A wonderful and compelling read that had me glued to my kindle from the very first page. A book that i really recommend.

I was struggling with the story here and couldn't finish it so don't feel it fair to leave a review at this time.

Well, what can I say about this book? I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, the blurb for the plot certainly sounded different and I was unsure whether I would enjoy it or not. But the reviews are right, it’s an amazing book, a wonderful book, a brilliant book! The kind of book that gives you a warm and content feeling inside when you finish reading it. Tom, like Ove, is an odd but certainly lovable-in-his-own-way character. I found myself thinking about him in between reading sessions, which is always a good thing. Read this, you won’t regret it.

This is a lovely book. It was a little too sentimental for me in parts but it's an overwhelmingly uplifting story and an inspiring tale of how you can change your life. A great read.

If you loved Ove then you will love 'Major Tom'.

Thomas Major is at odds with the world. His young life was peppered with bad experiences, he loses the girl of his dreams, and his marriage turns bad. He just wants to get away from the world and everyone in it.

When a spaceman dies in front of him, Tom sees a way to escape earth and everyone on earth and seizes it with both hands. He tried to call his ex wife, but instead is put through to Gladys Ormerod a lady of the edge of senility who is supposed to be looking after her grandchildren whilst their father is in prison. An friendship develops between Major Tom and Gladys and her grandchildren, and Tom begins to realise that the world and its inhabitants aren't so bad, and that he can help people who have more problems than he had.

A lovely, heart warming book to make you smile, and possibly shed a tear. Highly recommended.

A blurb such as this, a cover such as THAT, and reviews that were spread across Twitter stating what a lovely, heartwarming read this was- well, there wasn’t any chance I was going to pass up a chance to review Calling Major Tom, was there? Given that Space Oddity would be one of my favourite ‘sit and ponder the world’ type songs (I don’t get a chance to do it often, mind you;)), I ran for this one.

The blurb doesn’t give much away, but this is the story of Thomas Major. Thomas is one of those grumpy, witty characters that make you nod along. You know, as far as journeys go, that he has to go on one, and yet, you have the feeling he doesn’t have to travel too far. Physically, however, Thomas Major goes on one heck of a journey- as, as a result of an unfortunate mix up (done brilliantly, I just had to laugh!), Thomas Major is chosen (on the day David Bowie dies), to go into space.

At the same time we meet a family, fronted by Emily, who’s too young to front a family, but who has to, due to issues with her nan, Gladys, who was just so gorgeous. We hear the voices of each of the different characters and wander along with them, wondering how this can all possibly get sorted in the end. Their story made my breath catch a few times, as I waited for the crossover between Thomas’ (dubbed Major Tom by the media) story and theirs (well, you knew it had to come, didn’t you?). One thing I would say is that the point of view and day could change without it being addressed and that put me off a little at times but this wasn’t too big a deal.

I won’t give away too much but I will say that the comedy made me snort out loud, and I was quite emotional at times too. To describe it I’d have to say if you like films such as Little Miss Sunshine you’d be quite on the mark for loving this book and I’ll probably pull it out again in the future for a re-read. Thanks so much to Orion books and Netgalley for this book in return for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5/5

I admit the first 40 pages had me very confused and I neRly gave up, but I'm so pleased I didn't. This book had made me laugh out loud, cry and stay up late into the night to finish it. I suspend belief that the UK would ever have such a mission or allow such a person as Tom to be involved but nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were very engaging and I found myself urging them on and admiring their courage. I particularly liked the way that I got to know Tom little by little, like peeling an onion. By the end I was whooping with delight at the conclusion and I didn't want the book to end.

Unable to complete/publisher notified. This was a download in error as not of my genre and therefore it would be unfair of me to provide a review

Calling Major Tom was a disappointment. The whole story was incredibly contrived and I had a very hard time buying into any of it. I mean, a random scientist ends up in this situation by mere chance? Whatever.
I also felt like the writer was trying too hard to make the reader cry or feel something. But having not connected with any of the characters, all of whom lacked any depth and read more like clichés I've met several times before, I didn't feel anything.
It passed the time and I read it to the end, but I really can't see where all these 4- and 5-star ratings are coming from. To me it was a very weak and saccharin story which I'll probably forget pretty soon...

This will be a relatively short review as I don't want to give too much away about this unique and endearing story, other than the fact that everyone should read it!

CALLING MAJOR TOM by David M. Barnett is an emotional tale of love, loss, friendship, and ultimately the message that you should never give up on life and the people surrounding us. Thomas is your typical curmudgeon but as the story develops and the remaining cast of wonderful characters emerge, the reader begins to learn about Thomas and why he is the way he is, and how easily it could be anyone of us if the circumstances were the same.
By the end of this story, everyone in this book felt like family and I didn't want to leave. Moments of pure hilarity are balanced perfectly with sombre and reflective scenes, and this warm and enveloping novel really took my breath away.
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So if you are undecided about what to read next, buy CALLING MAJOR TOM by David M. Barnett and escape the real world for a while. Delve into this book that will jump straight into your heart.

Heartwarming . It is almost like the story gives you a warm cuddle . Loved the characters

Oh my goodness, I loved this book so much. It made me laugh and cry, then laugh and cry even more.

I loved everything about this book. The characters were wonderful, and by the end of the book I loved them as if they were my own family.

Gladys made me laugh so much. She’s such a funny and quirky old lady.

“Gladys might read her book if she can find it. Or remember what it’s called. Or even what it’s about.”

This had me laughing out loud, as I know this situation all too well. Sometimes I find it hilarious that I’m even a book blogger, seeing as I can’t remember a book pretty much as soon as I’ve finished it, or even while reading it on some occasions, come to think of it. Thank goodness for my scribbles in notebooks.

I loved that Thomas was a grumpy man trying to escape the world and the people within it. His adventure reminded me of the shed my dad built for my sisters and me when we were young. I’ve always been happy in my own company and I used to go time travelling in it, using a broken radio and an old keyboard. Oh, what exciting adventures I had. Now I’m a grown-up I just have a potting shed, which is somewhat less exciting.

Experiencing the friendship develop between Thomas and Gladys and her grandchildren, James and Ellie was so incredibly endearing. I’m trying not to cry again at the thought of it. I can still feel it pulling at my heartstrings.

Calling Major Tom is a funny, sad and emotional story of love, loss, hope and determination. If this story teaches the reader anything, it is to appreciate what you have and never give up hope or trying to become a better person.

“One man when to mow, went to mow a meadow…” I’ll leave that with you, because I’ve had it going round in my head all day. I had actually forgotten it existed until reading this book.

The best advice I can give you today is to add this wonderful book to your reading wish list.

Calling Major Tom

What a beautifully quirky and unique book that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. The plot may seem a little far fetched in places to some, but if you're willing to go with it and use a little imagination, you're in for a real treat!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, 4*.

The plot for this book is mad! How does a slightly under qualified and sad astronaut in his way to Mars end up on a mobile phone link to a family in Wigan!
But he does and it's great.

The Blurb:

CALLING MAJOR TOM is a heart-warming and ultimately life-affirming story of a man who has given up on the world... but discovers in the most unlikely way that it might not have given up on him.

I found this book quite disjointed and had to read parts of it several times to make sure I understood what was going on. Apart from that, I did enjoy the book and it had me laughing in several places. 3*

This was a 5 star read all the way, I knew that from the very start. Five star reads, for me, are ones that make me laugh, make me cry, and make me think about the story for quite some time after finishing them. This book ticked all those boxes.

Thomas Major is a grumpy guy who should be incredibly unlikable. But, bit by bit, the reasons for him being the way he is are revealed and I came to regard him with affection. It is a credit to the author that I got completely involved with this character, and that of the others in this book. Somehow, this cranky man who seems to like no-one at all, seems to find himself on a one-way shuttle to Mars. The way he came to be there, is interesting!

Ellie is a teenager doing the very best she can. She lives with her gran (who has dementia) and her younger brother who is very bright but being bullied. The dynamics of this household are complex and again, the author does a fine job of describing them all, to the extent that I could really picture them all in my mind's eye. There are some very funny and yet cringe-worthy moments when it comes to Ellie's gran!

How Thomas Major and Ellie and her family come to have their lives entwined, is a very interesting part of the story and I was absolutely turning the pages at a frantic pace by then because I was so completely immersed in the story that I wanted to know how it was all going to end.

Such a complex, beautifully written book :) A highly recommended from me. If I could have given it 6 stars, I would have.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. With thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group.

I found this a very slow starting book but as the story developed so did my warmth for the characters.
Tom Major is on his way to Mars after loosing his way on Earth..through a miss dial he ends up calling Gladys, who is slowly losing her memory. She's a carer for her grandchildren Ellie and James whilst their dad is serving a prison sentence.
This story covers so many issues: depth, betrayal, scam emails with the elderly, school bullying and everyday survival. Current news flows through the book and supports the characters.
Major Tom is worth persevering with.

Calling Major Tom is a story about family and friendship, and more importantly about losing your way.

Thomas Major is an extremely grumpy scientist who partly by chance and partly by his own stupidity becomes the first man to be sent to Mars. It's basically a suicide mission but that doesn't bother Thomas. He's just happy that he'll be alone. For a really, really long time, if not forever.

Thinking he's calling his ex-wife from space, Thomas actually gets through to Gladys, a grandmother suffering from dementia and he's unwittingly thrown into the lives of a family with some very real problems.

Despite his best efforts to be alone, Thomas Major finds himself trying to help the family from space, and in helping them he learns that maybe he's not quite the lost cause he thought he was.

Calling Major Tom is wonderfully odd. It's one of those genuine heart-warming stories that just makes you smile. It's far-fetched; not at all realistic in plot, but each and every character stands out providing a good injection of realness to bring us back down to earth.

That's not to say that I didn't find some faults in it. There seemed a tendency to jump from one scene or thought to the next without any transition, but that may have just been the pre-proof format to be fair. However, it did put me off at first until I got into the erratic rhythm of it.

I am always impressed by anyone who can create a wonderful story like this, but what impressed me the most was how current it was. There are references to David Bowie's death and Brexit which makes me wonder when Barnett started writing it and how long it took him. I loved all the Bowie references, naturally, and its crazy quirkiness and undeniable charm made it a perfect tribute to the great man.

Calling Major Tom
I really enjoyed reading this book, I found it very easy to get in to, the story flowed easily and the characters made you really feel for their situation. The situation the family finds itself in and the unusual way it is resolved is one that pulls on the heartstrings. Thank you to NetGalley and The Book Club (TBC) for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I'm so sorry but I can no longer review this book. Please accept my apologies.