Ghostlines

🏝️🌊⛈️❤️‍🩹

by Katya Balen

★★★★★

Review

If you love stories full of adventure, friendship, and a little bit of mystery, Ghostlines by Katya Balen is the perfect book for you! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked it up, but thestunning cover and glowing recommendations convinced me to give it a try—and I’m so glad I did. This book made me laugh, kept me hooked, and even made me cry!

The small island setting is wonderfully endearing, with a few hundred people living together as one tight knit community. I adored hearing about the children’s adventures over the years and how friendships are formed and thread through the island itself. It reminded my a little of my childhood in which I was pretty feral, but with more spellbinding things such as fairy pools, treehouses, puffin rescues and bonfires in caves that stretch into the night. Add in a few spooky ghost stories and forbidden islands and BAM, you have the perfect adventure at your fingertips.

Tilda is such a unique character, and the way she thinks and speaks is different from other books I’ve read. She talks a mile a minute, sometimes without proper punctuation, which took a bit of getting used to—but in the end, it made her personality shine through even more. There are also no speech marks in the book, which was a bit wild at first, but I know my class will love discussing this unusual style!

There are so many other things that I love and could mention (swede-eating dogs named Moses, adorable pufflings, local ghost tales, sibling relationships, brilliant names such as Tilda, Eslpeth and Eilidh), kayaking and so much more) but this review is already too long!

In summary, Ghostlines is a beautiful story about change, growing up, and learning to let go while still holding on to what matters. If you love emotional, heartfelt adventures with a touch of mystery, or if you’ve ever struggled with a sibling growing up and moving on, I can’t recommend this book enough!

At a glance

Author: Katya Balen

Cover artist: Jill Kalder

Release Date: 12th September 2024

Book type: Chapter, 288 pages

Reader level: Confident reader, Shared read 7+

Blurb

On the Island of Ayrie, everybody knows everyone. They know each other's stories as they know every road, every hill and the coming of the tide. In the summer, there are bonfires to celebrate the migration of the puffins. Everything is familiar, nothing much changes, and for Tilda, nothing ever should - it is beautiful, it is perfect and it is home.

When newcomer Albie arrives at the island, Tilda wants to show Ayrie off - Albie wants her to leave him alone. She learns quickly that it'll take more than a tour and some seal viewings to win him around. Then, she remembers stories of the old island just an hour's boat ride away from the shore.

The old island is a death trap. The journey there is treacherous. Trips across to it are strictly forbidden. And there's a rumour it's haunted by the ghosts of those left there to die. But with all else having failed, the old island is the only way for Tilda to make Albie see what she sees in Ayrie.

Besides, it's a different kind of ghost that worries Tilda. The ghost that's been following her, now, since her brother left the island .