The Switching Hour by Damaris Young out on 1st August.

A beautifully written book for young adults.

Never stay out after the Switching Hour…

never let the outside in…

Amaya lives with her grandmother, her small brother Kaleb and her pet goat in a land suffering a terrible drought.

Every night, the doors must be locked after twilight, the Switching Hour, because the drought has awoken Badeko, a creature that snatches people away to eat their dreams.

Three days later, the memory that they existed is gone from those that knew them, and those that are left are afflicted with The Sorrow Sickness – a grief which consumes a person without them knowing why.

When Kaleb is taken by Badeko, Amaya must journey into the terrifying forest to find her brother before she forgets him.

My Enemy’s Cherry Tree by Wang Ting-Kuo

After a long hiatus Wang Ting-Kuo returns with this critically acclaimed novel. It is his English language debut.

A man who has come from nothing, from poverty and loss, finds himself a beautiful wife, his dream love. When she vanishes without a trace, he sets up a small cafe in her favourite spot on the edge of the South China Sea, hoping she’ll return. Instead, he is confronted by the man he suspects may be responsible for everything he has suffered: Luo Yiming, a prominent businessman and philanthropist who holds the small town in his sway. In the few moments the two men spend together, Luo is driven mad. So begins a story of desire and betrayal set against the tumultuous first decade of Taiwan’s 21st Century. The recipient of all three of Taiwan’s major literary prizes, My Enemy’s Cherry Tree is a story of love, money and coercion, in which two men who have sought to acquire something unattainable, instead lose something irreplaceable.

A Mother’s Love by Katie Flynn

A heartwarming romantic tale.

Liverpool, 1940: There comes a moment in every child’s life when they must learn to stand on their own two feet.

For fifteen-year-old Ellie Lancton, that time has come all too soon. The death of her mother and the increase in air raids leaves Ellie alone and in grave danger. It’s not long before she is forced to leave her beloved Liverpool behind and cross the Mersey to seek refuge in the countryside.

But as the war takes comforts away, so too does it bring new opportunities; for work, new friendships, and perhaps a little love…

It will take all of Ellie’s courage to find her way without her mother’s guidance. But if Ellie can soldier on with grace and dignity, there might just be light at the end of the tunnel.

The Liberty Girls by Fiona Ford

Another compelling addition to this series. 

March, 1942: new mother Alice Milwood is itching to return to her job as a shop assistant at Liberty’s.

Despite her husband still being missing in action, Alice is determined to give baby Arthur the best possible start. She soon settles back into the rhythm of life on the shop floor, and the Liberty Girls rally to help keep everything on an even keel.

But when the American GIs start swarming into London, there are more complications to come. And each of the Liberty Girls has their own impossible storm to weather.

As they each fight their battles on the home front, only their close friendship will give them the strength they need to carry on.

The Courage of the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell.

A great read.

Sunderland, 1942: Polly’s heart and her future are hanging in the balance…

Polly’s sweetheart Tommy has been declared missing while serving overseas, and although there is no certainty that he is dead, there is no guarantee that he will return home. Now Polly needs her friends more than ever, and the other women welders are ready to rally around her while she waits for news.

The only one not showing support is shipyard manager, Helen. But looks can be deceiving, and beneath her cold exterior, Helen is wrestling with demons of her own, including one life-changing decision that could lead to potential ruin.

As the war continues, the shipyard girls must support one another as they bravely soldier on.

 

All available from amazon.co.uk and waterstones.com