A Straight Line To My Heart by Bill Condon

Release Date: 1st August, 2011

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Pages: 228pgs

The Story

School is over and Tiff and Kayla are free, which is what they've always wanted. But now summer is nearly at an end and that means life decisions. Tiff is hoping her job at the local paper will lead to something more, but 'the shark' soon puts her straight on what it takes to become a hard-nosed reporter like him.

At home, Reggie - the only grandad Tiff's ever known - has quit the smokes and diagnosed himself as cactus. Then Kayla hits her with some big news. And into all this stumbles Davey, the first boy who has ever really wanted to know her.

Tiff is smart with words and rarely does tears, but in one short week she discovers that words don't always get you there; they don't let you say all the stuff from deep in your heart.

Bill Condon has an ability to understand how young people truly feel and perfectly captures the voices of the protagonists. He has crafted a novel which has the ability to touch the heart and stay with you long after the last word has been read.

The Review

A big thanks to Allen & Unwin for sending me a review copy of this book!

When I found this nice little package on my doorstep, I didn't - at all - expect A STRAIGHT LINE TO MY HEART from the awesome Allen & Unwin publishers. So a big THANK YOU to the publisher/publicist for sending me a copy. When I first saw the book, I haven't heard much about it however I am aware of the Prime Minster's Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction, the competition itself, and since this one won it for last years 2010 prize I thought it would offer something special. And it's by an Australian author which is also a bonus.

Like every YA Australian author that I've read in the past, the authors know how to portray a teenager with honesty and sense of realism. And that's exactly what Bill Condon did. He managed to write about a girl who lives in a nowhere-kind-of-small-town who longs for something more. In this case the main character, Tiff, longs to be a journalist. Tiffany hasn't had the easiest life but she's trying make the most of it for her grandfather's sake and for his son who treats her like his own little sister. The relationship between the three of them was memorable and adorable at the same time. When it comes to Tiff herself, the thing I love most about her was her overall personality. She cared a lot about her sick grandad, her only family, and her only friend Kayla. Not only that, but what really drew me into the story was Tiff's way of being smart with words. Most times she was bloody hilarious and I could relate to her on a more personal level, which is new coming from a shorter read than I'm used to.

For those wondering whether to pick up a copy or not, fear not, if you love a good aussie book than this book is the book for you. Especially for a short and quick-paced one. While I was a little disappointed by the lack of romance, but A STRAIGHT LINE TO MY HEART was a completely down-to-earth read and I loved the rawness of that.

The Rating

4/5 stars