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massiniman's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent whodunnit for YA. Shame about the authors newly voiced views since I read, but still a good book.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
5.0
It’s been a year since they left school. Ryan, Katie and Ben went their separate ways to university. Greg has a promising football career ahead of him. And Alisha has been resitting her last year. It’s been a year since their friend Janey committed suicide. But putting the past behind them, a reunion is in order and they head of to Spain for two weeks in the sun. It doesn’t take long for sunscreen and sangria to turn to horror… and a summer they will never forget, if only they survive it.
Cruel Summer has James Dawson’s personality stamped all over it. Several of the elements that made Hollow Pike so popular are present; a diverse cast in a book that isn’t about diversity. Something the YA community is screaming out for. The holiday to Spain is a key part to growing up in Britain which means whilst it’s not set in the UK, it’s still incredibly British. Just don’t get any ideas about ways to spend your first holiday as a grown-up!
On one hand, it’s a book for the Scream generation. Of course, we’re grown up now and I hope today’s teenagers can appreciate the irony. Ryan likes to describe his life as if it were scripted. There’s lots of references to clichés and tropes but it’s done in a manner that it’s meant to be obvious. Ryan is pointing them out after all. Yet, the story still managed to avoid being clichéd itself. It’s a wonderful homage to the days of teen horror before it got gory. Think Point Horror (check out James' Point Horror Book Club) but better. Hugely entertaining.
The narrative keeps you guessing right up until the dramatic climax. Ryan likes the predictability of TV land but it doesn’t apply here. It’s one of those books that will take you a while to recover from too. What an ending!
Cruel Summer has James Dawson’s personality stamped all over it. Several of the elements that made Hollow Pike so popular are present; a diverse cast in a book that isn’t about diversity. Something the YA community is screaming out for. The holiday to Spain is a key part to growing up in Britain which means whilst it’s not set in the UK, it’s still incredibly British. Just don’t get any ideas about ways to spend your first holiday as a grown-up!
On one hand, it’s a book for the Scream generation. Of course, we’re grown up now and I hope today’s teenagers can appreciate the irony. Ryan likes to describe his life as if it were scripted. There’s lots of references to clichés and tropes but it’s done in a manner that it’s meant to be obvious. Ryan is pointing them out after all. Yet, the story still managed to avoid being clichéd itself. It’s a wonderful homage to the days of teen horror before it got gory. Think Point Horror (check out James' Point Horror Book Club) but better. Hugely entertaining.
The narrative keeps you guessing right up until the dramatic climax. Ryan likes the predictability of TV land but it doesn’t apply here. It’s one of those books that will take you a while to recover from too. What an ending!
pewterwolf's review against another edition
5.0
Review Taken From The Pewter Wolf
Janey fell to her death. Suicide, the Police said. One year later, her friends - Ryan, Katie, Ben, Alisha, Greg and his current girlfriend, Erin - go on holiday in Spain, all bar Erin (who met Greg months later) hoping to put the past behind them. That is, until Roxanne Dent crashes the party and throw out a shocking confession: Janey was murdered and she has proof.
The events that follow throws doubt on everyone in the villa. One of the them is a killer and not all of them will survive the Spanish sun...
I loved this book. I think this, dare I say it, is better than [b:Hollow Pike|10836484|Hollow Pike|James Dawson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1311348328s/10836484.jpg|15750630]. A huge statement to make, I know, but I devoured this book within 3 or 4 days. It was addictive reading!
Does anyone remember Point Horror from the 90s? Well, imagine that with a teen drama (The OC, One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl, etc) and make it British, and you have what Cruel Summer is about. I'm not sure how else to describe this. Although I haven't watched it, am pretty certain you guys who have watched the Scream movies will love this book because it's very similar. Murder! Doubt! Chatty humour! Even cattier characters! Tongue firmly in cheek!
So, did I guess who the killer was? Kinda, but I was always unsure of myself. I kept jumping between two and three characters. But when it was revealed and why, I was SHOCKED! I was speeding through the last 100 pages going "WHAT?! HOW?! GET THE HECK OUT OF THAT VILLA!!! RUN!!!"
This book would be PERFECT for a movie (hint hint Film4/Kickstarter). And as someone who HATES reading/watching horror, I would go see this!
Oh dear, this is turning into one of those gushy review but I loved this book! If you are a fan of Scream or like the idea of a "What if Point Horror had a child with TV's Gossip Girl?", this is the book for you.
Janey fell to her death. Suicide, the Police said. One year later, her friends - Ryan, Katie, Ben, Alisha, Greg and his current girlfriend, Erin - go on holiday in Spain, all bar Erin (who met Greg months later) hoping to put the past behind them. That is, until Roxanne Dent crashes the party and throw out a shocking confession: Janey was murdered and she has proof.
The events that follow throws doubt on everyone in the villa. One of the them is a killer and not all of them will survive the Spanish sun...
I loved this book. I think this, dare I say it, is better than [b:Hollow Pike|10836484|Hollow Pike|James Dawson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1311348328s/10836484.jpg|15750630]. A huge statement to make, I know, but I devoured this book within 3 or 4 days. It was addictive reading!
Does anyone remember Point Horror from the 90s? Well, imagine that with a teen drama (The OC, One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl, etc) and make it British, and you have what Cruel Summer is about. I'm not sure how else to describe this. Although I haven't watched it, am pretty certain you guys who have watched the Scream movies will love this book because it's very similar. Murder! Doubt! Chatty humour! Even cattier characters! Tongue firmly in cheek!
So, did I guess who the killer was? Kinda, but I was always unsure of myself. I kept jumping between two and three characters. But when it was revealed and why, I was SHOCKED! I was speeding through the last 100 pages going "WHAT?! HOW?! GET THE HECK OUT OF THAT VILLA!!! RUN!!!"
This book would be PERFECT for a movie (hint hint Film4/Kickstarter). And as someone who HATES reading/watching horror, I would go see this!
Oh dear, this is turning into one of those gushy review but I loved this book! If you are a fan of Scream or like the idea of a "What if Point Horror had a child with TV's Gossip Girl?", this is the book for you.
storm_knight's review against another edition
5.0
This was so good i thought i had it all figured out but then the ending threw me for a loop it really turned everything upside down
glindaaa's review against another edition
3.0
So actually this book got 3 and a half star because it was difficult to pick between 3 and 4 but after some thinking I made it to 3. (GOODREADS HALF STARS PLEASE). However this book reminded me a bit too much of Pretty Little Liars, they were all perfect and all and the whole idea was craycray but that wasn't the problem, it was really the all in all vibe. At first I liked it but than the picture perfect was too much and I found it a bit of a shame. Not saying that it was too much like Pretty Little Liars but they were all rich and perfect at what they were doing. The lying over Janey her death was cringe worthy but that's also because I studied law and I can't see why you would lie to the police when it wasn't your fault.
The writing however was brilliant, it was like a movie and I liked Ryan his character absolutely. Shame of the ending. But he wasn't enough to make me love the rest. I hated Greg, I disliked Ben, Katie was my number one no go, Alisha was fine and Erin was good too.
The setting with a middle of no where summer house is asking for trouble, something that Ryan mentions the moment he thinks about a horror, the slaming of the doors: hello wind, nice to hear you too. I am glad that I'm not in a rich clinque like they are, the fact how Rox handled their leaver's ball and the whole situation with being a pro footballer, alcoholic person and so on and most of all the craycray last person that had this ridiculous idea of revenge. Well boo hoo, I can't really believe it, but it was a fun read! Don't get me wrong. But this came especially because of the writing! :)
The writing however was brilliant, it was like a movie and I liked Ryan his character absolutely. Shame of the ending. But he wasn't enough to make me love the rest. I hated Greg, I disliked Ben, Katie was my number one no go, Alisha was fine and Erin was good too.
The setting with a middle of no where summer house is asking for trouble, something that Ryan mentions the moment he thinks about a horror, the slaming of the doors: hello wind, nice to hear you too. I am glad that I'm not in a rich clinque like they are, the fact how Rox handled their leaver's ball and the whole situation with being a pro footballer, alcoholic person and so on and most of all the craycray last person that had this ridiculous idea of revenge. Well boo hoo, I can't really believe it, but it was a fun read! Don't get me wrong. But this came especially because of the writing! :)
gabyshedwick's review against another edition
5.0
Wtf just happened that ending was soooo unexpected I still can't get over it, I literally can't describe my feelings right now. Aaaaaaah!
owls_rainbow's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! I was not expecting that ending. I'd sort of considered them as a suspect and brushed them aside for someone else. I was half right about that although events there were rather anti-climactic. I kept hoping someone was going to come and save the day but they didn't.
This book really sucked me in and the characters were really real and believable. I did feel that Ryan was a teeny bit of a stereotype though but not in a bad way.
This book really sucked me in and the characters were really real and believable. I did feel that Ryan was a teeny bit of a stereotype though but not in a bad way.
emhwatson's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
paperpix's review against another edition
2.0
Standard weekend afternoon read. But what a disappointing reveal!