A Random Kill by Andrew Barrett

The Last Charm - Ella Allbright-womens contemporary fiction

A little late to the party on this one but one to savour and really enjoy just when I needed

a tonic of a read. Leila receives a charm bracelet on the eve of her eleventh birthday and

then finds out that her mother has walked out leaving her and her father to fend for

themselves. The house is sold and they move away but not before staying with her

grandfather for a few days which is when she first meets Jake. Jake has moved into her

old house with his violent father and timid mother and has discovered Leilas pictures

and art on the walls of her bedroom and her secret one under the bed. Time passes and

Leila occasionally receives charms for her bracelet often just in an envelope marked “L”

  and believes that they are from her mother showing she may not be around but still

thinks of her. In truth they are from Jake but he hasn;t found the opportunity to tell

her and as time goes on doesn’t want to spoil her fantasy that they are from her mother

knowing it would really hurt her. I won’t say anymore about the plot other than I

understand it is to be made into a film later this year and I can truly see why. It's one of

those life affirming reads that makes you stop from the whizz of life we all take for

granted and appreciate the little things. A kind word, a small gesture and maybe the

d I'm not talking about materialistic things- family, love, good friends, soul mates etc

who can be more of a family than your real one. One treasure of a read.

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