Interesting indie psychological story. Can't wait to see more from this author. Thanks NetGalley for bringing me a new title I may not have encountered otherwise!

This had such strong character development that it was easily a 4 star read. A gripping coming of age novel that touches on grief, parenthood and addiction. It does so with sensitivity and compassion.

Naomi Rose by Kirsten Esden begins when Naomi Rose is an adult. Naomi's real story begins when she is 10 years old with the death of her mother. Her father, a college professor, insists she be quiet and poised. Naomi, a vivacious reader, has a desire to gain her father's time and attention. Trying to grieve Naomi uses her imagination by telling or suggesting stories, some very shocking believable stories, to make herself more popular with her piers or to gain sympathyor attention. Her desire is great. Her father's grief leads him to begin drinking and his problem escalates. Thus begins her story. Naomi's story is a very good one! I think we all can see a bit of ourselves in Naomi especially in our teenage years and especially if you were lonely and sad or hurting and never quite fit in.

An avid reader, ten year-old Naomi Rose already knows the power of a good story. When her mother dies, Naomi’s emotional struggle is exacerbated by her attempts to appease her father’s demands for self-restraint and composure.

With her father increasing turning to the bottle for solace, Naomi seeks attention elsewhere, devising highly embellished tales to shock her classmates and delight in their reaction. But one tale goes too far and Naomi’s life begins to unravel...

Naomi Rose navigates the life of a troubled teenager well. Losing her mum at a young age, sets the scene for her ongoing actions and behaviour.

The novel jumps from present day, adult Naomi, to ten year-old, to teenager. Adult Naomi questioning if “there is a cut-off point when grief becomes an excuse rather than a justification.” I enjoyed this real, it reminded me of teenage life - the ups and the downs of navigating our way through. It was a short novel (I finished it in a day) and I honestly didn’t know who the ‘Gardner’ was until the last page! An outstanding debut from @

“Life does not happen to us. We are not passive bystanders in our own destinies. We choose how to behave, we make decisions, but everything has consequences.”

Read this book. Now. It's so so good. I can't say much without giving away the story but you need to put this awesome book at the too of your TBR list. You won't regret it. Happy reading!😀

A book that drew me into Naomi Roses world from first pages.Her mothers death relationship with her father on to her relationship with her teacher.Naomi is a well written character who comes alive kept me turning the pages.#netgalley#troubadorbooks

This novel is rated 3 1/2 stars that could easily have been 4. The body of the story is about the development of Naomi from the death of her mother when she was 10 until the age of 16. The beginning and end chapters are from her viewpoint as an adult and successful writer.

Naomi's growth through adolescence would have, on its own, been an interesting and relatable tale. Being called, "weird" because she is very bright and a talented storyteller, and how Naomi deals with this and her father's withdrawal into alcoholism was interesting and moving. The final "surprise" seemed to me to be a contrivance to explain how Naomi ended up as a single parent and who Katerina's father was. (And also to tell what happened to her English teacher.)

Esden says the story was not autobiographical but based on a witness's testimony heard when she was a juror in a trial. If so, she's done an imaginative and believable job of fleshing out this coming of age tale.

I'm sure I should have felt sympathy for Naomi ,but I just couldn't.
She was an unlikable character for me.
The whole book felt like it was building up to something,but never quite got there..