My Review of "Stasi Child" by David Young

It's East Berlin 1975 and Karin Muller is called to investigate a teenage girl's body at the foot of the wall. When she arrives at the crime scene she is startled to find the Ministry for State Security (Stasi) there rather than the Border Police. This girl was trying to escape over the wall. But, strangely, from the West into the East.

Muller is tasked to uncover the identity of the girl but only as part of a Missing Persons investigation, not as the murder which has obviously taken place. The Stasi discourage her questions and it soon becomes clear there is a deeper more sinister crime taking place behind the scenes, of which Muller is not to seek knowledge. Her colleague Tilsner wants them taken off the case, understanding the complications of working "alongside" the Stasi and how it will limit and compromise their investigation but Muller is principled, of a curious mind and proud to be the only female head of a Murder Squad in the whole country. She continues to investigate the crime despite the dangerous path it will set her on.

Young wastes no time grabbing the reader and pulling them quickly into the complications of a dark, foreboding crime scene. The book opens with Muller waking with a hangover and a creeping realisation that she has spent the night away from her husband Gottfried and with her colleague Tilsner instead. Tilsner is insolent and disrespectful; Muller full of remorse and reprisal. The detailed description of her headaches, Tilsner's apartment and their actions is so grim and distasteful it fills the reader with a sense of foreboding tension from the outset. Having fought so hard to survive in a man's world and gain the impressive position as Head of Murder Squad, Muller is anxious that she could  not have "people calling her a whore". Already the sense that Muller has a fight ahead of her is implied. The already dark and aggressive atmosphere only becomes more sinister and grim with their visit to the cemetery where the body of a murdered girl has been discovered. Young writes of "ever darkening clouds in the sky" and alongside the strained relationship between the colleagues, the unpleasant dialogue and behaviour of Tilsney towards Muller and the fierce, unapproachable, threatening and secretive nature of the Stasi, the stage is set for a thriller of the most bleak and riveting kind.

The narrative then switches to 1974 and a Jugenwerkhof - a Youth Reformatory School. Here Young evokes the cruel brutality of the children's routine and daily life. There is no hiding from the relentless barrage of violence and abuse in this novel. It is graphic at times but simultaneously compelling, enthralling and engrossing. I had read almost a third of the book without even noticing and found it hard to break away from.

The mystery continues to unfold at a rapid pace. Why are the Stasi so keen to hide the truth? Who has gone to so much trouble to "stage" the murder and interfere with the evidence? Who is this girl and why is it so difficult to identify her?

The fascinating thing about this criminal investigation is how the lines of enquiry are controlled by the Stasi. Muller is frequently prevented from fully accessing information and she is repeatedly warned not to challenge the official version of the girl's death: "You have exceeded the terms of your inquiry" and Muller will be arrested if "you don't comply." She "shivers from the implied threats (from the Stasi) as much as the cold." But she remains prepared to "search every corner of the Republic to find the identity of the girl" and I loved the added suspense that this angle brought to the novel. The pressure and heightened hostility about not being able to fully investigate a crime and the anxiety of repercussions if you do, really enhance the gritty atmosphere of this engaging, page turning read.

Muller's husband Gottfried then becomes a more central character. Fundamentally Karin conforms to the communist regime although her compassion and principled nature will begin to challenge this and adds a further complexity to her character. But Gottfried is already under suspicion from the authorities - this is a risk to Karin in her position, mixed up with the further issue that the couple are unhappy and unkind to each other. The dramatic events which surround Gottfried are so well captured that at times it is impossible to tear your eyes away from the pages even though the brutality, violence and torture are quite harrowing. I loved the way the prose became more bleak and was reduced to its most basic form in order to accentuate the harshness of the Stasi. "Night time: light on light off on off on off" and "Another night. Another day. Another night.....this hellish place." Young's historical detail is so vivid and well researched that the atmosphere, characters and situations are authentic and believable. His knowledge of the procedures in a Stasi prison is impressive and ensure that every aspect of this novel is convincing and credible. The reader is completely immersed in 1975 East Germany.

Alongside all this, the story of Irma and her attempts to escape from the Jugendwerkhof continue. Also the narrative of nightmares.

The three story lines weave themselves together as the plot thickens and charges towards a brilliant ending. It is a very gripping read.

The most impressive thing about this novel is Young's ability to transport the reader back in time to a regime of repression, oppression, fear, mistrust and accusation. It's such an interesting era in which to set a crime as it is the perfect backdrop for stories of corruption and intimidation. Young's thorough research and attention to historical detail does not overburden or detract from the plot in any way - it actually enhances it. There is no need to have any prior knowledge or familiarity with the historical and social context, it's an accessible and fast paced read. It is a claustrophobic read; the setting and the characters are so vividly depicted that the atmosphere of paranoia oozes from every page. It really is a well observed and exciting crime novel that reads with such fluidity and expertise it's was a surprise to find out this was Young's debut novel. I was convinced it must have been part of an established series but now of course am in the fortunate position of being able to look forward to many more episodes in the Karin Muller series!

With the current rise in "Nordic Noir" fiction and Television series and the equally engrossing and powerful programme "Deutschland 83", this book is a timely release and will appeal to all fans of this genre. For lovers of crime and detective fiction it will undoubtedly deliver you a 5 star read. Muller is a strong female character and I hope to follow her career in the Murder Squad for many more years!

Currently this book is available on Kindle for £1.79 - this is ridiculously cheap and I urge you to download it! Amazon reviews have rated it 4.5/5 and on Goodreads it has an equally impressive 4/5 star rating. The book sits in the WHSmith top 20 and also in its "Hottest Books of the Week" section. So don't just take my word for it - grab yourself a copy and go back to an all too frighteningly recent period in European History for an "edge of your seat", "breathtaking" ride from which Young refuses to let you leave until you have turned the very last page!

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications for future posts.

My Review of "The Finding of Martha Lost"

I'm afraid I was a bit of a bibliomaniac book stalker about this title! The world of book lovers are very excited about "The Finding of Martha Lost," but what really intrigued me was the way all the reviewers and bloggers confessed that they had found it impossible to review this Young Adult novel; they had all struggled to formulate their responses and define the impact it had made on them. Of course, they all actually wrote exceptionally eloquently and competently about it - far better than I will manage today - but I was suddenly desperate to get hold of Wallace's novel and find out exactly what had left these critics literally lost for words.

Now I have read it, I totally understand their reaction! How do you write about something so magical, inspiring, uplifting, imaginative, unique and stunning? Wallace's command of language is so masterful, anything I attempt to put into words will be seriously inferior!

"The Finding of Martha Lost" is set in 1976, Lime Street Station, Liverpool. Martha was abandoned as a new born baby in a suitcase on the train from Paris in 1960 . Sixteen years later she still remains hopeful that someone will come to claim her from the lost property desk where waits; the station is her home and she has never ever taken a single step outside of it in all her life.  As she waits, her life continues with mysteries to solve, secret tunnels under the station to discover and a suitcase that might have belonged to the Beatles to deal with. But Martha wants solve the mystery of who she is and who her birth mother is. The authorities have found out about her hiding out in the station and her time is running out. If she can't discover who she really is she will lose everything. After all, "to have your happy ending, you have to have your beginning."

I don't think I've read a book that is wholly set on a station before but it made me realise how well such a location lends itself to inspiring fiction. Stations are full of people, journeys, secrets, beginnings, endings and things that get left behind and forgotten. The building itself automatically creates a dramatic stage and Wallace ably evokes the atmosphere so that it is easy to visualise every nook and cranny. You feel as if you are standing there, pirouetting behind Martha and her group of colourful friends.

It's not just the setting and situation that are bewitching. It is the character of Martha. She is curious, vivacious, loving, warm, dramatic, energetic, colourful and out of a fairy tale. She spins and twirls across the platforms, oblivious to anything but seeing the best in things. Her infectious inquisitiveness seeps out of her, highlighting her childishness and naivety. Yet her observations about people, and the objects in Lost Property, indicate a more perceptive mind than many adults. Such observations often seem quirky and too fairy-tale like, but in reality they reveal deep insight and awareness. Martha also has a special gift: "When I rub my finger over something that is lost, I can tell how the item came to be lost." However, her real gift - her real magic, is being able to understand people's truths and hidden emotions.

Yes, this is a book of magic and wonder; where fairy tales and real life intermingle, producing an intoxicating brew which will leave you thirsting for more!

Martha collects books which she arranges by colour to create a "rainbow of secrets". It is her library of found books as she wants to "collect lost words and let them have a voice." She is concerned with showing respect for the books and seeing their beauty. Some of the books have inscriptions which "tell me a different story to the one in the book....these words weren't meant for me; it's like I've overheard a secret." The inscriptions are a secret message between the book giver and the book receiver; the reason for giving a book is another story of its own that interests her more than what is printed on the actual pages. Now I not only want to give even more books as gifts but inscribe every book I will bestow in the future!

Martha reflects on stories, books and language throughout the whole novel. The words "lost" and "found" are sprinkled across the pages as a constant reminder of Martha's need to "find" her birth mother and her own name. Her responses to books are so innocent yet so original and astute I am jealous of the way in which she is able to view the world.

Martha breaks all conventions. For example, of reading she says "Sometimes I think it's ok to meet characters and then create your own story for them.... If a character is killed or hurt and I'm not happy with that, I turn back to just before the events took a nasty twist." She is surely the most captivating and beautifully imagined character in children's fiction that I have come across in a very very long time.

As her search for her birth mother, name and National Insurance number continue, Martha begins to receive books in the post with inscriptions just for her. The books chosen are all brilliant choices to further illustrate the overriding themes of searching, of lost and found - for example: "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", "Great Expectations" and "Stranger in a Strange Land'. And the quotes about fairy tales scattered between the chapters are equally effective and from equally great literary voices. But they are not overly worthy, just gently reminding us of the continuation of Martha's fairy tale as she picks up the narrative and begins the next part.

There is more depth to the story than just a world of words and an enchanting sprite. It is an exploration of trust, friendship, questions and answers, love, safety, protection, being lost and being found. To borrow Martha wise words - "I wonder if being lost is more about waiting to be found."

The adjectives that follow "The Finding of Martha Lost" across Twitter are "remarkable, astounding, compelling, endearingly breathtaking, hypnotic, surreal and simultaneously innocent and wise". It's been a while since I've seen such unrestrained passion over a new novel! There were numerous blogs about this book and I can't list them all but three which I felt really captured the essence of Wallace's charming and whimsical book were bookaddictshaun, Lindasbookbag and fromfirstpagetolast. Have a look at their eloquent and thoughtful reviews. This is a Young Adult novel but the excitement and enthusiasm from the adult reviewers prove that children's fiction is pertinent to all ages and a great place to discover talented and innovative writers.

As other bloggers also found, this review took far too long to write and was a real challenge. Now as I come to an end, I feel bereft at leaving the world of Liverpool Lime Street and Martha's story.

Borrowing more words from the book, I'd like to end by repeating what is said to Martha: "You bring delight to all who cross your path."

I hope you also take the time to delight in Martha and her story.

Enormous thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future posts.

Blue Peter Children's Book Awards: Winners

Last week saw the announcement of the winners of the coveted Children's Fiction Blue Peter Book Awards. Here is a quick review of the winners and runners up!

THE WINNER! 

Orphan Daniel Holmes stumbles upon the mysterious "Nowhere Emporium", which suddenly has appeared in Glasgow, by accident. The "shop from nowhere" and its owner Mr Silver draw Daniel into a breathtaking world of magic and enchantment. Daniel becomes Mr Silver's apprentice, ready to learn the secrets of the Emporium and all that is contained in its labyrinth of rooms and passageways. But then Mr Silver disappears and everything is threatened. Can Daniel save his home and friends before the "Nowhere Emporium" is destroyed forever? (from Goodreads)

This is reviewed as a magical, fantastical tale, full of imagination and colour, for fans of Harry Potter and Philip Pullman. One reviewer on Goodreads intriguingly said it read like "the bedtime story you wish your dad had told you when you were young and fought sleep just to hear a little bit more...."

RUNNER UP

But was my favourite contender as both me and my son have read this and really enjoyed it!! 

Rory Rooney likes to be prepared for all eventualities. His favourite book is Don't Be Scared, Be Prepared, and he has memorized every page of it. He could even survive a hippo attack. He knows that just because something is unlikely doesn't mean it won't ever happen ...But Rory isn't prepared when he suddenly and inexplicably turns green. Stuck in an isolation ward in a hospital far from home with two other remarkably green children, Rory's as confused by his new condition as the medics seem to be. But what if it's not in their genes, or a virus, or something they ate? What if turning green actually means you've turned into a superhero? Rory can't wait to make it past hospital security and discover exactly what his superpower might be ...(from Goodreads)

Engaging, funny, imaginative and heartwarming. Will have you smiling and your children laughing out loud. Full of action and adventure, friendship and superheroes!

RUNNER UP:

I'm going to have to buy this just because of the cover and the title- gorgeous!! 

All Becket wants is for his family to be whole again. But standing in his way are two things: 1) his dad, his brother and him seem to have run away from home in the middle of the night and 2) Becket’s mum died before he got the chance to say goodbye to her. Arming himself with an armchair of stories, a snail named Brian and one thousand paper cranes, Becket ploughs on, determined to make his wish come true. (from Goodreads)

This has amazing reviews with people writing heartfelt comments about the breathtaking wonder of the writing and the perfect blend of emotion and humour. It sounds like a great read and has an impressive overall rating of 4/5 on Goodreads and Amazon!



NON FICTION WINNER!
Well this title should grab everyone considering the number of times I hear this word used in a day!

Pick up this book and see what you can find...

Crikey! That's dead scary. If all the dead people on earth came back to life as zombies there would be 101 billion zombies in the world. Aagh! Run for your life!

Check your worryometer! If you see a tiger shark be very afraid, it will eat you. On the other hand if it's a zebra shark - did you know they don't attack people? Safe!

Is there anybody there? Messaging home from outer space can take forever! If you're on Venus, a message sent would reach home in 8 minutes and from Neptune it would take over 4 hours! Better check you're in range.

Seeing RED! You'll have to travel all the way to Antarctica to see a red waterfall. It's called Blood Falls and the water is turned red by the element iron. WOW!

Top trunks! Find out all the things an elephant does with its trunk. He would die without it.

GAV! GAV! It's barking, literally, a dog bark in Russian. You'll find many of the noises animals make in different languages. WOOF! WOOF!  (from Amazon)

Looks ideal - especially for children who love facts, figures and books like Horrible Histories.

The Blue Peter Book Awards are voted for by Blue Peter viewers so these books are always guaranteed to be good reads that children will enjoy. Check out the Blue Peter website for more information on the books, the authors and for past winners and nominees. Watch the award ceremony on iPlayer from Friday's Blue Peter. The brilliant author and illustrator Chris Riddell presented the awards and was given his own gold badge too! It was a good show! 

                            

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat, follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications about new posts. 

Runaway Girl: An extract from the opening pages.........

This fantastic historical murder mystery thriller from Emily Organ is out on the 15th March. Here's a few extracts from the opening pages to wet your appetite! 


She was supposed to be dead.

She had to stay silent or they would know she was alive. It was possible the men realised she was still alive but they threw her into the river anyway, hoping she would drown if there was any doubt.

The cold water felt like a dagger of ice striking her chest. She immediately sank and opened her mouth in panic, taking in a gulp of foul water, kicking and flailing, she managed to come up for air. Out of her mouth came a gasping noise she was unable to control.

Moonlight danced on the surface of the oily black water. Although it looked beautiful, the river stank like a latrine and there was a revolting taste on her tongue that made her gag. She splashed to keep afloat but again felt herself sinking, her dress dragging her down. She kicked as hard and fast as her legs would allow, flapping her arms and managing to keep her face clear.

                                                     ........................................................

The waterman remained calm. This wasn't the first time he had pulled a body out of the river. Carefully, he steered the boat towards the floating bundle and as he drew nearer he could see strands of long red hair floating like seaweed, then a leg a foot, still with its slipper on. A woman. Perhaps even a girl.

The girl floated towards him and he caught a glimpse of her serene, white face...... She had not been in the water long enough for her flesh to soften and swell. Her dress was cream coloured and well tailored and she wore a set of expensive looking rosary beads around her neck.

                                                  ..............................................................

Tenderly he moved her hair from her face and made sure her eyes were firmly closed. Then he removed his cloak and laid it over her body, the stench of the river long forgotten.


.....Gripped? You only have to wait until March 15th when it will be released. If you can't wait that long, try one of Emily's other books, "The Outsider" or "The Last Day" - both 5 star reads. 

There are also reviews of her other books and a full review of "Runaway Girl" in earlier blogs - click on the menu to find them. This extract was published here with Emily's permission.

You can follow Emily on Twitter @EmilySOrgan or find out more at her website emilyorgan.co.uk

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat you can follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notification of future posts. 

My Review of "Amanda Lester & the Pink Sugar Conspiracy"

This is the first episode in a new trilogy of mystery novels for 9-14 year olds and will be published in May.

Twelve year old Amanda Lester is determined to become a film director and refuses to follow in the family tradition of becoming a detective. However, her parents have very different ideas and before Amanda knows what has hit her, she has been shipped across the ocean from America to the Lake District to a secret location and enrolled at "Legatum Continuatum: The Enduring School for Detectives." Here she joins other children also descended from famous detectives and begins her training in the art of detection and police work. Suddenly her day is filled with a timetable of "Cryptology", "Disguise". "Profiling" and "Introductory Pathology" - or "Dead Bodies" as the students call it. Initially a very reluctant detective and poor student, Amanda does not relish the prospect of the class project of having to solve a crime. However, as various events unfold and the plot thickens, Amanda finds that she cannot ignore the mysterious happenings and, along with her new friends, she sets out to put her recently acquired knowledge into action. The sudden and shocking disappearance of her father forces her to really find out whether she has what it takes to be a number one detective- whether she can truly rise to the occasion and solve the crime, face the criminals and save her father before it is too late.

Amanda is a girl who finds it hard to fit in. She's used to being alone and finds making friends difficult. Things rarely seem to go her way and she seems to frequently and inadvertently end up in trouble and or creating chaotic situations. As her arch enemy tells her, "You vomit over people, you get everyone lathered up pretending to be a monster, you make your own rules and you think you can get away with anything. You can't. You're a laughing stock and you will never be a real detective." However, over the course of the novel she finds out she is also brave, plucky, ambitious, focused and rebellious and these are good things in the world of detection and mystery solving! She is a positive role model for young girls. She realises that actually only the strongest will make it in as a detective and she proves to herself that she is capable of combining her love and knowledge of film making to aid her in her quest to save her father.

There are obvious comparisons with the "Harry Potter" books - rather than the world of magicians this is the world of detectives. They are both boarding schools, they are both secret, they are both for children of detectives but sometimes these links are weak and tenuous and the lessons are completely invented subjects related to the genre of the books. But J K Rowling's series also echoed many other authors' work and Berinstein's concept will certainly appeal to many - I can already count on both hands children I know who would enjoy this new trilogy. In contrast to "Harry Potter", these books are much more comic. They are written in a more chatty, informal style with a lot of dialogue, action and rapid plot development.

My only concern was that the book seemed to hover a little between the 9-12 and teenage bracket. Amanda herself is 12 years old but sometimes she felt older. Also some of the vocabulary was a little challenging in places - for example frivolous, illogical, violation, and reciprocate where all used over the course a few pages but alongside slang words like freaked and angsty.  It may mean that a reader at the younger end of the age range needs a bit of support at times. I think all in all children will ride along happily and get to grips enough with the plot and events to make sense of it all and it won't spoil their enjoyment -and of course, I am completely, whole heartedly in favour or books which will develop a reader's vocabulary!

This is an exciting, energetic, humours and entertaining read full of imagination and creative ideas. I'm sure it will capture the imaginations of many children and Amanda will prove to be a successful new character in the world of children's fiction. There is a great section at the end about other fictional detectives, questions for a reading group and an interview with the author which I though were all a really good idea.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book before publication in return for a fair and honest review.

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future posts.

My Review of "Five Rivers Met on a Wooded Plain"

"Five rivers ran together and the earth sang in celebration at the top of it's voice, a music hidden in the details of everyday, in footfalls of thousands of locals, ringing of cash registers and the great soaring dream of the spire,"........"the ideas and dreams encased in the buildings is what makes them beautiful."

And so begins a novel in love with stories and dreams, thoughts, silences and words. And Salisbury. Here in this city is where "Five rivers flow ....to make a single voice of the Avon." This is Norris's inspiration for his first book. Five stories, from five very different people, whose voices weave into one another as their lives become intertwined through an horrific car accident. The rivers and their free flow through an ancient city, gathering extra "phrases" and "clauses" along the way and pouring into the "mouths of women and men" is an exceptionally strong metaphor for how stories work too and a lot of this tale is a mediation on the written word and the art of story telling. The opening, which picks up the reader and carries them along on the current, reminded me of Graham Swift's "Waterland" which also reflects on the similarities between rivers and people's lives. Or perhaps some of Joanna Harris's novels which use nature as metaphors for love and life, and reality is often mixed in a lyrical song of magic and fairy tale.

My favourite story was "A River Curling Like Smoke" and focused on sixteen year old Sam. For quiet and shy Sam, "talking isn't natural at home"and "we ate guilt and silence for supper". His section is about coming of age, anguish, first love and fitting in as "people don't know they're weird if you don't tell them." For Sam, stories are an escape into another world; a chance to make sense of the world and a way to process life and emotions."A story lay within him and he would not sleep until he spoke it." Italics are used for the "story telling" sections which at first feel like fairy tales but then become more real as Sam's emotional journey of self discovery continues. For me, this was the most amazing section of the book and I could fill five more posts quoting the stunningly mesmerising prose. It is sad, moving and captivating.

The final story contemplates the role of the theatre. Norris is an acclaimed playwright so his musings here are interesting and pertinent. The fifth voice explains that theatre is a way of people "telling stories to each other, sharing their lives and caring about each other." Music is described as a "ritual", a place where "poems play themselves out" and the brain has to switch off and listen in order to process or solve its concerns. There is however a sense of sadness and emptiness in many of the segments - a sense of needing to search for deeper meanings or fill the loneliness and emptiness many of us carry around with us. People will listen to something "mediocre that someone else invented just to fill the silence of their lives." But, "every bar in the score of ourselves is receding already into memory, into imagination....might as well listen." I loved the statement "we grow into our little neuroses ....the little unhappiness at the heart of us."

In a sense it is a spiritual novel. The cathedral features in all the stories, towering above them, rising to the sky; it feels very symbolic and as if it holds some magical power over the city. There is no religion in this novel but are the stories themselves some expression of faith? As one voice admits, "My life is so small and unenlightened....If I were in a story...." Stories are escapism, a fantasy, an alternative.... a place of hope and dreams.

Norris conjures images and poetic metaphors with immense skill, lyricism, power and beauty. His writing is outstanding. The five characters are all different; all suffering, all flawed, all insightful, all immersed in their own journey and story. This book is so multilayered I could write a dissertation on it and it truly shows the power and capability of our language when it is in the hands of a gifted writer. Norris is clearly passionate about language, poetry and mesmerising power of storytelling.

My favourite line in the whole novel was:
"The imaginary world. It will always be a beautifully dangerous place to visit."

Surely this quote deserves to become as over quoted and referenced as some of the other famous lines in literature such as LP Hartley's "the past is a foreign country..." and of course the thousands from Shakespeare. I will be absolutely guilty of using it every time I come across a stunning story or want to entice someone into reading.

In "The Bookseller" Magazine (12/2/16) Norris explained that he wanted to "draw a map of the Salisbury through people" and"evoke what is extraordinary about the ordinary," how "the hidden currents of life draw together into something symphonic no matter how random they seem." This is an outstanding debut of great literary accomplishment. If you love words, stories, people and Salisbury - read this!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up on the right for email notifications about future posts.

My Review of "183 Times A Year" by Eva Jordan

The image of this book cover caught my eye when I was rather speedily scrolling through my Twitter feed while making breakfast (I know, it was Mother's Day, I should have been in bed but I assure you, this was the better option!!). I love how sometimes your next favourite read presents itself in the most random way and suddenly you discover a new author and a whole new world of characters for you to become lost amongst. In just one split second, I discovered a book which was hugely entertaining and gave me a lovely, relaxing, light read that was like settling down in front of your favourite sitcom with a packet of chocolate hob nobs!

I mean, how can you not resist a book which begins with the opening paragraph: "I don't like my daughters' very much. Don't get me wrong - I love them, and would lay down my life for them should the need ever arise - but right now my teenage daughters' are a pain in the proverbial backside."

Meet Lizzie. A librarian and mother to three teenagers - one of which is her step daughter - partner to Simon, who can't be bothered to propose and make it official, and ex wife to Scott who is a complete waste of space and happily ignores any responsibility for his children now he's remarried and has new babies of his own. Lizzie is a self confessed bibliomaniac and irritates her children enormously by illustrating any comment or piece of advice with a literary quote. She has a witty and often sarcastic internal voice which sometimes escapes into a real conversation. She struggles to juggle all the pressing demands of a modern day family - "I'm sure I meet myself coming on most days"- and is completely baffled by her teenage daughters who refer to her as "psychotic" what ever she tries to do and however she tries to resolve tension. "Of course it's your fault," she thinks during a row with Cassie, "Why are you surprised....her entire existence is your fault and she'll blame you forever more."

Meet Cassie. Perpetually annoyed by her mother whose sole purpose is to destroy any hope of her having a social life, boyfriend or getting any revision for her GCSEs done. A habitual door slammer with an irritating habit of over using the word "sick" in every utterance and continuous exclamation of "Oh my actual god!" Cassie is self centred, skittish and hot headed. Her inability to recall the right word is very amusing- I liked her reference to Shakespeare and his use of Islamic pentameter, or was it imbecilic pentameter?! Cassie is suitably irrational and unpredictable as she tries to navigate her way through adolescence and all its heart searing moments of first love, bullying, homework and an all consuming effort to fit in and be liked.

Together their voices, which alternate rapidly in short extracts, create a laugh out loud, engaging and entertaining read about mothers and daughters. Despite being nagged, harangued, shouted at and taken for granted, Lizzie remains calm and resilient. During one of Cassie's rants, Lizzie thinks how she sounds like a "tortured animal" and "taxidermy sprang to mind. I imagined her here but stuffed and quiet. She would stand with her arms out -welcoming, and she would smile - permanently." There's an hilarious episode where Lizzie tries to wear sexy knickers in a bid to regain a sense of self and is in such discomfort it was like watching a "Miranda" or "Bridget Jones" style comedy moment! But she is an intelligent, caring, nurturing person with a dry witty sense of humour and this saves the book from becoming either too depressing or too saccharine. Cassie too, although her teenage vocabulary is suitably repetitive, irritating and cliched, is actually quite endearing. We can all relate to the pain of "coming of age" and the absolute "unfairness" of life at that age. Her naivety and lack of self esteem make you want to either give her a good shake or jump into the pages and lamp the other characters for their unkindness. I liked the description of her "hedonistic melancholy" during the summer holidays which reminded me that actually, her plight was still within the confines of a very safe, secure and loving home which prevent things becoming too bleak. The quick and fluent switching between Lizzie and Cassie's voices also keeps the book moving at a good pace, full of vitality and life. The mood is light and entertaining. Jordan has struck a perfect balance between amusing her readers but not belittling or patronising mothers or their daughters. The writing is authentic and sensitive.

I wasn't quite prepared for the last quarter of the novel when things take a very dramatic turn of events but this gives the characters a chance to complete their emotional journeys; to mature, gain some understanding and self realisation and wrap the story up in a very satisfying resolution. Be warned though - it's a bit of an emotional roller coaster on the way there, with some much more touching, emotional and tear jerking moments to survive first!

The book is about relationships, friendships, growth, deception and grief. The characters are flawed  but the novel is about being able to forgive yourself for being flawed; to accept it and move on. It is about the fragility and strength of life and that "wanting deprives you of contentment and happiness.....don't miss what you actually have.." And I'm going to finish my review with the words of Grandad - "It's not a life, it's an adventure." I hope you enjoy joining Lizzie and Cassie on theirs!

I got a copy of this book for 99p on Kindle on 6th March 2016 - an absolute bargain!

For further recommendations, reviews and bookish chat follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK))