Amber, by Julie Sykes: reviewed by Sue Purkiss

What if a girl survives a terrible car accident which results in the death of the driver of the car in which she was a passenger - but finds she has completely lost her memory? What if, although she still remembers nothing, she finds there is something she can do which no-one else on Earth can? What if...?

Well, I can't tell you much else because it would spoil the story. That's always a problem with a review, but it's much more of an issue with this one because it develops in such unexpected directions. To begin with it seems as if it's going to be about the girl's search to discover her identity - and you soon realise there's going to be some romance along the way. But then it darts off in an unexpected direction - and then, very swiftly, in an even more unexpected direction. At first I wasn't sure if this was going to work. But it did. The book opens up like a flower and reveals all sorts of extraordinary things - and makes you think about some very important ideas: loyalty, trust, the relationship of the individual to society - not to mention the future of the planet.

But as well as all these things it's about a charismatic girl - the Amber of the title - and about first love. You want things to work out for her and for Dan, the boy she meets in her new life; but there comes a point where you can't see how they can. And at this point it becomes very difficult to stop reading.

There was only one little bit of it that I found a bit difficult to believe, and it wasn't any of the bits you might expect it to be. I wish I could discuss it, but I don't want to spoil the story - so you'll just have to read it  and then we can compare notes!

This book is an excellent, thought-provoking read - beautifully written as well - and I think teenage girls will love it. Will there be a sequel? There certainly could be!

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