Scarlett

Last week I read Cathy Cassidy's Lucky Star, and I had an awful feeling that I was growing out of love with her books, as well, I didn't really enjoy it and neither of the characters (Cat and Mouse) felt that real to me... But, this is another week, and thank goodness I tried Scarlett, because I adored it!

The whole issue of childhood anger and loathing (both of self and of everyone else) is well pitched, as is the fairy-tale ending, that just might be a little too much, but only in retrospect, as when you're reading it, it's just right.

The story is about Scarlett - angry, hair dyed the colour of tomato-ketcup, pierced tongue (though she's only 12) - who lives with her workaholic mum and hates everything. She's kicked out of school and ends up in Ireland, having to live with her dad and step-family in an idyllic cottage in the middle of nowhere. Which really doesn't make her happy... But, there's a wild boy and a black horse, a sweet, kind step-mum and time enough for Scarlett to see that some of the things wrong in her life are actually caused by herself - however much she wants to blame everyone else for it all.

There's wishes, wild mint and a happy ending. Really, this is a curl-up-on-the-sofa read, and not any the worse for that.