Finding Audrey

Review PRAISE FOR FINDING AUDREY:"An outstanding tragicomedy that gently explores mental illness, the lasting effects of bullying, and the power of friends and loving family to help in the healing."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review "Kinsella's knack for humor and sensitivity shine."—Publishers Weekly"It's fun, it's quick, it's cute, but it also focuses on deeper topics with maturity and responsibility."—The Guardian (UK)"With her trademark wit and sass, Kinsella's sensitivity broaches the complexities of young adult mental health. [Her] Shopaholic series has long been popular with teens, and her YA debut will likely be just as happening, maybe even among Kinsella's adult readers."—Booklist"Sparkling dialogue, carefully developed characters, great parent-child interaction . . . all join to demonstrate the author's expertise in developing a compelling story."—School Library JournalA New York Times BestsellerA ZOELLA Book Club PickPRAISE fOR SOPHIE KINSELLA: “A Sophie Kinsella novel is like a box of Valentine’s Day chocolates.” —USA Today “Kinsella has a genuine gift for comic writing.”—The Boston Globe Product Description A ZOELLA Book Club Pick!From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shopaholic series comes a terrific blend of comedy, romance, and psychological recovery in a contemporary YA novel sure to inspire and entertain.Audrey wears dark glasses all the time, even in the house. She almost never goes out, doesn’t talk to new people, and finds making eye contact to be nearly impossible. But then one day she meets Linus. Linus is her brother’s friend and a sensitive spirit with whom she can talk through her fears. He makes her laugh and doesn’t leave her feeling like she’s being judged. As their friendship deepens, Audrey’s recovery gains momentum, and she and Linus begin to develop feelings for each other. But how can they have a future together when Audrey hasn’t dealt with her past? And how could anyone ever love her once they’ve seen her at her worst? “An outstanding tragicomedy that gently explores mental illness, the lasting effects of bullying, and the power of friends and loving family to help in the healing.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred “Kinsella’s knack for humor and sensitivity shine.” Publishers Weekly About the Author SOPHIE KINSELLA is the author of the bestselling Shopaholic series and the novels Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl,I’ve Got Your Number, and Wedding Night.Confessions of a Shopaholic was turned into a Hollywood movie. She lives in England.Visit her online at sophiekinsella.com and follow Sophie Kinsella on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. OMG, Mum’s gone insane. Not normal Mum-insane. Serious insane. Normal Mum-insane: Mum says, “Let’s all do this great gluten-free diet I read about in the Daily Mail!” Mum buys three loaves of gluten-free bread. It’s so disgusting our mouths curl up. The family goes on strike and Mum hides her sandwich in the flower bed and next week we’re not gluten free anymore. That’s normal Mum-insane. But this is serious insane. She’s standing at her bedroom window, which overlooks Rosewood Close, where we live. No, standing sounds too normal. Mum does not look normal. She’s teetering, leaning over the edge, a wild look in her eye. And she’s holding my brother Frank’s computer. It’s balanced precariously on the window ledge. Any minute, it’ll crash down to the ground. That’s seven hundred pounds’ worth of computer. Does she realize this? Seven hundred pounds. She’s always telling us we don’t know the value of money. She’s always saying stuff like “Do you have any idea how hard it is to earn ten pounds?” and “You wouldn’t waste that electricity if you had to pay for it.” Well, how about earning seven hundred pounds and then deliberately smashing it on the ground? Below us, on the front lawn, Frank is scampering about in his Big Bang The