By Clare Furniss (author)
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Shortlisted for YA Book Prize 2017 | One of our Books of the Year 2016 | Longlisted for the UKLA 2017 Book Award | August 2016 Book of the Month Hattie’s life changes forever when she meets the great aunt she never knew she had. Gloria by name, and glorious by nature, this headstrong former actress, who likes a gin sling (or three), is in the early stages of dementia.
“Memories are what make us who we are,” Gloria remarks. “Without them we are nobody,” and so she and Hattie embark on an emotional road-trip, retracing significant paths from Gloria’s past. While Gloria battles memory loss and the turmoil that comes from disturbing one’s ghosts, Hattie has her own problems.
She’s pregnant by her close friend Reuben. She hasn’t told him, and he’s just got together with a new “hot” French girlfriend…
As Gloria relives and reveals the heartache around own experience of motherhood, there’s a strong sense of time running out for them both. Gloria doesn’t know how long she’ll have her memories, while Hattie has to make a decision about her pregnancy. “You can't be scared of regret,” Gloria advises. “All you can do is make the choice that seems right at the time." And that’s what Hattie does, as Gloria did before her.
This is a beautiful, bittersweet story about family bonds, the cycle of life and love in all its forms. ~ Joanne Owen
Publisher Passion Piece: Non Pratt's Trouble meets Thelma and Louise with a touch of Elizabeth is Missing b y Emma Healey, Clare Furniss' remarkable How Not To Disappear is an emotional rollercoaster of a novel that will make you laugh and break your heart.
A secret past. An uncertain future. An unforgettable journey that will reveal them both. A stunning new novel from the bestselling author of The Year of The Rat.
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Our memories are what make us who we are. Some are real. Some are made up. But they are the stories that tell us who we are. Without them we are nobody.
Hattie's summer isn't going as planned. Her two best friends have abandoned her: Reuben has run off to Europe to 'find himself and Kat is in Edinburgh with her new girlfriend. Meanwhile Hattie is stuck babysitting her twin siblings and dealing with endless drama around her mum's wedding. Oh, and she's also just discovered that she's pregnant with Reuben's baby...
Then Gloria, Hattie's great-aunt who no one even knew existed, comes crashing into her life. Gloria's fiercely independent, rather too fond of a gin sling and is in the early stages of dementia. Together the two of them set out on a road trip of self-discovery - Gloria to finally confront the secrets of her past before they are erased from her memory forever and Hattie to face the hard choices that will determine her future...
Praise for The Year of The Rat:
‘Beautifully written with a dry sense of humour’ Stylist
‘Impressive and moving’ Daily Mail
‘An assured debut’ The Bookseller
‘A strong new voice’ The Guardian
‘You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll love this book’ The Sun
‘A painful and touching debut’ Sunday Express
‘Pearl is throughly authentic in her distress’ Financial Times
‘A feel-good novel’ The Sunday Times
‘Incredibly gripping, enormously moving story’ Radio 2 Bookclub
‘A truly amazing read’ Malorie Blackman
Clare Furniss studied at Cambridge University and worked for several years in political media relations. She now lives in Bath and is completing an MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University.
UKLA Book Awards - 2017
the best books for teenagers
A secret past. An uncertain future.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed How Not to Disappear and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
How Not to Disappear features in the following genres: Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Recommendations, Featured Books for Young Adults, Recommended Children's eBooks, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Books of the Month
Paperback, Hardback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. Not Available.
How Not to Disappear was written by Clare Furniss and published by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books an imprint of Simon & Schuster Ltd
How Not to Disappear has 406 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. Not Available.
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