Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this lovely book.

As someone who knows little about my birth family this book resonated greatly with me.

Through the book we follow July Hooper, a young girl desperate to learn more about her mother and a family who seem to desperate to keep the past, the past.

Written from the viewpoint of a 10 year old girl this is a well written, emotional story. It handles the complexities of domestic abuse with sensitivity and insight. Strong characters and an intriguing mystery make it an engaging read.

Content Warnings - Domestic Abuse, death, murder, child abuse, animal cruelty and mentions suicide.

I've never read anything by Emily Koch before, but this book will have me reading more. It was such a powerful story. It wasn't easy to read what with the domestic violence however the author did it justice, showing us what domestic abuse looks like within relationships both with spouses and with other family members.

The characters were so well developed, their personalities really came through as the story progressed and I felt my opinions of each character constantly changing throughout I think this added to how blown away I was with the ending.

The ending really shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel and I think that was really important in this story because of how serious the topics are that have been covered.

Overall this book is a very emotional read with a well crafted and engaging plot. This will definitely be one for my list of recommended books to read with my book buddies.

Huge thankyou to Emily Koch, Netgalley and Random House Publishers for the chance to read this book.

This is a brilliant read told from the point of view of ten year old July who finds a sticky note in her school book which prompts her to investigate if her mum did actually die in a car crash on her second birthday. July’s home life is not a positive one however her naivety about this almost makes it easier on the reader but equally makes it all the more sad at the same time. July is tenacious and brave in her investigations although she doesn’t appreciate that and the attitudes of the grownups in her life really frustrated me. The storyline itself is simple but very eye opening about domestic abuse without being too uncomfortable to read thanks to the fantastic main character.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Kate at Penguin Random House UK for an ARC of Emily Koch’s What July Knew.

I went into this mystery not too sure what to expect other than that it would probably be good. I’d previously read If I Die Before I Wake by the same author and had quite enjoyed the story and the unique perspective. What I got was something quite different.

Genre:
Mystery

Blurb:
In 1995, ten-year-old July Hooper receives a summer assignment to write a report on any family member. She wants to write about her mother. Because July knows only eighteen things about her mother, memories collected over time through excerpts of conversations she’d caught. Her father never spoke about her mother, and she wasn’t allowed to ask him about her. She has a hidden list of those memories and the second one on that list is that her mother died in a car accident when she was small. Unsure of how to even begin asking her father, July almost gives up on the idea, until she receives a note.
She didn’t die in an accident.
July decides that she wants to know the truth. And if her father won’t help her, she’ll find it out herself. She begins her own search, returning to the neighborhood where she was born, and where her mother died, and asking questions to whoever she can. Until she meets someone who might have the answers she’s looking for. But can she trust this stranger’s side of the story? Is there a really good reason her family has been hiding the truth from her? And is she prepared to know the truth?

Overall Rating:
10 out of 10 stars

Plot:
10 out of 10 stars

Characterization:
10 out of 10 stars

Primary Element:
8 out of 10 stars for its mystery, and 10 out of 10 stars for its unexpected emotional impact

Writing Style:
10 out of 10 stars

Part of a Series:
No.

Highlighted Takeaway:
Emily Koch has this amazing ability to pull you right into the world she’s created, whether she’s telling the story from the point of view of a person in a coma or a ten-year-old child. And the star of What July Knew will have you incredibly invested in her tale.

What I Liked:
A simple concept, told beautifully, What July Knew has a good mystery that keeps you turning the pages. What I really loved though was its emotional impact. The characterization is subtle yet accurate, and makes the entire scenario seem extremely real. Trigger warning: it goes into the topic of domestic violence and emotional abuse in a painfully realistic way. But that very authenticity packs the emotional punch.

What I Didn’t Like:
There was nothing to dislike in this tale.

Who Should Read It:
If you enjoy mysteries, psychological thrillers, and stories told in a simple but genuine style, you should definitely read What July Knew.

Who Should Avoid:
The book does go into topics that some people could find traumatic. If you’re uncomfortable with stories that contain domestic violence and emotional abuse, I would recommend steering clear from this book.

Read It For:
The unique, endearing perspective of ten-year-old July, and her tenacity and strength.

Emily Koch’s What July Knew will go on sale in February 2023.

July Hooper knows a few things about her mother. Not many, and she has them written down in a notebook

But, age ten, she becomes less certain about what she knows.

So she starts trying to find out what is and isn't true.

Is her mother really dead, for starters?

I loved this story, it was so well written and really well done. I couldn't stop reading and actually stayed up until 1am so I could finish it. What seems like such a simple thing - finding out more about her mum, actually ends up to be a lot more for July. I almost felt emotional when I'd got to the end as I felt so invested with our characters.

Loved this intriguing book about what really happened to July's mother. Set in the oppressive sticky heat of 1995 and featuring awful abusew by July's dad, I found this compelling and interesting. Will be interested in what Emily writes next!

I really enjoyed this book and devoured it in one sitting. Great characters with a tough storyline. A great setting that reminded me of my childhood. I will definitely be recommending this to everyone.

Summer, 1995.

July Hooper knows little (18 things) about her mother who died. Her father won't talk about it, her stepmother is not allowed to, and her grandmother finds it too sad.
But July gets a note telling her that what she does know may not be true and she sets out to find out what happened.
This story made me realise how quiet the voices of children can be but how much they know and learn.

July is an excellent quirky heroine, and I loved how she changed over the book. It is story of listening and how support can come from unlikely places.

In the sweltering hot summer of 1995 July Hooper turns ten. July's birthday has always been a bittersweet event as it's also the anniversary of her mother's death. On her second birthday July's mother was killed in a car accident. Since that day no-one talks about her mother, Maggie. Overtime July has become desperate to know more about her mother and has managed to glean 18 facts about her, facts she keeps hidden like secrets. July desperately wants to know more and when her teacher sets a holiday project to learn about a family member it seems like an ideal opportunity. Little does July realise that her quest to know more is going to have cataclysmic effects on her life.

Right from the start this is a story that is going to break your heart. July Hooper is a child desperate to be loved but only seems to receive rejection, antipathy, derision and violence. Despite being described as "nice, sweet and good natured" little affection is shown towards her. July isn't an annoying, needy child trying to wheedle her way into people's affections, she spends the vast majority of her time in the shadows, trying to stay out of everyone's way and not annoy anyone.

July is desperate for her father's approval. Over time she has learned the signs for when he is in a bad mood and she will have a "lesson to learn", a lesson that will involve some form of physical abuse. I was filled with anger that a young child should have to live in a situation like this and incredibly sad that July believes this type of behaviour is normal and acceptable. July tries to excuse the abuse as she is aware that in the following days her father's temperament will have improved and he will show her some affection; the loving touches and comments she craves.

Contrasted with the abuse July receives is the kindness shown towards her step-sister, Sylvie, who is the same age. Sylvie is an attention seeker who thinks nothing of telling tales, thus causing more problems for July. Sylvie's mother, Auntie Shell, is cool towards July. The behaviour of these characters make you want to snatch July away from the household and protect her. It is only as you move through the story that you realise they are terrified of July's father, Mick. He hasn't abused them physically but there is definitely coercive abuse happening.

July's maternal grandmother offers some relief. She adore's her grand-daughter but is still struggling to come to terms with the death of her daughter, she's also no match for Mick Hooper.

Unable to ask questions about her mother July begins to seek information elsewhere. Being set in 1995 this means having to ask people, use parish records or search newspapers stored on microfiche. This all adds to the nostalgic feel of the story. During her search July receives lots of conflicting information, this raises her hopes that her mother may still be alive. As a reader I then had just as many questions as July. Where is Maggie Hooper? Why won't anyone talk about her? Why has she abandoned July?

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. This was an interesting read, even though I can find novels told from the perspective of children a bit jarring in their writing style. Koch handled difficult themes well, and the letters from July's dad were woven well into the story, making this an interesting read.

Excellent read, loved this one.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my review.

I loved the twists and turns and the way this story developed, very slow at first but as the story continued the pace quickened.
July Hooper turned ten on 20th July 1995. She knows very little about her birth mother and she is not allowed to talk about her mother with her father of Stepmother. Over the years July has collected snippets of information but desperately wants to find out more. The information she has collected she keeps hidden.
July’s teacher set a summer project where students had to write about a family member which sends July on a dangerous course to find out how her mother died.
Set mostly in 1995. July tries to unravel her family secrets and avoid her father’s bad temper. This was about identity, families, secrets and domestic violence.

I adored this novel - Emily delivers such tragic, emotive themes yet in a strangely comforting way as July's voice is so endearing and likeable. It was a slow burn particularly the first half, but I love novels that build character, backstory and plot because it makes the ending so satisfying and believable, and the finale did not disappointment.

I absolutely loved Emily Kock's What July Knew, it was incredibly heartwarming yet also heartbreaking.
The character development was stand out, July is inquisitive, endearing, naive and likeable from the get go, a brilliant protagonist. Accompanied by the development of Auntie Shell and Sylvie it made for a powerful read.
5 stars.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

⚠️ Content warnings: domestic abuse, physical assault, car accident, death, murder, vomiting, profanity, derogatory language, animal cruelty/death, bombing, child abuse, blood, alcohol use, mentions suicide, childbirth death and cheating ⚠️

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This book starts off very slow and I found myself forcing myself to read it in the beginning. I nearly stopped reading the book but I am so glad that I persevered because around the 35% mark, it really starts to pick up. There were random characters that kept getting introduced throughout this book where their relevance to the story wasn't entirely clear but I think they were meant for a different purpose, such as a lot of people were aware of what was going on but did nothing about it for their own reasons.

However, I think this book does an incredible job in covering what domestic abuse looks like within a relationship - how to the world, the abuser will share one side of their mask and to their family, they show their true self. It also shows how an abuser will deflect the blame onto other people, such as those around them or those who they believe have done something wrong against them. I also liked how it delved a little bit into why the abuser was the way that they were and the quote “a trauma or cruel figure in his past must have turned him into the monster I know. That said, his actions as an adult were his own. He could have chosen differently.” hits the nail on the head. This book also showed how a lot of people were aware of the things that the abuser was doing, however they kept out of the way either because of their own beliefs (being raised by parents to not phone the police if you witness a crime) or they were scared about what would happen to them as a consequence.

The character development throughout this book was absolutely incredible - it was great to see each character’s personality really shine through. I found myself constantly changing my opinion on each character the more that I learnt about them, which is why I think the ending had hit me so hard as I couldn’t stop crying. The ending made me so happy because it shows that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm also very glad that this book contains resources about domestic abuse for children, women, males, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, about forced marriages or honour crimes as well as how to support someone who is experiencing domestic abuse.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House UK, Vintage, Harvill Secker for the opportunity to read this book!

I have posted this review to my NetGalley and Goodreads accounts. I will also post a review on my Instagram and Tiktok a week before the publication date (9th February 2023). This book will be available to purchase as a hardback for £14.99, an e-book for £9,99 or audiobook for £22.74.

Absolutely loved this story. There was a character I despised greatly in it, and would encourage people to check out trigger warnings for this book.

We follow July Hooper. And her journey into finding out about her mother Maggie. July knows that her mother died when July was only two years old. But, nobody talks about her very much. She has written a list of what she knows, and it's not very much.

But, those around her start to help her uncover the truth.

I felt a huge amount of love towards July. I felt sorry for her and her naive outlook at life and her circumstances. She is one of those characters that you just want to hold in your arms and protect at all costs.

The relationship between July and her step sister, Sylvie was fabulous to watch unfold. I can't say too much obviously as I don't want to spoil the storyline.

The story is told from 2 main perspectives. July as a 10 year old in 1995, setting out on the discovery of finding out about her mother. I enjoyed the nods to the 90s. I'm old enough to remember everything 😊

The other narrative came via letters from 2001. Signed her father. Again I won't divulge too much information here as I want you to find out yourself. But this narrative added more mystery to what happened to Maggie Hooper. And the unravelling of this was a cracking storyline.

What July Knew is a tale that will send your emotions into a whirlwind. I found myself in tears of sadness, venting with anger. Overcome by sheer joy. Emily Koch has outdone herself with this story.

A dark tale of domestic violence and lies. Set in the heady summer of 1995 and told mainly from the point of view of a young girl, it is an emotionally absorbing story. I loved the character of July, who displayed an intelligence and maturity beyond her tender age. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Could not put this down. July is the most wonderful protagonist. The cast of surrounding characters are all beautifully developed (both good and bad) and the pacing is perfect. When July is "with" her mother in her imagination the writing is so deceptively simple I literally ached for her. Cannot recommend highly enough.