I absolutely adored this book - from the very first chapter it hooks you in.
Esther comes from a strange family, her Dad has been living in the basement for 6 years, her mum is a gambling addict and her twin brother is terrified of the dark. She feels that the family is subject to a curse and has made her own list of 50 worst nightmares. If she avoids these dangers then she can avoid the curse of death.
Enter Jonah, a old school friend who steals from her on the bus, finds the list and decides that, together, they should work their way through her fears.
Add in a grandfather who says he has met Death on a number of occasions and a selectively mute best friend and this really does sound like the sort of craziness that it would be hard to become involved with as a reader.
However this book just sucks you in completely. Jonah's world also sucks and you find yourself deeply involved with every single one of the characters.
It's about facing your fears but also about realising that accepting help is the first step.
As fractured lives improve there is one, literally, heart stopping moment where I was virtually in tears - such is the power of this book.
This may involve mainly teenage protagonists but is definitely not limited to a YA readership.
An absolute stunner of a book!
Esther comes from a strange family, her Dad has been living in the basement for 6 years, her mum is a gambling addict and her twin brother is terrified of the dark. She feels that the family is subject to a curse and has made her own list of 50 worst nightmares. If she avoids these dangers then she can avoid the curse of death.
Enter Jonah, a old school friend who steals from her on the bus, finds the list and decides that, together, they should work their way through her fears.
Add in a grandfather who says he has met Death on a number of occasions and a selectively mute best friend and this really does sound like the sort of craziness that it would be hard to become involved with as a reader.
However this book just sucks you in completely. Jonah's world also sucks and you find yourself deeply involved with every single one of the characters.
It's about facing your fears but also about realising that accepting help is the first step.
As fractured lives improve there is one, literally, heart stopping moment where I was virtually in tears - such is the power of this book.
This may involve mainly teenage protagonists but is definitely not limited to a YA readership.
An absolute stunner of a book!