Scot Gardner

7/10, this was a good Australian YA novel and even though the last book I read was also by an Australian author this is better in every way since it has fewer problems than the other one and I would like to read the other books this author has written up until this point and since then so where do I even begin? It starts with the main character Merrick Hilton first going to a party and he mucks around since there's a pool in the house when suddenly he's had enough of the city life and leaves on his bike towards the country. This novel was just such an immersive journey of the character escaping from his home and going to some random lonely desert town, and meeting some characters along the way. Most were forgettable, but the two main characters Merrick meets are Felicity and Victor, Felicity is rather flat since the only purpose she had was Merrick's girlfriend, but Victor is full of life and is like an old pal that you would see once and never see again, but remember for the rest of your life. Most of the book was just travelling around and contemplating, and I thought the book was dragging until Merrick meets Felicity and brings some action into this book. If you like Every Day or the Sun is Also a Star, you'll love this however I have read better books since then and I've found a book like this called Where the Road Leads Us by Robin Reul which I think you'll enjoy if you want a book similar to this.… (mehr)

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4.

CW: death of loved one, drug overdose, abuse, neglect, child homelessness, assault

Well that was gritty and gripping!

I was thrilled to discover this tense survival story with a male protagonist as they are currently under represented in YA fiction. It followed two different timelines as we follow Sparrow surviving after a boating accident, and surviving as a homeless child before the accident. I love that Sparrow found kind people who watched out for him and offered him the support he needed. It's wonderful to have such an engaging book to add to my booktalks.

I normally hide content warnings but this one is not a plot spoiler and think needs to be mentioned. There are a couple of quite stomach churning animal deaths in this survival novel so proceed with caution.… (mehr)

Aaron Rowe has just started his first day at his new job as a funeral director. He is grateful for the job in more ways then one, primarily because it gets him out of going to school but the bonus is he'll get payed. There are some obvious draw backs to the position, though it is not the dead bodies as one would expect, it is the living that are left behind and their grief that has stirred something in Aaron.

It has been years since Aaron has had trouble sleeping, but now the nightmares have returned. But just as bad as the dreams is the sleepwalking. So now it's not only the dark disturbing images that fill his sleeping mind that frighten him, it's the fear that he could wake anywhere, at the beach, outside a cafe, at the lookout. But scarier is the possibilities of what Aaron has done in his sleeping state.

the dead I know is about a tough yet vulnerable boy who is struggling with his hidden past and his current circumstances. Although a book about death the meaning behind its pages is life. A story that speaks to all those who have been left behind to pick up the pieces in the wake of a death of a loved one. Aaron's tale is an urban mystery that is shaded in tragedy, death, dreams and crustless sandwiches.… (mehr)

A collection of short stories all centered around a small country town and an outdoor education camp. Martin's story about meeting Pippa from a neighbouring school while doing debating is the most memorable. The two supposedly fall instantly in love/like but there's a serious catch with Pippa's Dad and Martin's Dad. (SPOILER: Think very closely related!)
Has to be for older readers due to the copious amounts of swearing and slang names for sexual actions. One that boys might like as it has been compared to Town by James Roy.
NB Accidentally read this again recently - the story about the computer that gives you THE ANSWER - until it crashes- is a good one too and its the first one in the book so good to grab the kids straight into the book.… (mehr)