The list of real things by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

"Look at the secrets that lie beneath the surface! Look at the way the world can surprise you!"

When I saw The List of Real Things in a bookstore in London recently I recognised the name Sarah Moore Fitzgerald and her book The Apple Tart of Hope. Some time ago I read The Apple Tart of Hope but I did not talk about it here on my blog and the odd thing is I do remember the plot but I do not own this book, it is not in my school library, all reviewers list it as a YA novel, I rarely select these and so it is mystery when and how I came to read it.

The List of Real things is a little confusing. It is a book about bereavement, about siblings, about fitting in, about difference, but it is also a ghost story and it contains some fantasy elements but I would not classify it as a fantasy because the emotional journey Grace travels is raw and real. Take a look at some of the labels at the end of this post.

This is a book for a sensitive reader who has some degree of reading stamina. While it is not an especially long book (204 pages) the plot moves slowly as Grace tries to make sense of the death of her parents. She has new relationships with her Uncle and Grandfather to navigate but the hardest part of life right now is making sense of her eccentric little sister Bee. This sad time in their lives is told from Grace's point of view but it is little Bee who is (for me) the true hero of this story. 

Read some reviews for more plot details
Catherine Larner
Between the Pages
Goodreads

Here is the blurb:
"Grace knows the difference between what's real and the strange ideas that float around in her little sister's mind. Their parents died - that's real.
A secret hotel on the cliff top where their parents are waiting - definitely NOT real.
When grief strikes again, Grace is determined not to let her sister's outlandish imagination spiral out of control. But the line between truth and fantasy is more complicated than it seems."

This is a boo