The Colour of Shadows by Phyllida Shrimpton

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 368 

Publisher: Hot Key Books 

Released: 7th of February 2019 

A moving portrayal of a teenager coming to terms with a secret about her mother that her father decided to keep from her... was he right to do so? Saffron must work that out...

Seventeen year old Saffron discovers a secret in the attic - a secret that changes both her past and her future...

Having believed ten years ago that her mother had become ill and subsequently died, Saffron learns that her mother is in fact alive and well. Angry at the years of deceit from her father and step mother, she goes in search of the truth about her mother - and leaves home. 

Homeless and alone, Saffron has to deal with the mental turmoil and anger at her father as she processes the lies she has been told. And then Saffron comes face to face with the dangers of being a homeless teenage girl... 

What I Have to Say 

I really didn't get on with this book, but it gave me a lot to think about. The issues surrounding homelessness were present through so much in this book but there's also themes of privilege and assumption included that I really want to talk about. 

So one of the first problems I found with this book was that neither of the characters were really very sympathetic. Saffron was very angry throughout the book and I understand that. It's obvious how much pain she was going through. But the fact is that an abrasive character like this is really hard to like. Tom was easier to sympathise with, but I hated him so much for just dismissing Saffron's pain as "drama" and leaving her on the street because he assumes that she'll just go home.

I got into the book a bit before the end and there were some really touching moments, especially between Melanie and Saffron.

It was a book that said a lot and I wish I could have liked it more.

My thanks go to Netgalley and Hot Key Books for providing me with this free copy for review. 

The Liar's Handbook by Keren David

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 88

Publisher: Barrington Stoke 

Released: 15th of January 2017 

River's life is blown apart when his mum invites her new boyfriend into their home and their lives. River is instantly suspicious of Jason he seems fake, too good to be true.

At school, River's routine fibs are escalating into something more serious, and his teacher gives him a notebook in the hope he can channel his fantasies into creative writing instead. And so, River begins The Liar's Handbook, and an investigation into Jason.

But what he uncovers is a terrible deception involving his biological father, the police force and his mum's environmental campaign group... but will anyone take his findings seriously?

What I Have to Say 

Another really emotional story about a boy who doesn't know his father. For River, his life is about lying, He has so many gaps in his life that he likes to fill with make believe, because his imagination is better than the truth. And if he doesn't know then it means that there's a possibility it could be true right? 

The book is set out as River's journal, a book given to him to write down his make believe in the hopes of curbing his lies, but instead River sets out to create a handbook of how to be good at lying. Each chapter is titled with a rule for how to lie, what to do or not to do. It's a really nice way to set out the book and makes it interesting to see what each chapter will be titled and how it will link to what's happening in the story. 

The whole mystery surrounding Jason and River's biological father is really interesting. Though short, it contains a lot of different pieces of information that connect up to make an even more interesting solution. 

I enjoyed every minute of the book and it's the sort of book that gives you a lot to think about afterwards. 

My thanks go to Barrington Stoke and Nina Douglas for providing me with this copy for review.