Miranda Newboult grew up in East Sussex and now lives five miles from where she was born. She spent most of her childhood with her nose in a book but did manage to find time to go to school at Roedean and then do a degree in English and Related Literature at York University. She now works for Canterbury Christ Church University as a Consultant in Leadership and Management Development and spends the rest of her time looking after her young family and an ever-increasing number of animals. Emma’s Stormy Summer is Miranda’s first novel.

—

Miranda says:

“When I was growing up I read books all the time but never dreamed I would write one myself. Books were my escape rather than my reality. I was a child who enjoyed school and my most inspirational teachers were those that taught English and shared my passion for people who existed both on paper and in the imagination.

I am not a fussy reader, many different genres catch my attention, and when I start a book, I always finish it, totally immersed in the story. When I started to write, I experienced something similar. I was nagged and harassed by the story, only finding peace once I had committed the words to paper – I was being pestered to tell the tale. I hope I continue to be for a long time.”

—

My Thoughts About The Book

Children’s or YA fiction is not a genre that I would usually read, however, after exchanging messages with Miranda’s publisher, Tannbourne Ltd. who are themselves a newly formed company and have ‘Emma’s Stormy Summer’ as their first published book, they offered to send me a copy to read/review.

Not being one to ever turn down a book, I decided to use the exercise to ascertain just how much children’s literature has moved on since I was a child, as never having had children of my own, I have not had to keep pace with this no doubt, evolving and  changing market.

‘Emma’s Stormy Summer’, is aimed at the 8-12 year age group and from talking with other bloggers I learned that, yes, little girls do still like to read ‘nice’ books and having researched the marketplace came to the conclusion that Miranda is up there with her contemporaries in the genre, dealing as she does, with real life, important and difficult issues in her book, in a sympathetic and engaging way, without being at all patronising or over emotional.

Through Emma, Miranda weaves a story of contemporary family relationships, with their inherently poignant and touching moments, uplifting gentle moments, high drama and humour.

‘Emma’s Stormy Summer’, has captured the joys, fears and uncertainties that surround young girls approaching adolescence, with all their social dynamics and strong themes of family and friendships, especially the special bond and relationship which exists between mother and daughter.

Issues are dealt with in a mature and adult way, with great honesty being the central linchpin of the whole book.

Despite the difficult, often emotional content of the book, the bright cheerful cover, epitomises a child’s innate sense of resilience and their built-in ability to deal with life’s events as they happen, something which is often lost to us in later years.

—

I was invited to read this book by Miranda’s publisher Tannbourne Ltd., themselves a new publisher on the scene.

As such, this copy was provided as a PDF file and was free of charge.

This in no way influenced any comments I may have expressed about the book, in any review I may have compiled. Any thoughts or comments are my own personal opinion and I am in no way being monetarily compensated for this review.