I have read all of Louise Mumford’s previous books and have loved them all.

This newest book did not disappoint at all. In fact I think it’s the authors best yet!!

Really enjoyed the story, I felt I was really in the middle of a festival (not that I’ve ever been to one before) and I liked the fast pace of the plot, staying up until late at night just so that I could find out what happened next and the twists along the way!

Thank you Louise for another fantastic book!

Amazing.
Like Louise Mumford's previous book, The Hotel, I devoured this in one sitting. Libby wins tickets to a festival in the heart of Wales along with her best friend, the more outgoing Dawn. From the outset, things appear to be not all well in spite of the sunshine and bright young things set on a good time. Strange notes left at her tent, the ghost of a missing girl staring at her from flyers, and then Dawn goes missing. As with The Hotel, the mystery is unwound with breathtaking skill and keeps you guessing to the final page.
A must read - though it might put you off camping and festivals forever.

I liked the premise of the novel, a mystery set during a music festival. However, the narrative style was a bit jarring and I failed to finish.

A good summer read, giving nice festival vibes, with a bit of folklore thrown in.
It was well paced, and had a few twists.
I read the majority of it in one sitting, it flew by.
Good central character and a lovely friendship to back up everything going on.
Take it to the beach/pool and get lost in it for a few hours

I really like the idear of this book but it just didn't do it for me.
I found myself flicking through parts of it and dived into the ending just to see what happened.
Sorry to leave such a bad review but not my cup of tea.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

Complex and challenging story set around a summer festival. Not my cup of tea but kept reading to find out what occurred.

Twenty year old Libby Corrigan’s life has been far from good over the last few years and so she tries hard to let her hair down on a night out with her best friend Dawn. Much to Dawn’s huge pleasure and excitement, Libby wins two coveted tickets to Solstice, a music festival in the heart of the Welsh countryside. Although she definitely needs a change, Libby is reluctant to go but Dawn‘s persuasive tactics win the day. Will she live to regret her decision? Should she have stayed at home and gone to work in the quietly cocooned safety of her library job? The story is told in dual time narratives and includes mixed media stories.

The first half of the book is good and an enjoyable read. Once they arrive at Solstice, there’s a mystery overhanging the area which piques the interest. In addition, there are little subtle hints, off notes and things that don’t quite chime which is intriguing. Things are strange, if not weird from the get go and rumours abound about the owners and family who run Solstice from their land. Abel Blake seems a magnetic personality, his brother Silas appears to be a polar opposite whilst the mother’s behaviour is strange and confusing. There seems to be some shape shifting which adds to the mystery.

There are some good visual descriptions, the atmosphere is rich and infused with folklore, superstition and magic and there’s a sort of dream like quality to the storytelling which I like.

Unfortunately in my opinion, the strong start is not maintained and the second half is much weaker. There are some major revelations which are told really casually almost in a ‘oh by the way’ manner. It becomes melodramatic if not a bit silly at times, I have trouble swallowing the plot directions as it enters bonkers territory. The dual time narratives are a bit disjointed as it zips back-and-forth and the author has a habit of being repetitive.

Overall, on the plus side it’s first paced and an easy read. It would certainly fit the bill for a relaxing holiday read.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to finish this book. Absolutely no fault of the book, but I just didn't gel with the writing style and had no desire to pick it up and read it, so I DNF at 28%.

Firstly thank you to hq for my chance to read and review .

I raced through this intoxicating and exciting story that was packed with suspense and the summer sun.
Written in dual narratives and timelines it’s fast paced , fresh and an interesting location

Teenage friendship , studies , and a great loss all result in a summer experience like no other .

Compelling and a great holiday read .

Best friends Libby and Dawn are making a night of it. A new club has its opening night and they have been invited. Not a strange event, but in this case a little odd as it’s the same day as Libby’s mother’s funeral! To say she was not sad about her mother’s passing is probably an understatement 😜. During the course of the evening, the girls are chosen as winners of tickets for Solstice, a famous music festival held in mid Wales. Massively popular, the tickets are like gold dust, and although it’s not Libby’s thing, she claims the VIP passes to please Dawn. Possibly a move she comes to regret.

A bit of a slow burner but an unusual/different theme and an interesting read, though it did lose its way halfway through and became somewhat convoluted and awkward, with the ending a bit twee.

A nice, easy read.

2.5*

Thank you NetGalley and HQ.