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    Finding Audrey: A Novel
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    Finding Audrey: A Novel
    Unavailable
    Finding Audrey: A Novel
    Audiobook6 hours

    Finding Audrey: A Novel

    Written by Sophie Kinsella

    Narrated by Gemma Whelan

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shopaholic series comes a terrific blend of comedy, romance, and psychological recovery in a contemporary YA novel sure to inspire and entertain.

    An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey's daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother's gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she's never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJun 9, 2015
    ISBN9781101925331
    Unavailable
    Finding Audrey: A Novel
    Author

    Sophie Kinsella

    Sophie Kinsella has written a number of bestsellers, including the Shopaholic series, Twenties Girl, Remember Me?, The Undomestic Goddess, and Can You Keep a Secret? Confessions of a Shopaholic was made into a major motion picture starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy. Born in London, she studied at New College, Oxford. She lives in London with her husband and family.

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    Reviews for Finding Audrey

    4/5

    198 ratings24 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Audrey is struggling with an anxiety disorder caused by bullying at school. We see her road to recovery through her eyes as her family tries to support her. Much of the story focuses on her brother Frank and his fights with his mom regarding his addiction to gaming. The story is sweet and funny for the most part. She becomes close to her brother’s friends Linus and their exchanges are particularly cute. The plot feels as though it is leading to a big reveal about what happened, but we never get there. The structure threw me a bit because of that, but the rest of the story worked well.
    • 4/5
      This was a really well-written book. It had a great story. It gave an honest and insightful account of anxiety, a charming romance, a wacky family, and a good dash of humour. And on a stylistic level, the writing was very polished- it also had these little screen-play type things throughout that were a nice creative touch.

      I did only give it four stars out of five- I think it was missing just that little bit of spark, poetry, depth needed to make it perfect (just for further clarity, my standard of "perfect" for this genre/style of writing would be Fangirl/The Fault in Our Stars, which is of course highly subjective).

      Overall, a lovely book, which I strongly recommend.
    • 4/5
      I picked this book up yesterday for a Group Book of the Month read and did not stop until I finished it. It is a YA book, but adults will enjoy it as well. Audrey is a 14 year old girl who has a severe Anxiety Disorder. It came to a head when she was badly bullied by a group of girls at her school (This is the back story, not detailed in this book). She has been home schooled for the rest of the year, going to a therapist and living in a slightly dysfunctional family. Her mother has taken a leave from work to be home with her and is clearly not a stay at home mom. She has latched on to the fact that her oldest son seems to be addicted to computer games and has gone just a little crazy with trying to get him to give them up. Audrey, on the other hand, is getting better. She meets Linus, a gamer friend of her brothers, and is finally able to speak to someone outside her therapist and family. This is a kind and gentle story of the process of healing, dealing with family, friends and the outside world. It also talks about life in general as being two steps forward and one step back. A very enjoyable and enlightening book. I think this should be a book that is read in High School English Classes.
    • 3/5
      A protagonist with general anxiety, social anxiety and depression? Got me intrigued and wanting it so bad. It's just so uncommon. It's also treated well and more realistic than usual, with therapists, medication, exposure therapy. Even Audrey's thoughts were really realistic.

      I didn't rate it higher because I felt it was too easy of a resolution, she dates Linus really easily which is just unrealistic to me. Even if she was in the dark and felt safer to do things, I still feel how they ended up on it is actually too simplistic and easy. Also found she had was really anxiety, her depression had cleared and been resolved by the start of the book. She had to deal with her anxieties, especially social.

      It was really funny and heart-warming without putting it's foot on the mouth.

      I didn't like how they kept saying the Grandma with Alzheimer was crazy though, and Audrey's mom definitely has issues what with all the crazy things she did. Hello it's not normal to spy on kids and wreck their laptops because of a game.

      All in all, a decent book with some issues but still enjoyable.
    • 5/5
      Fun, hilarious, totally relevant. As a mother, I totally related to the mom's failure to understand the teens and set (or relax) rules and limits. A novel full of riffs on the generational digital divide and parents' struggles to understand how teens relate to the online world shown through the teens' eyes--what could be more entertaining? I loved the irony of the parents wanting the kids "off the internet" but then panicking and turning to the kids for help when THEIR favorite aspects of the internet (Facebook) don't function. And "no screens" sounds like a great rule, until you realize you just cut yourself off from streaming your favorite shows commercial free. The family of five has been derailed due to a serious bullying incident that has driven Audrey into a near mental breakdown. Circling the wagons protectively around Audrey while she heals has adverse effects on everyone except the four-year-old. The well-meaning parents are clueless, but the kids ultimately find their own way, because the parents provide love and structure (and a good therapist for Audrey) along with all their misfires and confusion. There's a teenage love story for Audrey too, with her brother's gaming buddy, Linus, who turns out to be quite therapeutic himself. Audrey finds her way out of social anxiety and Frank finds his way out of a life completely dominated by video games. By the end, Audrey's ongoing tongue-in-cheek film documentary, "My Serene and Loving Family," isn't such a joke, because it was always a loving family, and, while "serene" isn't really an option given the mix of personalities, everyone is more relaxed and connected. They have all recovered together.
    • 4/5
      Finding Audrey portrays social anxiety and depression in a heartfelt and true way while still keeping humor in the story. Being in Audrey's head it was easy to see how debilitating anxiety can be. I've never had social anxiety as bad as Audrey, but I do experience it from time to time and could really relate to what Audrey felt. Her family's acceptance and help throughout was touching and when Linus enters the picture, he joins her support group in the sweetest ways.I also loved the side characters. Audrey's mom's idiosyncrasies were hilarious and her brother, Frank, created many laugh out loud moments. His obsession with video games (and in turn, his mom's obsession of ridding him of them) was so relevant to today and creates great comic relief from what could have been an overly heavy book. I honestly wasn't expecting to laugh as much as I did during this book.Audrey's journey to recovery is a constant battle and I loved how her therapist equates it to a graph that resembles heartbeats. Audrey so desperately wants her progress to be a straight incline, but like many things in life, it is a constant battle with lots of ups and downs.Finding Audrey is a short, but very worthwhile read.
    • 4/5
      I actually finished this book a few days ago but I have still been trying to process my thoughts on this book. The book was great, don't get me wrong. It's just that is was SO great that is the problem. LolI don't know what took me so long to read this. I remember seeing it around in a lot of stores and in the library and I always glanced at it but never picked it up. This time, I couldn't help myself and I am glad I got it because, oh my gosh, Finding Audrey is freaking amazing!I want to say the problem I had with the book is that whatever happened to her wasn't addressed. The reader doesn't know what happened to her so it makes it kinda hard to connect with her. All we know is something REALLY BAD happened and everyone has to tiptoe to not trigger her. But as someone with severe anxiety, I get why it was written that way. I understand how damaging and dangerous it can be. But on the other hand, I feel like someone who doesn't have anxiety or depression won't understand it so it would be harder for them to connect with her.I'm really hoping that makes sense. LolAt some points, I hated all the characters except Frank. On the other hand, I loved them all. Because to me, they all represented some form of mental illness. Though I doubt the author meant for them to be that, that is just how I see them. OCD, Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Bi-polar.... the works. LolAnd they weren't really ashamed of it. They were just "that" family. And I loved that.Mental illness is such a sensitive subject. There is so much stigma. So it's always like a breath of fresh air when you read a book that hits the nail on the head that shows it's real. That is does happen. But it's also something you can work with and manage and overcome.I really loved the ending of this book. I really hope everyone that reads it, finishes it. Because I admit there were times when I wanted to put it down for a while. (Mainly because of the mom and checked out dad) but i literally couldn't put it down. I needed to know how it would end. And the ending did not disappoint. This has got to be one of the most happiest endings I have ever read. Ever.I would recommend this book.***IN ADDITION*** (possible spoilers, be warned)Because I know I will get some hate somewhere that she got "better" because of a "boy" and I would just like to say that is only part true. Here is my thought on it.After what happened to her, I wouldn't doubt she has trust issues with girls. Even with her best friend. I think if Linus had been a girl, Audrey would still be in her din with her glasses on.Linus was the key to helping her get better. Because her family and therapist couldn't. She said it herself that they were her safe place. So of course they wouldn't push her and if they did, she could easily ignore them or walk away.At first I despised Linus. Because of all the things he said. I couldn't help but to hate him. But the more he came around, he helped set goals for her and she never had to do them alone. He also made them fun to do. He showed her "I can do it, you can too." and I think that is important to someone with anxiety. And if things went wrong, he helped. And by that, I do mean what he did in Starbucks. that was really awesome of him to do.That's just my thought on it though.
    • 4/5
      Growing up is hard. Kids aren't nice and sometimes neither are their parents. It could make anyone overload. It's how you wiggle yourself out of the muck that matters. Surviving the teenage years...
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this YA novel about a young teen-aged girl who has been through a traumatic experience at school (which is never explained in complete detail). She is now going to therapy for an anxiety disorder, is excused from going to school for a few months, and wears dark glasses all the time. However, it seems that the rest of this dysfunctional family are not in much better condition! Although, the book deals with this family's problems, it is told in a fairly light way and much of it is funny. I enjoyed it immensely, not wanting to put it down until I was finished to see how it was all going to end. It is recommended for 7th grade and up, but I enjoyed it a lot!!
    • 4/5
      Teenager Audrey suffers from debilitating social anxiety disorder after an undisclosed bullying incident at school. As a result, she rarely leaves the house and constantly wears dark glasses to avoid making eye contact with people, even her family. Her older brother Frank is addicted to video games much to the dismay of their mother. His friend and fellow gamer Linus starts coming around and slowly helps Audrey emerge from her self-imposed prison, along with the help of her therapist Dr. Sarah.The audiobook version read by Gemma Whelan is very well done. I loved the mother's voice when she got riled up. Too funny! I enjoyed watching Audrey venture outside of herself and learn to enjoy life again. My only complaint is that very few details of the incident surrounding her issues are shared. I had to piece together what I could, but I kept listening waiting to hear about what horrific incident left her so broken. Nonetheless, this was highly enjoyable! I recommend it to grades 6-12. -EC
    • 4/5
      teen fiction (teen with extreme anxiety copes with her zany family and various social situations, mild romance).
      Cute story and funny characters. A nice, light, fun read.
    • 5/5
      View full review

      ● i have a physical copy
      ○ read an e-version, will definitely purchase physical book
      ○ read an e-version, a physical book will be appreciated
      ○ read an e-version, not interested in its physical book
      ● a page-turner
      ● less than 500 pages
      ● diverse in any way
      ○ something’s lacking
      ○ took me a long time to finish
      ● an LMAO read
      ● i laughed more than a few times
      ○ it’s j u s t awkward
      ○ gave me goosebumps
      ● one of the best books i’ve read
      ● painful & sad (considering Audrey, yes)
      ○ tear-jerker
      ○ a roller-coaster of emotions
      ○ thrilling
      ○ confusing
      ○ sooo relatable
      ○ it is kind of annoying
      ○ it has a lot of flashbacks
      ● it moved me
      ● would recommend!
      ● great even for a reread
      ● definitely a YAY
      ○ i’m sorry it’s a NAY
      ○ it’s between YAY and NAY

      P L U S

      I’m so bad at this. I don’t know what to say! The book already spoke for itself, speaking for it may ruin what it really has. It’s such a great read. I certainly did not expect to like this one cause I’m not a fan of “This Guy Helped Me Heal” thing but I loved it because Audrey also helped herself. Did that spoil anyone? Oops. AND Audrey’s mother is so, I don’t know, very suspiciously controlly motherly. Does that make any sense? It should. She’s really that. I’m not needing any prequel or sequel from this book. I just need a little explanation. Or is it like that, leave readers hanging and not telling what made Audrey like that? I feel cheated. Anyway, with or without the explanation, I love how uplifting this book is. Recommended to those recovering from anything.
    • 3/5
      Beautifully written. I listened to the audiobook version and also loved how it was narrated by Gemma Whelan.
    • 5/5
      This was a cute book. Not my favorite Sophie Kinsella book, but still good. I really liked how the book addressed mental illness since that's a very important topic. Sophie Kinsella did a good job at illustrating what it's like to have an anxiety disorder.I loved the scenes between Frank and their mum. They were so funny, especially the scene when they go for a run. Frank reminded me of Hunter Hollingsworth from Degrassi. They're both moody gamers with big hands. Also, Sophie Kinsella books always make me want to live in England. I don't know why; they just do. Side note: I was also sort of reminded of the Georgia Nicholson series while reading this book. The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it seemed a bit short. I felt that it could have been developed a little bit more.
    • 3/5
      This book was alright. I didn't absolutely love it, didn't hate it. I would say, though, that it did provide me some insight into what people with severe anxiety go through. Can I say it's accurate? No. I don't suffer from anxiety, so I cannot speak to this. However, from what I do know about it, I'd say it's at least close.Sophie Kinsella has a knack for creating characters that push my buttons. In this book, it's the mom. In the beginning part of the book, I couldn't stand her. She was irrational and I hate that. However, there are things that are revealed a little later in the book that made me sympathize with her a little more and, while I didn't agree with the way she handled things, made me better understand her. At the end, she didn't bother me much at all. Sophie Kinsella progressed all her characters throughout this book, not just Audrey. I also kind of liked that she never really reveals what sent Audrey into a tailspin of severe anxiety and only hints at it. It isn't really important to the story. It's more about Audrey's struggle with anxiety.This book is somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars. I gave it 3 because, to me, it isn't quite up to 4. This is a good story, though, and a quick read.
    • 3/5
      Narrated by Gemma Whelan. Whelan's narration and Kinsella's story are oh, so very British! Audrey has been reeling from an undefined incident at school (bullying?) and is recovering away from school with the help of a therapist. There's light and humor but we empathize with Audrey's struggle with her emotional ups and downs.
    • 4/5
      The opening prologue of Finding Audrey - the newest novel from Sophie Kinsella - had me hooked. We're quickly introduced to the Turner family - as they attempt to dissuade Mum from throwing her son Frank's computer out the upstairs window. Dad and younger son Felix are outside, pleading with her to not do it. The last family member is Audrey - who is watching from inside the house with her sunglasses on. The novel is told from Audrey's view. Her voice and the reason for the dark glasses are immediately compelling...."The trouble is, depression doesn't come with handy symptoms like spots and a temperature, so you don't realize at first. You keep saying 'I'm fine' to people when you're not fine. You think you should be fine. You keep saying to yourself: 'Why aren't I fine?'"Kinsella does a fantastic job tackling the issues of anxiety and depression. The exact circumstances that led to Audrey's current situation are never fully detailed - which is perfect. Instead the focus is on Audrey and her progress. And that progress picks up speed when she meets Frank's friend Linus....I loved this book! I found myself laughing out loud many, many times. And just as many spent on sympathizing with Audrey's plight.The characters are so engaging. It's impossible not to like Audrey. Her brother Frank's strategies and ploys to circumvent Mum's computer ban are epic. Wee Felix has few lines, but his sweetness is tangible. Dad is a bit of a bumbler and Mum is a bit of hard nose. (It was Mum I had the hardest time liking) But what they all share is a love for Audrey and a desire to help her feel better. Each family member is coping and supporting her in their own way. Linus - well, Linus is lovely. And I truly hope there are teen boys like him out there. Audrey's psychiatrist, Dr. Sarah, was also a great addition to the supporting cast. Her quiet advice is full of many truths.Finding Audrey is about Audrey finding herself - and realizing that "...life is all about climbing up, slipping down, and picking yourself up again. And it doesn't matter if you slip down. As long as you're kind of heading more or less upwards. That's all you can hope for. More or less upwards."Kinsella injects her humourous style into her first YA novel, but also handles real and serious issues with a realistic eye. Well done.
    • 4/5
      I thought this book captured the emotions of Audrey very well - fear and anxiety and depression. What was less convincing was her healing. While I loved the fact that Audrey was willing to move out of her comfort zone because of her interest in Linus, her ability to so quickly resume a somewhat normal life seemed to easy after our first introduction to Audrey and her severe anxiety.
    • 5/5
      Fun, hilarious, totally relevant. As a mother, I totally related to the mom's failure to understand the teens and set (or relax) rules and limits. A novel full of riffs on the generational digital divide and parents' struggles to understand how teens relate to the online world shown through the teens' eyes--what could be more entertaining? I loved the irony of the parents wanting the kids "off the internet" but then panicking and turning to the kids for help when THEIR favorite aspects of the internet (Facebook) don't function. And "no screens" sounds like a great rule, until you realize you just cut yourself off from streaming your favorite shows commercial free. The family of five has been derailed due to a serious bullying incident that has driven Audrey into a near mental breakdown. Circling the wagons protectively around Audrey while she heals has adverse effects on everyone except the four-year-old. The well-meaning parents are clueless, but the kids ultimately find their own way, because the parents provide love and structure (and a good therapist for Audrey) along with all their misfires and confusion. There's a teenage love story for Audrey too, with her brother's gaming buddy, Linus, who turns out to be quite therapeutic himself. Audrey finds her way out of social anxiety and Frank finds his way out of a life completely dominated by video games. By the end, Audrey's ongoing tongue-in-cheek film documentary, "My Serene and Loving Family," isn't such a joke, because it was always a loving family, and, while "serene" isn't really an option given the mix of personalities, everyone is more relaxed and connected. They have all recovered together.
    • 4/5
      Audrey is having problems. Although obviously smart and pretty, she is paralysed with depression and anxiety. Kinsella has a delightful way with words both funny and expressive. She uses them, this time, to look at a difficult and painful topic: mental illness. Kinsella manages the balance between funny and poignant, silly and distressing. Her characters are not dumbed down, and while she does overdo the funny bits (which is precisely why they're funny), she does not gloss over the tough issues. While one might reproach her for not better broaching the bullying aspect of the story, it in fact serves it well: this is about Audrey and her difficult climb back into the world.I will definitely be recommending this little novel to the teens around me, both as a lesson and as a compassionate look at suffering.
    • 4/5
      Finding Audrey is the perfect example of how prejudice works: Sophie Kinsella is mostly known for her Shopaholic series of chick-lit novels which by their description alone appeal to me just as much as root canal treatment. So, to persuade me to take a chance on this book, it has taken several great reviews from reader friends, a free copy off the library shelves, and a sample chapter right there and then at the library.

      Fortunately for the book, it started with one of the funniest scenes I had read in a while: a mother is threatening to throw her son's computer out of the window.

      As the story unfolds, we learn that her son's computer addiction is not the only difficulty that the parents have to deal with - there is also their daughter's anxiety disorder. While it sounds like a drab story of parents living in teenage hell, the story is actually narrated by Audrey, the daughter who, tho reclusive, sets out to explore her surroundings and find herself after a traumatic experience left her in hiding.

      It may be the author's "chick-lit" background that gave her an advantage in making light of what is a difficult subject, but it really works. As we follow Audrey, we discover a backstory that is at points difficult to read, especially when reading at an age that may afford (slightly) more wisdom on how to deal with difficult situations. I say may afford, because even tho this book was written for a YA readership (yes, another genre I try to avoid), Kinsella's approach to telling Audrey's story also holds a few aspects for older readers to ponder about - such as issues relating to schemes that try to reconcile victims with offenders by letting them meet face to face; or the uses of medication in PTSD.

      In short, I would not have believed it, but Finding Audrey was a thoughtful and thought-provoking read, and while I am probably not going to read the Shopaholic series (ever), I have no issues recommending this one to friends and fellow readers.
    • 4/5
      Books intended for young adults tend to be more direct. There's not as much beating around the bush or tediously in-depth descriptions of the bush that grows outside the jail door to overtly-covertly hammer the theme into your head (I don't much like you, Nathaniel Hawthorne). Instead, the story lives or dies on its own merits.
      And that's refreshing. Don't get me wrong, I can enjoy a good literary novel, but they often come off as possessing an excess or distinct lack of plotting. So it's nice to have a writer just tell a story.
      Finding Audrey is about Audrey's "reawakening" after an bullying incident triggered anxiety issues. Along the way, her interactions with her mom (crazy), older brother (addicted to gaming), dad (out of it) and little brother (hilarious) provide lots of fodder for a solid book.
    • 5/5
      Amazing insight! Sometimes funny, mostly just real. The main character pulls you in and you feel exactly how she feels and then come out of the clouds along with her.
    • 4/5
      This is a very funny and touching book about a very serious subject.Fourteen-year-old Audrey Turner is trying to recover from some sort of vicious bullying (never specified in detail) by other girls at school. She withdrew from school, and still wears sunglasses even around the house, which in any event, she rarely leaves except to see her therapist, Dr. Sarah (a wonderfully-written character). Audrey’s family is quirky and chaotic, but supportive. Still, it seems like an uphill road until a friend of her older brother Frank’s, Linus, tentatively and sensitively reaches out to Audrey. He is able to help her in a way no one else has been able to do, and the whole family finally figures out how to achieve some peace and closure.Discussion: There is a great deal of humor and absurdity in this wonderful story told in a mix of formats, reminding me a bit of Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple. The parents have their own frustrations, and end up acting out in ways that are well-meaning, if misguided. When Frank announces that members of the Turner family “do not understand the concept of love beyond their own self-serving version” and stalks out of the room, Audrey’s mom says to her dad, “That boy needs a hobby. . . We should never have let him give up the cello.” Audrey sums up what many kids today think:"The thing about Mum is, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s just, no adults do. They’re totally ignorant, but they’re in control. It’s nuts.”I had not previously read any of the books by the very popular author, but I do think that has to change!Evaluation: This is a delightful and heartwarming story, portraying a difficult coming-of-age theme with humor and compassion, and offering an uplifting look at the powerful effects of loving concern and understanding.