I Am Not Your Baby Mother: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

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Cuts Both Ways tells the story of Cynthia—a 16-year-old from North London—who just moved to Buckinghamshire with her parents following the tragic loss of her brother. When it turns out the brothers have been keeping secrets from her, secrets that link back to the life Cynthia thought she had left behind in London, she realises that not everything is as it seems. I could really go on about how Instagram are doing a disservice to small bloggers and creatives but I won’t. It was so evident that this book was written by someone much, much older with not much sense of modern youthfulness and their interaction.

What is meant to be a fresh start for Cynthia leads to a 'fish out of water' scenario in which she starts at a posh new school as one of the only black students. You take your whole self to work because no limb nor pound of flesh will be considered too different, too black, too strange. Cynthia starts a new school and the main story unfolds as she falls into a complicated romantic situation. Leading on from the last heading, Candice explains the importance of expressing your love to someone.Every other Sunday (I won’t lie and say I attended each week), I would watch as a preacher decked out in an eightpiece suit (nine if he was wearing a toupee) would take to the pulpit and remind us that it was tithe and offering time. Written in Candice’s trademark straight-talking, warm and funny style, it will delight her fans, old and new. A book that might interest you on this theme is Second Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta, a semi-autobiographical novel recently republished by her son.

For about three months, therefore, I relentlessly shouted about how accessing this level of yourself was the most life-changing tool you could ever be blessed with, and guess what? As the story progresses, Cynthia grows closer to two brothers—one white and privileged, the other black and adopted—who help her adjust to her new environment. She expects to be the only black girl there but is surprised to meet Isaac, brother of the head boy. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. In the episode, Candice chats to host Vick Hope about the joys of meeting her literary hero, learning to step outside her ego, and why books make the ultimate fashion accessory.

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Cynthia’s brother has been killed so her family decide to move out of London and enrol her in a private school in the countryside where she will be “safe”.She has the support of head boy Thomas and his adopted brother Isaac, the only other black kid at their school. There were only a few girls who had copies in the secondary school I was attending, so there was a waiting list to read it. There she meets Issac, another black student who also comes from South London and shares the same sentiment for home as she does.

The head boy is white but Isaac is black - adopted at a young age by the wealthiest white family around. Up until I was about five, I had been delighted to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar or Titch, but when I first came across Amazing Grace, I remember the warmth that grew in my tummy.

Although it’s aimed at a younger audience, I still found the story to be interesting, gripping and heartwarming.