Things Can Only Get Better

Absolutely wonderful book, I adored this one! I fell in love with the curmudgeonly pensioner Arthur and my heart broke for him as he basically counted down the days till he could join his deceased wife Molly. He lived in the old chapel of the graveyard so he could be near to Molly. However, the appearance in the graveyard of some disparate teenagers who formed a tentative kind of friendship caused him to gain a new focus in life.
I loved the stories of the teenagers and felt the portrayal of their awkwardness and difficulties in fitting in with the cool gang was painfully authentic. The story is set in the 1990s with plenty of references to the popculture of the day. The mother of one of the girls was obsessed with Threads and the threat of nuclear war and I could certainly identify with her! I remember being absolutely traumatised after seeing this programme as a teenager and references like this really help to set the scene of the time period.
The book is at times heartbreakingly sad but also extremely funny, I love this author's sense of humour. I honestly can't praise this book enough it is absolutely brilliant.

I’m a big fan of this author’s books as they are always fantastic, unique reads that are hugely enjoyable.

The things I most liked about this book was how realistic it seemed which made me get very engrossed and involved in the story. Set in the 90’s in an old miner town where jobs and opportunities are limited it features some absolutely wonderful characters that are easy to warm to and a few that I loved to hate. The story alternates between Kelly, a girl who wants more from life that what is expected of her, and a grieving widower Author who is trying to stop getting evicted from him chapel home in the graveyard. I loved getting to know the unlikely band of friends and seeing what made them tick. I especially enjoyed watching them all become friends and protectors to each other as they had always been shunned by others.

The author paints a bleak picture of the town the children live in and it was heartbreaking to see what they had to deal with at times. Most of the children weren’t given any opportunities and had been pretty much written off by society. It definitely made me think about how some groups are treated by others just because of where and how they live. Even though it’s based in the 90s the attitudes some people have about immigrants is still on show today which was sad to see. I liked how the author managed to humanise them and subtly show their side of the story.

I thought this story was very absorbing and surprising gripping as I grew very attached to the characters and wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to them. It’s a very poignant and emotional story which had me shedding a tear alongside the characters and then cheering them on when something good happens to them (I think I actually said ‘yes’ out loud at a particular high point). As a 90s kid I loved all the culture references in the book and the music mentioned has had me listening to stuff I haven’t heard in years. There is actually a playlist for the book too which I thought was a great touch.

This is the author’s third book and I’m very excited to read more from him in the future. If you like absorbing reads about unlikely heros then you’ll love this book!

Huge thanks to Alex from Trapeze publishers for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.

I adored this book. Set in the 90s, when things were rather different, we meet Arthur and an eclectic mix of characters. Arthur likes to keep to himself, but life has a way of intervening, and he finds himself with some unexpected friends.

This book is heartwarming and life affirming, it’s got both lighthearted and sad moments, but it’s a joy to read.

The era that it’s set in brings back so many memories, but it’s realistic and portrays the hard times many people experienced then.

Wonderful characters, a fabulous plot, and a page-turning pace, really fabulous stuff.

Barnett's follow up to CALLING MAJOR TOM is nothing if not entertaining, following the line of an elderly protagonist becoming entangled with the antics of four teenagers in Wigan - this is a story about love, love lost and how you never stop growing up. Barnett has a distinct style in writing relationships both between friends and familial; it is quite clear how the old adage of you cannot choose your family has never rung more true.

Barnett is a cinema junkie, and his love of classic British and Hollywood films are worn proudly on his sleeve. From Its A Wonderful Life with the plot taking place over Christmas, to having the film take place in a mining town evoking Brassed Off and the youngsters wanting to be in a band to leave the deadbeat cul-de-sac of life.

A great read that will be devoured by fans of his most recent books and ones who are coming to him afresh.

Left adrift when his beloved wife died, Arthur moved into a disused chapel in the cemetery grounds and took up a job as groundskeeper. He lives a solitary life and enjoys it. Or at least, doesn't hate it. Actually, he doesn't feel much of anything these days. Irritation at the local teens, who are always taking short cuts through the graveyard. Fear and worry, when he learns that the council plans to move part of the graveyard and destroy his chapel to build housing for asylum seekers. As anger grows in the local community, Arthur and the group of disaffected teens who have befriended him must decide what's worth fighting for, and what should be left in the past.


My synopsis only scratches the surface of what this book is about. Each of the four teens has their own story line, with Kelly getting the most attention and Timmy the least. There's a mystery subplot about flowers being left on Arthur's wife's grave, and the kids trying to start a band, and flashbacks to Arthur's war (hero) past, and the expectations society puts on kids from this kind of background...there's a lot going on here, and David does very well at keeping each story line distinct while it's still wrapped up with the others.

It's a good read for this time of year. not just because it's set in December but because it reminds us how little things have changed in the last 23 years. There are still asylum seekers, fleeing from unspeakable horrors and treated disgracefully badly when they arrive here; there are still people willing to blame their problems on anyone else; there's still unemployment and troubles and social stratification. But there are still good people out there too, Arthurs and Peters and Kellys, and as long as we have enough of them we'll do alright.

Pick this one up if you need a cosy read for the holidays. You won't be sorry.

Wanting a book that will inspire you, make you angry, laugh and cry? Then this was written just for you. I want to be subjective about this book, but a story that cheered me up through recent black days is something that is very rare. David M Barnett is one of those rare authors that can breathe life into seemingly normal humdrum life and make us see the bigger picture. This book has a warm glow to it, makes life bearable and definitely should be available on the NHS.

So why is this book so good? Well it’s set in the real world, warts and all. Nothing is good in the lives of the characters, they’re just wandering along with no hope. Arthur, the main character (mainly because he’s the glue that binds them together) is a retired old man living in a derelict chapel in the middle of a graveyard. His wife, Molly, lies in a grave just a few steps from the door. The other four main characters are Nicola, Timmy, Gemma and Kelly, four year 10’s from the local council estate. Nothing much is expected of them in life, the school has given up on them. Their families are all dysfunctional, struggling to live and survive. It’s set in 1996 yet the struggles and challenges it could easily be today. The same issues exist which is why this book is so uplifting. Nothing seems to be changing, until Kelly has an idea.

This book deals with complex topics, homelessness, under achievement, racism, xenophobia, fears, mental illness and loneliness. The teenagers would end up on the scrapheap if it wasn’t for their actions. Alone they were floating away like flotsam on the river, together they make a raft that saves their lives. You learn to love these characters, willing them on to succeed, not wanting to accept what the school and life throws at them. Arthur is a gentle soul, a local ‘war hero’. His interaction with the ‘gang’ changes his life.

This book is full of references to pop culture in 1996, the groups, the music and even Buzz Lightyear. It’ll appeal to those who lived through it and to people struggling to live in the current climate. It shows the power of acting together to defeat dark forces, of not giving up and trying to maintain a smile on your face whilst doing it. The authors other books have the same effect on me, yet this one is the best so far. He sees the mundane, the common people and writes about them, yet not in a negative way. A book that’s like a warm hug to your soul.

I’ll definitely be buying a paper copy 🙂

This ARC book was sent for a fair and honest review by the author via NetGallery . The resulting review is my honest thoughts after reading the book.