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I'll Tell You Mine

by Pip Harry (Goodreads Author)

3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 · rating details · 124 ratings · 43 reviews

Kate Elliot isn't trying to fit in – that's the whole point of being a goth, isn't it?

Everything about her – from her hair to her clothes – screams different and the girls at her school give her a wide berth. How can Kate be herself, really herself, when she's hiding her big secret? The one that landed her in boarding school in the first place. She's buried it down deep bu...more

Paperback, 264 pages

Published March 28th 2012 by U.Q.P.

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Apr 27, 2012 Shirley Marr rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-ya

When I first took notice of this book, the name of the author struck me as familiar even though Pip Harry was a debut YA author.

Then I saw her profile pic. Years ago, there used to be a young girl err... I used to know (lets call her… Shirley Zarr) who used to religiously read a ~~trashy gossip~~ women's magazine called NW and the Pip Harry who used to write the entertainment pages was a Pip Harry that looked exactly like this Pip Harry.

Okay, so the trashbag from the paragraph above is actually me a...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Arlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-books, read-2012, ya-contemporary, reviews-with-music, young-adult

I’ll Tell You Mine is a fabulous debut novel by Pip Harry that is authentically Aussie. Truly enjoyed this story from beginning to end!

I feel like I’m being repetitive, but there’s no other way to put it… If I had to choose one genre to take me through the rest of my reading career, I’d have to say it would definitely be Australian YA Contemporary. There’s a realism and charm that seems to constantly resonate through these books, where I find myself immersed in the story and reluctant to let go...more I’ll Tell You Mine is a fabulous debut novel by Pip Harry that is authentically Aussie. Truly enjoyed this story from beginning to end!

I feel like I’m being repetitive, but there’s no other way to put it… If I had to choose one genre to take me through the rest of my reading career, I’d have to say it would definitely be Australian YA Contemporary. There’s a realism and charm that seems to constantly resonate through these books, where I find myself immersed in the story and reluctant to let go when I’m done. I can say with confidence that Pip Harry has definitely earned a spot among the Awesome Aussie Authors crowd of Kirsty Eagar, Fiona Wood, Cath Crowley, Sue Lawson and Julie Gittus to name a few of my faves. And, let’s not forget that Melina Marchetta endorsed this novel for good reason. Definitely an Aussie book that shouldn’t be missed by fans of this genre.

This story kicks off with quite an intriguing premise where Kate is sent to a Melbourne boarding school as a year ten student as sort of a punishment or “teenage time-out” by her parents. What happened during the mysterious final infraction remains unknown until the final chapters, which is when Kate finally finds her place among the boarders and has developed some meaningful friendships. She stands to lose all of that when her secret is revealed, which could possibly taint her character and strip away the progress she’s made throughout this difficult year of transition.

There were parts of the story that I felt so connected to the characters and their surrounding that I found myself wanting to either pick up a map or google Wagga, Melbourne, and a few other places that were mentioned so I could clearly envision these characters in their space. When an author achieves that sort of connection for me, there’s no doubt I was hooked into this fictional, magical moment.

Pip’s strength clearly lies in her ability to create a relatable narrator alongside a perfectly blended secondary cast. Kate and her band of misfits were huggable, realistic and honest to a fault. I loved the multiple layers Pip achieved with her story by way of introducing such uniquely different characters that each had a story to share that was filled with emotion and heart.

Pip Harry spares no expense in delivering a great Aussie experience that takes relevant teenage issues and struggles, such as parental dissension, friendship, and first love with a sense of purpose, sensitivity and relate-ability. Well done!

Song Choice: Dark Side Dark Side by KC

If you would like to learn more about this author and enter a give-away for this little gem, WinterHaven books is hosting a give-away. You can go here for give-away details.

(less)

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Apr 02, 2012 Mandee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Mandee by: Liz

Shelves: aussie, i-have-a-copy, for-review, aussieya2012, aww2012, uqp, review-on-the-blog

Kate Elliott is fifteen and has just been told that she's no longer welcome to live at home with her parents and seven year old sister, Olivia. She's being sent to boarding school, only thirty minutes away from their family home in Glen Iris, Victoria. She already attends Norris Grammar but she'll be living there as a boarder indefinitely until her mother decides she's forgiven her for her last act of defiance.

Kate is not pleased with the situation and she's even more unhappy once she finds out...more Kate Elliott is fifteen and has just been told that she's no longer welcome to live at home with her parents and seven year old sister, Olivia. She's being sent to boarding school, only thirty minutes away from their family home in Glen Iris, Victoria. She already attends Norris Grammar but she'll be living there as a boarder indefinitely until her mother decides she's forgiven her for her last act of defiance.

Kate is not pleased with the situation and she's even more unhappy once she finds out she has to share a room with three other girls. She has no friends at school mostly due to the fact that she's always felt different to the girls in her year and has distanced herself from them. She has two friends outside of school, Annie and Nate, who she met at a music festival. Annie encouraged Kate to go from a freckly redhead to a pale-skinned Goth, dying her hair, making her clothes and showing her how to do her make up. These changes in her appearance only make the relationship with her mother more tense until one day, Kate did something and the decision was made for her to board at school.

I was intrigued from the beginning, I kept wondering what it was that Kate did that was so awful and I wondered if I was going to like her, it turns out I did. She's a typical teenager, a little bit snarky, sarcastic and continually doing things to annoy her parents. She's spent sixty two days grounded for things like sneaking out of the house, staying out late, going to clubs/festivals with Annie and Nate who her mum does not approve of. None of it sounded terrible to me, just normal teen behaviour.

Annie was a pretty good friend to Kate, they met at a festival when Annie offered her a tissue in the line for the toilets and I immediately liked Annie because if you need a tissue or hand wipe at a festival, I'm your girl! Nate I didn't warm to as much, it was clear Kate adored him but it was also obvious he didn't feel the same way only Kate couldn't see it. Annie was a big influence in Kate's new look and while it might not have been her idea once the make over was complete Kate felt like she finally looked on the outside how she felt on the inside.

Norris Grammar has a long list of rules, most of which reminded me a lot of my private high school, things like not eating in public while in uniform, always wearing your blazer in public and a limit of one pair of ear piercings - we weren't even allowed one pair of ear piercings so Kate had one up on us. These were all rules we happily ignored even though we knew teachers were on the lookout in the suburb surrounding our school and I totally understood Kate's desire to rebel by dying her hair and trying to wear non-regulation shoes. Kate becomes friends with Mandy Minogue, a girl who shares her dorm room. Mandy's been labelled a slut by girls in their year like Harriet the perfect student and Jess the swim team star but she's the kind of girl who doesn't let gossip get to her and she was a great friend to Kate. Kate eventually trusts her enough to reveal the reason she was sent to boarding school. I kept waiting for Mandy to betray her, like so many other girls in other books featuring girls at boarding school, but it never happened which I was really happy about. Kate also befriends Lou, another girl without friends and while Mandy is reluctant at first, they soon become friends too. Those moments, where people become friends, are one of my favourite aspects of YA novels and when I think about it, it's also the idea or main theme behind all of my favourite TV shows like Scrubs, Cougar Town, Community, New Girl, Parks and Recs and Happy Endings. It's heart-warming to read about or watch a group of people come together, especially if at first they thought they had nothing in common or couldn't stand each other and I was pleased that Kate finally found some friends because she needed them and they needed her too.

Once we get to know Kate and her back story it's clear most of her behaviour stems from missing her mum. Her mum, Isabel, is a politician and spends most of the week in Canberra, returning on weekends only to spend her time in her office, ignoring her husband David as well as Kate and Olivia. Kate remembers when her mum actually had time for her and they would talk a lot and spend time together and it seems that the more her mum broke her promises and became more involved in her work the more Kate withdrew and started acting out on purpose. Her dad was a great parent, he was happy to allow Kate to experiment with the way she dressed and he loved giving her music recommendations and took an interest in bands she suggested he'd like. There was a really sweet moment when Kate returns home for mid-term break but it's ruined when she doesn't get her way, chucks a tantrum and runs off to stay at Maddy's farm.

It's on the farm that she spends time with Maddy's older brother, Lachy and she finds herself falling for him and it's clear he likes her too. I thought they were really sweet together and he seemed like a great guy. While on the farm she has time to reflect on her behaviour and I thought it was mature of her to realise that perhaps she'd overreacted. It's so easy as a teen to think everything is the end of the world and cry and scream about it but it's also really childish and if you want to be treated like an adult it's not going to achieve anything.

The resolution between Kate and her mum once she returns to school was really touching and I was happy with how her mum dealt with the situation because finally it seemed she'd realised she was part of the problem. It's also at the end of the book that we find out exactly what it was that she did to her mum and it was nowhere near as bad as I'd imagined. I'm sure the guilt was overwhelming for Kate but really I thought she'd been too hard on herself.

I really love the cover image, the girl's look really draws you in. Also, I'm a sucker for any image where I can see what nail polish someone is wearing and the cover has a gorgeous glossy photo finish.

I'll Tell You Mine is Pip's debut novel. She lives in Sydney and her book has a great Aussie feel to it. I know there are lots of YA books set in boarding schools but I feel like Pip has created some interesting and genuine characters that any lover of realistic YA fiction will want to get to know.

I received my copy for review from the lovely people at University of Queensland Press. I'll Tell You Mine is released today, April 2, 2012 and you can purchase it online or from any good book store.(less)

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Nov 04, 2012 Trinity rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contempo-casual, 2012, aussie-ya-challenge, heart-warmer, home-grown-aussie, lets-hear-it-for-the-boys, young-adult, library-lovin, read-in-2012

There are some books you read and there's a nice comfortable barrier where you are pretty aware you're reading a book and the narrator is pretty aware they're jotting down a story. Then there's books that sit raw and exposed on the page and you want to tell them to cover up or at least buy them dinner first.
I'll Tell You Mine sits firmly in the latter.
I think it's to do with the choices the author makes in regards to their characters. How much will they tell us? Open themselves up? Be vulnerable...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Magan (Rather Be Reading) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Magan (Rather Be Reading) by: Mandee

Shelves: 2012-reads

[Review originally posted on Rather Be Reading]

Kate Elliot is a girl who found her identity when she allowed her friend Annie to give her a makeover. Despite her mother’s blatant disapproval over her new gothic look, Kate won’t falter from dressing this way. While nothing ever seems to please her career-driven politician mother, Kate’s behavior and an unknown mishap (the mystery is unraveled throughout the book) eventually lead her to boarding school. She is no longer welcome in her own home and...more [Review originally posted on Rather Be Reading]

Kate Elliot is a girl who found her identity when she allowed her friend Annie to give her a makeover. Despite her mother’s blatant disapproval over her new gothic look, Kate won’t falter from dressing this way. While nothing ever seems to please her career-driven politician mother, Kate’s behavior and an unknown mishap (the mystery is unraveled throughout the book) eventually lead her to boarding school. She is no longer welcome in her own home and her parents decide she needs more structure; the time away from her family (they hope) will improve Kate’s attitude and allow their broken relationships to mend.

Kate is forced to room with three very different girls — two popular girls and one rule-breaker with a reputation, Mandy. Kate goes through periods of absolute resentment and distances herself completely from the three girls. Mandy eventually breaks the barrier and forces her way into Kate’s life. They’re an odd pair — Kate stands out because she’s got multiple piercings, dies her hair black, and intentionally wears makeup a few shades paler than her skin tone; Mandy wears skimpy clothes and has a reputation for being a bit slutty. Their friendship was one of the most beautiful aspects (other than Harry’s lovely writing) of I’ll Tell You Mine. Their conversations are full of snark and laugh-out-loud funny moments. Their antics (or rather Mandy’s plans) often lead to trouble.

Mandy is honest and upfront about how she’s feeling; she isn’t afraid of the front Kate puts up to dissuade people from befriending her. Mandy seems utterly naive to Kate’s insecurities and solitary ways. As Mandy begins to strip away the walls Kate has built around herself, we get to know Kate in a whole new way. She’s distraught over the events that occurred with her mother. Why does it seem like she’s always messing things up and doing something to irritate her mom? She misses her dad (who understands self-exploration and calls her mother out on her hypocrisy). Her little sister is one of her favorite people in the world; she wants to set a good example for her.

Kate feels stuck between making new friends and maintaining the old friendships; her two best friends (pre-boarding school) Annie and Noah seem to be moving on just fine without her. She’s heartbroken when she learns that Noah is dating someone new. Will he never see that she’s in love with him? Kate goes through many a transformation and the separation from her life outside of school allows everything to shift into focus. She sees what she was doing wrong, how she could be better, and what she could change.

The question is: Will she ever be given the opportunity to prove she’s a different person or will she just continue to mess things up?

I’ll Tell You Mine is a story I didn’t want to end. Pip’s writing is concise and packed with punch, every word very intentional. I connected to Kate on so many levels — struggling to become your own person but feeling like you’re always coloring outside the lines, being a bit insecure about how you look and what you weigh, and wanting that boy you’ve loved for oh-so-long to finally take notice. The friendship and family aspects were so thoroughly explored and impeccably written; I projected more drama into the book by not always trusting Mandy’s intentions or assuming the worst. Time and time again, Pip proved me wrong and restored my faith in her characters.

Pip’s writing is authentic and realistic. She flawlessly developed a story that everyone should devour. There are a few wonderful surprise gems hidden within the pages of I’ll Tell You Mine (possibly including a love story that made my heart go pitter patter). If you’re interested in a story that’s very true-to-life and will sweep you away, definitely take a chance on Pip Harry’s debut novel.

(Thank you very much to Mandee at VeganYANerds for gifting this incredible book to me!)(less)

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Jun 08, 2012 reality chick rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Finally, I'll Tell You Mine is on shelves and I couldn’t be prouder for my fellow reality chick, Pip Harry. Streamers have been hung and champagne has been quaffed, because, you know, it’s not every day that one of your best buddies becomes a published author.
The story revolves around Kate, a teenage goth who’s a little, shall we say, authority-challenged. It doesn’t help that her mum is a super-busy, often-absent politician without much time for her family – including Kate’s laidback dad and he...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Surprisingly good.
I have always loved books that are based around boarding schools and this one lives up to it reputation of a GOOD boarding school.
Just read it. I assure you it is good.

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May 15, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: australasia-oceania, female-and-queer-issues, spec-fic-imaginary-life, youth-fiction, alternative-characters

It's nice to read a book about a Goth character where she can come to terms with the problems in her life and not have to suddenly become 'normal'. She is allowed to have her own identity, and be true to herself.

I really liked the book from the get-go. In some ways, Kate reminded me of my teenage self, in others, she was totally different, but she was a character I could identify with. This line really struck me as describing my sense of difference. 'I was lonely and homesick- the new girl who d...more It's nice to read a book about a Goth character where she can come to terms with the problems in her life and not have to suddenly become 'normal'. She is allowed to have her own identity, and be true to herself.

I really liked the book from the get-go. In some ways, Kate reminded me of my teenage self, in others, she was totally different, but she was a character I could identify with. This line really struck me as describing my sense of difference. 'I was lonely and homesick- the new girl who didn't fit in. I liked creative writing and art. The other girls liked boys, pop songs and doing each other's hair (p142).

This story so perfectly evokes that friction between parents and child when they realise you are no longer that little child they wanted you to stay forever. When they realise they hate the way you dress and the friends you keep, but still can't go of trying to turn you back into that child, not accepting that it is gone, and this is a part of growing up.

I loved so many characters in this. I loved Kate, her cool laid back surfie dad, who encouraged her to express herself how she wanted and gave her great rock and Goth rock music to listen to. I couldn't help but wish he was my uncle or something. I liked the back stories and hidden lives of all the different characters, that were slowly revealed throughout the story. The story unwound at just the right pace. The flashbacks were perfectly placed to give an idea of her home life, but to keep the secrets right up until the end.

I found it a little hard to believe that her parents would give her a 'longer leash', but maybe that's just my own personal experiences with overprotective adults. The whole bush thing really wasn't my scene, but it worked well in the story. I liked the sense of hope and building relationships that it ended with.

I finished this book in one evening, it was hard to put down. I thoroughly recommend it, especially for teenagers. While Kate is a Goth, her struggles are those that are experienced by many teenagers, and I think there is something in her that we can all relate to. There is a little G-Girl in all of us.(less)

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May 12, 2012 Sophie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had to read and review this for my work experience at a magazine. My review is quite favourable as I treated the book only as a light read YA novel, but honestly this is never the type of book I read and I was not impressed by my usual standards. Regardless it is a decent read and my review was as follows:

In Pip Harry’s first novel ‘I’ll Tell You Mine”, the troubled Kate Elliot finds herself forced into boarding school after an untold disastrous event seems to ruin her already fragile relation...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Steph Bowe rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I started reading I'll Tell You Mine, I was under the impression it was for a younger YA audience, and I am not exactly sure why - I think it may have been the vagueness of the blurb, and the fact that the protagonist is 15. It turns out I was wrong. I think this is more of a 14+ YA (though really, nothing so bad a mature but younger reader couldn't pick it up). It's nowhere near as generic as the blurb may suggest - there was a realness to the book, and to Kate, that made the traditional-Y...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Melissa-Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

From the very first paragraph 'I'll Tell You Mine' shocked me! I won't explain exactly what it was that shocked me because I think it best for people to read it themselves, but it definitely ensured that I liked the book immediately and didn't want to stop reading.
'I'll Tell You Mine' was very well written and I found it refreshing to read a story that was realistic and really told a story that accurately reflected the lives of teenage girls. There were so many things that I could absolutely re...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Tonile {My Cup and Chaucer} rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review originally appeared at http://mycupandchaucer.com/ill-tell-y....

I never went to boarding school, and my perceptions of it are (like many things in my life) only based on what I have read in books. There seem to be two distinct types of boarding school books–those that either a) make you want to be a part of it or b) make you glad you aren’t. I’ll Tell You Mine falls into the former category. Through Kate Elliot and her family, Harry has created a picture of familiarity and realism fo...more This review originally appeared at http://mycupandchaucer.com/ill-tell-y....

I never went to boarding school, and my perceptions of it are (like many things in my life) only based on what I have read in books. There seem to be two distinct types of boarding school books–those that either a) make you want to be a part of it or b) make you glad you aren’t. I’ll Tell You Mine falls into the former category. Through Kate Elliot and her family, Harry has created a picture of familiarity and realism for readers that perfectly encapsulates strained family ties. At its core, I’ll Tell You Mine is a believable and authentic tale about the perils of adolescence and the strength required to overcome past mistakes.

Kate Elliot has a secret. It’s a secret so horrible that her parents have decided it’s best if she becomes a boarding student at her high school to give the family some space. Kate is different–she is a goth and is as introverted as they come when she’s at school. She hasn’t made friends at her school, and chooses to hang out with two other alternative kids after school hours. Although Kate shows some remorse for her actions, she is petrified of the strict boarding house rules. Far from the comforts of home, Kate will now be sharing a room with three other girls, her daily routine is set out for her, the internet is monitored and boarders can’t use laptops outside of study times. For Kate, it sounds like hell. Heck, to me it sounds like hell!

Kate doesn’t make life easy for herself. She refuses to participate and keeps to herself. Her room mates Harriet (the popular overachiever), Jess (the sexually-confused swim star) and Maddy (branded a slut but has a heart of gold) aren’t particularly impressed, but slowly Maddy softens and begins to form a friendship with Kate. It turns out that the two girls have more in common than they first realised, and a strong bond is established between them. Maddy is dealing with mother issues of her own–her mother recently passed away and her coping mechanism requires the attention and affection of young men. Lots of them. As Maddy opens up to Kate, Kate feels more comfortable and reveals her own secret. Unlike her family, Maddy doesn’t reject Kate and when a family visit turns sour, Kate runs away to spend time on Maddy’s farm. In the space of a few short days, Kate notices some changes within herself, and the promise of romance lifts her spirits even higher.

Unfortunately, secrets have a sneaky way of not staying secrets for too long. When Kate’s secret is revealed, her world comes crashing down. But has she grown strong enough to make it through?

I loved this book. I wasn’t a goth or much of a trouble maker growing up, but I found myself directly relating to many of Kate’s emotions and frustrations, despite being a decade or so older than Kate (gross). Kate’s mother is a federal politician and spends more time away from her family than at home, and her attitude stands in stark contrast to Kate’s happy-go-lucky father. Harry has captured the tenuous family dynamic perfectly and as Kate’s parents fight more and more, Kate distances herself further away from her family and into her own world. What terrifies Kate to begin with ultimately saves her–the boarding school structure and the relationships she forms with Maddy and Louise (another outsider) become the pillars of strength that she was lacking at home. When Kate’s secret is revealed, the reader will not be surprised. But Kate’s growth throughout the course of the novel is endearing and heart-warming and serves as a gentle reminder that even when you think you are at rock bottom, there is always a path back up to solid ground.

Books like this from Australian YA authors make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. There is a future for Australian fiction, and with authors like Harry just getting started, the future is very bright indeed.(less)

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Jul 22, 2012 ALPHAreader rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kate Elliot has done something so bad; her parents are kicking her out of home and into boarding school. What’s worse is that everyone at school knows there’s something odd about Kate switching from day-girl to prison boarder. She lives in Melbourne, for crying out loud! There’s no reason for her to commute to the boarding house, unless everyone’s suspicions about her freakdom are true . . .

This is just another in a long line of incidences that make Kate stand out like a sore thumb. She also dr...more

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May 31, 2012 Reynje rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian, contemp-or-realistic, read-2012, young-adult

3.5 stars

As per its glowing blurb, I ll Tell You Mine contains three of Melina Marchetta’s favourite ingredients: ”boarding school, great characters and a lot of heart.” If that hasn’t sold you on it, Pip Harry’s debut also contains: family secrets, goth rock and sweaty farm boys from Wagga.

No, seriously. Enough with the chiselled jaws and broody eyes. What YA needs is more guys in KingGees.

As the synopsis states, Kate Elliot is harbouring a secret, one that has resulted in her being packed of...more

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May 16, 2012 Kat Kennedy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian-writer, kat-s-book-reviews, i-learned-something-new, to-ya-or-not-to-ya, contemporary-fiction

There was a reason that Melina Marchetta launched this book. I think I can safely put up a big sign over Pip Harry’s name that says, “Watch This Space.”

And because Pip Harry is Australian – instead of being lauded as brilliant and fantasmazeballs, she just gets put in that neat little category of Great Australian Writers like Melina Marchetta, Kirsty Eagar, Markus Zusak, Garth Nix, Shirley Marr, Lucy Christopher and Laura Buzo. I’m sure at least a couple of them aren’t really Au...more

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Jun 02, 2012 Maggie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Maggie by: Laura Morrigan

Shelves: ya, books-for-challenges, aussie-authors

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Not my usual style of reading material but I was willing to give it a go based on the favourable review I had read.

Story goes that Kate Elliott, young 15 yr old Goth, is sent to boarding school after an "incident" involving her mother, with whom Kate is having ongoing issues. Super cool stay at home surfer dad cares for the younger sib. Kate initially has no friends at the school she has attended for years as a day girl, but manages to make friends with 'bad-girl' country-lass Maddy, and ends up...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, young-adult, goodreads-giveaways

I won a copy of I'll Tell You Mine in a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks to Pip Harry, the author, for generously sending a copy all the way from Australia!

I really liked I'll Tell You Mine a lot. Set in a boarding school in Australia, this book follows the story of Kate Elliot. She's a teenage girl who gets kicked out of her parents house and sent to live at the school during the middle of the year. She faces the challenges you would imagine this situation creates. She befriends one of her roommates,...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Morag77 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic. Brilliant, real characters who tug at your heart strings. A page-turning plot. Pitch-perfect dialogue. Has Pip Harry been recording teen conversations? Took me right back to high school. Highly recommended.

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Aug 15, 2012 Carrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Carrie by: http://www.pipharry.com/

This is a great new YA book from an up and coming Aussie author.
Pip's writing style is reminiscent in many ways of John Marsden, mostly in the realism of her characters, the settings and the plot. This is one of those Aussie YA books that doesn't hide the fact that it's Australian, and I love that.
The main character, Kate, has a well defined voice which makes her instantly relatable. My only issue with Kate, and the book as a whole, is that I cannot understand the reasoning behind making her a "...more This is a great new YA book from an up and coming Aussie author.
Pip's writing style is reminiscent in many ways of John Marsden, mostly in the realism of her characters, the settings and the plot. This is one of those Aussie YA books that doesn't hide the fact that it's Australian, and I love that.
The main character, Kate, has a well defined voice which makes her instantly relatable. My only issue with Kate, and the book as a whole, is that I cannot understand the reasoning behind making her a "Goth." At first I thought it was because I can't really relate to this culture (to be honest, I have no interest in it whatsoever), but a second reading led me to the belief that it just doesn't fulfill it's purpose, which I assume was to make the character original, to make her stand out amongst characters from competitor's books. I think this facet of Kate's character had potential that was never realised. I would like to have been become interested in the Goth culture and lifestyle from reading this, but it didn't happen. I think this is just a result of the author not having any real experience with that particular lifestyle herself, therfore not being able to portray it in a manner that was as realistic as the rest of the book.
That flaw aside, everything else was wonderful. Even minor characters had depth and life, to the point where I would happily read further books about a lot of them. Harriet and Maddy in particular.
As I tweeted the author the other day, reading this book was like stepping back into fifteen year old me's shoes, and a lot of that had to do with the way the characters were written. these were girls that I knew, girls that I'd been friends and enemies with back in year ten. These characters were so real they could have easily jumped off the page and into life.
Obviously the author had the upper hand, writing a boarding school fic that was pretty much set in her old boarding school (names changed, but it was glaringly evident which school it was), but that doesn't dampen my enthusiasm for the setting. Her first-hand experience with boarding is what lends so much of the realism to the story.
To be honest, there is nothing groundbreaking about the plot - standing alone it's a pretty run-of-the-mill coming of age type story, but Pip's writing style and wonderfully developed characters made it a fantastic read.
I am thoroughly looking forward to reading more from her.(less)

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Mar 25, 2013 Paula Weston rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian, young-adult

This was such a great read.

I loved that Kate was so real and vulnerable, a believable mix of rebellion, uncertainty and guilt.

I loved the family dysfunction, particularly the simmering anger between Kate and her mother - and the underlying sense that there's enough love in this family to get beyond the hurt and tension.

I wanted to find out what it was that was so bad Kate was sent to boarding school, and I wanted her to face up to the consequences. I also wanted to see which new friendships stu...more

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May 06, 2012 Bree T rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian, aww2012, young-adult

Kate Elliot has a terrible secret. Something so horrible that she can’t even bear to speak it out loud. And now Kate’s mother, who can barely look at her has decided that they need some space. Kate isn’t happy at home, has been acting out and the best thing might be for Kate to become a boarder at the school where she is usually a day girl.

Even though she’s attended the school since year 7, Kate hasn’t made many friends and she doesn’t know much about the boarding aspect. She’s horrified when th...more Kate Elliot has a terrible secret. Something so horrible that she can’t even bear to speak it out loud. And now Kate’s mother, who can barely look at her has decided that they need some space. Kate isn’t happy at home, has been acting out and the best thing might be for Kate to become a boarder at the school where she is usually a day girl.

Even though she’s attended the school since year 7, Kate hasn’t made many friends and she doesn’t know much about the boarding aspect. She’s horrified when the rules are read out and when she discovers that she’ll be sharing with 3 other girls – bitchy Harriet, swim star Jess and Maddy, branded the school slut. Kate is a Goth – she’d different in just about every way to the other girls. She doesn’t fit in as a boarder any more than she fit in as a day girl. She’s branded a freak – and that’s without anyone even knowing her terrible secret.

At first Kate is determined to keep her distance from everyone, closing herself off and looking for chances to break the rules. But Maddy sneaks in under Kate’s radar and the two develop a friendship that becomes deeply important to both of them. They are both struggling with issues – Maddy lost her mother to cancer recently and her ways of coping have led her to be judged by the other girls. Except Kate. Kate is too used to being judged herself to do it to anyone else.

Through Maddy, Kate has even found a nice boy that she could like…one that would actually give her the time of day, unlike Nate, the boy she has been pining after. Kate finds herself with fledgling hopes – she’s become used to the routines of boarding school, she has someone she can talk to in Maddy and she has the possibility of a sweet romance. But she fears she could lose all these things if anyone were to discover her terrible secret and the thing is…secrets? They have a way of always coming out.

One of my favourite new discoveries this year is the VeganYANerds blog. I saw a review for this book and immediately filed it away to pick up some time – Aussie YA is so amazing and this book ticks most, if not all of my boxes. Boarding school? I love boarding school novels. Blurbed by the amazing Melina Marchetta? Have to read it!

As much as I love boarding school novels, they are often pretty fanciful. Big rooms, kids coming and going as they please, relatively little going on in the ways of classes and work. I didn’t go to boarding school but I did spend two years on campus at University and I think there’s definitely some similarities. What I appreciated, what I loved about this book was the realism. And it extended from the characters, from Kate to her family to the girls at the boarding school to the boarding school itself, the fact that the girls shared rooms, the disgusting meals they were served (oh did it bring back memories of my time in the dorms, eating at the catered dining hall), Kate learning to do her own laundry. There is such an authenticity in every layer of this novel, starting with the beautiful, broken relationships between the members of Kate’s family. Her mother is a busy politician, slowly spending more and more time away from home and away from the family. Her easy-going father is mostly a stay at home dad, a surfer who remembers the days when Kate’s mother liked to travel to music festivals and let her hair down a bit. They are unhappy, fighting and it’s rubbing off on Kate and her younger sister. Kate is at that age where she’s starting to push boundaries, where she’s seeing her parents say one thing and do another and doesn’t see why she should conform if other people in the family aren’t making the effort. She feels that they are abandoning her, wiping their hands of her by sending her to board even though she knows that what she did was utterly terrible.

Whilst the reader is quite easily able to figure out Kate’s secret, for me, it didn’t lessen the shock of the reveal at all. Kate is clearly going through a lot of things – she’s very angry, she’s very confused and she’s very hurt and no one is really taking the time to talk to her. People are talking at her which isn’t really helping her at all. Kate is young, so her reactions can be partially accorded to that but she’s also out of control. She needs calming down, she needs structure and she needs to feel as though she is worthy. Interestingly enough, boarding school helps her. What she believes is the worst thing that could’ve possibly happened slowly begins to bring out the best of her and she begins to mature and find the strength she needs to address her issues with her parents and actually talk about them, instead of yelling, storming off to her room and slamming the door.

I’ll Tell You Mine is a fabulous book – beautifully and sensitively written. Pip Harry is an exciting addition to the very talented stable of Aussie YA authors out there and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for her future releases.(less)

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Jan 15, 2013 Kristen My Bookish Fairy Tale rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'll Tell You Mine is a great coming of age story.Kate Elliot doesn't feel like she belongs anywhere. She wants to be anything but normal. So she has radically changed her behaviour and her appearance. But hiding behind a new appearance doesn't change the hurt inside.

This is a great story of teenage angst. Kate has been so caught up in being anything other than normal that she has lost herself in the process. Kate's biggest problem is trying to relate to her mother. She never seems to have time...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Tina Cavanough rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kate Elliot has done something bad. Something so bad that her parents have kicked her out of home - sent her off to boarding school. Pip Harry builds the suspense around Kate’s terrible action beautifully and dramatically, with tiny hints sprinkled through the narrative, keeping the reader guessing right through to the end.

Kate is full of anger and attitude. But her sassy manner, direct language and brash exterior hide a fifteen year old girl desperately trying to work out how to navigate life a...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, australian-lit, comfort-reads

(This review originally posted here.)

Boarding schools. They have captured my imagination ever since, aged seven, I was heartbroken to be told by my mum that I couldn't go to St Clare's because it didn't exist.

Part of me likes to think that somewhere in the Bernese Oberland the Chalet School is going strong, still churning out trilingual girls who become teachers and then marry doctors. And that on the Cornish coast, Rebecca Mason is still practising her tennis while the other girls learn to surf...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Pam Saunders rated it 3 of 5 stars

Kate has found a new identity and her mother does not like it, it is an embarrassment to her political career and they fight constantly. So much that even the mediator father can't stop Kate being sent to board at her private school. Kate, the goth finds it hard but her friendship with Maddy helps as does learning what her true identity is.

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Apr 26, 2012 Bookbinder rated it 5 of 5 stars

Being a guy, I was reluctant to pick up my first book aimed at teenage girls but on a recommendation I purchased a copy. It was a superb account of life in Australian boarding schools and Goth culture. I'd highly recommend it for the seasoned Young Adult reader and someone starting out in YA such as myself.

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Dec 17, 2012 Wai Chim rated it 5 of 5 stars

A very well written and well paced story. The characters are instantly relatable and familiar albeit unique at the same time. I found myself drawn into the boarding school world that Harry has set up very well. Definitely recommend it for YA lovers and looking to reading more from this author.

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Jun 23, 2012 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

I actually enjoyed this book, I was quite suprised. I am not normally into the *complaining teenager sent off to boarding school books*, but I liked this book. The secret carried throughout the story is not at all predicatable and it is nice to see the main character developed so throughly.

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Jan 20, 2013 Sandra Thompson rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book had a really realistic voice which made it quite gripping to read. It reminded me so much of high school and it was easy (and sometimes confronting) to visualise what the protagonist was going through.

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Mar 06, 2013 Tressa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, young-adult

I really liked I'll Tell You Mine. I liked how Kate and her friends grew as individuals. It was a lovely story.

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About Pip Harry

Pip Harry is a freelance journalist who has worked on magazines for
many years, including chasing celebrities as Entertainment Editor
for NW and Deputy Editor for TV Week before turning herself
into a yoga-loving frequent flyer as Health & Travel Editor for
Woman’s Day. She’s the co-founder of relationships website, www.
realitychick.com.au and has had short stories published in the UTS
Writer’s Ant...more

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“As we walk across the oval afterwards - the Goth, the beauty queen and the fat country girl - I can feel the whole school turning our way and raising a collective eyebrow. If we were a band we would be called The Outcasts.” — 3 people liked it

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