This was quite a change to my normal reading but what a beaut! I really enjoyed it. I liked the writing, plot and setting. The twist shook me! I wanted to know what happened to Clara and I loved how it all unfolded. Definitely recommend if you are a fan of middle grade books.

This was a lush story with a brilliant mystery in it which slowly unravels across the story. The twist made me gasp out loud. Absolutely loved this.

Characters and relationships
Clara is a very compelling main character and I loved that the story is told from her perspective. Clara is going through a lot. Not only has she been suffering from memory loss since the previous year, but she’s also feeling lonely and left out by her best friend. The book does an amazing job at exploring those different things and offers a very realistic depiction of childhood friendship, including both the heartwarming aspects of it, as well as the heartbreaking falling outs. The book also focuses a lot on family, as well as themes of community, which I also enjoyed.

Beautiful setting
The story is set in Jamaica and I absolutely loved the descriptions of Sycamore, the village where Clara and her family live. As an island girl myself (Mauritius), I loved the descriptions of the island, including the beautiful nature, the fruit trees, the sea and the community aspect of Sycamore. The writing is vividly descriptive and it was very easy to picture everything that was being described to us.

Plot and intrigue
I won’t say too much about the plot because I do think it’s best to go into the story without knowing too much. What I will say though is that the book has a very interesting plot, with at its heart a very well crafted intrigue. Throughout the story, we get clues as to what really happened to Clara a year ago and as Clara slowly begins to put things together, so does the reader. And let me tell you, you will not be disappointed! The reveals really pack a punch in this book and if you like stories with a bit of a mystery aspect to them, you will definitely really enjoy this book.

My final thoughts
Overall, When Life Gives You Mangoes is a beautifully crafted story that explores themes of family, community and grief, while also looking at the complexities of childhood. With a fascinating main character, a beautiful tropical setting and a plot full of intrigue, this book is one that I cannot recommend enough.

I read this for a blog tour.

This was a beautifully written, moving and sensitive story about loss and friendship. Clara has blocked out the painful memory of last summer and lives with the knowledge that something is wrong, but unsure what it is.

Making a new friend and reconnecting with her uncle, who doesn't leave his house, starts to slowly help her recover the memories and explore her grief.

Powerful and bittersweet, this is a stunning piece of fiction and belongs on a bookshelf in every home.

...
I really loved reading 'When Life gives you mangoes', it had intrigue, friendship and I felt I could relate to what Clara was feeling at times. The frustration with being misunderstood, fighting with your parents, falling out with your friends and the loneliness that can bring.

The way we get drawn into this community I felt like I was part of the village, Kereen does not disappoint in keeping us captivated by the adventures the children take and the most important one, the journey Clara takes to find herself again.

When Life gives You Mangoes is a refreshing, new middle-grade that I absolutely loved.

Clara is an ordinary girl, she has a best friend called Gaynah, although they're currently not speaking, and hangs out with a couple other kids from the village. That is until a new girl from England arrives, Rudy, who makes everything more exciting! Except that Clara can't remember anything that happened last summer.

For the majority of the book we see Clara fighting with Gaynah (as teenage girls will) and becoming friends with Rudy. People in the village think Clara is mad because of her amnesia, but all she knows is although she used to love surfing, she's now terrified of the water. She just doesn't know why.

I loved the characters in this book. They are all fairly complex and interesting to read. I felt the way the author described falling out with your friends when you're 12/13 is perfect, it feels like the end of the world!
The atmosphere is fantastic, I really felt immersed in the Jamaican landscape and was engrossed throughout. The climax of the storm towards the end was fantastic, and I really was blown away and completely shocked by the twist- I never saw it coming!
The writing style and plot are fantastic, I'll definitely read more by this author.
The only negative was towards the end. Its hard to explain due to spoilers, so please stop reading here if you don't want to be spoiled.






I didn't understand the flashback to the previous summer, where apparently Rudy arrived and she and Clara played the prank on Gaynor. Did Rudy come every summer? Had Rudy been there all year? If so, why did she need to introduce herself to Clara? Was Rudy a figment of Clara's imagination? I didn't understand, and that it the only thing that stopped this being a 5* book.

When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kereen Getten is a contemporary middle-grade novel that follows 12-year-old Clara. Clara lives in Sycamore, a small village on a Caribbean island. She enjoys eating fresh mangoes, playing games with the other kids on the island and hanging out with her best friend, Gaynah. She struggles to remember anything that happened last summer. Clara is intrigued by Sycamore’s new arrival, the carefree and kooky Rudy from England. A genuine friendship forms between the two girls and as they get to know one another, secrets are uncovered and events from the previous year eventually become clearer to Clara.

I adore the setting of this novel. The vivid descriptions of Sycamore and the daily pleasantries of island life made me smile as I read the book, and the sense of community in the village shines through. As someone who has lived in a big city their entire life, I was absorbed in this sunny, beautiful environment that is so different from my reality. I think When Life Gives You Mangoes is the first children’s book I’ve read set on a Caribbean island. It’s beautifully written and I love Clara’s voice. Her thought processes and outlook gave her an authenticity that I appreciated. Her relationship with Gaynah is the kind that many tweens would have. They get on well most of the time and when they fall out, you feel the intensity of Clara’s emotions. She often tries to stop herself from becoming too upset when she feels hurt or angry, which I found endearing.

Clara’s memory is sketchy as she can’t remember what happened the previous year. She loves surfing but is afraid of the water. Clara’s lack of memory enhances the novel’s mystery all the way through. I kept turning the page to find out what would happen next and why Gaynah often taunted her for failing to remember things. As the story continues, there are many surprises to be had. Clara’s memory gradually returns and we find out exactly what happened the previous year that Clara has failed to remember until now. I didn’t find this story predictable at all and two big plot twists in the second half left my mouth hanging open.

Rudy is a brilliant character who is unlike Clara in some ways. She is bold, energetic and compliments Clara’s personality well. As Clara and Rudy’s friendship blossoms and they spend more time together, we see another side to Clara emerge. There is a positive shift in her relationship with other friends and she even starts to feel more relaxed around the water. Another character I was fascinated by is Clara’s Uncle, the village outcast. He is known as the “witch doctor” and branded as evil by the local pastor. I highly enjoyed his narrative arc and the role he played in helping Clara face her memory.

When Life Gives You Mangoes is a stirring and heart-warming debut novel that people of all ages should read. It’s a fairly short book and explores a range of topics including friendship, family, loss and dealing with trauma. For me, it raised important questions about the complexities of grief (especially for children) and how people might deal with unwanted memories. Kereen Getten’s debut book is nothing short of stunning and I look forward to reading what she writes next.

I rate this 9/10.

When Life Gives You Mangoes is an amazing read. It had an intriguing story that kept me invested well until the last page. I wanted to know what Clara was doing, and what happened the summer before. Moreover, The writing perfectly captures the mystery, and the plot kept getting better and better.

When Life Gives You Mangoes is definitely one of my favourite books I’ve read this year. It is so sweet and smart, I enjoyed every page!

We follow the life of Clara who lives in Sycamore with her family in a small, tight knit village. Everyone knows everyone and nothing new happens. One day her bestfriend Gaynah claims a new girl has arrived in town and everything changes.

Throughout the book we find out that Clara cannot remember the previous summer. We are not told why or what happened to make her forget and I had a feeling that something really important happened. I desperately wanted Clara to remember the events of the previous summer because the towns people were always so worried and cautious around her and she didn’t seem to understand why. She was lost and upset for reasons she couldn’t remember which broke my heart. Through friendship and trust she was able to overcome her trials and move forward, bringing her family and the town closer than they had been in years.

I don’t want to ruin the story! It was beautiful, funny, inspiring and surprising. I shed a small tear at the end of the story (it was just too cute!). A lot of the references to her home reminded me of my island, Grenada 🇬🇩. I felt so connected to each character because they reminded me of people I know. I cannot recommend this book enough!

When Life Gives You Mangoes took me back to my childhood years from the friendship arguments to the make believe games, I felt right at home. Kereen Getten writes beautifully about the island girl, Clara, her family and their home in Sycamore. A place where everyone knows everyone, and their business. I love how she brought about friendships and healing, how Clara struggles with being present and what she needed to make it all right. It’s a process which hit me hard and had me taking a step back and thinking more on it.

The book is big on community, and there’s this sense of togetherness that I really loved. The characters are relatable, almost real. I’d get angry at some and feel sorry for others that I had to remind myself its just a story, no need to get worked up.

“I’m sure you heard more than that, but yes, I do like solitude. One cannot go wrong with his own company.”

My favourite part had to be the twist that I definitely didn’t see coming. The book flows easily with a plot that draws you in and takes you on a rich story along the Caribbean. I loved it.

A beautifully written book that really emphasises the importance of friendship and how to move on from your fears. 💜 xx

Thank you to Netgalley , Poppy Stimpson & PushkinPress for the ARC copy of this beautiful book and for including me on its book tour.

This book was waaaaay more emotional than I was expecting but in a good way.
Kereen Getten weaves a beautiful story of friendship, community, loss & forgiveness. In all honesty, given this is a middle school directed book, I wasn’t anticipating these themes to be present but I did feel that they were addressed well in through the book.

I’ve kept my review short as unraveling a mystery is a large part of this book and I do not want to spoil this for any readers.

I think it will be a fantastic read for all ages and with such a beautiful cover it will not disappoint.

When Life Gives You Mangoes by debut author Kereen Getten is about twelve year old Clara who lives in a small village on an island with her parents. She lives a simple life, eating ripe mangoes that have fallen from trees, running outside in the rainy season and escaping to a secret hideaway with Gaynah, the girl who has been her best friend since she was small.

But then everything changes when a new girl called Rudy arrives from England. Gaynah no longer acts like the best friend she once was and the two girls find themselves arguing where once there would have been laughter. So Clara finds herself gravitating more and more towards Rudy, the two girls roaming across the island as an old family secret begins to emerge.

Clara is puzzled to find herself unable to remember anything from the previous summer, which causes her to clash with Gaynah when she teases her about it. What happened last year? And why can’t Clara remember? As the island storms begin, Clara’s foggy memory begins to clear and she must finally face up to the truth of what happened to change her from the happy go lucky girl she once was.

I was intrigued by this beautifully written story and had no idea in which direction the story would go. The truth, when it came, took me completely by surprise and shocked me to the core. Although marketed as a book for children, I think the themes of loss and friendship in When Life Gives You Mangoes would appeal to readers of all ages. Kereen Getten’s writing is powerfully emotive, with warm and realistic characters that come to life on the page. A truly captivating story that stays with you long after the final page has been turned.

An impressive debut that I would recommend.

Having already requested this book on NetGalley (let’s be honest, almost entirely because of the beautiful cover), I was so excited to see that Pushkin Children’s Books were arranging a blog tour for its release and jumped at the chance to get involved by writing this review!


Synopsis

Summer in Sycamore, Jamaica is always predictable for Clara. She’ll spend it running around outside with her friends, hiding out with her best friend Gaynah and eating the ripe mangoes that have fallen from the trees.

However, this year is different – Clara can’t remember what happened last summer, causing cracks to appear in her friendship with Gaynah. Then, a new girl, Rudy, arrives on the island and suddenly Clara doesn’t need to depend on Gaynah anymore. Together, Rudy and Clara explore the island, uncovering the truth behind one of its biggest mysteries, and, as the summer storm hits, discover what really happened last summer.

Review

Kereen Getten’s beautiful writing and accessible style make this book such a delight to read. It is packed full of arresting descriptions of Sycamore and its villagers that bring the setting and characters to life in a way that feels really authentic and realistic. This is aided by the strong voice of Clara throughout the book as you experience Sycamore through her eyes, really drawing you into not just the action, but also her world, with her. Clara is also incredibly likeable, and you can’t help but root for her throughout the book as she navigates a difficult world in which she can’t remember what happened last summer.

The relationships in this book were complex and written fantastically, and I really enjoyed seeing the relationships between the various adults in the book through Clara’s eyes as she comes of age. It was also really nice to read a children’s book in which the main character’s parents are present and supportive. It is often the case in children’s literature that the absence of parents is used to give the main character freedom but Getten’s writing was so effective that Clara having so much freedom even with her parents present made complete sense.

My favourite part of the book was absolutely the big reveal of what happened last summer. It is one of the best and most unexpected reveals I’ve ever read and, when I finished the book, I found myself flicking back through it to try and spot all of the clues I’d missed (which turned out to be a lot!). I was so impressed by quite how cleverly Getten had set it up as it is so hard to write a book with a truly unexpected twist, but it completely took me by surprise. I also really enjoyed getting to the bottom of what happened to Clara’s estranged uncle, Eldorath, and think older middle grade readers will really enjoy the mystery.

Overall, this book is a great read for both children and adults alike and deals sensitively with themes such as loss and grief in a way that is entirely appropriate for its intended audience. I can’t wait to read what Kereen Getten writes next!

Rating: 4/5

"Something happened that made me forget everything that happened last summer."

Nothing exciting ever happens in the small town of Sycamore. And since the incident with the witch-doctor, no-one new ever comes to visit. A summer the same as every other is stretching out in front of Clara. Until new girl Rudy arrives from London and changes everything. Now things are looking like they might be exciting after all. It would be perfect, if only Clara could remember what happened last summer that made her too scared to go into the water…

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book as it's been a while since I read children's fiction.

I read it quickly, immersed in the tropical setting and scary yet innocent world of young Clara. Her every emotion was palpable and there were many times my heart broke for this child. I wanted to help her, even if I had no idea what was causing her pain. The author captures the fun, freedom and innocence of childhood on a small island while also looking at the fear, frustration and pain that children also experience. She examines topics such as friendship, family, mental health, trauma and forgiveness through an age-appropriate lens that I think will make young readers feel seen.

Charming, heartfelt, thoughtful and mysterious, this is a beautifully crafted debut and a wonderful story for the young reader in your life.

When Life Gives You Mangoes is an action-packed middle grade novel filled with friendships, families and full of mystery. 12-year-old Clara can't remember what happened last summer, all she knows is that she is now considered 'different' to the other children in Sycamore and her Mama and Papa continue to argue in hushed tones about what's best for her. Her friendship with best friend, Gaynah, is now filled with petty arguments and she no longer longs to surf the sea as she used to. When new girl, Rudy, arrives fresh from England, Clara is determined to befriend her and start afresh with less judgment, but the past doesn't always want to stay hidden and as their friendship blooms, Clara's memories begin to return.

Kereen Getten effortlessly weaves multiple plot strands throughout When Life Gives You Mangoes which makes it very difficult to put down. There is constant action, whether from the main storyline or the other subplots which support it and for a relatively short novel there is so much packed in. I loved that at every point in the story some mystery was being unravelled, you just weren't always sure which parts of the jigsaw puzzle would match up.

Clara, Gaynah, Rudy and their friends are all believable pre-teenage characters, each with their own problems and backstories that continually stand in the way of their relationship with each other. From self-esteem, unusual family relationships and boy trouble, Getten covers it all in a realistic way, showcasing the lows and highs of friendships and the impact they can have on such a small surrounding community.

Equally portrayed are the family relationships which are so integral to a large part of the story. I particularly enjoyed Clara's relationship with her Mama and Papa. It is equal parts angsty teenager who doesn't want to be told what to do and little girl who needs their love and support. As the plot develops so does their relationship and I enjoyed seeing how the change in setting half way through changed the relationship, as well as how the opinions of the community around them really affected the family dynamics.

I can't write a review of When Life Gives You Mangoes without mentioning THE twist of 2020. I haven't read a book that's made me gasp as much in a long time. I did not see it coming, and of course I won't be spoiling it but when you read it - you'll know!

Kereen Getten has written a delightful story of friendship and family that would be perfect for those who enjoy realistic relationships and want a light-hearted read that's subtly packed with important messages from start to finish.

A brilliantly-woven tale of one girl's memories and the impact they have on the surrounding community.

This was such a delight to read. From a young girl's perspective who can't remember anything about last summer and keeps wondering where her sudden phobia around going into water is stemming from, this contemporary rightfully relies on character narration, emotional push, and a mysterious undertone. The father-daughter relationship was one of my favorites; in fact, the entire support the main character got from her family was lovely to witness. The twist was certainly surprising and the small town setting was perfect to create an atmosphere parallel to the mystery. Emotionally, the themes of grief, trauma, and friendship echoed very well. Overall, I recommend this!

I have been looking to escape to warmer climes for a little while now and I knew that this beautifully jacketed middle-grade story would more than scratch the itch. This gorgeous book is from Pushkin Press, a publisher who consistently produce wonderful stories from all over the world and who I am completely in love with.

12-year-old Clara lives with her parents in a tiny Jamaican community. She spends her days playing on the warm golden beaches with her friends, namely her best friend Gaynah, eating mangos right from the ground and occasionally surfing the waves with her dad. Last summer, something happened to Clara’s memory and she can barely remember a thing. Now, Gaynah isn’t being too nice to her, a new girl from London is in town and Clara may just figure out why her memories of the previous summer are so fractured…

The island is so beautifully and vividly described that it wasn’t too difficult to find myself there. I could almost feel the sun beating down on me as I followed Clara around the village. The spirit of the community and each of its inhabitants were so real. I really picked up on the vibe that if something big ever happened in the village, everyone would know about it, which is why I was desperate to know what had happened to cause Clara’s trauma.

Although she seems small and meek, Clara can certainly get her point across and make a noise when something triggers her. She isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and anyone else who she feels needs it. I really cared about her and wanted her to get to the root of what was causing her so much pain and fear but to do it in a gentle understanding way, which I was afraid wasn’t going to happen at one point.

Rudy is the new girl in the community who is visiting her grandmother, Ms Gee, the town’s eccentric old lady, for the summer. Rudy is bubbly, flamboyant and seemingly fearless and the perfect friend for Clara. She gently coaxes Clara out of her shell and encourages her to do things that previously scared her -such as take a trip up the hill to her uncle Eldorath’s house, which everyone in the village is afraid of doing. I would love to have a Rudy spin-off novel, showcasing her life as a wannabe star in London and her wonderful summers with Clara on the island.

There is a strong theme of embracing difference and this is something that shows itself in many different characters. It’s most obvious in Rudy, who experiences some level of disapproval from her own grandmother and by extension the community, when she first arrives on the island. She is from a different culture and her reluctance to fit in seems to rub a few traditionalists up the wrong way. However, this fear of difference is also very clear in the island’s treatment of Eldorath. Incredibly dark rumours have been circulating about him for years and as a result, he has been shut out from island life with no visitors other than his brother, Clara’s father. I assumed he was responsible for some kind of truly horrendous crime but when it all came out, I was shocked to realise that wasn’t the case.

I don’t think a review of this book would be complete without mentioning the truly shocking twist that happens about 85% in. A supernatural element creeps its way in and I wasn’t prepared for it at all. However when it was revealed, some things began making sense and it was almost a case of ‘how did I not suspect something like this?’. Getten is clearly a master at burying the truth in plain sight!

When Life Gives You Mangos is a very unique, immersive story of family, community and friendship. It celebrates difference in terms of personality, lifestyle and culture, which I really appreciated. The fantastic setting and highly gripping intrigue will keep you hooked and possibly have you easily devouring it in one sitting.

Clara a twelve-year-old girl lives on the island of Sycamore with her parents, a place where no one new ever comes in, except the visiting tourists who find it ‘exotic’. A new girl arrived this summer, but Clara is skeptical of the first impression she would make as all the kids in the island assume Clara changed from last summer.

Clara seems to have forgotten everything that happened last summer, though the memories keep coming in as flashes. From dreaming to become a surfer and go surf the whole world, Clara is now dead scared to even put her feet in water. What happened last summer, did Clara really lose her memory of the past and how does the new girl Rudy change Clara’s life form the rest of the story.

The backdrop of the island, the close knitted neighborhood, the innocence of the kids, especially the simple and silly games they keep playing, the way they fight, form groups — every single nuance is captured beautifully by the author. The hill, sea, banana grove, the entire island’s picturesque backdrop is exquisitely described by the author making the reader yearn to go on a beach holiday.

Clara and Rudy’s pretend games are impressive as they replay a variety of scenarios. From page one the reader would be curious to know the reason for Clara’s lost memory and as the truth is unveiled it will shock the reader, the twist is the most unexpected, though there are very few clues dropped.

Middle grade fiction can be tricky, and the author succeeds in spinning a narrative that appeals to all age groups. The cover is extremely well-designed. Pick this one to read a warm story about friendship and loss.

A great story, with a poignant twist!

Clara loves to surf, but she hasn't been able to make heself go into water since last summer, and she can't remember what happened to make her so afraid. Everyone in the village has been treating her differently since then too, even her best friend Gaynah, who really doesn't seem to like her much anymore. We follow along with Clara as she struggles to remember what happened and as the village elders insist there's something wrong with her.

The story is really well written, and you really get a feeling of the setting, the heat and the storms. The emotional payoff is strong and well executed, and the mysteries kept me guessing until the reveal. My only quibble would be that I was a little confused by a few of the other characters' actions or comments earlier in the story once I knew the twist. Some of them seemed a little strange to me, but since it's been a year since the accident I guess they probably would be used to 'handling' Clara, and act accordingly.

I definitely recommend this book, and will be recommending it in store!