Book Review: Summer's Shadow by Anna Wilson

Name: Summer’s Shadow

Author: Anna Wilson

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books

UK Release date: 3rd of July 2014

Summary: When Summer's mom died, her life is turned upside down. Summer's mother's will states that Summer's legal guardian is her uncle Tristan: a man Summer has never even heard of before. Forced to leave her life in London, Summer moves to Tristan's creepy, ancient house in Cornwall. There she is met with indifference from him, open hostility from her cousin, and an aunt who has chosen to leave rather than to tolerate her presence. Soon Summer comes to believe that the house may be haunted. But is it haunted by ghosts, or by the shadows of her family's past? Scared and lonely, Summer begins to spend more and more time in the beautiful sheltered cove she discovers nearby. But she's not alone. A local boy frequents it too. Can Summer find first love and the answers to the mysteries of her new home with this good-looking boy who appears to be too perfect to be true?

Review: Summer’s Shadow follows young Summer after her mother dies – when everything changes in her life and she is forced to move from London to Cornwall and discovers a mysterious uncle she never knew existed. Her new family aren’t particularly welcoming, with an absent aunt and a resentful cousin, making the upheaval hard for Summer to cope with. When she starts seeing her mother and hearing mysterious noises I wondered how much might be in her head. Despite so many things against her Summer fights to stay strong and positive,  and even makes a very loyal friend in Zach. Bosleven house and the Cornish setting make a beautiful backdrop for the book. There are sunny days spent on the beach contrasted with rainy days in the strange spooky house where things go bump in the night. Their descriptions invoked a very real image and feel for the place, as well as atmosphere and mood that ranged from happy and peaceful to creepy and tense.

A story wonderfully written, although the action and plot is a little simple for my taste, I think Summer’s Shadow would make a great read for a younger audience with an interest in contemporary YA with a touch of the ghostly.