Paper Avalanche by Lisa Williamson

In this book we meet Ro Snow a girl who's grown up too soon having to look after Bonnie her mum who's a singer and a hoarder. Her dad has a new family who come first and Ro feels pushed out and alone, but used to it.

So when Noah moves next door she finds a friend despite him going away to boarding school and harbouring a secret about his own family after his dad's actions before their move...

Meanwhile at school Tanvi an old student who fought cancer rejoins and befriends Ro persistently pestering her until she wears her down to be more friendly.

As Ro falls ill thanks to her mum's hoarding, she then tries to join a national choir with her natural singing talent, she has to face facts that holding down her job and trying to look after her mum whilst live the normal teen life isn't happening after getting drunk at a Halloween party with the popular crowd everything comes out and her worst fear, social services appears after a fire...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it keeps you wondering how long it will be until things get out about the hoarding to her school and her friend as well as wondering if her parents would change their ways. It was a great read highlighting how damaging it can be to grow up too soon and not get to be a teen in a stable home as envied Tanvi for her stable home life she so desired. It was nice for her to have Noah throughout the story to keep in touch with and he gave her some happiness, ultimately the book is unforgettable.

Family Game Night And Other Catastrophes by Mary E Lambert

Annabel, Leslie and Chad live with their parents in a house full of stuff hoarded by their mum.

Drew and Rae, her best friend and crush, Annabel tries to hide her house situation from them, her dad leaves early for a trip and then their grandma shows up causing them to have a family game night suddenly to fake everything is ok despite their dad leaving despairing about his wife's obsession.

However as the kids especially the sisters try to clear out their house of their mum's hoarded mess, Annabel discovers that her mum might just have a good reason why she began hoarding and why she seems sad a lot of the time and can she being her dad back home to stay?

It was a serious middle grade read dealing with all aspects of family life that suffers from hoarding and how it can effect health and the happiness of all effected by it. The children seemed more like the adults as their mum was misbehaving typically not wanting to let her 'treasure' go. I really enjoyed this book and it's a quick easy read for younger readers too.

Ella On The Outside by Cath Howe

In this book we meet Ella whom always feels on the edge of friendship group's at her new school. She falls into a friendship with Queen of attention Lydia whom seems to use Ella to find out more about their classmate, mysterious Molly whom doesn't mix with anyone and sits alone.

Pressured by pushy Lydia into investigating into Molly's life and what she herself hides from inside her house. As Ella uses her photography skills to document what she finds, she learns true friendship and helps a woman in need...

As Ella also has to protect a secret about her family, she discovers a lesson about trust and true friendship despite first appearances.

It was a great book as we are not only drawn into the mystery of what is hidden in Molly's house but also over the fact of the fake friend and true possible friend angle in the story too. It was a read that teaches kids not to judge each other just on outwards appearance but on what we as people are truly about as we each have different interests and secrets.

Behind Closed Doors by Miriam Halahmy

Josie lives with her mum in their house full of her mum's so called treasure, which is just charity shop buys hoarded so much they can't use hardly any rooms of their house and all their money funds the collection.

Tash lives with her mum and at times her mum's creepy boyfriend who seems to fancy Tash and make creepy advances towards her touching and striking her as well as trying to get into her room late at night.

When Josie's mum forgets to pay the council tax, she ends up in prison and Tash finds solace in the secret hoarder house after Josie confides in her about her mum and meets Tash stay as she isn't safe at home.

Throughout the novel we are the girls struggle to cope on hardly any money and having to plan showers, washing and food, as well as deal with serious criminals and getting boyfriends. It's light and dark, mixed in moods as they face better and worse times as they fight to survive together and not get taken into care. It was a remarkable read, fighting to survive and being made homeless aren't seen enough in YA books and this sets the standard.