Sea of Stars (HarperCollins Publishers)

Two girls with two very different lives come together in this beautiful and moving story of friendship and family, żeby a major new voice in girls' fiction. Meet Maya. She has a cosy, comfy life with her slightly hippy mum and dad żeby the sea in Cornwall. But as an only child, Maya feels smothered by her parents' love and longs to be a given more freedom and independence; but what Maya wants more than anything is a sister. Meet Cat. She's never known her dad and her mum's an alcoholic and is not capable of looking after herself, let alone her 11 year old daughter. Cat's spent her life protecting her mum and keeping some dark secrets; all she wants is to be left alone. But Cat and Maya's worlds collide when Cat is taken into care and Maya's parents make the life-changing decision to adopt her. Maya can't wait to welcome Cat into the family and hopes that by having a sister, her parents might learn to 'chill out' and give Maya a bit more freedom. But Cat is angry and resentful and resists Maya's attempts at friendship and soon Maya's idea of a perfect family is blown out of the water. As tensions rise and secrets come out, will the girls ever become friends, let alone sisters?