Libby has had a rough life over the last few years, having to care for a distant and unloving mother who before her death was suffering from terminal illness. Libby is quite introverted but has a friend Dawn who is the complete opposite.
Then, out of the blue, Libby wins two to Solstice, a music festival in the heart of the Welsh countryside. Think Glastonbury with a dollop of witchcraft, folklore and mysticism thrown in. Libby doesn't want to go, but Dawn is so excited, Libby is reluctant to let her down.

The plot builds really nicely. From the outset of their arrival at Solstice, there is a sense of mystery and menace. Things start to appear a bit off and not what they seem. Libby finds a threatening note outside their tent. Has it blown there by accident or is it warning them off? Dawn brushes aside all Libby’s fears. Libby and Dawn then meet the Blake family who own the land and run Solstice raising further questions. Abel has a standout magnetic personality. His brother Silas is dour and sullen. Their mother or Ma is completely out there. Are they all hiding something?

So much could have been done with the story, but unfortunately, the plot goes in an absurd direction where there is just too much flight of fancy. Then a set of major reveals are just told as an aside and everything is tied up far too quickly and neatly.
So, a three-star for this one. I do like the author’s writing though and I will read more from them.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley, Louise Mumford and HQ for the much-appreciated ARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Libby has not had the best life, have a verbally abusive mother, no father, and then caring for her mother as cancer takes her, so when she wins free tickets to Solstice, the biggest and most exclusive festival of the year, she wonders if her life is taking a turn for the better. She takes her best friend, Dawn, and the two head out for a few days of dance, laughter and fun. Except nothing is as it seems, and soon the oddities start to become too much. Though to crown it all, Dawn goes missing, and no one seems to want to help Libby to find her. Who can she trust?

This was a great thriller, with some fun twists and unforseen turns. A great summer read, or maybe one to read in the winter to keep you warm?

Death and mayhem at a music festival. Best friends Libby and Dawn are given free tickets to The Festival, which is set on an old sacred site with creepy standing stones. The girls soon get separated in the crowd and Libby begins to worry about Dawn. The Festival is set on private land owned by the Blake family who are odd, to say the least. Flashbacks to 20 years before explain the tangled family relationships of the creepy Blakes. A great summer read, except if you're off to a music festival!

I managed about 20% of this book but just couldn't get into it. I didn't care about the characters. Netgalley insists on a review to keep your score up which is why I have to add a score.

Libby and Dawn win tickets to the summer solstice music event. Dawn disappears like another girl did years ago.
Family secrets are revealed and chaos breaks out.
This was an entertaining read that kept me flipping the pages. Thanks NetGalley and HQ for this ARC that will be released July 30, 2024!

Started to read it on a sunny Sunday morning and didn’t stop! Perfect summer read, really gripping and a proper page turner. Loved the characters though did guess the surprise quite quickly!
Definitely worth a read!

The Festival" by Louise Mumford is a captivating and thought-provoking novel . The story follows Libby, a young woman dealing with the emotional aftermath of her mother's death. Her mother was always critical and belittling, leaving Libby with a diminished sense of self-worth. Determined to push herself out of her comfort zone, Libby wins tickets to a music festival and decides to attend with her friend Dawn.

What starts as an exciting adventure quickly takes a dramatic turn when Dawn disappears, forcing Libby to navigate the festival alone. This unexpected challenge becomes a catalyst for Libby's transformation as she struggles to find her friend and, in the process, discovers her own strength and capabilities.

Mumford skilfully explores the impact of family dynamics on personal identity and growth. Libby's journey is filled with twists and turns that keep the reader engaged, and the fast-paced plot makes it a perfect summer read. The festival setting adds a vibrant and chaotic backdrop, mirroring Libby's internal journey.

The intertwining timelines enhance the suspense and keep the reader engaged as pieces of the puzzle gradually come together.

Overall, "The Festival" is a compelling, quick read that combines mystery, adventure, and personal growth.

What a fantastic book. I loved it thank you for the opportunity to review I couldn't put it down 5 stars

Told in 2 timelines (present day and 20-years ago) and 2 POVs, this is a fast paced, intriguing easy read.
Libby wins tickets to the hottest summer festival, Solstice, at a remote farm in Wales. Libby heads to the festival with mixed emotions, but her outgoing best friend Dawn is eager to experience all the festival has to offer. Then one evening Dawn goes missing. When Libby wakes the next morning, she searches for Dawn and uncovers far more than she is expecting.
This novel is twisty and suspenseful in parts and the characters are well-developed and believable. The author manages to create an atmospheric and realistic description of the Solstice festival, which immediately pulls you in.
Overall, this was an entertaining summer read and recommended.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

I read this book just after the Summer solstice and after Glastonbury had finished and oh boy it really seemed to get you in the festival spirit to begin with.

Twists and turns galore, Who's daughter was she after living with her Mum for years until her death all seemed calm in Libby's life, then free tickets to a festival changed everything. Was Libby really given a warning and why did she not take notice of it?

Excellent writing by Louise Mumford yet again.

The author has a lovely way of using similes and metaphors to describe situations, which make you feel like you are there. I also liked the YouTube and documentary excerpts which added to the book. There were a few twists and turns throughout, but I felt like I would have preferred more, and the ending didn’t feel as climactic as I would have hoped for. The relationships in the story were believable and real, and this for me, was a large focus of the book. In particular, the relationship between Libby and her mother was quite upsetting as well as relatable and I made me ask, why did her mum want to cause her so much pain and emotional abuse? This was told very well and made me feel empathetic to Libby and what she had been through. All loose ends were tied up and reasons for particular relationships, disagreements and connections explained. Overall, it was a good read, but I felt something was missing from it for me.

Libby didn't want to go to the Solstice festival in Wales but her friend Dawn convinces her that it might help her pull out of her sadness. And then Dawn disappears. This moves around a bit between Libby and the tale of Ma Blake ,which is meant to amp up the spookiness but actually made things more confusing for me. That said, it kept my interest and turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Brilliant book!
So many twists, I love that I had no idea what was going on. Loved the characters and all the mystery. Perfect!

This book was just ok for me. It had promise but I literally wanted to shake the main character every other sentence.

When Libby wins tickets to a popular solstice music festival, she slightly reluctantly goes along with her best friend Dawn. The two of them are having a great time but then Dawn suddenly disappears and Libby is dragged into a mysterious past whilst trying to find her.
Having read several books previously by Louise Mumford, this one certainly did not disappoint. Although it was a quick and relatively easy read, it had all the twists and turns expected by this author and the usual tension and suspense. A nice read for the summer months.

A good fast paced read for the most part with vivid descriptions of the festival and lots of spooky, sinister undercurrents. The conclusion was a little prolonged but all in all a good read.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

After Libby's mother dies, her friend Dawn persuades her to take advantage of the tickets she has won to the summer music festival Solstice. There they find themselves in unexpected danger.

What I liked about this book. I liked the ideal of a mystery set at a summer music festival.

What I didn't like about this book. Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I couldn't relate to any of the main characters and didn't find them particularly convincing. At no time did I get a sense of setting, I didn't feel the atmosphere of a music festival . and I found the plot somewhat irritating. The ending required suspending disbelief and the character of Ma Blake was too over the top for me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

So this may be one of the worst uk summers ever but this book set around Midsummer’s Eve for the summer festival In the Welsh countryside was exactly what I needed.

SOLSTICE is the festival held every year on the Blakes family farm turned wonderland, and when Libby and Dawn are lucky enough to win exclusive tickets, Dawn is over the moon, Libby not so much as it is way out of her comfort zone. Dawn going missing sends Libby over the edge and 20 year old secrets surface sending the plot spiralling further.

A lot of history, involving witchcraft and spiritual elements affecting mental health in this story.

Many thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for my early copy ARC

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

When Libby and her friend Dawn win festival tickets they are excited to go. Libby, to shed the boring image she currently has, and Dawn, to party. When the girls get separated, Libby goes through and ordeal trying to find her friend.

This starts as a happy fun filled festival story, but gets dark quick! Written from Libby’s viewpoint for the most part, we also have flashbacks from Ma Blake, mother of Abel, the creator of the festival. While I enjoyed this, at times I found it hard to follow. The descriptions of the festival atmosphere were good, but I found them quite stressful as this is not my thing-a compliment to the writer’s skill and details. I would say for me, there were parts that could have been cut out to make it a bit more streamlined but that is personal preference.

Our main character Libby has recently lost her mother, though they never saw eye to eye, Libby is grieving when she miraculously gets tickets for the hottest festival, Solstice, and Dawn, her best friend will not let her consider not going.

This was a tricky book for me as I didn’t find myself able to relate or even like any of the characters. There’s a great amount of suspending of disbelief needed for this book. It wants to be a mystery or a thriller or a bit of a horror all at the same time.

If you want a fast paced read, this may well be for you.
Similarly if you enjoy a bit of a sensationalist thriller, get stuck in.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review which this is.