LOATHING LOLA by Will Kostakis

Publication date: 2008
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Number of pages: 348
Date read: October 30th, 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Australian
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback
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(Description source: Goodreads)

Fifteen-year-old Courtney Marlow didn't exactly think it through. She thought the offer to have her life broadcast on national television was the perfect solution to her family's financial troubles.

She was wrong.

Mackenzie Dahl, the show’s producer, promised to show Australia a real teenager. Courtney was going to be a positive role model, someone on television without a boob job and an eating disorder.

Soon, everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame via a little bit of Courtney – especially her conniving friend Katie, and her stepmother, Lola. And Courtney is just beginning to realise that ‘ordinary’ does not translate to ‘entertaining’…

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Courtney Marlow is facing a tough year, being seen as 'the girl with the dead boyfriend' by the whole school she has trouble keeping herself together. She faces school, as well as auditioning for a reality TV show like her boyfriend would have wanted her too... this makes her life a hell of a lot more complicated and Courtney doesn't know who to trust.

This new reality TV show reveals the gaps in Courtneys life and pulls her world apart in ways that she never imagined would happen. Leaving her alone and powerless to a large, influencial company Courtney has no choice but to fight her way out. By any means possible.

Loathing Lola was a funny, intriguing and truely captivating novel which had me from the opening chapter. 

The realistic style that the characters were written in is a feature common to Will Kotakis' writing style. His characters are detailed to a good degree but not described to the point where nothing is left to the readers imagination. 

Even the character developments are cleverly portrayed and executed, with the relationships and friendships developing at a realistic rate. 

The friendships weren't just portrayed as happy with no issues, they actually reflected the complications and rollercoaster pathway that most friendships have, especially in times of great hardship. 

The relationships between characters displayed the highs and lows of friendship and that some friendships can remain strong no matter what happens and that a little trust can go a long way.

With twists and turns at every corner Loathing Lola kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat for most of the duration of the novel,- as soon as I thought that I had the ending figured out, something new would happen and turn my perceptions on their head once more.

Surprisingly I enjoyed this book even more than the other Will Kostakis novel I have read, The First Third, it was everything I expected it to be and more.

I simply cannot wait to read more by Will!

I rate Loathing Lola Four out of Five!!!

TOMORROW WHEN THE WAR BEGAN by John Marsden

Book one in the Tomorrow series
Publication date: 1993
Publisher: Pan Macmillan (Australia)/ Scholastic
Number of Pages:304
Date read: April 12th 2006
Genre: Realistic Fiction, War, Young Adult
Source: Bought 

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(Description source: Goodreads)

 When Ellie and her friends return from a camping trip in the Australian bush, they find things hideously wrong — their families are gone. Gradually they begin to comprehend that their country has been invaded and everyone in their town has been taken prisoner. As the reality of the situation hits them, they must make a decision — run and hide, give themselves up and be with their families, or fight back.

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“At that age you think boys have as much personality as coat hangers and, you don't notice their looks.
Then you grow up.”

Set in country Australia, Tomorrow When the War Began follows the adventures of seven average, naive and inexperienced Australian teenagers and their growth as individuals and as friends. The story takes off with the main character Ellie recounting the events that came to pass since her and her friends went bush for a few days.

As the story begins to flow, it goes from being more of a second person story to completely first person. Tomorrow When the War Began is a gripping story which, from the beginning attaches you to the various different characters. Each of the characters are easy to identify with and have vastly different qualities and identities that make it so that there is someone in there that everyone will grow to adore.

 From the innocent, gullible, sheltered teenagers seen at the beginning of the novel, they begin to change as the harsh reality sets in that Australia is at war and that they need to survive on their own until it's over. That is unless they wish to become captives like the rest of their town and those surrounding.

When they decide to keep themselves from being captured they also decide that it's time, time to help the war efforts and fight back guerrilla style and hit the enemy forces where it hurts, their soldiers, their vehicles and the main routes to their strongholds. But it isn't going to be an easy task and may cost the seven friends their lives. 

Tomorrow When the War Began is an absolutely AMAZING book that really should be on everyone's to read list!!! It is enthralling and I when I first read it I absolutely could NOT put it down, I read it every second that I possibly could and then found myself desperate for the second. These book do not disappoint in the slightest and I recommend them to all readers!
 

“They say teenagers can sleep all day. I often used to look at dogs and be amazed by the way they seemed to sleep for twenty hours a day. But I envied them too. It was the kind of lifestyle I could relate to.

We didn't sleep for twenty hours, but we gave it our best shot.” 

I rate Tomorrow When the War Began Five out of Five!

STAYING ALIVE IN YEAR 5 by John Marsden

Publication date: 1989
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Number of Pages: 78
Date read: March 27th 2006
Genre: Children, Magic, Fantasy, Humour
Source: Bought 

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(Description source: Goodreads)

Whatever happened to school?

  Scott and his friends are simply staying alive in year 5 until their surprising new teacher, Mr Murlin, comes along.

Boring textbooks go into the bin, eating chocolate in class becomes compulsory and suddenly it's OK to be weird.

But Mr Murlin is not popular with everyone...

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Staying Alive in Year 5 is such a fun, easy-going read that I love to pick up for a nice reminiscent time and a good laugh. 

It follows Scott and his friends as they go into year 5 with all its trials and tribulations as well as plenty of mischief and mayhem.

From the second that the quirky Mr. Murlin walks through their classroom door, everyone in there can sense that something is going to be VERY different this year. And they're correct! 

Before too long all the textbooks have been thrown away and students are sitting under desks for English tasks, writing about different aspects of life. Scott learns to deal with his new school life, as well as balancing his personal, family life as well as learning how to live with the surprises, especially the ones that his new, weird and whacky teacher presents. 

When magic seems to seep from inside the desks and teachers know what colour your underwear will be on the first day, you know that it will certainly be a year that will not be forgotten for many years to come.

This odd but magical book really transports readers back to year 5 and to a world of innocence and trivial concerns, full of laughter and practical jokes. This short book successfully captures the aspects of a year 5 and turns it into a fun ride for everyone to have, filled with light- hearted  magic and humour.

"Mr Murlin continued, ‘Eating chocolate in class is not only desirable, it is compulsory. Other things that are compulsory are laughing at the teacher’s jokes, day-dreaming, and watching ‘Neighbours’ on TV. There will be a test every Monday morning on ‘Neighbours’; those who fail will be pinned to the noticeboard by their ears."

I rate Staying Alive in Year 5 Four out of Five!

CHECKERS by John Marsden

Publication date: 1996
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Number of Pages:128
Date read: February 16th 2007
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction
Source: Bought 

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(Description source: Goodreads)

She lives in the best suburb. She goes to the finest school. Her family is wealthy and powerful. She has everything money can buy.

So why are there reporters outside her house?
And why is her father telling lies on television?
And why is the Premier talking about them in State Parliament?

Something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong.
 Riveting and compulsively readable, John Marsden's Checkers plunges us deep in the mind and world of a teenage girl whose life has spun completely out of control.

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Checkers  is the emotional, heart-wrenching story of a teenage girl who, in the space of a few hours, gets her life thrown upside down and learns that no one in life can really be trusted. 

Written in the form of diary flashbacks, Checkers introduces us to a girl who voluntarily checked in to a nearby psychiatric ward but refuses to talk about what helped her to make her mind to be there. 

In flashbacks we get to experience her life before the Psychiatric ward, featuring her dysfunctional and uncommunicative family of four as life for them spirals out of their control. Checkers, the dog that her father buys for her is a beacon of light for the unnamed girl when her father comes under attack from the media due to being under suspicion for fraudulent activities within his co-owned business. 

 When a connection ties Checkers to the fraud case, the situation worsens and everything takes a turn for the worse. A turn that makes everything change forever.

Checkers was a gripping book that had me emotionally entranced from the opening chapter.  Like many of Marsden's other novels, Checkers takes on a different writing style, which does take some getting used to , but personally I found it to be quite interesting and effective for this storyline. 

It helps to express how the main character feels and what she is thinking, which gives more dimension to the plot line and encourages more empathy towards her. 
The ending to Checkers is gripping and really gives the story an individual spin, showing that Marsden is not afraid to take things all the way and he really goes off on a limb ending things the way that he does. 

This is an enjoyable, emotional novel that is worth reading and doesn't take much time at all. 

   

"It’s a miracle anyone survives to be a teenager. It’s a miracle any teenager survives to be an adult."

I rate Checkers Four out of Five!

THE GREAT GATENBY by John Marsden

Publication date: December 31st 1989
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Number of Pages:155
Date read: July 3rd 2008
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction
Source: Bought 

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(Description source: Goodreads)

Maybe deep down every kid knows his parents want him to be the Pride of the School, the Captain of Cricket and Tennis and Rowing and Darts and Knitting and anything else that's going down.
They don't want to know about the fact that you've had more detentions than any other new student in the history of the school, that you're going out with a girl who doesn't wear a bra to PE, that the Head Swimming Coach is some kind of Nazi whose last job was training the shark in Jaws.

Erle Gatenby has been sent to boarding school to straighten out, but there's about as much chance of that happening as there is of his giving up smoking... or drinking... or falling through the Art Room roof.

Erle's a full tank of petrol... and wild, sexy Melanie Tozer is about to light the match.

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Erle Gatenby has been kicked out of his previous school and now must attend Linley boarding school, it isn't ridiculously strict but Erle loves to push the boundaries and do things his own way, which probably isn't always the best way to go about things at times. 
But his strong personality and persistence stands him in good stead to make new friends and enemies alike and gives him the courage to pursue the gorgeously stunning Melanie Tozer. 

By either his wits or just plain old good luck, Erle lands the girl and finds a heart- warming and strong bond with Melanie that makes him happy for once and fills him with a desire to be the best that he can be. Their passionate, adoring love is gorgeous and through the downfalls of everyday life they are the light in each others lives to keep going. 

This quick and enticing novel is hard to adjust to at first, with what I found to be a strange writing style and use of language (I'm not sure whether it is due to my gender or the time in which it was written). But I soon adjusted to it and really came to like both Erle and Melanie, amongst others, at characters.

I will warn that for younger readers there is a risque (sexual) scene or two as well as Young Adult themes (and references) and to read at your own rick/ maturity and to please be aware of this. I know that this particular book is not to everyone's taste but I really enjoyed The Great Gatenby and found it to be witty as well as serious in places. 
   

"Everyone gazed at the girl, who was sitting on the arm of a chair in the middle of the room. Her parents were red with humiliation. The girl stared right back at the Housemaster. I fell in love with her on the spot."

I rate The Great Gatenby Four out of Five!