#BlogTour The Five Things by Beth Merwood

 It's my turn on the BlogTour The Five Things by Beth Merwood.

About the Author

Beth Merwood is from the south of England. The Five Things is her debut novel. Follow @lizcity77 on Twitter, on Instagram, on Facebook, Visit bethmerwood.wixsite.com/write 

About the book

For nine-year-old Wendy, the summer of 1969 will never be forgotten. - Local kids have always told stories about the eerie wood on the outskirts of the village, and Wendy knows for sure that some of them are true. Now the school holidays have started and she's going to the wood again with Anna and Sam, but they soon become convinced that someone is trying to frighten them off.

When a terrible event rocks the coastal community, the young friends can't help thinking there must be a connection between the incident, the tales they’ve heard, and the strange happenings they’ve begun to witness. As glimpses of a darker world threaten their carefree existence, they feel compelled to search out the underlying truth.

Review

Wendy and her friends enjoy the freedom and liberties of the late 60s, something the children of the 21st century will never experience. Roaming around, exploring alone and with friends, and soaking in the world around them. Until something terrible happens and their world is changed forever.

Given the way it is written, from Wendy's perspective - first as a child and then as an adult - the majority of the book is in simplistic language and structure to perhaps reflect that. It could be marketed as a YA psychological thriller and for advanced middle grade readers. I have to say I found the narrator and narration often made me as the reader feel as if it was a factual experience told by the author about herself. It certainly gave the character an added element of realism.

From a language perspective it could do with some tightening up, and the conjecture at the end was superfluous. The simplicity of the trauma was enough to carry the story completely until the end. It's a story of childhood and how one event can change the way you interact with your world going forward. It speaks of the very specific nostalgia of childhood memories and moments. It's both a mystery and a coming-of-age story.

Buy The Five Things at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : ‎The Wild Rose Press Inc; pub date 3 May 2021. Buy at Amazon com.