Life in Outer Space Archives

High School in Aussie YA | #LoveOzYABloggers

Jul 4, 2017

Today I am participating in #LoveOZYA first #LoveOzYABloggers meme. It’s a fortnightly feature that promotes Aussie YA, with a new theme every time. This week’s theme is High School.

So today I thought I would share three of my favourite Aussie YA books that feature high school. There is obviously a lot more. But, here are some that I have loved over the last couple of years.

There is something that really happens to me when I read books set in Australia that feature high school. It feels like home. And I know that sounds so wired. But for so many years I was reading about a school system that I had no idea about. I just went along with it and tried not to focus too much on the school elements. But, then I started reading YA with Aussie schools and gosh it worked so well.

The Yearbook Committee by Sarah Ayoub: Here we see a real focus on coming of age, of finishing high school and 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. With a real focus on their last year of school. The reader gets to see the highs and lows of someone leaving high school and going into the big world. Don’t forget to check out my review and my interview with Sarah Ayoub.

Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil: I really enjoy this one as we get to see those in the middle of their high school journey – sorta. Life in Outer Space follows protagonist Sam Kinnison and his geeky ways. He loves horror movies, writes movie scripts and doesn’t care much for girls, but then Camilla comes into his life – and well, things start to change. The reader is able to witness mundane things in an Aussie high school and it was just great | Life in Outer Space Review, The Secret Science of Magic Review.

When Micheal Met Mina by Randa Abdel-Fattah: This one is a little different, although it focuses on racism and asylum seekers, we do get a bit of focus on private schools in Australia. When Michael Met Mina follows protagonists Michael and Mina as they go on a journey of friendship, love, hardships of being different from everyone else. They learn to stand up for themselves, each other and what they believe in | Review.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? What are some of your favourite #LoveOzYA books set in High School? Let’s Chat!

#LoveOzYABloggers is hosted by #LoveOzYA, a community-led organisation dedicated to promoting Australian young adult literature. Keep up to date with all new Aussie YA releases with their monthly newsletter, or find out what’s happening with News and Events, or submit your own!

OZ YA Books I Read in 2016

Jan 8, 2017

Reading more Australian young adult books is something that I strived to do more of this year. And I think that I did pretty good. I wish I was able to read some more, but they will be getting added to next year’s list.

Along with the #LoveOZYA movement, I think that Aussie YA has been read more around the world this year. I’ve seen bloggers reading and loving books from Australia authors and wanting to read more.

This year I also did my #LoveOZYA Author Interview. Where I interviewed Australian young adult authors about their books, writing life and what it’s like to be an author from Australia.

I decided today I will talk about all the OZ YA books that I read that year. From the good to the bad. Most of these books were published in 2016, but there are some that are earlier.

Frankie by Shivaun Plozza: It’s a story of heartbreak, belonging, finding yourself and what it is to be a family. It captures Melbourne as Melbourne from the language to the setting. Frankie brings to light that sometimes when you think that you are alone, you are not. And all that you need to do is let them in. Full Review

Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman: Now I didn’t love this one as much as everyone else. But I did enjoy reading it. I struggle reading science fiction – so I was glad just to get through it.

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley: A poignant, beautiful story. With fleshed out characters, gorgeous writing and a concept that is for every book lover. It’s about love, friendship, family and grief. You are taken on a journey through up’s and down’s and pulled into pieces. Full Review

Disruption by Jessica Shirvington: With enthralling characters, an engrossing world and a plot that just keeps you right there in the action. Disruption is a must read for everyone that loves YA and beyond.

Corruption by Jessica Shirvington: Just as enthralling as the first novel. Corruption keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The Industry by Rose Foster: The world was intriguing, protagonist interesting and the story pulled me right in. The Industry shows us that we need to try and be strong in hard times. Even when you think everything is impossible. Full Review

Breathing Under Water by Sophie Hardcastle: An emotional rollercoaster of a story. You are on a ride of grief and how it affects people differently, family and how at times you have to stick together, and friendship and how it can break when everything falls apart. | Full Review

Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil: Ventures in friendship, first love, family and what it is like to keep everything bottled in. It shows that sometimes love needs to start off as a friendship and that the bonds of friends are not always broken – even if there is some turbulence on the way. Full Review

When Michael Met Mina by Randa Abdel-Fattah: The younger generations need to know that sometimes the government and media lie and manipulate the sense of asylum seekers. They need to know that most of these people are not illegal or jumping the queue, they are just simply people looking for freedom, safety and peace. It’s an important story to write and share. Full Review

The Yearbook Committee by Sarah Ayoub: 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. Full Review

The Things I Didn’t Say by Kylie Fornasier: A gorgeous novel that breaks you down. It pulls at your heart and slowly rips it. With beautiful writing and a slow burning romance that starts off quick, but takes it’s time | Full Review
The Protected by Claire Zorn: The Protected is a beautiful, heartbreaking novel that tales a story of a girl who not only has to deal with her sister dying. But memory lose, her family breaking down and the torment of school.

Lisette’s Paris Notebook by Catherine Bateson: I didn’t love this book. It had potential, but it just wasn’t for me |

Summer Skin by Kirsty Eager: Is not for the faint hearted, be prepared for a sexy, slow-burning love full of passion and secrets. Summer Skin deals not only with young men taking advantage of women but how women can act differently to it. It shows us that people hide behind fronts not only to keep themselves safe but others as well. Summer Skin is full of empowering young women that take a stand.

My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier: Is a terrifying, fantastic read that will mess with your mind. Be prepared for a book that has many twists and turns that you have no idea what hit you, My Sister Rosa reminds us that sometimes a smile and looking pretty doesn’t mean that the person is not a psychopath. Nevertheless, Larbalestier also reminds us that you not always like your family.

What I Saw by Beck Nicholas: Shows us that sometimes the right thing to do is the hardest thing, that sometimes family isn’t everything and the importance of how a king hit can not only hurt the Victim but everyone else around them.

What OZ YA books did you read this year? Did are share any of the same? What was your favourite, less favourite? What are you looking forward to next year? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil

Jun 27, 2016

Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil

Pages: 305
Publish date: February 1st 2013
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
ISBN: 9781742973951
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK– Amazon US – Amazon AU – Dymocks

Sam Kinnison is a geek, and he’s totally fine with that. He has his horror movies, his nerdy friends, World of Warcraft – and until Princess Leia turns up in his bedroom, he doesn’t have to worry about girls.

Then Sam meets Camilla. She’s beautiful, friendly and completely irrelevant to his life. Sam is determined to ignore her, except that Camilla has a life of her own – and she’s decided that he’s going to be part of it.

Sam believes that everything he needs to know he can learn from the movies … but now it looks like he’s been watching the wrong ones.

Life in Outer Space:

This is possibly one of the most adorable books that I have ever read. When I closed the book I couldn’t keep the smile off my face, I am pretty sure I looked pretty stupid.

Life in Outer Space follows protagonist Sam Kinnison and his geeky ways. He loves horror movies, writes movie scripts and doesn’t care much for girls, but then Camilla comes into his life – and well, things start to change.

Sam was an interesting protagonist – he is geeky and doesn’t stand up for himself, and although I hate horror movies and don’t play video games, it was easy to see why he loved these things. Sam also has some self-doubt and it was difficult to read without trying to tell him that everything is going to be okay. But it was beautiful to see him grow throughout the novel and his character arc was spot on.

Camilla was a refreshing character to read about. She had this strong presence about her and she knew what she wanted in life. Even though she has this fame surrounding her, she doesn’t let it take over and she also doesn’t let people walk all over her.

The relationship between Camilla and Sam was completely adorable in Life in Outer Space. I was smiling ear to ear, I loved that it was slow burning and it started off as a friendship – which is fantastic because of the age of the protagonist. The way that both Sam and Camilla were there for each other was refreshing and even without knowing they helped each other out.

I adored that they were awkward with each other, the little smiles, that they both had feelings, yet kept it all hidden – it was a great representation of a first love between two young teens.

I loved seeing Sam’s relationship with his friends and how they are different from each other, but together they all work. I liked that they don’t take over from Sam character wise, but they are all fleshed out on their own.

There isn’t a good family vibe as such in, Life in Outer Space and I do wish there was more. Sam’s relationship with his mother was nice to see as his relationship with his father is strained. I liked seeing a mother and son relationship that was decent as I don’t see it in YA that often.

However, Sam’s family relationship isn’t that crash hot and I would have been okay with that if Camilla’s relationship with her parents was good. Camilla and her family are all over the place, they have no real bond and they all live apart. I just want to see something nice in the family section in Life in Outer Space.

Although I truly enjoyed Life in Outer Space, I found it hard to get into. I took me about 50 pages or so to be stuck in the story. It had a lot to do with the writing style and the voice of the protagonist. Sam is a 15 year old male – I am a 19 year old female; there is quite a lot of difference there. However, after the 50 pages the voice didn’t feel as foreign and I wanted to know what was going to happen.

Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil ventures friendship, first love, family and what it is like to keep everything bottled in. It shows that sometimes love needs to start off as a friendship and that the bonds of friends are not always broken – even if there is some turbulence on the way.

Have you read any Melissa Keil? If you have did you like it as much as I did. I am going to pick up her other book quite soon. If you haven’t read her books are you going to? Let’s Chat!