Drawing With Light by Julia Green

Kat and Emily have grown up without their mother for almost as long as they can remember. And now Dad is with Cassy and they all muddle along together well enough - even though they are living in a cramped caravan while their new house is being renovated. Then Cassy and Dad tell them that Cassy is pregnant, and everything seems to shift. Emily feels a new urge to find her own mother. How could she have left them the way she did? Never writing to them? Not communicating with them? And as Emily begins her search, not knowing what she will find, she is at the same time embarking on a new relationship of her own, that of her romance with Seb. This is an evocative and finely drawn novel about family relationships, in particular that of mother and daughter, and the shifting emotions of a teenager trying to make sense of her family and her world.
 
 This is the first book I have read of Green's, and I was really impressed. The storyline was great - it mainly focused on family, but it also had hints of romance, and was, in a way, a coming-of-age novel. Throughout the story, Green really delves into Emily's life, and combined with the memories and stories told, the reader really feels more like friends with Emily than just an observer. Green's writing really captures teenage readers attention, with a perfect balance between description and conversation. Also, the small hints about Emily's mother, Cassy, Bob and Seb throughout the novel keep the reader hooked, and the unfolding of the mystery right at the end really leaves the reader feeling satisfied. I honestly enjoyed it, and really want to reader another one of her books soon.
Rating:4/5