Kylie is used to the good life – a luxurious home, a buzzing social scene, and plenty of money for whatever she needs. Her Dad isn’t around much, but pays for everything she could want, and best of all, never tells her “no”. OK, her relationship with her mum could be better – the woman needs to lighten up and appreciate what she has, right? Still, she has her cute little sister, she has some great friends around her, she’s done with school and planning some time in Europe – life is pretty sweet.

Unfortunately for Kylie, life doesn’t stay rosy for long. The police show up at her door and things start to go downhill quickly. Forced to leave town and cope without her dad and his money for the first time, it seems like she’s losing everything. As she tries to adjust to her new circumstances and small town life, will Kylie find that everything is as bad as it seems? Or will she discover a new way of looking at her friends, her family and the way she’s been living her life?

This endearing and sometimes poignant YA coming-of-age tale is the second book I’ve read by Rayna York, and is my favourite so far. The author successfully negotiates the challenge of giving us a real, flawed teenager as the central character for her story, who has a lot of growing up to do and isn’t always the most likeable, but who nonetheless never quite loses our interest and sympathy as she finds her way through difficult times. The story imparts some important life lessons to Kylie without ever preaching, and her gradual transformation over the course of the book is a pleasure to see unfold.

Overall, I highly recommend this book – it’s the best indie YA story I’ve read for some time. Looking forward to more from Rayna York!