Almost Life - Kiran Millwood Hargrave

It's 1978 and Erica is spending the summer in Paris before she heads to university in England.  A chance meeting with Laure on the steps of the Sacré Cœur changes both of their lives forever.  What unfolds is the story of their lives.

Sometimes you meet someone quite by chance and they change your life forever, and this is what happens with Erica and Laure.  Erica is young and naïve: it's her first summer alone and whilst she is relishing the experience, she is only really experiencing a tourist's view of Paris; that is until she meets Laure.  The spark between the pair is undeniable and the impact they have on each other is life changing.  

Sometimes a book really gets under your skin and you find yourself deeply transported into the life of the characters, and by goodness Almost Life was one of those books for me.  Perhaps it was the Paris setting (a place I adore); perhaps it was the characters (so wonderfully created, both flawed and torn between lives, and each likeable in their own ways); perhaps it was the passing of time and the fact that I felt like I'd known the characters a lifetime)... I suspect it was a combination of all of these and so much more.  Almost Life was a book I was desperate to devour and savour in equal measure: I found myself missing the characters between reads and having lunch in my office so I could sneak in a few more moments with Laure and Erica.  I finished reading it almost a month ago and I still think of them; I still ache for the choices they had to make; their sacrifices and the prejudices they experienced.  

I sobbed as I finished the book, and sat for ages afterwards contemplating the story and mourning its ending.  I am a big fan of Kiran's novels for children but Almost Life (most definitely a novel for adults) will certainly go down as one of the best books I've read this year and is one that will always have a piece of my heart; it really is a truly a wonderful read.  

Publishing 12/3, Almost Life is a story of love, life and longing, and I can't wait for the rest of the world to meet Erica and Laure.

Drop Dead Famous - Jennifer Pearson

Blair Baker is a global music superstar who has returned to Honeyville, the town where she grew up, for a homecoming tour.  Three nights at the high school's football stadium and everyone who's anyone wants a ticket.  Fans arrive dressed in Blair costumes and even her family have VIP tickets for the show.  Excitement is at fever-pitch when the first song starts to play and Blair, lying on a platform, rises above the stage; but when she fails to start singing people begin to realise that something is wrong .. and something is very wrong, for Blair Baker is dead.

 

The Honeyville police department are quick on the case, especially as Blair's father is a retired police officer and her uncle still serves.  However, Blair's younger sister, Stevie, can't let things go and decides she is going to discover who killed her sister herself.  She quickly discovers that this isn't as easy as it may seem; with numerous suspects and danger lurking, Stevie needs to keep her wits about her if she is to unmask the killer.

Jenny is a well-established middle grade author, and she proved her versatility in June 2025 with Shrapnel Boys, a serious, gritty book set during WWII (you can read my review here) but Drop Dead Famous is her first foray into YA and I've been desperate to read it since she told me about it during her last visit to my school in June. Being able to read an early copy made the perfect start to my Christmas holidays.

The book starts with the very public discovery of Blair's body as she rises on the platform above the stage to begin the concert.  At first nobody realises there's a problem but cheers of excitement quickly turn to screams of terror as realisation kicks in.  Fans dressed in sequined skirts, cowboy boots, friendship bracelets and glitter (which gave me glorious Taylor Swift/Beyonce vibes) are thrown into turmoil as they are ushered out of the arena in tears.  But Blair's family are in the VIP area of the audience and their life changes in an instant.  Unable to grieve in private, the family are faced with press hounding their home and the police struggling to identify the killer, which is why Stevie feels she has no choice but to investigate - it's her way of dealing with things but she seems to throw up more questions than answers. With Blair super-fan, Colby, offering her assistance, at least she's not alone.  Stevie is a strong character who is dealing with her grief in her own unique way; with Colby's feisty character to support her, the pair make quite the duo.

Drop Dead Famous is a fast-paced murder mystery that will certainly keep readers gripped and guessing (there is so much more I could say about the plot but I don't want to give away any details which may spoil things for others).  Prepare for a rollercoaster of a ride that will have you questioning everybody (and I mean everybody!!).  I genuinely couldn't put the book down and didn't guess the ending at all!  Weaving family dynamics with the darker side of the music industry, Jennifer Pearson's first YA novel is a triumph and certainly shown that she can write YA as well as she does middle grade - I can't wait to see what she writes next.  

Publishing 7th June, Drop Dead Famous is a book that you absolutely have to pre-order.  Perfect for aged 14+, I have just one warning: once you've finished reading the book, you will be desperate to talk to somebody about it!