I tried a few times to get into this book, but unfortunately, I could not get into it.

Hopefully I will be able to try again in the future but unfortunately for the moment, this book is a DNF.

I love his stories and have met the author, who is wonderful to listen to. If you like dark and twisty this is the book for you. I’ll read this again.

Beautifully written and strongly evocative of place and atmosphere (as you would expect from a poet), this is a story that will really make the reader think. What if someone could be erased from the world and it was as if they had never existed? How would that change the lives of everyone who had known them? This premise creates a sense of underlying menace and sadness that pervades the book, whilst vividly depicting the frustration of someone who knows what has happened and cannot make anyone believe her. An intriguing and poignant novel that sticks in the memory, evoking sympathy for the characters who have simply been written out of existence by the casual remarks of others. A great young adult read for the first years of secondary school.

Wow, a powerful book but with a dark, creepy and atmospheric edge.
The consequences of our actions is explored along with friendship, revenge, retribution and finally redemption. A story that totally puts you in and doesn't let you go!.
My thanks go to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the arc in return for a honest review.

This book was such a joy in very many ways. Firstly, the writing is very different to many books I've read before - it had an almost poetic style, or as if the writer was actively performing it with the characters inner thoughts forming and coming to mind in an instant.
Secondly, because I read it to my 3 children (14, 12 & 12) over the course of many nights, it's poetic nature was a wonderful challenge to my not-so-inner show off. They loved it, but it did require me to go to town with my characterisations!
Thirdly, the storyline had enough touch of darkness, foreboding and ultimately a satisfying end (no spoilers) in keeping with the overall tone, that it kept me guessing throughout and left me thinking over it afterwards, with a certain amount of "what would I do in that situation" to mull over.

An extraordinary story about friendship and betrayal. Of revenge and retribution but also redemption. Perfect for 11+ readers who enjoy Stranger Things. The writing style is great and it's fantastically written. A wonderful story, beautifully told.

A beautifully written book - dark, atmospheric and creepy, about the consequences of our actions, friendship and retribution. The illustrations added to the magic and I was totally captivated by the story.

I rarely give 5 stars but this book certainly deserves all 5. A fairy tale with a difference.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

A really creepy book! This one is a dark fantasy about friendship and the choices that we make.

The world-building was good, leading to a good level of immersion within the story. The characters were well-written and interesting, I liked reading about the choices they made and how these can spiral into things we do not want.

There is a darkness running through this story that made it quite gripping, and certain points of the book had me wishing the characters could hear my advice!

A short creepy story that is definitely worth picking up! Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Hex and Tommo are the best of friends and do everything together. It’s how it’s always been as long as anyone can remember. But one day, an accident in the woods and a need for revenge sets off a surprising chain of events that nobody bargained for. Can the world be set right again?
This is another fantastic book from AF Harrold full of intrigue and twists. Levi Pinfold’s distinctive illustrations perfectly capture the haunting quality of the story. I will definitely be recommending The Worlds We Leave Behind to my pupils aged 9+.

A gripping and well told story with the right level of creepy. I loved the world building and the plot development, the characters are interesting.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is a new author for me. I loved The Worlds We Leave Behind. I wanted to read it due to the comparisons to Stranger Things which I love. It’s a creepy book with Tommo and Hex and their friends discovering something sinister lurks deep in the woods and the price to pay when poor choices are made in a moment of anger. The book is quite sinister at times but well written, gripping and hugely entertaining. I loved it.

Another great book from A F Harold and more captivating artwork by Levi Pinfold. A F Harold has done it once again, a gripping, magical, yet slightly dark fantasy story about friendship. His words weave the worlds so expertly, making it easy for the reader to picture the story. The dilemmas the characters face are written so well (I especially loved the mirroring of Hex and Tommo's experiences) it makes it difficult to put the book down!

Hex and Tommo have been best friends since birth and spend their days together at school and in the holidays. Tommo misses his Mum who left some years earlier and he has to be careful of his Dad’s moods and Hex is constantly getting into trouble at school, although he doesn’t mean to be unkind, but otherwise life is fairly straightforward.
One day on their bikes the boys pass Sascha, younger than them, but known to them as a younger sister of a peer. She follows the boys to the woods where they take turns to go on a rope swing across the stream. All normal childhood behaviour. But then Sascha falls and the world starts flipping itself on its head for both boys.
Shadows play a huge part in this novel and the Hansel and Gretel fairytale of an old witch in a cottage in the wood looms large.
The following day a replay of the previous day happens with subtle changes and this time Tommo rather than Hex experiences the odd occurrences with flashes of memories or deja vu.
When Tommo is offered the chance to restore the world to rights he knows he should take it but is tempted to ‘improve’ it.
A fantasy novel of loss, wishful thinking and putting yourself into someone else’s shoes.
Levi Pinfold’s exquisite interpretation is not done justice on a first generation kindle but I am sure would help tell the tale in illustrations.

A beautifully told story- there’s something very haunting and compelling about the storytelling. I don’t want to say too much as it would spoil the story, suffice to say you should read it yourself. Enter a world where things are not always quite as they seem, and a story that will take many twists and turns, and weave its spell upon the reader.

The Worlds We Leave Behind is unlike any other story I've read. It's mystical, and sad and leaves the reader thinking.
Hex and Tommo are best friends. Hex is the child who never sits still, gets distracted in class, and can be quite mischievous. Tommo is the child who goes along with Hex's (Hector) ideas - even if it gets him into trouble.

Hex and Tommo are riding their bikes past a school friend's house when they are joined by a younger girl they vaguely know. The girl follows the boys into the wood to a tree swing, where there is an unexpected accident and awful consequences for Hex. Hex feels angry and resentful but then a mysterious old lady and her huge dog appear as if out of nowhere promising Hex that all can be 'fixed' and she would rid the world of those that have wronged him. Then everything begins to spiral out of control.

A dark tale of friendship, regret and leaves the reader wanting more.

This is such a powerfully imaginative and brilliantly written tale, wonderfully accompanied by Levi Pinfold's original and atmospheric illustrations.
There is a darkness within the plot but it is so cleverly crafted that woven within the words are layers to be discovered by readers over the age of 11. On one level the story is about friendship, betrayal and redemption - the whole eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth;  but on another level it is about discovering the truth of one's self.
The story begins with Hex (short for Hector) and his best friend Tommo heading into the woods to play on the rope swing. They are followed by a little girl who falls off the rope swing and breaks her arm. Hex feels abandoned by his friend Tommo especially when the finger of blame is pointed at him. Events take a turn, and fuelled by the sense of betrayal and injustice, Hex runs deeper into the woods were he discovers a cottage, an old lady and an opportunity for revenge. What Hex doesn't know is that the deal he has been offered by the old lady has also been offered to someone else.  What follows is a sense of other worldliness and an exploration of what ifs.

A poignant 5 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children's for this e-ARC to review.

This book was so magical and whimsical and the illustrations combined with this writing style brought together a really beautiful book. It gave me the vibes of the ocean at the end of the lane, so I think if you like that book, you’ll like this one. I found there wasn’t a lot of depth or details to the characters or the story - a lot of it was done at face value, but I think that’s maybe due to the target audience or the length of the book. I also found the repetition which was needed as a plot point didn’t tire or bore me as it usually does but I felt it was written well for the way it was needed. This was a really quick read and I can’t wait to see it fully formatted with the illustrations in an actual book form!

The Worlds We Leave Behind by A.F. Harold is a magnificent piece of work and the illustrations of Levi Pinfold are breathtaking.

The Worlds We Leave Behind is rightly billed as being ideal for teenage fans of the Stranger Things series. It is incredible.

"Hex wasn't entirely sure how the girl had come to be hurt."

Hex and his friend Tommo have been friends basically since birth. They are inseperable, even if Hex sometimes catches Tommo wincing at some his more ill-advised ventures. Then a young girl follows them into the woods one day and ends up with a broken home. Hex feels incredibly guilty and he knows Tommo is unhappy with his actions. Hex finds himself being blamed for it all and runs off seething into the woods.

"They hadn't invited her, hadn't forced her, hadn't wanted her to come but there she was, a little suddenly in their care.

And now they were in the woods and it had all gone wrong."

In the woods he stumbles upon a cottage and a strange woman offers him a deal - a deal in which she will erase the existance of those who wronged him. At this point every part of me was screaming at Hex not to take the deal, to get the hell out of there. What Hex doesn't realise is that someone else has been offerred the deal.

"One word from you and we shall clip them from the world. That is Leafy's girt to you.Our gift to you. A simple thing."

Tommo wakes up the next morning to find that he is the only one who remembers Hex ever existed. Can he make things right again?

The Worlds We Leave Behind is seriously epic. I cannot explain how much I loved it. There was a real Stand By Me feel to this book, the feel of a childhood friendship put to the test. Loyalty is upmost.

"After ten years or so they were still best mates. Hex and Tommo. Tommo and Hex. Although neither of them would have said it, they loved one another like brothers."

This spooked me as a an adult but would have terrified me a teenager...and I would have loved it!

I read this as an E-copy but I bet the physical book is a wonder to behold. Don't miss out on reading this!

If you had the chance to remove a person from your life would you do it?

Hex (Hector) grapples with this offer in A.F. Harrold’s “The Worlds We Leave Behind,” a middle grade children’s story punctuated with lush black and white illustrations. Hex and Tommo are best friends but one day an incident happens that changes their lives. After the incident Hex stumbles upon a strange cottage, where an old woman lives with her dog. Here, she gives him a chance to go back in time and change things.

I was pulled into this captivating tale right from page one with its poignant take on friendship. Harrold poses questions in different ways to set us thinking too – how can you go about forgiving someone? How far would you go to forget things? How can you overcome feelings like shame and guilt? Heavy stuff but presented well enough that you don’t feel their weight.

A.F. Harrold has a vibrant imagination and he flaunts it in this story. He has found that intensely sweet spot where science-fiction, fantasy, and reality merge to make an irresistible narrative with an otherworldly feel. Many times, this felt like a melange of the tv shows “Stranger Things” and “Dark,” with a similarly haunting atmosphere and where nostalgia comes into play. It’s also timeless, literally, with no indication of the year or decade in which it is set.

I think this was a great read that hit the spot on many levels.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing for the ARC.

This was a great book which was gorgeously written, it reminded me of Neil Gaiman, especially of the Graveyard Book. It has a timeless quality and creates an amazing atmosphere of darkness and strangeness which is only added to by the gorgeous illustrations.