Throwback Thursday #LoveOzYA edition is our way of spreading the love of backlist Aussie books that you might have missed. We'll hopefully be posting a new book every second week, and we'd love you to join us!
Tash's pick
Title: Life in Outer Space
Author: Melissa Keil
Released: February 1st 2013
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
Add it to Goodreads
Sam is a geek movie-buff with a ragtag group of loser friends who have been taking abuse from the popular kids for years. But when the super-cool Camilla moves to town, she surprises everyone by choosing to spend time with Sam's group. Suddenly they go from geek to chic, and find that not everything boils down to us and them. With their social lives in flux, Sam and Camilla spend more and more time together. They become the best of friends, and Sam finds that he's happier and more comfortable in his own skin than ever before. But eventually Sam must admit to himself that he's fallen in love. If he confesses his true feelings to Camilla, will everything change again?
why i chose it
This book was groundbreaking for me. It was the first time , I could remember I read a book by a person who had the same background as me . Keil went on to write a book representing Sri Lankans that I loved as well.. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Her debut book Life in Outer Space is about a geeky boy named Sam who wishes that he could get his life together and fast forward to future where life surely would be better then now. Until Camilla enters the picture and life just become a little easier. She is everything he is not but then she opens everyone eyes to new possibilities . Showing Sam high school will only define part of his life and things don't always look that bad as they seem now. Forcing Sam out of his comfort zone and back down to earth.This book is fun but has it's serious moments, the family dynamics are honest and raw offering a portrayal that isn't always found in YA. Tugging at your heart strings and making you want to be part of the gang and enjoy the ride and realise that life in outer space isn't all what it made to be. That sometimes you need to connect and take in what is around you
This book sets on my shelves in a special space because how this book was defining on two levels. It once of the early champions of diversity in the local industry that I read. It opened my eyes to reading more local titles which I haven't regretted . This book paved the way and after all this years, it's a book that still needs to be championed and shared because we need more authors like Keil.
This sounds awesome! I'll have to add it to my wishlist.
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