The nest - Paul Jennings

At the heart of this novel is the enigma of a mother who deserted her baby and husband. Young Robin Gordon lives in the Victorian high country with his dad and dreams of escaping to a world where he isn't constantly blamed for his mother's departure. He wants to be a published author. He wants to be able to tell Charlie that he loves her. But at the core of his life is his daily battle with murderous impulses. Could Robin really kill his father? Will he discover the truth behind his mother's betrayal?

Each section of the novel is tied together with the character Robin's short stories and helps the reader see inside the troubled teen's mind.

It's not the best YA novel I've read but it is certainly an interesting change from Jenning's usual humourous fare.

Girl next door by Alyssa Brugman

Brugman once again takes the reader inside the head of a sassy teen with attitude. Jenna-Belle and her older brother live the life of luxury - McMansion, five star holidays, designer fashion, private schools. One day their father decides to chuck in his well-paid job to set up his own business empire. The living room sofa becomes his office. Their mum falls pregnant. Their dad leaves "for the country". The bills aren't being paid. They take in lodgers. One day Jenna-Belle is escorted from school and told not to return until the fees have been paid. Her best friend is a hypochondriac. He also wants to hit on her. Sound like your kind of book?
Find out whether Jenna-Belle can rise up and beat the odds and learn what it might be like for some families who are victims of the global recession, excessive mortgages or unsustainable lifestyles.
Did I like this book? Yeees, I must admit that Jenna-Belle has a believable "voice" but the character of the mother annoyed me immensely. But since we are treated to a view of the situation through Jenna-Belle's immature eyes, perhaps the mother is just human, after all......

Mistik Lake - Martha Brooks

A beautifully evocative novel which mines the dangerous spaces occupied by family secrets, coming of age and prophetic dreams. Sally is the only survivor when a car full of teenagers crashes through the ice and sinks to the bottom of Mistik Lake. Twenty years later, her teenaged daughter, Odella is attempting to keep her family above water when Sally abandons them for an Icelander. Odella is faced with dark secrets from not only Sally's haunted past but that of her great aunt Gloria.



Odella meets Jimmy Tomasson who knows her from his dreams and the spark between them is soon ignited. Rich with the flavours of Icelandic mythology, Canadian summers and winters, life in the country, this is a sure page-turner which does not disappoint. The ending is very satisfying, the characters are all well-developed. Take this home today!

On the Jellicoe Road - Melina Marchetta

Taylor Markham is seventeen and lives as a boarder at the Jellicoe school in rural New South Wales. Taylor's young life is shrouded in mystery - she was dumped at the side of the road by her own mother and she has no memory of her father. Her dearest friend is Hannah, the woman who rescued her. But Hannah has her own secrets. Add to this the parallel story of a group of five friends who lived in Jellicoe twenty years before and you have the recipe for a very suspenseful narrative.
Will Taylor lead the Secret Underground Club troops to victory in the annual war against the local Townies and the visiting army cadets? Will she sort out her nemesis Jonah Griggs?
Marchetta ties up all the loose ends and provides a very satisfying conclusion.
If you enjoyed Marchetta's earlier titles, then curl up on a comfy couch with this one soon!

Forever in blue : the fourth summer of the sisterhood

Yey! The next book of the series of 'The sisterhood of travelling pants'.

Forever in blue : the fourth summer of the sisterhood is just as good as the other books of the series.
The girls are finding it harder to keep in contact with each other since starting college.They still though continue to use the pants as a means of having connection with one another.
Carmen attends theatre festival where she feels lonely and unknown and Tibby has a life changing experience at film school and cannot seem to find the motivation for her filming.
The other two girls also find themselves changing. Bridget becomes attracted to a married man while part of a excavation team and Lena poses nude for a art student in her own class.
There are break ups- make ups , new love intrests and loosing of "innocience" in this novel.

Those who have read the past novels will see the same kind of patten/themes through the novel but i feel it was comfortable coming back to the four girls that I first read about in the "The sisterhood of travelling pants". I enjoyed reading about them- I could easily have these novels in my collection at home (i am picky when choosing novels to have on my novel book shelf)

Three Wishes - Deborah Ellis

"I know a girl whose sister was killed when she was out buying books for school. She was only 16" (Talia’s story). Deborah Ellis speaks to many children; learning about their daily lives and hopes as they live in war-ravaged Palestine.

The Underdog - Markus Zusak

This is the story of two brothers, and three weeks in their lives. It starts with the plan to rob the dentist (it was never going to happen), stealing street signs(and putting them back), defending their sister (and getting their own love lives).

The King of Whatever - Kirsten Murphy

Joe King is in the most tumultuous year of a student’s life. He is the younger brother of two overachieving siblings, has no idea of what he is going to do with his life, and has just discovered that the girl he is in love with is seeing his best
friend.

Saving Francesca- Melina Machetta

At Sixteen Francesca always counted on her mum being the strength of her family.

Her mum every morning placed post it notes on Francescas' mirror and the house halls echoed with songs that were set to inspire Francesca and her sibling. Then one morning there is no post it notes, no songs and her mum hasn't left her bed.

That is one of many problems that Francesca faces when she gets up in the morning. She has no idea why her mum isn't getting out of bed and she has to deal with a new school with new friends. To top it off she has boys at her school that are less than happy that there are girls at their once only boys only school.

I found this book easy to pick up and get into the story. I loved that Francesca was different from Alibrandi (first novel of Melindas') and laughed many times throughout the novel remembering when i was in high school.

A must read!

Georgia's website

http://www.georgia-nicolson.co.uk/homepage