Lost in Static

Lost in static by Christina Phillipou is a mystery and thriller and general fiction read.
Callum has a family secret. Yasmine wants to know it. Juliette thinks nobody knows hers. All Ruby wants is to reinvent herself. They are brought together by circumstance, torn apart by misunderstanding. As new relationships are forged and confidences are broken, each person's version of events is colored by their background, beliefs, and prejudices. And so the ingredients are in place for a year shaped by lust, betrayal, and violence. Sometimes growing up is seeing someone else's side of the story.
This was a very good read. I loved the characters especially ruby and Callum. Very cleverly written. Highly recommended. 5*. Thanks to tbc on fb and netgalley for the arc.

Lost In Static is a story that is told from the point of view of Callum, Yasmine, Juliette and Ruby. We get inside the characters heads and hear their own version of events which I thought was really good as you see them for who they truly are.

The story starts off with quite a dramatic incident which grabbed me and drew me into the book right from the start, leaving me with a thirst of wanting to know more about the characters.

Callum is a typical bloke but with a secret to hide. Even though he is mad about Ruby, he is blindsided by Yasmine.

Yasmine I really disliked. She just reminded me of a spoilt little girl who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Very selfish and highly unlikable.

Juliette, even though a genuinely nice person, has so many insecurities that she lets her mother and the church influence her choices.

Ruby was the one I warmed to the most as she was the one I could see me most being friends with. Through Ruby, I think the reader sees how much of an adjustment to uni life can be. She is very much the cool girl to be around and always has plenty of male attention. My only niggle that I have with Ruby's character is how she calls everyone, herself included in her head, mate. I'm not sure if this was to get across her character being a bit of a tom boy but I did find it quite distracting as it was quite repetitive, other than that she is a compelling character.

Even though I never fully took to any of the characters, I have to say that having finished the book, I'm actually quite missing them. I think seeing them from the start of uni life to the end of the first year, it allows you to see them all growing as individuals and by the end nearly all of them had grown on me.

Lost In Static is the authors debut novel which I honestly find hard to believe. To be able to write a story from so many different point of views can't be the easiest of ways to tell one, yet even though the story flicks back and forth between all the four characters, it flows effortlessly. The characters really grab the readers attention and it is hard not to get so wrapped up in what is going on in their lives. I actually felt like I was at uni with them and experiencing all they were going through.

A suspenseful and gripping debut by an author who is without a doubt one to watch out for.

It's always interesting how people will see the same event in different and sometimes conflicting ways, through glasses colored by their experiences, beliefs and prejudices. Lost in Static tells the story from the points of view of different characters, and their distinct versions of the same incidents are fun to watch. Even the way they relate the events is told in a different voice: Yas sounding like the parody of a political documentary on the BBC; Ruby's funny conversations with herself in her head; Juliette's conflicted religious beliefs and pretty-boy Callum, who thinks the world revolves around him. That said, there is a thin line between showing different perspectives of the same story, and getting repetitive, and I thought some parts of this novel fell into that trap (specially when it focuses on the dialogs and situations more than on the feelings of the characters about them). That is probably why the character development was my favorite part of this novel. Yes, some of the characters are despicable (curiously, I found Callum to be the most unlikable, even if he's not really the villain of the story), but I found them believable and not just clichés. Good for fans of unreliable narrators.

This character-driven YA novel is really very entertaining. Most of the troubles young adults may encounter in university, relationships and jealousy, sex and too much alcohol, intrigues and gossip, even struggles with their faith are mentioned with authenticity but without moral pointing finger.
I found most impressive how Chirtine mastered the difficult tast of four different POVs with distinct voices.
Characters and atmosphere are highly believable.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Lost In Static is the debut novel from Christina Philippou.

Just published by Urbane Publications, it is a coming-of-age novel that will appeal to a YA audience, as it deals with events surrounding the first year in residence of a group of young people at university.

I received my copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest & unbiased review.

Lost In Static is the story of four random individuals who share accommodation on the campus of a university.

The inevitable interaction of all four leads to quite a bit of drama, tension and general high jinks that is generally associated with students.

Each character has their own individual story to tell.

Ruby, is the main character in the book for me. Her story is quite a common one in any university. She is a tom boy, loves sport and her appearance is not quite top of her agenda. Ruby has no sinister story to tell and just wants to fit in. Throughout the novel, we get an insight into a lot of the thoughts that are circling around in Ruby’s head, giving the reader the opportunity to see how the actions of others affect the person in the now.

Yasmine is the one character I really did not like. Her actions are quite disturbing and the malice with which she delivers snide remarks to her fellow residents, in order to achieve what she understands to be the popular vote, is really just damaging and malicious.

Callum is a bit of a weak character in my eyes. While he attempts to maintain a secret in his life, he does come across as a cocky, over indulged young man used to getting his way with his good looks and cheeky personality.

Juliette is the character I had most empathy for. She seems troubled and uneasy with her new environment. Coming from quite a religious background, the scene on campus is causing confusion and stress in her life. Juliette longs to fit in and relax her thoughts but the church (and her mother) have a very strong pull on her, leaving Juliette quite confused and laden down with permanent guilt.
All four characters jump right into the college scene, getting caught up in endless drinking games, all night partying, smoking weed and a fair bit of bed hopping.

I went to university. I lived with my family, as the university was quite near, but I had many friends who lived in flats and campus accommodation. I did witness my fair share of partying and socializing, as is described by Christina Philippou in Lost In Static.

The thoughts that these teenagers are having are very well portrayed in the book. I remember having the same feelings about fitting in. Would people like me? Was I cool enough? Their story is common across all campuses.

In the eyes of these four kids, the drama attached to every action and reaction is typical of that age group. How often, as an adult, are you sitting in a cafe, on a bus, in a queue and you can’t help but hear the ‘O.M.G’ in a conversation.

In reading Lost in Static, there were parts that I initially thought were over-exaggerated and irritating. But then I thought back to my college days when we spent more time sitting in the college bar, dissecting the actions from the night before, with some friends never even having made it home yet.

Lost In Static is not about adults. This book is about four kids who have just left school. They have been pushed out into a world that will chew them up if they don’t make their mark. They are confused, sometimes traumatized and most definitely way too drunk on many occasions.

But that is life at university. It is all about trying to fit in, about being accepted and about finding out who you are.

Christina Philippou has written a book that will appeal to a certain generation. I’m not so sure it’s an advisable read if you have kids heading off or have just started out in college life, as some of the behaviour is quite shocking and disturbing.

In rating this book I took off my sensible adult head and looked at it from a teenage perspective. I would highly recommend it to the 16+ generation. It shows what can happen when things get a little out of hand and how your actions really can affect all those closest to you in ways you hadn’t imagined. I think it will probably be an eye opener for some and for others it is what they look forward to in those formative years from 17 to 21 when every drama is HUGE!!!

I was very excited to learn that Christina Philippou, fellow book blogger, was releasing a novel of her own! Even more excited when my request to read it was approved by the publisher via Netgalley.
I knew I was going to like Lost In Static from the very first page.
We follow the stories of four fresher students as they embark on their first year at University.
I liked Ruby, although the constant use of the word 'mate' was a bit much sometimes. I have known people who talk like that though. Ruby is a normal northern lass, a bit of a tom boy, into football and just wants to get on with University life. She soon falls for Callum though, which complicates things.
Callum has a secret which, if leaked, would seriously put the cat amongst the pigeons. I quite liked Callum's character. He was very believable as a typical lad, making the most of his University experience.
Juliette also has a secret, one that really needn't be though, in today's society. However, not all families are as understanding and accepting as others. Juliette soon becomes firm friends with Ruby, but struggles with other relationships.
Yasmine is one on her own, I did not warm to her at all. She sets her sights on Callum so is obviously jealous of Ruby and she is determined to find out Callum's secret, at any cost.
I haven't been to University, so I can't comment on the authenticity of the general behaviour of these teenagers, over their first few terms, but it did make me kind of hope that my children decide they don't want to go!
I loved the way this book is written. Four different characters, writing to four different recipients about the same situations, but obviously from their own perspectives. It was a very refreshing and enjoyable read. Fast paced and full of suspense. Very cleverly written. It's quite hard to believe that this is Christina's debut novel. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to what she will write next.
Many thanks to Urbane Publications for my auto-approval status on Netgalley. I will be more than happy to recommend Lost In Static to anyone and everyone. It deserves every success.