She was in Japan to teach English. She’d soon discover the darker side of travelling alone.
Kimberly Thatcher was a Londoner who set off to teach English in Japan on a one year contract. After escaping her abusive boyfriend back in London, she soon found herself pursued by a colleague – with even more sinister intentions than her ex. Kimberly would soon learn the darker nature of her relationships, forcing her on a soul-searching journey through darkness to find the light. What happened when you looked into the abyss?
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Like the book?
Listen to an excerpt from the paperback proof copy:
Book launch reading from the Hardcover on 25th October:
Leilanie Stewart 
The Buddha’s Bone’s story is created in a way that is interesting and easily imaginable. Being a reader, I can relate to the plot since I’ve personally known people who taught English abroad and can attest to the culture shock they experienced upon first arriving. Kimberly’s story touches on a lot of really important topics: misogyny, sexual assault, trauma, female friendship, loss,mental health. The story definitely took some interesting twists and turns, as well.
The titular “Buddha’s bone” story of Japanese tradition is beautiful and creative, and I really enjoyed this aspect of the book; it was like a shining beacon of hope for Kimberly in her darkest moment.
I like how readers catch a glimpse into the intimate thoughts of Kimberly through her poetry, as well. I like that the longer she is in the country, the more inspired she is to write poetry. Travelling can definitely create that kind of spark! One of my favorite poems was Abyss of Loneliness – I think it perfectly summed up her experience of being in an abusive relationship.There are also some literary references peppered throughout that I appreciated.
The characters are all unique and funny (except for Carl and Vince. I detest Carl and Vince.), and most of them showed growth throughout the plot. I enjoyed the humor present throughout the book, as well.
Thank you for such detailed feedback, means a lot that you read it and liked it. 🤗
Really enjoyed this! I liked the first person narration because Kim has quite a sassy but equally damaged persona that is v relatable. I found myself sort of screaming at her in my head when she kept taking all the bs from carl then vince.
Thanks for reading it, I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🤗