How to Survive 1985
by Tegan Bennett Daylight
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Pub Date Apr 30 2025 | Archive Date Apr 23 2025
Simon & Schuster (Australia) | Simon & Schuster Australia
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Description
When four friends find themselves thrown back in time to 1985, how will they handle being teens in their parents’ era? And will they ever get back to the future?
It takes Shannon a while to work out what’s happened. She went into the cinema in 2025 and came back out … in 1985? Somehow she’s travelled forty years back in time.
But this isn’t the first time something strange has happened to Shannon and her group of friends. Is there a chance that whatever mysterious forces brought them together a year ago have sent them back to the 80s with her? To find her friends, she’ll have to navigate a world with no smartphones, no internet, and – worst of all – no access to bubble tea. Plus, what’s with the hairstyles?
Once they’re reunited, things only get more complicated. As the group tries to find a way back to the future, some friendships are strained while others blossom into something more. Can they stay together – and stay friends – long enough to survive 1985?
In another warm, wise and life-affirming story, Tegan Bennett Daylight takes her beloved cast of characters from her debut YA novel Royals on a fresh adventure, to discover something about their roots and how far their generation has come.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781761429712 |
| PRICE | A$22.99 (AUD) |
| PAGES | 288 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Louise G, Reviewer
I loved this book. I grew up in the 1980s and the author has caught the vibe of the era really well. It’s an intriguing premise and the author is smart enough not to delve too deeply into the how and why of the time travel which occurs. Instead, they take the reader on a fascinating journey of reflection and self affirmation.
Reviewer 1195931
Found out about this through my email and the author I have read one other book previously by her. The premise sounded interesting and I love being able to read any book by an Australian author and one set in Sydney. Was pretty chuffed to have been accepted for an arc review. Love the comparisons between 1985 and 2025.
Reviewer 1519498
This is such a great read! It's rare I find a book that is so easy to devour, and I finished far sooner than I expected to.
How to Survive 1985 is a sequel to her first book, Royals, but you truly don't need to have read it to catch up as there's a great recap done by the main character to loop the reader back in.
The main character, Shannon, goes back in time and has the opportunity to meet her mother as a teen. I appreciated the thought that went into how the characters dealt with losing technology and not having the amenities we're so used to in 2025.
Shannon makes a few crucial decisions about whether to change the past or not, and I feel it's wrapped up very well. I could really see a trend for how the plot leads the reader to consider their own impact on the world and the future. This was a really beautiful take on how time might change for the better if we just put more thought into our choices.
I definitely will look into more books by this author, and thank you to the publisher for this opportunity!
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