Two girls adventure around the world, devotedly tracking locations mentioned in YA novels. Sometimes, we blog about it. Sometimes.
HELLO THERE, thank you for visiting our blog (formally known as The Side Of Wonder). That is so nice of you. Are you having fun? Shall we bore you with some info on us? OKAY
We are Annette and Rachel, two Melbourne based twenty somethings with a fierce love for reading YA fiction. In October of 2012, we road tripped to Sydney to visit locations mentioned in our favourite author’s (Melina Marchetta) YA contemporary books (Looking For Alibrandi, Saving Francesca, On The Jellicoe Road and The Piper’s Son). While in Sydney, we stayed with Annette’s aunty, Taylor, who suggested we start a blog to share with other MM fans and YA book bloggers alike. Read more about the original idea behind this blog here.
Nowadays, we book tour Melbourne-based YA books (Girl Defective, Graffiti Moon, Every Breath, and currently, Life In Outer Space). We have so much fun doing it and especially love 1. that it allows us to form a clearer picture in our minds of the settings in these fantastic LoveOzYA novels 2. walking in the footsteps of fave fictional characters and 3. being able to share it with you all!
– Annette and Rachel
The Tome Travellers 
I too love Melina Marchetta, and I like the name of your blog.
A roadtrip of her books is a wonderful idea. I wish I lived in Australia, I’d follow your stellar example.
Thanks Quintana 2
It was probably the highlight of our year and it was thrilling to walk the steps of our favourite fictional characters. If only Skuldenore existed, we would be there in a heartbeat!
The only thing that would have made the trip better was if we had run into Melina!
This is such a beautiful blog! Am so glad to see more Marchetta fans – her books are so underrated! Love your background photo.
Thank you Jani! It’s always great to hear from like minded, Melina Marchetta fans! I believe you can thank google for the background picture! (Unless Rachel wants to correct me here, I’m pretty sure that’s where it came from :P)
– Annette
Hi! I just found you through my stats page and I’m so glad I did! It’s lovely to “meet” other Jellicoe fans. I absolutely obsess over that book. It’s the one book that I always recommend when asked “what should I read next?” 🙂
Hi! I’m glad you found and like our blog! We are always keen to meet other Jellicoe fans (and Melina fans). I’m glad you recommend that too, it is my life mission to get everyone I know to read it. Thanks for commenting and stay tuned for when we cover that Jellicoe with photos and stories! – Annette
Love this so much!!
Thank you! Although we thought up the idea of a Melina-books road trip in Dec 2011, certain circumstances prevented us from going at that time, so we’re really happy it did end up happening as we had the time of our lives and now we’re having so much fun sharing it with you all and discovering the world of blogging!
– Rachel
THIS IS AMAZING. I’ve spent the past half hour reading through this blog and everything you wrote summed up my feelings about her novels! I got so excited just knowing there are people who mirror how much these novels mean to me!
I’m from Sydney and I’ve definitely made the trips to the places Melina Marchetta’s mentoned in her novels, but I’ve never made a comprehensive + documented list – really brilliant idea!!
Hi Eva
Always great to hear from another Marchetta lover 🙂 I know exactly what you mean, the best thing about doing this blog is that we’re able to share it with other fans! So thank you, it was amazing and we had so much fun.
So handy that you live in Sydney, what places have you been able to visit?
Thank you for taking the time to comment. 🙂
– Rachel