𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: 5/5 STARS ⁣
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𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: Clara⁣
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𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗦: I initially read this book because I was intrigued by the idea of a contemporary middle grade book that dealt with mental health. I love a lot of MG books, fantasy, humour, mystery, contemporary and while many of them deal with tough themes, I’d yet to read a book that so vividly deals with the idea of mental health ⁣
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WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU MANGOS is that book. It is a story of a girl who deals with changing friendships, growing up, losing and gaining people and the impact of grief on a individual’s mind. Clara is a fascinating character to read about, an unreliable narrator almost. The way in which Kereen Getten makes you love Clara is phenomenal, you’re rooting for her throughout .⁣
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The setting of this book sucked me in from the very beginning. The island, the hurricanes, the sticky summer, all of it. It was like I was being transported into the story and standing beside Clara. The reveals that happen by the end of the book (no spoilers here!) will leave you shocked. The depth and the sheer intelligence that this book posses makes it a ground-breaking read in upper MG fiction. It’s a book that will stay with you for a long time, nestled in your mind and heavy in your heart.⁣
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𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥: readers looking for an upper middle grade novel that deals with mental health themes.

When Life Gives You Mangoes is a Middle Grade novel set in Jamaica, and in short, it’s wonderful! I’ve never read a middle-grade novel before but this has so much depth and it really captured my heart.

Clara and her best friend Gaynah live in the small village of Sycamore, where nothing much really happens. We join Clara as she’s trying to remember something that happened last summer. All the knows is that she used to love the water, and now she’s afraid, and her friends and family are acting strangely around her… What I loved about this novel was the bringing in of all age groups across the village –and how the events of the summer before have rippled across the community. I loved that Clara’s parents were supportive of her, with the love between the family obviously strong but subtly described, too, with simple actions showing their bond.

This is a novel not only seen from a child’s eyes, but with a deep understanding of a small community and the relationships, prejudices and bonds within it. Characters such as grumpy Mrs Gee, Pastor Brown and Clara’s Uncle Eldorath, whom everyone avoids because he can speak to ghosts – the relationships are complicated and real, even as the story is told through Clara’s eyes. As Clara struggles to regain her memories, a new girl, Rudy, arrives from England. Gaynah becomes more and more distant, teasing Clara about not being able to remember, and arguments between them become more frequent.

Sycamore felt so vivid to me, and the backdrop of the weather and approaching storms really added to the story. The twist at the end – I really, really did not see it coming, but it made so much sense! Bravo Kereen Getten on building up the suspense so well, yet giving nothing away.

When Life Gives You Mangoes is such an evocative, wonderful book that’s perfect to lose yourself in for an afternoon. I’d recommend to every age!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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First off, big up Koffee on getting her song hyped up towards the end of the novel. If you haven't heard it yet, you should listen to "Toast. It's the most feel-good song and I could listen to it on repeat no problem.

Okay, now for the actual book.

It's always refreshing when I read something set in my neck of the woods (or close to it) as I don't have to suspend quite as much belief as I would for something set in say Europe. The country, island vibes was everything! It allowed me to be able to live my July/August vacation dreams vicariously through this book because 2020 has taken away beaches and pools and travel away from me (I hate It here!).

Clara is sassy, a tad prone to overreacting, broken and imaginative. Gaynah is a critical, privileged centre of the friend group. The two have a falling out and we meet them in the aftermath of that, with Clara coming to terms with her memory loss and Gaynah throwing it in her face. But then a NEW GIRL arrives and the dynamic is threatened. No longer does Clara scramble to reconcile with Gaynah and Gaynah is seen to be struggling with this perceived abandonment.

We follow Clara and the newcomer as the two formed a fast friendship, adventuring on the hill setting of our novel. It hurts to watch how Clara struggles to adjust to her new reality of missing memories while feeling like those who should be in her corner (the adults, her best friend, the pastor) aren't. You feel her confusion because no one seems to sympathize with how she's been feeling through it all.

When you get to the revelation your heart breaks for both Gaynah and Clara and it all makes sense. Also, Eldorath deserves all rights. How dare the village treat him like that???

This book is quite possibly the most unexpected treasure I’ve read this year - this may be middle-grade fiction but don’t let the kids hog this beautiful story!
Twelve year old Clara lives a simple life with her family and friends in a small island village. Simple except she can’t remember what happened to her last year, other than the fact she’s suddenly scared of the water that she used to love and she finds herself getting angry all the time. It takes a new friend to bring back Clara’s joyful side and help her uncover the truth of what happened last year...
I can’t say anymore than this, because there are some MAJOR twists - I was absolutely not expecting the ending and can’t get over how well Getten laid the foundations without giving anything away! Aside from the big shocks though, this was just one of the warmest, most poignant and beautiful stories I’ve read in a long time and from now on I won’t assume that middle-grade fiction isn’t for me like some kind of idiot! I loved the setting, which took me away to some much needed sunshine on a dreary day, and the characters were a diverse bunch, from the cranky old Mrs Gee to the lively and imaginative Rudy. The relationship between Clara and her father really warmed my heart, and truth be told I found myself shedding a few tears of joy as I finished this book - it’s a beautiful exploration of loss and friendship. My only regret is not having a physical copy as the cover is so stunning, but that can soon be resolved!

When Life Gives You Mangoes is a riveting debut middle-grade novel set on a small Caribbean island. This book explores a variety of important themes ranging from friendships, community, the influence of religion and superstition in Caribbean communities, and the impact of trauma on children. Packed with charming scenes of island life and peeks into childhood on a small island, this book is a perfect selection for those looking to read more culturally diverse middle grade literature. I can’t wait to read whatever Kereen Getten writes next.

Twelve year old Clara can't remember the events of last summer and is bothered by her lack of memory, especially when her best friend Gaynah and the other children tease her, she finds herself acting out and isolating herself from her friends. Enter Rudy, a new girl who befriends Clara and together they have the best adventures exploring Clara's reclusive Uncle Eldorath's house. Here Eldorath helps Clara recover her memories and come to terms with what happened last summer..

First off, I'm sorry that I've been so vague with the storyline but a big part of this story is the mystery of the previous summer and the impact it has had on Clara, I didn't want to give ANYTHING away! The author has executed her plot so well it would be an shame for me to spoil it but let me tell you a surprising twist is involved!!

With themes of childhood friendship, family and community this book was a joy to read, I had it read within a day because it just flowed so well. I was so intrigued by the mystery of Clara's forgotten summer and didn't see the twist coming at all! The dramas of childhood were written so well, taking me back to the fallings out and making up that we all go through as children and I loved that the community all pulled to together like a family when it mattered the most. Although aimed predominantly at children, I feel Getten's story will appeal to all ages, and I'm grateful that I got the chance to read this one. It was sweet, uplifting and in the best way, not at all like I was expecting!

This was quick-moving, intriguing book that I think middle grade readers will love. Clara is a curious, adventurous young girl that I think many kids will be able to relate to. I loved that there was an air of mystery to the story, and a twist that caught me by surprise, that I think middle graders will grab onto as well. I think that some children will also gain a perspective that it's different from their own, while others may be able to find similarities to their own lives in this story. Overall this was a well done book.

i absolutely loved this book, the characters, the plot, the atmosphere, It was such a quick and easy read and i was invested from the very beginning. I really was not expecting the plot twist but it made so much sense once i thought about it. Will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.

This book caught my eye firstly because of the stunning cover and secondly because it takes place in Jamaica. Jamaica has a special place in my heart and I try to read books that take place on that amazing island.
This short book follows Clara, a twelve-year-old girl that lives with her mum and dad in Sycamore, Jamaica, and it takes place during the summer holiday. From the very beginning we learn that something has happened the summer before, but not what as Clara has no memory of this evening. Everyone says that since the previous summer Clara has changed and she is unruly, and disobedient. She gets teased about it as well, especially by her best friend Gaynah. The two girls have a fall out and Clara decides to spend more time and go on adventure with the new comer to the island, Rudy. A girl born in England, but whose grandma lives on the island.
One of their adventures the two girls, together with Calvin (the son of the pastor) and Gaynah, leads them to Eldorath’s house. Eldorath is Clara’s uncle, but also the person everyone in their town avoids because he can speak to the ghosts. Can he speak to the ghost? Read and find out.
The night a tropical storm hits the island is also the night Clara and Gaynah get stuck with Elorath in his house on the hill, and Clara finally remembers what she has forgotten. This enables her to move forward and understand why her behaviour changed.
I didn’t guess what the mystery was and it surprised me.
This is a middle grade book, but it is well written and engaging even for an adult. I loved the story and the way it was written.

This is a gorgeous middle grade novel that takes you to the beaches and towns of a small tropical island, where Clara and her friends live. Their home is the small town of Sycamore where the children fill their days with inventing games and teasing each other about the adults around them. There are so many interesting characters in the story - Ms Gee, Eldorath and Pastor Brown - that play important roles in the lives of the children and the town. They all treat the children differently, but slowly you realise that something has happened to Clara the previous summer that caused her to lose her memory.

It's not often you read a middle grade book where the setting is so well created and there is such complexity and depth to the plot. I loved how the reveal of what had happened to Clara was just dropped into the story and how all the strands slowly wove together.

Pushkin press are one of my favourite publishers for children as they produce such original and rich books - this is no exception and I'd recommend it without hesitation. I'll be picking up a paperback copy for the library as soon as it is published.

A beautifully evocative story about the power of friendship and community, with a mystery that keeps you guessing and an unexpected twist.
With a beautiful setting and a community of characters who will touch your heart, Kereen Getten deals with friendship, families and shifting relationships with compassion and skill. At the heart of this story is a message of acceptance and compassion with more than a nod to the power of imagination and friendship. We loved it.

Well, I am honestly not sure what to say about this one!

Have you ever read a book, that you know you have enjoyed but thought there were these subtle nuances that maybe you didn't quite get the beauty of? This is how I felt with this one. Like I know its a good book, and it's a good story, but I am not quite sure if it was for me? I have bought the paperback though and will definitely give this a re read in the future!

Beautifully written, full of heart, almost certain to bring you to tears. Kereen Getten paints such a vivid picture of the island she calls home.

Full review to follow.

This was a really sweet middle grade. It was enjoyable to follow Clara and her friend Ruby, and also to see the development of childhood friendships. The island setting was a lot of fun, and it felt like a real summer read, which was nice to read mid-September.

I liked how the friendships developed and way we followed Clara, trying to remember what happened last summer. I thought the book highlighted how easy it is to block off feelings and emotions but how slowly we can begin to understand what these things mean.

The book wasn't overly long, so I felt like there wasn't quite enough time to connect fully with the characters, but I think this would work for a slightly younger reader. Overall, enjoyable and fun.

This book gave you an insight to life growing up in Jamaica.

Clara live in Sycamore a small village by the sea, she loves hanging out with her best friend Gaynor and eating the ripe mangoes that grow in her garden. The only problem is that Clara cannot remember what happened the previous summer and why she is afraid of the sea.

Also why does everybody avoid her Uncle and call him a Witch Doctor.

Clara wants to find out more about her Uncle and does it relate to her problem?

The pace of the book was slow to start with but the mystery of Clara's lost summer and her Uncle soon drew you in and you wanted to know more.

I thoroughly enjoyed this contemporary middle grade from Kereen Getten, set within a close knit, tropical island village, with themes of family, friendship, loss and community. 12 year old Clara used to love surfing, until last summer; now she's afraid of the water, and she can't remember what happened. Why is her best friend being unkind to her, and why are her family behaving so oddly around her? The story was heartwarming whilst dealing with some really important issues. I think it could have been a touch more fleshed out (especially as there is a twist towards the end that sends the story in a whole new direction), but for a middle grade it was very well written. Thank you for letting me read it.

Below is the review I will be sharing for my blog tour slot on October 22nd. I have added the links below for the profiles of where I will share, but I will also add to Amazon and include the link at a later date.


Thank you to Poppy Stimpson at Pushkin Press for having me along on the book blog tour for 𝘞𝘏𝘌𝘕 𝘓𝘐𝘍𝘌 𝘎𝘐𝘝𝘌𝘚 𝘠𝘖𝘜 𝘔𝘈𝘕𝘎𝘖𝘌𝘚 by Kereen Getten.
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𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘴
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Although When Life Gives You Mangoes is categorised as Pushkin Childrens, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and think readers of all ages would appreciate it.
Focussed around Clara as the main character, it explores themes of friendship, loss, acceptance and community.
It felt special in that the main character is a young girl, overcoming the odds and learning to accept and love herself, to grow into the person she is meant to become.
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𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘙𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴
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I love the portrayal of friendships between the characters throughout the book. The intensity of feeling that comes with being young and falling out with friends seemed very true and real.
Rudy in particular seems somehow more worldly wise and grown-up, and her straightforward, direct approach to life clearly has a positive effect on Clara.
The story felt like it took place during a long hot summer, which is reminscent of the reader's own childhood and summer holidays that seemed to always have good weather and last longer than they really did.
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𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺
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I don't want to give any of the plot twists away, but the atmosphere built through the oncoming storm, and the damage it causes, parralels the microcosm plot between the characters well.
Only once things are truly addressed, with an element of destruction, can things be rebuilt and be strong enough to weather the next storm.
Everyone needs support from friends, family, and their community to flourish and thrive.
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𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘙𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘭𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴
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One element of the story that I loved was how the older members of the community embraced learning from the younger members, instead of dismissing them.
It's no secret that the parents within the community have not dealt with loss and breakdowns in friendships in the best way, for themselves as individuals or for the wider community.
Clara and Rudy lead the way in encouraging this to change, and the end results benefits everyone.
I think this reflects true life well, especially for younger readers who are often not given full answers to things, and instead are met with a brick wall from caregivers. Children often understand much more than adults give them credit for.
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𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦
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I read When Life Gives You Mangoes in one day, because the writing is really engaging. I loved Clara's character and really felt for her at times, and rooted for her when she needed it.
I would highly recommend this to other readers of all ages, and I think the poignancy of the topics covered make this a really special book.
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𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦... 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶?

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers Pushkin Press for my eArc in exchange for an honest review. I have seen a lot about this book shared on Instagram and Twitter and was really intrigued to read it.

This book follows 12 year old Clara who lives on an exotic island that she doesn't see as anything special. Clara lives on the hill above the town with her parents and all the people that have always been around, because new people don't usually come here.
>Clara loves to play with the other children on the hill and going to her secret hide out with her best friend Gaynah. Clara and Gaynah have been friends since they were little, partly due to being the only girls of that age in the village and have always had lots of fun together. Lately, however, Gaynah hasn't been so fun and arguments that would have previously blown over seem to go on forever between the girls.
Part of the reason for this is Gaynah's constant teasing of Clara over her memory loss. Something happened last summer that Clara can't remember, even though now she doesn't forget things, she just can't remember that one time.

I was so intrigued by what had happened that Clara couldn't remember and didn't want to put this book down till I knew! I was not expecting what it was though at all. The book is so well written and is one of the first books I have read in a long time that I wasn't able to predict the end for!

While reading I was easily able to visualise the setting due to the wonderful descriptions throughout and I am sure many children and adults would love this book like I did!

LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED THIS. Such a magical read. Brilliantly written.

A contemporary middle grade about friendship, loss, family and community.

Beautifully atmospheric and an unexpected twist as well. I would definitely like to read more by this author as this is her debut novel. Highly recommend this.

Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy.