Finding Audrey

By Sophie Kinsella

A New York Times Bestseller & 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.
 
An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Children's Books
• Release date: Jun 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9780553536522

Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella es el pseudónimo de Madeleine Wickham, escritora británica y antigua periodista financiera. Kinsella es la autora de las novelas No te lo vas a creer, La reina de la casa, ¿Te acuerdas de mí? y Una chica años veinte, además de la popular serie protagonizada por Becky Bloomwood, «Loca por las compras», de la que se han vendido millones de ejemplares y ha sido traducida a más de treinta idiomas. Sophie confiesa que le encanta ir de compras y la vuelven loca las rebajas, pero asegura que siempre paga las facturas, solo viaja a Nueva York por razones culturales y mantiene una excelente relación con el director de su banco.

Book preview

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 Theory T-shirt, clutching his head and gibbering with panic.

Mum. His voice has gone all high-pitched with terror. "Mum, that’s my computer!"

I know it’s your computer! Mum cries hysterically. Don’t you think I know that?

Mum, please, can we talk about this?

I’ve tried talking! Mum lashes back. I’ve tried cajoling, arguing, pleading, reasoning, bribing…I’ve tried everything! EVERYTHING, Frank!

But I need my computer!

You do not need your computer! Mum yells, so furiously that I flinch.

"Mummy is going to throw the computer!" says Felix, running onto the grass and looking up in disbelieving joy. Felix is our little brother. He’s four. He greets most life events with disbelieving joy. A lorry in the street! Ketchup! An extra-long chip! Mum throwing a computer out of the window is just another one on the list of daily miracles.

Yes, and then the computer will break, says Frank fiercely. "And you won’t be able to play Star Wars ever again, ever."

Felix’s face crumples in dismay and Mum flinches with fresh anger.

Frank! she yells. Do not upset your brother!

Now our neighbours across the close, the McDuggans, have come out to watch. Their twelve-year-old son, Ollie, actually yells, Noooo! when he sees what Mum’s about to do.

Mrs. Turner! He hurries across the street to our lawn and gazes up pleadingly, along with Frank.

Ollie sometimes plays Land of Conquerors online with Frank if Frank’s in a kind mood and doesn’t have anyone else to play with. Now Ollie looks even more freaked out than Frank.

Please don’t break the computer, Mrs. Turner, he says, trembling. It has all Frank’s backed-up game commentaries on it. They’re so funny. He turns to Frank. They’re really funny.

Thanks, mutters Frank.

Your mum’s really like… He blinks nervously. She’s like Goddess Warrior Enhanced Level Seven.

I’m what? demands Mum.

"It’s a compliment, snaps Frank, rolling his eyes. Which you’d know if you played. Level Eight, he corrects Ollie.

Right, Ollie hastily agrees. Eight.

You can’t even communicate in English! Mum flips. Real life is not a series of levels!

Mum, please, Frank chimes in. I’ll do anything. I’ll stack the dishwasher. I’ll phone Grandma every night. I’ll… He casts wildly about. I’ll read to deaf people.

Read to deaf people? Can he actually hear what he’s saying?

Deaf people? Mum explodes. Deaf people? I don’t need you to read to deaf people! You’re the bloody deaf one around here! You never hear anything I say! You always have those wretched earphones in—

Anne!

I turn to see Dad joining the fray, and a couple of neighbours are stepping out of their front doors. This is officially a Neighbourhood Incident.

Anne! Dad calls again.

Let me do this, Chris, says Mum warningly, and I can see Dad gulp. My dad is tall and handsome in a car advert way, and he looks like the boss, but inside, he isn’t really an alpha male.

No, that sounds bad. He’s alpha in a lot of ways, I suppose. Only Mum is even more alpha. She’s strong and bossy and pretty and bossy.

I said bossy twice, didn’t I?

Well. Draw your own conclusions from that.

I know you’re angry, sweetheart, Dad’s saying soothingly. But isn’t this a little extreme?

Extreme? He’s extreme! He’s addicted, Chris!

I’m not addicted! Frank yells.

I’m just saying—

What? Mum finally turns her head to look at Dad properly. What are you saying?

If you drop it there, you’ll damage the car. Dad winces. Maybe shift to the left a little?

I don’t care about the car! This is tough love! She tilts the computer more precariously on the window ledge and we all gasp, including the watching neighbours.

Love? Frank is shouting up at Mum. If you loved me you wouldn’t break my computer!

Well, if you loved me, Frank, you wouldn’t get up at two a.m. behind my back to play online with people in Korea!

You got up at two a.m.? says Ollie to Frank, wide-eyed.

Practicing. Frank shrugs. "I was practicing, he repeats to Mum with emphasis. I have a tournament coming up! You’ve always said I should have a goal in life! Well, I have!"

"Playing Land of Conquerors is not a goal! Oh God, oh God… She bangs her head on the computer. Where did I go wrong?"

Oh, Audrey, says Ollie suddenly, spotting me. Hi, how are you?

I shrink back from my position at my bedroom window in fright. My window is tucked away on a corner, and no-one was meant to notice me. Least of all Ollie, who I’m pretty sure has a tiny crush on me, even though he’s two years younger than me and barely reaches up to my chest.

Look, it’s the celebrity! quips Ollie’s dad, Rob. He’s been calling me the celebrity for the last four weeks, even though Mum and Dad have separately been over to ask him to stop. He thinks it’s funny and that my parents have no sense of humour. (I’ve often noticed that people equate having a sense of humour with being an insensitive moron.)

This time, though, I don’t think Mum or Dad has even heard Rob’s oh-so-witty joke. Mum is still moaning Where did I go wroooong? and Dad is peering at her anxiously.

You didn’t go wrong! he calls up. Nothing’s wrong! Darling, come down and have a drink. Put the computer down…for now, he adds hastily at her expression. You can throw it out of the window later.

Mum doesn’t move an inch. The computer is rocking still more precariously on the windowsill, and Dad flinches. Sweetheart, I’m just thinking about the car…We’ve only just paid it off… He moves towards the car and holds out his hands, as though to shield it from plummeting hardware.

Get a blanket! says Ollie, springing to life. Save the computer! We need a blanket. We’ll form a circle…

Mum doesn’t even seem to hear him.

I breast-fed you! she shrieks at Frank. "I read you Winnie-the-Pooh! All I wanted was a well-rounded son who would be interested in books and art and the outdoors and museums and maybe a competitive sport…"

"LOC is a competitive sport! yells Frank. You don’t know anything about it! It’s a serious thing! You know, the prize pot in the international LOC competition in Toronto this year is six million dollars!"

So you keep telling us! Mum erupts. So, what, you’re going to win that, are you? Make your fortune?

Maybe. He gives her a dark look. "If I get enough practice."

Frank, get real! Her voice echoes around the close, shrill and almost scary. "You’re not entering the international LOC competition, you’re not going to win the bloody six-million-dollar prize pot, and you’re not going to make your living from gaming! IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!"

A MONTH EARLIER

It all begins with the Daily Mail. Quite a lot of things in our house begin with the Daily Mail.

Mum starts twitching in that way she does. We’ve had supper and cleared away and she’s been reading the paper with a glass of wine—Me time, she calls it—and she’s paused at an article. I can see the headline over her shoulder:

THE EIGHT SIGNS YOUR CHILD IS

ADDICTED TO COMPUTER GAMES

Oh my God, I hear her murmur. "Oh my God." Her finger is moving down the list and she’s breathing fast. As I squint over, I catch a subheading:

7. IRRITABILITY AND MOODINESS.

Ha. Ha ha.

That’s my hollow laugh, in case you didn’t get that.

I mean, seriously, moodiness? Like, James Dean was a moody teenager in Rebel Without a Cause (I have the poster, best film poster ever, best movie ever, sexiest movie star ever, why, why, why did he have to die?). So James Dean must therefore have been addicted to video games? Oh, wait.

Exactly.

But there’s no point saying any of this to my mum, because it’s logical and my mum doesn’t believe in logic, she believes in horoscopes and green tea. Oh, and of course the Daily Mail.

THE EIGHT SIGNS MY MUM IS ADDICTED TO THE DAILY MAIL:

1. She reads it every day.

2. She believes everything it says.

3. If you try to take it out of her grasp, she pulls it back sharply and says Leave it! like you’re trying to kidnap her precious young.

4. When it runs a scare story about Vitamin D, she makes us all take our shirts off and sunbathe. (Freeze-bathe, more like.)

5. When it runs a scare story about melanoma, she makes us all put on sunscreen.

6. When it runs a story about the face cream that really DOES work, she orders it that moment. Like, she gets out her iPad then and there.

7. If she can’t get it on holiday, she gets major withdrawal symptoms. I mean, talk about irritability and moodiness.

8. She once tried to give it up for Lent. She lasted half a morning.

Anyway. There’s nothing I can do about my mum’s tragic dependency except hope that she doesn’t do too much damage to her life. (She’s already done major damage to our living room, after reading an Interiors piece about Why not hand paint all your furniture?)

So then Frank ambles into the kitchen, wearing his black I MOD, THEREFORE I AM T-shirt, his earphones in and his phone in his hand. Mum lowers the Daily Mail and stares at him as though the scales have fallen from her eyes.

(I’ve never understood that. Scales?

Anyway. Whatever.)

Frank, she says, how many hours have you played on your computer games this week?

Define computer games, Frank says, without looking up from his phone.

What? Mum looks at me uncertainly, and I shrug. You know. Computer games. How many hours? FRANK! she yells, as he makes no move to respond. How many hours? Take those things out of your ears!

What? says Frank, taking his earphones out. He blinks at her as though he didn’t hear the question. Is this important?

Yes this is important! Mum spits. I want you to tell me how many hours you’re spending per week playing computer games. Right now. Add it up.

I can’t, says Frank calmly.

"You can’t? What do you mean, you can’t?"

I don’t know what you’re referring to, says Frank, with elaborate patience. Do you mean literally computer games? Or do you mean all screen games, including Xbox and PlayStation? Do you include games on my phone? Define your terms.

Frank is such a moron. Couldn’t he see Mum was in one of her pre-rant build-ups?

I mean anything that warps your mind! says Mum, brandishing the Daily Mail. Do you realize the dangers of these games? Do you realize your brain isn’t developing properly? Your BRAIN, Frank! Your most precious organ.

Frank gives a dirty snigger, which I can’t help giggling at. Frank is actually pretty funny.

I’ll ignore that, says Mum stonily. It only goes to prove what I was saying.

No it doesn’t, says Frank, and opens the fridge. He takes out a carton of chocolate milk and drains it, straight from the carton, which is gross.

Don’t do that! I say furiously.

There’s another carton. Relax.

I’m putting a limit on your playing, young man. Mum bats the Daily Mail for emphasis. I’ve just about had enough of this.

Young man. That means she’s going to drag Dad into it. Any time she starts using young man or young woman, sure enough the next day there’s some ghastly family meeting, where Dad tries to back up everything Mum says, even though he can’t follow half of it.

Anyway, not my problem.

Until Mum arrives in my bedroom that evening and demands,

"Audrey, what is Land of Conquerors?"

I look up from Grazia and survey her. She looks tense. Her cheeks are pink and her right hand is all clenched, as if it’s just come off a computer mouse. She’s been Googling computer game addiction, I just know she has.

A game.

I know it’s a game! Mum sounds exasperated. "But why does Frank play it all the time? You don’t play it all the time, do you?"

No. I’ve played LOC, and I really don’t get the obsession. I mean, it’s OK for an hour or two.

So what’s the appeal?

Well, you know. I think for a moment. It’s exciting. You get rewards. And the heroes are pretty good. Like, the graphics are amazing, and they just released this new warrior team with new capabilities, so… I shrug.

Mum looks more bewildered than ever. The trouble is, she doesn’t play games. So it’s kind of impossible to convey to her the difference between LOC 3 and, say, Pac-Man from 1985.

They show it on YouTube, I say in sudden inspiration. People do commentaries. Hang on.

As I’m finding a clip on my iPad, Mum sits down and looks around the room. She’s trying to act casual, but I can sense her beady blue eyes scanning my piles of stuff, looking for…what? Anything. Everything. The truth is, Mum and I haven’t done casual for a while. Everything is loaded.

With everything that’s happened, that’s one of the saddest things of all. We can’t be normal with each other anymore. The tiniest thing I say, Mum’s all over it, even if she doesn’t realize it. Her brain goes into overdrive. What does it mean? Is Audrey all right? What’s Audrey really saying?

I can see her looking closely at a pair of old ripped jeans on my chair, as though they hold some dark significance. Whereas in fact the only significance they hold is: I’ve grown out of them. I’ve shot up about three inches in the last year, which makes me five eight. Quite tall for fourteen. People say I look like Mum, but I’m not as pretty as her. Her eyes are so blue. Like blue diamonds. Mine are wishy-washy—not that they’re particularly visible right now.

Just so you can visualize me, I’m fairly skinny, fairly nondescript, wearing a black vest-top and skinny jeans. And I wear dark glasses all the time, even in the house. It’s…Well. A thing. My thing, I suppose. Hence the celebrity quips from Rob our neighbour. He saw me in my dark glasses, getting out of the car in the rain, and he was all like, Why the shades? Are you Angelina Jolie?

I’m not trying to be cool. There’s a reason.

Which, of course, now you want to know.

I assume.

OK, it’s actually quite private. I’m not sure I’m ready to tell you yet. You can think I’m weird if you like. Enough people do.

Here we are. I find a clip of some LOC battle with Archy commentating. Archy is a YouTuber from Sweden who makes videos that Frank loves. They consist of Archy playing LOC and making funny commentaries on the game, and as I expected, it takes me forever to explain this concept to Mum.

But why would you watch someone else playing? she keeps saying, baffled. Why? Isn’t that a complete waste of time?

Well. Anyway. I shrug. "That’s LOC."

There’s silence for a moment. Mum is peering at the screen like some professor trying to decipher an ancient Egyptian code. There’s an almighty explosion and she winces.

"Why does it always have to be about killing? If

Reviews for Finding Audrey

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Because a person I don't yet trust says it's funny, and I've never read a Kinsella, and I might empathize personally with MC or Mom. But it is YA... so maybe be ready to give it only the 50 pp test.

Ok done. Well. The resolution depends on the romance and is too simplified, too implausible, for me. But we could argue that Audrey is an unreliable narrator about just how crazy her family is, and that her own personal strengths allow for more resilience than she realizes she has.

(Erm, sorry about the awkward sentences. I guess I need to not skip morning coffee.)

So, yeah, it's shallow, light, funny in a lightly Sedaris sort of way. Probably good for ppl who read about three books a year. I'm also guessing it appeals more to adult readers of YA (like Moms) even more than it does to teens?

[reader1009-863136 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

teen fiction (teen with extreme anxiety copes with her zany family and various social situations, mild romance).
Cute story and funny characters. A nice, light, fun read.

[stephanie_m-868484 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sophie Kinsella is such a guilty pleasure author for me. I haven't read one of her books in years but I always enjoyed reading about the hilarious, ridiculous and unfortunate situations her shopaholic protagonist found herself in. Her other novels are way, way more my faves.

Finding Audrey, though, could be Kinsella's strongest work to date. It's funny, sweet, heartwarming but also - I felt - an honest look at a teenage girl living with social anxiety. One of my favourite things about this book is that it's about one of those families that are loud, crazy, and often torn apart by arguments, but ultimately very close and loving towards one another. The dynamics Kinsella creates between the members of Audrey's family make this book very touching and honest. And, it is very well researched. Having had an anxiety disorder for most of my life, and having a daughter with an even worse one, I can say that the character's symptoms, actions, and thoughts are pretty spot on. The counselor 's statements and opinions are definitely word-for-word.

So in this novel, the main character, Audrey, is suffering from a severe anxiety disorder. She can hardly bear to leave the house and gets upset whenever anyone comes around. However, she does begin to establish a way of communicating through paper notes with one of Frank's friends - Linus. Who, by the way, is so freaking adorable, it was actually painful..! Their relationship blossomed, and this, in turn, helped Audrey as well.

BUT....! One of my main concerns when I started this book was that it would turn into another "love cures mental illness" tale. I hate that damaging and untrue message. But, though Linus offers support and friendship to Audrey, the author doesn't allow that message to come through. Kinsella shows recovery from mental illness as a long process of two steps forward and one step back. Even at the novel's close, Audrey has not been miraculously cured. And the most important message of all - DO NOT go off your meds without consulting your doctor..!!!!

I liked the characters, and their interactions. I liked that the book was a good balance of light-hearted silly humour and hard realism. It was really effective. This is a very enjoyable and touching book. I recommend all to read it, and soon.

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Audrey is struggling with an anxiety disorder caused by bullying at school. We see her road to recovery through her eyes as her family tries to support her. Much of the story focuses on her brother Frank and his fights with his mom regarding his addiction to gaming. The story is sweet and funny for the most part. She becomes close to her brother’s friends Linus and their exchanges are particularly cute. The plot feels as though it is leading to a big reveal about what happened, but we never get there. The structure threw me a bit because of that, but the rest of the story worked well.

[sweet_serenity · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a really well-written book. It had a great story. It gave an honest and insightful account of anxiety, a charming romance, a wacky family, and a good dash of humour. And on a stylistic level, the writing was very polished- it also had these little screen-play type things throughout that were a nice creative touch.

I did only give it four stars out of five- I think it was missing just that little bit of spark, poetry, depth needed to make it perfect (just for further clarity, my standard of "perfect" for this genre/style of writing would be Fangirl/The Fault in Our Stars, which is of course highly subjective).

Overall, a lovely book, which I strongly recommend.

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I picked this book up yesterday for a Group Book of the Month read and did not stop until I finished it. It is a YA book, but adults will enjoy it as well. Audrey is a 14 year old girl who has a severe Anxiety Disorder. It came to a head when she was badly bullied by a group of girls at her school (This is the back story, not detailed in this book). She has been home schooled for the rest of the year, going to a therapist and living in a slightly dysfunctional family. Her mother has taken a leave from work to be home with her and is clearly not a stay at home mom. She has latched on to the fact that her oldest son seems to be addicted to computer games and has gone just a little crazy with trying to get him to give them up. Audrey, on the other hand, is getting better. She meets Linus, a gamer friend of her brothers, and is finally able to speak to someone outside her therapist and family. This is a kind and gentle story of the process of healing, dealing with family, friends and the outside world. It also talks about life in general as being two steps forward and one step back. A very enjoyable and enlightening book. I think this should be a book that is read in High School English Classes.

[mervilyn-4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

View full review

● i have a physical copy
○ read an e-version, will definitely purchase physical book
○ read an e-version, a physical book will be appreciated
○ read an e-version, not interested in its physical book
● a page-turner
● less than 500 pages
● diverse in any way
○ something’s lacking
○ took me a long time to finish
● an LMAO read
● i laughed more than a few times
○ it’s j u s t awkward
○ gave me goosebumps
● one of the best books i’ve read
● painful & sad (considering Audrey, yes)
○ tear-jerker
○ a roller-coaster of emotions
○ thrilling
○ confusing
○ sooo relatable
○ it is kind of annoying
○ it has a lot of flashbacks
● it moved me
● would recommend!
● great even for a reread
● definitely a YAY
○ i’m sorry it’s a NAY
○ it’s between YAY and NAY

P L U S

I’m so bad at this. I don’t know what to say! The book already spoke for itself, speaking for it may ruin what it really has. It’s such a great read. I certainly did not expect to like this one cause I’m not a fan of “This Guy Helped Me Heal” thing but I loved it because Audrey also helped herself. Did that spoil anyone? Oops. AND Audrey’s mother is so, I don’t know, very suspiciously controlly motherly. Does that make any sense? It should. She’s really that. I’m not needing any prequel or sequel from this book. I just need a little explanation. Or is it like that, leave readers hanging and not telling what made Audrey like that? I feel cheated. Anyway, with or without the explanation, I love how uplifting this book is. Recommended to those recovering from anything.

[criticalnes · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A protagonist with general anxiety, social anxiety and depression? Got me intrigued and wanting it so bad. It's just so uncommon. It's also treated well and more realistic than usual, with therapists, medication, exposure therapy. Even Audrey's thoughts were really realistic.

I didn't rate it higher because I felt it was too easy of a resolution, she dates Linus really easily which is just unrealistic to me. Even if she was in the dark and felt safer to do things, I still feel how they ended up on it is actually too simplistic and easy. Also found she had was really anxiety, her depression had cleared and been resolved by the start of the book. She had to deal with her anxieties, especially social.

It was really funny and heart-warming without putting it's foot on the mouth.

I didn't like how they kept saying the Grandma with Alzheimer was crazy though, and Audrey's mom definitely has issues what with all the crazy things she did. Hello it's not normal to spy on kids and wreck their laptops because of a game.

All in all, a decent book with some issues but still enjoyable.

[fearstreetzombie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I actually finished this book a few days ago but I have still been trying to process my thoughts on this book. The book was great, don't get me wrong. It's just that is was SO great that is the problem. Lol

I don't know what took me so long to read this. I remember seeing it around in a lot of stores and in the library and I always glanced at it but never picked it up. This time, I couldn't help myself and I am glad I got it because, oh my gosh, Finding Audrey is freaking amazing!

I want to say the problem I had with the book is that whatever happened to her wasn't addressed. The reader doesn't know what happened to her so it makes it kinda hard to connect with her. All we know is something REALLY BAD happened and everyone has to tiptoe to not trigger her. But as someone with severe anxiety, I get why it was written that way. I understand how damaging and dangerous it can be. But on the other hand, I feel like someone who doesn't have anxiety or depression won't understand it so it would be harder for them to connect with her.
I'm really hoping that makes sense. Lol

At some points, I hated all the characters except Frank. On the other hand, I loved them all. Because to me, they all represented some form of mental illness. Though I doubt the author meant for them to be that, that is just how I see them. OCD, Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Bi-polar.... the works. Lol
And they weren't really ashamed of it. They were just "that" family. And I loved that.

Mental illness is such a sensitive subject. There is so much stigma. So it's always like a breath of fresh air when you read a book that hits the nail on the head that shows it's real. That is does happen. But it's also something you can work with and manage and overcome.

I really loved the ending of this book. I really hope everyone that reads it, finishes it. Because I admit there were times when I wanted to put it down for a while. (Mainly because of the mom and checked out dad) but i literally couldn't put it down. I needed to know how it would end. And the ending did not disappoint. This has got to be one of the most happiest endings I have ever read. Ever.

I would recommend this book.



***IN ADDITION***
(possible spoilers, be warned)

Because I know I will get some hate somewhere that she got "better" because of a "boy" and I would just like to say that is only part true. Here is my thought on it.
After what happened to her, I wouldn't doubt she has trust issues with girls. Even with her best friend. I think if Linus had been a girl, Audrey would still be in her din with her glasses on.

Linus was the key to helping her get better. Because her family and therapist couldn't. She said it herself that they were her safe place. So of course they wouldn't push her and if they did, she could easily ignore them or walk away.

At first I despised Linus. Because of all the things he said. I couldn't help but to hate him. But the more he came around, he helped set goals for her and she never had to do them alone. He also made them fun to do. He showed her "I can do it, you can too." and I think that is important to someone with anxiety. And if things went wrong, he helped. And by that, I do mean what he did in Starbucks. that was really awesome of him to do.

That's just my thought on it though.

[whybehave2002 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Growing up is hard. Kids aren't nice and sometimes neither are their parents. It could make anyone overload. It's how you wiggle yourself out of the muck that matters. Surviving the teenage years...

[terris-7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this YA novel about a young teen-aged girl who has been through a traumatic experience at school (which is never explained in complete detail). She is now going to therapy for an anxiety disorder, is excused from going to school for a few months, and wears dark glasses all the time. However, it seems that the rest of this dysfunctional family are not in much better condition! Although, the book deals with this family's problems, it is told in a fairly light way and much of it is funny. I enjoyed it immensely, not wanting to put it down until I was finished to see how it was all going to end. It is recommended for 7th grade and up, but I enjoyed it a lot!!

[brokentune · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finding Audrey is the perfect example of how prejudice works: Sophie Kinsella is mostly known for her Shopaholic series of chick-lit novels which by their description alone appeal to me just as much as root canal treatment. So, to persuade me to take a chance on this book, it has taken several great reviews from reader friends, a free copy off the library shelves, and a sample chapter right there and then at the library.

Fortunately for the book, it started with one of the funniest scenes I had read in a while: a mother is threatening to throw her son's computer out of the window.

As the story unfolds, we learn that her son's computer addiction is not the only difficulty that the parents have to deal with - there is also their daughter's anxiety disorder. While it sounds like a drab story of parents living in teenage hell, the story is actually narrated by Audrey, the daughter who, tho reclusive, sets out to explore her surroundings and find herself after a traumatic experience left her in hiding.

It may be the author's "chick-lit" background that gave her an advantage in making light of what is a difficult subject, but it really works. As we follow Audrey, we discover a backstory that is at points difficult to read, especially when reading at an age that may afford (slightly) more wisdom on how to deal with difficult situations. I say may afford, because even tho this book was written for a YA readership (yes, another genre I try to avoid), Kinsella's approach to telling Audrey's story also holds a few aspects for older readers to ponder about - such as issues relating to schemes that try to reconcile victims with offenders by letting them meet face to face; or the uses of medication in PTSD.

In short, I would not have believed it, but Finding Audrey was a thoughtful and thought-provoking read, and while I am probably not going to read the Shopaholic series (ever), I have no issues recommending this one to friends and fellow readers.

[kristymk18-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finding Audrey portrays social anxiety and depression in a heartfelt and true way while still keeping humor in the story. Being in Audrey's head it was easy to see how debilitating anxiety can be. I've never had social anxiety as bad as Audrey, but I do experience it from time to time and could really relate to what Audrey felt. Her family's acceptance and help throughout was touching and when Linus enters the picture, he joins her support group in the sweetest ways.

I also loved the side characters. Audrey's mom's idiosyncrasies were hilarious and her brother, Frank, created many laugh out loud moments. His obsession with video games (and in turn, his mom's obsession of ridding him of them) was so relevant to today and creates great comic relief from what could have been an overly heavy book. I honestly wasn't expecting to laugh as much as I did during this book.

Audrey's journey to recovery is a constant battle and I loved how her therapist equates it to a graph that resembles heartbeats. Audrey so desperately wants her progress to be a straight incline, but like many things in life, it is a constant battle with lots of ups and downs.

Finding Audrey is a short, but very worthwhile read.

[thoughtbox-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Books intended for young adults tend to be more direct. There's not as much beating around the bush or tediously in-depth descriptions of the bush that grows outside the jail door to overtly-covertly hammer the theme into your head (I don't much like you, Nathaniel Hawthorne). Instead, the story lives or dies on its own merits.
And that's refreshing. Don't get me wrong, I can enjoy a good literary novel, but they often come off as possessing an excess or distinct lack of plotting. So it's nice to have a writer just tell a story.
Finding Audrey is about Audrey's "reawakening" after an bullying incident triggered anxiety issues. Along the way, her interactions with her mom (crazy), older brother (addicted to gaming), dad (out of it) and little brother (hilarious) provide lots of fodder for a solid book.

[whitneyypl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Teenager Audrey suffers from debilitating social anxiety disorder after an undisclosed bullying incident at school. As a result, she rarely leaves the house and constantly wears dark glasses to avoid making eye contact with people, even her family. Her older brother Frank is addicted to video games much to the dismay of their mother. His friend and fellow gamer Linus starts coming around and slowly helps Audrey emerge from her self-imposed prison, along with the help of her therapist Dr. Sarah.

The audiobook version read by Gemma Whelan is very well done. I loved the mother's voice when she got riled up. Too funny! I enjoyed watching Audrey venture outside of herself and learn to enjoy life again. My only complaint is that very few details of the incident surrounding her issues are shared. I had to piece together what I could, but I kept listening waiting to hear about what horrific incident left her so broken. Nonetheless, this was highly enjoyable! I recommend it to grades 6-12. -EC

[oddandbookish · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a cute book. Not my favorite Sophie Kinsella book, but still good.

I really liked how the book addressed mental illness since that's a very important topic. Sophie Kinsella did a good job at illustrating what it's like to have an anxiety disorder.

I loved the scenes between Frank and their mum. They were so funny, especially the scene when they go for a run.

Frank reminded me of Hunter Hollingsworth from Degrassi. They're both moody gamers with big hands.

Also, Sophie Kinsella books always make me want to live in England. I don't know why; they just do. Side note: I was also sort of reminded of the Georgia Nicholson series while reading this book.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it seemed a bit short. I felt that it could have been developed a little bit more.

[tjsjohanna_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought this book captured the emotions of Audrey very well - fear and anxiety and depression. What was less convincing was her healing. While I loved the fact that Audrey was willing to move out of her comfort zone because of her interest in Linus, her ability to so quickly resume a somewhat normal life seemed to easy after our first introduction to Audrey and her severe anxiety.

[jak1886 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was alright. I didn't absolutely love it, didn't hate it. I would say, though, that it did provide me some insight into what people with severe anxiety go through. Can I say it's accurate? No. I don't suffer from anxiety, so I cannot speak to this. However, from what I do know about it, I'd say it's at least close.

Sophie Kinsella has a knack for creating characters that push my buttons. In this book, it's the mom. In the beginning part of the book, I couldn't stand her. She was irrational and I hate that. However, there are things that are revealed a little later in the book that made me sympathize with her a little more and, while I didn't agree with the way she handled things, made me better understand her. At the end, she didn't bother me much at all. Sophie Kinsella progressed all her characters throughout this book, not just Audrey. I also kind of liked that she never really reveals what sent Audrey into a tailspin of severe anxiety and only hints at it. It isn't really important to the story. It's more about Audrey's struggle with anxiety.

This book is somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars. I gave it 3 because, to me, it isn't quite up to 4. This is a good story, though, and a quick read.

[cecilturtle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Audrey is having problems. Although obviously smart and pretty, she is paralysed with depression and anxiety.
Kinsella has a delightful way with words both funny and expressive. She uses them, this time, to look at a difficult and painful topic: mental illness. Kinsella manages the balance between funny and poignant, silly and distressing. Her characters are not dumbed down, and while she does overdo the funny bits (which is precisely why they're funny), she does not gloss over the tough issues. While one might reproach her for not better broaching the bullying aspect of the story, it in fact serves it well: this is about Audrey and her difficult climb back into the world.
I will definitely be recommending this little novel to the teens around me, both as a lesson and as a compassionate look at suffering.

[twink_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The opening prologue of Finding Audrey - the newest novel from Sophie Kinsella - had me hooked. We're quickly introduced to the Turner family - as they attempt to dissuade Mum from throwing her son Frank's computer out the upstairs window. Dad and younger son Felix are outside, pleading with her to not do it. The last family member is Audrey - who is watching from inside the house with her sunglasses on.

The novel is told from Audrey's view. Her voice and the reason for the dark glasses are immediately compelling....

"The trouble is, depression doesn't come with handy symptoms like spots and a temperature, so you don't realize at first. You keep saying 'I'm fine' to people when you're not fine. You think you should be fine. You keep saying to yourself: 'Why aren't I fine?'"

Kinsella does a fantastic job tackling the issues of anxiety and depression. The exact circumstances that led to Audrey's current situation are never fully detailed - which is perfect. Instead the focus is on Audrey and her progress. And that progress picks up speed when she meets Frank's friend Linus....

I loved this book! I found myself laughing out loud many, many times. And just as many spent on sympathizing with Audrey's plight.

The characters are so engaging. It's impossible not to like Audrey. Her brother Frank's strategies and ploys to circumvent Mum's computer ban are epic. Wee Felix has few lines, but his sweetness is tangible. Dad is a bit of a bumbler and Mum is a bit of hard nose. (It was Mum I had the hardest time liking) But what they all share is a love for Audrey and a desire to help her feel better. Each family member is coping and supporting her in their own way. Linus - well, Linus is lovely. And I truly hope there are teen boys like him out there. Audrey's psychiatrist, Dr. Sarah, was also a great addition to the supporting cast. Her quiet advice is full of many truths.

Finding Audrey is about Audrey finding herself - and realizing that "...life is all about climbing up, slipping down, and picking yourself up again. And it doesn't matter if you slip down. As long as you're kind of heading more or less upwards. That's all you can hope for. More or less upwards."

Kinsella injects her humourous style into her first YA novel, but also handles real and serious issues with a realistic eye. Well done.

[jillrhudy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fun, hilarious, totally relevant. As a mother, I totally related to the mom's failure to understand the teens and set (or relax) rules and limits. A novel full of riffs on the generational digital divide and parents' struggles to understand how teens relate to the online world shown through the teens' eyes--what could be more entertaining? I loved the irony of the parents wanting the kids "off the internet" but then panicking and turning to the kids for help when THEIR favorite aspects of the internet (Facebook) don't function. And "no screens" sounds like a great rule, until you realize you just cut yourself off from streaming your favorite shows commercial free.

The family of five has been derailed due to a serious bullying incident that has driven Audrey into a near mental breakdown. Circling the wagons protectively around Audrey while she heals has adverse effects on everyone except the four-year-old. The well-meaning parents are clueless, but the kids ultimately find their own way, because the parents provide love and structure (and a good therapist for Audrey) along with all their misfires and confusion. There's a teenage love story for Audrey too, with her brother's gaming buddy, Linus, who turns out to be quite therapeutic himself. Audrey finds her way out of social anxiety and Frank finds his way out of a life completely dominated by video games. By the end, Audrey's ongoing tongue-in-cheek film documentary, "My Serene and Loving Family," isn't such a joke, because it was always a loving family, and, while "serene" isn't really an option given the mix of personalities, everyone is more relaxed and connected. They have all recovered together.

[nbmars · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a very funny and touching book about a very serious subject.

Fourteen-year-old Audrey Turner is trying to recover from some sort of vicious bullying (never specified in detail) by other girls at school. She withdrew from school, and still wears sunglasses even around the house, which in any event, she rarely leaves except to see her therapist, Dr. Sarah (a wonderfully-written character). Audrey’s family is quirky and chaotic, but supportive. Still, it seems like an uphill road until a friend of her older brother Frank’s, Linus, tentatively and sensitively reaches out to Audrey. He is able to help her in a way no one else has been able to do, and the whole family finally figures out how to achieve some peace and closure.

Discussion: There is a great deal of humor and absurdity in this wonderful story told in a mix of formats, reminding me a bit of Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple. The parents have their own frustrations, and end up acting out in ways that are well-meaning, if misguided. When Frank announces that members of the Turner family “do not understand the concept of love beyond their own self-serving version” and stalks out of the room, Audrey’s mom says to her dad, “That boy needs a hobby. . . We should never have let him give up the cello.”

Audrey sums up what many kids today think:

"The thing about Mum is, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s just, no adults do. They’re totally ignorant, but they’re in control. It’s nuts.”

I had not previously read any of the books by the very popular author, but I do think that has to change!

Evaluation: This is a delightful and heartwarming story, portraying a difficult coming-of-age theme with humor and compassion, and offering an uplifting look at the powerful effects of loving concern and understanding.