Throughout the book, the story is endlessly enchanting and brought us a great deal of friendship, discovery, and unexpected twists. The setting was expertly written, set in World War II this had an easy feel with all the richness of a historical novel. The writing was smooth and made reading this book a delight. The history was made to feel very tangible and it really felt as though this was exactly what a village in the second world war would have been like – with the added fantasy element! Synopsis: “ When Hamish Beasly is evacuated to the quiet countryside village of Brombury he is taken in by Mrs. Platts and her daughter Penny. At first Penny is far from happy with her new house guest, but after she and Hamish discover and befriend the Briarmen, four fantastical creatures living in the forbidden Woods Beyond The Railway, they are bound together through a shared secret. Then comes the Blitz, and with it rumours of a German plane crashing into the woods. This sparks concern from the village and puts Hamish and Penny’s secret at risk, a secret they soon find out is no longer their own…“ Endearing, is the perfect word to describe this story. Whilst fantasy isn’t usually a genre I gravitate towards, I found it incredibly nostalgic, & it reminded me of stories I used to read at school (think the Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe meets Alice in Wonderland vibes). I found the writing to be sentimental & charming, & loved that the historical fiction element weaved throughout the story.

The Briarmen by Joseph A. Chadwick | Goodreads The Briarmen by Joseph A. Chadwick | Goodreads

In general, I enjoy works that have fantastic or otherwise speculative elements, while also being firmly rooted into the historical period during which they take place, and telling stories about the human condition. The Briarmen is a book that balances this well. Bromsbury and its inhabitants felt real, and after a few chapters I could forget I was reading and think I was there with them. Small details such as the fields, the school and the pubs made this feel like a real place, so it wasn’t hard to suspend disbelief when it came to the magical aspect of the book; the mysterious woods and the peculiar inhabitants. LoveReading exists because books change lives, and buying books through LoveReading means you get to change the lives of future generations, with 25% of the cover price donated to schools in need. Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives.History Makers: Female Writers Dominate the 2023 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award Shortlist

The Briarmen | Crescent Swan The Briarmen | Crescent Swan

It has so much charm, and turns into a bit of a mystery with an dramatic conclusion! There's a few strands of storyline that weave together beautifully to give us our ending - and it was simply a joy to read. This book is a beautiful read. It is an adult folkloric fairytale book for adults. It is filled with childhood magic and forbidden forests and mystical creatures. This book will appeal to people of all ages from teens to adults. It is really well written and I enjoyed reading about each character and the development between them all. I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t wait to read more.

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Accompanying this well thought out and charming story were some excellent characters. Penny and Hamish were at the forefront of this story and I loved watching their friendship grow and develop. And of course, I adored The Briarmen, they added such a fun fantastical element, and each brought such a unique personality and perspective to the story. I loved our introduction to them and enjoyed learning more about them through Penny and Hamish. A wonderfully wholesome and nostalgic novel. This reminded me of stories I read as a child, of ‘The Secret Seven’, ‘Five Children and It’ and ‘Stig of the Dump’, I really enjoyed the familiar feeling it gave me. Having said that, the story was still new and very interesting, I wasn’t sure where it was going and I enjoyed the little mysteries in the novel too.