Birdsong is a beautiful book - a harmonious composition of hope and perseverance, even through the hardest times.

The story follows Annie, a talented musician recovering from a car accident injury that has left her unable to play her flute in the way she wants. We meet her just as she is moving house and is feeling rather hopeless about the future and her abandoned plans.

While settling in to her new flat, she meets a bird-watching neighbour, Noah, who introduces her to the local blackbirds. As the story progresses, watching and listening to the birds helps Annie’s recovery, both mentally and physically.

Like in so many of Katya Balen’s books, the themes of honesty and trust sing throughout. Annie wants to bottle everything up, but soon finds that when she shares her dreams, fears and feelings with those around her, she starts to feel happier and more hopeful.

Katya Balen has such a skill for conveying emotion in just a few words. It was a compelling read, and one that I will be reminded of for a good while yet when I hear the blackbirds sing in my garden.