This appears to be the first work of fiction by this author and what a start this is. Given the author's own traumatic history she sure knows how to create strong characters with a powerful storyline.

The book follows the life of Chrissie, an 8 year old child who seemingly takes pleasure in murdering an innocent child in the belief she is a bad seed and she does come across as hateful and it is therfore surprising that she manages to still draw friends to her. I was wondering if I would feel any compassion for Chrissie but, as her story develops and you get to know her childhood circumstances you really feel for her even if you cannot understand her murderous instinct. Christie spends much needed time in secure care before being released with a new identity.

The author seamlessly tells the story of the 8 year old using age appropriate dialog and also does a remarkable job of describing her older self now known as Julia. She now has a young child of her own, Molly and has continuing fears about her capacity to love and look after a child given her history and has an overwhelming fear that she will lose her daughter.

This book really draws you in, a real page turner. I rarely use the phrase "Unputdownable" but this truly is "unputdownable". A very poignant book and the subject matter is handled sympathetically. I really look forward to reading any future books by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Hutchinson for the arc copy of the book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Heartbreaking. We know 8 year old Chrissie has killed a toddler and the book goes on to examine the extent of the neglect that led her to carry out the murder. The way Chrissie was treated was horrendous, I felt like giving her parents a good shake and kept wishing outside agencies would step in after her neglect was suspected.
Once she was convicted it was almost a relief as she was treated better in care than at home. I liked the way she was shown to be struggling to adapt to unexpected motherhood, it was inevitable after her own upbringing. However the one thing I found lacking in the book was a sense of place and time. The use of the term mammy made me think it was set in the north of England perhaps in the 70s but it wasn't really made clear.

Brilliant, loved everything about this book, lots of emotions felt. Wonderfully written. An uneasy subject yet you couldn't help feel a bit sorry for her. Looking out for the authors other books

A very difficult subject matter. It's not easy to read about a child killing toddlers. But Chrissie was a child brought up with neglect and abuse. It was shocking in parts but perhaps needed to be. Then as a single mother she tries to do her best for her daughter. To provide her with the love and care that she never knew. A thought provoking read.

Distressing and thought-provoking!

For her first novel, then Nancy Tucker has bravely tackled a very distressing subject . . . Possibly the very worst case of child abuse imaginable! The title ‘The First Day of Spring’ is perhaps misleading as this is certainly a tough read.

The blurb gives away plenty of information, so I’ll try not to divulge too much. Chrissie, aged eight years old, is notorious in her neighbourhood, scaring both her childhood peers and all their mothers. Her crime is so horrific that it sends shock waves throughout the area.

As I progressed throughout the book, it sent a complete range of emotions towards Chrissie, and certainly, her mother who was totally devoid of any maternal feelings whatsoever. Just imagine. . . not even feeding your child!

After twenty years we are introduced to Julia . . . Chrissie’s new name. Having no parenting skills, nevertheless, Julia is trying to learn and deep down she probably wants to try her best for her daughter Molly. She has no self-esteem and is convinced that she is useless and feels that Social Services will take Molly away.

The tale is very beautifully written and jumps between timelines, narrated by Chrissie and Julia. Because it left me drained, it wasn’t my favourite read, but I’m sure that the book will do well.

Galadriel.

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.

The first book I have read by Nancy Tucker.

When Chrissie was eight she killed a child.

Fo forward fifteen years and Chrissie has her own child.

A well written book with an interesting topic.

**listened to the audio book, and read along with the e-book**

The premise of this book is completely up my street! As a teacher, I'm always fascinated by children committing crime - especially murder. The psychology of a young person, and what makes them commit murder really intrigues me in fiction and non-fiction alike.
Even though the premise was brilliant, I didn't overly enjoy this book.

I found the pacing to be very slow - which I find annoying in a crime/thriller book. I didn't find this book as engrossing as other thrillers, and I found the audio book hard to listen to to as I wasn't keen on the narrator and the accent.
I genuinely feel really gutted that I didn't like this book as it was a book I have been looking forward to reading since hearing about it last year!
I just felt like so much was promised within the blurb, but actually so little happened within the book. The pacing was too slow, and I didn't like the writing style.

It was OK - but just wasn't as good as I was hoping.

Brutal and fast paced this story kept me on the edge of my seat. A sad portrayal of how abuse of a child can lead them to abuse or even , as in this story, murder another child. I felt incredibly sorry for 8 year old Christie.

The book starts with eight year Chrissie and she has just killed a two year old boy. She knew what she was doing when she strangled him. Chrissie did not realise that he wouldn't come back to life though.
For weeks, she saw less of her friends as mothers were terrified that there was a killer on the loose, not realising that the killer was among them.
Chrissie enjoyed the fizzing feeling of power in her belly. Something she could finally control unlike the lack of food at home and neglect she experienced.
When not at home, she was happy, doing handstands at the wall, giving teachers and other people who weren't her friends a hard time and stealing from the shop.
15 years later and under new identity, Chrissie has a home, a job and a five year old daughter. Under her new name Julia, she is desperate to look after her daughter following every unwritten rule to the point that she's frightened to enjoy the parenting experience in case her daughter who loves unconditionally is taken away by authorities.
It is a powerful psychological thriller written in dual narrative of eight year old Chrissie and adult Julia and switches easily from one to the other. The crime and general behavior of Chrissie should make your blood boil. but the death is dealt with in a unsensationalised manner and balanced with the abuse that Chrissie has little insight to. The abuse she suffers is heartbreaking but it is the norm for Chrissie having nothing to compare it to apart from how she sees the families of friends around her.
Chrissie can appear quite rude and blunt because she isn't aware of social norms and wants to know more and also defensive caused probably as a direct result of the abuse.
The book is emotionally complex but impossible to put down.
Is the 'bad seed' as Chrissie refers herself to due to being told this once by another adult nature or nurture and her struggle to do the right thing by the small person that loves her unconditionally is reciprocated.
A thought provoking book with a difficult subject but handled with such care. It's hard to say it's enjoyable but a book that will stay with me.

With thanks to NetGallyand Random House UK, Cornerstone, Hutchinson for the appreciated preview copy in return for an honest review.
#NetGalley
Shared with Goodreads.

This is a really difficult book to review. In part due to the nature of the book which involves child cruelty and neglect.

The book was quite slow to start but after finishing the book, I can sort of see why as the author dripfed you the utter horror of what Chrissie goes through and the subsequent consequences.

I'm going to rate this 4* as I think it was a very accurate and well researched story albeit quite disturbing.

What an interesting and clever book. Nature or nurture ? You decide ! Couldn't wait to find out the final outcome.

I don’t really know where to start with this book, I have so much to say. It was incredibly powerful and unsettling, and at times I felt completely disgusted by what I had read, but I think this is all part of the narrative.

The subject matter of an eight-year-old girl killing two toddlers is hard to stomach. However, this combined with learning about Chrissie’s home life, how she is abused, starved and left alone by her mother is even more heartbreaking.

Chrissie is not likeable at all as a narrator, but you can’t help sympathise with this little girl in parts because she had been abandoned by her family. Parts of her mother and father’s treatment of her left me open mouthed and shocked.

The crimes she committed, the description of the act of killing, Chrissie’s continued anger and rage honestly made me scared. The author has written her dialogue so well though that this character becomes real, and I think that’s one of the scariest parts.

When the book reached Julia’s parts, I again felt sympathy towards her. I do think it is important that the book examines how ‘criminals’ can reform and what life after prison is like for those on the other side.

I would have liked more background on the setting of the book, where in the country it was set? What time period (although there are hints to both of these in the narrative). I also would have liked to know more about Chrissie’s time at Haverleigh and how she came about reforming. It is touched on briefly, but how her violent outbursts and mindset on killing changed so drastically.

This book should come with some trigger warnings, it really isn’t for the faint hearted due to the subjects broached. However, I do think it shines an important light on how society’s most deprived and vulnerable children can so easily slip through the cracks.

Thank you for NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this novel for review.

I requested this book and later regretted it because it involvesthe murder of a child, by a child. I do try to finish every book I start on and with mixed feelings I started this one. What a story, well written and believable from both viewpoints . Chrissy is 8, neglected (though this gradually becomes apparent) and in many ways presumptuous , though as the book progresses the reader comes to realise that this is the result of her situation.
Alternate chapters are written about Julia, the single mother of Molly . She is doing her best for her little girl and there is an impression of some one who is lacking confidence .
Both Chrissy's and Julia's feelings are well written and believable. We gradually come to know how Chrissy became Julia . By the end I could not put the book down and I will be thinking about the characters for a while yet.
The book is set in an unnamed town , presumably in the UK , at an unspecified time. That the system could fail Chrissy so badly is frightening, but in some ways believable. Working myself in child health, I would hope that the signs would have been picked up .
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review , I will look out for more from this author

First day of spring.
This book has both split narrative nd time frame. It follows a young girl who's neglected and her friends and behaviour then follows the same girl as an adult and the impact on adulthood her childhood has had. It has the promise of being a good book however there was too much time spent in a childhood with days and weeks being described where nothing different happened. This made the book a bit of a bore at times. The stories of the adult and navigating adulthood was much more interesting and could have been further developed both at the end when it ends suddenly but also in depth, in the adult years, that we didn't get to hear about

I found this a really difficult read. Very well written and thought provoking. I'm still not sure if I enjoyed it.

I need to start by explaining this book comes with a trigger warning for child abuse, neglect and eating disorders.
However, even though it is one of the most disturbing books I have read, it is written in such a clever and insightful way that it is too good not to share!
It is totally plausible, I felt that I really was a fly on the wall in Chrissie's life. This book was written portraying Chrissie as both a child killer, and adult single mother. My emotions and judgement were constantly swaying. I wanted to both scoop her out of the book and take care of her but then demand she be locked away forever form page to page.
It brings to the forefront huge problems that exist in our society and seriously forces you into an internal argument from start to finish. I am still unsure after reading what I truly think of Chrissie.
It's an incredibly powerful and twisted read, that makes you challenge your own perceptions.
Not only is it hard hitting and insightful but it is beautifully written, the changes between the stages in Chrissie's life are seamless and help to really build the character. Although it really is a taxing read, it is by far one of the better books I have read and there is no doubt I will remember this for a long time.
I will be sure to look out for this author, there is no other word to describe this delicate yet harrowing story other than superb!

The subject matter is challenging to read, brutal and thought provoking. Well written and gripping, while being heartbreaking on so many levels.
ARC copy for review.

First line had me gripped. A fast paced read that I flew through wanting to find out more.

The central character of Chrissie seemed void of emotions and implications of her actions....which was captivating. Her childhood was based around parental neglect, no love, no care, barely any food. We flit between her brutal actions as a child, and her many years later with a child of her own.

The attention to detail describing specific scenes really made you feel like you was there watching it unfold. Harrowing and heart breaking

I never repeat the blurb. I've never read anything quite like this, sad in many ways, and very different. You can't help but sympathise more with the protagonist as an adult, even if you struggle but eventually understand her as a young child. There but for the grace of God...

"The First Day of Spring" by Nancy Tucker takes a few chapters to work out what is going on but once it gets going it is really enjoyable. The narration of 9 year old Chrissie is perfectly pitched as is Julia, both dysfunctional but understandable under the circumstances. The dynamics between characters is beautiful for what is a tragic story. This book is special.