Month: July 2026

The Lost Spectacular has a truly whimsical feel to it and really leans into a dream-like prose. It really asks the reader to suspend disbelief, embrace the unknown and just enjoy the journey.

We meet our main characters Noon and Munro but without much explanation of who they are or the world around them. Instead we need to just pick things up as we go from the very little context provided. Both are shaped by The Spectacular, a festival of sorts that exists beyond our world and contains everything that has been lost. The storyline follows Noon and Munro’s almost cat-and-mouse adventures through books, stories, paintings and memories as they work through their past, their feelings for each other and whether it’s better to hold on to what we have lost or let go.

Unfortunately it wasn’t quite the right fit for me. I found the lack of world building and context to anchor the story made it hard to follow, or fully appreciate the story. Just as I thought I’d worked out what was happening I ended up unsure again. I struggled to stay engaged because because I didn’t feel like I had enough understanding of the world, the characters and how it all worked. I have to admit – I looked up other reviews just to work out the familial links and who was who!

Despite the lack of context, the writing itself felt overly convoluted. I did appreciate the literary references throughout and enjoyed them, but felt over time they became lost amongst the directionless prose.

I can fully see this book finding it’s place with readers that enjoy whimsical, surreal storytelling with a dreamlike prose.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this ARC.

Author: Zoé Duhaime
Publisher: Erewhon Books
Release Date: 24 September 2026

So much suspense packed into one book! I was captured right from the start and it didn’t let up!

We start with Sarah, seemingly living a normal family life, until one day when she goes to pick up her twins, their Dad has already picked them up earlier and spun a lie about her. He then disappears. She has no idea where they are, what’s happened or why he’s doing this.

What happens next kept me turning page after page, questioning everyone. And just when I thought I had it all worked out, the story shifted again throwing me back into unease and suspicious of each thing. I didn’t see most of the twists coming which was good, and even those I did preempt felt purposeful because I experienced the emotional toll of knowing it was going to play out that way but being powerless to stop it.

In terms of pacing I felt the narrative contained enough events/moments to keep me engaged and we were fed bits of information periodically throughout so it didn’t feel like it dipped in pace at any point. Sarah was also a likeable character, she felt relatable and her responses were entirely believable. It’s also refreshing to read a book about a stepmother who isn’t cruel!

Overall this is a solid psychological thriller, engaging and easy to read, I really enjoyed it.

Thanks Netgalley, Sheila Bugler and Hodder & Stroughton for allowing me to read this ARC.

Author: Sheila Bugler
Publisher: Hodder & Stroughton
Release Date: 24 September 2026