Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I have to be honest and say that I thought the execution of it all could have been better done but the concept was well thought out but there was just something missing when it all came together. I think there was so much filler content that was never really developed and that showed when we got to the end.

A dark rites of passage mystery story. A tale of friendship & betrayal that portrays the life of its teenage characters in a quiet coastal part of the Scottish Highlands. When a body turns up on a beach, it sets in motion a sequence of events where the past is shown to be filled with buried secrets. I felt the energy, fear and anticipation from the young characters as I read. Highly recommended.

‘Sea Change’ marries a page-turning plot with some absolutely beautiful, evocative writing that brings all the stark, desolate beauty of a small coastal town in Scotland to life.

After the death of his father, Alex is trying to look after his mum, earn some extra money, and cope with school and exams. Chuck provided the opportunity to let off some steam during the summer holidays, but now the new school year has begun, Chuck has vanished, and Alex finds himself drawn into more trouble than he needs.

Alex is a wonderfully complex main character, struggling under far too much pressure, trying desperately to care for his mum. He’s just lovely and I was really rooting for him throughout this novel.

His best friend Daniel has his own issues to deal with, and he is as well-drawn and as fully realised as Alex. There are some fabulous side characters too, including Alex’s wonderful cousin Moth.

This is a YA novel that treats its readers with respect; it doesn’t patronise or preach, and acknowledges the sometimes difficult lives that teenagers have to face. It’s an honest book, with authentic characters and a novel (and author) that I highly recommend.

This book is all plot. There is no character development at all. Large chunks of the story seem to be missing. I did finish this book though because I did want to know what was going on.

The beautiful settings, the rustic coastline, the moors and wilderness juxtaposed with a small Scottish town a stone's throw away from Perth made this book for me. The coastal scenes and boating and fishing references were delicately painted. Alex as a young lad struggling with many aspects of teen life, as well as his own grief, puts his grieving mother first. This is a haunting protrayal of a young boy, coping on his own in the best way he can, whilst many of the adults around him let him down. He's a bit of a misfit among his peers and finds solace in his fishing and cooking. This story is about friendships, bad decisions, mistakes and the complexity of life. I would have liked to have learned in a little more detail about Alex's poor decisions, perhaps through flashback. A strong debut novel, dealing with sensitive issues respectfully and with attention to detail.
A strong 4* read from me.

This was a slow burner to start with. However, Alex, Daniel and Chuck are intriguing enough to make you read on, especially when Alex finds a body on the beach.

As the story progresses, the storyline speeds up, drawing you further into their lives and developing the characters beautifully. I felt that the pace of the book was just right, balancing between a story of friendship and the mystery that sweeps you along with the book.

Definitely worth a read for fans of YA fiction.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the advance copy.

I took a chance on "Sea Change" as I hadn't heard of Sylvia Hehir but the very brief description seemed intriguing and it's always good to move away from my tried and tested genres and authors occasionally to try something different. I'm so glad I did as I was not disappointed! I was gripped from the beginning by this easy-to-read and engaging thriller and I really appreciated Sylvia Hehir's portrayal of the setting, creating a marvellous sense of place, for me.

With characters who were well drawn, relatable and believable, the story had a natural flow and the pacing was good. I really appreciated this very worthwhile and fantastic story.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Stirling Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Sea Change was a book I received from Netgalley. I was excited to read something with a little more of an edge to it and maybe with a little bit of a bite. When I read the description about a body and teenagers and risks and dares I knew it would be right up the street of what I was looking for. I have to be honest and say that I thought the execution of it all could have been better done but the concept was well thought out but there was just something missing when it all came together. I think there was so much filler content that was never really developed and that showed when we got to the end.

I think the way this story kicks off was a little underdeveloped, Sea Change focuses on Alex and his story, especially his home life and lack of support from parental figures. I think this aspect of the story was brushed over, and almost placed there in order for other things in the book to happen. I understand the trope of neglectful parents, it runs rampant in YA literature but this felt a little empty to me, there wasn’t enough of a back story for me to understand why and what was going on. I don’t really enjoy it when mental illness is used to move a plot along when it’s so underdeveloped and unexplored.

I also think there was a lot introduced very quickly and not an awful lot was looked at. By the end of Sea Change I still had no clue who Chuck was or why he was friends with Alex or even how they had become friends. I think a lot of it was brushed over in order to make time for the more exciting parts to happen but I felt they fell flat because there was no buildup, nothing to really pull you into the story. I was really disappointed because I love a good thriller especially when the buildup leaves you questioning everything you know. I was already questioning everything because I had no idea what was going on or why.

I wanted to love the characters but we just didn’t learn enough about them or their relationships with one another to actually render any feelings. I desperately wanted to have them be the redeeming factor in Sea Change, for them to be the pinnacle of this book and for their flaws to carry the book. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case, they seemed to be two dimensional with no clear motives or drive. I wanted there to be something in this book to bring it back for me, but unfortunately not.

I wouldn’t recommend Sea Change I’m sorry to say. I was expecting something completely different and the payoff was just poor within this book. It was an easy read but I’m not sure that makes up for the lack of development throughout.

I don't know what possessed me to request this book but I'm so glad I did because from the moment I read the first page I knew I had made the right decision.
This reminded me a bit of Meg Rosoff, not so much in the writing style but the story itself and the way it was able to characterize a very English kind of miserableness and mindset.
I particularly liked the rhythm at which the story was told, giving the characters time to evolve and change their minds as well as letting the reader get to know them slowly playing with our preconceived ideas of what everyone was gonna be and then surprising us.
The best part of the book for me was definitely the characters though, mainly the friendship between Alex and Daniel that kept them together through all their differences and hardships. There were no vapid little characters here though. Everyone had secrets and a reason to be in the story.
This story was able to keep the tension and the mystery until the end and when it finally unfolded, it did it well. I loved the ending and that the author knew where to stop, leaving just enough mystery to keep the story and characters in our mind.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks NetGalley!

Sea Change is a young adult thriller. Alex is a teenager taking care of a his "grief-stricken" mother. During all of this, his friend goes missing and ends up dead next to his fishing boat. What happened?!

Such an interesting and easy read.

A really gripping novel, following 16 year old Alex through very difficult times, looking after his grief stricken mother, and then his best friend goes missing. This had an eerie dangerous feel, yet I was pulled back constantly, and finished this book quickly. A great read.

It was very interesting and very intriguing storyline. I liked some parts and others I hated 200%. I would definitely recommend this book to read if you like suspense genre.

This book is full of action and twists and turns. Chuck and Alex were two clearly defined and thought out characters. The ending was really exciting and the overall premise of the novel is riveting.

Thanks for this ARC for an honest review.

'Sea change' conjures up a wonderful sense of place, providing the perfect backdrop to a fast-paced tale with just the right number of twist and turns. The teen characters are gutsy and well-realised and the whole book crackles with energy. Loved it!

Enjoyed this YA read - a thriller set in a fishing community, which touches on some very sensitive issues and handles them really successfully too. Not sure that I'm the target audience with this one but enjoyed it nevertheless.

This book dives straight into the gory details, it is refreshing and intriguing.
You automatically want to think that Chuck is a bad guy, considering he only spoke to Alex and Daniel, it is an easy assumption to make. But there was more to him that originally thought.

Well written and easy to read.