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Tomorrow when the War Began
Tomorrow when the War Began | John Marsden
When their country is invaded and their families are taken, eight high school teenagers band together to fight. Seventeen-year-old Ellie Linton wants one final adventure with her friends before the school holidays are over. Packed in Ellie's parents' land rover they drive to the famously isolated rock pool Eden dubbed 'Hell' by the locals. Returning to their home town of Wirrawee, the seven teenagers realize that something is seriously wrong. Power to the houses has been cut, pets and livestock have been left dead or dying, and most alarmingly of all, everyone's family has vanished. When the hostile armed forces discover that the teenagers are lying low in the vicinity, Ellie and her friends must band together to escape, outwit and strike back against the mysterious enemy that has seized control of their town and imprisoned their friends and loved ones...
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
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Australian authors don‘t come much more iconic than John Marsden.

I was lucky enough to hear him speak at a few events, had a couple of books signed and grew up during his most prolific years - think I‘ve read most of them.

He‘ll be missed.

Chrissyreadit I liked that series too. He was a good storyteller ❤️ 3d
CarolynM So sad💙 3d
45 likes2 comments
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Butterfinger
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Pickpick

Oh my goodness, I have found a new series. Why didn't I know about it when I was a real YA. #CenturyReads 1993 A group of teens become guerilla fighters in the Bush of Australia. Have to hurry and get the second book. Was I too busy being a teenager to know this book existed? Just be thankful I finally found it. #Booked21 @4thhouseontheleft @Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage -set in Australia. #Pop21 bestseller from 90s #SeriesReads @TheSpineView

Cinfhen Great review!!!!! 😁😂😂 4y
TheSpineView 👍📖📚 4y
44 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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BookBelle84
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Day 19 #top20series #20series20days

A group of teens go off camping only to return and learn they have been invaded by another country. Now they must scheme and plan to eliminate the enemies and free their families. To this day I can't think of any other series that I have read that has been so suspenseful or stressful to read.

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tate.stroud
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Mehso-so

After closely observing the dead livestock and and empty house throughout town, the group finally discovers that the town had been taken over by an unidentified force. During a search and rescue mission, Ellie and her group gets spotted by the invaders, chasing them through an old farm house. They escape by blowing them up with a lawn mower and escape to find the rest of the group.

tate.stroud When they reunite they realize that Robyn and Lee are missing and Lee had been shot 5y
MissYaremcio Thank you for the review Tate! It sounds like a good book! You just forgot the recommendation and POV! 5y
tate.stroud If you like books that are suspenseful and have lots of 'leaving you on the edge of your seat' type chapter then this is the book for you.
5y
tate.stroud the point of view of this book is first person, From a girl named Ellie who leads the group 5y
MissYaremcio I'll give you partial marks for what you missed 5y
2 likes5 comments
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tate.stroud
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Pickpick

It takes place in an Australian coastal town, 7 teenagers decide to go deep into the woods for a camping trip. However when they return, they find that the city has been deserted, and they assume it is due to army invasion. One motif that comes along during this read is the planes with no lights. They signify the mysterious and dark behavior that has been started ever since their return home. I have really enjoyed this read so far

tate.stroud and would recommend it if fantasy/mystery is your type of book 5y
MissYaremcio Well done Tate! I wonder if this novel will be similar to our upcoming novel study! 6/6 5y
2 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Reviewsbylola
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This is one of those books I read in the aftermath of The Hunger Games. It wasn‘t as epic as that, but it was really good. YA dystopian fic that has since been turned into a movie. #tomorrowneverknows #maymoviemagic

Cinfhen Not familiar with book or movie 😬🤷‍♀️ 6y
RohitSawant Sounds interesting! 6y
LeeRHarry #ozfiction🇦🇺 kids read this at school here 😊 6y
90 likes3 comments
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Joreads
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Pickpick

I‘ve been meaning to read these novels for some time. I‘m this case I listened to the audio book. This is great Aussie novel with great Aussie characters. They are very much YA novels but thoroughly enjoyable I can‘t wait to find out where our characters end up.

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CarolynM
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#MusicalNewYear #Tomorrow

This fabulous YA series came immediately to mind #ozfiction

merelybookish I read the first one and enjoyed it. One of those series I need to get back too. 6y
vivastory Haven't heard of this series before... intriguing 6y
Cinfhen Oh wow!! Perfect 😍and a new series for @TrishB or maybe she already read it 😜 6y
See All 8 Comments
TrishB @Cinfhen lol 😁 I haven‘t heard of this one before! 6y
rockpools I like those covers! 6y
LeeRHarry Way to go championing an Aussie author 😊 to my shame I haven‘t read this series 😳😏 6y
Bibliogirl @LeeRHarry 😱 I can start you off. I have the first five. 6y
Chrissyreadit Loved the first book! 6y
68 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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nfrost
Pickpick

Great

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hipney
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Pickpick
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Victoria_Clyne
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Have just had to explain to my lovely non-reading husband that John Marsden wrote Tomorrow When the War Began, which the movie is based on and lots of other YA novels from when we were YA. He on the other hand is appalled that I haven't watched Top Gun.

Quirkybookworm You.have.not.seen.top.gun???? What??? 6y
Victoria_Clyne Sorry @Quirkybookworm I find Tom Cruise annoying. I'm not sure why. 6y
Quirkybookworm I find him annoying too but this movie is goooooooood! 6y
Victoria_Clyne I may have to reconsider my avoidance. 6y
7 likes4 comments
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Sarz
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I can't believe I haven't read this earlier! I can't figure out why - it was released when I was in early primary school, I remember everyone I knew reading it, it's completely in my wheelhouse... I would have gotten so much out of it. But I'm loving it now, even as a 30 year old first time reader.

LapReader The movie was disappointing as I loved the book so much as Year 9 required reading. I have read the whole series. Even the Elle Chronicles. 7y
Sarz @LapReader Thanks for the warning - I'll give the movie a miss! Can't wait to start book 2 now! 7y
11 likes1 stack add2 comments
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AceOnRoam
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This is so good on Audiobook, I'm in love with the sound of the narrator's voice and her Aussie accent.

#ReadingOnRoam

Cinfhen Hey!!! Where u at these days???? 7y
AceOnRoam @Cinfhen bobbing around in Turkey for another 5 weeks then west towards Greece for a month. I have never been to Greece before and their islands look dreamy😍 7y
Cinfhen Dreamy for sure😇😇😇hoping to get to Greece in August...we‘ve never been 7y
44 likes3 comments
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Chrissyreadit
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Pickpick

Bought this for my son but decided to read it in spite of my #mounttbr . Glad I did though- I loved it and just ordered a copy of the second one. Action, adventure, teens working together. Some scary hard parts. I can‘t wait to hear what he thinks.

lgshelton One of my all time favorite series! 7y
minkyb Well I want to know what he thinks too! 7y
Chrissyreadit I will check back in with his opinion. 7y
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TNbookworm I think I have watched a movie based on this book on Netflix. Enjoyed the movie, didn't know it was based on a book☺ 7y
Chrissyreadit @TNbookworm there is a movie- I did not realize it was on Netflix. Need to add it to my watchlist list. 7y
TNbookworm @Chrissyreadit it's been a while since I watched it, hope they haven't taken it off! 7y
59 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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Dogearedcopy
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🎧 I‘m starting this YA adventure story set in Australia about a group of teens who head out camping and come back to discover their friends and family are being held prisoner by an enemy army. @BethFishReads put this series her #audiobookpantheon in 2015 and I‘m just getting to it now!

BethFishReads The pressure‘s on! Hope you love it 7y
30 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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JacintaMCarter
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I don't remember if I liked this book, but I remember it was set in the #SouthernHemisphere. #SpringIsHere

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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
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Time flies! I still remember lining up to get my book signed (one for me, one for my sister and one for a friend who couldn't make it due to work), we were in line for at least an hour... and he was still lovely even tho he must have been getting hand cramp from signing so many books (he has a large back list and people lugged heaps in)

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onceuponabookpanda
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"The biggest risk is to take no risk. Or to take crazy risks...."

3 likes1 stack add
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Crystallinegirl
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This is a pretty popular YA series in #Australia, apparently. I'd never heard of it until an Australian friend recommended them to me. They're pretty good, with an interesting premise. (Teens are out camping in the bush when invaders take over their town, taking everyone captive) #setinthesouthernhemisphere #junebookbugs

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KerriNTurner
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#junetunz #smellsliketeenspirit The teens in the Tomorrow When the War Began series show a lot of spirit.

Cinfhen Oh wow! That's a whole new series I never heard of 😜😩#SoManyBooksSoLittleTime 8y
Cinfhen Glad you're back for another month of musical challenges 🤘🏼💗😎 8y
KerriNTurner @Cinfhen it's a terrific series! And there's such good prompts for this month, I couldn't resist continuing 😊 8y
14 likes1 stack add3 comments
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
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I hope John Marsden writes something new soon... and that there is an author event I can go to 😍

TobeyTheScavengerMonk Oo-de-lally. 8y
elkeOriginal He's the BEST! I feel like I should reread these...I like the cover! 8y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @elkeo isn't he! I got this one signed when I heard him talk for the first time! 8y
VeryLazyDaisy The quilt 💙 8y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @VeryLazyDaisy, thank you! My mum would be so chuffed! (I was lucky enough to score this one - she's quilt mad) 8y
49 likes5 comments
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KerriNTurner
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#aprilbookshowers #ruralsetting A brilliant Australian #YA series. Plenty of big themes, but it all starts around a rural town. I can still remember the years when everyone at school was OBSESSED with this series!

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JPeterson
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One of my favorite series growing up. I had borrowed these from the library as a teenager, but I few years ago, I went ahead and bought the whole series. ❤
#AustralianAuthors

BethFishReads Loved loved loved these books 💕💕💕💕 8y
JPeterson @BethFishReads Yes! 💕 Once I started to read his books, I became much more active in trying to read diverse/authors from different places. 8y
BethFishReads 👍😊 8y
93 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
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A group of teenagers go camping in a remote area... they arrive home to discover that their country has been invaded and that everyone they know is either dead or in an internment camp.

John Marsden ❤️

Wide open sky #loveozya

tpixie Sounds intriguing!! 8y
LeeRHarry Classic! 8y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @tpixie, and that's just in the first couple of chapters! 8y
See All 11 Comments
Vexingcircumstance That sounds extremely depressing. But a good argument to use to get out of ever going camping. 8y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @Vexingcircumstance, it is definitely a worst case scenario type thing. It's a brilliant series tho. 8y
tpixie @thegirlwiththelibrarybag wow. Great concept!! 8y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @tpixie, it really is. His books in general are amazing! And he's an interesting guy! So passionate about learning that he opened his own school. He's probably best known for this series but his standalones are also great. My Grade 6 teacher read So Much To Tell You to the class and it's still etched in my memory! 8y
elkeOriginal This series is brilliant! And the Ellie Chronicles afterward. Marsden is SO GOOD! 8y
tpixie @thegirlwiththelibrarybag awesome about opening up a school! I'll need to check this author out!! 8y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @elkeo, I know! This copy is actually signed ☺ he's amazing! 8y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @tpixie, excellent! Hope you enjoy! 8y
58 likes4 stack adds11 comments
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ReviewsandReadathons
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Pile 2 of 3 for Dewey's!! The title for Replica got cut off :(.

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EnidBiteEm
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Pickpick

So many of my students have loved this series. Australia is invaded, the parents are interned in camps, and a bunch of teenagers are thrust into adulthood as they are left to fight back - what's not to like? #fullofadventure #booktober #YA #YAlit #Aussiebooks #Australianlit

BethFishReads Love love loved this series. Have read/listened a couple of time thru the years 8y
EnidBiteEm @BethFishReads The issues are timeless, aren't they? Even if the technology (or lack of) is dated... 8y
BethFishReads Yes. And Marsden really nails the older teen sensibility. 8y
See All 9 Comments
EnidBiteEm @BethFishReads I think he has a strong understanding of the early autonomy that is developed in rural kids ... and Ellie's voice is so clear 😀 8y
BethFishReads Yes. I agree. Also, I suppose being a teacher has given him insight & familiarity 8y
IncredibleRamblingElimy Loved those books! I met John Marsden at a writer's fest and almost cried because he is such a legend. 8y
EnidBiteEm @BethFishReads true 😀 @IncrediblyRamblingElimy 😀 I've been lucky to hear him talk a few times. I would have loved to have visited Candlebark (the school he set up). 8y
BethFishReads Lockyer you! 8y
31 likes9 comments
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HiddenGemBooks
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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.
#TBR pile 😱❤️

Bindrosbookshelf I love this series 👏 8y
Varshitha Sounds interesting!! 8y
Sue Such a classic!! Got to hear John Marsdem speak at the Qld writers festival last year - he's such a nice guy. 8y
See All 7 Comments
LauraReads This was my all time favourite series growing up...I still love it today! 8y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag This series is EPIC! John Marsden is 😍 8y
Readingismyescape This sounds great. I added it to be ever-growing tbr pile. 😁 8y
Chessa How have I never heard of this?! It sounds great and right up my alley! 8y
66 likes17 stack adds7 comments
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CharlotteElizabeth
Pickpick

One of my favourite series! This book is hilarious at times and thrilling. Must read for all Aussie teenagers :)

elkeOriginal A must read for any and all - not just for Aussies! Not just for teens either. Great series. 9y
2 likes1 comment
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StephC
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Pickpick

I will never stop loving this book as much as I did when I was 12. I even named my eldest daughter after Ellie Linton.