Five teenagers. Five lives. One final year.

The school captain: Ryan has it all … or at least he did, until an accident snatched his dreams away. How will he rebuild his life and what does the future hold for him now?

The newcomer: Charlie’s just moved interstate and she’s determined not to fit in. She’s just biding her time until Year 12 is over and she can head back to her real life and her real friends …

The loner: At school, nobody really notices Matty. But at home, Matty is everything. He’s been single-handedly holding things together since his mum’s breakdown, and he’s never felt so alone.

The popular girl: Well, the popular girl’s best friend … cool by association. Tammi’s always bowed to peer pressure, but when the expectations become too much to handle, will she finally stand up for herself?

The politician’s daughter: Gillian’s dad is one of the most recognisable people in the state and she’s learning the hard way that life in the spotlight comes at a very heavy price.

Five unlikely teammates thrust together against their will. Can they find a way to make their final year a memorable one or will their differences tear their world apart?

The Yearbook Committee:

I’ve wanted to read a Sarah Ayoub book for quite a while now, I had seen Hate is Such a Strong Word so many times, but just never bought it. But when I interviewed Sarah Ayoub for my #LoveOZYA feature, I knew I had to read at least 1 of her books. So I picked up The Yearbook Committee and let me tell you, I loved it. 

The Yearbook Committee follows five very different students as they come together to complete the yearbook for the end of year 12. This book is full of friendships, breakdowns, romance, family and everything else. It is such an intense book, that I could not put it down. 

Ryan was quite interesting – he is the guy that everyone knows, but isn’t a dickhead. I enjoyed when we were reading about him. He has this standard for himself and when everything falls apart – he just doesn’t know how to deal with it. 

Charlie has just moved to the school, and just does not want to be there. Charlie was intriguing and I was always looking forward to reading her chapter. 

Matty, just broke my heart. I want to be his best friend and hug him all the time. He holds all this stuff in and I wanted to scream at him to do what is right for him. Matty has such a kind heart. 

Tammi is someone who’s perception on things, is manipulated because of who she is friends with. The way that she reacts to things, the way that she talks is all because she wants to stay friends with the popular girl. The peer pressure that she feels is intense and sometimes frightening. 

Then we have Gillian, she is the politician’s daughter and always in the spotlight, but it’s not easy to be there, especially if you want to be your own person. 

All these characters and the friendships they build and break is quite interesting. they are so different from each other, yet so alike. The dynamic between them all was fascinating and intriguing. 

This book can get relatively intense at times, but I enjoyed, it shows that life isn’t all rainbows especially in your last year of school.

I loved that this book had so many different types of relationships. From family to friendships to romance, it was all there. Some were strong and some did just not work. There were friendship fall outs and new friendships and I loved it. Basically The Yearbook Committee was real and raw.

We are able to see in The Yearbook Committee that teens are flawed too, and everything doesn’t work out to how you planned it to be. We witness insecurities, heartbreak and everything that comes along with your final year of school, and being a teen in general.

It deals with teens and stereotyping. How we should not be defined by that stereotype and we can be anyone that we want. We are not just some label. I love this because anyone can connect to this, they can see themselves or how they treated others and fix it.

I loved the compelling writing of Sarah Ayoub, it captivating and you are drawn in from the start, you connect to each character one of or another and you want to know their story, you want them to get through the year and go out into the world.

Overall, The Yearbook Committee is enchanting, you will be torn apart and put together over and over again. You will be taken on a ride with 5 students in their class year of high school – so be prepared.

Have you read The Yearbook Committee? Did you love it as much as I did? Are you going to read it or any other Sarah Ayoub books? Let’s Chat.