Beth Is Dead - Katie Bernet

It's New Year's Day and Beth has failed to return from Sallie Gardiner's annual party.  When Jo finds her bed empty, she assumes that Amy has led her elder sister astray and texts her in an attempt to spare their mum the anguish, but when Amy arrives home alone moments later, Jo begins to worry and takes Amy out to find Beth - after all, Amy is the party animal, not Beth.  They haven't gone far when they discover Beth's body lying dead in the snow.  Despite the police's quick arrival and intense investigation, the sisters determine to discover who killed Beth themselves, but will they like what they discover?

Oh my goodness, this book is amazing! I have to admit that I was curious: a reimagining of Little Women,  one of my favourite books from my childhood and the first book that made me cry; I wasn't certain that a modern day reimagining would do the book justice; however, any doubts I had were very quickly and thoroughly quashed.

The book is set in modern day America, Concord Massachusetts (the same setting as the original book) and is told through two timelines, now (after Beth's death) and before.  With chapters from all four sisters' perspectives, you quickly get to know them, including Beth, and begin to form your own theories about who killed her.  Although this is a modern day story, I liked that Katie used her knowledge of the original book: the sisters have the personalities and interests of their original counterparts; and there are many similarities in the general plot (Laurie lives next door, Aunt March is as fierce and bold as I remember her; their father is away ...) and I enjoyed picking up on these.  The characters were recognisable as their original counterparts but also felt refreshingly modern and relatable.  They are far from perfect and, as well as navigating their teenage years (high school, relationships, friendships, university...), they also have to contend with the fact that they have been thrown into the public eye by their father whose recently published novel about the girls' real lives has caused huge controversy and backlash.  

The book is utterly gripping and I promise you won't be able to put it down. It's twisty and thought-provoking, and just when you think you know who might have done it, something comes along to add an extra element that has you questioning everything again.  In her acknowledgements, Katie says that she hopes Louisa May Alcott approves of the book and I think she absolutely would. 

Beth Is Dead absolutely blew me away; it's clever, cunning and completely addictive. Publishing on the 15th January, this is a book that I will be shouting about to anybody who will listen and it's a YA that absolutely needs to be pre-ordered.

The Wycherleys Love And Other Curses - Annaliese Avery

'Aurelia Wycherley and Jules Nightly are heading off to coven college to learn advanced magic.  But they are also on a secret mission: to discover the Lost Quarter of the college, create their own coven of twelve and try to discover a way to bring back the Old Magic.  When malevolent magic interrupts their first night at college, Aurelia and Jules discover that Jonathan and his coven of untethered witches has escaped and now they are after her magic, curse and all...'

I read The Wycherleys in May and instantly fell in love with everything about it (you can read my review here) so it's been a long wait for Love And Other Curses!  I'm hugely grateful to Nina Douglas and Simon & Schuster YA for sending me a copy just before Christmas; it provided a great distraction from preparations and the perfect companion for my early morning reads whilst the rest of the house slept!

Love And Other Curses is just as intoxicating as the first book, if not more so. The relationship between Aurelia and Jules continues to grow and is a joy to read: whilst Jules remains deliciously brooding, Aurelia's confidence in herself and her cursed magic can be seen as the plot unfolds.  The pair seem to fall into a rhythm now that they are tethered and are able to feel each other's emotions (although this isn't always helpful!!).  As they develop their coven, they begin to understand what they can achieve together, but things don't always run smoothly and with hidden secrets waiting to surface, it's a book you won't want to put down.

As with The Wycherleys, Love And Other Curses proves that strong female characters can have it all: talent, brains, ballgowns and romance all wrapped up in a setting I'd love to visit!

The plot is, once again, perfect for getting lost in and is pure escapism in a swoon-worthy way (there is kissing ... lots and lots of kissing).  If you love The Wycherleys then you are going to adore Love And Other Curses, but be prepared: the ending ... oh my goodness, the ending!  I certainly didn't see it coming and it has left me with so many questions that I'm desperate for answers to - September feels far too long to wait for book 3!

Publishing 15th January, The Wycherleys Love And Other Curses is the perfect escape to banish the January blues. 

Anisha Accidental Detective: Christmas Chaos - Serena Patel

 

Anisha is back and Christmas is coming!  This year her dad is organising the Christmas fayre and he is determined to make it a huge success but for that, he needs to rope everybody in to help.  Things start well but when the sleigh goes missing, the fayre's success is in jeopardy, unless Anisha can come to the rescue.

This is a great series and I loved spending time with Anisha, her family and her best friend Milo again.  Anisha's dad's enthusiasm for the fayre is infectious and readers will be drawn into the festive spirit.  Things are chaotic at times, and Anisha has to admit that there are some elements of Christmas that she doesn't enjoy (I feel that there will be readers who will appreciate this).  Being able to investigate the disappearance of the sleigh gives her a different focus.

The book is full of humour and adventure all wrapped up in Anisha's unique style.  Her friendship with Milo is, once again, wonderful to read and there is a level of empathy we see in the book that readers will be able to learn from.  With illustrations from Emma McCann perfectly complimenting the story, Christmas Chaos is a book that will delight readers.  

Avalanche - Simon Fox

 

Tom is spending the holidays at a luxury ski chalet whilst his mum is working security for Eric, the head of a biotech firm.  Spending his days learning to ski isn't as fun as he thought it might be and he longs to be home.  However, things take a dramatic turn when hijackers turn up determined to get their hands on technology Eric has been developing.  When the hijackers trigger an avalanche, the chalet and everybody in it become cut-off from the rest of the world and any chance of getting help.  The only chance they have is the fact that the hijackers are unaware of Tom's presence so it's up to him to save the day.

Simon Fox's previous books (you can read my reviews here: Running Out Of Time; Dead Lock) are both popular in school and when I began reading Avalanche, there was a lot of interest from children, and who can blame them?

Avalanche starts with a very fed up Tom: he is away from home and his friends; he's at ski school but isn't enjoying it and he feels it's going to be a long holiday.  His mum's job means that she doesn't want to leave her post so Tom has no choice but to get to know Eric's daughter Emily who is far from friendly.  The two are just returning to the chalet when the hijackers descend.  Their gunshots are what trigger the avalanche which causes utter chaos and so begins an incredible roller-coaster of an adrenaline rush as Tom and Emily fight first to save themselves and then to save their parents.  As you would imagine, Tom and Emily face dangers at every turn, but they also need to learn to get along with each other, as well as navigating Emily's type 1 diabetes which adds an extra level.  The chalet setting and the fact that the avalanche has cut them off, adds to the tension and creates a real sense of claustrophobia (more so when Tom and Emily are trapped under the snow). 

Showing the lengths people will go to for both good and bad, Avalanche shows us that friendship can form at any time.  With danger at every turn, this is a book that will get your heart racing and you won't want to put down.  

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!