Jay can't remember the accident that left him in hospital, learning to walk again and with a scar running almost the entire length of his body. His dad doesn't want him to talk about it either and when Jay is discharged from hospital and learns that they will be moving immediately to live in Ireland, he begins to suspect he isn't being told the whole truth. Jay's dad is banning mobile phones, WiFi at home and access to the Internet in general and Jay is no closer to finding out the truth. In Ireland, he meets Jess, who lives with her very protective parents and older siblings and has a tendency to speak without thinking and put her foot in it. Jess and Jay meet and after a rocky start, become good friends, which is exactly what Jay needs, as he discovers more about his accident.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and really enjoyed the coastal setting and the descriptions of the sea.

I did think that, at times, some of the characters behaved in slightly unlikely ways and that Jay seemed to be quite naive at times. I also thought that the way Jess' family treated her was a bit odd and for a good few chapters, was expecting there to be a reveal that Jess had an illness or disability or something that made her additionally vulnerable in the water. The accident she was in as a baby was out of her control and so I found the refusal of her family to teach her to surf, a bit odd. I'd have expected them to insist she took lessons to be safe, rather than not want her near the water they live so close to. Lastly, I was all ready to recommend this book to the children (aged 10-11) I work with, but the inclusion of the description of the dad's messy hair and inside-out tshirt and the swear word later on, make it something that I wouldn't be allowed to recommend to primary-aged children, sadly.

These were just minor things though and did not detract from my own enjoyment of the book.

This was a really compelling unusual story that kept me in suspense to see how the reveal of his memories and trauma would come about. Good.

Trauma effects people in different ways and for Jay surviving a shark attack has repercussions that he’s finding it difficult to deal with. His dad has a different coping mechanism than him, and that would be fine if jay wasn’t dragged away from his home to start a new life and took never to discuss the accident. Something is lurking in the back of Jay’s mind about what happened, and it’s means that the bond of trust between father & son is on shaky ground.

A book which deals with several emotional topics in a sensitive way, which I found engaging. Like waves, relationships can have ups & downs, and the way Jay has to navigate his choppy memory and his family history is very well done. When it needs to be, it’s subtle which is wonderful but the author doesn't shy away from sugar coating the truth. I really hope that this story reaches a lot of readers, as it has hidden depths that I think will surprise people. The cover is very appealing and is one of the reasons that I was drawn into reading the book. It will look fantastic on a display in a bookshop.

Jay has been in an accident. He’s been attacked by a shark. He has a gigantic scar all down one side of his body. His recuperation will take a long time. His father is by his side throughout.

As Jay begins the healing process, there’s more to his recovery than simply dealing with the physical scars. The emotional impact has left much deeper scars. When his dad says they need to move to Ireland, Jay suspects that his dad is hiding something, but what? As the truth of the accident comes out, Jay has to decide if the lies are harder to cope with than the truth.

This is a story about family relationships, set against a backdrop of surfing. It explores the ideals we hold and asks whether they are too precious to let go.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jay has woken up in hospital unsure of what has happened to him but aware of his Dad in a chair next to him. Dad assures Jay he is recovering and says they can talk about what happened when he is ready. He stresses this in front of all medical personnel visiting Jay to help with his recovery.
It takes a few weeks before Jay feels well enough to ask his Dad what happened. All he can remember is being in the water snorkelling as the sea is his love. Living in the south of France where they do, the surfing is good and Jay is an excellent surfer. Dad starts to explain but becomes emotional so Jay jumps in and says he thinks he can remember a shark attack. Dad agrees and it all ties together with the huge scar Jay has from his neck along his body.
When Jay is finally discharged from hospital some months later, his Dad surprises him by telling him they will make a new start in Ireland – Dad’s country of birth. On the plane Jay broaches the subject of Jay’s Mum who had been supposed to meet them on the day of the accident, not having been part of Jay’s life for most of his 13 years. Again, Dad becomes emotional and Jay fills in the gaps.
Jess too lives by the sea. Her experience in water is different as the sea is not as warm in Ireland and she’s not allowed in unsupervised because of falling in when just six months old and has been over protected by her whole family ever since. She is desperate to be able to surf and join her family’s surf school. Jess is impulsive but not at all malicious, unlike her former friends.
When Jess and Jay become friends they know they can talk to one another, so when Jay’s life becomes even more complicated he has Jess to confide in.
A novel about trust and truth, about doing the right thing and owning up to your actions.
A great read for KS3 aged young people.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought both characters were well written and you could really get a sense of their personalities. I liked the way the story was told from the perspectives of two different characters and thought the bit where Jess and Jay meet and how they both interpreted that meeting was a really talking point. I am currently doing a well-being course at my school that thinks about how your perspective colours your interactions and thought that part of the story would make a great teaching point. However, towards the end of the book, one of the character uses the word s**t. I understand the context of the use of the word; the character was very angry and it sounds like something they would have said, Sadly though it means I won't be able to use this book in my school setting as I teach primary. This is a huge shame as I think the way the characters think about themselves and the feeling of teenage angst that Jess in particular has would provide some excellent teaching points and I think my Year 5 and 6 pupils would have loved the story.