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Vibbington Square
A collection of twelve gorgeous short stories from Emma Smith, author of the Guided and Dead Girls series.
Vibbington Square tells the story of twelve side characters from Emma Smith’s first three YA novels, as they navigate life after “the end”... exploring challenges surrounding love, friendship, self-discovery, and growing up.
Each tale from the collection corresponds with a different month of the year, pulling you through Valentine’s Day, prom, a summer holiday in Cyprus, Freshers’ Week, Halloween, and Christmas... catching up with characters old and new, such as Kara, Lexie, Darcie Carlton and more.
Featuring characters from Emma Smith's first three YA novels (Guided, Midnight Sherbet and Dead Fine). This book will contain spoilers for all three.
Vibbington Square tells the story of twelve side characters from Emma Smith’s first three YA novels, as they navigate life after “the end”... exploring challenges surrounding love, friendship, self-discovery, and growing up.
Each tale from the collection corresponds with a different month of the year, pulling you through Valentine’s Day, prom, a summer holiday in Cyprus, Freshers’ Week, Halloween, and Christmas... catching up with characters old and new, such as Kara, Lexie, Darcie Carlton and more.
Featuring characters from Emma Smith's first three YA novels (Guided, Midnight Sherbet and Dead Fine). This book will contain spoilers for all three.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 14, 2025
3 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Emma Smith
14 books564 followersEmma Smith is a young adult and children's author from Yorkshire. She wrote and illustrated her first “book” when she was seven years old and hasn’t stopped writing since. When she’s not walking on the beach or drinking an iced coffee with a crumpet and some chocolate, you’ll probably find her reading something dark and mysterious… and most certainly YA.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 20, 2025
This is such a special book to me. Written over three years (!!), it delves into the lives of those who never got to share their full stories the first time round... Kara, Lexie, Darcie, and so many more. I hope you love it as much as I do.
January 24, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
I was sent this arc in exchange for an honest review and I’m honoured to be one of the very first people to read it. And wow, what a collection of stories!
These are all prequels and sequels of Emma’s first 3 novels, which I’d 100% recommend reading first, one for every month of the year. A key theme of many of the sequels were healing, Emma’s side characters are put through SO MUCH during her stories so it was interesting to see how they all processed the events of the story differently and how it impacted their lives. So many of the prequels were heartbreaking to read; you saw characters full of hope for the future knowing what is going to happen to them.
I also feel like many of the stories are lessons in not being judgemental: we get perspectives from characters who were originally seen as weird, pick me or as boyfriend stealers, and we see how their lives impact their actions.
Overall I’d 100% recommend these stories to fans of Emma’s books, who just want to know what’s happening in Vibbington these days
I was sent this arc in exchange for an honest review and I’m honoured to be one of the very first people to read it. And wow, what a collection of stories!
These are all prequels and sequels of Emma’s first 3 novels, which I’d 100% recommend reading first, one for every month of the year. A key theme of many of the sequels were healing, Emma’s side characters are put through SO MUCH during her stories so it was interesting to see how they all processed the events of the story differently and how it impacted their lives. So many of the prequels were heartbreaking to read; you saw characters full of hope for the future knowing what is going to happen to them.
I also feel like many of the stories are lessons in not being judgemental: we get perspectives from characters who were originally seen as weird, pick me or as boyfriend stealers, and we see how their lives impact their actions.
Overall I’d 100% recommend these stories to fans of Emma’s books, who just want to know what’s happening in Vibbington these days
February 23, 2025
Ahhh I absolutely loved this!!!
I love the world Emma has created with her books. This collection of short stories honestly felt like a gift - getting to read about more of the side characters from Emma's previous books and learning more about their backstory was so special!
Every story is also set in a different month of the year! I love celebrating seasons and this book does it so well. It takes you from January to December with beautifully written, cosy descriptions of each month.
Ultimately, I think this collection really captures life as a teenager in the UK. All the separate plots are really interesting but they are all linked together, not only because of character overlap but also the shared experience of growing up and the joys and challenges that can bring.
If you've read Guided, Midnight Sherbet and Dead Fine then I can't recommend this enough ❤️
I love the world Emma has created with her books. This collection of short stories honestly felt like a gift - getting to read about more of the side characters from Emma's previous books and learning more about their backstory was so special!
Every story is also set in a different month of the year! I love celebrating seasons and this book does it so well. It takes you from January to December with beautifully written, cosy descriptions of each month.
Ultimately, I think this collection really captures life as a teenager in the UK. All the separate plots are really interesting but they are all linked together, not only because of character overlap but also the shared experience of growing up and the joys and challenges that can bring.
If you've read Guided, Midnight Sherbet and Dead Fine then I can't recommend this enough ❤️
February 22, 2025
⭐ 4.75
Emma's novels are already so wonderful. Put the side characters into a collection of beautiful stories and you have such a spectacular insight into Vibbington. I loved being able to learn more about some of the familiar faces from Emma's earlier works and it brought me back so easily. I especially appreciated how it zoomed in on really serious things, such as eating disorders, tricky family dynamics and toxic relationships. It made it feel so well thought out and important.
My only gripe was that I wanted more from each character, to the extent that I think Emma is going to have to write novels for every single one of these people. (Thank you)
Honestly, I cannot recommend this book enough. It's such a good price too for the amount of reading time you get and the enjoyment you'll have!
Below is a short review of each story and I've tried to avoid as many spoilers as I can, mainly talking about my thoughts and the general topic for each one!
- Frosted Tears - Soraya’s Story
Okay. This may be my favourite in the collection and it’s literally the first one I’ve read.
I loved it so much that I wish she had a whole book to itself - the way that she felt about Macey was such an interesting perspective and I found so much healing in the discussions around Tyler and her experiences with having a first boyfriend. I think a lot of girls will relate to Soraya, I definitely did. It talks about such important themes that most teenage girls will understand and is so beautifully haunting.
- Pickled Love - Steph’s Story
My heart broke, reading about Steph’s insecurities, ones that I think so many young girls will relate to. Most of us just want to be loved and cared for and secondary school can be tough when you don’t have anyone. I love how the ‘underdog’ was given her own story and I would love to read a whole book about her experience with Mike - I was so nervous for her!
- Relive - Jenna’s Story
This was such a bittersweet perspective, giving me some more understanding about how Macey’s absence left a hole in her sister’s heart. It was so short, especially compared to the earlier two stories, so I would have loved to have had longer with Jenna, to see more about her current life after Macey. She’s a character that I think deserves as much limelight as her sister.
- La Seine - Kara’s Story
I was very cautious going into this story because I never liked Kara after what she had done to Lilz. I actually really appreciated getting her lens and being given that opportunity to learn about why she is like she is. All I found was a very lost girl, struggling. I hope that she finds that happiness she’s looking for in Paris, though, I have to admit, I’m a bit nervous!
- Prom Queen - Jaye’s Story
What I can really appreciate about this one is the representation of body image. As a tall girl, over 6 feet, I struggled a lot with body image when I was growing up and felt terribly insecure throughout my own prom, feeling out of place in my dress and heels. It was really healing to be able to read this perspective, reminding me that I wasn’t alone when I felt that way.
- Super Star - Kayleigh’s Story
I loved how Kayleigh viewed Macey’s experience and tragedy. It was something I always wondered more about, what would have happened if she had lived. I also appreciated seeing the lens of a naive, innocent girl being led astray by a boy, making mistakes as she goes; this is so normal but also shamed. I know a lot of people will feel understood here.
- Lilies and Delphiniums - Matt’s Story
This was such a light-hearted and cutesy story, perfectly placed in the middle, among the darker ones. It was so lovely to see how their lives continued on into their twenties and it was an adorable snapshot.
- Salt Air - Lexie’s Story
Okay, Emma, break my heart, why don’t you? That was a tough read but in the best way possible. Guided was already such an emotional read but seeing Lexie’s life through her own lives, all the things she felt, was so hauntingly beautiful.
- Freshers - Calotta’s Story
The university vibes here were so strong and it brought me right back to my years at Warwick, despite being set in Durham. However, what stood out to me most was Carlotta’s experience with her identity, learning how to love herself when she’s spent so long attaching her worth to boys. It’s something that a lot of us got sucked into and it’s such an uplifting perspective to see the other side, once you get out of that pattern.
- Ghost Mallows - Rosie’s Story
I was unsure what to expect from this one but I really enjoyed it, in a morbid sort of way. Rosie’s guilt over her best friend’s death was portrayed so well, to the extent that I actually could not look away from the kindle until I had finished it. Rosie’s perspective was so interesting and one I didn’t realise I needed, but it made me see Macey’s fate in a whole new light.
- Burn, Baby - Nora’s Story
This is such an important portrayal of mental health, especially looking at how it can manifest academically, something I hugely related to. I don’t have too much to say about this one but I will add that I love the title.
- Wonderland - Darcie’s Story
While I was unsure about the character of Darcie initially, thinking her to be (as she puts it herself) a “bitch”, I actually found a very deep and caring person. The highlight of this story for me was the friendship between Darcie and her brother, Trex, as the bond was written so beautifully. It felt like such a realistic portrayal of a situation that probably quite a lot of people go through.
Emma's novels are already so wonderful. Put the side characters into a collection of beautiful stories and you have such a spectacular insight into Vibbington. I loved being able to learn more about some of the familiar faces from Emma's earlier works and it brought me back so easily. I especially appreciated how it zoomed in on really serious things, such as eating disorders, tricky family dynamics and toxic relationships. It made it feel so well thought out and important.
My only gripe was that I wanted more from each character, to the extent that I think Emma is going to have to write novels for every single one of these people. (Thank you)
Honestly, I cannot recommend this book enough. It's such a good price too for the amount of reading time you get and the enjoyment you'll have!
Below is a short review of each story and I've tried to avoid as many spoilers as I can, mainly talking about my thoughts and the general topic for each one!
- Frosted Tears - Soraya’s Story
Okay. This may be my favourite in the collection and it’s literally the first one I’ve read.
I loved it so much that I wish she had a whole book to itself - the way that she felt about Macey was such an interesting perspective and I found so much healing in the discussions around Tyler and her experiences with having a first boyfriend. I think a lot of girls will relate to Soraya, I definitely did. It talks about such important themes that most teenage girls will understand and is so beautifully haunting.
- Pickled Love - Steph’s Story
My heart broke, reading about Steph’s insecurities, ones that I think so many young girls will relate to. Most of us just want to be loved and cared for and secondary school can be tough when you don’t have anyone. I love how the ‘underdog’ was given her own story and I would love to read a whole book about her experience with Mike - I was so nervous for her!
- Relive - Jenna’s Story
This was such a bittersweet perspective, giving me some more understanding about how Macey’s absence left a hole in her sister’s heart. It was so short, especially compared to the earlier two stories, so I would have loved to have had longer with Jenna, to see more about her current life after Macey. She’s a character that I think deserves as much limelight as her sister.
- La Seine - Kara’s Story
I was very cautious going into this story because I never liked Kara after what she had done to Lilz. I actually really appreciated getting her lens and being given that opportunity to learn about why she is like she is. All I found was a very lost girl, struggling. I hope that she finds that happiness she’s looking for in Paris, though, I have to admit, I’m a bit nervous!
- Prom Queen - Jaye’s Story
What I can really appreciate about this one is the representation of body image. As a tall girl, over 6 feet, I struggled a lot with body image when I was growing up and felt terribly insecure throughout my own prom, feeling out of place in my dress and heels. It was really healing to be able to read this perspective, reminding me that I wasn’t alone when I felt that way.
- Super Star - Kayleigh’s Story
I loved how Kayleigh viewed Macey’s experience and tragedy. It was something I always wondered more about, what would have happened if she had lived. I also appreciated seeing the lens of a naive, innocent girl being led astray by a boy, making mistakes as she goes; this is so normal but also shamed. I know a lot of people will feel understood here.
- Lilies and Delphiniums - Matt’s Story
This was such a light-hearted and cutesy story, perfectly placed in the middle, among the darker ones. It was so lovely to see how their lives continued on into their twenties and it was an adorable snapshot.
- Salt Air - Lexie’s Story
Okay, Emma, break my heart, why don’t you? That was a tough read but in the best way possible. Guided was already such an emotional read but seeing Lexie’s life through her own lives, all the things she felt, was so hauntingly beautiful.
- Freshers - Calotta’s Story
The university vibes here were so strong and it brought me right back to my years at Warwick, despite being set in Durham. However, what stood out to me most was Carlotta’s experience with her identity, learning how to love herself when she’s spent so long attaching her worth to boys. It’s something that a lot of us got sucked into and it’s such an uplifting perspective to see the other side, once you get out of that pattern.
- Ghost Mallows - Rosie’s Story
I was unsure what to expect from this one but I really enjoyed it, in a morbid sort of way. Rosie’s guilt over her best friend’s death was portrayed so well, to the extent that I actually could not look away from the kindle until I had finished it. Rosie’s perspective was so interesting and one I didn’t realise I needed, but it made me see Macey’s fate in a whole new light.
- Burn, Baby - Nora’s Story
This is such an important portrayal of mental health, especially looking at how it can manifest academically, something I hugely related to. I don’t have too much to say about this one but I will add that I love the title.
- Wonderland - Darcie’s Story
While I was unsure about the character of Darcie initially, thinking her to be (as she puts it herself) a “bitch”, I actually found a very deep and caring person. The highlight of this story for me was the friendship between Darcie and her brother, Trex, as the bond was written so beautifully. It felt like such a realistic portrayal of a situation that probably quite a lot of people go through.
January 26, 2025
5⭐️.
Received an ARC copy of this book, in return for an honest review and i have to admit that i absolutely adored it. Seeing different characters perspectives, seeing how different characters from Vibbington interact was so unbelievably incredible. This collection of short stories adds perfectly to the emma smith universe, and i can say with certainty if you love her books, you will love this one.
I mostly adore how 90% of the characters Emma writes about would be typically considered the “weird kids” and it just shows how everyone wishes to be “normal” even though such a thing doesn’t exist.
100% recommend this book x
Received an ARC copy of this book, in return for an honest review and i have to admit that i absolutely adored it. Seeing different characters perspectives, seeing how different characters from Vibbington interact was so unbelievably incredible. This collection of short stories adds perfectly to the emma smith universe, and i can say with certainty if you love her books, you will love this one.
I mostly adore how 90% of the characters Emma writes about would be typically considered the “weird kids” and it just shows how everyone wishes to be “normal” even though such a thing doesn’t exist.
100% recommend this book x
February 3, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ I was kindly sent a copy in exchange for a review! I loved this. You rarely get to dive deeper into to the lives of the smaller side characters in books so it was so lovely to be able learn about everyone else’s experiences.
I wished the stories were in chronological order just so you could gradually read people’s stories as you get to them just because everyone is interconnected and you read about their lives sooner.
This book also makes you just stop and think about how everyone is going through their own things and it shapes them into who they are which is very much the same for real life. I also like that we get to see how events in past books have affected those, not only the main characters, but also those who we haven’t really read about apart from being a background character. It feels like Emma has truly spent time and cares for her characters and books!
I wished the stories were in chronological order just so you could gradually read people’s stories as you get to them just because everyone is interconnected and you read about their lives sooner.
This book also makes you just stop and think about how everyone is going through their own things and it shapes them into who they are which is very much the same for real life. I also like that we get to see how events in past books have affected those, not only the main characters, but also those who we haven’t really read about apart from being a background character. It feels like Emma has truly spent time and cares for her characters and books!
August 20, 2025
my favourite was definitely freshers, i love carlotta so much !!
February 20, 2025
Sooo good!!!
August 16, 2025
Absolutely phenomenal read! Emma, you honestly can’t write a bad book, this is full of absolute beautiful short stories of all my favourite characters in your books and they made it so fun to read to find out more about characters in your books! Thank you so much for writing such a beautiful book! ❤️
April 4, 2025
I love so many of Emma’s characters so when she announced this short story collection following side characters from her first three books because I had so many that I wanted to see more of and I do feel like I got to see a lot of those characters in this collection.
Vibbington Square follows twelve side characters featured in Emma’s first three YA books, Guided, Midnight Sherbet and Dead Fine, as they navigate a wide variety of life events after the story finished. There is a story for each month of the year and characters we know well and have met only briefly.
There was a common theme across all the stories that I really enjoyed including giving me a better understanding of all of these characters, events that happened in Guided, Midnight Sherbet and Dead Fine and giving me stories that I wanted to keep reading.
Many of the characters featured were ones that I had previously liked and by reading their featured stories I found myself falling in love with them as characters and wanting to read more and more about them. Many of these stories are ones that I would have been happy to read as full length novels because of how much I loved them.
My favourite stories included Burn Baby, Frosted Tears, Prom Queen and Freshers however I did love pretty much all of them and am already looking forward to a reread and maybe seeing these characters again in future books.
Throughout this collection I also found characters who I massively connected to and felt shared a lot of things in common with me which I was not anticipating but loved. Due to this there were definitely characters that I wished we had seen more of in Emma’s past books and will be really excited if we get to see them again in future books of Emmas.
I am so glad that I read this as soon as I got my hands on it and took my time reading it. If you have previously read and loved any of Emma’s books I would highly recommend reading Guided, Midnight Sherbet and Dead Fine before jumping into this one which is totally worth the read. I cannot wait for Eden, Emma’s next full length YA novel, and the rest of the books she is releasing this year. I was also shocked but so excited to see my name in the acknowledgements which I was not expecting, but made the book even more special for me.
Vibbington Square follows twelve side characters featured in Emma’s first three YA books, Guided, Midnight Sherbet and Dead Fine, as they navigate a wide variety of life events after the story finished. There is a story for each month of the year and characters we know well and have met only briefly.
There was a common theme across all the stories that I really enjoyed including giving me a better understanding of all of these characters, events that happened in Guided, Midnight Sherbet and Dead Fine and giving me stories that I wanted to keep reading.
Many of the characters featured were ones that I had previously liked and by reading their featured stories I found myself falling in love with them as characters and wanting to read more and more about them. Many of these stories are ones that I would have been happy to read as full length novels because of how much I loved them.
My favourite stories included Burn Baby, Frosted Tears, Prom Queen and Freshers however I did love pretty much all of them and am already looking forward to a reread and maybe seeing these characters again in future books.
Throughout this collection I also found characters who I massively connected to and felt shared a lot of things in common with me which I was not anticipating but loved. Due to this there were definitely characters that I wished we had seen more of in Emma’s past books and will be really excited if we get to see them again in future books of Emmas.
I am so glad that I read this as soon as I got my hands on it and took my time reading it. If you have previously read and loved any of Emma’s books I would highly recommend reading Guided, Midnight Sherbet and Dead Fine before jumping into this one which is totally worth the read. I cannot wait for Eden, Emma’s next full length YA novel, and the rest of the books she is releasing this year. I was also shocked but so excited to see my name in the acknowledgements which I was not expecting, but made the book even more special for me.
February 23, 2025
Emma’s collection of short stories is so diverse and unique, each story takes a different, smaller character and dissolves them into something larger, something each of these creatively mastered characters deserves. Emma’s story telling is like no other, it’s to the point yet effective and intriguing. I enjoyed all of the stories- however my personal favourite was Le Seine, the description in that one was so poetic and I found myself drawn to the story. Paris is so magical and Emma captured its essence perfectly. I found the intricate web of characters so interesting, how each person interweaved into each others stories and it gives a mirage of perspectives on a situation, which you can’t get from a usual book. My only small criticism is that at times i found the names of the characters confusing. I think the name Dan/Daniel appeared in around 3 different stories and I don’t know if it’s meant to be the same character or multiple with the same name, same goes for Lily. However with that being said, I haven’t read one of the main ELU books for probably over a year so it’s a minimal issue. Overall this a stunning collection of short stories, that will illicit a series of emotions, my favourite being love .
July 11, 2025
Vibbington Square is an excellent cherry on top of the first three of Emma's novels, and it is inextricably linked to them, so if you haven't read those first, I would highly recommend doing so. It answers the question that may well have plagued the minds of many readers after having read each of those novels: "Then what?"
This collection of twelve short stories, each focussing on one character, offers great insight into the lives of those characters whose complexities may not have been fully understood when reading about them for the first time. A definite must-read for fans of Emma's other work.
This collection of twelve short stories, each focussing on one character, offers great insight into the lives of those characters whose complexities may not have been fully understood when reading about them for the first time. A definite must-read for fans of Emma's other work.
November 23, 2025
i love this short stories there perfect to read over and over again
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews