Growing up with a distant parent and a step-mother who didn't really seem to like you, if you only knew 18 things about your mother, who passed away before you started school, what would you do?
That's the question that's basically answered in a way, in this book. A savvy, interesting book about a girl who doggedly tries to make connections to her father, and find out more about her mother. It was an ending I felt I saw coming, but nevertheless, well worth the read.

July has a short list of things she knows about her mother who died when she was a toddler. Her father refuses to talk about her and "teaches lessons" if July asks too many questions. Her stepmother and sister are distant and don't show any affection or help against her fathers punishments.

As July grows up, she starts asking more and more questions until the truth is finally revealed.

A great read that tells of a child grief of losing one parent and desperation of getting affection from the other. The determination of searching for answers even knowing the consequences show a strength of character for such a young child.

This book was a strong start but I did lose touch with it part way through. I would still recommend it to other readers

This book started out strong for me then dwindled a little. The topic, a little disturbing was at times confusing from a factual point of view. The book was enjoyable overall and I would still recommend.

This was so good, I really didn't want to put it down. Original storyline, written from the pov of a 10 year old girl. T.W domestic abuse

I was intrigued right from the start and couldn't wait to find out how it all unravelled. I haven't read this author before but would definitely pick up another even without reading the blurb. Fully recommend.

Omg I couldn't put it down and highly recommend it. The twist totally blew me away. Highly recommend this book.

A story that keeps you engaged but with annoying flaws.

1. The name of the main character (pronounced like the month). Served absolutely no purpose to the story. Just name the kid May or June for goodness sake.

2. July and her stepsister neither spoke nor behaved like ten year olds. The language in particular just didn’t ring true.

3. No school was using inkwells in 1995!

4. Even in 1995, no head teacher would ignore a teacher’s suspicions of a child being abused.

5. The letters only seemed to be there for their ‘you weren’t expecting this person to be the author’ moments. Again, didn’t serve the story except for a glimpse forward into the future of some characters.

6. The climax to the story was melodramatic and unconvincing.

The treatment of domestic violence was well handled generally and July’s response by blaming herself was tragic but realistic. The response of other adults was explained much more superficially and no explanation provided of why July’s stepmother acquiesced to such behaviour.

Read much more like a YA book than a novel intended for an adult audience.

I found this to be such a mixed book - we have the adorable and delightful character of July, who narrates the book and sees everything through the eyes of a child. Whilst this is lovely and you become very much part of July’s world, there is the much darker and harrowing side of July’s childhood that is quite hard to read at times. I found the contrast between the happy go lucky July and the things that have happened to her quite hard to manage as I just wanted to pull her out of the book to protect her! I did really like how it was set slightly in the past and lots of aspects of the setting were familiar to me, having been a child around those times too. A new to me author but one I will look out for again.

July lives with her abusive father, step mum and step sister. But when she gets a note saying that her mum I didn’t really die in a car crash she has to investigate more about the woman she knows nothing really about.

This book is going straight up on my favourites list it was so good. I would have been the same age as July when it was set and I could feel all the nostalgia throughout the pages, I felt like the author did a fantastic job at capturing all of this. I also felt like the author did a great job at portraying the abuse that July went through, it was written very sensitively and the authors note at the end really cemented this for me. I really struggled to put this book down it was so good. I didn’t guess the outcome of the book at all and when it all came out I was very shocked. All in all this was a brilliant read - this was a new to me author but one I’ll be reading more of.

I really enjoyed What July Knew.
July Hooper is almost 10 years old and she lives with her father Mick, her step-mother Shelley and her step sister Sylvie.
July’s mother died when hit by a car when she was a baby – or so she was told.
She has a list of things she knew about her mother, but they don’t amount to much and she is absolutely desperate to know more about her.
Anytime she brings up her mother, her father gets enraged and tried to teach her a lesson.
**Trigger warning for domestic violence which is a theme heartbreakingly throughout this book.**
On her tenth birthday her teacher sets the class a homework project for over the holidays where everyone needs to pick a family member to work on, finding more information about them, and July wanted to do her mum. And when she discovered a note in her school bag that same day, July's course in life was changed.

Riding her bike to where she used to live, July wondered who she could ask to get more answers. But the more things she uncovers leads to more questions, she takes more risks and puts herself and others in danger.
Would she ever find the truth, or would she only get lies for the rest of her life?
At times this is an intense read with some upsetting themes however don’t let this put you off.
There’s some amazing character development and heart-warming moments too.

With thanks to NetGalley and Kate Neilan of Penguin Random House, UIK, for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant, inquisitive, charmingly creative. A beautiful balance of underlying menace and heart-warming humour and strength through the eyes of a child. Some difficult subject matter but would definitely recommend.

The book started out well with interesting characters but kept going on too much without getting anywhere until the ending. It could have easily been a shorter book. The book is a trigger for domestic violence and child abuse

I love books written from a child’s perspective - when they’re written well. And this is. A heart breaking tale of love, loss and domestic abuse told by little July as she tries to piece together any knowledge she can about her late mother. To read this is to go on an emotional roller coaster of sadness, hope, fear and encouragement. Thoroughly enjoyed it and would like to read more books by this author

Well paced and at time heart-felt, this book is part thriller part emotional roller coaster.
It would be good for fans of 'The strange inheritance of Leah Fern'.

Set in the 90s, What July Knew is a nostalgic and beautifully written but heartbreaking mystery about July Hooper and her quest to know more about her mother.

July lives with her father, stepmother and stepsister, Sylvie. No one will talk to July about her mother. She keeps a list of the hard-won snippets she picks up and she knows her mother was hit by a car and died on July's 2nd birthday.

She can't ask her grandma, Yaya, because Grandpa Tony says her heart can't take it. If her dad catches her asking she'll be in for "a lesson", which her step-mother is growing adept at covering up with concealer.

When July sees a photo, she notices an important clue which leads her to a nearby address. But even though she tries to be careful, the more she searches, the angrier her father gets.

A compelling but challenging read that covers difficult topics including domestic abuse, told across dual timelines and with adult voices interspersed through July's story.

What July Knew is the story of July and her stepsister Sylvia, growing up in what seems to be a normal family living respectable lives. Beyond this facade, is a life of fear and compliance as the girls and their mother are at the mercy of Mick, the man of the house.

It’s a tale of domestic abuse and makes for disturbing reading. It’s well written and thought provoking. However, I almost gave up several times as I struggled to find anything uplifting as the story unfolded.

This is certainly a very compelling novel, though at times, a little hard to read what July has to endure.

It's a family drama packed with emotion, poignancy and heartbreak. It centres on twelve-year-old July, who clings to the eighteen things she knows about her deceased mum because her dad and stepmum won't talk about her to her. Nor will her grandparents albeit for different reasons. But she's desperate for her only parent to love and cherish her, so she does as she's told. But Dad isn't the sort of father anyone would want.

The storyline rolls out very strategically and at a good pace. July is a character you just can't help loving. However, her twelve-year-old voice just isn't credible. Twelve going on twenty-two, perhaps. Her sagacity and logic just isn't that of a pre-teen.

It didn't spoil my enjoyment of an extremely well-written and enjoyable book, however. I loved it. This isn't Koch's first novel, but it is the first of hers I've read. I will definitely be seeking out more!

Set in the summer of 1995, when a heatwave makes everyone slightly testy, we meet ten-year-old July, who is reaching an age where she longs to know more about her mother. So far, she only knows 18 things, and she’s documented them in a list she keeps hidden away from her father, because in her dad’s world, you’re not allowed to talk about your mother. But July wants to know her mother, she wants to know what really happened to her, and if she really did die by being hit by a car. So July sets out to investigate herself, because surely she’s now old enough for the truth.

Emily Kock clearly has a talent for creating interesting and developed characters who you end up caring about. I found her storytelling compelling and enjoyed being on July’s journey with her, even if it was challenging at times.

The novel is filled with emotion, and you can’t help but root for July, who is a clever and brave character and a very strong protagonist. The novel didn’t shy away from difficult concepts which made it hard to read at times, but it wasn’t overdone or gratuitous.

I think for some readers, the plot might be a little too slow burn, but I enjoyed it for what it was.

I think this would make an interesting read for a book club.

So heartfelt and moving . This story broke my heart it's so poignant and the characters are well developed. The plot is deeply intense and moving.

July is 10 years old and doesn’t know very much about her mother. So when her class is given a project to do, she’s determined to find out all she can and is even more keen when people don’t want to talk about it. A very slow burner plus what she discovers isn’t very pleasant. I didn’t love this book, in fact I didn’t like it at all. A 10 year old’s point of view was the main stumbling block especially making July sound much older. No doubt because the ramblings of a young girl wouldn’t normally interest an adult. I’m sure this novel will have its fans but sadly I’m not one of them.