Every little piece of my heart

A teenager receives a parcel from her best friend Freya who left without warning or goodbyes months previously. It begins an unravelling of the mystery of what happened to Freya and why.

When Sophie receives a parcel from her best friend, Freya, she expects it to contain the reason why Freya left town so suddenly, without goodbyes and without explanation. Instead, she finds a letter addressed to Win, a girl Freya barely knew - or did she?

As more letters arrive for more people on the periphery of Freya's life, Sophie and Win begin to piece together who Freya was and why she left. Sometimes it's not about who's gone, but about who they leave behind...

NOTE : Very strong language throughout; scenes of violence. Sophie has lupus and this affects her actions throughout.

Freya left her old life in a hurry, without goodbyes and without an explanation. Her best friend Sophie has been waiting five months to hear from her - and then a parcel arrives from Freya. But inside is simply another layer, addressed to Win, a girl Freya barely knew. Or did she? Sophie and Win come together to try and work out what Freya is trying to tell them.

The mysterious set-up for this title engages straight away, and the strong characterisation ensures that each protagonist has an individual voice. The use of multiple narrators could be a distraction, but under this skilled author it contributes to the utterly compelling plot. As we uncover layers of Freya's former life, we see a selfish but vulnerable girl, who nevertheless has tried to point her former friends in the right direction.

Issues of chronic illness, anger management, family drama and sexuality are all touched upon in a realistic way that suits the characters involved. The author is never preachy and reists the temptation to create a neat ending in favour of a hopeful, yet realistic, conclusion. This should have great teen appeal and is well worth stocking in schools and libraries.

Very strong language throughout; scenes of violence