Equally enthralling are the characters. I found Clem bombastic and irritating and preferred the sections without him – a bit like having a relative whom you quite like to see, but like even more when they’ve left! It’s interesting that he was a real person, especially as he’s so unpleasant. Merrick, however, was entirely engaging. His injured leg lends him a vulnerability that is appealing and yet he has physical, emotional and intellectual strength so that he feels multi-dimensional. I loved the way he wavers between pragmatism and spirituality. Equally, I thoroughly appreciated the way those whom society usually confines to the periphery, like the disabled, are treated with huge kindness and respect here. However, it was Raphael whom I found the most interesting. It’s difficult to say too much about him as he is so tightly woven into the plot, but he is taciturn and tender, physically visually impaired and yet far seeing. To me, Raphael represented possibility and hope.

The narrative is tautly plotted. I’m not usually a fan of multiple time lines, but here I found the different historical periods distinct and, indeed, essential. Natasha Pulley has obviously researched her geography, geology and history assiduously, as well as the horticultural aspects of the story so there’s a real authenticity behind the more imaginative elements. This makes for such a compelling story.

I really enjoyed the exploration of themes too. There’s so much packed into The Bedlam Stacks that any reader can find a topic that resonates and interests. I am aware that my own ignorance has missed many allusions and references and I feel The Bedlam Stacks deserves rereading many times to appreciate fully the skill of the author in weaving her story. There’s reality, spirituality and belief. There’s domesticity – from laundry to coffee making. There’s family and friendship with love underpinning relationships. There’s loyalty, betrayal and trust, imperialism, class, race and gender. Whilst these aspects might make The Bedlam Stacks sound dry and ‘worthy’, that could not be further from the truth. This is a story of peril and danger, and of identity and belonging, that races along. 

The Bedlam Stacks is a magical, mystical adventure that entertains brilliantly and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

About Natasha Pulley

Natasha Pulley is the internationally bestselling author of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, The Bedlam Stacks, The Lost Future of Pepperharrow, The Kingdoms, The Half Life of Valery K and The Mars House. She has won a Betty Trask Award, been shortlisted for the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award, the Royal Society of Literature’s Encore Award, and the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize, and longlisted for the Walter Scott Prize. She lives in Bristol, England.

For further information about Natasha, visit her website, follow her on Twitter/X @natasha_pulley and find Natasha on Instagram.

I confess I am slightly obsessed with Chris Whitaker’s writing so when I met up with lovely editor Emad Akhtar at a bookish event and he promised to send me a copy of Chris’s latest book, All the Colours of the Dark, I was on tenterhooks waiting for it to arrive. My hugely grateful thanks to Emad for fulfilling that promise.

You’ll find my reviews of Chris’s other books, Tall Oaks, All the Wicked Girls, We Begin at the End and his Young Adult book The Forevers here.

Published by Orion on 16th July 2024, All The Colours of the Dark is available for pre-order through the links here.

All the Colours of the Dark

A missing persons mystery, a serial killer thriller, and an epic love story – with a unique twist on each…

* * * * *

Late one summer, the town of Monta Clare is shattered by the abduction of teenager Joseph ‘Patch’ Macauley. Nobody more so than Saint Brown, who will risk everything to find her best friend.

But when she does: it will break her heart.

Patch lies alone in a pitch-black room – until he feels a hand in his. Her name is Grace and, though they cannot see each other, she lights their world with her words.

But when he escapes: there is no sign she ever even existed.

Left with only her voice and her name, he paints her from broken memories – and charts an epic search to find her.

As years turn to decades, and hope becomes obsession, Saint will shadow his journey – on a darker path to hunt down the man who took them – and set free the only boy she ever loved.

Even if finding the truth means losing each other forever…

My Review of All the Colours of the Dark

Patch has gone missing.

I genuinely think this is the hardest review I’ve ever written. I am a huge fan of Chris Whitaker’s writing, had heard nothing but glowing praise for All the Colours of the Dark and probably had outrageously and ridiculously high expectations before I read it. I was, therefore, prepared to be disappointed as it would not be possible to meet these expectations. How wrong could I be? I am at a loss to know how to express my thoughts because I genuinely don’t think I have read a book that has affected me more. I appreciate that I am an emotional reader, often moved to tears, laughter or anger by a narrative, but All the Colours of the Dark has rendered me a shattered, emotional wreck who has been reassembled differently. I loved this book. Entirely and absolutely. 

It doesn’t feel adequate to comment on style, plot, theme, setting and character as I usually do in a review as I was so rapt that I feel more that I’ve lived the story rather than read it. I’ve been with Patch and Saint every single second. They are the most compelling, engaging characters I think I’ve encountered in fiction. Both characters are fiercely loyal, strong, vulnerable, responsible and reckless. What is so impactful is their capacity for love so that their actions might be illegal, obsessive or foolhardy but are exactly the actions the reader would carry out in their place. 

It’s difficult to define the book’s genre as Chris Whitaker has provided a fast paced cat and mouse thriller, a police procedural, a murder mystery, a small town domestic drama, and a searing, multi-layered, love story that imprints itself indelibly on the reader’s heart. And yet, whilst being all of those things, All the Colours of the Dark is so much more than any of them. The narrative takes the conventions of right and wrong, and of morality, and shifts the accepted rules and perceptions of society until those like Patch, who commit crime, become the very people we love unreservedly, whilst others who might usually be venerated are reviled. The story considers obsession, creativity and relationships with such skill that I found I could hardly breathe and despite the short chapters I had to keep pausing to allow myself to recover. I lost count of the number of times I cried because the pain endured by the characters felt completely real and visceral and I felt it vicariously. All the Colours of the Dark is intense, mesmerising and completely overwhelming.

That said, in the same way Patch uses the depths of the dark and Grace’s descriptions to create the most incredibly beautiful paintings, so Chris Whitaker writes with scenic poetry so that settings are vivid and colourful, and he uses frequent, understated, humour that alleviates the intensity of sadness, rage and emotion felt by both characters and readers. There’s enormous positivity and hope here. 

The plot is, quite simply, stunning. The story ranges over a quarter of a century but there isn’t a single wasted syllable or moment. I think what works so effectively is that, in the same way Saint’s music might be played, the plot has moments of high drama contrasted with prosaic quietness so that this is a book that is perfectly balanced and nuanced. 

I’m aware I’ve rambled without really saying anything but I don’t want to spoil the read for others. I think that All the Colours of the Dark is the book I have felt most affected by – ever. I’m frequently asked which book is the ‘best’ I’ve ever read. Whilst that’s an imprecise definition, I would say that All the Colours of the Dark is the book I will refer to as the one I would recommend above all others because it has something for lovers of every genre. I cannot express how much I adored every single syllable. I thought it was magnificent. I won’t forget Saint and Patch and I urge you to meet them too, but be prepared to lose your heart to them both.

About Chris Whitaker

Chris Whitaker is the award-winning author of Tall Oaks, All the Wicked Girls and We Begin at the End. All three books were published to widespread critical acclaim, with Tall Oaks going on to win the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award.
An instant New York Times bestseller and the #1 Indie Next Pick, We Begin at the End was also a Waterstones Thriller of the Month, a Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick and a Good Morning America Buzz Pick. It was shortlisted for both the Gold and the Steel Dagger Awards, and for the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year. Chris lives in the UK with his wife and three children.

For further information, visit Chris’s website, follow him on Twitter/X @WhittyAuthor and find Chris on Instagram.

I’ve been a huge fan of Jack Jordan’s writing for almost a decade and I was so disappointed that the joys of Covid prevented me from interviewing Jack at the local Deepings Literary Festival. However, by way of compensation, I’m delighted that my latest My Weekly magazine online review is of Jack’s latest thriller Redemption. My enormous thanks go to Harriett Collins at Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy.

You’ll find my reviews of Jack’s other books, including Conviction and Do No Harm, here.

Redemption was published by Simon and Schuster on 20th June 2024 and is available for purchase through these publisher links.

Redemption

Aaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him.
But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the days until she can exact the revenge he deserves. And now that time has come.
But as Evelyn and her husband Tobias embark on a road trip to track Aaron down, they find themselves caught on two different sides of a gripping game of cat-and-mouse. Because Tobias knows what Evelyn is planning, and he will do anything to save her from herself.
Even if it means protecting the man who killed their son.

Locked in a collision course set in motion eleven years ago, Aaron, Evelyn and Tobias are about to find out whether the road they have chosen leads to redemption . . . or to retribution.

My Review of Redemption

My full review of Redemption can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that Redemption is utterly brilliant. You’ll be hard pressed to find a thriller that is faster paced, more exciting and more emotionally affecting this year. I thought it was an absolute cracker and the author’s best book to date.

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Jack Jordan

Jack Jordan is the global bestselling author of Anything for Her, My Girl, A Woman Scorned, Before Her Eyes, Night by Night, Do No Harm and Conviction, and an Amazon No. 1 bestseller in the UK, Canada and Australia. Do No Harm was described as ‘chilling’ by Sarah Pearse, ‘brilliant’ by Lesley Kara and ‘pulse-racing’ by Louise Candlish. It was an instant Times bestseller on first publication and a Waterstones Thriller of the Month pick.

For further information about Jack you can follow him on Instagram, Twitter/X @JackJordanBooks and Facebook.

I’m a huge fan of Louise Candlish’s writing and she has featured here on Linda’s Book Bag many times. Consequently, I’m delighted that my latest online review for My Weekly magazine is of Louise’s latest thriller Our Holiday.

Published by Harper Collins imprint HQ on 4th July 2024, Our Holiday is available for purchase through the links here.

Our Holiday

Charlotte and Perry long for summers at Cliff View, their gorgeous holiday home overlooking the turquoise waters of Pine Ridge. And now that city friends Amy and Linus have bought a property nearby, they plan lazy weeks of sun, sea and sipping rosé on Charlotte’s summerhouse veranda.

But there’s trouble in paradise…

A rising tide of resentment towards second-home owners is heading their way and small acts of criminal damage are escalating into something more menacing. By the end of the summer, families and friendships will be torn apart and Pine Ridge will be known for more than its sun-drenched beaches.

It will be known for murder…

My Review of Our Holiday

My full review of Our Holiday can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that Our Holiday is that it is filled with Louise Candlish’s trademark toxic relationships, unpleasant characters and has a twisty plot that examines the truth behind the veneer of society. It’s a cracker!

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Louise Candlish

Louise Candlish is the Sunday Times bestselling author of sixteen novels. Our House, a number one bestseller, won the Crime & Thriller Book of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards, was longlisted for the 2019 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and was shortlisted for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award. It was also a major ITV drama made by Death in Paradise producers Red Planet Pictures.

Louise’s The Only Suspect has just won the 2024 Capital Crime Fingerprint Award for Thriller of the Year.

Louise lives in London with her husband and daughter.

You can follow Louise on Twitter/X at @louise_candlish or find out more on her website or on Facebook and Instagram.

It’s my very great pleasure today to share my review of Probably Nothing by Lauren Bravo, not least because I still have Lauren’s debut Preloved waiting for me on my TBR. My huge thanks go to Sara-Jade Virtue of Simon and Schuster’s Books and the City for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for sending me a copy of Probably Nothing in return for an honest review.

Published by Simon and Schuster on 4th July 2024, Probably Nothing is available for purchase through the links here.

Probably Nothing

Bryony doesn’t actually mind being single. So she doesn’t understand why she keeps seeing (ok, sleeping with) Ed, who is perfectly fine, but also only okay. After developing the ick on their fifth date, she resolves to end things – only to receive a call the next day telling her Ed has died.

Worse yet, he seems to have represented her to his family and friends as his great love. Obviously, it would be cruel to correct them. Then she’s invited to the funeral. It would be equally rude to refuse… right?

Before she knows it, Bryony has been drawn in by the charisma and chaos of Ed’s eccentric family and tangled in a web of her own lies. She’s been guilted into signing up to his sister’s pyramid scheme, she’s in far too deep with several of his nearest and dearest – and to make matters worse she’s experiencing a lot of physical symptoms that are becoming harder and harder to ignore…

Probably Nothing is the answer to just how far sheer awkwardness can take someone. Peppered with Lauren Bravo’s irresistible wit, it explores the relatable modern cults of wellness and people-pleasing, and digs into the eternal dilemma: life is short – so should you settle for perfectly fine?

My Review of Probably Nothing

Bryony’s casual boyfriend has died leaving his family believing she is the love of his life. 

I loved Probably Nothing because it is witty, relatable and deliciously entertaining. The plot is so good as it encompasses events and situations any reader can identify with so that it is as if Lauren Bravo has written it just for the individual. This is a story of ordinary people, often doing ordinary things, told with humour and affection. Equally, Probably Nothing is a warm, mature and insightful exploration of relationships – relationships between friends and lovers, in marriages and families, in communities and workplaces so that there is a universal and identifiable appeal making for a really compelling read.

The characters are fabulous. Time after time I felt their actions could belong to any number of people I know because Lauren Bravo depicts them so realistically, and my poor husband was constantly interrupted as I read aloud the most perfect descriptions of very familiar behaviour. Bryony is a triumph as she finds herself embroiled in the family events that celebrate Ed’s life. As Ed’s family learn more about Bryony, so she gains a greater understanding of herself. There’s a vivid sense of growth and development that makes Bryony a rich and complex character. She’s no cardboard protagonist who is perfect in comparison to others, but her personality leaps from the page and I particularly relished her hypochondria and her need to please others all the time. 

Indeed, I loved all the characters here. It’s a brilliant touch to make Ed the catalyst for the action and yet we never encounter him directly. Ann’s need to weave people into her family, Steve’s pragmatic approach, Kelly’s obsession with pregnancy, Annie’s ill fated attempts at being a grown up, Bryony’s inability to say no, are just a few of the traits that are so cleverly depicted so that it feels as if the reader is a fly on the wall, eavesdropping their lives rather than merely reading about them. The prickly, adversarial relationship between Bryony and Kelly is a touch of genius because it illustrates how we so frequently judge others without knowing the full facts, adding depth as well as fun to the story. I think Probably Nothing is crying out to be made into a television series because these are folk we care about and want to champion. There are no great heroes or villains, but rather flawed and messy personalities simply trying to get by who are hugely relatable. 

Probably Nothing is a wonderful story. The twists and turns of the plot are fun, moving and brilliantly uplifting. The narrative shines an affectionate, funny and engaging light onto who we are as people. Lauren Bravo uncovers our fears and foibles in a way that not only entertains the reader, but gives them permission to be themselves too. I thought it was a belter of a book and absolutely loved it.

About Lauren Bravo

Lauren Bravo is an author, journalist and lifelong hypochondriac who has written about fashion, popular culture, food and feminism for titles including Grazia, Stylist, Vogue and Sunday Times Style. Her debut novel, Preloved, was named one of Red‘s best books of 2023. She lives in London with her husband and daughter.

For further information, follow Lauren on Twitter/X @laurenbravo. You’ll find Lauren on Instagram too.

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What a pleasure to announce that my latest My Weekly magazine online review is of The Unforgettable Loretta, Darling by Katherine Blake.

The Unforgettable Loretta, Darling was published by Penguin Viking on 20th June 2024 and is available for purchase through the links here.

The Unforgettable Loretta, Darling

You’re Loretta Darling now, welcome to your brand-new flipping life.

Dreams don’t come true for girls like Loretta but she won’t let that stop her. With her sights set on becoming a make-up artist to the stars, Loretta wangles her way from Lancashire to the bright lights of Golden Age Hollywood.

Only it turns out that Sunset Boulevard is less about dashing fellas and chilled martinis – more sticky floors and misbehaving men. The gift of the gab can only get her so far but she refuses to go quietly.

Hollywood has its secrets … and so does Loretta.

For a start, that’s not her real name, and much more than lipstick lurks inside her beauty case.

After all, revenge is a dish best served with a perfectly painted smile.

My Review of The Unforgettable Loretta, Darling

My full review of The Unforgettable Loretta can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that The Unforgettable Loretta is filled with venomous revenge, naked ambition and a good dose of feminist triumph. I loved it!

Do visit My Weekly to read my full review here.

About Katherine Blake

Katherine Blake is a pseudonym for Karen Ball, an author who has written over twenty-five children’s books and was a Bookseller Rising Star thanks to her publishing consultancy, Speckled Pen. She regularly appears on podcasts, including The Bestseller Experiment and SJ Bennett’s PrePublished. She lives in London and runs a biweekly newsletter filled with fun news, book reviews, and regular updates about her miniature schnauzer.

For further information, visit Katherine’s website follow Katherine on Twitter/X @karenball and Instagram.

Many of you know that life has been a bit of a challenge of late and as a result I’ve been avoiding blog tours. However, as a passionate cat lover I simply couldn’t resist participating in the tour for New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe by Julie Haworth and would like to extend my huge thanks to the inimitable SJ of Simon and Schuster’s Books and the City for inviting me to take part. I’m delighted to share my review today.

Published by Simon and Schuster on 18th July 2024 New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe is available for purchase through the links here.

New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe

New Beginnings at The Cosy Cat Café tells the story of Tori who, after being dumped and left stranded by her long-term boyfriend Ryan on a trip of a lifetime to Asia, returns home to the sleepy Sussex village of Blossom Heath with her tail between her legs and her dreams shattered. Donning her frilly apron to help her Mum, Joyce, behind the counter at The Cosy Cup Café, Tori starts to believe – with the help of a hunky fireman and a clowder of rescue cats – that perhaps the secret to her future happiness might lie closer to home than she ever thought possible.

If you love your romance with a side order of cake, cats and cosy community dynamics, this is the purrfect uplifting, feel-good read from the winner of the RNA Katie Fforde Debut Novel of the Year 2023.

My Review of New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe

Tori has broken up with Ryan.

My goodness I needed this book. Is New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe most challenging book I’ve ever read? No. Is it the most literary book I’ve ever read? Also no. Is it utterly charming, being filled with romance and community with a wonderful story that allows the reader time away from the stress of real life? Absolutely. I so enjoyed escaping between its pages. 

The plot is relatively gentle, and although it has moments of drama and tension, what I enjoyed most was the way the story is entirely believable. What happens in Blossom Heath feels relatable, authentic and engaging. The petty rivalries between some of the villagers, the sense of community and place are pitch perfect, making the reader feel as if they live there too.

The characters are warm, vivid and relatable. New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe may have Tori as the focus, but I loved meeting all the villagers. They have their strengths, weaknesses and foibles, and there is a moment with Violet that I felt showed incredible humanity but you’ll need to read the book to discover that for yourself. As a result of reading this book I rather fell in love with Leo and thought the fact that his name is linked to large cats was inspired! The cats themselves are quite wonderful. As a cat lover, I felt New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe depicted them to purrfection! 

So many interesting themes are woven in to the story, as well as the romance one might expect. I really enjoyed the reality presented of creating a business plan, charity work, fund raising, the place of social media in our lives and so on. The concept of community and belonging is strong, but I think I enjoyed the idea of self knowledge the most. Several characters from Tori to Violet, Cora to Claire, and Leo to Ryan all discover something about themselves at so that there’s a real sense of growth as well as entertainment in the story.

New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe is a gentle, authentic, heart-warming story and one I very much enjoyed because it allowed me to escape the cares of the world and be entertained by an author who really seems to care about people and who writes with humanity. 

About Julie Haworth

With a degree in English and American Literature, Julie Haworth worked as an English teacher for a number of years, specialising in working with learners with literacy difficulties, before launching her own freelance copywriting business. She is  a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and her debut novel, Always By Your Side, which she wrote whilst recovering from Covid in 2020, won the Katie Fforde Debut Romantic Novel Award in 2023.

For further information, follow Julie on Twitter/X @jhaworthauthor, or find her on Instagram.

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I was delighted when Vicki Berwick at Pushkin Press asked me if I’d like a copy of the children’s book Storm Child by Ele Fountain and sent it across. I’d like thank Vicki very much indeed and it’s my pleasure to share my review of Storm Child today.

Storm Child is published by Pushkin Press tomorrow, 4th July 2024 and is available for purchase through the links here.

Storm Child

Maya’s life is about to be upended. After her dad’s fishing boat is ravaged by a relentless storm, Maya’s parents make the decision to start over-by moving to a tropical island. But making a change doesn’t always make a difference. Far from her friends and her quiet seaside home where she spent all her time surfing, Maya is swept away by a storm much larger than herself. As Maya begins to realise that paradise is not always what it seems, can she bring her family back home again?

My Review of Storm Child

Maya’s family is in financial trouble.

Storm Child is a wonderful book. It opens in dramatic fashion and proceeds at a pace that captivates readers young and old.  

I love the way modern issues of climate change, sustainability and family debt are woven into the story, enabling young readers to comprehend adult issues in an appropriate manner, but without these aspects feeling contrived. Indeed, this might even be a story that enables an adult to have difficult conversations with children. It’s very clear in the story that grown ups don’t always have all the answers to life’s difficulties.

There’s a fast moving, frequently dramatic storyline that holds the reader’s full attention throughout, but it was the themes of the story that I found the most affecting. Through Maya’s experiences, Ele Fountain considers family and friendship, the difficulties of change and how best to weather the storms of life. The extended storm metaphor is brilliantly handled, from Maya’s tricky physical experience at the start and end of the book, through her father’s fishing boat accident, to the more intangible storms of starting a new life and making new friends. I thought this aspect was fantastic and incredibly emotional.

Maya herself is a wonderful character. She’s mature and sensitive in her outlook and yet very much a child who doesn’t always respond as well as she might to others, so young readers can relate to her completely. All the aspects that are familiar to youngsters are present in Maya’s life such as school and friendships, but there’s adventure and novelty in surfing, travel and a different culture too, making Storm Child a truly engaging story. 

Storm Child is beautifully written with descriptions that have a filmic, poetic quality and that feed the imagination. However, the most glorious aspect of the story telling is the way Ele Fountain conveys deep emotion through what she doesn’t write, every bit as skilfully as she does through her words. She provides such nuanced light and shade that Storm Child is profoundly moving as well as interesting and exciting. I confess there were several moments when I had a tear in my eye as I read. 

The ex-teacher in me wants to highlight all the learning opportunities Storm Child provides, from the potential for art or drama lessons in interpreting and illustrating the story, through geographical climate issues and astronomy to personal safety, but actually I think Storm Child deserves to be read for sheer pleasure. I loved Storm Child because it looks right into the heart of a child’s life and illustrates that true strength comes from family, friendship and being true to yourself. It’s a superb book that readers of all ages will enjoy and I thought it was fantastic.

About Ele Fountain

Ele Fountain worked as an editor in children’s publishing where she helped launch and nurture the careers of many prize-winning and bestselling authors. Ele’s debut novel, Boy 87, won four awards and was nominated for nine more, including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. She lives in Hampshire with her husband and two daughters.

For further information, visit Ele’s website, or follow her on Twitter/X @EleFountain.