A brilliant story with so much going on, there is never a dull moment where you want to put this down so be prepared to keep reading...

Thank you NetGalley and HQ for this eCopy to review

The Festival was an intriguing thriller, I felt drawn to Libby and loved how she found her confidence after being belittled by her mother all her life.

The duel timelines and points of view moved the story along nicely, and through up a number of red herrings. Mumford definitely kept me on my toes with this one!

Libby wins tickets to the sought after music and wellness festival solstice in Wales, but not all is as it seems. Can Dawn (Libby's friend) persuade Libby to go? Will they find out what happened to Tess (a local girl who disappeared 20 years ago?

Very atmospheric, a little scary in places and full of vivid descriptions

Yes! Yes, yes, yes! So I love thrillers about far away locations and festivals and such so this was right up my street and I went in with high hopes. Thankfully this did not disappoint. Its written over dual timeliness and has original characters and a unique premise. I loved that it has that little extra touch of magic that a lot of other stories don't have and that kind of sets it apart for me. He character were well written , the scenes set with amazing clarity and overall I really enjoyed it

Libby and Dawn win tickets for a highly saught after summer solstice festival in Wales. Libby has just lost her mum to cancer and doesn't really feel like going but Dawn is so excited for it she ends up going anyway. Once they arrive in the small village where the festival it it soon becomes clear that not everyone is happy with it being there! Add to the fact that it is in the middle of nowhere and it's extremely eerie, very atmospheric as though Libby's feelings are being projected through the landscape.
Lots of mystery in this book really enjoyed the storylines coming together. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read another of Louise's books she is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.

Libby has just lost her mum to cancer, when her friend Dawn takes her out one night and they win tickets to the most coveted festival of the summer Solstice in Wales. Libby a shy and quiet woman isn’t really up for going to Solstice, after years of living with her oppressive Mother, but goes at Dawns insistence.

A good page turning thriller I throughly enjoyed this book.

A music festival, folklore and witchcraft sounds like my kind of listen. I was really looking forward to this one and went in with great expectations as it had the makings of a great listen. It started strong and moved at a steady pace along with some character backstories which really added to the storyline. The storyline is told in the form of ‘now’ and ‘then’ timelines which is always a favourite of mine but at about halfway into the listen the storyline lost its way and became inconsistent and disjointed. The ending felt a little rushed and somewhat far fetched and was wrapped up quickly. I was underwhelmed unfortunately.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the opportunity to read and review #TheFestival

This latest release presents a gripping and fast-moving story, with vibrant depictions of the festival and an eerie atmosphere. While the characters weren't entirely relatable, they were captivating enough to build excitement for the ending. While there were moments that felt prolonged, on the whole, it proved to be a captivating and rewarding read.

Libby and Dawn get tickets to the hottest gig in Wales, Solstice, the festival held on the longest day every year. Growing from small routes to something huge. Libby has just lost her mother and its a chance for her to begin her life.
From the moment the two girls arrive there is a sense of menace and darkness overshadowing the area.
Once the festival begins it feels like your heart rate pulses along with the music beat. The description is wonderful. I could feel myself in amongst the crowds, hot and sweaty, the sounds, the smells, the flashing light.
The festival creators and owners are the Blake family, Ma, who is getting old and is kept away. Abel, the golden boy and face of the festival and Silas the troubled child.
Gradually the secrets and truths start to be revealed and one made me gasp. Its all very cleverly done, linked to flashbacks and there's some folklore and mysticism thrown in too.
I read this in 2 sittings. Brilliant read. I have to say that 2 of the name choices were incredible too.

Libby is a sad girl, her mother who never loved her has just passed away after she spent years caring for her, her job is part time, her friends minimal, her life non existent. So when Dawn drags her clubbing and she ends up winning tickets to the most exclusive festival she’s spun into a world she doesn’t know how to navigate. What promised to be the event of a lifetime quickly turns into a nightmare, the heat is overwhelming, the people are unpredictable and worse of all, Dawn goes missing. Determined to find her friend and not let the festival beat her Libby strides into danger, soon discovering the festivals dark origin and how much danger both she and her friend really are in

After previously reading and enjoying books by Louise Mumford, I was highly anticipating this new release. I read this one on holiday and it was a perfect holiday read, If you are able to suspend your disbelief and just go with the flow this could be a real hit. The atmosphere of the festival itself was realistic and the mystery at the centre of the story is enough to keep you interested. The dual timeline is quite sporadic which keeps the story moving along while still giving you the relevant information. I enjoyed the folklore elements of the story and I was interested and intrigued throughout.
Thanks to HQ and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Gripping summer read
Libby can’t believe her luck when she wins two tickets to the biggest event of the summer: Solstice, a music festival celebrating the longest day of the year.

Wanting to escape their problems for a few days, Libby, and her best friend Dawn head deep into the Welsh countryside for a weekend of sun, fun and festivities. But what promised to be an exciting trip quickly turns into Libby’s worst nightmare.

The scorching heat intensifies, the music becomes wilder, the people more unpredictable. When Dawn goes missing, Libby worries that something sinister has happened to her friend. And as Libby learns more about the festival’s dark origins, she begins to fear that something might happen to her too…

What a great summer read - I devoured this and could not wait to understand what was happening behind the shiny happy festival vibes. Its a great thriller with twists and turns, secrets uncovered but still easy to read. Well recommended and I'll definitely be looking out for more books by Louise Mumford.

Libby Corrigan is a twenty-year-old, part-time library assistant who just buried her mother, who died of cancer.

You might say that Libby isn’t exactly mourning her mother’s death, as her mother was a nasty creature who relentlessly bullied Libby throughout her life. No matter what Libby did, it was never enough.

However, Libby does feel a certain amount of guilt, as it’s a societal norm to mourn one’s parent’s death.

Her best friend, Dawn, takes her out to a club to forget about her daily troubles. It is then that Libby is announced as the winner of the tickets for the Solstice, the trendiest and most talked about musical festival, taking place in the Welsh countryside.

The festival takes place during Midsummer’s Eve, but what’s the most exciting is the fact that Solstice has Sanctum, a festival within the festival, only available for the selected few, clad in mystery and speculation.

When Libby and Dawn head to Solstice, they don’t realise that their lives are in danger…

What a book!

I really enjoyed the dual timeline, especially the events relating to the past and what happened twenty years ago. It explains how the festival came to fruition and what sacrifices the family had to make for it to happen.

It was lovely for Libby and Dawn to have each other; the two young women were more like sisters rather than friends. Their bond has definitely strengthened as a result of the events presented in the book.

Expect a few twists along the way!

Thank you to HQ for the NetGalley widget in exchange for a review.

Menace pervades this story throughout. From an orphaned woman who never felt she was good enough, to a village which has been ostracized by the local farm, now an annual festival site, to a missing girl of 20 years ago. The tension builds and builds and we are thrown titbits luring us into both the festival and the story. Add some mysticism into the mix and you have a good read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

I really enjoyed this summer thriller. Great story, nice short chapters, such a good twist. A nice fast paced summer read.

I could not decide whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. I feel it falls somewhere in between. The story centres on Libby and her friend Dawn who, somewhat suspiciously, win a competition to go to the famous Solstice music festival. Libby is reluctant to go, following the death of her abusivemother but Dawn persuades her and the head off, meeting some hostile villagers on the way. One of them slips Libby a poster about a missing girl who disappeared around the time of the first festival 20 years ago. When dawn goes missing, Libby's efforts to find her put them both in danger and reveal secrets from the past which connect Libby to the family who own the festival land. There is plenty of action in this story but i found the plot highly implausible and a little over-dramatic in places. This is one that will split the critics but fans of Mumford's books will find it enjoyable, although it is not one of her best.

Louise Mumford never fails to deliver and The Festival is no exception. It is full of twists and turns. Friendship, truth, loss and determination, this book has it all. Two girls Libby and Dawn, free tickets to the biggest summer festival of the year, Solstice, a huge event celebrating the longest day of the year.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good nail biting, edge of the seat thriller.
Keep them coming Louise.

3.5 Stars

Libby Corrigan has just lost her mother. She’s spent the last few years nursing her, it’s been a tough couple of years.
Libby’s best friend Dawn persuades her to have a night out with her. This night out will change so many things in Libby’s life.

A book featuring a music festival at its heart. It had little twists I kept guessing at as I read it. An interesting slant it being held there as a venue.
An interesting holiday read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

A great read. As a festival attendee many years ago I loved this. Brought back some memories. This story is a great thriller and quite realistic and I loved it. Atmospheric in places and a really well written book. Heartily recommended.

Libby and Dawn are the luckiest girls around. They have just won VIP tickets to The Festival in Wales, the biggest music gig in the country. For Libby, whose Mum has just died, this is a way to start her new life having cared for her Mum for the past few years. For some reason it took me a little while to get into this so if that happens to you keep going because there is a brilliant plot heading your way.

Briefly, as the 20 year olds head for the festival they have no idea what awaits them. Set on farm land the event is hosted by Abel Blake who lives on the land with his brother Silas and mother Ma Blake. On the land are the Grey Sisters, 5 standing stones which surround an old oak tree. It is said they have mystic qualities. After a day and night of hilarious antics Libby wakes up and Dawn cannot be found. Her search leads Libby into a toxic and murderous situation where her own life hangs on a thread.

Once I got into this I couldn’t put it down. There are some unbelievable secrets about to rear their head and some shocking revelations for Libby and it seems that Dawn is not the first girl to go missing at the festival. This is so full of twists and turns and the suspense is top notch. With an explosive ending this is a must read thriller and believe you me nothing is what you expect. What a gig!

The Festival was why I don’t go to festivals. I use to. In the 90s. You know how festivals became a thing again in the 90s? OK. You might not. Because the generations between thought the literally reinvented….everything. The world. Let them think it. It may make them vote!. But festivals were a bygone nostalgia quickly dispelled.

The Festival grew yo something both predictable and ridiculous. Maybe the olympics made it seem more realistic. It isn’t. The whole thing is not.