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Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight
Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight is two weeks in the life of Joel Hedges and Cat Davis. Joel would prefer to get through his final year of high school without Cat Davis or his mother's faux Spanish boyfriend and just hang-out with his best-friend Luke. Cat Davis has an annoying best-friend, and even more annoying little brother, and a deep abiding hatred of Joel Hedges.
Due to an unfortunate incident involving a leaking pen and suspected outbreak of Bird Flu, Joel and Cat are forced to sit next to each other in Extension English. To make matters worse, and to their mutual horror, they are paired together for a tandem story writing assignment.
Due to an unfortunate incident involving a leaking pen and suspected outbreak of Bird Flu, Joel and Cat are forced to sit next to each other in Extension English. To make matters worse, and to their mutual horror, they are paired together for a tandem story writing assignment.
240 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 2007
8 people are currently reading
1535 people want to read
About the author
Nick Earls
74 books172 followersNick Earls is the author of twelve books, including bestselling novels such as Zigzag Street, Bachelor Kisses, Perfect Skin and World of Chickens. His work has been published internationally in English and also in translation, and this led to him being a finalist in the Premier of Queensland’s Awards for Export Achievement in 1999.
Zigzag Street won a Betty Trask Award in the UK in 1998, and is currently being developed into a feature film. Bachelor Kisses was one of Who Weekly’s Books of the Year in 1998. Perfect Skin was the only novel nominated for an Australian Comedy Award in 2003, and has recently been filmed in Italy.
He has written five novels with teenage central characters. 48 Shades of Brown was awarded Book of the Year (older readers) by the Children’s Book Council in 2000, and in the US it was a Kirkus Reviews selection in its books of the year for 2004. A feature film adapted from the novel was released in Australia by Buena Vista International in August 2006, and has subsequently screened at festivals in North America and Europe. His earlier young-adult novel, After January, was also an award-winner.
After January, 48 Shades of Brown, Zigzag Street and Perfect Skin have all been successfully adapted for theatre by La Boite, and the Zigzag Street play toured nationally in 2005.
Nick Earls was the founding chair of the Australian arm of the international aid agency War Child and is now a War Child ambassador. He is or has also been patron of Kids Who Make a Difference and Hands on Art, and an honorary ambassador for both the Mater Foundation and the Abused Child Trust. On top of that, he was the face of Brisbane Marketing’s ‘Downtown Brisbane’ and ‘Experience Brisbane’ campaigns.
His contribution to writing in Queensland led to him being awarded the Queensland Writers Centre’s inaugural Johnno award in 2001 and a Centenary Medal in 2003. His work as a writer, in writing industry development and in support of humanitarian causes led to him being named University of Queensland Alumnus of the Year in 2006. He was also the Queensland Multicultural Champion for 2006.
He has an honours degree in Medicine from the University of Queensland, and has lived in Brisbane since migrating as an eight-year-old from Northern Ireland in 1972. London’s Mirror newspaper has called him ‘the first Aussie to make me laugh out loud since Jason Donovan’. His latest novel is Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight, co-written with Rebecca Sparrow.
Zigzag Street won a Betty Trask Award in the UK in 1998, and is currently being developed into a feature film. Bachelor Kisses was one of Who Weekly’s Books of the Year in 1998. Perfect Skin was the only novel nominated for an Australian Comedy Award in 2003, and has recently been filmed in Italy.
He has written five novels with teenage central characters. 48 Shades of Brown was awarded Book of the Year (older readers) by the Children’s Book Council in 2000, and in the US it was a Kirkus Reviews selection in its books of the year for 2004. A feature film adapted from the novel was released in Australia by Buena Vista International in August 2006, and has subsequently screened at festivals in North America and Europe. His earlier young-adult novel, After January, was also an award-winner.
After January, 48 Shades of Brown, Zigzag Street and Perfect Skin have all been successfully adapted for theatre by La Boite, and the Zigzag Street play toured nationally in 2005.
Nick Earls was the founding chair of the Australian arm of the international aid agency War Child and is now a War Child ambassador. He is or has also been patron of Kids Who Make a Difference and Hands on Art, and an honorary ambassador for both the Mater Foundation and the Abused Child Trust. On top of that, he was the face of Brisbane Marketing’s ‘Downtown Brisbane’ and ‘Experience Brisbane’ campaigns.
His contribution to writing in Queensland led to him being awarded the Queensland Writers Centre’s inaugural Johnno award in 2001 and a Centenary Medal in 2003. His work as a writer, in writing industry development and in support of humanitarian causes led to him being named University of Queensland Alumnus of the Year in 2006. He was also the Queensland Multicultural Champion for 2006.
He has an honours degree in Medicine from the University of Queensland, and has lived in Brisbane since migrating as an eight-year-old from Northern Ireland in 1972. London’s Mirror newspaper has called him ‘the first Aussie to make me laugh out loud since Jason Donovan’. His latest novel is Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight, co-written with Rebecca Sparrow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
March 24, 2018
I spent one lazily delicious afternoon grinning my way through this.
And then.
About half way through, everything kicked up a notch and I couldn't put it down. The build up to the climax was perfectly done, raising the stakes and the level of hilarity.
It was a completely fun book that felt like high school and had me grinning stupidly and occasionally snorting. One of the scenes (where Joel "takes one for the team") had me laughing so much my tummy started to hurt - how do they think up that stuff? Even thinking about the book right now, I have a ridiculous smile on my face - it genuinely cracked me up.
I also loved the spoofy Jane Austin and Matthew Reilly style writing that Joel and Cat wrote to each other, for an assignment, in the story (they emailed a paragraph per chapter, and used it to vent - killing/torturing each others characters, etc). So cleverly done. Classic!
It felt like Nick and Rebecca had a blast writing this and the chapters flowed so smoothly - one of the best collaborative efforts I've come across.
My only criticism is: at the beginning the build-up of some of the subplots dragged a little and I would have preferred to see more of Joel and Cat antagonising each other (in those initial chapters) as they had the whole sharp, eloquent insult thing down pat in the most entertaining of ways.
And then.
About half way through, everything kicked up a notch and I couldn't put it down. The build up to the climax was perfectly done, raising the stakes and the level of hilarity.
It was a completely fun book that felt like high school and had me grinning stupidly and occasionally snorting. One of the scenes (where Joel "takes one for the team") had me laughing so much my tummy started to hurt - how do they think up that stuff? Even thinking about the book right now, I have a ridiculous smile on my face - it genuinely cracked me up.
I also loved the spoofy Jane Austin and Matthew Reilly style writing that Joel and Cat wrote to each other, for an assignment, in the story (they emailed a paragraph per chapter, and used it to vent - killing/torturing each others characters, etc). So cleverly done. Classic!
It felt like Nick and Rebecca had a blast writing this and the chapters flowed so smoothly - one of the best collaborative efforts I've come across.
My only criticism is: at the beginning the build-up of some of the subplots dragged a little and I would have preferred to see more of Joel and Cat antagonising each other (in those initial chapters) as they had the whole sharp, eloquent insult thing down pat in the most entertaining of ways.
November 16, 2012
Remember the Britney and Justin Dance Off of 2002? (And Matt Damon's reenactment on SNL?) This book is the literary equivalent of that. Yes, it's as awesome as it sounds.
Joel and Cat, classmates and enemies, are paired together for a tandem writing project. They have to write a story one alternating paragraph at a time. But the first rule of tandem story writing is that you do not talk about tandem story writing. They can't discuss the plot or characters. Any problems? Take it to the page! (Sidenote: No wonder Australian YA is awesome -- their English teachers kick ass. Mr. Ashton reminded me a bit of Mr. Botherit and his Joy of the Envelope.)
The 'enemies who are forced to work together' is one of my favorite tropes. Done well, it leads to great chemistry and banter, and the reader falls in love along with the characters. You already know how I feel about Rebecca Sparrow. (In case you don't, I ADORE her.) There's just something about her writing that I connected to immediately and I loved Nick McGowan from the first page. Imagine my surprise when I didn't connect to Joel and Cat right away. I don't get it. Did I stumble into bad lighting? I put the book down after about 40 pages. A few days later, I decided to pick it up again, and this time, I couldn't put it down until I was done. I didn't stop laughing until a good 30 minutes after I had finished the book. I think the beginning felt a bit disjointed as the characters, the authors, and I got used to the tandem style. Once we were all on the same page (hardy har har), it was so much fun. It's obvious that Rebecca Sparrow and Nick Earls had fun writing this. I can't even mention a scene without cackling like Julia Roberts and wanting to spoiler the hell out of it for you so we can laugh about it together, but I won't!
There's a distinctly Australian feel to the book. I had to google references to Megan Gale, Andrew G, and Mary Kostakidis. I cracked up after looking up 'Ken Done scarf', which is how Cat describes Joel's hippy dippy mother's appearance, because that's exactly how I pictured her. I was surprised that Australia has Sizzlers. Of all the restaurants America could export! There are still a few around LA -- to keep people like my grandma happy. I loved that Sizzler was also a turning point in the book. Seriously, so much fun!
If Sizzler doesn't tempt you to read this book, maybe Cat's dad will. Remember that episode of Friends where Ross goes tanning? "I'm an 8!" Cat's dad takes that as a personal challenge.
When Joel and Cat are first paired up, Joel throws down the gauntlet and challenges Cat with two words: Amaze me. Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow did. They each bring such a charming, unique voice to the story. I'm no Nate Silver, but I predict you will laugh your ass off while reading this book.
This review appears on Young Adult Anonymous.
Joel and Cat, classmates and enemies, are paired together for a tandem writing project. They have to write a story one alternating paragraph at a time. But the first rule of tandem story writing is that you do not talk about tandem story writing. They can't discuss the plot or characters. Any problems? Take it to the page! (Sidenote: No wonder Australian YA is awesome -- their English teachers kick ass. Mr. Ashton reminded me a bit of Mr. Botherit and his Joy of the Envelope.)
The 'enemies who are forced to work together' is one of my favorite tropes. Done well, it leads to great chemistry and banter, and the reader falls in love along with the characters. You already know how I feel about Rebecca Sparrow. (In case you don't, I ADORE her.) There's just something about her writing that I connected to immediately and I loved Nick McGowan from the first page. Imagine my surprise when I didn't connect to Joel and Cat right away. I don't get it. Did I stumble into bad lighting? I put the book down after about 40 pages. A few days later, I decided to pick it up again, and this time, I couldn't put it down until I was done. I didn't stop laughing until a good 30 minutes after I had finished the book. I think the beginning felt a bit disjointed as the characters, the authors, and I got used to the tandem style. Once we were all on the same page (hardy har har), it was so much fun. It's obvious that Rebecca Sparrow and Nick Earls had fun writing this. I can't even mention a scene without cackling like Julia Roberts and wanting to spoiler the hell out of it for you so we can laugh about it together, but I won't!
There's a distinctly Australian feel to the book. I had to google references to Megan Gale, Andrew G, and Mary Kostakidis. I cracked up after looking up 'Ken Done scarf', which is how Cat describes Joel's hippy dippy mother's appearance, because that's exactly how I pictured her. I was surprised that Australia has Sizzlers. Of all the restaurants America could export! There are still a few around LA -- to keep people like my grandma happy. I loved that Sizzler was also a turning point in the book. Seriously, so much fun!
If Sizzler doesn't tempt you to read this book, maybe Cat's dad will. Remember that episode of Friends where Ross goes tanning? "I'm an 8!" Cat's dad takes that as a personal challenge.
When Joel and Cat are first paired up, Joel throws down the gauntlet and challenges Cat with two words: Amaze me. Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow did. They each bring such a charming, unique voice to the story. I'm no Nate Silver, but I predict you will laugh your ass off while reading this book.
This review appears on Young Adult Anonymous.
September 19, 2011
Fun, quirky, fast, flirty. I loved this book.
Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight is written in alternating points of view, with one chapter being narrated by Joel (Nick Earls) and the next by Cat (Rebecca Sparrow) - and so on. The story takes place over a couple of weeks as the two are partnered in a tandem-story assignment.
Each chapter was witty and unique, and although each alternated between a different character and was written by a different author, flowed flawlessly. I found myself grinning an endless number of times, both on my way to and from work (my poor fellow train passengers must have been concerned as I had two seats to myself on the way home - score!), I was amazed and amused by the crazy plots and schemes the two came up with in their assignment. So weird yet so good!
Cat's little brother, Mark, was a gem. He had me cracking up, especially with the 'ternal zamination' he felt Batman required (that was certainly something I wasn't expecting in this story! Nevertheless was in near tears from laughing at as much). Her father with his fake tan - now that was an interesting mental image, and her mother with her silk nightie (you'll know what I'm referring to if you read the book), was classic. Awkward parents, much?
Joel's mum, to me, came across as a bit of a ditz, not 'dumb' ditzy, more... airy fairy, hippie type ditzy, but I loved her. And Betty - what an awesome old lady. It helped me to associate the name with Betty White - made her that much more amusing. I love scheming old people, and this one worked.
Putting the 'lightness' of the book aside, there were some serious family issues dealt with in this book. While they were not explored in depth, they were covered very well and I was impressed with how the authors went about doing so. They helped show that a dysfunctional family (which I most certainly have myself) while wacky, can be fun and normal. Well, normal is in the eye of the beholder, bit we'll just leave it there, shall we?
If you're looking for something that's quick and sure to get you laughing, this book is definitely worth the read.
OH. And P.S. Cat's best friend is called Emma Marchetta. Great name choice, guys ;o)
Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight is written in alternating points of view, with one chapter being narrated by Joel (Nick Earls) and the next by Cat (Rebecca Sparrow) - and so on. The story takes place over a couple of weeks as the two are partnered in a tandem-story assignment.
Each chapter was witty and unique, and although each alternated between a different character and was written by a different author, flowed flawlessly. I found myself grinning an endless number of times, both on my way to and from work (my poor fellow train passengers must have been concerned as I had two seats to myself on the way home - score!), I was amazed and amused by the crazy plots and schemes the two came up with in their assignment. So weird yet so good!
Cat's little brother, Mark, was a gem. He had me cracking up, especially with the 'ternal zamination' he felt Batman required (that was certainly something I wasn't expecting in this story! Nevertheless was in near tears from laughing at as much). Her father with his fake tan - now that was an interesting mental image, and her mother with her silk nightie (you'll know what I'm referring to if you read the book), was classic. Awkward parents, much?
Joel's mum, to me, came across as a bit of a ditz, not 'dumb' ditzy, more... airy fairy, hippie type ditzy, but I loved her. And Betty - what an awesome old lady. It helped me to associate the name with Betty White - made her that much more amusing. I love scheming old people, and this one worked.
Putting the 'lightness' of the book aside, there were some serious family issues dealt with in this book. While they were not explored in depth, they were covered very well and I was impressed with how the authors went about doing so. They helped show that a dysfunctional family (which I most certainly have myself) while wacky, can be fun and normal. Well, normal is in the eye of the beholder, bit we'll just leave it there, shall we?
If you're looking for something that's quick and sure to get you laughing, this book is definitely worth the read.
OH. And P.S. Cat's best friend is called Emma Marchetta. Great name choice, guys ;o)
October 23, 2013
Joel hates Cat.
Cat hates Joel.
And frankly, they are quite happy with things being that way. That is, until Cat's surprise hayfever attack and Joel's pen-ink disaster end up paving the way for a paired Extension English Assignment. Together. And to make it that much worse, the task is a tandem story, which means each one of them must submit a paragraph of the story at a time. No discussions. Just working with what the other's imagination has conceived.
But that's ok, right? It's only two weeks...
Yet, in two weeks alot can happen. Cat - on top of the hayfever - must deal with a younger brother with a sweet tooth, her father's fake tan, her mother's emotional rollercoaster, her friend Emma's Barbie IQ and the injustice of being paired with Joel. Joel - on top of his obvious dislike of Cat - must put a stop to the weirdo dating his mother (who insists he is of Mexican/Spanish heritage but cannot even make decent tacos), fight off the rumours from his friend Luke the pool boy and try to make sure Cat stops killing off his main characters.
But when they find out their parents are considering dating, all fighting halts as they team up to concoct the ultimate plan to return their lives to normal.
With funny paragraphs of nonsensical writing (about men who parachute with knives, ladies who drink Lady Grey tea and a version of Pride and Prejudice crossed with the XXX factor), sarcastic e-mails, medical research on the symptoms of appendicitis, superheroes, mangoes and elephants on the table, the tale becomes as tantalising as Anna and the French Kiss, hitting the heart and the funny bone.
And yet, the lingering question surfaces - is normal all it's cracked up to be? And could the comradeship between these two rivals become something neither had expected?
Joel and Cat set the story straight in this heart-warming novel about not judging the book by its cover.
Cat hates Joel.
And frankly, they are quite happy with things being that way. That is, until Cat's surprise hayfever attack and Joel's pen-ink disaster end up paving the way for a paired Extension English Assignment. Together. And to make it that much worse, the task is a tandem story, which means each one of them must submit a paragraph of the story at a time. No discussions. Just working with what the other's imagination has conceived.
But that's ok, right? It's only two weeks...
Yet, in two weeks alot can happen. Cat - on top of the hayfever - must deal with a younger brother with a sweet tooth, her father's fake tan, her mother's emotional rollercoaster, her friend Emma's Barbie IQ and the injustice of being paired with Joel. Joel - on top of his obvious dislike of Cat - must put a stop to the weirdo dating his mother (who insists he is of Mexican/Spanish heritage but cannot even make decent tacos), fight off the rumours from his friend Luke the pool boy and try to make sure Cat stops killing off his main characters.
But when they find out their parents are considering dating, all fighting halts as they team up to concoct the ultimate plan to return their lives to normal.
With funny paragraphs of nonsensical writing (about men who parachute with knives, ladies who drink Lady Grey tea and a version of Pride and Prejudice crossed with the XXX factor), sarcastic e-mails, medical research on the symptoms of appendicitis, superheroes, mangoes and elephants on the table, the tale becomes as tantalising as Anna and the French Kiss, hitting the heart and the funny bone.
And yet, the lingering question surfaces - is normal all it's cracked up to be? And could the comradeship between these two rivals become something neither had expected?
Joel and Cat set the story straight in this heart-warming novel about not judging the book by its cover.
June 18, 2017
Hahahahaha. That's all I can say about this book right now. I needed a light read, and this one had been sitting on my kindle. If I'd known how unbelievably AWESOME it was, there's no way I would have let it sit there for so long.
This book was such fun. I've been laughing out loud every time I read a bit; and I'm not usually much of one for that. Crying to books, yes. Laughing, not so much. But this book has that snappy, witty, sarcastic dialogue I love so much. Did I mention this book is just so.much.fun? SO MUCH FUN!
Highly recommended. I'm going to read it again.
This book was such fun. I've been laughing out loud every time I read a bit; and I'm not usually much of one for that. Crying to books, yes. Laughing, not so much. But this book has that snappy, witty, sarcastic dialogue I love so much. Did I mention this book is just so.much.fun? SO MUCH FUN!
Highly recommended. I'm going to read it again.
June 15, 2011
I didn't open up Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight without first being "armed to the teeth" with expectations.
I loved this book by just glancing at the cover. It looks like an art project, with the boy and girl cut-outs and even better is when you check out the inside covers which have words from the book all jumbled-up and cool looking.
Now, here's a confession: I have never read either Nick Earls or Rebecca Sparrow before. I expected Nick Earls to have a bit of a John Green edge (I expect all male authors to have a John Green edge) but be a bit more, whimsical, maybe? And from Rebecca Sparrow, I expected chick lit. Marshmallow-y, with more fluff than a baby bunny rabbit. (I don't have anything against chick-lit either, it is occasionally very comforting.)
But I was wrong.
It was absolutely better, more delicious, and swoonworthy than I ever imagined.
First of all, Nick Earls is now of one of my most favorite authors because his side of the story added so much life: Joel was unbelievably fleshed-out (and very swoon-y) and his Mom and Betty (the crazy next door neighbor! Loved her!) were lovely. Nothing turns out like expected which is refreshing. And all of the pop culture references (There is a Pulp Fiction poster in Joel's room, David Spade is mentioned, and Joel bought Emma a Citizen Kane DVD for her birthday LOL. However, I'm going to admit it right now: It was the El Paso taco commercial that won me over.) I adore Nick Earls, and his quirky-cool characters :)
Rebecca Sparrow, boy, was I way off there. I loved everything about Cat: she is the teenage girl that you can both relate to and yearn to be. Light, chick-lit fluff? No way. Cat's got better things to do than pine away for some unattainable boy or analyze the latest Paris Hilton crisis. I loved every single way that Cat dealt with her problems because not only was it often hilarious, but sometimes it just makes you want to cheer her on. Thick and thin, ups and down, Cat never lost her attitude, or her flair, or all the little bits and pieces that made her Cat.
Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow = Best writing duo ever.
The chapters flowed together seamlessly and it got even more clever, witty, and "OMG how do these people think up schemes like these?!" as I got deeper into the pages, tangled up in all these plot lines and characters that were weaved together in a web of chaos and awesome. The tension from Joel and Cat's constant back-and-forth made my toes tingle, I was craving the latest update on the Davis family even when I didn't have the book in my hands, and having two amazing (and yes, also hilarious) characters like Luke and Emma on the side-lines added to the book's overall awesome.
The tandem stories were funny and smart and (Seriously, nearing the end I was cracking up along with Cat and Joel :)
This book has everything that I crave in a good YA contemporary: irresistibly sweet romance, humor, snark, pop culture references that come off as sophisticated and genuine (El Paso!), and excellent writing.
Once again, Aussie YA amazes me. This book is going on my ultimate favorite’s shelf and I can't wait to get started on a re-read. Everything about this book and the teenagers in it is quirky and fun and authentic. Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight holds the record for number of times I've smiled during a book :)
Now, this book is not going to change your life. But it very possibly will make it so much better.
March 20, 2015
was rolling about laughing at one point. literal, actual rolling happened. could not breathe from laughing so much.
June 28, 2012
I have just finished listening to the audio-book version of Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight and loved it!
The book will most definitely keep you laughing and if you’re like me and live outside of Australia you’ll only be able to get an audio-copy, but fear not, the accents are awesome. Or at least they are to an Australia obsessed girl.
Cat Davis and Joel Hedges are just two teenagers with a mutual resentment for each other so obviously neither of the pair are too happy about being paired together to do a tandem story. At the start they both come up with totally different ideas – and I will admit to preferring Joel’s – but by the end they still are coming up with crazy ideas, just ones that fit together slightly better.
I have a thing against dual point of views, but Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow pull it off well. I enjoyed hearing things from both Cat and Joel’s point of view, though I found Joel to be more amusing. I don’t think the story would have worked as well if it wasn’t in both of these characters point of views; which is very hard for me to admit.
Cat is a goody-two-shoes, grade obsessed, smart girl. She’s stubborn and has a tendency to refuse to believe what she doesn’t want to be true. She can be quite sarcastic at times and is a lot less whiny than most female protagonists.
Joel is funny and extremely judgemental. He thinks things about people, things he has no right to think just because he hasn’t got to know the person. He’s probably my second favourite character in the book, the first being Luke, his best friend.
Luke and Aaron’s tandem story is undoubtedly the best.
The book was filled with funny scenes, finger love, Joel and Betty as the break-up team (they weren’t called that in the book, but I’m naming them that) and the brutal, merciless things they did to each others characters in the tandem all made me laugh.
I’d give this book five out of five because it most certainly did “amaze me.”
(Book review written with an Australian accent reading the words in my head as I type.)
The book will most definitely keep you laughing and if you’re like me and live outside of Australia you’ll only be able to get an audio-copy, but fear not, the accents are awesome. Or at least they are to an Australia obsessed girl.
Cat Davis and Joel Hedges are just two teenagers with a mutual resentment for each other so obviously neither of the pair are too happy about being paired together to do a tandem story. At the start they both come up with totally different ideas – and I will admit to preferring Joel’s – but by the end they still are coming up with crazy ideas, just ones that fit together slightly better.
I have a thing against dual point of views, but Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow pull it off well. I enjoyed hearing things from both Cat and Joel’s point of view, though I found Joel to be more amusing. I don’t think the story would have worked as well if it wasn’t in both of these characters point of views; which is very hard for me to admit.
Cat is a goody-two-shoes, grade obsessed, smart girl. She’s stubborn and has a tendency to refuse to believe what she doesn’t want to be true. She can be quite sarcastic at times and is a lot less whiny than most female protagonists.
Joel is funny and extremely judgemental. He thinks things about people, things he has no right to think just because he hasn’t got to know the person. He’s probably my second favourite character in the book, the first being Luke, his best friend.
Luke and Aaron’s tandem story is undoubtedly the best.
The book was filled with funny scenes, finger love, Joel and Betty as the break-up team (they weren’t called that in the book, but I’m naming them that) and the brutal, merciless things they did to each others characters in the tandem all made me laugh.
I’d give this book five out of five because it most certainly did “amaze me.”
(Book review written with an Australian accent reading the words in my head as I type.)
October 14, 2011
Joel and Cat, high-school students, haven’t talked in fifteen months. Not since Cat had a major hand in Joel and Emma’s (Cat’s best friend) break-up. Joel and Cat basically can’t stand the sight of each other, but they are now forced to work together. They have been partnered up for a “tandem story” where each partner writes a paragraph and then the other continues the story with their own paragraph. Let the insults and comedy begin!
This story mirrors the actual writing of this book which was also done tandem-style with writers Nick Earls (Joel) and Rebecca Sparrow (Cat). We are given alternating chapters told from Joel and Cat’s POV. From reading the notes of the authors at the end of the book, it sounds as if they had a fun time partnering up for this, and that some of the plot directions came as a surprise to one another (as an example: the killing off of the hero in Joel’s tandem story!)
This story was witty and funny, it had me cracking up so many times. Joel’s “sudden on-set of appendicitis” and subsequent examination was particularly hilarious! We also see Joel and Cat's home life, which are far from perfect on either side, but add to the overall cute and quirkiness of the story. The slow realization of the actual feelings between Joel and Cat was a pleasure to discover with them, and to me was the best part of the story. I am a die-hard romantic! If I had any complaints, it would be that there wasn’t more of Joel and Cat at the end of the story. Otherwise, this was a fun upbeat-delight!
This story mirrors the actual writing of this book which was also done tandem-style with writers Nick Earls (Joel) and Rebecca Sparrow (Cat). We are given alternating chapters told from Joel and Cat’s POV. From reading the notes of the authors at the end of the book, it sounds as if they had a fun time partnering up for this, and that some of the plot directions came as a surprise to one another (as an example: the killing off of the hero in Joel’s tandem story!)
This story was witty and funny, it had me cracking up so many times. Joel’s “sudden on-set of appendicitis” and subsequent examination was particularly hilarious! We also see Joel and Cat's home life, which are far from perfect on either side, but add to the overall cute and quirkiness of the story. The slow realization of the actual feelings between Joel and Cat was a pleasure to discover with them, and to me was the best part of the story. I am a die-hard romantic! If I had any complaints, it would be that there wasn’t more of Joel and Cat at the end of the story. Otherwise, this was a fun upbeat-delight!
June 15, 2020
Read this as an audio book, snd it was amazing, perfect for audio.
1. Describe the book in 3 words.
21st century Relationships
2. What was most memorable for you?
The extension story exercise, written independently by Two people with such diverse styles, is a fantastic tool that binds the threads together and builds toward the climax. It doesn’t start as “the main thing”, but without it, or with some other tension, I doubt the same feelings About the book would result.
3. How did the book compare to others you’ve read in this genre?
There are two key genres for this book, young adult and feisty love-hate relationships.
I haven’t read many young adult books, and expected a soppy young love story. Yet this book had so much to offer (after a bit of a slow start) that it really grabbed me and held my attention right to the end.
In terms of feisty love-hate relationships, this story is up there with shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, taming of the shrew, kiss me Kate and the modern take, 10 things I hate about you.
But it’s not just a young love story, it touches on adults responsibilities and inadequacies, children being the adult, literature, and It’s set in Brisbane.
4. Book specific Q
Whose side of the story did you prefer (ie. their writing style) - Cat’s (Rebecca Sparrow) or Joel’s (Nick Earls)? And why?
Difficult to decide, because one without the other would be completely different stories.
If I have to choose, I’ll say Joel’s, it felt like he did it more out of creativity than anger.
1. Describe the book in 3 words.
21st century Relationships
2. What was most memorable for you?
The extension story exercise, written independently by Two people with such diverse styles, is a fantastic tool that binds the threads together and builds toward the climax. It doesn’t start as “the main thing”, but without it, or with some other tension, I doubt the same feelings About the book would result.
3. How did the book compare to others you’ve read in this genre?
There are two key genres for this book, young adult and feisty love-hate relationships.
I haven’t read many young adult books, and expected a soppy young love story. Yet this book had so much to offer (after a bit of a slow start) that it really grabbed me and held my attention right to the end.
In terms of feisty love-hate relationships, this story is up there with shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, taming of the shrew, kiss me Kate and the modern take, 10 things I hate about you.
But it’s not just a young love story, it touches on adults responsibilities and inadequacies, children being the adult, literature, and It’s set in Brisbane.
4. Book specific Q
Whose side of the story did you prefer (ie. their writing style) - Cat’s (Rebecca Sparrow) or Joel’s (Nick Earls)? And why?
Difficult to decide, because one without the other would be completely different stories.
If I have to choose, I’ll say Joel’s, it felt like he did it more out of creativity than anger.
June 19, 2017
3.5 stars
This was so wonderfully Australian! With that light hearted humour that all Aussie authors always seem to nail in the head;
“We live with such a stoic bunch of oldies that their contribution to the evacuation plan was mostly, ‘Don’t you worry about me, love – you save yourself.”
The troop of absolutely mad characters was reminiscent of Lisa Shanahan. And this girl was just relatable, from her hate for nasal sprays to her love for Audrey Hepburn, throwing in the fact that her dad is a GP?! (Nick Earls worked as a GP for bit which I thought is a nice bit of trivia and felt like more medical elements could have been introduced into the book but it's not about the GP lol)
However, although the story was going on so swimmingly, the ending seemed so rushed and haphazardly put together that it really took away from the enjoyment of the book.
This was so wonderfully Australian! With that light hearted humour that all Aussie authors always seem to nail in the head;
“We live with such a stoic bunch of oldies that their contribution to the evacuation plan was mostly, ‘Don’t you worry about me, love – you save yourself.”
The troop of absolutely mad characters was reminiscent of Lisa Shanahan. And this girl was just relatable, from her hate for nasal sprays to her love for Audrey Hepburn, throwing in the fact that her dad is a GP?! (Nick Earls worked as a GP for bit which I thought is a nice bit of trivia and felt like more medical elements could have been introduced into the book but it's not about the GP lol)
However, although the story was going on so swimmingly, the ending seemed so rushed and haphazardly put together that it really took away from the enjoyment of the book.
June 15, 2020
This book is full of nostalgic teenage memories for me! Loved all the Brisbane references and it had all the ingredients for the perfect YA book. The audiobook was great and I loved hearing both sides of the story.
April 10, 2017
Cute young adult novel--I don't read many of those but this one is very Australian by Brisbane writers and I liked the dual author/narrator. Very fun.
January 3, 2020
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars.
I picked this one up at a second hand store as it looked interesting with a cute cover. The story surrounds Joel and Cat (there is a surprise) - students in a Year 12 extension English class in Brisbane (around the Milton/Indooroopilly area). For their assessment they have to write a tandem story where one writes a segment and emails it to the other to continue and then back and forth for 2 weeks.
The actual book is set out in a similar format with chapters alternating between Joel (written by Nick Earls) and Cat (written by Rebecca Sparrow) where the story follows what is going on in their world (a day per character) and then ends with the paragraph they are sending to the other so you can see the tie in with the tandem story.
This was a really cute read with a subtle "Much Ado About Nothing-esque" romance. I confess I loved the Cat perspective much more than the Joel perspective, but overall the two authors came together in their writing quite smoothly.
This book was set in mid-2000s so some real nostalgic and pop-culture moments. The rectal exam just had me seriously laughing out loud - it was just way, way, WAY too wrong.
This was a cute little read and I read it pretty much in one sitting at around 250 pages but it didn't 100% grab me and that is probably more to do with me struggling to get overly excited by anything in the bookcase rather than the actual book itself.
Reading Challenge
Aussie Reader's 2019-2020 Summer Challenge: Read a book by Aussie Author(s)
Aussie Reader's 2020 January Challenge: Read a book where the first or last initial of the author is in the world JANUARY (N = Nick; R = Rebecca)
I picked this one up at a second hand store as it looked interesting with a cute cover. The story surrounds Joel and Cat (there is a surprise) - students in a Year 12 extension English class in Brisbane (around the Milton/Indooroopilly area). For their assessment they have to write a tandem story where one writes a segment and emails it to the other to continue and then back and forth for 2 weeks.
The actual book is set out in a similar format with chapters alternating between Joel (written by Nick Earls) and Cat (written by Rebecca Sparrow) where the story follows what is going on in their world (a day per character) and then ends with the paragraph they are sending to the other so you can see the tie in with the tandem story.
This was a really cute read with a subtle "Much Ado About Nothing-esque" romance. I confess I loved the Cat perspective much more than the Joel perspective, but overall the two authors came together in their writing quite smoothly.
This book was set in mid-2000s so some real nostalgic and pop-culture moments. The rectal exam just had me seriously laughing out loud - it was just way, way, WAY too wrong.
This was a cute little read and I read it pretty much in one sitting at around 250 pages but it didn't 100% grab me and that is probably more to do with me struggling to get overly excited by anything in the bookcase rather than the actual book itself.
Reading Challenge
Aussie Reader's 2019-2020 Summer Challenge: Read a book by Aussie Author(s)
Aussie Reader's 2020 January Challenge: Read a book where the first or last initial of the author is in the world JANUARY (N = Nick; R = Rebecca)
November 9, 2011
I picked this book up, intrigued by the blurb and interested to read by two well known Aussie authors. I’m glad I picked this up, cause now that I know I like Miss Sparrow’s prose, I’m looking forward to reading more by her!
As soon as I started reading from Cat’s POV (Rebecca Sparrow) I instantly liked her writing style. However, I didn’t really connect with the other author, Nick Earls, who wrote from Joel’s perspective.
This book was quite a roller coaster – one minute I was really enjoying it and the next minute it was going down hill and I found myself skimming parts. :(
I don’t really know what to say for the characters. To me, they were okay, but didn’t really stand out. Except for her little brother – What a cute, out-of-control, obsessive lolly eater, rascal! As said by Mark “Whatever Trevor!” :]
The El Salvador cooking scene, was hilarious! A little cringing to watch unravel, but it made me laugh-out-loud and had me shaking my head at just what was happening. I laughed that loud, my dad asked me what I was watching. I then had to persuade him, that yes, you really can laugh that much at a book! He still didn’t seem sure…
Sometimes this book was so random…like seriously! One minute I was reading and the next minute, I came to a screeching stop wondering what had just happened!
Even though some parts were enjoyable and very fun to read, sometimes I found myself losing interest.
As soon as I started reading from Cat’s POV (Rebecca Sparrow) I instantly liked her writing style. However, I didn’t really connect with the other author, Nick Earls, who wrote from Joel’s perspective.
This book was quite a roller coaster – one minute I was really enjoying it and the next minute it was going down hill and I found myself skimming parts. :(
I don’t really know what to say for the characters. To me, they were okay, but didn’t really stand out. Except for her little brother – What a cute, out-of-control, obsessive lolly eater, rascal! As said by Mark “Whatever Trevor!” :]
The El Salvador cooking scene, was hilarious! A little cringing to watch unravel, but it made me laugh-out-loud and had me shaking my head at just what was happening. I laughed that loud, my dad asked me what I was watching. I then had to persuade him, that yes, you really can laugh that much at a book! He still didn’t seem sure…
Sometimes this book was so random…like seriously! One minute I was reading and the next minute, I came to a screeching stop wondering what had just happened!
Even though some parts were enjoyable and very fun to read, sometimes I found myself losing interest.
December 20, 2011
This is one of the most funniest, most romantic and lovable books of all time. For those who don't know me, Rebecca Sparrow is one of my favourite writers of all time. She's Australian, has the perfect sense of humour, and she doesn't have a main character who's obsessed with boys. They're always independent and can stand up on their own.
I loved Cat, the main girl character. Frequently blows her nose, a little paranoid and really, very clueless about the world.
And then there's Joel. Giant ego, still lovable and somewhat careless (does things without intending.)
This book is one of the few you just have to love. Along with its twists and turns, the main characters go through a journey with their single parents (gasp!) dating, meaning they might end up brother and sister.
Oh, how much I loved them. They're so hilarious together.
Do I recommend this book? Um, like, YEAH!
Buy it now. Read it now. If you're into a little bit of comedy while still loving the main characters, this is the book for you.
EXTRA NOTES:
- Told in two points of views (Joel and Cat)
- A LOT of twists and turns
- Really extreme but somebody, amazingly, realistic.
It WILL "amaze you." ;)
Remy xx
December 21, 2007
Comparisons to Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist will be inevitable, but this book (also by Rebecca Sparrow, which doesn't show up on the listing) is a whole other creature entirely. Like Nick and Norah, it is written in alternate chapters by Earls (Joel) and Sparrow (Cat), but it extends over a couple of weeks, not one night, and is very different in tone and content.
What I really liked about it was the sort of internal hypertext--or meta text, I forget which one I mean--which is the story Joel and Cat have to write in alternate chapters for a school assignment. Both their relationship and the creative process is laid bare in these hilarious mini-chapters, which are also an extremely funny take on what girls and boys respectively like to read.
Almost flawless plotting, great characterisation and just a terrifically entertaining read. Probably my number one YA for 2007.
What I really liked about it was the sort of internal hypertext--or meta text, I forget which one I mean--which is the story Joel and Cat have to write in alternate chapters for a school assignment. Both their relationship and the creative process is laid bare in these hilarious mini-chapters, which are also an extremely funny take on what girls and boys respectively like to read.
Almost flawless plotting, great characterisation and just a terrifically entertaining read. Probably my number one YA for 2007.
August 26, 2023
This was my favourite book in the world when I was 14 and I still love it. It's just fun and funny and local and the characters and plot feel so close to home and wonderful. The sarcasm and humour were revolutionary for teenage Grace and so many of the jokes are still just a great time for adult Grace. The tandem story plotline and writing style is so fun and interesting. Rebecca Sparrow and Nick Earls and both amazing authors for capturing the Queensland teen in print and I particularly love their reading of the audiobook, which I checked out at least 100 times from my local library in high school.
November 11, 2014
Really enjoyed this book. Very clever. Great characters. It's fun to have two main characters and I really enjoyed the empathy of their worlds. I appreciated wondering about the expectations of each other when they know so little but we see all the stuff they're going through.
September 21, 2008
so funny! i've never laughed out loud this many times from a book!
February 9, 2009
Funniest fricking thing in the world.
June 4, 2010
So much fun. Laughed so much. Nick at his funniest. Year 12 characters. Spoofy Matthew Reilly Jane Austen tandem story. Can I make everyone read it?
August 25, 2010
ok book but I read it ages ago so i can't quiet remember all that happned. slightly disapointing.
May 26, 2012
This tandem book is better than both writers writing separate.
July 26, 2019
Reading this book was pure nostalgia for high school. I remember really enjoying it when I first read it, which is why it's at a 3 star rather than a 2 or a 2.5.
This story follows Cat and Joel as they write a tandem story for their English Extension class. The problem is that they hate each other. Joel used to date Cat's best friend, Emma, until Cat found him cheating on her. Now that they have been paired up for this project, they have to figure out how to work with each other without killing the other person.
Cat is super judgemental of everyone, pointing out their flaws and coming up with reasons not to like someone. Joel, on the other hand, is a stereotypical high school boy. He's into action stories and that's about all I can remember. Their family lives brought out more sides to their one dimensional characters, with Joel having a single mum, and Cat whose parents are maybe splitting up.
I did like the plot, but the writing was simplistic. In fact, the best writing was when you got to see Cat and Joel's tandem story.
This story follows Cat and Joel as they write a tandem story for their English Extension class. The problem is that they hate each other. Joel used to date Cat's best friend, Emma, until Cat found him cheating on her. Now that they have been paired up for this project, they have to figure out how to work with each other without killing the other person.
Cat is super judgemental of everyone, pointing out their flaws and coming up with reasons not to like someone. Joel, on the other hand, is a stereotypical high school boy. He's into action stories and that's about all I can remember. Their family lives brought out more sides to their one dimensional characters, with Joel having a single mum, and Cat whose parents are maybe splitting up.
I did like the plot, but the writing was simplistic. In fact, the best writing was when you got to see Cat and Joel's tandem story.
November 18, 2018
This was an OK draft of a book that was released and became a very bad book.
Sorry. This could be rewritten and worked on at least 3 more times. Every plot and thing that happened looked like a big draft that would be explored better and written out better later on. The characters were pretty bad and annoying. And I hate hate hate the way women are depicted in this book.
I was honestly surprised there was a woman involved in the writing of this, because at first I thought it was only Nick Earls.
Don't really recommend it to anyone. It's a very shallow story with poor developed characters and a crazy plot that had me eye rolling through every twist.
Bye.
Sorry. This could be rewritten and worked on at least 3 more times. Every plot and thing that happened looked like a big draft that would be explored better and written out better later on. The characters were pretty bad and annoying. And I hate hate hate the way women are depicted in this book.
I was honestly surprised there was a woman involved in the writing of this, because at first I thought it was only Nick Earls.
Don't really recommend it to anyone. It's a very shallow story with poor developed characters and a crazy plot that had me eye rolling through every twist.
Bye.
November 7, 2018
The premise of this book was really clever- a tandem story written in tandem. But it just didn't work. It was not well written, in fact it was very obvious and they went for the cheap laughs. In addition, there were some pretty unnecessary and inappropriate events. At times I was really wondering who their audience was... it was too gross for young readers and too boring for older readers. Overall, it just felt like they underestimated the sophistication of teenagers. Even the pop references felt out of date. My students were having to Google many of the names mentioned. Disappointing.
March 17, 2023
I didn’t really expect much of this book but it came up a few times in recommended reads. I was pleasantly surprised! It was a fast moving, engaging YA read that honestly had me cracking up with laughter almost every chapter!
Australia in the naughties. Two high school kids that don’t get along forced to work together on a creative writing task, paragraph for paragraph. The banter, the wit, the hilarious internal dialogue of the two main characters… did I mention hilarious ?
5 stars. Really enjoyed this!
Australia in the naughties. Two high school kids that don’t get along forced to work together on a creative writing task, paragraph for paragraph. The banter, the wit, the hilarious internal dialogue of the two main characters… did I mention hilarious ?
5 stars. Really enjoyed this!
May 29, 2018
Targeted at a younger audience than I’d usually read. The MC were in high school and actually acted their age! It was a fun read and I enjoyed the characters dynamic. I could see both the authors had fun writing this. My one and only disappointment is using suburbs I know and frequent. Completely my issue here but I like to imagine the places I read about and using real places that I know, just kind of brings me back to reality too much during my reading.
January 15, 2020
Cute idea but half-baked execution, although maybe that’s partially because I read the second half during the democratic debate. It’s cute that the authors actually did the tandem story thing but still not really worth the time. Occasionally funny though
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