School’s Out! Read our Review of Can’t Say It Went to Plan by Gabrielle Tozer

School’s out. Forget study, exams, and mapping out the future. For the next seven days, the only homework is partying with friends, making new ones and living in the moment. There are no parents or curfews – and no rules!

Zoë, Samira and Dahlia are strangers, but they have something in common: their plans for a dream week after their final year of school are about to be flipped upside-down. From hooking up and heartache to growing apart, testing friendships and falling in love, anything can go down this week.

Gabrielle Tozer is an award-winning author and freelance writer. She has published six books, including the YA novels Remind Me How This Ends, Faking It, and The Intern, which won the 2015 State Library of Victoria’s Gold Inky Award.

Tozer loves sharing her passion for storytelling and creativity with readers and aspiring writers, and has appeared at numerous events including the Sydney Writers’ Festival. Can’t Say It Went to Plan is her latest young adult novel, and she is currently working on her next project.

After the rollercoaster ride that was high school, most teenagers just want to have guilt-free fun with their friends – say goodbye to procrastination and endless nights of studying! And Can’t Say It Went to Plan captures exactly that. It’s raw, real, and took me right back to the age of 17.

Alternating between the perspectives of Zoë, Samira and Dahlia, their different personalities and traits allow readers to find someone they can relate to. Even if you don’t completely connect with the characters per se, the book’s high school setting and friendship dynamics are something all YA readers can resonate with.

Can’t Say It Went to Plan is an easy and realistic read for YA readers. While difficult concepts of loss, grief, sexuality and mental health are present, they’re made digestible through Tozer’s light-hearted and conversational tone.

I can picture this on the big screen with its adventure, fun, and rebellious leading ladies. Use this book to combat the upcoming rainy days at home, and transport yourself to warmer days at schoolies (in paperback!).