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shmarol's review against another edition
3.0
Cute story of 4 sisters living in a small town with their grandmother. Solid book for anyone looking for an easy, pleasant summer read. This book sells it self as 'Gilmore Girls' meets 'Little Women.' I would more heavily consider this a modern day 'Little Women,' I didn't really get a 'Gilmore Girls' vibe.
jessicacwrites's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. The representation and the diverse characters made me so happy. I took so many notes while reading this because I fell in love with the story!
I will say, it was a bit confusing for the first 5-6 chapters as I got used to which sister was which because there were so many POVs, but I loved how each story was individual, and then it all came together at the end.
Full review to come on my blog very soon!
I will say, it was a bit confusing for the first 5-6 chapters as I got used to which sister was which because there were so many POVs, but I loved how each story was individual, and then it all came together at the end.
Full review to come on my blog very soon!
rhi's review against another edition
4.0
second read (first time reading end of 2018)
thoroughly enjoyed!!! vi my LESBIAN GIRL YOU GO AAAAAA she's my fave <3 but kat is a close second!! bea i adore and des... well... i can get used to her. I LOVE ALL THE SISTERS KAJHDKJHDSKG LOVE LOVE LOVE
thoroughly enjoyed!!! vi my LESBIAN GIRL YOU GO AAAAAA she's my fave <3 but kat is a close second!! bea i adore and des... well... i can get used to her. I LOVE ALL THE SISTERS KAJHDKJHDSKG LOVE LOVE LOVE
gleeful_vector_of_chaos's review against another edition
5.0
Man this was so cute and exactly what I needed right now. Just made me smile so much.
vellichorbee's review against another edition
5.0
Let me start by saying that whilst I understand the marketing technique in comparing books to other well known books, movies and TV shows, I often find personally that the books can rarely deliver on the expectations such comparisons set up. A lot of people have compared this book to Gilmore Girls and Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants and Little Women. I don't hold Little Women as close to my heart as I'm sure some people do but the other two are absolute favourites of mine and part of my motivation to pick up this book. Honestly this is just a super long-winded way of saying that rather than disappoint me on the Gilmore Girls and Travelling Pants front, this book lived up to and exceeded my expectations. If this book was a TV show or movie, I would rewatch it as many times as I've watched Gilmore Girls and the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants.
Now, on to the story itself. The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls is about four sisters, all of whom are named after Shakespearean characters. The family also owns a bookshop named Arden Books, also named by their mother, the ultimate Shakespeare fan. As a lover of Shakespeare myself, I have to say that I loved the little nods to the Bard throughout this book. The girls' parents died when they were all quite young and so the girls have been raised by their grandmother, who has also taken over running the bookshop. When the book opens, the eldest sister Des has been charged with the responsibility of the store and running the household in light of their grandmother having had a bad fall. Just to reassure you, their grandmother is fine she just is unable to get around much as she heals from the accident.
In most books with multiple points of view, I end up with one or two favourites and find myself waiting for their chapters and finding some of the others just something to slough through. I think that writing multiple characters that are likeable and relatable and interesting is an incredibly difficult thing to do. Even in some of my all-time favourite books that have multiple characters, I sometimes find myself skimming certain chapters if they are from the perspective of characters I don't mind but also don't love. In The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls, however, Jessica Spotswood has created four wonderful and engaging characters that really gave this story heart. I loved Kat's chapters just as much as I loved Des's. Even when I was impatient to find out what happened next in Vi's romance, I was just as happy to read about Bea's struggles to live up to impossible expectations.
Every Garret girl deserves your love and attention in this book and even though I had my favourites in terms of their character arcs and how relatable I found them personally, I fell in love with every single one of them. I read this book almost all in one go, sitting outside in the sunshine and even though it is winter in my part of the world at the moment, I can highly recommend this as a cute and heartfelt summer read. This book makes you feel like anything can happen, like your own summer romance and life-changing event is just around the corner and that you should go to the beach and eat ice-cream while you wait for it to arrive. It's a story about friendship and love and things changing but also the things that will always stay the same.
One of my favourite things about Gilmore Girls is that watching it feels like a warm hug, with characters and a town that are so familiar and comforting. This book has the same small-town feeling and focus on family and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that I would come back to this book and re-read it anytime I felt like getting that comforting feeling from Gilmore Girls from a book format instead.
I also loved that this book had a cute f/f romance and that Spotswood name dropped f/f YA books and ships from TV shows through Vi's character. I love that Vi was such an avid reader and lover of f/f romance in books and that she got to have her very own summer romance just like the ones she read about in Nina LaCour books. Because isn't that just the ultimate dream for all of us lesbian and bi girls out there?
If I could give this book 6 or 10 or 50 stars out of five I would but I'll just have to settle for telling you reading this review to pick up a copy and fall in love with it as much as I did. Happy reading!
Now, on to the story itself. The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls is about four sisters, all of whom are named after Shakespearean characters. The family also owns a bookshop named Arden Books, also named by their mother, the ultimate Shakespeare fan. As a lover of Shakespeare myself, I have to say that I loved the little nods to the Bard throughout this book. The girls' parents died when they were all quite young and so the girls have been raised by their grandmother, who has also taken over running the bookshop. When the book opens, the eldest sister Des has been charged with the responsibility of the store and running the household in light of their grandmother having had a bad fall. Just to reassure you, their grandmother is fine she just is unable to get around much as she heals from the accident.
In most books with multiple points of view, I end up with one or two favourites and find myself waiting for their chapters and finding some of the others just something to slough through. I think that writing multiple characters that are likeable and relatable and interesting is an incredibly difficult thing to do. Even in some of my all-time favourite books that have multiple characters, I sometimes find myself skimming certain chapters if they are from the perspective of characters I don't mind but also don't love. In The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls, however, Jessica Spotswood has created four wonderful and engaging characters that really gave this story heart. I loved Kat's chapters just as much as I loved Des's. Even when I was impatient to find out what happened next in Vi's romance, I was just as happy to read about Bea's struggles to live up to impossible expectations.
Every Garret girl deserves your love and attention in this book and even though I had my favourites in terms of their character arcs and how relatable I found them personally, I fell in love with every single one of them. I read this book almost all in one go, sitting outside in the sunshine and even though it is winter in my part of the world at the moment, I can highly recommend this as a cute and heartfelt summer read. This book makes you feel like anything can happen, like your own summer romance and life-changing event is just around the corner and that you should go to the beach and eat ice-cream while you wait for it to arrive. It's a story about friendship and love and things changing but also the things that will always stay the same.
One of my favourite things about Gilmore Girls is that watching it feels like a warm hug, with characters and a town that are so familiar and comforting. This book has the same small-town feeling and focus on family and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that I would come back to this book and re-read it anytime I felt like getting that comforting feeling from Gilmore Girls from a book format instead.
I also loved that this book had a cute f/f romance and that Spotswood name dropped f/f YA books and ships from TV shows through Vi's character. I love that Vi was such an avid reader and lover of f/f romance in books and that she got to have her very own summer romance just like the ones she read about in Nina LaCour books. Because isn't that just the ultimate dream for all of us lesbian and bi girls out there?
If I could give this book 6 or 10 or 50 stars out of five I would but I'll just have to settle for telling you reading this review to pick up a copy and fall in love with it as much as I did. Happy reading!
lostinmylibrary's review against another edition
5.0
This review, and many others, can be found at Lost in My Library. I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars, rounded up because if not for thecheating storyline, it might have been a new favorite. I just can't deal with those.
I knew I was going to love this book from the description! I love the relationships between sisters explored in YA (though I admit that, not having any myself, I can't speak for how realistic they are), and I love that each of the sisters was so different.
This had tropes galore, but they were all done so well that everyone else who uses these tropes needs to step it up. For example, there's a fake dating storyline. It was so adorable I screamed. I'll admit that not all of them were for me, however. Slight spoilers ahead: there was also a cheating storyline, which I am always very uncomfortable reading. I thought it was handled very well, but I still would have liked the book more without it.
My favorite part of this was the characters. I couldn't pick a favorite of the sisters, and each of their storylines was developed so well. I was a little apprehensive about having four alternating points of view, but it worked so well! I can't imagine this book working without them.
CONTENT WARNINGS:one character outs another without permission, mentions of past eating disorder, discussion of past suicide attempt, discussion of parental death in car crash
4.5 stars, rounded up because if not for the
I knew I was going to love this book from the description! I love the relationships between sisters explored in YA (though I admit that, not having any myself, I can't speak for how realistic they are), and I love that each of the sisters was so different.
This had tropes galore, but they were all done so well that everyone else who uses these tropes needs to step it up. For example, there's a fake dating storyline. It was so adorable I screamed. I'll admit that not all of them were for me, however. Slight spoilers ahead: there was also a cheating storyline, which I am always very uncomfortable reading. I thought it was handled very well, but I still would have liked the book more without it.
My favorite part of this was the characters. I couldn't pick a favorite of the sisters, and each of their storylines was developed so well. I was a little apprehensive about having four alternating points of view, but it worked so well! I can't imagine this book working without them.
CONTENT WARNINGS:
randiroo's review
5.0
This was a beautiful and complex YA contemporary. I wondered if I’d have trouble keeping the four sisters straight while switching between their points of view, but each character was so distinct that this was not a problem at all. The setting is a big part of the story, which I really enjoyed; I want to visit Remington Hollow now! Each sister’s plotline is compelling in its own way. I can’t choose a favorite. The challenges each girl faces are complicated and realistic. I absolutely loved this book.
My only complaint is that I now need a full-length book about each Garrett sister!
My only complaint is that I now need a full-length book about each Garrett sister!
samwlabb's review
4.0
My love for family stories is endless, and The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls was one that combine so many wonderful elements to yield a thoughtful, fun, and heartwarming story of four sisters, who experience cataclysmic changes over the course of a summer.
• Pro: Sister stories are always so wonderful, and these sisters are closer than close due to losing their parents when they were younger. The bond between them was unquestionable, and there were some fabulous scenes where that sisterly love just burst from the page.
• Pro: I like multi-POV books. This one has four - one for each sister, and I thought Spotswood did a great job keeping each voice distinct. I had no problem telling them apart.
• Pro: Each character was dealing with her own issues, some bigger than others, and I think there is a little something there for everyone to relate to.
• Con: I love popular culture, but for some reason, I don't like too much of it in the books I read. I do understand that this story revolves around four teenaged girls, but there were a lot of references.
• Pro: There is lots of feminism celebrated here.
• Pro: I am giving a shout out to the grandmother, because I love them, and the Grarrett Girls' grandmother was really special. She didn't get a ton of page time, but the time she did get was quality time, and I really liked the way she interacted with the girls and helped guide them along the way.
• Pro: I kept finding myself smiling and laughing, because this book was a lot of fun. It was also all sorts of cute and adorable with just a touch of drama to keep us on our toes.
• Pro: Books set in small towns are always winners for me, and this one had all the charm you expect form a coastal little town. I loved meeting all the business women, touring the shops, attending a field party, and celebrating Fourth of July with the Garretts and their neighbors.
• Pro: Each character experienced some growth during the book, but the one who changed the most was Kat, and her story was probably my favorite as well. Kat was not the most likable in the beginning of the book. However, after entering into a fauxmance as a revenge plot against her ex-boyfriend, she undergoes a lot of personal changes, and I really liked late-summer Kat a lot.
• Pro: There's romance, and you know I can never get enough of that. Kat had her fauxmance storyline, and Vi had a really special first romance, which was terribly sweet. I shipped both couples, and it was delightful seeing how their relationships developed.
Overall: A delightful, which thoughtfully explored the dynamics of sisterhood and growing up.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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• Pro: Sister stories are always so wonderful, and these sisters are closer than close due to losing their parents when they were younger. The bond between them was unquestionable, and there were some fabulous scenes where that sisterly love just burst from the page.
• Pro: I like multi-POV books. This one has four - one for each sister, and I thought Spotswood did a great job keeping each voice distinct. I had no problem telling them apart.
• Pro: Each character was dealing with her own issues, some bigger than others, and I think there is a little something there for everyone to relate to.
• Con: I love popular culture, but for some reason, I don't like too much of it in the books I read. I do understand that this story revolves around four teenaged girls, but there were a lot of references.
• Pro: There is lots of feminism celebrated here.
• Pro: I am giving a shout out to the grandmother, because I love them, and the Grarrett Girls' grandmother was really special. She didn't get a ton of page time, but the time she did get was quality time, and I really liked the way she interacted with the girls and helped guide them along the way.
• Pro: I kept finding myself smiling and laughing, because this book was a lot of fun. It was also all sorts of cute and adorable with just a touch of drama to keep us on our toes.
• Pro: Books set in small towns are always winners for me, and this one had all the charm you expect form a coastal little town. I loved meeting all the business women, touring the shops, attending a field party, and celebrating Fourth of July with the Garretts and their neighbors.
• Pro: Each character experienced some growth during the book, but the one who changed the most was Kat, and her story was probably my favorite as well. Kat was not the most likable in the beginning of the book. However, after entering into a fauxmance as a revenge plot against her ex-boyfriend, she undergoes a lot of personal changes, and I really liked late-summer Kat a lot.
• Pro: There's romance, and you know I can never get enough of that. Kat had her fauxmance storyline, and Vi had a really special first romance, which was terribly sweet. I shipped both couples, and it was delightful seeing how their relationships developed.
Overall: A delightful, which thoughtfully explored the dynamics of sisterhood and growing up.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
whatjasread's review
4.0
If you're looking for a light-hearted, witty, summery read, The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls ticks all the boxes. It follows four sisters one summer as they try to plan their futures and discover who they truly are.
We have Bea, who's struggling with breaking up with a long-term boyfriend; Des who's always the responsible who just wants to rebel; Vi, who's openly gay and falling in love with the girl next door; and Kat, whose fake relationship starts to feel a bit too real.
The novel is written from each of their individual perspectives, following their independent story arcs, which is so cool! I thought things would get confusing, but Spotswood has written four characters who are so completely different from each other that it's impossible to mix their stories up. They're all so loveable, and I felt like the story was quite relatable in terms of having three siblings to compete with!
This was so well-written, and definitely the cute little pick-me-up I needed! 4 stars!
[Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for a review.]
We have Bea, who's struggling with breaking up with a long-term boyfriend; Des who's always the responsible who just wants to rebel; Vi, who's openly gay and falling in love with the girl next door; and Kat, whose fake relationship starts to feel a bit too real.
The novel is written from each of their individual perspectives, following their independent story arcs, which is so cool! I thought things would get confusing, but Spotswood has written four characters who are so completely different from each other that it's impossible to mix their stories up. They're all so loveable, and I felt like the story was quite relatable in terms of having three siblings to compete with!
This was so well-written, and definitely the cute little pick-me-up I needed! 4 stars!
[Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for a review.]
justacatandabook's review
4.0
The Garrett sisters are pretty used to the routine of their lives in their small town. Des, 19, is caretaker of her sisters and Arden, the bookstore left behind by their late parents. Their seventy-year-old Gram counts on her to take care of things--even more so since her knee surgery. Bea, 18, is smart, ambitious, and heading to Georgetown in the fall, along with her longtime boyfriend, Erik. Kat, 16, is their theatrical diva, whom no one really takes seriously; she recently broke up with her boyfriend, and she'd do just about anything to get him back. At fifteen, Vi is the "baby" of the family. She's quiet, sensitive, and gay. It's all worked pretty well for a while, but little do they all know: things are about to change for the Garrett girls this summer.
Jessica Spotswood said that she pitched this novel as "Little Women meets Gilmore Girls by way of Sarah Dessen," and I couldn't agree more. I didn't read this until her epilogue, and both the Little Women and Gilmore Girls pieces had already crossed my mind. This is such a lovely, charming, and touching book--I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Garrett sisters were so wonderful and engaging that as the book ended, I immediately found myself wishing there was a sequel, because I was completely immersed in their lives.
Spotswood creates some excellent, different, and completely captivating characters in these sisters. Each is unique in their own way--their own person. I loved the wonderful diverse representation in this one: "there aren't many YA books about girls falling in love," Vi says. It's so true, and how nice it is to have a well-written book where that storyline is just one of the many plots. There are some absolutely beautiful exchanges, as Vi has a crush on the girl who works at the restaurant next door, Cece. It was easily my favorite part of the book--I adored sweet Vi. I also loved how books played a such a strong role in the story--between the girls' family owning a bookstore and all of them loving books and stories in some way.
The novel itself is really about the universal themes of growing up, finding your way, and friendship and sisterhood. And love. It's so well-done and really sweet and fun. The girls seem so real, and it was quite easy to get caught up in their lives and problems. I found it quite enjoyable, even if I could guess how most things would resolve themselves.
Overall, this was a delightful novel about sisterhood and growing up. I truly wish I could have spent more time with the Garrett sisters. 4+ stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
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Jessica Spotswood said that she pitched this novel as "Little Women meets Gilmore Girls by way of Sarah Dessen," and I couldn't agree more. I didn't read this until her epilogue, and both the Little Women and Gilmore Girls pieces had already crossed my mind. This is such a lovely, charming, and touching book--I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Garrett sisters were so wonderful and engaging that as the book ended, I immediately found myself wishing there was a sequel, because I was completely immersed in their lives.
Spotswood creates some excellent, different, and completely captivating characters in these sisters. Each is unique in their own way--their own person. I loved the wonderful diverse representation in this one: "there aren't many YA books about girls falling in love," Vi says. It's so true, and how nice it is to have a well-written book where that storyline is just one of the many plots. There are some absolutely beautiful exchanges, as Vi has a crush on the girl who works at the restaurant next door, Cece. It was easily my favorite part of the book--I adored sweet Vi. I also loved how books played a such a strong role in the story--between the girls' family owning a bookstore and all of them loving books and stories in some way.
The novel itself is really about the universal themes of growing up, finding your way, and friendship and sisterhood. And love. It's so well-done and really sweet and fun. The girls seem so real, and it was quite easy to get caught up in their lives and problems. I found it quite enjoyable, even if I could guess how most things would resolve themselves.
Overall, this was a delightful novel about sisterhood and growing up. I truly wish I could have spent more time with the Garrett sisters. 4+ stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).