Having read Lesley Parr's first two books, I was really looking forward to reading this and it didn't disappoint.
A story of friendship and support though hard times in life sticking together to achieve an end goal.

I would recommend this book for anyone who loves. feel good read as they will not be disappointed.\

Thank you to net galley for a early copy for a honest review

Thoroughly enjoyed this moving tale about family and friendship. The historical setting was well-conjured and I adored the adventure the children take along the river. Without a doubt the best part of this book was the incredible dialogue and authentic banter between the friends which brought to life the characters and their friendship. Highly recommend.

I loved this book. Brilliant characters and a great story. So well written - I was rooting for them all the way through it. Highly recommended.

I loved both of Lesley Parr’s previous books, The Valley of Lost Secrets and When the War Came Home (you can read my reviews here and here), so I was very excited to read her newest and it didn’t disappoint!

While this book steps away from the wartime themes of her previous novels, it is still a historical adventure in the same vein, and one which feels hugely relevant today.

As we see increasing food poverty, energy bills and homelessness, and with workers from nearly every sector striking from lack of pay, decent conditions and government support, this story of a Welsh mining town nearly 50 years ago is shockingly resonant.

Amidst strikes and power cuts, with money already tight and a three day week making work and wages even a scarcer, Jason and his big brother – and guardian – Richie are struggling to make ends meet.

When Jason finds out Richie’s got himself in debt with some dangerous dealings to try and look after them, he and his friends embark on a mission to win back the money, get Richie out of trouble and the boys out of debt…

There’s a big cat on the loose and a £100 reward for photographic evidence of it. So Jason and best friends Catrin, Jinx and Tam set off to win that reward, with his friends all vowing to forgo their own dreams for the money to help Jason out.

If it doesn’t bring a tear to your eye to see this group come together, and overcome their internal jealousies, annoyances and awkwardness to protect and take care of each other you’ve a heart made of stone.

And while there’s many a moment to make your heart ache for these characters – Jase and Richie especially – there’s a huge helping of humour along the way, with snarky comments, regrettable situations, encounters of the Welsh kind and bitter-sweet moments.

Lesley Parr excels at transporting us to tight-knit Welsh communities, with a love of gossip and an eye out for each other. The little details and language make us feel a part of it. I love travelling to Wales through Lesley’s books and will be genuinely upset if she ever decides to set them elsewhere!

But the noteable things is that despite different cultures and times, there’s so much of the universal everyday scenarios, objects and feelings that it feels familiar.

And in no way does Lesley Parr do this better than with food – from the Sunday roasts and cawl of Valley of Lost Secrets to the fish and chips of When the War Came Home, here it’s chip butties and crisp sandwiches that have us relating and remembering fondly (zoo trips and indoor picnics, salt and vinegar on cheap white bread thank you very much). They say food brings us together, both making and holding our favourite memories, and Parr certainly understands how evocative and nostalgic it can be.

It’s probably overused to say books have a warmth to them, but the friendships in this (with their bickering, fall outs and unshakeable loyalty) are special, the socio-political commentary astute, the setting transportive and the adventure exhilarating with an ending that’s as tense, dramatic and satisfying as they come.

I read this quite some time ago now (sorry, reviewing has been tardy to say the least!) but every time I think about it, I feel it in my chest and I smile. Truly a book, characters and setting that stay with you.

Where The River Takes Us by Lesley Parr is a very engaging children’s novel set in the Welsh valleys in 1974.
1974 was a time of unrest in Britain with three day working weeks and regular power cuts. Times were hard for many but even harder for the leading character and his brother who had been orphaned after a car crash.
The story is told in the first person and we become intimately acquainted with the young boy. He is kind and caring, wise beyond his years. We see the need for identity, to be seen as an individual and not just the village orphan. Labels are constrictive, not giving the full picture.
There is a beautiful bond between the brothers. The older brother is trying to keep the pair of them together. At nineteen, he was forced to grow up quickly, resulting in abandonment by his mates. In order to survive, he has made some bad choices. In contrast, the lead character’s friends have drawn closer to him and are very protective.
The brotherly bond is palpable. The reader can ‘feel’ the desperation as each brother seeks to look after the other.
Where The River Takes Us is an adventure novel. It is also a tale of friendship. The reader witnesses the awkward love between friends – they feel friendship love but as early teens, there is a reluctance to show it.
Where The River Takes Us is perfect for ages ten years and over. In fact, it is a jolly good story whatever your age. There is adventure and deep-rooted friendship. I loved it.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Where the River takes us, is the first book I have read by Lesley Parr. I really enjoyed it.
It is a book about friendship and friends,it is also a book how this friendship can support people in the hardest of times.

I really enjoyed this book and will be on the look out for more books by Lesley Parr,

Absolutely loved this book. The setting is perfectly depicted and the characters burst off the page. The adventure is completely believable and totally gripping. But, it is the relationship between the friends that will stay with me.

Where The River Takes Us is a heart-warming middle-grade adventure. I loved the setting: without wasting time on long descriptive passages, Parr's prose takes you right there, to the Welsh Valleys of the 1970s, a place and time that feels particularly pertinent to her story.

The four friends at the heart of the story are a plucky gang that young readers will relate to, and I enjoyed watching their friendship grow. The prose is personable and well-paced, with just the right mix of action, emotion and silliness. It's a simple premise and an entirely believable adventure, but with some deft storytelling it still makes a compelling read.

Having read Lesley Parrs first two books I was admittedly very excited to see this pop up onto NetGalley. I really enjoyed reading this book which set in the midst of energy rationing in the 1970s centers on the relationship between 13 year year old Jason, his friends and his older brother Richie. Jason and Richie's parents have both tragically died and they are struggling to cope. When a reward is posted for a photograph of a sighted nearby Wildcat. Jason with the help of his friends sets out to find the beast and claim the reward. I loved how this book didn't shy away from yet sensitively dealt with the theme of grief, The relationships between Jason and his friends, especially Catrin, really kept me wanting to read on and the callback to the discovery of the skull in 'The Vally of Lost Secrets' was a lovely addition. I can't wait to read more from Lesley Parr.

Lesley Parr does it again with the most magical adventure suitable for all ages, especially those with a beautiful imagination.

Where The River Takes Us is set in 1970's Wales were the mining community are struggling with shorter working days and income due to an issue between the government and the miners.
13 year old Jason is grieving for his parents who have recently died. Living with his older brother - Richie who is now his guardian, Jason is having to grow up quicker than he should. With money extremely tight, Richie becomes embroiled in something dangerous and illegal.
When Jason and his band of friends - Tam, Jinx and Catrin learn of a wild cat nicknamed The Beast and the reward of £100 for a photograph of the cat - they set off on an adventure to pocket the reward - which they agree would go to Jason and Richie.

There are strong themes of love, loss, grief and friendship running through Parr's writing - a definite recommended read for all aged 9+

After loving Lesley's previous two books, I was so so excited to read this one, and safe to say it did not disappoint. Tackling important topics sensitively, and filled with powerful messages about family and grief, this kept me reading long into the night, and at one point had me tearing up - I could not recommend it enough.

It's February 1974 and Lesley Parr is taking us on a heart-felt journey into living history. Full of nostalgia for a simpler time, Where the River Takes Us, is a wonderful read for both adults and children.

13 year-old Jason is struggling. Since his parents' tragic death, he and his older brother Richie have been trying to make ends meet. They are desperate to stay together and avoid the pitying looks of a small community where everyone knows everyone else. Times are hard for everyone in their Welsh town. Power cuts, a reduced working week and not enough coal or oil means it's cold, dark and lonely. It's exhausting trying to pretend he's fine when really he's not.

Richie makes some bad choices and runs into trouble. Desperate, Jason wants to help but feels useless. When he hears about a wild cat on the loose and reward for a photo of it, he wonders if this might be his chance! He and his friends set off on a quest reminiscent of "Stand By Me" in the hopes they'll spot the Beast of Blaengarw first and come home with some money.

Things don't exactly go to plan. A series of missteps and mishaps leads the gang into all sorts of trouble in this classic adventure. The freedom of children being out on their bikes along with so many memories of the 1970s paint a picture of a period of history not often portrayed in children's books. Readers will be drawn into Jason's hardship and develop empathy for a character who wants to do the right thing but really doesn't know how. As he searches for the big cat, he also searches for answers about his future and the healing he craves.

Where the River Takes Us is a gorgeous story that is sure to become a favourite with readers looking for excitement, freedom, family and friendship.

Where the River Takes Us is another immersive and beautifully written book by Lesley Parr. Set in a Welsh village during the miners’ strikes, it offers an unfiltered view of some of the challenges of that time.

Jason and his older brother Richie have been hit hard by a reduced working week. Recently orphaned, they only have each other to rely upon so when Richie makes some bad choices, it’s up to Jason to help him out. An urban legend about a mysterious wild cat offers the perfect solution and so Jason and his friends set off to find their fortune.

I thoroughly enjoyed this coming of age story. Parr doesn't shy away from some of the grim realities of life at the time and the story had a real Stand By Me vibe to it. It would be perfect to read with pupils in Year 6 and beyond. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Another corker from Lesly Parr, set again in Wales, but this time in the 1970s, in the days of miners strikes, the three-day working week, chopper bikes and Mother's Pride fish finger butties (remember it well!). I loved Where the River Takes Us, which is no surprise considering how good Lesley's two previous historical novels are. Yay! for another strong girl character in the shape of the brave compassionate Catrin, and an unshakeable brother bond.

As with her other titles, it's the warmth of the telling which makes the book glow; the recognition of hardship and politics within tight-knit communities and the family ties and friendships which overcome difficulties and leave you in the end with a warm heart and a soggy hankie. Totally recommended. I'm making Christmas last, and pre-order a surprise for spring, just for myself - but my library is certainly getting a copy too.

PS A guide to that place name!
BLAEN - rhymes with mine
GAR - as it seems, but roll the R (this is the syllable to emphasise)
W - oo

Got it? ;p

Since their parents died, thirteen-year-old Jason and his older brother Richie have had to fend on their own. But it being February 1974, with the three-day week and the reduced power usage (meaning less working and lower pay), life is hard for the two boys. When Richie has to find more money to keep paying the mortgage, he falls in with the wrong kind of people. The fear of not having enough to live and being separated hangs over them all the time.
In the valleys, three villages up the river from where Jason and Richie live, people whipser that a big cat has made its home in the forest. When the newspapers offer a reward for proof of The Beast's existence, Jason's friends cook up a plan to find the beast, win the money and save the two brothers.
Convinced, Jason embarks on a quest with his friends, following the river north. Little do they know that they're starting a journey that will change them forever.

There is a sense of adventure in Where the River Takes Us which, I think, will particularly appeal to children because it's rooted in every day life: walking from home, surviving on groceries from the shop around the corner, discovering the dangers of a cold river or a grazed bull right on your doorstep. What happens to Jason and his friends feels all at once intensely mundane and widly dangerous. And of course there are the high stakes of the four friends' venture: Keeping two brothers together, saving Jason from having to live with his strict and controlling aunt.
You can't help to want them to succeed. Will they? To find out, you will have to go through a whirlwind of emotions, tossed about between fear, tears and laughter like the children nearly end up being tossed about by the Welsh rivers.

I found this story slightly slower paced than previous by Lesley Parr although this is merely an observation not a criticism, I found it a lovely story to read, full of beautiful language - definitely a weakness of mine. The characters were complex and I found myself thinking about them even when I wasn’t reading, almost like they were my friends children!! A great read alone or to be shared as a family read aloud.

Richie and Jason’s parents were both killed in a car accident leaving 19 year old Richie to look after his 13 year old brother. It’s 1974 and Britain is experiencing a three-day week with blackouts, fewer hours for people to work, and less money to get by on. Richie is struggling to pay the mortgage so agrees to do a one-off job for a local crook. But this entraps him and he is blackmailed to do more.
Jason is trying to cope with his grief and needs his friends. When someone puts up an award of £100 – 5 month’s mortgage – for a photo of the Beast of Blaengarw – a black wildcat, despite previously being a sceptic, Jason is convinced they could photograph it and claim the reward which will solve all their problems.
Although it’s February the four friends decide to walk to Blaengarw, a day’s walk away. Along the way they learn a great deal more about one another testing but cementing their friendships.
The atmosphere perfectly evokes a group of friends from the 1970s amidst the landscape of Wales supporting their friend in his grief.

This book tackles such a serious topic. Jase has lost both his parents. His big brother Richie is trying to step up to the plate but it's the 1970s and the community is in the midst of a miners' strike, three day weeks and rolling blackouts. Despite all this heaviness, Jase's relationship with his brother and with his friends makes this story the heart warming tale it is. While on a quest to find the beast of Baelngarw, Jase finds ways to grieve his parents and to build a stronger relationship with his friends and others in his community who want to help him but who don't always go about it in the right. way. I enjoyed the story but would recommend caution due to the nature of the topic being covered.

A great feel good read about the 1970s, adventures and most of all heartwarming friendship. Once I started I had to keep reading about the kids adventure and where their journey would take them. The way that loss is dealt with is an important topic for younger readers. Another recommended read from Lesley Parr.