Reviews

Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

rray_'s review against another edition

5.0

EXCELLENTLY written with very compelling characters and narrative ultimately saves it, but made problematic with some potentially questionable (and arguably unrealistic) depictions of a rape survivor, who then tries to seduce, manipulate and arguably in turn rape the brother of her boyfriend, and ultimately the rather blase, laize-faire and even outright confusing attitudes the two brothers have about the encounter. It's enough of a distraction to create confusion regarding how the reader should feel and sympathize with both characters (enough that I hesitate to put it on my "unofficial sixth star" best reads of the year shelf) but not enough to deny it a full 5/5 stars on Goodreads.

*more or less representative of relationship in book:"

Chase: Hey, bro, your girlfriend...she tried to seduce me, manipulate me and you can even say she like tried to borderline rape me and I'm like...eh. I just kinda want to get laid this summer. So I like let her.
Noah: That's cool. What's mom making for dinner?

Also I swear to God Chase and Noah are actually more into each other than Melinda.

classygigi's review against another edition

1.0

This is the worst-written book I’ve ever read. I can’t believe that this was even allowed to be published. Disgusting. Unrealistic. Sentences that didn’t make sense and not a single thought properly started or finished. I’m truly in shock about how bad this book is.

sarahpyt's review against another edition

5.0

Practically Everyone who's heard of Invincible Summer knows that its not your typical beach read; You've probably also heard how talented Hannah Moskowitz is, but I can't resist not mentioning these things in my review. You see, despite knowing all this ahead of time, I was still surprised when I found out what exactly lies inside the cover of Invincible Summer and the emotion it contains.

Perhaps my favorite part of Invincible Summer was Chase, particularly his voice; it was raw and emotional and I just loved it. Of course, I adored all the characters in IS but his is the one I felt for the most. In this novel, we follow him through four summers starting when he is fourteen and finishing once he is eighteen. We watch him grow up, mature, and experience love and regret.

So yes, this is more than your average beach read. But it's more than that in the best way possible. I hope you'll all give IS a chance, it is a truly wonderful book.

hmelliott's review against another edition

1.0

To be honest, this book was nothing like how it was described. I had been dying to read this book. I'm actually surprised I even finished it. The entire time the main character Chase complains about his dysfunctional family, which I get everyone wants parents that get along but for some reason his complaints made no sense. Yes he wants his older brother to be around more, but that was Noah's way of responding to the family that didn't get him. Another thing that I had a hard time with is that when the author was describing a scene I could not even imagine it. It was like I was starring at a blank canvas and everyone else got it but me. Also I think this book has more 'f' words than the Big Lebowski. Which would be pretty hard to do. It's not that I have a problem with swearing I had a problem with it because the sister in the book whose like 13 is swearing just as much as her brothers. Someone that young shouldn't be swearing like a sailor.
I was at Barnes & Noble a couple of weeks ago and my friends thought it was weird that I was only buying books I have already read. I honestly thought about breaking this rule and buying this book. I'm so glad I didn't because if I did I might have thrown this in a wood chipper.

rachelcully's review against another edition

4.0

by the end of the 17th summer I felt the book had reached its climax and i was ready for the ending. I kinda skimmed the 18th summer but i still cried. i cried a lot in this book. more than in any book ive read in quite a while. i didn't weep mind you. just a tear here and there. Chase and Noah's relationship just gets to me some times. There are no words for what those two share. So the fact that Moskowitz can make you feel what they have, if even for a moment, shows true talent.

Despite the cover, this book really wasn't about girls,bikinis on the beach, or any kind of girlfriend relationship. What it was about was love. Not falling in love, but simply Being in love. Being in love with the people around you. It's about a brothers love for his family and the cost of that love.

If you ask me this is anything but a happy tale. It has its moments but truly I see this book as real, pure raw emotion.

Read this book. It is in a class of its own.

oliveeeef's review against another edition

1.0

Overt ableism. Brushed over sexual assault. Sexualised an 11 year old!

bookables's review against another edition

3.0

I actually enjoyed this book! I've read a lot of bad reviews on it, but I liked it none the less. I liked how he grittiness and kinda darkness of it. I HATED the ending because it was to sad...like really sad.

moonchild720's review against another edition

2.0

This book has been on my to read list for two years. I finally read it and I really didn't like it. At the beginning I couldn't tell who the speaker was. I was really intrigued when I figured out the perspective was a guys. Not many stories are from that point of view. I didn't like Chase's point of view. I didn't really like him as a character. I didn't really like any of the characters. I didn't enjoy the story. I just didn't like this book. I didn't get all of the Camus quotes. I don't understand how it fit into the story. I just really disliked this whole book and I'm glad I actually finished it.

foreveryoungadult's review against another edition

Graded By: Poshdeluxe
Cover Story: NO. Just, No.
BFF Charm: Nay
Swoonworthy Scale: 0
Talky Talk: Camus Camus Camus
Bonus Factors: Summer, Gideon
Relationship Status: It's Not You, It's Me

Read the full book report here.

andiabcs's review against another edition

1.0

I have no words for the disgustingness of this book. The relationship between Chase and Noah was creepy. The relationship between Chase and Claudia was creepy. And I'm not even getting into the Melinda, Chase, Noah thing. Honestly I don't know what the author was even trying to create. So not a fan at all! Eww!