3.52 AVERAGE

fast-paced

I was going to quit this book…but I could relate to the protagonist. I’m usually a fan of her novels but I didn’t really like this one.

I love Jennifer Weiner...but not so much this title. I’m giving it a 2.5 ⭐️. The plot is semi- interesting but do not listen to the audiobook. I might have enjoyed it more if I had read the print version. The narrator managed to ruin this book. Example: budden means button, ridden means written. It just goes on and on......ugh!
dark funny inspiring medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
emotional hopeful fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

topic of plussize heroine starting great, turn to crime novel partly confusing, solution surprising and not completely making up for it

I feel the whole ‘big girl gains confidence but still doubts herself’ theme was completely unnecessary to this book. It was an annoying theme throughout the book (thus the title BIG SUMMER), to the point I almost stopped reading it. The storyline was good enough without it, her being fat had absolutely nothing to do with it, other than she was a plus size influencer.
Stop fat shaming.
adventurous emotional reflective fast-paced
dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

While this was an entertaining read, I found the author’s inability to really clarify what their statement on the social media life and everything it represents to be distracting. At times I felt the author was glorifying the phony online presence lifestyle, at other times I thought the author was trying to bring attention to the troubling behavior this has created in our culture. At the end of the day, I would’ve liked a little stronger point of view on that.