I am always keen to read titles by debut authors, particularly those which have had a real buzz around them. ‘Zo and the Forest of Secrets’ was definitely one of those books, and I was not disappointed!

When Zo decides to run away from home, she isn’t scared; after all, she knows the island like the back of her hand. But, as she journeys through the once-familiar forest, terrifying creatures and warped visions begin to emerge. With a beast on her heels and a lost boy thrown into her path, could a mysterious abandoned facility hold answers? Zo must unravel the secrets of the forest before she is lost in them forever…

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I was immediately struck by the vivid descriptions of the stunning beautiful island of Trinidad. I could feel the humidity in the air and smell the tropical fruits in the marketplace. It was during one of Zo’s trips to this marketplace that things started to take a turn for the strange and it began to become clear that something out of the ordinary was afoot.

Zo is an interesting lead character – brave, headstrong, daring, and unhappy with her new new stepdad and baby half brother. It’s this unhappiness which prompts her to run away to the forest, using her father’s survival tips as the creatures who live there are not as quite as they should be. And when she stumbles across lost boy, Adri, Zo starts having strange visions of his past. Is there more to him than Zo first imagined..?

Pacey, thrilling, and packed with action. Alake Pilgrim is a bold new voice in children’s fiction. I’d recommend this title for readers aged 9+

Library Girl.

*Many thanks to Knights Of for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour*